Places – Page 19 – HappyCapeCod

Cape Cod Melody Tent Summer Evenings

I bought my first concert t-shirt in decades to commemorate the back-to-back DMB shows.

Authors note: Earlier this summer, I was lucky enough to attend back to back Dave Matthews Band concerts, the first at Great Woods (Mansfield, MA), the second at the Meadows (Hartford, CT). Yes, I intentionally omitted the venues official names due to the evil nature of the tech company that owns the naming rights. Plus, my “coming of age” concert experiences were in the days when both of those venues were actually named, Great Woods and the Meadows. Ahh, the good-old days. There was a comical number of incidents with the Great Woods tickets that made the weeks leading up to the show equally memorable. Perhaps I’ll tell that story another time.

It had been some time since I attended back to back concerts of the same band – like, a long time. First, DMB is one of my favorite bands. Second, due to their enormous portofolio of music, they play different songs, mix up their set lists; and of course, are known for their improvisation and jams. You never know what you’re going to hear at their show. Third, their fans are some of the best. Both venues were packed, crowds were into each song and the music was loud and in sync. It was a memorable weekend and DMB Radio on Sirius XM even continued our tour for a few more weeks.

Ziggy Marley and company opens up Bob’s original, “Is This Love?”

Live music really is something special. Those back to back shows reminded me of what David Letterman said at the 2017 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony when introducing Pearl Jam. He said, “Never take the opportunity for live music for granted. What a gift live music is.” Those words are hard to forget, on point and reminded me of another special venue that provides that almost lost opportunity to hear live music up close and personal — the Cape Cod Melody Tent.

Eddie Money and family taking us home tonight!

The Cape Cod Melody Tent is a seasonal nonprofit theater located in Hyannis, and a sister performing arts venue of South Shore Music Circus in Cohasset, MA. Over the last few seasons, I’ve seen some entertaining shows at the Tent, including Ziggy Marley, Eddie Money, Doobie Brothers, Rusted Root, and Steve Miller Band. My parents never miss the Beach Boys performance and were tempted to not only see them twice, but twice in one day! (Instead they suggested that fine dinner at the nearby Old Yarmouth Inn.) We’ve also checked out comedy shows, including Bill Maher, and attended a food festival. As the shoulder season on the Cape becomes more popular for visitors, I expect (hope) the Tent to expand their season.

The Doobie Brothers says, “Listen to the Music.”

The stage of the 2,300 seat venue rotates slowly so there is not a bad seat in the house. The staff are good humored and helpful. The concession stands are reasonably priced, but you will stand for a bit. (The whimsical quote, “If you’re in a hurry, you don’t belong on Cape Cod,” comes to mind. At least you can read their wall of fame listing every performer the venue hosted while waiting.) The parking lot is a slight challenge as you line up behind the car in front of you, so you cannot leave until the performance ends. However, if you can handle a short walk, there are a number of nearby parking lots that provide a quick escape.

If only. This picture was taken at Great Woods, but Jimmy would blow the roof off the Tent!

For a modest $80 annual membership (via “Gold Circle”), you get “sneak peek” event announcements, first dibs on ticket sales, and a dedicated ticket/security entrance. The former is especially useful as some events are announced after their season starts, so you would need to check periodically for new event info if you are not on a mailing list. All in all, the Tent is a great summer venue to hear live music, catch a comedy show or enjoy some of the Cape’s finest chowder (fest)!

And just imagine how magical the evening should your favorite band or musician show up? Say, a Special Night with Dave Matthews Band at the Cape Cod Melody Tent. Wow-za.

When is the last time you visited the Cape Cod Melody Tent?

Fine Dining at the Old Yarmouth Inn

The stage coach sign is hard to miss from Route 6A.

Author’s Note: Restaurants are a dime a dozen on Cape Cod, if not everywhere. It’s such a tough business and an Ohio State University study confirmed just that. According to the 2005 study, 60% of restaurants fail in their first year, and 80% fail within five years. In this case, for every Old Yarmouth Inn, there are hundreds of restaurants that have come and gone, perhaps allowing someone else to give it a try to make something (culinary) special happen. Restaurateurs, entrepreneurs, financiers, please don’t let those statistics stop you.

My family loves this place. And for a long time. It is also the restaurant where my wife and I celebrated our engagement with my parents, a few weeks after I popped the question. Indeed, there’s a little bit of modern family history in addition to the Old Yarmouth Inn’s colonial era roots.

The unique exterior takes you back in time a century or two.

