Will Hurricane Earl make for an uphill (indoor) climb?

While the Seacoast gets hot as a firecracket during midweek, the big talk now centers on the possible arrival of Hurricane Earl, which is currently forecasted to pass by the Outer Banks of North Carolina, then curve Northeast towards the Seacoast. While Cape Cod is under the biggest risk for strong, potentially damaging winds, it appears likely that the Seacoast will get some (still) needed rain.

That's good news, but the timing is not great for Seacoast businesses: the rain is scheduled to start falling early evening on Friday night, then showers and gray skies (and strong tides!) will likely continue into Saturday afternoon. This is obviously less than ideal for Seacoast residents and visitors during a busy Labor Day Weekend. So what might be a good indoor option for Friday night or Saturday?

Guest Blogging from Paul Keegan, the Green Guru

We just wanted to let readers of the Green Alliance blog know that in the coming weeks, we anticipate a few "guest-blog" entries from Paul Keegan, owner of 1 World Trading Co., which specializes in organic, fair trade, and locally-made products, including clothing, jewelry, home décor, hemp shoes, biodegradable cups and plates, New Hampshire-made maple syrup and chocolate, or books and CDs from local writers and musicians. Paul is sometimes known as the Green Guru because of his committment to green business practices, and his committment to sharing his message in a variety of ways.

Funky Fall Foliage Cruise with the Green Alliance on Sunday, October 3, 2010!

The Green Alliance is very pleased to be co-hosting a special "Funky Fall Foliage Cruise" on Sunday, October 3, 2010, from 3:30 - 7:00 PM aboard the Isles of Shoals Steamship Co's Victorian style, 348 passenger M/V Thomas Laighton!

Our co-host WXGR 101.5 FM will provide entertainment through their own DJ, while green drink specials and spectacular views will be "served" at this all-ages event. Bring the whole family during one of the Seacoast's nicest times of the year, with comfortable tempearutures, low humidity, and sparkling foliage from Portsmouth Harbor to Dover Point!

With a little help from its NH arm, DiggersList grows by leaps and bounds

By Jim Cavan

The past few years haven’t exactly been kind to craigslist. Having been embroiled in numerous scandals that have tarnished the website’s already ambiguous reputation, people have been fleeing even the site’s more benign classifieds sections.

Luckily for the DIYers and home improvers out there, one California website is filling one of those previously empty niches – and getting attention for all the right reasons.

They’ve been featured in Star magazine’s “Hot Sheet”, Family Handyman’s “The Stuff We Love” section, made appearances on both the Live Well Channel’s “Gotta Know” as well as on a Charleston, South Carolina ABC affiliate’s morning news show, and their story has been scooped by dozens of blogs and other websites nationwide.

What is this handyperson’s craiglist?

It’s called DiggersList, and it’s a California-based website that’s become the go-to classifieds for building and home improvement materials, supplies, and services – all at cut rate cost, and all tailored to specific regions and cities.

The website, launched in October 2009, already houses individual sites for dozens cities across the country, including one for the New Hampshire Seacoast.

To say that DiggersList is growing would be a drastic understatement: the site has already tripled the number of affiliate cities and, according to its founder Matt Knox, more than 600 cities from across the United States, Canada and the U.K. put in requests to be next on the list just last month alone.

In fact, in the fifteen minutes this reporter spent talking on the phone with Knox, three more citizens had sent inquiries wondering when their city would find its way to a site which, according to its owner, includes 70,000 active users.

Notes from the Boston Green Fest

I had the pleasure of attending the Boston Green Fest last week, including the Green Jobs Forum on Thursday at the Massachusetts State House. I thought there were some tidbits that apply to the Seacoast region, and the Green Alliance community.

The Green Jobs Forum actually focused on several problems facing Boston. It’s densely populated, with a lack of “green” space for its residents to farm in, and its children to play in. As a result, one of its biggest challenges revolves around the issue of food: how can the city increase its residents’ access to fresh, locally grown food?

Bob’s Clam Hut to be featured on Food Network’s 'Diners, Drive-ins and Dives' with Guy Fieri!

Kittery, ME -- Bob’s Clam Hut, a local institution since 1956 and renowned for having some of the best fried clams in New England, is slated to be featured on Food Network’s highest rated show, Diners, Drive-ins and Dives. The show is set to air at 10pm on Monday, September 6th.

The colorful host of the show, Guy Fieri, was at Bob’s in June of this year to film the segment with Bob’s owner for the past 24 years, Michael Landgarten.

The segment with Fieri will feature some of Bob’s signature dishes – lobster stew, clam fritters, tartar sauce and of course, fried clams. There was a cook-off contest between the two styles of clams Bob’s serves – the traditional Bob’s recipe and “Lillian” style. The latter is named for Bob’s long-time beloved (24 years!) cashier Lillian Mangos of Portsmouth. Her recipe for clams differs from Bob’s original recipe. Mr. Fieri will make his preference known on the show.

Dozens of Bob’s regulars were in attendance for the filming are likely to be on TV on the 6th. Also featured was Landgarten a musician in his free time – performing an original song with references to the Route 1 staple.

Right off the bat during the filming there were typical high jinks from Fieri, including tartar sauce spooned in the eye and hair of a cameraman and the impromptu inclusion of Fieri’s young son Hunter in the filming.

Bob’ plans to create a t-shirt celebrating its inclusion on the show.