Thanks Lisa for sharing. I love it; short and sweet and reminds me of Goodnight Moon!
Hillside Surf
Swiss Chalet on Strawberry Cove
Astronomy Orgasm: Threesome Tonight!
Holy cow, New England weather is going to give us clear skies tonight as an impressive threesome happens after sunset.
Here’s the deal. There was a supermoon last night but it’s a new moon so no one saw it. It means tonight it is one humongous thin fingernail. But wait, there’s more. Venus will be blazing away just to the left of the fingernail. But here is the cherry on top. Whip out some binoculars and check out Mars just above Venus! You might be able to get all three in wide field birding binocs. But even without binocs it will look pretty cool.

Photographers Ephemeris shows where you need to be to catch the three setting over City Hall. Is that Joey’s dock?

Credits: First shot I made in “StarSafari” astronomy program. Gloucester Area Astronomy Club Approved. The second photo I made using “The Photographers Ephemeris“. Probably GAAC approved too. Both programs worth knowing how to use.
WORLD WIDE CABIN FEVER
DRONE FISHING FROM ABOVE: BASS ROCKS #GLOUCESTERMA – DJI Phantom 2 From Craig Kimberley
Snow Tracks
Let’s show our friends from warm climates how we New Englanders Party in Winter

Tomorrow (Sat 2/21) we welcome Memphis Soul legend and Stax recording artist, Booker T. Jones and his hot young band to the Larcom Theatre for his only New England stop on this U.S. tour. Even though they’ve toured the world, I’ll bet they haven’t seen this much snow on the ground very often — and probably never in the Boston area.
We’re also offering a very limited number of VIP packages that include an intimate meet & greet with Booker T. before the show (just a few people) along with some wicked good gifts, including:
- Booker T. Jones’ new 2 disc CD/DVD “Sound The Alarm” featuring guest performances by Mayer Hawthorne, Luke James, Jay James, Anthony Hamilton, Gary Clark Jr, Estelle, Poncho Sanchez, Sheila E., Kori Withers, Vintage Trouble and Ted Jones.
- Collectible Stax sticker
- Exclusive concert poster not available to the general public
- Exclusive entry to sound check
Get the VIP package (more details here) and be sure to tell Booker T. how much you appreciate his trek up here during our worst winter in a very long time and prove to him that nothing can keep us from enjoying great music! Opening the show are local favorites Sarah Seminski and Eric Reardon.
Check out this video of Booker T. with Gary Clark, Jr (one of the guests on his new CD):
And here’s Sarah Seminski & Eric Reardon performing “Try A Little Tenderness” at the Larcom back in November (a song Booker T. recorded with Otis Redding when they were at Stax Records together). Get tickets here.
AMIRA & SAM – Boston- One Night Only Feb 21 Meet the director and star- next week Salem
Meg Montagnino Associate Producer of this film-
Cat Ryan submits-
Single-screen movie houses whether intimate (Cape Ann Cinema and Stage) or grand (Ziegfield) are a luxury. Seeing a movie in a place like that is an event. The really good ones can make you feel like you’re about to see a masterpiece. And then there are movies that must be seen on a big screen and that invite a shared cultural experience. Sometimes both. You just have to leave the house. If you missed the recent Gloucester premier for the movie Amira & Sam at Cape Ann Cinema, get ready to mark your calendar for two more Massachusetts premiers. The movie will be shown this weekend ONE NIGHT ONLY for a very special Boston screening and again next week in Salem, details for both as follows:
First up—BOSTON. This Saturday, February 21, join writer-director Sean Mullin and star Dina Shihabi for a One Night Only screening Amira and Sam. Mullin works out of LA and is promoting his debut feature. AMIRA & SAM – Boston – One Night Only
What: Amira and Sam special Boston screening with Director and cast member(s)
When: Saturday, February 21, 2015, 7pm
Where: Theater 1 and Space 57 at the Revere Hotel, Boston, MA
Purchase tickets here
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/boston-screening-of-amira-sam-tickets-15749179219
**Just Announced**
Discounted tickets for students and military (active, reserve, and veteran)!
Next week, SALEM. Premiers Thursday February 26th with a special screening and skype Q&A with the writer-director Sean Mullin. The Q&A at the Gloucester premier was great fun thanks to Mullin’s smart, quick wit. The movie will continue its Salem run through March 5th.
What: Amira and Sam special Salem premier with skype Q&A
When: Salem premier, Thursday, February 26, 2015 with Skype Q&A
February 27-March 5th daily screenings
Where: Drafthouse Films, Salem, MA
Purchase tickets here:
http://drafthousefilms.com/film/amira-sam
MOVIE FANS, I’m wondering about movie trailers and previews. Love ‘em or hate ‘em?
Plow’s Hill Challenge, Trask, Haskell Streets, and Harrison Ave
What is my handsome husband doing?
2015 Crane Beach Parking Permit Stickers on Sale
Hi Joey,
It’s hard to believe we’re thinking about beach season, but it’s nice to have something to look forward to! That said, while I know Gloucester residents have Good Harbor beach to enjoy, I thought I would share the below release announcing Crane Beach Parking Stickers are now on sale for the year. Hope you are well and, as always, thanks for your consideration!
Best,
Holly Hannaway
The Trustees of Reservations Announce
2015 Crane Beach Parking Permit Stickers on Sale
Beach Sticker Program Offers Significant Savings on Year-Round Visits
to One of the Northeast’s Most Beautiful Beaches
The Trustees of Reservations (The Trustees) announced today that Crane Beach Parking Permits are for sale online. Purchasing a 2015–2016 Crane Beach Parking Permit sticker will allow Trustees’ members to park at Crane Beach for no additional charge, offering a significant savings for frequent beach visitors. The cost of the sticker for Trustees’ members is $75.
Blair Steck, Director of Membership Acquisitions for The Trustees, encourages members to take advantage of the sticker program noting, “it’s the best beach deal to be found on the North Shore. For just $75, Trustees’ members can take enjoy the beach all day, all year – whether it’s taking long walks along the pristine shoreline in the off-seasons, spending a sun-filled Fourth of July with family and friends, or plunging in the Atlantic for a refreshing dip mid-August.”
The parking sticker program is available to Trustees’ members. Membership in The Trustees starts at just $37 for students and seniors, $47 for individuals, and $67 for families. As a Trustees’ member, not only do you enjoy significant savings at Crane Beach, but you’ll also enjoy discounts at other Trustees properties and programs locally and across the state – from the Castle Hill Summer Concert Picnic Series and the luxurious Inn at Castle Hill in Ipswich, to Appleton Cooks! workshops and farm-to-fork events.