The Old Yarmouth Inn lays claim as the oldest Inn on Cape Cod with origins dating back to 1696 (it is not an Inn anymore). Located along a stretch of Route 6A lined with beautifully designed shops, homes, churches and community buildings, the Old Yarmouth Inn is somewhat of a mid-cape point between the Cape Cod Canal and the Outer Cape for the weary traveler. The unique design of the Inn alone can make you stop in your tracks when admiring the exterior facade, interior craftsmanship, let alone the food, “country cozy” dining rooms, and staff hospitality. There are at least three dining areas as well as the tavern. Fireplace or not, every room in the Inn feels like a unique little nook, making you want to stay for hours, assuming you’re in good company.

One of the many dining rooms at the Old Yarmouth Inn.

I suppose the history and longevity of the Inn is part of the magic that makes people come back. And the ghosts stories; yes, the Old Yarmouth Inn promotes a story of a mischievous and good humored ghost(s) roaming the grounds. It’s a fascintating account of “connecting the historical dots” since most of the records of travelers and guests over the last 3 centuries have been lost.

This particular visit was one where I was unusually hungry. While a basket of bread is nothing to get excited about, that warm (freshly baked) bread lathered in a square of butter was worth noting. The Tito’s martini straight up also added to the elegant dining experience. The Old Yarmouth Inn’s clam chowder is above average, a thick creamy base with chunks of clams and smaller pieces of potatos mixed in with a peppery finish. Their wedge salad was served on a crispy head of lettuce with the usual fixings. The timing between each course was just right and the waitress made a point to check-in with us before the next service.

The entrees were excellent. My wife and father went with the prime rib, while my mom picked salmon. My selection was a no doubter; the haddock special, an enormous buttery filet on a bed of asparagus over red potatos with a jumbo shrimp resting atop. The picture actually does the food justice; it was delicious and worth the price.

Another memorable meal at the Old Yarmouth Inn.

Where Nothing Could Be Finer Than To Eat at Sandi’s Diner

Hana made sure to get her steps in before breakfast.

Author’s Note: Last weekend, our usually sleepy fur baby Hana the dachshund, decided to play rooster around 5:45am to make sure we all had a productive day. While I was hoping to have a lazy Sunday, we took her soothing whines to get up and going. A cool morning walk to Ridgevale Beach and down a few side streets worked up our appetites (and tired her out) to the point where we decided to play “restaurant roulette.” The game is comically simple; we pick up the local newspaper (in this case, the Cape Cod Chronicle) and open a random page. Which ever restaurant advertisement is read first is where we go for breakfast. (Restaurants, take note, you may want to increase your ad budgets!) Page 3 of the edition was none other than, “Where Nothing Could Be Finer Than To Eat at Sandi’s Diner.”

It often feels like the breakfast culture on the Cape is increasingly shifting to “grab and go” away from the traditional sit-down meal. The reasons are obvious; it’s fast (race to get that beach parking space); less expensive for customers (though no free re-fills of coffee!) and possibly less costly for the restaurants (less wait staff; smaller menu may mean less ingredients). Fortunately, the tourists and beach-goers are not completely succeeding at changing the breakfast landscape, as restaurants like Sandi’s Diner remain packed and enjoy a loyal following.

The patio of Sandi’s Diner may be the best seat “in” the house.

If you need a refresher, Sandi’s Diner is a downtown Chatham breakfast/lunch spot that opens at 4:30 a.m. EVERY DAY. The menu is straight-forward, one page menu with just the right amount of omelet, pancake, waffle, egg sandwich, fresh fruit options. The wait staff moves quick, even on busy mornings. The dining room, with counter service, is small and can “heat up” when full. There air conditioning is an exhaust fan. If you want a cooler, quieter seat with a charming view of Main Street, grab one of the two tables outside on the front porch. Though, the exhaust fan does blow near the table closest to the door.

We only had to wait a few minutes until our table for four was ready. Always one to pair coffee with breakfast , the brew was nothing special, but that’s to be expected for a diner. However, my cup was filled every time it was half full. All of us had different food selections in mind. Ellen, the better half, went with pancakes, Mom had a fruit bowl, Dad had a muffin sandwich and I went with the Benny. The presentation was a plus, food was hot, portions were plentiful and taste was above average, especially considering the range of items ordered. The pancakes were noticeably fluffy. The price was right.

We followed our breakfast with a slow stroll through a still deserted downtown as all the shops were just beginning to show signs of life. We turned around “Where the Sidewalk Ends,” (unfortunately they were not yet open), looped back and drove back to the house.

Astonishingly, the puppy who kicked off this day was wide-eyed and bushy tailed when we returned. We ended up getting in a second walk to the beach that morning. Thanks Hana and Sandi’s!

