Citywide sidewalk shoveling contest

[turil.livejournal.com]

It's a little known fact that this is Somerville's first year holding this contest. It's an even littler known fact as to what the winners receive. But it's kind of interesting nonetheless...

BEST SHOVELED BLOCK
IN SOMERVILLE CONTEST
Does your block have well shoveled sidewalks?
Nominate it for the Best Shoveled Block in Somerville Contest,
sponsored by the Somerville Post Office, Green Streets and
Shape Up Somerville.
Nominations can be sent to Margaret Dimock, Somerville Post Office Station Master,
via emailed (Margaret.C.Dimock@usps.gov), USPS mail (Margaret Dimock, Somerville Post
Office Station Master, 237 Washington Street, Somerville, MA 02143-9998) or called in at (617) 666-2332.
Nominations will be due on Walk/Ride Day, February 25, 2011. The judges? Letter carriers,
who use the sidewalks every day!
The winner will be awarded at a ceremony at the Somerville Post Office on Walk/Ride Day, March 25, 2011.

Green Streets has some more information about it. Oh, and it's in both Cambridge and Somerville, for those of you who are in the Cambridge side of the Davis Square world.

Free laser printer and Nintindo DS (missing some parts)

[turil.livejournal.com]

EDIT: Both have been claimed. Thanks/Sorry! (The printer has been picked up. If the game thing doesn't get picked up by the end of the weekend, I'll offer it to the next person who's asked for it.)


I have to get rid of a few things, and I've got an awesome, and heavy, professional HP LaserJet 4000 N that needs a new home. It's a serious professional one from about 10 years ago that is made to last. (I really wish I could keep it, but I have limited space in the moving car/s, and have to pare down significantly.) You set it up to work on an internal network, and I managed to get it working, so I suspect that anyone even reasonably geeky could do it too.

Also, I've got an older Nintindo DS handheld game system with a couple of kid's games in it already. But no accessories. No stylus, no power/charging cable, etc. It probably works fine, but without being able to charge it, I don't know.

Pickup is on Spring Hill, within the next couple of days.

Anyone interested in helping plan a "Porchfest" in spring 2011?

[mamabunny72.livejournal.com]

Got the info below in my neighborhood yahoo group; the article is from the Somerville Patch website:

"City Mulls Hosting Porchfest, A Citywide Festival of Porch Concerts: The next big idea for an arts event is brewing in Somerville. The Somerville Arts Council is mulling over whether to introduce Porchfest, a house-by-house music festival where musicians perform on porches throughout the city. Think of it as open studios—very open and breezy studios—but for music."

Read the rest of the article here:
http://somerville.patch.com/articles/city-mulls-hosting-porchfest-a-citywide-festival-of-porch-concerts

The Porchfest Planning Meeting is on January 10 at 7 p.m. at the West Branch Library. Contact the Somerville Arts Council at www.somervilleartscouncil.org or 617.625.6600 ext. 2985.

Celebrate New Year's Day on Prospect Hill

[ron_newman]

On New Year's Day each year, the Somerville Historic Preservation Commission celebrates the raising of the first American flag to feature thirteen red and white horizontal stripes. Know as “the Flag of Grand Union,” it was first raised by George Washington over the Continental Army’s encampment on Prospect Hill during the siege of Boston in 1776.

The event begins at 11:30 am at the City Hall parking lot, where re-enactors (including 'George Washington' on horseback), fife and drum players, and local elected officials assemble for a short procession. The parade reaches Prospect Hill Park at noon, where there will be a ceremony that includes raising a replica of the First Flag onto the top of Prospect Hill Tower. Coffee, hot cider, and other refreshments will be available. In past years, people have been allowed to climb to the top of the tower after the ceremony, but I can't guarantee you'll be able to do it this year.

I've been going to this event for a few years and have always enjoyed it. ( How to get there by bus )

Weather this year should be excellent -- sunny with temperatures in the low 40s. So you could even forget the bus and ride a bike there.

Here's a the official city press release for the event.

Request for ideas on NYE

[msiebler.livejournal.com]

Hi:

I have some guests in for the weekend who are looking for ideas for NYE. Since I don't get out much I thought I might ask for suggestions. The general parameters are as follows:
 - to avoid the crowds they prefer to stay in Cambriville
 - they would prefer to pop around rather than commit $50 for a single establishment
 - are there any other places to watch the fireworks besides the river? Prospect Hill maybe?
 - are there other outdoor events in Harvard Square or Union Square or other places?
 - any good restaurants that are not totally booked?
 - bars that might not have a cover?

I know I am asking for the impossible but this is a last minute trip; so I am looking for ideas; thanks