One week from today, unbelievably, the Schrafft family will make our annual day-after-Thanksgiving trip to The Beverly Tree Farm to cut down our Christmas Tree.  For us, it is more than just getting our tree…. it is about the atmosphere, the ambience, the donations that are made to charitable organizations each year…and the tradition.  Getting our tree at “the farm” is all that my boys know and it is always one of their favorite days of the holiday season…and maybe even the entire year.
All that having been said, I am well aware that there are gorgeous trees to be scored here on “the island”…so, I ask you, share where you get your tree. Â Do you have a favorite place? Â A well kept secret you’d like to share? Â A bargain? Â A favorite experience? Â A place off the beaten path? Â Let us know!
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Join thousands of Bostonians in lighting the city’s first holiday tree of the season! Enjoy a full day of entertainment by some of Boston’s top performers! We kick off the day at 3 pm with The Revels Singers, Scullers Jazz Club, and Them Apples Band leading up to the live broadcast on WBZ-TV Channel 4 and myTV38 from 8:00 pm – 9:00 pm. Hold tight after the confetti clears from flipping the switch to the tree, The Sugarbabies Band will be performing a concert from 9:00 pm – 10:00 pm!Â
The “Holiday Spectacular” will be co-hosted by WBZ-TV News anchors Lisa Hughes and David Wade. The program will feature holiday musical performances by Livingston Taylor, Sons of Serendip, Boston Children’s Chorus and performances of The Nutcracker by Boston Ballet, Blue Man Group and Cirque Dreams Holidaze. Mayor Martin J. Walsh will help “flip the switch” to light the 80-foot+ holiday tree, located at Marketplace Center adjacent to Faneuil Hall Marketplace.
The lighting marks the start of Blink!, a six week state-of-the-art light and sound extravaganza featuring more than 350,000 LED lights with daily performances between 4:30 p.m. and 9:00 p.m. The event also kicks off the New England Patriots Annual Holiday Toy Drive for which Faneuil Hall Marketplace will be a drop-off location for toy donations for needy children.
Friday, November 18 – Saturday, November 19, 2016
10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Free Admission to Fair
Each November, the Wenham Museum hosts a festive fair of hand-crafted artisanal goods for the holiday, hostess, and home. Participating artisans generously donate 20% of their sales proceeds to benefit the Wenham Museum.
There’s a walk in the woods…and then there’s a walk in the woods with a naturalist.
Bring your family and friends for a pre-Thanksgiving guided walk to discover what is happening in the world of nature as plants and animals prepare for winter.
Sanctuary naturalists will lead small groups as they venture out to the “Big Woods” on Averill’s Island. Stop along the way to hear stories of the original settlers and learn about the fascinating cultural history of the sanctuary. Look for animal signs as we hike through the woodlands and marshes, taking in the beauty of the muted colors of late autumn.
We will be out for about two hours, so dress warmly and wear comfortable footwear. Warm up by the woodstove in the Barn upon your return. Hot drinks and homemade soup and desserts will be available for purchase beginning at 11:00 am, so feel free to come early to enjoy a bite to eat before you go out on your hike.
This walk is appropriate for adults and families with children 5 years and older.
Please choose a hike time:Â 11:30 am, 11:45, noon, 12:15, 12:30, 12:45, or 1:00 pm
Wait…let me get this straight. Â A day in the city, a pretty sweet skating track, some shopping, AND a beer garden. Â Win, win, win, and win. Â So fun!
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again…can we please get something similar in Gloucester?
According to BostonMagazine.com…
City officials announced Wednesday a three-year deal with Boston Garden Development—owners of TD Garden and a subsidiary of Bruins owner Jeremy Jacobs’ Delaware North Companies—to transform City Hall Plaza’s much-maligned, underutilized brick expanses into a “winter garden,” starting this year.
The plans call for 40 to 50 temporary vendor stalls, or “chalets,” to be erected at the corner of the plaza along Cambridge Street, forming a “European-inspired holiday shopping market. There will also be a custom-designed, 11,000-square-foot ice-skating path, the first of its kind in New England, city officials said.
And BostonGlobe.com reported similarly….
The first phase of the plan calls for a beer garden, an ice-skating path, and 40 to 50 holiday market vendor stalls — temporary shacks dubbed “chalets” — to be installed on the plaza along Cambridge Street, beginning in late October.
The area would open to the public on the Friday following Thanksgiving and operate until the last week of February, though most of the vendors would close on Dec. 31 as the holiday shopping season winds down, the company said Wednesday.
