The Massachusetts Smart Growth Alliance added updates and photos from their special 10 year celebration Smart Growth conference at ABX

Cat Ryan submits-

Hi Joey,

The Massachusetts Smart Growth Alliance added updates and photos from their special 10 year celebration Smart Growth conference at ABX. Gloucester and the HarborWalk were showcased with other special MA placemaking spaces.

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MA Smart Growth selected before/after photos by Kim Smith and Leaping, a photo by Cruz Ferreras (shows a Block Party evening, and James Owen Calderwood’s Parsons Street mural) for one of the posters in their booth.

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The official event photographer for the 2013 Smart Growth Conference during the ArchitectureBoston Expo (ABX) was Jean Hangarter. She sent a shout out to photographer—and GMG contributor– Kathy Chapman!

Have fun exploring the range of topics in follow-up from the event http://ma-smartgrowth.org/take-action/smart-growth-conference/

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Save the Date: Upcoming Screenings of My Film Life Story of the Black Swallowtail Butterfly

I hope to see you there!

For more information about Life Story of the Black Swallowtail Butterfly click here.

Tuesday, April 29th, 2014 at 6:30 pm Lowell Eco-Film Festival ~ More details to follow.

Tuesday, May 13th, 2014 at 6:00 pm. Willowdale Estate, Topsfield Massachusetts: Artist Spotlight Event

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GloucesterCast Taped 1/26/14 With Host Joey Ciaramitaro and Guests Toby Pett and Kim Smith

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GloucesterCast Taped 1/26/14 With Host Joey Ciaramitaro and Guests Toby Pett and Kim Smith

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Subscribe to The GloucesterCast Podcast by Email

Topics include:

Polar Vortex, Alberta flipper,local restaurant talk including DeWolf Tavern, new theme at Alchemy, The Mexican Touch, Sticky Fingers, Changes on the blog, addressing Craig Kimberley’s statement that the blog has gotten too soft, Bill O’Connor helps to streamline the blog, words to people who begrudge contributors to promote their work on the blog, Art Haven Buoy Auction Kudos, Kim’s Not So-Teasing Butterfly announcement.

Sign Up for My Column on Habitat Gardening

American Robin American Holly Ilex opaca © Kim Smith 2014JPGBird Food!  ~ American Robin and American Holly (Ilex opaca)

My regular readers are aware, as are my fellow GMG contributors, that I write a monthly column/newsletter on gardening, with a focus on designing welcoming habitats for birds and butterflies. My readership has grown steadily, I think largely based on the fifteen or so habitat garden design lectures that I give each year (See the Lecture Program Page on my blog) and the newsletter is now read mostly in New England, but also throughout the US, England, Canada, and Mexico.  As does my book, the columns contain a wealth of information on creating habitat gardens, how to attract birds and butterflies to our gardens, and stories about local wildflowers and wildlife. Oftentimes readers write and I find it wonderfully gratifying when they share their success stories with what they are feeding and planting to attract birds and butterflies to their gardens.

The newsletter began awhile back while I was writing a bi-monthly column for the regional newspaper the North Shore Planet. Reader’s who lived beyond the area of distribution of the newspaper became interested in the columns and it was easy to send the columns via email. The columns are in the process of being archived and they will eventually be featured on a page of their own on my blog. If in the meantime you would like to receive via email my monthly column, please email me at kimsmithdesigns@hotmail.com.

Winterberry Ilex verticillata © Kim Smith 2014Winterberry (Ilex verticilatta)

Oh Garden of Fresh Possibilities! Notes from a Gloucester Garden is available through my publisher’s website at David R. Godine, Publisher.

Bean Curds. Really?

So Kim Smith asks if I’d like her to pick up lunch today.  My cousin Joe Marcantonio a while back suggested I try out the Chinese restaurant on Washington St- Midori.

So wanting to step outside of the box a little I suggest to Kim Smith that she pick up something from Midori but not something deep fried and greasy.

She suggests some veggies with bean curds.

Now I ask you.  Who in the world would make this kind of suggestion outside of the obvious Kim Smith?

Bean curds?  As in some farmer feeds his cows beans and they collect the been laden feces and make it into bean curds?

Uhmmm no thanks Kim.  Think I’ll take a pass on the bean curds and veggies.

Bean curds?

Only commies eat bean curds.  Mark my words.  Next time you hear someone order bean curds in a restaurant you can rest assured they’re a commie.

