Video: Heart is a Drum

Posted on by Kimsmithdesigns

I am so glad Beck won the Grammy award for Album of the Year 🙂

Live From Turtle Alley Chocolates

Posted on by Sista Felicia

Full staff working hard at Turtle Alley! No lines! Lots of delicious Chocolate still available. Stop by and pick up something Sweet for your Valentine before the storm starts. I’m loving their beautiful Valentine packaging this year!

2015/02/img_0584.jpg

2015/02/img_0581.jpg

2015/02/img_0580.jpg

2015/02/img_0582.jpg

2015/02/img_0583.jpg

2015/02/img_0587.jpg

2015/02/img_0585.jpg

2015/02/img_0586.jpg

STORM UPDATE PARKING BAN 10PM TONIGHT (with a list of where to park)

Posted on by Kimsmithdesigns

unnamedSnowstorm update

Parking ban at 10 tonight

Dear Friends:

   The mayor has issued the following emergency declaration concerning the snowstorm expected to arrive overnight and continue into tomorrow:

Effective at 10 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 14, the city has declared a snow emergency and parking ban on all city streets due to the impending snow storm.

From 10 o’clock tonight until 8 a.m. on Monday, Feb. 16, all vehicles are banned from parking on city streets.

Violators of this emergency declaration are subject to ticketing and towing at the owner’s expense. Towing and ticketing will begin immediately at 10 o’clock tonight. Residents may park in all municipal and school parking lots during the parking ban. Please be aware that due to the nature of this storm, adjustments to the snow emergency and parking ban may be made.

Traveling by vehicle or on foot will be treacherous during the duration of the storm. It is strongly suggested you do not travel during this time period.

Your cooperation during this parking ban is necessary for efficient and safe snow removal efforts.

Please make every effort to check on your elderly neighbors. The bitter cold associated with this storm may cause additional risks to individuals. Please take the proper precautions.

Trash collection

At this time, trash collection will be on a holiday schedule

Where can I park?

Off-street parking areas including:

  • Harbor Parking Lot (near Gloucester House Restaurant)
  • Main Street Parking Lot
  • Manuel F. Lewis Parking Lot
  • Pleasant Street Parking Lot
  • St. Peter’s Square (Town Landing Parking Lot)
  • Fitz Hugh Lane Lot (Roger’s St next to TD Bank)
  • Boynton Way Lot (off Rogers St in between Pilot House lot and House of Mitch)
  • School Parking Lots may also be used for off-street parking

Vehicles parked in parking lots must shovel their cars out of the space.

For more information

Updates will be forthcoming as the storm progresses. Please check the City of Gloucester website for further updates at www.gloucester-ma.gov

 

IMPORTANT STORM UPDATE FROM MAYOR SEFATIA

Posted on by Kimsmithdesigns

Good afternoon. This is Mayor Sefatia Romeo Theken with an important message from the City of Gloucester’s Code Red Emergency Messaging System.

Effective at 10:00 pm tonight, Saturday, February 14, 2015, the city has declared a snow emergency and parking ban on all city streets due to the impending snow storm.

From 10:00 pm on Saturday, February 14th, until 8am on Monday, February 16th, all vehicles are banned from parking on city streets.

Violators of this emergency declaration are subject to ticketing and towing at the owners expense and will begin immediately at 10:00pm tonight. Residents may park in all municipal and school parking lots during the parking ban. Please be aware that due to the nature of this storm, adjustments to the snow emergency and parking ban may be made. Travelling by vehicle or on foot will be treacherous during the duration of the storm. It is strongly suggested you do not travel during this time period.

Your cooperation during this parking ban is necessary for efficient and safe snow removal efforts.

Please make every effort to check on your elderly neighbors. The bitter cold associated with this storm may cause additional risks to individuals. Please take the proper precautions.

At this time, trash collection will be on a holiday schedule.

To repeat, the City of Gloucester has issued a parking ban on all city streets as of 10:00 pm Saturday, February 14th. The ban will be in effect until 8am on Monday, February 16th.

Updates will be forthcoming as the storm progresses. Please check the City of Gloucester website for further updates at www.gloucester-ma.gov

 

Happy Valentines Day!

Posted on by Sista Felicia

Print

Wishing Everyone a Happy Snowy Valentines day Weekend!

2015/02/img_0541.jpg

2015/02/img_0543.jpg

2015/02/img_0556.jpg

2015/02/img_0548.jpg

2015/02/img_0550.jpg

2015/02/img_0538.jpg

IMG_0554
Snowy Valentine Owl Cookies make a perfect treat for this snowy valentine weekend!

IMG_0546

Cabin Fever Better Than A Hospital Bed

Posted on by Fredrik Bodin

I’d like talk about our snow, and spare you yet another snowy scenic photo, which you can see out the window or online. I took the ADA bus to work this morning, the first time I’d been out of the house since last Saturday, (2/7/15). On the ride, I noticed that from the intersection of Phillips Avenue and Granite Street in Rockport, to the traffic light at Route 128, only three small properties had shoveled their sidewalks. That’s a distance of over 3 miles, impassible. This is extremely dangerous for pedestrians, who are forced to walk in the street.
When people complain to me about snow related cabin fever, I explain to them how it affects me: After spending February and March of 2014 confined to a hospital bed, toughing out a blizzard or two isn’t difficult. At home I can walk around in the house, prepare food, read, nap, talk on the phone, shower in private, and putter around at will. Be thankful for what you’ve got.

