Looking good. As if the beautiful scenery isn’t lovely enough.
Author: Nichole S.
Jones Creek
The one and only Finn turned 7 yesterday and was very clear about how he wanted to spend the day. Soccer camp, ice cream, bike riding, paddling boarding, and sushi. We added the Summer Solstice as a bonus. Why not.
While the whole day was pretty great, my favorite part of it all was taking the SUPs to Jones Creek and having some quality time with the birthday boy. With Thatcher off at sailing lessons, Finn and I were able to spend some time on the river, hunt for crabs, and enjoy the view.
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Summer Solstice at Good Harbor
I so badly wish that my iPhone could have done this better justice, but the moon tonight…on this summer solstice…was phenomenal high above Good Harbor Beach.
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If
I can’t help but think each Father’s Day, as a mother of two young boys, that they are most likely going to grow up to be fathers themselves one day. I hope that I am preparing them, as best as I can, be be good fathers, good husbands, good friends, and good people.
I first read If by Rudyard Kipling in college during a poetry course. I kind of feel in love with it. I have thought of its words often while watching my young boys sleep, giggle, stumble, smile, play, skate, cry, struggle, succeed, throw and grow.
If
By Rudyard Kipling
If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don’t deal in lies,
Or being hated, don’t give way to hating,
And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise:
If you can dream—and not make dreams your master;
If you can think—and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build ’em up with worn-out tools:
If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breathe a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: ‘Hold on!’
If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with Kings—nor lose the common touch,
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it,
And—which is more—you’ll be a Man, my son!
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Live from the Roof Top: This is Beauport
The Beauport Princess makes its way past the beautiful new Beauport Hotel.
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Live From the Rotary
So this was just happening on my way home…
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That Melissa Cox, She’s One of the Good Ones
Not only is she a good sport, but she’s generous too.
Melissa agreed, thanks to a $500 request, to be tossed into the pool in the name of charity.
That $500 will go to a charity set up to help the Orlando shooting victims and their families.
You just never know what you’re going to run into when you meet up with a friend for a drink in Gloucester. While I missed the actual splash…I landed on the roof top deck in time to see a wet, chilly, but still smiling Melissa Cox spreading cheer the way she always does.
Thanks so much to Christopher Sicuranza for capturing and sharing the moment…and to Melissa for allowing me to post it. Thanks also to Steven LeBlanc for “the push” and Sean Nolan for stepping up big with the $500 donation.
(and, how about that roof top pool area!) #Beauport Hotel
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Nichole’s Picks 6/18 + 6/19
Pick #1: Father’s Day Weekend Campout at the Crane’s Estate with REI.
Read all about it HERE For Trustees members only…so sign up now if you haven’t already.
Adult $45 and Child $25. Registration Required
Spend an adventure-filled weekend camping at the Crane Estate! Our special site in the Pine Grove is an ideal location for both experienced campers and first-timers. This overnight includes a choice of optional programs and activities on Saturday afternoon, which may include a Great Marsh Creek Walk, a Dune Hike through the Crane Wildlife Refuge, a Guided Kayak Paddle in Essex Bay, or a Scavenger Hunt for the little ones. Of course you are also free to simply lounge on the beach, or explore the property on your own. Bring a bag lunch for Saturday. REI will teach us how to make a delicious, nutritious camp out supper – and we’ll follow that with s’mores around the campfire on Saturday night. A light breakfast will be provided on Sunday morning. After you pack up on Sunday morning, you are welcome to spend Sunday afternoon at the beach (parking in the lot by the Barn only).
Pick #2: Connors Farm Strawberry Festival, Danvers
Always a favorite kick-off to summer!
READ ALL ABOUT IT HERE AND PURCHASE ADVANCED TICKETS IF YOU’D LIKE
Saturday, June 18, 2016 – 9am to 6pm (Rain date Sunday, June 19, 2016)
$7.95 Admission per Person, 2 and under are free.
(A Portion of the Proceeds Benefit Jimmy Fund Clinic at Dana Farber)
Note: Everyone must pay the $7.95 fee for entrance to pick your own and all festivities
Activities Included with $7.95 admission: The Boston Rockabilly Band LIVE from Noon to 4pm, Jumping Pillow, Farm Animals, Hayrides, Cow Train, Grain Train, Duck Races, Pedal Carts & more!
Additional charge for: Food, Our Famous Strawberry Shortcake, BBQ Food, Pick Your Own Strawberries, Pony Rides, Strawberries Dipped in Chocolate and Face Painting.
Pick #3: Arts Fest Beverly
Saturday, June 18th, 2016 10am-4pm on Cabot Street
NEW – Arts Fest is expanding – Cabot St will be closed from Judson to Bow St
Rain or Shine
Join us at Arts Fest on Saturday, June 18th from 10am-4pm. New this year, Arts Fest has expanded to include one more block of Cabot Street. Artist tents will be set up all the way from Judson Street to Bow Street. For fourteen years, Arts Fest has brought fine artisans and crafters downtown for a free festival that attracts thousands of shoppers and visitors. Artist tents will be set up with jewelry, clothing, furniture, paintings, photographs, pottery and more for sale. The free event also showcases live painting and local performers. There is plenty of fun for the whole family!
