Moving Around with Glenn, Linda and the Girls: August 10, 2012

Friday, August 10, 2012

August 10, 2012 - Essex and Ipswich, Mass.

Let's see...what can I say about Essex...? That it was in Essex, in 1916, that clams were first fried? That it is an antique collector's and decorator's dream with lots of antique shops and other unique gift shops? That it is a quaint New England village with waterfront charm and great seafood restaurants? That it is home to two historic museums, Essex Shipbuilding Museum and Cogswell's Grant folk art museum? How about all of the above...plus more!

OK, as usual we didn't get to everything we wanted to...!!! Could it be that we stopped at Sea Meadow Gifts (www.seameadowgifts.com) ...a unique gift shop "inspired by nature" and thoroughly enjoyed shopping and talking to the owner, Georgeanne Richards? Maybe.....

Or, could it be the time we spent at the Essex Shipbuilding Museum (www.essexshipbuildingmuseum.org), which was fascinating? Rachel did a fantastic job providing information on shipbuilding in Essex, which began before 1668 and launched more than 4,000 wooden vessels from the banks of the Essex River by 1937. Essex has been recognized worldwide as North America's major producer of the American Fishing Schooner, a vessel that "powered the fishing industry and changed maritime history". There is really no way to explain what a great "adventure" this was. You will just have to go yourself (or look at all of our pictures and click on the website)!

The Ardelle is a beautiful schooner. We have seen it several times in Gloucester Harbor.

It could have been our talking to Ira, a professor at MIT and "lifelong Bostonian", about things to do and see in Boston.....he was so enthusiastic!

Or maybe it was the great (late) lunch we had at Periwinkles (www.periwinklesrestaurant.com), a restaurant on the Essex River recommended by Glenn's sister, Rhonda. And, yes, their clam chowder is "award winning"!

I know it wasn't because of our tour at Cogswell's Grant, established in 1636 and now a historic house museum displaying American Folk Art. Unfortunately no photography was allowed inside.