There's No Place Like Home

Elliott safe at home

2011-11-17T10:27:00.001-05:00

Great news!

Elliott, age 16, missing since 11/15/11

2011-11-16T16:43:00.001-05:00

Shhhh, it's a DRUG BUST

2011-11-14T16:10:00.005-05:00

The Somerville News reports today that:

Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone and Somerville Chief of Police Thomas Pasquarello invite residents in the Oxford Street neighborhood to a community meeting to discuss recent police activity. The meeting will be held on Tuesday, November 15, at 7:00 p.m. at the Public Safety Building, 220 Washington Street. Chief Pasquarello and other officers will address issues of concern for the neighborhood, and answer questions from residents. If you have questions on any police matter, please call the police information line at 617-625-1600.

In case you assume this has something to do with loud donut and coffee tailgate parties resulting in complaints about the police slacking off, you assume wrong. Between the lines of that community group hug invitation is the fact that "police activity," concerned a crystal meth lab located on one of Somerville's sleepy, peaceful streets, about a half block from City Hall.

So, yeah, I guess Mayor Joe wants to tiptoe carefully around this one, though it's hardly a secret, as the incident was fully reported on Wicked Local Somerville November 7.

But what the hell is up with Somerville "News"? How do they call themselves a news organization and use a euphemism ("police activity") in place of the description of a bust that included helicopters, federal agents, hazmat personnel, and "shouts of 'fire in the hole'"(according to the MASSCOPS website)? You gotta give those guys credit for putting their careers on the line to get the story, no? In fact, this fine piece of journalistic integrity came verbatim from a City Hall press release.

Which leads us right back to mealy mouthed Mayor Joe. Every time I think maybe he's not so bad (I've been told he's against Wal-Mart), he pulls some bonehead move. By publicizing this meeting without admitting the real reason for it, he is not only patronizing all of his constituents, but trying to weasel out of taking public responsibility for having no idea what was going on half a block from his office. There's also a little voice in my head that keeps squeaking "property values," another incentive to say, "shhhh," and move on.

So, I'm just here to yell DRUG BUST DRUG BUST DRUG BUST as loud as I can because I hate a coverup. And I really hate being patronized.

Of Trolls and Pride

2011-05-06T02:53:00.009-04:00

It's been a while since I've posted an update about One Benton Road, but this evening someone attempted to post an ignorant and angry comment about the work that's been done against the subdivision, which you will not see posted here, as I don't post comments by trolls, but the highlight of which was the last line, "SHAME ON YOU." It got me thinking about the status of the situation and made me realize that there are a number things I'm truly proud of that have come about through the unfortunate destruction of a historical house and its grounds.

I'm proud to live in a community in which the people are involved in and vocal about what goes on in their neighborhoods. Over 200 people signed letters protesting the subdivision of One Benton Road to present at the Zoning Board of Appeals meeting.

I'm proud to live in a city in which the Aldermen, Planning Board, and Zoning Board of Appeals listened to our concerns and ruled against the subdivision due to its not falling within Somerville's zoning policies.

I'm proud that I was able to contribute to the effort to keep the developers from riding roughshod all over this neighborhood in their greed.

I'm proud to know the people I came into contact with through this effort because they are strong, organized, and unintimidated.

I'm proud to be able to say that fighting the developer has cost them money and time, and will continue to do so as the next step in the fight will be in court.

So, no, I'm not ashamed.

What MLM Realty Trust has done and wants to continue to do to that property benefits no one but themselves and the few people that can afford to buy their $500k condos, and has been at the expense of a beloved neighborhood icon.

MLM chose not to place the house on the historical register and work within the mandates set down for preserving historical property. They don't care about Somerville, they didn't care about the house that was there, nor the land surrounding it. Their one thought was and is profit and I will never be ashamed to fight those who would raise the importance of enriching themselves above the needs of the community.

Even screaming comments in all-caps don't make me feel ashamed or intimidated. They just remind me that our success so far isn't sitting well with those we oppose, and for that I'm proud.

in memoriam

Zoning Board of Appeals Meets Tonight

2011-03-02T09:39:00.007-05:00

The Somerville Zoning Board of Appeals will meet tonight at 6pm at City Hall (93 Highland Avenue, Aldermanic Chamber). On the agenda is MLM Realty Trust's appeal of the Planning Board's decision not to let them subdivide the property at One Benton Road into two lots for the purpose of building luxury condos. Neighbors of the property are planning a thorough presentation of the facts of the situation and have received over 200 letters in support of the Planning Board's original decision not to grant MLM the requested zoning variance, which they need in order to subdivide.

Thanks to everyone who signed the online petition and/or sent a letter. The more people that show up tonight, the better, so if you're able to make it, please show up!

Also, in case you missed it, Somerville Patch published a nice article about the struggle thus far on February 24th.

New Deadline, New Petition

2011-02-07T10:29:00.003-05:00

Due to recent Snowpocalypses, the Somerville Zoning Board of Appeals meeting was rescheduled to March 14. That means we have an additional month to raise awareness and gather signatures on our new petition protesting the subdivision of One Benton Road in order to build an additional condo structure on a one-home lot.

Why a new petition? The original petition host was not adequate to meet our needs. If you already signed that one, your signature will still be counted, but if you prefer to sign the new one, I will be happy to remove the duplicate.

Thanks to everyone who's signed and supported us on this issue, as well as to those of my neightbors who have organized a letter-writing campaign. Let's git 'er done!

http://www.change.org/petitions/please-help-stop-the-subdivision-of-one-benton-road

Subdivision of One Benton Road Revisited

2011-01-31T16:56:00.007-05:00

Gather round, children while we revisit the story of the Giobbe House, a beautiful historic structure sitting atop a rolling green hill that was gutted and destroyed by an out-of-town developer for the purpose of constructing condos. Come closer while I remind you of that developer's fight to further subdivide the already compromised landscape in order to build a second condo structure, despite their awareness of the environmental and traffic problems it will cause the city if given the approval to go forward, as well as the fact that after nearly a year on the market, one of the units in the current structure has yet to be sold. Finally, learn how Somerville residents have thus far prevented the proposed subdivision by working with the Board of Aldermen, resulting in the denial of the proposal by the Somerville Zoning Board of Appeals, and are continuing to fight by attempting to force a denial of the realtor's upcoming appeal.

Well, it's petition time again, with MLM Realty Trust's appeal scheduled to come up before the Zoning Board of Appeals Wednesday February 2, 2011. Please read the previous blog entries linked here to follow the history of this situation, or if you're familiar with the long saga and would like to join the fight, click on this link: http://www.petitiononline.com/giobbe4/petition.html and sign. The petition we submitted at the June 2010 Office of Strategic Planning and Development and Planning Board meeting was instrumental in preventing MLM's development plans once, and we believe this new one will be again.

Previous Giobbe House/One Benton Road posts:

The Giobbe House

More Tales of the Giobbe House

Further Tales of the Giobbe House

The Giobbe House: The Saga Continues

One Benton Road's Last Stand

Here's the text of the current petition:

Dear Members of the Somerville Zoning Board of Appeals,

We're writing to encourage you to uphold the Planning Board's denial of MLM Realty Trust's proposal to subdivide the backyard at One Benton Road in order to build a three-unit condominium. We feel that the following issues, mentioned in the Planning Board's denial of MLM's proposal, have not been addressed, nor can they be adequately dealt with through mediation.

Subdividing the property at One Benton Road would:

* compromise the traffic and pedestrian safety at the intersection of Benton Rd with Summer St, esp. for children attending the two schools one block away and anyone attending the many services and functions at St Catherine's Church, also one block away.

* adversely affect the Mystic River and Charles River watershed of this hilltop location.

*exacerbate water runoff problems for neighbors down slope of One Benton Rd. These neighbors now have significant water runoff problems that didn't exist before MLM began their work on One Benton Rd.

* erode property values in the adjacent historic districts.

* increase traffic and parking density in a neighborhood that's already strained by this issue.

*diminish the scenic nature of the adjacent historic districts.

*contribute to the loss of open green space in Somerville, a city that everyone knows is densely developed and has about 77% of its property already paved over or built upon.

*encroach upon and harm the local historic districts that have already been adversely affected by MLM's inappropriate work on One Benton Rd.

*damage the historic integrity of the backyard at One Benton Rd and the adjacent historic districts.

