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Nelson Memorial Park (Plymouth, MA)

Dates of Visit: October 8, 2016 & October 16, 2016

Location: Nelson St, Plymouth, MA

Hours: Open everyday, dawn until dusk

Cost: Free

Parking: There are about 50 parking spots

Dog Friendly: Yes

Highlights: Free parking, handicap-accessible, picnic benches and tables, playground area, beach area, restrooms, boat docking area, seasonal water play area, bike path

Web Site: Nelson Memorial Park

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When people think of Plymouth Massachusetts certain places automatically come to mind; Plimoth Plantation, Plymouth Rock, Nelson Memorial Park.  No, that’s not a typo.  In fact, Nelson Memorial Park may be one of the best kept secrets in Plymouth (except may be the Grace Trail).

 

Located approximately a mile from the aforementioned rock, Nelson Memorial Park is a family friendly park with activities for children, pretty views and ample parking.

The water activity area, called a “splash pad” is an area that shoots out water for children, and probably even a few adults and dogs, to play in.  A sign states that due to water restrictions the pad will be on only on days when the air temperature is above 80 degrees.  There’s little threat of that happening for some time, although we have had some unseasonably warm weather lately.

The park is relatively small but it still offers some very pretty scenery.  I’ve always marveled at how clouds, even wispy clouds, can really accentuate the beauty of an area, especially by bodies of water.

Some kayakers took advantage of the warm weather and calm water.

There is also a bike path from Nelson Memorial Park that goes all the way to North Plymouth (roughly 1.5 miles from Nelson Memorial Beach or over 2 miles if you start from Grace Trail which is located behind the park’s parking lot).

Although it is a small park, Nelson Memorial is a wonderful, peaceful area just minutes from the busy  waterfront and downtown areas and a must-see if you’re in the Plymouth area.

A boy and his dog take in the views at Nelson Memorial.  This is why dogs are so great.  No matter how bad your day is or how lonely you might feel, you always have your dog.

There were many other dogs at Nelson Memorial Park and I was able to get some great shots of a few of them.

Remy is a 13 year old Lab, Boxer and Rottweiler.  He had head and leg injuries when he was adopted.  But, he looks fine right now!

Stella is a 7 year old Boston Terrier with a special talent.  She likes to chase balls and hit them with her head, soccer style.

Below is a video of Stella playing.

Similar Places In New England I Have Visited:

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Salem Willows (Salem, MA)

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Odiorne Point State Park (Rye, NH)

 


Plymouth Lobster Crawl (Plymouth, MA)

Dates of Visitis: October 8, 2016 & October 16, 2016

Locations: All over Plymouth MA (see attached map for exact locations)

Cost: Free

Parking: There was surprisingly lots of parking, metered and unmetered and several lots in the area (hint – you can park at Jenney Grist Mill for free and hoof it or so I hear)

Dog Friendly: Yes

Highlights: decorative lobsters made out of fiberglass

Web Site: Plymouth Lobster Crawl

Lobster Craw Map: Lobster Crawl Map

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The lobsters have come to Plymouth.  And they’re everywhere.  Well, at least, everywhere in Plymouth.

The “Lobster Crawl” is a great activity, especially for families.  There are 29 (26 after some were vandalized and others removed).  There is also a handy map to help you locate them.  But, even with the map, it is no easy task.

Each lobster is sponsored by a different business or organization and they are painted with their own distinct theme, usually a theme related to the business or organization sponsoring the lobster.

The lobsters are 5 feet high and made of fiberglass, similar to the buoys that are in the harbor.  They can weigh up to 150 pounds.

If you haven’t seen them yet or if you are not sure when you will be able to get over to Plymouth to check them out, take your time.  The lobsters are expected to remain on display for 2 years.

As you can tell by the map, the lobsters are scattered all over Plymouth.  There is only one that is not in walking distance which is the last one I am posting.  The backgrounds made the lobsters look even more pretty.

Most, if not all, of the lobsters were painted on both the front and back.  I was unable, or unwilling, to photograph both sides of some of these lobsters, though.  I have added the corresponding number of the lobster from the map in paranthesis after the description to make it easier to find.  I’m not sure how the decision to number the lobster statues was made but they don’t go in order based on location.

If you want to see all or the majority of the lobsters in one day, the best idea is probably to park near Pilgrim Memorial State Park (near Plymouth Rock) and start with the first statue on Water St.  Then, you can make basically walk all of Water St and then see the lobsters on the other side of Water St and on the side streets of Main and Court St. , on your way back to your vehicle.  You can then drive to the remaining lobster statues.

This is the first lobster on Water St, the main road in Plymouth, MA.  There are several accessible on or off a side street from Water St. (I counted 13).  This lobster is called “Ed #Endalz” at Pilgrim Memorial State Park.  It was created by Mary Johannesen (24).

