Letters from Home

Posted on by Alicia Unleashed

 

Imagine your Nana/Nona/Grammy not being able to visit your Grampy/Nunu/Papa at the Nursing Residence they call home or vice versa.

Imagine their daily routine, the love of their life not being able to check in with them, hold hands and have that connection they’ve had for so many years.

It’s a lonely time for so many us, but for our seniors that can’t get visitors it’s heartbreaking for them, their families and the staff.

If you have a greeting card sitting around or construction paper, consider sending a card to a senior that may need it more that you know.

We spoke with the staff of Den-Mar Health and Rehabilitation Center and cards will sit in a quarantine for a day or so but then will be distributed to the residents.

Cards can be sent to:
Den-Mar Health
44 south Street
Rockport, MA 01966

 

GRACE FAVAZZA OBITUARY

Posted on by Kimsmithdesigns
A beautiful, kind, and welcoming lady who will be missed by so very many
Gloucester – Grace Frances (Misuraca) Favazza, 92, wife of the late Peter L. Favazza of Gloucester, died on Wednesday, March 25, 2020, with a light of loving peace around her, and her daughters by her side, in the early morning, when only the birds were awake to fly her spirit home.
Gracie or Gray, as she was fondly known, was born in Gloucester, 2 Fort Square to be exact, in 1928 and was the daughter of the late Gaetano and Giovininna “Jenny” (LoPiccolo) Misuraca. She received her high school diploma at the age of 55, and her certified nursing assistance license when she was 68 years old, working private duty with the elderly, until she was 84 years old and had to have it explained that she was the elderly.
Gracie had an unwavering amount of energy and was proudly in many organizations. They were the Mother of Grace Club, Gloucester Fishermen’s Wives, Gloucester WWII Veterans, Madonna Del Rosario Society, Our Lady of Good Voyage Guild, St. Ann’s Women’s Guild, Seafood Retirees and St. Peter’s Women’s Auxiliary.
She is survived by her four children, son, Peter Favazza III and his husband Brian Smith, both of Las Vegas, daughter, Sarina Favazza of Dover, NH and Gina Rowland and her husband David Rowland of Dover, NH. She has three step grandchildren, Brandon, Kyle and Shanna Rowland; her sisters, Mary Parisi, Cathy Wallius and a brother John Misuraca from Florida. In addition to her loving husband Peter, she was predeceased by her siblings, her brothers, Vito, Natale, Samuel, Thomas and Joseph Misuraca and sisters, Helen Misuraca and Vincie Vairella. She had many nieces and nephews and was the Godmother of over 19 Godchildren.
The family is forever grateful to Care Dimensions Hospice and Connected Home Care, of all their services and assistance throughout the years of our mother’s journey into aging and beyond. The family wishes to thank all our friends and relatives that enabled Gracie to stay in her home as she aged gracefully and timelessly.
Given the current climate, Grace’s celebration of life will be held in the summer, which will be announced at a later date, with a graveside burial held in Calvary Cemetery, 151 Eastern Ave. Gloucester. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in her memory to: The Rose Baker Senior Center, 6 Manuel F. Lewis Road, Gloucester, MA 01930 or The Open Door Food Pantry, 28 Emerson Ave. Gloucester, MA 01930. Arrangements are by the Greely Funeral Home, 212 Washington St. Gloucester, MA 01930. Online condolences may be given at: www.greelyfuneralhome.com.
Published on March 26, 2020

The Jane Deering Gallery – Opening for the exhibition “Formally Taught … and Not” is Virtually On!

Posted on by James Eves

Dear Friends,

The exhibition Formally Taught … and Not is fully installed at JDG and is a grand showcase of creativity. 

We had hoped to celebrate the many Senior Citizens who put forth their work and the wonderful professional artists who gave their art and support to this show. 

And then …… the world shut down. 

But there is good news — virtual reality has come to the rescue and all the art can be viewed by going directly to the works via this link: https://janedeeringgallery.com/exhibitions-jdg-gloucester-ma/formally-taught-and-not/1. 

