Author: Pat D

The remains of the season form interesting installations behind Oak to Ember.

Second Glance recently opened an annex location they are calling SG Home. It’s located in the building adjacent to the Second Glance store on Pond Road. We decided to stop by and check it out. If you are looking to furnish a college student’s housing or just need a little accent piece or table, this is the place to go. The prices are CRAZY reasonable and purchases benefit the Open Door. The nature of the organization means there is a lot of turnover so it pays to check often. We didn’t find what we were looking for this time, but we’ll be going back!

The iconic Burnham house sits just right along the Essex Marsh, even in a winter wonderland. This was several days ago when we had a cold spell, reminding us that we are firmly in the winter season.

When I was a teenager, I found the poetry of Gordon Parks and was awestruck. So maybe you can imagine my surprise and delight when I learned THE Gordon Parks had a photography assignment right here in Gloucester for the Office of War Information. I came across these photos in the Library of Congress digital collection (search Gloucester Massachusetts) which has been covered previously in this blog by Catherine Ryan back in 2014-Link here: https://goodmorninggloucester.com/2014/03/01/catherine-ryan-on-gloucester-ma-in-landmark-farm-security-administrationoffice-of-war-information-fsaowi-documentary-photographs-part-1/. They are all from June 1943, almost 80 years ago. I thought some of our readers might remember or recognize these families or fishing vessels.

They include Franasco Parisi, youngest member of the F/V Alden; Frank Mineo, owner F/V Alden, Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Lopez, fish skinner with 2 sons in the service; Antonio Milietello, oldest crew member F/V Alden; 4 generations of the Machado family (Mary Machado, Isabell Lopez, Irene, Francis, Dorothy Sr. and Dorothy Jr.); and 97 year old Mary Machado grandmother to 11 in the service. Each photo includes a brief description so I have included one of those for reference. The emphasis on men in the service is understandable given the year and the assignment. You can find additional information about Gordon Parks from this story by Keith Powers. Enjoy your stroll through Memory Lane.

You may have seen in an earlier post that All Purpose Flowers had moved to 15 Lexington Ave Magnolia. I needed to order some flowers so off I went. Though it was a rainy day outside, it was sunny and bright inside. Linda, the proprietor, is still moving in and arranging but there is already an impressive selection of local gift items as well as the usual floral offerings. Things were already hopping when I arrived and I enjoyed browsing while I waited. I think you will too so stop by when you have the chance! Best wishes Linda!

I somehow let my Cape Ann Museum membership lapse so we went down to rectify that situation and took some extra time to check out the new exhibits and re-visit old favorites. It is unfailingly relaxing and enlightening to visit the Cape Ann Museum. If you haven’t been there in a while, take the time to check it out. The Sawyer Free Library offers free museum passes to this and other fine establishments. There are also times of the year when admission is free (Cape Ann residents free admission second Saturday of the month year round for example).

Please note this update from the Cape Ann Museum website: The museum will be closed to the public for renovations Tuesday January 24th 2023 – Sunday February 5th 2023 and will reopen and resume normal hours Tuesday February 7th 2023

Regardless, Jim and I each strongly recommend a visit and support with membership if you are able. Until you get there yourself though, here are some recent images:

We stopped by the Magnolia Cafe on Lexington Ave recently for a little lunch. The menu is varied, counter service is friendly and the setting is cozy. Jim tried an arancini and grilled cheese. I had a burger. We shared a salad. Quick, easy and there are tempting pastry offerings. Open on Mondays too!

We had not been to Charlie’s Place on Bass Ave in a while and it felt like the perfect choice for lunch during holiday week. The neighborly atmosphere and reliable food are what drew me that day and every time we go. The service is friendly and efficient (as it needs to be with people waiting most times we go). There’s something on the menu for almost everyone. Jim started with fish chowder. I had the Gloucester Fish Sandwich and Jim got a favorite grilled cheese and tomato. Honestly, I was looking forward to dessert most of all so I ordered blueberry pie. When it arrived, it wasn’t a photogenic slice but you can see from the remains that it was a “real” blueberry pie. Stay up to date with specials etc on their Facebook page. Happy 2023 to all! We look forward to a great year of sharing what’s best around Gloucester!

2023 is upon us and therefore let the 400th anniversary celebrations officially begin! As the calendar year ends and an exciting New Year is before us, it seems like a good time to reflect on the past. We have talked about the Library of Congress Memories Collection before and I go back and check it out every so often (always learn something new). This You Tube video by Ken Hendrickson compiles some of those images for you in video format. If you haven’t seen it yet or haven’t seen it recently, I recommend getting a hot drink and sitting down to enjoy and reflect. Don’t overlook the comments.

