My View of Life on the Dock
Jolly reminder from Rocky Neck – please spread the word! Just days away until the 2021 Rocky Neck Art Colony Holiday Fair.
Friday November 26 – Sunday Nov 28th
Reception Friday 5-7pm!
deck your halls, walls, shawls and trawls 🙂
Shop Local
Went over to Pauline’s Gift yesterday. Her shop looks so pretty and decorated. Here is an example of some of the treasures and gifts at Pauline’s Gifts, 512 Essex Avenue, Gloucester, MA 01930.
Fantastic shopping at Pop Gallery on Main Street in Gloucester, Mass. Open from 11-4:30 Christmas eve day.
Great gifts and vintage finds at Alexandra’s Bread bakery and shop on Main Street Gloucester, Ma. Festive selections are folded in during holidays year round.
Sunday at 2 PM – 6 PM
263 Main Street
Gloucester, MA 01930
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 11th FROM 2pm to 6pmIt’s beginning to look a lot like Present! Join us as we celebrate our opening for the 2018 season. We are located at 186 Main Street, across from the Police Station. We will have food, drink and all sorts of wonderful handmade things for you and the people you love!
We are very excited to be hosting our first Sip’n’Shop
Several Gloucester vendors will be selling their wares (come support them) like
Come enjoy some Rockin’ Holiday Music, a cocktail and fun hassle-free shopping. Hope to see you all on Wednesday.
save the date Reminders:
“December in November–Giving the Gift of Art” Rocky Neck Art Colony members’ fine art and crafts sale, through December 10th, OPEN Fridays 5-8pm, Saturdays and Sundays 10AM-4PM. Downstairs is a beautiful John Nesta tribute.
photo caption: Orginal watercolor painting, Birch on the Neck, by Deb Schradieck, booth at the Rocky Neck Art Colony 2017 Annual Holiday members show
TWO DAYS ONLY Cape Ann Artisans at the Rockport Art Association Friday December 1 and Saturday December 2nd (10-5). Cape Ann Artisans has also announced their special 2018 Cape Ann Artisan tour dates- June 2nd and 3rd and Oct 6-8
Sat Dec 2nd 8am-noon, 34 Leonard Street, Gloucester, MA 01930
Their wrap-around bar and surrounding tables at capacity with gals gathered round and special appetizers and drinks.
photos from Ladies Night
Inspired by Joey’s and Kim Smith’s countdowns and Greg Bover’s posts, I was thinking about a GMG countdown of favorite quotable Christmas and holiday excerpts, with an extra bonus for passages with Gloucester ties. Please add or send quotes, passages, and poems that we can delight in and share.
I’ll start with a description of jubilant awakening — children bursting through doors early Christmas morning — from a 1939 book by Jan Struther, Mrs. Miniver, which for me is also a sweet reminder about my folks as they followed a similar “stocking first-presents after” routine and were beloved.
A little background: Struther’s book stemmed from her popular fiction column begun in 1937 and published every two weeks in The Times. Following the book’s smash reception, the classic William Wyler movie, Mrs. Miniver, starring Greer Garson was released in 1942. The movie is based on the book but its own story. The movie was nominated for 12 Oscars and garnered 6 including best picture. The music is by Herbert Stothart who won an Oscar for his work on the Wizard of Oz.
“It began in the same way every year: the handle of her bedroom door being turned just loudly enough to wake her up, but softly enough not to count as waking her up on purpose; (her child) Toby glimmering like a moth in the dark doorway, clutching a nobbly Christmas stocking in one hand and holding up his pyjama trousers with the other. (He insisted upon pyjamas, but he had not yet outgrown his sleeping-suit figure.)
‘Toby! It’s only just after six. I did say not till seven.’ ‘But, Mummy, I can’t tell the time.’ He was barefoot and shivering, and his eyes were like stars.
Continue reading “Motif Monday: The quotable Christmas Mrs. Miniver”
Artist Jill Feron preparing to paint new restaurant Tonno’s window, which she reports will be opening in May.
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Fill out and drop off the raffle ticket at the Center any open day of the show, for a chance to win a Raffle to be drawn on December 21st during the Solstice Party. Winner will receive a $100 gift certificate good toward purchases at the show, or from any Rocky Neck Art Colony member artist.
Mimi is an artist driven gift, jewelry and fine art store located at 19 Central Street in Manchester. It was started in Ipswich in the summer of 2007 with locations in Ipswich and a bit later Manchester. Having closed the Ipswich store about three years ago Manchester has become their flagship store.
Co-founders Mia Nehme and her daughter Claudia Bowman say that they search for gifts and fine art that are made or designed by artists, and they feature the work of several local painters and artisan gifts. In addition they carry glassware, silverware, scarfs, by several vendors including Ekelund, Simon Pearce, Le Jaquard Francais, Mariposa and more. Then there is an extensive selection of jewelry.