Pick #4: Family Fishing Festival at Endicott Park, Danvers
Saturday, June 18th @ 10:00 a.m.
This festival is cosponsored by the MassWildlife Angler Education Program and Danvers Recreation. This is a non-competitive, family friendly, learn to fish event. Bring your fishing equipment, or borrow ours – limited equipment and bait will be provided. This is a free event; however, all visitors are subject to a $1 resident vehicle or $3 non-resident vehicle user fee. Open to the public. For more information, please contact Christine Dean at (978) 774-6518 or Jim Lagacy at (508) 389-6309 or jim.lagacy@state.ma.us.
As always, for a more comprehensive list of family activities, please visit our friends at North Shore Kid.
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Point Taken
Polite and to the point.
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Who is in the Know?
We mentioned the other day on the most recent podcast (from the gorgeous new Beauport Hotel) that a new restaurant is coming to Rockport.
The Feather & Wedge Restaurant and Bar (happy dance) is scheduled to open sometime this summer. I honestly don’t know a thing about it. Who can fill us in? I’d love to know more!
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Well, Hello, Beauport Hotel.
I was fortunate enough to spend some time at the brand new Beauport Hotel last night. To say that it exceeded my expectations is beyond an understatement. The attention to detail is second to none and I coveted each and every piece of art, piece of furniture, lamp, sconce, throw pillow, cushion, etc.
My best attempt to describe it is Pottery Barn (or maybe Restoration Hardware) meets America’s Cup. It is crisp, modern, comfortable, cozy, bright, nautical, and chic…all at once. It feels just enough like “Gloucester” while also feeling like a wonderful retreat and escape. I felt at home….and yet a million miles away.
While there, I sat in a formal dining room to tape our podcast, at the indoor bar for a delicious tomato and mozzarella flatbread, by the rooftop pool for the sunset, and then on the expansive ocean-front deck by the fire pit. Each space had its own feel…while yet being completely cohesive. There are comfortable sitting areas everywhere you look. Plenty of nooks and crannies for intimate seating for two….and large tables and seating configurations for meeting up with a large group of friends.
Honestly, even last night with a chill in the air, I could have sat on the deck for hours on end.
We are beyond blessed to have so many fabulous choices here on Cape Ann. The Beauport Hotel is, in my opinion, the precious last piece of a puzzle. Kudos to all involved in the enormous efforts of making it a reality.
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Afternoon on the Deck
Spent some time on the deck at the Studio the other day had a fantastic meal and a great time. Crazy, yummy sushi, perfectly cooked edamame, and the best mussels I’ve ever had.
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Nichole’s Picks 6/11 + 6/12
Pick #1: Strawberry Festival at Mile Marker One
Always a lot of fun! Great for kids…and their grown-ups too.
Pick #2: Wee Woodland Fairy Festival at the Wenham Museum
Saturday, June 11 from 10:00-3:00
The fairy festival is included with admission to the museum…or upgrade to the Premium Tea Party for $10 per child.
ADVANCED REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED…. Follow LINK below to sign-up.
Read all about it and register HERE
Pick #3: BeanStalk Adventure Ropes Course at Jordan’s Furniture
Experience the thrill of traveling from one activity to the next. Test your agility and balance, as you make your way across our exclusive, one-of-a-kind sky ropes course. Head up 12 or 24 feet and step off onto zig zag beams, crisscross angled rope ladders, and hold tight for spaghetti hand lines. Walk the plank at 24 feet where you travel out on a 6 inch standalone beam, only to pivot ever so perfectly and return.
Admission Prices:
BeanStalk Adventure Ropes Course (with Zip Line) – $12.50
BeanStalk Adventure Ropes Course (without Zip Line) – $10.50
Must be at least 48″ tall or 42″ if accompanied by a chaperone.
BeanSprout Adventure Ropes Course – $6.25
Must be less than 48″ tall.
As always, for a more comprehensive list of family activities, please visit our friends at North Shore Kid.
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19th Annual Viking Baseball Academy
I’ve heard some great things about this baseball camp, I know John Parisi is fantastic, and I’m thrilled Thatch and Finn will be attending.
What a great way to kick off summer! Check it out and consider signing up your 7-12 year-old. The organizers are making final preparations now.
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Artists at Work
Artists were busy at work painting at the scenic Cox Reservation the other day. Who can blame them?
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Great Day at the Cox Reservation
The boys and I explored the Cox Reservation the other day and attended the Intro to Geocaching class that I mentioned in my “Picks” post. While the fun of hunting for geocaches isn’t really new to us, we had a great time joining a small group of other attendees and hunting for some hidden boxes with some “professionals.”
The Essex County Greenbelt boasts tons of great properties that are always offering a large variety of fun and educational activities.
