Cape Ann Museum After Hours

Last Friday, the Cape Ann Museum had one of its “After Hours” events, featuring custom-made music installations in three galleries, refreshments from The Azorian restaurant, a raffle, and an artistic scavenger hunt! A good crowd showed up for the event.

There were lots of familiar faces in the crowd.

Rev. Bret Hays (left), rector of St. John’s Episcopal Church in Gloucester, was chatting with CAM’s Curatorial Assistant (and talented artist) Leon Doucette (on the right, with the beard, which – alas! – he has since shaved).

Nathan Cohen, who teaches music in Rockport public schools, designed (composed?) the music installation for Gabrielle Barzaghi’s exhibit in one of the galleries.  Gabrielle told me she loved what Nathan had put together, and posed for this photo with him and his magnificent beard:

I also ran into Ken Steiner, who I photographed at the museum before while he was playing the bass as part of a jazz trio in the museum courtyard. Here he is with Sue in front of some work by the Folly Cove Designers:

 

 

I only noticed afterwards that all three photos I picked to post had men with beards in them… Perhaps my own facial foliage adds a subconscious bias to my selection process?

Any event at the Cape Ann Museum is bound to be interesting, because of the amazing art collection and friendly staff.  It’s even better because of the great Cape Ann community that meets there to enjoy the art and each other’s company.

“At the shrine of friendship never say die, let the wine of friendship never run dry” – Les Miserables (Victor Hugo).  The wine didn’t run dry last Friday night!

 

I hope someone ate the wine-soaked fruit afterwards…

Fr. Matthew Green

 

Pet of the Week-C.J.

C.J.

This staying still to have your photo isn’t easy for a three-month-old boy pup like me!    I am here at the Cape Ann Animal Aid, located at the Christopher Cutler Rich Animal Shelter. (CapeAnnAnimalAid.com) I just love to play and I am very affectionate.   I am here with my siblings and we are having such a good time.  Please stop by and visit us, the shelter is located at Four Paws Lane in Gloucester.    I have a handsome blonde-and-white coat.  I know there are many challenges about adopting a pup – put most of them are fun!  Consider it and stop by the shelter and ask for C.J., that me; the cutest one in the litter!

 

 

Aren’t puppies the best? He’s very cute and I don’t think he’ll stay at the shelter very long!

~Alicia

2013 Bikini Speedo Dodgeball T Shirt Slogan Poll and Video From Kim Smith

Print

Our Boy Frankie Gwynne has designed the sweetest design  Competitor T Shirts Yet.  Jungle Silkscreen Printing is generously donating the TShirts for our competitors but we are going to leave it up to you, the voers to decide what the 2013 Catch Phrase on the back of the T Shirts will read.  Pleas vote in the poll and let us settle the matter!

Here’s a video from our Kim Smith from Last Year’s Epic Event!

Mark Your Calendar! Inaugural Downtown Gloucester Chocolate Tour February 9th 5 pm-9 pm

 

image

Chocolate Tour for Downtown Gloucester

February 9, 2013

5 pm -9 pm

Something SWEET is in the works for Downtown Gloucester on the evening of February 9 – it’s the inaugural CHOCOLATE TOUR.  Look for the BIG RED HEARTS on the doors of participating retailers on Main Street and mark your calendars.   You may pick up your tour map at Toodeloos!, Harbor Goods/Life is good® or Premier Imprints anytime after February 1. 
On the 9th you’ll visit each store on the map to pick up your chocolate treat and have your map checked off.  You may even discover a new place to shop in your travels.    Bring your completed map to Island Art & Hobby to be entered in a raffle for a Cape Ann Gift Certificate.  
Make an evening of it – dine at any of Gloucester’s great restaurants and plan on hitting the Chocolate Tour before or after.     It’s going to be SWEET!

Community Stuff 1/30/13

Certified Therapy Dogs Presentation at Cove Circle

Deb Gilbert and Linda Sanders will be guest speakers at the Cove Circle on January 31 at 6 p.m.  Both speakers will share their experience with certified therapy dogs and how their dogs were instrumental in visiting patients and families in nursing homes, hospital and other settings.   Stop by and meet Ivy and Sky who will be visiting on January 31 as well. Ivy is a certified therapy dog at Addison Gilbert Hospital.

