My View of Life on the Dock
How do these even exist anyway?
“Hand grilled Taste In About A Microwave Minute”
Really?
Available now at Market Basket. In case you’re too freaking lazy to slap a slice of cheese between two slices of bread, grill them and have zero care about your child’s nutrition- there you go.
Usually we post about music, but we’re so excited about having launched our latest Web project that we just can’t resist showing it to you. Just in case you didn’t know, in addition to publishing gimmesound and producing concerts, Vickie and I also design and build websites (see a list of some of them here, but remember, we’re too busy to update our own website, which was built in 1998) and we do Web and social media marketing.
Yesterday, we finished a new website for one of our favorite new local stores, The Cave. This is different from all other websites we’ve built. It’s a “responsive design”, which means it optimizes the viewing experience on what ever device you’re using: desktop computer, tablet or phone. For example, here’s what it looks like on a desktop computer:
Here’s what it looks like on my Samsung Galaxy III held portrait (the way you talk on the phone).
Notice the menu system is completely different and the top heading is centered instead of flush-left. The Facebook plugin is off the screen in this picture, but you can scroll down to it. Everything is stacked nicely so you can easily find it on a phone.
If you tap the phone number at the top-right it will call the The Cave.
The photo is different too, but that’s because it’s a slideshow and a different photo was showing when I took this picture. (This is actually a little more than you’ll see all at once on a phone, but I wanted to give you an idea of how it looks below the photo.)
There are many reasons why you want a website in a responsive design. Most importantly, you want your site to be easy to use no matter what device you’re on. And you don’t want to build a completely different site for each device.
This site uses the EXACT SAME HTML CODE for the phone display you see on the right as we do for the desktop version, above. The difference in how it looks is controlled by one little file called CSS.
This helps your website rise to the top of Google search results and it also makes it easier when you need to change something (like your store hours). You only have to write content once and maintain it in one place.
Here’s what it looks like when I turn my phone sideways.
Check out The Cave’s new website on all of your devices and see how it looks.
Be sure to go down there on Tuesday and try some of their excellent cheeses and other delicacies. You’ll be glad you discovered this gem in the heart of Gloucester’s thriving downtown.
“Olivia’s by the Sea”, formerly “Amelia’s” (near Good Harbor Beach), is under new management! It has been taken over by the same people who run the new Cape Ann Diner in Brown’s Mall. It has been renovated, and work will continue until the summer. The new layout includes an informal, tray-serving-style dining area, designed to be comfortable for beach-goers:
and a smaller, more formal area where there will be waiter service and a more comprehensive menu.
Outside, the plan is to have an ice cream window on one side of the outdoor eating area. In short, something for everyone!
On Wednesday, the restaurant opened for a breakfast test run “on the house” so that a small number of people could try the food and meet the staff. I was invited, so I showed up for a late breakfast. The menu has a wide selection of scrumptious sounding breakfast food, with reasonable prices (although not as inexpensive as the Cape Ann Diner, which is to be expected for the location and style). I opted for a scrambled egg with bacon, home fries, and beans, with a mug of decaf coffee.
It was delicious! And the owner, Ron, and the greeters and servers were friendly and cheerful.
They will be opening fully for business sometime next month. I look forward to it!
The first of our 2013 Wine Dinner Series celebrates the Wines of Spring.
Always a popular event, our wine dinners combine beautiful seasonal dishes paired thoughtfully with choice wines and presented by the knowledgeable and entertaining BZ from United Liquors.
Reservations are recommended.
Call Maria @ 978-283-7888
On February 25th, 2013 Tacos Lupita Will Be Offering $1 Tacos In Appreciation Of It’s Customers After One Year In Business.
63 Washington Street Gloucester MA
http://tacoslupitagloucester.com/
Total no brainer
Saturday- Avocado Cups-
At Tacos Lupita Gloucester Location Monday February 25th They Will Be Giving Out $1 Tacos to Celebrate One Year In Business In Gloucester.
There has been an overwhelming outpouring of support for Tacos Lupita and on Monday they will be giving back to all those people that have made it a regular stop for friendly service, delicious food at really reasonable prices. Tacos Lupita is without question top 6 restaurants in Gloucester IMO.
Swing by and say hi on Monday and tell ‘em Joey sent you. $1 Tacos. I get the roast pork off the spit every time. And every time it’s just that damn delicious!
All fresh ingredients. Nothing out of a can.
Authentic Mexican Cuisine
978-282-9600
63 Washington Street Gloucester MA 01930
Open Monday Through Saturday 11AM-9PM
After a hiatus Passports has their man back in the kitchen!
Happy Valentine’s Day…. Grandma Felicia always told me…
“The fastest way to a man’s heart is through his stomach”…and she was right!
Who doesn’t love Nutella? It has been a favorite of mine for many years, and has been a staple in my family’s pantries for as far back as I can remember. I can still see it lined up neatly on the second shelf, and left -hand side, of the center aisle of my grandfathers’ Italian variety store, Pats Center Grocery. I still enjoy the snack my Nona Rose prepared for me during my many visits to the store after school. Back then, most children snacked on PB&J after school, but Italian kids…we snacked on Italian toast with Nutella!
Today Nutella is gaining popularity, and justifiable so! It’s rich, creamy, chocolate, nutty flavor is out of this world delicious all on its own…but did you know combined with 2 other simple ingredients you could make one of the most decadent desserts known to mankind…Talk about “the fastest way to a man’s heart” …It’s only 3 ingredients away!