Once there, click on the small arrow in the upper right-hand corner to surf through all images.  Plenty of info for each work.

Thank you for your support of the arts.
But most importantly, stay healthy,

Juni Van Dyke

Installation shot - over mantle.jpg

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Cape Ann Chamber of Commerce COVID-19 Update: March 26, 2020

Posted on by Joey Ciaramitaro

Definitely Not Business As Usual

Posted on by Joey Ciaramitaro

Kenny MacCarthy's avatarCape Ann Home

As events unfold and cause changes day by day, sometimes hour by hour, it’s not easy for anyone to keep up. For the time being, we’re going to try to break down “what’s happening” in our market, a little at a time.

Let’s assume you were hoping to sell or buy a home within the next few weeks or months, but aren’t actually in the process. The following will definitely affect you if you decide to ramp it up:

  • As of noon, March 24, 2020, there is a “work from home” order in place in MA for all non essential businesses until April 7. It means no face-to-face meetings.
  • 3rd party service providers (photographers, stagers, contractors, appraissers, inspectors, real estate agents, etc.) are not allowed to go out. Service providers can work, consult, talk, conference and advise as long as it’s from their own homes. No face-to-face meetings.
  • The back…

View original post 126 more words

MESSAGE FROM BACKYARD GROWERS LARA LEPIONKA: HOW TO PUT HEALTHY FOOD ON YOUR NEIGHBOR’S TABLE

Posted on by Kimsmithdesigns
I’ve been told that spring isn’t canceled. So with this promise of spring, we are working hard to get our community and backyard gardens ready for the growing season so people can have fresh, healthy food to put on their tables. As with most things these days, this pandemic is threatening this promise.
Now more than ever community and backyard gardens are a critical part of our local food system. Gardens help improve food security and the health and nutrition of our most vulnerable populations. And now, with looming job losses and income instability for many more residents, growing some of one’s one food in backyard, community, and even container gardens can make a big difference in the health and wellness of our community during this unprecedented time.
We want you to know that we are working harder than ever to deliver new and innovative ways to serve our economically vulnerable seniors and families–through virtual training, safe seed and seedling distribution, enhanced digital content through our website, and a new, affordable container garden program.
We need your help to keep the promise of spring alive for our gardeners and program members. Please consider making a monthly, sustaining gift to Backyard Growers so we can continue to serve our community. When you make a new or increased monthly contribution today, your donation will be DOUBLED thanks to our friends at The Lenny Zakim Fund . Please make the biggest impact possible by supporting us today. DONATE HERE
If you’re interested in more Information on how you can become a Backyard Garden participant or Community Gardener, including income eligibility information, click here . For households that do not meet BYG income eligibility, Backyard Growers has partnered with Black Earth Compost to deliver and install raised bed gardens around the region.
For more information on our plans for Backyard Growers’ programs, visit my blog post here.
With gratitude and wishes for strong health and happier time
Lara Lepionka
Founder & Executive Director at Backyard Growers

BROTHERS’ BREW COFFE SHOP REMAINS OPEN FOR TAKE-OUT!

Posted on by Kimsmithdesigns

Stop by Brother’s Brew for their fabulous homemade world famous donuts, fresh coffee, and various other wonderful baked goods and sandwiches.

Brother’s Brew is located 27 Main Street

Rockport

978-546-3775

 

@99restaurants have announced plans to purchase 750,000 lbs of Gloucester haddock through the Gloucester Fresh program

Posted on by Joey Ciaramitaro

GMG Live with Julie Lafontaine from Open Door 3/26/20

Posted on by Joey Ciaramitaro

Julie LaFontaine Open Door

Please explain the Open Door Organization

How is open door being impacted

Have you tracked the increase in numbers of people being served and how much do you anticipate those numbers going up in the coming weeks and months

Are there opportunities for people to help and how hard is it to take people in to help when social distancing is being preached Yes  contact helper@foodpantry.org

Where can people donate- Here-  www.foodpantry.org

 

 

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Low Tide

Posted on by Nichole S.

