Author: Pat D

We are happy the Gloucester Student Arts Festival is able to return this year to showcase the variety of arts talents from our Gloucester High School senior class. Activities will be held tomorrow at MAGMA, Cape Ann Museum and various other locations from noon – 5 PM . Additional information at this link. Thank you Toni and Allie for the time today. See you around tomorrow!

I just love this little spot along Essex Ave near Magnolia Ave year round but especially on a pretty spring day. In the “Information You Didn’t Know You Needed” department; here’s an excerpt from the City’s listing of public landings describing the area (I only have a small bone to pick regarding the condition of the parking area but that’s an ongoing issue) apparently updated in 2010:

13. LITTLE RIVER LANDING (aka Stubby Knowles and Frenchmen’s Pier), Essex
Avenue at Magnolia Avenue. Assessor’s Map 220/Lot 50.
STATUS: Public. Laid out by the County Commissioners in 1973. Recorded at the
Registry of Deeds, Book 5999, Page 672. Also found in County Engineers Plan
3123.
CONDITION: Large area with great potential. Good location, plenty of room for
parking, and several possible locations for a simple launch area. The Department
of Public Works repaired the smelt fish pier and the parking area. Presently no
launch area except a rough dirt path for carry-downs. Plaque, but not in a
noticeable location. Very overgrown and neglected. Picnic bench. New plaque on
a rock.

We join Sefatia Romeo Theken and others in congratulating Angela Sanfilippo on this great honor:

Congratulations to Angela Sanfilippo she was invited to Washington DC to meet with the President Biden and Vice President Harris.

What a great honor.

Our very own Beauport Hotel on Commercial Street has hosted a series of Fireside Chats and I attended the most recent with author Katherine A. Sherbrooke. Ms. Sherbrooke’s team send Good Morning Gloucester an advance copy of the book prior to the Fireside Chat and I was lucky enough to be the one to receive the assignment. The newly published The Hidden Life of Aster Kelly is a well told story following the timelines of a mother (1940s Hollywood) and daughter (1970s NYC). It’s full of twists and turns and could easily be made into a movie. Honestly, I was surprised at how much I enjoyed the story. I have since shared it with others who feel the same. She has written other books and won the Massachusetts Book Award Fiction Honor for Leaving Coy’s Hill.

Her presentation at the Beauport was entertaining and informative. There was a crowd of about 35 people in attendance in one of the lovely ballrooms. She presented some notes about her writing process (my favorite part of author talks) and background on the story. The premise is based on her own mother’s history and her speculation about “What If?”. It’s very intriguing and I recommend the book as well as the Beauport Fireside Chats. I understood the next one to be Mon May 15 presented by Maritime Gloucester. These chats are also sponsored by the Gloucester 400+ and well worth considering. Further information here. Hoping to see you there Monday May 15!

I look forward every year to taking several whale watch trips with Cape Ann Whale Watch but spring is my favorite time to take the ride. Easy parking at 415 Main Street, friendly staff and informative crew are among the reasons I enjoy these “wildlife safaris”. As a retired teacher, I appreciate the emphasis on education and research. So off I went this week on a gorgeous day. Though we did not have as many picture taking opportunities with the whales, we did get to see humpbacks, minke and fin whales. The highlight of the trip was probably the Atlantic white sided dolphins associated with 2 humpbacks apparently feeding from the plentiful grounds side by side. If you look carefully at the photos here, you can see them together. Those dolphins are so quick, they are difficult to capture. We also were entertained by the distinct chirping of the Artic Terns, Northern Gannets diving headfirst, and a little songbird attempting to find respite on one of the passenger’s hats. My lucky bright red “Whale Watching Wellies” brought a different kind of luck this time! Well worth the ride! Thank you naturalist Tina, Capt John and Jim Douglass for another fantastic experience.

