Author: Nichole S.

What a beautiful spot to sit and rest, reflect, and appreciate the view

I’m not necessarily a fan of all things pumpkin once the cold weather turns….but, pumpkin martinis are one of the things that scream fall to me.

This one at Tonno did not disappoint!

Back in March, April, and May….when we were not doing anything or going anywhere…. my 13 year-old (who I guess was still 12 at the time) and I would go for long drives in the afternoon. My younger son was content to stay home, but Thatcher is a lot like me….and needs a good field trip each day. Sitting still is not a strength of his. Fast forward to November and he’s still home each day for school and by 2:15 is itching to do something. When the weather is nice he hops on his bike after his last remote class, but with the weather getting colder and the daylight disappearing earlier, that isn’t always ideal. So, on Tuesday we hopped in the car after I got home from work and took a very familiar trip around the Cape. The sunset was spectacular, but equally nice was grabbing some of that one-on-one time that has been a bit more absent these days.

It was nice to stand back and watch him enjoy the sunset. It reminded me of a day several years ago…. (second photo)…when I watched both boys appreciate the sun setting in Ipswich after leaving Russel Orchards. Our days are strange right now….but, they are still going by way too quickly. I’ll miss moments like this.

We watched as this fishing boat left the harbor, went past the breakwater, and by the skyline of Boston.

I did a photo shoot in Boston a while back for some Sam Adams products. Here’s my red, white, and blue. Get out and vote….and then maybe grab a beer.

What a difference 4 days makes in New England.

Yesterday I had the pleasure of being present as Warren Waugh and the Lyon-Waugh Auto Group met with students and staff at Gloucester High School to award the second installment of a three-year commitment of $150,000 ($50,000 a year) to the Gloucester Education Foundation to support the Automotive Technology Program. The gift has made it possible to add an additional educator to meet the needs of increased enrollment in the GHS Auto Tech program. Thanks to Lyon-Waugh’s support, even more students have been able to benefit from this program and pursue careers in the auto technology field. A field that continues to thrive and grow.

In addition to the monetary donation, Warren Waugh has also provided state-of-the art equipment and automobiles for students’ use in the Automotive Tech shop for hands-on practical learning. Lyon-Waugh Auto Group has hosted Gloucester High School students at several of their dealership service departments and has also sent auto technicians to GHS to share their vast and ever-current expertise.

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We were able to sneak in a last dinner at the Studio on Saturday night. Unfortunately they have now closed for the season, but we wanted to thank them for their work and diligence to their customers safety during these weird times. Dinner was delicious, my pumpkin martini was phenomenal, and listening to the live piano music was a much needed respite from the every day normal.

So many of my favorite fall trees have already started to lose their leaves. I was happy to find time to take some photos of the beautiful fall foliage that surrounds us before it was too late.

Always beautiful no matter what the season or the weather.

I had to pullover and take these photos of the fog over the Essex River. The rainbow was pretty cool as well and the boaters on the Any Given Day (I think that was the name) were an added bonus. If you know who those guys are maybe share this with them. I hope they made it back down the river and through the fog safely!

Well, here’s a place that I haven’t been to for breakfast. Enjoy Pratty’s new breakfast special.

FREE BREAKFAST with the purchase of your first drink from 8:00 am – 11:00 am for just one week only. So, get in there between now and October 24th.

Check out their Facebook Page HERE

I have been meaning to get to the Brown Dog in Ipswich for quite some time now. With tickets for the Marini Farm Corn Maze in hand, we decided to stop there for dinner. I am so glad we did. Seven of us enjoyed some chowder, delicious appetizers, and some burgers….and a beer and/or pumpkin martini.

You can check them out here

The new GMG die cut stickers are too pretty to stick just anywhere. They gave me good reason to treat myself to two new YETIs. My coffee YETI and my water YETI are looking extra sweet with their GMG bling.

We made it to Plum Cove Beach just moments before the sun set and I took this quick little time lapse of the last couple of minutes. It always amazes me how quickly the sun drops below the horizon. If you’re viewing on Facebook, click the link to see the time lapse.

Honestly, I haven’t watched Saturday Night Live in years, but I happened to catch this skit with Bill Burr the other night. Pretty funny….and I love my pumpkin beer.

We are loving Gloucester Fall Ball thanks to some great organizers, volunteers, and coaches….not to mention the players. Finn’s travel baseball team endured plenty of scorching hot double-headers this summer…. I can’t believe how quickly we’ve transitioned to super chilly night games with this league. No matter what the temperature though, it is always fun to watch these kids play.

The beautiful colors shimmering in yesterday’s sunshine over the salt marsh caught my eye enough to turn around, park, and take a few photos.

I was honored to be in attendance yesterday, at The Open Door, as Julie LaFontaine happily accepted a very generous $10,000 check on their behalf from Warren Waugh and the Lyon Waugh Auto Group. That check was made of behalf of Gloucester Police Department’s Community Impact Unit, headed by Lt. Jeremiah Nicastro, who challenged the community back in September to come together in a big way. Mayor Sefatia Romeo Thekan was also in attendance as her continued support of The Open Door has always been incredibly important.

You may remember that back in September The Open Door held a food drive at the Gloucester Market Basket, the Building Center, and Crackerjacks in Rockport. The food drive was hosted in partnership with Gloucester Police Department’s Community Impact Unit, the We Are All in This Together Gloucester community action group, Awesome Rockport and the Rockport Exchange. At the day’s end the food drive was able to collect over 15,000 pounds of food and more than $11,000. It was a beautiful example of how this community comes together and Lyon Waugh was there along with many others to present a truck load of groceries.

While donations are always incredibly important to The Open Door these unprecedented times certainly create even more need. Thanks to community generosity, like that of the Lyon Waugh Auto Group, they have been able to make a significant impact in more than 5,000 households. The number of meals distributed is well over 800,000 and almost 30,000 meals have been prepared in Open Door’s very own kitchen. The food pantry has recently reopened for shopping as well on Tuesdays by appointment. With the holiday season soon approaching and many annual fundraising opportunities missed due to Covid restrictions, help and support are critical. Not only did Warren Waugh present a $10,000 check yesterday, but he pledged another $10,000 to come when the holidays are upon us. Lyon Waugh is well known, rightfully so, for generosity in the Cape Ann community and beyond….but, also for treating their many employees incredibly well. One of the many ways that is demonstrated is through a much anticipated holiday party. With large gatherings not taking place this year, and that holiday event canceled, Waugh was pleased to announce that they would use those resources to make the second donation.

There will be more opportunities to support the Open Door this Fall. Please check back for the many ways you can help.

I happened to be on the deck at Mile Marker One when this short lived rainbow made a quick appearance yesterday afternoon. I missed last week’s rainbows so I was happy to snap a photo of this one (or two).