Brews & Blues on May 30 -- Back to the Beach

Last fall, dozens of friends were on hand for our first Brews & Blues and enjoyed an outdoor concert, free beer tastings and some refreshments on the lawn overlooking Good Harbor Beach. On May 30, we’ll do it all again – this time to celebrate the return of the beach season. Once again, we're teaming up with the Cape Ann Brewing Co. -– makers of the highly-acclaimed Fisherman’s Brew – and some talented musicians who’ll entertain us with a jam session on that Saturday afternoon. The Cape Ann Brewers folks will be on hand into the evening for beer tastings. You can enjoy your brew (or other beverages of your liking) in your room, in our main guest area or out by the fire pit. And all weekend you’ll have an opportunity to enjoy other activities across Cape Ann – including a personal tour of the brewery on the Gloucester waterfront. Reserve your spot soon for Brews & Blues – for Friday May 29, Saturday May 30 or both nights. We expect this will be a popular weekend here at the Blue Shutters.

A Jazzy Time on Cape Ann

Cape Ann offers a wide variety of activities and we thought we had tried them all. But we had a new experience this weekend -- jazz. Longtime friend Bill S arrived Saturday for a visit -- and an extra ticket to a performance by vocalist Kendra Shank, who was appearing in Rockport that night. Bill, who is working on a book about jazz legend Bill Pepper, not only is a Kendra fan -- he's also talking with her about his book. I joined Bill for the performance at the Rockport Art Association and was blown away by Kendra and her band -- and by the art association's exhibit. I'm not sure when Kendra will be back in these parts, but you'll find info on her and samples of her work on her website. A big thank you to Bill to opening our eyes to Kendra -- and to jazz. As for the Rockport Art Association, there's a great exhibit going on through early June -- and there will be other happenings throughout the year. Check out their website for more info.