Day: April 20, 2025

We’ve been really enjoying our time in Rincon PR. It’s a funky, rain foresty, laid back area with friendly people, excellent food, it’s relatively inexpensive and has great beaches. Not everything is pristine like Naples, but that’s OK. It’s not dirty, it’s just maybe all the building codes are, you, know….whatever, lol. But it’s cool like that. Everyone is super chill and relaxed. It’s a little off the beaten path, almost a 3 hour drive from San Juan airport but that may be the thing that keeps it affordable and the masses from coming and making it unaffordable. Where Naples and Aruba you hop off the plane and can get to your spot within a half hour, Rincon PR is a little more work. We also feel super safe and the locals and tourists alike are fun loving and friendly. Happy hours abound, laid back beach bars abound, although you’ll probably want to rent a car because there’s lots of beaches and different restaurants that are not far away from each other but the roads are not walkers friendly and spaced out a couple miles from each other other than the heart of downtown Rincon.

I can see why people would fall in love with the place and choose to stay here for a couple of months.

Naples continues to be an incredibly easy to get to place where there’s lots to do, checking off all my boxes of easy to get to, clean, great beaches, restaurants and shopping. If there’s a knock on Naples it would be that it’s gotten a little expensive and you need to drive a lot because everything is so spread out unless you stay your entire trip down off 5th in Old Naples, but no one really does that. Delray and Downtown St Pete are great Florida places where you can go there and never have to drive. Tampa has a ton going for it as well but January and February are usually pretty cold and they don’t have the beaches unless you want to drive.

Aruba to me was good across the board but didn’t win my heart in any categories except one- The easy category. You get there and if you’re staying close to the beach, and you’re a beach person, everything you need is right there- easy, easy, easy. There were some god restaurants and a couple great restaurants but everything is a little pricier and not much is really “Spectacular”. You get spectacular food in Naples, you get spectacular food in Rincon. Mark Lebowitz described Aruba perfectly to me- everything is an 8. the food is good, the beaches are good,nothing is outrageous. But what it does excel at is simplicity. Get off the plane, check in grab a beach chair and a frozen drink easy peasy. The weather you can also count on in January and February being warm which is a MAJOR positive. Naples you can get 50’s. Although people will say “better than home when it’s 20 degrees”, that’s aggravating to me. If I’m going for a beach vacation I want it minimum 70 degrees. HUGE for the win column for Aruba in January or February.

Naples remains my go-to but I could see us coming back to Rincon.

Aruba, only if there was a crazy deal for a place on the beach in January or February but I’d prefer St John in those months. Kate liked Aruba more than me. I liked it but for the money I think there’s spots that are much prettier.

Rincon is pretty unique in its authenticity and beauty and perfectly unperfect charm. It’s not spit-polished, but that’s OK. It’s chill with great beaches, great food options and warm friendly people.

Audrey Hill shared this gem with me from her deceased mother Lydia Hill’s files a few months ago. Audrey and I and her six siblings were neighbors on Page Street in East Gloucester, and were fifth and sixth graders at the Eastern Avenue School in 1970 with Tory Bagshaw, Lenny Richardson, George Gale, Joey Bertolino, Anita Gillie, a whole bunch of other East Gloucester children.

Mr. Joseph (of Four Kings and a Queen at GHS hockey games in the late 1990’s (Herb Joseph, David Richardson, my dad Len Bolonsky, and Tommy and Sandy Spinola)) was our teacher. 

Mr. Joseph’s punishment for classroom transgressions was for the miscreant to copy out and hand in an entire dictionary page. Andrew Gleason got the most dictionary pages, I think. He was fearless and never really seemed to mind getting in trouble.

Audrey and her friends – all girls – protested to the principal, Mr. White, that they didn’t have as much playground equipment as the boys. 

GHS class of 1978 members will recognize the names of Eastern Avenue girls who became jocks in their own right (Judy Salah and so on) as well as the children of a local firefighter, the daughter of the owner of Brown’s Yacht Yard, the daughter of a local Coast Guardsman transferred to Gloucester from Hawaii, the daughter of the owner of one of Gloucester’s largest charter boat companies, and the daughter of one of Gloucester’s many, many artists, and the circulation manager for the Gloucester Daily.

It looks like one of the girls typed the petition: ome of the girls’ names are spelled wrong, and some girls’ last names are missing. 

Later, emboldened by their success, the girls likewise petitioned for equal access to the lower playgrounds and ballfied. 

Audrey and I had a brief romance in the 7th grade at the O’Maley. Audrey was a quite fickle girlfriend though, and within two weeks she had broken up with me and shifted her attention to someone else. But I already had my eye on Theresa Glenn, Janine DeCoaste, and a couple of other girls.

Here’s the text of the letter:

Dear Mr. White, 

You should do something about the fact that the girls only have one ball. You should get another ball for them. IF you do, I am sure that they would thank you for it.

It really is not fair. The boys get 5 or 6 balls, but the girls, one.

YOURS TRULY,

Isabel Hamor

Audrey Hill

Francina Monel

Susan Jedrey

Mary Roudolf (sic.)

