Cape Cod and the Island Summer 2022

COMMUNITY SPIRIT

RIGHT AT HOME

SUMMER BY THE SEA

Travel to Provincetown, host a clambake, set sail on a schooner, go camping by the canal.

Renovated antiques, innovative home designs, coastal chic inspiration, glorious gardens.

Ending hunger with the Family Table Collaborative and rooting for the Cape Cod Baseball League.

Tim Willoughby

Tim Willoughby

Elizabeth LaDuca

Kjeld Mahoney

Lindsay Hackney

Jamie Mercurio

Cape Cod is too beautiful for celebrating indoors.

THE STANDARD OF EXCELLENCE

Sperry Tents are the world’s most elegant rental tents.

sperrytents.com

More than 20 years ago, Sandra Lashway left a career in home economics and education to join the Clarke team. She is expertise personified. Ask her anything about cooking and how to create your functional, beautiful kitchen.

Spend an hour at a Clarke Showroom and one thing is clear: your time with a Clarke Consultant is the most valuable part of your kitchen journey. While they’re not designers, these are the people designers call on when it comes to appliance recommendations. You won’t buy anything at Clarke, so there’s simply no pressure. What you can do is compare more Sub-Zero, Wolf and Cove models than anywhere in New England. And explore a living portfolio of kitchens created by the region’s top designers. You’ll leave inspired with new knowledge to make your appliance selections with confidence.

Without Sandy, it wouldn’t be Clarke.

Contemporary home with stunning views MATTAPOISETT $975,000

Iconic eight-bedroom residence on 1.74 acres HYANNIS PORT $3,195,000 PAUL GROVER | 508.364.3500

Stunning contemporary with private beach, guest house, & sweeping views NEW SEABURY $7,900,000 PAUL GROVER | 508.364.3500

Charming multi-family in West End PROVINCETOWN $1,800,000 SCOTT POWELL | 774.722.5023

Private retreat in Barnstable village BARNSTABLE $1,499,000 DEB KENNEY | 508.776.2048

Scenic pond front neighborhood EAST FALMOUTH $949,000 O’NEILL GROUP | 508.524.7325

Waterfront gem at Humarock Beach SCITUATE $999,000 AMY TOTH | 617.283.1464

Impeccably updated 4BR townhouse BACK BAY, BOSTON $5,450,000 ROBERT B. KINLIN | 508.648.2739

Village home with pond and golf course views OSTERVILLE $4,125,000 PAUL GROVER | 508.364.3500

Waterfront, deep water dock, sunset views MASHPEE $2,595,000 REGAN SOUTHWORTH GROUP | 508.284.5200

Spectacular waterfront on 4 acres with pool and private dock OSTERVILLE $16,800,000 ROBERT B. KINLIN | 508.648.2739

“ My mother and grandmother died from cancer. After a mammogram, the nurse said I’d be a good candidate for genetic testing. I tested positive for a rare genetic mutation that has similar cancer risks as the BRCA gene. This knowledge empowered me to make the best decisions for my health and my family.”

- Sarah S., Harwich

Cape Cod Healthcare Women’s Health is an entire network dedicated to the specialized care of women. We’re committed to keeping you healthy with the latest in technology and diagnostic expertise, supported by the full resources of Cape Cod Healthcare.

High-Risk Hereditary Cancer Program

Comprehensive care, close to home.

www.CapeCodHealth.org/Womens-Health

Our team of seven is designed to assist you in navigating through the everchanging real estate market. If you are considering buying or selling, let us show you the unique difference between the Witter & Witter Boston Cape Cod Connection and the competition.

ummer is a rich fabric of sights, sounds, and experiences. It’s a time when life slows down and the rules ease a bit. To me, the magic of summer comes not just from the heat and longer days but also the potential of a day with no expectations. When people have the time to enjoy their passions, cultivate new ones, or simply recharge, only good things can happen.

The stories in this jam-packed issue showcase just how varied a summer day can be. Some deflate their tires and head out for a remote beach day; others pack up their picnics and stadium chairs for an afternoon baseball game. Some hit their favorite nature trail; others kayak on the nearest kettle pond. The possibilities are truly endless. And that’s just the fun stuff. As this issue proves, there are many valuable community efforts happening all around us. We’ve covered a collaborative working towards ending hunger, the region’s rebounding osprey population, and a nonprofit dedicated to teaching kids life skills at sea. From award-winning art to entrepreneurial success, there’s no lack of news in these pages.

Another theme running through our editorial lineup is the importance of spending time with loved ones. If anything, the pandemic taught us to prioritize our health, our family, and living spaces that invite togetherness. We hope you are inspired by these showcase homes and gardens.

Without further ado, please enjoy this issue—our largest to date. And make this summer one to remember.

Jennifer Sperry Editor

ON THE COVER “Sandwich Boardwalk”

James Penswick is a drone photographer based in Sandwich, Massachusetts, on beautiful Cape Cod. When he’s not out flying, you can find him at home designing apps and hanging out with his wife and two pups. See his latest photos on Instagram, @james.penswick.

End of an Era: The Sandwich Boardwalk has been an iconic landmark for generations. This past winter, parts of the boardwalk were damaged and the structure has been declared unfixable. In 2023, Sandwich will have a new boardwalk.

by James Penswick

Built on Tradition. Designed to Endure.

More than 25 years and hundreds of successful projects later, we remain committed to design that is lasting and noteworthy, and craft that sustains, inspires and works in harmony with this beautiful natural environment. Learn more at psdab.com

LISA CAVANAUGH grew up in Massachusetts and Connecticut and spent most of her summers on Cape Cod. After graduating from Boston College and working in an off-Broadway production in NYC, she moved to LA, where she became a Hollywood story editor, producer, and writer. After moving back to the East Coast in 2010, Lisa met and married her husband, a commercial fisherman, and now resides in Yarmouth. One of her favorite local spots is Tern Island, a small bird sanctuary in Chatham. On sunny afternoons, Lisa and her husband motor his skiff across the harbor for a relaxed beach day with plenty of wildlife to observe.

A South African-born photographer now based on Cape Cod, JULIA CUMES (@juliacumes) is passionate about storytelling. She has photographed projects around the globe and is a frequent contributor to Cape Cod & The Islands. For this issue, Julia photographed seven successful entrepreneurs with businesses in Dennis Village. One of her favorite spots to frequent is Wellfleet’s Great Island, where she loves to fat-bike and hike.

SKIP FINLEY was once a broadcasting executive responsible for over 40 American radio stations. He also established a writing career at the Vineyard Gazette on Martha’s Vineyard, where he summered since childhood. His book, Whaling Captains of Color: America’s First Meritocracy, received extensive acclaim and Skip was selected Author of the Year by his publisher, the Naval Institute Press. Besides his hometown of Oak Bluffs, his favorite spot is atop the Bourne Bridge facing southeast.

PATRICK FLANARY is a dad and host of Morning Edition on Cape Cod’s NPR. His reporting on music, mental health, politics, business, and equality has appeared in Rolling Stone, the Guardian, ProPublica, Quartz, and elsewhere. Patrick spent a year reporting on the Cape Cod murder trial of former Coast Guardsman Adrian Loya. His prison interview with Loya was expanded into a Psychology Today feature exploring how Loya’s range of psychiatric diagnoses revealed the difficulty of untangling mental fitness from criminal intent at trial.

MARCY FORD is a New England native and has lived on Cape Cod for the past 28 years with her husband, Jason. A nature/wildlife photographer and artist, she is currently working on a 100-day project for Instagram (@howiseetheworld) photographing nature collections. Her favorite place to be is outdoors but especially in a garden, hiking in the woods, or exploring the beach—always with her camera. For this issue, Marcy photographed the rhododendron and hydrangea collections at Heritage Museum & Gardens.

The retired sports editor of the Cape Cod Times, award-winning writer BILL HIGGINS covered everything from World Series, championship golf tournaments, Boston Marathons, and America’s Cup yacht races during a career spanning five decades. Beyond the games, Bill’s most memorable and proudest moments center on his family, including four grandchildren, and 40-year marriage to Marsha. When he’s not thinking about, writing about, or watching sports, he enjoys walking, jogging, and riding on the Cape Cod Canal bike path.

ALICE LESCH KELLY’S happy places on Cape Cod are Orleans and Brewster, where she loves pond-paddling her ultralight canoe, swimming in the bay, and keeping tabs on two osprey nests along the Cape Cod Rail Trail. Besides writing about her favorite outdoor activities, she works as a healthcare writer.

SUMMER 2022

JEN SPERRY jsperry@capecodandtheislandsmag.com Editor

ERIC BRUST-AKDEMIR ericbrust@capecodandtheislandsmag.com

Creative Director / Publisher

PATRICK O’DONNELL patrick@capecodandtheislandsmag.com 203.913.7691

Associate Publisher & Manager, Business Development

REBECCA BANAS rebecca@capecodandtheislandsmag.com

508.825.6499

Advertising Account Executive

KATHY RUSINOSKI kathy@capecodandtheislandsmag.com

508.971.4643

Advertising Account Executive

STEVE WYMAN BLUEVIEW MEDIA SOLUTIONS stevewyman@blueviewproductions.com

508.317.1600

Advertising Consultant

FATIH AKDEMIR fatihakdemir@capecodandtheislandsmag.com

Accounts Receivable/ Managing Publisher

LISA CAVANAUGH, SKIP FINLEY, PATRICK FLANARY, MARCY FORD, BILL HIGGINS, ALICE LESCH KELLY, JANICE RANDALL ROHLF, NANCY A. RUHLING

Contributing Writers

BENJAMIN BOYNTON, BRIAN VANDEN BRINK, JULIA CUMES, DAN CUTRONA, MARCY FORD, MATT GARDNER, AMBER JANE BARRICMAN, READ MCKENDREE, PAUL SCHARFF

Contributing Photographers

SCOTT BUONCRISTIANO

Contributing Illustrator

CAPECODANDTHEISLANDSMAG.COM

@CAPEANDISLANDSMAG

Cape Cod & The Islands Magazine is published quarterly by Scorton Creek Media © 2022

P.O. BOX 723 East Sandwich, MA 02537

Printed in the U.S.A.

A freelance writer in New York City, NANCY A. RUHLING has written for more than 50 online and print publications, including the New York Times. She authors the blog astoriacharacters.com, which profiles the insanely interesting people in her neighborhood. She loves Hyannis and its historical connection to JFK.

Cape Cod and the Islands is proud to work with a Certified Green Press. Printed on paper that is 100-percent post-consumer waste recycled fiber and Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified. Printed by Lane Press, a FSC/SFI-certified printer in Burlington, Vermont. Lane Press gets 98 percent of its electricity from sources other than greenhouse gas-producing carbon fuel. Inks are bio-derived and use low-volatile organic compounds.

52. A Recipe for Community

60. How to Clambake

129. Delightful Pair

112. A Natural Choice

94. Shifting Perspectives

72. Shake It Up

23 / COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT

HISTORY

34 / The Underground Railroad’s maritime escapes

COMMUNITY

38 / Meet seven entrepreneurs shaping the fabric of Dennis Village and beyond

48 / Provincetown artist Jo Hay is named “Artist of the Year”

52 / Ending hunger and increasing nutritional food access are just some of the Family Table Collaborative’s Cape-wide initiatives

60 / Event planner’s guide to the perfect clambake

FOOD + DRINK

64 / Here is a roundup of our favorite ice cream shops

70 / These new canned craft cocktails are perfect for summer living

72 / Chatham’s reinvented restaurant serves up specialty cocktails with fresh, approachable cuisine

LIFE + STYLE

77 / Let’s play nine innings with nine things you might not know about the league

82 / Set up camp with friends and family and watch the boats and wildlife along the Cape Cod Canal

TRAVEL

86 / Travel to Provincetown - where art, nature, and culture collide

HOME + DESIGN

94 / This Chatham home reaches towards the sea with an inventive shape for owners and guests

100 / Discover the myriad benefits of Passive House Construction

106 / A historic farmhouse anchors this fully renovated generational retreat

112 / A dated Colonial gets a new look

118 / Artisan finds new beauty in old materials

122 / Pro advice on achieving timeless seaside style

129 / Two plant species so magnificent that they have their own festivals every spring and summer

REAL ESTATE

134 / Minutes from downtown Osterville, this grand estate feels a world apart

136 / How to hire a pro listing agent

LIVING BY THE SEA

138 / With a makeover behind her, a historic schooner sets sail under new ownership

142 / This summer you can take your offshore life to the extreme on this center console

146 / After wintering in southern climes, hundreds of ospreys migrate to the Cape each year

EVENT SPOTLIGHT

150 / A selection of summer events you don’t want to miss

BOOKS

158 / Five must-reads for 2022

WRITER’S

SHACK

159 / Work by local poet Susan Berlin

FINAL THOUGHT

160 / A mother-of-two and the artist behind the Instagram account @momlife_comics

48. The Art of Persistence

106. Farmhouse Revival

77. Play Ball!

146. Osprey Success Story

38. Village Visionaries

Local artist Hans de Castellane is a painter and muralist. His work often captures scenes from the peninsula he grew up on. We sat down with him to learn more about his art and career.

When did you know you wanted to pursue art as a career?

Truthfully, my first choice was to be a Formula 1 race car driver, but that didn’t work out! I had markers in my hand for my entire childhood and just never really stopped making art. My grandmother signed me up for painting lessons when I was six and always made me feel like I was good at art, which helped. She got me a job at a t-shirt shop, designing logos when I was in high school, so I decided to pursue graphic design, which led me to Pratt Institute in Brooklyn and a degree in Communication Design. I came home from school and did a couple of murals and painting commissions. Who have been your greatest influences as an artist?

As far as painters, I love how Edward Hopper paints light and shadow, how James Michalopoulos warps things and uses such bold colors, and I have always loved Vincent van Gogh’s work and his story—if he only knew!

In what ways has the Cape influenced your work?

18 |

Schumi 21 x

11 x 14 | Acrylic On

Canvas

I was the first person in my family to be born here, so I am technically the only local in a family of “washashores.” It is interesting to grow up in a place that has such a fluctuation of population from the off season to summer. I am not a fan of the cold and things do get quiet around here, but there are also fewer distractions, so I get more work done.

de Castellane Gallery

For inquiries: hans@decastellanegallery.com Purchase his prints: decastellanegallery.com

JOHN F. KENNEDY HYANNIS MUSEUM

397 Main St., Hyannis jfkhyannismuseum.org

Hyannis’s Presidential Museum

Founded in 1992, the John F. Kennedy Hyannis Museum celebrates its 30th anniversary this summer. First opened as a small temporary exhibit in the old town hall building in Hyannis, the museum has grown into a place for reflection, learning, and civic engagement. Co-founders Rebecca Pierce-Merrick and Wendy Northcross both remain extensively involved in the museum’s management and curation.

After recently retiring, Northcross has stepped in as executive director, and Pierce-Merrick serves as the site’s curator and director emerita. Both recall those early days of bootstrapping their idea into one of the most visited cultural institutions on Cape Cod. “We sort of elbowed our way into one space in the town building on Main Street,” says Northcross. “Today we have the entire building available for exhibits, lectures, and community programs.”

The museum’s mission focuses on the Kennedy family’s legacy and their time on Cape Cod. To that end, an extensive new exhibit, “Presidential Summers: The Kennedys on Cape Cod,” opened in April. “This exhibit relates how the Kennedy family came to own a home in Hyannis Port and how exciting it was to have a President living among our midst,” says Pierce-Merrick. “We feature a lot of wonderful family photos and archival video along with artifacts like handwritten thank you notes by the First Lady and the President’s doodles of his sailboat on meeting notes. We also are fortunate to have on loan for a short time one of JFK’s famous rocking chairs.”

This summer, the museum has a full calendar of events, including media literacy workshops and weekly “Walks with a Purpose,” where participants learn how the history of Hyannis and Kennedy’s public policies intersect.

ROBERT KNUDSEN, WHITE HOUSE/JFK PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY

1900s shipwreck Nauset Beach

Snowshore Dining Table 1950s shed door, stainless ship rub rail, oak oar cleat, sandcast recycled aluminum legs

Searchlight Tug boat light, salvaged in East Boston, 1920s German oak tripod

237

Thirwood Place Marks 30 Years

On 45 acres of manicured grounds in South Yarmouth lies Thirwood Place, a senior living community with a list of amenities that reads more like a resort than a retirement destination.

“We are basically a community within a community,” notes Larry Lyford, executive director of sales and marketing. “Our main building is a lot like a town’s main street with a fitness center, heated indoor pool and hot tub, hair salon/barber shop, post office, library, and two restaurants for dining.”

thirwoodplace.com

Thirwood Place is the largest family-owned and -operated senior living community on Cape Cod. Unlike other options owned by large real estate investment firms, Thirwood benefits from owners (Davenport Companies) who take a more personalized, prideful approach. “They operate Blue Rock Golf Course, where our residents can play for free—no other community on the Cape offers complimentary golf,” says Lyford. “We also have an affiliation with Cape Cod Healthcare that includes weekly mobile phlebotomy and a dietician reviewing all our menus,” he adds. With three living options, Thirwood appeals to a range of seniors, from those who are just looking to downsize from the

responsibilities of a house to those who require more supportive care. Carefree Living is akin to a standard apartment rental; Independent Living offers dinner each night and weekly housekeeping; and Assisted Living provides three meals a day as well as help with dressing, bathing, and other needs.

The apartments are spacious at 700 up to 1,700 square feet and boast full-size appliances, washers and dryers, and patios or decks. Besides the quality of its residences, Thirwood excels at keeping its residents busy. “There is always something to do,” says Lyford. “We have barbeques, clambakes, and musical performances—we go on whale watches and canal cruises. You can take a yoga class, work with a physical trainer, relax by the pool, read in the library, or meet up with friends for a game of pool.”

