Month: December 2016

Boston Winter at City Hall Plaza

Posted on by Nichole S.

We spent the afternoon in the city yesterday and had such a great time!   While not all of our grand plans for winter vacation will get crossed off the bucket list, skating at City Hall Plaza’s Boston Winter was one that we were sure not to miss.  Kids skate for $8 and adults for $10….skates are available for rent and there is a warm room with benches to store your shoes and lace up.

Some pretty nice outdoor shopping, plenty of places to grab a snack or even a drink (yes, please), and enough ice to accommodate plenty of skaters….all under the city lights of Boston. Kind of magical, really.

We got in there on the early side so we left just shy of the live entertainment rink side. The boys can never quite get enough skating so they skated once, we walked down to Faneuil Hall for lunch and a bit of shopping, and then walked back up the stairs to City Hall to hit the ice again.  During their second run my friend and I figured we had earned a hot mulled wine drink….sounds iffy, but was pretty yummy…and being able to stand outside by the rink in the middle of the city with a drink in our hands (legally) was a nice treat.

The Urban Lodge, conveniently located right next to the ice, has a bar, some comfy seating, snacks, warm blankets, and even a giant sized Jenga game.  There are also plenty of snack shacks serving up other drinks and treats. The shopping is pretty eclectic with a variety of items and maybe a little something for everyone.  In fact, I was thrilled to discover Rusty and Ingrid snuggled into the midst of some other shopping chalets.  Check out their website now, but expect a blog post about their amazing work very soon…now that I’ve been pleasantly reminded how incredible their work is!

The boys probably would have stayed all night, but we were getting chilly.  We took a spin through the phenomenal Boston Public Market (also a blog post for another day!) and headed home.

So happy to have made it into the city….and to have spent the day with good friends.

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Boston Globe Ma in CT: Manchester private art collection on exhibit New Britain Museum of Art

Posted on by Catherine

excerpt from Boston Globe article by Kate McQuaid

MANCHESTER-BY-THE-SEA — Gail and Ernst von Metzsch are the kind of art collectors who purchase paintings serendipitously. If they come across a canvas that speaks to them, they’ll buy it.“Ernst will say, ‘I’m just going to a gallery, I won’t buy anything,’ and then six weeks later, when the show closes, a package will arrive,” Gail says. Ernst, 77, started picking up a painting here and there in the 1970s, before he met Gail, 65. Together, they have built a vibrant collection of artworks, notably local in its focus on contemporary Boston-area artists and landscapes. “As We See It: The Collection of Gail and Ernst von Metzsch,” at the New Britain (Conn.) Museum of American Artnew-britain-ct through Jan. 8, spotlights more than 80 works by close to 30 artists from their collection.

January = Free Cape Ann Museum admission for Cape Ann Residents

Posted on by Joey Ciaramitaro

More Cape Ann Community News-
http://www.capeanncommunity.com

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The Cape Ann Museum tells multiple stories, all relating to a single remarkable place and during the month of January all Cape Ann residents (Rockport, Gloucester, Manchester-by-the-Sea and Essex) are welcome to enjoy its galleries for free. If you’ve never been to the Cape Ann Museum, now is the time. Its collections represent your history—the people, the industries and especially the art and culture. We invite you to explore!

web20161027_0955a Image: Folly Cove Designers gallery; CAM docents in the Capt. Elias Davis House (1804); Families in the Museum’s Activity Center; Jeff Weaver, From Governor’s Hill, oil on canvas.

In addition to its permanent collections, the Museum offers a rotating schedule of special exhibitions throughout the year as well as related programs and events for adults and families. This is a wonderful opportunity to visit (or revisit) the current special exhibition, Voicing the Woods: Jeremy Adams, Instrument Maker and the newly…

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Merry Christmas from the Seaport Grille

Posted on by Joey Ciaramitaro

More Cape Ann Dining News-
http://www.capeanneats.com

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Check out these pics of the Gloucester Fire Department singing Christmas carols at the Seaport Grille! Our guests love this annual tradition. Thank you to our city fire fighters! Just a reminder that we will be open to 3 PM on Christmas Eve Day, and closed on Christmas Day. Happy holidays to all!  

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Pop up at Pauline’s Gifts: Folly Cove rum made for a tasty eggnog, custom ornaments, and flags of course

Posted on by Catherine

Busy night at Pauline’s Gifts. Ringo Tarr picked up flags for the Boulevard donated by members of the Cape Ann Business Alliance. Councilor Val Gilman stopped in and Cory from The Bridge was streaming from the store, interviewing Pauline and Bob Ryan of Ryan & Wood. Pauline’s son Michael served up two special cocktails. We went for the rum. I ordered two custom painted ornaments–one for a Dartmouth fan and a pink Patriots one. Now that I’ve seen a custom house ornament, I’ll have to narrow down one of my many house motifs for an order!

Small business news: Pauline has had one of the top December months since she’s been in business.

