Loved Lowell Open Studios and Arts Festival
September 27, 2009
Lowell Open Studios Photo
I was wonderfully suprised and impressed by Lowell Open Studios–held this weekend in the old milltown about 45 minutes north of Cambridge. Two huge old mill buildings, five floors each, at 122 Western Avenue, have been transformed to include beautiful artist’s studios, a museum, sound studios and a cafeteria, with artists’ living quarters in the works.
My friend Mark and I enjoyed seeing friend Adrien Bisson’s nature and portrait photography (unsolicited plug: they’re fabulous; he’s available to shoot corporate, family, and educational events). .
We then drove to the center of town, where mills and artists are showcased in what has become Market Mills and the Lowell National Historic Park. Across the courtyard outside the reception center, we found the Brush Art Gallery and Studios, where a photograph by friend Paul Weiner was displayed in an all-cat exhibit.
We enjoyed the show which, eclectic in form if not content, included a patchwork quilt, sculpture, photography, and painting, with proceeds donated to homeless kitties. A highlight was that these cats did not make me itch.
Anita M. Harris
New Cambridge Observer is a publication of the Harris Communications Group of Cambridge, MA. We also publish HarrisCom Blog.
Harvard Square farm stand worth a visit
September 27, 2009
On a recent Saturday morning, after coffee at the Charles, I was struck by the beautifully displayed fruit and vegetables in one of the farmers market stalls on Mt. Auburn Street.
I asked the proprietor if it would be OK to take some photos, then, like every other visitor to the stand, asked him what on earth those shiny pale white, pink and reddish berries were. 
One customer guessed elderberries, but the proprietor, Frank Buso, said they’re currents ($4 a pound). Buso said he grows them–and everything else in the stand–at his farm in Lincoln– located on Battle Road in the Minuteman National Park. [Click here for Minute Centennial Celebration events]. 
Busa’s is one of a handful of farms leased at very low cost (approximately$25 an acre) from the Park itself. The goal,according to Park spokesman Lew Sedaris, is to help preserve the scene of the 1775 Revolutionary War battle fought in Lexington, Lincoln and Concord –much as other national parks preserve their natural settings.
Busa started his Lincoln farm two years ago–after his family sold its farm, also called Busa’s, in Lexington. Now, Busa sells fruits and vegetables at farmers markets in Bedford, Lexingtonn Arlington and Cambridge.
Compared with Haymarket–where you take a chance
on freshness– Busa’s and the other Harvard Square stands are a bit pricey–$4 for a pint of blueberries, $2 for a head of lettuce, a bunch of scallions or basil. Hot peppers are 5 for a dollar, and tomatoes go for $3.00 a pound. But everything at Busa’s looks delicious. Although I’d already done my shopping for the week, I found the stand worth visiting for both the conversation and the view.
Photos and text c. Anita M. Harris, 2009.
–Anita M. Harris
New Cambridge Observer is a publication of the Harris Communications Group of Cambridge, MA. We also publish Harriscomblog.
Cambridge Seeks Citizen Input on Future Tech Needs
September 25, 2009
Having completed an excellent three-evening course on Dreamweaver just this week at Cambridge Community Television in Central Square, I urge Cantabridgians to take part in one of the focus groups to be conducted in early October–all related to the Cambridge’s technology future and the role of Comcast, which, by law, sponsors CCTV, in the community.
Here’s the info–lifted in its entirety, I confess–from an email CCTV sent to me yesterday.
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New Cambridge Observer is a publication of the Harris Communications Group of Cambridge, MA. We also publish Harriscomblog.
Harvey Cox brings life, livestock, laughter to Harvard
September 11, 2009
More than 1000 people turned out to see the long-awaited (more than 200 years), long-dreaded ( by the Harvard News Office) grazing of a cow on Harvard Yard.
The event was carried out in celebration of the retirement Harvey Cox, who is Harvard’s 9th Hollis Research Professor of Divinity, and of the publication of Cox’s new book on faith.
The right to graze a cow in the yard was granted with the establishment of the Hollis Chair in 1721 by university donor Thomas Hollis, a wealthy London merchant who was a Baptist, like Cox, but never set foot in the Yard. The first Hollis professor and his son evidently graze cows there–but according to the Rev. Peter Gomes, Cox is the first since then to exercize the right–which Gomes said was akin to being given a parking space in Harvard Square, today.
