My View of Life on the Dock
The same morning earlier this week that everyone was out photographing gorgeous images of sea smoke, I took this photo. While we didn’t receive new snow fall during the night, the homes and landscape at the end of our street were covered with ocean effect snow early the next morning. It was kind of cool to see.
So, this conversation came up the other night… “When is using the term Hon (or Honey) appropriate?” Whether it should be spelled “hun” or “hon” is a conversation for another day.
I have a friend who, I’ve noticed, will often say, “Thanks, Hon” as he pays his tab at a restaurant or bar. He means nothing by it….it is simply a habit he has picked up. He is never trying to be condescending nor is he trying to flirt. Nonetheless, when I hear him say it, I sometimes wonder how well it is actually being received by the server/bartender. So, to conduct a bit of research for the sake of the blog, I started to ask.
The feelings were mixed. The three bartenders questioned all happened to be female. The first bartender agreed that it feels a bit unsettling and often seems rude. The second said that it didn’t really bother her when she is working, but that her own fiancé sometimes uses it when they are out, and when she hears it coming from him, it makes her skin crawl a bit too. The third bartender was indifferent. All agreed that it is very situational….and sometimes it wouldn’t phase them at all, but sometimes (under different circumstances) would really annoy them. So, what exactly are those situations?
Well, for example, these questions were posed: The tone of voice used. The age or the customer and/or the age of the server. The gender of both parties involved. Is the person a “regular”? Was the person using the term “Hon” attractive (one very honest bartender brought that up)? Was the customer alone? Dining with a significant other? Out with friends? Was there drinking involved? And even geographic locations.
I went to college in Virginia and everyone was “hon”, “sweetie”, or “babe” down there.
There are so many possibilities to consider. Sometimes it feels ok, sometimes it doesn’t. I’m 44 years old. There is a young, female employee at a particular Dunkin’ Donuts who will always hand me my coffee through the drive thru window with a, “Here you go, Hon” or a “Have a great day, Hon.” While it doesn’t bother me, per say. I find it interesting. I find it interesting that someone so much younger than me would call me “Hon”. More typically, while I don’t enjoy it, in that situation one might think she would call me “Ma’am.” I’m not in love with either. But, I’m not going to lose sleep over it either.
Often times I’ve noticed that when a server is older they will deliver a meal with a, “Here you go, Hon” and I find it totally endearing. Very grandmotherly. That never strikes me as odd…..but, why?, I wonder. Years ago, my husband and I went to a certain place maybe once a month or so. There was a female bartender there (in the same age range as us) who ALWAYS called my husband, and most other male customers, “Hon” but never the female customers. I found that a bit annoying.
I wanted to conduct a poll on the matter, but I think that there are too many factors to be considered, so I hesitate to do so. Rather, do me a favor, and leave a comment in regards to when it is OK…..and when it is definitely NOT ok. I’d be interested to know your opinion.
Back at the Yard House up at MarketStreet in Lynnfield and with hundreds of beer choices, I decided on a Moscow Mule with Tito’s Vodka. Sometimes too many choices is a difficult thing. I did, however, order the same Surf and Turf Burger that I usually get. It didn’t disappoint.
While freezing, it was too pretty to not stop at Good Harbor Beach last night to snap this photo. There was something about the juxtaposition of the snow and the sand at sunset that made us sit for a longer while than planned.
I’d rather it be July, but pretty nonetheless.
So many wonderful opportunities for the younger ones at Appleton Farms this February Vacation!
Check out their list of activities below or head to this link to see more.
Sign up for one or sign up for all!
Family Fun, Lectures & Workshops
Outdoor Recreation
Family Fun
Farms & Food, Lectures & Workshops
Farms & Food, Lectures & Workshops
Outdoor Recreation
Family Fun, Farms & Food
Family Fun
Family Fun, Farms & Food
Family Fun, Farms & Food
Family Fun, Farms & Food
Family Fun
Maritime Gloucester has a lot of fun planned for vacation week. Check out the action HERE
Highlights are sea creatures of Cape Ann for grades 1-5
or Sea Creatures of Cape Ann for Pre K-K
Sea Creatures of Cape Ann is an environmental vacation program. The program is four days (Tuesday – Friday). Students may enroll for a day or for the entire four days. There are two different programs based on age of the students that are offered during the four-days.
