Underground Cape Cod

Honest Kitchen Holiday Treat Pack!

noreply@blogger.com (pixie) — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 22:46:00 +0000

There is still time to order your best friend a special gift. The all natural Honest Kitchen Holiday Treat Pack. The box contains 3 varieties of hand baked cookies, trial size of Force (that's the food I feed Connor), and a recipe card so you can use the Force to make Holiday Sage and Honey Cakes for your dog. You can order the Treat Pack here.

Honest Kitchen is always coming out with new ideas.... new food, new boxes, new ways to use their food (like the holiday cakes mentioned above). They have the very best, human grade, all natural food for our dogs and cats. It's dehydrated and made with love... please take a look around their website.

Have a happy howl day!

Remembering 9/11

noreply@blogger.com (pixie) — Sat, 10 Sep 2011 19:32:00 +0000

I can't believe it's been 10 years already. Sometimes it seems like just a few years ago and other days it gets pushed back in my mind because of all the details going on in my life. I honestly dread this anniversary because I can't bear to watch, yet again, the pictures and video from that day. I can't look at them again, not even for a second.

In all our lives there are horrific days burned into our memory, I remember President Kennedy, the Challenger, Columbine, and John Lennon (I was/am a huge fan). 9/11 tops them all.

This is where I was when it happened.

I was married then and we were down in North Carolina on a family vacation. We were thinking about buying some property down there and maybe making a move. We were in Atlantic Beach, NC on the morning of 9/11, in a hotel right on the beach, with a pier that had a bar/restaurant on it. John got up early to go for a run and Cay and I were in the room. I was taking a shower and Cay was watching TV. She called me over to see the TV news report and what I saw, or course, stunned me. I prayed it was an accident but had a funny feeling it wasn't. Moments later of course, we watched another plane hit the South Tower - live on TV.

We spent the entire day in that little bar on the pier watching TV and trying to get information. We could see, hear and smell the ocean. It was so beautiful, a bright blue sky, hot as can be, peaceful. And here we spent the entire day trying to find out what happened to America.

We were scheduled to fly out of N. Carolina on the very first day that they allowed planes to fly again. We had an early flight out of Raleigh on USAir. When we got to the airport it was empty, totally empty other then police with guns and dogs. There was one single USAir employee behind the check in desk. We were the only people that showed up for the flight. Not one other single soul showed for a sold-out flight. That panicked me and I refused to fly. I think John was a bit annoyed with me because of that, I guess we'd certainly be safe with no one on the plane but the crew and the 3 of us. I just couldn't put my family on that plane when not one of the 100+ passengers showed.

So we called Amtrak and bought tickets home. We waved a cab at the airport and the driver gets out to get our luggage and he is in Arab dress. I stopped cold and just stared at him. He looked at me and said, "I am 10 years in the United States, have a family, and hate what happened." I'm not a bigot and I of course knew that not all Arab's are bad people because of the acts of a few of them. But it was hard getting in that cab, I was terrified. The Amtrak station and train were mobbed. I guess all those people that were supposed to fly were taking the train just like we were. We were lucky to get seats.

We had a layover and train change at Union Station in Washington DC and the minute we got off the train there was a bomb scare. Panic ruled the day and everyone went running out of the station into the streets and I was terrified I'd get separated from my daughter. Nerves were frayed and there was an undercurrent of fear.

We finally got our train to Boston. Just like the previous one it was overcrowded, we got seats again but some people were standing. In New Jersey, just before you go under the Hudson, you have a very clear view of lower Manhattan. Everyone in the train stood and watched in silence at the smoke still billowing out from where the Twin Towers use to be. Many people, myself included, were crying. It was September 15th.

Penn Station looked like a war zone. There were police and military every where. They all had automatic weapons and dogs. We were not allowed to leave the train or our seats. The military came on the train with their dogs and walked up and down the entire train with the dogs sniffing all our suitcases and bags. People were still quietly crying from the ghastly view we saw of the missing World Trade Center.

We finally got to South Station in Boston and again there were police everywhere. We quietly drove back to the Cape - quiet, wild, beautiful and unchanged - at least on the surface. North Carolina is a beautiful state but I'm sorry, after that, I don't think I could ever live there.

I knew our lives had changed forever. None of us will ever forget that day. I will never forget the sight of Manhattan with smoke rising where those iconic towers once stood. It still looks wrong to me with out them.

Blimping along.....

noreply@blogger.com (pixie) — Thu, 28 Jul 2011 15:56:00 +0000

With Hangar 1 Vodka at Cape Cod Airfield.......

As my regular readers know I often spend some of my down time at Cape Cod Airfield in Marstons Mills. I love flying and love that airfield more then I can say. And the motor heads that run the place are really nice guys. When Chris told me that a blimp was coming in to the airfield for a few days, I told him I was getting a ride in it, somehow, some way. They told me that when the Hood Milk blimp use to summer at the airfield you couldn't even get near it. Hmmm.....

So when the blimp landed I ran up to the pilot who flew it, introduced myself, and welcomed him to Cape Cod. His name is Bret Viets and what a nice guy. I immediately asked about a ride and he said we could probably arrange it. So the next day I turned up at the airfield and spoke to the Hangar 1 Vodka people and got on the ride list. Most of the others on the ride list were news people (tv, newspapers) and a couple that won their ride through a radio call in.

It was a cloudy, hazy day and that effects the lift of the helium in the blimp so they were only taking 2 riders at a time which slowed things down considerably. But they had the bar and grills going so you could eat and drink while you waited (I didn't do either but I did get a t-shirt). Finally the crew chief came up to me and said "we can get you on the next ride if you don't mind sitting in the co-pilot seat." Huh? Honey I'd fly the thing if you asked me! So in I go and sitting right next to my New Best Friend, Bret the pilot. I'm flying with the people that won their trip on the radio call in (nice people, Renee and Tom).

I'm sort of a science nut and I peppered Bret with a bazillion questions about how a blimp works, how they manage the helium, where they get the helium, top altitude, airspeed, engine size, etc. I also found out (while I was over the ocean) that helium is a smaller molecule then the fabric the blimp is made out of and constantly leaks out (which is why your helium balloons are flat after a day). And since I do have a fair amount of flying experience I'll tell you, in my opinion, flying a blimp in nice calm sunny weather isn't that difficult. But you have to constantly manage the helium and that takes experience. And in difficult weather forget about it, I'm staying on the ground.

I found it interesting that the reporter from the Cape Cod Times who got a ride in it and wrote about it on Wednesday was a bit nervous about it (he should try flying upside down or in a huge DC-3 taking off from a short grass runway). I found the entire ride to be like sitting in my living room. Bret is a very experienced pilot and such a nice guy. It is a very slow, relaxing ride and the views are great. Over the water we came down lower to look for whales (didn't see any but how cool is that).

I did find out I'm in a very elite group, there are only 12 blimps flying world wide right now and the company that owns the Hangar 1 Vodka blimp, Lightship, owns more then half of the blimps flying today. (Hangar 1 leases the blimp from Lightship). Lightship also owns the Snoopy blimps too. (my readers and friends know how much I LOVE Snoopy). Most of those blimps in the air don't give rides so I was really lucky (not to mention how charming I was, seriously I charmed my way on this ride).

I would do it again in a heartbeat. Bret my pilot was so nice and the Hanger 1 Vodka group was delightful and a lot of fun. What a great experience! I never would have had it if it wasn't for my association with Cape Cod Airfield, Chris Siderwicz Sr and Chris Siderwicz Jr, so I thank them sincerely. If you have not been to Cape Cod Airfield and had a biplane ride, you should try it, its equally as fun, has the same views as I had in the blimp - just a little bit faster.

