The Gobble View from Magoun Square

Here's a view of yesterday's Somerville Road Runners Thanksgiving Gobble Gobble Gobble. Can you find yourself??

Winter Hill Kicks!

Mark your calendars. From the thecomedystudio.com Kvetch Board:

Winter Hill Kicks III - 7/17
Save the date if you appreciate fun... 7/17 is the third annual Winter Hill Kicks.. Its an all day Dodgeball/Kickball - kids are welcome in the kickball events - and backyard BBQ-Karoake-Comedy show... 7/17 - 2 PM until the cops come three times 25 Dartmouth St Somerville, MA Games at local schoolyard - which houses one of the finest dodgeball courts in America.. Be there!!!

Kickball in Allston from amytoxic's photostream.

Songs about Somerville: Pernice Brothers

Ok, I'm not sure what part of Somerville Joe Pernice might be referring to here. Let's just pretend that the action is taking place somewhere along the Winter Hill/East Somerville axis for now.

If this is new to you and you like the songs below, you might want to check out one of the Pernice Brothers stellar albums (Overcome by Happiness, for example, is a great place to start). And if you know of any other Somerville-centric music, please do let us know.



This one was used in a a Shewin-Williams commercial several months back:

Extension of the Green Line Extension?

This would be exciting if it happens:
"... the State is also considering extending the Green Line all the way to Route 16 at the Mystic Valley Parkway. Ken Krause represents a neighborhood group pushing for that extension to the extension. "The opportunity for 10,000 more people to be within walking distance I would say is the number one reason.""

More Somerville Bloggin'

A new blog to add to the bloggiest town around; check out Somerville Voices, covering the vast conversations in and around Somerville.

Green Line Extension Post: Better Late Than Never...

The Green Line Extension Project has posted some new relevant info. Check this out, if you are interested in seeing the public chatter.

Somerville Transportation Equity Partnership (STEP)

http://www.somervillestep.org/

Older Article about Green Line Extension

Possibility of Green Line stops puts residents in the pink

By Danielle Dreilinger Globe Correspondent / February 10, 2008

The MBTA has considered extending the Green Line into Somerville for decades. But after the governor's October pledge to prioritize the project - and with the state bound to finish by 2014 -the long-promised service seems almost imminent.

• Graphic Green Line Extension Project

That explained the standing-room-only crowd at the Visiting Nurse Association assisted living center Jan. 29. Easily 100 people came to learn about the proposed Ball Square and Lowell Street stops at one of a series of meetings about the line.

Mike McArdle and Kristine Wickham of Vanasse Hangen Brustlin, consultants working for the state's Executive Office of Transportation, posted draft maps around the room. No state officials attended.

Thought Exercise

1. Richard Trum Playground is in Winter Hill.
2. Who is Richard Trum?


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Random Fact about Winter Hill

From:

Real Estate is Fun

Some Things You Do Not Need to Know About...

The smallest national park in the United States is in Somerville...on Winter Hill. ...it marks the spot where Paul Revere evaded capture during his "one if by land" gig. Speaking of that gig, the Brits took thier first hostile action against the emerging revolutionaries when they struck the old Mollet Grist Mill in Somerville in 1774. They confsicated 212 barrels of gunpowder and angered thousands of musket toting farmers.

Winter Hill: Land of Charity: The Alliance for Cultural & Economic Exchange

There is a general lack of a web presence for Winter Hill, with most of the attention going to events around the High School. However, with a little digging, it's good to find a gem of benevolence hiding in the wilderness north of Highland Ave. The Alliance for Cultural & Economic Exchange, mixes chocolate with charity, with goals of funding scholarships for Ecuadorian secondary school children and young leaders, and market development in local handicrafts and tourism.

Chocolate 2008 is currently planned for June. You might want to register.


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Didja know about the Cambridge Somerville Medford Acupuncture Clinic in Winter Hill?

Me neither:
http://www.chiwellness.com/acupuncture_somerville_ma.htm


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Catching up with the Best of 2007

Winter Hill owns five of the top spots in the Somerville News "Best of 2007" including:

Best Pizza: Mamma Lisa’s – Winter Hill
Best Sub Shop: Leone’s Sub & Pizza – Winter Hill
Best Liquor Store: Winter Hill Liquors – Broadway and Temple Street
Best Electrician: TD Electric – Winter Hill
Best Barber Shop: Tony’s Barber Shop – Winter Hill

Congratulations to the winners. It's a start, but I'm hoping for more top spots from the Wintervillains in 2008:
http://somervillenews.typepad.com/the_somerville_news/2008/01/the-winners-of.html


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Virgies? No. Madison's on The Ave? No. Highland Kitchen? Yes.

