Author: Pat D

Thanks Mom’s Kitchen for some comfort food last Wednesday. The cabbage roll was delicious and enough to take home for another meal. We love Mom’s.

Russell Orchards in Ipswich has opened for the season. We always like to stop there when we drive up that way. Keep up with their news at their website. I saw some new items and old favorites. Now that we have a baby in our lives, I took extra care to notice the children’s section which was full of interesting items. Staff was friendly and helpful as they always are. We brought home a few treats!

“Our” eagles have been hanging around the marsh recently here in Magnolia and this morning I was able to have my coffee with a pair of eagles on the side! They really are magnificent. What a blessing to have them nearby. For additional photos please visit Pat D’s Photos and Adventures on Facebook.

What I see when I notice the parking kiosks standing guard along the streets:

Captain Carlo’s is reopening today May 6 and will be switching things up. Counter style service on the deck sounds intriguing to me! Hope to see you there soon.

Our first stop on our return to town after a two week trip was to Minglewood Harborside. It just feels like home……a bonus was that the Serenitee group was offering a FREE appetizer that day and I had a $10 reward awaiting me as a Serenitee member. We were greeted in a friendly manner, seated with appropriate distancing and were offered efficient service. We ordered the nachos (a plate of LOVE), sushi and garlic parm tenders. The drinks were, as always, spot on. It was a win, win……thanks again Zach and Minglewood staff!

Yes, I know our wonderful Generous Gardeners have done a marvelous job on the boulevard with the tulip beds. They are truly stunning, free and available to anyone. But if you are a fan of tulips and the wonderful sight of thousands of blooms in a charming setting, you might want to check out Tip Top Tulips in Ispwich. Brought to you by the same folks who offer the School Street Sunflowers, they decided this year to offer tulip beds. And they are magnificent. Tickets available here. They are located at 71 Town Farm Road and there’s a smaller bed near the School Street Sunflower Field.

The beds are designed for strolling and photos. It is a bit muddy in some areas though plenty of straw has been utilized to help so plan accordingly. Very child friendly and a great photo opp! You can purchase single blooms for $1 each which includes the bulb (that’s a bonus….I am certain those bulbs are high quality). If you are a tulip lover, visit the boulevard and consider a trip to Ipswich soon.

The clouds and sunshine combined in an interesting way at the Paint Factory recently, giving a new view of red, white and blue…..

We were out and about Sunday and decided to have dinner at the recently reopened Boat House Grille on John Wise Ave in Essex. It seemed to us that they have not missed a step during their closure over these last several months. Plastic barriers separate tables and bar seating for safety but are not intrusive to your dining experience. They are preparing to offer a new outdoor dining area! We were served our meals efficiently by Abigail. I had cajun seasoned broiled haddock…lightly seasoned so if you’re expecting a spicy kick, ask for more cajun. It was perfect. Jim had the burger which he enjoyed a great deal. It was a lovely Sunday dinner experience. The menu even offers after hours beverages for the kitchen staff, which I think is a great idea and we sent some back there! Thanks to all for a warm and wonderful dinner!

For those of you waiting for this news, Domino’s on East Main Street has reopened!

The hummingbirds waited until Joey was out of town to show themselves in Gloucester yesterday! I have some new tools in the hummingbird arsenal this year….the usual red glass feeder in addition to mini-suction cup style feeders (a gift from my neighbor!) AND a red tube horizontal feeder. This is my set-up. It appears to have worked since I observed at least 2 feisty hummingbirds, one even chasing away one of the bigger birds. We also saw the Baltimore Oriole yesterday, so it’s well and truly official that we are DONE with winter.

It was a simply glorious afternoon recently with the tulips blooming in the fresh sunshine following the rain. Makes me wonder how or why we ever leave…….thank you Generous Gardeners! Happy May Day one day late…..

We go away for a couple of weeks and come back to find a few changes downtown. For one, it appears the location of Stone’s Pub is preparing for outdoor dining. We will be glad to see them return.

And the big change are the parking kiosks along the streets awaiting unveiling. The shrouded standing kiosks look like a screening of Handmaid’s Tale, but I guess it’s progress. Just about one year after the City announced it had been granted a loan for various improvements, these new kiosks appear ready for the tourist season to begin! They are solar powered and will accept cards or quarters. An app can be used as well. Bring on the Handmaids I guess!