FYI, I found out that the term "blimp" is for laypeople, those of us in the know say airship. And now I'm an experienced airship flyer!
(ya gotta click on the pictures for a larger view they are fantastic!)
See my Blimping Over Cape Cod video on YouTube.

Human Nature or....

noreply@blogger.com (pixie) — Sat, 23 Jul 2011 16:36:00 +0000

I had a yard sale a few weeks back, it was a resounding success. My main goal was to get rid of as much "junque" as I possibly could. By then end of the day I had a few hundred dollars in my pocket and had reduced my clutter pile by 3/4.

All of my items were priced and they were giveaways even at the marked price. I fully expected that everyone would bargain with me.... they did, it's part of the fun of a yard sale. However; by 2 pm we wanted more product to leave the driveway (less stuff I have to drag to the swap shop) so we told our customers that everything was free and to make a donation if they felt so moved. Interestingly, I made more money after 2 pm then before.

Did people feel guilty just taking my bric-a-brac or were they so grateful not to have to haggle? Either way, I made far more money. People are generous. American's are one of the most giving nations on earth. Give us a sad story or natural disaster and we will donate. Or a yard sale. The next yard sale I have I'm going to start the morning off the way I ended my last yard sale. Everything is there for the taking, make a donation on what you think it's worth. I'll move more odds and ends and make more money. Clearly a win-win.

On the other hand, I do this blog (occasionally and lord only knows why) and along with the blog I keep a list of gluten free places on Cape Cod. For years now I've given that list out for free. I guess because with research, phone calls, and Google the information is out there for everyone. There is also another list that you can get from someone else; however, it is much smaller then mine. I not only try and eat/shop at all the places on my list but I also call the owners and speak to the chef's. When a bad report comes in I research what happened and why. I've just spent 2 weeks working with one restaurant owner to get as many GF ingredients on their menu as possible. I'm also in the process of putting clickable links to the individual restaurant websites in the 14 page "Gluten Free on Cape Cod" list. Did I mention that the restaurants don't pay me either?

Although I send out a form letter with each request, 95% of the time I end up personalizing the form letter because the requester has also asked specific questions along with their request for the list. At least 75% of the time I end up sending a few emails back and forth with each requester. At best (meaning the quickest turnaround and follow up) I spend 5 minutes on each request for the list. This week was a slow week with only 35 requests for the GF list. Which adds up to just under 3 hours of my time spent on just sending out a free list (that does not include my visits and phone calls to the various restaurants or the constant list updates). The week before 4th of July, I had over 125 requests in a 7 day period. That's a lot of time on my part... I work a full time job, I'm a single mom of a teenager, and I have a dog that I walk 4 miles a day. For me, time is of the essence.

So a few weeks ago I decided that I'd add a Pal Pal button and ask for a donation to get the list. There was no suggested amount to donate, just like at my yard sale, I left it up to the "buyer". Well, 41 requests later and guess how much I've gotten from my Pay Pal button? $0. That's right, not a red cent. I'm trying to figure out why that is? Maybe people don't really realize how much time and money this takes me and maybe they don't care. Perhaps they are just use to this type of list being free because in some larger cities GF lists are kept up by numerous people in the local Celiac group but that isn't the case here. I'm the only one working on this list.

I'd be interested in your thoughts and ideas on this one, it astounds me that no one has thought of sending me a single dollar thru Pay Pal. I guess if someone couldn't afford it I'd certainly give it to them for free but quite a few people tell me where they are staying (rented house, Chatham Bars Inn, Daniel Webster Inn, etc.) and surely they can afford a buck. Right now I'm debating canceling the list completely, it really does take a lot of time or charging for it. What do you think?'

Well here is the sad news... since I wrote this post I've spent over 5 hours updating the list so that the restaurants have clickable links to their websites. I've also had numerous people ask for the list and even after they read this post, they didn't donate. So now I'm charging $3.00 for the list. It's worth it and I spend so much time on it. I've just sent out over 100 emails to restaurants that are NOT on the list asking how they handle gluten free requests so I expect soon I'll be updating with new additions!

Idgy's is ALL gluten free.

noreply@blogger.com (pixie) — Sun, 03 Jul 2011 12:37:00 +0000

Idgy's opened a couple of months ago and I've tried really hard to like it. As a matter of fact... I do like it.... but (yes Virginia there is a "but") they still have a few kinks to work out. It's in Union Station Plaza (Rt. 6 at exit 8) next do Domino's Pizza. There is always plenty of parking. The interior is cute. They use chalkboards for the menu and they are all done in bright colors adding to the decor. The fabric on the chairs is adorable. The restaurant is always clean and bright. The outside has lovely window boxes with herbs and flowers in them and I think there is an outdoor table or two (don't quote me on that one).

Like the title of this post, Idgy's is ALL gluten free so you don't have to worry about cross contamination or "mistakes". I don't think owners Erika Berg and Deb Collins have gluten issues themselves but they have been in the restaurant business a long time and know good food. I've spoken to one of them every time I've gone in there and they seem like dedicated professionals.

They have an interesting and varied menu: breakfast - eggs, french toast, waffle's, quiche, english muffins, sausage, scones, and even a breakfast burrito. I have to be honest and say I've never had breakfast there.... I get up really early every morning but I don't get going early. One of these days I'll get up and get moving in time for breakfast.

On the lunch/dinner menu: Panini's, regular sandwiches, salads, appetizers, pizza, entrees, sides, a kids menu, a few vegan dishes, and even desserts. They have a lot of healthy drinks, juice, coconut water, Holistic Herbal Elixirs, and smoothies. So they cover all the bases.

I've had a couple of Panini's and they were good. Certainly it is the first time I've had a Panini in 9 years. The bread they use (I'm not sure if they make it but I'm guessing they do) is thin and doesn't taste or feel like a GF bread product. I've had the Chicken Parm and the Roasted Portabella panini's and both were tasty but I'd like the Chicken Parm one a bit wetter (more red sauce and more cheese). Both plates came with roasted beets which I ate but my daughter turned her nose up at. I've asked about the beets, it is an unusual side dish, and they said people love them. I happen to love beets but honestly I don't know anyone else who does. I've had the Terriyaki Chicken Wings too and they were excellent. On my next trip I'm going to try the Quesidilla appetizer.

On another visit I had a regular turkey and cheese sandwich which was excellent. I asked for all the stuff that can go on it, mustard, mayo, lettuce - the works. It was big, hearty, and juicy - exactly the way I order it and the way I like it. An excellent sandwich I've ordered a few times and it's been perfect each time.

The other evening my daughter and I had an early dinner there. She loves spaghetti and meatballs and was anxious to try them. I had trouble deciding what to order but finally settled on Chicken Marsala which came with mashed potatoes. The spaghetti and meatballs were excellent, Cay loved them (she loves meatballs and I don't cook as much as I use too). My meal looked a little pale... beige chicken, beige potatoes and although the flavor of marsala wasn't as strong as I would have liked, it tasted great, the chicken was done perfectly - tender and flavorful. We really enjoyed our meals.

On to desserts.... they do them very well. We've had brownies, cheesecake, cookies, and carrot cake. All have been excellent, the chocolate chip cookies are the best GF cookies I've ever had, really they are just great cookies, gluten free or not. Lots of chips, nice big cookies, great flavor, crispy on the outside softer on the inside. I think their desserts are responsible for the few pounds I've gained because I've never gone to Idgy's and NOT gotten a dessert.

So what are the kinks you might be asking? Some of them are personal and may not be an issue to you... the tables are too small for 2 people, 2 dinners and 2 drinks. When we had an appetizer we had to use the table next to us. Slightly larger tables would make it feel more like a restaurant and less like a take out place.

