Winter 2016 by Cape Air's Bird's Eye View Magazine

Photo: Laurie Sexton

Photo: Peter Farrell

s Cape Air’s CEO, and State Senator for Cape Cod and the Islands, I am more than well acquainted with public speaking. My usual audience includes the Cape Air team, constituents, my colleagues in the Massachusetts State House, local, state and federal officials and, when I was running for office, daily appearances before hundreds of voters. I have gotten quite used to the microphone but I have to admit, a classroom session at the Cape Cod Community College gave me pause. As the son of an educator, I have a tremendous amount of respect for teachers and the “Professor” Wolf at Cape Cod Community College challenges they face in the classroom. Most of the class, majoring in economics, political science and government were nudging their twenties. How does one reach that audience? I needn’t have worried. The students were respectful and although initially reticent the hands soon went up for a full scale discussion. Our Constitution and what it affords all of us is often at odds with what these students are experiencing, yet I was gratified to see these young men and women, hailing from across the globe, believe they have a voice. In spite of a myriad of roadblocks, our society inspires and rewards creative entrepreneurship and although capitalism often gets a bad rap, when success is in balance with a transparent political system operating openly and without regard to special interest groups, the playing field is level enough for everyone to access a piece of the proverbial pie. I believe in that ideal but more importantly these students, asking the right questions, challenging me for answers, are equally as energized. Following a speech it is not uncommon to receive requests for a Cape Air job interview, but I have to say I was elated to receive queries about another career path—“How can I get a job in government?” If this class is any indication, our future is in good hands. In other news, we head into 2016 with a newest route between the Florida cities of Miami and Fort Lauderdale and the Bahamian island of Bimini. Two new routes, new faces joining the Cape Air team, and brand new communities, on behalf of the entire Cape Air family we welcome our new travel partners with your first lesson—the meaning of MOCHA HAGoTDI.* Cape Air’s Director of Operations, Captain Steve Phillips with the Bimini seaplane

CEO and MA State Senator Dan Wolf Dan.Wolf@capeair.com WINTER 2016

*Make our customers happy and have a good time doing it. 3

Photo: Steve Simonsen

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his one is for the Bird’s Eye View. Michelle is going to love it!” exclaimed Vieques Insider editor Kelly Thompson.

Michelle Haynes Executive Editor, Bird’s Eye View Michelle.Haynes@capeair.com *Make our customers happy and have a good time doing it.

Lolling on Sun Bay Beach, Vieques, our perfect cover model Casie Summers, owner of The Next Course, one of the most popular restaurants on Vieques. Photo: Michael Valenti

And love it I did! The Lucy head scarf and gorgeous stretch of Vieques’ Sun Bay Beach is a total winner. The wondrous eye of Caribbean photographer Steve Simonsen coupled with the considerable talent of Kelly Thompson resulted in a doozy of a cover. “We all fell in love with this shot,” says Simonsen. Kelly came up with the idea of a Fifties retro look. I love the playfulness of the pose and it was great fun to shoot. We are thrilled to see it on the cover.” For snow birds escaping to tropical climes, Cape Air’s Caribbean hub in San Juan, Puerto Rico is your launch pad to a number of island escapes. Your first step—sign up for travel specials offered by Cape Air’s major air partners. See Page 93 for booking info. With one click you can book your entire itinerary from your icy driveway to your own private palm tree. How to pick your paradise? Check out our tips on how to find which island is right for you. Then there are the snow bunnies, ice-covered superheroes and villains dotting the landscape in Saranac Lake this winter as the 2016 theme for a lollapalooza of a Winter Carnival, and one of the largest ice palaces in the country. We take you to the mighty Adirondacks for a winter preview. From the ski slopes in the Northeast to our playgrounds in the sun, get outta the house this winter.

“Mancations,” “staycations,” boomers, travel with kids—trends in travel go up and down but what appears to stay solid is “Girlfriend Getaways.” There is nothing like spending time with long time girlfriends. The gang joining me on the stairs (I’m the one in the animal print) are closing in on four decades of friendship. What?

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Who needs skates? The Occom Pond Party, Hanover, New Hampshire PUBLISHER: Dan Wolf EXECUTIVE EDITOR: Michelle Haynes Michelle.Haynes@capeair.com CONTRIBUTORS: Rebecca Alvin, Susan Biemsderfer, Lisa Densmore Ballard, Gayle Fee, Greg Melville, Susan Zaluski COPY EDITOR: Jim Hanson DESIGN & PRODUCTION: www.ChuckAnzalone.com graphicsgroup@comcast.net © Bird’s Eye View, 2016 Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. Advertising rates are available upon request. 410.829.1101

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Photo courtesy of Dartmouth College

8 Caribbean

OUR TEAM: Kim Corkran Kimberly.Corkran@capeair.com

48 Nantucket

Rosemary Dooley 508.274.6755

57 Martha’s Vineyard

Bobbi Fawcett doitnow141@gmail.com

62 Provincetown

Nancy Woods Nancy.Woods@ BirdsEyeViewMagazine.com

69 Maine 76 New Hampshire/ Vermont

Bird’s Eye View is published by Cape Air, 660 Barnstable Road Hyannis, MA, 02601

84 Block Island, RI 86 Saranac Lake, NY Cover photo: Sun Bay Beach, Vieques by Steve Simonsen

PHOTOGRAPHERS

“Steve, I need a sunny shot of St. John’s Gibney Beach; Tim, how about a mud slide image from Block Island’s Oar Restaurant? Or Nicole, how about a sledding shot in Martha’s Vineyard,” and always at the ready to image hunt, Bird’s Eye View team members Nancy, Kim and Chuck. Although we have an amazing family of writers we do not kid ourselves, images are vital. To our generous and talented family of shutter bugs our sincere thanks for always responding to our photo SOS and finding that often elusive shot.

Susan Biemsderfer

Steve Simonsen, U.S. Virgin Islands/Vieques stevesimonsen.com

Provincetown/Vermont sbthewriter@gmail.com

Kelly Thompson, Vieques viequesinsider.com

Isabel and Eliza Magro, U.S. Virgin Islands elizamagrophotography.com

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Todd VanSickle with Atlas and Aiko

British Virgin Islands – landho22.wix.com/tvimages

Cary Hazlegrove, Nantucket hazlegrove.com

Lisa Densmore Ballard Montana LisaDensmore.com

Tim Johnson

Martha’s Vineyard/Block Island, RI tjtj@capecod.net

Greg Hinson Nantucket NantucketStock.com

Mark Kurtz, Saranac Lake, NY

Nicole Friedler Photography

markkurtzphotography.com

Don Hebert, U.S. Virgin Islands

Martha’s Vineyard nicolefriedler.com

donhebert.com

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VIEQUES

The U.S. Navy in command of Vieques, circa 1970

By Michelle Haynes

t is 1974—the scene—miles and miles of powdery white sand beaches lapped by the crystal blue green Caribbean, ringed with fluttering palm trees and absolutely no people, ever. No beach chairs, no picnic spread on the blanket, no drinks with little umbrellas, nothing but long empty stretches of beach. The only sound accompanying the gentle motion of the waves is the thunderous sound emanating from nearby target practice. 8

Photo: Steve Simonsen

For decades this scenario played out on the Spanish island of Vieques where some of the most spectacular beaches in all of the Caribbean were closed to the public. Those days are over and although they did not go gently into the good night, local and international pressure prevailed and in 2003 the U.S. Navy ended years of target practice, leaving behind them the island’s greatest natural attraction —countless tucked away beaches, pristine, untouched, open to all, and located a mere ten miles from the island of Puerto Rico. “Vieques is home to dozens and dozens of beaches where you will not find as much as a lemonade stand,” says Kelly Thompson, a long time island resident and editor of the Vieques Insider. “Vieques is truly a back in time experience for you can leave everything behind and just relax. Our beaches offer quiet, peaceful stretches of sand and many are accessible only by four wheel drive.” B I R D’S

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VIEQUES Find an old map of Vieques and you can still see the beach names given by the military, Blue Beach, Green Beach etc... You get the picture. With Vieques now back in control of its own destiny, the Spanish names are re-instated so be on the look-out for Playa Caracas, Navio, and Media Luna, all postcard-perfect off the beaten track beaches. A beach loverâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s paradise, you could spend a week in Vieques and still not manage to experience every stretch of sand. With a lack of signage to guide you, the Vieques Beach Guide is a total must. viequesinsider.com

Photo: Kelly Thompson

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VIEQUES Photo: Kelly Thompson

One of the brightest Bioluminescent Bays as in the world. A must see in Vieques.

Just twenty-five minutes by air from the San Juan Airport, Vieques offers a wide spectrum of accommodations including a beach front hacienda, cottages, local B&Bs and the sumptuous W Retreat and Spa. The latter is a great reason to hoard those Starwood points. Also on the must experience list for Vieques is the Bioluminescent Bay, one of the brightest in the world. This is a natural occurring phenomenon involving a bazillion microscopic creatures; okay the scientific name is dinoflagellates. Think Tinker Bell resting on your arm. Choose a moonless night and call upon our friends at Blackbeard Sports and Abe’s Snorkeling and Biobay Tours. Other Vieques pastimes may include a stroll along the Malecón, the waterfront walkway in the sleepy seaside village of Esperanza, and visiting the local galleries. There is an endless list of things to do or you can opt for absolute lazing about. The choices are plenty in Vieques which is now one of Cape Air’s top three most popular destinations. Find quick and easy connections from San Juan at capeair.com For advance copies of the only on-island guide, check out ViequesInsider.com.

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The freshest of coconut water sold along the Malecón Photos: Kelly Thompson Ready for a Vieques festival

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U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS

Spend days kayaking the Virgin Islands, a half-day of snorkeling or enjoy a private fly fishing charter. Create your own adventure with Arawak Expeditions. Pop in and see them at St. John’s Mongoose Junction. — Photo: Fernando Ramos

By Michelle Haynes

od Bless America! Specifically and especially bless the America where we are not scraping ice off of our windshield. Just air minutes from Cape Air’s Caribbean hub of San Juan, Puerto Rico, the islands of St. Thomas, St. Croix and St. John await. Although the islands are vastly different, their commonality is the major reason to go, respecially if you eschew snow, ice, mittens and that infernal shovel. The universal boasting rights for the United States Virgin Islands include palm trees, powder white sand and the warm crystal waters of the Caribbean, and no passport required.

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U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS

Like the name says—Hidden Reef Eco-Tours takes you off the beaten track for snorkeling and kayak tours.

