Author: Pat D

As some of you know, my dad grew up in Gloucester and we have been visiting over the years until we were able to permanently retire here. We would bring our children with us as they grew up and they continue to visit. Today’s is our Amy’s birthday and since she’s an FOB, I’d like to share some memories of her times here to celebrate her birthday. It’s a great place for children and I think you will recognize many of these locations from over the years.

Sharing an update from the Magnolia Cafe Facebook page

Lovely day along the back shore recently reminded me that the Ides of March is upon us. Who remembers that from high school English class?

Introducing another in the limited series of posts featuring local Irish Coffee. This one was a bit of a surprise because we went to Gloucester House on short notice and I wasn’t planning to spend my afternoon there, but that’s the beauty of retirement in Gloucester! Here’s their version of a double Irish Coffee. I am not sure why they ever bother to ask if I want the whipped cream…..it was perfect for leisurely socializing ! Thanks Gloucester House!

It certainly is a jolt to turn the corner and see the empty corner lot where the former YMCA building stood! It is being developed as the John J. Meany Senior Affordable Housing Project and more information can be found at this link. I look forward to watching the progress on these 44 rental units.

We helped spread the word about the CATA On Demand service which acts as a ride service like Uber or Lyft but only costing $2. Without tipping CATA off we wanted to see if it was too good to be true so we taped our experience. See for yourself-

Here are some remains from days gone by at Lane’s Cove that still seem to function as needed. Something about the rust and obvious strength of these draws my eye and gets me thinking about all they have seen over the years.

We saw these swans amongst a large flock of geese and ducks in the river along Atlantic St. on the way to Wingaersheek a few days ago. This pair was determinedly swimming to meet up with the third swan a little further up. There were a pair of hawks overhead keeping an eye on the action below. The third swan then led them for a little walk. It seemed a little unusual to see swans at that location but I imagine migrations have begun in earnest for the bird population.

Another addition to the occasional post featuring Irish coffee around town. This is from Minglewood on Rogers St.: understated and delicious. It looks like a cup of coffee, but the Irish whiskey aroma rises in the steam to produce a smile. Undercover Irish Coffee. Slainte!

We took a little ride through Conomo Point and I was struck by how attractive the Front Beach area is looking. It’s a lovely viewpoint and a well manicured, but small, waterfront. More info at this link

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To continue my random series of Irish Coffee highlights to honor upcoming St. Patrick’s Day, here’s to the Blue Marlin Grille in Essex . We stopped by for a little afternoon respite and I thought that was a good opportunity to try the Irish Coffee. Nicely done Blue Marlin! Slainte!

I belong to a Facebook group called Massachusetts Bird Photography (not a birder, remember….) and noticed an opportunity to book an owl tour for an all day adventure, so off I went. Lo and behold, the tour was held right here in Essex County, which hosts one of the largest owl populations in the state. My wonderful guide Cynthia is a big fan of Screech Owls and the tour was mostly focused on finding some and learning a bit about their habits and life cycle. It was a huge success. We found 8 owls (one short eared in flight and 7 Screech Owls) including one Cynthia had previously not seen. As you will see in the following photos, it’s kind of no wonder we overlook them as they are supremely camouflaged by Mother Nature. I thought you might like to see what we found. Which is your favorite? You may see some notecards in the near future from Pat D’s Photos. Check out Pat D’s Photos and Adventures on Facebook for additional photos and story details.

Another sure sign of Spring when Pauline’s Gifts on Essex Ave announces her reopening! Sharing from Facebook:

It was almost springlike recently when I took a little walk around the park area including the Fitz Henry Lane House and the Fitz Hugh Lane statue. I am walking the line between the 2 names best known for the local artist born Nathaniel Rogers Lane in 1804 and legally changed his name to Fitz Henry Lane in 1834. You can be forgiven for confusion over the name Fitz Hugh Lane which apparently was erroneous. (More info on that here from the National Gallery of Art) The Gloucester Harbor Walk provides further information here, as well as fellow blog contributor Catherine Ryan’s post from March 2019 which can be found here. Further information on the Fitz Henry Land house and Fitz Hugh Lane statue can also be found here from Cape Ann Museum.

Regardless, all that background info isn’t really necessary in order to enjoy the paved walkways, benches and tables in this park area. And, of course, the Alfred Duca statue overlooking Harbor Loop is most striking. I am not sure how all the pine cones ended up nearby but they don’t detract from the statue’s beauty. There were families and couples enjoying a little quiet time and scenery while I was there. Maybe don’t worry too much about Henry vs Hugh and just enjoy the surroundings while you are there.

DownRiver Ice Cream in Essex is one of my touchpoints in seasonal change. Coming again soon!

We had a lovely stroll around Newburyport a few days ago. One of our favorite stops is the Oldies Marketplace at Rear Water St. It recently reopened for the season with limited hours. It’s a large barn kind of building with several stalls offering up a wide variety of “oldies”. You can lose yourself for hours. I am always looking for Gloucester history and sometimes find I have better luck finding it when I am NOT in Gloucester. Though I did not find Gloucester that day, I did find Rockport represented in an old glass bottle. It can be a little chilly in there so be prepared if you stop by. I did find several little items that caught my eye. It’s a fun way to spend some time.

To continue my limited series honoring March and St. Patrick’s Day, cheers to Tonno on Main St. for their version of Irish Coffee! Rich in flavor and very satisfying as we awaited the recent storm huddled by the fireplace. Unlike Netflix, I cannot promise when the next Irish Coffee post will drop, but rest assured you will see another soon!

It’s always a treasure to walk down to the dock area at Maritime Gloucester on the Harbor Loop. This happened to be a very pretty day a couple of weeks ago. I ALWAYS recommend this to visitors, so if you haven’t been down in a while, take the stroll.

As you may have heard earlier on the podcast, GMG Jim and I went to Capt Hook’s on Washington St and spoke with Al regarding the upcoming closing on Fri Mar 10. He was very busy prepping orders but took the time to talk with us for a bit about his history with Capt Hook’s and the closure. He told us it was “just time”. He’s been working there for the past 25 years and running it for the last 10 years. And since he’s still pretty young (34 he told us) that’s a very large chunk of his life. He has 2 young children and it’s “just time”. The building’s future is uncertain as the restaurant does not own it and the landlord has not announced any decisions, according to Al. Thank you very much to Al, the Delisi family and his staff for graciously allowing us to chat and for the years of delicious food they have served to Gloucester and Cape Ann. Hoping to see you around again soon!