Nichole’s Picks 7/28 + 7/29

Pick #1:  Patriots Football Training Camp

 

Screen Shot 2018-07-25 at 9.02.25 PMScreen Shot 2018-07-25 at 8.53.07 PM

LEARN MORE HERE

Pick #2: Snakes Show at the Sawyer Free Library

Snakes of New England and the world with Rick Roth

Saturday, July 28th at 10:00 a.m.  ALL WELCOME

LEARN MORE HERE

18snakes-768x994

Pick #3:  Essex Heritage Boat Tours to Bakers Island Lighthouse

READ MORE HERE

*Not for children under the age of 4

Boat & Light Station Tour Schedule

Essex Heritage will be hosting guided boat tours aboard landing craft, Naumkeag, to Bakers Island Light Station again this June – September!

    • Tours offered Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
    • Tours will also run on Monday, September 3rd (Labor Day)
    • Departures are at 10:30 AM on Friday, 10:30 AM & 2:00 PM on Saturday/Sunday
  • Adults: $35
  • Children (4-12 yrs): $25
  • Essex Heritage Members receive a 20% discount!  Not a member?  Not a problem.  Click here to become a member.  (New members: A discount code will be provided on your membership confirmation)

rackcard-boat-trips_01_0

As always for a comprehensive list of family activities, please visit our friends at North Shore Kid

Marblehead Light

I was fortunate enough yesterday to be able to sit near Marblehead Light yesterday afternoon as I waited for Thatcher to sail back into Marblehead Harbor.  I hadn’t been there in years!

DD71F624-C0D0-48CD-A8A2-70652C3C00A9

Nichole’s Picks 7/21 + 7/22

Pick #1:  Blueberry Festival at Cider Hill Farm

READ ALL ABOUT IT HERE

45 Fern Ave, Amesbury

July 21 @ 10:00 am – 2:00 pm

download-1

Pick #2: Annual Sand Sculpting Festival at Revere Beach

July 20-22nd

https_cdn.evbuc.comimages466937371155390764751originalSand-Sculpting_5bc141f5-5056-a36a-0603a5c356344446

LEARN MORE HERE

The 2018 International Sand Sculpting Festival will take place from July 20th -22nd. Come on down to America’s first public beach and enjoy the magnificent sand sculpting competition, delicious Food Trucks and Vendors, and amusements and fun for the whole family! Plus, don’t miss the spectacular fireworks display on Saturday night. This is an event that you won’t want to miss!

Pick #3: Abbadia Mare Rennaissance Fair at Hammond Castle 

LEARN MORE HERE

July 21& 22, 201811am-5pm

ADULTS – $15.005-11years – $10.004 and under FREE

Come and Enjoy!Live Music, Magic, Comedy!Knights, Storytelling, Merchants!

Parking is at Stage Fort Park with free busing to and from the castle.

771097cb778684867d86a50d6e953a09-rimg-w720-h479-gmir

 

As always, for a comprehensive list of family activities, please visit our friends at North Shore Kid. 

 

 

State Senator Tarr Hosts the Gloucester Sea Cadets – David G. Ouellet Division at the State House

The Gloucester Sea Cadets – David G. Ouellet Division were honored to be State Senator Bruce Tarr’s guests at the Massachusetts State House yesterday. Thank you also to Representative Ann-Margaret Ferrante for helping to host them so graciously.

 

 

Rockport’s Music on the Beach Tonight

Pack a picnic dinner, a beach chair, and a blanket and head to the bandstand at Back Beach in Rockport for this week’s Music on the Beach concert.

None other than Satch Kerans will be performing tonight from 6:00-8:00.

Tom “Satch” Kerans wears many hats here in Rockport — husband, father, Little League Coach, member of Town Rights of Way Committee, and we can’t forget he is the front man for the Satch Kerans Band.
If you have never heard the Satch Kerans Band you are in for a Rock & Roll treat. In a feature story that ran about Satch on May 22, 2009, Boston Globe music critic Jonathan Perry wrote, “years after settling into an entirely different identity and new set of priorities – reemerges with some of the best songs he’s ever written… nodded in sound and temperament to his longtime heroes Bruce Springsteen and Bob Dylan, as well as ex-Dream Syndicate front man Steve Wynn and Mark Knopfler. At the collection’s core was a clutch of sturdy melodies and classic pop structures”.

The Satch Kerans Band has just finished as the opening act for the great Southern band, “The Outlaws”, so get ready for a great night of ROCK.

PS The Legion will have Popcorn, soft drinks and the famous Jimmy’s Sunrise Steamed Hot Dogs for sale this Monday night.