Before tackling the question of which island is for you, the how to get there is probably the easiest step. See page 93 for a list of Cape Air’s major airline partners. With one click you can book your entire itinerary including baggage transfer. A little packing tip here—you can always tell the island first-timers versus returning visitors. The former are schlepping monster cases on wheels and shoulder sagging bags and cause the inevitable hold up when boarding as they make the great push into the overhead compartments. Meanwhile island regulars breeze on to the plane with one little roller with all they need—flip flops, hiking shoes, bathing suits, a cover up or two and out to dinner casual. That is it! If you do need something, all three islands offer duty-free shopping. Choosing which island can be tricky. St. Thomas, St. Croix and St. John all offer snorkeling packages, water sports, hiking adventures, historical tours and award winning, all-inclusive resorts. Read on for a few Bird’s EyeView recommendations. WINTER

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ST. CROIX

Topping the list here is Buck Island, about a two-mile boat ride from downtown Christiansted. This uninhabited 76-acre island is protected by the U.S. Park Service and offers a gorgeous stretch of beach, outstanding snorkeling and, if you can stir yourself, a twenty-minute hike to the top of a small overlook for a sigh-inducing view. Hitting the wall has an altogether different meaning in St. Croix, home to Cane Bay and one of the most famous dive sites in the world. Known simply as “The Wall,” a drop-off extending downward 2,000 feet, this is diving nirvana and the experienced team at Cane Bay Dive Shop knows just about every crevice, and can set you up with everything from equipment to guided tours. If you are a diving newbie, certified instructors can take care of you. Another unique feature on St. Croix is the self-guided Heritage Trail linking the island’s major historic and cultural attractions. Details at gotostcroix.com. Their live web cam provides a 24/7 look of the St. Croix waterfront.

Buck Island, St. Croix WINTER

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Photo: The U.S. Virgin Islands Tourism

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Shelli Olive begins a class on making coconut oil by the primitive village fire.

Photo: Nate Olive

Food and Fun at the Ridge to Reef Farm— Voted one of the Best Things to do in St. Croix

hen the Grand Poohbah of food, The James Beard Foundation, bestows a seal of approval you know you have arrived. “To have James Beard folks here at the farm co-hosting one of our dinners was really exciting,” says Nate Olive, head of St. Croix’s 120-acre Ridge to Reef Farm. Long before “farm to table” joined the food lexicon, the aptly named Olive, along with his hard-working team were toiling in the hills of St. Croix turning acres of Caribbean jungle into a working farm that now provides locally produced food to the island and beyond. “Our organic farm is the rope we use to connect folks closer to their food source,” says Olive. “We were literally a grass roots organization and now our years of hard work appears to have paid off and we are thrilled people are finding us and enjoying what we have to offer.”

Nate Olive, Ridge to Reef Farm director

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Photo: Nate Olive Four days with a small group of other like-minded folks learning how to survive and thrive in the bush.” Photo: Lisa Porter

Visitors and locals are taking advantage of the many Ridge to Reef programs including the often sold out Slo Down Dinners. “We live in a fast-paced world and these dinners are more of an experience than simply a meal,” Olive explains. “We all sit down to a six course group dinner with all locally sourced food from our farm and often feature a visiting chef. Visitors can extend the dinner with a farm stay at the solar-powered eco-lodges and take advantage of a variety of workshops centered around sustainable living skills.” For those who are up for a true back to nature experience, the farm offers a Bush Skills Rendezvous. “From rubbing sticks for fire making to fashioning blades from rocks for hunting and fishing, visitors learn hands-on basic survival skills. This is a chance to get in touch with our own humanity on the most basic level,” says Olive. The next session is March 3-6 and lots more info can be found at ridge2reef.org.

Tom Brown III, tracking & survival instructor, son of Tom Brown, Jr, world famous “Tracker.”

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Sea and Land Adventures

ince it is an airline related road race the Bird’s Eye View could not pass up the opportunity for a shout out to St. Croix’s “Flight #64 Four Mile Road Race” happening in early spring and sponsored by the Virgin Islands Pace Runners. “This is a total fun run that is short, fast and actually parallels the runway at the St. Croix airport,” says Wallace Williams, director of the Pace Runners and himself a former Olympic marathoner. “Sometimes we have twenty runners, sometimes a hundred but for $10 you can join local runners as well as visitors who hail from around the world.” If you feel like rousing from your beach chair the Pacers run a number of races around the island. See for yourself at virginislandspace.org.

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Think duty free when shopping in the U.S. Virgin Islands and in St. Croix do not miss a stop at Bird’s Eye View favorite Crucian Gold where you should definitely ask about the “Hook.”

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Trail to St. John’s Denis Bay Beach

Photo: Eliza Magro

ST. JOHN

“Go take a hike,” certainly applies to the smallest in the trio of United States Virgin Islands. Two-thirds of this 20-mile stretch of island is under the protection of the National Park Service. Accessible only by ferry, the island’s Park Service headquarters is minutes from the dock and should be your first stop. Pick up a hiking map and check out the array of ranger services available, many of them free of charge. Not free but absolutely a must is a ranger- guided hiking tour down the popular Reef Bay Trail. You have to be in fairly good shape for this one but you only have to hike one way before getting a boat ride back. It is SO worth it. Ancient petroglyphs, a possible (weather dependent) waterfall, a real bat habitat, time for a swim on a tucked away beach, and the boat ride are all part of your day. The rangers offer three trips a day thru early April. This will be the best $30 you ever spend. Call and reserve your spot this very minute at 340.693.PARK. If you are told the hike is full, show up anyway on the day of the hike for they often have cancellations. I guarantee this will top the list of highlights for your St. John vacation. WINTER

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S T. JO H N Photo: Steve Simonsen

A Beach by any other Name

nother accolade for one of the most extraordinary stretches of beach in the entire Caribbean. The Caribbean Journal,* your online stop for all things Caribbean, has singled out the tucked-away Oppenheimer Beach in St. John as one of the “Best in the Caribbean.” The area adjacent to Gibney Beach is actually named after THAT Oppenheimer as in the Manhattan Project. The man with the dubious title of “Father of the Atomic Bomb” purchased a section of the beach, built a small home and lived there for a while with his family. The beach is now part of the U.S. Park Service and open to one and all. Getting there is another thing. Advice here—with limited parking (room for about three cars) you would be better off taking a cab and arranging for pick up later in the day. Located off Route 20 on St. John’s North Shore, access to the powdery white beach involves finding an opening in an iron gate and following a path. The hike is less than five minutes and you have to bring your provisions—water, lunch, chair etc. You will be rewarded with a safe protected beach and some of the best snorkeling on the island. *Sign up for the informative online Caribbean Journal at caribjournal.com. It’s free and a welcome read on a wintry day.

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S T. JO H N

A gorgeous sailboat, your own Captain and the Caribbean— Cloud 9 Charters is the perfect starting point for your Caribbean adventure.

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B. B.’ S LEG AC Y I S “NOT GO N E” I N S T. JO H N The St. John Blues Blowout – March 26, 2016 … A RETOOLED ‘HOUND DOG’ FROM BLUES LEGEND BIG MAMA THORNTON LAUNCHED ELVIS PRESLEY’S CAREER

Photo: Steve Simonsen

Elvis took Big Mama Thornton’s “Hound Dog” and made it his own. It bears noting that Big Mama was not singing about the four-legged type of dog.

ame a famous blues singer. Quick answer, B.B. King but according to music producer Paul Benjamin, Elvis, Jagger and countless others were also rooted in the blues despite their fame as rock and rollers. “A lot of people do not realize that the blues hearkens back to our earliest music and actually influenced a number of cross-over artists,” says Benjamin. “For many folks the blues is all about sadness and heartache and certainly those emotions play a major part in the blues, but the truth is so much of blues music is actually happy and positive. The Rolling Stones took the blues, electrified it and called it rock and roll but their music is rooted in blues and going back even further a retooled ‘Hound Dog’ from blues legend Big Mama Thornton launched Elvis Presley’s career.” 28

Benjamin brings a lineup of blues artists to St. John this March with a daylong festival of music, steps from your ferry arrival in the heart of Cruz Bay. Advance tickets to the event are $35 with lots more info at stjohnbluesblowout.com.

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Photos: Steve Simonsen Students from St. John School of the Arts take the stage at the Blues Festival.

Photo courtesy of the St. John Blues Blowout

Blues guitarist Sean Chambers

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St. Thomasâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Mangrove Lagoon Wildlife Sanctuary and historic Hassel Island are just two of the many tours offered by the award winning Virgin Islands ECOTOURS.

ST. THOMAS

Picture hustle-bustle shopping with cruise ships standing sentry in the busiest cruise port in all of the Caribbean. My best advice for St. Thomas is get to where you need to go and pretty much stay put. There are a number of all-inclusive resorts with plenty to do and an affordable downtown area of B&Bs in walking distance of the St. Thomas shopping and historical sites. This is the commercial center of the Virgin Islands so the roads are busy and no one wants to experience grid lock on vacation. There is no shortage of beautiful beaches here but I am singling out accessible Coki Beach for the ultimate Frankie and Annette experience. No need to schlep a thing for Coki has it all, including a wide selection of food offerings to the always essential beach chair and a full line of water sports. Often dubbed the St. Thomas Party Beach, there is enough sand here to manage to find a little privacy but for those who love volleyball in the sand, followed by a creamy cold PiĂąa Colada for their day at the beach, Coki is it.

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S T. TH OM A S Photos courtesy of Coral World Ocean Park

Just look at the world around you Right here on the ocean floor Such wonderful things surround you What more is you lookinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; for? Under the Sea from The Little Mermaid, by Alan Menken & Howard Ashman

njoy a sea and land adventure at one of the most popular attractions in St. Thomas, Coral World Ocean Park, a short drive but a world away from downtown Charlotte Amalie. For almost ten years this five-acre land and water park has been voted Best Tourist Attraction in St. Thomas by the Virgin Islands Daily News. The park features outdoor pools for one-on-one encounters with sea lions and turtles, butterfly gardens, hiking trails and one of their newest and most popular attractions, the Undersea Observatory, perfect for land-lubbers for you can see the sights of the underwater world without ever getting wet. B I R Dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S

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S T. TH OM A S Photos courtesy of Miller Manor

MILLER MANOR HOTEL AND GUEST HOUSE:

R&R in St.Thomas

By Susan Biemsderfer

t’s sometime in the afternoon on a Tuesday, or maybe Wednesday. It’s island time and there are lots of pleasant distractions at Miller Manor Hotel and Guest House in St. Thomas. There’s a family on the patio mesmerized by the hummingbirds, and a guy on one of the balconies Instagramming pics of the resident bananaquit birds. A couple who arrived after dark yesterday can’t 34

believe their panoramic view of the harbor below. A couple of sailors in the lobby bar are swapping stories before they catch a ferry to Tortola. Marj Klarl is on the phone with the Bird’s Eye View, and she’s wondering where the heck her husband Harry is. He’s always policing the property for anything that needs his tool box love. “He’s very talented and can visualize just about anything and make it happen,” Marj says of Harry, her partner in all things for 22 years. “There’s always something to keep him busy here.” “Here” is 160-year-old, labyrinthy Danish manor house with staircases and walkways connecting six levels of guest rooms built on the island’s hilly terrain. It’s a popular place for perennial regulars as well as newcomers thrilled to have found this tropical oasis. About 16 years ago, Marj was in Denver, Colorado, working as a public school English teacher when she got a call from Harry. He’d gone to St. Thomas to help his brother launch a new hotel on St. Croix. One thing had led to another, and the brothers discovered this amazing property on St Thomas. “So he called me and said, ‘How do you feel about buying a hotel in the Caribbean?’ It was all a bit serendipitous,” Marj recalls. The plan was for Marj and Harry to co-own and operate the hotel with Harry’s brother. “What a romantic idea!” she laughs. “We had no idea.” The long-distance investment was a huge undertaking and by 2005, they relocated from landlocked Colorado to take care of their prize property.” One of their three sons soon B I R D’S