Spring has really sprung and this will be the final update to our joint Reopenings list (thanks Bex Borden!) Changes since last week are in bold. More reopenings to come and we will handle them on an individual basis as we come across them.

Hammond Castle Museum	978-283-2080	www.hammondcastle.org	May 1
7 Seas Whale Watch	978-283-1776	www.7seaswhalewatch.com	April 17
Cape Ann Whale Watch	978-283-5110	www.seethewhales.com	April 17
YankeeFleet	978-283-0313	www.yankeefleet.com	OPEN
Pauline’s Gifts	978-281-5558	www.paulinesgifts.com	May 1
Cape Ann Campsites	978-283-8683.	www.capeanncampsite.com	May 15
Vista Motel	978-281-3410	www.VistaMotel.com	OPEN
Ocean House Hotel at Bass Rocks	978-283-7600	www.OceanHouseGloucester.com	OPEN
White Farms on the Causeway	978-559-7470	www.facebook.com/White-Farms-on-the-Causeway	OPEN
Thacher Island Trips/Straitsmouth Island trips	617-599-2590	www.thacherisland.org	May 1 for tickets
Marshall’s Farm Stand	978-283-2168	www.marshallsfarmstand.com	OPEN
School Street Tulip Field in Ipswich	none listed	www.tiptotulips.com for tickets	OPEN
Beauport Princess Cruise	978-865-3201	www.beauportcruiselines.com	Mother’s Day Cruise May 9
RESTAURANTS etc
525 Tavern	978-525-3250	www.525magnolia.com	OPEN
Atlantis Oceanfront Motel Breakfast	978-283-0014	atlantisoceanfrontinn.com/breakfast-in-gloucester-ma/	May 15
Azorean	978-283-5500	www.azoreanrestaurant.com	OPEN
Beauport Hotel Dining	978-491-5090	1606restaurant.com	OPEN
Blue Collar Lobster	978-283-1812	thegloucesterhouse.com	TBD
Capt Carlos	978-283-6343	www.captaincarlos.com	May 6
Causeway	978-281-5256	www.thecausewayrestaurant.com	OPEN
Charlie’s Place	978-281-5002	www.facebook.com/Charlies-Place-111697215533360/	OPEN
Crows Nest	978–281–2965	www.crowsnestgloucester.com/	OPEN
Dining Rooms at the Castle/Seaglass Restaurant	978-515-7386	www.castlemanorinn.com/chef/seaglass-restaurant/	May 6
Drift Cafe	978-314-4238	driftgloucester.com	TBD
Duckworths	978-282-4426	www.duckworthsbistrot.com/	TBD
Endless Flavors Square Pizza and Bakery	978-515-7028	23 East Main St. Gloucester	OPEN
The Franklin	978-283-7888	www.franklincapeann.com	OPEN
George’s The Office	978-281-1910	www.GeorgesOfGloucester.com	OPEN
Gloucester House	978-283-1812	thegloucesterhouse.com	TBD
Goombadi’s	978-879-4287	www.facebook.com/Goombadis	OPEN
Horizon Chinese	978-283-8815	horizongloucester.com	OPEN
JD Meyers Best Friends/Magnolia Pub	978-525-2226	Public group on Favebook Magnolia Pub/JD Meyers	OPEN
Jalapenos	978-283-8228	jalapenosgloucester.com	OPEN
Laneside Pub and Brewery	978-283-9753	www.capeannlanes.com/food-beverage	OPEN
Little Red Rooster	978-219-4004	littleredroosterglo.com	OPEN
Lobsta Land	978-281-0415	www.lobstalandrestaurant.com/	OPEN
Long Beach Dairy Maid	978-281-1348	www.longbeachdairy.com/	OPEN
Machaca	978-865-3669	themachaca.com	OPEN
Marias	978-283-7373	http://www.mariasgloucester.com/	OPEN
Markouk Bread	978-283-3500	www.markoukbread.com/	OPEN
Midori	978-282-1888	midorigloucester.com	OPEN
Mile Marker One	978-283-2122	www.capeannmarina.com/dining	OPEN
Minglewood Harborside	978-281-0223	minglewoodharborside.com	OPEN
Mom’s Kitchen	978-282-4444	www.facebook.com/JustLikeMomMade0	OPEN
Oliver’s Harbor	978-559-7638	www.oliversharbor.com	OPEN
Passports	978-281-3680	passportsrestaurant.com	OPEN
Pilot House	April	www.PilotHouseDragonLight.com	OPEN
Pratty’s CAV	978-283-9700	10 Parker St, Gloucester, MA 01930CAV	OPEN
