Sit a spell, Summer. We missed you.

It's another grey day on the North Shore, but it's not cold.  Not raw.  We are over the hump!  Kids are graduated, those who haven't yet have had their last day of school; folks from away are starting to trickle into town.
I love this time of year.
I love the traffic, the sea, the sun, seeing people from all over the world.

June has been a pretty great at Turtle Alley, we've got lots of folks loving our new curry caramels, a  taste explosion that is very near and dear to my heart:

For a sweet petite choco, this curry caramel packs a wallop

June was mixed for me personally.  We (all of Gloucester, really) lost a great friend and the brilliant mind of Jim Dowd.  I had a significant birthday that was not my favorite.  And then THIS HAPPENED:

Conrad and David of Los Lobos IN MY SHOP

One of my favorite things about my job is that I get to listen to music all day.  I've spent many years listening to Los Lobos.  Thousands of pounds of chocolates have been made listening to these guys.  I've seen them many many times.  To have them show up in my shop was a highlight in Turtle Alley history.  I always wanted to be the rock and roll chocolatier, and now, at my advanced age, it could happen!  They were completely lovely and gracious.  I like to think the show that night was particularly fantastic because they were fueled by Turtle Alley sweets.  A girl can dream, can't she?

I'm planning on a wall of fame in the shop.  Let's put our minds together and see how we can get more rock stars at Turtle Alley, or at least eating Turtle Alley.  I'm looking at you, Ry Cooder!  Bob Dylan! The National! Andrew Bird! Valerie June! J.S. Ondara! Nick Lowe!  Elvis Costello!  Phish! Lizzo! Beck! Taj Mahal! 

I think I'll just go into this new birth year dreaming this dream.  When I'm not dreaming of chocolate, of course.

Last but not least in the world of Turtle Alley, Denny the tomato guy brought me new tomats to grow this year, and they are shaping up to be a bumper crop!

May 25th                                  June 20th

Come by and check their progress in the Gloucester shop.  We'd love to see you!


xxx H