Living in Lynn

Wayne Coyne's Eno Tripping at the Gates of Kubrick

2012-01-30T13:01:00.001-05:00

I found this on Gizmodo - a gadget blog run by Gawker Media. It's the Flaming Lips front man channeling his inner Eno with Siri. He's not the first to do the obvious, but this track's simplicity and cohesiveness makes it stand apart even if it's short on originality. It's not a gimmick or hyperactive mash-up for the short attention span set like so many others. Listen to the whole thing, which contains samples from, as Wayne says, "...Lips, Erykah Badu, Siri, and Biz Markie backwards." Also, listen to it sooner rather than later. It's supposed to be pulled after a period of time.

Pulse Film Series Begins Next Month

2012-01-11T18:20:00.000-05:00

Thanks to Nick Parker and Centerboard, a city once home to movie palaces once again embraces film in its downtown. This time, it's free.

Click to enlarge.

They'd like folks to rsvp at pulsefilms.eventbrite.com.

This is not your everyday litter

2012-01-01T23:14:00.000-05:00

The sign says, "DANGER, ASBESTOS..."

Is there an boiler room nearby that no longer carries a fair warning to the dangers lurking inside? It's not a sign to take lightly, nor one that is usually found outdoors and on the ground. I'm even a little afraid to touch it, though it probably hasn't itself come in contact with the stuff.

With one of downtown Lynn's big developers having been indicted on asbestos mishandling and misreporting for one of their Worcester projects, it's a scary thing to see here, peering down from the window of a building they did here -- though this building does not contain any asbestos because it had a reno before Mayo, in the 80's. They do own a bunch of empty properties, though, so who knows? Or, maybe it stuck to someone's shoe coming off a job site -- that's unlikely. Or maybe... oh, I should stop before I get myself in trouble.

How about some music?

This kid Trevor does a really good cover of the Dead Milkmen's Watching Scotty Die, a song about pollution and its consequences. I couldn't find an actual Dead Milkmen or Joe Jack Talcum version with good audio, Besides, Trevor is good, and hopefully one day he won't have to hide in the attic anymore to sing songs.

Random act of art in Central Square

2011-12-29T20:20:00.000-05:00

I found this while heading out to pick up a few things.

Battle of the Barbers, St Michael's Hall in March

2011-12-28T11:14:00.000-05:00

I don't know much about this organization, but this is an absolutely brilliant idea for a fundraiser in Lynn. There's an abundance of barber shops and hair salons, so why not leverage that?

A lazy cut-n-paste via SCI Lynn -

Battle of the Hair Salons and Barbers

Submitted by Briana I on Wed, 12/28/2011 - 10:38am

You are invited to the Battle of the Hair Salons & Barbers! This unique event will take place March 31, 2012 at St. Michael's Hall (25 Elmwood Ave in Lynn). Presented by Saving Our Souls Foundation, a faith based organization that is committed to responding to and preventing youth violence in the city of Lynn. Suggested $10 donation. For tickets, call Pamela Burton, Executive Director, at 781.913.0860.

If you are a salon or barber who would like to compete, click here to register.

Click here to view flyer, including participating salons and barbers.

It's also going on the LynnHappens calendar. Thanks SCI Lynn, for having an ear to the ground where I don't.

Morrissey - Hairdresser on Fire

A very web 1.0 idea that can still be cool

2011-12-25T12:11:00.002-05:00

Hey folks,

Yesterday, on a whim, I cobbled together a Central Square cam from some parts I had laying around. I found a driver online that someone made for the PS3 Eye camera to work with a PC/Windows machine and doubled up USB hubs just to get the length I needed to reach the window.
Twenty hours later, the cam is still there. I'm posting from out of state, so I can't do anything about it slowly tilting up as the less than ideal tape I had handy starts to peel off. I suspect by the time I get back this evening, you may have a lovely view of my ceiling.
I'll need a better quality camera, perhaps with fisheye, if I make it a permanent fixture.

Even though it's live, you still have to press play and wait out a 30 sec commercial. If it says "off air," check back later.

Happy Holidays and all that from LivinginLynn.com, LynnHappens.com and UPSIDEMEDIA!

Central Square this morning

2011-12-19T09:42:00.000-05:00

With a trash barrel like this, how can you miss?

(There must be a story behind the lace...one of you knows..)

We have so many trash receptacles, you almost have to try to litter. We just have to train people how to use them, I guess.

Broadcasting Holiday Cheer from Central Square

2011-12-18T18:07:00.000-05:00

So Channel 5 and NECN weren't exactly there to deliver our holiday greetings, but to cover a story that had only slight, if any, relevance to Central Square, according to the Item's map of what happened where, in the story of the Statie and the Hooker. It makes for a better looking live-shot, though.

Also in Central Square that night, 40+ artists, friends and neighbors were having an arts holiday social in Turbine with Harvey Mapcase. The next one is January 20th. In fact, the ratio of good in DTL far outweighs the bad, and generally things are okay. What's newsworthy is what's different from the norm, and almost fifty people, most of them artists, gathered in a single space in downtown Lynn, isn't all that unusual anymore. We'll have to make a bigger noise next time!


Jeff Pearlstein (drums) and Neil Carlill of Harvey Mapcase

Here's Neil Carlill in Delicatessen:

No Fun: "Say your New Year's toast and get the #*@~ out before they shut me down!"

2011-12-14T11:28:00.000-05:00

Tuesday was meeting day. I went from covering a Licensing Board meeting where every excuse was used to prevent bar owners from staying open just an hour later on New Year's, to meeting with the local and mbta police on some Munroe Street incidents, where I mentioned we could have a positive impact on our safety if we were out in the streets at night.

In DTL, we walk to and from bars and restaurants. In DTL, we're trying to build an arts scene. I've never known an active art scene that didn't put on shows or party until who-knows-when. And I don't think most DTL residents came here just for early morning craft fairs. In fact, many of us, including myself, find ourselves in other cities and states attending art events, shows, etc. because of the extended hours of not just bars - but of the art/music venues and food establishments. Elsewhere, we can be out eating something better than fast food (that I can't even eat, anyway) at just about any time. And then, there's Lynn..

The rollback actually hurts our efforts to build a neighborhood. The recent traffic incidents on Munroe? They happened at hours that had nothing to do with the closing of bars. The thefts in the garage? They had nothing to do with the closing of bars. Getting people out there more hours, will do a lot to prevent crime, however.

Yet the Licensing Board, which is heavily swayed by police opinion, instead of looking for solutions with bar owners to both keep the public safe and hold onto businesses, only puts up roadblocks and excuses.

They didn't like O'Brien's proposal because they said it allowed for all bars to stay open an extra hour on New Years, but they said they trusted his establishment. Fine. The City Council approves things with amendments all the time. Why couldn't the Licensing Board have amended, and then voted on an amended version allowing for a select number of bars passing a criteria of no trouble in X amount of days to stay open the extra hour?? Somerville has handed out provisional 2am licenses after being a 1am city, and you can't argue with what's happened there.

It's because the answer was going to be 'No' anyway.

Video of the Licensing Board meeting is here.

A breakfast with the Lynn Journal, or the Lynn Editorial...

2011-11-23T10:31:00.001-05:00

Last weekend at Christopher's Cafe, I grabbed a copy of the Lynn Journal, as I often do while waiting for what is arguably the best Spanish omelette in Lynn.

I hadn't read their election coverage, so I started with the front page article, "Looking-At-Large," by Joshua Resnek.

I would like to quote a short section of it, that appears on the front page.

"By the topping the ticket after finishing third in the primary, Phelan showed that he, and he alone, owns the rights to succeed Mayor Judith Flanagan-Kennedy who, many are calling, a one term mayor.

Phelan worked hard to outdistance the up and coming Dan Cahill, who finished second and the very popular first timer Buzzy Barton who came in third.

Net’s victory pushed Paul Crowley off the council, a disappointment for many of us who respect Paul and who like him.

Back to Phelan … he showed how deep his strength is, how broad his base is, and how strong he really is in the final analysis."

Pick up almost any newspaper in America and turn a few pages in, and you'll come across an op/ed page. The Item has one, if you'd like a local example. Compare the snippet above to the paper's editorial and you'll see what I mean.

"Looking-At-Large" by Joshua Resnek is clearly the work of an editorial writer or that of a columnist, even if the use of ellipses makes it appear more like a blog entry ... such as this.

I'm not arguing Resnek's opinion, which he is of course entitled to. I'm not arguing that this opinion does not belong in the Lynn Journal, either. My argument is simply that by starting it on the front page where one expects to find hard, objective news - by replacing hard, objective election coverage with opinion, the Journal does its readership and this city a disservice. But if the Journal and Resnek would rather stick to opinion, than the responsible thing to do is clearly redefine to the public what the publication really is - to label it accordingly on the front page.

I think the Journal does a great job covering school sports, taking photos at local events, publishing obits and the other services a local paper usually provides, though. That's why in my opinion, it should move opinions to a clearly marked editorial page and label columnists as so. It's what an ethical journalist should do. It's what a proper newspaper does. And I don't want Lynn to be a one newspaper town.

Link to original article.

Now only if we had a Sunday paper again...

Neighborfest at Tatiana's Thursday

2011-11-11T14:06:00.001-05:00

I hope to see everyone at Neighborfest on Thursday!

The Neighborhoods at theRat in 1979:

A reaction to a debate I only read about in the Item

2011-10-22T13:41:00.000-04:00

A reaction to Friday's very early Councilor-at-Large debate from only reading the Item.

Thanks for the coverage. I can never make these weekday morning breakfasts and it appears I missed a good one. I'm a business owner (UPSIDEMEDIA/LynnHappens) and Chamber member by night, and public employee by day. While I understand and appreciate the target audience of this debate and the venue, I'm still on the fence over charging an admission fee to be part of a debate audience for a city election.

The topics they sparred about are the sort that I can't help myself from jumping in on. Some - most of the proposed solutions - for bringing businesses downtown, come close to what's necessary but don't quite reach the mark.

Streamlining the processes in city hall and providing a road map for permitting that doesn't have business owners running in circles: YES. This just may be issue #1 because it benefits all other issues, and every candidate seems to agree more or less, but we also need a clear road map towards implementing any solution. Also, employee training is important, but not good enough on its own. I've had to take a lot of hollow professional development courses in my own field. That's not a guarantee that anything's going to change as far as this taxpayer is concerned. How about a poster-sized chart on the wall with 'stops' along the route one must take towards their grand opening? No course is needed for that, and it won't cost much. It can mirror one online, and one in pamphlet form. Hand people a checklist version to note progress along the way. A proper graphic designer would know how to keep it simple. Then, have the Mayor's feedback forms nearby, and simply ask City Hall employees to be as welcoming as possible to newcomers. After all, they are putting money into our city, and we need it. Lastly, make it possible to run the route - faster. That doesn't have to mean you skip over essential parts of the process. For example, if a variance is needed, a fair hearing taking in the necessary considerations should be held, but a hearing should not be a brick wall stopping progress in its tracks, it should be a way to figure out how to go forward so that more people benefit than not - and even if it means scheduling more ZBA meetings, it should happen soon.This is an important issue. Fixing it and becoming more resident/business/newcomer friendly can bring more revenue for schools and other services. It only helps everything!

We have rather large municipal lots. Councilor Duffy, we don't need, nor want, angled parking downtown. The streets are not wide enough in most cases, except perhaps Market Street, and knowing how to parallel park is simply part of knowing how to drive. The clear solution for anyone with a distaste for street parking is a make-over of the downtown lots and the way they're run, and Dan Cahill's push to replace the Off Street Parking Commission with a standard Parking Department that has greater oversight from the Mayor and Council is one important part of the solution, because it makes the Parking Department slightly more accountable to the voters. Duffy, if you prefer to park at an angle, maybe have the municipal lot spaces angled, and a stretch of Market Street. It would work there. (I once pointed out an issue of poor/confusing signage downtown and neither Parking Commissioner Jay Fenton nor Council President Phelan seemed aware of exactly what was on the signs downtown. I was asked to take photos to show them. I at first was agreeable, but then refused to do the homework. There's two individuals in City Hall who first need to spend more time downtown before they begin to think about what's best for downtown.)

On non-profits, I believe there is some misdirected blame, here, but some legitimate frustration as well. It's not right to lump all of the non-profits together as a group. Some non-profits have brought large numbers of employees downtown and have helped to fill the streets with lunchtime customers while also performing services that people need. Some hold regular events in Lynn establishments as paying customers, and have become involved as catalysts for the arts. Some are arts organizations, even. We need that. We need the jobs they provide, too. But we also need businesses occupying more spaces downtown. What we shouldn't have, is too much of an imbalance. If you include the numerous religious organizations in storefront and office spaces downtown, then perhaps there is an imbalance. And when you consider that some Lynn non-profits consistently hold gala events, fundraisers and more outside of Lynn, one has to wonder who their target audiences really are. What do we need? Another non-profit with a mission to attract for-profits? If we fix number 1 on this list, we may not.

This one's not covered in the debate as far as I can tell from the article, but we need to get rid of residency requirements for City Hall and city department employees. (I'll tackle residency for police/fire some other time.) It's absolute nonsense that this city can not hire the grant writer it wants because the prospective hire doesn't live in Lynn. It's not the sort of position that should require living here. Neither are most of them, if they are to be judged on job performance rather than having been "Life long Lynners" of known families. I think it's so ingrained in the culture here, that people don't even realize their preference for sticking with the people and families they know half the time. And lets stop the practice of declaring oneself a "Life long Lynner," or saying "I've lived in Lynn my whole life" at the start of any debate, or even at the podium at Public Hearings in City Hall. I wasn't born here, nor was I raised here, but as long as I pay taxes here what I have to say is just as valid.

Buzzy, I think I agree with you that we need to spend money to make money, but this is where it isn't simple. This is where the city has to stop hiring its local friends and look for a marketing firm located elsewhere, preferably in the midst of where our target audience is. We're not going to bring new businesses to Lynn by marketing to our selves. Secondly, while a worthy endeavor, this task is very, very, hard. If the message isn't crafted just-so, a marketing campaign will do more harm than good. Again, another argument for looking beyond our borders for the best of the best so that we can defy people's expectations of Lynn and the more immediate North Shore (closer to Boston). We have some stereotypes to battle.

Getting back to issue #1, Phelan, we need a guide, but not a "guidebook," not even a booklet. If it's not short and simple, we're doing it wrong. Cahill, we agree on many things, but something else is wrong if we need our City Hall employees to take extra "Professional Development" courses in how to be City Hall employees. Frankly, if there's enough material to put together a course on in how to steer people through City Hall, then the process is just broken. Well, maybe taking all of City Hall on field trips to see how other cities are doing business might not be half-bad. We might have something to offer them, as well.

Finally, life-long Lynners, please don't take offense. Some of you are my friends. Just put yourselves in the shoes of someone who grew up elsewhere, if you can. Try to see things from the perspective of a new arrival to Lynn. Why? Because we need to attract more businesses and their employees to our city, for jobs, for our schools, for our quality of life, for the money for DPW to clean up parks, and to invigorate ourselves with the vibrancy one should expect for a diverse city of 90,000 people at the gateway to the North Shore.

One more thing - I said my top post would remain the previous one until it was resolved. I'm not running for office, so I can go back on my promises. However, I'm not going back on the issue. Stay tuned.

Because we've come so far (a little public shaming)

2011-08-25T22:40:00.001-04:00

The newly decorated control boxes by RAW and the enlarged photographs by SPIN are faring very well. No one's touched them. If you follow this blog or LynnHappens, you know the good stuff.