Rhumb Line	978-283-9732	40 Railroad Ave, Gloucester, MA 01930	TBD
Salt Water Grille	978-879-4244	www.saltwatergrillellc.com/	TBD
Seaport Grille	978-282-9799	seaportgrillegloucester.com	OPEN
Short & Main	978-281-0044	www.shortandmain.com/	TBD
Stones Pub	978-515-7366	www.facebook.com/StonesPubGloucester	TBD
Sugar Magnolias	978-281-5310	www.sugarmags.com	OPEN
Surfside Pizza	978-281-1700	www.surfsidesubsgloucester.com	OPEN
Taco Lupitas	978-282-9600	tacoslupitagloucester.wordpress.com	OPEN
Talise	978-515-7814	www.taliserestaurant.com	MAY
TAJ – Gloucester	978-515-7337	ww.taj-gloucester.com	OPEN
Thai Choice	978-281-8118	http://www.thaichoicerestaurant.com/	OPEN
The Cupboard	978-281-1908	not recently updated	TBD
The Rudder	978-283-7967	facebook.com/TheRudderRestaurant	TBD
The Studio	978-879-4896	facebook.com/TheStudio51	TBD
Tonno	978-879-4795	www.tonnorestaurant.com/	OPEN
Topside Grill	978-281-1399	www.topsidegrill.com	OPEN
Two Sisters Coffee Shop	978-281-3378	www.facebook.com/TwoSistersCoffeeShop	OPEN
Willow Rest	978-283-2417	http://www.willowrest.com/	OPEN
Yella on the Water	978-491-5334	www.yellagrille.com	OPEN
Zeke’s Place	978-283-7817	zekesgloucester.com	OPEN
7th Wave	978-564-5048	www.7thwaverockport.com/	OPEN
Bean & Leaf Cafe	978-546-7500	www.rockporticecream.com/beanandleafhome	OPEN
Bearskin Neck Bistro	978-309-8263	www.facebook.com/BearskinNeckBistro	TBD
Blue Lobster Grille	978-546-9990	facebook.com/BlueLobsterGrille	OPEN
BLUME	none listed	www.blumecoffee.com	TBD
Brackett’s Oceanview	978-546-2797	www.bracketts.com	OPEN
Brothers Brew	978-546-3775	27 Main St, Rockport, MA 01966	OPEN
Emerson Inn Pigeon CoveTavern	978-546-6321	https://www.emersoninnbythesea.com/dining/	May 1 2021
Feather & Wedge	978-999-5917	featherandwedge.com	OPEN
Hong Kong Kitchen	978-546-2626	13 Railroad Ave, Rockport,	OPEN
Helmut’s Strudel	978-546-2824	www.facebook.com/StrudelHelmuts/	TBD
Hula Moon Cafe	978-546-2572	27 Mt Pleasant St, Rockport, MA 01966	TBD
Lattoff Farmstand	978-879-3940	facebook.com/lattoffarmhousekitchen/	OPEN
Lobster Pool	978-546-7808	www.thelobsterpool.com/	OPEN
My Place by the Sea	978-546-9667	myplacebythesea.com/	OPEN
Nates at Front Beach opening with new owners under a new name TBA		18 Beach St, Rockport, MA 01966	TBD
Red Skiff	978-546-7647	15 Mt Pleasant St, Rockport, MA 01966	TBD
Rockport House of Pizza	978-546-6066	19 Broadway, Rockport,	OPEN
Roy Moore Fish Shack (Dock Square)	978-546-6696	Dock Square	OPEN
Roy Moore Lobster Co	978-546-6696	39 Bearskin Neck	APRIL?
Salty’s	978-999-5947	www.facebook.com/SaltysLobsterDogsandMore/	April 2021
Top Dog	978-546-0006	topdogofrockport.com	MAY
Two Little Birds Eatery	978-546-0055	www.twolittlebirdseatery.com	OPEN
Blue Marlin Grille	978-768-7400	www.bluemarlingrille.com	OPEN Thurs through Sunday for now
Boat House Grille	978-890-5113	www.boathousegrilleessex.com	OPEN
CK Pearl	978-890-7378	www.ckpearl.com	OPEN
Down River Ice Cream	978-768-0102	www.facebook.com/DownRiverIceCream	OPEN
Essex Seafood	978-768-7233	essexseafood.com	TBD
Essex River Dogs	(978) 801-4371	162 Main St, Essex, MA 01929	TBD
Farnhams	978-768-6643	www.jtfarnhams.com/	OPEN
Great Marsh Brewing Company	978-890-7827	www.thegreatmarsh.com	OPEN
Sheas opening delayed	978-768-6931	www.sheasrestaurant.com	TBD
Village Restaurant	978-768-6400	wedigclams.com	OPEN
Windward Grille	978-768-0050	windwardgrille.com	OPEN
Woodmans	978-768-6057	www.woodmans.com	OPEN