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If You Ever See One of My Kids Doing This…
Please keep in mind this post comes from a humble mother, whose son had a trip to the ER for stitches doing something similar…on a MUCH smaller scale….when he was with me. So, this post isn’t a holier-than-thou-for-pete’s-sake-watch-your-kids-I-don’t-make-any-mistakes kind of post.
So…if you EVER see one of my kids screaming full throttle…smack down the middle of South Street in Rockport at 7:35 (meaning DUSK) on a scooter…with no helmet… like the young man that I had to swerve to miss last night…. please, please do your best to make him stop.
This particular young man…and I have no idea who he was…scared the day lights out of me, but also could have been really, really hurt. I’m not even necessarily meaning hurt by a vehicle, but hurt by something as simple as a pebble or a crack in the pavement that could have sent him flying through the air.
Oddly enough, I just had to have a reminder with my older son after watching a Go Pro video that he shot while biking around our neighborhood. I could tell by the video that he wasn’t looking over his shoulder to survey for cars behind him before crossing to the other side of the street. I’m so glad that I was able to show him the video to reinforce the lesson. Likewise, watching that boy last night gave me the opportunity to tell them what not to do, but I know they won’t always listen.
Sigh. Be careful kids. Please.
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Nichole’s Picks 6/4 + 6/5
Pick #1: Audubon Nature Festival at Ipswich River
Sunday, June 5th 10:00-4:00 rain or shine @ the Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary
$15 per car…member and non-member
Join us on Sunday, June 5 for a day of nature and fun. Featuring Marcia and Mark Wilson of Eyes on Owls.An unforgettable natural history experience for the whole family!
Among the many activities:
- Live owl presentations throughout the day
- Insect Zoo
- Face-painting & Henna
- Children’s games and activities
- Craft demonstrations & sales
- Butterfly Plant Sale
- Food! Whoopie Wagon! Captain Dusty’s ice cream!
- Raffle with lots of great items to choose from
- Naturalist-guided walks & pond explorations
- Guided tours of our butterfly & bird habitat gardens
- Exhibits and activities on solar power, sustainability, & being green
- Native reptiles & amphibians exhibit
- Live music all day
READ ALL ABOUT THE NATURE FESTIVAL HERE
Pick #2: Intro to Geocaching at the Cox Reservation
My boys and I love using our hand-held GPS to look for geocache boxes in our area. I’ve been meaning…and will eventually…do a blog post it. For now, I bet this event will be lots of fun!
SIGN UP HERE…SPOTS WON’T LAST for this cool event!
Saturday, June 4th 1:00-2:30
Come experience the fun new sport of Geocaching, the web-based hide-and-seek game that is growing by leaps and bounds across the country!
Instructors will share how to use a GPS unit and astute powers of observation to find hidden caches at the Cox Reservation.
Learn strategies for locating cleverly hidden caches and Geocaching etiquette.
Along the way, we will also teach basic GPS skills, including creating waypoints and plotting a course. One GPS unit will be provided to be shared per family.RSVP. Capacity limited.
We will be walking on woodland paths. Proper footwear and insect repellent are recommended.
Pick #3: Cape Ann Harbor Tours Water Shuttle
According to their schedule they should be operating 12:00-4:00 on the weekends now.
CLICK HERE FOR ALL INFORMATION
We love hopping on the Lady Jillian, going for a cruise around the harbor, listening to the informative tour, and maybe jumping off for a bite to eat, an ice cream, or a stroll through Rocky Neck before getting back on to head home.
Not only a great mode of transportation, but also an inexpensive way to spend some time on the water with the kids.
As always, for a more comprehensive list of family activities, please visit our friends at North Shore Kid
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More Like This, Please
Like everyone else in the world, between the boys’ sports, events, and school projects and my own meetings, errands, and random commitments, I feel like it has been forever since I have had a night to sit, book in lap, and simply relax.
We came home from school in a timely fashion yesterday, the boys rode bikes with the neighbors, we cooked on the grill, ate down back on the patio, and then….as soon as the boys were in bed…I actually found a whole hour to sit on the side deck and read. There may have been one Summer Shandy involved as well. And…even better….it could have been longer if the sun didn’t set and the bugs didn’t come out.
I will take many more evenings just like this, please.
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The New and Improved Mile Marker One
As is often my go-to on rainy weekend days, I headed to the pool at Cape Ann’s Marina Resort yesterday. You have heard me say this before, but it is a total score if you are a parent of a young child…especially ones that can swim confidently on their own.
We were there for a little over four hours, the kids swam, we ate lunch, and hung out with friends.
We always have great, easy, inexpensive fun there and that has only become better with their new and improved menu by the pool AND the great renovations outside! Today I ordered the strawberry summer salad, the boys had the chicken tenders with the world’s BEST honey mustard, and we shared the cheese trio plate with havarti, manchego, and brie….and mango slaw + pita chips.
I love hanging out with the boys, but I can’t wait to go back hit the raw bar, have some yummy drinks, hear some music, and sit by the water with some friends too.
Good Morning Gloucester 