When I first moved to Somerville there was a dive bar up Highland Ave called Vergies. At least I think it was called that. This wasn't a dive bar like the Model or the Silhouette. This was a real dive. After I lived there a little while, Virgies was closed for renovations, and Madison's on the Ave sprung up in its place. I went there once. Not too much later, Madison's was closed for renovations, and now, the Highland Kitchen has popped up. Rumor is, it's pretty good, and it might actually be there for a while.


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Highland Kitchen satiates Somerville neighborhood's cravings

By Katie Johnston Chase Globe Staff / January 19, 2008

SOMERVILLE - I've always dreamed of living within walking distance of a restaurant with delicious, affordable food, a decent bar, and a comfortable vibe. A place I could go to a few times a month to have dinner or a drink. A place I could call my hangout.

So when Highland Kitchen opened around the corner from my house last month, my hopes were high. I knew it was owned by the former chef at Green Street Grill in Central Square, where I had feasted on mahi mahi with mango-avocado salsa and sampled lip-scorching curried goat stew. And when I heard Tom Waits playing on the jukebox the first time I walked in, and saw the silver menus gleaming with promises of brandy flips and chili cheese fries, I was instantly smitten. Halfway through our first drinks, my husband and I were on a first-name basis with the bartender.

Read more:
http://www.boston.com/lifestyle/food/articles/2008/01/19/highland_kitchen_satiates_somerville_neighborhoods_cravings/

Mapping Winter Hill

Ok, here's a start. Feel free to correct my boundaries:

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Shout out for Big Money

http://www.wickedlocal.com/somerville/archive/x1615371793

Winter Hill Bank receives 'Outstanding' rating for community reinvestment

Fri Oct 05, 2007, 04:48 PM EDT

Somerville - Winter Hill Bank has been awarded an "Outstanding" rating, the highest rating possible by the Office of Thrift Supervision for the bank’s commitment to the letter and spirit of the Community Reinvestment Act .

Passed by Congress in 1977, CRA encourages financial institutions to help meet the credit needs of the communities in which they operate including low and moderate-income neighborhoods consistent with safe and sound banking operations. Federal regulators monitor whether banks are fulfilling their CRA obligations and they rate each bank based on their performance in lending, service and investments in the bank’s communities.
According to Sandra L. McGoldrick, President and CEO of Winter Hill Bank, "We are extremely proud to receive this high rating. We work hard to address the needs of every neighborhood we serve and this rating recognizes the strong commitment that the bank and our employees have to the community; not only today, but since our inception in 1906.”
Winter Hill Bank is a Mutual Federal Savings Bank with offices in Somerville, North Reading and Chelsea.

02145 Statistics

Residents of Winter Hill might be interested in all the data from the link below. I post the most interesting of the information (from my perspective) below:

http://www.city-data.com/zips/02145.html

The Bands of Winter Hill

I am attempting to compile a list of bands that call Winter Hill their primary residence. I'm also interested in putting together a list of any music stores, recording studios, practice spaces, etc. in the area. If you have any information, please send it my way. Arigato.

My initial investigation through a myspace search suggests that zero bands call Winter Hill their home. Hmmm... This is proving difficult. Let's drop the bar to look for bands that have anything to do with Winter Hill for now.

Bands:
Winter Hill: Unconfirmed, but I guess these guys are likely from Winter Hill (although they say Boston).

The Woodrow Wilsons: I think one guy lives in Winter Hill.

More for the map...

Ever wonder where there are active or planned projects for bettering the roads in your hood? You can get that info from the Massachusetts Highway Department.