There's more work to be done.

Now, we need to address the condition of some of our vacant storefronts.

I'm going to post some photographs of tagged or unkempt properties and their owners. 33 Central gets a pass right now, and I hope to be able to report why soon enough. The building on the corner of Spring Street and Exchange Street, right by Lynn Arts, gets a temporary pass because I hear LynnArts is hatching a plan to renew the faded old construction paper in those windows. I just hope the next window exhibition doesn't look like my first grade teacher put it up.

My primary focus is on tagging. Not graffiti, but ugly, hardly legible monochromatic scribbles just barely an evolutionary step above peeing on something to mark ones territory. Second to that, there are some simple and cheap measures to beautify property and to at least give off the impression of wanting to lease or sell it.

The owner of most of the properties below has supposedly been made aware of the issue by proper channels, or so I've been told. But this owner has an office one block over on Washington Street, and just yesterday a landscaping company was working in the Central Square island their sign adorns, because they supposedly are the ones who care for it. Yes, I'm talking about Mayo Group. They're down here every day. They could maybe take a few minutes even to address the simpler fixes.

Mayo Group Parking Lot in Central Square. This scrawl has been here for several years, now.

How hard is it to put something nice in the window? I may even have an extra curtain, but I'm not loaning Mayo anything.

Another one that's been here a while. 46 Central. Mayo Group property.

The doorway of 46 Central Square. Mayo Group.

The other entrance way to 46 Central. Since Mayo is using the building, perhaps they should put a door there.

Union Street, just around the corner from Central Sq. Mayo.

Looks like someone was playing with white out. Also, at least paint the stairs, Mayo.

Same Union St. Property. The soap is awful, too.

Union St.

Wide view for context.

Tags, soap, faded falling signs on Exchange Street, right across from LynnArts. Mayo Group.

More Mayo mess.

I think Mayo gave up on leasing 64 Exchange Street, or at least the faded sign would have you think so. Soaped up windows look terrible.

Now, the rest of these tags are on MBCR property. I hope they are dealt with quickly, too.

This one's making a comeback as the paint chips away. That's another issue.

I'm starting with Central Square, perhaps because I notice it more, living here. But also because it's where DTL's arts organizations and artistic initiatives are concentrating. Between LynnArts and the organizations housed within it, RAW, Arts After Hours, the Lynn Museum, SPIN, Turbine, Capital Diner and others, one would think the city would apply a little more pressure to keep up appearances. Lots of out-of-towners and even big name talents pass through Central Square (WFNX is one reason as well). Besides, I live here and I have to see it. That is not to say I only care for Central Square. I want to see improvements radiate outward, towards City Hall Square, up Union Street, down towards Market Street and over to NSCC, and anywhere else they're needed.

Almost forgot the video:

Photos from AAH's Back Yard Bash with Mean Creek, The Cinnamon Fuzz & Black Dog Brother are up on LynnHappens

2011-08-22T22:41:00.005-04:00

There were a few photographers there, including an official one and some video taken - not sure what will or won't be released. But, here's something.

Go to LynnHappens to see the whole gallery.


The Cinnamon Fuzz on Aug 18th, AAH's BYB in the Lynn Museum Park

Music and art go well together, like the Velvet Underground and Andy Warhol. Here's a track from Lou Reed and John Cale's musical tribute to Warhol, Songs for Drella.

Make sure you hear the studio version as well.

You will want to come to Lynn on Thursday. Here's why.

2011-08-15T12:36:00.002-04:00

Arts After Hours, which I will disclose, I've been involved in, is celebrating its first birthday at its second annual Back Yard Bash at the Lynn Museum, 590 Washington Street, in - you know - Lynn.

There's a great music line-up with Mean Creek, The Cinnamon Fuzz and Black Dog Brother. Plus, artists will show off their wares and demonstrate what they do in the courtyard, and local chef and food consultant Greg Gray is on the grill!! Following the bands, we'll go to the lot next to the Museum for Spiral Glyphics fire spinning, and then all march over to the after party at Turbine Wine Bar in 56 Central Square (Lynn). Rumor has it there may be after-after parties in private spaces as well.

There's just one difference between this and other rock and roll shows, though (besides all the artists ...and fire), it's going to start on time and there's other stuff to do, see, and food. So, you'll want to get there by 7pm. Downtown Lynn is the easiest downtown to park in, perhaps besides Pawtucket, but that's not in Mass. Anyway, if you're a-feared of street parking it's only $3 for the 24hr MBTA garage almost across the street.

For more info:

Story in LynnHappens
Arts After Hours web site (tickets available here!)

Trans-Atlantic Fantastic tonight at Turbine

2011-08-12T13:24:00.000-04:00

-----------------------------------------------------------------
Seth (US) & Scott (Sco) vinyl night

9-10 Scott spinning California Soul & more
10-11 Seth spinning British Invasion, Northern Soul & more

back to back on the turntables
all night long until 1am!
should be fun!
----------------------------------------------------
Set in a beautifully renovated 1890s building in Downtown Lynn, Turbine Wine Bar offers a moderately priced menu of American cuisine to accompany its more than 40 wines by the glass. It is a shining example of urban transformation. - Zagat 2010

Citations of the Good Kind

2011-08-10T11:18:00.000-04:00

At last night's City Council, two girls Babe Ruth softball teams were awarded with a citation. It's a good thing for the kids to go up before their city, on television (and LynnHappens video), and to be recognized for something positive. Generally speaking, sports are a healthy pursuit.

Of all my time covering City Council for LynnHappens, I can only think of two - possibly three times groups of kids were honored for something other than athletic prowess and sportsmanship.

Where are the art and literary clubs? Where are the other positive activities? Not just in Lynn, but our society as a whole doesn't celebrate them enough. Or, maybe being in the shadows is a good thing for art. I'm not always sure. Sometimes it's good to be a geek in the shadows where there's more to draw inspiration from. I mean, if being an artistic superstar means having a print of your work in the lobby of every Holiday Inn, maybe that's not such a good thing.

But at least the Item is featuring a scholarship winner from RAW in today's paper.

I don't dislike sports. I'm just disinterested. I respect people who play them and I understand the values they can help instill.

I'm just saying there's more than one way to keep a kid off the street. Or, an adult.

This past weekend I saw the Battle for Brooklyn documentary and couldn't believe how gaga people went over a basketball stadium, to the point of an obscene amount of public subsidies. That's taxes! Can the arts see a little bit of that action? Just a fraction would be more than they receive, now. Or better yet, don't put our public monies in private enterprise at all, and just ease up on restrictions holding the arts back.

And how about showing our young people that art and intellectual pursuits matter, too. (and not in an MCAS scores sort of way)

And again, this is not to take away from the girls accomplishments.

How to Speak Hip - a reblog from WFMU's Beware of the Blog

2011-08-05T14:31:00.000-04:00

WFMU's Beware of the Blog is a gift that keeps on giving. Of course it is, that's why it's linked in the blogroll on the right.

So, if you want to learn how to speak like a hipster (orig. vers), go to the post and you can freely download the whole album!

Here's a teaser clip: Introduction

Make Use

2011-08-01T13:58:00.001-04:00

I get into many conversations about the city of Lynn. It's often my fault, and the banter usually leads to what we need. Sure we need things, but we also have stuff.

When Arts After Hours was getting started, we talked about making use of the Lynn Museum, LynnArts, and anything else we might be able to turn into a venue or our events. This past Saturday, Arts After Hours along with SPIN hosted an intimate cabaret-style concert with Carolyn Cole backed up by Rusty Scott in the black box theatre in LynnArts. The Spelling Bee musical was produced there, as well as a couple of other great AAH events. AAH also makes extensive use of the Lynn Museum and its grounds, returning for the third time for August 18th's Backyard Bash.

Hodgepodge makes use of the Lynn Woods Amphitheater, one of the best outdoorsy-yet not overwhelmingly huge outdoor concert spots I've ever known, thanks to its natural slope.

The Friends of Lynn-Nahant Beach make use of Red Rock Park for a Summer season of Thursday evening concerts. I love live music by the ocean. I only wish they'd book more original artists in addition to the usual rotation of area cover bands. I'll offer to help.

Lynn opens its City Hall auditorium to larger touring acts and even serves beer and wine in the lobby area. (I'd like to know when they'll start serving during City Council meetings - that's a joke) When that happens, concert goers often make use of our downtown restaurants and bars. There are several to choose from already.

That's only to name a few, so please don't feel left out - or jump in below.

I know not all is perfect with every venue, but the more they're used, the more likely they are to have their kinks worked out and the capital to improve where needed. I'm thinking about better, more reliable electrical service for Lynn Woods concerts, A/C in the Auditorium (possibly in the works already), more staff at LynnArts to better accommodate late night use, and easier and more routine permitting for street festivals. The proof is that it's happening already. The Lynn Museum is more than halfway through reconfiguring its ground floor for more flexible use.

I also hope more original performing and visual artists start knocking on the doors of area bars to move aside their karaoke and cover band routines for a night or two a month, to have something new and different. Walnut Street is Lynn's best original music venue, but I also believe it will continue to excel in what it's doing as others open up, due to its intimacy. It's my observation that we're really on the cusp of being able to have profitable original music nights at a Lynn bar on a regular basis, in part because of what's happening already and in part because our neighboring cities have more demand than they have room to book for. We have places they can use...

...and the more we use what we have, the more likely it is we'll get some of what we need.

Make Waves

2011-07-12T17:20:00.004-04:00

Another post from the Now, This is What I'm Talking About files.

I've long said that to get people to come to DTL, you have to offer things other places are not. These things are destinations. Going with the same kinds of offerings found in other cities and towns in the region probably won't help, because why should folks come here for what they have near them?

This approach can be applied to just about anything, including dining, arts, entertainment... with just a smattering of the familiar for the members of the crowd who may have been reluctantly dragged along and less adventurous locals.

I believe we'll draw more people by making waves, as artist Constance Hockaday has done with her Boggsville Boatel and Boat-In Theater in Far Rockaway, Queens.

The Ramones famously sang, "It's not far, not hard to reach" but the truth is, it's a rather remote outpost of NYC and it's not the vacation destination it was in the 1800's anymore - by a longshot. So, why is the Boatel booked solid? What's pulling 'em from Brooklyn to the Rockaways?

Simple. It's a bunch of cobbled together boats. It's affordable. Its quasi-legal and/or loopholed status makes it cool for some. They show movies and host lectures. The whole thing is supposed to be art.

I'm not saying to copy what they do. That would be wrong, and also not fulfilling the purpose of offering something different. I'm saying we need to innovate, because it works - and it's fun. Who wants to innovate with me?

Here's links to others talking about what I'm talking about:

In the Village Voice

Flux Factory post

NYT

And now for the obligatory..

Now This is what I'm Talking About!

2011-07-04T12:41:00.003-04:00

Keep your suburban out of my urban!

I just caught this post over on UniversalHub.com - Not everybody wants to live in the City that always sleeps: Neighbors implore developer to come up with bigger project.

The flood of former suburbanites returning to cities has unintentional consequences. People who have grown up on quiet streets suddenly realize they're not compatible with all the hustle and bustle of urban life and begin to tame the city. The bars and cafes they moved there for and used to frequent, become the annoying neighbors they call the cops on at night. Ordinances are passed that not only hurt cafes and restaurants, but the arts and all that's interesting - everything that revived the area in the first place.

It's a big "mixed-use" failure. Salem has curtailed its hours. Not all is congenial in Lynn City Hall's favorite waterfront yard-stick, Quincy's Marina Bay (we can do better than that). Some lameness has even been imposed on NYC's Lower East Side. You know what? Not every neighborhood needs to be a family neighborhood. Let's have a variety of neighborhoods, for everyone!

But weren't classic urban neighborhoods always full of shops and restaurants on the ground and apartments above? They were. They might have been lower rent, or occupied by the area shop owners. People might have been more accepting that this was life in the city. Or maybe, they were just used to it. What's different now, is that the real estate boom and bust brought the condos, and gosh darn it people paid big bucks for them and they're going to have life the way they want it.

I bought a condo in a downtown, too. But, I fully expected city life and that's what I'm going to fight for. Downtown Lynn is perfectly situated for it and has the right kind of built environment. I hope Lynn takes a lesson from successes and failures elsewhere, and understands the recent blowback against the suburbanization of our urban spaces. A little extra planning (and soundproofing) can go a long way in creating a successful "mixed-use" area, as well.

And here in Downtown Lynn, we're saying no more VNA's - I mean the office park-style structure they're putting up in DTL without storefronts. The organization's cool, but their new structure is ruining the chance to rebuild/restore our entrance to DTL and outright ignores the recommendations of our Market Street Vision plan because it is anti-urban. Next time, we'll take inspiration from the South End and put up stronger opposition.

Wish I knew about this before it happened!

2011-05-24T08:57:00.001-04:00

I would have traveled, possibly, to my old Boston Neighborhood of Jamaica Plain, instead of running around from one big box store to another in search of a specific steam cleaner. Boy, that was fun.

As reported in Universal Hub, the JP Record Swap happened yesterday.

Not surprisingly, an Anon poster decries "Hipsters," but really, record collectors come in all shapes and sizes. I'm not sure anyone's really met a record collector until they've met an elder Jazz fan, anyway. Or Reed, who runs In Your Ear Records on Commonwealth Avenue in Boston. Now, he's a record collector.

Hipster? It's not typically a fashion statement to collect records. Anyone who collects them for fashion won't last very long in the pursuit, and I'll be happy to take them off their hands when they move on to the latest-greatest. And if for the time being, a few supposed hipsters are buying records, that's good for record stores and great for music. Hipsters, as far as I can tell, aren't hurting anyone. The backlash against them is...almost as uncalled for as... retro neon plastic sunglasses. And most of them are just victims of marketing, just like you and me. And if you're sitting in your preppy, sporty, Nike or Abercrombie, or other marketing-defined style, posting anonymous negative comments about another youth marketing exploit, congratulations, you've fallen for it. The battle is manufactured. It can all be bought at the same mall.

Back to the record swap - It's about time one of these happens north of Somerville, am I right? One of New England's best record stores is Mystery Train in Gloucester. Salem has a treasure trove in the Record Exchange. Maybe they can work together to boost interest and stir up area collectors.

I sure hope there's one in Lynn, but I'd settle for anywhere on the North Shore. It's a big pain to get to JP during baseball season and I don't want to have to bother learning when the home games are.

Artist: The Records
Song: Starry Eyes

(vid will post later - blocked at work)

Field Trip

2011-04-22T01:04:00.000-04:00

I'm DJ'ing at Gulu-Gulu Cafe in Salem today, starting 8pm. There will be lots of off-the-beaten path tunes, from modern indie bands to rare 60's garage, and including post punk, new wave, power pop, and the occasional what the #$(^ is that!?

Now, do the crazy Belgian grid dance:
(video from Operating Tracks re-edited for GVDT by a fan)

EDIC to host Arts and Culture District Meeting May 10th

2011-04-20T14:58:00.002-04:00

Click to enlarge

New to the Blogroll: Mr. Suave's Mod Mod World

2011-04-08T18:47:00.000-04:00

And tonight, I go mod at Turbine, 56 Central Square in Lynn.

Check out http://www.mistersuave.com/

Since When did Fox News become The Onion?

2011-04-08T08:59:00.000-04:00

I read a post on Media Matters this morning while brushing up for a weekly discussion on the media with my Video Production students. I feel compelled to share it. Now, Media Matters does have a habit of picking on conservatively biased media more often than the liberally biased, but perhaps it's just easier for them to pick the low hanging fruit, and Fox does make it easy.