Still taking what we used to affectionately call Sunday drives….only now they’re on Monday, Thursday, or any other day at all.  Here’s low tide in Rocky Neck with little splashes of color on an otherwise dreary day.

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Julie Lafontaine from Open Door On The Good Morning Gloucester Livestream This Morning 9:30AM

Posted on by Joey Ciaramitaro

The chat part where you can write in questions while we’re live streaming is at WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/JOEYGMG

If you subscribe you’ll get a copy in your email so you’ll be sure not to miss it if you can’t watch it live-

When you subscribe you need to verify your email address so they know we’re not sending you spam and that you want to receive the podcast or GMG in your email.  So once you subscribe check your email for that verification. If you don’t see it, check your spam folder in your email acct so you can verify that you’d like to get them via email subscription.

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NILES POND PANORAMA AND EXQUISITE LIGHT LATE YESTERDAY

Posted on by Kimsmithdesigns

Late afternoon when the clouds cleared briefly – click the panorama to view full size

Gloucester Stage ANNOUNCES THE 2020 SEASON

Posted on by Kimsmithdesigns

Gloucester Stage Company

ANNOUNCES THE 2020 SEASON:

Featuring two regional premieres and one world premiere with deep local roots

 

Gloucester Stage Company Artistic Director Robert Walsh and Managing Director Christopher Griffith are proud to announce Gloucester Stage’s 2020 season of professional theater on Boston’s North Shore.

“We are tremendously excited to announce our 2020 season which will once again provide an engaging and eclectic roster of plays including several recent hits from New York and a world premiere!”, shares Artistic Director Walsh, “Eager to build on the success of our 40th anniversary season, we are proud to present the first regional premieres of plays that have captivated audiences in extended runs Off-Broadway. Equally, with the rest of the world, we are observing the precautions surrounding COVID-19 and will continue to keep our patrons informed on our capacity to produce.”

Managing Director Griffith adds, “We’ve curated a season of stories that will take full advantage of our intimate stage and give audiences a powerful encounter with world-class plays. Productions that celebrate different perspectives and examine our beliefs, start a conversation on stage that follows us into the lobby and ride home. Inviting our patrons to join us again on Cape Ann this summer will be dependent on the health of our community, but I believe live theatre will provide necessary catharsis in alleviating our post-distancing blues.”

 

 June 5 – June 28

 

Based on the book by New York Times Best Selling Author Cheryl Strayed

TINY BEAUTIFUL THINGS

Adapted for the Stage by Academy Award Nominee Nia Vardalos
Co-Conceived by Marshall Heyman, Thomas Kail & Nia Vardalos

 

Directed by Rebecca Bradshawo

 

Based on Cheryl Strayed’s New York Times best-selling memoir, Tiny Beautiful Things is a celebration of the simple beauty of being human, and explores Cheryl Strayed’s journey as the unpaid, anonymous advice columnist Dear Sugar. Over the years, thousands of people turned to Sugar for words of wisdom, compassion, and hope. At first unsure of herself, Sugar finds a way to weave her own life experiences full of laughter and hope together with the deep yearning and heartrending questions from her readers.

Adapted for the stage by Nia Vardalos, the Academy Award-nominated writer of My Big Fat Greek Wedding,  and co-created by Vardalos, Wall Street Journal columnist Marshall Heyman, and the Tony Award winning director of Hamilton, Thomas Kail. Tiny Beautiful Things premiered at The Public Theater for a sold-out run starring Vardalos as Sugar and directed by Kail. Tiny Beautiful Things runs June 5 through June 28. Performances are Wednesday through Saturday at 7:30 pm and Saturday and Sunday at 2:00 pm at Gloucester Stage Company, 267 East Main Street, Gloucester, MA.