Allowing MLM to proceed with their plan to subdivide the One Benton Road property directly contradicts Somerville's commitment to being a green city by endorsing an outside developer's machinations to bring increased traffic to an already over-congested part of Somerville, thus increasing pollution and decreasing the availability of street parking, while building with no commitment to green construction materials or techniques. The initial three unit condominium structure on the One Benton Road property has already been responsible for the loss of three parking spaces on Summer Street due to the placement of the curb cut they made. In order to compensate for this loss, MLM agreed in December 2009 to create additional parking on the Benton Road side of the property by reducing the existing the driveway there from 39 ft. to 13 ft., but has done none of the agreed-upon work. Additionally, the sidewalk on the Benton Road side of the building has not been maintained according to Somerville's stated snow removal policies, resulting in a narrow icy passageway rather than a safe walkway.

It is clear that MLM is uninterested in Somerville or the community surrounding One Benton Road; but rather wishes to use the small amount of open land left on the property for one reason: their stated desire to make a profit on the purchase price they paid. The fact that one of the initial three units they've built has not been sold after 11 months on the market does not suggest that continuing to build on the lot will make it desirable to potential buyers.

Somerville can never recover the history and beauty that was destroyed when MLM gutted the Giobbe House, which formerly stood on the One Benton Road lot, but we can disallow their further attempts to degrade and destroy our city's integrity in order to fill their own pockets.

Thank you for your kind attention to our concerns.

This is a situation in which every signature makes a difference, so please add yours and let the ZBA know that Somerville is not interested in being exploited by developers with no commitment to working in harmony with the community.

Again, sign at http://www.petitiononline.com/giobbe4/petition.html

Camera Obscura

2010-06-25T16:59:00.007-04:00

This Saturday, June 26, local artist Annie Smidt will turn Somerville's powederhouse into a camera obscura and use it to take pictures of members of the community. The photos will be displayed later in the year (with subjects' permission) in a gallery show, as well as posted on the project's website, where people will be able to download copies of their photos. Also, according to the project's Facebook page there will be a street festival of some sort occurring concurrently on Broadway.

I think using the powderhouse as a camera is one of the most inspired ideas I've ever heard, and apparently I'm not alone, because Smidt has received funding from the Somerville Arts Council to support the project again this year, after a successful first event last August.

Tomorrow's weather forecast is for thunder showers, but Smidt will announce rain delay information at http://www.powderhousecameraproject.com/

One Benton Road's Last Stand

2010-06-24T15:06:00.000-04:00

According to the Agenda published by the Somerville Planning Board, there will be a special meeting tonight at Somerville High School Auditorium (6:00, 81 Highland Ave.) to discuss whether MLM Realty will be permitted to divide the lot at One Benton Road into two, and build a second three-unit structure there.

The question of whether to finalize the permit now comes down to traffic safety. Because of the increased traffic to be generated by the additional residence, should it be built, combined with the limited lane space on Benton Road, and the foot traffic in the neighborhood during morning hours, the Planning Board has required MLM to present a traffic mitigation plan that would resolve these issues before allowing construction to go forward.

Supporters of the effort to prevent further construction on the One Benton Road lot will be attending tonight's meeting, and Alderman Tom Taylor has stated that the more people who show up, the more weight their opposition will carry. The petitions submitted by neighbors at the May 6 meeting have been instrumental in delaying construction this long, and forcing the developer to search for solutions to the negative impact that additional building on the lot will have.

Hopefully, MLM Realty's poorly conceived and executed assault on the city's precious remainder of open space can be halted before further damage is done to what was once a unique historical property.

The Giobbe House: The Saga Continues

2010-05-13T12:24:00.015-04:00

While I was out of town last week, the Somerville Planning Board discussed the question of whether MLM Realty will be permitted to subdivide the lot at One Benton Road, where The Giobbe House formerly stood, into two parcels in order to build a second three-condo structure. As I mentioned in a former blog entry, the position of the Somerville Historic Preservation Commission, as well as a number of Somerville residents, is that the renovated house at One Benton Road demonstrates wanton disregard for the preservation of the character and history of the neighborhood.

The Somerville News blog reports that at the May 6 Planning Board meeting, aldermen and residents raised the issue that increased traffic at the site poses a potential danger to children walking to and from nearby St. Catherine's School. Design Consultants Incorporated presented a traffic study that was deemed irrelevant by board member Michael A. Capuano (not to be confused with Congressman Michael E. Capuano) due to the fact that it was conducted at a time of day during which the traffic problem in question was not an issue.

Despite the measures city and state officials are now taking in an attempt to control the chaos generated by the runaway greed responsible for this whole debacle, the outlook appears grim. There will be a May 20 Traffic Commission meeting during which the traffic concerns will be discussed, but board member Dana LeWinter is quoted in the Somerville News as saying, "We can't deny (the permit) unless there are intractable concerns. I want to know what possible mitigation measures there might be." The Somerville News does not mention Mayor Joe Curtatone in its article; all I know is that the March 22, 2010 document recommending conditional approval to MLM for the subdivision of the lot is on his letterhead.

At this point, making contact with your Alderman or -woman, the mayor, and the congressman by phone or e-mail are good options to voice your concerns about this project. Also, Attorney Richard G. Di Girolamo, located at 424 Broadway, Somerville 02145, who is listed as the agent for MLM Realty Trust on the above-referenced document, can be reached at 617-666-8200. Lastly, the May 20 Traffic Commission meeting is open to the public, so show up if you can. If enough people get vocal about this, it will be more difficult for MLM to continue to develop in the irresponsible fashion that characterized the renovation of The Giobbe House. As a community, I think we owe it to ourselves to make this process as difficult for MLM as possible, based on the complete lack of respect they've shown us. They haven't succeeded yet, and until they get full approval from the city, there's still time to fight.

Heartfelt thanks to everyone who signed the petition and posted comments here.

Health benefits for all except Shaw's?

2010-04-29T11:57:00.018-04:00

If you've been to Shaw's in Twin Cities Plaza lately, you've seen the picketers handing out Stop & Shop circulars in the parking lot. That's because on March 7, workers at Shaw's warehouse in Methuen went on strike, protesting cuts in wages and health benefits. According to a report from WBZ news, "United Food and Commercial Workers Local 791 voted overwhelmingly, 288 to 8," to reject the contract offered by Shaw's, which would cut health care benefits and result in significant pay cuts. Now, as the strike nears the 2 month mark, Supervalu, who owns both Shaw's and Star Market, has "terminated the workers' health benefits, ignoring the fact that many of these workers have young children with serious medical conditions, and some workers have spouses with serious issues such as risky advanced pregnancy. Further, the company is advertising for and hiring permanent striker replacements," as reported by MarketWatch.

I can see the impact of the strike in the reduced number of cars in the parking lot of Shaw's in Porter Square, even though there are no picketers at that location. It heartens me that Somerville and Cambridge support the workers and are willing to deal with the inconvenience of shopping elsewhere in order to reinforce the message being sent by the strikers. In the same MarketWatch article quoted above, it's reported that workers at other Supervalu subsidiaries in four states and representing 61,000 members, are "mobilizing to support" the 300 striking Shaw's workers.

Refusing to shop at Shaw's and choosing Market Basket or Stop & Shop instead is one way to help force Supervalu to provide adequate health care benefits for its employees. When a strike like this is successful, it also sends a message to other employers that refusing to provide these benefits is not acceptable and will have consequences that affect the bottom line. There will be a rally tonight, Thursday April 29, at the Porter Square Shaw's from 5:00 to 6:30 if you want to come out and show support in person. Also, there are two Facebook group you can join to keep up with news of the dispute, We Support the Shaws Methuen Distribution Center and Justice at Shaw's.

As an unexpected result, I've discovered that the Stop & Shop up on Route 28 is really a better store in many ways than Shaw's. The prices are lower, it's never crowded, even on the weekend, and there's a Dunkin' Donuts inside the store so you can load up on caffeine for serious grocery shopping. At Stop & Shop, March 7 was the day a contract was ratified with five local unions after a strike over wages and benefits (WBZ News, March 7, 2010).

Further tales of the Giobbe House

2010-04-26T11:43:00.018-04:00

This weekend I had the bittersweet pleasure of hearing from A.C. Frabetti, whose grandparents were the Giobbes. With his permission I'm sharing his e-mail in full here, because I think it really brings home the importance of saving these historical houses. More than wood and stained glass, they are spaces that have provided the settings for life.

Laura,

Thank you for posting about the Giobbe house. My grandmother had the house until it was sold less than a decade ago, and it became the last remnant of my childhood memories. You would have loved how she had some of the rooms, full of old clocks, chinaware, etc. With her passing, her children decided to sell it (too many ghosts of sorrow there). The subsequent owner wanted to restore it but I think he ran into trouble. I guess it was then sold to a developer, who transformed it as it sits now.

