Marvelous Dinner at The Studio

Posted on by Pat D

We had a wonderful dinner at The Studio on Rocky Neck last night. Lovely evening, half price food, seeing friends, staying masked and distant….it was a great experience. The menu has new and returning items for you to select from. My baked haddock with lobster bisque was absolutely perfect! Jim had the lobster rolls and there was none left to share. I highly recommend you check it out. I don’t know how long the half price food special will last. Call or check their Facebook page for updates.

Rockport Music presents a Virtual Music Series—Concert View

Posted on by James Eves

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Rockport Music announces launch of Concert View* virtual series tomorrow, July 2, at 7 pm with a new performance by the Grammy Award-winning Parker Quartet at the Shalin Liu Performance Center.  The series includes a range of artists like renowned cello-piano duo David Finckel and Wu Han, the incomparable bass-baritone Davóne Tines, the spectacular pianist George Li, and more. Dates subject to change.

CONCERT VIEW SERIES
Weekly Virtual Music Series
Fridays at 7 PM (except Parker Quartet on Thursday)

July 2: Parker Quartet

July 10: Stephen Prutsman, piano (artist from home)

July 17: George Li, piano

July 24: Chee-Yun, violin & Henry Kramer, piano

July 31: Grisha Goryachev, guitar

August 7: Davóne Tines, bass-baritone (artist from home)

August 14: Rum Runners String Band

August 21: Mari Martin & the Lucky Boys

August 28: David Finckel, cello & Wu Han, piano

The series will be free to viewers and shared via Facebook, Youtube and Rockport Music’s website.  For a full listing and program details, please visit rockportmusic.org or https://rockportmusic.org/concert-window-virtual-series/.

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Website: rockportmusic.org  | 978.546.7391

*Please note adjustment in series name.

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American Legion Post #98 / Rockport Fundraiser

Posted on by James Eves
I’m getting back into my artwork now that I’ve retired from nursing after 43 years.  I’m doing a fundraiser for the vets and James and Anna of Cape Ann Giclée are helping me with printing.
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Every summer (with the exception of this one) the Legion in Rockport hosts vets for a fishing trip/ social event. I spoke with Larry Story, the vet who organizes the event and he said that lobstermen from Rockport and Gloucester donate their time for the outing.  I asked him about contributing to the cause with a poster I made from a painting of mine. As I mentioned James and Anna are doing the printing when I get orders.  The unframed poster is 11 x  14 inches and retails for $20.00.  All profits go to the Legion.
I live near the Pigeon Cove harbor and have gotten to see the workings of the waterfront since I’ve stopped working as a nurse and since COVID has pretty much curtailed my normal activities.  What I’ve learned is that the lobster industry is a very complicated and dangerous business and the work never stops as you know! I really admire what the guys are doing down here because it’s really a rare and treasured industry in Rockport.  We don’t have much tourism and the granite industry is long gone. And they’ve been working right through COVID as I’m sure the guys over in Gloucester are doing.
Message me on facebook to order
https://www.facebook.com/leslie.heffron.9
Thank You for your Support,
Leslie Heffron
Here’s a video about the cove and the lobster boats over here if you care to share it on GMG.

Judith Murray | Sargent House featured in NEW Massachusetts vacation trail #WomenTrailblazers #GloucesterMA #VisitMA

Posted on by Catherine

Sargent House Museum_20170831_Glouceseter Ma ©c ryan

See the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism (Mott) July 2020 update below! Look for two FREE and easy business listing ideas, the 2019 Annual Report with all its visitor data, Covid-19 and its impact on the tourism sector, and Gloucester news that Judith Sargent Murray | Sargent House museum will be featured on the Regional Council Historic Women Trailblazers site! Gloucester boasts many women ground breakers.

 

BE SARGENT_Judith Sargent Murray mural Gloucester Mass _20180422_©c ryan
(photo caption – Monumental and stunning Be Sargent mural of Judith Sargent Murray is sited across Main street and front of historic house museum, Gloucester, Mass. See also HarborWalk marker here, and Cape Ann Museum.)

from MOTT July 2020:

(*Woodman’s photo)
July 2020
The spirit of Massachusetts is stronger than ever. Throughout the Commonwealth our friends and neighbors are working to keep people safe while helping to support the local economy – buying local, shopping local, staying local. We see people banding together for the common goal of keeping Massachusetts strong. In our arena, look no further than the new micro website initiated by the Regional Tourism Councils, www.spiritofma.com.  Congratulations to our RTC partners for this initiative. 

This month, Massachusetts moves from Phase Two to Phase Three of the Commonwealth’s four-phase plan to Reopen Massachusetts.  You can stay up to date on the latest Massachusetts news by checking the COVID-19 links below. Please don’t hesitate to contact us with questions or comments.  

On behalf of all of us here at MOTT, thank you to the Massachusetts’ travel and tourism community for its resolve, optimism, and creativity as we move forward to brighter days ahead. 

