Author: Nichole S.

If you need a positive mood adjustment, sit on the expansive deck at the Beauport for a bit.

Finn had a hankering for fish and chips the other day…what else is new. With Fiesta in full swing I was happy to avoid downtown and immediately decided to head over to the Causeway Restaurant at 78 Essex Ave. His fish was delicious, as always, and I ordered the Greek Salad with steak tips. So good!

With a work meeting on Thursday night, a son’s hockey game on Friday night and bartending duties both Saturday and Sunday night, Fiesta wasn’t in the cards for me this year. Sigh. I did make sure to take one early morning walk through though before photographing the Police, Fire Department, and Coast Guard Seine boat races. So, here are some random Fiesta pics.

If you’ve never taken a few moments to appreciate the St. Peter’s Fiesta Greasy Pole Shrine…or if you live far away and aren’t able, please enjoy this video of the winners and Champions. If viewing on Facebook, be certain to click on the link to view the video. It is a bit long, because I wanted people to be able to enjoy each photo if they can’t see it in person.

As is the tradition, at 10:00 this morning the Coast Guard, Gloucester Police Department, and Gloucester Fire Department engaged in some healthy competition with their annual seine boat race. After an initial false start (or something like that) the GFD ended up victorious. It was quite a week in Gloucester and it was really wonderful to see all of the crews having a good time…no matter who won!

Here’s the rest of this week’s line-up.

THURSDAY: Thursday; Dave Sag has the Beautiful songbird Danielle Miraglia 7-10 pm

FRIDAY: To start Fiesta weekend Friday night GROOVE THERAPY will rock The Rhumb Line

SATURDAY: Come hear Brandon Blatchford sing Fiesta Saturday at the Rhumb Line with the Bob Davis Trio. Saturday’s early show at the Rhumb Line is 5:00-7:00….followed by Tregony Bow from 8:00-11:00.

SUNDAY: The Satch Kerans Band kicks it off at 6pm. Satch will be joined by Ed Brown on bass, Coley Rybicki on drums and Bobby C. on guitar. They’ll also be joined by high school buddy and blues pianist extraordinaire Sammy Brown, not to mention Ed’s big bro. Yes, the Brown brothers will be in da house!! Join us for a rollicking good time.

My brother got my mom tickets to see the premiere performance of “A Beautiful Noise: The Neil Diamond Musical” in Boston last night. The three of us went in and had dinner together and he let me take his ticket to accompany her to the event. Knowing that Neil Diamond had made an appearance at Fenway Park earlier this week, it was easy to assume he’d be at the musical’s opening night. The musical is on stage at the Emerson Colonial Theatre before heading to Broadway. So, when the crowd erupted in applause minutes before the show started, it was easy to guess why. Neil Diamond was taking his seat in a private box. He graciously waved and when the show ended the actors were sure to bow to him. At one point in the show the actor playing an older Neil Diamond was reflecting on the success in his career and paused visibly to nod to “the real Neil Diamond” as to say, “you’re amazing.” I’d be lying if I said I didn’t get the chills. I’ve been a Neil fan for a long time! Long story short, if you get a chance to see the show in either Boston or in New York, take it! It’s so good, so good, so good. (see what I did there)

One of my favorite appetizers is something that doesn’t always show up on menus…so, when it does, I order it. The stuffed squash blossoms at Tonno were delicious (no surprise).

There was something so beautiful about watching these lanterns float slowly up into the sky last weekend.

Caught the full moon beginning to rise while in Rocky Neck on Monday night. As Finn and I drove home it became much more dramatic, but time was not on our side so we fought the urge to follow it for more photos.

Someone recently sent me this YouTube video done with Salvy Benson about his Greasy Pole victories. Yesterday I told Salvy that I had just watched it. He had never seen it himself….so I gave him my phone and had him watch it. So, here’s Salvy watching Salvy….and a link to the video if you’ve yet to see it yourself. Thanks to Carl Mckay-Stratton for snapping the photo since Salvy had mine.

I stumbled upon this situation the other day. Happy to see that the bird had scored itself a meal, but sad to see the squirrel become a snack. Sigh.

I was enjoying a quick drink with a few friends early Monday evening at Decklyn’s and looked up just in time to see this small cruise ship heading silently to the cruise port. I was struck by how quietly it was slipping by. If I hadn’t looked towards the harbor at that moment I wouldn’t have even known it was there. Welcome to Gloucester.

Help the Cape Ann Motor Inn celebrate their 50th Anniversary by joining them at a beach party on Friday evening! June 10th 4:30-9:00 pm. All are invited FREE. Join them for a ribbon cutting, bonfire, food, and free parking. The SPYNZ will be performing too! You won’t want to miss them! What a great way to celebrate 50 years of success and kick off a fun summer weekend! Congratulations to Cape Ann Motor Inn for 50 years of business! Click this link to view full flyer.

It’s hard to tell how many boats are all lined up here, but…as always…I found something striking about the composition of all the pieces. A simple photograph with so much going on.

While sailing on the Schooner Mary Day this week, we spent one of our nights at anchor in Pulpit Harbor. At the entrance to the harbor sits Miss Rumphius’ home. “When I grow up, I too will go to faraway places, and when I grow old, I too will live beside the sea.” ― Barbara Cooney, Miss Rumphius.

The mussels at CK Pearl are to die for. I had them once last summer during Junior League baseball season when Thatcher and his team was playing down the street at the Essex baseball fields. Several of us dropped the boys off and then went for a quick drink and bite to eat while they warmed up…before heading back to the game. I went again several days ago and was happy to see that they were still on the menu. Red curry, coconut cream, corn, cilantro, crostini. The best I’ve ever had.

Check out CK Pearl’s menus here: https://www.ckpearl.com/menu-2

What beautiful craftsmanship on the Polaris. It totally caught my eye the other day.

I’ll be spending the next several days sailing Penobscot Bay with Finn on his class trip aboard the Schooner Mary Day. Thanks, Harborlight Montessori for making this happen.

Anticipation. And now I’ll be singing that song all day long. With hundreds of buds, it was so exciting to see a few starting to bloom.