Author: Pat D

We watched as the Meridian assisted the Patriot into the harbor escorted by the Coast Guard today. Presumably the Patriot became disabled and the Meridian lent a hand along with the Coast Guard. It appears everyone is safe in harbor now. Cheers Patriot, Meridian and Coast Guard!

We stopped at the Farm Bar and Grille in Essex last week because we had not been there in a while. Despite that, the warm atmosphere made us feel like we just left yesterday! Cozy and comfortable was the perfect lunch solution for us. Friendly service, yummy food and good company rounded out the experience. Thanks once again Farm Bar and Grille!

I attended the ground breaking for the new street hockey rink being built at Stage Fort Park. There were several families and dignitaries in attendance as well as representatives from the Young Legends organization. It was clear to me that street hockey played a special role in the lives of many. Although no ground was actually broken yesterday, we did learn what the future rink is expected to look like and an update that it is hoped to be operational next spring. They will take the winter months to allow the ground to settle and renew work in the spring. The pandemic and the supply chain problems have driven costs up significantly but Carl and Danny of Young Legends are still optimistic for a Spring 2022 opening. This project has involved the City as well as other organizations working together toward this goal for our children. If you would like further information or to donate, click here.

The new Young Legends Street Hockey rink groundbreaking at Stage Fort Park is scheduled for today Saturday Nov 6 at noon. All are invited to attend though it appears SOME groundbreaking has already occurred. For more information regarding the project click here. It’s an exciting new addition to all the great facilities available to our youth.

There’s something special about the look of barns especially in the height of fall color. This very handsome specimen seems to embrace the autumn sunshine. And, right across the street, these turkeys seemed to be a little bit camouflaged even though they were sitting on the stone wall oblivious to the fact that Thanksgiving will be upon us soon! Classic New England fall afternoon!

The Bradford Tavern in Rowley has reopened under new owners and new management! According to their Facebook page, the owners of the popular Fox Creek Tavern have purchased the Bradford Tavern on Haverill St and it reopened just last week. We happened to be driving by and hungry, so we stopped and were delighted at our experience. I was especially happy to note that Gloucester haddock was used in the blackened fish tacos I ordered. Jim got an Italian panini sandwich and ate every bit. He also enjoyed the Hoisin meatball appetizer recommended by the server. The Rosemary Grapefruit margarita hit the spot for me.

The setting is basically the same as you may remember. We sat in the bar area and it was comfortable, well lit with spacious seating. It was our server’s very first day and she did admirably (I am sorry I did not take note of her name). There were a fair number of customers for Monday lunch and all seemed to be enjoying their experience as well. We will be returning and hope to see you there!

A new shop has opened at 13 Railway Ave in Rockport and it is sure to bring a smile to your face when you visit. Sir Pennycandy’s Apothecary is a small shop tucked away in Rockport and offering a WIDE array of treats. I smiled the moment I opened the door. We were greeted by owner Brenda and her son Jet. There are “penny candies”, drinks, baking mixes, flavored popcorn, baked good, fudge and more treats for you to peruse. When we visited, a man was there with a young girl who’s eyes were as wide open as they could be. Another older couple came in as well demonstrating the wide interest in these items. Brenda tells us gift baskets and event favors can be ordered as well. It’s well worth a visit as a treat for your eyes and your stomach. They can be found on Facebook.

My friend Susan LaRosa alerted me to the double rainbow showing off over the harbor just as our little ghosts and gremlins were preparing to go out trick or treating. Thanks for these, Susan!

And from my end of Hesperus Ave (also alerted by my neighbor Bryanna!)

It was wonderful to see an eagle pair return to Magnolia just after the recent storm passed. It felt as if they were checking up on how we were doing. The conditions weren’t ideal for photos or for flight but they put on quite a show for us. I suspect this is the same eagle pair we have seen over the marsh in the recent past. Regardless, it brightened by day without power by quite a bit.

It’s been perfect for comfort food these last few days which we found served to perfection at the Village Restaurant in Essex recently. The apple cider sangria was very refreshing and I loved the French Onion soup. Jim had the fish stew and broiled seafood combo. I had the chicken parm. It was perfect for the damp chilly fall evening. Thank you Village!