The cow, borrowed for the day from the Farm School in Athol, MA, was named “Pride” –which Cox said presented difficulties because he’s a professor of religion and pride is one of the seven deadly sins. The Farm School thus allowed Cox to temporarily change the cow’s name to “Faith,” which is apt because Cox’s new book is called The Future of Faith.
However, after one of Cox’s friends pointed out that Harvard does not consider pride a sin, Cox decided to call the cow “Pride Faith”. In his talk, Cox brought up the importance of treating the Earth and all of its beings with respect.
Somewhere in there, a man in a long black robe and shiny gold running shoes delivered an oration in Latin (all I could understand were the occasional “moos,”) which drew laughs from the erudite crowd–or perhaps from those with translations in hand.
After the talks, Cox, Faith Pride, Gomes and hundreds of other people followed a band of tuba players–whose repertoire consisted mainly of “Old Macdonald Had a Farm” – across the stair landing of Memorial Church and the Cambridge St. overpass and through the campus to the Divinity School.
There, the crowd grazed on sandwiches, punch, and cake, and the cow on a bale of hay. More speeches were followed by music played by “The Soft Touch Dance Band,” with which Cox plays the saxophone.
When I asked Cox if the event had gone as he had hoped, he responded, “Better!”
I’m sure the News Office, which feared that bringing in livestock would make Harvard a laughingstock , is glad it’s over.
In case you can’t tell, it was the most fun I’ve had in a long time; I’m glad I had a chance to be a part of it.
Anita M. Harris
New Cambridge Observer is a publication of the Harris Communications Group of Cambridge, MA. We also publish the HarrisCom blog.
Boston/Cambridge/Quincy rank 8th most stressful cities to live in
September 10, 2009
I was interested to see that Boston/Cambridge/Quincy Metro area ranked eighth on a Forbes.com study of the most stressful US cities to live in.
Topping the list were Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, Cleveland, Providence, RI, San Francisco, and Detroit; Washington DC was ninth, followed by San Jose, Seattle, Riverside CA, and Philadelphia and, surprisingly, Portland, Ore.
Forbes ranked the metropolitan areas by quality of life factors including medium home price drop, unemployment, cost of living, air quality, sunny days per year, and population density.
The Boston metropolitan area was ranked 17th for media home price drop, 30th for unemployment rate, 7th for cost of living, 20th for air quality, 12 th for sunny days per year, and 5th for population density.
Providence was ranked 4th most stressful overall–based on mainly on high unemployment and cost of living.
Chicago was labelled stressful primarily based on air quality, a low number of sunny days per year and high population density. LA came in second–with high rankings for median home price drop, cost of living, air quality and population density. New York, with the highest cost of living, and population density and relatively poor air quality ranked fourth most stressful.
For a link to the list and Forbes rationale, click here.
—Anita M. Harris
New Cambridge Observer is a publication of the Harris Communications Group of Cambridge, MA. We also publish the HarrisCom Blog.
Davis Orton Gallery Opens: Cambridge on the Hudson?
September 8, 2009
Karen Davis and Mark Orton–Cantabridigians until this summer–invite all to a reception and opening celebration for their new gallery on Saturday, September 12, 5:30 to 7:30 pm at 114 Warren St. in Hudson, NY. 
Called–not surprisingly–the Davis Orton Gallery, it’s located on an architecturally rich street famous for its antique shops, galleries and restaurants.
The first Davis Orton exhibition will feature Meg Birnbaum’s series of black and white photographs of county fairs throughout New England made using a plastic toy camera.
These evocative images with their antique quality and timeless subjects present a wistful look back while revealing clues that remind us of their contemporary origins.
Birnbaum is an award-winning fine art photographer and graphic designer based in Massachusetts. She has work in the permanent collection at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, the corporate program of the DeCordova Museum and other private and corporate collections. ‘Corn Dogs and Blue Ribbons …’ has recently been exhibited at the Griffin Museum of Photography.
The exhibit will also include photographs by Moira Barrett, Karen Davis, Ellen Feldman, Cassandra Goldwater and Frank Tadley.
The Davis Orton Gallery exhibits contemporary photography, mixed media and a growing number of artist-published photobooks, Davis said. The goal of the gallery is to present mid-career artists and emerging artists whose work deserves a broader audience.