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Photo: Eliza Magro Harry and Marj Klarl of Miller Manor

followed to help out, and now all-of-a-sudden it’s been ten years. “Or maybe it’s been eleven,” says Harry, who just came to the phone. He was putting in a door on a lower level. He’s brimming with details about upgrades they’ve made over the years and proud of the loyal clientele and online reviews. “People say they always feel at home here, and that’s what we want,” he says. “Whether someone’s here for a week or a day or two, we want them to enjoy our hospitality.” Harry remodeled an upper level apartment where he and Marj live, and they still get back to Denver to see their two other sons and two grandkids. Back-story to the backstory: Harry and Marj knew each other from college in Ohio. After Harry’s first marriage ended, he moved to Denver in the early 1990s and learned that Marj was also newly single. Ah, serendipity. Meanwhile back to the present, more Miller Manor guests are telling stories and laughing, filling up theiconically cozy Caribbean bar. The sun is lowering gently. You know, Marj, it does sound sort of romantic, after all. “Well yes, I suppose it does.” This winter, Miller Manor rates average $135 per night but if you are staying more than three nights, check for specials. Open year-round. millermanor.com WINTER

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Swim with the dolphins, dive with the turtles, a dinner/sunset cruise or a loll in the sun— just a few of the options with ‘Wish Upon a Star’ charters.

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BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS

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The Baths, Virgin Gorda Photo ©Todd VanSickle

BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS

Virgin Gorda’s Copper Mine — Photo: Todd VanSickle

Paradise Protected: Exploring Virgin Gorda’s National Parks

By Susan Zaluski nce upon a time, it is said, Christopher Columbus and early Spanish sailors (obviously lonely from long days at sea) believed that the elongated island profile of Virgin Gorda bore a resemblance to a Rubenesque woman laying on her side, and named her “Virgin Gorda” or the “Fat Virgin.” Fast forward by a few centuries and I find myself in a rental jeep, dipping and bobbing over hills and crevices, which could easily be the knees, buttocks and bosom of this magical 9.5 mile-long “lady.”

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Photo courtesy of the British Virgin Islands Tourism

It is a beautiful, sunny Caribbean morning and after a few days on the water, I am setting out to explore the unique features of the island’s terrestrial environment. Seeking some shade and the opportunity to stretch my legs, I aim my rental jeep in the direction of 260-acre Gorda Peak National Park, located in the belly of of this larger-than life “lady.” At the park, there are two paths leading to a single lookout tower atop the 1,370 foot-high peak, and I take the shorter path. Only a 25-minute hike, I am quickly rewarded with shady serenity. Zebra butterflies, tiny hummingbirds and other songbirds flit about in the canopy of tall trees. Orchids, enormous bromeliads and vegetation that become more verdant as we pass through wetter micro-habitats punctuate the scenery. The forest’s understory is also alive: hermit crabs scurry about in the forest, alongside the Virgin Gorda gecko, one of the tiniest lizards on earth, and endemic to this area. At the top of the trail, there are panoramic views of the British Virgin Islands and looking down at North Sound, the yachts look like tiny toy boats. I make my way back down the trail, and following my forest mini-adventure, I steer my jeep toward a more forgotten corner of Virgin Gorda. The open expanse of sea at the Copper Mine is rougher than Virgin Gorda’s more sheltered edges, and it’s almost as if the Fat Virgin turned away from this wild expanse of sea, leaving a heel of rocky granite outcroppings jutting into the brilliant turquoise ocean. Copper deposits were used to fashion tools and jewelry, and traded among early Caribbean tribes. Miners from Cornwall, England, displaced by a lack of mineral in their homeland, set up housing and operations at this site in the 1800s. Today you can still see the ruins of the mine shaft, engine house, chimney and cistern. There is not much interpretaWINTER

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tion at the historic site, but the dramatic views make this a worthwhile stopover and it provides an unusual setting for a seaside ramble. No day on Virgin Gorda is complete without a visit to The Baths and Devil’s Bay National Parks. The Baths sit like the Fat Virgin’s giant toe, being dipped seductively into the clear sea. They are an odd arrangement of massive boulders, which together form a series of pools, caves and grottoes. Signs, steps and rope handles guide your way through the maze, which eventually gives way to a sandy beach. The site is part of a landscape that was born some 40-50 million years ago, and is the result of unique geologic and geomorphic conditions. My sojourn to the other less-frequented parks mean that I have missed peak visitor hours at the Baths, and I am left alone to explore this magic scenery. 41

ROAD TOWN , BRITI S H VI RG I N I SL AN DS

J.R. O’Neal Botanic Gardens —

Photo: Todd VanSickle

By Susan Zaluski

hether you need a centralized locale for exploring Tortola or just want to spend a few days on land getting a latitude adjustment before embarking on a sailing vacation in the British Virgin Islands’ famous cruising grounds, Road Town, Tortola can deliver exactly what you need.

It’s a Monday morning, and I ramble slowly through Road Town, on a morning coffee quest. My typical “Caribbean uniform,” sandals, shorts and sunglasses, stands in contrast to the smartly dressed locals in suits and professional attire, hurrying past me. Children in neatly-pressed uniforms drag their feet, delaying the inevitable arrival of another school day. The pace of life here is noticeably different than what you’ll encounter in the less developed islands of the British Virgin Islands (BVI) but it’s a unique perspective of BVI life, and I’m glad I’ve ousted myself from the comfort of my hotel room at Maria’s By the Sea, on Road Town’s waterfront. My first stop is the Island Roots Cafe where I order a cappuccino, and browse through historic maps and art prints, while the coffee machine churns away and the cafe buzzes with activity. I make my way down historic Main Street, poking into a few unique gift shops. Locally produced Pusser’s Rum, artwork, unique jewelry, pottery, Caribbean spices and hot sauces can all be found here, making this one of the best places in the BVI to pick up souvenirs. The street itself feels like a step back in time, and historic plaques on many buildings provide clues into buildings’ original uses. My browsing has lengthened the usual fifteen-minute walk to Road Town’s J.R. O’Neal Botanic Gardens, a small urban oasis in the center of town. I wander through the different sections of the tiny national park, marveling first at the primordial Banyan tree, dripping with aerial roots, and later lingering to watch a green heron drinking gingerly from a fountain. Next I head over to the Old Government House. Built in 1899 and then re-constructed following a hurricane in 1924, Old Government House was the historic home of all B I R D’S

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Photo courtesy of the British Virgin Islands Tourism The Old Government House, Tortola

appointed Governors, and is furnished with period pieces and unique collections, such as the Stamp Room, which hosts an extensive philatelic collection. The historic site has long been an important part of BVI culture and colonial history, and even today, residents gather here annually to celebrate the reigning monarch’s birthday. When daylight fades I head out for dinner, choosing Plum Rose Restaurant. As the BVI’s commercial, financial and political heartbeat, it’s no surprise that Road Town has one of the BVI’s highest densities of restaurants, featuring everything from local cuisine to fine dining. As I enjoy cuisine that uses local ingredients but has an international flair, I watch the moon rise over the harbor, feeling at home in Road Town. WINTER

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Photo courtesy of the British Virgin Islands Tourism

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Photo: Peter Farrell

WE’RE SPREADING OUR WINGS TO THE BAHAMAS!

he beautiful island of Bimini joins the growing list of tropical destinations served by Cape Air. This vacation and fishing hot spot was named “Best Weekend Getaway 2015” by the Miami New Times. Quick, easy, convenient flights from Southeast Florida will get you to the island in 30 minutes. Hop on the newest aircraft in our fleet, the Cessna Caravan 208 Seaplane, at two departure locations: Fly Cape Air between Ft. Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport and the North Seaplane Base in Bimini.

Fly Cape Air between the Watson Island Seaplane Base in Miami and the North Seaplane Base in Bimini conveniently located at the Resorts World Hotel. — Capeair.com

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Resorts World Hotel, Bimini

In the Heart of the Sea Goes From Page to Screen

By Rebecca M. Alvin

t’s surprising that there are not more films made about America’s whaling history. After all, it was because of the oil of these mammoth marine mammals that the United States grew into the economic power that it is. In Ron Howard’s new film In the Heart of the Sea, based on Nantucket writer Nathaniel Philbrick’s book of the same title, this fact lies beneath what is essentially a tale of two men with opposing ideas on how whaling should be done and the terrible tragedy of the Essex, which, as any New Englander knows, sunk after being attacked by a whale in the Pacific in 1820, leaving just eight survivors out of the 20 men onboard. The story of the Essex is told in the movie by one of its survivors Thomas Nickerson, 30 years later. Nickerson, who was a 14-year-old cabin boy on the Essex, is visited by writer Herman Melville, who is in the process of writing Moby-Dick, inspired by the Essex and the whale that destroyed it. Philbrick, who actually appears as a Quaker in the movie—though, you’ll miss it if you blink— is thrilled with the results. “It’s really exciting, and I’m just really happy with how it turned out. I think it really delivers the spirit of the book and it’s just an exciting, fun film to watch,” he said on his way to the Nantucket premiere at Dreamland Theater. No film could capture the level of detail and the numerous sociological threads of Philbrick’s brilliant history of the doomed Essex, but Howard’s choice to focus on the contentious relationship between Captain George Pollard and First Mate Owen Chase was not limiting. In fact, the movie is surprising in its depth, exploring the enormity of the ocean and the spiritual void created by the whaling industry, while also capturing the feeling of being on the open sea through brilliant 3D cinematography and a constantly moving camera. “As a sailor, I just have never seen a film that makes you feel like you’re at sea,” says Philbrick with awe. “The early scene where Chase is up there with the rigging, and the sails just pop in— it’s great. And when the storm hits and those waves are just right in your face. You just feel it.”

Chris Hemsworth as Owen Chase in the film “In the Heat of the Sea” — Photo: Jonathan Prime

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Ron Howard gives direction on the “Heart of the Sea” set.

Chris Hemsworth as Owen Chase and Benjamin Walker as George Pollard in the film In the “Heart of the Sea.”