There is a bigger loss here than you can imagine. My grandfather (Ciro Giobbe) was a general family doctor who had his office in that house. There is a large number of people in Somerville who knew him (he died before I was born, many years ago). Since it was an office, much of the public would have seen the interior, and recalled the windows etc. A shame! When Somerville loses all of its historical treasures, it will cease to be a beautiful place to live.

- A.C. Frabetti

Mr. Frabetti also sent these photos, showing the architectural details inside the house, now lost forever.

So, once again, I'll exhort you to sign the petition to stop the continued destruction of the property on which the Giobbe house formerly sat. Find it at http://www.petitiononline.com/giobbe/petition.html, and be vigilant in your own neighborhood. Let's make the Giobbe house the last of these lost opportunities to preserve our city's history.

More tales of the Giobbe House

2010-04-23T12:45:00.005-04:00

Remember this?
Now it looks like this. Nice, huh?
Just what we needed; another driveway. And a fence. That pink tree and green space looked like they were crying for a good paving-over. Note the four windows to the left of the fire escape. Remember these?
Much better, right? Oh, and remember this?
Maybe this will refresh your memory.
Mmm hm. Well, now we have this.

Admittedly, the Giobbe house needed work. But was it really necessary to strip it of all remnants of character and historical value in the interest of selling condos for a big fat profit? However, it's a fait accompli. At a 12/2/2009 meeting of the Somerville Board of Aldermen and the Historic Preservation Society, it was listed in a presentation as a "missed opportunity" and a "notable loss." (page 5)

In contrast, the same document refers to the Hood house, directly across the street, as a "realized opportunity," and as such, it won a 2008 SHPC Director's Award (see the before and after photos on page 9 of the presentation).

Unfortunately, the worst may be yet to come. A March 22, 2010 document from the office of Mayor Joe Curtatone has granted "conditional approval" for MLM Realty to subdivide the parcel of land on which One Benton Road sits (the Giobbe house, as was) into two parcels for further development construction of another building housing three condominiums, thus effectively removing all open space from the lot.

Apparently, I'm not the only one in the neighborhood who's good and pissed off about this. A petition appeared recently on the door to my apartment building stating that "new construction would damage the...watersheds for...two conservation districts;" that according to The Boston Globe (Monday April 5, 2010), "Somerville is already the most paved over and built upon city in the state, with 77% of its area paved over;" that "the treatment of the Giobbe house has been...the essential destruction of the historic character and design integrity of this house;" and that "the work already done on this site gives us no confidence that further building would be of good workmanship and design."

77% paved over! A friend of mine who regularly visits here from New Hampshire is constantly amazed that we all live together with so little space between us in this city, and he's got a point. Every spring I walk around the hills photographing the flowers, trying to preserve the burst of nature that temporarily obscures the almost ubiquitous presence of humans and our objects. Despite the over-development, I love living in Somerville, and I think our remaining 23% is worth fighting for. So do my neighbors. If you're interested in helping, you can sign a copy of the petition online at http://www.petitiononline.com/giobbe/petition.html or stop by 2 Westwood Road or 5 Westwood Road to sign in person.

Additional info:

The Somerville News blog http://somervillenews.typepad.com/the_somerville_news/2010/04/benton-road-project-criticized-by-aldermen-public.html

Last March, U2 strafed through here, playing four songs at the Somerville Theater to a bunch of industry insiders, ticket winners, and local politicos, on which occasion Mayor Joe Curtatone presented the band a certificate declaring March 11 "U2 Day" in Somerville. At the time, he asserted in print somewhere (the Somerville Journal?) that the event had put the city "on the map." This year, March 11 passed quietly, and while it's possible the mayor received a celebratory bouquet or box of candy from the band, I certainly never heard anything about it. No parades, no half-holiday for city employees; just a quiet little March 11, like pretty much any other. U2 Day hasn't seemed to make Somerville particularly more important culturally than it was before, and the federal government didn't seem to take it into account when deciding to cut the arts budget for Massachusetts this year.

On the other hand, an event of decidedly lower profile and profoundly greater cultural and community significance took place last night when The Church brought its 30th anniversary tour to the Center for Arts at the Armory. There were no crowds outside the venue, straining for a glimpse of the band; there were no parking problems caused in the neighborhood; there was nary a sign of Mayor Joe, and there was no holiday declared. Instead, one of the longest-lived, hardest-working, and most talented bands playing rock and roll took the audience on a tour backwards through the songs on its (to date) 23 albums. Instead of being a mere PR stop accessible primarily to non-residents, tickets to this show were available to all at an affordable $30. The ticket price also included a copy of the band's latest EP.

Why is it culturally significant to Somerville that this sleeper of an event occurred here? It shows me that we have a space that can intimately embrace those bands that are beyond superstars, whose success isn't measured in record company profits, but rather in terms of raw artistic accomplishment. Not that The Church hasn't earned its labels more than a little cash over time, but this is a band that hasn't had a hit in 20 years. The show was a little gift, a gem glowing softly in a velvet cushion. Seeing a band I've loved for 30 years a few blocks from my home was an experience I'm unbelievably grateful to have had.

If Somerville needs an additional push to find a place on Mayor Joe's proverbial map, beyond its 200 years of history, its own dynamic community, its arts, and its local businesses, I think it will come from more events of this type, rather than the hype of last year's forgotten U2 visit. Mayor Joe would do well to take note, and rather than hand out gratuitous honors to those who bring nothing to his city, celebrate the substantial contributions of those who bring their music to share with its citizens.

Tantra, the Goddess of Shut the Fuck Up, or IKEA Redux

2009-09-24T13:56:00.007-04:00

For the past couple of days, I've been receiving comments on my blog entry of April 18 from a person who identifies herself as Tantra, the Goddess of Flight. I used to see her name on the Noise Board (electronic message board) but I don't know that I've ever met her. Because her comments are emotional, nonsensical, and contained personal insinuations and attacks, I chose not to print them. But a video posted on Facebook by Somerville Local First crossed my path today that again raised questions about the impact on local communities of big box stores. Seeing as all this is now spinning around in my head, I'll post it all as an interesting case of point/counterpoint (or, more accurately, confused rantings of a possibly inebriated mind/counterpoint).

Exhibit A: Tantra's First Comment

I disagree with you on several points. First, Ikea can not in any way, shape, or form, be compared to Walmart. Ikea has a grand total of 230 stores worldwide with only 30 or so in the United States. Compare this to Walmart's 4500 or so and counting. Not even close. World domination is not the point with Ikea. Second, about your "box store" point: Ikea sells only furniture and domestic goods. In order to display furniture, you need a lot of room. Every Ikea is also a complete, fully-stocked warehouse hence the large buildings. They may have a cafe but there are no auto parts, clothing, pharmacy, and pet food. They are not even close to being one-stop shopping for all your worldly needs like Walmart professes to be (have you ever been to Ikea?). Third, I am completely in favor of supporting local business and agree that some corporations stifle competition, however, I doubt that Ikea will put Eddie's New and Used Furniture out of business. They serve a different demographic. Besides, the people who would go to Ikea won't necessarily be from Somerville; they'll be from everywhere else. What's more, Somerville has a large working class population that doesn't quite fit with your idea of the "zeitgeist." Sure, Somerville has its artists and local music types (I know; I know many in your crowd), but I can't imagine that everyone wants someone's old castoff furniture. I admit that I have culled furniture from the curb, but you know, sometimes you just have to buy new stuff. Eddie's just isn't going to do it for me.

Exhibit B: Tantra's Second Comment, sent after I didn't respond to the first one

Yeah, you're right. I concede that Ikea has some politically dubious merchandise. I bought a wardrobe from Ikea. It was very inexpensive. It was--gasp--made in Sweden, that bastion of sweatshops, inequality, and ill treated labor. Then, horror of horrors, a bookshelf I bought was actually made in Italy, land of extremely quick lunches, forced labor, and badly made mass produced shoes. But that wasn't the worst of it. I almost passed out from shock when I found out some towels were made in that completely for foreign place called los Estados Unidos. Boy, was I disappointed. I'll never shop there again. Boycott all products made los Estados Unidos!

Exhibit C: The Video

Rising from Ruins: Tax Subsidy Animation from Hanson Hosein on Vimeo.

I have seen the future, and it is now.