Admittedly, while I sometimes turn to Media Matters directly, I came to the story this time through the news aggregator of sorts, Fark.com. A fine site, most of the time.

"Fox & Friends Outraged Crayola Recognizes More Than One Skin Tone"

Read the Media Matters post. I have nothing more to add to what Chelsea Rudman has already said on the matter. Except that, it seems, Fox is doing an excellent parody of themselves. They may soon be competition for The Onion.

Artist: The Germs
Song: Media Blitz

Beer at the Museum

2011-04-01T08:43:00.001-04:00

Nights at the Lynn Museum aren't anything like the movie Night at the Museum, that I didn't actually see. And they're not just for stuffed shirts to reminisce about the good old days, either (at least not exclusively.)

For example, tonight at the Lynn Museum, there will be three bands, five breweries to sample from, a DJ, and craft food from Fernando's over on Munroe Street.

Don't let winter's last gasp stop you from heading down to 590 Washington Street in DTL to support their upcoming first floor renovations and innovating programming. Parking in the area is easy and free on the street, if you miss out on a spot in the Museum's lot. It's also only four bucks to use the MBTA lot across the way for as long as you want. (I've spent more on just parking meters in Somerville.)

This event will also change your mind if you think the Museum only exists for Lynners. This is drawing people from all around, for the bands, or the beer, or both. Word of mouth has already helped, but I hope this post exposes one of DTL's special secrets a little more.

Doors at 7:30pm. Finer details in poster below.

Click to enlarge

Artist: Aberdeen
Song: Clouds Like These

Greater Boston Feature on Lynn

2011-03-28T19:56:00.001-04:00

It was an honor to be a part of this. I would have liked to highlight more of what's happening with the arts, other restaurants, and the grassroots projects outside of EDIC and City initiated endeavors. Actually, I did. It was in an interview recorded for this show weeks earlier, in Turbine. If cutting my interview was necessary to fit Jocelyn's, though, then I'm all for it. Her's was the best segment of the piece. Overall, I think this story is good publicity for Lynn. I hope some business owners and aspiring business owners were inspired by it, and will jump in with us.

It's not as hard to get to as they say.

REM - Can't Get There from Here

Make it a Destination

2011-03-28T09:55:00.004-04:00

Lynn has a lot of great breakfast joints, and a few places that serve it late enough to call it brunch. I can find something good to say about all of them, except for the two I haven't tried, yet. I'll get around to them, eventually. It's a matter of being able to get up on time, and not being able to eat some foods.

I'm a vegetarian of 20 years (since age 16) who found out two years ago I wasn't supposed to have gluten, which is mainly in wheat, barley and rye. Oops. Well, much to my surprise, it's still not difficult to eat in restaurants as a celiac vegetarian in Boston, Cambridge, Somerville, and even at randomly scattered joints such as Georgie's Diner in Connecticut, with their separate gluten free and vegan menus. (They deserve the plug, but beware that their web site is heavy on flash, annoying music, and Comic Sans.)

The challenge for me has been in trying to support Lynn establishments and promote them when I can't eat at most of them. And it isn't just Lynn. The North Shore as a whole, has some catching up to do. But Salem and Beverly are leading the charge. Not Lynn. The fact that the most populous North Shore city is lagging the most, bothers me. There's an opportunity to grab, here.

On Sunday, we drove up to Rawberts in Beverly, for the rare chance to be able to order just about everything on the menu. Because the food isn't cooked in the traditional sense, gluten containing ingredients aren't used in most dishes. It turns out we should have made a reservation.

The place was packed with diners who traveled from all over. I heard people asking for recommendations on where to wander while they were waiting for a table. One group walked to the beach. Others, to a store down the street.

But they weren't there simply because it was Beverly and they have a nice, quaint, downtown. Rawberts was the destination. It could have been anywhere. And I don't usually like raw food places, but Rawberts is uniquely good at what they do.

I ordered something quick from the counter so I could stand the wait for a table. And it was worth the wait.

I don't care if the destination's specialty is a kind of food, a kind of product, a kind of venue, or a kind of activity. A unique destination that's good at what it does, will bring people in from outside Lynn. The Blue Ox is bringing them in. The Little Gallery Under the Stairs is bringing them in. Turbine is drawing a good crowd from Nahant and Swampscott. Zimmans has been bringing designers to Lynn for years...and others.

Yet, I still think we need more. We need more specialty restaurants and shops. We don't need more places that offer run of the mill fare, run of the mill goods or common entertainment. Why travel here if you already have one of those in your town?

So who's going to open a vegetarian restaurant? Who's going to take cool concepts like Noteborn, already in Lynn, to a ground-floor storefront?

This may upset some, but I don't want to hear that old-time Lynners won't support these places. We don't need them to, if they're destinations. They can either climb on board and be part of new DTL, or be left behind. Everyone has that choice, and our most vocal detractors are completely out of touch with the good stuff we already have going on, so it's not likely they'll come down, anyway. No need to pander to a disinterested audience.

But to those life-long-Lynners who we do see in DTL, we welcome you and thank you.

To anyone looking to open a unique destination here, we're pulling for you.

Selfishly, I want a place with more vegetarian and gluten free options so I can eat here more often. And my girlfriend would like some vegan options. That being the case, we won't have to drive so far and wait so long for a table. Instead, others will drive far and wait for tables, here!

Artist: Missing Persons
Song: Destination Unknown

TASTE at The Little Gallery Under The Stairs

2011-03-25T15:52:00.001-04:00

presents

TASTE

*image: Pears by Christy Yates, watercolor

Little Gallery Under The Stairs

Opening Reception:
Saturday March 26th, 4-6pm

Artists:
Jennifer Adler, John Bennard, Fran Gardino, Christine McShane, Kimberly Sabella, Jane Coder, Cate Woolner, Sandra Winter, Perri Sossaman, Christy Yates
25 Exchange Street, Lynn, MA.

Silver Apples - Ruby from 1968

A few gigs in the near future...

2011-03-08T22:11:00.001-05:00

DJ Seth events:

Friday, March 11th – Turbine, 56 Central Sq., Lynn, MA.

Saturday, March 12th – Private Party

Thursday, March 17th – Gulu-Gulu Cafe, 247 Essex Street, Salem, MA. (Art opening!)

Friday, March 25th - Turbine, 56 Central Sq., Lynn, MA. (Indie, New Wave, Alternative)

Friday, April 1st – Lynn Museum Beer Tasting playing real records between real live awesome bands. 590 Washington Street, Lynn, MA.

Friday, April 8th, Turbine, 56 Central Sq., Lynn, MA.

Friday, April 22nd, Gulu-Gulu Cafe, 247 Essex Street, Salem MA. (Indie rock, New Wave, Power-pop)

Saw OMD Monday night at the Paradise, for their first U.S. show in 23 years.

GE Workers Caught in Budget Battle

2011-03-06T23:46:00.002-05:00

A battle over a controversial idea to produce a sort of back-up or replacement engine for a single-engined fighter jet puts innocent GE workers and businesses surrounding the plant in Lynn in the crossfire. Getting the contract would be great for Lynn and GE, but is it good for the taxpayers across the US? I don't know. But it seems as though GE should have had the primary contract in the first place, instead of Pratt and Whitney, and then we wouldn't be having the discussion about backup engines. Watch this video, produced by WGBH's Greater Boston and featuring City Councilor Capano, and you'll learn that GE has a better record for reliability - it seems to me at least, that's the way to save money.

And the obligatory song: Not Behind the Fighter Jet by Guided by Voices (audio quality not up to standards but best I could find)

The Item is Wrong Again

2011-02-23T09:58:00.001-05:00

Here's the story:

http://itemlive.com/articles/2011/02/23/news/news07.txt

Headline: "Lynn man arrested following drunken assault at function hall" - Ok, except he wasn't allowed to gain entry. He wasn't inside the hall. The event went on inside peaceably (I was there and had no idea what happened outside).

Wrong, oppositely wrong - The Item says it was an under 21 event. It was an over 21 event, which is why the 27 year old was asked to show his ID by the bouncer, a key event in the story.

It was the benefit show I wrote about below, a very positive thing for the City.

I'm not mad at the Item for publishing the story. I'm mad at the Item for distorting what happened that night, the glaring omission that it was a benefit for the family of a man killed by a drunk driver (but I guess they wouldn't want to write that story), and for needlessly besmirching St. Michael's Hall with sloppy reporting when the crowd inside was one of the best I've seen at a show of its size.

It seems to me the bouncers did a good job protecting us inside by finding a way to prevent a deranged and violent individual from attending. It seems, but I don't know, because I read it in the Item and I can't be sure it's correct.

Mountain Goats - Best Ever Death Metal Band out of Denton

Trivia at Turbine

2011-02-22T11:38:00.000-05:00

Trivia and Karaoke. It's seems like they're every other bar's go to events on slow nights, even Friday nights.

No Karaoke at Turbine, but there's team trivia every Wednesday. I'm writing about it because it's not your average canned trivia by Stump or Quizo. Each week features a new host, usually someone from the neighborhood. The questions are unique, and so far at least, keep sports to a minimum allowing me a fair chance at winning.

It's a great way to get through hump day, and when you work with kids for a living as I do, a way to maintain sanity by talking to adults for a while.

This Wednesday, February 23rd, is my turn to host again.

Categories will be 20th Century Music, Name that Tune, and Mixed Bag. I promise not to make it too difficult. :)

56 Central Sq., Lynn, MA. 8-ish start time.

Went to a great benefit show for Rover

2011-02-21T14:47:00.000-05:00

Unearth
Thy Will Be Done
No Choice
Screams of Erida
Gasket
As They Look to the Sky

A crowd that could have easily exceeded 300 (I'm terrible at these sorts of guesstimates) assembled at St. Michael's Hall February 19th to remember Chris “Rover” Rybicki, Unearth's first basist, who tragically died from his injuries after being hit by a drunk driver while on his scooter.

I'm not into this kind of metal, but a photographer friend and neighbor was shooting a couple of the bands and I was itching for a live show. Besides, no one could argue with the cause. Proceeds from the show went to Rover's family.

I left impressed.

This wasn't just a benefit show. It was like a reunion. Much to my surprise, I saw people I hadn't seen in years, from when I used to attend shows more frequently. There were also faces familiar to me, though older now, that I vaguely knew but wasn't sure if I had ever spoken to. They were just faces I would see at local shows. It was somewhat comforting, since this particular show was a strain of metal I wasn't well acquainted with.

It was great to have nationally touring acts, and in Unearths' case, an internationally touring act, come to Lynn and draw a crowd from far and wide for a cause that's good. And all the bands were good, too, with incredible energy and professionalism one rarely sees in a local hall.

I hope this show becomes an annual event. I hope we have more shows of this caliber in Lynn.

Unearth from a show in 2008

60's Soul, Ska, and British Invasion Mod Dance Party at Turbine Friday

2011-02-06T20:08:00.000-05:00


Click to enlarge

Prince Buster!

Otis Redding with Eric Burdon & Chris Farlowe on Ready Steady Go, 1966!

A fashion tip?

...more helpful videos to be posted throughout the week.

Meanwhile, in France

2011-02-04T18:15:00.000-05:00

A Snow Day's Take on Music, Marketing and Snobbery (I think)

2011-02-02T14:52:00.001-05:00

First, I'm excited to announce that I'll be back at Turbine on Friday, February 11th.

Same music, different name.

"Turbine-a-Go Go" is a bit much to say, I'll admit. I'd like something short.

The last one was well attended and an absolute blast. Yet, I hear some people were hesitant to go because they weren't sure what it was. On the official poster, I had a brief description. It was pretty fine print, though. And "Mod," what's that?

I'm still trying to come up with a name that evokes the right things but is more accessible. All the good ones seem taken, and I'm trying to keep it to a word or two. The idea is not to scare away an audience that would love the music but would be turned off by a word, "Mod" only because they're not familiar with it. I would like it to be inclusive, and if any self-proclaimed mods out there disagree, they can have their exclusive club elsewhere. I love it for the music.

I don't know how I feel about people who would be turned off by something unfamiliar, though. That happens, but my personality is the opposite. I need help understanding, because when I'm stumped by something, I'm immediately driven to find out what it is. So I'll play to a wider audience, get them in there, and perhaps they'll like it. It's kind of what I do with my day job. And I always tell my students, "Know your audience." That's marketing. But wait, I'm also going to be critical of marking later in this post.

Now, I've been called a music snob before. But look at it this way, is the elitist the one accepting of a wide array of musical styles around the world, even including "outsider" musicians, bands who never made it and artists spanning centuries, or the one who limits their experience to a narrow selection of pop stars and doesn't bother to access the 98.44% of other music easy to find online these days? Is the music snob the one who says, "Hey, you should check out this rare track," enthusiastically offering to share in the find, or the one who says, "Nobody listens to this" and returns to a track they've heard a dozen times a week? I argue that the snob is one who limits rather than expands their exposure to something.

Why do I care? I've been personally marginalized by pop music snobs. In middle school, not understanding at all what I was listening to, it was assumed to be "older" music and I was nick named "Light FM." I'm not sure the Ramones would have taken kindly to their music described that way..actually, they probably would have found it funny. My high school years were an improvement, and I found people to enjoy a wider range of things with, musically and otherwise.

But now in my 30's, at a time when this should be all behind me, I'm sensitive to a kind of backlash that began when mass marketers clued in on and defined a "Hipster" culture. Unfortunately for people who love music, they largely defined it around the concept of "Listening to some band you've never heard of," (though that band can probably pack an arena.) And the fashion? Hey, I haven't grown a beard (mostly) and I've never worn a trucker's cap. I don't fit the marketing-defined mold and I'm about ten years too late, yet if I dare mention unfamiliar artists in a conversation about music, there's a pretty good chance it'll be taken as a condemnation of liking Lady Gaga, because that's how culture is sold.

I don't care one way or another if you like any pop star. A suggestion to check out new music is not an attack on whatever you currently like. But, this kind of defensive posture is probably a backlash against the results of ad agencies taking off-the-beaten-path youth cultures and assigning them a particular look and attitude, packaging them up neatly, and selling them to teens with disposable income at the mall. It's not real. And with "Hipster" marketing, it's not too flattering.

True, passionate, music aficionados are just trying to share what they love. Just don't say, "Nobody wants to listen to.." because, apparently, some people do. And they might like a bar or club to hear music they enjoy just as much as you do.

A once popular and relevant song:

The Clampdown: A rocker speaks out about censorship in Cuba. AAH's Saturday in DTL highlights what's good in Cuba.

2011-01-21T12:13:00.001-05:00

"That's something the government has taken from us; It's very difficult to play."

Communist regimes have had a nasty habit of censoring the arts. In this video, "Cuban Punk Rocker Gorki Aguila on Music, Life and Getting Led Zeppelin Records in Cuba," Gorki Aguila talks openly about conditions for arts that don't necessary follow party lines, and a police raid while they were recording. Yet, Cuban artists soldier on, because art is simply a part of what it means to be human.

Saturday night, Arts After Hours will present Sights and Sounds of Cuba. Come dance to Downbeat Magazine's 2008 Latin Jazz band of the year, La Timbisitica, accompanied by dance demos from Lynn's Divinity Dance Studios. Eat Cuban food from Fernando's. Drink beer and wine. View photographs from Cuba taken by artist Gretjen Helene and more. Opening artists reception at TLGUTS is 5-7pm, and AAH begins 7pm and runs 'till 9pm ($8 at the door), then we'll all head over to Turbine in Central Square for the official after party. And we'll do it all without fear of arrest or the confines of state censors.