The two owners have their act totally together but the rest of the help are in need of more training. One time it took the woman behind the counter 10 minutes to figure out how to run my credit card (and this was a month after they opened), I stood there while she played with it and she didn't turn in the order while she was having trouble. So we had a long wait to pay and get our food.

This last time the girl behind the counter was cleaning up (we got there about 30 minutes before they officially closed) and had on big blue rubber gloves to clean with. Sadly she delivered dinners with the gloves still on!!! A huge ewwwwww.

I find the menu board a bit difficult to read. There are arrows all over which I find hard to figure out and all the item headings are called xxxxIdgy. Appetizers are appetidgy's, panini's are panidgys, sandwich's are samidgys. It's a little too cutesy and hard to read for me but as I said some of this is just my personal taste.

Let me say upfront I like a lot of flavor, spice, and even heat in my food. Some of Idgy's food is just a shade not flavored enough for me. For example I put salt on virtually every entree I order there. I'd like them to punch it up a tiny bit more. Lastly, I've emailed them with a GF suggestion... french fries. It is very difficult for us GF people to get french fries (or fried anything) anywhere because in most restaurants they use the same fryolator for gluten items (like flour battered fish) to fry the french fries in. So the french fries end up containing gluten. I think a lot of Idgy's menu is "healthy food" so maybe they don't want to add something "unhealthy" like french fries (it's a veggie, right?) but I'd love them and I'd go there more often if they had them.

All in all, I like Idgy's a lot and I recommend it on my Gluten Free on Cape Cod list, which you can get, free of charge, just by emailing me. I think they are off to a good start, I certainly hope if you are GF you will try it, it is SO nice not to have to worry at all about getting "glutened". And your friends that don't have to be gluten free will enjoy it too. Be sure to try their excellent desserts!

Idgy's (click to see their website)
23 S. White's Path
S. Yarmouth, MA 02664
508-694-7451

The Best Gluten Free Pizza!

noreply@blogger.com (pixie) — Fri, 18 Feb 2011 20:38:00 +0000

Right Here in Mashpee - by Susan

I've written before about my gluten problems... I've been gluten free for 7 years. With all the gluten free products on the market nowadays I don't feel like I'm missing much sticking to a GF diet. When I started this journey over 7 years ago there were virtually NO products marked as "gluten-free". Today there are so many wonderful GF products, however; gluten free pizza has never lived up to it's billing.

Initially my daughter and I discovered the Risotteria Restaurant in NYC. It's got fantastic GF products, beer, cupcakes, and pizza. We'd go to NYC a couple of times a year to shop and eat GF pizza! (now that's a really expensive pizza!). We have scouted around our area (Boston to Cape) for great GF pizza and eventually found BZ's pizza in Dennis. They don't make their crust but it's thin and cooked in a pizza oven. Their pizza is darn good and the people there are so friendly! My daughter and I still go there often, it's a great traditional (GF) pizza.

When Wicked Fire Kissed Pizza opened I checked them out and wrote about it in this blog. It's a great restaurant but they had a very limited GF menu when they first opened up: salmon salad, salmon dinner, and steak. But those 3 things were always prepared perfectly so I'd go with my mom now and then for the Organic Salmon and Citrus Salad.

I went there for dinner last week with my daughter and my mom and found out they now have a printed gluten free menu! And let me tell you, it's wicked good! There are not only salads but sandwiches, 3 more dinner entrees (for a total of 5 now), they also have Apple Wood Grilled Burgers (on a gluten free bun!!!) and yes, they have pizza.

They make their own pizza dough (it says rice flour slowly fermented) and they are cooked in their 700 degree hearth oven. There are 12 different kinds of designer pizza's (the exact same ones that are on the regular menu, only made with GF crust) all with a thin and crispy crust, the only type of crust that GF pizza should be made with. They do have a plain cheese and tomato sauce pizza for you purists. These pizza's are nothing short of amazing. I had the Wicked Margherita and Cay had the Wicked Sausage and Caramelized Onion. They were both fantastic... out of this world fantastic! I am going back this week for another one (I see 10 lbs in my future).

A few things about Wicked... they don't take reservations (you can call 1/2 hour before you arrive and put your name on the wait list) and even in the off season they are busy on weekends, so be prepared to call ahead or wait. During the summer it's busy all of the time, but if you call head, get your beeper when you check in, there are nice stores to window shop at while you wait.

I emailed Wicked for a comment about this blog post... I was curious what prompted the move from a very limited GF menu to a full GF menu. I wanted to know if the dishes had to be reworked to add them to add them to the GF menu. I was going to ask them more about the GF pizza process and most importantly (and a word of warning for all GF people) I really wanted to ask them about the Sicilian Comfort pizza - it contains "Wicked Meatballs" and I have a hard time believing they are gluten free (meatballs usually have bread crumbs in them). Two of their pizza's have sausage and often sausage is NOT gluten free; however, my daughter had the pizza with hormone/anti-biotic free pork sausage (and I had a piece too) and neither of us reacted to it so I know that sausage is GF. But meatballs?

Sadly Wicked never answered my email inquiry so I can't tell you their story, which is sad because not only do I have a lot of GF readers, but I keep a GF list of places to eat at for all of Cape Cod (free for the asking). And I get over 400 requests a year for my list. So I wish they would have participated in this blog post (if they do comment I'll let you know). But I can tell you their pizza is excellent. Really the entire place is great, the food excellent, the service is splendid, and the staff is always helpful and friendly. I would really like to try their burgers but I can't imagine going in there now and not having pizza!

Best of all the pies are big enough for 2 meals, so I left with my doggie bag and had pizza for lunch the next day. Thank you, Wicked Pizza!

Honest Kitchen to the Rescue.

noreply@blogger.com (pixie) — Sat, 12 Feb 2011 13:17:00 +0000

You Are What You Eat - by Susan

I've had a pet or two (or three) more or less since the day I was born. Mostly dogs, cats, turtles, hamsters, hermit crabs, fish, and of course, a horse. I've always tried to be a good pet mama: I start with lots of love, the best vet care, the best food I can find, clicker training, long daily hikes, more love, and because I work at home, tons of time spent together.

I've told the story of my current Airedale, Connor in the blog before. But a quick recap: he's a rescue of sorts... he was returned to his breeder (thank goodness for that) and a good friend of mine (Thank you Debbie and Koshie) knew I was in need of a dog and she is good friends with Connor''s breeder (Dale, what fabulous dogs you have!). And the rest, as they say, is history.

After having Connor for a year now, I'm pretty sure he was given up for a variety of reasons but one of them was his "ill health." His previous owners had a veterinary record on him that was 2 inches thick. And most of the record is about his GI issues. My vet (the wonderful Dr. Tom Burns of Veterinary Associates of Cape Cod) and I sat down with his vet record and it seemed to us that the first order of business was to change his diet to see if that would change his health.

I researched dog foods to the extreme, got on dog lists, posted to dog forums. I spent a lot of time researching a raw diet and participate in an online list that was primarily about feeding your dog a raw diet. And I think there is a lot to be said for it. But I was pretty sure I didn't want to be handing all that raw food. Honestly I eat vegetarian at home most of the time because I hate the look and feel of raw meat. There are a few good, small, independent dog food makers out there and in my research I found Honest Kitchen.

I was really impressed with their dog food and ingredients... they start with the very best, whole food, human grade ingredients, they can find and gently dehydrate them. Look into the company - how they find their ingredients, how they make the food, how much they care about our planet and our environment, their refusal to cut any corners, and how every month they support a different charity. This food is made with love and such good will. Even the boxes are recycled paper and the plastic they use inside the box to keep the food fresh: it too is post consumer recycled plastic. To say I was impressed was an understatement.