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GloucesterCast 10/20/13 With Guest Toby Pett and Host Joey Ciaramitaro

GloucesterCast 10/20/13 With Guest Toby Pett and Host Joey Ciaramitaro

GloucesterCastSquare1GloucesterCast Podcast Taped 10/20/13 With Guest Toby Pett and Host Joey Ciaramitaro

Topics Include: Red Sox Clinching and Odds That John Farrell getting Manager of the Year, Farm Bar and Grille vying for East Gloucester Spot, Smartphones on planes, GMG Caps, Passports Closed for a couple of weeks for Olive Kitteridge miniseries taping, Posts of the week including Kim Smith's Love Letters To Gloucester and Marty Luster's Phyllis A Video, people who email comments to GMG instead of posting their comments under the respective post.

Topics Include: Red Sox Clinching and Odds That John Farrell getting Manager of the Year, Farm Bar and Grille vying for East Gloucester Spot, Smartphones on planes, GMG Caps, Passports Closed for a couple of weeks for Olive Kitteridge miniseries taping, Posts of the week including Kim Smith’s Love Letters To Gloucester and Marty Luster’s Phyllis A Video, people who email comments to GMG instead of posting their comments under the respective post.

Catherine Ryan submits City Arts and Gloucester updates for September

Hi Joey,

With Mayor Carolyn Kirk and the City’s leadership and support, here are some September updates for City Arts & Gloucester covering the Cape Ann Chamber of Commerce, Community Development Downtown Work Plan, Harbortown Cultural District and the Committee for the Arts.

From now through October 15th submit a design for a Cape Ann license plate!

· The single most successful MA specialty license plate is…the one celebrating Massachusettsother Cape. The Cape and Islands plate, created in 1996, features an image of Eastham’s Nauset Lighthouse and the cliffs of Siasconset and Aquinnah. It has raised $20.1 million and was ordered for 45,000 cars in the state. At that time, the Registry of Motor Vehicles allowed backgrounds. The new image space requirements are smaller squares to the left of the number.

· Feeling competitive? There are currently more than 216,641 specialty license plates in circulation in the state now, according to the Registry. The five top sellers?

image024 $20,000 million

 

image025 $18.3 million

image027 $7 million

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· What do you think the 2 letters should be?

· For more information on how to apply, see GMG announcement https://goodmorninggloucester.wordpress.com/2013/08/31/cape-ann-chamber-launches-drive-for-special-cape-ann-license-plate/

News from Community Development and the Downtown Work Plan

The Downtown Work Plan group continues! Come to City Hall for the third and final public meeting Tuesday September 17, 2013. Like the others, this meeting will also be held in the Kyrouz Auditorium at City Hall and run from 6-8PM. You can check out the results from the 2nd public presentation on line http://www.gloucester-ma.gov/index.aspx?NID=760&ART=2142&ADMIN=1. It is a large file and may take a couple of minutes to load. Community Development will also post the other presentations to the website as well. If you have any comments or questions, email Community Development Director, Tom Danieltdaniel@gloucester-ma.gov

Enjoy this August 8, 2013 Boston Globe article on Mayor Kirk’s  efforts for Community Development for downtown Gloucester. You can see it here

News from the downtown Harbortown Cultural District

Mayor Carolyn Kirk has committed the City’s major support as lead partner for our two Gloucester Cultural Districts!

Visit www.gloucesterharbortown.org

2/3 of the Harbortown partners have filled out a survey to prioritize goals with a focus on arts and culture. Other partners will complete theirs as they meet with their committees/boards. Example of one of the questions (‘in progress’ screen shot)

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Harbortown partners and stakeholders attending the August meeting at Cape Ann Museum were lucky to hear an outstanding update from Director Ronda Faloon:

Reaching Out and Strengthening Within, Cape Ann Museum’s recently announced Capital Campaign will raise funds to make essential and innovative changes, dramatically improving the Museum’s ability to care for its nationally significant collection, as well as to tell the Cape Ann story and the pivotal role it has played in the American experience. Dynamic new interior and exterior spaces will be created. Outdated systems will be updated and underutilized spaces will be maximized to provide secure, more cost-effective and visitor-friendly settings for the collection. The Campaign will also support efforts to make the Museum’s collection more accessible by digitization, allowing it to be viewed on a redesigned website. Whether you are a physical or virtual visitor, the Museum hopes to transform your experience. http://www.capeannmuseum.org/support/capital-campaign/

We also participated in a special hands-on discussion and workshop about the goals for our district which was facilitated by Rebecca Borden Art Haven’s interim director. Art Haven and Cape Ann museum are founding partners of the Harbortown Cultural District.