If you have even more time to spare, check out Ron Gilson’s Golden Age of Fishing on YouTube. Here’s Part 2 that some of you might recall as your own memories.

The annual Elks Hoop Shoot was held this week, hosted by our very own YMCA. Around a dozen players and families gathered to determine winners in 3 age categories with the guidance of several Gloucester Elks 892 members. The tournament was run by Lisa St. Peter and produced a list of names to send along for the next level of competition. CONGRATULATIONS to all the winners and thank you to everyone who came for the event which has not been held in 2 years. Special thank you to the GHS Girls Basketball program and the Elks volunteers for their assistance. The YMCA once again has done a great service to the community with this event. WINNERS: for 8/9 year olds: Mia Tuinei and Will Armstrong; 9/10 year olds: Flora Tuinei and Ryan Moseley; and for 12/13 year olds: Mailed Lusk and Brandon Fleming. Good job! Hope to see you next year! Photo dump ahead……

We have gotten to the time of year when Buswell Pond has become a popular destination for ice skating. I am sure they are all being very cautious though these scenes always make me nervous. With the predicted weather warm up, I am not sure when we might see this again.

George’s on Washington St has some news to share! They express gratitude to the City for the year round alcohol license. See you there soon!

Everything shone with such a pretty blue color at the Little River Landing recently. ALMOST made it feel a little bit warm. I love watching this area change throughout the seasons.

The Annual Elks Hoop Shoot event is almost here: Wednesday Dec 28 from 6-9 PM at the YMCA (at the Crossings). It’s free and fun! GMG Jim and I will be there helping out and hope to meet some of you. No preregistration required. Did I mention the FREE part? Get the kids out of the house and onto the basketball court for some fun. Ages 8-13 eligible.

Sharing information from the City of Gloucester Facebook page:

Ice wonder world along the boulevard.

My small gift to you is a simple recipe to liven up your holiday libations. I have recently discovered Chandon (pronounced with a soft CH and pursed lips…not a hard CH like chowder…think Paris, not Boston. I mention this because I got some side-eye looks and barely civil correction before I learned better). But I digress a bit. I discovered Chandon Garden Spritz, a sparkling wine with traces or bitters and oranges. It’s become a favorite despite being a little difficult to find locally.

I make ice cubes out of cranberry pomegranate juice using orange chunks, rosemary springs and fresh cranberries. These ice cubes are festive and tasty in the Spritz drink. I call it Itsy Bitsy Ritzy Spritz just to amuse myself. I’m sure they would liven up most drinks that need a little ice.

Although difficult to find locally, I do find it at Mile Marker One restaurant so kudos to them! They even have cute little Chandon Garden Spritz pillows decorating some furniture. So, in addition to the fine menu offerings for your meals, there are also very fine offerings behind the bar. The ice cubes are my own though……try it! Merry Christmas to you all and thank you for your continued support of the blog and the podcast. Although we are not broadcasting today, we hope to “see” you again soon.

The recent storm battled extreme high tides, left many without power, and generally soaked the city. Although the temperatures were fairly mild, the wind was fierce. The skies changed quickly from dark clouds to spots of sun here and there and back to threatening again. I hope these video shorts demonstrate the waves, the skies and the general atmosphere about 3 hours after the morning high tide. As the temperatures dropped drastically overnight and many of us are waiting for our Christmas Eve festivities, perhaps you will enjoy these scenes from yesterday.

Sunset across the harbor a few days ago. Stay safe everyone!

Thank you to everyone for your support with Pat D’s Photos new Night Lights featuring (mostly) Cape Ann. They are going quickly and new stock is in transit. Night Lights that are in stock can be delivered by Santa’s elves before Christmas. New items are in transit and we are also restocking the most popular ones. Please message me or comment here with questions or orders. I will put the currently in stock items below with PayPal links. Other photos are the items in transit to arrive very soon. Also please remember any of the images you like on Pat D’s Photos can be placed on night lights, magnets, coasters, puzzles, prints, glass prints at your request. PatD’sPhotos.com is my new website but it needs a little work though you can see items there as well. Email GMGPatD at gmail.com Again, thank you for the support!

The following items are in transit and available for pre-order. Not available for delivery before Christmas. Pre Order to reserve yours!