So I bought Honest Kitchen food and supplements, got Connor on them and almost immediately, voilà, he was no longer suffering from GI problems. I kept him on the Honest Kitchen regimen for this past year and he has had no GI incidents or any health problems at all. Perfectly healthy dog. I always wondered if it could be that easy. Really, just a diet change and supplements? The supplement I use for him is called Perfect Form and it is a digestive supplement. (click here to read Honest Kitchen's description of it)

So a couple of months ago, Honest Kitchen was changing the packaging on their supplement line (thank you very much I love the new can and it opens far easier then the old style!!), I didn't keep up my "pantry" and I ran out of Perfect Form. It was a bit hard to come by in the stores due to the packaging change.

Not a big deal I thought, he's still on Honest Kitchen food so he'll be fine. At first he was. And then over the course of a few weeks, he occasionally would spit up a little stuff (like a teaspoon full of breakfast) and then "uh oh" his poop got different. Not enough that most people would worry but it was clear to me that the Perfect Form really does help his digestion.

I emailed Honest Kitchen in a panic and of course once again they came to my rescue (Thank you Carmen!) and overnighted some Perfect Form for Connor. And guess what.... in two days he was back to normal again. And in the months following this, he has not had one incident of an upset tummy. So inadvertently I got to test if it really is the Honest Kitchen products that have improved his health and I can say unequivocally YES.

After reading their website (they have a ton of very interesting articles under the "Learn" menu) I found out that a lot of people switch to Honest Kitchen because their dogs have some sort of health issue: skin problems, allergies, GI issues, itching, ear infections. And I think with all the research that has been done in the field of nutrition over the past few years we all know that good food is the cornerstone of good health (for people too). And most of the Honest Kitchen customers feel their pets health is far better after switching to Honest Kitchen. I'm so glad I found them.

This is the kind of company I want to do business with and I wish that every company I buy from could be exactly like this. Honest Kitchen cares..... about my dog's health, about their products, about the planet, about me.

I'm not employed by Honest Kitchen (but I'll tell you I love them so much if they offered me a job I'd take it in a heartbeat!) and they don't ask me to write about them. I'm really just so smitten with this company! They do however give me coupons that I can give to you if you'd like to try their food. You can buy it in many places on Cape Cod and all around the country, go to their store locator and put in your zip code (its also available online too). And if you'd like a coupon please email me!

Gotta run, its time for Connor and I to go on our hike!

Appendix Mess...

noreply@blogger.com (pixie) — Sat, 29 Jan 2011 12:37:00 +0000

I'm finally all healed up from my appendix mess that happened on January 2, 2011. It's been almost of month of healing and I'm still not "all better." I went from feeling just fine to passing out in under an hour, it was all a very harrowing experience. I passed out on Route 3, in the dark, my car unlocked and running on the shoulder of the highway, for over 40 minutes. Don't try that if you can help it.

I've had some complications and I'm a slow healer I guess. I do really want to thank the EMT's that came and got me. I'm pretty sure they were from the Marstons Mills fire station. They were so nice to me and made me feel a lot less scared then I was.

Once I got to Cape Cod Hospital Emergency I had that very same treatment. Every single doctor and nurse was so nice and explained everything to me. I got pain killers right away and they immediately started on various tests to figure out what was going on with me (I thought I had food poisoning). I didn't realize that Cape Cod Hospital was now a teaching hospital - I had residents and students seeing me too and they were all so kind and respectful.

My surgeon, Dr. Jeff Spillane, did surgery to remove my appendix Monday morning and both he and the anesthesiologist spoke to me prior to surgery to explain everything and answer all my questions. Both were funny and chatty and it really put me at ease. I was in the hospital overnight and I did feel I was not nearly ready to go home but that's all my insurance was going to pay for. Such is life. I'm still exhausted from the whole ordeal.... getting "put under" always effects me with a couple of months of exhaustion.

Of course my daughter and my mom were there to help me and I couldn't have gotten along with their daily help. I'm not "Forgetting Sara Marshall. She runs Hometails Pet Care for her help with Connor every single day for over 3 weeks. He's a young active dog who sadly still pulls on the leash (especially when his nemesis the squirrel is around) and so I couldn't walk him the 3 miles plus a day he needs. Sara did it every day, starting on the day of my surgery, of course, with no prior notice (you can't really plan appendicitis). Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays Sara Marshall from the swift completion of her appointed rounds. (U.S. Postal motto).

Many thanks to all the people that sent me cards, letters, emails, and came by to visit. I did learn this from being laid up.... when you know someone that is ill, or unable to get out - go visit them. I was often so lonely or bored. Even a 20 minute cup of tea was a huge bright spot in my day.

Stay healthy!

Posting....

noreply@blogger.com (pixie) — Sun, 28 Nov 2010 13:39:00 +0000

Where does the time go?

I know I should post more. I don't know why it's so hard... ok so I have a full time job. I'm a single parent too, and I have the world's most high maintenance, crazy dog. I have a house that is too big for me (it's not really large but just too much house for me) and a manicured acre and a half which I take care of on my own (including cutting the lawn), I have a senior citizen mom to check up on and family, friends, errands, and now I have found out that I have such a bad back (herniated discs) that I'm now committed to hours and hours of physical therapy. Did I mention I love to hike and take pictures. I need a 35 hour day.

But I do take a lot of pictures and some of them are pretty good. Almost all of them are taken on Cape Cod, so I'm going to be including them here more often to stand in as "posts".

The pictures below were taken out on the tip of Long Beach on Friday late afternoon. My sister in law Cathy was one of my family members visiting for the holiday (she is actually my ex sister in law but that sounds awful, I consider her a sister). And like me, she loves to walk and since I have that crazy dog mentioned above, who needs a minimum of 3 miles a day of serious walking, I love when Cathy comes to visit because the dog gets so worn out. 3 miles is just a warm up for Cathy and she walks fast.

We parked in the Craigville Beach parking lot and for those of you that don't know Long Beach.. you just get on Craigville Beach and head west. The very tip is about a 1.5 mile hike west and when you are there you can see Dowses Beach in Osterville. The view out there is awesome. There are usually other walkers, many of them have dogs, and many of those dogs are off leash (mine isn't). So if you're not a dog lover - beware.

Just before the end of the hike is the shell tree. It was in the Cape Cod Times a few weeks ago, you are supposed to hang a shell on it and we did. The other pix is just after we started back, it was about 4 pm and it was one of those gorgeous sunsets... pink, orange, blue with big dark angry clouds. I took both pictures with my iPhone. Enjoy! (I think if you click on the pictures you will see them in a larger size!)

Dogs Allowed!

noreply@blogger.com (pixie) — Sun, 12 Sep 2010 11:59:00 +0000

A great event for you and your pooch!

On September 26 from 11 am to 5 pm is the 3rd Annual Dogs Allowed event. It's on the Steeple Street in Mashpee at the Village Green (which is in Mashpee Commons). They have all sorts of activities for you and your dog: a fashion show, agility, rally and obedience, a police dog demo, retriever race, kissing booth, Capering Canines of Cape Cod and of course, Connor and I!!

We will be there on behalf of Honest Kitchen, which makes dog and cat food, treats, and supplements for our beloved pets. If you are not familiar with their products please click on the Honest Kitchen link and read about them. Not only are they completely fresh, (not cooked) wholesome, human-grade food.... without the by-products and fillers that other pet foods have, but the company has such caring and a conscience.