 

35488006_234399550485106_4991646068409106432_n

 

download

 

 

UPDATE: Bruins Academy Learn to Play Coming Back to Talbot Rink

Cape Ann Youth Hockey is thrilled to once again be hosting the Bruins Academy Learn to Play hockey program this year for children ages 4-8.  Sessions will run Saturdays in October at Talbot Rink, Gloucester.  Your $100 registration fee includes four sessions and a full set of equipment valued at $500.  You really can’t beat this opportunity.  This year’s dates are:

Oct. 6, 13, 20, 26 4:00PM

Registration is required through the Boston Bruins website at https://learntoplay.nhl.com/bruins

Registration is limited to 60 participants and will fill up quickly.  Local folks should take advantage of the pre-sale code!

Promo Code Pre-Sale will go live: July 16 at 10:00 AM.  This will allow you to register before the general public.  Our unique code is CAPE7

Registration will go live for the general public: July 19 at 10:00 AM.

ENTER THE PROMO CODE IN TOP RIGHT CORNER OF THE WEBSITE, CLICK ENTER, AND THEN FOLLOW PROMPTS (as seen in this photo below).

Screen Shot 2018-07-16 at 4.11.10 PM

The Boston Bruins are excited to continue and grow the Bruins Academy Learn to Play Hockey Program presented by Pure Hockey (previously called “Little Bruins”) to help aspiring, youth hockey players develop their skills. For the first time this season, the program is expanding to over 80 locations across New England and over 5,000 youth players will have the opportunity participate. The program is available to boys and girls ages 4-9. For a registration fee of $100, the program includes a full free set of CCM equipment to keep valued at $500 retail, which includes skates, a professional personalized fitting, and four weeks of on-ice instruction led by certified coaches. The Boston Bruins are thrilled to share their passion for hockey with the next generation of hockey players.* This year, $2,500,000(retail value) worth of equipment will be donated through this program. *

Equipment fittings will take place at the six stops of the 2018 Bruins Fan Fest Tour in August and at designated Pure Hockey locations in September. Following the fitting, the gear will be shipped and delivered to participants between August 23 and September 14.

Screen Shot 2018-07-13 at 10.33.26 PM.png

 

IMG_2675

Ups and Downs

For whatever the reason, it seems that so far this summer I never time it properly.  The Bridget is always up when I drive down the boulevard. I can’t say that I mind. Plenty of people watching, nice view, and great weather make it more than tolerable.

 

Chefs at Sea

I had such a great time last night on the Chefs at Sea cruise with Beauport Cruiselines. Everything prepared by Chef Jason Bond of Bondir Restaurant was spectacular.

The Chefs at Sea series will continue each Wednesday until August 15th.

Make a point to book your tickets soon! It is such a great way to see Gloucester’s gorgeous historic seaport while enjoying amazing cuisine by celebrity chefs. It is hard to think of a better way to spend a summer evening.  

Live music, cash bar, and great company are the icing on the cake. 

Beauport Hospitality Group (BHG), a regarded collection of upscale, full-service hotels, restaurants, event facilities and harbor dinner cruises situated along the picturesque North Shore coastline of Massachusetts, is pleased to announce the debut of its inaugural “Chefs at Sea” dinner series aboard its luxuriously appointed 124-foot ship – Beauport Cruiseliner, located at 6 Rowe Square in Gloucester.

Beginning July 11th and running every Wednesday through August 15th, BHG’s “Chefs at Sea” cruises will take guests along for an incredibly scenic and gastronomically satisfying three-hour culinary experience, featuring creatively-themed menus penned by acclaimed local chefs, including: Kevin O’Donnell and Michael Lombardi of SRV, an Italian wine bar and bacaro located in Boston’s hip South End neighborhood, Matt O’Neil of the highly acclaimed Ledger restaurant and the Blue Ox, and Ledger, Jason Bond of Bondir, Rachel Miller from the wildly popular Nightshade pop up, as well as Rory Lee of Moona in Cambridge, whose authentic Eastern Mediterranean mezze has landed the restaurant on every critic’s “must-try” list.

