Author: Pat D

It was particularly pretty on Rocky Neck the morning after the storm. Carry on Rocky Neck!

The day after the blizzard was crazily beautiful with sunshine and snow covered trees everywhere. For those of you who aren’t “on island” here’s a little bit of what it looked and sounded like. For additional photos check out Pat D’s Photos and Adventures on Facebook.

When we return home after a trip, we often like to make our first meal back somewhere comfortable and welcoming. There are several favorites in that category, but most recently we stopped at 525 Magnolia on Lexington Ave. I had one of the specials seafood scampi and Jim ordered fish and chips. The scampi was particularly appetizing as well as delicious. Jim brough home half his fish and finished it the next day. We are unfailingly welcomed like old friends and consistently served wonderfully satisfying food. It’s a win win.

Maybe you’re wondering how plowing priorities work for Gloucester….from the City Facebook page:

Update from the City regarding trash collection week of Feb 23:

We were delighted to find no fewer than 3 eagles at Salisbury Beach State Reservation recently. If you keep your eyes peeled at this time of the year, you can often spot bald eagles. Each of these appeared to be younger eagles, making it a little harder to spot without the signature white head and tail. One was perched at the boat ramp, keeping a careful eye on the squawking gulls. This one registered displeasure with the fly-bys vocally which was pretty impressive and distinct.

For additional story details and more images, check out Pat D’s Photos and Adventures on Facebook.

From Frank Margiotta’s City Councilor Facebook page regarding the upcoming March votes (March 3 primary and March 31 election). Take note Ward 4 voters.

What a glorious morning ! We love where we live. Hang in there throughout the approaching weather. Spring IS coming.

I noticed a suggested packing list (must be my theme this week) that included bringing a nightlight along on your trips when you stay in a hotel or motel. GREAT THINKING! And guess where you can get your auto light sensor nightlights to throw in your suitcase? 44 Main St! Open Saturday and Sunday this week (Feb 21-22) from 11-3. Stop by! Oh….and Joey’s hats too…..

Begging to differ, New York Times and whomever came up with these packing numbers…..Here you see an example of how many of what kinds of items to pack for a one week trip in accordance with a 5-4-3-2-1 plan. I kind of agree with the ratios, but not the actual numbers. For a one week trip, I am packing AT LEAST 8 pairs of underwear. (* I am guessing I am not the only woman who packs extra underwear for “just in case” even though I have literally never needed it*) Five pairs for a week? That’s not my style and I’m guessing many of you agree. The tops and bottoms/pants I can live with but I’m probably only packing one additional pair to shoes to the ones I am wearing. The extra underwear can take over the space the second pair of shoes takes up in the luggage. Not putting one of Joey’s poms in the suitcase either…I am wearing it proudly. What do you think of these suggestions for a week’s trip?

We were intrigued to see a new pizza and ice cream place open on Martin St in Essex recently so we checked it out. Salty’s Pizza and Ice Cream is a small walk in shop (no indoor seating) currently focusing on pizza until the snow and weather are friendlier for ice cream outings. The offer pizza and a couple of salads and drinks from a cooler. The service was friendly and there were some pickups while we waited for our “Paul Revere” pie. The ingredients were fresh, the sauce was more savory than sweet, the pizza size was 12″ or so. We enjoyed it and will likely go back as it is conveniently located for our return trips after heading north for bird watching. Looking forward to taste testing ice cream too!

We stopped by Joe’s Fish Prints on Main St to say hello to Joe recently. There’s all kinds of cool stuff going in in there! It’s worth a visit if you are out and about. Here’s the link for more information: Fished Impressions.

A very tricky rescue operation was performed out on our deck recently…….

Update from George’s on Washington St from Facebook:

Winter home for Captain Obvious.

I have made a tradition of going out into the snow and stomping out a Valentine’s Day heart for GMG Jim each year. This year, the extra snowfall made a special playground for the wildlife in our back yard, so I used the paths created to form this year’s heart. It delights me to think the animals helped with this year’s heart. But I had to chuckle when I came across one spot in which poop was left behind. So GMG Jim’s Valentine’s Day heart also includes a very specially deposited greeting from the wildlife. Happy Valentine’s Day to all!

I wanted to try a different location for a roast beef 3 way so we stopped by Gloucester Pizza and Roast Beef on Eastern Ave for lunch. I was pleasantly surprised to find several tables available in a neat, open and well lit area so we sat down. We noticed it seemed to be a popular stop for the working crowd. The menu has lots of choices and the service was efficient and friendly. Keep in mind I am not a foodie and Joey doesn’t trust my judgement but my roast beef sandwich was tasty and satisfying. It’s an acceptable 3 way for a pizza place…….(from someone who only knows what makes her stomach happy)….. We look forward to returning with our grandchildren due to the seating and menu choices.

Did you know our Beauport Hotel is celebrating its tenth anniversary this year? Time flies, as they say and the hotel just seems to get better and better. To mark the anniversary, the hotel is offering a number of specials including room packages. We took advantage of that and booked a room for our son and his new wife. They came to visit for the weekend and we thought the Beauport would make a nice mini-honeymoon for them since they didn’t take one yet. Last year, we had a staycation for ourselves also in February so maybe we’ve started a little tradition. Anyhow, the package we booked included a champagne toast and dessert voucher. Our new daughter in law shared these pictures with us (thanks Bekah!) It was a very enjoyable experience for them. Maybe keep in in mind for yourselves or special visitors someday soon. Thank you Beauport staff for helping make their mini honeymoon weekend special.

If you’re from away, maybe you’ll be interested in just how much snow has been removed recently by checking out this video of the snow piles currently at the Good Harbor Beach parking lot. Keep in mind this is not the only location for snow piles, but I do think it’s the largest in the City. The DPW has done a GREAT job with these last two storms within just a few days of each other.

We found this young eagle recently in Manchester waiting for his next meal to make itself known. It soon flew off and circled the cove. Winter is the best time of the year for eagle watchers like myself. Young eagles present such a hopeful sight any time of the year but winter is my favorite time for eagle watching. They seem to be thriving on Cape Ann.