Crane Beach is open year-round, 8am to sunset, with restroom facilities available and rangers on-site daily. Dog walking and horseback riding is permitted on the beach in the winter months, from October 1—March 31. Visit www.thetrustees.org/greendogs for permitting and information. From Memorial Day to Labor Day the beach is fully staffed with rangers, lifeguards, and EMTs. The Crane Beach store, featuring refreshments and merchandise, is open daily as well as the bathhouses, with toilets and changing areas, and outside showers and picnic area. The beach staff provides transportation to the beachfront for visitors needing extra assistance.
For nonmembers and Trustees’ members who do not purchase a sticker, 2015 beach pricing remains the same this year. Nonmembers pay $20 on weekdays and $25 on weekends and holidays during the summer beach season (Memorial Day to Labor Day) and Trustees members without a sticker pay $10 on weekdays and $15 on weekends and holidays. Beach admission price is reduced after 3pm and during the offseason.
Membership and Crane Beach sticker and admission fees help support the critical work of The Trustees of Reservations, including the ongoing management, maintenance, and care of special places like Crane Beach and other remarkable natural and cultural treasures on the North Shore and across the state.
For more information, to become a member or renew your membership, and to purchase a beach sticker, visit www.thetrustees.org/cranebeach, email cranebeach@ttor.org, or call 978.921.1944 ext. 1885. For parking updates, beach information and more, follow The Trustees on twitter @CraneBeachMass and Facebook www.facebook.com/craneestate.
Sneak Peek Behind The Scenes of Limonciello & Arancello Making In Sista Felicia’s Kitchen
Get Ready Limonciello & Arancello Lovers…Sista Felicia’s Video Recipes Coming Soon
Craig Kimberley is wrapping up his editing & adding some finishing touches!
You may have noticed that lemons, oranges and bread are always present through the feast of St. Joseph. Each have significant meaning. I have written about them on many occasions in past Sista Felicia St. Joseph Posts, and this year they will be once again highlighted in many of my post… The lemon represents the sweetness of ones life, and the orange represents life’s bitter past, and the bread is for all to never go hungry!
I First I have to thank my dear friend and fantastic videographer Craig Kimberley, for offering to film this production the moment he heard the plans in the making last spring during the Mathews Family homemade wine production, and filming. I personally would like to thank my friends and family for their labor of love and helping hands throughout this entire production. I can’t wait to see the finished piece! I would also like to thank my”Creative Director” James Eves from Cape Ann Giclee for designing and producing the beautiful Sista Felicia Limonciello Bottle Labels. You always know how to “Felicitize” everything we do, and I adore you for that! A special thank you to the Mathews Family Neil, Bridget, and Abbey for sharing in the cost of the production, and for the lovely Sista Felicia Tags!
Grazie
Rocky Neck Ice Pictures From Tucker Destino February 2015
Hey Joe,
Here’s a few Rocky Neck photos you might enjoy. How would you like to do the polar plunge in this?
Best,
Tucker
Let the Voting Begin!
The FINALISTS for the “Winter on Cape Ann” Video Contest have been chosen!
Gloucester, MA – Cape Ann TV (www.capeanntv.org ), a non-profit local access cable station serving Gloucester, Rockport, Manchester-by-the-sea, and Essex, invites the residents of Cape Ann to choose the winner of the first “Winter on Cape Ann” Video Contest. Below are links to the video finalists.
Video 1
Video 2
To cast your vote please send an email to contest@capeanntv.org with your selection in the subject line (Video 1 or Video 2). Only one vote per email address will count.
Voting polls are open and will close by midnight on Sunday, February 22nd, 2015.
The winner will be announced on Monday, February 23rd on http://www.capeanntv.org, Cape Ann TV’s Facebook page, and Cape Ann TV’s Twitter page @CapeAnnTVCATV.
Congratulations to our finalists and thank you to everyone who participated!
Singing Praises for Mile Marker 1
I know what you’re thinking….”Nichole is going to tell us to go swim in the pool again”….and I am….but, that’s not all. So there. Bear with me.
Yes, for sure, the pool passes at Cape Ann Marina’s Aqua Room are a total no-brainer and if you’re looking to kill some easy time with the kids you’d be crazy to not log some hours there….but, more importantly, I can not say ENOUGH about the staff and their graciousness, hospitality, and patience.
Seriously, I’m not going to lie, if you aren’t taking kids to the pool, this may not be where you want to be during a school vacation week (but hang in there because it is almost over). Quiet will soon prevail and then, if you’re looking for some peacefulness in the pool, get yourself down there. I’ve been there 3 times this week so far and it is not for the faint of heart. It can get a bit loud…and peaceful it is not. Fun, however, it sure is!
That having been said, we have had fantastic and gloriously low-maintenance days hanging by the pool. Today, for example, the boys and I met three other families….with a staggering total of 10 kids. We logged 7.5 hours. The children were well-behaved and HAPPY for each and every second!
We all had a delicious lunch, the kids had frozen shirley temples AND ice cream, and we treated ourselves to some incredibly yummy pina coladas. Why not?
The real point of this post, however, is not to tell you about how my boys spent their day, but rather to tell you that I was beyond impressed with literally each and every member of the staff! Joe Loicano is the manager of all managers! He is incredibly hands-on and makes the rounds talking with guests, high-fiving the kids, clearing tables, sharing funny stories, and making sure everyone is happy. He’s busy each and every second…yet somehow manages to make everyone feel like they are his top priority. Think The Captain, Gopher, Doc, and Isaac all rolled into one. Hopefully, you all got the Love Boat analogy or that last sentence just seemed weird.
The bartenders and servers are phenomenal. We joked several times about how this week, with so many kids laughing and splashing, must be their worst nightmare but, even with the window open to express their dread, they all responded by saying different versions of, “No, it’s totally fun.” Seriously. The girls who were making drinks, taking lunch orders, checking in on everyone, and clearing tables were incredibly friendly and accommodating. I really can’t say enough positive sentiments about them….and I really hope that they get a chance to read this so that they know how relaxing and wonderful they made our day today!
Kudos to the entire team for being so kind, helpful, and incredibly hard working! You’ve all taken hospitality to the next level.
So, from Team Schrafft, THANK YOU!
If, by chance, you’re reading this and you don’t know much about Mile Marker 1 and Cape Ann Marina….check out this great video that Joey C. filmed while interviewing Joe Loicano back when the restaurant was getting ready to first open a couple of years ago. Makes me long for summer just a little bit more.
Cape Ann Marina Mile Marker One
Savour Wine and Cheese Kathleen’s Good Harbor After Storm Photos