Snow Cuts From Karen Pischke

Posted on by Joey Ciaramitaro

Here are some fun photos for GMG. I have been seeing these amazing
‘cuts’ in the snow and came across the culprit at Corliss Landing; Rob and
the Bobcat.
How cute are they? The DPW is doing a great job trying to keep up with all
this! With more snow on the way, good to remind people only 36 more days
until spring!
Thanks Joey!

NigglyWiggly

Posted on by Nichole S.
Happy Valentine’s Day!

I’ll take “Things I Never Knew Until Yesterday” for $800, Alex.

“The little paper banner that protrudes from the foil wrapper of a Hershey’s Kiss”

Ummmm…..”What is a NigglyWiggly”

“Correct!”

Insert cheer of the crowd.

Seriously, though, did you ever know that?

I did a bit of research and many sites confirm that is indeed the name, but sadly I found no information telling me so on Hershey’s own website.  So….. who knows?

f32c51d2df53514e44610dea7bda2d34 bd7cffe66053663f7746bbb9f0a254c9

If you’re interested in the history of Hershey’s Kisses, read here…being Valentine’s Day and all.  

And…from an article on abc.com, I learned this:

  • 70 million Hershey’s Kisses are produced everyday at the factory;
  • The machines run 24 hours a day, seven days a week;
  • Enough Kisses are produced annually to form a line more than 300,000 miles long.

Electricity Saving Update 19- Energy Saving Tips and How To Get Energy Saving Stuff For Free

Posted on by Joey Ciaramitaro

In an interview with Energy Advisor Geoff Martin:

What can homeowners do to prep for cold weather?
This shouldn’t come as a surprise, but getting a home energy assessment really does help prepare you for changes in weather. There are almost always things that you can do through the utility programs that will make your home warmer and more comfortable – at a lower cost, too, thanks to available incentives and rebates.

But beyond that, there are a couple things I swear by. I always suggest people check their hot water temperature. Don’t set it above 120 degrees. If your water is any hotter than that, you’re paying more for hot water than you need to. It’s just a little knob on your heater. Carefully lower the dial until your temperature goes down.

Also close your curtains or blinds. It won’t replace an insulation job, but when we use our infrared camera over closed blinds or drawn curtains versus open ones, we do see a reduction in heat loss. Closed heavy window curtains or blinds also make a room more comfortable and slow heat loss.

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-

← Back

Thank you for your response. ✨


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-

← Back

Thank you for your response. ✨

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

Chocolate Amaretto Truffles and Men Trying on Valentine’s Lingerie

Posted on by Kimsmithdesigns

Happy Valentine‘s Day!

 

A chocolate lover’s delight ~ handmade truffles, super simple and kid fun-favorite-to-make, too!

Choclolate Amaretto Truffles ©Kim Smith 2011

 

Making truffles for my friends and loved ones tonight and keeping my fingers crossed that despite the ominous forecast, we’ll still get together this weekend. Please stay warm and cozy and safe!

Reposted from 2011.

Ingredients

Mini baking cups

2 ounces Baker’s sweet German chocolate, broken into small bits

6 ounces Ghiradelli semi-sweet chocolate chips

¼ C. Disaronno Amaretto liqueur

2 Tbs. strong coffee

Few drops almond extract

2 ounces (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, softened

1 Tbs. vanilla extract

½ C. pulverized Jules Destrooper almond thins (or Anna’s, or any super fine, thin cookie)

Confectioner’s sugar to taste (approx. ¼ cup)

½ C. Ghiradelli unsweetened cocoa powder for final powdering

 

Melt sweet chocolate bits and semi-sweet chocolate chips over a gently simmering double boiler.

Whisk in liqueur, coffee, almond extract, and vanilla. Whisk vigorously, over gentle heat, a few minutes more until mixture is shiny and smooth. Gradually add the butter by tablespoons. With a wooden spoon, beat in the pulverized cookies. Beat in sifted confectioner’s sugar, to taste. Remove the pan from the double boiler and place in a bowl of ice with water. Stir until well chilled and firm enough to form into balls.

By teaspoonful, gather up a gob and form into a rough, truffle-like shape. Roll in cocoa powder and drop into frilled paper cup.

Makes about 22, depending on size. Refrigerate in an airtight container. They will keep for several weeks or they may be frozen. Very loosely adapted from Julia Child’s Chocolate Amaretti Truffles The Way to Cook Page 485.

*   *   *

Hilarious Adendum!

Plower’s Hill Challenge – Perkins and Mt Vernon Streets

Posted on by Manuel F. Simoes

As I drove around today, I thought the Streets up on the Hill must be a real challenge for the plows.

I wonder what other Monster Hills exist in Gloucester that create a challenge for the Mighty Plow Men of Gloucester.

IMG_1212