Take Me Out

To the ball park? Not! Take me out to the Cape as in Cape Cod s’il vous plait…even if just for one day, one day. Fortunately my girlfriend lives in Hull, MA an approximate hour and a half drive from the Cape so a day trip was very possible. We have been talking about this for years, and on August 24th it happened!

One of our greatest desires was to visit Eden Hand Arts, the home of the original, sought after Cape Cod Screwball® Bracelet designed by John Carey (1920-2012). We both were excited to get one or two to enhance our right wrist bracelet collections, we’re into stacking – Stack Attack.

Thankfully, we visited their web-site the night before only to learn that a reservation was mandatory, no exceptions. We also were surprised to learn a host of other rules and regs. Visiting their web-site, reviewing protocol and booking a reservation several weeks prior to your visit to Cape is highly recommended. We were lucky, they had two available spots, our visit was meant to be!

My friend and I left Eden Hand Arts in Dennis, MA giddy with excitement as we both purchased and left wearing matching bracelets – Twist and the Original Screw Ball.

Our next stop on the excursion was Wellfleet. Interestingly, not only did the gentleman that I sat next to on the plane a few days earlier recommend a visit (he was a full-time resident), but also an artist friend of my friend’s.

Wellfleet is famous for its eponymous oysters that are farmed in the protected intertidal flats of the Wellfleet Harbor. Our first stop Pearl Restaurant on the harbor offering outdoor seating, live music, and a raw bar was a perfect stop for sampling these profoundly briny culinary delicasis. Paired with Domaine de Paris – a perfect marriage of French Terroir with Wellfleet Merroir.

Our next mission – to find Eccentricity, a recommended boutique. Nestled behind Off Center another recommend, we found a treasure trove of eclectic and unique clothing, jewelry, shoes, scarves and handbags from around the world, providing hours of entertainment. Gail, the Proprietor has great style and vision. She was a delight to talk to and work with. My friend and I both left with fabulous additions to our wardrobe collection, thank you Gail, we can’t wait for our next visit!

Immediately upon entry, I was in love with Wellfleet and understood why the gentleman on the plane selected this town as his permanent residence post retirement. Dabbled with restaurants, shops, and a plethora of art galleries waiting to be explored, Wellfleet is calm and quaint offering something for everyone. It is a must return to include an overnight stay to accommodate another experience with Gail at Eccentricity and to explore the galleries and restaurants.

The final destination for the day (enroute back to Hull) was our dinner reservation in South Chatham at Pisces. The hard to get reservation was secured for us by a connection of my friend that knows the Chef and Owner Susan Connors. The experience took place inside a cozy, charming old house accommodating forty at tables and another five at the bar. The menu had many mouth watering dishes making it very hard to decide what too eat. There were just too many for two to consume in one evening, hence another dining experience is eminent. After much discuss, the final decision was made – local seafood. The highlights included:

• Fresh Maine lobster (giant and plentiful chunks) and corn chowder enhanced with white truffle oil and chives
• Calamari from Point Judith R.I. sautéed with lemon, thyme, garlic, tomatoes and Kalamata olives resting on a bed of baby arugula with shaved Parmesan Reggiano
• Steamed local mussels with fresh fennel, leeks, garlic, flecks of plum tomato and white wine finished with a touch of butter, a dash of Pernod, and a grilled garlic crostini

The mussels were not only the freshest that I have ever had but also the largest, GIANT in fact. I asked for an entree size of the listed appetizer based on the descriptor. This was the best ever, an epicurean masterpiece – product of the sea prepared by an amazing chef. The Pernod enhancement has always been a favorite and a tradition at our home. My husband started preparing mussles utilizing Pernod after I had them prepared that way in Salzburg, Austria many years ago.

Extending sixty-five miles into the Atlantic Ocean, Cape Cod is located in the southeastern corner of mainland Massachusetts. The territory is divided into 15 towns with many villages and includes the islands of Martha’s Vineyard and  Nantucket. Its historic, maritime character, ample beaches, golf and water sports, restaurants, galleries, shops, and more provides something for everyone.

Our three town excursion – Dennis, Wellfleet, and Chatham warrant additional exploration and was a minuscule sampling of the Cape leaving the door wide open for additional visits even for just a single day.

Just a day s’il vous plait!

Featured Greetings from Cape Cod postcard image is by Greg Dampier. He has a huge selection of unique, cool things, check them out by clicking on here . Copy Right infringement not intended.