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HELLO LITTLE CHRISTMAS SNOW BUNTING!!

Posted on by Kimsmithdesigns

snow-bunting-cape-ann-massachusetts-7-copyright-kim-smithThis sweet sparrow-sized bird caught my attention as it was feeding alongside a more subdued-hued Song Sparrow, both smack dab in the middle of the road. How could it not, with its strikingly patterned tail feathers, brilliant white underparts, and unusual hopping-walking-running habit.

snow-bunting-cape-ann-massachusetts-4-copyright-kim-smithAptly named Snow Bunting, and colloquially called  “Snowflake”, worldwide this little songbird travels furtherest north of any member of the passerine, breeding in the high Arctic tundra.

In Massachusetts, Snow Buntings are seen during the winter along the coastline and in small flocks, foraging on seeds and tiny crustaceans.

I hope more Snow Buntings join the lone Snowflake spotted on Eastern Point. If you see a Snow Bunting, please write and let us know. Thank you!snow_bunting_map_big sneeuwgorsm
snbu_ad_gth1Snow Bunting in Arctic summer breeding plumage, photo courtesy BirdNote

THREE DAYS BEFORE CHRISTMAS CAROL COUNTDOWN: BONJOVI “HALLELUJAH”

Posted on by Kimsmithdesigns

CLICK THIS AND WATCH IT NOW, IT WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE!! (Dedicated to our resident SEAGULL, HOMIE!)

Posted on by Craig Kimberley

I don’t know who, what, when, where or how this came to our planet. But it’s the greatest thing I’ve seen in my lifetime. You will be humming this tune for weeks!

SURFING SANTA @ GOOD HARBOR BEACH from SURFARI, MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Posted on by Craig Kimberley

Santa may lose his pants, but he keeps on riding! Have a Merry Christmas out there folks!

This is the year I get back out there and catch some waves!!! Who’s in besides Santa??

 

Sax Gordon Tonight! Dave Sag’s Blues Party 8:30pm @ The Rhumb Line 12.22.2016

Posted on by Joanne

dave-sag-rl-10.29.205

I know a lot of you are frustrated from the ravages of Father Time and an eerie lack o’ wanna so, why not get hip to the latest and greatest in the phony cyber world of adult matchmaking services? Try new Carbondating® for adults. Just send in a sample of hair (if any), spittle, or toe jam and the wonderful failed German South American doctors at our cosmetic laboratory will have you fixed up in no time with a truly compatible specimen. Just like you! And if that doesn’t work, try this:
Our special Xmas show this Thursday features the clinically-proven Magi of Mayhem: Mr. Gordon “Sax” Beadle. With his own brand of fairy dust, Big G, catnip to your ears, will have you convulsing in the aisles,whilst you beg to donate to our Musician’s Retirement Plan©, and just basically turning the old bar into a steaming heap of writhing bodies.

D.S.

sax-gordon

http://www.saxgordon.com/

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40 Railroad Avenue
Gloucester, MA 01930
(978) 283-9732

http://www.therhumbline.com/

Drumroll please!

Posted on by Bridgette Mathews

I’m sure you are all tired of looking at The Mathews’ Family through the years so here it is 2016…the last Christmas Card I will torture you with!  Happiest of Holidays to all!!

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The Mathews Family 2016

In case you missed any in the past week…

Nichole’s Picks 12/24 + 12/25 (kind of)

Posted on by Nichole S.

Well, hmmm.  Not sure what I’m supposed to tell you to do on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day….other than treasure your time with friends, family, and loved ones.  Enjoy every moment….and be in the moment.  Have a happy holiday, create memories, share some magic, and savor the minutes together.  Please also take some time to reflect on those who are not enjoying their holiday season…those who are sad, sick, hurting, lonely, cold, or hungry…those whose downward days are only more punctuated on these days that we consider special. 

The weather, while not like last year’s 70 degree Christmas, should be in the 40s so get outside, listen to nature, walk the dogs…..and continue the spirit of giving by leaving small treats outside for the wildlife.  We like to sprinkle bird seed and cover pine cones with peanut butter and seed for the critters. Sometimes we drop fruit and vegetables on our favorite paths in the woods.

As the last part of “Christmas in Rockport”, Santa will be visiting Dock Square at 12:30 in the afternoon we hand out baskets full of treats to the town’s children and to give them the opportunity to say “Thank you” for all of his hard work during the holiday season.  The boys will write “Thank you” letters and deliver them to Santa Christmas morning.  It has always been a nice tradition….rather just writing lists of what they want for Christmas…they also get to thank him as well.

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Reaffirmation of my fear of heights.

Posted on by Joey Ciaramitaro

Look, I don’t care if I’m two feet off the ground.  Tor some reason my knees get wobbly.  So for the same reason I don’t go hiking in the woods to go get infested with tick bites and die, don’t mess around with dogs that want to eat me-  I don’t climb up ladders only to fall to my untimely death.