More on http://artsafterhours.com.

Turbine-A-Go Go, Friday, January 14th in Central Square

2011-01-08T15:01:00.000-05:00

No cover | 21+

Creative or mod attire is encouraged, but not required.

DJ Seth will buy the first five, if any, to arrive by scooter, a beer. (because it's winter)

...not sure about Northern Soul? Link to wiki

...not sure about period Ska? Check Blue Beat

Are you a mod or a rocker?

2011-01-05T23:12:00.000-05:00

Big mod event coming to DTL very soon. Details will follow.

In case you need a primer - MOD and MOD REVIVAL

Some fashion and music related videos:

Album Art's Not Dead!

2010-12-24T12:10:00.001-05:00

Thanks to being a fan of the band Maserati on FB, I caught a link to Seattle based Redefine Magazine's list of "90 Notable Album Covers, 2010, i."

With so many, I'm a little disappointed that Teenage Fanclub's Shadows is in the runners-up, but it could be a bias I have towards the band.

Maserati made #70 with the album Pyramid of the Sun. Post-rockers rejoice.

Illustration and design by Adam Fuchs, www.lilfuchs.com

I can't say I agree with all of their choices, but some are stellar. They're also clearly in the 12" vinyl format. These are not CD labels, which is another plus. And it makes me want to buy records. I'm going to give some credit where it's due for an apparent album-art renaissance - Apple. Thanks to enticing displays of album art on iPods and within iTunes, the artwork continues to matter. Now, only if they could bring back liner-notes and fold-outs... I also have to give credit to youtube, for becoming just as much a place for music as it is for sneaky marketing and displays of human stupidity.

We Got the System to Fight the System by Maserati

A little direction

2010-12-17T17:48:00.001-05:00

It's hard to place this blog. It's the lesser-known to my LynnHappens, sometimes an outlet when my opinions fall outside the lines of what LH is for.

But, it's more personal, and so its scope is going to widen. I'm already using it as my personal link collecting site for music blogs, first amendment and open government blogs, and links to projects by friends. I check here often. It's a convenient way to see what Lynn blogs have recent posts. They appear on top.

In the new year, there will be more of those things, mixed in with the Lynn posts, that will hopefully make Living in Lynn a useful place to go for others, as well. No grand projects or in-depth interviews - I'll save those for LH, but just a little soapbox that's completely my own.

Thanks for reading and enjoy the holidays,
Seth

I've been to shows at Maxwells perhaps more than any other venue, even after moving to New England. Here's a couple of recent clips:

Elysian Charter School Chorus cover Yo La Tengo at Maxwell's in Hoboken NJ. Hannukah night 3. Dec 3, 2010.

Orig. video for Sugarcube by Yo La Tengo

City Council Video up by late afternoon

2010-12-01T08:23:00.000-05:00

LynnHappens.com readers:

I've never promised a City Council or other video in less than 48 hours, but lately I've had them up by the next morning. Most people are used to that speed, by now.

However, last night's video will post by around 4pm today. I'm at the mercy of the upload speed of my home internet connection, and by how late I sleep in the following morning past my alarm if the video has to upload overnight. I did make it to work on time, at least.

Thanks for your patience!

-Seth

Artist: Video Production I
Song: The sound of quiz taking (remarkably silent)

Will Entercom buy 'FNX?

2010-11-27T15:46:00.001-05:00

Does it even matter if they do?

The possibility was recently brought to my attention by a Boston Radio email list I subscribed to, but very rarely participate in. It's just my little way of keeping my radio-geek foot in the door. But the story originated, as far as I can tell, in the Weekly Dig. Just scroll down to the paragraph that appropriately begins with, "NEVER-ENDING-BLATHER."

If they keep their on-air studios in 25 Exchange Street in DTL, The LynnArts complex may find themselves with a more financially well-off tenant. If they move out of LynnArts, I hope they can find another way to earn income from the space. I'm not sure if artists can pay what Phoenix Media does, whatever that amount may be.

The rumors have a lot to do with sports talk, one of the few things keeping radio alive, and swapping with "Mike FM." I don't listen to sports talk or Mike FM, so I'm not sure if I should care. And I haven't listened to WFNX since my first couple of years in New England, before grunge took over. And I gave up completely when Leftover Lunch started playing those same grunge bands. I'm talking about corporate rock-style grunge, however.

Does it really matter? Before we get to the vastness of online options, let's focus on radio. The saviours of the Boston radio dial have always been and continue to be college stations, such as WMBR, WZBC, WHRB's overnight programming, and WERS to an extent, though the latter more restrained in its programming as it trains future industry professionals. I should add that I was on WERS for about three years, mostly in news and public affairs. I've also had shows on Radio Free Allston, Allston-Brighton Free Radio, Cambridge Free Radio, and produced/board op'd on a syndicated call-in show, my only foray into commercial radio.

Radio got me into television and into teaching television, which I do now. It still matters to me, but only insofar as it continues to offer up new and innovative content and break new bands. And for that, corporate radio, even from small corporations like Phoenix Media, is completely useless.

I'm not sure that matters, any more. Few of my high school students, a most coveted demographic for advertisers, even care about radio. Their ipod playlists consist of more than a top-40 list of songs, more than one genre, aren't censored, and they have the gratification of fulfilling their own requests, instantly.

But in corporate radio-land, playing-it-safe turned into playing-it-stale. It's nothing than a complete failure to adapt. And what could have been a successful reinvention, such as MikeFM, decided to go the easy route and target the 30+ cubicle farm demo that remembers, even if faintly, when radio mattered. If you're going to make a last stand, how about content that attracts new listeners? Simply, radio stopped being cool.

And those of us who do remember FM radio's grand-old-days know that what made Boston stations different than Detroit, New York or LA stations were the local personalities, local nuances in playlists and the fact that they spoke with a voice that said "Boston" in so many ways, even if they didn't drop their R's. But nowadays, listening to a corporate music station in Boston is the same as listening to one in Dallas. Only the weather and traffic are different. One may as well subscribe to satellite radio because at least the playlists are larger.

So, I guess I just don't care what format WFNX changes into, because I'll have no interest in it, anyway. I just hope that LynnArts isn't somehow hurt along the way.

And I don't know about you, but I'm going to stick with college radio and the internet to expand my musical horizons. As for the rest of my mid-thirties demo, I couldn't say.. but my advice to them is let go of your old stale radio habits and you'll see there's a great big world out there in listener-land.

Radio Station: WFMU (listening on the web to this independent free-form NJ station)
Show: The Cherry Blossom Clinic with Terre T

An Urgent Note from The Food Project

2010-10-26T17:22:00.000-04:00

I came across this note on FB:

Dear Friends,

This Thursday, the Lynn School Committee will vote on whether or not to renew The Food Project's lease at Ingalls Elementary School. This may come as a surprise based on the many benefits our work contributes to our community, but a very small yet very vocal group of individuals are doing their best to use this vote to shut down the farm.

I can not stress enough how important this vote is to The Food Project here in Lynn. The Ingalls Farm is the cornerstone of our North Shore programs, and without it the future of The Food Project in Lynn will be placed in jeopardy.

What you can do to help:
Come show your support. The School Committee is meeting this Thursday (October 28) at 5:30 p.m. at the Tiger’s Den (first floor of the LVTI Annex), 90 Commercial Street Lynn, MA.
Contact the Lynn School Committee. Call 781-593-1680 or email larrobinot@lynnschools.org. Let the School Committee know that you support the farm at Ingalls School. For more information on what's at stake, see below.
Let us know what you've done! If you could send me just a sentence letting us know if you plan to come on Thursday and about your communication with the School Committee, that will keep us in the loop.
Forward this email. Let your friends know that The Food Project needs your help today!

Click here to see an NECN news story on our work at Ingalls. This brief clip shows the many ways that The Food Project impacts the school and the communities it servers ---> http://www.necn.com/pages/landing?blockID=330077

Thank you!!!!

Sincerely,

- J. Harrison

James Harrison
Director of North Shore Region
The Food Project
120 Munroe St.
Lynn, MA 01901
978-290-9376

What's at stake?

- A place to learn for Ingalls students. The Ingalls Farm is a standards-based, outdoor science classroom for every 3rd, 4th, and 5th grader at the Ingalls School. Through their time on the land these students are able to see the science lessons from their classrooms in action, learning about biology, ecology, and earth science. It is also an opportunity to learn more about growing and eating fresh, healthy food.

- Local healthy food for local people. From customers at the Central Square Farmers' Market to residents at LHAND's housing projects, from our CSA members to clients at My Brother's Table, the food produced on this land means so much to so many people. This season we are closing in on 30,000 pounds of fresh, healthy locally grown food for our community.

- Summer jobs for teenagers. Each summer, we employ 45 teenagers to work at The Food Project, and 25 of them stay on with us through the school year. These young people work hard, learn valuable job and public speaking skills, and become valued assets to their community, all while earning a paycheck.

- A place to grow. There are more than 25 community gardeners growing on the land at Ingalls. These are neighbors and other community members for whom the land is a place they connect with their community, learn from their neighbors, and grow their own food.

Those of us who live in DTL have witnessed their work first-hand. I may not have both sides of the story, but it seems awfully short-sighted to kick out a program that provides such an enriching experience for students and neighbors.

Artist: XTC
Song: Respectable Street (video)

Wait, did this really happen!?

2010-09-29T19:53:00.002-04:00

I'm usually neutral on Lynn Happens. If anything, I'm pro-arts and pro-nightlife over there. I reserve most of my opinions for this blog. Last night's City Council meeting pushed one of my buttons, so here I go.

An amendment was added to an over-reaching adult entertainment ordinance in order to quell some fears artists and area residents such as myself had about some of the over-reaching parts of the ordinance inadvertently impacting the arts. Just to zone them out of existence and deny them alcohol licenses would have been sufficient, but it took things a bit too far. In an attempt to compromise, an amendment was proposed that any artistic expression that crosses some sort of line, wherever that is, can apply for a permit for a fee of $175.

More on that later, but first, a little about where I'm coming from:

I've had adverse reactions to ordinances in the past. I reacted so strongly, when I first came to Lynn, on the Sign Ordinance, that even though I do not own a business with frontage for a sign, I saw it as stifling creative expression and was immediately moved speak up, setup a blog, and connect with City Hall. (I also did not want my new neighborhood to look bland.)

The old motto of my alma mater Emerson is "Expression Necessary to Evolution." I believe in it, whether it's expressing one's needs and wants on the most base level, or the highest forms of human artistic expression. (My degree from there is in Speech Communication.

And so there's a common thread in most of the issues I've expressed strong opinions on. That's because I've spent a good part of my life and career on the tools and techniques of self-expression, from interpersonal communication to mass communication. I have trained everyone from elementary aged children to elderly WWII veterans in radio and television broadcasting. I had an elderly woman who couldn't program the clock on her VCR producing and board-op'ing her own radio show within days. Well, that's actually easier than programing a VCR clock, but I digress.

I consider myself a mostly moderate person, guided by reason. Yet, when it comes to the First Amendment and freedom of expression, I turn into an absolutist. I personally feel closed in, almost like an animal fighting to get out of a cage, when I hear about restrictions on human expression. But from a rational point of view, we simply don't require permission for works artistic expression that some one or some committee might deem offensive in this country. It is not the American way. This is not a post Soviet republic, theocracy, or third world country. I imagine the ACLU would have a field day with this new ordinance, if it were ever enforced.

And that brings me to the next point I want to make. I don't believe that it will be enforced. Yet being fairly confident of that, I'm still not relieved. Just having it on the books makes my blood boil. Our city should not have un-enforceable, un-constitutional laws on its books. Our city council should be above passing ordinances in vein to quiet imaginary outrage from an alarmist story in the Item. Besides, there are good parts of the ordinance that will do enough to prevent strip clubs and adult book stores from opening. It it was not necessary to take it any further.

And if the permitting process for artists were followed, who gets to decide? Is it the License Commission? Do they know what art is? What if it's a new play without the established history of Hair or Equus? What if it's photos or paintings of nudes by new artists? Lynn galleries aren't going to hang Rembrandt or Michelangelo, at least in the near future. I fear new works are in greater danger of not being understood and approved of. And the $175 fee? They'd have to waive it nearly every time, so why impose one in the first place?

Also, if it came down to it, who would be in charge of deciding which books are considered art and which are adult? Who is qualified? Who or what body will be the official City of Lynn Censor? We finally have a book store back in this city and it'd be nice if we can keep it. And it happens to focus heavily on art books, and is within our arts district.

In other words, it's not enforceable. It shouldn't be there. It's embarrassing that our city is generating was is essentially a new "Blue law." And should we find ourselves with a different council and different leadership in the future, let's not leave it on the books for them to try to abuse.

Artist: Jonathan Richman & The Modern Lovers (wiki)
Song: Pablo Picasso (video)

LynnHappens.com evolves new features

2010-09-23T22:25:00.000-04:00

But don't worry, more will be done here on LivinginLynn.com, as well.

In the meantime, if you haven't seen LynnHappens.com lately, take a look. With the cooperation of the city, I've added a public notices page, which will be updated as often as they send me new stuff. Not everyone sees the print edition of the paper, so this provides another place to check up on the Planning Board, License Commission and so forth.

And in cooperation with the North Shore Bloggers Consortium, LynnHappens is giving you the Weekend rundown every Wednesday, and at the bottom of each post, links to weekend picks from other North Shore blogs. Even today's test run helped draw more traffic.

That's all for now. I still have a Friday night at Gulu and a big Saturday in Lynn to prepare for. I'll be joining up with DowntownLynn.com for a live blogcast of the Meet Me Downtown Festival of the Arts, followed by DJ'ing the official afterparty at Turbine.

Artist: Cults
Song: Oh My God

Public Safety Meeting with DTLna, Wednesday

2010-09-10T12:51:00.000-04:00

Here's the link to the official Downtown Lynn Neighborhood Association website with all the info on location and time. Go there!

At DTLna, we're working hard to establish open dialogs with all aspects of civic life, City Government, State Government, perhaps Federal at some point in the future.. and this meeting with the Lynn Police Department is open to everyone and held in the Police Station Community Room on Wednesday, September 15th at 7pm.

To make the best use of their (and our) time, you can forward any concerns, issues, ideas or questions to DTLna VP Soraya and she'll pass them on so that they'll be prepared to address them on Wednesday. It's not too late to get your concerns in, so send them to sorayare at aol dot com. (You know what to do with the "at" and "dot." I just don't want her to end up on spam lists.)

___

On the day prior, Tuesday the 14th, don't forget to vote in the primary and then head on over to North Shore Community College, Room T105, at 7:15 for a followup meeting on MBTA Commuter Rail station safety with Lt. Commander Lenehan. More details on DTLna.org as well, including more details on how to find the location.

Artist: Talulah Gosh
Song: Just a Dream

And now for a musical interlude...

2010-09-03T11:55:00.000-04:00

This one comes from the EBM/Industrial outfit Front 242. From the wiki: "Front 242 was created in 1981 in Aarschot, near Brussels, Belgium, by Daniel Bressanutti and Dirk Bergen, who wanted to create music and graphic design using emerging electronic tools."

This track may seem primitive compared against their later and better known work, but I stumbled on it today while looking for something else (of course), and it reminds me of our emerging "Art and Strategy" here in Downtown Lynn, where we're using new tools and writing our own rules as we build a community.

(I bet you did the robot when no one was looking...)