2009-08-20T13:07:00.008-04:00

The theme of last month's ArtBeat Festival was "Somerville...of the Future". Well, this morning I witnessed a little slice of futuristic chaos: the collision of a bicycle with the fire department's brand new Prius. According to the bicyclist, the Prius stopped suddenly to avoid a pedestrian, and he couldn't stop in time to avoid hitting it. He seemed shaken but not injured, and his bike was fine (this conveniently happened in front of Ace Wheel Works), but the Prius, a beautiful red shiny thing with white stripes and FIRE DEPARTMENT written across both sides in white letters, suffered a few scratches on its right rear quarter panel. What ensued was a convergence on the scene of every sort of ground assault vehicle in the city's possession: police car, motorcycle, fire truck, you name it. Sirens and lights and about 10 cops and firemen making sure the guy was all right, filling out forms and getting information, taking pictures; the most sweet and apologetic group of law enforcement officials I've ever seen. Seriously. I was on my pink bike with my cell phone camera; they paid me no mind, so I snapped a few Harriet the Spy-style shots of the little spectacle. Apparently, when earth-friendly vehicles go bad, everybody wins. Yay!

Boston.com launches "Your Town" Somerville

2009-08-18T13:07:00.004-04:00

In the wake of the now-defunct printed local news section of the Globe, Boston.com has devoted a section of its website to Somerville news. "Your Town" Somerville contains local news, announcements, links to blogs and local businesses, even grocery coupons.

The very best thing about the site is the "Report A Problem" section. It's a place where people can use a Google map to report issues like potholes, broken streetlights, anything the city needs to eventually deal with, and then it can be updated when (if?) the problem is fixed. People have been using it quite extensively, and from a whatever-thousand-foot view, Somerville is a such a clusterfuck of potholes that you can't see the map in some places. Of course, we knew that already, but looking at all the little orange markers on the map is pretty amusing. The good news is that out of the approximately 50 million reported, one has been fixed.

Travis Anderson is Boston.com's Somerville correspondent, and he can be reached by e-mail at travis.m.andersen@gmail.com with any juicy tips you might have (I'm still waiting for more news of raptors on hoverboards).

The Giobbe House

2009-08-10T08:18:00.012-04:00

This beautiful house had been sitting unoccupied at the corner of Summer St. and Benton Rd. for quite some time recently, with a "sale pending" sign on it. I've spent years walking by it and admiring the almost 2-story stained glass window that looks out over the back yard. It's one of the few houses in the neighborhood with lots of land around it, part of which slopes down in a rolling hill toward the sidewalk and the building next door. It's always been surrounded by flowering trees and shrubs where the sparrows hang out. Because there was some really crappy white vinyl siding on the outside, I'd always assumed that the house was probably equally disrespected inside, but to my surprise, and ultimate dismay, that was not the case.

The sale pending sign having disappeared now (I have no idea what the place sold for), workmen have been showing up and making a lot of noise and dust. Curious as to whether they were going to keep it as a single-family or condo-ize, and dying to have a look inside, when I noticed the side door open, I walked in and could not believe what I saw. It was so amazingly well-preserved inside, with all the original molding, framing, stained glass, built-in drawers and bookcases. The wallpaper was even in beautiful condition. The man working in there told me that they were in the process of ripping all of it out. They're selling all the wood and fixtures, including the banister for the central circular staircase, to contractors, and taking all the stained glass out to be sold, as well. They're turning the house into three modern condos, and even though the wood shingles under the siding were in pretty good shape, they're throwing siding up again for the new place. Not that it will particularly make a difference at that point, as it will no longer belie the true nature of the place.

I'm so sad about this. I've really loved that house and was hopeful that someone would buy it and lovingly restore it, but instead they've ripped out trees, torn off all the window and door frames, and all I've been hearing for the last week is the sound of power tools and falling lumber. Fortunately, I was able to get some pictures of the interior, which you can see below.

More pictures here.

My kingdom for a hot dog

2009-07-14T12:57:00.006-04:00

I probably shouldn't write about this, lest people who read it trample on Grover's good nature with off-menu requests, but I can't let this one pass without notice.

Picture: a summery Sunday eve, my boyfriend squiring me home after picking up the laundry from the fluff & fold, when I'm seized with the craving for a hot dog. It's July, the rain has finally stopped, and as we're cresting the hill where Boston Avenue meets Broadway, James says, "Maybe that place has hot dogs," "that place" being Eat at Jumbo's. We stop, go in, scan the menu from beginning to end, and alas, hot dogs do not appear. "Everything but that," says James.

Enter Grover, owner and local hot dog hero. "What are you looking for?" he asks.

"Oh, I was just craving a hot dog..." I said.

"I just bought some on the way here to cook for myself for dinner! Do you want some? I can cook 'em up for you."

Well. That was the last thing I expected. Like losing a rhinestone from a brand new shoe but then finding it again.

They were damn good dogs, too. Kayem natural skin, I believe, steamed, in untoasted buns. I really hope he adds them to the menu. He actually used to run a hot dog place in Swampscott prior to opening Eat at Jumbo's, so he knows his hot dogs f'real.

When people are generous in little ways like that, it's momentous to me. So thanks, Grover, for coming to Somerville and making me a couple of hot dogs.

The birdfeeder

2009-06-18T15:07:00.011-04:00

For your listening pleasure, while you read:

Where the Flying Things Go (mp3) by The Gravel Pit

Lately, my greatest pleasure has been watching the traffic at my new bird feeder (I know, I have no life). There's a family of house sparrows that comes most often. The babies sit all fluffed up in the catalpa tree and the parents fetch seeds for them from the feeder. The babies have been venturing on to the feeder tray as well, and it's funny to watch them push each other off and then have to flap flap flap as fast as possible to get back up there.

There are a couple of mourning doves that occasionally buzz the feeder and scare the littler birds away, but since I put all sunflower seeds in there, they don't stay. Originally I had a mix of seeds in there, and the mourning doves were trying to get at it. Unfortunately (for them), they were too stupid to figure out how to eat out of the feeder and kept pecking at the plastic tube instead of going to the little eating stations. Now they mainly hang out in the tree and watch the action. I have named them Mutt and Jeff, but I can't really tell which is which.

At first I thought there were baby cardinals coming to the feeder because this little red-crested and -breasted bird kept coming over, but it turns out he's a house finch. There are actually a few of them that come by, and their songs are so sweet and beautiful. We named the main one Pimp Birdie Shorty.

Another new friend is Bucky the blue jay. He's a youngish bird that hangs out alone and comes to the feeder long enough to fetch a seed, then he goes over to the tree and uses a branch to bang it open. Lather, rinse, repeat. Blue jays can be really obnoxious and I've seen them fight other birds off of feeders, but Bucky is a dove, not a hawk, and he plays nice with the other birdies.

My favorite favorite is Henry James Bird (see above). He's the cardinal. The main reason I got the feeder was so that the cardinals would come, and the first bird I saw when we put it up was Henry James Bird. There's something so magical to me about the cardinal, I don't know why. I could watch him for hours, but he is here and gone so quickly! I think that being a cardinal, he has to be extra alert, because he's red and that makes him so visible. Twice, a female cardinal has come with him. Alice James Bird. Not to imply that there's anything incestuous going on (that I know of). Alice James Bird is really lovely. She's a soft golden color with an orange beak and the same black markings as the male around her face.

So I've been waking up every morning for the past couple of weeks between 5:00 and 6:00, usually because I can now recognize Henry James Bird's sound even in my sleep. Then I just sit up in bed and watch bird t.v. until I fall asleep again. We have three feeders, outside the kitchen, the bedroom, and the living room, so I get triple the bird watching. It's completely distracting. When I try to get work done, my eyes are irresistibly drawn to the feeder, and I can't bear to pull the shade down because I might miss Henry James Bird or someone else.

When I lived in San Francisco, I thought at first that I'd never stop noticing the colorful architecture, that I'd always be entranced by it and it would always jolt me out of whatever train of thought I was having. It only took a few months before I realized one day I didn't see it anymore. It became invisible through exposure. Right now, the birds have a similar effect on me. I hope it doesn't disappear! Right now it seems I'll never get tired of waiting for the cardinal to come, or watching the blue jay, or listening to the finches. It's like being a guest in bird world, and I like it here.

Union Square arts overlay district

2009-05-12T13:28:00.004-04:00

A nice article from The Somerville News:

The arts overlay district in Union Square provides zoning relief, encourages growth

By Julia Fairclough

The adoption of the Union Square zoning, which includes the arts overlay district, will provide much-needed clarity for arts-related development, in addition to protecting precious space for artist use.

The zoning adoption is critical during this time of revival as the city awaits the arrival of the Green Line extension in Union Square, city officials agree. Developers will be attracted to building opportunities there, and passing the overlay protection will ensure that uses are set aside for the artists.

"This is a very positive development and the two-fold aspect is the most intriguing," said Richard Graf, the real estate advisor to ArtistLink, an arm of the Massachusetts Cultural Council that helps artists find work space. "This will help the artists, and help the square. I'm glad it stayed in the legislation...It will help solidify the character of the square for creative businesses and help speed up the redevelopment."

