Archive for the 'Tourism' Category

The Cape Playhouse

Cape Cod Museum of Art, Dennis, MA

Cape Cinema

In the heart of Dennis Village, tucked away behind Main Street,  is an absolute gem known as the CAPE COD CENTER FOR THE ARTS. This cultural hub consisting of 20 acres is home to The Cape Playhouse, The Cape Cinema and  The Cape Cod Museum of Art. How lucky are we??!

The Playhouse’ summer stock season began this week featuring TEA AT FIVE with Stephanie Zimbalist in the lead of this bioplay about Katherine Hepburn (saw it on Broadway with Kate Mulgrew – really great.)  Lots of great plays coming up, including GREY GARDENS (also saw this one on Broadway and loved it.)  The Cinema features foreign-type films (no Avatar playing here!!) and is a very special cinema-going experience with it’s extra wide seats and, of course, the fantastic Roger Kent mural on the ceiling. ( They occasionally have live shows  like this past April when they featured an indie rock group that was holed up  in Dennis to rehearse for the upcoming Coachella Music Festival in CA. )  The Museum itself is a real treasure, exhibiting the art of outstanding artists and offering art classes for children and adults throughout the year, with special programs in the summer months.  All in all, a very fine cultural center supporting the arts on Cape Cod – and we’re so fortunate to have it right here in Dennis!

Click here for my previous post on #1  of  The Top Ten Things we Love about Dennis

This is the first in what will be a series on things we love about living in Dennis, MA!

Today’s post focuses on a little known treasure here in Dennis Village  - HARVEST GALLERY.  There appears to be  a trend in Dennis Village for galleries to have dual personalities! (See my previous post on Borsari Gallery).  Besides being a top notch gallery of contemporary art, Harvest Gallery  is also home to a fabulous wine bar.  As owner/artist Michael Pearson says of his establishment “we entertain all the senses!”  The stylish space hosts the work of 30+ artists (including Pearson himself) as well as the wine bar featuring vintages  from around the world.  A full menu of tasty seasonal food is also offered at small tables and the sit-down bar.  The best part (in my opionion!)??  Harvest Gallery offers LIVE MUSIC by local musicians on weekends!  The Harvest Gallery is a VERY COOL place – don’t miss it!

P.S.  Harvest Gallery also hosts private parties.  See their website for details.

Elaine

This is the charming property with the yellow door guest cottage that you can’t help but notice anytime you travel along Route 6A in Dennis Village …..  What you don’t know is how beautifully renovated the interior is!  A 2006 kitchen remodel resulted in an upscale, inviting gathering place, complete with granite counters and top-notch appliances, yet still in keeping with the home’s historic nature.  The first floor master has vaulted ceilings and and an airy feel, and each of the remaining five bedrooms has a charm all its own. The living spaces are sun-filled and spacious,  and in summer spill out onto the backyard patio and gardens – exquisitely adorned in hydrangea and other summer perennials on this .87 acre property. A GEM in Dennis Village, offered at $879,000.

Here we go again!  Massachusetts is about to make history once again, this time with the first offshore wind farm in the nation.

Secretary of the  Interior Ken Salazar announced this afternoon that  the Cape Wind  Project, ten years in the making, has been been given the “thumbs up”.  The government has accepted the proposal with modifications  to include:  a reduction in the size of the turbines from 170′ down to 130′; requiring the developer to conduct additional marine surveys to address the impact on Nantucket Sound and to take  ”other steps” to make the turbines less visible from the shore.

As stated in my previous post on this subject,  local Wampanoag  tribes are among those strongly opposed to the wind farm, in their case because of  the location  in what they term “sacred waters”. We will soon see if they make good on their announced intention to pursue legal action to stop the project from going forward. 

Ted Kennedy is undoubtedly turning over in his grave.

Elaine

Every time we visit certain relatives in NYC, the only thing we are ever required to bring are Wellfleet oysters.  Our hosts are oyster connoisseurs and always request that particular brand.  Well, being big supporters of our fellow local businesses, we decided to surprise them with some  East Dennis Oysters.  I am happy to report that our here-to-fore Wellfleet oyster snobs were quite favorably taken by the “new kid in town”! 

John and Stephanie Lowell started their oyster farm back in 2003 and their passion for the mollusks is evident in every taste. One VERY fun way to sample these succulent treats is any summer weekend at Chapin’s Restaurant right here in Dennis Village, where the Lowells set up an oyster bar for your after-beach enjoyment!  Don’t miss this local treat next time you’re on the Cape!

