Had a great time at this year’s women’s march…Much good cheer; great signage, and a wide range of participants. At about 2 pm, half-way through, a police officer told me that the crowd estimate was 4000…but he believed the number of participants was twice that, and I’d guess even a few more. (Given that there were only about 10 porta-potties, I’d also guess that was many more than the organizers expected). The sound system left something to be desired (from my perch on a monument, I could see the speaker but not hear an understandable word) but I much enjoyed the creativity of the signage and enthusiasm of the attendees.

–Anita Harris
Anita M. Harris is a writer and communications consultant based in Cambridge, MA. She is the author of Broken Patterns, Professional Women and the Quest for a New Feminine Identity  

and Ithaca Diaries, Coming of Age in the 1960s. 

New Cambridge Observer is a publication of the Harris Communications Group, a pr and content marketing firm  in Cambridge.

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Harold Simansky and Skeletom at Cambridge Innovation Center

Pleased to report that, after a stressful month, Harold Simansky’s Kickstarter campaign reached its goal of $25,000. The kickstarter will help fund BTW, a magazine devoted to beautiful, sustainable living.
Here’s a picture of Harold at the Cambridge Innovation Center—sweating it out near my favorite deskmate, SkeleTom (SkeleTom is QUIET!)  With my own Kickstarter (to help fund my forthcoming book, Ithaca Diaries,) still underway, I know that you can  feel like you’re turning into a skeleTom, waiting for contributions to roll in. Congrats to Harold and the BTW team.
–Anita M. Harris
New Cambridge Observer is a publication of the Harris Communications Group, an award-winning marketing and PR firm based at the Cambridge Innovation Center, in Kendall Square.

  Warm welcome to one of the newest (oldest?) clients at the Cambridge Innovation Center…My favorite entrant in the Halloween Competition, so far.  It’s by Mike Burtov, CEO at Cangrade, which offers hiring automation/psychological testing. Back story is that this guy or gal is still waiting for Netscape to load…from 5 1/4 inch floppy disks. Pleased that s/he’s in C3 (shared space on the 5th floor) rather than on another floor, where I often work,  which we’ve dubbed “elderhostel” for reasons you might be able to guess.

–Anita M. Harris
New Cambridge Observer is a publication of the Harris Communications Group, an award-winning PR, social media and content marketing firm based in the Cambridge Innovation Center, in Kendall Square, Cambridge, MA.

Met my summer goal of running around Fresh Pond, this morning (with brief stopover at Starbucks, at Fresh Pond Shopping Center-and frequent stops to shoot these photos). Next time–all the way!

New Cambridge Observer is a publication of the Harris Communications Group, an award-winning public relations and marketing firm located in Cambridge, MA.

Harvard Square Stacation

Spending Memorial Day Weekend at home, in and near Harvard Square. Good start yesterday: Breakfast at Henrietta’s, lunch at Mexican, afternoon perusing books on Web design. More later!

–Anita M. Harris

New Cambridge Observer is a publication of the Harris Communications Group, a public relations and digital marketing firm located in Kendall Square, Cambridge, MA.

Cambridge Mayfair 5-05-13 1

Had just left the Hair Cuttery in Harvard Square ( Clarissa did a great job–I was her first client at 9 am on Sunday!); called my friend E who, it turned out was also in the Square, to do a quick run through  Mayfair before it got too crowded. As long-time denizens of Harvard Square, we started out a bit jaded . “Same vendors, same food ,Octoberfest, year after year,” E had remarked the previous day. But this time seemed different–many new nonprofits–J Street for Israeli Arab peace, the Cambridge Art Association, “Chalk on the sidewalk” opportunities with a number of Chamber of Commerce members sponsoring space, a few excellent street musicians…many international food vendors, and even a train to take kids around for $3.00.  E and I were a bit taken aback by the number of police bomb squad vehicles on Brattle Street–and by flocks of Cambridge police–highly visible in bright chartreuse vests–on patrol. Had not thought about possible danger but E pointed out that there could be copycat bombings, especially since the accused Marathon bombers three weeks ago had lived in Cambridge.  The police presence made me feel more anxious than secure…Still, E bought some beautiful scarves for $5 apiece and won $24 worth of Zip car miles in a carnival-like game.  I scored at the Commonwealth’s booth, where I found my name on a list of people who had unclaimed funds….Evidently, I’d left $400  in the old Coolidge bank when I moved to New York–and by the time I moved back to Cambridge, the bank had closed.  So–all in all, we had a great time. See you there next year?

Anita M. Harris
New Cambridge Observer is a publication of the Harris Communications Group, an award-winning public relations and digital marketing agency located in Cambridge, MA. 

Mary Landrieu Speaks at Cambridge Innovation Center Venture Cafe

Tim Rowe, CEO, Cambridge Innovation Center and US Senator Mary Landrieu, at Venture Cafe, April 4, 2013. In her remarks, Landrieu emphasized the importance of the CIC–now the largest organization of its type in the world.
Photo by Bill Lichtenstein,  Lichtenstein Creative Media

–Anita M. Harris

New Cambridge Observer is a publication of the Harris Communications Group, an award-winning public relations firm based in Kendall Square, Cambridge.