Ultimately, Thirwood Place provides residents with caring staff, quality apartments, a beautiful setting, plenty to do, and, most importantly, valuable peace of mind.

Nestled into Brewster’s “Cumby’s Plaza,” across the street from the Brewster Book Store, is a new earth-friendly shop called Green Road Refill. Here, everything is designed to help customers achieve a more sustainable lifestyle. Wares include over 40 plant-based products, from shampoo and lotion to dish soap and laundry detergent. Bring a bottle from home or purchase one of their reusable glass or aluminum containers. While you’re there, browse Green Road’s low- to zero-waste products for kitchen, bath, and body; locally made and fair-trade gifts; and refillable, all-natural soy candles.

GREEN ROAD REFILL

2655 Main St., Brewster greenroadrefill.com

Brewster’s New Art Hotspot

Bekah Powers—a restaurant and hospitality veteran—had planned to open a restaurant, considering a few different locales and themes. Instead, she shifted gears and opened an art gallery, where she hosts exhibitions and meets with clients by appointment. Tanuki’s collections include Japanese and Cape Cod decorative art, textiles, ceramics, furniture, and crafts. True to her hospitality roots, Powers also operates two onsite ryokan-style guest suites in the charming c. 1764 property via Airbnb.

Follow the Trail

If you like reading, and if you like independent bookstores, then the Cape & Islands Bookstore Trail is a valuable resource worth checking out. The current map directs book lovers to 22 locales: 18 stores on the Cape, two on Martha’s Vineyard, and two on Nantucket. This tool is a handy resource for customers who like to browse in person and get recommendations from knowledgeable staff, not algorithms. The 2022 map is available online—each destination is unique, with its own vibe and selection, so you’ll want to visit as many as possible.

capeandislandsbookstoretrail.com

Belonging Books

Pop-up bookstore info@belongingbookscapecod.com belongingbookscapecod.com

Below the Brine Bookshop

554 Route 28, Harwich Port belowthebrinebookshop.com

Books by the Sea

1600 Falmouth Rd., Ste. 19, Centerville booksbythesea.net

Bread + Roses

302 Main Street, Hyannis brcapecod.com

Brewster Book Store

2648 Main Street, Brewster brewsterbookstore.com

Bunch of Grapes Bookstore

23 Main Street, Vineyard Haven bunchofgrapes.indielite.org

East End Books

389 Commercial St., Provincetown eastendbooksptown.com

capecodandtheislandsmag.com

Edgartown Books

44 Main Street, Edgartown edgartownbooks.com

Eight Cousins Books

189 Main Street, Falmouth eightcousins.com

Footprints Cafe

43 Main Street, Buzzards Bay footprintscafellc.com

Herridge Books

140 Main Street, Wellfleet facebook.com/herridgebooks

I Cannot Live Without Books

314 Main Street, Route 28, West Dennis icannotlivewithoutbooks.net

Isaiah Thomas Books

4632 Falmouth Road, Cotuit isaiahthomasbooks.com

Market Street Bookshop

31 Market Street, Mashpee mashpeecommons.com

Mitchell’s Book Corner

54 Main Street, Nantucket nantucketbookpartners.com

Nantucket Bookworks

25 Broad Street, Nantucket nantucketbookpartners.com

Parnassus Book Service

220 Route 6A, Yarmouthport parnassusbooks.com

Reed Books

537 Main Street, Route 28, Harwich Port

Sea Howl Bookshop

46 Main Street, Orleans seahowlbookshop.com

Titcomb’s Bookshop

432 Route 6A, East Sandwich titcombsbookshop.com

Wellfleet Booksmith

295 W. Main Street, Wellfleet facebook.com/wellfleetmarketplace

Where the Sidewalk

Ends Bookstore

432 Main Street, Chatham booksonthecape.com

Yellow Umbrella Books

501 Main Street, Chatham yellowumbrellabooks.net

LOVE WHERE YOU LIVE Live Where You Love

RECOGNIZED  thirty-years experience

RESPECTED knowledgeable, ethical, professional RECOMMENDED  commitment to provide a concierge client experience

Beverly Comeau, REALTOR®, CRS, ABR, SRS Kinlin Grover | COMPASS - 133 Route 6A, Sandwich 508-364-0084

beverly.comeau@compass.com

Search for your Cape Cod home here:

www.CapeCodMA.com

Estate planning may seem overwhelming, but it’s really a matter of getting your affairs in order. Of course, no two estate plans are alike. Some individuals may only require a will-based plan, while others may benefit from establishing trusts. The best way to plan for your future, protect your interests, and provide for your loved ones is to consult a qualified elder law & estate planning attorney.

Partners, Dan Surprenant & Michelle Beneski, are Certified Elder Law Attorneys by the National Elder Law Foundation. This makes our team uniquely qualified to help you prepare for life’s unknowns and provide you with peace of mind.

The Lanes Bowl & Bistro

Manufaktura Factory Store

Estia Restaurant

A NEW BOOK BY DR.

TIMOTHY D. WALKER

FOCUSES ON THE UNDERGROUND

RAILROAD’S MARITIME ESCAPES.

BY SKIP FINLEY

ames DeWolf died in 1837 as the second richest man in America. His father’s importation of slaves started in 1769 and was continued by his nephew through 1820, despite their home state of Rhode Island having banned slavery in 1787. In total, the DeWolf family was responsible for enslaving 11,000 people from Africa and bringing them here on 88 such voyages.

In 1791, DeWolf captained the slave ship Polly, which sailed from Africa to Cuba with 142 slaves. Crew members reported that DeWolf ordered the quarantine of an enslaved African woman—described as a “middleaged Negro Wench”—who had contracted smallpox. The sick woman was tied to a chair above deck and DeWolf asked for a volunteer to throw her overboard. When the crew refused, DeWolf blindfolded and gagged her so the other slaves could not hear her scream. A grappling hook lowered her into the ocean. She sank immediately and drowned. According to a crewman’s testimony, DeWolf said he regretted the loss of such a good chair.

DeWolf was put on trial on St. Eustatius but was acquitted in 1794 when the judge determined that he had acted to save his men from the threat of infection. While sick slaves were routinely thrown overboard, it was technically illegal to murder a captive. DeWolf’s charge stemmed from increased public awareness about the horrors of the slave trade driven by postRevolutionary antislavery sentiment. Nevertheless, the arrest warrant was dropped in 1795. DeWolf returned home and was elected United States Senator of Rhode Island from 1821 to 1825.

1659

Nantucket’s early settlers owned slaves but, in time, Quakers represented the dominant religion on the island and promoted equality for all. The Friends (as Quakers call themselves) became the first to denounce slavery around 1716. In 1733, Elihu Coleman, a Quaker minister, published A Testimony Against That Anti-Christian Practice of Making Slaves of Men.

1743

On Martha’s Vineyard, the slave Esther was being transported from Boston to North Carolina aboard the sloop Endeavor. When the vessel was docked in Edgartown Harbor overnight, Esther—her feet bound to a crowbar and hands tied behind her back—escaped the ship’s hold and fled. Esther’s story has received federal recognition from the National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom.

Arthur Cooper

Born into slavery in 1789 and fled from Virginia. It is unknown which routes of the Underground Railroad he used to escape, but he had to travel by boat to get to Nantucket. In October 1822, slave hunters arrived to recapture the family, but the island’s Quaker and black communities whisked them into hiding. Alfred Folger, a Nantucket magistrate, ruled that the Coopers could not be forcibly removed. Arthur Cooper went on to become a leader on Nantucket and eventually a founder of the Zion Methodist Episcopal church. He died in 1853.

Despite a history of activism and tolerance, life for black folks as expressed in local papers was uncomfortable and tinged by racism. Following the Civil War, as whaling came to an end, “black Nantucketers voted with their feet and left the island for homes with brighter horizons.”

1787

Bordered by New York’s Fishers Island to the southwest, Connecticut to the west, Massachusetts to the north, and the Atlantic to the south, Rhode Island had just enough access to both land and water to support American slavery. Ironically, new research by scholars has revealed that the same maritime routes used to bring ships of people to slavery in America also contributed to their escape. The towns comprising Cape Cod and the Islands, with their long history of supporting freedom and abolitionism, were geographically suited to aid in these escapes.

Much has been recorded about the Underground Railroad’s land-based system of people, places, and plans that allowed a still unknown number of former slaves to escape bondage. Sailing to Freedom: Maritime Dimensions of the Underground Railroad is a landmark treatise on the lesser heralded seaborne escapes. Edited by Dr. Timothy D. Walker, its 10 essays reconsider and contextualize how escapes were made along the East Coast. Published this past April, Walker’s book is receiving widespread interest.

Indigenous people (“Indians”) were the first slaves on Cape Cod. There’s a story that, in 1678, three natives broke into the Sandwich home of Zachariah Allen, prompting a court to decree them lifelong slaves to the Allens.

Following King Philip’s War, many natives were sold into slavery, one of whom was Thomas Wappatucke, found guilty of theft. The court ordered Wappatucke sold, with a portion of the funds reserved as compensation to the injured party.

The nearby Rhode Island General Assembly licensed racism and codified slavery in 1703: “If any negroes or Indians, either freemen, servants, or slaves, do walk in the street of the town of Newport, or any other town in this Colony, after nine of the clock of the night, without a certificate from their masters, or some English person of said family with them, or some lawfull excuse for the same, that it shall be lawfull for any person to take them up and deliver them to a Constable.”

Along with associating free black people and Native Americans with slaves, the law restricted their movements and further annotated them as potential criminals who should not be allowed out after dark. Blacks and Native Americans, free or enslaved, found after curfew were “to be whipped at the publick whipping post in said town, not exceeding fifteen stripes upon their naked backs.” Lastly, by allowing any white person to detain “any negroes

1793

The

1805

Former slave John Saunders and his half-white wife Priscilla brought Methodism to Martha’s Vineyard. They were brought to the island from Virginia by Captain Thomas Luce, hidden beneath a cargo of corn.

Fugitive Slave Act of 1793 authorized local governments to seize and return escaped slaves to their owners and imposed penalties on anyone who aided in their flight.

Ann Sears, director of the Falmouth Historical Society, tells the story of a female runaway slave who was helped by a group of women there around 1805.

Sailing to Freedom: Maritime Dimensions of the Underground Railroad by Timothy D. Walker, a professor of history at University of Massachusetts Dartmouth.

Atlantic Black Box is a grassroots historical recovery project that empowers communities throughout New England to research. atlanticblackbox.com; @atlanticblackbox

Converting to the abolitionist movement, by July of 1847 he began a long

or Indians,” whiteness was legally endowed with privilege and power while people of color were legally identified as suspect and requiring supervision. In 1714, the General Assembly forbade enslaved people to board ferries alone, even under their masters’ direction, without a certificate of ownership carried by their master or mistress or some person in authority.

Connections to the Underground Railroad are largely undocumented on the Cape and Islands, secrecy being among the reasons. Historians note the region as a likely destination for maritime escapes, given the adjacency of abolitionist hotbeds New Bedford and Boston. “Cape Cod absolutely would have been a destination from the seaboard ports, which was one method of escape for runaway slaves,” says Donald Yacovone, senior associate editor at the Massachusetts Historical Society. “Because of the maritime connections, certainly Nantucket stands out, and I would not be at all surprised if seacoast towns on the Cape served fugitive slaves.”

While no one knows how many slaves might have traveled north via Cape Cod and the Islands, several accounts of underground activity have been kept alive in area towns. It must also be noted that the economics of slavery— excepting the business of James DeWolf—largely did not benefit Cape Cod and its people.

1839

Juneteenth Jubilee on Martha’s Vineyard

On June 17, 2021, Juneteenth was declared a federal holiday. Juneteenth (short for June Nineteenth) marks the day when federal troops arrived in Galveston, Texas, in 1865 to take control of the state and ensure that all enslaved people be freed. The troops’ arrival came a full two and a half years after the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation. Juneteenth honors the end of slavery in the United States and is considered the longestrunning African-American holiday.

To mark Juneteenth this year, a diverse group of Martha’s Vineyard businesses and organizations have created an islandwide “edu-tourism” weekend June 17–19. In addition to music, film, lectures, and tours, the jubilee will include social events relating to the many stories of freedom obtained by maritime means.

VENTURE SMITH

“I

1860

On September 22, 1860, the Cape Cod AntiSlavery Convention in Harwich Exchange Hall insisted on “immediate and unconditional abolition.”

Kidnapped from and enslaved in West Africa, Venture Smith wrote an autobiography: A Narrative of the Life and Adventures of Venture, a Native of Africa: But Resident Above Sixty Years in the United States of America. Published in 1798, the story documents his life spent in capture on Fishers Island, Long Island, and in Connecticut and how he was able to purchase his and his family’s freedom.

crossed the waters to come here, and I am willing to cross them to return.”

—VENTURE SMITH, 1798

Orator Frederick Douglass escaped slavery from Baltimore’s docks via the Underground Railroad overland using a friend’s Seamen’s Protection Certificate.

CAPTAIN AUSTIN BEARSE

career as a smuggler of slaves to freedom.

MEET SEVEN ENTREPRENEURS SHAPING THE FABRIC OF DENNIS VILLAGE AND BEYOND.

BY JANICE RANDALL ROHLF PHOTOGRAPHS BY JULIA CUMES

ERICA DUNN Littlenecks

Tapping into her love for vintage and a desire to shop more sustainably, Erica Dunn wanted to find a way to offer an accessible collection of mom-approved hand-me-downs. She opened the door to Littlenecks in March 2020, just as the pandemic started shuttering businesses. The upside for Dunn was that it gave her time to personally connect with local families through virtual shopping, curbside pickups, and home deliveries. “I was able to introduce myself and the business through virtual shopping,” says Dunn. “I really felt a sense of community, and the response was huge. After just a year in business, I was able to move to a larger storefront and offer community events.”

In the heart of Dennis Village, Littlenecks carries new high-end children’s clothing, shoes, and gifts in addition to very-good-quality pre-loved items. But Littlenecks is more than just a children’s clothing boutique. “We are a gathering space that offers music and art classes, mommy & me yoga, and more,” shares Dunn. “I love partnering with other local mompreneurs.”

In addition to Littlenecks, Erica co-owns The Pheasant restaurant with her husband, Adam Dunn. Right down the road on 6A, The Pheasant focuses on sustainable, locally sourced dining and gracious but approachable hospitality. Says Dunn, “Between The Pheasant and Littlenecks, we have really been able to connect with the Dennis community and truly feel the support from other local business owners. It has been so awesome to watch our friends’ businesses transform, shift, and grow throughout the pandemic.”

Littlenecks: 766 Main St., Dennis Village; littleneckscapecod.com

Washashore Home

PEYTON LAMBTON & SARAH WALDO

Peyton Lambton and Sarah Waldo founded Washashore Home in 2015 out of a mutual desire to create a design business with something for everyone. The pair can take your project from beginning to end, or they can help with small pieces along the way. Lambton herself washed ashore on Cape Cod after marrying a local in 2012. A native of east Tennessee who worked in home design for television on HGTV and the DIY Network, she describes her style as “rustic coastal,” pulling inspiration from both the beach and her southern roots. Together with business partner Waldo, who grew up in Dennis and graduated from Parsons School of Design, her goal is to provide clients with fun, affordable, and approachable design with lasting appeal.

The two women bring different strengths to Washashore, so every project is the result of their complementary talents. “Sarah and I work so well together because we each bring a unique perspective to the table,” says Lambton. “We can easily bounce ideas off one another to make sure the end result is exactly what our client is looking for.”

As for establishing their studio space in Dennis Village, Lambton says both she and Waldo have a love for the area. “We eat at the restaurants; we shop at the businesses, especially when we’re pulling pieces to finish a project,” says Lambton, explaining that within Dennis Village there’s a small but flourishing community of design professionals. “We collaborate together and support one another. It’s a lot of fun.”

Washashore Home

800 Main St., Dennis Village

washashorehome.com

LOIS MICHAEL VINCENT SURGE boutique

Owner Lois Michael Vincent opened SURGE boutique in late July, 2021. “A childhood friend said it was now or never if I wanted to start my own business,” she says. “So I took a leap of faith.”

Located inside the Salt Yarn Studio on Route 6A, SURGE boutique is a welcoming space filled with apparel (including shoes), handbags, accessories, and gifts—all selected for the positive impact they have on people, animals, and the planet. Among them are vegan leather handbags, wristlets made from repurposed newspaper, and wine koozies crafted from recycled license plates. You’ll also find locally made products, like jewelry and hand-poured soy candles. On a good weather day, you’ll notice Trixie (the boutique’s mannequin) outside modeling one of the latest arrivals.

“I love to shop for others,” says Vincent, who is also passionate about paying it forward. Every month she donates a portion of her sales to a different charitable cause, such as the Cape Wellness Collaborative, Cape Kid Meals, and Cape Cod Resilience Fund.

Vincent says that the Dennis community has supported her from the very start. “I continue to have people stop in and tell me that they’re happy I’m here. It’s very gratifying. What’s most heartwarming,” she adds, “is having the support of other business owners in town. We want each other to succeed and it’s obvious from the referrals.”

SURGE boutique: 620 Main St., Dennis Village; www.surge.boutique

Elburne

SIMONE & LAURA PEREIRA

Sisters Simone and Laura Pereira founded Elburne in 2016 as a place for unique and sustainable home décor. It’s filled with products they love, made ethically by artisans from around the globe. The shop has become a designer favorite and is a must-see destination for supporters of local art.

