B-b-b-Back To School?!?

I can’t believe we’re already staring Trapper Keeper Season in the proverbial face again. Dear teachers, thank you so much for taking such great care of our kids and filling them with knowledge. I honestly wanted to put together a drive this year to raise supplies for you - but I apologize - I didn’t make it there this year. SO… if you’re a teacher and you could use help with supplies, please send me your list and I’ll figure out a way to post everything I get so our community can help out. I know we have a lot of people who’d love to. Good luck teachers! Good luck parents! Good luck students! Hope it’s a really great school year. I’ll get my stuff together for next Back To School, I apologize. Now back to our regularly scheduled summer (as I growl at a PSL)… and newsletter…

World Class Muay Thai for a DOLLAR!

I visited KAIZEN in Norwell this week and hoooolllllyyyy cow: it’s way more than you expect if you’ve never been there. It’s gorgeous, it’s comfy, it’s full of kind vibes, and best of all: they have the craziest deals right now so you can try them out!!

They have world famous instructors: Professor Bruno Dias is a World Class MMA Fighter and a 3rd Degree Black Belt who trained under Master Marco Barbosa. He’s known as “The Alligator.” For some reason I challenged him to a fight. See the sad, sad results in the video below. Herica Tiburcio is Bruno’s wife. She’s a freaking world champion in Invicta FC at 105 lbs. If I’m right, she was the youngest world champion at 18 years old. She teaches women’s classes at Kaizen.

Then there’s the studio. It’s gorgeous. They do yoga for all levels there - many yoga varieties, even Booty Yoga which made me giggle since I’m still apparently 9 years old.

Right now you can get 2 weeks of unlimited Muay Thai classes for ONE DOLLAR. They also are offering 5 studio classes for just $10! And you can mix and match. They really want you to check out their amazing space, take advantage of these deals while you can! Here’s their website. And here’s my video tour where I get my butt thrown:

3 THINGS! - Cool Stuff Going on this Weekend on the South Shore

Summer Send-Off at World's End - Hingham, Saturday 5p-Dusk - Join us as we celebrate the end of an amazing summer with an outdoor concert featuring the Birch Swart Band! Led by Scituate native Birch Swart, this South Shore-based jam/rock band features musicians of all ages. - Get all the info HERE. ($48/$60 per carload)

THE MARSHFIELD FAIR - Marshfield Fairgrounds. The fair remains in the air through Sunday so go get your fair food fix then go on all the skinny rides. We LOVE the Marshfield Fair… then we LOVE being able to drive in the area again. lol Have fun!

DOWNTOWN PLYMOUTH WATERFRONT FESTIVAL - Saturday 10a-6p - Dive into a day brimming with live entertainment, a thrilling kids' fun-zone, a dazzling car show, an electrifying sing-off, and a playful ducky dash. Explore a vibrant array of craft and artisan booths, savor delicious bites from a variety of food vendors, and so much more. INFO

Kristin’s Sweet Treat Recipe o’ the Week:

My wife Kristin makes some of the best sweet treats I’ve ever tasted. So every week we’ll feature one of the recipes she’s trying and loving. If you try one of these recipes let us know what you think. Kristin would love to hear!

This week it’s…

STRAWBERRY RASPBERRY SHORTCAKE! (Kristin used the recipe below but threw in some raspberries along with the strawberries. It was berry good. Sorry, I had to.)

I’m a biscuit strawberry shortcake guy. Don’t get me wrong, I’ll take a lady finger or cake base but my favorite strawberry shortcake is a sugary syrupy mess over a barely sweet biscuit. Mmmm!! This recipe is cake style - but, but but - the reason I had 3 servings is because the cake is BISCUIT-style. It’s a little less-sweet and maybe a little saltier than the usual cake. When you throw the berries and homemade whipped cream over it? Hot dog, hot dog, hot diggity dog.

It’s still summer, dang it! So let’s dessert like it is! Check the recipe from FoodieCrush (shout out!) RIGHT HERE. It’s good.

3 Questions with…

Jennifer Lynne of Jennifer Lynne Photography!! Jennifer is a super human being and a really wonderful photographer. She snaps all the pics that open and close this newsletter every week. I personally love her “Front Doors of the South Shore” series. So much character in those main entryways. She is a highly sought after senior photo snapper, a beautiful portrait-taker, she leads a mean photo walk, and she’s featured RIGHT NOW (through the beginning of October) at Nantasket Beach Resort in Hull where you can go see her amazing work and the work of others… and if you really love what you see, buy some and take it home! (But no pressure, spectators encouraged!)

What was the first photo that you took that made you realize your love for photography?

I’ve been interested in capturing moments since I was a teenager. I’m not sure I fully realized the power of photography to freeze a moment in time and spark and fuel memories until my daughter lost her best friend, Emma. In such a moment, words are inadequate. But the photos I had taken of them together—laughing, playing, just being kids—became a source of comfort and connection. Those images carry an emotional weight that transcends the moment they were captured. It was then that I truly understood the profound impact photography can have, not just as an art form, but to preserve the very essence of life’s most meaningful relationships and experiences.

What are your favorite types of photography moments?

I recently took the Senior photos of my graduating “baby”, my now 6+ foot tall youngest child, and it was a surreal experience. As I clicked the shutter I couldn’t help but reflect on all the years that have flown by. Each milestone, each fleeting moment. This session felt different though. It wasn’t just about documenting a chapter of life; it was about acknowledging the transition from childhood to adulthood. Each shot seemed to carry a deeper significance, a recognition that this was the closing of one chapter and the beginning of another. Seeing my once tiny child now standing tall, confident and ready to take on the world reminded me of why I fell in love with photography in the first place: to capture the essence of growth, change and the beauty of life’s inevitable transitions. Maybe that’s why among my favorite types of shoots are those High School Senior portraits.

If you could photograph one thing, and one thing only, for the rest of your life, what would you choose and why?

While I enjoy photographing landscapes and food, my true passion lies in capturing the essence of people. Recently, during a food photography shoot, I was asked to take some team photos. In that moment, something clicked—I felt completely in my element, like I was truly seeing the spark in each person through my lens. It’s funny because I never imagined myself doing professional portraits; it seemed too daunting and stressful. But now, I can't imagine doing anything else. There is something incredibly special about capturing someone's true self, especially when they don’t usually see it in themselves. So many don’t like themselves in pictures. I love when I can show someone the beauty and light that others see in them, often for the first time. That moment of recognition in their eyes—when they see their own spark—it’s everything to me. 

Thank you Jennifer! We can’t wait to support you by going to see your work on display at Nantasket Beach Resort. Thanks for all the beauty you capture and share with the world! Check Jennifer Lynne Photography out online here!

Meet Kristina and Coastal Kids!

Kristina runs Coastal Kids. She’s a former teacher who reached out about her new business, focusing on early education.

Good Stuff: Massachusetts Gas Prices Are Down a Dime Over the Past Month

That’s the whole story. Just throwing in a quick yay before goodbye.

So that’s byyyyyyeeee for now! Thank you all for being here. It’s cool getting to spend a few minutes with you before the nuttiness begins on a Saturday. Speaking of that, go get it get it. Thanks for being rad, thanks for the support and for supporting local business, have the best weekend of your life, and we’ll see you next Saturday! ❤️