READ ALL ABOUT THEIR ACTIVITIES AND REGISTER HERE
As always, for a more comprehensive list please visit our friends at North Shore Kid
Music to my ears….even on such a stormy winter day.
#HonkHonk
Tomorrow is officially Truck Day at Fenway Park! Spring is on the horizon and the Red Sox have packed up their truck to head south for some Spring Training action. They’ll make a quick stop at McCoy Stadium in Pawtucket, Rhode Island and will then be on their way. Go show them some love as they head out of town!
https://twitter.com/redsoxtruckday
As tweeted by @RedSoxTruckDay themselves…
20400 baseballs, 1100 bats, 200 batting gloves, 200 batting helmets, 400 pairs of socks. 20 cases of bubble gum, 60 cases of sunflower seeds
We took a drive just after high tide today. We drove by Old Garden Beach, down Atlantic, to T Wharf, down Bearskin Neck, to the breakwater, through town, by Front Beach, to Granite Pier, and then back home. Not much accumulation but it was coming down good, VERY windy, and some great surf! #winterstormmars
Just another February on Cape Ann.
A look out towards the Wingaersheek sandbar from Lighthouse Beach. The snow is approaching quickly and the wind is up for sure.
Thanks to Betsey and Paul Horovitz for the photo!
Nothing prettier than clean, crisp white snow…other than maybe bright blue, clear ocean water.
So many wonderful opportunities for the younger ones at Appleton Farms this February Vacation!
Check out their list of activities below or head to this link to see more.
Sign up for one or sign up for all!
Family Fun, Lectures & Workshops
Outdoor Recreation
Family Fun
Farms & Food, Lectures & Workshops
Farms & Food, Lectures & Workshops
Outdoor Recreation
Family Fun, Farms & Food
Family Fun
Family Fun, Farms & Food
Family Fun, Farms & Food
Family Fun, Farms & Food
Family Fun
210 Conant Street, Danvers, Massachusetts
Supporting the A.J. Trustey Epilepsy Research Fund at Brigham & Women’s Hospital. https://www.facebook.com/events/547286918761366/
Who doesn’t want ice cream for breakfast? Eat ice cream for breakfast with zero guilt, because it’s for a great cause! (Please invite your friends!)
Saturday, February 6th is National Ice Cream for Breakfast Day. We’ll be celebrating at Cherry Farm with a special “breakfast” menu featuring…
Waffle Sundaes
Pop-Tart Sundaes
“Coffee & Donuts” Ice Cream
Maple bacon ice cream
Warm maple syrup sauce
Warm blueberry topping
Bacon bit topping
Sorbet/Sherbet fruit cup
& More!Be sure to stop by early because from 8am – 12pm we will be donating half of the proceeds to support The Endowed A.J. Trustey Epilepsy Research Fund at Brigham and Women’s Hospital.
To increase support of the fund, Cherry Farm will also be teaming up with The Epilepsy Foundation of New England (EFNE). As part of Ice Cream for Breakfast Day, the EFNE would like to encourage everyone to “Bring a Bag to Breakfast” of unwanted clothes, shoes, or linens. Staff will be onsite to assist & provide prizes for each bag donated. All additional proceeds generated from “Bring a Bag to Breakfast” will support The Endowed A.J. Trustey Epilepsy Research Fund at Brigham and Women’s Hospital.
Named in memory of A.J., The Endowed A.J. Trustey Epilepsy Research Fund at Brigham and Women’s Hospital supports novel and innovative epilepsy research with the goal of improving the care and treatment for epilepsy patients and their families. Thanks to the outpouring of support, some projects are already underway including research focused on training clinicians to identify and address mental health issues in epilepsy patients, improving the transition from pediatric to adult care, and identifying characteristics that will predict a patient’s adherence and response to treatment.
We hope to see you there! Please help spread the word by inviting your friends.
Ok…so this is actually NEXT weekend, but if I waited until then, it might be sold out! And, we can’t have that.