School Committee Budget Hearing and meeting videos

2010-09-01T08:08:00.000-04:00

Hey folks, the videos from last night's meetings will post on LynnHappens later today. Around 4pm is looking likely.

Artist: Ineffective A/C unit in a public building
Song: Futile Efforts of the Loud Fan

Dear builders of apartments and condos,

2010-08-28T01:45:00.001-04:00

Do you want your buyers and renters to like you and say good things about you? It seems as though many of you, contractors, builders, landlords and so forth, do not care if your customers are happy.

Then there's Mayo Group - they're just beyond explanation, anyway.

A little extra thought and investment into sound dampening between condos and apartments would go along way towards making happier customers and happier communities.

It's just an idea, as I sit here listening to every little sound emitted by my next door neighbors, through walls so transparent to sound I have to check now and again to see if they're still there, dividing our domiciles.

I want to be able to stay here. I like the sounds of the street outside. I like the sounds of the train. I love this community. However, I can not live with this wall. Not even the existing fiberglass insulation prevents it from reverberating, seemingly amplifying some frequencies even, from next door.

I can not afford to rebuild this wall, move, or take on the already embattled developer and landlord of the unit next door. They already broke two agreements that would have at least mostly corrected the situation.

I can not sleep with earplugs. I've tried that several times.

A fan is not loud enough to drown it out.

A recording of white noise or pink noise keeps me up just as well.

Options? Not really. I suppose I could go deeper into debt and have professionals come in. I wonder if this product works? It's too bad I'd have to rip all my drywall out to do it.

So in the end, a guy who came in to Lynn and has fought hard for it, with LynnHappens, DTLna and more, just might be done in by a stupid residential wall and a criminal developer (already indicted in court) called Mayo Group/J.M. Realty Management.

Artist:...well you know what I'm hearing now.

2010-08-27T19:08:00.000-04:00

I'm using a photo I took locally for this one, but it's not the full schedule.

I'm doing a one-hour vinyl set on Sept 3rd, here:

And I'm playing the second Friday of the Friday Night Spins series on September 10th. The Gulu-flavored set is different from the Turbine-flavored set, so one could go to both and experience something different each night!

This post is not in chronological order.

Artist: Catherine Wheel
Song: Black Metallic

Coming up...

2010-08-16T14:25:00.000-04:00

This Tuesday, the Downtown Lynn Neighborhood Association will meet with Jamie Marsh from Community Development in City Hall, 3rd Floor, at 7:30pm. We'll chat for a while and then go as a group to check out the telescope in High Rock Tower!

Friday, August 20th, DJ Seth returns to Turbine with "Rarities and guilty pleasures." 9pm.

Saturday, 11am - 5pm is Culturefest II, "A world without borders" on Munroe Street. Bands. Food. Activities for kids. Tables representing various businesses and organizations. More. (and I'll have a DJ set there as well, representing "Rock culture")

Something tells me there was more, so if you have something, send it in. I'm focusing on events in DTL. For more events, check out my other site, lynnhappens.com

Artist: Brian Eno
Song: On Some Faraway Beach

I'm back at Turbine tomorrow night!

2010-08-13T18:16:00.001-04:00

...as DJ Seth

A fancy graphic may have to wait, but I want to let everyone know that starting 9pm, Saturday, August 14th. I'll be selecting choice tunes at Turbine, located at 56 Central Square, Lynn, MA.

Artist: Department S
Song: Is Vic There? (Italian version)

Meet State Senator McGee with DTLna tonight!

2010-08-09T15:36:00.002-04:00

This is a reminder, and a cross post (please excuse), that there's a DTLna meeting at the Lynn Police Station Community Room, 7:30pm, for a conversation with State Senator Thomas M. McGee.

We hope to discuss matters at the state level that effect us in Downtown Lynn. Of particular interest to us, may be his membership in the Transportation and
Federal Stimulus Oversight legislative committees.

Artist: The Pains of Being Pure at Heart
Song: Everything With You

I'm playing tunes at Turbine this Saturday, 8/7

2010-08-06T14:07:00.000-04:00

Stop in and say 'Hi'. I'm DJ'ing at Turbine Wine Bar, 56 Central Square.

Hang out with friends and neighbors and enjoy some wine, beer, food and an assortment of tunes.

The modified photo in this image is of my rusty window-sill, taken just before I moved in, hoping Mayo would do something with it. At least I did something with it..

Artist: Camera Obscura
Song: The Sweetest Thing

Timing is everything? Cities should use economic downturns to plan ahead and embrace change

2010-08-05T13:47:00.003-04:00

Read this article in the Globe, then read this one in the Item and come back and read the rest of this post.

We can get a little sore downtown, hearing so often about how well Salem is doing vs. Lynn, even though Salem as a few advantages that made their resurgence easier (thanks Nathaniel Hawthorne, Arthur Miller), but I'm glad the article was written. It's a dose of bitter medicine Lynn needs to get better. Thanks, Steven Rosenberg. In all seriousness, you have done your city a great service.

For those newer to Lynn who haven't spent more than a reasonable about of time trying to figure out why the city is in the shape it is, Rosenberg brings to light some of those reasons. One of the most important ones is the differences in city leadership.

While Salem was adhering to its plans for the future, Lynn's leaders were stuck in a fading industrial past, refusing to let go of the world they've known. I believe this was a big contributor to our city government's insular behavior. From what I can tell, it was more of a defensive and possibly xenophobic posture than outright corruption, so-called hired hacks, nepotism and shady deals. At least I hope I'm right in the assessment. But it can certainly have a bad appearance from the outside, and we're lucky what happened to Chelsea in 1991, when it was placed into state receivership and city officials went to jail, didn't and likely will never happen here.

Correct me if this isn't how it went down, but when Lynn cut itself off from its waterfront resources with power lines, a treatment plant and big box stores, it was still thinking like an industrial city, where that kind of development fits in. Leaders here weren't thinking about ocean views, a boardwalk and a place people would want to live, eat and play. They were thinking about honest blue-collar jobs in Lynn, ignoring the fact that we're within a stone's throw from Boston, and even all of the route 128 office parks. I'm glad they're still here and hope they remain, but how much longer can we cling to papa GE?

Meanwhile, whether the outlying suburban malls and movie multi-plexes were to blame or not, downtown lost its mojo. It wasn't the only one. Most post-industrial satellite cities suffered the same fate, with legitimate businesses falling to national chain stores popping up in the more fashionable (at the time) suburbs. These were often replaced in our nation's downtowns, as Lynn knows all too well, with the illegitimate businesses of prostitution and drugs.

The difference between Lynn and Salem has more to do with how leaders handled the situation and laid the groundwork so that a re-invention and resurgence would be possible down the road.

And that's often been Lynn's mistake. As Rosenberg points out, Lynn designated a downtown cyber-district in 2000. Never mind the bubble bursting soon after, by that time, it was already an outdated concept. They needed to be ready to jump on that wagon by 1996, at least.

And you also can't put condos before artists. Though I'm a beneficiary of the condo development, most artists can't afford one. To attract more artists and build a scene around LynnArts, and to be able to have street-facing galleries, rent has to be cheap.

It may come as a surprise to some that it actually isn't that affordable here. The city basically rolled out the carpet to one downtown developer without checking up on them properly, and now they sit on dilapidated storefronts with their terrible reputation asking way too much in rent. (It isn't smart business for Mayo, but that's how they roll.) Artists need to be able to live, work, play and show their art here.

When a scene develops around young people with music and art, others will feel safe here and the development we're looking for will occur almost organically, good or bad economy.

But getting back to real estate, let's take a look at the Item article referenced above. It's only the latest in a string of articles discussing the possible taking of the old Hawthorne's by eminent domain. The idea of a government being able to come in and take your property when your taxes are all up to date, and when it doesn't involve some kind of redevelopment for public use such as a road, gives me the willies. On the other hand, it's almost criminal what the family is doing to stunt growth downtown by letting their property rot. They don't lack the funds to do something with it, either. We need to shame them, boycott their other restaurants, and perhaps find an office of theirs to make ourselves a nuisance in front of.

Getting back to the Item article, the five year plan EDIC wants to draw out is a good idea. But, we've had other plans that were good ideas, and the city has more or less ignored them. It's time to get a good plan and stick with it, so that we as a city are poised well enough in advance for the next economic upturn.

The city also must open its arms to more people from the outside. I'm not talking about our general population or saying that people here aren't welcoming. This is the most welcoming place I've ever known in New England. I'm talking about residency requirements. We need to be able to hire city workers from anywhere. A still pond becomes stagnant and chokes. One with recirculating water stays fresh (just ask the good folks by Goldfish pond). Furthermore, with entire city departments living in Lynn, they and their friends become powerful political forces who vote for their bosses, causing our elected officials to bend to the wills of their department heads (some have bucked the trend recently--Cahill).

The city must also, on an official level, embrace its diversity. I give Mayor Kennedy credit for all of her attempts so far and hope the trend continues.

The city must, even if they don't understand it, allow artists to live and breathe freely here. Let's make it easier to open and run live original music venues and art galleries. Combining both works very well, too, such as AS220 in Providence. How can we do that? Perhaps, some creative incentives for landlords who rent to creative people would be a place to start. But also, LynnArts needs to step up its game a little. I understand funding is short, but how about getting a little more daring with art and performance? And with the Meet Me Downtown Festival of the Arts, let's make it more about art and less about cheap plastic trinkets, balloons, cover bands and corporate schlock. That's what I call "Lowest Common Denominator programming" and Lynners are too smart for that. We need to reach out to more artists for that, too. One of Lynn's most famous talents, who was born and raised here, recently told me about LynnArts, "I was treated like a homeless person there." This guy is famous in his circle on a national level and certainly isn't homeless or crazy, and nothing about him even gives off that impression. It made me sick to hear it. And if that's airing our dirty laundry, so be it. It's a way forward.

We also need to bring more young people downtown. If that's not a part of the plan, we've got the wrong plan. When I first moved here I was, in fact, comforted by the sound of skateboarders out in Central Square. Where did they go? I haven't seen or heard them in about a year. How about some of our street fairs festivals target their demographic a little more? Hodgepodge Music Fest, recently held in Lynn Woods, is a fine example. But, I love the fact that it was in Lynn Woods. Maybe we can dream up something else for teens and young adults here in DTL...actually, no, we shouldn't. What's great about Hodgepodge is that it came from the kids. We just need to make it possible for them to make it happen, here.

And what am I doing? I don't think it's right to complain without making oneself part of the solution:

dtlna.org
lynnhappens.com
working with other Lynners on artsafterhours.com

and helping Juan from Fernando's with his fun Culturefests - next one on Aug 21st!

Artist: Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers
Song: Roadrunner

If you live in DTL and haven't joined DTLna...

2010-08-02T23:51:00.000-04:00

..you should!!

The Lynn Experiment and another dedicated volunteer hand-delivered a great one-pager full of useful information for downtown residents, including the link for the Downtown Lynn Neighborhood Association. To join, simply go to the site and drop a note under "Contact or Join" on the left side. That's all you have to do! If you already receive emails from me about meetings and events, you're already a member (I'm Seth).

Another way to keep up on what's going on is to check the blogs and check often. Most of us link to each other in our sidebars. Just scan the sidebar to your right and you'll see the latest updates on top.

It may be posted in many places, but we'd like to maximize exposure for those of you who don't read all of us (though you should!):

DTL Overview

Artist: The King Khan and BBQ Show
Song: What's for Dinner?

On switching to FIOS...(cont.)

2010-07-30T13:34:00.000-04:00

Off the phone at 1:23pm

When I finally reached a tech, he was nice, knowledgeable and didn't make any promises he wasn't sure he could deliver. He looked into the ONT Box and says it's a newer GPON unit capable of handling higher speeds but that he can't be really sure from his vantage point what's going on. I said I'd upgrade to a higher tier right now if I knew it would work, but he couldn't be sure, given the problems we're experiencing now in the building, so we left it at that. If my neighbor can get his higher tier service working, then I'll go for it as well.

Otherwise, all I did in the Comcast (sorry, XFINITY NOW) to FIOS migration was trade one set of annoyances for another.

Artist: Boards of Canada
Song: Smallest Weird Number

On switching to FIOS...(on hold)

2010-07-30T12:53:00.002-04:00

As I write this, I'm on hold with the Verizon toll free service number my install tech left for me. I also left a message with some guy in Danvers he told me to call if there's a problem.

Those familiar with my other site, LynnHappens, know I sometimes upload council meetings longer than your average feature length film. I had been having problems with Comcast's upload speeds sometimes slowing down to below dial-up speeds, so when FIOS recently became available in my building, I figured I'd give it a go.

When Comcast's broadband was working as advertised, it was actually faster than FIOS's lowest tier service. The problem was that it fluctuated wildly and their service techs were unable to identify a problem. I'd never know if it would take me all night to upload that council meeting, or just an hour or so. And lately, it was just crawling.

Thanks to neighbors trying it first, I didn't have a street full of trucks and a small Verizon Army working on my install. My tech just had to connect a thing or two in the basement, swap out my set top boxes and modem and I was good to go.

At first, it seemed faster. But what I mistook for speed ended up being predictability. The wild fluctuations were gone, but it was not faster overall.

On-Hold-Update: After 25 minutes a voice came on the speakerphone. She said she couldn't pull up my account and asked where I was calling from. "This is Texas, that's why I can't help you. I'm going to have to transfer you." Me, "I don't know how I got to Texas.." Her: "I'm sorry, please hold on.."

More hold music..

So I'm calling Verizon because their FIOS branded broadband is not working as fast as advertised. There are two fair solutions.

1. Charge me a lower rate for a lower service.
2. Improve the service.

At this point, with at least having greater predictability of speed, I'll take either option. I will, however, not accept the status quo.

In other words, if I order a dozen donuts, don't give me six and tell me I have to pay the same price.

A neighbor of mine is even paying for a higher speed FIOS option, 35/35 mbps, but only getting the same speed that I am. Hopefully he'll also blog about it or chime in with his experiences. I'm blogging because you shouldn't sell what you can't deliver, if that's the case. I have heard the "box in the basement" isn't very capable, and if that's true, they ought to swap it out for something better or just give up on providing us any kind of service.

And on the TV side of things, it's a bit of a wash. In a nearly identical package, I lost some and gained some channels, and the picture is pretty much the same. If I want to be really picky, it's ever-so-slightly worse because Verizon is using an older version Motorola set-top-box than Comcast. The newer ones have better video processing chips. Though, I hear Verizon is upgrading their boxes NEXT YEAR.

36m 42 sec still on hold

I guess I need to pick my flavor of nasty. That's just Comcastic. And I'm not sure FIOS is the way either.

41 minutes on hold and counting...

Artist: Muzak probably
Song: Annoying, whatever it is..

Where the Wild Things Are, Lynn Woods (Free movie)

2010-07-29T11:01:00.001-04:00

Artist: Raveonettes
Song: Noisy Summer

Open Soon

2010-07-27T15:27:00.000-04:00

It looks as though Tacos Lupita is opening a second location in the former Pho Lynn space, across from Fernando's on Munroe Street. If the sign is any indication, it should be a somewhat more traditional sit-down restaurant than the original fast food and take-out spot further up the street.

Artist: Verlaines
Song: Baud to Tears
(performed live in 1987)

And now for a musical interlude...

2010-07-27T12:03:00.000-04:00

FREE movie in Central Square tonight, outdoors if it's dry, inside LynnArts if it rains

2010-07-23T10:32:00.000-04:00

Bring a blanket or lawn chairs just in case there's no rain and watch this classic film outside in Central Square, next to LynnArts, in the space where the Thursday Farmer's Markets are held.

