My View of Life on the Dock
While the comment is to me I’d like to recognize all the contributors who have added in their part and the people that have been a part of the conversation all these years. I hear it all the time, someone stumbled across a GMG post, dug a little deeper, subscribed, got hooked and made it their mission to make this place home. So great. Strip everything away from the blog and the friendships I’ve forged because of it is the 
on top!
THIS SATURDAY, Dec. 31,
2 – 4 pm
JOIN US FOR A COMPLIMENTARY CHAMPAGNE AND SPARKLING WINE TASTING WITH STORE OWNER KATHLEEN MORGAN, AT SAVOUR WINE AND CHEESE.
We have an aged Riesling Sekt and a Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Champagne – available in half bottles, full or even Magnums! From Prosecco to Champagne, all of these delicious sparkling wines pair exceptionally well with snacks like popcorn and potato chips, fried foods, fresh oysters, and rich dishes like seafood risotto.
WINES
Le Mesnil Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru NV, Champagne, France
Varietal : Chardonnay Alc. 12%
Le Mesnil, founded in 1937, has a truly excellent terroir; 100% of its vineyards are ranked as Grand Cru. The vineyard is situated at the heart of the prestigious Côte des Blancs, so called because of the omnipresence of the Chardonnay grape. The fruit for this outstanding Blanc de Blancs is sourced from the same village from which Krug and Salon source grapes to make their incredibly expensive luxury Champagnes. Le Mesnil’s Non Vintage Blanc de Blancs pours beautifully, boasting an excellent white frothy mousse, showing good hold, followed by a straw, pale gold base wine. The very fine bead has excellent persistence. Aromatically, this wine delivers a classic Champagne sniff. Yeasty, baked bread notes are followed by some brioche and a hint of citrus. The palate is surprisingly full and rich for a Blanc de Blancs, with mouth-filling flavors of yeast lees, baked bread, cashew, and biscuit. Clean finish. It has a creamy texture and a clean finish. Available in 375ml ($32.99), 750ml ($54.99), and magnum ($119.99).
Lucien Albrecht Cremant d’Alsace Brut Rose, Alsace, France
Varietal: Pinot Noir Alc. 12%
Lucien Albrecht has been producing Cremant d’Alsace since 1971 and is known as one of the pioneers of the appellation. Thanks to the winemaker’s perseverance and successful trials and tests, on August 24, 1976 the AOC was made official. This sparkling wine—one of the flagship Crémants d’Alsace—is made exclusively from Pinot Noir. The non-vintage Lucien Albrecht Crémant d’Alsace Brut Rosé begins with a wonderful aroma of strawberries and cherry along with some light floral notes, cream and a hint of fresh baked bread. The wine tastes full of rich, tart cherry, lots of strawberries, cream and a dash of salt. Crisp, refreshing, and with good acidity, it is absolutely a delight on the palate. On the finish the strawberry and cream flavor continues and some minerality comes through as well. A pleasure to drink at an incredibly good price. $21.99
Borgoluce Lampo Proseco, Valdobbiadene, Italy
Varietal: Glera Alc. 11.5%
Rows of hills run parallel from east to west in the foothills of the Alps in the northern province of Treviso. Vines have been cultivated here since ancient times, and it has been the ideal environment for the Glera varietal for more than three centuries. The growers follow the strict vine-growing protocol of the Conegliano Valdobbiadene Consortium with the aim of increasingly more environmental sustainability. The growers have created such a unique landscape that the Prosecco Hills of Conegliano and Valdobbiadene are now an UNESCO World Heritage Site. Borgoluce lies in the heart of the Valdobbiadene district. The Borgoluce Lampo Prosecco has extremely fine perlage. It is straw-yellow in color. On the nose, it has a delicate bouquet of freshly picked flowers, with notes of peach and yellow apple. It is fresh and soft on the palate with notes of peach and apricot. $19.99
Peter Lauer Saar Riesling Brut, Mosel, Germany
Varietal: Riesling Alc. 12.5%
In the Saar Valley around Ayl, the growing conditions — cool winds and hot slate slopes – are perfect for growing Riesling. Here the 5th generation of the Lauer family continues an almost 180-year-old tradition of winemaking. In 1966, the current winemaker’s grandfather began making sparkling Riesling. This Saar Riesling Brut pours a medium lemon yellow with small, tight bubbles. It has a nose of green apple, lemon-citrus peel, white grape and quince. On the palate the dry, medium-bodied sparkling Riesling echoes flavors on the nose and nice acidity and minerality. $39.99
And don’t forget to check out what’s new in our beer case. We have a wonderfully dark but slightly hoppy Robust Porter from Smuttynose and a rauchbier from Rockport Brewing that pair well with heartier autumn fare.