The Cabot has a pretty tremendous! Check out the full schedule on their website HERE!
Bug Out! with Karen K and her imaginary friends, the Jitterbugs: Bumble (the bee who doesn’t like to sting); Stinky (loves playing outside, refuses baths), Hop (working on his self control); and Slug Bug (needs a LOT of naps). Named one of the “Must-See Acts of 2015” and called “Power pop sheen that makes them fun for the whole family” by the Boston Globe, the Jitterbugs have quickly become a favorite among kids and kid-ults in Boston and beyond. Known for their totally engaging, high-energy show packed with humor and amazingly catchy, well-crafted tunes, Karen K & the Jitterbugs has quickly become one of the most buzzed about kindie bands on the East Coast.www.karenkjitterbugs.com
Read all about it HERE! and Download the Brochure HERE
Salem’s So Sweet Chocolate and Ice 2016 Festival – Feb. 5 through Feb. 7, 2016!
Salem Main Streets, the Salem Chamber of Commerce, Destination Salem, and local retailers, restaurants, and businesses invite you to attend the 14th annual Salem’s So Sweet Chocolate & Ice Sculpture Festival. A decadent tradition of delectable chocolate, sparkling ice sculptures, and Valentine’s Day shopping…don’t miss Salem’s sweetest event of the year!
Ice Sculptures around Town – Starting Feb. 6, 2016
This year, we have a record-breaking 23 beautiful ice sculptures that grace downtown Salem starting February 6. Some of the themes for this year’s ice sculptures will include The Friendship, the Mad Hatter, an alpaca, and more – including an actual ice bar on Rockafellas’ patio! A map of sculptures and locations is available below and on brochures to be distributed around town closer to the festival. Be sure to make plans for a special evening stroll on Saturday, Feb. 6, when some of the sculptures will be temporarily illuminated between 5 pm and 9 pm by Retonica!The Salem Trolley offers trolley rides around the festival route weather permitting on February 6 & 7 from 12 pm to 4 pm for only $2 an adult (free for children). Trolley pick-up locations include the Visitor Center, Pickering Wharf, and near Rockafellas on Washington Street.
For a more comprehensive list of family activities, please see our friends at North Shore Kid
Well, if this isn’t a lovely way to end the day I don’t know what is.
Thank you to Paul and Betsey Horovitz for helping us see what it looks like to end their day at Lighthouse Beach in the Annisquam.
I know the phrase “I Can’t Even” is a bit overused, but SERIOUSLY, I.CAN’T.EVEN.
Who in the world does something like this!?
Evidently my kids, that’s who.
Allow me to back up.
On Friday evening I had a fantastic night out with some great friends. Thatch had hockey practice and on the way home the boys grabbed fried chicken and ice cream to celebrate a mom-free night.
Flash forward to Saturday. Finn had 8:00 am hockey, we took the dogs for a long romp on the beach, raced home, had Thatcher throw on his hockey gear, and tried to get out the door on time to get to Pingree’s rink up in Hamilton for a 12:20 start time. The boys declared they were STARVING just as we were leaving and when I told them to quickly grab something, they frantically grabbed the left over bag of chicken, 2 yogurts, and a couple of apples. Good enough.
We got to Pingree with plenty of time to spare, but with another game underway and a school event to boot, parking was at a premium. I dropped the boys at the front door and went to go park by myself. It didn’t hurt that alone time in the car is a slice of heaven. Once the Jeep was snuggly tucked in between two other hockey parent SUVs, I took to grabbing what I needed for yet another chilly hockey game and to making sure that the boys’ water bottles weren’t spilling on their iPads. Imagine, if you will, my horror upon turning around and finding this display of disgustingness on the back seat armrest.
I was almost incredulous. Almost.
Degrees of car nastiness have been of issue since the boys were old enough to eat in the car. I know plenty of families who do not allow snacking in the backseat, but I’m not going to lie, we’re on the go enough that it is somewhat of a necessity….like on Saturday. I’m certain that a better parent…with some better planning skills…could have fed his/her children a wonderful home-cooked meal in between two hockey games and exercising the dogs, but I am surely not that parent.