Elburne, named after their childhood street, began with reclaimed wood furniture from Brazil. Today their expanded product offerings include lighting, rugs, and local art. Several Cape Cod artists, from painters to woodworkers, are represented. The result is an eclectic coastal look that stands out for its unique treasures. Customer favorites include block-printed pillows and rattan furniture. “The pandemic forced us to run leaner and smarter than ever before,” say the sisters, who used the time to focus on rebuilding their website and connecting remotely with clients. “We were also lucky to be in home design, an industry that saw a lot of growth.” With people spending more time at home and relocating to the Cape from larger cities, Elburne experienced an influx of newcomers, a welcome addition to their regular local customers. “We’re doing better today than we were before the pandemic,” notes Simone, “and that’s largely due to the Dennis community, who made it a point to shop local and support independent shops.”

Elburne:

744 Main St., Dennis Village; elburne.com

Look for an Elburne pop-up at Mashpee Commons this summer!

AL i SON AL e SSI A3 Architects

Last year, A3 Architects was named Best of Boston Sustainable Architect for 2021, with the selection panel citing A3’s ability to “balance energy efficiency with show-stopping aesthetics in every project it undertakes.” Alison Alessi, a Princeton and MIT graduate who has practiced architecture since 2007, founded the full-service firm 10 years ago. In their work at A3, she and architect Meghan O’Reilly are committed to net-zero design and pursue energy-efficient projects across the Cape and Islands, and beyond.

“It was just the two of us for many years and, even though we’ve expanded a little recently, we’re still small,” shares Alessi, LEED AP and Certified Passive House Consultant. “We try to really focus on projects with energy efficiency and have been lucky to do that.” Alessi often collaborates with her husband, Jason Stoots, owner and founder of SunPower by E2 Solar, which designs and installs exceptionally efficient, low-maintenance, long-lasting solar energy systems.

The fact that A3 is based out of a charming Greek Revival house in Dennis Village is more than happenstance. “Village centers on [Route] 6A, like this one, really resonate with me,” says Alessi. “As an architect, you always want to be in these little places.” With a post office, sandwich shops, design business collaborators, a furniture store, and more, Dennis Village suits Alessi perfectly.

The Art of Persistence

PROVINCETOWN ARTIST JO HAY IS NAMED “ARTIST OF THE YEAR.”

BY JENNIFER SPERRY

o Hay’s route to Cape Cod was circuitous. Born in Newcastle, England, Hay received her bachelor’s degree from Middlesex University in London; then she moved to NYC and worked as a magazine designer. “I learned a tremendous amount from my time in magazines, but I always felt like I was a painter,” she recalls. “I spent a lot of time teaching myself to paint in my spare time and visiting museums.”

Admittedly, Hay liked New York: the concrete, the bustle. She visited Provincetown somewhat begrudgingly for a vacation and felt its pull right away: “I remember turning onto Snail Road and seeing the sweep of the bay and the houses. I fell in love immediately. The wildness, the openness, the beauty—it’s absolutely extraordinary.”

Living and working in Provincetown since 2005, Hay began her “Persisters” series in 2016, an election year. “I felt great anxiety—actual fear—for the first time in my privileged life,” she reveals. “Suddenly there was this change in how we were receiving information about our world. I felt stuck in a quagmire of misinformation.”

To quell her anxiety and carve out a path towards optimism, Hay began painting portraits of women whose work she found comforting. The series served as a “cathartic and soothing process to make paintings of these people I was looking to for support,” she says. Large in scale at four by five feet, the paintings are arresting likenesses marked by large, expressive marks.

“The paint does all the work,” explains Hay of her method. “I’m always fascinated with how one color works against its neighbor. It’s such a glorious surprise when seemingly unrelated colors with the potential to clash become harmonious.”

Jo Hay is represented by:

Carolyn Kramer Gallery

21 Pleasant St., Provincetown

carolynkramergallery.com

Greg Salvatori Gallery

366 Commercial St., Provincetown gregsalvatori.com

The Miller Gallery

Charleston, SC; themillergallery.com

Earlier this year, Hay was named Cape Cod’s “Artist of the Year” by the Arts Foundation of Cape Cod. This award, new for 2022, recognizes a Capebased artist whose work shapes thought, inspires change, and creates a deeper sense of connection in the community.

To honor her award, Hay decided that her 18th Persister would be Jacqueline Kennedy, someone deeply associated with the Cape. “Fashion trendsetting aside, Jacqueline passionately and meticulously restored the historic details of the White House and invited artists, authors, poets, musicians, and actors to mingle with politicians. As a painter and great believer in the importance of art in society, I am indebted to her unwavering commitment to the arts.”

RON AMATO

Jacqueline Kennedy, 2022

“Once you can express yourself, you can tell the world what you want from it. All the changes in the world, for good or evil, were first brought about by words.”

— Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis

AMERICAN SOCIALITE, WRITER, PHOTOGRAPHER, AND BOOK EDITOR WHO SERVED AS FIRST LADY OF THE UNITED STATES FROM 1961 TO 1963 AS THE WIFE OF PRESIDENT JOHN F. KENNEDY.

Amanda Gorman, 2021

AMERICAN POET AND ACTIVIST

48 x 60 inches, Oil on canvas

“There is always light. If only we’re brave enough to see it. If only we’re brave enough to be it.”

—Amanda Gorman

Notorious RBG, 2017

ASSOCIATE JUSTICE OF THE UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT

48 x 60 inches, Oil on canvas, Private collection

“Women will only have true equality when men share with them the responsibility of bringing up the next generation.”

—Ruth Bader Ginsburg

Greta Thunberg, 2019

SWEDISH ENVIRONMENTAL ACTIVIST

FOCUSED ON THE RISKS POSED BY CLIMATE CHANGE

48 x 60 inches, Oil on canvas

“You must not gamble your children’s future on the flip of a coin. Instead, you must unite behind the science. You must take action. You must do the impossible. Because giving up can never ever be an option.”

—Greta Thunberg

Stacey Abrams, 2021

2022 GEORGIA GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATE, CIVIL AND VOTING RIGHTS ACTIVIST, FOUNDER OF FAIR FIGHT, AND AUTHOR

48 x 60 inches, Oil on canvas

“I need women of color, particularly black women, to understand that our achievements should not be diminished.”

—Stacey Abrams

BY LISA CAVANAUGH PHOTOGRAPHS BY MATT GARDNER

e kept hearing that it was the only home-cooked meal they were getting every week,” says Jeni Wheeler of the Cape Cod families and seniors she and her Family Table Collaborative (FTC) co-founder Harry Henry began feeding in March 2020. For the two culinarily connected friends, it was an important and immediate response to an urgent need at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I think for the first six months I would cry every day as we were doing distributions. They were tears of joy, but the experience was so emotionally overwhelming,” Wheeler adds.

Since that time, their new nonprofit has not only prepared and directly distributed more than 90,000 meals, soups, and other food items within the Cape community, it has also found a permanent home at the former Riverway Lobster House restaurant in Yarmouth. The reborn property, renovated by volunteers, is now The Commons at Riverway and operates as a café, tavern, and local Maker’s Market.

But that’s not all—FTC also rents its commercial kitchen to food makers and entrepreneurs and offers space for community functions, fundraising dinners, and wine and spirit pairings. In addition, the building boasts workforce housing and a community garden. Proceeds from these public-facing endeavors support FTC’s meal distribution program for needy Cape Codders.

“This is a completely different model. We’re working towards creating a selfsustaining nonprofit,” says Wheeler. “We are creating something that will help all of Cape Cod, and it really is a community-wide effort.”

Ending hunger and increasing nutritional food access are just some of the Family Table Collaborative’s Cape-wide initiatives.

Wheeler, who has experience operating soup kitchens as well as running her own gourmet prepared food services company, met Henry as part of the Cape Cod Culinary Incubator, where he served as board president. “I had been cooking for him under an Urban Agenda grant, and we both saw that food security would be an issue with COVID-19,” she says. The pair reached out to the American Culinary Federation, which had been receiving calls from restaurants about potential donations, and the food delivery collaboration took flight.

Almost immediately FTC found generous support within the restaurant and food industry. “We were helped by the Cape Codder Resort, Guaranteed Fresh Produce, and Camp Wingate Kirkland before we moved into Riverway,” says Wheeler. FTC’s first two years were a success thanks to local foundations, a financial arrangement with the Riverway owners, in-kind donations from Cape Cod food producers, incredible volunteer efforts, and the enormous passion of Wheeler and Henry.

Wheeler stresses that local need remains strong, and their team focuses on nutritional security, as the lowcost foods that struggling community members can afford often lack complex nutrients. “Not all food is created equally,” she says. “A person constantly hungry and driven by economic strife ends up getting high-fat, high-salt, highly processed food that does not allow the body to function as it should.”

Prepared meal to take home: ITALIAN SALAD THREE WAYS Caprese salad, Italian green beans with roasted garlic herbs and baby tomatoes, and farro salad topped with choy sum flowers.

Prepared meal to take home: ROASTED BRUSSELS SPROUTS

To help combat this, FTC meals feature healthy proteins and fresh produce, and Wheeler says she is “committed to spice.” She is also planning a pilot program to teach how to make meals from ingredients typically available at food pantries.

The FTC is also hosting Wellness Eats, a food program by the cancer support organization Cape Wellness Collaborative. “Wellness Eats didn’t have a permanent home, so we brought them under our roof,” says Wheeler. Now, Wellness Eats can provide greater amounts of free nutritious meals to people dealing with cancer. Plus, they can sell healthy meals to the public through FTC’s Maker’s Market as a new revenue stream. “This new relationship benefits FTC, Cape Wellness Collaborative, and the community at large,” Wheeler relates.

Allowing the community to participate is the essence of the co-founders’ vision. “Our Maker’s Market allows culinary entrepreneurs on Cape Cod to share their products with the public year round,” says Wheeler, “which is key when trying to survive a traditionally seasonal economy.”

Mitchell Rogers, whose newly launched Chatham Ice Cream Bars have become a hit treat for residents and visitors alike, met Henry at the Cape Cod Culinary Institute and immediately became an FTC volunteer. “I helped them open up at the Riverway, and now our products are sold in the market,” says Rogers. “Having the Family Table Collaborative as one of our first wholesale partners is just great. I was proactively seeking ways to give back to the community, so partnering with them has been amazing.”

Wheeler, who has an MBA from Babson with a focus on social entrepreneurship, says the goal of FTC is sustainable change in an area that faces challenges in terms of a seasonal economy, minimal public transportation, and a lack of affordable housing. “We want to move the needle, and we believe that requires a combination of prepared foods and education,” she says. “Most people know the story: ‘Is it better to give a man a fish or teach him to fish?’ We truly believe you must do both.”

FTC values the incredible resources available on Cape Cod, both in terms of products and people. “We are building an extraordinary partnership between philanthropy and entrepreneurship to help end hunger and increase nutritional security on the Cape,” sums up Wheeler. It’s a lofty goal, but Wheeler and Henry believe they have all the ingredients to do it.

Family Table Collaborative

1338 MA-28, South Yarmouth, 508-398-2172, familytablecollaborative.org

Your donation can help. Together, we can solve the problem of hunger and increase nutritional security on Cape Cod.

Ceviche - My Way!

“Fresh, fresh, fresh! Freshness absolutely matters in this dish!”

—Jeni Wheeler

Ingredients:

Salmon

Cod loin

Squid

Bay scallops

Shrimp

Fresh cilantro

Lime juice

Red onion

Edamame

Red bell pepper

Roasted corn

Chickpeas

Slivered almonds

Pepitas

Popcorn

Adobo

Sea salt

• Purchase the freshest pieces of each fish. (Amounts vary depending on how many you’re serving. Assuming 4-6 people for an appetizer, go with 1/4 to 1/3 lb. of each.)

• The shrimp can be purchased cooked or cooked at home.

• Fine dice a small to medium red onion and place in a glass bowl.

• Cut up each of the fishes (raw) into small pieces and add to the bowl.

• Be sure to cut the squid (both tentacles and bodies) into small pieces.

• Cut up and add 1/2 bunch of fresh cilantro to the bowl and stir well.

• Cover with lime juice, stirring to ensure everything is marinating in it.

• Cover the bowl with Saran wrap and place in the fridge for an hour.

• Take out the bowl and stir. Add more lime juice to come up to the top of the fish.

• Add in the diced cooked shrimp.

• Dice 1/2 of a red pepper and add.

• Add 1/2 cup of edamame.

• Add 1/2 cup of roasted corn.

• Add 1/2 can of chickpeas.

• Sprinkle with sea salt.

• Sprinkle with adobo.

• Stir all together and re-cover. Place in the fridge for another hour.

• Take it out. Stir and taste. Add more spice to taste.

• Dole out servings and top with slivered almonds, pepitas, and popcorn.

• Serve immediately.

With clam broth for flavor, this easy recipe will be the best New England Clam Chowder you will ever make. Or, as we say in Boston, “Chowdah!”

SERVING SIZE: 12

INGREDIENTS:

• 8 Tbsp. unsalted butter

• 2 slices bacon (adds smoky flavor)

• 1 large onion, diced small

• 6 Tbsp. flour

• 4 packets St. Ours Clam Broth

• 2 cups boiled water

• 1.5 lbs. potatoes 1” dice (Yukon Gold preferred as they don’t fall apart as easily)

• 2 Bay leaves

• 1 quart half & half

• 6 - 6.5 oz. cans chopped clams (drained) or 6 lbs. fresh quahog clams (yield 2-3 cups of meat)*

• 2 Tsp. cracked pepper

• Salt to taste

• 3 Tbsp. fresh herbs (optional) –e.g., dill, thyme, or parsley

• Oyster Crackers

DIRECTIONS:

1. For fresh clams, steam for 5-7 minutes or until opened; throw out any that do not open. Remove clams from shells, chop the meat, set aside. Filter clam cooking water and add clam stock with St. Ours Clam Broth (reduce the amount of water to make 2 cups of stock total).

2. Fry bacon in a large stock pot to render fat. Remove bacon from pot, dice, and set aside for serving. Dissolve St. Ours Clam Broth in hot water to make stock, set aside.

3. Melt butter in stock pot with the bacon fat. Sauté onion on medium until soft. Add flour and whisk until thickened (3 - 5 minutes). Slowly whisk in the clam stock and cook until a thick rue forms. Add diced potatoes and bay leaves. Turn up heat and cook until almost boiling. Reduce heat to medium and cook until potatoes are softened, about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Whisk in the half & half and return to almost boiling. Reduce to medium low and simmer, stirring frequently and scraping the bottom of the pot so cream does not scald. The longer it cooks, the thicker it will get. About 20 minutes will give a nice creamy consistency. Add chopped clams, pepper, herbs (optional), and salt to taste. Cook on medium low about 10 minutes more, stirring occasionally; do not boil.

4. Remove Bay leaves and garnish with chopped bacon - serve with Oyster Crackers.

5. This can be made a day in advance and re-heated on low.

* For more information on cooking clams, visit: saintours.com/recipes/about-clams/

BY JENNIFER SPERRY

Veteran planner Allison Wildes Liset, owner of Elegant Engagements of Cape Cod, is the master of the backyard clambake. One of the Cape’s most trusted event planners, she knows all the ingredients required to pull off this type of laidback, perfect-for-summer party.

Here are her tips and tricks for planning a clambake to remember:

RENT A TENT

The weather can be risky on Cape Cod. Because it’s a peninsula, it can be raining in one town and sunny in another. We always recommend a tent as an event insurance policy, and we prefer the handcrafted quality of a Sperry Tents Sperry’s sailcloth canopies, wood poles, and flags are reminiscent of sailboats and perfectly complement a sea-inspired feast. Also, a tent gives you the opportunity to illuminate your event, creating an environment that feels more intimate than an open-air arrangement.

DÉCOR

A nautical theme works great for a clambake and can head in two directions. Sometimes, we like to be a little kitschy with red-and-white lobster checked linens and Cape Cod beers and seltzers on ice in galvanized buckets. If the event warrants a more formal approach, we go with crisp navyand-white striped linens, nautical name cards, and woven chargers. No matter what, lobster bibs—preferably customized—are a must!

KELLY KRONIN

JOE MIKOS

APPETIZERS

Why not preface seafood with more seafood? I always recommend a raw bar and chowder to start off the festivities. My favorite is when the oysters, clams, and shrimp are displayed atop crushed ice inside a miniature dinghy. Clam chowder “sips” can be elegantly passed in shot glasses or you can do a make-your-own chowder station with bacon, chives, baby shrimp, and diced tomatoes.

MAIN COURSE

Cape Cod’s fresh, local seafood is legendary, which is why clambakes are so popular, particularly with out-of-town guests. Some clients opt for full lobsters; in this case, we typically place a “how to eat a lobster” card at each table setting. Others have their caterer do the initial cracking and serve up only the lobster tails and claws, keeping things nice and neat! Linguiça, clams, mussels, corn on the cob, roasted fingerling potatoes, and corn bread are all menu favorites. We recommend offering a rib-eye steak option for guests who don’t favor seafood.

Blue Star Tents

Sperry’s signature blue star tents are unique, fun, and perfect for coastal or patriotic themes.

PLAY GAMES

Corn hole is always popular. There are rental companies that will drop off everything you need for corn hole games. I’ve even placed ping pong/beer pong tables underneath Sperry arches as an entire guest gaming destination protected from the elements.

DON’T FORGET DESSERT

Strawberry shortcake is a classic summertime dessert—it’s light enough for a hot summer night. Many homes have fire pits these days, so it’s fun to have a s’mores bar with out-ofthe-box fixin’s. A make-your-own ice cream sundae station, like the s’mores, is equally popular with children and adults.

