Wow.....More Awesome Photos of the Blue Shutters and Good Harbor Beach

We've been asking friends of the Blue Shutters to share thier photos, and boy are they coming through! The shots we've received in recent months have been some of the best we've ever seen, including a new batch from someone who we've featured in the past -- early morning Good Harbor Beach regular Marie Pelletier of Salem, MA. If you're on the beach at sunrise, it's very likely you'll see Marie. Now you can enjoy some of the photos she's been taking. Here are a few -- there are many more on the Blue Shutters Facebook page.

Decking the Halls at the Blue Shutters, Getting Ready for Saturday's Holiday Tree-Trimming

We're in the holiday spirit here at the Blue Shutters. We've strung lights across the front of the inn and began decorating the main room -- the photo here gives you a sneak peek. There's much more to see this holiday season -- here at the Shutters and all over Cape Ann. One great way to get a taste of "Christmas on Cape Ann" is our annual tree trimming this Saturday, December 3. Come stay for a night or two and get a special discount -- bring a nonperishable food item for our local food pantry and we'll knock 25% off the price. We figured this is a great way for us to encourage you to come for a visit -- and a great way for us all to get in the spirit of giving this holiday season.

Come Celebrate Christmas on Cape Ann -- and Enjoy Summertime Weather!

Christmas on Cape Ann -- a month-long series of events in celebration of the holiday season -- kicks off this weekend. We've already had one group of guests -- a family from Connecticut -- travel here to enjoy the Cape Ann Symphony Holiday Pops performance on Saturday night. There's another show tomorrow -- and also Sunday there's the annual Gloucester Santa Parade. Throughout the month of December, there'll be other holiday events (our particular favorite is the pagent in Rockport on December 17).

If you're free tomorrow -- and live in the Greater Boston area -- you owe it to yourself to come up for the day. The weather today was awesome -- again -- with temps in the mid-60s, and Sunday promises to be another beauty.

You should also plan a night or two at the Blue Shutters this holiday season -- we've already begun decorating the inn. But the best is yet to come -- come stay with us next Saturday, December 3, when we'll have our annual tree-trimming party with holiday treats, a roaring fireplace and lots of good cheer. Better yet, come on Friday and do some shopping around Gloucester and Rockport.

Call us for details on the special discount that weekend and the Christmas on Cape Ann activities happening throughout the month.

Happy Holidays!

Add Blue Shutters Gift Cards to Your Holiday Shopping List

While there were innkeepers at the Blue Shutters today, others were making the Black Friday rounds at local malls. When we put our heads together we thought...this is a good time to remind folks about Blue Shutters gift cards. Call us anytime and we'll send you gift cards and brochures -- and then you can sit back and watch the smiles on those faces on Christmas day or at a holiday office party. If you'd like, you could even include a Blue Shutters tee-shirt, hoodie or sweatshirt -- check out how neat our tee-shirts look on the innkeepers. Speaking of innkeepers, we'll make sure those who visit with a Blue Shutters gift card get extra special treatment. So, whether it's Black Saturday, CyberMonday or any day this holiday season consider adding the Blue Shutters to your shopping list.

Visit the Blue Shutters Facebook Page and Check Out Our Photo Albums

We just posted some new photos on the Blue Shutters Facebook page -- from recent Blue Shutters guests visiting from the UK. Check them out -- they're real stunners. Here are just a few of 20 photos the Brewers sent us. While you there, take a few minutes to enojoy our older photo albums. You're invited to email us your photos -- we love to spotlight images like these that help capture the unique beauty of the beach that is right outside out front door.