So, this is what I get.
I can’t quite explain just how torn I was. I have a fair share of OCD so the thought of leaving the chicken carcasses for the boys to pick up went against every fiber of my body. However, I’m pretty strict with the boys, and the thought of picking up that crime scene for them was equally as disturbing.
I opted to take photos, clean it up, and begin preparing the dissertation that would surely take up the entire ride home….while also crafting a new list of backseat rules that will last for all of about one week (speaking from past experience)….and planning a bit of public shaming. Hence this blog post.
Did you know that Gloucester hasn’t had a girls’ hockey team since 2007? With a large increase in the number of girls currently participating in Cape Ann Youth Hockey and the number of surrounding school systems (not to mention nationwide) that are currently offering ways for their female high school students to play competitive hockey, it is a shame that Gloucester isn’t.
Well, some mothers of current Cape Ann Hockey players are trying to change that!
I also find it noteworthy that Gloucester High School’s home rink, the Dorothy M. Talbot Rink, is graced with a scoreboard donated by Visa USA to honor and acknowledge the Olympic career of Team USA Women’s Hockey Coach, Benjamin Smith, III….and yet, does not have a High School Girls’ Team. [Ben lead the USA women’s team as they earned a Gold Medal in the 1998, a Silver in the 2002, and a Bronze in the 2006 Olympic Games.
PLEASE spread the word and see what we can do about making sure that Gloucester has a Girls’ Hockey Team next year!
PREPARING FOR THE FUTURE
It wasn’t our typical Friday night practice at O’Maley Rink for our CAYH girls teams, we went from lacing up our girls’ skates to talking about the future. Where does it go after here? Some of the U14 girls entering 8th and 9th grade started to inquire about a high school team. The CAYH league currently runs a girls travel league from the U10-U14 level. Over the last few years, girls hockey has increased in popularity with over 69,744 females registered with the USA Hockey Association in 2014-15. In our community CAYH went from 24 girl players in 2012/13 to a significant increase to 62 girl players in 2015/16 season.
Where does that leave the girls in our community entering high school who want to continue to play in an all girls league? Gloucester High hasn’t had a girls’ team since 2007. After some research we have found that Gloucester High is the only school that is not in a cooperative girls hockey team. Manchester/Essex travels to Marblehead, Ipswich travels to Beverly, and it was indicated that Rockport travels to Boxford to play. Seems crazy when we have a rink right in our back yard!
After some emails and a facebook page dedicated to bringing awareness that “YES Gloucester wants to PLAY!” there has been tremendous feedback and support from former GHS Girl players and from the community. Our girls want to play and we want to see our girls play!
Our first step in creating a team is gathering a list of interested players from Gloucester and surrounding towns. If your daughter is interested in playing please e-mail girlsplayicehockey2@gmail.com
We look forward to hearing from you!
Sincerely,
Jessica Cusumano and Mandy Milan (CAYH MOMS)
The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art will be offering workshops for children and adults to kick-off the new Cape Ann Reads initiative. This program will take place at the Cape Ann Museum and is free and open to the public. Space is limited. Reservations are required; spaces can be reserved by emailing info@capeannmuseum.org, calling (978)283-0455 x10, or online at Eventbrite. Reservations for the 9:30-12:00 Interactive Storytime events should be made for children only, not the accompanying adults.
If you read my “Picks posts” often you probably know that I am both a huge fan of staying local….but also completely appreciate a good trip into the city every once in a while. Winter weekends are a great time to head into Boston, grab a nice meal with the kids, and get your full of some Culture. The Mary Baker Eddy Library is a great place for that and their Mapparium is a wonderful learning opportunity….in addition to being beyond cool.
The Mapparium’s three-dimensional perspective of the world of 1935 is enhanced by A World of Ideas, an original presentation that features a rich orchestration of words, music, and LED lights to illustrate how ideas have traversed time and geography and changed the world.
The Library is also showing a complementary exhibit, “The Mapparium: An Inside View,” featuring letters, documents, and artifacts never before made public. These showcase the construction, history, and significance of this magnificent architectural and artistic achievement.