KELLY KRONIN

MICHAEL KRISTY

KATE HEADLEY

BY LISA CAVANAUGH ILLUSTRATIONS BY SCOTT BUONCRISTIANO

t is a well-understood truth that no Cape Cod summer is complete without ice cream. There is just something so undeniably perfect about a cold, creamy treat at the end of a beach day, during an exciting Cape League baseball game, or after a spectacular fireworks display. Somehow the mixture of warm salt water, ocean breezes, and frozen delicacies defines the essence of the Cape and Islands.

Here is a roundup of our favorite ice cream shops, just in time for the 2022 season. Stop by any of these spots for the finest dairy (and dairy-free) delights. If you have the verve—and the calories—to spare, why not do a full tour and visit each one?

CANDY GO NUTS If you like candy and ice cream, this is your place. Located in Woods Hole, Candy Go Nuts has been proudly serving up smiles since 1992 with Gifford’s ice cream and candy galore. 9 Luscombe Ave., Woods Hole; candygonuts.com

CAPE COD CREAMERY When Cape Cod Creamery opened in 2005, its goal was not to make good ice cream but the best ice cream possible. The company attributes its product’s superior taste to less air, which translates to more flavor, plus a commitment to using only the finest ingredients. Try some of its “Cape Cod” flavors like Provincetown Pistachio or Sandy Neck Snickers at either of its two seasonal locations in Yarmouth and Dennis or the year-round shop in Hyannis. Many local grocery stores sell its ice cream by the quart.

716 Main St., Dennis; 5 Theater Colony Rd., South Yarmouth; capecodcreamery.com

1975 as a post-gig musician hangout. Today, the Cape Cod locations in Orleans, Chatham, and Wellfleet offer the same rocking and outrageous flavors that launched the brand back in the day. 82 Cranberry Hwy., Orleans; 37 Kent Place, Chatham; 326 W. Main St., Wellfleet; emackandbolioscapecod.com

FOUR SEAS ICE CREAM Serving homemade ice cream since 1934, this venerable store consistently lands on local and national “best of” lists. Generations of families have enjoyed old-fashioned cones, sundaes, sodas, and frappes inside the former blacksmith shop. Four Seas specializes in flavorful favorites like fresh peach, black raspberry, and peanut butter chocolate chip. Or branch out and try pecan penuche, an old-fashioned brown sugar flavor based on a special New England recipe. 360 S. Main St., Centerville; fourseasicecream.com

The enormous “Fruity Pebbles Sando” at the Ice Cream Sandwich in Sandwich.

“Smugglers Treasure” eight-scoop ice cream bowl at Ice Cream Smuggler in Dennis.

ICE CREAM SANDWICH Tired of the same old ice cream shop? Try many unique ice cream creations like the Fruity Pebbles Sando, Coco Pebbles Ice Cream Sandwiches, and Cape Cod Donuts Ice Cream Sandwich. 66 Route 6A, Sandwich; icecreamsandwichcc.com

ICE CREAM SMUGGLER The interior of this shop—designed by Taniya Nayik of Food Network and HGTV fame—resembles a deconstructed ice cream cone. And that’s just the décor! Ice Cream Smuggler recently won the Taste of Massachusetts blog’s “Game of Cones” contest in 2021. Among its incredible offerings are the Smuggler’s Treasure, an enormous eight-scoop ice cream bowl fit for a hungry crew, and a world-famous hot fudge sundae that was featured on Food Network’s

All ice cream is made inhouse. 1555 Route 6A, East Dennis; icecreamsmuggler.com

THE JUICE BAR NANTUCKET ISLAND Nestled in the heart of historic downtown, The Juice Bar first opened its doors in the late 1970s and has remained a seasonal favorite for residents and visitors. Its ice cream offerings include Crantucket (dark chocolatecovered cranberries folded in vanilla ice cream), Dirty Grasshopper (crushed Oreos in chocolate mint ice cream), and Triple Chocolate Mountain (brownies and chocolate chips in chocolate cake batter ice cream). Every flavor and all baked goods are made with care onsite. Tasty smoothies, frappes, and freshly squeezed juices are also available. 12 Broad St., Nantucket; ackjuicebar.com

BEN & BILL’S CHOCOLATE EMPORIUM OF MARTHA’S VINEYARD

For Jeannette Michaud, manager and co-owner of Ben & Bill’s Chocolate Emporium of Martha’s Vineyard, it was a scoop of mud pie that lured her to a life in ice cream. “I was working in Bar Harbor, Maine, after college and a friend’s mom told me to go try the mud pie ice cream over at the original Ben & Bill’s,” says Michaud. “I went in, had my ice cream, and noticed a help wanted sign. They asked me if I

Michaud is now based in Falmouth, where she managed the Ben & Bill’s on Main Street before buying the Martha’s Vineyard location with her business partner, Dona Kruszewski. “Each store is selfsufficient,” says Michaud, “and we make all of our candies and ice cream right in the back.” In fact, she feels lucky to have Kenton Hunter as her ice cream maker. “He’s been there a very long time and is a perfectionist, especially when it comes to consistency from batch to batch. Kenton really knows his ice cream.”

Michaud attributes their product’s amazing flavor to their preferred butterfat content. “Some places use only 12 or 14 percent, but we go with 16 percent butterfat, which makes for a richer and definitely sweeter ice cream,” she says.

With so many visitors flocking to the island in recent years, she’s extended her season and is looking forward to another busy summer serving up more than 50 flavors of ice cream and yogurts. Vegan and lactose-free options round out the menu. But her own love of creamy ice cream, gooey fudge, and Oreos has not changed. “Mud pie is still my favorite,” she says, “even after all these years.” 20a Circuit Ave., benandbillsmv.com

“Deep Purple Chip” at Emack & Bolio’s Ice Cream in Orleans, Chatham, and Wellfleet.

GELATO JOY CAFE

“We named our ice cream shop to inspire families to come, sit down, and have a moment of joy,” says owner Sandy Valli. “We wanted it to be a place where everyone of all generations will stop, slow down, sample some ice cream, and enjoy the present moment.”

Valli, the daughter of an Air Force serviceman, moved to Wellfleet with her family in the 1980s when the Truro Air Force base was still active. Her husband, Leif, is also local and has a family tradition of making ice cream. The couple imagined retiring and opening an ice cream shop one day, but when a golden opportunity in downtown Wellfleet popped up, the Vallis took it. “My brother-inlaw owns Sick Day surf shop and the building,” says Valli. “There was another available retail space, so we thought, why not now?”

The Vallis researched gelato and decided that its flavor-forward aspect fit Wellfleet and the Cape really well. “Gelato is made very simply with milk, which is a lighter base,” says the entrepreneur. “We decided to stick with very straightforward flavors versus a lot of candies, inclusions, or additions.”

With space for only 12 flavors, Valli and her husband choose their selections carefully. “We have sweet cream latte, dark chocolate, and sophisticated vanilla, and we try to do a berry rotation with raspberry, blueberry, and blackberry,” she describes. Gelato Joy also features sorbets with fresh fruit and a “nut case” filled with flavors like hazelnut, roasted almond, and much-in-demand pistachio.

“People have really seemed to embrace us,” says Valli. “They stop by to grab a cone before going down to the harbor to look at boats, or they buy a pint for a friend or family gathering. Gelato is a traditional Italian hostess gift,” she says. “Our customers love to relax and enjoy the pure simple happiness of gelato. I think it’s wonderful!” 3 W Main St., Wellfleet; gelatojoycafe. godaddysites.com

MAD MARTHA’S Established in 1971, this ice cream shop is based on the legend of Martha, a little girl who lived on an island farm. As the story goes, her fresh cream froze one night and, after some recipe tinkering, she introduced ice cream to the islanders. Mad Martha’s has more than 25 flavors of ice cream and low-fat yogurt, including Chilmark Coffee, MV Sea Salt Caramel, and Vineyard Vanilla. Mad Martha’s is also the official ice cream of the Martha’s Vineyard Sharks, a collegiate summer baseball team. 7 N Water St., Edgartown; 12 Circuit Ave., Oak Bluffs; 24 Union Street, Vineyard Haven; madmarthas.com

PENGUIN’S ICE CREAM FACTORY Here, Disney movies play for kids in the sitting area while they enjoy their treats. A whopping 40 flavor choices include Campfire S’mores, Salted Caramel Pretzel, and Lemon Lime Summertime, just to name a few. But that’s not all: Penguin’s is known for its decadent ice cream pies lathered in candy, whip cream, chocolate fudge, or fruit depending on your craving. 289 Cotuit Rd., Sandwich; facebook.com/ penguinsicecreamfactory

Chocolate hazelnut gelato at Gelato Joy Cafe in Wellfleet.

“Unicorn” flavor ice cream at Penguin’s Ice Cream Factory in Sandwich.

SHORT ‘N’ SWEET ICE CREAM Located right off the Old Colony Rail Trail in Chatham, this shop serves up ice cream cones and sundaes in a vintage schoolhouse complete with school desks, maps, and books. Visit on game nights and you can enjoy your ice cream while watching the Chatham Anglers play on the big screen. 2334 Main St., South Chatham; facebook.com/shortnsweetchatham

SUNDAE SCHOOL ICE CREAM Named one of the country’s best ice cream spots by Food & Wine magazine, Sundae School has been making rich and creamy handcrafted ice cream on Cape Cod since 1976. Its two locations are

SWEET IZZY

The owners of Sweet Izzy couldn’t find the dairy-free ice cream experience they needed, so they decided to open a shop themselves. “My wife, Elizabeth, a holistic health coach, is not able to do dairy, soy, or gluten, so we created a completely plant-based ice cream named after our daughter Izzy,” says Mike Doucette, a Cape native. “Most people have ice cream memory associations, but that’s hard to achieve for families with nutritional sensitivities and food intolerances. Now, we’re able to give everyone that Cape Cod ice cream experience.”

Using a base of oat and coconut milks, Sweet Izzy makes both soft and hard serve in favorite flavors like coffee, cookies and cream, mint chip, and maple walnut. “We also do a soft serve cannoli sundae that’s really popular,” says Doucette.

Operating since July 2020, the store consistently receives positive feedback and gratitude from parents of kids with dairy allergies. “One mom last summer said thank you so much for giving my family the ability to feel normal,” says Doucette. “And that’s what Sweet Izzy is all about.”

296 Route 28, Harwich Port; sweet-izzy.business.site

open seasonally, but Sundae School makes ice cream all year round. It’s sold by the quart at both Dennis Public Market and Ring Brothers Market (also in Dennis). 381 Lower County Rd., Dennis Port; 606 Route 28, Harwich Port; sundaeschool.com

WHAT’S THE SCOOP? Tucked next to a charming little mini golf course and close to Nantucket Sound beaches, this counter-service ice cream shop serves Richardson’s Farm ice cream, Richie’s Italian ice, fruit smoothies, and Cape Cod Coffee cold brew. 193 Shad Hole Rd., Dennis Port; capecone.com

Ride your bike to Short ‘n’ Sweet Ice Cream in South Chatham.

Gluten-free

Low ABV

Low sugar

Keto-friendly

Low calorie

PERFECT STORM WHITE RUM. GINGER. LIME.

CLASSIC VODKA. CRANBERRY. MINT.

BAE BREEZE TM VODKA. GRAPEFRUIT. CRANBERRY.

THESE FOUR CANNED CRAFT COCKTAILS

veryone loves a craft cocktail, but how about one that’s already mixed and ready for sipping? Enter , a ready-to-drink canned cocktail brand started by brothers-in-law Kevin O’Leary and Will Patch. The brand’s classic cocktails—each made with three

pandemic when long summer days on the Cape felt

O’Leary explains. “I wasn’t sure if that would be able to happen that summer, and I knew I wasn’t alone in that uncertainty. I wanted to find a way to make us all feel

Cape Cod’r (vodka, cranberry, mint), Bae Breeze (vodka, cranberry, grapefruit), Perfect Storm (white rum, ginger, lime), and Ocean Breeze (white rum, blueberry, lemon). With a low alcohol by volume of less than five percent, plus fewer than 100 calories per can, these cocktails are the ultimate go-to for a beach day, barbeque, or just a quiet evening with a sunset backdrop.

Visit capecodr.com for more info.

Follow: @capecodr

OCEAN BREAK WHITE RUM. BLUEBERRY. LEMON.

Founders Kevin O’Leary and Will Patch

Shake It Up

CHATHAM’S REINVENTED

PATE’S RESTAURANT SERVES UP SPECIALTY COCKTAILS WITH FRESH, APPROACHABLE CUISINE.

BY LISA CAVANAUGH

t would have to start with some kind of exotic tequila,” says Jamie Edwards of a drink named after himself. “It would include light, fresh juices and something extra you knew you couldn’t get anywhere else. Some sort of magic Jamie sparkle,” adds the partner and beverage director of Pate’s restaurant in Chatham.

While Edwards has not yet mixed an eponymous cocktail, he has served up thousands of bespoke beverages since he first started in the restaurant business nearly 30 years ago. “I began my career at 17 in Portland, Maine,” he says. “I worked under old souls at the cool, hip restaurants downtown. I learned all my wines, got my sommelier training. Portland is a great hub for art, music, culture, and food.”

Try this summer’s special libation “Tequila Mockingbird”

Jamie Edwards, partner and beverage director of Pate’s restaurant in Chatham.

The mixologist continues: “I started with craft cocktails before they were a thing. While I can make all the classics perfectly, I’m always on the lookout for a new one to delight my friends.”

Friends are what Edwards calls his clientele. His ultimate goal is to make every stop at his bar a festive and inclusive occasion. After a stint in San Diego’s restaurant and bar scene, Edwards returned east to Cape Cod and found himself in the high-end and high-pressure atmosphere of the Ocean House in Dennis Port. “I started on a July Fourth weekend and stayed for nine and a half years,” he says. “That’s where I met Anthony and Bernardo.”

Executive Chef and partner Anthony Silvestri and Chef Bernie Macedo paired up to reinvent Pate’s, an iconic Chatham restaurant that has served residents and summer visitors since 1957. Along with owner Tom Johnson, they have renovated and reimagined both the space and the menu. Edwards eagerly embraced the challenge of creating the perfect drink menu to delight both longtime customers and new friends.

“I love when clients sample something they haven’t had before. I try to find the perfect elements to hit everyone’s palate,” says Edwards, who likes to experiment with herbs, spices, smoky bubbles from dry ice, and unique presentations. He also insists on using top-tier ingredients. “I never shortcut, so you know you’ll get a really good drink at my bar,” he asserts. “And I make them really pretty, too!” He loves making dessert cocktails with marshmallows, fruit, and creams. “Any dessert you love—I can make it drinkable.”

With at least 35 drinks on his craft cocktail list, Edwards has some timeless favorites. “My espresso martini is a numberone gun for me,” he says. “I’ve made every version of it under the sun, and it tastes like velvet.” Just like veteran mixologists guided him along the way, he is now training his own staff. “I’m still learning all the time,” he says, “but it’s important to teach the next generation of bartenders and pass on my cocktail canon.”

While he may never stop discovering new ways to create delectable libations, Edwards guarantees that one thing remains constant. “My drinks are about having fun,” he says. “If I ever invent the ‘Jamie Edwards’ cocktail, it will be all about happiness.”

My drinks are about having fun. If I ever invent the ‘Jamie Edwards’ cocktail, it will be all about happiness.

— JAMIE EDWARDS PARTNER AND BEVERAGE DIRECTOR OF PATE’S

9 REASONS TO ROOT FOR THE CAPE COD BASEBALL LEAGUE.

BY BILL HIGGINS

illie Stargell, the Pittsburgh Hall of Famer from the “We Are Family” World Series champion Pirates, was fond of saying, “When they start the game, they don’t yell, ‘Work ball.’ They say, ‘Play ball!’ ”

And so it is. Welcome to another summer of the Cape Cod Baseball League, hardball heaven amid sea breezes and sand dunes. The 10-team league is recognized as the

country’s premier summer collegiate baseball organization. From Orleans to Wareham, from mid-June to mid-August, the teams play six days a week on local fields where the grass is real and the price is right. Admission is free but contributions are encouraged. The players, still amateurs, are accessible; most games end with youngsters crowding around the soonto-be stars for autographs.

Life + Style CAPE COD BASEBALL

The slogan is more than just a catchphrase. In 2021, there were more than 300 Cape League alumni on Major League rosters and the MLB All-Star Game included 17 players who honed their skills on local diamonds.

Corbin Burnes of Milwaukee, the 2021 National League Cy Young Award winner, played for the Orleans Firebirds.

Jonathan India of Cincinnati, the 2021 National League Rookie of the Year, was a Harwich Mariner. New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge played for the Brewster Whitecaps.

Chris Sale

FUN FACT: Before he was the Boston Red Sox’s pitching ace, Chris Sale was a Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox in 2009 and won the Outstanding Pitcher award.

Let’s play nine innings with nine things you might not know about the league.

1. “WHERE THE STARS OF TOMORROW SHINE TONIGHT.”

Aaron Judge

Jeff Bagwell Craig Biggio

2. CALLED TO THE HALL.

Baseball’s ultimate honor is enshrinement in the Hall of Fame. The Cape League is well represented: five former players have bronze plaques in Cooperstown. Most recently, Jeff Bagwell (Chatham 1987-88), Craig Biggio (Yarmouth-Dennis 1986), and Frank Thomas (Orleans 1988) were inducted. Other Cape leaguers in the hall are Carlton Fisk (Orleans 1966) and Pie Traynor (Falmouth 1919).