The lobster pictured above, “”Rocky”, is sponsored, appropriately, by Plymouth & Brockton Street Railway.  “Rocky” was created by Kate Vannata. It is also located off Water St, just past Plymouth Rock along the harbor (25).

This lobster, also located off Water St, is sponsored by Plimoth Plantation and is called “Celebrating Living History”.  It was made by Vincent Crotty.  It is located on State Pier by the Mayflower II (26).

Farther along Water St is “Lu-Sea”.  It is sponsored by J.F.  Carpenter Construction Corp and was made by Jennifer McCarthy (27).

“Childhood Memories” was sponsored through an anonymous donation, always the best kind.  Terry Cole is the artist for this lobster (28).

“Clawdia” is the next lobster statue on Water St.  It was made by Andy Driscoll and is sponsored by Wood’s Seafood and Plymouth Cruises (2).

Some of the lobsters are harder to find than others (hence my second trip to find the ones I had missed during my first visit).  The next lobster statue, “Louie”, is  located on Town Pier.  It is sponsored by the Plymouth Bay Lobster Co (3).

The lobster “Bugsby Bibs” is sponsored by Cabbyshack and is located in front of the restaurant at 130 Town Wharf, off Water St.  It was created by Chickie Celli and Beatriz Whitehill.  Theere is also a cardboard replica of a lobster for people to have their photo taken next to Bugsby (4).

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“Ms. Clawmerce” is located by the jetty off Water St.  It is sponsored by the Plymouth Area Chamber of Commerce and it was created by Donna Ann Secour (5).

This is one of my favorites.  “Sea Horses” is located along the path to the Ms. Clawmerce statue.  It is sponsored by SmartPak and was created by Tamara Tagg.  There is a huge piece of driftwood behind it (6).

There were 3 lobster statues located at Nelson Park.  However, one of the lobsters was damaged.  So, the city decided to remove all of the lobster statues from this venue, at least for the time being.  They are listed on the map but they are not there. So, the 7, 8 and 9 numbered lobsters are not available for viewing at this time.

There are more lobsters located on the other side of Water St.

Another one of my favorites, “Luigi The Lobster” is located at 1620 Winery and Wine Bar at the Village Landing Marketplace, 170 Water St.  The artist for Luigi is Genevieve Visser (10).

“Rasta Lobstah”, created by Heather Ritchie Casey, is located at The Blue-Eyed Crab Carribbean Grill & Rum Bar.  It is also located at the Village Landing Marketplace at 170 Water St (11).

The next closest lobster is probably located at the Plymouth Visitor’s Information Center at 130 Water St.  It is the last lobster on or in the vicinity of Water St.   It was made by Samantha Shields and it is sponsored by RE/MAX Spectrum (1).

As an aside, I stopped in to the visitor center for some help finding the last lobster ( I tried to do it on my own but the last one is a little complicated).  Anyway, they were very helpful and excited to help me.  So, they are a great resource to utilize if you do need help.

From the visitor center, you may want to drive, although I walked the entire area.  It’s just easier to walk than to find a parking space and getting your bearings all over again (although parking was plentiful when I visited).

From the visitor center, the closest set of statues is S. Park Ave.  Hopefully, you won’t run into Kenny on your way.

This lobster statue is called “Grace” and it was created by Kate Wilkins.  It is sponsored by WH Cornerstone Investments (12).

“Lobsta Love” is another popular lobster statue, for obvious reasons.  The bright colors and designs make it hard to miss.  it is located next to ERA Belsito & Associates at 100 Court St.  But, it is actually located on the side of the building on Samoset St.  It was created by Heidi Mayo and Wendy Reiffeiss (13)

From here, many of the remaining lobster statues are located south on or off Court St and Main St.

“Brewster” is located in front of the Pilgrim Hall Museum (75 Court St).  It is sponsored by 1620 Capital LLC and the artist who sculpted it is Andrew P. Linde.  Stickers with 1620, the American flag and other historic symbols are stuck to the front and back of the statue (16).

If you continue on Court/Main St, there are a cluster of statues.

“Rocking Lobster” is located on the corner of North and Main St.  It was sculpted by Marla Gratta-Pagnani and Monica O’Brien and it is sponsored by King Collision Center.  My favorite photo is the one that shows the reaction of the baby in the stroller (17).

“Big Blue” is located on North St, a short distance from the “Rocking Lobster.”  It is sponsored  AS you can tell by the photos, it is a pretty neighborhood and the older, historic looking homes give a great backdrop for photos.  This sculpture is sponsored by Brabo Benefits (18).

