Author: Nichole S.

Moving is no fun….especially not in July when you’d like to be on the boat or at the beach and especially not when, after months from working from home, I am now back in my office trying to keep “normal” hours.  That having been said, there are upsides.  Our new home is coming together nicely and my super cute whale rug arrived yesterday just in time to put a smile on my face.  We talk often on Gloucestercasts about how I’m a bargain shopper.  This gorgeous rug was just under $50 and will looks perfect in our new living room.   I ordered it online at RugsUSA.

A day on the water with all the toys. Kayaks, Lily Pads, tubes, and unicorns. Check.

You may have heard Joey’s podcast with Hugh Mitchell from BoatGrub….and here he is in action.  We were on the water off the back side of Wingaersheek over the weekend and got a kick out of watching Hugh delivering food to some of the boats near us.

If you missed this episode of Gloucestercast Live you can listen to it here

BoatGrub is the newest addition to the North Shore community catering to restaurants wishing to expand to the waterfront.   

 BoatGrub will deliver food orders to boats, docks, and beachgoers between the hours of 12 noon to 7 pm Friday to Sunday in both the Annisquam & Manchester-by-the-Sea Areas of Operation (AO). The delivery skipper will call to confirm the pick-up location. Make sure to look for the Boston Whaler with the BoatGrub flag. For orders to boats, or your private dock, please specify boat name and location or home dock location when placing the order.  Look for our App and new restaurants coming soon. 

When sitting on the beach around a fire the other night we noticed two really bright stars right next to each other.  I’m not super knowledgable when it comes to astronomy…and I was curious as to what those stars might be.  I downloaded Sky Venture Lite and started to point my phone towards the sky.  It was pretty interesting and will be fun for the boys this summer.  Below are screenshots taken from the app on my phone above the fire pit.

We have been missing little getaways like crazy. Between family vacations, girls’ weekends, quick overnights with Freddy and friends, hockey tournaments, the boys’ sailing regattas, etc. we almost always have a little trip to look forward to. So, as the warm weather came and the Cape Ann Motor Inn was able to open their doors we were super excited to book some rooms at their perfect little beach front location…. just a few miles away from home. With lots of extra precautions in place the hotel staff did a great job of making us feel welcome and safe.

We stayed Tuesday and Wednesday night.  Several people have asked if there is a restaurant on site and, while there isn’t, they do often have food trucks that stay in their lot right next to the Paddle Board rentals from Cape Ann SUP.   The Cow breakfast truck was ready for our orders both mornings!  Because several of the rooms have kitchenettes we were able to pack salads, sandwich fixings, fruit, PBJ, etc for lunch….and coolers full of beverages.  On Tuesday night we cooked our own lobsters right on the beach and surprised the kids with a visit from How We Roll Coast 2 Coast rolled ice cream. Wednesday evening we simply ordered take out from Surfside Subs….which is conveniently located within easy walking distance and happens to be attached to the Long Beach Dairy Maid (win!).

If you want to wake up on the beach…this is the place for you.  The rates are very affordable for a beachfront hotel…and each room has a sliding glass door and access to the outside deck and stairs that lead easily to the beach.  While Long Beach is, well, long…hotel guests can enjoy knowing that the beach right in front of the hotel is for guests only…hence eliminating any fear of large crowds.  While all rooms have recently been equipped with nice free standing air conditioning units, there is nothing better than turning them off, opening your sliding door, and listening to the surf while looking across to Thacher’s Island and its Twin Lights.

We had a perfect two days.  The ease and convenience was matched by the beauty and relaxation.  Cape Ann Motor Inn welcomes families from near and far who return year after year to enjoy their beach vacations, but they also love hosting local families who simply want to feel like they’ve been transported to a little slice of heaven.

The staff was friendly and welcoming and were actively cleaning and maintaining the property quietly throughout our stay.  New carpets were even being installed in several rooms the morning we arrived.

I can’t lie, it felt great to be sitting on the beach all day and night. You should try it.

Thank you to Paul Horovitz for this stunning photograph of a recent foggy nightfall on the Annisquam.

In the midst of a little two day staycation at the awesome Cape Ann Motor Inn.  It was nice to wake up at the beach this morning.

My boys have been choosing to have their birthday dinners at the Studio for several years now.  Thatcher’s birthday was at the end of May….so there was no dining out for him this year.  I was so excited to see that The Studio was opening just in time for Finn’s birthday over the weekend.  We enjoyed our annual birthday dinner on the deck on Friday night and everything was wonderful.  The staff did a great job and, if I didn’t know so, I wouldn’t have guessed it was their first evening open for the season.  It was a mild bummer to realize that they weren’t doing sushi yet, but the boys were happy to order all of their other favorites…. edamame, truffle fries, fish and chips, calamari, fried pickles, and grilled corn.  Everything was delicious and it definitely felt like summer.  Thanks, Studio!

The pretty awesome Cabaret V is baiting up with Capt. Joe and Sons in the background. Things are always bustling on the working waterfront.