ANNISQUAM VILLAGE PLAYERS TO PERFORM “GLOUCESTER STORY” MUSICAL AUG. 10-13

IN CELEBRATION OF GLOUCESTER’S 400^TH+ BIRTHDAY

Auditions to be held May 28 – Real Fishermen Wanted!

In honor of the City of Gloucester’s 400^th+ Birthday Celebration, the Annisquam Village Players – the country’s longest continually running community theatre – will perform Clayton B. Stockbridge’s “Gloucester Story” Aug. 10-13, 2023, on the docks at the Maritime Gloucester Wharf.

The show will require many cast and crew members so auditions will be held starting at 6 p.m. Sunday, May 28, at the Annisquam Village Hall, 38 Leonard St. in Gloucester.  To add to the show’s flavor, local fishermen are encouraged to audition and be part of this historic production.

The play was performed in Gloucester several times in 1953 and in subsequent years. And, for a short period of time, it became a popular pick for summer stock theaters.  This summer, the AVP will transform the original two-act play into a musical for the first time. 

In keeping with the celebration’s community theme, the show will incorporate original musical numbers from local musicians, including Daisy Nell, Peter Souza, and Corey Wrinn. Longtime AVP Music Director Marcia Groom will lead the musical transition.

In celebration of the Gloucester 400^th+, there will be no charge for performances, but a ticket reservation is required. Tickets will be available starting July 10.

“Gloucester Story reflects the heart of old Gloucester and what it was like to be part of the fleet in 1905,” said Terry Sands, AVP director. “Given the historic nature of this year’s performance and the connection to our community, we’d love to have some of the local salts be part of the show – either on stage or helping behind the scenes. It takes a community to stage a theatre!” 

Known as the Plumber Playwright of Gloucester, Stockbridge (1895-1973) crafted “Gloucester Story” to reflect the Cape Ann fishing industry in 1905 when schooners still ruled the seas and dory fishing claimed many lives. It tells the tale of a young son of a fish merchant dreaming about a life at sea, only to get his wish and some of the tragedy that came with it.

The play was published in 1953 in response to a 1952 Cape Ann Festival of Literature and Drama competition, sponsored by Broadway Playwright/Librettist Russel Crouse, for the best play about Gloucester from a resident of Gloucester. A life-long upper Main Street resident, Stockbridge had spent his youth working on the fishing docks before becoming a career plumber. He drew upon that experience, local lore, and the environment to create a story that genuinely depicts the livelihoods, personalities, and superstitions of that era. It is entirely fictional but the names, businesses, and plot motivations dealing with the folklore are all factual.

Sponsorship opportunities are available.

For more details about “Gloucester Story,” the life of Clayton Stockbridge, or the upcoming auditions, please visit www.annisquamvillageplayers.org.

Photo credits:

Photo of below deck, 1953 scene: Photograph by Bill Worden. Clayton Stockbridge Collection of the Cape Ann Museum Library and Archives, Gloucester, MA.

– Photo of Paul Lundberg as Capt. Nate Morrison in the 1969 performances:  Clayton Stockbridge Collection of the Cape Ann Museum Library and Archives, Gloucester, MA

Two updates regarding City Hall; please take special note of change in location for a portion of the Gloucester Student Art Festival.

It’s been beautiful for a couple of days so we went down to Minglewood on Rogers St for a couple of drinks and snacks on the back deck. WIN WIN is all I have to say. I ordered the frozen strawberry margarita (on the specials menu) and Jim got a beer. Since Zach had done such a great job at the meatball challenge, we had been hoping to get the meatball special but they had sold out of those on the first night they were offered on the specials menu. We soothed our disappointment with Veggie Spring Rolls and the nacho Plate of Love under the watchful eye of one of the resident seagulls. We had a blast thanks to our server Shawna but were even more tickled to learn there was a $10 bonus waiting for us on our Serenitee Rewards card! BOOM. It’s not hype that this reward program is a winner in money saving at participating restaurants. If you’re not enrolled, I gotta wonder…….