Holiday Reminders: Thanksgiving Plans This Weekend and Blue Shutters Tree Trimming on December 3

A few holiday reminders:
- Ed and Annmarie will be at the Blue Shutters for Thanksgiving and throughout the holiday weekend, so if you're thinking about coming up anytime over the next few days, you'll have some company
- if you're looking to treat yourself to Thanksgiving dinner out, our friends at the Topside Grille have something special planned for you (roast stuffed turkey with apple walnut stuffing, honey glazed Virginia Ham with a pineapple raisin sauce, roasted leg of Spring lamb...all served with a cup of turkey rice soup, butternut squash, broccoli, whipped potato, roasted sweet potatoes and more!)
- Christmas on Cape kicks off this weekend, with the Cape Ann Symphony Holiday Pops on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, and Gloucester's Santa Parade and Tree Lighting on Sunday

Speaking of the holidays, mark your calendar for Saturday December 3 -- that afternoon and evening, we'll ring in the holdays with our annual tree-trimming party. There will be holiday refreshments and the Shutters will be decorated for the season. We'd love you to stay with us -- we're offering a 25% discount if you bring a non-perishable food item that we can donate to the local food pantry. You'll save on your stay...and get into the season's true spirit of giving! There'll be more Christmas on Cape Ann festivities that weekend -- check the Cape Ann Chamber website for info on the full month of holiday activities.

Dinosaurs at the Blue Shutters?

Those of you who have visited the Shutters might have spotted our "dinosaur egg" located in our yard. In this photo, Ashley, who was visiting from Florida, discovers the egg hiding beneath a cover of autumn leaves. Next time you're here, see if you can find this unusual Blue Shutters treasure.

More Gloucester Photos....Including Scenes of Gloucester Harbor and Our Lady of Good Voyage

Check out the Blue Shutters Facebook page for some great photos sent to us by the Carlson family. These folks -- who now live in Florida and North Carolina -- have deep roots in Gloucester, and they chose the Blue Shutters for their return to the area for some family matters. While they were here, they took photos of the Shutters, Good Harbor Beach, Gloucester Harbor, Our Lady of Good Voyage church and other spots around Cape Ann. Here's a sampling of what you'll find on our Facebook page. While you visit us on Facebook, please friend us!

A Big Thank You for Our Taste of Latin America Open House

Our November 20th Taste of Latin America Open House was a big success -- for Por Cristo and for the old and new friends who were here to enjoy the afternoon. Thanks to Por Cristo for bringing a fantastic selection of jewelry, scarves, blankets and other items from Ecuador for folks to buy. A big thanks to those who were here -- family, friends, neighbors and even folks who passed by and dropped in -- and came away with some of these special treasues, with the proceeds going to support the work of Por Cristo in Ecuador (that's a shot of these items that filled our Fireside room, that became a shopping bazaar for the day). And a very big thanks to Langham Hotel Chef Mark Sapienza, who provided all the Latin American dishes for the the open house.

Today's Blue Shutters Open House: Our Door is Open...and the Beach and a Fun Atfernoon Awaits!

A final reminder about today's Taste of Latin America Open House -- and a early morning weather update. Our Open House begins at 2pm and will run until 5, and throughout the afternoon you'll be able to sample some food and drink with a South American flavor and shop for jewelry, scraves, blankets and other items from Ecuador. All the money collected from the sale of these items goes to Por Cristo, a non-profit that helps the poor in Ecuador. That's one of those items -- a wall-hanging from Ecuador -- decorating our front door. You see the beach in the background, with some folks already out enjoying the summer-like day. The weather for this afternoon promises to be warm (60s) and sunny -- perfect for for a walk on the beach. We hope to see you here.

Come to the Beach Sunday for Our Open House and Bring a Smile to Your Face (and Make These Kids Happy Too)

Sunday promises to bring sunshine and a return to mid-60 temperatures -- a perfect day for a walk on Good Harbor Beach, a stroll along Gloucester Harbor or shopping on Bearskin Neck in Rockport. It's sure to bring a smile to your face -- similar to the smiles you see on these faces. However, these children aren't reacting to the sand, sun and surf -- these are smiles for their friends from Por Cristo, a Masschusetts-based non-profit that has been helping some of the poorest families in this South American country. This Sunday, these two worlds come together as we hold our annual Taste of Latin America Open House in support of Por Cristo's work. We'll treat you to some South American delicacies -- courtesy of Chef Mark Sapienza of the Langham Hotel. And you'll be able to shop for jewelry, scarves, blankets and other items from Ecuador -- with all proceeds going to support Por Cristo. So please come visit -- anytime from 2-5pm on Sunday November 20 -- and put a smile our your face, and on the faces of children like this.