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Love this. Â Totally a nice touch and fantastic little presentation bonus on my husband’s burger at La Cage up in Montreal this past weekend. Â My fried goat cheese, fig, and walnut salad was incredibly yummy too.
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This past weekend, 170 skaters (and more family members than one could count) traveled 5 1/2 hours across our United States’ border into Montreal, Canada to participate in the Sal Grasso Memorial Friendship Tournament at the Westmount Arena. Â This time, even, with some second generation skaters.
The Cape Ann/Westmount Friendship Tournament was started back in 1987 by Sal Grasso of Gloucester and Mike Deegan and Peter Wallace of Westmount when Sal paid for a bus out of his own pocket and took a crew of Gloucester kids 6 hours north to play some hockey. Â The trek was a huge success as most players billeted with host families and formed bonds that continue to this day. When Sal passed in 2006 the Tournament was aptly re-named the Sal Grasso Memorial Tournament.
In total, the teams played in a Skills Competition, a coaches’ game, and 28 youth hockey games. Â Skaters, ranging in age from 7 to 16, and spanning the hockey ladder from Mite, to Squirt, to PeeWee, to Bantam….and Girls’ U10, U12, and U14….competed over the course of three long days. Â Fantastic hockey was played, so many memories were made, and some pretty sweet sportsmanship was displayed. Â What more could one ask for? Â How about some laughs?
When the skates weren’t being laced plenty of good times and shenanigans took place. Being 2016, hashtags and selfies documented CAYH’s adventures across the city of Montreal while families took in a little bit of culture, site sightseeing, swimming, eating…and many, many laughs. Â Good times for sure!
As you can see by looking at the trophy below, Westmount dominated the tournament for the first 14 years, Cape Ann had four consecutive years of wins, and then Westmount took over again until last year. Â With good times and friendship remaining a priority, Cape Ann was still thrilled to bring the trophy home again this year…winning just around 75% of the games.
Congratulations to the Board Members, organizers, volunteers, players, and families from both teams. Â A huge thank you to our friends up north! Â They were kind and gracious hosts for three straight days at their home rink….and made us all feel very welcome.
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We arrived safely in Montreal and learned a couple of things along the way.
 Hockey gear takes up much more room than flip flops and bathing suits when packing the car for a vacation
The boys can get along for more than two hours, but less than three, when sitting right next to each other in the back seat.
Burlington, VT has some pretty cool whales’ tails on the side of Route 89.
The sunsets in Northern Vermont as spectacular.
“Records of Birth” even with an official raised seal….are indeed NOT the same thing as “Birth Certificates.” Â Oops. Â Even so, we were allowed access into Canada (with some strong disapproval from the border patrol), but we’re not 100% certain of what will happen on the return trip home.
When taking the boys to Canada for a weekend hockey tournament, you need to let go pretty quickly and accept the fact that this is their vacation and not yours.  We are simply along for the ride.
A “Brasserie Sportive” is neither a Sports Bra or a strip club for athletically built women….but is, in fact, just a sports bar.
Canadian hockey fans (and entire restaurant’s worth) will hoot and holler like it is the Stanley Cup…even when it is just a regular game.
We are excited to see what the rest of today brings!
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Trace the evolution of Thanksgiving from the Puritans’ holy day of thanks to today’s family feast and homecoming. In this active, fast-paced, and multi-sensory program, discover how Thanksgiving transcended time, place and culture to become the uniquely American holiday celebrated today. Meet costumed roleplayers, create a harvest craft, and explore homes from three centuries. In small groups guided by a museum educator, find the common themes of this holiday over three hundred years: charity, survival, gratitude, national identity, and the celebration of family and community. Recommended for ages 5 and up. Adults $15, children 5-17 $10, children under 5 free.
From the Boston Massacre to Paul Revere’s midnight ride, Boston is renowned for its inciting events to the American Revolution. Come explore the streets of Boston’s oldest neighborhoods and hear the extraordinary stories preserved in the meetinghouses, halls, and homes where the Revolution was born.
Our most comprehensive Freedom Trail offering, this tour includes such historical landmarks as King’s Chapel, the Old South Meeting House, the Old State House, the site of the Boston Massacre, the Paul Revere House and more.
What famous Boston restaurant originally served as headquarters for a Patriot paper called the Massachusetts Spy? Who devised the legendary “one if by land, two if by sea” signal at the Old North Church before Paul Revere’s ride? How did the British response to the Boston Tea Party help spread the revolutionary fervor throughout the colonies?
Whether you are a history buff or just want a refresher on our nation’s Revolutionary past, our guides will gladly take you down the Road to Revolution on this fascinating tour!