FUN FACT: Lou Lamoriello, president of hockey operations for the New York Islanders and architect of three Stanley Cup champions, is in the Hockey Hall of Fame. Before he turned his attention to the ice, he was a Cape League all-star player and manager and is also in its Hall of Fame.

3. NAME GAME.

What do Kevin Cash (Tampa Bay Rays), Joe Girardi (Philadelphia Phillies), Mike Matheny (Kansas City Royals), Buck Showalter (New York Mets), Aaron Boone (New York Yankees), David Ross (Chicago Cubs), Scott Servais (Seattle Mariners), and Mark Kotsay (Oakland A’s) have in common? They’re all field managers of Major League teams and they all played in the Cape League.

FUN FACT: Showalter played for the Hyannis Mets in 1976 and was league MVP and batting champion (.434). He also had a day job painting fences around the Kennedy Compound in Hyannis Port.

4. CRACK OF THE BAT.

The league’s prestige was enhanced in 1985 when it mandated a return to wooden bats. Until then, aluminum bats

were the order of the day. The change was heralded by the major leagues and their scouts, who could better evaluate the potential of hitters and pitchers using the same tools of the trade as professionals.

FUN FACT: In 1983, Cory Snyder hit 22 home runs for Harwich with an aluminum bat. The wooden bat home run record was set by Dave Staton, who belted 16 for Brewster in 1988.

5. SCOUT’S HONOR.

When you’re at the ballpark, check out the guys behind home plate. Most will have notebooks and pens and be aiming radar guns toward the field. They’re scouts searching for uncut gems to become polished jewels. Scouts watch games differently than most spectators. They assess “tools,” code for baseball skills. Players are

graded on speed, power, batting average, arm strength, and fielding. Pitchers are assessed on velocity, arm action, delivery mechanics, breaking ball, and changeup.

FUN FACT: Kris Bryant played for Chatham in 2011 and hit only .223 with three home runs. But he had tools. Four years later he was the National League Rookie of the Year and, in 2016, led the long-suffering Chicago Cubs to World Series victory.

6. SIGHTS AND SOUNDS.

On a leisurely summer day, arrive early at the park. Bring a lawn chair, set up behind the back stop, or pick a comfortable spot in the bleachers and watch the rhythm of the game unfold. After warmups, don’t be surprised to see the players and coaches grooming the field with rakes and watering hoses.

KevinCash

No ground crews here; it’s all hands on deck. And what’s that smell in the distance? Ah yes, of course: hot dogs on the grill and popcorn in the snack bar.

FUN FACT: Cotuit, Yarmouth-Dennis, and Brewster play home games at twilight with first pitch usually at 5 p.m. The remaining teams—Wareham, Falmouth, Bourne, Hyannis, Harwich, Chatham, and Orleans—play games under the lights between 6 and 7 p.m.

7. DAYS OF OUR LIVES.

The manicured lawn of Lowell Park is home to the Cotuit Kettleers and one of the best day game venues anywhere. The field is carved out of a forest and insulated from traffic and noise other than the crack of bats and the hometown cry of “Have a hit!”

FUN FACT: According to legend, Native Americans bartered with early settlers for the current land more than 300 years ago. Terms of the sale included a brass kettle, thus the nickname Kettleers.

8. NIGHT TIME, BEST TIME.

If you’re looking for a quintessential evening experience, try Eldredge Park in Orleans or Veterans Field in Chatham. In Orleans, the banking down the right field line is so popular fans arrive during the day to hold their place with a chair or blanket. Chatham’s field is a picturesque amphitheater bowl where you’re often treated to a brilliant sunset—or the infamous “Fifth Inning Fog,” which can roll in without warning and interrupt or postpone games.

FUN FACTS: An Eldredge Park portrait by renowned photographer

Joel Meyerowitz was included in the book Baseball in America. The 2001 romantic comedy Summer Catch, starring Jessica Biel, Freddie Prinze Jr., and Brian Dennehy, fictionalized a Chatham season in the Cape League.

9. STARRY, STARRY NIGHT.

After the 2020 season was cancelled due to COVID-19 and 2021’s schedule was compacted, the league’s All-Star Game returns this summer. Hosted by the Wareham Gatemen at Spillane Field, the showcase is scheduled for Saturday, July 23.

FUN FACT: Some of the more prominent Wareham grads who have gone on to star in the big leagues include Matt Barnes, George Springer, Max Muncy, Kyle Schwarber, Mo Vaughn, Barry Zito, and Dallas Keuchel.

David Ross

PAUL SCHARFF

GMC’s Terrain SUV (left) and 2500 Sierra pickup (right) are perfect for cruising and camping.

BY LISA CAVANAUGH

ummer is upon us and everyone on the Cape is looking to be near the water. What could be more agreeable than setting up camp, relaxing with friends and family, and watching the boats and wildlife along the Cape Cod Canal?

The idea for connecting the two tidal rivers that snaked inward onto a narrow isthmus at the western edge of the Cape Cod peninsula began with Myles Standish in 1623. Nearly three centuries later, the concept finally came to fruition when, in 1914, the Cape Cod Canal officially opened.

This 17.4-mile navigable waterway is operated and maintained by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New England District, and is an important seagoing route for thousands of commercial vessels as well as a popular location for recreational boating and fishing. The canal is also home to seals, striped and black sea bass, squid, jellyfish, and bluefish. Most species of whales that can be found in the region, including right whales, minkes, and humpbacks, have traversed it on occasion.

With more than a thousand acres of federal lands surrounding the canal on both sides, there is an amazing variety of recreational opportunities, such as hiking, fishing, biking, picnicking, and ship watching, available in every season.

The Bourne Scenic Park, located on the western shore of the canal, is owned and operated by the Bourne Recreation Authority on land leased from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. It offers more than four hundred camping sites for tents and RVs plus cabins and lodges for rent from April to October each year.

Located on the Scenic Highway just below the Bourne Bridge, Bourne Scenic Park is a snap to get to from either on Cape or off. And there is no better way to arrive for your canal-side adventure than in one of the new 2022 GMC trucks and SUVs.

The popular Terrain is a mid-sized SUV and the smallest made by GMC. “It can fit everything folks need for a great day of outdoor adventure or longer camping trip,” says salesman Andrew Robertson of Robertson’s GMC in Wareham. “It is a five-seater with plenty of room in the back for luggage, and the standard included roof rack can hold all your gear.”

Additional features include a dual sunroof, keyless ignition, and a “Heads Up” visual display that pops up in the driver’s line of sight to allow them to stay attuned to their route.

The 2022 GMC Sierra with the black diamond package is a great truck. It has the Duramax 6.6L V-8 turbo-diesel paired up with the 10-speed, fully automatic Allison Transmission for effortless trailering and hauling.

— Andrew Robertson, Robertson’s GMC in Wareham

The AT4 off-road trim package adds to the overall appeal of the Terrain, with its black detailing, deep black rims and mirror covers, and pewter/steel color for the grill itself. “It has a more assertive look overall but is still a great family vehicle,” says Robertson.

If bringing along bikes and kayaks or even pulling a camper is part of the game plan, then you might consider the best-selling Sierra 2500 with the Denali package. “The 2022 GMC Sierra with the black diamond package is a great truck,“ says Robertson. “It has the Duramax 6.6L V-8 turbo-diesel paired up with the 10-speed, fully automatic Allison Transmission for effortless trailering and hauling.” The “Heads Up” display in the Sierra projects onto the windshield, making it easy to see vital driving information and still keep one’s eyes on the road.

The Denali package offers similar black finish details and includes automatic power running boards and a MultiPro Tailgate that can be configured and positioned to function in several ways. “As in most of your GMC trucks you have an outlet in the rear; if you did need to charge anything you are all set,“ says Robertson. “The Denali also has speakers in the tailgate, so you can bring your music with you to the campground.”

The 2500 can tow up to 18,500 pounds and is perfect for when you might want to bring a travel trailer or fifth wheel and stay for a while. Luckily, the Bourne Scenic Park offers longer-term camping, allowing you to spend a few weeks or more gazing at the engineering marvel and picturesque waterway that is the Cape Cod Canal.

BY PATRICK FLANARY

he moment you descend on the paradise that is Provincetown, ditch the car at MacMillan Pier and drop the itinerary. Provincetown is a walking town—and a blast on an electric scooter.

Perhaps the perfect introduction is from above. Once you take in the astonishing landscape from atop the Pilgrim Monument, you’ll crave a stroll up the strip or a hike through the dunes. The monument towers 25 stories above Commercial Street, where it all happens, including the Pride (June 4) and Carnival (August 18) Parades

“Aside from Provincetown being a gay mecca, I think the idea of it being more of a creative place has always been what stands out,” says Chris McCarthy, CEO of the Provincetown Art Association and Museum (PAAM). “I think that legacy is what separates us from other coastal communities.”

Fishermen, writers, and artists all found their way to the Cape’s fingertip, where Portuguese culture prospered and LGBTQIA identity flourished. Today, Provincetown doubles as America’s oldest escape destination and quintessential party spot. Time to explore.

Pilgrim Monument 1 High Pole Hill Rd., pilgrim-monument.org

American art and theater are rooted in Provincetown, dating back to 1899 when the Cape Cod School of Art held its first outdoor painting class here. PAAM preserves the country’s oldest art colony with year-round workshops and classes for kids and adults. Summer exhibitions include Rowland Scherman, who photographed Bobby Kennedy and Bob Dylan. Rediscovered paintings by the late local artist Edith Lake Wilkinson are also on view.

Dozens of art galleries line almost every street. Join the Friday Night Gallery Stroll for a bit of everything: provocative sculptures, paintings, mixed media, and more. Carolyn Kramer Gallery (21 Pleasant St., carolynkramergallery.com) features oil portraits of revolutionary women by the Arts Foundation of Cape Cod’s “Artist

of the Year” Jo Hay. Egeli Gallery (382 Commercial St., egeligallery. com) represents contemporary impressionist painters. Also, replicas of the 13 paintings stolen from Boston’s Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum (painted by local artists as movie props) reside at Egeli as well.

The Provincetown International Film Festival (June 15-19) is a treat for movie buffs to catch features they won’t see anywhere else. The 75th Portuguese Festival (June 23-26) culminates with the Blessing of the Fleet boat parade. Bear Week (July 9-17), Girl Splash (July 20-23), and Family Week (July 23-30) also party hard with inclusive spirit.

PAAM

460 Commercial St., paam.org

Womencrafts

“The safe space that the town provides is still something that’s desperately necessary,” says Michelle Axelson, owner of Womencrafts. One of Provincetown’s oldest shops, this destination promotes the work of female artisans, authors, and musicians and is one of the country’s few remaining feminist bookstores.

The Art House (214 Commercial St., ptownarthouse.com) hosts a nightly lineup bursting with comedy and cabaret. And you must witness the absurd brilliance of Dina Martina, back for another residency at Crown & Anchor (247 Commercial St., onlyatthecrown.com)

Provincetown is mostly pet friendly. Bring your furry friend(s) along for a sunrise cruise aboard Dog Gone Sailing Charters (10 MacMillan Pier, doggonesailingcharters.com). Biology buffs can see the skeleton of a humpback whale inside the Center for Coastal Studies (5 Holway Ave., coastalstudies.org)

Each season brings crowds, but even at the height of summer, Herring Cove and Race Point Beaches are big enough to find a private spot. The latter even allows hiking access to the Dune Shacks Trail. Wheels are easy to come by, and you’ll need them for the five-mile Province Lands Bike Trail. Or, for a true getaway, hop the short shuttle from MacMillan Pier to Long Point to visit the Cape’s most remote lighthouse. No concessions, no restrooms— just peace and quiet.

Race Point Beach

Cape Cod National Seashore oversand beach driving

Dune Shacks Trail

2.4-mile loop trail, moderately challenging hike.

376 Commercial St., womencraftsptown.com

Provincetown Portuguese Bakery 299 Commercial St., provincetownportuguesebakery.com

Far Land Provisions 150 Bradford St., farlandprovisions.com

Reservations are key. Restaurants are often packed during the season, but you can satiate with a cone from Lewis Brothers Ice Cream (310 Commercial St., lewisbrothersicecream.com) or the finest fried dough of your life at Provincetown Portuguese Bakery.

Scrap a sit-down meal altogether and grab sandwiches for the day at Far Land Provisions and venture beyond the bustle. “It’s easy to stay downtown, but there’s really another layer of community,” says co-owner Tom Boland of exploring beyond Commercial

Street. His other location at Herring Cove Beach hosts live music on Wednesdays and Sundays at sunset. That brings us to dinner on the waterfront. The Red Inn (15 Commercial St., theredinn.com), Ross’ Grill (237 Commercial St., rossgrillptown.com), and the upper deck of Pepe’s Wharf (371 Commercial St., pepeswharf.com) are a few serving up cocktails with a view and great spins on seafood, too.

Lands End Inn 22 Commercial St., landsendinn.com

You could go luxury, shabby chic, or pick the cheapest place in town and it’ll still cost you. This is Provincetown in summer. But some experiences are priceless.

The cozy Revere Guest House (14 Court St., reverehouse.com) offers a quiet evening around the courtyard fire pit. Watership Inn (7 Winthrop St., watershipinn.com) is another gem tucked away on a side street but still in the heart of town.

Provincetown Marina

With 100 slips accommodating vessels up to 300’. ptownmarina.com

Reasonable rates can also be found at Gabriel’s (102 Bradford St., provincetownhotel.com), which boasts four buildings surrounding a garden courtyard right next to the Pilgrim Monument. And the luxurious Lands End Inn (22 Commercial St., landsendinn.com) sits high on Gull Hill in the West End and delivers commanding ocean views.

We know there’s no such thing as one-size-fits-all. That’s why we focus on providing a senior living experience that’s truly personal, with concierge services, housekeeping, and assistance tailored to each resident’s lifestyle preferences and needs. Be as active or involved as you like. With endless avenues for enrichment and connection, each day at Maplewood brings new opportunities to thrive.

SCHEDULE A TOUR AT ONE OF OUR CAPE COMMUNITIES BELOW AND SEE FOR YOURSELF.

INDEPENDENT LIVING. ASSISTED LIVING. MEMORY CARE. SKILLED NURSING & REHABILITATION.

Each side of this home responds to the site with its own distinct character. The result is a unique, shifting silhouette.

Shifting Perspectives

THIS CHATHAM HOME REACHES TOWARDS THE SEA WITH AN INVENTIVE SHAPE AND SEPARATE WINGS FOR OWNERS AND GUESTS.

BY JENNIFER SPERRY » PHOTOGRAPHS BY BRIAN VANDEN BRINK

fter purchasing an idyllic lot off Chatham’s iconic Shore Road, the new owners wanted to make the most of its water views and summer living potential. They turned to Polhemus Savery DaSilva (PSD) for the firm’s expertise in interpreting the essence of the coast while facilitating modern living through memorable architecture.

From the start, the owners wanted a home with two distinct sections: a main wing to accommodate their core family and a guest wing for visitors. “The lot’s existing house was set up that way and the clients liked it, so they asked for a similar layout,” says PSD Design Principal John DaSilva. As part of its integrated approach, PSD acted as the project’s architect, builder, and landscape architect, providing the owners with turn-key ease. Chatham-based Simpler Pleasures handled the furnishings and décor.

To connect as many rooms as possible with the property’s distant but still dramatic water views, DaSilva and the PSD team masterminded a brand-new home with a unique, shifting silhouette. “Each side responds to the site with its own distinct character,” DaSilva explains.

The street-facing façade is smaller in scale, in keeping with the neighborhood’s feel. The guest wing’s roof meanders down to just one story in the front for a more modest presentation; an eyebrow dormer breaks up the descending roof’s scale. Simplest in design is the side farthest from the water, comprised of a sidewaysfacing garage and guest room windows. A driveway of pavers lets grass grow through for a more natural, casual look.

I call the overall effect balanced asymmetry. Shingle Style is a broad term, and this is a more inventive versus truly classical approach.

— JOHN DASILVA, Polhemus Savery DaSilva Design Principal

In the rear, the home’s two wings achieve two full stories. Opposite top: Detailed millwork is a hallmark of PSD architecture. Opposite bottom: The view from the guest wing towards the main volume includes a wave-shaped opening and another with a pointed arch.

Meanwhile, the architecture increases in drama to the rear, where both wings embrace their surroundings with a full two stories and maximum glazing. But the most dramatic elevation of all is the home’s view-facing side: “Here, the playful wave shape that gestures toward the ocean on the front façade reaches its crest,” says the architect. The façade includes an acorn cut-out (“a fanciful historic detail,” he notes) in the shingled wall. In this end, the kitchen, dining room, and family room below and primary bedroom above all enjoy front-row seats to the best sightlines.

“I call the overall effect balanced asymmetry,” summarizes DaSilva of the home’s morphing shape. “Shingle Style is a broad term, and this is a more inventive versus truly classical approach.”

Between the main wing (which has two bedrooms in addition to the primary suite) and guest wing (which has its own family room and two guest bedrooms) is a shallow connecting piece. “The owners didn’t need the function of a full front porch, so we opted for a more symbolic version,” says DaSilva of the abbreviated porch entry, complete with abstracted Gothic columns and window muntins. A cupola with copper finial punctuates this horizontal stretch with vertical emphasis directly above the front door. The cupola introduces light from above into the entry hall.

The shallowness of the connecting piece allows plenty of sunlight to permeate the interior at all times of day. Besides a long corridor connecting the home’s two wings, this section houses more functional, compact destinations like a study, laundry room, and mudroom. To the rear, a courtyard with statement tree nestles into a neat U formed by the connector and the two projecting wings.