The Views are Great No Matter Where You Are At The Blue Shutters

Photos from the Blue Shutters always seem to look great, no matter where you're shooting. Here's one from our side yard, along Bass Ave approaching Good Harbor Beach. It's early morning -- just after sunrise...and I already ran into one guest out on the beach taking his own photos.

They're Still Flocking to the Beach -- And Next Week Is An Ever Better Time to Come!

It was summer-like yet again today -- with temps in the high-60s at Good Harbor Beach. Were you thinking of coming up but never made the trip? Well, a bunch of other folks were here to enjoy walks on the beach today -- check out all the cars lined up in front of the Blue Shutters this afternoon.

There'll be more chances to enjoy walks on the beach this fall -- and the best opportunity of the season might be next Sunday. Come up for the beach and stop by the Blue Shutters for our Open House from 2-5pm on Sunday November 20 to do some eating and shopping. During our "Taste of Latin America" open house (benefiting Por Cristo, a group doing great work with the poor in Ecuador) we'll have Latin American delicacies (courtesy of our guest chef Mark Sapienza of the Langham Hotel in Boston). And the folks from Por Cristo will have jewelry, scarves, blankets and other items from Ecuador on sale (great prices for unique gifts!).

You don't have to stay over to attend -- but if you want to spend a night we're offering a discount that weekend.

Please stop by to see us!

Those Who Love to Paint Love Good Harbor

We've recently written about different folks that enjoy Good Harbor and the Blue Shutters -- photo buffs, surfers, dog-walkers, beach-lovers, kids, couples celebrating anniversaries and families gathering for reunions. And here's another - those who like to paint. We seen tons of paintings of Good Harbor -- and the house that sits over the rocks overlooking the beach. Here's a shot of one artist at work just across the street from the Shutters. If you paint or want to give it a shot, come on up -- the views here will make just about any artist's creation look great.

Who's Having Fun on the Beach in November? Surfers and Pooches...and Those of Us Who Watch Them

In the summer we watch the beachgoers, in the winter it's the snow falling on Good Harbor Beach and in the spring, you'll see the birds returning to Cape Ann. And this time of year -- in fact any time from mid-September or mid-May -- we enjoy watching the dogs and the surfers, who always seems to be having a particularly great time. Here's a shot taken just this morning (click on the photo for a closer look). There were a lot more than these two on the beach -- come see for yourself and count the surfers...and see how many dog breeds you can identify.

Another Blue Shutters Sunrise Shot

In another post here we mentioned that we've seen tons of great sunrise shots taken from the Blue Shutters. Well, here's another -- snapped just this week. Goes to show you -- it doesn't matter what time of year you visit, you'll find beautiful views here. Come see for yourself -- the next few days promise to be awesome.

Moon Over The Shutters

We've seen hundreds of awesome photos of the sunrise over Good Harbor Beach taken from the Blue Shutters, but try turning around to face the Shutters. We did just that this morning and saw this -- look closely and you'll see the moon sitting just over Wheelhouse. A reminder -- if you have photos, we'd love to see them and share them with others. No matter what direction you're facing.

Come Celebrate Thanksgiving on Cape Ann

The pilgrims may have passed on Cape Ann before finding their way to Plymouth, but that shouldn't stop you from chosing the Blue Shutters for your Thanksgiving holiday weekend destination. We just got a update from our friends at the Topside Grille reminding us that they're serving Thanksgiving dinner, and we think this -- combined with some pre-dinner and after-dinner fun at the Blue Shutters and Good Harbor Beach -- is a great reason to come up for this holiday. Stay the entire weekend and work off some of that turkey with walks on the beach, or just sit by the fireplace and relax. This is also a great time to get a jump on holiday shopping at some of the unique spots in Gloucester and Rockport. On that note, the season kicks off on Cape Ann with a holiday pops concert that weekend and a Santa Parade and Tree Lighting on November 27.