Start time is 8:30pm.

Refreshments will be served.

If the weather doesn't cooperate, the movie will play in the Neal Rantoul Vault Theater in LynnArts, 25 Exchange St.

Artist: 13th Floor Elevators
Song: Till Then

Got my blogroll back

2010-07-13T17:01:00.000-04:00

It's mostly restored. I left out some that hadn't updated in a long time and are possibly abandoned. The list was growing a bit long.

Of course, I couldn't help playing with blogger's new template manager, but have I gone too far?

In fact, I spent a good part of the day dealing with various broken things on the internet.

1. Fixed some issues with the events calednar on LynnHappens.com.

2. Working around some new host issues that were slowing down progress on the Lynn Time Bank's new site. It's sort of already functional but I don't have all the content and images, yet. Some features and designs aren't finished so the front page is a little awkward. Check lynntimebank.org.

3. My outgoing email on my primary account wasn't working unless I went through a webmail client. It still isn't working, so I can't send out a reminder about tonight's meeting. Check dtlna.org to learn what I'm talking about.

When I muck around with CSS I'm sort of like a bull in a china shop, but I've learned to save intact copies in Notepad before I go in. So far, so good, this time around.

Now, I think I'm going to "unplug" for a little while before I go to the MBTA Safety meeting at 6:30p and cover City Council for LH at 8p.

Oh yeah, almost forgot
Artist: The Centurys (great 60's garage from Pennsylvania)
Song: Hard Times
http://garagehangover.com/?q=Centurys

If you're wondering where my links have gone...

2010-07-13T11:48:00.000-04:00

...I am, also.

It may be a glitch from switching over to a proper domain. Note that you can get here simply by typing livinginlynn.com, now! Update your links if you want...but the old one still works, too.

Anyway, I added back most of the links, which took a good while because I had so darn many.

But that effort was wasted, because they were missing when I went to "View Blog" and completely gone when I went back into the widget to see just what had happened.

Not having all day to spend on this, I regret that livinginlynn may remain without links to its friends for a while. Maybe I'll get back on it tonight while I upload the latest City Council video.

Perplexed,
mediaseth

A few dates to remember

2010-07-09T12:31:00.001-04:00

Wednesday, July 14th,
100 Years of Camp Fire USA exhibit opens at the Lynn Museum

Opening night of the exhibit will be July 14, 5:30 pm and will feature a “What It’s Worth” Appraisal Night with Stuart Whitehurst, appraiser from Skinner Auctions and a favorite on the PBS series, Antiques Roadshow. Up to 50 lucky raffle winners will be invited to bring one item for verbal appraisal (sorry, no jewelry, coins, stamps or musical instruments). Details are available on the website listed below.
Raffle tickets are $25 and include admission to the museum event and appraisal program. General admission tickets for the evening are $10. Tickets may be purchased at the museum, at the Camp Fire office, 2 Cain Road in Salem, MA, or online at www.campfire-ma.org

Friday, July 23rd,

Thursday, August 12th,
Click poster for full size

Saturday, August 21st
Culture Fest II, "For A World Without Borders". on Munroe St. Details and poster forthcoming.

Friday, August 27th,
"RED BONES is returning to Lynn! August 27th from 6-10 pm... pulled pork, pulled chicken and more, with music by the Squeezebox Stompers! Tickets are onsale now at lynnarts.org! Get them now before they're gone!

There's more in between and into September, but I'm keeping it to the Summer months for this post. Also, check the calendar on lynnhappens.com for these and everything else, and if your event isn't listed, just send it along!

Artist: XTC
Song: Are you Receiving Me?

World Folk Fest Returns to Heritage State Park

2010-06-17T20:17:00.003-04:00

Click the image to enlarge.

This year's fireworks will be preceded by live music at Red Rock Park by the Friends of Lynn and Nahant Beach from 7 to 9pm, and the second World Folk Festival at Heritage State Park is 2 to 7pm.

It is my opinion that having these attractions at either end of the waterfront makes for a much better celebration. The World Folk Festival gives people a chance to sample the music of the many cultures that contributed to our country throughout its history, and the Red Rock Park concert should get you pumped for the fireworks.

Artist: Galaxy 500
Song: Fourth of July

We need more public art, fewer "tags"

2010-06-09T15:54:00.004-04:00

Last night's City Council decided to send an order out to have all utility boxes, mailboxes and so forth repainted because they've been covered by tags, a less artful sort of graffiti. They ordered utility boxes painted green in order to blend. Blend with what? The grass? Some shrubs? What they're doing is giving taggers a fresh new canvas.

Some cities have invited artists to paint these boxes. Though it may be hard to believe, most self-proclaimed graffiti artists and taggers won't cover other work. They tend to leave public art alone. Art...works.

And sometimes even when it's not government sanctioned, it's very cool.

Check this out:
The Gutter Art of Sao Paulo

Artist: Guided by Voices
Song: I am a Scientist

Out in Lynn tonight

2010-06-04T19:17:00.001-04:00

This post is not another press release! But, I have some excuses for phoning it in lately. I've been working hard at the day job, attending lots of meetings in and about the neighborhood, spending time on LynnHappens, and nodding off on my couch during the evening news. Then there are the things I'm supposed to be working on...

It's Friday night, and though I feel I'm about to pass out in front of Katie Couric again, I've put coffee on. It's just a crutch to get started before my inner night-owl can take over. It always does. The trick is to keep moving.

First, I'm heading to Red Rock to catch some of the Relay for Life event. I'm not sure which part I'll see, but I can always catch up later, because this relay runs into the light of Saturday. Corey has the details over on Downtownlynn.com, so there's no need to repeat.

Then I'm getting in the car and heading to the other side of town, where the Mirror Neurons are playing Walnut St. Cafe. I've wanted to catch a live act there for some time. I'll take in some of it, then move on to a place safely within walking distance of home.

The Willows play Turbine tonight. Check their myspace page for original tunes. I've seen a couple of acts at the wine bar, which features amazing food and quality beers (for those who aren't into wine.) Check out my coverage of Los Retros at Turbine in the last installment of DTL at Night.

I may post some kind of coverage on LH before the weekend is out.

Artist: Ramones
Song: Loudmouth

ps - Have you seen the new LH classifieds? If you really want to sell local, don't just try CL, try LH!

From MAPC (Metropolitan Area Planning Council)

2010-05-21T16:02:00.001-04:00

I know it's another press release, but I know people in Lynn who would be interested in attending. "Smart growth" to me, means extending the Blue Line.

"Speakers Discuss Recent Efforts on Smart Growth Housing Districts

Fink, Reyelt will compare strategies in Massachusetts and Connecticut

BOSTON – Join the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC) for a panel discussion called “Mixing it Up – Recent Efforts on Smart Growth Housing Districts in Massachusetts and Connecticut” on Wednesday, May 26 from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at Suffolk Law School Room 205, 120 Tremont St. in Boston.

“Mixing It Up” features speakers David Fink of HOMEConnecticut and William Reyelt of the Massachusetts Department of Housing & Community Development. The two will present information and answer questions related to smart growth zoning strategies.

With a background in urban and regional planning, Bill Reyelt has been working on housing and municipal development issues with DHCD for more than 12 years. As the Principal Planner of Smart Growth Programs, he assists cities and towns with the establishment of zoning overlay districts authorized under the Commonwealth’s “Chapter 40R” law. In addition to outreach and training on the implementation of smart growth tools and strategies, Mr. Reyelt also works directly with communities planning for and responding to mixed-income housing development.

David Fink is the Policy and Communications Director of the Partnership for Strong Communities and has testified before the U.S. Senate Banking Committee and the Connecticut General Assembly on how housing creation relates to transportation policy and community development. He is also the staff director of the HOMEConnecticut campaign, an initiative seeking solutions to the shortage of housing affordable to workers, young professionals, families and others across the state.

The panel is part of the “MetroFuture Speaker Series,” which is hosting discussions every month throughout the region. The theme of the Speaker Series is “Looking to the Past to Plan for the Future.” Join people from across Metro Boston to discuss different ways that lessons from our past can be applied to modern planning challenges.

MAPC is the regional planning agency for the 101 cities and towns of Metropolitan Boston. Created in 1963, our mission is to promote smart growth and regional collaboration across Greater Boston. “MetroFuture” is MAPC’s regional plan for making a greater Boston Region. Find out more at www.metrofuture.org.

This panel is free and open to the public, but registration is required as seating is limited. Light refreshments will be provided. RSVP to Tracy Hudak at 617-451-2770 x2018 or thudak@mapc.org.

Suffolk Law School is located directly across from the Park Street MBTA station and a short walk from both the Downtown Crossing station on the Orange Line, and the Government Center station on the Blue Line."

Artist: Northern Picture Library
Song: Paris

I hope our Mayor takes the challenge!

2010-05-06T15:59:00.002-04:00

I receive regular updates from the Massachusetts Cultural Council. I see this as an easy opportunity for Mayor Kennedy, especially if she teams up with the talented crew over at LynnCAM. Here's the info:

The MCC has launched the first ever Mayor's Arts Challenge. The Mayor's Arts Challenge will give city leaders across the Commonwealth a chance to showcase how arts and culture help make their communities better places to live, work, and visit. Massachusetts mayors are asked to submit a 2-3 minute video in which they speak to the role of the arts and culture in their community.

"The MCC has a longstanding history of providing funding and services to municipalities, nonprofits and schools. The Mayor's Arts Challenge is a wonderful opportunity for the mayors of the Commonwealth to promote the local art scene in their individual community," added Rob Dolan, Mayor of Melrose and President of the Massachusetts Mayors Association.

Participants must submit their videos to the MCC by October 1, 2010. Viewers will then vote for their favorite entry and the winner will be shown by the national advocacy group Americans for the Arts at its annual presentation at the U.S. Conference of Mayors. The MCC will also show a group of the best testimonials at the State House this January as part of the Commonwealth Awards, the state's highest honors in arts and culture.

"This friendly competition will give each of our mayors a chance to make their case to the Commonwealth and to their peers nationwide.” said Anita Walker, MCC Executive Director.
The MCC recognizes the pivotal role that arts and culture play in driving the economy and contributing to the quality of life in Massachusetts cities and towns. The nonprofit cultural sector has a $4 billion overall economic impact in the Commonwealth, supporting more than 37,000 jobs. MCC's Cultural Facilities Fund, Adams Arts Program, and Local Cultural Councils (LCC) fund projects that create jobs and income, revitalize downtowns, draw visitors, and promote community building.

Over the past 10 years the Adams Arts program has invested $7.4 million in 79 economic development efforts involving more than 650 organizations in such cities as Worcester, Pittsfield, and New Bedford. And the LCC program which serves all 351 Massachusetts cities and towns annually awards grants that support school field trips, afterschool programs, concerts, festivals, lectures, theater, dance, music, and film.

Check here for the latest MCC news.

Artist: Superchunk
Song: Blinders (fast vers. Crossed Wires 7")

Save the date now - May 29th is culturefest

2010-04-26T17:16:00.000-04:00

Spring Cleaning

2010-04-23T14:53:00.000-04:00

We often complain about litterbugs around here, but the truth is, most of Lynn really does care about being clean, which is evident in the amount of cleanups taking place this Spring.

Tomorrow, I know of at least three:
Lynn Woods Earth Fest (see flyer below)
Lynn & Nahant Beach - Meet at Ward Bathhouse, 9am (Free T-shirts)
Lynn Common - Meet across from the Boys and Girls Club, 11am (Free refreshments)

And then...
Henry Ave. Park Hoop - Celebration and Spring Cleaning on Saturday, May 1st at 11AM up at the Park.
East Lynn Community Association is pre-registering participants at their May 5th meeting at Temple Ahabat Sholom at 7:00 p.m. for...
...“Clean Sweep, a citywide cleanup on June 12 co-sponsored by the ELCA and Friends of Lynn and Nahant Beach. It will conclude with a cookout and two live bands at Red Rock Park for participants." (Thanks to Lynn-side Edition for posting this)

I need to thank the Item for something

2010-04-22T17:25:00.003-04:00

On April 21st, The Daily Item of Lynn ran "Nahant family shares meals with Web"

http://www.thedailyitemoflynn.com/articles/2010/04/21/news/news09.txt

When it first ran, I skipped over it on Itemlive. I'm more of an improvisational kind of cook. I don't get excited by recipes.

I was siting in Tatiana's Restaurant enjoying my gluten-free Greek Salad and Spanish Rice when my friend Nigel pointed the story out in the print edition. Had I known it was for a gluten free (wiki) website, you'd have seen this blog post a little sooner!

You'll notice the wiki mentions Celiac Disease. It's a major reason why so many people are forced to go on gluten free diets. Trust me, it's not some new kind of diet fad, nor should it be. The Item mentions gluten allergies and gluten intolerance, which are different. In any case, the diet that must be followed must not contain any traces of wheat, barley, rye, spelt, and for some, oats.

Your guess is as good or better than mine as to why there's an uptick in gluten intolerance and celiac. There's also been a major increase in food allergies. Maybe we should leave that sort of speculation to the supposed experts.

It's a life-changer, though. Like other Lynn bloggers, I try to promote and patronize area shops and restaurants. But now I can only frequent a few. And let me throw another wrench in that; I've been a vegetarian for almost twenty years - long enough that going back to meat is not an option.

Going into Cambridge, Somerville, Watertown and Boston opens up a wider possibility for restaurants. But I found in my travels beyond New England, more understanding and a wider variety of GF and veggie dining options. I can't begin to explain why, outside of the fact that New Englanders are more creatures of habit than people in other regions. We're a little slow to certain kinds of changes. If that's the way it always was, that's the way it should remain.

But another reason why I have a tough time in Lynn, specifically, is because our ethnic restaurants are more authentic. For most, that's a great thing! However, menu items that would be gluten free and vegetarian in a Jamaica Plain or Cambridge burrito joint actually contain pork or chicken stock and even lard here. And there's a clear lack of understanding, cultural or whatever it is, as to what is truly vegetarian. So, menu items are often mislabeled. I'll be disappointed if I accidentally ingest an animal product, but sick and in pain if I accidentally ingest gluten. It takes courage to try a new restaurant. And trust.

I need to thank the Item for helping to bring this issue to light and for the promotion of the good work Paul and Elaine Caira are doing with www.gfhomecooking.com.

I also want to publicly thank the following eateries in Lynn who have listened:

Turbine Wine Bar - Wine is gluten free by default, but they also have a gluten free beer, a flourless chocolate cake and gelato!

Tatiana's - For making an excellent Spanish Rice and Greek Salad

Capitol Diner - They take care to keep my eggs and potatoes away from bread and pancakes

Christopher's Cafe - For the Spanish Omelette sans-toast and a side of fruit

Fernando's - Juan makes a great breakfast at a great price. (I'm looking forward to the Culture Fest he's organizing)

A few special mentions for places just outside of Lynn:

Yan's China Bistro in Swampscott has a gluten-free section on their menu.

Salem Diner has gluten free bread. It's not on the menu, but ask for it as the "Pesky" bread. Yes, the sports guy.

Passage to India in Salem is a must, because unless you order nan, most Indian dishes are gluten free and many are vegetarian.