For a comprehensive list of family activities, please visit our friends at North Shore Kid
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As I write this, poll results are beginning to trickle in. Â As you read this, we have a new President. Â Either way, I’m ready to think happy thoughts. Â And, yes, while I know it is painfully early….the Hallmark Channel Christmas movie schedule makes me happy.
Cheesy as all heck….good for a few tears….the same “actors/actresses” confusingly appearing as different characters night after night… Good Times. Â Ho Ho Ho.
With 45 days to go until we wake up with stockings full, there are a whole lot of holiday movies to watch first!
Not a bad season for the fearless Pagoo. Â She made her final trip from her mooring in front of the Annisquam Yacht Club, towards Gloucester Harbor, to River Boat Works and the Montgomery Marina on Sunday, November 6th. Â Way to make the most of boating season. Â Hopefully, in just a mere five months, the Pagoo will make the return trip for another blessed season of wind in her sails.
Paul Horovitz and his grandson take their final sail of the season on the PagooÂ
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Several weeks ago, while rushing from work, to home, to hockey, our home phone rang and the caller ID said, “Tackle Factory.” Â While we didn’t really have time to take a phone call, my husband (a fisherman at heart) was not about to pass up a call with such an intriguing name attached to it.
Turns out, it was a gentleman from Fillmore, NY who was calling about a video that he saw on YouTube of Thatcher and Finn catching minnows in the pond on the backside of Cape Hedge Beach. Turns out also…that the minnow trap they were using was none other than the “GEE’S® Galvanized Minnow Trap (G-40)” that the Tackle Factory has been manufacturing in New York since 1903.
As both a tremendous act of kindness…and also a pretty intriguing marketing strategy…this gentleman was offering to send the boys some new gear. Â He was calling not only to get our address, but also to be certain that the gift of new equipment wouldn’t be lost on them. Â Do they fish often? Â Is some new gear something they would enjoy? Â After the boys were out of the house for hockey, I called this gentleman back and we chatted about the boys. Â I told him that, for sure, their two favorite past times involve hitting the ice or hitting the water. Â Fishing is something that they have loved for years already and I can’t imagine them ever losing interest in. Â They have spent hours on end sorting through their massive tackle boxes and have already added a long list of fish tales to their repertoires.
Confident that the boys would indeed use some of the awesome gear that the Tackle Factory makes and that it wouldn’t sit sad in the corner of a garage or basement, he took our address and told me he’d be sending them a package soon. Â Happy to see two young boys enjoying their product…the only thing he asked in return (if at all possible, but certainly not mandatory) …was that once they started fishing with their new traps, that maybe we take the time to make another short video. Â No problem!
With November upon us and hockey season in full swing, the boys may not get to splash their new traps until the spring, but I kind of loved this whole story enough to write about it now. Â And…I obviously look forward to watching the boys enjoy their new gifts like crazy and catching it on film for the Tackle Factory to enjoy in return.
In a world that is a bit crazy at times, my heart gets happy about things like this. Thatch and Finn enjoyed a perfect day at the pond with some friends, the simple little video has been viewed more than 2,000 times, the manufacturers and owners of the minnow trap company stumbled upon it, they loved that the boys love their gear, they sent the boys fantastic gifts, the boys and I got to learn about the pretty interesting history of Cuba Specialty and the Tackle Factory, I get to help spread the word about their excellent products (not to mention how kind and generous they were)…..and the boys get to look forward to more great days spent fishing. Â Full circle…and nothing but good. Â And, after looking through their catalogue, I know where I can do some perfect Christmas shopping. Â Win, win.
They also manufacture a full line of minnow, eel, crawfish, crab traps and nets. Look for us under these trusted names:
GEE’S®
FRANKLIN®
FOXY-MATE®
ROD CADDY
BIG NORM’S FISH SCALER
LINEMINDER
Look at the unbelievable amount of awesomeness that arrived in the mail! Â You can also check out both the original video of the boys using their Gee’s Minnow Trap below and a great video about how the traps are made.
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Anyone have any knowledge on affordable virtual reality glasses or headsets?
My boys have had a few opportunities to use them and they seem like a lot of fun. Â I thought, if the price was right, they might make a decent Christmas gift. Â I’ve done some very rudimentary research and the prices run the gamut.
I clearly don’t want/need to invest a fortune, but I also don’t want to bother getting a cheap set if they aren’t going to give a realistic experience with options that work for us. Â I saw a set that looked like a good option, but they aren’t compatible with our iPhones, iPads, or MacBooks. Â Honestly, I never even considered that would be an issue.