Passed at the city's Board of Alderman's meeting on April 23, the zoning ordinance has been in the works for the past fours years, with the goal to restore Union Square as the commercial center and better position it for the Green Line extension that will be in place by 2014. City officials have been saying that Union Square is a "hidden gem" that needs more attention.

The zoning will create three new areas: A commercial district spanning Washington Street and Somerville Avenue, a transit district around the proposed T stop and the arts overlay district that will encourage artists to take up residence.

The arts overlay district was created to encourage the preservation and enhancement of arts-related uses, particularly within Union Square, according to the zoning ordinance posted at www.somervillema.gov/ (click on "city departments," then "planning and zoning" and "Union Square rezoning proposal" and then "rezoning proposal 2008" and finally onto "Zoning amendment - adopted and ordained April 23, 2009.")

The district is also intended to preserve and enhance the area as a center for a variety of retail, business services, housing and office uses, as well as to promote a strong "pedestrian character and scale" throughout the district.

Specifically, the new zoning clarifies the following:

• The definition of artist live/work space as a building or any portion containing units of at least 750 square feet used for both residential and artist studio space. These households must include at least one artist certified by the city. Retail sales of art produced on site will not take place more than 12 hours per week.

• The definition of an artist studio space as space used for the creation, production, rehearsal or teaching of any visual art or craft, "including but not limited to painting, drawing, graphic design, photography, video, film, sculpture, and pottery; of written works of fiction or nonfiction; or of any performing art, whether for live or recorded performance, including music, dance, and theater, and accessory sales of such art."

• Expanding the definition of an artists as a "visual artist, craftsperson, musician or other performing artist, photographer or writer" and the office of an architect or landscape architect.

Parking requirements will also be relaxed within the overlay district. For example, an applicant may make either a cash payment in lieu of providing the required parking, or a partial cash payment, according to the ordinance, although it didn't specify amounts. The minimum parking requirements may also be reduced if applicants submit a plan demonstrating that such reduction will not have adverse community impacts.

The detailed, 50-page ordinance also outlines design guidelines that encompass signage and awning design, locations of entrances, building materials, pedestrian access, parking design, and so on. The Planning Board will serve as the special permit granting authority for arts-related uses. Variances would be granted separately by the Zoning Board of Appeals.

City officials are relieved to finally create clarity between what the arts community wants to do and what the inspectional services department sees can actually happen, said Greg Jenkins, executive director of the Somerville Arts Council.

Changing the previous vague term "artist housing" to defining what is an artist live/work space and what is an artist studio, with explicit parameters, is important to the artist community, Jenkins said. The ordinance also broadens the actual definition of art.

He added this is not just related to Union Square. "If you want to put an artist studio on Highland Avenue, there was never a defined use for one," he said.

For developers, the ordinance provides incentives to build for artist use, which is also good news for artists, Jenkins said. He added that the ordinance does not call for more building, but creates incentive or disincentive for certain kinds of development. "It creates a baseline by which the city says this is the type of activity that you want here," he said. "It's about relief for artists."

Will the new zoning laws create more studio space? "We don't know yet," Jenkins said. "It still takes money and a developer," he said. Once the economy turns around, the city will see more of what is to come.

Developers will be eyeballing Union Square as the Green Line project picks up, so having the zoning in place will keep the attention on the arts and provide a framework for developers to follow, said Beth Driscoll, a longtime resident, artist and former Somerville Arts Council board member, who worked closely with the city over the past four years.

It means a lot for the future economy of Union Square, as artists are a proven economic catalyst for underdeveloped areas, she said.

"The decision to reward development for arts related uses will benefit everyone in the city by making the Union Square district a more desirable place to live and work, while also encouraging economic growth," Driscoll said.

An age-old question

2009-05-05T10:01:00.006-04:00

Paper or plastic?

The paper bag has made a comeback in the grocery store. For the last few weeks, Shaw's in Porter Square has been offering paper grocery bags as an alternative to plastic and it couldn't have come at a more perfect moment for me. I used to shop at Trader Joe's quite a bit, but haven't been going there much in the past year. Consequently, all the Trader Joe's paper bags that I'd amassed to use for my recycling got used up, and I've recently been trying to figure out how to get more bags without having to go all the way to Trader Joe's for them. Now, Shaw's has brought them to me.

Like the rest of the ecologically minded grocery shoppers in the country, I've adopted the "bring your own bag" ethos enthusiastically, and have stockpiled a supply of them which I keep in the trunk of my car. Inevitably though, I walk into the grocery store without noticing I've left them there until I'm at the register. Extremely frustrating, especially when the only alternative is to accept horrible, nasty plastic bags. So when this happened a couple of weeks ago, and I spied a stack of paper bags quietly sitting where they used to in the old "paper or plastic" days, I was pretty ecstatic.

Shaw's has been absolutely silent public-relations-wise regarding this move, at least to my knowledge. It seems that they'd leverage the environmental advantages of the return to paper in their advertising, but they don't seem to have gone there yet. According to the information on the bags themselves, they are made of at least 40% post-consumer waste, and are "100% recyclable," not to mention biodegradable.

Just think what it would be like if America got rid of all the plastic grocery bags and returned to paper and reusable bags. No plastic bags tattered and flapping in the wind in the branches of the Catalpa tree, no poison plastic bag factories cranking out pollution, and the growth of that island of crap floating around the Pacific would slow exponentially. Heavenly.

Of course, I'm getting way ahead of myself. I'm sure the plastic bag industry will fight hard to survive; they've been enjoying some fat decades. At least choice is back. I'm just relieved that my recycling has a place to go again and that my imperfect memory won't result in plastic bag consumption, at least when I shop at Shaw's.

I love Spring

2009-04-30T11:49:00.020-04:00

According to the Mass Dept. of Agriculture's list, Somerville's farmer's markets are starting up soon. The one in Union Square opens May 27 and runs through November, and Davis Square runs from June to October.

I went with some friends to Bread & Company's grand opening event the other night. They were serving appetizers, wine, desserts, and cocktails featuring Western Massachusetts-distilled liquors. I had a glass of wine in my hand or I would have ordered a Dark & Stormy; a reason to go back. The space now has a clean and streamlined decor, very anti-Bickford's. The food was so-so; somewhat underseasoned. Bread & Comany is open for brunch on the weekends, and it will definitely be worth trying in that capacity. They've got it set up for a few outdoor tables, too, for dining al fresco in the warm weather.

Some pictures I took on my walk in Spring Hill the other day:

IKEA and ultrafine particles

2009-04-18T11:31:00.010-04:00

When I heard that IKEA was coming to Assembly Square back in 2003, the first thing I thought about was the increased traffic and pollution it would bring with it, especially on the weekends. I've been against the idea from the beginning, not only for those reasons, but also because I have no love for big box stores and their impact on local economies. To anyone who believes that these types of establishments are assets to their communities, I recommend the documentary Wal-Mart: The High Cost of Low Price.

This past week, The Boston Globe (as well as the Somerville Journal) reported that a group of scientists will begin a study on the effect of ultrafine particles released into the air by combustion engines in high traffic areas, such as the neighborhoods abutting Mystic Ave. and 93 in the area of Assembly Square. Ultrafine particles are microscopic pollutants that have been correlated with increased incidences of heart and lung disease among people living within 300 feet and downwind of heavily used highways. Somerville residents have requested that the Tufts Community Research Center perform the study based on anecdotal evidence showing high rates of cardiovascular and pulmonary disease among those living in the Nunnery Grounds neighborhood. If their suspicions prove valid, and the already high volume of traffic actually increases with the opening of IKEA, then the situation becomes one of sacrificing lives for cheap goods. I'm curious to see whether IKEA will be allowed to begin construction before this study is complete; if the health risks will be rationalized by focusing on job creation and increased commerce.

In a town that's been shifting strongly away from the corporate mentality, with residents supporting independent local businesses, and getting furniture and other goods through craigslist, freecycle, thrift stores, yard sales, flea markets, and community swaps, building an IKEA doesn't reflect the prevailing Somerville zeitgeist. Going forward, I hope awareness of the health risks posed by increased traffic in the Assembly Square area will play an important part in any future decisions made about IKEA.

The Museum of Science will host a free public forum on the issue of vehicular pollution on Sunday, May 3, at 7pm. Advance registration is required. Call 617-589-4250 or email forumrsvp@mos.org.