Find out about new wine arrivals and other events at Savour by following us n Facebook and Instagram.
Kathleen’s Price-Value Gems:
Unique to SAVOUR our three price-value collections, with
each category ($9.99ers – $14.99ers -$19.99ers) offering hundreds of wines
at one price, personally curated by Kathleen, some have limited availability
9.99ers…the quality is taste delivering above-price enjoyment …Value!
14.99ers…exhibiting qualities of complexity…Elevating the Experience!
19.99ers…value laden wines by innovative vintners…Expect Exceptional!
Adding to this Saturday’s wine tasting with Kathleen is Savour’s Everyday Tech Tastings at the North Shore’s Only Digital Wine Machine. Fun to use and enjoy! Taste up to 20 wines with new selections regularly added…& yes, complimentary. Kathleen welcomes your questions for food pairings.
Welcome Your Donation in any amount for Pathways for Children.
Thank You! …Kathleen
Savour Wine and Cheese
76 Prospect St.
Gloucester, Ma 01930
978 282-1455
Most websites and blogs don’t get past the first couple of months before their creators give up because they don’t understand how difficult it is to gain traction, to create a loyal following of viewers who come back often enough and provide enough feedback to the content creator to make them feel it is worth the hours of grinding away in front of the keyboard.
That hasn’t been the case here. I’ve been blessed with such passionate people that have not only followed along but joined as contributors to make GMG what it is today. The blog has opened up so many opportunities to create friendships and strengthen bonds within the community all in the name of positively pushing forth the greatness that surrounds us.
I’ve said it dozens if not hundreds of times. GMG couldn’t be done to the level of success we’ve enjoyed in just any town. We’re just lucky to be able to write and photograph a place that has so many layers of gorgeous texture every where we look and that makes it possible.
The art scene, the music scene, the boating, the commercial fishing, the restaurants, the physical landscape- it all is so special and makes our job a pleasure to shout out about!
86,180 individual posts on Good Morning Gloucester in the past 15 years. That’s a whole lot of love back to the best community on the planet. An average of 15.74 posts per day for 15 straight years. Wow.
Out of all of it for me personally I’d like to thank GMG for the friendships it’s afforded me, the doors it’s opened and conversations started because of it’s influence. Every contributor passionate the same way I am about this special place and without whose friendships the blog is just a whole lot different.
For all the subscribers , the people that write in notes and comments thank you so much. without your feedback it’s difficult to keep going if you think you’re creating in an echo chamber.
To all the contributors, thank you so much for helping to drive this baby and even more, thank you for your friendships.
One last note, thank you to my wife Kate who encourages me and knows how important it is for me to be creative. Without this platform that allows me to create and a family and friends that are all-in it wouldn’t be nearly as fun.
Love you all. If the blog has touched you in some special way please leave a comment. I’d appreciate it and I’m sure the team would too.
I don’t get it. You travel a couple hours to somewhere that is intentionally cold, to be cold, in the cold.
Rather than go to a beautiful warm beach.
What am I missing?
Oh I’m all in for the whole Après ski scene but could someone open a bar around here so we didn’t have to drive so far and everyone could dress up in cool ski outfits and there’s be a big wood fireplace?
I’m pretty sure that’s the move- someone open up a place and call it “Après” and for admission you have to wear ski clothes and pretend like you just got off the slopes and need to quench your thirst.
I’m a genius.
Check out our new updated menu!
Dine in, take out & delivery
20 Lexington Ave Magnolia MA
978-526-0443
We also cater too!
we’re here, gloucester and we can’t wait to see you on january 4th!
• reservations are now live•
open everyday 4 till 10pm
above photo is a shot of our new chef’s table built by the @timberandsaltdesign crew. our chef’s table will be a special 6 person seating area, reservations available upon request. sit here to watch the show and enjoy our wood fire menu.
see our website www.oaktoember.com/reservations to book or find us on resy – oaktoember
The black and white photo was taken by me on 12/23 during the storm. The anchor picture was 24 hours later! What a difference. Figured I would share. Thanks!
-Taylor Allen
Follow them here- https://www.instagram.com/kanaka_poke/
CATA has been working on a special gift! On January 2nd, CATA will be added to the MassDOT BusPlus app, a mobile ticketing app that you can download right to your smartphone! For an easier and more convenient way for riders to purchase ride fares without the hassle of carrying cash or having to make change, search for the MassDOT BusPlus app on Google Play and the App Store and download the app in advance today! Please note that this will not affect Dial-a-Ride and ADA services, and cash is still accepted.