I’d appreciate any information some of our FOBs might have!
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Thursday, November 3, 7:30 pm
Friday, November 4, 7:30 pm
Saturday, November 5, 2:00 and 7:30 pm Tia’s Theater
General Admission: $15
$5 Seniors and students of other institutions Free to EC ID holders
Shakespeare’s most popular comedy centers around the woodland adventures of four young lovers, a group of amateur actors,and their interactions with fairies and a duke and duchess. Magic, love, and humor cast an unforgettable spell. Directed by Penny Singh.
Funded in part by the van Otterloo Family Foundation.
I know it is insanely early for this crap, but I usually miss posting about it because it takes place so darn early….so, here it is. Â Take it or leave it.
The 30th Annual Boston Christmas Festival at the Seaport World Trade Center:
November 4, 5, and 6, 2016.
Show Hours: Friday: Noon-7pm
Saturday: 10am-6pm
Sunday: 10am-5pm
Admission: $15 • Kids under 14: FREE
Gingerbread House Competition!
Top Chefs create gingerbread masterpieces to be judged by a celebrity panel and sold with proceeds benefiting Housing Families, a non-profit organization dedicated to ending family homelessness. As one of the largest operators of quality affordable housing for homeless and very low-income families in Massachusetts, Housing Families provides safe, temporary shelter and individualized supportive services to enrich childrens’ lives, nurture the potential of each family member, and help those in greatest need maintain permanent housing.
Pick #3: Strawbery Banke Children’s Authors Festival
Saturday, November 5th
2nd Annual Children’s Authors Festival 11:00 am – 3:00 pm
The Children’s Author Festival welcomes 20 local children’s book authors and illustrators (click here for the list) to read from and sign their books, available for purchase at the event. Each child under 12 receives a ticket for free skating (in season) at Labrie Family Skate at Strawbery Banke.)
For a comprehensive list of family activities, please visit our friends at North Shore Kid
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Any of you who happen to chance upon my Facebook page probably knew this was coming…but I’d be remiss to not throw out a post about our fantastic opportunities with the Boston Bruins lately.
We had a great time with a couple of other families at a preseason game a few weeks ago. Â After the game we waited for a bit outside of the players’ parking lot. Â While the boys were all hopeful for some autographs, we prepped them for the fact that the players were busy and may not be up for it. Â Imagine our surprise when car after car…and player after player…stopped to sign the boys’ hats. Â I mean…they weren’t just walking by…they actually had to put their cars in park, unfasten their seat belts, get out of the car, and walk to the sidewalk where the boys were standing…sharpies in hand.
First up was a great conversation with Ryan Daisy who had just finished refereeing his very first NHL game. Â He was incredibly gracious and spent about 10 minutes talking to us about the path his life took to lead him to his new gig. Â Pretty cool stuff. Â He was soon followed by David Pastrnak, Dominic Moore, Riley Nash, Rob O’Gara, Danton Heinen, Brandon Carlo, and Kevan Miller. Â Some were riding solo, three of the new skaters were riding together (which I found super cute as they all climbed out of various car doors to greet us), some were with wives/girlfriends…but they all stopped. Â Really, truly unbelievable.
Flash forward a few weeks and my boys had the opportunity to skate in the 3 Minutes of Fame in between periods of another Bruins game. Â Finn’s team was skating and, because they needed a goalie, they invited Thatcher to help out (no brainer for him or us). Â To be fair, last year Thatcher’s team had the same opportunity and Finn was called up to join them. Good times. Â So, here we were, walking from the Charlestown parking lot, across the locks, under the Zakim Bridge, and through the same parking lot. This time the boys were proudly packing their hockey bags and reporting to duty. Â As the nerves of skating in front of so many fans started to creep in, two cars passed us. One was a funny little red car with Rhode Island plates and three men inside… Â soon emerged Malcolm Subban (due to be in goal just before Thatcher) and a couple of his Providence Bruins buddies. Â All three came right up, signed the boys (now crowded) hats, and wished them good luck on the ice. As they were chatting with us, a small black Mercedes backed in right next to us…..and 6′ 9″ Zdeno Chara unfolded himself from inside. Â He too, Whole Foods bag in hand, stopped shook the boys’ hands, signed their hats, and gave them pointers.
Chara’s advice you may ask?  “Look up…..Enjoy the view.”  Come on!  With Thatcher in goal and sporting the GoPro on his helmet, I could tell he took the words to heart.  A couple of times he panned the crowd and enjoyed the moment.  Watching the video back, it was so fun for me to hear the boys’ names announced in the Garden, watch one Schrafft shooting on another Schrafft, and see Thatch makes some nice saves (in an very unfamiliar position).  The best part though was for sure listening to the crowd cheer and respond to each play….cheering for these young boys as they were living the dream.