They have a charity of the month that they support, they make donations to tons of events (raffles, auctions, community outreach), they offer discounts to non-profit animal rescue organizations and to Service Animals. They are also very careful that their ingredients don't hurt mother nature. They use a lot of certified organic, the meats are hormone and antibiotic free, fruits and veggies are non GMO, quiona is certified fair-trade.

Take for example their new product Zeal (available late September)... its fish based. The fish is guaranteed Ethoxyquin- free because like all their products its human grade. The Haddock is wild caught using line and hook method in the cold clean waters off Iceland. It also contains Salmon, Whiting, sweet potatoes, apples, cranberries, organic coconut and more good stuff. Better yet they are donating a portion of the sale of Zeal to several Marine Conservation Initiatives. This is a company I can fully stand behind because in every way - they care.

Anyhow, back to the Dogs Allowed event: I hope you will all come down and visit Connor and I at our table. Honest Kitchen was kind enough to send us a whole bunch of samples that I can pass out to you! I'm really excited about that! I'll also have a bunch of discount coupons so you can try it. One of the sponsors of this event, Hot Diggity, sells Honest Kitchen so you can just walk over to their store (which is just a block away from the event) and pick some up. I'm also going to have a place for your dog to wet their whistle, don't worry only 100% Poland Springs water for my visitors!

So come on down and visit with us!

Susan

Bartender's Guide

noreply@blogger.com (pixie) — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 16:44:00 +0000

... Chapter 2: Customer Service - by Susan

I'm sure everyone has seen it before... the haughty bartender. What is with that? In this economy you'd think that eating and drinking establishments would go out of their way to lure customers. On the Cape in the summer there are a lot of places I can go out to eat and drink, so the competition is fierce.

I go out often so I have a lot of bartender experience, even more to the point, I supported myself when I was younger tending bar, so I know what it's like on both sides of the bar. And I do know bartenders have a lot of crummy customers, like the folks that sit all night and sip one glass of wine and leave a .50 cent tip. Or the messy customer, that leaves chicken wings all over the bar, spills at least one drink, and has to be escorted out after last call (did I mention he is too tipsy to tip?). Believe me, I know it's not an easy job.

But from the customers side, I don't care if your last person you served was a slob, I'm not. If you have an attitude because the jerk before me didn't tip, don't take it out on me, I almost always tip 25%.

Recently I've had some bad experiences at a few local upscale restaurants. Where I not only had drinks but I had dinner at all of them so I ran up a decent sized tab.

Some bartenders make you feel like a jackass because you are unfamiliar with their wine list. Some totally ignores you even though it's early and there are only 3 people at the entire bar. In that case I should not have to wave you down and keep saying, "excuse me". How about the bartender that every time I order a drink says, "What are you drinking again?" I have a tab running, can't you just pick up the chit and look? I hate when they serve you your drink and there are small bar napkins right on the bar and they don't use one, what is that about?

We drink, have dinner and the very second we are done with the food, they remove my drink (ok there wasn't much left in it but it wasn't quite empty), remove the plates and put down the check. Why didn't you ask us about dessert, coffee, or an after dinner drink? Bartending is part of the "service" industry, why are some bartenders so condescending, pompous, and self-important? Where is the service? What is my 25% tip buying me?

Believe it or not, all of the above complaints happened at one place last week. I'm only going to say it was a "nice" spot in Osterville. I like the food at this place but that long time bartender.... well I have to say, the way she acted, I'm not going back there any time soon. I'm going to go some place where they actually want my business.

There are a few other places on the Cape that have nasty bartenders but for the most part I get nice friendly people, that's how it should be! So thanks to the great barkeeps at The Islander, Naked Oyster, the Raw Bar, Black Cat, Trevi, Starfish, Sienna, and Wicked Pizza to name a few!

More Chat.... finally

noreply@blogger.com (pixie) — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 16:29:00 +0000

And even a quick review......

I know I've said before that I'm going to post more often... but for the last couple of years all the posts have been.... well thought out and well written and that takes time, more time then I have. I'm not going to proof or rewrite. I really hate doing that, it's a blog after all not the New Yorker.

It also won't be predominately reviews like it has been in the past. I don't go to that many "new" places, actually I tend to go to the same places over and over again! So I'm going to leave some of the reviews to other publications. If I go to a new spot, of course, I'll review it but I'm also just going to chat... about my life, my family, my dog, Cape Cod issues; whatever is on my mind.

I went to the "new" Naked Oyster the other night with Marty; my friend and former writer for this blog. Many of you who know me also know Marty who is happily splitting her time between two households - Boston and the Cape. It was great to catch up with her again and we had a drink and dinner at the bar in Naked Oyster at 410 Main Street in Hyannis.

They always had great food but the former location, while in Hyannis, was just out of the way...... a funky little strip mall that was hard to find. I rarely went there because I hated that location. When I heard they were going into a long narrow space next to Puritan, I have to say, I had reservations about that location too. To me, downtown Hyannis, means tourists. I hardly ever venture to that area during the summer, it is just too crowded, there's no parking, and it's all families with kids or the 20-something crowd.

I parked in the big lot behind the restaurant on North Street and there is a back door so you don't have to go all the way around to the Main Street entrance. That back door just opens into the rear dining room and I was uncomfortable weaving my way through the tables. Once through that back dining room you enter the bar area.

This is a cozy area with dark mahogany woods, exposed brick, stone bar top, some high top tables and lower ones in the front dining room; which has a great street view. The feel of the place was great.. a comfortable, upscale bistro. I sat at the bar waiting for Marty, ordered a drink (which was perfectly made) and chatted with the very nice bartender.

Marty arrived, tasted a wine that the bartender recommended (which she liked) and we began to investigate the menu. We could see the fresh shellfish on ice at the bar. Naked Oyster has their own oyster farm in Barnstable Harbor, 2 acres that are farmed by employees - it doesn't get much fresher then that.

They are truly locavores... most of their food is local, organic, or both. Veggies from CapeAbilities, ENT Farm, and Cape Cod Organic Farm. Organic beef is from Wolfneck Farms in Maine, local fish caught same day from Barnstable and Chatham, Stony Island Mussels, and Great Hills Dairy (love their Blue Cheese).

Naked Oyster has always been very gluten aware and I noticed that they had some of their food marked as gluten free on the menu, which makes ordering easier for me. However, they clearly didn't mark everything with their little GF symbol and I'm not sure why that is. I hope with the next menu they print up they go all the way with the GF symbols. Clearly raw shellfish is gluten free but it wasn't marked. They have a bunch of side dishes that were not marked either yet when I asked I was told all the sides were gluten free. I wish the GF marks were for the entire menu.

They offer 4 great salads that you can eat as is or dress up with Kobe flank steak, Thai shrimp, blackened scallops or grilled chicken. They have stand-out appetizers: the Raw Bar (which they are known for), beef carpaccio, cheese platter, and a duo of sushi grade yellow fin tuna. The Oyster Stew was marked as gluten free but a girl can only eat so much so I'll try that on my next visit.

For entrees they have a couple of beef dishes (Kobe), a chicken dish, and of course they specialize in seafood. I had the Haddock and Lobster in Champagne Beurre Blanc. It was a great dish served with fresh veggies and roasted Yukon potatoes. I'd order it again.

By the time Marty and I had finished our dinner the crowd had come in. It looked like mostly locals (I saw my doctor there.... she must be following me because I saw her at the Islander last week!) and it was a really friendly, big crowd. I think Naked Oyster is going to be one of my hang outs, trust me it will also be yours.