“Welcome” is located on Leyden St.  It was sculpted by Frances McLaughlin and is sponsored by Plymouth Lions & Leos.  You’ll note the map has the 16th and 19th lobster statues switched.  They both have lobsteers at each location but they misidentified these two on the map (19).

On Sandwich St (Main turns into Sandwich St) is the destination of the next statue, “Clawdia-Woman Of Gold.”  It is appropriately located in front of Verona at 89 Sandwich St.  This statue was sculpted by Marion Carlson.(21)

You will find the next two lobsters across the street from Verona on Lincoln St.

Another one of my favorites (as you can probably tell based on all of the photos I took), “Lynx The Lucky Lobster” is located in the parking lot aarea of the Cat Clinic of Plymouth( 80 Sandwich St).  I especially like the little paw prints at the base of the sculpture.  The lobster is actually on Lincoln St behind the clinic.  It was sculpted by Jill Voelker (22).

“Oceanus” by Marissa Scola is also located a little farther down Lincoln St on the other side of the cat clinic at Town Hall (11 Lincoln St).  This lobster is sponsored by Kerr Dental Associates.  There are 10 hidden toothbrushes on the lobster.  I found a few for you.  Can you find the rest? (23)

At this point, it is point, it is easiest to drive to the remianing lobsters.  After arriving back at your vehicle, you can drive to the Jenney Grist Mill (48 Summer St) where you’ll find the next lobster.

“Claws Monet” by Jeannette Lyons Carney is sponsored by Laurelwood at The Pinehills & Stafford Hill.  Stop by the grist mill while you’re there (20).

The next 2 lobsters that are nearby are on Samoset St.  You can also stop by these places after you view the other lobster on Samoset St (the “Lobsta Love” lobster).  But, I decided to drive to these lobsters.  They are very close to each other and if you drive too fast you could easily miss one or both of them.

“Penny” by Jen Connolly is located in front of Cape Auto Body, 53 Samoset St (14).

“Personal Injury Law-bster” is located in front of the Winokur, Serkey & Rosenberg Law Offices at 81 Samoset St.  This lobster was created by Cheryl Greenwood.   At least they have a sense of humor (15).

The last lobster is not located in walking distance of the other lobsters.  In fact, I had to get on the highway and drive a considerable distance to get to it.  But, it’s worth the drive if you have 10 or so minutes to spare.

Another very pretty sculpture and display, “Cranberry” is located in front of the Meetinghouse in Redbrook, an A.D. Makepeace Community.  It is like a community or complex in and of itself.  The address for The Meetinghouse is 1 Greenside Way North.  But, I had better luck using their address at 237 Wareham Rd s the other address didn’t work in my GPS.

The remaining lobsters that have been removed because they have been stolen (and recovered) or damaged are from left to right “Cordage”, “Sid-Supporting Independence & Dignity” and “Sir-Loin The Lobster.”  They were all located at Nelson Park off Water St.

The days I went lobster hunting were perfect fall days and, yes, there were dogs, as well as lobsters, everywhere.

Harley, a 4 year old Goldendoodle, was visiting the Jenney Grist Mill with his mommy or sister.

Bear is a 6 month old Newfie and he’s already 90 lbs!

Rooney , a 6 year old Chocolate Lab, liked to look out at the harbor.

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Hampton Beach Master Sand Sculpting Competition (Hampton Beach, NH)

Dates of Event: June 16-18

Location: 180 Ocean Blvd, Hampton Beach, New Hampshire (an hour north of Boston)

Parking: There are about 100 to 200 parking spots in front of the beach – you pay at a parking metered machine.  Or, you can find parking at parking lots on Ashworth St. The prices for parking vary depending on the season or month or when there is a special event such as the sand sculpting competition.  In April, metered parking costs $1 and hour and it costs $2 an hour from May until Nov.  Free parking begins Nov. 4.  Parking on Ashworth St. can vary depending on the time and day during “beach season”.   During my visit, parking was $10 in the morning but was increased to $15 in the afternoon for all day parking (until 2 a.m.) and $20 all day parking during the weekends in the summer.

Cost:  The beach does not have an admission fee.

Dog Friendly:  Yes, but not on the beach (at least not during beach season)

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This time of year past 16 years, people flock to Hampton Beach to show off their sand sculpting skills.  It may seem like child’s play.  But, these are no run of the mill sand castles.  They really are works of art.

It takes a long time to construct these complex sculptures.  The photos below show the progression of the works of art.  It’s hard to believe some of the photos of the works of art are the same as the final work of art.  Some of these photos do not show the sculptures in their final phase.