Davis and Orton have taught at Lesley College. While I miss having them close by, I’ve visited them in Hudson and am excited that they’re moving through art into action.
–Anita M. Harris
New Cambridge Observer is a publication of the Harris Communications Group of Cambridge, MA. We also publish HarrisCom blog.
New Cambridge Playground Opens
September 3, 2009
At long last, the new Alexander Kemp Playground on the Cambridge Common is open!
It’s the most unusual playground I’ve ever seen–with a dragon boat, water games, a group swing, gardens, natural woods, covered areas, its own hill, a “fantasy area,” and sand everywhere. “It’s like one big sandbox,” my friend Edie commented. Parents will be happy to know that it even has a shower–modernistic, with gracefully intertwining curvy pipes–to clean off kids’hands and feet.
The playground was designed, says Parks Supervisor Kelly Write (and city documents) to foster play as a “formative learning experience in which children exercise their bodies and minds, develop motor skills, strength and fitness, creativity, social skills, a sense of discovery, and an understanding of the outdoor environment. “
To me, it just looks like fun.
The playground was funded by the MA Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs and the family of Alexander Kemp, a boy who passed away at an early age but “loved to play,” according to a plaque erected just outside Kemp’s elegant gate.
Since it opened a few days ago, it’s been incredibly crowded with parents and their kids…So, clearly, I’ll have to wait ’til evening to picnic at the large table there, with friends.
I’d much like to know who designed this magical place. And also: when are they going to take down the “no parking” signs that have made it even more difficult than usual the neighbors (me!) to find a spot?
More information about this and other Cambridge parks and playgrounds is available from the Community Development Website.
–Anita M. Harris
New Cambridge Observer is a publication of the Harris Communications Group of Cambridge, MA–as is HarrisCom Blog.
Scientia Advisors:neurostimulation technology could supplant drugs for certain conditions
August 25, 2009
Cambridge managing consulting firm Scientia Advisors (my client!) has released a fascinating study about growth in the neurostimulation technology markets.
Scientia has found that these technologies–electrical devices implanted to stimulate portions of the brain, spinal cord and sacral nerve– are growing at a rate of 16 percent –and are beginning to supplant drugs as the treatment of choice for certain conditions.
The study, described in the August 21 Medical Device Daily and in a press release issued yesterday, suggests that these new technologies have fewer side effects and could help cut health care costs by doing away with the need for lifelong drug regimens. Scientia recommends that device companies become involved in this growth area.
More at www.Scientiaadv.com or http://blog.harriscom.com.
Anita Harris
New Cambridge Observer is a publication of the Harris Communications Group of Cambridge, MA.
CCTV Named #1 Public Access Station in U.S. for 8th Time
August 18, 2009
I’m pleased to report that Cambridge Community Television has once again received the Overall Excellence in Public Access Programming Award from the national Alliance for Community Media in its Hometown Video Festival.
This is the eighth time in CCTV’s twenty-one year history that the station has received this award, recognizing the diversity and quality of CCTV’s programming, as well as its relevance to the Cambridge community.
CCTV competed in the highest budget category, against much larger access centers in major cities throughout the United States. Numerous CCTV producers also received high accolades in the festival:
Project Documentary’s The Dames, about Boston’s roller derby team, placed first in the Sports Entertainment category; teens participating in CCTV’s youth program were also recognized: Josh Washington and William Sheffield for their original teleplay “Homies”, Julie Pan for “King Open Extended Day Program”, Cody Romano for “Dawn”, and Alex Ayabe for his music video “Guarantee”, which he produced at Cambridge Educational Access.
Laura Asherman also received an Honorable Mention for her video “You Contribute to Global Warming”. Watch some of our finest programming from 2008 in this video! You can also view the full list of winners at http://2009.acmhometown.org/
I’ve taken several excellent courses at CCTV–in Dreamweaver, Excel, and MS Publisher; also on video shooting and editing. If you join, fees are nominal–you get $100 worth of courses for $55–less if you put in volunteer time; more if you’re not a Cambridge resident. It’s a great way to learn about new technologies, learn television production, produce videos–even host your own TV program. Check it out!
Anita M. Harris
New Cambridge Observer is a publication of the Harris Communications Group of Cambridge, MA. HarrisCom also publishes www.blog.harriscom.com