A chicken in every pot, a Somerville Scout in every mailbox

2009-04-07T19:17:00.008-04:00

Today, a stack of a new quarterly publication entitled the Somerville Scout showed up in the lobby of my building. With print media on the approximate evolutionary trajectory of the pterodactyl, it's an odd time to launch a magazine. The editorial conceit of this one is "scouting the best of where to go and what to do in Somerville," and the mission statement reads "Somerville Scout seeks to inspire its readers to enjoy all Somerville has to offer." Actually, it's an advertising vehicle for local businesses, which is a good thing if it gets people to support them, but I can't help feeling manipulated as a reader.

Somerville Scout's content is fairly stale, consisting mainly of news that other publications like the Somerville Journal and Somerville News have already covered, plus lists of upcoming events and performances at Somerville venues, and a few profiles of local business owners. The obvious flaws in the quarterly publication schedule are that by the time the next issue rolls around, the news content is going to three months staler and any changes to the event listings will be lost. The only thing that will still be "fresh" is the ad content, which brings me back to the manipulation factor.

Don't get me wrong; I thoroughly support local businesses and urge others to do so whenever possible. I also applaud the chutzpah it takes for anyone to undertake the launch of a new magazine the same week the New York Times is threatening to shut down publication of the Boston Globe. I sincerely hope the Somerville Scout achieves its misleadingly worded aim and does bring more folks through the doors of our local business establishments. I just wish there was a greater percentage of worthwhile content between the ads. I guess we'll just have to see what issue #2 brings.

Center for Arts at The Armory Dedication Ceremony

2009-04-03T11:27:00.007-04:00

Tonight an important milestone in Somerville history will take place when the old armory officially becomes The Center for Arts at The Armory. The event will be marked with a tour of the beautifully redesigned interior of the space, an art show, dedication speeches from Mayor Joe Curtatone and Senator Pat Jehlen, even a youth drumline performance. There will be refreshments served and a chance to meet the visual artists (including me!) participating in the Center's inaugural show.

Oddly, there's an "inter-faith" blessing planned that includes only representatives of two Christian sects. I'm not sure why it was deemed necessary to bring a religious element into the mix, but considering Somerville's diversity, a rabbi and an imam would probably have been appropriate as well. Personally, I'd just as soon leave god out of it; I'm a rank secularist and I'd like to see religion left in the churches, synagogues and mosques, and out of the arts. Art provides a spirituality of its own that shouldn't need to compete with religion in its own space.

At any rate, Joseph and Nabil of The Middle East and Zuzu, have done an outstanding job with turning the Armory into a valuable space for Somerville artists and art appreciators alike. I think it's going to have a large role in the art community here in Somerville, and I'm looking forward to seeing how it develops.

Details of tonight's Dedication Ceremony:

5:00 - 5:45 PM
Building Tour

5:45 - 6:15 PM
Welcome and Master of Ceremonies
Robert Claycomb, Armory Neighborhood Advisory Committee Member

An Interfaith Building Blessing
Father Thomas Corcoran, St. Catherine´s Parish
Reverend Doctor Richard R. Buckner, III, Church of the Holy Spirit

Mayoral Dedication and Citation
Mayor Joseph Curtatone

Legislative Citation
Senator Patricia Jehlen
Representative Carl Sciortino
Representative Denise Provost

Aldermanic Citation
Alderman Sean O´Donovan, Ward Five

Youth Music Performance Drumline
A Percussion Group of 10 Somerville High School Students
Directed by Brian O´Neil and Nick Dalessandro, Somerville High School Music Department

A Community Reading Led by Robert Smyth, Armory Neighborhood Advisory Committee Member

6:15 - 7:00 PM
Armory ART Start!
Reception in the Armory Café
Meet the artists who participated in our first exhibit.
Also see before and after images of the Armory and bring your own photos and stories!

We want to be a good neighbor. We encourage you to take public transportation, bike, car pool or walk to the Armory. If you do decide to drive, please use our parking lot behind the Armory located at 191 Highland Avenue or the overflow lot located at 112 Central Street (before the bridge as you head towards Medford Street).

The annual return of the street sweepers to Somerville

2009-03-31T14:37:00.008-04:00

It's not quite as romantic as the swallows' annual return to San Juan Capistrano, unless you're the person who counts the money generated by ticket fines on street cleaning day; however, April 1 is upon us and some of us will be moving our cars to the even side of the street before the sweepers come around on Thursday morning, preceded by the inevitable ticketers.

If my last year's experience proves consistent, there will be no grace period or warnings for those who forget to move their vehicles because it's the first week; instead there will be a bright orange envelope secured to your windshield wiper and flapping in the breeze for sending in your hard-earned (if you still have a job) $50 to the Traffic and Parking Office.

Boston.com does provide help for those of us who haven't memorized this year's list of first and third Thursdays and second and fourth Fridays yet. Go to bostonsweeper.boston.com and enter your city and street name to receive e-mail notification the day before the sweeper comes around.

My goal, as always, is to get it right every time, but there are a lot of first and third Thursdays and second and fourth Fridays to come before the end of December and the thought is rather discouraging. I really believe that one's first street cleaning violation of the year should be waived in common courtesy to residents who have more on our minds than whether tomorrow will be the first or second Thursday or the third Friday or whether it will be Thursday or Friday at all. Unfortunately, this year's budget cuts make it likely that parking ticket revenues will be grasped at harder than ever.

If you're frustated with Somerville's ticketing policies (and who that drives a car here isn't?), don't forget that you can hop over to the Somerville Parking Problems Google group to kvetch with others in the same boat. I think we should start keeping a running total over there of the fees we've paid as a constituency. I'm sure it will horrify us and make the parking commissioner dance with glee.

Somerville Journal reports on Give the Gift of Somerville

2009-03-26T12:14:00.006-04:00

The Somerville Journal kindly published an article about my little Facebook application this week:

The unique gift of Somerville – now on Facebook
By Auditi Guha
Wicked Local Somerville
Posted Mar 24, 2009 @ 10:24 PM

You know you spend a lot of time on Facebook when you start creating your own applications. Thanks to Somerville resident Laura Slapikoff you can now gift your friends all kinds of Somerville things from the dreaded orange parking ticket to the historic Powder House.

“Give the gift of Somerville – a whole new way of sharing the City of Seven Hills with your friends” debuted Sunday and already boasts 185 users. “Wow, I am amazed!” the Spring Hill resident said when she counted it up. “It’s become very popular very quickly.”

There are 44 items available so far from historical landmarks and postcards to the plain wacky – a “suffocating Mary” or a garden statue of the Virgin covered with plastic.

An everyday Facebook user, Slapikoff, 44, came up with the idea because “I thought it would be a cool idea to send people Somerville things and because I know people who live here love Somerville.”

She aired her idea on online community Davis Square LiveJournal and set it up over the weekend with techie help from Dev Purkayastha, another local resident.

But that’s just where it starts. Slapikoff is working on using the application to raise funds for a local non-profit. She plans to approach area businesses interested in being a Facebook gift item to contribute for it and is working with Community Action Agency of Somerville to arrange the fund flow.

“I definitely want more people to use it so we can raise money for a cause,” she said.

Slapikoff grew up in Arlington and moved to Somerville in 1993. “I love that it is such a diverse community and love the support here for local businesses and artists,” she said. An artist, writer, web designer and recent blogger herself, she has embraced online social networks like Facebook and believes they can be used positively.

Raptors on Hoverboards

2009-03-26T11:47:00.004-04:00

Thanks to my cousin Paul for sending me this important information about Somerville. According to xkcd.com the highest number of Google searches for "raptors on hoverboards" comes from our own little 'ville. I'm intrigued. Have there been sightings of raptors on hoverboards around town? If so, I hope some photographic evidence emerges. In the meantime, keep searching the skies!

Give the Gift of Somerville

2009-03-23T12:34:00.005-04:00

Now you can share Somerville with your friends on Facebook using Give the Gift of Somerville, a new gift application developed by Somerville resident Dev Purkayastha and myself. You can use the app to send Somerville landmarks and icons, from a bathtub Mary, to the Round House, to a parking ticket, and many more to your friends all over the world.

The purpose of the application will be to raise money for a Somerville non-profit, most likely CAAS or the Somerville Homeless Coalition, by inviting local businesses to be added to it in exchange for a donation to the chosen non-profit. I'm still in the planning stages of the financial part, but the application is available for immediate use, with new gift items to be added in the coming weeks.

Please share your feedback and any requests for landmarks, etc. If you have Somerville photos you'd like to donate, I'll add them and give you photo credit. If you're a business owner who wants to get involved, please contact me here to set up a meeting.

Enjoy virtual Somerville!

Somerville Receives e-Government Award from Common Cause Massachusetts

2009-03-20T21:27:00.005-04:00

Yesterday, Somerville was among 117 Massachusetts municipalities to receive 2009 e-Government awards from Common Cause Massachusetts. The award recognized cities that publish the following information on their websites:

their governing body's agenda and minutes
budget information
general by-laws
if applicable, their town meeting warrant and results

Common Cause Massachusetts is a non-partisan organization created to ensure open, honest, and accountable government at the federal, state, and local levels.