DaSilva continued the exterior’s welcoming playfulness inside. Abstracted Gothic arches and columns add interest to the stairwells on either side of the connecting hall. The stair in the main wing rises through a pointed arch and passes by an interior window that lets natural light into the pantry. “It’s a modest version of a Piranesian space,” notes DaSilva of the main stair. “The idea was to create a dynamic, asymmetrical journey that is interesting to move through.”

The homeowners love and appreciate this extra intrigue: “When you stand in the dining area and look through to the guest area, which is a long way, you see a very light-filled space,” says the owner. “Also, the October sunset aligns perfectly with the window at the top of the guest stair and the whole house glows in the evening. The archway and soft shapes leading up the main stair are extraordinary, and we love seeing them every day.”

“Playful architectural form, space, and detail like this do not just come from me as the designer,” notes DaSilva. “It was really gratifying to have a client interested in these ideas as well.”

Now that the project is complete, the clients’ preference for two wings is working out beautifully. “We are never on top of each other, and you can always find some privacy for calls, work, or reading,” says the owner. “Having the family space somewhat separated makes it much less stressful when we have guests, which is often, especially with two generations inviting friends.”

For family and visitors alike, the home is playful, cheerful, and casual—inside and out. In other words, it’s the perfect spot for enjoying life’s simpler things.

DISCOVER THE MYRIAD BENEFITS OF PASSIVE

This ultra efficient home sits on a wooded lot in Sandwich. Dark cementitious panels, sustainably sourced wood accents, large banks of glass, and solar panels contribute to its earth-friendly design.

HOUSE CONSTRUCTION. BY LISA CAVANAUGH » PHOTOGRAPHS BY DAN CUTRONA

magine your next electricity or heating bill having no balance due but your home environment remaining utterly comfortable. Or envision making an impact by reducing your home’s carbon footprint to net zero. The right kind of environmentally conscious construction could provide both if you choose the right company.

“Passive House Construction is a method of building that provides a quantifiable and rigorous level of energy efficiency,” says Chris Girard, a Job Superintendent and PHIUSCertified Passive Home Builder with The Valle Group in Falmouth, one of the earliest adopters of passive house standards in the U.S. “It aims to optimize every aspect of the building’s energy efficiency by incorporating specific building science principles that were refined by the German Passive Home Builder movement,” says Girard.

The Passive Home Builder movement centers on five principles: superinsulated and thermal bridge-free construction, envelope airtightness, optimized windows, balanced ventilation, and minimal use of space conditioning. When adhering to these principles, homeowners can expect a finished building that is quieter, more comfortable, more efficient, and more energy independent than many other alternatives, explains Girard.

The Valle Group is an expert in achieving this building type and, since 2012, has completed several passive homes on Cape Cod. “Everyone at the company is aware that we live in a beautiful place and knows how important it is to keep it that way,” says Christian Valle, President of The Valle Group. “Philosophically, as a family and company, we are passionate about being good stewards of the environment.”

Everyone at the company is aware that we live in a beautiful place [Cape Cod] and knows how important it is to keep it that way. Philosophically, as a family and company, we are passionate about being good stewards of the environment.

— Christian Valle, President of The Valle Group

“I think of passive building as being truly environmentally conscious because it takes into account the power of the elements in the actual design and function of the home as well as the placement and orientation of the house on the lot,” says Girard. The Valle Group works closely with architects to incorporate the most sustainable materials possible for a specific job. “It really is a more meticulous, attentive, and careful construction process,” he adds. Girard explains that not every builder will be able to handle these kinds of environmentally conscious projects with the same skill and experience. “The Valle Group has committed itself to these standards and has been recognized with several Industry awards. In my opinion, there is no better construction company to turn to for a passive house project.”

Of course, not everyone who wants to save money while saving the planet plans to build a brand-new home. For these property owners, The Valle Group offers an approach known as a “deep energy retrofit,” which modifies an existing house to be highly energy efficient. “It is a massive overhaul from

the outside in,” says Girard. On a recent retrofit project, they transitioned a c. 1952 house down to sub-passive levels of airtightness with insulation and new triple-glazed windows. “Everything is aimed at eliminating thermal bridging, so you don’t have that energy transfer between outside and in.”

Passive homebuilding and energy retrofits appeal to people who want to make a positive environmental impact through their home, achieve the highest standards of quality, and reduce their overall energy use and costs.

“There is a better way to build a house,” says Girard, “and we believe that anytime we build with an eye towards conservation of energy and responsible use of resources, we are doing ourselves, the planet, and future generations a great service.”

The Valle Group has committed itself to these standards and has been recognized with several industry awards. In my opinion, there is no better construction company to turn to for a passive house project.

— Chris Girard, Job Superintendent and PHIUS-Certified Passive Home Builder with The Valle Group

Home Design RENOVATION

A fire pit off the connecting porch encourages togetherness and is perfect for entertaining.

BY NANCY A. RUHLING

PHOTOGRAPHS BY AMBER JANE BARRICMAN

A HISTORIC FARMHOUSE ANCHORS THIS FULLY RENOVATED GENERATIONAL RETREAT.

The new kitchen blends contemporary features like floating shelves and highend appliances with farmhouse accents. Below: An expansive family room resides in the connecting porch.

ohn and Anne Cogswell have visited the Cape ever since they were children. When they came upon a historic property near the beach, they knew they wanted to transform it into a destination where three generations of their growing, close-knit family could make new memories.

The property, set on three-quarters of an acre in Dennis Village, boasted a c. 1825 farmhouse as well as a cottage and attached barn that were added over the centuries. “It needed a lot of attention,” says John, “and we knew we’d have to renovate to meet our needs.”

The Cogswells commissioned McPhee Associates, a custom design-build firm in Dennis, to transform it into a compound for themselves, their two married sons, and their five lively young grandchildren. Because the home is in the Old King’s Highway Regional Historic District, the owners wanted the renovation to not only satisfy preservation rules but also do the past proud.

“It’s a very unusual property because of the configuration of the structures,” says Kendra Seifert, architectural designer for McPhee Associates. “The middle section, or so-called barn, didn’t fit the Cape aesthetic. After working through the design, we realized that rebuilding this area from the ground up was necessary.”

Rebuilding within the same footprint allowed McPhee Associates to meet code requirements and add electricity, heat, and plumbing systems more efficiently. “We gave the connecting porch a historic look that’s cohesive with the farmhouse and cottage,” Seifert says.

She adds that the Cogswells had “great vision and forethought about how to pull the property together to make it work for their family.”

The renovation created three distinct yet connected living spaces. The extended farmhouse includes two bedroom suites, each with a sitting area, full bath, and fireplace; bunk room; and kitchen/dining room combination. Meanwhile, the family room resides in the connecting porch and the cottage was transformed into a primary suite complete with kitchenette and laundry room.

“We wanted a place where everyone could be comfortable together,” Anne says, “but we also wanted space where we could spend time alone.”

The Cogswells were intimately acquainted with the property because they lived there off and on while the work, which was done in phases, progressed. They started out in the cottage and then transferred to the farmhouse when its renovation was complete.

“Although it is unusual to work directly with the client on the job site, often making changes on the fly, it proved to be a recipe for success,” says McPhee Field Supervisor Wyman Brooks. “Taking close to three years, the project became a unique collaboration.”

Besides razing and reimagining the barn portion, additional architectural changes included enlarging the farmhouse windows and extending its footprint to the rear. In the front, a new gravel courtyard accommodates visiting cars and a patio with fire pit nestles against the connecting porch.

The homage to the past begins with the structures’ façades, where Hardie siding mimics vintage clapboards. Along the back, cedar shakes resemble the originals.

In keeping with their commitment to the property’s historic roots, the Cogswells made salvaged materials a key part of the project. Wood salvaged from the barn reappears in the fireplace mantels and in several accent walls throughout the house. The farmhouse’s original quarter-moon windows were transformed into interior transoms.

To complement what they reclaimed from their own property, the homeowners selected additional materials that nod to the past. For flooring, they chose

wide-plank oak, sourced from a New Hampshire mill, for the ground levels and 20-inch-wide pine for the farmhouse’s second story. Using the ancient Chinese technique of shou sugi ban, the pine was charred to mimic the look of driftwood.

The original farmstead’s aesthetic is evoked in the sliding cross-timber barn door on the front of the cottage. A second sliding barn door graces the family room; the cross-timber motif is expressed subtly in the kitchen island’s cabinets as well. More playful coastal accents include a mermaid rendered in stained glass in the primary suite and decorative fish in the bunk room.

Noting that clients don’t normally take such a hands-on approach, Seifert says that “this project was a labor of love for John and Anne. The renovation is perfect for them.”

The Cogswells couldn’t agree more.

“We poured our heart and soul into this home,” says Anne, who doesn’t have a favorite part of the compound. “I love everything about it,” she adds. In John’s opinion, the best feature is that it brings their family together.

A new screened porch sits on the footprint of what used to be a patio and provides comfortable indooroutdoor living with views galore.

IN LOVE WITH THE LOCATION, BUT NOT THE HOUSE, A FAMILY TURNS TO A3 ARCHITECTS FOR A RESPECTFUL REFRESH OF A DATED COLONIAL.

BY JANICE RANDALL ROHLF PHOTOGRAPHY BY GRATTAN IMAGING

he Brewster Flats are an awe-inspiring sight that merits a place on your bucket list. The daily ebb and flow of the tides causes the water in the bay to go from high tide to dead low tide in the span of just six hours, leaving behind a vast stretch of sandbars and tide pools teeming with sea life. It’s as much fun to gaze at this natural phenomenon from a distance as it is to walk right out on the flats to explore.

“Once you get a taste of the way the tide goes out, you’re hooked,” says homeowner Suzanne. She inherited a deep appreciation for this magical Lower Cape spot from her seaside-loving Portuguese grandfather, who started renting here in 1958. After decades of family vacations, Suzanne and her husband decided to look for a house to buy five years ago. The Brewster Flats was the only area that really interested Suzanne, while her husband was adamant that the house be perched high on the lot.

In the end, both got their wish. The bayside bluffs location checked all the boxes, and the Colonial style of the house agreed with them too; until, that is, they walked inside. The layout of the rooms, especially on the first floor, took little advantage of the extraordinary panoramas. Furthermore, the rooms themselves— chopped up and oddly scaled—were not conducive to comfortable 21st-century living.

“There were all these boxy rooms, and almost no sign that the house had water views,” observes architect Alison Alessi, who headed up the gut renovation with her team at A3 Architects in Dennis. “We spent a lot of time working on the inside—changing the floor plan, opening up everything, contemplating which rooms got a view, which rooms faced the street.”

For a few reasons, the original footprint of the house was maintained. “We knew we couldn’t expand it to the back because of the coastal bank and conservation restrictions,” says Alessi. At about 3,500 square feet, with four bedrooms upstairs, the house, she adds “didn’t require more space, but we needed to remedy how poorly the first floor was laid out.”

First they tore down interior walls, which allowed them to incorporate the previously choppy, long and narrow rooms into one unified space for casual family living. Originally facing the street, the kitchen was relocated to the back, ocean-facing side. “It’s not a huge kitchen, but it’s very functional and has a lot of windows facing the water,” says Alessi. The front-to-back living room has exposure on all sides.

Upstairs, all the bedrooms were renovated to some degree, but it’s the primary bedroom, originally with a seven-foot ceiling, that underwent the most profound transformation. “We vaulted the ceiling, added shiplap, and exposed the beams,” explains Alessi. “I really feel like there’s a dramatic difference in how that space feels now.”

The only brand-new space in the house is the screened porch, which sits on the footprint of what used to be a patio. “We used the porch to reduce the volume and break up the boxiness of the house from the back,” says Alessi, adding that they “spent a long time thinking about how to keep the porch from blocking the views from the living room, dining room, and kitchen.” On top of the screened porch, which is located behind the garage, there is a sundeck that opens up off a new second-floor loft space. The views from here are stunning, especially at sunset.

There were all these boxy rooms, and almost no sign that the house had water views. We spent a lot of time working on the inside— changing the floor plan, opening up everything, contemplating which rooms got a view, which rooms faced the street.

— Alison Alessi, A3 Architects

Post-renovation, the primary bedroom boasts a vaulted ceiling with shiplap and exposed beams. Opposite: Washashore Home broke up the long front-to-back living room with comfortable seating areas.

Much of the interior material and décor selections were inspired by the view of the bay. A3 collaborated with Cape-based interior design firm Washashore Home with the goal of playing off the colors in nature—for example, gray-veined granite in the kitchen; sand-toned walls, rugs, and upholstery; and a kitchen island, bathroom vanity, and sliding barn door in the laundry room that echo the blues of the ocean.

“Everything we did within the house speaks to what you see outside,” says Peyton Lambton, co-owner of Washashore. They also used highperformance fabrics that facilitate unfussy living. “We wanted to make sure Suzanne didn’t have to spend her day policing the house.”

On the exterior, everything—cladding, shingles, and windows—is new. While most of the front windows are in their existing, very traditional places, in the back, notes Alessi, “we were a little more playful with the windows, a little bit more modern.” Solar panels were installed on the front of the house because the sunlight and warmth are there on the south-facing street side.

Aesthetics are important, but the longevity of a house so close to the ocean involves more than what meets the eye. “Going down to the studs gave us an opportunity to reinsulate the house and tighten it up,” says Alessi. “Before, the house was really exposed; when the wind blew, the whole house shook. Now, it’s much more resilient to storms.”

Suzanne and her family are thrilled to have the bright, comfortable, and easy house they hoped for, a place where the kids feel comfortable bringing friends and one that will welcome future grandchildren. The remarkable view of the Brewster Flats is a gift from Mother Nature.

I focus on pieces that will be conversation starters. I want to know: How are you going to live with this?

How is it going to work for your family? And I try to incorporate those elements.

ARTIST SCOTT FEEN

FINDS NEW BEAUTY IN OLD MATERIALS.

BY PATRICK FLANARY

White sailboat chandelier

Driftwood chandeliers, Hilton on Ft. Lauderdale Beach

Hanging lights, Snowy Owl in Sandwich

only build one of anything,” says Scott Feen from his Orleans workshop where his newest commission—a table resembling a shipwreck—awaits its destination, now finally complete.

When an Orleans family wanted something specially crafted to capture their love of the sea, Feen stepped in with a blowtorch. He charred reclaimed cedar beams using an ancient Japanese preservation method and cut hundreds of pieces of bronze from a boat’s bimini top to highlight the table’s centerpiece: a salvaged bronze porthole.

“I focus on pieces that will be conversation starters,” Feen says. “I want to know: How are you going to live with this? How is it going to work for your family? And I try to incorporate those elements.”

Feen is an artist who never studied art. “It really was in me from the beginning,” he says. As a kid growing up in western Massachusetts and West Yarmouth, he tinkered with bicycles and go-karts and was immersed in his grandparents’ shop, which dealt in paintings and sculpture.

Feen didn’t get around to creating his own art until much later. His professional path took him from hospitality school to sales in Silicon Valley and later aboard a yacht as a captain. It was San Francisco’s vibrant art scene that eventually sent him, freshly inspired, back home to Cape Cod. He’d decided, as a new father, he wanted out of the corporate world.

Thirteen years ago, Feen stood outside his first gallery in Chatham watching trucks haul loads of wood and glass debris from construction sites. It hit him: Why not rescue and repurpose some of that waste for art? That thought led Feen to start junk hunting. He scoured beaches, lumberyards, and Craigslist, eventually cramming his two-floor warehouse with everything from old bolts to rail cars.

“I had it down,” he says. “I could walk through an estate sale really quickly and identify things I needed for projects that I

PHOTO BY HARRY DE ZITTER

SCOTT FEEN, OWNER

knew were on the horizon.”

Those projects started small, like refurbishing a chair for the occasional client. Commissions began rolling in around the time Feen launched Atlantic Workshop on Chatham’s Main Street while moonlighting as a bartender. He met a lot of builders and eager homeowners; before long the junk he sought began finding him.

Today, Feen operates out of a studio in Orleans, where he retools aged furnishings and fixtures into one-of-a-kind family heirlooms. In his workshop, a lobster boat is reborn as an outdoor table and driftwood is fashioned into a chandelier and shaped into a showpiece mantel.

The artisan has expanded Atlantic Workshop into an educational opportunity, opening the barn to summer interns pursuing degrees in architecture and design. He teaches them the value of collecting raw materials directly from the community—and then giving them back.

HOW TO ACHIEVE TIMELESS SEASIDE STYLE.

BY JENNIFER SPERRY

nterior designer Donna Elle knows a thing or two about life by the coast. “The sea and all that it represents has always called to me,” says Elle, who grew up summering on Rhode Island’s shore. She established her design career—and raised a family—on Nantucket after falling in love with the island on spring break during her freshman year of college. For over 40 years, she and her island home enjoyed a symbiotic relationship.

With an impressive portfolio of luxurious seasonal retreats and yearround homes, many of them on or near the water, Elle is intimately familiar with seaside spaces. “I followed my intuition and built a thriving business founded on what I call coastal style,” she explains. “For me, this style is a sensibility and an awareness. It’s being tuned into the nuances of island life, of the ocean, the wildlife, the quality of light, the air. It’s something you carry with you even if you move far from the sea.”

Having watched coastal-themed furnishings and textiles evolve from not even being recognized as a design category during the ’80s, to simple facsimiles of seashells during the ’90s, to white-washed furniture and pickled paints in the 2000s, Elle says it’s now a thriving segment of the market. “It’s captured people’s attention for sure,” she says, adding that today’s iteration is a far more sophisticated mix of woven textiles, quality home goods, and customized pigments.

To Elle, coastal isn’t just a look—it’s a lifestyle. Here are her tips for letting seaside speak in your home.