Sincerely,

Keiko Matsudo Orrall
Executive Director

 

Massachusetts Reopening News

  • Beginning July 1, the Baker-Polito Administration has new quarantine guidelines for visitors coming to Massachusetts from seven neighboring states, including NY, NJ, CT, ME, NH, RI & VT.  See details here.
  • MOTT’s website, www.massvacation.com, now has FAQs for visitors coming to Massachusetts.
  • On June 28, the Commonwealth embarked on Phase II, Step 2 of the Reopening Massachusetts plan. Find information on when businesses can reopen here.
  • Indoor dining is now permitted.  For full restaurant guidance, click here.
  • State House officials announced additional administrative tax relief measures for local businesses impacted by COVID-19, especially in the restaurant and hospitality sectors. This tax relief includes postponing the collection of regular sales tax, meals tax, and room occupancy taxes for small businesses normally due from March through August, so that they will instead be due in September.

International Update

UK journalist, Abigail King, who had previously been hosted on an international FAM trip to Massachusetts, has written a blog on Nantucket, which was shortlisted for The Visit USA 2020 Media Awards. We are so happy to share that Abigail King won in the category of Blogger/Vlogger of the Year Award, with the submission of her beautiful Nantucket article from her visit; Fast forward to 3:41 to hear the award announcement by Visit USA! A sincere thank you to all in Massachusetts who hosted and made Abigail King’s experience in Massachusetts a memorable one.  Read Abigail’s piece on Nantucket here.

Industry News

Spirit of Massachusetts
The Regional Tourism Councils (RTC) have created a new micro website to promote Massachusetts as a great place to visit when the time is right. See details here.

Sales Tax Holiday
Massachusetts’ annual Sales Tax Holiday the weekend of August 30-31 offers a good opportunity to support Main Street businesses and the local economy.  See FAQs about the Sales Tax Holiday.

State Campgrounds
The Massachusetts Department of Conservation & Recreation has opened state campgrounds beginning July 1.  See details here.

The 2020 Big E Cancelled
The Eastern States Exposition announced that due to the COVID-19 crisis, this year’s BIG E Fair has been cancelled.  Be sure to mark your calendar for the 2021 BIG E Fair: September 17-October 3, 2021, and keep up with the latest from The Big E here.

Massachusetts Celebrates Women Trailblazers
MOTT’s Historic Women Trailblazers digital page celebrates the achievement of women in the Commonwealth.  Stay tuned for the release of our digital booklet on the Historic Women Trailblazer’s page in August.

Massport News
Construction work at Logan International Airport this summer will affect traffic patterns at the airport, especially around Terminal B.  See details here.

Call for Brochures
Our friends at Simon/Lee Premium Outlets in Lee, MA, invite you to send them one box of brochures or visitor guides for display at their information centers.  There is no storage or stocking fee so please send your printed tourism information to: Carolyn Edwards, Area General Manager, Simon/Lee Premium Outlets, 17 Premium Outlets Blvd., Lee, MA 01238. If you would like more information, please contact Carolyn Edwards.

50 Great Things to do Under $50

MOTT’s ’50 Under $50’ special deals page is consistently ranked as one of our Top 5 visited web pages each month.  To list a special deal offered by your organization, the offer must be valid for a two-month duration and the admission of $50 must cover: two adults only and/or two adults with two children age 12 and under.

We are currently accepting ’50 Under $50’ offers for August/September/October. Please send your submissions to:  Phyllis M. Cahaly.

FREE means FREE!

With so many amazing free things to do in Massachusetts, we created a FREE category listing in our online calendar of events at massvacation.com.

Now, you can add your organization’s cost-free events to MOTT’s year-round calendars. Just click on ‘submit your listing’ on the bottom of the homepage, and follow the prompts.

COVID-19 Resources & News

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By the Numbers

  • In calendar year 2019, International visitors to Massachusetts totaled 2.5 million, which was down slightly from 2018.
  • Overseas volume to Massachusetts was just under 1.8 million.  The top five origin countries were: China (269 k), United Kingdom (247 k), Germany (104 k), Brazil (102 k), and France (101 k).  Canadian visitation to Massachusetts has historically been just under 700,000 with the majority of visitors coming from the provinces of Ontario and Quebec.

  • The 2019 Annual Report has been published.

A Day With The 2020 Land Rover Defender Courtesy Land Rover Peabody @LRPeabody

Posted on by Joey Ciaramitaro

Thank you to Warren Waugh, Cidalia Schwartz and The Lyon-Waugh Auto group for loaning this gorgeous piece of machinery to us to put through the paces.

Check out the video where we talk about some of the awesome unique features on the new Land Rover Defender:

We covered some of the unique features on the newly released vehicle and hit up some of our favorite local spots- starting out at Caffe Sicilia In Gloucester, Beverly Farms representing with a stop at Engel and Volkers, Manchester we stopped in at Bravo By the Sea, Essex at Great Marsh Brewing, Pauline’s Gifts, a quick stop at the Fisherman’s Memorial Statue and finishing up at Tonno Gloucester!