Anniversaries -- Another Reason to Come Visit the Blue Shutters

Over the years, the Blue Shutters has attracted all kinds of guests -- single travelers, couples, families, groups -- who are here for any number of reasons -- some vacation days, a business trip, visiting family or celebrating a special occassion. In recent weeks, we've seen a number of couples here to mark an anniversary -- in October, Denise and Jim from western Massachusetts came back for a return anniversary visit and spent time in Gloucester, Rockport and nearby Salem. This past Friday and Saturday, another special couple chose the Blue Shutters for a anniversay getaway -- Joe and Connie. That's them in the photo here, taken at one of our wine and food tastings (Joe's the one looking sophisticated as he prepares to sip some chardonnay; Connie is sitting alongside innkeeper AnnMarie, listening intently to our visiting chef, Mark Sapienza). Joe is here pretty often, as he's considered our official "back-up innkeeper" -- in fact, last October he watched over the Shutters while the real innkeepers vacationed in Florida. This weekend, Joe and Connie enjoyed walks in downtown Rockport, a bite in Gloucester, games and conversation by the fireplace, and brunch on Sunday morning at the Topside Grill (anniversary or not, you should check this out!). Their experience these past few days provides a great example of the reasons why folks like Denise and Jim and many others come here for an anniversary celebration. If you've got the special date coming up, give us a call and plan your own anniversary getaway.

Cooking Up a Menu of South American Delicacies For Our November 20 Open House

We just got details on the menu for our "Taste of Latin America" Open House on November 20 -- an event to benefit Por Cristo. Once again Langham Hotel chef Mark Sapienza is cooking up from delicacies just for us. The stories of Por Cristo's work are compelling, the South American jewelry, scarves and blankets are amazing (and an amazing deal) and then there's this menu:
- hand-made tortilla chips and guacamole
- shrimp seviche with cumin popcorn
- chorizo quesadilla – salsa aji
- vegetable and cheese empanadas
- dulce de leche cheesecake
(the photo here is Mark and his Blue Shutters helpers are a past event here)

We hope you can join us -- from 2pm-5pm that Sunday. We promise it'll be a fun afternoon. And all the money we collect from sale of the items from South America goes to support the work of Por Cristo.

It's free to attend -- but if you want to spend a night that weekend, we're offering a special discount.

Call or email us for more info.

Happy Birthday to a Familiar Face Around the Blue Shutters

We've featured many photos of the "Roy Girls" here and in our newsletter over the past few years -- everything from a shot of Annie on a chopper to the Roy kids buried in the sand on the beach (one of our favorite shots is a sunsrise photo on our website homepage). Here's another shot, taken just a few weeks ago. Now, in the summer there are a dozen or more of the clan here, but last month it was a smaller, more intimate visit by Annie and Rosie, who were here to help "Mama Janet" celebrate her birthday. That's Janet in this photo, with innkeepers Tony and Ed. Can you think of a better spot to celebrate a birthday with a loved one? Come give it a try -- and maybe you too will make a splash here on our website. Please join us in wishing Janet a happy birthday -- or better yet, tell her yourself when you're here; she's at the Blue Shutters so often, chances are you'll bump into her!

Join Us Nov 20 for a Taste of Latin America -- Shop, Eat and Support a Worthy Cause!

We wanted to remind folks about a special event happening later this month -- our "Taste of Latin America Open House". On the afternoon of Sunday November 20 - from 2pm - 5pm -- you're invited to stop by the Blue Shutters to shop for unqiue holiday gifts and enjoy some food and wine with a South American theme. It's all to benefit Por Cristo, a Massachusetts-based non-profit organization that has been providing healthcare to the poor in Ecuador for the past 30 years (Por Cristo is headed by a longtime friend of the Blue Shutters innkeepers, Joe Reardon).

The items for sale that day are truly unique (and a great deal) -- a collection of artisan-crafted sterling silver jewelry and items made from sustainable resources of the Amazonian rainforest and elsewhere in Ecuador.

Those who join us will also be able to enjoy a menu of Latin American delicacies courtesy of our guest chef, Mark Sapienza of the Langham Hotel, and a selection of wines from South America.

It all takes place with beautiful Good Harbor Beach as a backdrop, so you'll have an opportunity to come walk the beach -- or take a ride into town to check out the shops and galleries.

You don't have to stay with us in order to enjoy the open house, but if you'd like to spend a night or two, we're offering a special discount -- Friday and Saturday and get one night at half-price.

We hope you can be our guest for this special Blue Shutters event -- please call us at 978-283-1198 for more information.