See More Photos Here ~ Continue reading “Savour Wine and Cheese Kathleen’s Good Harbor After Storm Photos”
Electricity Update 20:The Numbers Behind The Instant Dollar Savings You Get When You Do A Free Home Energy Assessment and How To Properly Set Your Free Programmable Thermostat
If, like most homeowners, light bulbs are among your Instant Savings Measures, here’s what you can expect: Changing just one conventional light bulb to an energy-efficient CFL, or compact fluorescent lamp, can save you $40 over the life of the bulb. A standard 60-watt incandescent bulb lasts for about 2,000 hours while an equivalent 12-watt Energy Star-qualified CFL lasts for about 8,000 hours and uses 75 percent less energy. (My Mom got over 30 of these free)
For light fixtures that qualify for LEDs, you can expect 25,000 hours per bulb as well as 75 percent less energy used. Changing your bulbs to an energy-efficient LED can save you more than $130 on your electric bill (per bulb) for as long as the bulb lasts.
By switching to water-saving fixtures like low-flow showerheads and faucets, more ISM, the average family can save $310 per year. (My Mom got this installed for free too)
When used properly, a programmable thermostat, still another ISM, can save you 5 percent to 15 percent on your heating and cooling bill. (They are coming to provide and install these for my mom as well)
SIGN UP FOR THE FREE STUFF HERE-
Here’s an infographic for those of you who got the free programmable thermostats on the best way to set them for maximum comfort and savings-
For those of you who have not taken advantage of the Free Home Energy Assessment that you’re already paying for in the line item “Energy Efficiency Charge” On Your Electric Bill, sign up in this form and you will get a ton of free lightbulbs that use 10 watts of power but replace ones that use 70-100 watts and give great light, also free power strips, and replace old style thermostats with electronically controlled ones as well as water saving green shower heads.
SIGN UP FOR THE FREE STUFF HERE-
My mom did it and lots of other happy campers like Donna Ardizzoni have too.
Check out your bill for the Energy Efficiency Charge(shown on my mom’s bill in this picture)