I’ve included a video of their experiences…it is probably far too long…but maybe take a peek at a bit of it.
A huge thanks to The Boston Bruins and Cape Ann Youth Hockey!
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Like a good book, I love a TV show that leaves me bummed out at the end of an episode because I’m actually going to miss the characters while they’re away.  By that I mean, that it is hard to wait for the next episode to air.
That is TOTALLY how I feel about This is Us.  If you haven’t tuned in yet, you really need to.  If you don’t have Netflix or On Demand or the like, you can click on the link below and watch most episodes on any device.
While I won’t do it it’s due diligence, to sum it up quickly This is Us is about life, love, relationships, friendships, dreams, successes, failures, expectations, family, laughter, tears, and maybe a bit more. Â The series seamlessly flips back and forth from what we are to assume is past and present. Â Story line layers upon story line and pieces of a beautiful puzzle are put into place. Â Connections are made and the big picture is revealed like in a paint-by-number painting.
Can you tell that I’m in love. Â Give it a shot if you’re a sap like me.
Watch the trailer below …. Â Below that is another scene that is pretty sad, pretty real…that also begins to lay the foundation for the rest of the show.
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Surfari Stand Up Paddle and Surf shared this photo taken yesterday off of Gloucester….with this caption “So there have been confirmed GrimSweeper sightings from @dontfearthesweeper down in Florida. Today he made an appearance in Gloucester, Ma to slide a couple waves.”
Totally creepy and cool at the same time! Â And, check out Surfari here…one of the Schrafft boys’ favorite stores for sure (and one of their mom’s favorites too while we’re on the subject).
Happy Halloween!
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I mean seriously. Â If you want to have warm fuzzies about the town that you live in, move to Rockport and Trick-or-Treat along Main Street and down on Bearskin Neck.
That’s exactly what we did yesterday afternoon. Â From 4:00 -6:00 shop owners opened their doors to trick-or-treaters and the town was hopping. Â While my boys go to school out of town, they are blessed to have friends from the neighborhood, from soccer, from baseball, from sailing, from hockey, and even some from school that they’ve met while growing up in what we’ve always referred to as “God’s Country.” Â It was so fun watching the boys chit-chat with friends from all different corners of their lives while strolling along downtown.
Take a lovely fall afternoon (well, at least until the rain came), adorable children in Halloween costumes, gracious shop owners/employees, friendly faces, some good laughs, and one of the most beautiful backdrops in the world….and you get Halloween on the Neck. Â Throw in dinner at Top Dog….and it doesn’t get any better.
So, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU to everyone who made it possible to create such fun memories for so many children.
Here are just a few photos….including my own little Adam Levine from Maroon 5. Â He kills me.
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Pick #1: John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum
I am really hoping to get Thatcher and Finn into Boston to tour the museum sometime before next month’s election. Â I am a big believer that studying the election process, democracy, Checks and Balances, and the levels + branches of government during an election year is an opportunity that should not be missed. Â That having been said, it has been harder this go round to make it a positive learning experience….as much of it has been more of a circus than an age-appropriate lesson. Â I want to use the opportunity to show my boys how great America can be…but, it is hard to shield them from the drama and nonsense. Â So, I am hopeful that taking a trip to learn about JFK will help instill some of the pride and character that I would like them to feel and develop.
Some of you may remember the awesome houseboat that I rented back in August…which, by the way, a friend just rented and loved as much as we did. Â Well, this past weekend I rented an oceanfront home directly on York Beach in Maine…that gazed across at Nubble Light. Â The house was clean, bright, nautical, and perfect for our group of 10 friends.
It was close enough that some peeps could just drive up for one of the two nights….and I even was able to jet home on Saturday to catch Thatcher’s hockey game at Pingree Rink in Hamilton and then turn around and head back up again.
Granted, it is pretty much off-season, but we each only paid $65 per night. The Kittery outlets were only minutes away….as was downtown Portsmouth….and local restaurants. We opted to bring lots of food, snacks, and beverages up with us and just sat and laughed (and laughed) in the living room both nights. During the day there was lots of leaf peeping, beach walking, sightseeing, photo taking, and shopping.
If you’re looking for a getaway, I highly recommend both homeaway.com and vrbo.com
This is the listing that we just rented…. in case you are interested.
Good Morning Gloucester 