News from the Committee for the Arts

On behalf of Mayor Kirk and the City of Gloucester, we’re in the process of updating the Committee for the Arts page on the City website and all these logos are at play!

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The Committee for the Arts is pleased to announce that James Owen Calderwood’s temporary public  artwork, his abstract ‘Fish Net’ street mural covering Parsons Street, is the first of three 2013 HarborWalk public art awards to be completed.

INSIDER gHW ARTWORLD NEWS: New Parsons street signs are being designed and produced by Tricia O’Neill, Signs Unique, of Gloucester. Tricia is currently collaborating with world renowned British born contemporary artist, Matthew Ritchie, on his new mural commission for the Institute of Contemporary Art /Boston and Rose F. Kennedy Greenway’s Dewey Square. We are thrilled for Tricia and grateful she is helping with the gHW. AND Red Sox fans have long seen her sign work there!

INSIDER BLOOMS: Along with James’ wonderful net mural, also look forward to some lighting, a new fence on the west side of the street, and tucked along its edge, an additional patch of gHW butterfly and sustainable gardens with more of Kim Smith’s planting design!  You can see the relation of mural/fence/garden spot and more from Kim’s fabulous Good Morning Gloucester posts

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The end of September heralds the 12th year of Trails and Sails weekends. This year, the third and final Block Party is timed perfectly with the first Trails and Sails weekend. Gloucester’s Committee for the Arts is thrilled to take part in these weekends.

WALK Parsons Street to experience James Owen Calderwood’s Parsons Street mural for the 2013 HarborWalk Public Art Challenge

Before/after

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Send us your photos!

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Leaping © Cruz Ferreras

Thank you, Marty Luster! https://goodmorninggloucester.wordpress.com/2013/08/20/great-public-art/

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Stop into City Hall and cherish our City’s major murals.

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Over the 2nd weekend of Trails and Sails, July 27-29th, the Committee for the Arts is also hosting 3 special days of mural celebration and recognition! Art conservator, Peter Williams, who recently completed the first phase of mural restoration at City Hall, will be speaking about restoration and Charles Allan Winter on Friday September 27 at 7PM in City Hall. Mark your calendars for his lecture:  “A Restorer’s Intimate View of Paintings and Murals by Charles Allan Winter”. Sign up too for guided tours Saturday and Sunday by Gloucester artist, historian, scholar, independent curator, adjunct professor, and former Committee for the Arts member, Susan Erony!

For more information on the restoration and photos see GMG posts including https://goodmorninggloucester.wordpress.com/2013/03/09/the-gloucester-committee-for-the-arts-announces-13200-in-new-private-donation/

Dramatic Come From Behind Win For Newly Crowned GMG Gloucester Steak Bomb Champ Destinos!!!!

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After four rounds it looked like Captain Hooks Had It In The Bag But in the Final Taste Round (accounting for 40% of the scores) Destinos Pulled Out A Dramatic Come From Behind Win.

We had Bex, Chris DeWolfe, Kim Smith and Brianmoc go in for the sub pick-ups last night.  Brought the subs in and weighed and recorded the weights and sequestered the judges in a separate room while we marked each sub Sub A, Sub B, Sub C and Sub D to insure no bias and a blind tasting.

Judges Ed Collard, Chris DeWolfe, Brian O’Connor and Craig Kimberley took their judging duty very seriously.  The one part I would say would not be a fair comparison is Cape Ann brewing based on price since their price includes fries, slaw and a pickle.  However even if you threw the value category out Cape Ann Brewing would have come in last.

Captain Hooks wins People Choice with far and away most number of nominations.

Overall Best Gloucester Steak Bomb Challenge winner Based on Value, Taste, Packaging,  Lack of Sogginess and Equal Distribution of Meat is Destinos.

Once again it was noted by all four judges that each one of these subs was a winner.  To be nominated out of all the incredible sub shops in Gloucester is in itself a testament to how great each one of these Steak Bombs are and Cape Ann Brewing, Captain Hooks, Leonardos and Destinos all deserve accolades

Thanks To Mamie’s Kitchen for providing a neutral stage for judging.  Thanks to our sub picker uppers.  thanks to Kim Smith for filming (look for her awesome video Thursday).

You’d be happy to patronize any of these fine eateries.  Today at Mamie’s Kitchen Chris will be serving up his killer Cheese Steak Sub in honor of yesterday’s competition.