This is the rare vehicle that exudes both brawn and refined elegance.  Equally comfortable in the back country as it is in the urban jungle.

We opted for the urban jungle experience and bopped around to some of our favorite spots that were offering outdoor dining.

What a day!  What a vehicle!

If you are interested in the vehicle contact Land Rover Peabody for more info-

Contact Cidalia here

or Warren Waugh here

#RoverPeabody is home to the most remarkable group of off-road enthusiasts & a full line of #Rover services! Proud Member of

@LyonWaugh

Auto Group 978-535-9200

247 Newbury St, Peabody, MA 01960landroverpeabody.com

www.roverpeabody.com/

 

Angel Wings Wellness-Take care of your Endocannabinoid system and it will take care of you!

Posted on by Joey Ciaramitaro

Angel Wings Wellness's avatarCape Ann Wellness

Our bodies consist of many unique physiologic systems whose sole purpose is to maintain an internal balance called homeostasis. We know the pancreas releases insulin to balance glucose levels between the bloodstream and cells. The thyroid gland releases thyroid hormone, which regulates vital bodily functions related to metabolism, body temperature and much more. Simply put, our bodies are working constantly to stay balanced in response to our external environment.

In the quest to understand how THC causes its well-known intoxicating effects, scientists discovered that we have yet another regulatory physiologic system, called the endocannabinoid system or ECS, whose role is to maintain homeostasis of the messages sent between our cells. Further research has shown that sickness, inflammation, and injury will trigger the ECS to take action, working to reset our internal environment back to homeostasis. This system has been described as being protective and necessary for life. What if we could target this system…

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Sawyer Free Library Announces New Library Director

Posted on by Joey Ciaramitaro

Sawyer Free Library's avatarCape Ann Community

The Gloucester Lyceum and Sawyer Free Library‘s Board of Trustees is pleased to announce the appointment of a new Library Director. Following an extensive national search, Janet (Jenny) Benedict, MLIS, MA, BJ, will succeed Deborah Kelsey, who is retiring. Ms. Benedict will officially join the Library on Monday, July 6.

Ms. Benedict comes to Sawyer Free Library with diverse work experiences over nearly 25 years, including most recently nine years as the Library Director and CEO of the West Vancouver Memorial Library in British Columbia, where she left a legacy of innovation and cultural excellence.

“I am honored to be joining the Gloucester Lyceum and Sawyer Free Library at this time in its history. This is an exceptional opportunity to lead an organization that is so vitally important to the community it serves. It’s a privilege to build on an established foundation of excellence and plan for the…

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Seven Cape Ann Artisan Studios to host first ever Summer Mini-Tours| Creatively expanding space to the outdoors to accommodate visitors

Posted on by James Eves

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The Cape Ann Artisans sorely missed the opportunity to open up their studios in the Spring so they are introducing a new twist for the summer months.  Instead of a full weekend tour, a sub-set of the full group will open their studios for one Saturday in July and one in August.

The participating artists include David Archibald, Cynthia Curtis, and Erin O’Sullivan & Scott Place (Twin Lights Studios) representing the ceramic arts.   They are joined by painter Jillian Demeri, sea glass jeweler Jacqueline Ganim-DeFalco, glass artist Beth Williams, and Pamela Stratton Mosaics.   The group has self-selected based on their ability to use outdoor spaces and welcome visitors safely.

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The Cape Ann Artisans have been discussing all possible ways to welcome our friends, family, neighbors, and visitors safely after a long winter of making new artwork.  We are thrilled to now be creative in the use of our combined indoor and outdoor spaces to make visitors feel comfortable and to enjoy the exquisite gardens and views of Cape Ann.  Cynthia Curtis will open up an entire end of her gallery to the outside thanks to a newly installed garage door.  Jacqueline Ganim-DeFalco will expand into her lower barn space and set up tables to sit outside and enjoy the garden. David Archibald’s luscious garden will be in full bloom.

Visitors can easily group the tour into geographic proximity by visiting the Gloucester artists and Rockport artists in sequence by neighborhood from East Gloucester, to downtown, to Riverdale, Lanesville, and Rockport (or reverse) according to the digital postcard which will be circulated online or can be downloaded from CapeAnnArtisans.com

Artists are all taking appointment by phone, email, and Square appointments for visitors that would like to reserve a specific time.  Appointments will be given first priority if the studio is at Covid-compliant capacity.  Look for our pink flags to way find to the open studios!

All the  Cape Ann Artisans welcome appointments throughout season and hope to hear directly from visitors.

All Artisans will be asking for visitors to be Covid-Compliant, wearing facial coverings, using hand-sanitizer, and practicing social distancing.

Here’s a re-cap:

What:  The Cape Ann Artisans Summer Mini-Tours

Where: Gloucester and Rockport, MA.

When:   Saturday July 18th and Saturday, August 15th 10-5.

Contact: info@capeannartisans.com or leave a message with Cynthia Curtis 978-546-6186