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While the movie was not filmed in Nantucket and much of the story takes place at sea, a trip to Nantucket will give you a wealth of opportunities to look into the real story of the Essex and of America’s whaling history, which really centered on Nantucket more than anywhere else. Specifically, the Nantucket Historical Association’s Whaling Museum has a special exhibition continuing through November of 2016, Stove by a Whale: 20 Men, 3 Boats, 96 Days, which explores the true story of the Essex, including authentic artifacts from that ill-fated voyage, as well as regularly scheduled live storytellers giving presentations about the Essex. Philbrick also says you can see Captain Pollard’s house, Owen Chase’s house, and Thomas Nickerson’s guest house. “And they’re all easy walking distance from Main Street.” For more information on the exhibit and historical sites related to the Essex, visit nha.org. 49

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Photo: Greg Hinson/NantucketStock.com

Winter at Nantucket’s Miacomet Beach

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Ice skating on Windswept Cranberry Bog

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Photo: ÂŠCary Hazlegrove/NantucketStock.com

VERANDA HOUSE: MORE TO LOVE Photos: Susan Biemsderfer

By Susan Biemsderfer

ale and Susan Hamilton of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania were ready to write their next chapter. It was the fall of 1993, and they’d agreed to dial things down a notch after two decades of Dale heading up a bigtime construction business. With six kids raised and so on, it was time to simplify and, as Dale said, “Lose some of the keys in our life.”

They took a road trip, seeking a destination for their downsizing. Susan had an aunt in Falmouth, Massachusetts and they stopped there. The ferry to Nantucket was a hop and a skip away, so they grabbed their bikes and boarded. “We got off the boat and started riding, and about 30 seconds later, Dale stopped his bike, looked back at me, and said, ‘This is the place.’ It was that quick, love at first sight.” So now what? Hmm, maybe they could run a B&B? “It’s not that this was a life-long dream of running an inn,” says Susan. “It’s not that I could make wonderful muffins.” We’ll get back to that. “We didn’t have this idealistic notion, we just said, ‘We could probably do that.’” They poked around at a few B&Bs for sale, and only one was open. They liked it. A few weeks later they returned and negotiated a deal. They closed in March of 1994 and the very next day opened for business, new owners of the eight-room Sherburne Inn. Mind you, Dale had never even stayed at a B&B, much less run one. “I think it’s kinda cute, you’ve got Dale, this corporate Harvard MBA, vacuuming and making beds, and you’ve got me, who suddenly has to make a continental breakfast every morning,” B I R D’S

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Susan recalls. But somehow they did it—so well, in fact, that the property flourished in the 14 years they lived on-site and nurtured the place. Dale and Susan ultimately sold that inn and in 2006 bought their now-flagship property, the 18-room Veranda House, formerly The Overlook Hotel. It was lovely but tired, and they dove in with sweeping renovations that brought a new and glowingly-reviewed “retro-chic” style of inn to the island. Oh and about the muffins. In the early hands-on days, Dale would find them half-eaten, politely napkin-wrapped in the trash. He had to break it to Susan, who remained undaunted. And today, viola! After making two dozen muffins every night for so many years, she’s come to be known as “the muffin queen,” with her recipes requested by publications such as Gourmet. The biggest surprise of this chapter? “Nantucket and the caring and closeness of the community, that’s something I didn’t see coming,” says Dale. “Being from an industrial, urban place, we weren’t expecting to end up feeling such an intimate part of things. But we have, and that’s become huge for us.” Their affinity for the island is something they’ve passed on to their kids and grandkids, some of whom spend summers working at the family B&B. Three years ago, Dale and Susan bought an inn that adjoins Veranda House and renamed it Chapman House. They also manage a third property, Arbor Cottage—so all in, there’s a “campus effect” of 32 guest rooms. And if you’re counting keys—oh well. More keys— more to love. All three properties are open from mid-May through October, with annual re-openings for Christmas Stroll in early December and Daffodil Festival in late April. theverandahouse.com WINTER

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THERE ONCE WAS A DRINK FROM NANTUCKET Photos courtesy of Cisco Brewers Tyler Herrick shows off Nantucket Vineyard sangria.

By Greg Melville

antucket—really? The news seemed impossible. A distillery on Nantucket, of all places, had just won the award for making the world’s best single malt whisky of anyone outside of Scotland. I could understand this 15-mile-long wisp of an island off the Massachusetts coast producing the world’s best lobster bisque, or maybe clam chowder, but single-malt whisky? No way. Yet it’s true. This year’s judges at the International Spirits Challenge in London, which is the Super Bowl of taste tests, bestowed the honor on Triple Eight Distillery of Nantucket for its single malt called The Notch. Single malts made inside Scotland are the only ones legally allowed to be called a “Scotch” and are rated in a different category. As one who appreciates brown liquor and living on nearby Cape Cod, I decided to investigate this new development, first-hand, so I hopped the 20 minute flight to Nantucket. Triple Eight Distillery falls under the umbrella of Cisco Brewers, which also produces wine and craft beer on its 12-acre property. The headquarters consist of a weathered spread of gardens, greenhouses, wooden barns, and a handful of tin-roofed outbuildings. The world’s best single malt whisky 54

Upon arrival, I approached a guy, about 50ish, with a prickly white beard flecked by red whiskers, who stood hunched in front of a raised herb bed, his working man’s hands cutting stems of marjoram. Wearing black work boots, tattered orange shorts, and round glasses, he looked like a true local. “Do you know where I can find Randy Hudson?” I asked. Hudson is the company’s president, and the genius magic potion-maker who created The Notch. “It’s me,” he said. I introduced myself, pretending that I knew he was the company’s president the whole time, and told him why I had come. Fortunately, he had some time to talk. “Come with me,” he said, “We’re distilling brandy today.” So I followed. Cisco is a welcoming place to the public. During peak tourist time, as many as 2,000 people a day come to see how the liquid magic is made, listen to the live music that’s almost always playing, eat offerings from the food trucks that congregate on-site, and sample Cisco Beer, Nantucket Vineyards Wine, and Triple Eight Distillery spirits. In the fall, the crowds disappear and the company, like the rest of the island, exhales. Hudson led me to the modest distillery building and we climbed a steep set of metal steps—more ladder than stairs—to a loft where the giant metal still sits. Triple Eight doesn’t make brandy for sale, and this batch is just another concoction Hudson and his crews are experimenting with for possible future production. Sweet fermented scents floated around us. I never wanted to leave. “That’s 175 proof right now,” he said referring to the brandy concoction brewing in the enclosed tank. B I R D’S

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NANTUCKET Cisco Brewers brewmaster Jeff Horner filling kegs with Grey Lady Ale.

Tyler Herrick and winemaker Ian Spencer in the wine tasting room at Cisco Brewers on Nantucket.

Randy Hudson, president of Cisco Brewers, accepts the prize for best single-malt whiskey at the 2015 International Spirits Challenge in London for The Notch.

Triple Eight uses the same still, bought from a West Coast liquor producer a few years back. The company churns out only about 250 gallons of The Notch a year, and distribution is limited barely beyond the Cape and the Islands. A bottle sells for a whopping $300. To Hudson, The Notch and Triple Eight’s other artisan creations are works of art, and he is an artist. A North Carolina native who graduated with a degree in environmental design and landscape architecture from NC State, he was Cisco’s original brewer before focusing on spirits, and began distilling single malt in 2000. WINTER

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Prior to creating his first batch of The Notch, Hudson hired consultants from Scotland to teach him and his crew the technical aspects of distillation. “We needed to have some expertise right from the beginning, rather than make five to ten years of mistakes,” he said. Eight years later, Triple Eight sold its first bottles. And a few years after that, it started winning national and international awards—culminating in this year’s “world’s best” honor. Even with the initial expert consultation, the act of putting together the proper elements to create a superior product took endless experimentation. True single malt is made only from malted barley and aged at least three years in an oak barrel. What makes The Notch’s taste distinctive is the use of an heirloom variety of barley called Maris Otter, and, according to Hudson, a lot of patience. “In this industry you have a lot of people putting out whisky that’s really young,” he said. “But patience is the hallmark of craft whisky.” Location also played a key factor. Nantucket’s climate is similar to that of Scotland’s western isles, with damp, chilly winters and steamy summers—the perfect conditions for aging whisky. That’s right—Nantucket is actually a prime geographic spot for the world’s best single malt to be produced. And enjoyed with lobster bisque and clam chowder, of course. 55

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MARTHA’S VINEYARD Ice-breaking scout boat for the Chappy Ferry—clearing ice for the car ferry between Edgartown and Chappaquiddick Island in Martha’s Vineyard Nicole Friedler Photography

Sledder alert! Head to Sweetened Water Farm in Edgartown

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“The Snowy Owl is a newish to Martha’s Vineyard so when I spot one it is always exciting. I was hiking around the dunes of Katama when I spotted this beautiful owl standing sentry in the snow. I immediately put down my camera bag, took out my longest telephoto lens and dropped to my knees until I was about twenty yards away.” Martha’s Vineyard photographer Tim Johnson Tim Johnson’s work can be seen at the Kelly House in Edgartown and is available for sale at vineyardcolors.com.

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CHEERIO: In the Kitchen with Ruth Reichl

“I really love that lemon tart,” says Reichl, who used to disguise herself to mask her identity when reviewing restaurants.

By Susan Biemsderfer

uth Reichl is on the final gasp of a long book tour. This is one of a gazillion phoners. “I feel like I’ve talked endlessly about myself,” she exhales from upstate New York. The connection isn’t great, even on the landline. She’s got her head in her next memoir. But we’re going to make this special. So let’s picture her in the kitchen. Yes in something bright and flowy, as seen in her latest best-seller, My Kitchen Year: 136 Recipes That Saved My Life. The book marks a culmination of Reichl’s rise since the sudden death of Gourmet magazine in 2009 and her abrupt segue from editor-in-chief to famously jobless. It’s a swirl of ingredients—friends you wish you had, a husband who can manage London Broil and waffles, a son with an adventurous palate, a spirit that couldn’t be broken, and a foot that actually was (in five places.) In small bites of memoir narratives, each beginning with a Tweet and punctuated by a real life-inspired recipe, we see how Reichl cooked and wrote like her life depended on it. “Don’t worry, she’s almost impossible to offend,” said her assistant the day before. Indeed. After being fired, Reichl was still obligated to immediately launch a Gourmet Today cookbook tour on behalf of her ex-employer. How that plays out in the book: First a Tweet. “At Newark 60

While an all-time summer favorite of Reichl’s is clams from Martha’s Vineyard, these potatoes au gratin are an “extravagant classic” for wintertime.