According to an article in yesterday's Globe, Common Cause began auditing Massachusetts municipal websites in 2006, at which time only 24 cities made the above information public.

Somerville did not receive an e-Government Award with Distinction, given to 49 municipalities that publicize the following:

archived governing board agendas and minutes
zoning by-laws
school committee agendas and minutes
agendas and minutes for an additional board or committee
a calendar of all public meetings

Let's let our reps know we're proud to be among the award winners and encourage them to publicize more city government information so that next year we'll receive the "distinction" we deserve!

Two new Somerville websites

2009-03-12T23:08:00.006-04:00

Wow, this is great. Somerville residents are furiously typing all day and night, sharing our experiences with one another on everything from local shopping to city services. All you have to do is poke around the web a bit (or stay tuned here) and you'll find everything you want to know about the City of the Seven Hills.

At somervillefoodscene, anonymous reviews of restaurants plain and fancy, as well as grocery stores, are being posted bi-weekly. The reviews are thoughtful and detail-oriented. In the latest entry, about DeMoula's Market Basket, there are price comparisons with other markets, a little history of the store, and observations about the patrons, in addition to an enumeration of some of the things you'll find on the shelves. The review of Tacos Lupita notes cooking techniques, the "laconic" staff, and the decor. Obviously, "anonymous" loves writing about the food here in Somerville, and I think the bi-weekly idea works well, because it seems to give her (I gather from the entry about Highland Kitchen that "anonymous" is female) time to write informative and thorough reviews. I definitely encourage anyone who eats in Somerville to check it out.

As much as I love to read about delicious things to eat, I think my favorite new discovery is Somerville Parking Problems, a Google Group devoted to, well, Somerville parking problems. Anyone living or parking in Somerville has stories to tell about the outrageous rules, regulations, and restrictions that dog our every search for a spot. Somerville Parking Problems is a much-needed support group that invites us to share stories, situations, and solutions to the insanity. In one post, Joe Beckmann makes the apt comment that "It's not a matter of traffic - they ought to shift the whole department to the assessor's office." If that doesn't make you want to shout "Yeah, brother, testify!" then you've obviously never been charged $50 for leaving your car in a spot in front of your home longer than 48 hours. The real mission of the group is to bring together the voices of Somerville residents and by doing so, influence city officials to adopt more reasonable policies. Let's hope it works!

Morning moon over Spring Hill

2009-03-12T13:53:00.005-04:00

A Rant

2009-03-10T11:08:00.005-04:00

Okay, so the big news in Somerville is that U2 are coming to the Somerville Theater Wednesday night, March 11, to play a "secret show." The reason it's so "secret" is that it's for commercial radio station personnel (and the few listeners to whom they gave away tickets) only, meaning that no one in Somerville or anywhere else has the opportunity to obtain tickets. It royally pisses me off that a bunch of jaded radio types are going to invade my town to see one of my favorite bands, so they can undoubtedly yawn and say how much better they used to be back in the day, or how they never even liked them and never understood what the big deal was, or some such hipper-than-thou crap. Meanwhile, according to the Somerville Journal's blog, parking has been prohibited in the area today and tomorrow, forcing residents to scramble for already scarce legal spots. I've been a U2 fan forever, forgiving Bono his rehearsed-sounding onstage soapbox speeches in light of the fact that seeing the band is so powerful, and the fact that they use at least some of their money to bring positive change to suffering people. I resent that Live Nation and U2 think they can just dump their exclusive event right in this town with absolutely no compensation to residents. They should have put the show-ola on in Boston, where all the radio stations are headquartered, instead of bringing the whole pageant here and rubbing our noses in our exclusion. Let them eat cake, right? Two thumbs down for Live Nation and U2.

Old Armory gets some new life as arts center - The Boston Globe

2009-03-06T09:29:00.003-05:00

Old Armory gets some new life as arts center - The Boston Globe

Posted using ShareThis

Inside the Armory slideshow: http://www.boston.com/news/local/galleries/3_6_09_art_at_armory/

Community Action Agency of Somerville

2009-03-04T10:45:00.007-05:00

Today in my usual course of poking around the web for interesting things about Somerville, I discovered a group called CAAS, or Community Action Agency of Somerville. CAAS's mission statement runs thus:

The Community Action Agency of Somerville (CAAS), a private non-profit agency incorporated in 1981, is the legally designated anti-poverty agency for Somerville. The mission of CAAS is to reduce poverty among local families and individuals while working to counteract, and whenever possible eliminate, the societal conditions that cause and perpetuate poverty.

CAAS provides a number of valuable community services, such as help with tenant rights issues, eviction prevention, public benefits access, and several youth services. Their accomplishments are numerous as well, working with Somerville's low income and immigrant communities to build coalitions and assist with housing issues and programs like Head Start for toddlers.

CAAS's new Executive Director, Kimberly Smith-Cofield, has a background of 28 years in human services, including the direction of several other Boston area service agencies. CAAS's board of directors will host a meet and greet event (with wine and cheese!) to introduce Smith-Cofield to the community on March 30. Details are as follows:

CAAS Introduces new Executive Director Kimberly Smith-Cofield
Monday, March 30 from 4-6 pm
Aldermen's Chambers at City Hall, 93 Highland Ave.
Open to all who wish to attend
To RSVP, call Digna at 617-623-7370

If you are low-income, live in Somerville, and need CAAS's help, call 617-623-7370. If you would like to donate time or money to CAAS, go to http://www.caasomerville.org/contact (to volunteer) or http://www.caasomerville.org/donate (to donate financially).

Related links:

http://www.caasomerville.org
CAAS website

http://tinyurl.com/smith-cofield
Somerville Journal article announcing Smith-Cofield's directorship

http://tinyurl.com/smith-cofieldprofile
Somerville Journal profile of Smith-Cofield

Somerville Maple Syrup Project

2009-02-27T11:43:00.008-05:00

The Somerville Growing Center is sponsoring a Maple Syrup Project, which involves collecting sap from local maple trees and boiling it down to syrup. The sap was collected earlier this month. Blogger darry at boston localvores wrote a great description of the sap collection experience.

Even if you missed the sap collection stage, you can still make the Boil Down at the Growing Center, Friday, March 13 and Saturday, March 14, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The Growing Center is located at 22 Vinal Ave., near Union Square. For more info, call Aviva at 617-628-9988 or email aviva.asher@gmail.com.

Tom Champion Remix

2009-02-27T10:08:00.005-05:00

Who doesn't love Tom Champion, right? The friendly voice of the Somerville Snow Emergency phone call to remind us to park on the odd side of the street before the plows come. A certain Cosmo A. Catalano, the self-proclaimed "World's Toughest Writer," remixed the message a la Stephen Colbert. Wouldn't it be much more pleasant to hear the remixed version when the phone rings at an hour generally reserved for vampire activity? I vote YEA.

WBUR did a little spot on the remix for Here and Now.

Anyone who lives in Somerville can sign up to be notified of reminders and emergency info at the City of Somerville Constituent Services page.

Cafe Lola, a Somerville success story

2009-02-26T15:00:00.001-05:00

It's a pleasure to be able to report that ownership of the cafe formerly known as Cafe Rossini, at 278 Highland Avenue, has been awarded to Lola, one of the former co-owners. No need to go into the details of the transfer, but suffice it to say that Lola, a fabulous baker who makes all the cakes, pastries, and muffins right there in the shop, is likely to make a success of the business as the sole proprietor. With the opening of the Armory (a few blocks up the street), I think there will be a real appreciation of Cafe Lola's low-key and friendly atmosphere, its excellent food and coffee, and art-adorned walls. In a addition to baking and barrista skills, Lola is a talented painter and letterer. She did all the art and signage in the cafe herself. At this point, the patrons include plenty of Italian-Americans who hang out inside in the cold weather, and outside at tables under the shady awning on the nice days, as well as a sprinkling of creative types. Stop by for a latte and a coconut macaroon (especially if they just came out of the oven), and give Lola a high-five and a "congratulations". She deserves it.

Somerville's Cafe Culture (Somerville Journal)

2009-02-26T14:57:00.002-05:00

Brociner: Somerville’s cafe culture
By Ken Brociner
Thu Feb 26, 2009, 12:40 PM EST

Somerville - Somerville has so many cafes/coffeehouses that many people living in our city probably haven’t even heard of half of them — which is too bad because practically all of them have their own unique style and flavor.