 

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The scoring sheet from last night-

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Come Join Me for a Guided Tour of the Butterfly Gardens at the HarborWalk

Please come join me on Saturday, July 13th, at 1:00 and at 2:00, for guided tours of the butterfly gardens at the Gloucester HarborWalk. The guided tour is included in the cost of the ticket for the Gloucester Garden Tour. Please feel free to email me with any questions about the butterfly garden tour at the HarborWalk at kimsmithdesigns@hotmail.com.

One of my favorites, and in bloom now at the HarborWalk Gardens, is the stunning North American native wildflower Culver’s Root or Veronicastrum virginicum. The plant typically grows to five feet and, when in flower, creates a lovely, airy candelabrum effect. Culver’s Root prefers full sun and moist well-drained soil. When I was there checking on the gardens several days ago all manner of bees and butterflies were nectaring from the diminutive florets of the spikey racemes of the Veronicastrum.

Veronicastrum virginicum Culver's Root ©Kim Smith 2013Veronicastrum virginicum and Cabbage White Butterfly, Gloucester HarborWalk Butterfly Garden

2013 Saturday Greasy Pole Champ Zach Allen’s Winning Greasy Pole Walk Filmed By Kim Smith

Kim Smith’s Butterfly Movie Premiere Afterparty at Bodin Historic Photo

Fred Bodin submits-

Congrats Kim on Her Film Premier

Kim Smith gives a big hug to Lisa Smith, of Cape Ann TV.

Paul, Kim, Alicia,Donna and Joey. John and Adam in the background.

Kim Smith’s daughter Liv and Joey

RD sitting on my Bait Shop.

The debris field from Kim’s great party. 40+ wine glasses and lots of beer bottles.

A wonderful Film by Kim Smith

On Friday evening we enjoyed an amazing film on the Black Swallow Tail Butterfly at the Cape Ann Cinema on Main Street and then over to a fun reception at Bodin Historic Photo Shop. This film is great for all ages and I know my grand children would love it as well as adults. Thank you Kim Smith for your work, Pat Ciaramitaro, Sista Felicia for the yummy food, Craig Kimberley and Fred for hosting this event. Great time.

June 21, 2013 enjoying

Pat and Sista
Pat and Sista
Fred Bodin and Kim Smith
Fred Bodin and Kim Smith

Flowers for Kim Smith

These flowers were delivered to FOB Fred Bodin Historic Photo on Main Street from Audrey’s this morning. Our FOB Ann and Bob Kennedy sent them for Kim Smith’s “Life Story of the Black Swallow Tail Butterfly. The show will be at the Cape Ann Cinema followed by a reception at Bodin Historic Photo at 82 Mains Street.

So lovely of Ann and Bob to send this beautiful arrangement.
FOB Ann and Bob Kennedy

Cape Ann TV Annual Special tonight 10:30 on Channel 12

Last month we told you about Cape Ann TV’s Annual Meeting, which they filmed and it airs as a special tonight at 10:30 p.m. Channel 12.

“Why would I want to watch an annual meeting?” you ask.  Well, this is not your average annual meeting.  It’s fun.  Allen Estes and I were among 4 producers who talked briefly about our experiences and showed clips from our shows (Local Music Seen in our case).  The other producers were Kim Smith who wowed us with clips from her spectacular butterfly movie that premieres Friday at Cape Ann Community Cinema (more on that here); Shaun Goulart, who’s tale of how he came to make his thriller is almost a thrilling as the movie itself; and John Ronan, who has the longest running show on Cape Ann TV and offered us a wonderful surprise in his clips.  Here’s a taste of what you’ll see:

If you miss it tonight, you can catch it again Saturday 6/22 at 5pm and Monday 6/24 at 9pm.

One of the things Allen talked about is how the music scene in Gloucester and Cape Ann is growing.  Proof that he’s right can be witnessed this weekend with over 50 live shows to choose from starting tomorrow.  See the complete live music schedule here.

Winners Announced 2013 Rockport Short Film Festival People’s Choice Awards

Rockport Art Festivals Blog ~

Rockport Festivals is pleased to announce that two films received the inaugural Motif 1 Short Film Fest People’s Choice award(s):

Homemade Parade by Emile Doucette BomBom Butterflies by Kim Smith

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Wow! What a great first year for the first Motif 1 Short Film Fest! We had some great submissions, ranging on topics from the launch of an Essex-built schooner to the legend of the Gloucester Sea Serpent. The following eight short films were chosen for the first Motif 1 Short Film Fest:

