Author: Pat D

We had a series of foggy days recently so I went down to my favorite beach to see how it looked in the summer morning fog. What do you remember about Half Moon Beach?

Playboy bunny? In Magnolia? On a Tuesday?

A reminder that John Abisamra’s solo show opens in Rockport this weekend and lasts through Aug 15.

Christmas in July at 44 Main St continues today and tomorrow noon to 5 PM. FREE magnet with any purchase. FREE reusable bag with min $25 purchase AND large banners reduced to $30 this week only. Stop by and see what else we have in store.

It’s time to unveil some of Pat D’s Photos holiday suggestions! Christmas in July will be held at 44 Main St this week today (Tuesday) through Thursday noon – 5 PM. I know it’s hard to think about the holidays right now so that’s why I’ve done some of the thinking for you. Stop down and browse early shopping options from Pat D’s Photos and Thirsty Seagull Gloucester Apparel.

Special offers include a free reusable shopping bag with every purchase of $25 or more from Pat D’s Photos (normally $5 each). NEW holiday themed ornaments, garden sized flags, notecards and more available this week noon-5 at 44 Main St.

I usually try to post Margarita Monday suggestions that you can replicate if you choose to, but in this case it’s unlikely you’ll be able to recreate last week’s margarita fun at the Bluefin Blowout Fundraiser event. Held at Mile Marker Marina on Essex Ave, it was a terrific evening full of food, fun, laughs and fundraising. It’s not too late to donate to the fundraiser to benefit the Alzheimer’s Association at this link: https://secure.etransfer.com/eft/flexblockcode/donation1.cfm?d2org=ECCF&d2tool=BBDonation

At the end of the day in the shop, I am often thinking about what to do for dinner. Oliver’s Harbor is right down Main St and conveniently puts the specials board out on the sidewalk. Bam. Decision made. And we do not regret it ever. Welcoming and friendly staff is among the best things about Oliver’s. The delicious food and atmosphere are another reason to stop in even if maybe you weren’t planning to. I had the chicken parm special and Jim had sushi. Outstanding. We noticed 2 large group set ups in the dining area and larger groups are well accommodated by Oliver’s should you need a place for visitors to gather. Thanks to bartender Scott for another wonderful experience.

Submitted by photographer John Abisamra:

Good morning Pat…hope you are enjoy this nice summer weather. I have a solo photography show at Rockport art association with opening reception next Saturday July 27 from 1 to 3pm.

Shows runs through Aug 15.

I know you don’t want to think about the holidays right now, so I am doing some of the thinking for you. We will be holding Christmas in July at 44 Main St next week Tues-Wed-Thurs noon – 5 PM. We will be unveiling some of our special holiday offerings. Some of these go really fast so maybe a little early planning wouldn’t hurt. We hope to see you at the store July 23-24-25 for some special offerings. such as these ornaments. As always, feel free to reach out with orders or questions. Free delivery to Cape Ann area.

I recently treated myself to a new camera lens and these are some of the first images. I’m not unhappy. It seems to be good to larger and small subjects! Looking forward to more experimentation. The hummingbirds are fighting for space at the feeder with bees which you can see here if you look carefully. The eagle just seems to be seeking a cool perch along the river on these muggy days.

We were down on the Maritime Gloucester Pier in the rain and fog recently as this group was waiting to board the Ardelle for a wedding! You never know what you will see down there! Like magic, the skies cleared a bit and the rain stopped for the procession to begin. It was a privilege to watch this unfold. Congratulations and best wishes.

Pat D’s Photos is pleased to announce its newest item: Joey Fungia Face Dog Toy! The toy is 7″ in diameter made with strong rope for a perfect dog tug /chew toy. AND it has your favorite dog lover on the front. These are available in limited quantities while we determine level of interest. $5 of each sale will be donated to Cape Ann Animal Aid. We will have these available tonight at the Bites By The Sea event at the Bluefin Blowout 5-8 PM Cape Ann Marina. If you can’t wait, order here. Free local delivery.

We purchased Thacher Island Association Sunset Lighthouse Cruise tickets and went aboard the Privateer IV a few days ago to participate. The boat was full of enthusiastic lighthouse fans though it was a bit windy and choppy. Captain Jay, crew Natalie and Gabriel were great hosts and Marty provided informative narration as we toured the coast. The sunset was a bit of a disappointment but our lighthouses never disappoint. I have recently gotten a new camera lens and this trip was it’s first test. Here you see Ten Pound Island light, Easter Point Light, Thacher Island Twin lights, Annisquam and Straitsmouth. There’s another opportunity for this event Wed July 17 so check out availability if you are interested.

We stopped by 51 Rocky Neck (formerly The Studio) to check things out and it happened to be Margarita Monday. The bartender suggested her special watermelon margarita which I happily tried. It was VERY refreshing. Jim ordered the mortadella sandwich which is quite a handful as well as tasty and delicious. I ordered the Banana Smash which is a delightful treat using a banana split as its model. The dessert is brought to you in an ice cream cup, turned upside down on the serving tray and SMASHED! Then a little chocolate drizzle tops it off. Pretty perfect for a warm afternoon. Patrick and his crew have done a wonderful job on the inside and it’s quite a pleasure. Give them a try.

Gloucester hosted their Nova Scotian counterparts in the International Dory Races yesterday morning. Here are some additional images from this terrific event. If it’s not something you have experienced, I strongly recommend you give it a try next year. Congratulations to all the participants and volunteers who make this happen.

We attended the annual International Dory Races hosted by Gloucester this morning under a mantle of showers and fog. We could not stay for all of the races but I can report that in the Exhibition Race, the Canadian Senior Women came across the finish line first. For the Juniors, the Gloucester team of Kaden and AJ Lewis finished ahead of the Canadians Parker Spindler and Ryan Hirtle. The Mixed Double race saw Canadians Lisa Tanner and Robert Fox cross the line ahead of Jimmy Tarantino and Sarah LeWine. These results and additional details are included here. (thanks Sara Gray!). Welcome to our Canadian friends! Back to Nova Scotia in August.

Tonight is the first Block Party (sponsored by the Greater Cape Ann Chamber) 6-10 pm weather permitting. Tons of shops open, free entertainment and we hope to see you at 44 Main Street.

We had the opportunity to be out on the harbor after sunset recently. The activity and the lights fascinated me. It’s a perspective I don’t often get to enjoy but I always look forward to the chance.

Sharing information shared by whdh.com regarding MA closures of Stop and Shop locations. It seems Gloucester Stop and Shop is safe for now!

We took a swing down to Lane’s Cove and noticed some remnants from the holiday festivities (presumably). It’s always pretty down there and I thought you might enjoy.