Nutella Brownies with Nutella Butter Cream Frosting and Macerated Strawberries
1 cup Nutella Hazelnut spread
2 large eggs
10 tablespoons flour
1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup Nutella
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
2 tablespoon Hershey coco powder
4 tablespoons heavy cream
1 pint fresh strawberries
½ cup sugar
1/4 cup Crème de Strawberry Fraise liquor
5 whole strawberries
1 remove stems from strawberries using a paring knife, discard stems
2 slice strawberries in half, then into thirds or fourths depending on the size of the strawberry
3 place prepared strawberries into a mixing bowl and add sugar
4 combine ¼ cup Crème de Strawberry Fraise liquor with sugar and strawberries, mix well, and let rest on counter 1 hour
Nutella Butter Cream Frosting Step-by-Step
1 combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, whip 2 minutes or until a creamy light textured frosting is formed
2 transfer frosting a pastry bag fitted with a star tip, reserve in refrigerator
Nutella Brownie Step-by-Step
1 combine all ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment
2 beat 1 minute on a medium speed (batter will be very thick)
3 generously grease and flour an 8×8 tart pan (I prefer to use Baker’s Joy non-stick spray)
4 using a rubber spatula, transfer and evenly spread batter
5 bake in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for 25 minutes
6 remove from oven and cool 20 minute
7 remove the outer potion of the tart pan, and carful slide Nutella brownie onto a cake plate
8 using a pastry bag, fix 5 large dollops of Nutella frosting 1 inch from the outer edge of the brownie an, and top each dollop with 1 whole strawberry
9 pipe frosting around the top edge of the brownie
*Note~practice your pastry bag piping skills on a piece of wax paper
10 Slice into 5 equal slices, garnish with macerated strawberry
*Note~ alternative serving option… omit Nutella frosting and simply dust the top of the Nutella Brownie with a generous dusting of confectioners’ sugar, and garnish with whipped cream and a generous portion of macerated sliced strawberries
Enjoy!
I’ve been eating ciobani yogurt with unsalted and roasted almonds. They were all out at Market Basket so I picked up this brand. Let me tell you it was like eating whipped cream. You could fill cannoli shells with the stuff it’s that good.
To Celebrate 10 years In Business!
Cape Ann Coffees has Been In Business for 10 Years???? Holy Crap Time Is Flying!
The Chamber Tweets-
10 YEARS IN BUSINESS !!
Tuesday, January 29th marks ten years in business for
Cape Ann Coffees. We are celebrating by selling any size
Brewed Coffee for one dime. Ten years — Ten cents
Thank you for supporting Cape Ann Coffees
Here’s the tweet-
Congrat to Rick & Dorthe Noonan!!! fb.me/UD4U4rjx
— Cape Ann Chamber (@CapeAnnChamber) January 28, 2013
Brianmoc turned me on to this one.
The Flavor Is Off The Charts!
In the location of the Former Stone Soup Café. on the opposite corner of Choate Bridge Pub. 1 Market Street Ipswich MA
NOW under renovations!
OPENING
FEBRUARY 2013
From their Facebook Page-
Here is a great shot of how the bar is coming. Kitchen is being detailed this week and a lot of electrical and plumbing being done. We seem to be right on schedule!
Someone I may or not be related to through marriage is a freak for Pink Berry and and even bigger freak for Orange Leaf. She broke the news that Gloucester is getting an Orange Leaf at the location in Walgreen’s Plaza that has been a shell of a building and where the filtered water shed used to be located.
102 Rogers Street, Gloucester MA
From the website-
Simply put, Orange Leaf is America’s Frozen Yogurt™. We believe that the average American wants to make healthier decisions, but will most likely not make the healthier decision when given the choice between a rich and creamy traditional frozen dessert and an icy, bland frozen yogurt. At Orange Leaf, we provide you with decadent flavors reminiscent of your childhood trips to the local dessert shop as well as fruit-based flavors that will suit even the most health conscious individuals.
Just like our flavor choices, the toppings bar is a place where you become the master of your dessert. From fresh fruits and nuts to brownie bites and chocolate syrup, the possibilities are endless!
Orange Leaf is one of the most demanded brands in our industry because of the superior taste and texture of our product and our family-oriented, visually uplifting environment. These combined characteristics create a fun and enriching destination to be enjoyed by friends and family alike.
Our franchisees love us because of our intense commitment to being the most pro-franchisee company in the industry. We provide outstanding support that our franchisees need to succeed at a fraction of the cost of our competition.
OK OK OK, I Submit!
For a couple years now I’ve been hearing from my buddy Mark Ring that the best deal in town was The House of Mitch for lunch. Not just him a few other people who I consider inside insiders of what’s what around G-Town.
When you grow up in Gloucester and someone mentions the House of Mitch you don’t automatically think great lunch, but see that’s where you’d be wrong.
Scallop plate $8.95 and you can barely finish it. Haddock, fried shrimp, you name it, a ton of freshly seafood fried up and under $10.
You’re just gonna have to put any pre-concieved notions that you might have about the joint aside and see for yourself. The place is clean, and Sheila is one of the most efficient friendly bartenders that you’ll ever meet. We got hammered together one Saint Pattys Day in Southie years back with Mark and Kara Ring a good egg that Sheila.
You don’t have to drink booze just because you’re going in there either, they’d be happy to pour you a soda or a glass of milk (they must have milk for the mudslides, right?)
Oh and their chowder is freshly made and I’ve yet to see anyone serve a cup of chowder in a bowl the way they do at the House of Mitch.
Locals that know, know to go there. You should check it out for yourself.
Featuring Neapolitan Style Pizza- www.eatmangiapizza.com
158 Main St. Wenham MA
158 Main St Wenham Ma
I hadn’t been to Sugar Mag’s in what seemed like forever.
You gotta try this breakfast sandwich-
Courtesy The Rizla
Eggs In The Hole!
Good Morning Gloucester 