Artist: Galaxie 500
Song: Here She Comes Now (Velvet Underground cover)

Today is Record Store Day

2010-04-17T11:30:00.008-04:00

"The original idea for Record Store Day was conceived by Chris Brown, and was founded in 2007 by Eric Levin, Michael Kurtz, Carrie Colliton, Amy Dorfman, Don Van Cleave and Brian Poehner as a celebration of the unique culture surrounding over 700 independently owned record stores in the USA, and hundreds of similar stores internationally." - recordstoreday.com

Some people are surprised that I still have turntables. Counting the non-working ones, I have four. And turntables are still manufactured by hundreds, if not thousands of companies throughout the world. Records are still pressed in the United States and abroad, even of some major-scale releases. If it weren't for the fact that I'd have to hire roadies to carry the equivalent in vinyl of the amount of music I carry digitally to a DJ gig, I'd still play it out. Nothing beats it. Not CD's. Definitely not lossy ear-bleed inducing mp3's.

Science backs up the claim that vinyl is superior, even with its occasional surface noise, but I'll leave you to scour the internet for that data on your own, as I'm sure most of you would skip over this paragraph anyway. To the layperson, something should be obvious by just looking at a closeup of a digital vs. analog waveform. Or, just listen to a properly setup rig.

And when you play your records, make sure you have a proper setup. The affordable way to do this is with a good used table that's had a once-over by a qualified tech. If you have money to burn, it's all in what you want to spend. Anywhere between $300 to $24,000(no joke..) can get you a decent new table. But $300-$600 will do just fine. Then, you'll notice most home receivers, marketed more for home theater these days, lack proper "phono" inputs. Without them, you can not connect your turntable. A so-called phono pre can set you back another $100 or more if you want respectable sound. Don't settle for a cheap one. Another option is to buy a used, old integrated amp or receiver, which will likely have a decent phono pre already in it. And if you're halfway handy with Google and Bing, you won't need me to tell you where to find this stuff. Oh yeah, and good equipment doesn't come with a set of same-branded speakers. Put in a little effort, people!

So wait, what about those Ion USB turntables? The answer is that they're simply awful. Avoid them like the plague, as well as the mp3's being traded over the internet made from them. They suck at playing records. That's the problem. If you want to digitally archive your collection, you'll want a proper turntable and a proper sound card or outboard USB interface into your computer. Irresponsible fools are sending awful mp3's of rare and out of print recordings into the wild because of this mass produced trinket.

So back to Record Store Day...
I'm sad to report I don't know of any proper record store in Lynn anymore. But here's where you can spend your hard earned dollars on these aural treats:

Record Exchange
‎256 Washington Street,
Salem, MA 01970-3641
(978) 745-0777

Mystery Train‎
21 Main Street

Gloucester, MA 01930-5708

(978) 281-8911

Newbury Comics‎
240 Andover Street

Peabody, MA 01960-1537

(978) 531-9713
‎

In Your Ear Records
957 Commonwealth Ave
Boston, MA 02215
(617) 787-9755

All these stores also carry CD's, other formats and other items...
Plus, there are more, which you can add in comments if you'd like. I wanted to spotlight the ones I know of on the North Shore in addition to a personal favorite in Boston.

Record Store Day on FB

Artist: The Sea and Cake
Song: Hotel Tell

My leap into the Allcare discussion

2010-04-08T16:39:00.000-04:00

After making several comments on other posts and speaking up at Tuesday's Neighborhood Meeting, I've decided to summarize my positions in a single, easily digestible post.

Generally speaking, I'm in favor of something going in that spot.

-To obscure the parking garage eyesore
-To build up our density and close the gap from the waterfront to Market St
-To bring more employees and visitors downtown

However, I am opposed to these specifics of Allcare VNA's current plans.

Setback and scale - too far
The proposed structure is too far removed from the streetscape, making the area seem more like a suburban office park and commuter-lot than an active downtown community.

Lack of retail
I have not been convinced the current state of the economy is reason enough to omit retail spaces, that can be filled as the economy improves. I also believe they will be filled faster, because they're visible from 1A, and contrary to the beliefs of those who are clearly out of touch with the new downtown, we're already pulling in people from Swampscott and Marblehead.

Architecture - lacks creativity and vision
At the Neighborhood Meeting we were told it was designed to blend in with Eastern Bank and NSCC. If they're going to try this one as a selling point, they clearly don't know their target audience as well as they think they do. These are some of the most reviled structures in our community, looks-wise. They would fit in with an office park along the 128 belt, but they're the antithesis of the style of development called for in reviving urban centers. A good architect can do better with the same budget, I'm sure. I'll ask my architect friends about this.

That darn fence - lose it already!
It's a feature in the proposal that seems to be universally hated and meagerly defended. Can we just knock this off the plan already? I don't even get the impression Allcare really wants it. It's to keep out trash, they say, but trash will blow up against it and over it. It's not an alternative solution to regular park maintenance. It's not a nice way to say "Welcome to Lynn."

I hate to be amongst those saying "Hold on a minute" when an organization wants to invest in Lynn. I want to move forward. I want more structures. I just don't want the sort of design that's going to scare away the other progress we're making downtown with new people and new businesses. I don't want people to pass by downtown and see nothing but an office park, fences and barrier shrubs on its outward face.

And what happened to the Market St. Vision Plan, anyway? Is it filed away never to be looked upon again?

Artist: Swell Maps
Song: Big Empty Field

Last minute post.

2010-04-06T17:21:00.001-04:00

After posting this on DTLna.org and on the LH calendar as soon as it was announced, I wasn't going to crosspost further. On further thought, I have an excuse to repost because I'm also taking this opportunity to inform my readers that I will record video for those who can not make it. The videos will be posted on LH and over on DTLna.org as soon as they're ready, likely within 48 hrs. They will be un-edited. I'd rather give people an unfiltered account, and if I have to write or speak about it, I might just have to include my point of view.

A larger hearing before the entire City Council is scheduled for Tuesday, April 13th at 8:00pm.

Neighborhood Meeting on Allcare VNA Tuesday, April 6th, 6:30pm City Hall

March 31, 2010
Dear Neighbor:
Please consider this letter a formal invitation to a Neighborhood Meeting on Tuesday, April 6, 2010 at 6:30 p.m. in Room 302 at City Hall.
The purpose of this meeting is to discuss the proposed plan by All-Care VNA to construct a building on the corner of Market Street and Broad Street.
In attendance will be representatives from VNA as well as James Cowdell, Executive Director of EDIC and James Marsh, Director of Economic & Community Development to answer any and all questions. Your input, ideas and suggestions will be greatly appreciated on this matter.
Thank you and we look forward to seeing you on April 6^th.
Very truly yours,
Timothy Phelan Brendan P. Crighton
Council President Councillor Ward Five
/tcy

Come to a fundraiser I'm DJ'ing for the Boston Living Center

2010-03-31T21:58:00.000-04:00

Mod / British Invasion!!

Artist: The Jam
Song: Start!

Remember this post?

2010-03-23T15:39:00.000-04:00

Just in case you don't want to scroll down, even just a little :) http://livinginlynn.blogspot.com/2010/01/i-was-half-dreaming-this-morning-and-i.html

Well....

Now...

This has been posted around other Lynn blogs, but I had to post it myself as a followup!

Artist: Shonen Knife
Song: On Top of the World

RAW event in Boston Wednesday

2010-03-23T10:39:00.000-04:00

Check this out!

It's been posted on LynnHappens.com and on DowntownLynn.com, but I want to make sure this event gets noticed. As TLGUTS points out, there's a lot going on.

To RSVP to the event, go to http://rawartworks.eventbrite.com/

Artist: n/a
Song: n/a

Signs, again

2010-03-09T09:41:00.003-05:00

I'm prompted by an article in today's Item to revisit the draconian sign ordinance for downtown that I thought was already put to bed. (I was even present at an Ordinance Committee meeting where the restrictive black-on-gold color scheme was revisited.)

In this example of gotcha journalism, the Item calls out Council President Tim Phelan because his tenant, who just opened, has not yet hung a compliant sign. In this article, the business owner is barely a part of the conversation. I have to assume Dito's is left out of the conversation because David Liscio doesn't think they're important enough. Calling out Phelan will obviously sell more papers and rile the Itemlive commenters. But what does leaving a new business owner alone in the crossfire accomplish?

Someone who invests sweat and money in Downtown is not insignificant. I'm angry because there is not one quote from an owner of Dito's. Maybe a sign is on its way? Maybe they've laid too much cash out already, and need to catch up a little before ordering a sign? Maybe Dito's really isn't interested in complying. But how do we know? We don't hear from them in the article. If the Item tried to reach Dito's by phone and failed, it's a five minute walk from their headquarters. There's no excuse.

I'm angry because this is no way to welcome a new business to a Downtown with too many empty storefronts.

How much time does the Sign Ordinance give a new business owner to comply? It takes time to have a sign made.

How does ISD approach a business that's out of compliance? Is it in the spirit of cooperation for a common good, as it should be, or is it more of an adversarial relationship?

And lastly, I care a lot about the look of signage in my own neighborhood. I agree that a historic building should not be defaced. But, I disagree wholeheartedly with the gold-on-black standard, or with any standard that pushes uniformity for uniformity's sake. If we're to promote the arts in DTL, we need to encourage rather than stifle creativity. Uniformity is the mark of suburban sprawl. It's not the mark of a vibrant Downtown.

Artist:n/a
Song: n/a

The new upsidemedia.com

2010-02-15T00:43:00.001-05:00

I finally got around to updating my original website.

My first site was created in 1996 with Galaxy Internet Services and a url containing a "/" and a "~" symbol. I just had to look around my keyboard a good while to find the tilde. I think that's what it's called.

It was a mostly useless site, built in order to pass a web production class. It had some photos I had taken at a diner in NJ and some other things. I earned a "C" because I forgot to add a "back" option on all of the pages.

As the site evolved, it got its "back" buttons and it served as the page for my various radio shows and as a collection of links to Low Power FM (LPFM) news, media literacy organizations and anything else I liked. That was before I could like things on Facebook.

I think I purchased the domain in 2002, but made use of it by July of 2003, transferring the original website over to Upsidemedia.

Some of that original code was still in play up until today. I wonder how many other projects from that class lasted that long, or were even put to use. I think my grade should be retroactively raised.

Anyway, after focusing on LynnHappens, DTLna and this blog, I've finally gone back to rebuild upsidemedia. It was necessary as an umbrella to my various projects and for my DJ business, which needed a better site.

And thanks to Wordpress, I don't have to worry about my inferior coding skills any longer.

Artist: Telex
Song: Pakmovast

I was half-dreaming this morning and I thought of sushi.

2010-01-30T10:48:00.000-05:00

That was the epiphany. A sushi place can do well in DTL. I know there are some options on Route 1 and in neighboring towns. Gourmet Garden isn't bad at all, but it's large, and it is many things. It's almost an Asian food theme park.

An intimate place without the lights on torch mode is what I'm thinking of. A little atmosphere can go a long way and it's cheap and easy to install dimmers. I'm thinking about Sugar Cane in Peabody. It's nice in there.

Readers who know me are probably wondering why a guy who doesn't eat fish wants this in the first place. First of all, I'm not just thinking of myself. Plus, I like cucumber rolls, avocado rolls, sweet potato rolls, etc. I also like miso soup (vegan style, without bonito), carrot ginger dressing on my salad, edamame, and I can bring my own wheat-free soy sauce if this imagined new place won't provide it.

It's just an idea. I wouldn't know how to begin luring a sushi restaurant.

Artist: The Lemonheads
Song: It's a Shame About Ray

Lynn Restaurant Assoc. Earthquake Relief Drive

2010-01-13T22:25:00.002-05:00

HAITIAN SURVIVORS – EARTHQUAKE RELIEF DRIVE
Sponsored by: The Lynn Restaurant Association
The members of the Lynn Restaurant Association (LRA) have developed a local disaster relief plan to assist the survivors of the Haiti earthquake.
The goods and items we are looking for are the following: can goods; dry food goods; water; medical supplies; and, clothing!
THANK-YOU FOR CARING!
__________________________________________________
_____________
Drop-off Sites:
The Blue Note Bar Lounge
111 Sagamore St., Lynn The Brickyard Bar-grill
163 Blossom St., Lynn Brava Night Club
130 Union St., Lynn
El Molino Restaurant
937 Western Ave, Lynn Kevin’s Cultural Corner
138 Central Ave, Lynn Kuki’s Hair Salon
160 Chestnut St., Lynn
The Lazy Dog
328 Broadway St., Lynn Molly’s Irish Pub
173 Lewis St., Lynn O’Brien’s Pub
829 Boston St., Lynn
Porthole Pub
??? Lynnway, Lynn Raffis Place
408 Summer St., Lynn Sorianos Restaurant
48 Market St., Lynn
Sandbar
714 Washington St., Lynn Frank Place
776 Washington st , Lynn D`Leomar Restaurant
230 Union st , Lynn
Once again, on behalf of the Lynn Restaurant Association and Friends… We thank you for your support!!
LRA:
Rafael Subero, Rocco DiFillipo, Mario Corcino, Sergio Concepcion, George Concepcion, Thomas Dill, Patricia Reid, John O’Brien, Robert Gaudet, Rafael Guzman , Chris Brown, Francisco Soriano, Gary Goorhlal, John Collins,Luis Sanchez *lucho*
Friends:
Cristian Amparo , Dennis Liberge, Damon Harrison, Eugene Schneeberg,
Cef Rosa, William Joseph, Marie Prophet, David Gass

I hope some of you can go to this tomorrow!

2010-01-11T16:18:00.000-05:00

Internationally renowned photographer Peter Vanderwarker is scheduled to present at RAW Space in Central Square on Tuesday, January 12th, 2010.

More details on LH

I can't make it because I'm covering City Council tomorrow. I really hope RAW is successful with this series. We can help ensure it.

Artist: Band of Horses
Song: The Great Salt Lake

Blogsplosion!

2010-01-08T16:17:00.002-05:00

"Blog" is a made up word, from combining "Web" and "Log." So I don't feel like I'm doing great damage to the English language by combining it with a third word.

And what's happening with blogs in Lynn is remarkable. There several very active bloggers, (I consider myself semi-active) all linked to each other, all experiencing a spike in readership.

Not long before I moved here, there was this. You can see that it hasn't been updated since 2007, but it was still slightly active when I arrived.

I started a blog as a Lynn newbie, mostly because I felt that Lynn had a weak online presence, but also because I wanted a better soapbox to stand on than what the Item provides for article comments. Here is my original blog, with the last post announcing the creation of the one you're reading now. I update in fits and starts, but more frequently when viewers take the time to comment.

Look at some of the blogs linked here on the left, and in the Lynn Blogs updates on LynnHappens.com (my other project), and you'll see a wonderful spike in activity. It seems we are reaching a critical mass required to boost the level and quality of discussion on local issues. It's something Lynn should be proud of.

Do you have something to say? Do you feel restricted by the limited space and moderation on local newspaper sites? It's easy to start your own blog using Blogger or Wordpress. It can be done with no special knowledge or "coding" skills, and it costs absolutely nothing unless you pay for a custom domain/host.

Please let me know if there's a Lynn Blog left out! I want to add all that I can to the links here.

Artist: The Field Mice
Song: That's All This Is

Let's Beat 'em With Breakfast

2010-01-03T15:02:00.008-05:00

I grew up with diners. I've been going to them since as a baby, a waitress would hold me so my parents would have a chance to eat. But my near-obsession with diners didn't take hold until I moved away from the New York City metro area and came to New England.

And this post should come as no surprise to those who know me, even just a little.