Launch Day of the Schooner Ardelle
by Len Burgess
What do You Love About Cape Ann?
by Mike Kelly
BomBom Butterflies
by Kim Smith
Gloucester Sea Serpent
by Doctor Colonel Gonzo
No More Gloomy Sundays
by Robert Newton
New England Blood
by Dylan/Ladds
Homemade Parade
by Emile Doucette
Thacher Island Nature Reserve Sunrise
 

by Ron Rismen

Two screenings were held at the annual Motif No.1 Festival in Rockport, one on Friday, May 17th and another on Saturday, May 18th, with Twin Lights soda courtesy of Rockport’s own Thomas Wilson Beverage Co. at both screenings. Viewers were asked to vote for their favorite film (if they felt so inclined — voting was entirely optional). Across the ballots all the films received great feedback, with one voter checking off every single option with the comment that each one was a favorite. But in the end, two films emerged as the front runners with both receiving the same number of votes.

Read more about the event at Rockport Art Festivals

Thank you!

Willowdale Estate Artist Spolight Garden Kim Smith ©Kim Smith 2013- Dogwood

Butterfly Courtyard with Native Dogwood (Cornus florida)

Thank you so much to everyone who came to the Willowdale Estate Artist Spotlight Garden Tour Monday night. We had an absolutely wonderful turnout. I would especially like to thank Senator Bruce Tarr who, although he could not make it, sent his liaison, Gloucester’s Barry Pett. Mr. Pett is Senator Tarr’s Director of Community Outreach and Constituent Services, and also has a background in architecture. He lives in a historical Queen Anne on Middle Street and was especially appreciative of Willowdale, which is a stunning example of an exquisitely restored Arts and Crafts stone mansion.

Willowdale Estate Artist Spolight Garden Kim Smith window box anemone ©Kim Smith 2013.JPGCourtyard window box with anemones

Thank you Briar and Sarah for your gracious hospitality and for all that you did to make last night’s event such a singing success. There were gift bags for all who attended and the staff prepared a wonderful array of Briar’s signature cookies, as well as a delicious selection of fruit and cheese, topped with a favorite sparkling wine!

Willowdale Estate Artist Spolight Garden Kim Smith KATE ©Kim Smith 2013

Kate

Willowdale Estate Artist Spolight Garden Kim Smith ©Kim Smith 2013The tulips were in full, glorious bloom, as were many of our native flowering trees and spring ephemerals. Both the Eastern Redbud and Carolina Silverbell were abuzz with myriad species of bees and tiny winged-pollinators.

Willwodale Estate Artist Spolight Garden Kim Smith -carolina Silverbell ©Kim Smith 2013.JPGCarolina Silverbell

Willowdale Estate Artist Spolight Garden Kim Smith Redbud ©Kim Smith 2013 copyEastern Redbud (Cercis canadensis)

GMG FOBs Don’t Forget Kim Smith’s Evening Tour Of Willowdale Estate’s Butterfly Gardens Which She Designed Monday!

Kim writes-

Please join me Monday evening for a tour of the butterfly gardens I designed for Willowdale Estate. Come experience a taste of Briar’s gracious hospitality and enjoy refreshments served in the conservatory. The tulips are at their peak and look simply spectacular this year. I will also be showing several of my short films. Please RSVP to Sarah at: Sarah@WillowdaleEstate.com ~ 978-887-8211.

I hope to see you there!

Willowdale Kim Smith Artist spotlight event 2013

BIKINI DODGEBALL-THE MOVIE 2013-SHRINKAGE FOR A CAUSE PREMIERE QUATRO DE MAYO AT THE FARM BAR & GRILLE

This is the final trailer in efforts to get your lazy ass, and your even lazier friend’s assesses, to The Damn Farm Bar & Grille for the world premier.

May 4th 7PM at The Farm Bar and Grille
REMEMBER! It’s all for a good cause! for more info on NEXT STEP, go to:
nextstepnet.org/

We will be starting with Kim Smith’s videos and finishing with Craig Kimberley’s 35 minute Bikini Speedo Dodgeball movie starring a cast of every man woman and child who attended this year’s event!

GloucesterCast With Host Joey Ciaramitaro and Guest Donna Ardizzoni

GloucesterCast With Host Joey Ciaramitaro and Guest Donna Ardizzoni Taped April 29th 2013

Click to listen- With Host Joey C and Donna Ardizzoni

Topics Include: Kim Smith, Moving To Gloucester, Good Harbor vs Wingaersheek, One Hour at a Time Gang, Best Outside Deck To Dine, Favorite Community Events, Block Parties, Celebrate Gloucester, Schooner Festival, Ravenswood vs Halibut Point Park, Kayaking Gloucester, Staying Positive

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