Left In Lowell

If you are not a Blue Mass Group reader, you should check this out. Charley posed a bunch of interesting questions and a lot of discussion followed. Including a response on the thought process from the Governor’s office from Doug Rubin, Gov. Patrick’s Chief of Staff, among other notable comments. The whole thing is worth a read.

Now that is change you can believe in. Or am I mixing up my campaign slogans?

Sometimes being a blogger astounds me, and sometimes it scares me. The last couple of weeks brought a tiny jolt of both, when I started receiving media advisories from the official White House Media Affairs Office. This, though I never really asked to be.

On the other hand, whoa. How’d they know about us, a dinky little blog on the edge of the country? (Answer: cuz we’re on the internets, duh…). On the first hand, hey, really cool! I’m on the official White House Media Affairs Office media list! Then there’s the third hand…if they let lags like me get on the list…doesn’t say much for their standards.

Anyway, this week was all about a media conference call with the Deputy Director of the Office of Management and Budget Rob Nabors (the same one AMERICAblog was invited to), which I didn’t opt into, mostly because I am a very busy business owner right now (not complaining!). That was set for 11am this morning (as it turns out, I ended up meeting with a client then anyway, so even if I wanted to, I would have had to back out of the call).

I get back from a late lunch after said client meeting, and goddamn…they have sent thems on the “media list” a freaking transcript of the conference call. Questions and all. I am not kidding! It turns out actually, Peter Orszag, the Director of the OMB, conducted the call.

Just because I think it’s valuable for readers, and because I think it’s damn cool, I’m just going to post the whole thing after the bump. It’s pretty long, but if you’re a budget wonk, it’s full of meaty goodness.

PS: I think I might just have to opt in to some of these calls! (more…)

I’ve come to Great Plates a little late, but this week took advantage of the little promo. And thoroughly enjoyed it.

Yesterday I introduced a good friend to Market Street’s Centro and we both got the lunch Great Plate special - amazing salmon soup, chicken over orzo in coconut curry sauce, and a lovely, decadent chocolate mouse…all for under $10. They are lunch portions but we left pleasantly filled up.

Today I couldn’t help myself, I ended up at Blue Taleh to check out their choices. For just over $10, I got the equivalent of two maki rolls (California and spicy salmon, yum! I am sensing a theme for me here) and their great Pad Thai. Dessert was an ice cream sundae.

If you’re not a downtown worker like I am and can’t take advantage of these prices during weekday lunch, you can head down any time through Saturday, the 28th, for a lunch or dinner Great Plate. My review - it’s a great deal for really good food.

Off topic (sort of) but still about food - I also heard about the new market which is in development for Market St (called, appropriately, the Market St Market). It’s promising to be a sort of mini Trader Joe’s. I hope they carry unsweetened almond milk, my milk substitute of choice! If they do, I’ll be there a lot…