Author: Pat D

I stopped by the shop Present at 13 Main Street to see what there was to offer there. Boy, are there a lot of choices of wonderful items (think gifts especially) from so many of our local artists! Laurel was tending the store and she was making a decorative succulent dish to accompany the many other items in the store. You can see from these photos many familiar items along with and new work. I bought a necklace for the holidays….a gift to myself…… I highly recommend stopping by. Additional info available on their Facebook page here. Cheers! Shop local when you can!

We like to stop by the Flying Dragon in Essex and just browse around the store for interesting items. This time we bought some old but functional and decorative salt and pepper shakers. There’s always a great deal to look at here at Flying Dragon. Don’t forget to check out the little barn along the side! And the signage in the front window changes to reflect the goings-on, so that’s always something to watch for.

Thanks to Mark Ring for suggesting the 1640 Hart House in Ipswich! We had dinner there recently and left there saying to ourselves: “Well, that was fun!”. It advertises itself as featuring Elegant Country Dining, but don’t let that intimidate you as it did me at first. It’s apparently an old home made into a restaurant so the seating can be in any of several rooms. The room we were in included a bar and a fireplace, dark wood beams and comfy big chairs. You can see from the pictures that it was a bit dark in the room (you might want to bring some extra lighting along if you are of a certain age……) but this did not deter from the enjoyment of the atmosphere and food.

Jim had the Hart House chicken and I treated myself to the Grilled Tenderloin. The spring roll appetizer was especially delicious. The pace is relaxed and efficient. The food was done to perfection and the service was friendly and “just right”. Reservations are highly recommended and we plan to return someday.

It’s so easy to shop local with our shops right here in Gloucester. These wonderful gift ideas from Pastaio Via Corta are displayed at the corner of Hancock and Main. Just a thought…..

It’s Bananas! I love that place and the latest window dressing includes the coolest zebra on Main Street. Not for sale, this zebra came to Gloucester from Florida with the store owner. As cool as this window is (and they always are a treat), the owner tells me he has big plans for the best Christmas window yet this year. In the meantime, we have this…… There’s quite a bit of reflection going on here, but I think it adds to the cool factor.

We livestreamed the arrival of the new monster pizza oven to Bravo By The Sea 2 on Main Street this morning but here are some additional photos. The oven arrived by truck and was forklifted expertly (great job Scott) through the window opening then moved manually to the back wall of the restaurant. Pretty cool to watch.

Beth Panagos and her son Nick Panagos are hoping to open the restaurant in about 3 weeks/mid December, just in time for downtown holiday shoppers. Lots of primo local businesses right on Main Street for your shopping pleasure! Hope to see you there.

I noticed this insert in the concrete near the Good Harbor Beach footbridge recently, so naturally I was curious and felt compelled to do a little research. First question that came to mind was “What’s granolithic?” In case you were didn’t know either, it’s a type of construction material made of cement and fine granite (or other material). Apparently C.W. Pratt of Gloucester provided such a service for a period of time perhaps around the 1930s. I found Charles (contractor) and Helen Pratt with children Dana, Carlotta, Charles Jr., Ralph and Donald along with his mother Bridget living in Gloucester in the 1920 census. This matches up with the 1937 City Directory information you see here. His draft registration for WWI indicates home on Essex Ave and business on Maplewood. It was an interesting glimpse into Gloucester’s past. It pays to look down at your feet once in a chile.

I have been noticing some evidence of the changeover in seasons here and there around town, including this sleigh apparently getting prepped for the upcoming holidays. The weatherman says we may be getting our last warm November day this week, another sign of change. The boulevard urns are being re-dressed as autumn transitions to winter. As the sleigh says: “Wheeeeee”, we are off and running toward winter.

This barn on Granite Street in Rockport is not technically on the Scenic Byway, but it is “close enough” since it’s quite striking. Especially handsome in fall splendor.

It’s just two weeks until the next Cape Ann Makers Market at the Magnolia Library featuring many of your favorite local artisans. Like it or not, it’s time to think about the holidays!In only 2 weeks, Thanksgiving will be over and we will be heading down a fast lane to the holidays. Pat D’s Photos will be there and we hope you stop by to say hello. Here are some of the images I will be featuring on notecards, mugs, puzzles, ornaments and other fun stuff!

We had not been back to Essex Seafood on Essex Ave since they reopened a while ago and have been wondering if the magic was still there. We met friends for lunch and the magic remains! The new interior is open, clean and still smells new. The menu had all the familiar favorites on it and the staff was friendly and accommodating. One of us needed gluten free preparation which was provided simply and without hesitation. There is outdoor seating available and the inside is very comfortable. We had a lovely lunch with friends in a relaxed atmosphere. Great spot to meet people.

The traps are in and the tides are high. Taken at Lanes Cove recently, a favorite spot.

I did not expect to find a Veterans Day post at the Dunfugin Ramp yesterday, but here we are remembering the service and sacrifice of Edwin Haselgard, who has a memorial at the Dunfugin Ramp. I looked into his story a bit and was quite moved by it. Here’s one version by a Robert Drexler you might find interesting. Each of these stories pulls at your heart in gratitude to the veteran and to their families. I do not know the story of how Edwin’s memorial ended up at Dunfugin, but I find it beautifully appropriate.

From Facebook today, Destinos announcement:

Here are some views from around town taken at or near high tide this week. I understand these can sometimes be referred to as King Tides which is a non-scientific term for “very high tide” so it’s perfect for me (non-scientific). These are taken from Essex Ave, Dolliver’s Neck Freshwater Cove and Good Harbor Beach. I was amused by the message painted on the footbridge handrailing (too long to get in one shot) indicating that picking up dog poop and putting it in a bag and then leaving it behind is an indicator of poor mental health. Also non-scientific…….

I love my new gift from Joey C! Even though I do not consider myself a birder, it has been pointed out to me that I could, indeed, be a bird nerd, so I will be leaning into that from now on. Thank you Joey! (GMG magnetic car stickers from Ipswich River Craft)

It was a gorgeous autumn day at Half Moon Beach recently. It was a bonus to find some painted rocks awaiting discovery. Well done to the artist(s)! I left them for the next explorer, because you might just need to go down there on one of these beautiful fall days.

We watched as the Meridian assisted the Patriot into the harbor escorted by the Coast Guard today. Presumably the Patriot became disabled and the Meridian lent a hand along with the Coast Guard. It appears everyone is safe in harbor now. Cheers Patriot, Meridian and Coast Guard!