The Pigeon Cove Circle, located at Six Breakwater Avenue, Rockport,  is a non-profit civic organization serving Cape Ann. Men and women throughout Cape Ann make-up the membership of the Pigeon Cove Circle.  New members are always welcome.

Non-member guests are welcome to attend the January 31 meeting at 6 p.m.  There is no fee and a cover-dish dinner will be held. Pre-registration is not required.   Those attending are welcome to bring an item for the buffet dinner.

Hawk ID Please

Hi,   Snapped this attached picture on Sadler Street.  What kind of hawk is this?  I think it’s a Cooper’s Hawk. It swooped down on my cat.  It is eating a blue jay in this picture from our feeder (see talons). It’s about 20” tall.  Thanks! Kim Frashure

IMG_2441

The Latest From Charlie Carroll

Well, it’s almost the end of the month… and I thought about waiting till the 1st… but then I said… Nah ! what’s the difference… not much really.

So here’s some new stuff… http://seasquared.viewbook.com/

It’s the Wolf Moon, so be careful… it bites.

Charlie

image

New Used Ladder Truck Coming To G Town

Seth Granville forwards-

Gloucester, MA has purchase agreement for a used ladder from Jon’s Mid America Fire Apparatus in Rogersville, MO. It is a 1999 Pierce 1250/500/75′ quint. Delivery date should be mid February.

Update:

Hey Joe:
Those numbers after the model year mean 1250 gallon per minute pump, 500 gallon water tank on the truck and the ladder is 75 feet long.
Glad we could help!

newgloucester

Great time at Cruise Port’s Bridal Show

Amazing Center Piece
Amazing Center Piece

Audreys

Petals
Petals
Seaweedlegs by Dani Stotzer available at Audrey
Seaweedlegs by Dani Stotzer available at Audrey
Celia’s Flowers

Celia's Flowers

Wedding gown from Bella Sera Bridal
Wedding gown from Bella Sera Bridal
Great mother of the bride dress from Bella Sera Bridal
Great mother of the bride dress from Bella Sera Bridal

Pretty table setting

The Clear Chairs
The Clear Chairs
Cakes
Cakes

On Sunday, January 27, 2013, Cruise Port held a beautiful Bridal Show.  So many happy people arrived, great ideas, food and a wonderful caring staff at Cruise Port.  Great job by Sheree, and her staff.  Above are some photos and a list of the vendors below.

Bridal Show vendors

Love Shack

What do you give your lover for Valentine’s Day?

Why, a Shaque D’Amour, of course!

Love Shack ©Kim Smith 2013

Where can you purchase your Love Shack?

Gloucester’s Nichols Candy House, naturally!

Jon Butcher on The Noise Cover & TV This week – here’s a preview video

I’m guessing nearly every music lover in Gloucester is as thrilled about Jon Butcher’s decision to move here as they are about T-Max’s doing the same a couple of years ago.  This week Gloucester celebrates Jon’s choice in two big ways: Jon’s on the cover of the February Noise Magazine, which should hit the streets tomorrow.  And he’s also Allen Estes’ guest on Local Music Seen, which you can see tomorrow at 6:30 on Cape Ann TV Channel 12.  Here’s one of Jon’s songs from the show.  Love his version of the blues!

BTW: You can see Allen tonight at Jalapenos 7pm with Brown, Mattacks & Ginandes (early enough the bring the kids).  And if Jon is in the audience, it’s a good bet that Allen will ask him to sit in.  Then check out Steve Caraway at Dog Bar and finish up with Henley Douglas Jr. at Rhumb Line.  Not bad for a Tuesday night in the middle of winter!  See full live music schedule here.

Cleaning the Murals at City Hall

This project is managed by Peter Williams Museum Services.  The women told me they only use water and some oil to clean nothing that is toxic and with cotton clothes and Q tips only.   Here is a picture and will be posting more later.

