I am doing it without the rich part but I’m totally living the life. If money was not a concern, it would be hard to motivate myself to work. I would spend my days donating money to needy bar owners.
I’m coming off of 10 days with great friends in Annisquam, Massachusetts. Gloucester is the nearest big town. If you want to know more about America’s oldest fishing port, go to Good Morning Gloucester, a blog written by Joey, (pictured below with what would soon be dead and in my friend’s stomach) from Captain Joe & Sons seafood on E. Main Street. It’s a warehouse on a dock where the lobsterman directly sell their haul. This year, we were buying 1.25 lb softshell lobsters for about five dollars each. Less expensive than going to McDonald’s.

Annisquam and my friend’s family’s beach house is one of my favorite places. For nearly 20 years, I have been joining this same group for competitive cooking, drunken lawn croquet, drunken swimming off the sharp granite barnacled rocks and drunk reading.

This year we challenged ourselves and tried two new restaurants. Normally, we only leave the compound is to go to Captain Joe’s, Connelly’s seafood, Shaw’s supermarket and the Liquor Locker for necessities. The two places I have eaten at, often, over the 20 years are The Lobster Pool, for great lobster rolls and Woodmans, for the original Essex fried clam.
Because Lat 43 is an upscale seafood and sushi restaurant, we got decked out. At the beach house decked out means taking a shower, putting on clean clothes, and wearing at least a pair of flip flops. It’s a lovely bright space and a great place to relax with a large group. I highly recommend the dirty pepper martini, infused hot pepper vodka with olive juice and sweet vermouth. For food, all the sushi is great but I particularly like the Titanic roll with yellowtail, tuna and roe. The seared scallops are damn good and surprisingly rich with the mushroom sauce.
I won’t mention the other restaurant we went to because they did not knock my socks off. Let’s just say that Woodman’s is still the best fried clam place even if it is a little crazy and crowded.
One reason we never leave the compound, in addition to sloth, is that no one wants to be the designated driver. I don’t know why we haven’t done this more often but we simply called Gloucester Taxi. Ask for George, he’s the best damn taxi driver/clammer on Cape Ann and he let his drunk passengers sing-along to Foreigner. Actually, he led the singing.
So now I am staying at an undisclosed location in Brooklyn until Rosh Hashanah. Until Jewish new year, you may see me running around the borough in an attempt to lose my fried clam and booze bloat. I’m starting to look like a fried clam. Long stringy appendages with a big soft greasy middle.