 

July 10 – August 2

 

Ken Ludwig’s

BASKERVILLE

A Sherlock Holmes Mystery

 

Directed by Jim O’Connoro

 

From Tony Award winning playwright Ken Ludwig, comes Baskerville, a fast-paced comedy following the iconic detective, and his sidekick, Dr. Watson, as they solve one of their most notorious cases. The duomust crack the mystery of “The Hound of the Baskervilles” before a family curse dooms its newest heir. Holmes and Watson investigate a dizzying web of clues along with three actors who deftly portray more than 40 characters, providing a hauntingly fun ride for audiences of all ages.

Led by distinguished professor of theater and award-winning director, Jim O’Connor, Ken Ludwig’s Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery runs from July 10 through August 2. Performances are Wednesday through Saturday at 7:30 pm and Saturday and Sunday at 2:00 pm. at Gloucester Stage Company, 267 East Main Street, Gloucester, MA.

 

August 7 – August 30

 

A REGIONAL PREMIERE

FIRST PRODUCTION SINCE SOLD-OUT OFF-BROADWAY RUN

 

SEARED

by Theresa Rebeck

 

Directed by Victoria Gruenberg

 

Seared is the new comedy by critically-acclaimed playwright Theresa Rebeck (Bernhardt/Hamlet, Bad Dates, Spike Heels, among others). A prolific and widely produced playwright, Rebeck is the most Broadway-produced female playwright of our time. Seared sets the table in a small New York restaurant and explores where art ends and commerce begins. When brilliant, hot-headed chef Harry scores a glowing mention of his signature scallops in a high profile magazine, his business partner, Mike, sees major profits within reach. The only problem is that the temperamental Harry refuses to cash in and recreate his masterpiece for the masses.

Originally commissioned and produced by the San Francisco Playhouse, Seared premiered Off-Broadway October 2019 at MCC Theater Space after an East Coast premiere at the Williamstown Theatre Festival. Directed by Victoria Gruenberg, who previously assisted Tony nominee Moritz Von Stuelpnagel, Theresa Rebeck’s Seared, runs from August 7 through August 30. Performances are Wednesday through Saturday at 7:30 pm and Saturday and Sunday at 2:00 pm at Gloucester Stage Company, 267 East Main Street, Gloucester, MA.

 

 September 4 – September 27

 

A REGIONAL PREMIERE

FIRST PRODUCTION SINCE NYC WORLD PREMIERE

 

REPARATIONS

Written by James Sheldon

Directed by Myriam Cyr

Gloucester Stage proudly presents the first regional production of James Sheldon’s poignant new play, Reparations, since its world premiere Off Broadway at the Billie Holiday Theatre in November 2019. The story begins when Ginny, a successful book editor, invites a young, black aspiring author, Reg, to her apartment after a boozy book party. She wakes up to find that a night of tenderness and passion is turning into a tumultuous morning-after when he threatens to reveal a dark secret from her past. As family friends join them for an ill-timed paella feast, all four are soon embroiled in whether the young writer is due his restitution. Personal revelations lead to laughs, tears, and coming to terms with racial injustice and personal betrayal in this poignant new play by James Sheldon. Poet Laureate and critically acclaimed actor, Myriam Cyr directs.

 

Reparations runs from September 4 through September 27. Performances are Wednesday through Saturday at 7:30 pm and Saturday and Sunday at 2:00 pm at Gloucester Stage Company, 267 East Main Street, Gloucester, MA.

 

October 2 – October 18

 

A WORLD PREMIERE

COMING FROM A SOLD-OUT NEVERDARK LAST SUMMER

 

Think of Me Tuesday

Written by Ken Riaf

 

Directed by Robert Walsho

 

Think of Me Tuesday tells the story of Jim “Buddy” Chum, a mayoral candidate who continues to run in election after election in the same tattered tweed suit jacket, never deterred by the years of embarrassing losses at the polls or being the longtime target of neighbors’ jokes in his hometown of Fishtown, Massachusetts. After yet another failed campaign, a freak accident puts this improbable hero in the city’s captain chair. Newly minted mayor Jim ‘Buddy’ Chum is immediately faced with a quixotic turmoil bigger than any one man can handle in the world premiere of Think of Me Tuesday.