A lifelong devotee of public libraries, a former children’s librarian and a published author, Gloucester native Marion O’Connell Frost has donated $4,000 to the sawyerfree2025.org $100,000 challenge grant campaign that concludes at midnight on December 31. The gift, which comprises the last of the proceeds from her 2011 book, “My Gloucester: Views of a Provincial,” will be matched by an anonymous family fund backing the challenge campaign and pushes total donations by the general public to $88,000 since the October 18 launch.
“Call it a widow’s mite,” quipped the 93-year-old Frost, who has lived in Ipswich for the past 50 years. “It’s fun to play a small part and it’s going to make me very happy to see Sawyer Free Library enlarged. I’m thrilled that the original building will remain intact. That is part of the reason I’m supporting Sawyer Free 2025.”
Frost, who is nearing completion of a second book, first kindled her love of libraries at Sawyer Free as a child, but went on to work as a librarian at New York’s Schenectady County Public Library as well as the Utica Public Library during the 1950s. She has also served as a member of the board of trustees for the Pembroke Public Library, and spent 30 years in that same role for the Ipswich Public Library, where she now holds emeritus status as a board member.
“I spent a lot of time in the Sawyer Free library growing up—a lot of time,” she said. “Starting out in the children’s room upstairs, then I graduated to the adult section downstairs and that’s when I was introduced to the stacks—just the little stacks, not the big ones they have now. They were just one little area back then, and I spent a lot of time in the stacks just reading. I especially remember Miss Flatley from Manchester, who was the children’s librarian.”
Frost’s husband, the late David W. Frost, worked for Blue Cross Blue Shield and was oft-transferred before eventually becoming president of that healthcare association. The couple, who share four children, attended Sunday School at Trinity Congregational Church together, but didn’t meet until they attended the same history and chemistry classes at Gloucester High School.
Full-time motherhood didn’t interrupt Frost’s professional life for long. A Sawyer Medal winner in 1943, she already had an undergraduate degree from Boston University, but earned her master’s at BU once the family relocated to Massachusetts, and followed that up with a master’s in moderate special needs teaching from Lesley University. Frost ultimately became a special needs teacher at Ipswich High.
“Marion’s dedication to education and to Sawyer library is an inspiration,” said Sawyer Free 2025 Campaign Manager Sarah Oaks. “Her generosity and thoughtfulness in donating the final proceeds of her beautiful book to our matching challenge grant comes at a perfect time as our deadline approaches, and has pushed us to the threshold of $90,000 with just a few days to go.”
For her part, Frost says her loyalty to her native city—both financial and creative—is about Gloucester’s unmatched natural beauty.
“I am a Gloucester girl,” she said. “It’s my hometown. As a kid, when I got old enough to go places by myself, I’d go down to the Boulevard and look out at the Atlantic Ocean and think, ‘If I keep looking, I will see Europe.’ I’ve always loved being on the edge of places. I’ve been lucky enough to travel the world. I’ve hiked in South America, in the Caucasus Mountains and in Nepal, but personally, I think Gloucester is one of the most beautiful places in the whole world. And that’s what I say in my book.”
Frost’s first book retailed for $20 a copy and underwent two printings by King Printing in Lowell, but is now out of print. It ran 94 pages in length and featured more than two dozen photos of Gloucester locales shot by Frost herself. In 2011, Frost donated $5,000 worth of book profits to the City Hall Restoration Commission. Her new book, “Mother of Mine,” will be a tribute to the life and times of her mother, Celia Elizabeth Brooks O’Connell.
Sawyer Free 2025 (visit sawyerfree2025.org) is a fully philanthropic capital campaign to fund a comprehensive renovation, modernization and expansion of Cape Ann’s oldest public library.
Want to give a gift to a loved one – or maybe to yourself – that Helps Restore the Local Elm Tree Landscape and Fights Climate Change?
Project Elm is aiming to plant in the spring of 2023 another 225 Elm Trees in Gloucester, Rockport, Essex, Manchester, and Ipswich. With the help of hundreds of local people, we’ve already managed to plant 175 elms in local soil over the past two years.
Tree supplies are limited – and our trees have gone very quickly in prior years. We place tree orders in January. First come, first served!
If you give a tree(s) as a gift, we’ll send you a certificate you can share with the recipient. Example certificate in the thread below.
Please spread the word!
Any questions, contact us through our website:
Topside bistro in Gloucester ma is starting our hiring process. If you would like to apply, come by mon 1/2 or Tues 1/3 between noon-4 to drop off your resume and have a chat with Teddy Spiegel Jr. And I. If you would like to apply for a kitchen position, please DM me so I can set something more personal up with the executive chef.
We look forward to opening soon and getting our wonderful staff hired