KNOW YOUR INTENTION

Do you want to feel invigorated or calm inside your home? Do you want a room to stimulate conversation or encourage quiet? These types of questions come first, before paint colors, rugs, and window treatments. Spiritual design—how you find your core, your center— should drive your decisions. At Donna Elle Design, we require clients to share how they want their home to feel. Together, we arrive at a list of adjectives that becomes our vision blueprint.

JEFFREY ALLEN PHOTOGRAPHY

DETERMINE A FLOOR PLAN

After setting your intention, the most important next step is figuring out floor plans. Determine how your family uses a space and whether a particular room’s goal is privacy or community. Maybe the use is five o’clock wine for the parents while the kids get an hour of TV. Maybe the use is entertaining and conversation. Maybe the use is family time. Ultimately, you want your floor plan to be interesting. Don’t be afraid to let furniture float in a space. Use furniture to create niche destinations within larger rooms.

ESTABLISH A COLOR PALETTE

Discern your color palette from the beginning and stick to it. Color will dictate a room’s intention. Three classic coastal hues are beige, blue, and green representing sand, sky, and beach grass. To me, the vernacular of these colors is tried and true. Be inspired by an ethereal cloud and paint a ceiling in BenjaminMoore’s “Faded Denim 795.” Evoke the salty waters of Nantucket Harbor with a bathroom vanity in Benjamin-Moore’s “Smoke 2122-40.” Keep the eye engaged with pattern play.

LIGHTING

Lighting can change up a room like nothing else. The selection of lamps and shades right now is ridiculous; it’s a designer’s dream. Skip the recessed cans and opt instead for semiflush mounts, pendants, sconces, and table and floor lamps. Seek out bamboo or wicker lamps in unusual shapes. Place statement chandeliers in a living room if the ceiling height allows. Think about creating a mood versus just lighting for tasks.

TEXTURE

I love anything with depth, anything tactile. Flat or one-dimensional doesn’t have room in my palette. Subtly layer materials such as glass, stone, sisal, abaca, and metals in different patinas. Include an element of surprise like a patterned wallcovering, raspberry cabinet, or dark navy piping.

FURNITURE

Coastal tends to be more casual, so I prefer sofas without skirts and open-armed chairs with a natural wood finish. You don’t want furnishings to be fully upholstered and skirted and heavy. Mix it up and keep things personal: pair caned or bobbin-armed chairs with your grandmother’s reupholstered side chairs.

For more information and inspiration, visit donnaelle.com

@donnaelledesign

Feeling indecisive?

Try this color experiment…

Meander in a paint store and select four colors from the display that speak to you. Don’t think about why you like them—just go with it.

Purchase sample sizes in latex flat (and get a few foam brushes—no need to invest in a fancy brush for this exercise).

Stroke the pigment on a piece of 8 x 10 in. (or larger, if you desire) mixed-media paper or foam core.

Hang these sample boards in a light-filled space and live with them for a few days. See how the color interacts with the light as it changes throughout the day.

When you’ve found your color, seek out a tiredlooking room in your home that could benefit from a fresh coat of paint. Paint a wall, niche, or woodwork in the room.

We are your local, full time, year-round REALTOR® team. lapsleymartinteam@compass.com www.LapsleyMartinTeam.com

@LapsleyMartinTeam @CapeCodProperties

Gregory “Marty” Martin 508.505.7370

Sarah Lapsley-Martin 508.331.1404

Heritage Museums & Gardens is a 100-acre property in Sandwich that has much to offer visitors, from the museum’s collection of antique cars and Wampanoag history to art exhibits and special events throughout the year. Perhaps the most impressive feature of all, however, is the gardens themselves. Here, two collections of plant species are so magnificent that they have their own festivals every spring and summer.

TEXT AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY MARCY FORD

Seaside Serenade Fire Island Hydrangea

Dexter’s Apricot Rhododendron

Dexter’s Orchid Rhododendron

Blue Enchantress Hydrangea

Ben Moseley

Livia's Love

Accomplishment

Scintillation

Agatha

Sandwich Appleblossom

True Treasure

Dexter’s Cream

In New England, rhododendrons flower from late May into mid-June. The rhododendron collection at Heritage was started by textile magnate Charles Owen Dexter, who owned the property from 1921 to 1943. It was continued by J.C. Cowles, the Dexter estate superintendent, into the 1960s.

Dexter began collecting and hybridizing rhododendrons, striving to create new varieties with the heartiness to survive in New England. Some of his varietals showcase color, like ‘Dexter’s Avondale,’ which flowers in a deep red; others spotlight fragrance, like ‘Dexter’s Spice.’ There are over 150 varieties—‘True Treasure,’ ‘Peppermint,’ ‘Apple Blossom,’ ‘Scintillation,’ and ‘Honeydew’ are just a few—as well as unnamed cultivars.

You can walk the gardens and see thousands of rhododendrons. Some are over 100 years old and tower above you as tall as trees. It’s truly magical to walk the meandering pathways through a shifting palette of pink, white, peach, purple, and red.

RHODODENDRON FESTIVAL begins May 30th.

Heritage Museums & Gardens

67 Grove St., Sandwich

heritagemuseumsandgardens.org

Dexter’s Purple

Tom Everett

Amethyst Rhododendron

Hydrangeas bloom on the Cape from early July through September. Most people have heard of ‘Endless Summer’ or ‘Nikko Blue’ hydrangeas as they are staples of our region’s summer landscape. Their big, beautiful mop-head flowers bloom in pinks, blues, and even purples depending on the soil pH.

But these are only two of over 155 species and cultivars that can be seen in Heritage’s Hydrangea Display Garden. Created in partnership with the Cape Cod Hydrangea Society in 2010, it expands with new plants each year. Also not to be missed is the North American Hydrangea Test Garden, established in 2016 and designed by Horticulture Director Les Lutz. Here you will find new hybrid varieties being grown and studied under the leadership of horticulturist Dr. Michael Dirr, author of over 300 well-known scientific publications.

Seeing the hydrangeas against the backdrop of Heritage’s already impressive gardens is truly eye candy. Giant pompoms in gorgeous shades of pink, blue, purple, white, and lime green entice as they develop, explode into bloom, and even as they fade. Flower details range from lace-capped and frilly edged to solid colored and variegated. Leaves can be smooth, serrated, or oakleaf shaped. My personal favorites are lace-capped ‘Jogasaki,’ an oakleaf hydrangea called ‘Snowflake,’ and a new test garden cultivar called ‘Froggie.’

The collection is impressive and will immediately inspire you to go home and work in your own garden. You can even purchase plants on your way out.

Frillibet

Amethyst (Oakleaf)

Princess Beatrix

capecodandtheislandsmag.com

HYDRANGEA FESTIVAL

July 8th - 17th

Heritage Museums & Gardens

67 Grove St., Sandwich heritagemuseumsandgardens.org

Other Hydrangea Fest events Cape-wide capecodhydrangeafest.com

Grayswood

Marechal Foch

Madame Faustin Travouillon

Grandad

Glowing Embers

Oregon Pride

Froggie

Seaside Stunner

MINUTES FROM DOWNTOWN OSTERVILLE, THIS GRAND ESTATE FEELS A WORLD APART.

here’s nothing quite like Sea View Avenue. The aptly named road follows the curve of the coast—from the mouth of West Bay to Osterville’s exclusive Wianno Club—and is one of Cape Cod’s most coveted addresses.

Newly listed, this Sea View Avenue estate wows with an extensive list of luxe features, but let’s start with the best ones: an unprecedented 280 feet of private beach and an arresting backdrop of glistening Nantucket Sound. Behind its sandy shore lies 3.66 acres of expansive lawn, specimen trees, and mature gardens. A gated drive prefaces the totally private compound.

Thoughtfully laid out, the 15,500-square-foot residence contains a main house and attached guest house, with a total of seven en suite bedrooms spread across the two volumes. Virtually every room has ocean views and direct access to the outdoors. Additional amenities include a 5,000-bottle wine cellar, golf simulator, gym, massage room, seven garage spaces, and a separate staff house. Its outdoor living features entice, from the resort-style swimming pool and summer kitchen to an expansive terrace for sunbathing and alfresco dining.

Here, inspired architecture harmonizes with a lush landscape and a horizon of ocean blues. This oasis is in a class of its own.

EXPERT TIPS ON HIRING A PRO LISTING AGENT.

BY JENNIFER SPERRY

igh demand and low inventory have created an intense seller’s market on the Cape and Islands. Homes are hitting the MLS and going under agreement quickly, with multiple offers—some exceeding asking price—reaching inboxes all at once.

Even though houses are going fast, you still need an experienced listing agent by your side. Recently we sat down with Sarah Lapsley Martin and Gregory “Marty” Martin, the powerhouse real estate agents behind the Lapsley Martin Team at Kinlin Grover Compass in Yarmouth Port, to ask for their tips on hiring an experienced listing agent. Here is their step-by-step advice.

1 2 3 4 5

Ask around.

Reach out to family and friends and ask for referrals from anyone who has sold a home recently. If they had a good experience with their agent, it’s likely you will too.

Read the reviews online. Agents typically have a presence online and reviews should be easy to find.

Interview 2–3 agents in person, if possible, or via a Zoom or conference call.

Remember that you’re entering a working relationship. It’s important that you feel comfortable and that the person seems honest and trustworthy. You also want to make sure they will be available to you—that they communicate in a timely manner and in your preferred method.

Assess their sales and marketing.

You’ll want to know their plans for open houses, online and print advertising, mailers, and social media promotion. Video tours are especially popular right now and can be done by a professional or with a phone.

Ask about photography and floor plans.

Photography is so important in terms of first impressions and the appearance of your property online. We always recommend professional photography. Also, with some clients buying homes sight unseen, it’s helpful to have floor plans readily available.

Lapsley Martin Team: Sarah Lapsley Martin and Gregory “Marty” Martin

6 7

Look at the agent's past sales. How were the photos in the listing? How did the description read? How many days was it on the market?

Consider geography. Your agent should be knowledgeable about the area and the current market. When buyers want showings, either in person or via Facetime, it’s important that your agent responds quickly and professionally. Plus, their network of local contacts—electricians, plumbers, landscapers— can come in handy for curb appeal tweaks.

DoNot:

… hire an agent based on the highest recommended list price.

Pricing a home correctly is so important. If it’s priced too high and lingers on the market too long, buyers start to wonder what’s wrong with it.

…hire

an agent based on the lowest

commission.

You want to make sure you are getting the full service your transaction deserves. An agent’s negotiating skills are particularly important right now with sellers receiving upwards of 10 or more offers with differing contingencies. Choosing the right agent can help you get the most money for your home.

Sarah Lapsley Martin 508-331-1404

sarah.lapsley@compass.com

Gregory ‘Marty’ Martin 508-505-7370

gregory.martin@compass.com

Katie Clancy and Sarah Lapsley Martin host a weekly show called What’s Good Cape Cod, which explores the Cape through the eyes of a couple of locals. Find all episodes at whatsgoodcc.com.

Casual Fun

Dog House

189 Lower County Rd., Dennis Port doghousedennis.com

“The old Cape charm of the Dog House cannot be beat. They have been serving up dogs for 50 years and going strong! We love the laid-back feel and dining at the picnic tables. So many delicious items on the menu, but be sure not to miss their loaded tots and frosé pouches!”

— Sarah Lapsley Martin

Bespoke Dining

The West End

20 Scudder Ave., Hyannis westendhyannis.com

“We are huge fans of the West End, owned by the husband-and-wife team Jen Villa and Blane Toedt. The idea of “What’s Good Cape Cod” was actually born while sipping on craft cocktails at the bar. The vibe is glam meets speakeasy, and their dishes are mouthwatering. They truly are “Two parts local. One part social. Dash of vintage.”

— Katie Clancy

Fancy Libations

Harvest Gallery

776 Main St., Dennis harvestgallerywinebar.com

“The brains behind the bar at Harvest Gallery, Johnny Martinez, is a sought-after consultant for bars and restaurants from Hawaii to Hyannis. One look at the wine list and cocktail menu and you’ll understand why! When you’re there, don’t forget to have a Cape House cocktail. For each cocktail sold, The Cape House donates $1 to Dennis Conservation Land Trust.”

— Katie Clancy

BY PATRICK FLANARY

hen 32-year-old Bob Douglas first sailed his wooden ship

Shenandoah into Vineyard Haven Harbor the summer after John F. Kennedy died, no one had ever seen anything like it.

His topsail schooner was indeed one of a kind. Douglas modeled Shenandoah after an 1849 revenue cutter and named her after his favorite song. She sailed at the command of the wind, had no engine, and was only the second schooner in the world built expressly to carry passengers.

Thousands of Shenandoah’s passengers over the decades have been children, many aboard a boat for the first time, perhaps the largest they would ever set foot on. Each trip promised crisp air, liberating wind, and adventure—experiences well outside the norm of a typical classroom.

During the 1980s, Douglas began welcoming students onto Shenandoah for a week on the water. These sea voyages were no day at the beach; there was work to do. Douglas taught them to hoist the sails, scrub the deck, keep their cabins tidy. Many kids couldn’t get enough and kept coming back summer after summer.

But in 2020, the pandemic upended Douglas’s 56-year streak as Shenandoah’s captain. His halted maritime program appeared doomed for good when the Coast Guard notified him that the ship would not pass inspection without significant repairs. He couldn’t afford the expense— but he wasn’t about to give up on the program.

At 88, Douglas (who also founded The Black Dog restaurant and resulting brand) handed his ship over to a nonprofit led by two former students: Casey Blum and Ian Ridgeway. The donation of Shenandoah to the Foundation for Underway Experiential Learning (FUEL) was contingent on the organization preserving the schooner’s educational legacy. And for that to happen, the boat needed a lot of work.

GABE ANDRUS

GABE ANDRUS

GABE ANDRUS ALISON SHAW

MICHAEL NIPPER

FUEL launched a campaign to raise $1 million, and in the meantime partnered with Mystic Seaport in Connecticut to rehabilitate Shenandoah’s c. 1964 stern. Peeling back the planks revealed more rot than expected. Shipwright Scott Gifford led the meticulous repair for months.

“I grew up seeing her sail all the time,” says Gifford. “I was very excited to work on her, being around her so much as a child. I never got the opportunity to go aboard, but whenever she was out sailing it was always a joy to see.”

Shenandoah returned home last summer—freshly painted and sporting new Sperry Sails—just in time to accommodate the first cohort of students in two years. This January, FUEL completed its fundraising goal, a necessary milestone for FUEL’s success and Shenandoah’s mission.

“This is the first time she’s ever sailed under different ownership,” says cofounder and Executive Director Ian Ridgeway, 38, who first set sail on Shenandoah as a fifth grader.

FUEL teaches Douglas’s structural model of learning by doing. Because immersion is critical to that experience, phones and video games are banned. “Kids tell us all the time how much they enjoy being unplugged,” says Ridgeway. “It’s key to their development. It’s what they want.”

Now 90, Douglas remains involved in FUEL’s fundraising push to build a ship that will succeed Shenandoah. Ridgeway expects construction to begin on the new, slightly more modern Shenandoah 2.0 this year. He says $3.2 million is needed to build the hull and bring her home for the remainder of construction.

“To me, FUEL’s educational mission will always represent Captain Douglas,” says Ridgeway. “I’m proud to carry on his work. This is really something he created that we are now bringing forward.”

fuelprogram.org

Leading the Way Supporting Local Businesses

Shayna Ferullo & Manuel Ainzuain Snowy Owl Coffee Roasters

Member FDIC | Member DIF

his summer you can take your offshore life to the extreme with the 2022 Regulator 37, the latest center console vessel from the esteemed boat manufacturer. Based in North Carolina, Regulator has been hand-crafting performance deep-V center console boats for more than 30 years. Tested against the grueling conditions of the Outer Banks, Regulator boats are designed for maximum comfort and ultimate “fishability.”

The team at Oyster Harbors Marine in Osterville touts the Regulator 37 as the company’s most technologically advanced boat yet, and they encourage you to experience the structural superiority and seamless operation of the vessel first-hand.

Like its predecessors, the 37 has an open, self-bailing cockpit and a Lou Codega-designed deep-V hull. Featuring three-across helm center seating with shade, plus a double seat in the bow, and an optional elevated second steering station, the 43-foot Regulator 37 has plenty of space for everyone aboard. Your crew can also choose to lounge on the sunbed or fish from the rear-facing double tackle seat. Below is a comfortable, air-conditioned cabin with a queen berth, galley, and a head with toilet and shower. A state-ofthe-art Cabin Entertainment upgrade is also available.

Operating the Regulator 37 is pure joy, as the new Offshore Command Center with Garmin Multi-Function Display with Digital Switching and Monitoring and proprietary Regulator MyHelm interface means seamless and intuitive functionality. The system includes a dual 22” GPSMAP 8622 Multi-Touch Widescreen Chartplotter/Sonar Displays, a VHF 215 AIS radio, a GMR 424 xHD2 4kW open-array radar, and an Airmar 1kW CHIRP transducer, all interfaced with a Yamaha Helm Master EX digital autopilot.

In a recent sea trial, with its three linked 425-hp, 5.6-liter, directinjected four-stroke V-8 Yamaha XTO Offshore outboards with digital electronic steering and controls, it cruised happily at nearly 40 mph. Fueled up, the Regulator 37 will take you on your ocean adventures for around 400 miles.