That charge is what everyone has to pay regardless if you take advantage of the Free Energy Assesment and Free Energy Efficient Lightbulbs Available To You!
And they’re not the ugly squiggly ones, they look just like the regular lightbulbs they are replacing-
SIGN UP FOR THE FREE STUFF HERE-
For the entire series to date check out the past entries from the Electricity and Home Efficiency Series Here-
Parts 1,2,3 Here
Electricity Update #4: Free Home Energy Assesment With Kevin From Next Step Living
Electricity Update #5: Video Walkthrough- Energy Efficiency Assesment and Free Stuff At Mom’s House
Electricity Update #6 Energy Saving Ideas
Electricity Savings Alternative Home Energy and Comfort Update #7- Cape Ann Chimney and Hearth
ELECTRICTY AND HOME ENERGY UPDATE #8 NO BRAINER- DONNA AND RICK GET THEIR ENERGY EFFICIENCY ASSESSMENT!
ELECTRICITY, HOME HEATING AND ENERGY UPDATE #9 CAPE ANN CHIMNEY AND HEARTH TESTIMONIAL FROM CAROL CATALDO
Electricity Update #10
Electricity and Home Heating and Comfort Update 11: Cape Ann Chimney and Hearth Part III
The No Brainer Electricity Update #12
Electricity Update #13 Next Step Experience At Lise Breen’s Laneseville Joint
Electricity Conversation Update #14 Paulie Walnuts Gets His Energy Assessment #GloucesterMA
Have You Opened Your Recent Electricity Bill and Seen The Energy Efficiency Charge? Update 15
Electricity Savings Update 16: Solar Opportunities and A Solar Home Evaluation At Brian O’Connor’s
ELECTRICITY UPDATE 18 BRIAN AND DIANE O’CONNOR ARE GOING SOLAR
Electricity Saving Update 19- Energy Saving Tips and How To Get Energy Saving Stuff For Free
Countdown to The feast Of St. Joseph 2015 Begins Today!

Preparations for the feast of St. Joseph 2015 at Sista Felicia’s was officially kicked off Tuesday evening with making of Homemade Arancello!
Recipe for Limonciello & Arancello coming soon on Sista’s Dish!

From Left: Abbey Mathews, Bridget Mathews, Andrea Carlson, Sista Felicia, Eleanor Tucker, Nicole Tucker

Maritime Gloucester, Winter Photos From Peter Dorsey
Lots of snow down on the pier
Harbor starting to ice up – interesting pattern forming
Gig floats covered with snow
The marine railway full of snow
That mackerel sky was the on-coming moisture from the last blizzard






