I can never resist taking a photo while going under the Train Bridge or the Cut Bridge on trips up and down the Annisquam River.

We spent a couple of hours on Conomo Point the other day.  It really is one of the most beautiful places I know.  The layers of colors between the grass, sand, water, trees, and sky are breathtaking.

There in the fog stands the Annisquam Light. A bit more difficult to see than usual, but no less beautiful.  Thank you to Paul Horovitz for sharing this photo.

Someone in this fine fishing village must have a fix for this.  Finn asked for a pair of fishing boots for Christmas.  He wanted either xtratuf or Grundens.  I searched kind of high and wide for a Youth pair in his size that wasn’t super expressive.  I was psyched to find a pair at a pretty discounted rate…..and tucked them away until Christmas morning.  As he unwrapped them and saw the label on the box he was pumped.  He threw the box open…..and, well, not so much.  While I ordered a Youth Size 5….what was in the box was a Child size 5 that are, no joke, like six inches long.  They are the cutest little things you’ve ever seen….but, they weren’t going to work for Finn.

So, long story short, as the weather has turned nice and Finn is fishing as much as possible, I remembered that I “owed” him a new pair in his proper size.   We found an awesome pair of Grundens and he’s in love with them!  He’s probably worn them about 7 times and suddenly they are peeling and flaking like crazy.  At first I thought it was a film of salt on them that could be wiped off….but, it’s actually more like a layer is literally deteriorating.   So, my question is, can anyone recommend a product that will bring some life back to them?    I appreciate any help and ideas!  Thanks in advance!

Four years ago Good Morning Gloucester had the privilege of having a long awaited tour of the beautiful new Beauport Hotel before their grand opening.  At the end of the tour we taped a podcast.  After four amazingly successful years no one could have predicted that March of 2020 would arrive and with it bring mandatory closures of all restaurants and hotels….and schools and businesses….and pretty much everything else.

For 85 days we all stayed home, stayed in, stayed away, stayed alert….and worried, bonded, cried, and found ways to live in the new normal.

Yesterday marked the day that some of our favorite places were allowed to open with many new precautions in place.  While we now revel in the fact that we can be together (cautiously), our hearts go out to some of our other favorite places who need to wait a bit longer before they can, in turn, open their doors.

Yesterday we were invited back to the Beauport for a live podcast a couple of hours before they reopened…..a second grand opening of sorts….and one just as anticipated as the first.   Being on the deck, in the sunshine, with friends felt good.  Meanwhile, throughout town, several other establishments were also greeting guests.  As businesses work hard to maintain safety standards and their usual excellence….we look forward to visiting them all.  We appreciate all of the work and planning that has gone into the preparations they have made. We patiently wait for the word that others can follow suit as we know how tough these times have been.

We enjoyed a cocktail and lunch at the Beauport after taping.  All of the new menu items sound phenomenal (more evidence of the hard work done behind the scenes while we were all at home) and the burger and truffle fries that I had were tremendous.  All of the staff were happy, accommodating, cheerful, and appropriately cautious.

The Beauport’s new BSafe plan is being executed parallel to their stellar hospitality. Together they have created an ambience that allows you to feel safe….and spoiled.  It was so good to be back.

For overnight stay reservations occurring through July 6th, please call 

(978) 282-0008 or email info@beauporthotel.com.

Reservations for after July 6th may be made online or by phone. For dining reservations, email 1606@beauporthotel.com, reserve online or call (978) 491-5090.

Finn’s hair grows so quickly so he was definitely hurting for a haircut after almost three months without one.  We went to go see Matt at Blackbear when they opened up last week.  After snapping these photos, I sat in my car to minimize the people in the barbershop and Finn was in and out (mask on) in no time.  It was great to see Matt again and Finn looks like a new man (boy).

We sold our home a couple of years back and have settled into renting for the time being. We found out yesterday that we will need to find a new place to live by August 15th. It is certainly not an easy time to find a new rental for a family of four with a dog on the North Shore.  I’d really appreciate any leads that you may have.

If you know of a home, please let me know.  If you know of anyone who wants to sell, but may opt to rent for a while instead, please let me know.

Forced to get creative….  a high school in Key West, Florida, go figure, handed out high school diplomas to jet ski riding seniors. Take a look at the Somerset Island Prep Charter School. I think, quarantine aside, this is still the way to go.  Good for them.  There’s a nice little video in the link below.

Check out their website.  Seems like a pretty cool little school.

READ MORE HERE:  https://www.cnn.com/2020/06/01/us/jet-ski-graduation-trnd/index.html

Paul Horovitz found this lost gear at the Annisquam Light USCG house and moved it to lawn.  Pretty colors.  KS 805.  Gear isn’t cheap so hopefully the rightful owner will discover it soon.  Thanks, Paul!

GLOUCESTEROPOLY BOARDS are READY for DISTRIBUTION!

A beautiful day on the water and it’s always nice to be welcomed home by the Eastern Point Light.