Since the Fitness Factory closed two weeks ago I have been bouncing between Latitude and the YWCA, trying to figure out which one suits me the best. The answer for me - and many others - is that the Fitness Factory was the best. The classes were taught by professional trainers, the facilities were comfortable and inviting. And it was so close, I could hop over for a quick walk on the treadmill and be back at my desk for a 9:00 conference call. Now I have to trek to Salisbury - which takes an extra 15 minutes each way - and try to fit in their classes with my schedule. Plus - and this is just my opinion - the classes are too large, quite boring, and some of the instructors not very well trained.

The Y is certainly the closest alternative to FF, and it is also cozy and inviting. My fear is that it is too small to handle many more FF refugees. And, unless they change the pricing and offer a pool-free option, it is a lot more expensive than the FF price which Latitude is honoring.(Planet Fitness on Storey Avenue is too basic for me, and offers no classes, even though it is cheap.)

So why can't someone open a good-sized gym in Newburyport, that can address all of these issues? Is it because of the lack of space? The FF building is perfect, but isn't it going to be knocked down for a parking garage? I mentioned this to Gillian, who said that she had learned this week that if the garage does go on Titcomb Street - it will not be finished for 5-7 years. That's plenty of time for a new gym to become established and then find a new location in 5 years or so, right?

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I wandered into Loretta's for lunch on Saturday, the new barbeque joint on State Street that opened Friday, Jan. 29. I was very pleasantly surprised with both the decor and the food. (I had never been to Aquatini, which Loretta's replaced, so was not sure what the inside looked like. It was only open a few nights per week and, as my friends will no doubt tell you, I am not much for going out at night. Lunchtime is my time to shine....)

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TheBoston Globe has reported that Gov. Deval Patrick announced today that his proposed budget does not cut local aid to cities and towns.

In a speech to hundreds of local government officials at the Massachusetts Municipal Association Annual Meeting, Patrick expanded on a promise he made Thursday night in his State of the Commonwealth address, when he vowed not to cut funding for education. Improved revenue forecasts and "painful choices" in other part of the budget will allow local aid to remain intact at $5.2 billion, which includes more than $4 billion for education.

This is the news we have all been waiting for. We'll be following this and its impact on Newburyport in the coming week.

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Here is Purchase Street on Tuesday, January 19th, 2:22pm. The DPW was asked to remove the foot of slush here and on Bromfield Street at 7:30 am and again at 2:15pm. This is particularly important as Bromfield is the main route to the Ward 1 voting place - the People's United Methodist Church. There this morning there were cars parked almost in the middle of the road because the plows had not gone close enough to the sidewalks. I just got stuck on Franklin Street trying to get onto Milk Street, as the snow/slush there is even worse. Is the south end alone in this failure to clear the roads? Comments please?

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I read this Dec. 6 story from the New York Times with great interest. It's about cell phones and people who market cell phones and whether cell phone companies should be promoting the ease and efficiency of a cell phone or whether they should be issuing warning about using a cell phone, or any mobile device, while driving.

What I think we should be doing is educating people about personal responsibility. Companies are in business to sell products. What people do with those products after purchase is a matter of personal responsibility. I will state here that I no longer have a cell phone because I could not justify the cost, although the plan I had was not a huge cost.

I  don't know what makes a person think that it's OK to immediately get on the phone after getting behind the wheel. It's learned behavior, like smoking after a drink or even smoking while driving (of which I am guilty).

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It is no secret that I hate snow. One of the reasons that I left New England after college and stayed away for so long was because I hated the winters. Europe seemed so temperate, so mild in comparison. But there is a dark lining to every silver cloud and eventually the absolute dearth of sunshine in England (for 5-6 months at a time) drove me back here. Newburyport seemed the perfect solution - with a village-like atmosphere that reminded me of England, and its proximity to Boston.

Then came the snow. Snow seems to be the one thing that Newburyport just cannot get right (OK, there's the parking too, but...). The sidewalks upon which I tread daily are covered in ice and piled high with snow. The streets are badly plowed, if at all for some, and turn into one lane nightmares of slush and collapsed snowbanks.

Downtown the brick sidewalks that look so pretty in summer turn into lethal, bone-breaking skating rinks. Some retailers are very good at clearing in front of their stores, others are terrible. There are many gaps in clearance between stores and I have to imagine that it boils down to "not my job". To cross State Street at Market Square or up by the Mobil station you have to clamber over snowbanks and jump into the (often slippery) crosswalk. This is an invitation to get hit by a car.

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We held our launch party last night at Comina, and a good time was had by all. Thanks so much to everyone for coming out on the coldest night of the season (so far). Here are some photos for all to enjoy.....

 

 

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I was reading this piece on Salon.com - a piece actually pointed out to me by my sister, on Facebook. It's about women writers who feel they have to write under a man's name to get notice, to get respect - and to get paid a reasonable rate.

I actually left a comment on the article saying how lucky I felt to live here in Newburyport. I have never really felt that I need to use a psuedonym to get by as a writer here. But I do wonder if I were a man - or they thought I was a man - would people who hire me think more of my efforts?

Then I think - Newburyport is full of small businesses run by women. It's full of female professionals, full stop. We here at NBPT Biz plan to really highlight what we think makes this town unique, business-wise. The unique shops, the retention of tradition, the loyalty and the respect while mixing in a bit of the new. I don't think it takes a particular gender to thrive here, it just takes some respect and generating (and retaining) a lot of loyalty. And I'm talking respect for those traditions, for what makes this city what it is and for the people who made it that way as well as the people who strive to keep it that way.

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I was in a local liquor store the other day and the woman in front of me was tutting about the destruction of a historical home in the South End. My ears pricked up and I asked where she had heard this. She waved a copy of the Newburyport Liberator newsletter at me, and I picked up a copy.

According to NLib, a circa 1850, post and beam, Federal-ish style house had been torn down by its owner who apparently claimed it was of no historical interest.  The abandoned house, on 30 Marlboro Street, had caught my eye when I first moved here. I would walk by it weekly, curious to see whether anyone was living in it or fixing it up. When the bushes were cut around it the bones of the house were obvious. Property lust struck, and if I had won the Lottery that day I would have bought and renovated that beautiful place. I was figuratively salivating over the prospect. The clean lines, the large lot, even the oddball additions were a renovators' dream.

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Bravo to whoever decided to look into the "mothballed" condos at the Towle Building as an alternate site for the senior center. And I have to point out here that local blogger Tom Salemi proposed this scenario on Newburyport Posts way back in April.

I was never that fond of the Cushing Park site - it's in the residential neighborhood, it's distant from the downtown retail area and so many people are against it.

This location, if it all works out, would be ideal: it's on the river, it's got ample parking (if the city buys more property than just what the buildings are standing on) and I'm guessing we could see more than just a senior center there.

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