Restaurant News....

noreply@blogger.com (pixie) — Mon, 17 May 2010 19:15:00 +0000

You Can Use - by Susan

Timmy B's:

Tim Buchanan, former owner of my summer hang out, Keepers, is at it again. This time in the former Grill 16, Asa Bearse House location. I don't know much about the plan here but I understand it will be "fine dining". This worries me a bit.. I'm not sure how much "fine dining" (price wise) Main Street, Hyannis can handle. In that price category I'd say Roadhouse, Alberto's, Eclectic Cafe, compete for the same customers and I'm not sure the Main Street crowd does a lot of fine dining. That being said, I loved, loved, loved, the food at Keepers and was sorry to see it go. It was decently priced and good food with a casual, laid back atmosphere. So I'm very interested to see what Tim is going to do with this new place. I love the bar and outdoor patio at this location! My sources tell me its opening soon.

Naked Oyster:

Most of you probably know by now that the Naked Oyster is moving to Main Street in Hyannis, they are taking over part of what is now the Puritan store. I can't wait for this move because I have always liked the restaurant but didn't go often as it just seemed out of the way before. From a business standpoint I think they will find a new audience on Main Street. It's an excellent restaurant and they do gluten free very well. They will be open on June 15th.

Starfish

This place has been open in Mashpee (South Cape Village) in what was formerly Restaurant Heather for a few weeks now. They didn't make many changes to the space, which certainly was light an airy but for me that didn't define it as it's own place in my head. I feel like I'm still eating at Heather.

It is expensive and I think that was one of the problems that did-in Heather. So it will be interesting to see how it goes for them. That being said, when I was there the food was excellent and the service even better. Although the restaurant doesn't have a gluten free menu, the staff was very knowledgeable about gluten and allergy requests and they handled my meal perfectly. I enjoyed the evening. This restaruant is run by Cape Cod Restaurants, Inc. which also does Coonamessett Inn, The Flying Bridge, and Tugboats. If you are looking for excellent seafood give Starfish a try.

Islander

Ok the old Keepers at Crosby Boat Yard, now called Islander, and run by the Island Merchant folks is open again for the summer season. I still hang there now and then and like the food but it's not terribly gluten friendly. The waitstaff doesn't seem to have enough knowledge about their dishes to make me feel safe enough to eat there. I do love their mojito's however! So if you want a relaxed place, good food, and water views, this is it!

SeaSide Pub

This isn't a new restaurant, its been open - at the corner of Main and Sea Street in Hyannis - for maybe a year. I never ventured in, it just appeared to "pubby" for me. But then a reader told me they had a huge vegetarian and gluten free menu. Say what? So of course I had to go in. They happen to have the largest gluten free and vegetarian menu on Cape Cod!

I've been there 3 times in 3 weeks, so it's safe to say I like it. Chef Uy Phu is really creative with the food was very good. They do pizza (regular and gluten free) and it is very good (I like my crust crispy so I'll ask them to do that next time). The gluten free fried fish was just over-the-top excellent. Gluten free means no wheat (flour) so it's really hard to get a batter dipped sort of coating without any gluten because it's the gluten that holds it together. I don't know how the Chef Phu makes that gluten free batter but I felt like I was eating real batter dipped fish.

My mom was dining with me on my last visit and she had some sort of bouillabaisse, which doesn't seem to be on their online menu (a special maybe?). She said it was excellent and it looked great with loads of seafood in it, lobster, clams, mussels, scallops, shrimp, fish and more.

So please head in to Seaside for a great casual meal, gluten free or regular!

UPDATE: The Bark Park and other dog park news...

noreply@blogger.com (pixie) — Sun, 18 Apr 2010 18:46:00 +0000

We have not totally gone to the dogs... by Susan

I've had a lot of emails from dog people about my last two articles, so I'm doing this last update (for now) and then I'll go on to some restaurant reviews and other articles!

I'm going to be headed all the way to P-town now and again this summer. It's a long trek from the Mills, but I think it will be worth it. In response to my last article, I heard from Candace Nagle who is the President and Co-Founder of the P-town Bark Park and she was nice enough to tell me that in Provincetown you CAN have your dog off leash at the beach, all summer long during "dog hours" which run from 6 am - 9 am and 6 pm - 9 pm.

It seems by the flyer she sent me they are pretty serious about adhering to those times and that you must pick up after your dog (I hope we all do that). Follow the rules and you'll get to have some fun with your dog on 3 miles of beautiful P-town beaches. Shame on the other Cape towns that don't allow this.

P-town is a very dog friendly place and I've noticed that each time I've been there. There are a lot of hotels and inns that allow you to bring your pooch (according to the Bark Park web site there are over 30 of them), a number of restaurants that will allow you to eat in their outdoor dining area with a well behaved dog, along with some tourist activities that allow dogs (like the P-town Trolley and a few boat trips). Check out what is what on the Bark Park Pet Friendly Places list.

There are also a number of trails in P-town that allow off leash dogs (under voice command) and Candace told me a great one is right across from Bark Part, at Clapp's Pond.

In other dog park news, I read in the Cape Cod Times that the Mashpee Dog Park may have some good news. The article said the Selectmen had started a subcommittee to discuss the construction of a 2-3 acre dog park in the town. I hope it happens and happens fast. I've read letters in the newspaper from readers complaining about dogs... at the beaches, on the trails, at ponds... I'm not sure where they want us to walk our dogs but having some dog parks would be a good start.

I know a while back there was a group that tried to get a dog park going in Barnstable. I can't understand why we don't have one. We are the largest town on the Cape; therefore I'm guessing we have more dogs then other towns, thus it makes sense to me to have a dog park here. Not only would the residents want one, but I'm sure visitors would love to have a safe and legal place to exercise their dogs. The Cape is a major vacation destination yet we are not all that dog friendly.

I know of the perfect location for a dog park in Barnstable. I've talked to the abutter and they think its a fine idea; it's on town owned land and really well located. If there are some readers that are interested in a dog park in Barnstable (like some of our selectmen) please get in touch with me. I'd really like to get one going in our town and I'm a great organizer and would surely be involved.

Bark Park Photo courtesy of Cold Nose Photo. Bark Park logo courtesy of Bark Park.

Dog Days of Summer...

noreply@blogger.com (pixie) — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 19:46:00 +0000

....When the Beach is Off Limits by Susan

As most of us local dog owners know... dogs are not allowed on Cape Cod beaches during the summer months. The date varies by town but in Barnstable's it's May 15 - September 15. Although I've always owned a dog, a lot of the best places to take your dog are new to me because my previous Airedale, Daisy, was dog aggressive, making it difficult to bring her anywhere. Connor is friendly and loves meeting new dogs and people so when May 15th rolls around we are both going to miss our beach walks. We go to Craigville Beach a few times a week and walk all the way down Long Beach to the point (across from Dowses Beach).

I think you can still take your dog to the National Seashore beaches (correct me if I'm wrong) and to the dunes at Sandy Neck during the summer months. I know there are a few ponds in some of the conservation areas on the Cape, like Eagle Pond in Cotuit, that are great for dogs.

A lot of dog walkers can be found on the various bike trails around the Cape: Shining Sea, the Canal Bike Trail, Cape Cod Rail Trail, and Nickerson State Park (keep in mind that dogs are not allowed in the ponds). There is a lot of hiking all over the Cape, but not all of the areas allow dogs. Hiking Cape Cod lists the places where dogs are allowed. However, it isn't a complete list, because Connor and I often hike in the large conservation area behind Cape Cod Airfield.

There are two dog parks on the Cape. The Pilgrim Bark Park is in Provincetown; I've not been there yet but it looks great! The other is the Fresh Pond Dog Park in Dennis, Ma... there are two fenced in play areas, walking trails and a pond. Hot Diggity is leading the way for a dog park in Mashpee but I think it is at least a year away. I'd love to get a dog park in Barnstable and I've talked to a whole bunch of "dog people" that I know but no one seems interested enough to take an initiative.