Diners are a New England export, but they have decreased in numbers and reduced their hours here, while New York and New Jersey took them to the next level. Even the idea of running one around the clock for shift workers and other late night hangers-on came from New England. And now my quiet hometown in New Jersey has several twenty-four hour diners with expansive menus and not a single issue or complaint from neighbors - and they have New England to thank for it! They're a vital part of the fabric of the community there, just as they once were up here. (And they are also safe places for young people to go at any hour with little money and still get something to eat).

The first proper diner was said to be in Providence, and its descendant, The Haven Bros. wagon, can still be found parked on the street there all night. But the industry really exploded in places like Worcester and later, New Jersey. I'll spare you a detailed history, but I would like to make sure we all understand what a diner is and where they came from. This is the brief and informative Wiki.

Now that we're on the same page, let me tell you about breakfast today. We had it at two o'clock in the afternoon, but it wasn't brunch. Brunch is fancy. Brunch is served in cafes, bistros and restaurants that normally do not have breakfast on a weekday. Sometimes brunch is advertised to have live jazz that turns out to be lukewarm covers of dreadful adult contemporary hits (ahem - Red Rock). But we had a proper breakfast. There was only one problem, however. We had to have it in Salem.

As a fan of going out for breakfast on Saturdays and Sundays, I've roamed around Lynn and sampled almost all of them. We're lucky to have so many weekend morning breakfast options and I can honestly say I like most of these places. I just have an issue with most of them closing at one in the afternoon.

Sure. It's easy to tell me to just get my lazy ass up earlier. Often, I do. I'm also not a business owner. I'm just a hungry and opinionated patron. But hear me out on this one.

The Salem Diner was only open until 2pm, and we barely squeezed in. It was full of young people, eating breakfast at a time when it's proper for young people to do so. As we were ordering, more large groups of young people were turned away. Eureka! Let's keep breakfast going longer in Lynn! These kids were arriving by car anyway, and if I know teens and twenty-somethings, they'll take no issue with driving a mile or two longer to get breakfast.

Teens are loyal customers and carriers of enormous appetites. I think we're literally turning away from good honest cash by closing down at one in the afternoon Saturdays and Sundays. Advertising would almost take care of itself, as word would spread quickly through texts, Facebook, etc.

Lynn establishments should also pay attention to twenty-thirty-something childless adults, who are also big fans of a late weekend breakfast. That's the group likely to revitalize this city and we may as well start to cater to them with something wholesome. In other neighborhoods with this demographic, such as the diverse Jamaica Plain in Boston, or Somerville, there are many options at least until three in the afternoon (and with better music.)

Plus, I finally have an excuse to ask, why should Salem be the only place to benefit from Salem State, anyway? We're just down the road a bit! College students want, and need breakfast anytime, and they do not want it from an awful and rude Route 1 iHOP or the dirty one on Highland Avenue. Those chains are truly places of last resort or for those who haven't discovered alternatives. We all know Lynn's breakfast places are better than the chains. They're just not open as often, or as late.

But I have to admit, the Salem Diner was friendly and the food was good. Furthermore, they had gluten free bread!! As one of the unfortunate gluten-intolerant, it was a very pleasant surprise. It's also another example of how we're letting other places beat us. We can't afford to lag behind here any longer, so let's beat 'em with breakfast. Okay?

Artist: Tom Waits
Song: Eggs and Sausage

Two Great Stories on a Local Favorite

2009-12-24T09:57:00.003-05:00

From the Item - "Lynn's Capitol Diner honors servers with decades of experience"

From Fox 25 -

Artist: Sunny Day Real Estate
Song: Theo B

A Dream for Market Street

2009-12-06T16:39:00.003-05:00

Tatiana’s is perfectly positioned right off Route 1A for out-of-town travellers, and they’re a great example of the potential of Market Street. That stretch from 1A to City Hall is ripe with spaces that can be developed into small to medium-sized general admission venues. And as an added bonus, a budding music scene can boost the appeal for bigger acts needed to fill Lynn Auditorium in City Hall.

In encouraging this kind of development on Market Street, we won’t have to endure the issues Salem has been dealing with from developers placing condos and apartments in, amongst and directly above popular night-spots. When that happens, people tend to move in to be a part of the action, or maybe just for the cool-factor, only to complain later about the noise and other inconveniences caused by what tempted them to live there in the first place.

Market Street venues would be just far enough from residential buildings to not annoy the neighbors with late night reveling, but close enough for those of us who live in DTL to walk there in a couple of minutes or quickly retreat to our domiciles for quiet when we’ve had enough. To me, that truly is the best of both worlds and the right way to develop for “Mixed use.”

And for those who travel here, in addition to parking on both sides of the street, an agreement could be drawn up with the Shaw’s lot. The MBTA lot is also a great deal at a mere $4. Compare that with parking in Boston! The Commuter Rail is also an option, with the Central Square stop being right in the middle of things. Walk down the stairs and turn the corner!

As for another advantage, anyone who plays out in Boston, Cambridge or Somerville can tell you that places for original acts are drying up. Sometimes it’s more profitable to have a cover band, or even just an i-Pod plugged into a house system playing un-inspired dreck while serving $14 martinis. Mediocrity reigns in the Boston scene, save for a few gems like Church in the Fenway.

But original live music prefers a place with an edge, like the old Kenmore Square, and boy do I miss the old Kenmore. The place needed work, but the wrong work was done. It was transformed into something completely unremarkable and Kenmore lost its soul. Lynn doesn’t have to lose its soul to make a comeback. (It doesn’t have BU to contend with, for one thing).

And Market Street is also a great place for, dare I say it, more restaurants, cafes and bars. Again, they are just a smidge out of range from disturbing the neighbors, and with presumably lower rents, they can also be more affordable.

I’m excited, because we have a rare opportunity to do “Mixed-use” right in DTL, by combining residential development and night-life so they may co-exist peacefully, but again, as long as we keep the lessons of Salem and other redevelopments in mind (Link to Salem News on Downtown Salem and Marina Bay Quincy).

Artist: The Fleshtones

Song: Destination Greenpoint

The Van Burens at Tatiana's

2009-12-06T12:42:00.005-05:00

Thursdays are becoming a big night in the Downtown portion of Lynn. In college, they were known as "Thirsty-Thursdays," because no one who had any say about it would take a Friday class. Here, they've been known as Third Thursdays. But with Third Thursdays coming to an end, one can still find plenty of evening activity.

Parents are picking up and dropping off at East Coast Karate and RAW, Flava's is open for ice cream and more. One can purchase unique foods from Mexico beyond what's carried in the International Isle of Stop and Shop, or save some work in the kitchen by visiting Tacos Lupita. Pho Lynn is the best deal in sit-down food around, or you can go upscale affordably at The Blue Ox and stay late to enjoy the scene at their bar. Try the cocktail specials!

But this past Thursday, after the throngs of people left Central Square and the last child sat on Santa's lap, something very cool was happening at Tatiana's Restaurant and Lounge on Market St. - Original live music from The Van Burens, a nationally touring act.

See LynnHappens.com for more.

Artist: Guided by Voices
Song: A Good Circuitry Soldier

Sound Artists and DJ's

2009-11-21T12:46:00.006-05:00

There are quite a few electronic musicians, DJ's and sound artists in the area.

One such artist is RADIO SCOTVOID (RSVP). You can see him at Gulu-Gulu Salem the 1st Friday of each month (this blogger is there the 2nd Friday). Also check out Noel Snow and Machine 475!

Thanks to a Facebook friend, I found this site, which can be quite useful, not to mention literal, in putting local artists on the map.

Check out CitySounds.fm and click around the 'board.'

You can submit your own work by signing up at SoundCloud.

Let's put the North Shore (not Boston) on the same level as Cologne, Montreal and Brooklyn by uploading tracks from our respective North Shore cities and towns. My students would say that's "Forcing it." So what.

There's been a lot of talk about how to create a new model for the music industry, now that the digital genie's long flown from the bottle. I know that there are other sites out there, such as Jamglue, with their unique "Remixing for the masses." There's also the popular and well-established site, last.fm, which combines music sharing with social networking. (See the last.fm player embedded down in this blog.)

By the way, my only lament about the digital democratization of music is the huge hit production values and sound quality have taken from lossy compression. You have to slap on a real record and listen through some respectable hi-fi equipment every so often to cure digititus and to remember how things are supposed to sound.

LTB (nisei23 remix) from Radio Scotvoid on Vimeo.

A Spotlight On Noah's Arc from Radio Scotvoid on Vimeo.

Artist: Yo La Tengo
Song: Sea Urchins

Can I Clone Myself?

2009-11-10T16:55:00.002-05:00

There are two events on Thursday, November 12th, that I'd really like to attend.

One is this film screening at RAW.

The other is a meeting at LynnArts regarding a THREE STORY mural to go on the blank side of 25 Exchange St, where the seasonal Farmer's Markets are held. I think this will be a great addition to Central Square and people are welcome to share ideas in the Time Warner Gallery at 7pm.

Artist: The Go-Betweens
Song: Heaven Says

VOTE!!!

2009-11-02T21:56:00.003-05:00

This is just a friendly reminder to vote Tuesday, November 3rd. If you feel that you don't have enough information, this blog contains links to a number of sources, including my own, LynnHappens.

Besides the two local papers and LH, take a look at what the bloggers in the links to your left have to say, and then make your own decision based on as much information as you can gather.

To vote without knowledge is to gamble with our future, but voting with knowledge empowers us to influence our future.

Happy Voting Day!

Some resources for news, commentary and opinion:

http://lynnsideedition.wordpress.com/

http://downtownlynn.blogspot.com/

http://mayorclancy.com/

http://www.jfkformayor.com/

http://www.itemlive.com/lynnelect/

http://lynnhappens.com/ - featuring debate videos

More on the left...or just use your preferred search engine.

Artist: The Primitives
Song: Cara-Lin
From: English Freakbeat, Vol 1

Stolen Dog Alert!

2009-10-13T20:49:00.006-04:00

This post was sent by Jocelyn Almy-Testa of www.tlguts.com regarding a dog stolen from one of the artists who has exhibited at The Little Gallery Under The Stairs.

"hi. My 1 year old 5 pound silver merle male chihuahua (pinto) got stolen from 52 green street Lynn, Mass this morning 10-12-09 and me and my 7 year old son are so heartbroken. We have owned pinto since he was 4 months old and really want him back to the only house he knows as his home and the only family he knows. If anyone sees him, knows who stole him, or has any information on him you can stay anonymous and there is a cash reward for his safe return. Thanks. Reply to: comm-qrgr6-1420215171@craigslist.org"

2009-10-07T16:31:00.003-04:00

Artist: Ramones
Song: Judy is a Punk (demo)

Arts Fest Afterparty - Saturday Night!!

2009-09-22T16:49:00.006-04:00

The good: This poster will soon change to reflect a 9pm start.
The meh: No DJ
The bonus: By starting an hour earlier, we'll have more time to order fabulous food.

Artist: The Yachts
Song: Suffice it to Say

If you didn't make the debate, watch it here!!

2009-09-03T22:38:00.005-04:00

It's automatically on the left, where it shows whatever happens to be the latest video uploaded. But to participate in comments and learn more about it, here's the post with video on LynnHappens of the Candidates for Mayor Debate hosted by the East Lynn Community Association.

Don't forget to vote in the primary on September 15th!!

Artist: Galaxie 500
Song: Pictures

Imitation is flattery?

2009-09-01T14:07:00.004-04:00

I just read on UniversalHub that those who bring you the Lynn Journal, Revere Journal and so forth are revamping their long outdated websites with Wordpress.

It's a welcome improvement. I usually get my news online and I've always kind of felt bad that I was reading the Item more than the Journal. Ideally, I'd always read both.

The Revere Journal has already switched to the new format. Doesn't it look familiar?

It's entirely possible that they simply discovered the same template on their own. It's the best one I found for this purpose, though I customized it a little more for LynnHappens. My version of this WP theme has been running since July. But I still wonder if their idea was sparked by seeing LH.

In any case, LH isn't exactly in direct competition with the papers. It's defined as it grows, it doesn't publish on a regimented schedule, and ultimately, I believe that it has a different scope and purpose.

If switching to Wordpress helps these papers survive, then I am one-hundred percent in favor of it, even if they must pick the same theme.

Artist: My office
Song: A chorus of little equipment fans

Living in Lynn

Wayne Coyne's Eno Tripping at the Gates of Kubrick

Pulse Film Series Begins Next Month

This is not your everyday litter

Random act of art in Central Square

Battle of the Barbers, St Michael's Hall in March

Battle of the Hair Salons and Barbers

A very web 1.0 idea that can still be cool

Central Square this morning

Broadcasting Holiday Cheer from Central Square

No Fun: "Say your New Year's toast and get the #*@~ out before they shut me down!"

A breakfast with the Lynn Journal, or the Lynn Editorial...

Neighborfest at Tatiana's Thursday

A reaction to a debate I only read about in the Item

Because we've come so far (a little public shaming)

Photos from AAH's Back Yard Bash with Mean Creek, The Cinnamon Fuzz & Black Dog Brother are up on LynnHappens

You will want to come to Lynn on Thursday. Here's why.

Trans-Atlantic Fantastic tonight at Turbine

Citations of the Good Kind

How to Speak Hip - a reblog from WFMU's Beware of the Blog

Make Use

Make Waves

Now This is what I'm Talking About!

Wish I knew about this before it happened!

Field Trip

EDIC to host Arts and Culture District Meeting May 10th

New to the Blogroll: Mr. Suave's Mod Mod World

Since When did Fox News become The Onion?

"Fox & Friends Outraged Crayola Recognizes More Than One Skin Tone"

Beer at the Museum

Greater Boston Feature on Lynn

Make it a Destination

TASTE at The Little Gallery Under The Stairs

A few gigs in the near future...

GE Workers Caught in Budget Battle

The Item is Wrong Again

Trivia at Turbine

Went to a great benefit show for Rover

60's Soul, Ska, and British Invasion Mod Dance Party at Turbine Friday

Meanwhile, in France

A Snow Day's Take on Music, Marketing and Snobbery (I think)

The Clampdown: A rocker speaks out about censorship in Cuba. AAH's Saturday in DTL highlights what's good in Cuba.

Turbine-A-Go Go, Friday, January 14th in Central Square

Are you a mod or a rocker?

Album Art's Not Dead!

A little direction

City Council Video up by late afternoon

Will Entercom buy 'FNX?

An Urgent Note from The Food Project

Wait, did this really happen!?

LynnHappens.com evolves new features

Public Safety Meeting with DTLna, Wednesday

And now for a musical interlude...

School Committee Budget Hearing and meeting videos

Dear builders of apartments and condos,

Coming up...

I'm back at Turbine tomorrow night!

Meet State Senator McGee with DTLna tonight!

I'm playing tunes at Turbine this Saturday, 8/7

Timing is everything? Cities should use economic downturns to plan ahead and embrace change

If you live in DTL and haven't joined DTLna...

On switching to FIOS...(cont.)

On switching to FIOS...(on hold)

Where the Wild Things Are, Lynn Woods (Free movie)

Open Soon

And now for a musical interlude...

FREE movie in Central Square tonight, outdoors if it's dry, inside LynnArts if it rains

Got my blogroll back

If you're wondering where my links have gone...

A few dates to remember

World Folk Fest Returns to Heritage State Park

We need more public art, fewer "tags"

Out in Lynn tonight

From MAPC (Metropolitan Area Planning Council)

I hope our Mayor takes the challenge!

Save the date now - May 29th is culturefest

Spring Cleaning

I need to thank the Item for something

Today is Record Store Day

My leap into the Allcare discussion