Regina Mikinnon (sic.)

Judy Salah

Kathy Brown

Cindy Hadley

Cindy OLeary (sic.)

Susan Myett

Deana Brown

Denise Oliver

Peggy Bagshaw

Christa Hern (sic.)

Carol Howard

Dede Chaisson

Jodi Cunningham

Shirley (Stottlemyer) (?)

Elizabeth Fish

Grace (Moceri) (?)

Louice (Louise)

Susan Dodge

Hello,

Meet “spirit cat” Mr. Waffles! 

Mr. Waffles is a lovable little oddball who enjoys being near people but prefers not to be touched. He’s not a cuddler, but he’ll happily lounge at your feet and keep you company-especially if treats are involved! He’s come a long way and no longer shows signs of fear-based aggression. While he isn’t interested in affection, he’s curious, food-motivated, and enjoys the quiet presence of his people. Mr. Waffles would thrive in a home with another social cat to buddy up with. He’s not a fan of dogs but can coexist if they give him space. He’s the perfect match for someone who appreciates the unique companionship of a spirit cat-quiet, quirky, and full of personality. He’s currently in a loving foster home and is available to meet potential adopters via Zoom.

Submit an application by going to CapeAnnAnimalAid.org/CatApp

Thank you!

SpeciesCat BreedDomestic Shorthair/Mix Age4 months 30 days GenderMale SizeMedium ColorBlack Spayed/NeuteredDeclawedNo HousetrainedYes Special NeedsAdoption Price$275.00 

______________________________________
Cape Ann Animal Aid

Christopher Cutler Rich Animal Shelter
4 Paws Lane
Gloucester, MA 01930

(978) 283-6055

www.CapeAnnAnimalAid.org

www.facebook.com/CapeAnnAnimalAid

Artist bios

Winner of the Great American Jazz Piano Competition, Laszlo Gardony has been praised for his “fluid pianism” by The New York Times. Two of his albums were featured on DownBeat Magazine’s “Best of the Year” list. Described as a “formidable improviser who lives in the moment” (JazzTimes), pianist and composer Laszlo Gardony has performed in 27 countries and released 14 albums on labels such as Sunnyside, Antilles, and Avenue. He holds a professorship in piano at Berklee College of Music in Boston and is part of Harvard University’s “Jazz Combo Initiative” program. Gardony has collaborated with musicians like Dave Holland, Miroslav Vitous, David “Fathead” Newman, Bill Pierce, Don Braden, Randy Brecker, Eddie Gomez, Bob Moses, Victor Lewis, Yoron Israel, John Lockwood, Christian Artmann, Avery Sharpe, The Wayfaring Strangers, and Mick Goodrick, among others. Laszlo’s performances radiate the joy of inspired creation, audience connection, and spontaneous improvisation. His concerts are unique experiences that draw from deep emotions, impressive technique, and a playful curiosity that revels in interpreting each distinct moment.

 

 Drummer Yoron Israel stands as one of the most sought-after musicians of his generation. In addition to leading his own projects, Yoron’s exceptional musicality, intensity, and versatility are celebrated globally. Through consistent performances at prestigious concerts, notable festivals, and prominent clubs, he has contributed to over 200 recordings as an accompanist with luminaries like Sonny Rollins, Abbey Lincoln, Ahmad Jamal, and Horace Silver. He has been a member of the Laszlo Gardony Trio for over 20 years, and Laszlo is featured on two of Yoron’s albums as well.

Yoron holds the position of Chair and Professor of Percussion at Berklee College of Music. 

Bassist John Lockwood has earned an esteemed international reputation throughout his career, performing alongside legends such as Joe Henderson, Dizzy Gillespie, Pat Metheny, and Freddie Hubbard, to name a few. He is widely regarded as a premier bassist in the New England region and is recognized for his regular collaborations with The Fringe, Laszlo Gardony, George Garzone, Joe Maneri, Billy Pierce, and others. John also serves as an Associate Professor at Berklee College of Music.

https://www.lgjazz.com

www.facebook.com/LaszloGardony

www.youtube.com/lgjazzvideos

www.instagram.com/laszlogardonymusic 

Easter Dawning…

Osprey pair Annie and Squam are back in their nest behind LobstaLand and doing the things birds do in the spring: nest maintenance and mating. They have been very successful parents in the past so we will wait and see what happens next with them. I watch them on the Essex Greenbelt Osprey Cam link here and read the notes provided to keep up with their activities. It’s addicting (you’ve been warned). Happy Easter to you all. I hope you celebrate spring and have a wonderful day. **these are screenshots from the Essex Greenbelt Osprey Cam**

Gloucester Resident Beach Sticker applications will be available online starting April 22nd! 🗓️

💻 Apply online starting Tuesday, April 22
🏢 In-person sales will begin in May

Before you apply, please check what documents you’ll need. You can find all the requirements and regulations here:https://tinyurl.com/3y6utc4f

Get ready for a great summer! 🌞🌊 #GloucesterMA #BeachSeason #ResidentSticker