January 29, 2013 Cleaning the mural

Tweet of the Day From The Happy Taco- Perspective

Yet another glorious sunset!

From last Saturday. Click on the photo to see it on Flickr where you can see a larger version:

 

Fr. Matthew Green

 

Chickity Check It! Joann Mackenzie from the Times Covers Ed’s Coronation As Chamber Board of Directors President

image

January 29, 2013

‘Building for the Future’
New president, a handyman, sets tone for chamber’s year

By Joann Mackenzie Staff Writer

“This is not your father’s chamber of commerce,” said Bob Heidt of the 230-plus revellers who rocked Cruiseport Gloucester’s ballroom Saturday night for the Cape Ann Chamber of Commerce’s 91st annual dinner dance.

It was, literally, a stand-up crowd, leaping to its feet repeatedly to applaud, whoop, holler and hail what emcee Joey Ciaramitaro called an “outstanding year of turnaround” under Heidt, who took over the reins as chamber CEO last January with, by Heidt’s account, a negative deficit of more than $60,000. This December, Heidt finished his first year in office “with a net recorded profit in excess of $90,000.”

Of the “$150,000 positive swing,” Chamber Chairman of the Board Mark Grenier told the cheering crowds, “respect is earned, not given, and we chose the right person in Robert Heidt … he listens, he learns, and he implements for the chamber.”

To read the entire story click here to go to The Times Website

So The Challenge Has Been Accepted- It’s Muffy White vs Your Boy Joey In A MyZone Fitness Challenge Death Match

I’m up at the Manchester Athletic Club and they have these fitness bands that you strap around your chest and it measures your level of physical activity and then sends a report while you are working out to a computer system which generates a report.

The idea intrigued me because I know I try to push myself at the gym but you don’t really know how much your activity is stacking up.

So I signed up to get the MyZone Band and tried it out.  First you enter your height, weight and age and it calculates your average energy expended based on that criteria.  As soon as your workout is done you unhook the strap and you get an email with your physical activity report.

 

Now when all that gets explained to you you’re think wow, that sounds pretty cool.  But this is what happens in actuality-

There is a monitor inside the Manchester Athletic club and once your MyZone Band is on your name pops up and your level of activity is recorded.  The only thing that is displayed on the public monitor is your current level of activity, how many calories you’ve burned since your workout started and how many MyZone Points you’ve racked up.  So once you go throug a workout and you get your results you see where you might have backed off and it makes you want to push through harder all the way through your workout, knowing that you’re totally accountable when you see your results.

You can say it’s a gimmick, you can say that you shouldn’t need a fitness monitor band to motivate you but you know what?  Knowing I had that damn band on and that it was gonna spit out my results in my email box made me push harder than ever.  Gimmick- shmmimick it’s effective and at the end of the day that’s all that matters.

So now to top it all off on the cool factor you can issue challenges to anyone else that has the band.  You just send them an email challenge and select a date range and whoever puts in more effort wins the challenge.  You can make bets around that, you can use it to motivate you even more.  Believe me when you have friends like Muffy White who you know is just gonna rub your nose in it if you lose- you will be motivated!

So It’s ON!

image

Muffy issued a challenge to me through the MyZone website that went like this-

Muffy  has invited you to a MYZONE Points challenge
from 16 January 2013 to 1 February 2013.
"Bring your A game wharf boy. "
Please log in and accept or reject challenge

Here are screenshots after my activity on January 23rd and Muffy yesterday-

image

 

image

and here’s Muffy’s-

image

So after one day Muffy is kicking my ass.  Her workout was 1:02 minutes, mine 45.  It should be said that Muffy is a gym rat and you all know me as the slug who works down the dock so if she doesn’t kick my ass there should be an investigation.  But that doesn’t mean I’m not gonna give it hell tryin.

Day 1 Muffy 177- Joey C 147.

Oh I forgot to tell you, you can also work out away from the gym I think as long as you activate your fitness band and then once you get to the gym it will upload the data. Somebody correct me if I’m wrong.

Alright Muffy, let’s do this!

Community Photos 1/29/13

Chirstian Derobert submits-

I can’t wait for a day at the beach and 75 degrees…