I really only started to hang out at cafes about 10 years ago when I became a daily regular at Carberry’s, which was located just outside of Davis Square in the same building where Green Tomato is today. A wonderful little subculture developed at Carberry’s in those days. The same people usually showed up at the same time each day. And even if it only involved a friendly smile or wave of the hand, most of the regulars acknowledged each other with a warm familiarity. Of course, many people went beyond that and developed lasting friendships. To this day, I still miss the little world that existed inside that oddly shaped building with all of those windows looking out onto Elm Street.

The history of cafes and the different roles they have played in society varies far and wide. Going back hundreds of years, cafes in both the Middle East and in Europe were known for their literary clientele. One image that comes to mind is that of the great writer hunched over his papers with a cigarette dangling from his lips and a steaming cup of coffee lying next to his manuscript in-the-making. Another common image of cafes is that of a group of intellectuals sitting around a table and passionately discussing the great issues of the day.

Here in the U.S., cafes mostly go back to the 19th century when they first became popular as pastry-centered coffee houses run by Italian immigrants. In the 1950s, coffee houses were especially popular with beatniks, poets and folk singers in such places as Greenwich Village and Berkeley. Then in the ’60s, countercultural youth and activists in the movement against the war in Vietnam embraced cafes as places to come together and build a sense of community.

Over the last 20 years or so, the Starbucks chain has come to dominate the coffee house culture in the U.S. and, to a lesser extent, in other countries as well. But here in Somerville, while we do have a couple of Starbucks (and I will confess that I spend a lot of time at the one in Davis Square), we also have many excellent independently owned cafes.

But the Starbucks phenomenon is no longer the dominant trend in contemporary café culture. An altogether different factor has rather abruptly entered coffee houses from Seattle to San Francisco to Somerville. The laptop. I don’t think it would be going out on a limb to predict that if you could somehow peer into every coffee house in America at any given time of the day or evening, somewhere in the neighborhood of half the people sitting there with a cup of coffee would also be intently pounding away on a laptop.

Maybe it’s because I don’t even own one, but when I walk into Starbucks, the Diesel or Common Grounds (in Ball Square) and I see one person after another sitting alone and glued to their laptops, I find it slightly alienating. I guess that’s because I get the feeling that along with their laptops, many people also have put up invisible bubbles around themselves with captions that read “hard at work, please leave me alone.”

Perhaps it’s just a generational thing. For better and for worse, I have never felt nearly as comfortable with electronics as most young people do these days (and it’s mostly young people who populate Somerville’s café culture). While I realize that an objective observer could see that same “leave me alone bubble” hovering over someone deeply engrossed in a book or newspaper, I can’t help feeling that a laptop acts as more of a “privatizer” than a book might.

Of course, there really isn’t anything wrong with going to a coffee house and wanting some time to sit alone and work, read, or just plain reflect on one’s life or the state of the universe. I would heartily agree that the right to do so and to be left alone while you are enjoying your private space is one of the most important attractions of cafes to begin with. And in all honesty, this is what I personally find so appealing about hanging out in a coffee house.

However, cafes are better places when you get the feeling that people in them leave the doors to their little worlds at least slightly ajar for a brief conversation or a quick remark. From time to time, I have taken a bit of a risk and have politely asked someone sitting nearby questions like, “Excuse me, but do you mind telling me what you are working on?” Or simply, “Is it a good book”? Invariably, I find that people greet such interruptions in a friendly way — especially if they know you aren’t trying to engage them in a long conversation — although sometimes, when both parties are obviously interested in keeping such interactions going, lengthy conversations do occur.

Being more open to meeting “strangers” in cafes is a wonderful way to build more of a sense of community here in Somerville. It’s also a way for people to come together and try to make sense of an all too bewildering world. So the next time you visit your favorite café, try putting that laptop or book aside for a few moments and ask your neighbor a friendly question. You may very well be surprised by how much you can learn from the person sitting right next to you.

Ken Brociner is a regular columnist with the Somerville Journal.

Tufts Daily reports Somerville to consider citywide Wi-Fi

2009-02-19T23:42:00.004-05:00

Katherine Sawyer, Tufts Daily
Published: Thursday, February 19, 2009
Updated: Thursday, February 19, 2009

Somerville residents could potentially one day enjoy free wireless Internet, care of the city government, Somerville Mayor Joseph Curtatone recently announced.

The city issued on Dec. 30 a document designed to gauge companies' interest in providing wireless broadband installation and management services. The municipality has since begun receiving responses and reviewing potential options.

Many cities around the country already provide wireless access to their residents free of charge. In Somerville, the service will most likely be low-bandwidth.

"We would like to see models that include open access hotspots in key business districts, as well as a way to help low-income households gain at least some access to the Internet via a portal supported by advertising or some other revenue flow," Curtatone said in a press release. "This wouldn't necessarily be high-speed, broadband access, but it would give users, including local students, a no-cost way to check email or run text-based searches."

The City of Somerville has approached the project with an eye toward providing access to the entire community.

"We're looking for the best benefit to our residents in terms of services and costs. City of Somerville spokesperson Jaclyn Rossetti told the Daily. "We want to make sure that everything is going through a fair process, transparent to the public so that we all know what's going on."

To that end, the government has reached out to companies and asked for proposals.

"We're looking for a company that would provide speedy, no-cost service that would help us bridge the Internet divide and allow us to make basic Internet for research purposes available to those who don't have it," Tom Champion, another city spokesperson, told the Daily.

The City is also exploring the possibility that Somerville's density and Congress' recent passage of a federal stimulus package may help with costs.

"Unlike larger cities that run into road bocks, we have some advantages in the market because we are a dense community, and that makes it less expensive," City of Somerville spokesperson Tom Champion told the Daily.

If all goes well and the city can find a provider, officials hope to receive some federal support for the project. Champion believes that federal stimulus funding could cover the some of the costs of building the wireless network, making set-up costs lower for prospective companies.

The project meets the requirements for federal stimulus funding because it is "shovel-ready" in that it could begin immediately, would be leveraging public or private investment, would create short- and long-term job opportunities, and would stimulate economic development, according to Champion.

City officials expressed hope about potential responses to their request for company interest because of the open nature of the project. Ideally, Champion said, the service will be open to a variety of providers.

"What we'd like is to have a private company come in and act as a wholesaler, make bandwidth available to a number of providers, and create a no-cost portal to public," he said.

At this point, the city remains in the process of gauging what types of business models exist for establishing Wi-Fi services. According to Curtatone's press release, the next step could involve requesting additional information from interested companies, pursuing the project with one particular firm or waiting for economic conditions to improve and then asking again.

City officials hope that Somerville's natural advantages for the creation of a wireless network will attract prospective Wi-Fi companies.

"This is a rapidly-changing field, and we don't want to tie ourselves to any one approach," Curtatone said in the press release. "In times likes these, we don't have the money to deploy Wi-Fi on our own, but we can offer a good network of fiber access points and access to city buildings and light poles for relay points."

Champion stressed the preliminary nature of the undertaking.

"We're just trying to find out, given our city's options and advantages," he said, "if is there any interest in establishing a private market that could serve the entire city."

Begin at the beginning

2009-02-19T10:19:00.003-05:00

I moved to Somerville in 1993, after growing up in Arlington, and then living in Los Angeles for 12 years. After spending that long in resource-poor, smog-laden, shadeless L.A., I was ready to live someplace with trees again. My father found me an apartment in Somerville and there began my romance with this town.

My first apartment in Somerville was on Highland Ave., right down the street from Davis Square. The Someday Cafe had just opened and it became my home away from home. I was used to cafe society in Los Angeles, having frequented The Onyx and Cafe Tropical in the Silverlake/Echo Park area. It was a relief to me that someone had picked up on what was going on cafe-wise in the rest of the country, because Au Bon Pain just didn't have the right ambience for re-acclimating to New England, drinking well-made lattes, and writing in my journal.

As the years have gone by (over 15 now), my love for this town has continued to increase. I've seen beloved businesses (like The Someday, Disc Diggers, and La Contessa Bakery) close, but I've also seen a renewed commitment to the support of independent local businesses. It's a town that strives to be green, provides hundreds of opportunities for artists to work, live, and show their work, and includes a diverse community of people of all ages, races, genders, sexual preferences, and occupations, living harmoniously. Of course we have crime here, but for the most part, it's a place one can walk without fear.

Negatives about Somerville? Overzealous meter maids, insane parking restrictions, sometimes an oversaturation of Tufts students, and Zoots dry cleaners, which is expensive and does a crappy job, with bad service, to boot. That's about all I can think of right now on the con side.

Anyway, enough about me! From here on out, it's all about Somerville.

Thanks for stopping by!