Airport. Stop to buy a sandwich and the woman behind the counter says, ‘I’m so sorry about Gourmet; this one’s on me.” A passage follows about the unexpected gesture and the steak sandwich she ate “with as much pleasure as if it had been a Peter Luger porterhouse.” Then a steak sandwich recipe from the four-time James Beard award-winner for food writing. It goes on from there, covering everything from fever dreams in the recovery room after foot surgery (dreams of caviar, clams, and pasta) to a triumphant grilled burger dinner party once she was upright again, to turning down a job “I knew would make me miserable”— B I R D’S

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Sweet or savory? “Savory.” No wavering. Cake or pie? “Oh pie. Cakes are crowd-pleasers —but pie.” At “Gourmet,” cheesecake was the most requested recipe, says Reichl. “Show up anywhere with one of these and you’ll be welcome.”

a decision contemplated while sake-steaming chicken. Wait, did someone say clams? “Oh I love clams, I love them raw, steamed, in chowder, or fried. In the 90s when we lived in LA we would go to Martha’s Vineyard in the summer.” She was a regular at Larsen’s Fish Market and would “race to a place called The Bite for the first clam fry of the day.” Not to take anything away from Larsen’s, but if you’ve read any of Reichl’s books, including a trilogy of memoirs, you know she’s been a regular at lots of food markets in lots of places. “I don’t like shopping for most things, but I love food shopping. Wherever I am in the world, one of my great pleasures is walking around and talking with food people. There’s always so much to learn.” The conversation is reminiscent of her first memoir, Tender at the Bone: Growing Up at the Table, where Reichl puts together how it all matters, what happens in a kitchen or at a meal. Growing up, her family would sit down to breakfast every morning, and “clink our glasses as if they held wine, and toast each other with ‘Cheerio. Have a nice day.’” She takes a gentle hand with the recipes. “Chop the onion in a casual dice; no need to be too fussy about this step.” Or “It gets easier,” in the thick of an egg-wrapped dumpling recipe.” “We are too results-oriented when we cook,” she opines. “One of the things I hope people will take away is that it’s more about the journey than what you end up with.” She’s taken the journey to 140 characters or less. Friends signed her up for Twitter in 2008 and she “never gave it much thought,” or realized she was amassing a global following. But now she has a go-to kitchen crew. “Ice storm. Electricity out…what will happen to my bread dough?” A loud shout from the Twitterverse about not throwing it out, and strong consensus about “just keep punching the dough down.” Of course they were right, just like that time with the bananas. “I said I’ve got all these black WINTER

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Kindle or hard copy? “I’m the daughter of a book designer!” Television or Twitter? “Twitter. You can do it in your pajamas.” Breakfast or dinner? Okay you’re right, that was too easy. Dinner party for 8 or 16? “16…or more!” And the one with even odds—cheese plate or pie? “Both.” Definitely. “That was fun.” Yes it was. Thanks for having us in the kitchen with you. Cheerio, and have a nice day. ruthreichl.com

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bananas, what do I do with them—and I got hundreds of responses from literally all over the world. It was a seminal moment. I thought, here am surrounded by passionate cooks; I always thought of myself alone in the kitchen and suddenly I wasn’t.” You certainly aren’t. And as long as we’ve got you here, we have a quick lightning round.

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Like Nowhere Else

PROVINCETOWN

By Michelle Haynes

ome January frozen tumbleweeds roll down Commercial Street in the tiny town of Provincetown located at the furthest end of Cape Cod. Cape Air minutes from Boston’s bustling Logan Airport, Provincetown in wintertime bears little resemblance to the non-stop party happening all summer but yet—alone or with someone you love—this is one magical escape. Cozy inns wait, with fire placed bedrooms and off-off season rates, but to call this off-season is truly not fair. The harbor, pier, dunes and beach trails offer astounding beauty and the winter sunrises and sunsets defy the color chart.

Photo: Dan McKeon A cozy respite on a wintry day at Napi’s Restaurant in Provincetown and do not miss the Russian Oysters on the half shell topped with sour cream and black caviar.

Day or night, it is can be a non-scary Twilight Zone walk down Commercial Street, where it is a fair possibility that you will not encounter another living person, and two cars coming down the street is a motorcade. But pop into the neighborhood movie theater or, open every day, Napi’s Restaurant, and you are rewarded with groups of stalwart and friendly souls; and strangers soon start chatting the movie, the book reading, the art opening or what’s good on the menu. Winter fares between Boston and Provincetown average $99. If you are looking for time with someone special and that could be yourself, step way off the beaten track and experience the other Provincetown.

Photo: Chuck Anzalone

Provincetown Harbor in January

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Oscar buzz is on for the film “Carol,” starring Rooney Mara and Cate Blanchett which screened at Provincetown’s Waters Edge Cinema.

Waters Edge Cinema

scar contenders in an intimate screening room happens all winter long at Provincetown’s Waters Edge Cinema. In addition to first-run blockbusters, the theatre also hosts special events like the Wizard of Oz sing-a-long, where folks were invited to come in costume. “We had no idea what to expect,” says Christine Walker, CEO of the Provincetown Film Society.” It was a huge hit and Ann Rickard, the actual niece of Ray Bolger, “The Scarecrow,” lives on Cape Cod and made a surprise visit. The crowd loved it!” Walker says they may repeat the event this winter with a popular request, West Side Story. Imagine “Gee Officer Krupke” in a sing along. Find the schedule at ptownfilmfest.org

“Dress as your favorite Wizard of Oz character” brought out lots of Dorothys to Provincetown’s Waters Edge Cinema.

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A BANNER YEAR FOR MOVIES MADE IN MASSACHUSETTS By Michelle Haynes “60 Minutes is here to see you,” can send crooks running for cover and in Boston that same reaction usually follows, “The Globe’s Spotlight Team wants to talk to you.” The dogged Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative team for The Boston Globe is front and center in one of the biggest movie hits of the season. Spotlight focuses on the Globe’s team of investigative journalists who uncover the truth about decades of abuse of young children by Roman Catholic priests and the church’s subsequent attempts to cover it all up. As this issue of the Bird’s Eye View went to press the film was already on the receiving end of huge buzz. Speaking personally I found the film totally riveting and urge everyone to put this on the top of their “must see” list. An easy prediction, Spotlight will sweep the Oscars. The movie is also a big fat kiss to print journalism. In this “read it online” world my hope is the Boston Globe sees an uptick to newspaper subscriptions. Remember that familiar thump of the paper dropped in the driveway?

JOY AND THE MIRACLE MOP

by Gayle Fee

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or some reason, director David O. Russell got it in his head to make a movie about a mop. Not just any mop, but a Miracle Mop. And for some reason, three of the biggest names in Hollywood signed on to star—Jennifer Lawrence, Bradley Cooper and Robert DeNiro. And for some reason, Russell likes making movies in Massachusetts. He made “The Fighter” in Lowell. He made “American Hustle” in and around Boston. And he returned last year to make “Joy” in the Boston ‘burbs. “He loves the area, the people, the locations, the cast, the crew, and the Boston Teamsters,” Fox 2000 prez Elizabeth Gabler said at the start of filming. “We are honored to be in Massachusetts with this amazing group of filmmakers and cast.” “Joy” is the based-on-true story of Joy Mangano, who invented the Miracle Mop and went on to make a fortune on QVC. Now in case you aren’t aware, the Miracle Mop was a giant step forward for womankind, as it eliminated the need for hand-wringing wet messes. But for Joy life wasn’t as easy as swabbing the deck with her Miracle Mop as she encountered betrayal, treachery, lousy legal advice and a host of other complications. Russell, shot the film in Massachusetts in 2015, the snowiest winter in Massachusetts’ history. “There was literally eight feet of snow outside,” Russell said in a magazine interview. “It actually turned out great for us. The snow is very beautiful and Joy loves snow from a very young age.”

From Chatham to Hollywood:

Actor Chris Pine

By Gayle Fee

or years, Hollywood told Boston writer Casey Sherman that his 2009 book “The Finest Hours”—the story of a daring Coast Guard rescue off the coast of Chatham—would never be made into a movie. “It was a period piece and Hollywood doesn’t like period pieces,” Casey said. “It takes place in the ocean so it’s really expensive to shoot, and Hollywood was only making superhero movies.” But Sherman, who wrote the book with co-author Michael Tougias, was persistent. “Wherever I went, whether it was to work, or to Dunkin’ Donuts for coffee, I always carried two copies of the book,” he said. “I believed I was going to meet somebody, someday who would help me make this film.” That person turned out to be Boston producer Dorothy Aufiero, who had just had her first big hit with “The Fighter,” starring Mark Wahlberg. Sherman set up a meeting to talk to her about another one of his books, “Bad Blood,” but it didn’t go well. “I could tell I was losing her,” he said. “She had just had a huge hit with ‘The Fighter’ and wanted another blockbuster. She said, ‘I’ll be in touch’ and left. I knew there was no way she would ever call me.’” So Sherman threw a Hail Mary. He caught up with Aufiero in a stairwell and gave her a copy of “The Finest Hours” that he had tucked in a pocket in his sport coat. “I said, ‘This is the movie you want to make.’” 66

Flash forward five years and Disney’s “The Finest Hours,” starring Chris Pine and Casey Affleck is released. The movie tells the real-life story of a valiant deep-sea rescue by crewmen from the Chatham Coast Guard Station after a tanker, the SS Pendleton, was split in two during a massive storm. Four rescuers headed out to sea in CG36500, a 36-foot motor lifeboat, and returned with 32 rescued men in a boat meant to hold just 12. “There were 60 to 80-foot seas,” Sherman said. “Imagine The Perfect Storm-size waves in a blinding snowstorm. These men were superheroes. They didn’t have capes or tights, just some hand-me-down foul weather gear and rubber boots but they performed miraculously that night.” At the helm was Boatswains Mate First Class Bernie Webber, just 24 at the time. Aboard the Pendleton, engineer Ray Sybert, 33, had to take charge after the bow of the tanker sunk and all eight of the ship’s officers drowned. B I R D’S E Y E V I E W

Chris Pine and Holliday Grainger

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“Bernie Webber was the son of a Baptist minister and had a spiritual side,” Sherman said. “He told me, ‘I was a good skipper, but I’m not that good. Something else was at the helm of that boat that night. Something bigger than myself.’” The movie was filmed last year in Chatham, Marshfield, Duxbury and Cohasset. The ocean scenes were shot in a giant ocean tank the filmmakers built in the Fore River Shipyard in Quincy. “They had a scaled replica of the tanker where the men were trapped,” Sherman said. “And Chris Pine and the crew were being constantly doused with incredibly cold water. “One of the actors said to me, ‘It’s amazing what those men went through that night. But I’m going through it every day with that cold hose on me!’ It was a real tough production for a lot of the actors.” The filmmakers also shot some rescue scenes at Chatham Harbor and spent more than a week in Chatham filming exteriors of the Coast Guard station and the downtown area. Sherman said Pine, Affleck, and the rest of the cast and crew “all felt incredible respect for story. They wanted to share this story of true courage with the audience.” The movie will have a special screening at the newly renovated Chatham Orpheum Theatre on January 28th the night before it opens for locals who helped with the production. Sadly Webber, who died of a heart attack in 2009 at age 81, never knew the story made it to the big screen. “He said to me, ‘I think this will be a great movie someday,’” Sherman recalled. “Then he said, ‘Is Don Knotts still alive? He can play me.’” The CG36500, the life boat used in the rescue, is owned by the Orleans Historical Society and is on display in Rock Harbor during the summer months. For more information, go to cg36500.org. 67

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A pie frenzy in Rockland, Maine

By Michelle Haynes

he Pie Song is an obscure tune featured in a somewhat obscure film called “Michael” starring John Travolta as a “not that kind of angel.” Homage to pie was sung by love interest Andie MacDowell who waxed poetic about the glories of pie. For this pie lover the scene was the highlight of the movie. In honor of National Pie Day on January 31st or, if you miss that, National Pie Month happening in February, we take you around the Cape Air route map for a salute to one of America’s favorite desserts.