We made plans to visit family in Florida and were weighing our options for the mode of travel. We had several legs planned for this trip, so the car was an important consideration. We decided to take the Amtrak Auto Train from Lorton VA to Sanford FL. There was a sale which made it a little cheaper than the last time we traveled by Auto Train and getting a sleeper car seemed COVID safe. It’s not for everyone under every circumstance but it’s a viable option for some. Many are curious about the experience so I thought I would share our journey from Lorton to Sanford on a weekday recently.

The trip is scheduled to leave at 4 PM and arrive around 8 AM the next morning. Upon arrival at the station in Lorton, we checked in with just our names. We were given some sanitizer, a dinner menu and dinnertime options. Most of your luggage is in your vehicle so you just take what you need for overnight. Then we waited in the open airy station with plenty of outside seating for a couple of hours while the cars were being filmed for documentation prior to loading them onto the train.

Our porter, Daniel, showed us our sleeper car which in small but not claustrophobic (at least for us). Three or four of the other sleepers in this car were occupied, about half total capacity. The train aisles are narrow and rocky as expected if you’ve ever seen one of those Lucy episodes!

Our dinner was delivered on time and still warm. It was not gourmet, but it was not bad (certainly better than a McDonald’s chicken sandwich!). We each had the chicken which we ate at the table in our sleeper, knee to knee but that was very manageable. The porter came to set up the bunk style beds and the train motion rocked us to sleep. Breakfast was available the next morning though we did not partake.

We actually departed and therefore arrived almost an hour early. Bathrooms and showers are available. There are also roomette style accommodations complete with their own bathroom/sink etc. Or, you can choose to ride coach style such as on an airplane.

As I said, it’s not for everybody on every occasion. Lorton VA is a long ride from Cape Ann, but only about 5 hours from our home in New York. Amtrak is offering a number of fare reductions for summer travel which we are considering. It’s great to have your car full of your own stuff packed any old way you prefer….especially if you need to transport more than you can carry. It’s worth consideration and I think we may do it again someday.

Many of you will recognize this barn as the Windward Grille on Eastern Ave! Though I have not been back since they reopened for indoor dining, I look forward to going soon as it is one of my favorites. I do not know the history of the building but it was at one time clearly a barn and therefore qualifies for a Barn Along the Byway.

This beautiful pair of red tails has been hanging around recently in the marsh area behind our house. I assume this is the same pair I recently observed mating. One was staying close to the nest doing a great deal of grooming. The other seemed to take guard duty a little further away, but in line with the nest. The guard hawk moved from one post to another before taking off.

It was one of those nights recently……I just needed a little Tonno. I always feel a little spoiled when I am there and the food and drinks are very satisfying. AND, that night, it was like Old Home Days. We saw several friends including Nichole Schrafft and her crew as well as Kerry McKenna! Shawn served us with efficiency and friendliness. Tonno and staff is appropriately attentive to COVID protocols and we felt very secure. Jim enjoyed his Caesar Salad while I had garlic bread with prosciutto (YUMMM). We had Chicken Milanese and Veal Milanese along with cocktail specials pomegranate margarita and red sangria. It was just what I needed. Thanks, Tonno!

Thank you Nina Goodick of Annisquam River Pottery! This lovely gift has a new hone in Florida and seems to be very happy.

One of the easiest ways to make new friends is to find an eagle that can be viewed from the roadside, then stand there with your camera. Hello to my new friends from Rowley, the guy with his dog in the next field, and the Magnolia guy with his binoculars! And all those who stopped their bikes or vehicles, thanks!