Upon boarding at 6:30 p.m., seafarers will be treated to delicious bites prepared by the featured chef and their talented “crew,” with dinner service commencing as “Cruiseliner” pulls away from the docks. In addition to a satisfying, multi-course meal, guests will enjoy an interactive cooking demonstration, live entertainment, custom décor, dancing, and sightseeing from spacious decks, all while sailing the tranquil waters of Gloucester Harbor. Cash bars featuring a full selection of premium beer, wine and spirits will be available for those who wish to imbibe. Upon request, pickups at the commuter rail is available via Beauport Hospitality Group and hotel stays are recommended at the nearby Beauport Hotel! Tickets are $80.00 per person (tax and gratuity not included) and include your meal, entertainment and a 3-hour scenic tour. All beverages are on a cash-bar basis. Menus are at chef’s whim, and will be released 72 hours prior to the event. Those with allergies, or dietary restrictions should make requests in the notes section of Eventbrite at time of booking and when possible accommodations will be made. Tickets will sell out in advance quickly!

Here is the line up of amazing celebrity chefs, their restaurants, and the charities that some of the proceeds are going to!    To call that a Win, Win.

Chef Jason Bond of Bondir Restaurant

Date:July 11, 2018 | 6:30PM

Some proceeds to benefit Faith Kitchen http://www.faithkitchen.org/

Chef Matt O’Neil of Ledger and The Blue Ox

Date:July 18, 2018 | 6:30PM

Some proceeds to benefit ALS & MS Associations  http://www.alsa.org/ https://www.nationalmssociety.org/

Chef Rory Lee of Moona

Date: July 25, 2018 | 6:30PM

Some proceeds to benefit PCRF http://www.pcrf.net/

Chef TBD

Date:August 1, 2018 | 6:30PM

Chef Rachel Miller of Nightshade

Date:August 8, 2018 | 6:30PM

Chef Kevin O’Donnell and Michael Lombardi of SRV

Date:August 15, 2018 | 6:30PM

Some proceeds to benefit No Kid Hungry https://www.nokidhungry.org/

IMG_8693

Body Recovered

At around 3:45 yesterday afternoon Finn and I saw a couple of police cars, a firetruck, etc. drive down towards the fort and onto the wharf by Compass Seafood.  We drove past the area and around the building to discover an active scene with members of the Coast Guard, Gloucester Police, and Fire Department.  Shortly after taking these photos we learned that a body had been discovered in the harbor.  An update later in the evening reports that the body was of a male in his 50s that had gone missing after listening to some music Sunday evening.  Thoughts and prayers to the family.

IMG_8670IMG_8669

Firing Up Pizza Grill Opening Today

Has anyone been here yet?  If so, what can you tell us?

http://www.firingupgloucester.com/

IMG_8665

721 Gloucester Crossing Rd
Gloucester, Massachusetts 01930
(978) 491-5450
http://www.firingupgloucester.com
Opens at 9:00 AM

Fish Food: Slow Mo Video

While out for a walk yesterday we watched fish eating the moths that were landing on the water.  Could this be an answer to our absurd moth situation in “the cove”?

Bonfire

Rockport’s Annual 4th of July bonfire is pretty special.  We almost didn’t go this year.  I’m glad we decided to stick with tradition and keep the party bus rolling.

Thank you to the firefighters who helped keep the towering flames in check to keep everyone safe!

IMG_8459IMG_8505IMG_8473IMG_8495IMG_8498IMG_8463IMG_8509 2

Bloopers and Blunders: Greasy Pole Edition

These guys.  All so much fun to watch.  Those winning walkers get lots of press, and rightfully so, but also worth celebrating are some of the Greasy Pole’s unsung heroes. Cheers to those who hit the water with no flag in their hands.

Congratulations, Randy Sweet! Fiesta Sunday Greasy Pole Champion, 2018!

Another St. Peter’s Fiesta is in the books and this one ended with Randy Sweet making the winning grab for the flag.  Congratulations, Randy, Sunday’s Greasy Pole Champion, 2018!

IMG_9597IMG_9598IMG_9614IMG_9651IMG_9677IMG_9678IMG_9683IMG_9705

Congratulations, Michael Sanfilippo! Saturday’s Greasy Pole Champion!

Only the 2nd walker of the first “real” round, Michael Sanfilippo grabbed the flag in what I have to believe was record breaking time.

Congratulations, Michael!  Saturday’s Greasy Pole Champion!

IMG_9385IMG_9384IMG_9383IMG_9386IMG_9390IMG_9417IMG_9450IMG_9469

3rd Wheel

This guy joined my husband and me for dinner the other night on the roof of the Beauport.  He didn’t seem to mind being a 3rd wheel and was actually pretty endearing.  Super handsome…for a seagull.  Of note, did you know that seagulls drool?  If you watch the short video you can actually see him drooling (I mean, I guess that’s what he was doing).

8CF07DFF-C1EF-44A3-8937-2660E4D574DEF3E5DECF-4F7D-435F-BF81-ABA576A6D28B