Author: Pat D

It’s not generally advertised as a museum, but perhaps our City Hall should be described as such. There is a wealth of history and artwork on display throughout City Hall, some small and some larger than life. Next time you are there, maybe take some extra time to really look around. Our City is certainly blessed.

Sharing an invitation from our AmVets Club Facebook page:

If you need a Sugar Magnolia fix, this is the weekend to do it as they will be closing Jan 16 until April 2023. We had a yummy lunch with a Buffalo Chicken Taco and a Walnut and Pear Chicken Salad Toastie. We also got some lemon ricotta scones to bring home. I treated myself to a mimosa flight as a send off to Sugar Mags for their winter break. Always a great atmosphere, delicious menu and helpful staff. Get there this weekend! You’re going to miss it while they are closed. Sugar Magnolia’s Main St Gloucester

Welp, this photo took me back to childhood at warp speed. Yikes. Anyone else? My dad ALWAYS had one. He was raised in Gloucester so perhaps they were popular here at some point too. Pretty handy item, I have to say.

We met up with friend Rick and Rose at 525 on Lexington Ave in Magnolia for dinner and drinks earlier this week. We have long enjoyed the cozy neighborhood atmosphere at 525 and it has never disappointed us. Even on this visit, when our lovely server Juliana had to deliver the news that an option wasn’t available that evening; she did so with good humor and grace. I always look to the specials and Jim got one: Fish and Chips (HUGE piece of fish). The table also ordered nachos with guacamole, gluten free pizza and chicken pot pie. Carrot cake and Spanish coffee for dessert and everyone was very happy with their choices. We lingered without guilt getting caught up but it was relatively busy even on a Tuesday in January. Clearly we aren’t the only ones gathering there with friends and family. Thank you 525 and Juliana for a lovely meal!

Sharing information if you are interested in helping GHS Girls Basketball program. We’ll be there and hope to see you too!

Here’s the story prompt. Your story must include the elements wheelchair, picture frame and roadside. It cannot include anything related to trash removal services. I saw this and knew there was a story waiting to be told. Let’s here your plot summary.

We were reminded what a masterful job Mother Nature does in protecting its creatures on a trip north to Salisbury Beach Reservation and Parker River Refuge this week. This hawk was brilliantly hidden in the grasses, the coloring so well blended that only its movements gave it away. The Barred Owl at Parker River could have been part of the tree it was resting in. We surely would have missed it without the help of other photographers and sharp eyed fans. A good reminder to be aware that we are surrounded by things we cannot see unless we really look.

I saw a Facebook post questioning the presence of a bunch of large rocks on Pavilion Beach so I went down to take a look. To be clear, I do not know why there are apparently several new rocks down there but I can say that there appears to be no evidence of construction machinery recently on the beach, though they could have been deposited from above…..but not all of them. So, here it is for you to see for yourself.

Sharing information from the Gloucester 400 Facebook page. You’re going to want to give them a follow for all the celebration events to celebrate our 400th anniversary this year. The kick off is scheduled for Sun Jan 15 at 1:30 in the Putnam Auditorium at the high school. Event free, but registration is required. More information and reserve tickets here.

The sun came back out in brilliant fashion yesterday and we went down to Wingaersheek Beach to enjoy it. Many others, mostly dog owners, had a similar idea.

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.