Photo: Marti Mayne

Photo: PJ Walter

Pie Glorious Pie!

The Berry Manor Inn puts a new twist on the traditional Apple, Blueberry and their Cranberry Apple.

Pie Pie Me oh my Nothing tastes sweet, wet, salty and dry all at once o well it’s pie Apple! Pumpkin! Minced … Pie Me o my I love pie! The Pie Song — Music and lyrics by Steve Dorff and Roy Blount Jr.

The Food Network dubbed Rockland, Maine as “Pie Town USA” for their annual pie-a-thon featuring over 25 businesses joining forces with the Historic Inns of Rockland for an, everywhere you look there is a pie, event. It all happens on January 31st and, for heaven’s sake; try to fast the day before. The Pies on Parade celebration includes accommodations at one of the Historic Inns of Rockland, admission to the town-wide wine and pie pairings, special pie concerts and receptions, and the pie celebration on Saturday evening. Some inns provide a mint by your pillow but with this event two personal pies await your arrival. You can eliminate 70

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Photo: Marti Mayne Innkeeper Edwin Hantz at the Granite Inn offers a specialty version of pieâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;Crab Quiche. Photo: PJ Walter You can expect the Key Lime Pie at the LimeRock Inn Photo: Marti Mayne Cheryl Michaelsen, innkeeper Berry Manor Inn.

some of the guilt that goes with the pleasure of eating all this pie if you keep in mind that all proceeds from the Pies on Parade event benefit the local food pantry. Cost is $30 for adults and $15 for children ten and under. historicinnsofrockland.com WINTER 2016

Brian Samuels Photography

The smells wafting from the kitchen of Amie’s Bakery in Osterville

are downright intoxicating and her signature pie is actually a tart. Herewith her apple almond blueberry tart. Amie also does apple cranberry, pear blueberry, and pear cranberry, think just about any fruit-berry combination and Amie can make it happen with, of course, homemade crust and frangipane (almond cream).

WHEN IS A PIE A COOKIE OR A COOKIE A PIE? By Ann Murphy

hat’s more Boston than a chocolate chip cookie pie from Kilvert & Forbes? Back in 1976, John F. Kerry (now Secretary of State) had a latenight chocolate chip cookie craving that became his venture into the retail sector, opening the bake shop, Kilvert & Forbes, with his friend Kilvert Gifford. When he made the decision to go into public service Kerry sold the business, but continues to visit Kilvert & Forbes whenever he is back in Boston, sometimes bringing with him heads of state for meltin-your-mouth chocolate chip cookies, cookie pies, brownies and macaroons that originally made the bakery famous.

Baker Chrystiani with the “I Love Boston” Cookie Pie baked at Kilvert & Forbes, located in the Quincy Market Food Colonnade at Faneuil Hall Marketplace in Boston. The cookie pie is a chocolate chip cookie base with buttercream frosting.

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hen La Oprah sends accolades skyward about your chicken pie, as pie is to ice cream, sales will soar, which is exactly what happened to the Centerville Pie Company located a few miles from Cape Air’s home in Hyannis, Massachusetts.

“Pie Ladies” Laurie Bowen and Kristin Broadley opened their shop about six years ago and Oprah happened to be in town and happened to taste their chicken pie and the public swoon soon followed and for a good reason. Their pies which cover the gamut including apple, blueberry and onward are total perfection, and yes, they mail order. Check them out and come dessert time you have bragging rights to, “please pass a slice of Oprah’s favorite pie.” CentervillePies.com WINTER

2016

PLAYING THOSE MIND GAMES

Author George Mumford and Kobe Bryant

By Greg Melville

eorge Mumford wants me to be in “the zone.” He wants you there, too. The zone is that mental place where athletes go when they reach such an elevated state of awareness and concentration that their game rises to an ungodly level. Think Michael Jordan or Kobe Bryant on a hot streak.

Mumford’s The Mindful Athlete, published by Parallax Press, opens with a forword by Phil Jackson, the legendary basketball coach nicknamed the “Zen Master.” Yes, the same guy who won 11 NBA championships for the Bulls and Lakers. Apparently, Mumford is the zen master behind the Zen Master. He’s also credited by Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant, along with a long list of other athletes, for enhancing their performance through the powerful drug of positive thought. Life, as they say, is a metaphor for sports. Or is it the other way around? I forget. Regardless, Mumford may have put the word “athlete” in the title, but he’s using his experiences in the sports world to teach everyday people, from executives to carpool dads like myself, the benefits of placing yourself completely in the moment, or in the zone. One of the ways to get there, Mumford writes in the book, is through “conscious breathing,” which is basically meditation by focusing on your in and out breaths, and absolutely nothing else. The “nothing else” part is the problem for me, though, when I try it—and the blame lies squarely with the wife, kids, dog, weather, Cape Cod road construction, Chinese monetary policy, global warming, terrorism, my bank account, and the squirrel that keeps stealing the tulip bulbs from the garden in the back yard. After reading his book, I couldn’t even seem to get in the same zip code as the zone. So I decided to call Mumford himself. He lives in nearby Newton, Massachusetts, and I got his number from a guy who knows a guy who knows a guy. B I R D’S

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“I’ll always be that kid…With the rolled up socks…Garbage can in the corner… 5 seconds on the clock”

— Kobe Bryant, a legend for 20 years and a 5-time champion. — Courtesy of theSkimm®

“George!” I said when he answered. “Who is this?” he replied. I told him and the name meant nothing, of course. He said, “I’m at Google in California right now. I’ll be back home on Friday. Can we talk then?” “Absolutely,” I said. Google? Mumford didn’t have the typical zen master upbringing. No childhood meditation sessions in lotus gardens. No mountain retreats to Buddhist monasteries. Instead, he grew up in a high-crime section of the Dorchester neighborhood of Boston. He was a gifted but often injured basketball player, who earned a scholarship at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst on his academic—not athletic—prowess. When he arrived his freshman year, his roommate happened to be future NBA hall-of-famer Julius Erving. The two are still friends. In college, he turned to hardcore drugs to curb the chronic pain from his sports injuries, and for a stretch upon graduation, lived a double life as a heroin addict while working as a financial analyst. Not long after being hospitalized for an infection from an IV needle, he entered rehab. A therapist introduced him to meditation, and his life was transformed. He covers his past in the book and discusses how he became the mindfulness guru to the stars—all while unveiling the secrets to high performance. “The Mindful Athlete” offers a roadmap to self-discovery, covering Mumford’s variation on the Eightfold Path of Buddhism, which includes mindfulness, concentration, insight, right effort, and trust. My problem after finishing the book was that I tried to skip most of Mumford’s prescriptions and go straight to the higher performance part. He told me as much when I spoke to him again at the prearranged time the following Friday. “To play the game of life, you need to train for it,” he told me. “And first you’ve got to know who you are, and what your strengths and weaknesses are. Only then can you connect with the masterpiece within you.” “If a state of mindfulness needs to be earned,” I asked him, “how do athletes who don’t meditate find themselves in the zone?” Can’t I be like them? “Even a broken clock is right two times a day,” he replied. Clever. We spoke for a while more, and I agreed that I would try to become more mindful. He then asked me what I thought of the book. I replied that I appreciated how accessible it is to read, and that much of the advice he gives seems so simple and surprisingly down-to-earth. I added that I especially liked the anecdotes on Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant. With that, we hung up. And now, here I am, sitting in my living room, ready to try some conscious breathing to get myself into the zone. I know I can do it this time if I try. As long as that squirrel in the back yard doesn’t start aggravating me.

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Author George Mumford

A Winter Celebration for Skiers, Skaters and yes, Couch Potatoes

By Lisa Densmore Ballard

everend Samson Occom could sure draw a crowd. A member of the Mohegan Tribe, the Reverend toured England in 1776 to raise money for his Indian Charity School. People came from near and far to hear his sermons. During one of Occom’s four hundred orations, King George III and the Earl of Dartmouth liked what they heard enough to support Occom’s cause, which ultimately led to the founding of Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire. Today Occom’s namesake pond on the Dartmouth campus attracts a substantial crowd of its own, but not for religious or academic inspiration. Every February, a huge public party takes place on this frozen five-acre lake, surrounded by bucolic snow-covered woodlands and some of Hanover’s most expensive homes. The party is free and open to all thanks to an enormous volunteer effort by the town, the college and the Occom Pond neighborhood. What started in 1997 as an alternative festival for the community’s youngsters during Dartmouth’s notoriously rowdy Winter Carnival is now a huge event in its own right, attracting up to 3,000 people each year. “It’s a day of fun and silliness,” says Liz Burdette, Assistant Director of the Hanover Parks and Recreation Department who is closely involved with the event, “It gets people outside to celebrate winter with a focus on activities for kids.” Some of those activities are New England traditions such as sledding, skating and pond hockey, and some are new and guaranteed to bring a smile to your chilly face. If you’re a self-confessed couch potato, you’ll be a ringer in the couch potato race where teams push their friends sitting on couches

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Photos: Lisa Densmore Ballard

HANOVER’S ANNUAL OCCOM POND PARTY

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waterlogged meadow below their home. He tried, unsuccessfully at first. The initial dam was completed in 1900, but muskrats ate through it releasing the water. A second, beefier dam was completed in 1908. It held. Professor Worthen justified the dam to the townspeople because it “beautified the locality and rendered the pond available for fishing, skating and other purposes.” A century later, his words proved true, but not quite the way he and his wife envisioned. The best fishing on Occom Pond is during the pond party and reserved for the smallest children who “ice fish” on top of the ice instead of through it. Using magnetic poles, they reel in toy fish from small indents carved into the frozen surface while moms skate by pushing their baby joggers. “It’s cold during the winter so people tend to stay inside,” says Burdette, “For 20 years, the Occom Pond Party has helped remind people to get outdoors. It encourages everyone to experience winter in New Hampshire.” This year’s Occom Pond Party is scheduled for Saturday, February 13, 2016. It’s one celebration you won’t want to miss. Hanoverrec.com An award-winning writer and photographer, Lisa Densmore Ballard spent over 25 winters in Hanover, New Hampshire, skiing, snowshoeing and enjoying the Occom Pond Party. LisaDensmore.com 77

