Author: Pat D

I happened across Jay Mailo Photography online and decided to book a half hour session for my daughter and her son at Half Moon Beach. His prices are reasonable, it’s easy to book and Jay is very adept at his work as you can see.

We started at the tennis courts and worked our way up to Half Moon Beach. The toddler got dirtier and wetter with nearly every step but Jay kept right up and even allowed him to touch his camera in order to build trust. You gotta love a photographer that gets right in the water in order to get the right shots. Even though the toddler was a bit cranky, Jay was patient and inventive in his techniques. We got access to the shots just a few days later and are thrilled with the results. If you ever have the need, he’s located on Main St in Gloucester though I did all our communicating online easy peasy. Thanks Jay!

Atlantis Oceanfront Breakfast Cafe has announced the opening date for 2023!

We are entertaining our grandson this week and when I saw the ad for the Disney Animation Immersive Experience at Lighthouse ArtSpace Castle in Boston, I just had to arrange tickets. I’m one of those adults that loves Disney and raised our daughter in the same manner so even if the toddler wasn’t going to be thrilled, I knew we would like it so I splurged and got the tickets. It is a bit expensive but totally worth it for the experience we had.

The experience takes place in a spacious room filled in every corner with projections and (can I say it?) magic. Snippets of a variety of Disney animations are projected with special effect lighting on the floor space (see video clip). I feared it might be too much for the toddler but he loved it. There was plenty of room to settle as a family on the floor or on the provided benches so the children could wander a bit and explore. The show is about 40 minutes in length and you might want to add a bit of time for gazing and the additional activities offered. A wide range of Disney movies are featured so all ages should find something familiar. The accompanying music seemed to please the entire group.

It’s the closest you can get to Disney without leaving the state. Show closes May 29 2023 and is located at 130 Columbus Ave.

A VERY reliable sign that the season has changed is the return of ospreys Annie and Squam to the nest behind Lobsta Land (opening today on Causeway Street!) along with our other local ospreys. I was excited to see the pair in the nest on the Essex Greenbelt Osprey Cam. I start watching them and the next thing you know, several minutes have flown by. I got caught up watching one of them heroically attempting to move one of the larger sticks to a better location.

Here you see an example of one of the better shots I can get (and this is cropped), so following on the Osprey Cam is a true delight. Looking forward to eggs in the nest (hopefully). Thank you Essex Greenbelt for the cam!

Our adult children visited over Easter weekend so decided to take a little “staycation” so the siblings could enjoy a little time alone to talk about their parents. As I often recommend Cape Ann Marina Resort hotel to visitors, I thought it would be a good idea to try it for ourselves. It’s been several years since we stayed there and we were curious so I made the arrangements.

We knew several of the rooms had recently been re-done so I was extra curious. We did stay in one of the new rooms and they have really done a nice job updating them. The bold colors were a little surprising at first but soon I came to like the pops of color. The bathroom and shower (step in) are a good size and the motion detector light in the bathroom was a pleasant surprise. The views cannot be argued with. I smiled to myself in the early morning hours when I heard an engine and realized it was a boat and not a vehicle. The amenities include real coffee mugs and wine glasses; these I appreciate very much! Having a restaurant onsite is also a big bonus. Prices very reasonable, particularly for the off season. If you find yourself in a similar situation, you might consider this for your own staycation. Thank you Patrick for your kind attention and to all the staff for a great stay.

There seems to be a new gatekeeper at Magnolia Woods. Perhaps he’s looking for “Stupid Little Boys” for the next iteration of Pinocchio? It appears he hasn’t done much lying lately…….

I guess we can consider ourselves more fortunate than the Cape Ann residents in April 1956 when a spring snowfall created some disruptions the second week of April. Although today most of the younger generation aren’t familiar with landlines, a phone outage (cell service interruptions ) still causes rapid response and consternation. The plea for parking seems to be familiar. All in all, it seems all that is old is new again. That seems like a good reminder for each of us. PS How cute is this little bunny Nancy Gray?