In the having something for everyone department, Mimi has gifts from $10.oo on up, Yankee Swap gifts to art work and gifts for very special occasions. For men they have created a “Man Cave” at the back of the store where they sell primarily shaving and smoking items.(Actually the “Cave” is a nice display case). They have a jewelry selection with pieces from various local artists. Aron Leaman of Gloucester, a artist who works in glass produced a number of glass globes with actual Singing Beach Sand inside. Mia highlights this to say that because they deal directly with many of the artists special orders even with design changes on some items can be requested.
From time to time Mimi holds special events in which their customers are invited to hear from, see and learn about particular vendors or artists work.
Mimi’s website is at http://www.mimigiftgallery.com, the store is at 19 Central Street just across the street from the Town Hall. Check them out!
Whether you are looking to shop locally for unique, affordable gifts for friends, family and co-workers, or just want to feast your eyes and have some holiday fun, don’t miss the Rocky Neck Holiday Art & Fine Crafts Festival starting the end of November and running through December at the beautiful Cultural Center at Rocky Neck, 6 Wonson Street. Free admission and plenty of free parking this time of year. And did I mention, we throw great parties on Rocky Neck.
E.J. Lefavour
As I mentioned in another post, I went down to Bearskin Neck one evening last week in search of Christmas decorations to photograph. A variety of the shops have nice window displays, but one of the few places that is really lit up is the Pewter Shop. You can’t miss it!
Recently, we (Holy Family Parish) bought a set of pewter cups and bowls from this shop for use at Mass, and at the time I was impressed by both their beautiful variety of pewter wares and the friendliness of the proprietors. I decided to go back to photograph some of the beautiful things they sell. It would be a good place to go for some elegant Christmas or Chanukah gifts.
They aren’t kidding about this being “Irish Pewter”. I saw these same items being sold in gift shops in Ireland earlier this year. Surprisingly, the price at this shop in Rockport is as good or better than what I saw in Ireland…
Don’t forget to go through to the back side of the store (as I did the first time I was there)…
Big stuff in Rockport tomorrow night, December 9th, from 4 to 8pm! Over 30 (thirty!) stores throughout downtown Rockport will be offering discounts and promotions for holiday shoppers. The Old Firehouse Trust in Dock Square will be open serving hot chocolate, coffee and homemade holiday treats. And so that you can do two good deeds at once by shopping local and donating to the food pantry, donations of canned goods can be dropped off at The Old Firehouse Trust building as well. All donations of food benefit The Open Door, Cape Ann’s food pantry. Come enjoy the festivities and a fun night in downtown Rockport during this holiday season! Feel free to print out this handy shopping map to bring along with you so that you know what’s available tomorrow night – and don’t forget to stop in at The Old Firehouse to make your donation and enjoy something warm to drink!
In anticipation of tomorrow night’s special shopping event in Rockport, here’s a little preview of the store The Paper Mermaid, located at 57 Main Street in Rockport, just around the corner from Front Beach.
The Paper Mermaid is a treat, both visually and practically-speaking. Mary, the owner, carries some fantastic toys – we are faithful fans of the Automoblox line of cars (check ’em out, parents & grandparents – they are inexpensive, well-made, and kids like them – what more could you ask for?), books, and games. She also covers a lot of ground in the world of paper. There is a great selection of cards, many of which feature designs by local artists (including Mary herself), notepaper, and art supplies, both for children and grown-ups. The atmosphere of the store is both modern and vintage, wildly colorful but also somehow very calm. Shopping for toys and greeting cards can actually be a pleasant experience, shockingly enough, when you do it at The Paper Mermaid. The store is featuring a discount during tomorrow night’s shopping event – for details give Mary a call at 978-546-3553.
Besides being a hard-working small business owner (and mother of an amazingly cute baby that hangs out at the shop with her), Dawn is also the entrepreneurial mastermind behind the upcoming event, “An Evening of Holiday Shopping“, bringing over 30 shops together to promote a little Rockport shopping after dark. The sidewalks will be lined with luminaries and the shops will be offering in-store promotions for the event, taking place on Thursday, December 9th from 4pm to 8pm. Stop by, breathe in the amazing smell of French lavender (which is supposed to have a calming effect – perfect for the holiday season), and say hello to Dawn at La Provence, open year-round.
La Provence . 4 Main Street in Rockport . 978-546-5868
This time of year, it’s best to plan your holiday shopping with military precision. One day you’ll plan to hit downtown Gloucester, another day you might plan to go to a school or church holiday fair, and so on (and on and on). In all your planning, don’t forget to put Rockport’s “An Evening of Holiday Shopping” on your calendar. It takes place on Thursday, December 9th from 4 to 8pm. The town will be lined with luminaries, over 30 stores will be glowing with Christmas decorations, discounts and special events, and hot chocolate will be served in Dock Square. It’s a great chance to shop local in a great setting, and of course it will be fun to see Rockport hopping until 8 pm – an hour that qualifies as midnight in Rockport time. So don’t miss it!
Good Morning Gloucester 