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across the ice. You can also roll for a strike in penguin bowling then enter the “banathalon”, a competition involving a giant banana, or mush as fast you can in the human dogsled race. Not competitive? There’s still plenty at the party to tickle your winter fancy. You can ride in a traditional horse-drawn sleigh and taste “sugar on snow,” a snow cone soaked with local maple syrup, while the pond party princesses throw candy to the crowd. The ice luge is another highlight of the event. Each year, Bill Young, a retired local doctor and a longtime mastermind of the Occom Pond Party, spends hundreds of hours making ice and moving snow to create the “ice luge,” a slippery slide which descends the hillside near his home onto the frozen pond. It’s one of those giggle-inducing rides. Another regular attraction is the kid-sized ice palace with its portals to crawl through and mini-slides. “Not many places build a real ice castle anymore,” says Burdette, “Many kids have never been exposed to things like that. The Occom Pond Party helps keep those old traditions alive.” Occom Pond wasn’t always a winter recreation spot. In fact, it wasn’t a pond until the early 20th century when Louise Worthen, wife of the renowned Dartmouth math professor, State Senator and, fittingly, community volunteer, Thomas Worthen, begged her husband to dam the

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Marble West Inn, Dorset, Vermont

By Susan Biemsderfer

anielle Epstein had no interest in buying a B&B, nope. With successful Manhattan-based careers in both real estate restoration and fine art photography, she was all good. What she did have was a twinkle in her eye about creating some sort of place for artists, “something that would last.” In 2012, Epstein talked with her partner, art therapist Dina Schapiro about making a move. “Dina and I started looking at properties and she had some thoughts about a non-profit that combining art therapy with agriculture,” recounts Epstein. “So we decided let’s see what we find.” 82

Photo: David Zheng

M ARBLE WE S T I N N : N OT S E T I N S TO N E

When they got to Dorset, Vermont, they couldn’t miss it: “A big, glorious white elephant” as Epstein describes it. Although she first spotted it online, there weren’t enough pixels in the world to prepare them for the massive, Manley -Lefevre House, built Federal-style in 1815 with stone quarried right on the property. The 48-acre stunner had enough space for their art-residency daydream, and the kind of epic gardenand fountain-laced grounds that make you want to have a wedding, paint a vision, or write something grand. Epstein and Schapiro were consumed with co-founding the Marble House Project, doing exhaustive restoration work so they could finally offer up their residencies for artists of all genres (and hold weddings, how could they not?). Cut to July of 2013 and a call from Epstein’s broker. The Marble West Inn was going on the market. It will need a renovation and the other one’s still happening. She is game. Okay so “some people thought I was a little crazy,” but it all began to make sense, her two planets of art and restoration aligning. B I R D’S

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Photo: David Zheng

Marble House workshop and wedding guests could stay at the inn and enjoy special tours of the marbled mansion. There would be bikes at both places for people to breeze between the two. The inn’s organic garden could feed hungry artists and guests alike. And there would be wine! On Tuesday nights in the summer, after artists give community presentations at Marble House, folks could head down to the inn for wine, cocktails, and tapas, and talk about art or whatever. WINTER

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All eight guest rooms and the carriage house are thoroughly refreshed and (a la Epstein) “it’s almost like being in the Hamptons in Vermont.” A certain someone’s art graces the walls’ clean lines (sometimes Epstein tells people it’s hers, sometimes she doesn’t). The Tuesday night thing, “Wine over Marble,” happens no matter the season because people really love it. Epstein and Schapiro live in a 1850s farmhouse opposite the inn with their two 13-year-old sons, unless they’re in Manhattan, where the kids go to school. Guests are definitely “liking” it online and in real life. All seems to be something that will last. The Marble West Inn is open year-round: themarblewestinn.com

BLOCK ISLAND, RHODE ISLAND Photo: Michaela Caizzi

Monhegan Bluffs

By Michaela Caizzi

Michaela Caizzi and Cape Air Captain Peter DaSilva

Photo: Tim Johnson

lock Island is one of New England’s best-kept secrets. “Close to home, a world away,” this small, tear-shaped island is 12 miles off the coast of Rhode Island and, in warm weather months, a quick Cape Air flight from Providence’s T.F. Green Airport. Just one visit is all it takes to fall in love with this unique place. That was certainly all it took for me. After taking the ferry over for a day trip two years ago, I was in awe of the beautiful scenery and inimitable culture. Rich with history, Block Island offers a free-spirited and laidback energy, yet a polished and sophisticated environment. Fortunately, I was lucky enough to land a job with Cape Air and lived on-island last summer. Here are my top five must do activities: 1. Mohegan Bluffs (“The Bluffs”): located on the southern shore of Block Island, these are large clay cliffs that are about 150 feet tall. From the top, there are expansive views of the Atlantic Ocean. There is a long staircase of over 100 stairs leading down to a picturesque beach. 2. Clay Head Trail: Found on the northeast part of the island intertwining with other nature trails. You can spend hours exploring wooded areas leading to remote ponds and surrounded by various wildlife, or take a shortcut straight to the beach. Be sure to dig under the sand for the soft clay. Add some water to the clay and rub it on your body for a spa-like treatment. It’s said that this clay has ancient healing powers!

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RHODE ISLAND

Photo: Tim Johnson The Oar, a popular Block Island watering hole famous for their “mudslides”

3. Ballard’s Beach: typically more touristy than the other beaches on the island, Ballard’s is also a restaurant and inn, and the only beach that has full food and drink service. Here you’ll find soft sand, calm water, great live entertainment, and delicious drinks served in pineapples. 4. Southeast Lighthouse: one of the most architecturally sophisticated lighthouses in the United States; this is a National Historic Landmark. Inside, you can learn about the history and take a tour. Outside, you can enjoy spectacular views and be sure to get a “lobstah” grilled cheese sandwich and a Del’s lemonade from the food truck. From here, you’ll also be able to see the first offshore windmill farm constructed in the U.S. 5. The Oar: no trip to Block Island is complete without a trip to The Oar restaurant. You name it, and it’s on their menu! Enjoy delicious food while taking in the scenery outside on the lawn overlooking the Great Salt Pond, or indoors admiring the carefully crafted and hand-painted oars. And don’t forget to order one of their famous mudslides! Whatever your interests, Block Island has something for everyone to enjoy. No wonder Forbes magazine and The Nature Conservancy named it as “one of the last great places”. Hotel and home rentals fill up fast, so be sure to make your spring and summer reservations soon so you don’t miss out on this wonderful hidden gem! WINTER

2016

Saranac Lake—A Paradise for those who Embrace Old Man Winter SUPER HEROES AND VILLAINS MARK THIS YEAR’S WINTER PALACE THEME Mark Kurtz Photography Constructing the Ice Palace

atman, Cat Woman, Superman and the Joker are just a few of the super heroes and villains that may make an appearance at this year’s Winter Carnival in Saranac Lake. One of the largest festivals of its kind, the Ice Palace takes weeks to plan and construct and is pretty much a town wide effort providing the centerpiece for a series of events that include everything from dozens of winter sports to a gala parade. This total homage to winter runs February 5th thru the 14th and with so much going on a schedule is a must and easily found at adirondack.net.

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SARANAC LAKE, NEW YORK

Saranac Lake’s Winter Carnival

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A Star Reborn: Hotel Saranac

Back in the day, circa 1920s, the Hotel Saranac Photo courtesy of the Saranac Public Library Circa 1920s—Al Jolson and the grand-daddy of all theatrical agents, William Morris during the show biz hey days in Saranac Lake

By Susan Biemsderfer

here’s been a lot of noise coming from 100 Main Street in Saranac Lake, New York. It’s the sound of a $13 million renovation of the majestic Hotel Saranac, and music to the town’s ears. The historic landmark, an 86-room product of the roaring 1920s, is making a comeback. “We really want to restore the original character of the place, and return this property to its status as the crown jewel of the Adirondacks,” says David Roedel, who along with his brother Fred heads up Roedel Companies based in Wilton, New Hampshire. They bought the property in 2013 with a resolve to bring back the best of times for the historic gem.

The village anxiously waits. On the hotel’s Facebook page, fans post warm memories. “Going to a library function and sipping wine out on the balcony. Going to the buffet that the culinary students used to put on Friday nights.The Boat House bar! Oh and there was that bakery on the first level, in the entrance arcade, where you could grab a fountain drink or a smoke, get a shave and a haircut, or buy a cocktail dress.” There may or may not be ghosted walls that can tell you about Boy Scouts manning a civil defense lookout post on the roof, bootlegger guests with “rum machines” in their vehicles, or an impromptu skating rink on the patio one winter (it didn’t work out.) David Roedel has heard all the stories. Four generations of Roedels dined and danced at wedding receptions and other events hosted—where else? It was where you marked birthdays and anniversaries with fine dining, held bigwig conventions, and rented out the ballroom for your grandest of B I R D’S

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Photo courtesy of the Saranac Public Library

time the hotel went into the black was at the close of World War II when the U.S. Army commandeered a nearby property for returning combat vets and Hotel Saranac was packed with visiting relatives. There were times when the business stayed afloat with a combiZiegfeld Follies superstar, Eddie Cantor— “Making Whoopee” (on the right) with agent nation of long-term guests and a symbiotic relationship with Paul to the stars, William Morris circa 1920s Smith’s College next door, where hospitality students over the years orchestra-backed shindigs. In fact, they’ve have been able to learn their craft onsite—and will again. The college made it a family affair to resuscitate the even took over operations for a while, and the 1980 Winter Olympics property, with sister and interior designer in neighboring Lake Placid, New York brought a brief “wave of energy Sue Pollio of RSJ Associates rounding out to the old place,” says one history buff. the restoration dream team. Cut to 2016, and the hotel’s rebirth is expected by the end of the So what happened to the hotel’s year. “We really wanted to make a difference for this area we love, dream along the way? For all its glory, and can’t wait to give the hotel back to the community,” says Roedel. it was never easy going. In fact, its “We want people to be able to go to the salon, enjoy our new 1927 debut was too-soon followed by restaurant (a signature establishment called Campfire), and simply the Wall Street crash of 1929, which have a place to celebrate.” So the shaves and haircuts will return, and sent Hotel Saranac and many other the dining will again be fine. There will be dancing. A new heyday businesses on a path to receivership. awaits, and as Roedel says, “it’s time.” hotelsaranac.com According to one account, the first WINTER

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CAPE AIR EVERYWHERE

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Everyone loves a bargain, especially when it comes to airfares. Do not miss the latest and greatest when it come to Cape The best way to hear about special airfares andAir/Nantucket promotions isAirlines to join fare Capesales. Airâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;sLog on to capeair.com and click on ...check out details at capeair.com WINTER

2016

MINT IN MASSACHUSETTS

etBlue’s Mint service will take off between Boston and San Francisco beginning in March with up to three daily roundtrips. “Customers traveling between New York and the West Coast can’t get enough of Mint, and we can’t wait for Boston customers to experience it,” said JetBlue’s CEO

Robin Hayes. Also in March, JetBlue will offer Mint seasonal service to the Caribbean with a weekly Saturday roundtrip between Boston and Barbados, one of the airline’s most luxurious leisure destinations. JetBlue’s top-notch inflight service is matched by the Mint aircraft itself, which includes private suites, the widest seat and longest fully-flat bed in the U.S. domestic market, tapas-style dining, custom amenity kits, a 15-inch flat screen with 100+ channels of DIRECTV® programming, more than 100 channels of SiriusXM® satellite radio, and free Fly-Fi broadband Internet.