Gloucester resident and playwright, Ken Riaf, returns to Gloucester Stage with his newest play after the hit world premiere of My Station In Life. Think of Me Tuesday reunites Riaf with the 2018 Elliot Norton Award winning My Station in Life actor Ken Baltin who returns to GSC to play Jim “Buddy” Chum. Acclaimed Boston actress Jacqueline Parker who recently directed Broken, Healed and Holding On at GSC and appeared in GSC’s sold out 2019 Never Dark staged reading of the new work also returns for the production. Think of Me Tuesday runs from October 2 through October 18. Performances are Wednesday through Saturday at 7:30 pm and Saturday and Sunday at 2:00 pm at Gloucester Stage Company, 267 East Main Street, Gloucester, MA.

o = Denotes Member Stage Directors and Choreographers Society

GLOUCESTER STAGE 2020 SEASON INFORMATION

PERFORMANCE TIMES:

Wednesdays – Saturdays: 7:30 pm;

Saturdays – Sundays: 2:00 pm

PLACE:

Gloucester Stage Company, 267 East Main Street, Gloucester, MA 01930

SINGLE TICKET PRICES: Single Ticket prices range from $15 to $48 with discounts available for previews, senior citizens, military families, college students, and youth under 18 years of age. For detailed ticket information visit www.gloucesterstage.com

SUBSCRIPTIONS: Season Packages start at $167 for 5 tickets to use for any show and include early access to seating, no online fees, and free ticket exchanges. Subscribers also have the ability to reserve their favorite seats for the entire season. Packages can be purchased or renewed by calling the Box Office at 978.281.4433 or by visiting gloucesterstage.com/subscribe

PAY WHAT YOU WISH: Gloucester Stage is committed to inclusion and diversity, especially socio-economic status. Pay What You Wish performances are the first Saturday Matinee (2pm) of each production, allowing access to the arts for all. No one is turned away for lack of funds and donations can be made before or after the show.

CAPE ANN NIGHTS: Enriching our local community is key to our mission impact. Residents of Cape Ann (Gloucester, Rockport, Manchester and Essex) can access $25 discount tickets to previews and Wednesday night performances. Limit of 2 (two) per household. Tickets can be purchased by calling the Box Office 978.281.4433, with a valid address.

ABOUT THE COMPANY: Gloucester Stage Company is Boston’s North Shore premier professional, nonprofit theater company. Located in a century-old repurposed brick warehouse on the edge of the Atlantic and at the entrance to the Rocky Neck Cultural District, the intimate venue has provided the setting for premiering award-winning new works and rousing classics over the past four decades. Presenting professional productions of intellectually stimulating and socially relevant theater since its inception, Gloucester Stage has developed a highly engaged audience, eager to experience the power of live theater.

For further information, call the Box Office at 978-281-4433 or visit www.gloucesterstage.com

 

Photo 1: Academy Award Nominated writer for My Big Fat Greek Wedding,  Nia Vardalos , Adapted Tiny Beautiful Things for the stage  
Photo 2: Theresa Rebeck, Playwright  Seared REGIONAL PREMIERE 
Photo 3: Victoria Gruenberg, Director Seared REGIONAL PREMIERE 
Photo 4: Jacqui Parker, Actor,  Think of  Me Tuesday WORLD  PREMIERE 
Photo 5:  Rebecca Bradshaw, Director Tiny Beautiful Things Photo Credit: Nile Scott Studios
Photo 6: Ken Baltin,  Actor,  Think of  Me Tuesday WORLD  PREMIERE
Photo 7: GSC Artistic Director Robert Walsh, Director Think of  Me Tuesday WORLD  PREMIERE