These well camouflaged deer visitors to our yard reminded me to say I hope your Easter eggs are as well hidden as these guys are! Have a lovely Easter and Passover weekend.

We noticed a little parade of boats heading into the harbor recently. We wondered about this parade and so we followed them over to the Railways. Now that a few days have passed, I understand these Mainers are likely taking advantage of scallop season. Welcome and good luck Monica Tymin, Miss Amity, Outnumbered and Grin-n-Barrett. The extra activity in the harbor has been fun to watch.

Sharing Yella on the Water’s Facebook post announcing that they have reopened for 2023! Hoping to see you there soon.

A single seal was resting on a rock just off Crab Beach on Stacy Boulevard recently. It seemed to be watching the world go by the way most of the rest of us were.

We happened to drive by this cemetery on Sumner St recently and I was surprised to realize it wasn’t one that I had yet visited. I am not sure how that happened but it was a lovely day to cemetery stroll. The Guide to Cemeteries in Essex County, Massachusetts by the Essex Society of Genealogists states that this city owned cemetery has burials as old as the early 1800s up to (nearly) the present. It is currently listed on the city website as “not active”. It’s a small area and very uneven though well maintained (thank you DPW). There’s a stone wall to add to its charm. There are several military markers, mostly I noticed Civil War markers. It does not lend itself to walking through such as with a dog, but it’s still an interesting stroll.

Jeff Weaver is a well known local artist and one of my favorites so it was a real treat to go to the Cape Ann Museum on Pleasant Street to see his special exhibit “This Unique Place”. It’s in an upstairs gallery and will be in place until June 3. If you enjoy iconic Gloucester views, this exhibit is definitely for you. The second Saturday of the month is free admission for Cape Ann residents (that’s this Saturday April 8!) so win-win.

Sharing information from the LobstaLand Facebook page. Opening for the season on Causeway Street Thursday April 13 2023. More info at their website: https://www.lobstalandrestaurant.com/

Sometimes GMG Jim and I get to deliver podcast prizes and meet some great listeners/viewers of the blog and podcast. Such was the case as we delivered Bill Bartlett’s podcast prize of a beautiful mug from Fred Bodin’s collection. Turns out we have “small world” connections based in upstate NY, so that was a big bonus. Listen to the podcast and share it and you are also eligible for a prize (when we have them) when you comment “shared” during the livestream.

Here’s an update on the progress at the former Mobil station on Essex Ave in Gloucester which is being developed into a new location for Reverie73. Reverie73 advertises itself as “more than a cannabis dispensary” so it will be interesting to see how this comes along. Here’s a link for further info on Reverie73. Progress is being made but I don’t have an expected completion timeline.

Sharing traffic advisory information provided by Gloucester Police today Monday April 3 2023:

Registration for the upcoming Shingles and COVID Bivalent Booster vaccine clinic this week is preferred but walk ins will also be accepted. Thanks, Carol, for the update.

We stopped by Oliver’s Harbor on Main Street to check out their new menu and meet friends for a drink. Our friends wanted to try the pizza and we were mostly looking to visit in a comfortable setting. We were greeted by bartender Scott, who commented on Jim and Joey’s recent live post riding a CATA-On-Demand bus. Turns out bartender Scott was also their CATA driver Scott! Small world. Thanks Scott for treating us well at the bar as well as being an outstanding driver. Here’s the link to the post in case you missed it.

Anyhow, our friends shared a pizza which you can see here. I had the bruschetta and Jim tried the duck dumplings. The setting cannot be beat for a quiet conversation with friends or family. Thanks Oliver’s!

Thanks to Awesome Gloucester, there’s a wonderful new mural on the Harbor Loop. The Doryman’s Mural Project is public art project that was recently unveiled at Maritime Glouceser. The mural is by Studio Fresh with permission from The Doris O. Hoyne Revocable Trust. It’s intended to remind us of the critical role dorymen have played. This piece has been recreated by StudioFresh with permission from The Doris O. Hoyne Revocable Trust. Additional information can be found at Maritime Gloucester.