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WE HAVE CONNECTIONS • Book any Cape Air flight

capeair.com 800.CAPE.AIR

• Book any Cape Air flight connecting with United Airlines

united.com

• Book any Cape Air flight connecting with JetBlue

jetblue.com

• Book any Cape Air flight connecting with American Airlines (note — select “advanced options” then “all carriers”)

aa.com

• Book any Cape Air flight connecting with Delta

expedia.com

• Book any Cape Air flight connecting with Seaborne Airlines

expedia.com

• Book any Cape Air flight connecting with Alaska Airlines

expedia.com

CAPE AIR CONNECTIONS—

AND INTRODUCING OUR TWO NEWEST AIRLINE PARTNERS By Peter Kokoszka

ape Air’s airline agreements can take you from any Cape Air destination to almost anywhere in the world. When you book your itinerary on the same ticket, you can check your bag all the way from your Cape Air check-in to your final destination, and in many cases, Cape Air can issue all of your boarding passes making for seamless connections. Meet our newest travel partners—Cape Air is also pleased to announce new ticketing agreements with Seaborne Airlines and Alaska Airlines. Seaborne operates flights from Cape Air’s San Juan hub to destinations throughout the Caribbean, including the Dominican Republic, St. Maarten, St. Kitts, Guadeloupe, Dominica and Martinique. Alaska Airlines operates from Cape Air hub cities in Billings, Boston, Fort Lauderdale, and St. Louis. Passengers can connect on Alaska airlines to Seattle, Washington; Portland, Oregon; and beyond. When booking Cape Air connections with Seaborne or Alaska Airlines go to expedia.com.

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Photo: Don Hebert

Get a Head Start on Spring!

St. Croix

Join our Bird’s Eye View family of advertisers in our March/April issue when we take you for fun in the sun in the Virgin Islands as well as a look at New England’s Spring skiing scene. Heading westward Montana’s Yellowstone is waking up and one of the busiest harbingers of spring kicks off when Nantucket goes yellow for the annual Daffodil Festival. One ad in the Bird’s Eye View sends your word around the United States to 45 different Cape Air destinations! Cape Air/Nantucket Airlines passengers share a passion for travel and want the inside scoop on where to go, stay, eat, shop and play. Share your news by reaching out to Kimberly at kimberly.corkran@capeair.com February 1st is the advertising deadline for March/April issue of the Bird’s Eye View. 94

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Cape Air Captain Michael Pfeiffer and First Officer Joe Edwards discover northeastern Montana treasures at the Fort Peck Interpretive Center, outside of Glasgow, Montana.

CAPE AIR MONTANA By Lynn Wagner

Here you can experience the rich history of the area from dinosaurs to dam building. The Museum’s wildlife display features elk, as well as historic animals like grizzly and prairie dogs found on the Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge, where numerous roads head off into the wilds of the area, allowing adventurous travelers to see remote and seldom visited areas. The Interpretive Center also showcases the two largest aquariums in Montana, displaying native and game fish of Fort Peck Lake and the Missouri River.

Photo: Linda Fitzgerald

eet Pancho, a mixed breed, (preferable to mutt) who began his life in a St. Thomas animal shelter which just happens to have a connection to a shelter across the sea on the island of Martha’s Vineyard. Their commonality— both islands are Cape Air destinations. Good news, Pancho’s adopted family is waiting for him in Martha’s Vineyard. The challenge remains— how to make the island hop in the most expeditious way possible. Kudos to American Airlines who transported Pancho from St. Thomas to Boston. Next step is Boston to Martha’s Vineyard and with the airline’s trademark MOCHA HAGo TDI* brand of service, the Cape Air team took over for the last leg of Pancho’s journey. Pancho is now living the good life with his new island family.

*Make our customers happy and have a good time doing it. Cape Air Boston ticket agent Erica Vozzella and Pancho

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B AC K I N T H E DAY

Provincetown-Boston Airlines (PBA), circa 1980

By Peter Kokoszka

“Good morning,

Provincetown-Boston Airlines” “Are you the airline that flies the DC-3s?” “Yes indeed, we are.” “Great! I’d like to book a reservation” “Where would you like to go?” “It doesn’t matter— I just want to fly on a DC-3”

A Five year-old Jacob — a future DC-3 pilot?

typical exchange at the ticket counter of Provincetown-Boston Airlines (PBA) right up until the airline stopped flying the DC-3s in 1988. I know because I was there. In 1988, after graduating from the University of Connecticut, I secured a job with PBA at the airport in Hyannis, MA for the last summer of the famed DC-3s. The 1940s era DC-3s were the workhorse of our busy summer season on Cape Cod. If I didn’t look out the window, it was just like a job at any other airport. Passengers were buying tickets, checking bags, getting boarding passes, arriving, departing, and asking the same age-old question that we still get today, “When will the fog lift?

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Photos: Peter Kokoszka

A DC-3 from PBA days is back on Cape Cod

A Return to Life—The former PBA DC-3 is now undergoing a total restoration at the Cape Cod Airfield, in Marstons Mills, Massachusetts with the possibility of a new life as a sighseeing plane for Cape Cod and the Islands.

But then I would look out the window and watch an enormous DC-3 taxiing straight toward the terminal with its nose proudly looking up to the sky. I admired its grace as it would spin practically on a dime so that the rear passenger door was closest to the terminal, see the engines shut down with a puff or two of smoke, and then open the door to welcome arriving passengers to the Cape. This was no ordinary airline job. One line of flight operated clockwise from Boston to Hyannis, then Nantucket, and then direct back to Boston. The second line of flight operated the counter-clockwise direction—Boston to Nantucket to Hyannis and back to Boston. A third airplane meanwhile was operating between Boston, Martha’s Vineyard, and New Bedford, and another was dedicated to the busy Provincetown-Boston route—the original route and namesake of the airline. WINTER

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We all knew that this season would be the swan song for this historic chapter of the airline and airplane. The DC-3s would be replaced by newer, faster turboprop airplanes. One by one, the family of airplanes that would sleep together each night at the PBA hangar in Hyannis would be separated, each being sold to a new owner and flown off to different corners of the world, probably never to see the shores and dunes of the Cape again. That is, until now. One of these birds found its way back to Cape Cod, with the help of a former PBA pilot, Captain Chris Siderwicz. The aircraft with the tail number of N35PB, which had been bought and sold and registered again with a new tail number, was flown by Siderwicz back to Cape Cod, where he is working to restore the aircraft back to its original grandeur. The airplane was built on May 20, 1940, and had many proud owners, starting with American Overseas Airlines. It served its country in World War II and then resumed passenger service with Braniff Airways, Trans Texas Airways (which was the predecessor of Continental Airlines) and then finally PBA from 1970 to 1988. After Chris and his son complete the restoration of this beautiful bird, you may see it gracing the skies around Cape Cod once again.

INDEX The Bird’s Eye View team sends sincere thanks to our loyal and supportive family of advertisers, for it is all of you who make this issue possible. To Cape Air’s passengers: Where to go, stay, eat and play in your Cape Air destination? Look no further then this page. BLOCK ISLAND, RI

NEW HAMPSHIRE

THE U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS

Ballard Hall Real Estate .................... 84 Phillips Real Estate ........................... 85 Sullivan Real Estate .......................... 85

Martha Diebold Real Estate ......... 79

ST. CROIX

NEW YORK

Arawak Bay ................................. 16 The Buccaneer ............................. 21 Calabash Real Estate .................... 22 Cane Bay Dive Shop .................... 21 Chenay Bay Beach Resort ............ 16 Crucian Gold ............................... 16 Palms at Pelican Cove ..................... 22 Rattan Inn........................................ 16

BOSTON Boston Harbor Hotel ....................... 68 Macdonald & Wood Sotheby’s, Duxbury .................... 71

Adirondack Outfitters .................. 87 Guide Boat Realty ........................ 87 Hotel Saranac .............................. 99

PROVINCETOWN/TRURO

Centerville Pie Co. ........................... 71

Eight Dyer Hotel .............................. 62 Provincetown Tourism Board........... 62 The Red Inn ................................. 62

MAINE

VERMONT

CAPE COD

Fiore Olive Oils & Vinegars .......... 73 The Island Inn, Monhegan ........... 69 Lisa Hall Jewelry .......................... 69 Red Sky Restaurant...................... 69 Tea House 278 ............................ 69

MARTHA’S VINEYARD Breakwater Real Estate ................ 59 Harbor View Hotel....................... 59 Kelley House................................ 59 Martha’s Vineyard Buyer Agents........................... 58 Martha’s Vineyard Museum ......... 58 Vineyard Harbor Motel ................ 61

NANTUCKET Faregrounds & Pudley’s Pub ........ 56 Maury People Sotheby’s Realty........................................ 2 Michael Kane Lightship Baskets ........................................ 56 Nantucket Coffee Roasters.............. 53 Nantucket Inns ................................ 51 Nantucket Stock .............................. 56 Nantucket Windmill Auto Rental.......................................... 56 Nobby Clothes Shop .................... 53

The Inn at WIllow Pond .................. 78 Marble West Inn.............................. 80 The Red Clover Inn & Restaurant ............................... 78 Southface Village at Okemo............ 83 Sugar & Spice .............................. 78 Three Stallion Inn......................... 81 Williamson Group Sotheby’s Realty. ..................... 80

CARIBBEAN: THE BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS Antilles Helicopter Services .......... 44 Blue Water Divers ........................ 44 BVI Villa Rental .......................... 100 Fort Burt Hotel & Marina ............. 38 Maria’s by the Sea ....................... 45 Plum Rose Restaurant ..................... 38 Sol Y Sombra Villa ....................... 38 Speedy’s Ferry ............................. 45 Surfsong Resort ........................... 45

ST. JOHN 340 Real Estate Co. ..................... 30 Arawak Expeditions, Inc............... 27 Cloud 9 Sailing Adventures .......... 30 Hidden Reef Eco -Tours ................ 30 Islandia Real Estate ...................... 26 Gallows Point Resort.................... 25 La Tapa Restaurant ...................... 30 Miss Lucy’s Bar & Restaurant ....... 27 Ocean 362 Restaurant ................. 25 Seaview Vacation Homes ............. 26 St. John Ulitimate Villas ............... 27 Vacation Vistas Villa Rentals......... 26 Wish Upon A Star Charters .......... 14

ST. THOMAS Bolongo Bay Beach Resort ........... 36 Calypso Realty ............................. 33 Coki Dive Center ......................... 35 Dohm’s Water Taxi ...................... 37 Emerald Beach Resort .................. 37 Inter Island Boat Sevices .............. 33 Miller Manor Guest House........... 33 Perfect Day Yacht Charters .......... 37 Virgin Island ECOTOURS ............. 35

VIEQUES Abe’s Sorkeling & Bio-Bay Tours ... 11 Black Beard Sports ....................... 12 Hacienda Tamarindo .................... 11 Vieques Flowers & Gifts ............... 12

B I R D’S

EYE

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