Those are all of the dog resources I know about. I'd love to hear about where you take your dog to play in the dog days of summer!

Gone to the Dogs...

noreply@blogger.com (pixie) — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 16:49:00 +0000

.... info for dog lovers. Part One..

I'm sure a lot of you know I'm an animal lover. I had the most beautiful, loving, Airedale Terrier, Daisy for 13+ years. Sadly she died in January. But a few weeks later my good friend Debbie emailed me about Conner a 1 year old Airedale Terrier rescue dog. He is now part of our family.

I've spent the past 2 months buying new things and doing dog activities with Connor and I'm really lucky to have a great support system. I've forgotten how intense puppyhood is. My vet is the very best. He helped me through the last year with Daisy and all her health problems, including congestive heart failure. Now he's helping me with Connor, who may have IBS. Dr. Burns is so kind and caring and the staff at VACC are the very best, warmest people. Please check out my vet Dr. Tom Burns at Veterinary Associates of Cape Cod.

I have the very best in the world pet-sitter, Sara from Hometails, and I don't know what I'd do without her. She not only helps me out when I travel but she has so much dog knowledge and ideas on training that I'd be lost without her input.

It was Sara that recommended my first trainer to me, Imbi. Imbi is a dog trainer extraordinaire. Connor straightens up and listens to her the minute she walks in my house. She had him jumping through hoops in 2 visits and I'm thrilled with the progress we've made. Best yet, she really trains you to train the dog, so I've gone on and trained more behaviors and tricks for Connor based on what Imbi taught me. And she is always available if I need her. Give her a call if you need any help with your dog at: B.Haven Dog and Owner Guidance (web site soon to follow) 508-737-0108.

It was Imbi who introduced me to Anne Golding who has a drop-in clicker class I take at Joseph's Obedience Training School in Pocasset (508-563-1122). Anne is similar in many ways to both Sara and Imbi: kind, easy going, honest, and they all LOVE dogs.

With Connor''s sensitive tummy I've been experimenting with various dog foods and right now he's doing well on a mix of two grain-free dog foods. I get the EVO kibble at Cape Maid Farms on Rt. 28 in Centerville. They also carry organic pumpkin that keeps him "regular." His main dog food is Thrive by The Honest Kitchen. Both Hot Diggity in Mashpee Common and Cape Cod Feed and Supply (48 Lombard Ave. W. Barnstable) carry this really excellent dog food.

Keeping Connor may require a second job! In Part Two I'll explore some great places to go walking and hiking with your dog.

Walking in a Winter Wonderland

noreply@blogger.com (pixie) — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 03:02:00 +0000

Strolling Around Hyannis - Cait

With the approaching holiday season, Susan and I are going to try and write a few holiday themed stories for the blog. With that in mind, Saturday, December 5th is the annual Christmas Stroll on Hyannis Main Street. Lucky for our readers, I intern at the Business Improvement District, which is the group that organizes the stroll, and I'm here to give you all the inside scoop!

The Spectacle of Trees is Thursday-Saturday. Seventeen different non-profits have ornately decorated twenty Christmas trees. Everyone is encouraged to view and bid on a tree, winners being announced on Saturday at 7:30. All of the auction proceeds are given to the organizations that decorated that tree.

Beginning at 9:00 at the British Beer Company is the classic Breakfast With Santa. A fun event, but I hope you bought your tickets early, because it will be a miracle if there are any left. Fear not! Activities fill Main Street all throughout the day. Many stores are offering discounts, and participating restaurants are offering a 20% discount on dinner. The Cookie and Window Decoration Contest is also returning again this year. Strolling into many shops you will find an array of cookies (all original recipes) and festive storefront windows. Shoppers are asked to place a vote for their favorites at Allium, 558 Main Street. From 10-4:30 there will be carolers, dancers, face painting, choirs, and demonstrations up and down the street.

For younger crowds, Santa's Treasure Hunt is a sure thing. Start at Kandy Korner and find Santa's lost keys all around Main Street; together the clues on the keys will direct you to a prize! At noon Santa will make his arrival at The Christmas Village in front of the Toy Shoppe. Del Sol (382 Main St.) is Santa's new North Pole Post Office, where children can write letters to Santa, and expect a letter in return! There will be a few readings of "The North Pole Express" and crafts at The Hyannis Library, and The International Inn will be showing Charlie Brown's Christmas.

From 2-4 is the Street Hockey Challenge located next to Mass Bay/Army Navy Surplus and is being run by Zach (who works at my internship) and I! Come on down and visit us, and win some great prizes while you're at it. Boys and girls are paired up by age and the team in each age group with the fastest slap shot wins a great prize! Seriously though, if I wasn't helping out I'd definitely try to win, considering we have Ugg Boots, a Northface, snowboarding gear, and more to give away!

Finally, at 5 The Harbor Lighting and Boat Parade at Bismore Park begins. To see the parade, The Cape Cod Maritime Museum has opened its doors, and HyLine Cruises are offering a Harbor Tour, or viewers can watch from the Harbor's edge. Santa makes a grand appearance on the Police Boat, and at 6:30 the Harbor Lighting winning boat will be announced!

This is only the beginning of the great events Hyannis Main Street has in store for us this Saturday. For the full itinerary, please visit www.hyannismainstreet.com . Even if you can't stay for the whole day, head over for as long as you can, and make sure to say hello to me!

Tag! You're it!

noreply@blogger.com (pixie) — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 15:59:00 +0000

Laser tag in Hyannis - Cait

Being a teenager on Cape Cod can be difficult, especially during the harsh winter months. There’s little to do during the summer, and in our off-season that list of activities is cut in half (which I think is why Cape Cod has one of the highest populations of drinkers in Massachusetts). To live here, one has to think outside the box to keep busy; which is exactly what a friend of mine did when he called and proposed we get a few people together and play laser tag.

On Airline Road off of Rt. 132 sits Cape Cod Laser Runner and Paintball. It looks like a warehouse taken out of a horror movie and plopped down in the middle of Hyannis. There are parking spaces out front, but the building could use more for the amount of business it gets. We walked inside and down a hallway where we entered the paintball area. We were directed through another hallway, which opened into a large open space with colored strobe lights, vending machines, and a few tables to sit at. The room curved around into a horseshoe shape and we entered the reception area for laser tag. We all decided to get full day passes at a reasonable $25. This proved to be a good idea, as we spent over 4 hours there!

First we got vested up, and had the rules of the game explained to us. They have many different laser games and it changes every time (teams, tag, and every man for themselves, just to name a few). After our orientation, we were set loose! My group of friends and I shared the room with a family, so please be courteous and not swear… you never know who’s little ears are listening.

The games were a ton of fun, and laser tag became an unexpected passion of mine. I was surprised to find out I had a better time than I expected to. My only complaint is the temperature. They desperately need to crank on the AC in there. You’re constantly running, and we were all sweating like pigs because it was so hot inside! I went through four bottles of water during the day, but it was definitely worth it. I had a blast and can’t wait to do it again! (Thanks again Houston for suggesting we do something different for once!)

Fried fish, french fries and beer

noreply@blogger.com (pixie) — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 14:08:00 +0000

A few Gluten-Free Updates - by Susan

Having to eat gluten-free isn't always easy. I found out almost 8 years ago I had couldn't eat any gluten at all. Back then it was almost impossible to eat out and eat gluten-free. I'd go into a restaurant and utter the words "gluten-free" and they would look at me like I was nuts. Many chefs would say the couldn't (or wouldn't) do a gluten-free meal for me.