Elaine

Dennis Pines and Dennis Highlands are two of the finest golf courses on the Cape and in New England for that matter.  When I moved to the Cape, 13 years ago, golf was considered a year-round, weather permitting sport.  From early Spring through most of Winter, playing golf in Dennis is a dream come true.  The tree lined Dennis Pines is a par 72 true test of golf from either tee.  Gold Championship tees are 7,000 yards to “think about it” while the Whites at 6,157 and Reds at 5,567 will still let you have fun.  The Highlands is shorter and much trickier.  Blue Tees can stretch you even at 6,464 yards and the Whites are 6,076 with the tantalizing Reds at 4,884.  Don’t be fooled by the length.  The greens have helped develop some of the finest amateur golfers on the Cape and the layout requires a true test of golf course management. 
So whether it is length or challenge that “drives” you, Dennis Golf has it all.  And if you are looking for a golf get-away, consider a ready-to-move-in CONDO AT OAK RUN IN EAST DENNIS. Drop your worries at the door step and grab your clubs from the walk-out basement.  You’re 5 minutes from the first tee!

Sagamore Bridge by Robert E. Kennedy

A recent cartoon in The Cape Cod Times depicted a group of tourists approaching a customer service booth labeled “New England Summer” and manned by Mother Nature, with the caption “We’d like a refund for all the cold and rainy days!”  Hear! Hear!  The short Summer of 2009 will not go down in the annals as a banner summer for Cape Cod in any respect.

So far, September on Cape Cod is ALMOST  making up for it!  The weather has been spectacular – sunny and 70′s most days. The shoulder season has always been an important one for the Cape Cod economy, and this year ever-so-much-more so. There are plenty of festivals, activities and leaf-peeping to attract the crowds this fall, but along comes the Army Corps of Engineers in an astounding lack of  awareness, scheduling overdue repairs on the Sagamore Bridge, shutting down lanes and causing MAJOR traffic jams 24/7 coming on and off the Cape!  AARRGH!!

We are told that our local politicians are working on an alternative plan with the Corps, but in the meantime, allow yourself a little extra time to get over the bridge. Autumn on Cape Cod is the BEST time to be here – assuming of course that you CAN get here!

Image by Jim Frazier via Flickr

Last week we had a renter call the night before they were due to move in to their Cape Cod Rental for the week. “We’ve had a family meeting” she said ” and because the weather is predicted to be so bad, we would like to switch our week to one in August.”  Yikes! Well, as much as we would have liked to accommodate them there was no way we could!  Can you imagine the precedent that would set?  A logistical nightmare!  We do however, feel for them. How disappointing to look forward to your one week vacation on the Cape only to have it rain incessantly.

If your vacation ends up being a washout, there are  options to going to the beach!  There are museums, antique shopping, movies, and matinee plays at the The Cape Playhouse. Take a look at the Cape Cod Online website in the VISITORS GUIDE section to get you started.  And hey, don’t be too bummed out – you’re on vacation afterall!

Elain

Image via Wikipedia

Without a doubt, one of the best annual fireworks displays is the one held at SESUIT HARBOR in East Dennis. Instituted in 2002 as a collaborative effort of the Dennis Yacht Club and Northside Marina, this year’s event will take place on THURSDAY, JULY 2 AT ABOUT 9:00 P.M.  Viewing can be tricky as the Marina is located in the residential neighborhood of Sesuit Neck.  Parking at the Dennis Yacht Club is strictly for members only (must have a sticker). Ditto the parking lot at the Marina which fills up fast as it is restricted to the Marina’s boat owners and the fire department closes off part of it. On-street parking is going to be your best bet, and some additional parking at Harborview Beach which is a spectacular viewing site – IF you can get there very early.  Looking for your own 4th of July fireworks viewing site for your family and friends?  Take a look at these two nearby waterfront properties for sale, both of which would provide exceptional fireworks viewing for years to come! 12 Maureens Way and 177 Sea Street.

Happy Fourth of July 2009!

Elaine

Image via Wikipedia

Yesterday on my early morning beach run, I stumbled (quite literally) upon several striped bass carcasses, fillets missing, heads and tails intact.  “Yuck!” you might say.  But it actually made me smile.  This particular harbinger of summer, discarded from a passing fishing boat, was a pleasant reminder that Cape Cod Summer 2009 is finally on the way!  It’s been a long, cold winter here on the Cape, but the fisherman are already out and the Cape Cod summer season officially begins this weekend!  (Am I the only one who didn’t know that striped bass were running this early?  Probably….  I actually love to fish – something few people know about me – I can even bait my own hook!)

Today is the beginning of Memorial Day Weekend 2009.  The traffic outside my office window has steadily increased as the afternoon wears on.  The weather report is for sunny skies and it won’t be long before we know how this economy will effect the upcoming tourist season……and the striped bass population!  Stay tuned for more musings on BOTH!

Happy Memorial Day!

Elaine