I took a little walk around Seven Seas Wharf along Rogers Street recently and was compelled to capture these shots. As I got home and studied them a little bit, I thought it’s no wonder filmmakers love our area. There are stories to be told at every turn. These seemed to be story elements, though I do not have the story outline to share. In a sentence or two, what’s your story using these elements?

The gang relaxing at Crow’s Nest following the very successful Bluefin Blowout 5K Family Fun Run earlier today from Stage Fort Park.

We found this determined egret in West Gloucester recently working its catch so that it could be consumed. The egret had a large fish and was trying to position it so that it could be swallowed. It dipped the fish several times into the water and back up again. Finally it was in position and down the hatch it went. You could clearly see the lump traveling down and such a large chunk apparently required a follow up gulp of water or two. This took several minutes and brought to mind a quote from my mother (adapted for the occasion): Be careful what you fish for. You might get it.

We finally got ourselves over to Topside Bistro for a weekday dinner. Formerly Topside Grill, the new Topside Grill on Rogers Street is now open and operating. It was a quiet evening downstairs for our dinner. The booth style seats appear to be refurbished, there’s local artwork on the walls and as one other customer noted “It’s a great bar up there.”

I had a house salad with sirloin tips and Jim tried the shrimp tacos. There are plenty of non-meat options as well as a variety of non alcoholic drinks. There’s a good selection of appetizers, several of which appealed to me for a meal choice. We enjoyed a pleasant meal with excellent service (thanks Erika!). The bar area indeed was hopping! Welcome to Rogers Street Topside Bistro!

I never noticed how many anchors there are down by Gloucester House on Rogers Street. They are majestic even though a bit rusted and forgotten. Many of you already know this, but I double checked whether to say “Anchors Aweigh” or “Anchors Away”…….and now I know too….

For those of you who may be planning a visit to Gloucester to one of your favorites, here’s an update from Sugar Magnolias on Main Street. We’ll have to be patient, but they promise to return! And we’ll be waiting…

These barns are tucked a little bit off the byway at the Cox Reservation on Eastern Ave in Essex near Farnhams. I like to take a walk up there once in a while to see what’s new. You know how it is when you finally “see” something that’s been there all along but this time it strikes you differently? Well, that’s what happened with these two barns. One is an art studio and you can clearly see the light must be fantastic for working in there. The other seems to be more functional but they each reflect their own majesty. They face each other like good friends with very different personalities. Access is free and the walks are relatively easy.

Sharing information from DeCKlyns Facebook page. They are located on the Harbor Loop.

I took a little walk around Rocky Neck on a grey Saturday morning recently and it was lovely, as always. Thanks Rocky Neckers!

As a follow up to the discussion held on the podcast about Pat’s hummingbirds, I humbly accept the honor bestowed for being the first of the contributors to post hummingbird news. (How’s that Joey?) As you saw last week, our hummingbird station was all set and ready to roll but we soon discovered the new larger tube we got wasn’t going to work. It was much too large to work efficiently so I replaced it with a small one in addition to 2 small hangar style feeders. So far, the single male we have had visit is very happy with the small hangars. Hoping to see a female soon! This is what it looks like when the hummingbirds can come to your deck and avoid various sporting equipment usage nearby.

Sharing information from the Gloucester Beaches Facebook page regarding resident beach stickers. This is the link you need to fill out the application: https://gloucesterma.viewpointcloud.com/categories/1082

Cat Cavallini shared the following photos and information regarding the recent Open House at the Grace Center‘s new location at 264 Main Street. From Cat: “With their usual caring and compassion the Grace Center celebrated their new home at 264 Main St. with a community open house on Saturday.”

Senator Bruce Tarr, Mayor Greg Verga and friends outside Grace Center’s new home.

Dedicated, hard working staff members Frank, Dre (with GC mascot Roswell) and Dave.

Senator Tarr with State Citation to GC

Lots of local love went into this beautiful celebration!