Gluten is found in wheat, rye, barley, and usually oats. The current thinking is that 1 in every 100 people have Celiac disease. If you add in the people who are allergic to wheat or have a wheat sensitivity (which is now being recognized as a completely separate issue) then you have a very large group of people that can't tolerate gluten.

Thankfully things have changed drastically. I don't get those funny looks any more, almost every restaurant I go into nowadays knows what gluten is and can modify a number of dishes on their menu's to make them accommodate my needs. Even better, many restaurants now have separate gluten-free menus.

There are some things that are hard to find in gluten free dining. One of those is any fried food. This being Cape Cod, the home of fried fish and clams, it's been very difficult to go all these years and not, at least a few times a summer, have fried fish. I really missed it but it's probably a lot better for my waistline not to have it. No matter about that.... I need my fried food fix. Even french fries are difficult to find. A potato does not contain gluten however, french fries in most restaurants are fried in the same oil as all other fried things (like batter dipped fish) and so they become contaminated with wheat.

This summer I found Chatham Fish and Lobster Co. at 1291 Main Street, Chatham. (it can be hard to find so look for the building in the pix here) They do gluten free fried food and they do it well! I have to tell you, eating fried fish, french fries, and sweet potato fries for the first time in years was such a treat. They also have a nice but small selection of cookies, brownies, and bread. As you can see by the picture I started eating before I could get my camera out, I'm sorry I just couldn't wait!

Two other gluten-free updates:

I'm sure the GF crowd out there knows that British Beer Company has an extensive gluten-free menu now. The food is great, the staff seems well trained in things gluten-free, and they have 2 gluten free beers available too. I don't love the pizza there, the crust is too thick for my taste (however; my daughter likes it) but I love, love, love, their chicken Caesar wrap.

99 Restaurants have a decent gluten-free menu and they too seem to be well trained in making sure things ordered gluten-free actually come gluten-free. One thing I love about 99, they have a separate fryer for french fries so you don't have to worry about cross contamination, you can eat the fries with abandon! The only real negative I have with 99, and it's a BIG one: they do not have any gluten-free beer. What is with that?? A gluten-free menu and no gluten-free beer? It use to be you had to go with tiny independent breweries to buy a gluten-free beer but now Budweiser makes Redbridge a tasty and GF beer. So come on, 99 get with it and have a GF beer on your menu!

noreply@blogger.com (pixie) — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 12:57:00 +0000

Latest stops around town..

noreply@blogger.com (pixie) — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 13:14:00 +0000

Amari's in Sandwich by Susan

It seems I have a summer "stomping" ground and an off-season one. I usually don't go to the off-season places during the good weather, I suppose because there is often a long wait to get in them. I like to take advantage of the restaurants with outdoor seating and water views while I can.

I was at Amari's in Sandwich last weekend and had a great time. It was a rainy, windy, miserable Saturday evening, but the bar and restaurant had a brisk business. There was a guitar player in the bar but at times it was hard to hear him with all the bar noise.

After the dinner rush settled down it turned out he was quite good. My friend was able to identify most of the songs he played and we had a long discussion about the concert for Bangladesh (the musician played George Harrison's "While my Guitar Gently Weeps"). Hey I was in diapers then (well, not quite) but it led to an interesting discussion of all the great music festivals I missed. (Woodstock, Bangladesh, Monterey Pop, Altamont Speedway, Atlanta International Pop Festival, Goose Lake, Erie Canal, and California Jam)

Anyway, back to Amari's... I had the Veal Chop special and it was excellent... tender, flavorful and came with sumptuous mashed potatoes. I'm a serious carb lover; I know my potatoes and these were perfect. As most of you know, I have to be gluten free. Amari's does not have a gluten free menu but they had no problem making sure my meal exactly how I needed it to be and the chef even made me a special gluten free sauce. A nice touch. The Veal was a very hearty meal for a dismal day and I'd order it again. My friend had the Salmon with Boursin cheese, artichoke hearts and roasted red pepper. It was a nice dish too (a bit too much cheese for my taste).

The service was great, the restaurant very lively, and the parking lot full…... you couldn't ask for more in the off-season. However true to form, at 9 pm the place was almost empty and on my drive home I noticed the sidewalks were already rolled up.

It's NOT a Sign of the Times!

noreply@blogger.com (pixie) — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 12:55:00 +0000

Looking for the Good Stuff by Susan

Shopping consignment, yard sales, and/or antiques isn't a sign of the times for me; I've always done it. I use to enjoy the "hunt" but over the years I've really burned out on shopping of any kind. Although I still love a good bargain I just don't have the patience or the time involved in rummaging around the stores that have those occasional great deals.

So I've pared my shopping down to a few really good stores where I know I can walk in and find things I like. Lucky me, I stumbled on what has turned out to be my favorite consignment store: At Home Again, 1705 Main Street, Chatham. It's in a little shopping/office center on the south side before you get to downtown and it is easy to miss. But keep looking until you find it, it's a gem.

This isn't clothing; it's housewares, furniture, and decorative household items. And trust me, it's the good stuff. They have recently expanded and it is now twice the size it was when I discovered it. I really like the fact that it is one of those places that reduces the price as time goes on, so the longer an item is there unsold, the cheaper it gets.

Last month I bought a carved bird, not the collectible Cape Cod shore bird carvings, although they do have those occasionally, but a more funky, modern sort of thing. It certainly is not an antique but it's interesting and a great conversation piece. They do have some antiques but the bulk of the stock is just nice stuff; some new, some old. In the past I've bought some nice pottery there that I use for serving dishes. I picked up a really interesting piece of art pottery there that was made in Africa. I have a beautiful hand-blown bowl from a well-known gallery in Provincetown.

I took a bunch of photos last time I was there to give you an idea of what they carry but of course the stock changes all the time. I will say every single time I've been there I've found at least 10 things I've wanted but couldn't really justify buying as I didn't have a place for them in my home.

Next time you are heading down Cape check out At Home Again, it is really worth the trip!

Missing Posts!

noreply@blogger.com (pixie) — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 11:42:00 +0000

The posts by Marty are not really missing, she requested that they be taken down. I do hope one day she finds her very own home on the web and republishes her stories, they were all good reads!

Welcome our new writer!

noreply@blogger.com (pixie) — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 16:00:00 +0000

I've been receiving a lot of email asking what is going to happen to the blog. First, I want to thank all of you for taking the time to write. Secondly, I'm going to continue to blog and I've got another blogger to come on board with me.... my daughter Cay.

She is going to add an entirely different view to the blog; a far younger voice. A lot of Cape visitors read our blog and have often asked what they can do with their teens while they are here on vacation. I know that Cay will be able to help them with that.

We are going to have guest bloggers from time to time too. I have realized in these past months that doing the blog is far more time consuming than I originally expected it to be. So having a partner is a must and guest bloggers are welcome. If you would like to be a featured guest blogger just drop me an email.

The focus of the blog is going to change a little. The writing style will will be more blog-like; casual, shorter posts, and will include stories that reveal our personalities. My daughter Cay has a "big" personality. I think you will all recognize, for better or for worse, that the apple doesn't fall far from the tree.

I hope this answers your questions. Our first new story will be this week so keep watching this space! Many thanks for you good wishes!

Marty Signing Off

noreply@blogger.com (Marty) — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 17:31:00 +0000

After much thought, I’ve decided to leave Underground Cape Cod to pursue other ventures. I loved creating the site with my friend Susan and sharing my discoveries with you, our loyal readers. Thanks for giving me all your good ideas for stories as well as your positive feedback over these last five months.

Susan will be continuing the blog and will have some exciting announcements about Underground Cape Cod’s new direction. I wish her all the best.

So, thanks again for all your support. And here’s to lots of new adventures in the year ahead.

Marty