Here's what we got in Somerville:

133109	SOMERVILLE- BRIDGE REPLACEMENT, BR# S-17-009 SYCAMORE STREET OVER THE MBTA RAILROAD	Bridge Replacement	CONSTRUCTION
601807	BOSTON- CAMBRIDGE- MEDFORD- SOMERVILLE- INSTALLATION OF TRAFFIC SURVEILLANCE AND CONTROL EQUIPMENT ON I-93	Miscellaneous/No Prequal	CONSTRUCTION
602109	SOMERVILLE- RECONSTRUCTION OF SOMERVILLE AVENUE FROM UNION SQUARE TO THE CAMBRIDGE LINE	Hwy Reconstr - Restr and Rehab	CONSTRUCTION
600811	CAMBRIDGE- SOMERVILLE- BELMONT- BIKEWAY CONSTRUCTION AT ALEWIFE STATION, INCLUDES PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE	Bikeway/Bike Path Construction	DESIGN	2007
601820	SOMERVILLE- RECONSTRUCTION OF BEACON STREET, FROM OXFORD STREET TO CAMBRIDGE C.L. (1.1 MILES)	Hwy Reconstr - Restr and Rehab	DESIGN	2010
601821	SOMERVILLE- RECONSTRUCTION OF TEMPLE STREET, FROM BROADWAY TO MYSTIC AVENUE (1600 FEET)	Hwy Reconstr-No Added Capacity	DESIGN
602219	SOMERVILLE- BRIDGE REHABILITATION, S-17-005, CROSS STREET OVER THE B&M RAILROAD	Bridge Reconstruction/Rehab	DESIGN	2007
603288	SOMERVILLE- RECONSTRUCTION ON WASHINGTON STREET, FROM BOSTON C.L. TO MCGRATH HIGHWAY (ROUTE 28)	Hwy Reconstr-No Added Capacity	DESIGN
603916	CHARLESTOWN-SOMERVILLE- MEDFORD- HIGHWAY LIGHTING REFURBISHMENT ON ROUTE 93	Lighting and Electrical	DESIGN
603968	SOMERVILLE- SIGNAL & INTERSECTION IMPROVEMENTS AT MAGOUN SQUARE (BROADWAY, MEDFORD AND DEXTER STREETS)	Hwy Reconstr - Restr and Rehab	DESIGN
604331	SOMERVILLE- MULIT-USE PATH CONSTRUCTION (PHASE I)	Bikeway/Bike Path Construction	DESIGN	2008
604645	SOMERVILLE- BRIDGE REPLACEMENT, S-17-025, ROUTE 28 (McGRATH HIGHWAY) OVER GILMAN STREET (AKA - GILMAN STREET BRIDGE)	Bridge Replacement	DESIGN
11600	SOMERVILLE- 3 BRIDGE REPLACEMENTS, BR# S-17-012 CEDAR STREET ,BR# S-17-008 SCHOOL STREET, BR# S-17-006 WALNUT ST. OVER THE MBTA	Bridge Replacement	COMPLETE
40550	SOMERVILLE- BRIDGE REPLACEMENTS, BR# S-17-011, LOWELL STREET OVER THE MBTA & B&M R.R. & S-17-015 LOWELL OVER THE MBTA AND B&MRR	Bridge Replacement	COMPLETE
604215	MEDFORD- READING- SOMERVILLE- STONEHAM- WOBURN- TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT SERVICES FOR THE DEMOCRATIC CONVENTION RESPONSE, I-93 SB	Miscellaneous/No Prequal	COMPLETE
604216	MEDFORD- SOMERVILLE- STONEHAM- WOBURN- TEMPORARY EXTENSION OF HIGH OCCUPANCY VEHICLE LANE FOR THE DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL CONVENTION, I-93 SB	Miscellaneous/No Prequal	COMPLETE

Wintervillian crazy crossover: Assembly Skwayar

End the Ice Cream Boycott

It's starting to cool down outside. A little early since it's practically mid-August, but it's supposed to be 90 again this weekend. Maybe that would be a good time to take a walk through our evolving map of Winter Hill to try to find some ice cream:


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Ugg, looks like the closest places are still too far to walk. Friendly's seems to be the closest joint, but it's across 93 and I think JP Licks in Davis Square might be a better option for the distance. There's always Christina's in Central Square and Toscanini's and Herrell's in Harvard Square. If you're intent on going Eastward, though, there's a Coldstone a little past the Friendly's in Medford. I haven't been to Emack & Bolio's, but hmmm... I feel like I've had this dual name socially conscious rock and roll vibe from some other trademark of ice cream... Well, it looks like I won't be walking to get ice cream this weekend. Let's end the ice cream boycott in Winter Hill.

Winterville Crossover:
Star Market: It ain't Whole Foods, but it get's er done.