“Emerge” by David Andrews (third place)

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“Rising From The Abyss” by Guy-Oliver Deaveau of Quebec (first place and Sculptor’s Choice)

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“She Loves Me” by Justin Gordon of Massachusetts (People’s Choice Award winner)

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“Dada Read” by Carl Jara of Ohio (4th place)

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“Let It Be Magnificent” by Mélineige Beauregard of Montreal

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“Phoenix Rising” by Karen Jean Fralich of Toronto (5th place)

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“Selfie In Sand” by Damon Langlois of British Columbia

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“Hunters Of The Sky” by Michel Lepire of Quebec

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“All Together Now” by Abe Waterman of Prince Edward Island (2nd place)

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“It’s About Time” by Greg J. Grady of New Hampshire

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There were also some sculptures that weren’t part of the contest like this sand castle (what would a sand sculpture contest be without one?) and a sand sculpture designed for the sponsors of the event.

There were some other cool things at the event like Ronald McDonald (ok, I said some cool things) and a cool car that was being raffled off.

Dogs love the sand sculpting competition also.

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Tuckerman, a 9 year old Golden Retriever, looked like a teddy bear!

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Caspian, whose name is made up of the first letter of his guardian’s relatives, is a 4 year old Siberian Husky.  As you can see, he loved to be petted.

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Minnie got dressed up for the event!

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Lola’s smile was infectious.

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Becca, a terrier mix who turned one in May, wanted to play in the sand.

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As if one Burnese Mountain dog wasn’t enough, Brooksie, pitcured above, (3 years old) ran into his friend Guiness (5 years old)

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Guiness is on the left and Brooksie is on the right in this photo.

As you can see from the photos, the sand sculpting competition is a big hit with both people and dogs!

Although they all look great, I liked the “She Loves Me” sculpture (the third one listed in the photos) best.  What is your favorite sculpture?

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Foxborough Street Painting Festival (Foxborough, MA)

Date Of Event: May 21, 2016

Location: Patriot Place, Foxborough, MA

Cost: Free (there may have been an entry fee to participate)

Parking: ample parking at Patriot Place, since the Patriots weren’t playing!

Dog friendly: Only if they’re service dogs.

Highlights: beautiful works of art

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Home to the New England Patriots and New England Revolution, Patriot Place in Foxborough, MA, was home to a different type of competition recently.

For the past two years, Patriot Place (an indoor and outdoor entertainment area that features a mall, bowling alley and a host of stores and restaurants located next to the home stadium of the New England Patriots – Gillette Stadium) has hosted a street art contest.  Squares on the walkway at Patriot Place were reserved for a number of competitors to display their best work of art.  The works of art ranged from flowers to cupcakes.  Mmmm, cup cakes.

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The artists ranged in all ages and backgrounds.

I was waiting to post this until after photos of the winning art works were posted on the web site for the event.  But, it has been almost a month and they still haven’t been posted yet, although the names of the winners have been posted.  So, I don’t know which pieces of art won.  But, they were all winners to me!  There were some very creative works there!

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To see a list of the winners, and hopefully eventually the photos of the winning works of art, click here: Foxborough Street Art Contest.

 

 

 

 

 

 


Ross Parking Garage Murals (Quincy, MA)

Date Of Event: May 21 & May 22, 2016

Location: Ross Parking Garage, Ross Way & Parking Way, Quincy, MA

Parking: Not for long

Hours: Not many more left

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Like a lot of the biggish towns that many of us grew up in, Quincy, Massachusetts has seen a lot of changes over the years.  Businesses have come and gone.  But, the one thing that has remained a staple of the area for so long may seem rather mundane, a parking lot.  As funny as it may seem, it is the one place most everyone has been to, either in their car or their friend’s car.  Or, for some other reason people may not want to divulge.

The demolition of the garage, slated for the end of May, is just another example of the changing face of the Quincy landscape.  The three story garage, which has 700 parking spots and has been around since 1984, will be replaced by a hotel.  Even though it’s just a garage, and not a very state of the art or pretty one at that, it represents the changing of the city.  And some people are pretty shook up about it for some reason.

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Since the garage was blowing demolished sometime in the near future and  the garage was being closed for good May 23, the city organized a block party and let some of the artists in the area paint some murals and art work on the walls of the garage the weekend before the garage was officially closed.

I caught this artist working on his mural

Here is the end result of all of his work

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On the other side of this wall, I found this cool Quincy themed mural.

The road next to the garage was blocked off to traffic so people could congregate and enjoy the art work like the murals and art below.

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Even the little kids at the block party got into the action.

The paintings in the upper levels of the garage were more graffiti than artsy.

“Be fearless in pursuit of what puts your soul on fire”(an unattributed famous quote)

I didn’t realize just how creepy abandoned parking garages can be until I went to photograph the Ross Parking Garage on its last day.  It just doesn’t seem right.

Goodbye, Ross Parking Garage.  You’ll be missed.  Well, not really.

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