CRUISE: 37 MPH AT 410 MILES OF RANGE

TOP SPEED: 60 MPH

Regulator models available through Oyster Harbors Marine include electric reel hookups, multi-colored underwater LED lights, four combination cup/rod holders, bucket holder with YETI buckets, and under-gunwale rod storage. These features make this impeccable vessel the ideal choice for Cape Cod saltwater fishing. Give them a call today, and one of their awardwinning team of dedicated sales and service professionals will help make your boating dreams come true.

OYSTER HARBORS MARINE

508-428-2017

Massachusetts: Osterville, Falmouth, Danvers, Marion Maine: South Freeport oysterharborsmarine.com

MATT THOMPSON

July 9 & 10

August 6th 9:00 am - 1:00 pm

CRAFT SHOW

Brooks Park, 1 Oak St., Harwich

FLEA MARKET

Brooks Park, 1 Oak St., Harwich

FESTIVAL WEEKEND

September 17 & 18

9:00 am - 4:00 pm

Craft Fair 9:00 am - 4:00 pm

Cranjam Music Fest

1:00-7:30 pm - Saturday

12:30- 2:30 pm - Sunday

Harwich Community Center 100 Oak St., Harwich

August 13 & 14 9:00 am - 4:00 pm

September 10th 11:00 am - 3:00 pm

CRAFT SHOW

Brooks Park, 1 Oak St., Harwich

BEACH DAY

Red River beach, Harwich

BY ALICE LESCH KELLY

s the weather warms up, visitors throng to Cape Cod and the Islands. But humans aren’t the only ones flocking to our shores. After wintering in southern climes, hundreds of ospreys migrate to the Cape to mate, give birth, and fledge a new generation of magnificent raptors.

Bird lovers don’t have to look far to see ospreys. These majestic birds, with their brown backs, white undersides, and five- to six-foot wingspans, can be spotted throughout the region circling over saltmarshes, ponds, and bays in search of fish and caring for chicks in large stick nests.

But it hasn’t always been that way. Fifty years ago, ospreys had practically disappeared from Massachusetts skies. Along with several other species of birds, ospreys were nearly wiped out by DDT, a potent pesticide. DDT thinned the eggshells of ospreys, bald eagles, peregrine falcons, and other large birds of prey, preventing chicks from hatching successfully. By the time the federal government banned the use of DDT in 1972, few ospreys remained.

“Their populations had really plummeted,” says Mark Faherty, science coordinator at the Mass Audubon Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary. “There were only one or two pairs left on the Cape.”

Since then, osprey populations have soared, headlining one of the greatest success stories in modern environmental history. Thanks to the ban of DDT, the passing of the Endangered Species Act, and volunteers building nesting platforms, ospreys are thriving. “The population has increased exponentially, and as far as we can tell it’s still very much a growing population,” Faherty says. “These birds can live 25 years, and many are producing one or two chicks each year.”

Currently there are at least 800 ospreys on Cape Cod, 400 on Martha’s Vineyard, and 40 on Nantucket, according to estimates from Mass Audubon.

“Ospreys are my favorite local human intervention success story,” says Liz Dengenis, naturalist and educator at Mass Audubon’s Felix Neck Wildlife Sanctuary in Edgartown. “From near extinction to rebounding like mad, these birds remind me of the immense ability of the natural world to regenerate when allowed to do so.”

The population has increased exponentially, and as far as we can tell it’s still very much a growing population. These birds can live 25 years, and many are producing one or two chicks each year.

— Mark Faherty, Science coordinator at the Mass Audubon Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary

Nesting Up

Ospreys build large nests—as wide as three to six feet in diameter—out of sticks and other materials. Because their diet consists almost completely of fish, they build nests near water and are naturally drawn to the abundance of waterways in and around the Cape and Islands.

Ospreys typically build nests high off the ground in spots that offer protection from predators. They nest in trees but are also drawn to human-made structures such as utility poles, cell phone towers, and even light poles over playing fields (such as Eldredge Park in Orleans, home of the Orleans Firebirds).

“The predation rates with nests on artificial structures are very low,” Faherty says. “Raccoons are not climbing a cell phone tower or utility pole.” However, utility pole nests can endanger the birds with risk of electrocution and cause trouble for towns and utilities when nests spark fires and power outages. When necessary, utility companies remove the nests, but migrating ospreys typically return to sites they’ve used in the past and just rebuild. However, if the birds have another good nesting site nearby—such as a specially designed nesting platform—they may relocate.

Several local organizations have stepped in to help lure ospreys away from utility poles. In Falmouth, for example, concerned residents have formed The Osprey Project, which builds alternative platform sites for safer nesting.

BENJAMIN BOYNTON

Observing Ospreys

Ospreys have many fans among bird lovers, in part because of the visibility of their nests. “When people think of birdwatching or ‘birding,’ it is often about seeing as many different species as you can,” Dengenis says. “But with osprey monitoring, it’s almost the opposite. You are spending time with a specific pair of birds, identifying the species in a variety of ways: flying, resting, hunting, and incubating. Instead of a quick glance and putting them on a list, you are building a relationship. People often talk about the birds they are watching as if they are their neighbors or friends.”

How can you find ospreys on the Cape and Islands? “Oh, just open your eyes,” Faherty says with a laugh. “Look at tall structures on the landscape. And when you pass a salt marsh, look for poles with platforms on them.” On the Cape, the osprey population is especially dense in Bourne, Falmouth, Mashpee, Cotuit, and Osterville. On Martha’s Vineyard, there are active nests all over, including at Felix Neck, Oak Bluffs Harbor, and Chappaquiddick. On Nantucket, look for nests at Sanford Farm, Ram Pasture, and the UMass Boston Nantucket Field Station.

Once you find an active nest, you’ll soon spot soaring ospreys. While they’re gliding overhead, note the marked kink in their wings, which forms a very distinct M-shaped silhouette. And when they’re perched—sitting down—they typically have their backs parallel to the ground instead of perpendicular like most other hawks.

Watchers love to observe the birds as they hunt for fish. “They are the perfect anglers,” Dengenis says. Ospreys circle and hover over water; then dive down and pluck fish from the water with their sharp talons. After a successful catch, they fly off, shifting their legs to position the fish headfirst to lessen wind resistance. “It’s insane to watch them emerge from the water as if they are just grabbing a snack off a shelf,” adds the naturalist.

To learn more about osprey and other birds on the Cape and Islands, visit Cornell University’s popular All About Birds website, allaboutbirds.org, and Mass Audubon’s website, massaudubon. org. If you’d like to volunteer for a Cape-wide nest monitoring project, contact the Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary.

Mayflower II’s Sapphire Jubilee June 11–13

Join Plimoth Patuxet Museums for fanfare, activities, and fun inspired by history and celebrate Mayflower II’s 65th Sapphire Anniversary marking her 1957 arrival in Plymouth Harbor.

Admission tickets to visit the ship will include access to family games, creative crafts, live music, food, and more. Additionally, on the evening of Saturday, June 11, Plimoth Patuxet will host an evening soirée to celebrate the ship and raise funds in support of Mayflower II’s recent restoration project. The anniversary festivities will close on Monday, June 13, with a special ceremony commemorating her 1957 crew and all those who have been integral to the ship’s extraordinary 65 years of living history.

Climb aboard and be part of the celebrations—from family outings to festive gatherings—in support of Mayflower II.

PLIMOTH PATUXET MUSEUMS

137 Warren Ave., Plymouth plimoth.org

PLYMOUTH HARBOR

79 Water St., Plymouth

Beauty and the Beast July 22–31

It’s a tale as old as time and it’s coming to New Bedford’s historic Zeiterion Performing Arts Center for eight shows. Based on the Academy Award-winning animated feature, this version includes all the wonderful songs written by Alan Menken and the late Howard Ashman along with new songs by Menken and Tim Rice. The original Broadway production ran for over 13 years and was nominated for nine Tony Awards. Don’t miss this opportunity to see the magical tale live onstage.

ZEITERION PERFORMING ARTS CENTER

684 Purchase St., New Bedford zeiterion.org NEW

Located in: Zeiterion Performing Arts Center nbfestivaltheatre.com

4 Merchants Road, Unit 2, Sandwich

Provincetown Jazz Fest

July 11, August 8 and 16

If you crave jazz, then mark your calendar with the dates of this upcoming festival. Tickets are $30 per concert and a portion of the proceeds benefit Cape Cod’s “Jazz in the Schools” program and other worthy causes. Here is the full schedule, also available online at provincetownjazzfestival.org.

Warm Weather Treats

Pets can have a refreshing popsicle too! Freeze their wet food with some water or chicken stock in a cup or Kong to create a popsicle for long lasting enrichment to enjoy on hot days.

Lawn Care and Pets

Rodenticides and insecticides for the garden can be harmful to animals if ingested so it’s important to keep these products plus citronella candles and tiki torch fluid away from pets.

Fireworks and Pets

Those loud noises can be quite scary to our furry friends! If you’re in an area that has firework celebrations, provide a quiet, sheltered space for your pet to hide inside your home. If you’re going to a firework display, keep pets at home.

Leala Cyr

Monday, July 11, 7:30 pm

Cultural Center of Cape Cod

Featuring Dane Vannatter (vocals) from Ohio and the Cape Cod Jazz Quintet: Steve Ahern (trumpet & flute), Bruce Abbott (sax & flute), Fred Boyle (piano), Ron Ormsby (bass), and Bart Weisman (drums). The Cape Cod Jazz Quintet will open the concert with a tribute to Freddie Hubbard.

Monday, August 8, 7:30 pm

Cotuit Center for the Arts

Presenting Leala Cyr (vocals & trumpet) from Connecticut and Cameron Shave (trumpet) from Massachusetts. With Fred Boyle (piano), Ron Ormsby (bass), and Bart Weisman (drums).

Tuesday, August 16, 6:00 pm

Provincetown Art Association and Museum

Presenting Chuck Redd (vibes) from Washington, DC, and Ben Collins-Siegel (piano) from New Jersey. With Chris Grasso (piano), Marshall Wood (bass), and Bart Weisman (drums).

RAY DRUEKE ROBERT TORES

Juneteenth Jubilee

June 17–19

A diverse group of Martha’s Vineyard businesses and arts and nonprofit organizations has banded together to create an island-wide edu-tourism weekend to mark Juneteenth. This new federal holiday commemorates the day federal troops arrived in Texas in 1865 to ensure that all enslaved people were freed.

Sponsored in part by the Vineyard Gazette Media Group, Juneteenth Jubilee includes music, film, and other entertainment. Also scheduled are presentations by prominent historians about the maritime equivalent of the Underground Railroad as well as panel discussions at the Martha’s Vineyard Museum, the Vineyard Preservation Trust’s Carnegie Heritage Center, island libraries, and other destinations.

Beach Road Weekend

August 26–28

Held at Veterans Memorial Park in Vineyard Haven, this festival is one of the Vineyard’s biggest summer events. This year promises three days of oceanside tunes by 30 bands on two stages. Performers include The Avett Brothers, Lord Huron, Beck, Billy Strings, Guster, Wilco, Emmylou Harris, Lucinda Williams, Livingston Taylor, and more.

beachroadweekend.com

Farmers’ Markets

Farmers’ markets make it easy to access fresh, local foods.

Osterville Farmers’ Market

Every summer Friday

9:00am-1:00pm

Osterville Historical Museum

155 West Bay Rd., Osterville

Sandwich Farmers’ Market

Every Tuesday, June 21 - Oct. 11 10:00am to 1:00pm

33 Water St., Sandwich (Wing School parking lot)

Orleans Farmers’ Market

Every Saturday, 8:00am to 12:00pm

19 Old Colony Way, Orleans

Wellfleet Farmers’ Market

Every Wednesday

May 11 Thru Oct. 5

8:00am - 12:00pm

200 Main St., Wellfleet

Truro Educational Farmers’ Market

Every Monday, June 6 – Sept. 12

8:00am – 12:00pm

20 Truro Center Rd., Truro

Chatham Farmers’ Market

Every Tuesday May 17th to October 18

3:00pm - 6:00pm

1652 Main St., West Chatham

Bass River Farmer’s Market

Thursdays, June 16 - September 8

9:00am –1:30pm

Saturdays, June 18 - September 10 9:00am - 1:30pm

311 Old Main St., South Yarmouth

FIVE MUST-READS FOR 2022

It’s the Brewster Book Store’s 40th anniversary! A much-beloved destination on Route 6A, this yearround shop is everything a bookstore should be: charming, quaint, quiet, and filled with unique finds and curiosities. With a selection of books for adults, teens, and young children alike, it’s a popular stop for families. A healthy stock of toys, stickers, games, and puzzles always grabs the attention of young shoppers. And if you don’t see a book you want, their expert staff can have special orders ready in just a couple days.

To commemorate this milestone anniversary, we asked co-owner Jessica Devin to share insider knowledge on what to read this season. Her selections, right, all have a Cape Cod connection.

Brewster Book Store

508-896-6543

brewsterbookstore.com

2648 Main St., Brewster

Painting the Light

by Sally Gunning

The paperback release of Brewster resident Sally Gunning’s latest book is June, making it a great one to pick up for the beach. Gunning is a master of historical fiction, and this one will not disappoint! Set on Martha’s Vineyard at the end of the 19th century, Painting the Light is a story of a young woman’s love, loss, and agency. A great beach read!

Rebels at Sea: Privateering in the American Revolution

by Eric Jay Dolin

Dolin, who will be speaking at a Brewster Historical Society event on Tuesday, July 19, describes the daring maneuvers and deadly encounters of the privateers that helped the Colonies win their freedom. A fascinating read about the American Revolution that was not taught in school.

The Wide Starlight

by Nicole Lesperance

A poetic novel of magical realism that is based in Nordic myth, set in Svalbard, Norway, and Wellfleet, Cape Cod. An exploration of grief, it delves into the role that stories play in shaping who we are. Both young adults and adults will be enchanted.

My Own Lightning

by Lauren Wolk

Newbery Honor winner and Cape Cod resident Lauren Wolk has again written a stunning novel wonderful for readers of all ages. Set in World War II-era Western Pennsylvania, My Own Lightning is a coming-of-age story about forgiveness, friendship, and our powerful connection with the natural world.

Keepunumuk: Weeachumun’s Thanksgiving Story

by Danielle Greendeer, Anthony Perry, and Alexis Bunten

Danielle Greendeer, citizen of the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe, has teamed up with Anthony Perry and Alexis Bunten to share the Wampanoag story of Weeachumun (corn) and the first Thanksgiving. Gorgeous illustrations paired with the story told in a Native tradition, this picture book provides an important window into a piece of Cape Cod history.

YOUNG ADULT FICTION

MIDDLE GRADE FICTION

PICTURE BOOK

WRITER’S SHACK

POETRY BY SUSAN BERLIN

The strong, thought-provoking poetry of Susan Berlin gives us realities and hard truths along with beauty, gratitude, and resilience. In “Fat Crow Above Me,” she presents imagery stark and clear—”blue-black beak,” ”two black feet,” ”full-bellied crow”—and brings us into an experience. This poem shows both the simple and complex and presents dark edges while revealing hope.

In “Apples on South Road,” the care of preparing the apples is duplicated in the poem’s sensitive construction and a final revelation: “the apples….cut and cored and brought, I thought, for him.” Rich in attention and insight, these poems give us something new and personal that also feels deeply shared.

—Diane Giardi, Director of Learning, Cultural Center of Cape Cod

Fat Crow Above Me

by Susan Berlin

Apples On South Road

by Susan Berlin

From a rain-stained circle tunneled in to the rough-shingled roof, the skylight begins, in small creaks, to complain.

I crane, look straight up at the bottoms of two black feet –three prongs and inches each. Between them dips the hammock of a full-bellied crow, round and big as the cauldron he belongs in.

From below, I see the point of his blue-black beak as it pecks At every speck of wet leaf left from last night’s epic squall.

Those legs – wires twisted to tripods at the ends – imprints thrown across my chest, the negative of his being solid as sin on my body beneath, and him framed, wholly, by heaven’s blue.

For once, the black horse close enough to the fieldstone wall to touch.

I leave the car in neutral and approach. Standing to the side, I stroke his mane, brush back the fly-away hair from his jack-of-diamond eyes and, again and again, watch it fall.

The horse keeps nudging my shoulder, my arm, as if starved, as if stroking were the last thing he needs, so I leave to rush home – ten minutes of slow winding road –to grab some apples from the bowl. What makes me polish the skins before peeling them, then take time to cut the pieces smaller and smaller, careful to remove the seeds, the starry cores, I don’t know,

Susan Berlin’s poems have appeared in Alaska Quarterly, Asheville Poetry Review, Atlanta Review, Cape Cod Poetry Review, Georgetown Review, Harvard Review, Mudfish, Naugatuck River Review, New Millennium Writings, Oberon, and Ploughshares, among many other publications. A multiple Pushcart Prize nominee and twice a finalist for the National Poetry Series, she was awarded First Prize in the Galway Kinnell Poetry Contest by the Rhode Island Council on the Arts. She has received an International Publication Prize and International Merit Award from Atlanta Review. These reprinted poems appear in her book, The Same Amount of Ink, published by Glass Lyre Press. She lives in Yarmouth Port.

but when I return, the horse has turned away, his regal head dipping from one bucket to another on the field’s fallow side. Nothing makes him notice me. So I stand and wait with my plastic bag as the air grows chill and the day’s light turns dim, slowly eating

the apples I washed and polished, cut and cored and brought, I thought, for him.

Mary Catherine Starr is a mother-of-two and a graphic designer, illustrator, yoga teacher, and the artist behind the Instagram account @momlife_comics. Originally from Atlanta, Georgia, Mary Catherine now lives in Centerville with her family and her son’s large collection of plastic dinosaurs. Website: marycatherinestarr.com Shop: shopmarycatherinestarr.com Instagram: @momlife_comics