I may possibly mention MarketStreet a bit too often, but honestly, this time of year you can skate on the outdoor rink, grab a coffee or a hot cocoa, do some super fun bowling with the family, and get a GREAT meal at one of MANY different dining choices. That isn’t even considering the phenomenal shopping (which I rarely get to do.)
Here is a lit of restaurants and stores….or following THIS LINK to read more.
RESTAURANTS:
Boloco
California Pizza Kitchen – Opening 2016
Davio’s Northern Italian Steakhouse
FuGaKyu
Gaslight – NOW OPEN!
The Grove Boutique & Cafe*
IT’SUGAR
J.P. Licks*
Kings*
Legal C Bar*
Muse Paintbar – OPENING SOON!
OTTO Pizza
Panera Bread
Starbucks
Sweetgreen – NOW OPEN!
Temazcal Tequila Cantina
Tuck’s Candy Factory – NOW OPEN!
wagamama
Wahlburgers – NOW OPEN!
Whole Foods Market
Williams-Sonoma*
Yard House
STORES:
American Eagle Outfitters
Athleta*
Banana Republic*
Bluemercury*
Carhartt*
Charles Schwab
Charming Charlie*
Chico’s
Claire’s
Eastern Mountain Sports*
Eddie Bauer – NOW OPEN!*
Everything But Water*
Express*
Francesca’s*
GAP*
The Grove Boutique & Cafe*
Gymboree*
Hanna Andersson*
IT’SUGAR
J. Jill
J.Crew*
Jos. A. Bank Clothiers
Justice*
Kings*
Learning Express Toys
Lively Kids
LOFT
Lucky Brand Jeans – NOW OPEN!*
lululemon athletica*
Lunette Optic
Mane+Mani (Be Styled)
MarketStreet Management
MiniLuxe
Muse Paintbar – OPENING SOON!
NIKE Running – NOW OPEN!
Paper Source*
The Paper Store
Pia – NOW OPEN!
Pink Parkway – NOW OPEN!
Polka Dog Bakery
Pottery Barn*
Pottery Barn Kids*
Pure Barre
Roosters Men’s Grooming Center
Roster
Sachetta & Callahan
Sephora
Shoe Market
Soft Surroundings
Solstice Power Yoga
Starbucks
Tobey Grey – NOW OPEN!
Tommy Bahama
Tuck’s Candy Factory – NOW OPEN!
Tumi – NOW OPEN!*
Verizon Wireless – NOW OPEN!
Victoria’s Secret*
Vineyard Vines*
White House | Black Market
Whole Foods Market
Williams-Sonoma*
Yankee Candle*
As always, for a more comprehensive list of family activities, please see our friends at North Shore Kid.
This is how we woke up exactly a year ago today. It makes what you may be seeing outside your window this morning look like an August afternoon.
While it was certainly beautiful…I’m not missing it.
I wonder what the rest of this winter will bring.
This makes the winter seems slightly more doable.
Only 2 more months….
Yesterday’s high tide in the Annisquam would have made for some cold feet from these seats. Thanks to Paul and Betsey Horovitz for this photo.
This post should really be about how my comcast/xfinity cable + Internet hasn’t been working consistently for the past couple of weeks….but, rather, I’ll just throw that out there as an explanation for the fact that I missed a post yesterday and am only giving you one option for a weekend activity. On that note, however, please refer to Joey’s post from yesterday highlighting North Shore Kid’s awesome list of sledding destinations!
My pick for the weekend is something that I wrote about several times last winter….the pool at Cape Ann’s Marina Resort! I always take advantage of the school vacation week packages and purchase a 3 month membership during the longest part of the winter!
The kids love the pool…and, I’m not going to lie, I love that I can sit there with friends and have a drink while the kids have a blast. Another win is that the food is great too…and reasonably priced. Monday is “1/2 Price Appetizer” Night. So, throw in a hummus platter and some chicken tenders and “dinner” came to just over $11! If you don’t want to purchase a pass, there is simply a $10 fee per child to enjoy the pool.
Cape Ann Marina Resort
Good Morning Gloucester 