Over the past few weeks, I have been watching the progress Cheryl’s Signs has been making giving the World War II Memorial sign on the Boulevard a makeover. I asked if this was in preparation for Veterans Day, but she said it was part of a planned “refresh” for the signage. Progress was weather dependent so it took a few trips for her to complete the work. Nicely done! Thank you.

Happy birthday to our fearless captain Joey C! We are very grateful to call him a friend and he’s a loyal friend of our favorite city Gloucester. We love our GMG family but it wouldn’t be what it s without Joey’s leadership. Thank you Joey for adopting us into your GMG family. It’s been a wild ride and we look forward to future adventures. Happy happy birthday!

From our friends at Minglewood:

Best wishes. We will miss you! From Facebook:

As I write this, it’s still pretty nasty out there; repairs going on in several locations so take care. Cheers to our DPW!

It seems we are going to be having some nasty weather this week so I thought it might be a good time for some reminders of how beautiful fall has been. I have a feeling these pretty leaves will be gone once we get past this current weather pattern. FOB Bex Borden recently invited me to tour the grounds at Moraine Farm in Beverly. Bex is one of the volunteers there and spent part of her afternoon with me sharing the history and the beauty of the area. It was classic fall beauty and I thought you might enjoy. Thank you Bex! For further information, here’s the website Bex shared with me.

Whale watching season is coming up on its last weekend for 2021 but you still have a few chances to get out there before the end of this month. Cape Ann Whale Watch will be running trips this upcoming weekend and I highly recommend this as an activity for guests, a gift, or just because you like to spend time out on the water.

Family was visiting last weekend and this was high on their list of activities so we made the arrangements and off we went. What a day! Dross and her 2021 calf have been entertaining whale watchers regularly this season but the calf really put on a show for us. There were at least a half dozen breaches, flipper flapping, and even tail thwacking (I think that’s the official scientific term!) so close to the boat that we got wet. Mom Dross showed us some feeding activity to add to the wonder of the trip. It was fairly choppy so photography was challenging but here are some of the results. As a huge bonus, the eagle you see here resting on Ten Pound Island followed our boat out of the harbor, dove toward the water and got itself a fish before it flew off! I was so startled I didn’t get any good shots of that little miracle but it goes to show you never know what you will see out there but it’s all wonderful.

**PS: Just noticed that all three of our local whale watches are included in this article about the Best Whale Watching in Massachusetts!

**PPS It seems likely the weather this week may change the whale watching plans in town, so stay tuned if you plan to go.**

We decided to go to a new-to-us restaurant for my birthday celebration, so of course, we turned to the Serenitee group for ideas and decided to try 15 Walnut in South Hamilton. In case you STILL don’t have your Serenitee rewards set up, be aware that you are awarded a FREE entree AND dessert in your birthday month. Win Win.

Anyhow, we loved the atmosphere and menu at 15 Walnut. Our server, Mandee, recognized that one of us had a birthday when she logged our Serenitee number with her. And it’s her birthday this month too! Same for Anya, from Minglewood who was training at 15 Walnut. Happy birthday to you both and thanks for making our experience so warm and wonderful. There was brisk business while we were there, including families and small groups. There is still outdoor seating available but we usually prefer inside. The menu is varied and our food was very satisfying.

Jim ordered a Caesar side salad (perfectly sized) and a fried chicken BLT. I got the burger. We also treated ourselves to dessert: lemon sorbet and caramel cheesecake adorned with popcorn! Fun and inventive. We will plan to return there one day. It was a lovely meal and dining experience.

I have long been intrigued by the walkway at Cape Hedge Beach. This time, I was reminded of the song “Stairway to Heaven”. It appears there have been some busy pebble stone construction going on over there, always interesting to come across. What a glorious view!

Whenever I wear my heated vest, I get comments (especially from women) who are intrigued by the heating element of the vest. It’s battery powered, provides heat front and back and I wear it throughout the spring and fall. However, I’d been wishing I had such a jacket and now Ororo offers a heated fleece jacket! Admittedly, this was Facebook clickbait that worked faster than anything else I had been mildly tempted by. I have ordered my heated fleece jacket (complete with battery…double check that if you are ordering) and will keep you posted but I am certain I will be thrilled.

Here’s a link to shop. There are also heated socks available, just FYI. This is just a recommendation, I am not receiving any benefit from sharing this info with you. I just love my heated outerwear and thought you might too.