The Neighborhood Bakery: Marion’s Pie Shop

Author’s Note: Running, walking, biking or a similar forms of “foot powered transportation” is a great way to check out a new city or even see your home town from a new perspective. When I travel, almost every morning I get up earlier than I would at home, and go for a run. While fitness may be the initial motivation, “on foot” exploration allows me to get close to a waterfront, go the opposite direction down a one-way side street in a city, even stumble upon a hidden historical site, all of which may be interesting and even help determine activities later in the day. But it did not take work travel or an exotic trip to re-discover a hidden gem in plain sight in Chatham.

In this case, the hidden gem is not really hidden, it is Marion’s Pie Shop!

Ragnar Trail Vermont finisher medal. It’s a fork, spoon and bottle opener.

With a Ragnar Trail Vermont relay race just days away, I needed to squeeze in a long run to gauge strength and stamina to determine my confidence level before tackling Mt. Ascutney in central Vermont. Aiming for 6+ miles, I made up a haphazard loop from Ridgevale Beach, to Cockle Cove to the Old Colony Rail Trail west toward Harwich, followed by a u-turn back towards Chatham Municipal Airport. The final stretch would take me past Chatham’s Old Schoolhouse Ice Cream towards Sam Ryder Road.

As I emerged out of the tree covered trail, a sudden scent of cinnamon sugar hit my face; kind of like when the smell of someone grilling wafts through the air. I knew the sweet smell was not the nearby Chatham Transfer Station. In my hot, sweaty, tired mess, I realized that the smell was none other than Marion’s Pie Shop, but also that I had not visited the bakery in quite some time. Now, I’m the kind of person that tends to take signs in nature or odd coincidences as a hint to do something. In this case, the sweet air was a sign to pay homage to Marion’s Pie Shop. (Admittedly, this is not a big ask as it is down the road from the house and already has quite the reputation.) The smell of what could only be a cinnamon nut roll that helped me power through the final incline of the run got stronger as I approached the shop.

If you are not familiar with the area, Marion’s Pie Shop is the only restaurant along a fairly long residential stretch of Route 28 in West Chatham. It was not always this way. The former Ridgevale Restaurant, with the beautifully polished white 1930s Rolls Royce parked in front, use to be next to Marion’s toward Ridgevale Road (townhouses are now there) and former Flemings Seafood Restaurant, was a little further down Route 28 closer to Cockle Cove Road (a conservation area/park is there now). There also use to be another motel across from Marion’s to complement the nearby Seafarer Inn. Fortunately, Chatham Pottery and an art gallery are the other commercial “anchor tenants” in the area of what I playfully call, the Ridgevale Road Business Association. The walkability of these businesses is a great benefit of living in the neighborhood.

Unfortunately, this run was a 6:30am start, so Marion’s Pie Shop was not yet open when I rolled up around 7:30am. As I stepped through the open door, a polite college-aged youngster, likely a seasonal employee said, “Sorry, we open at 8:00 a.m.” That was fine considering my sweaty state. After some small talk, what did surprise me was his answer when I asked him about what kind of coffee they had available. The muted response was, “just the Keurig,” Ugh! For this bakery with such a huge following, those sweet heavenly smells, comfy outdoor seating, charming broken seashell driveway, it’s hard to believe “just the Keurig” was the answer. Especially with all the local coffee roasters such as Beanstock (Wellfleet), the Art of Roasting (Chatham) fighting to get playing time in our morning routines. Indeed, the coffee culture is strong (coffee pun intended) on the Cape (albeit, a bit snobby), but like wine, “Life is too short to drink bad coffee!”

The picture does not do these jumbo muffins justice.

The first attempt to taste, not just smell, Marion’s sugary goodness, was a big fail. By the time I got back to the house, showered, figured out the plan of the day, I returned to learn they were out of almost every freshly baked breakfast item. And I didn’t feel like a spinach croissant. Fortunately, that was Saturday, and on Sunday, I arrived by 8:00am and grabbed a wild blueberry muffin (and for fun, the Chatham muffin, the latter being basically baked sugar in muffin form. I recommend splitting the Chatham muffin with at least one other person!) The wild blueberry muffin was delicious, still warm from the oven, perfect portion and did not need to be toasted or smothered with butter. It was an easy reminder why this neighborhood bakery has stood the test of time. And if you were wondering, the bakery was started (by Marion) in 1947, and the current owners, Cindy and Blake Stearns, continued her tradition since 2003.

While Marion’s breakfast selections are winners, my next visit will focus on their “side dishes,” i.e., potato salad, cole slaw, pasta salad and baked beans. If these side dishes are close to the level of the breakfast goodies, I’ll happily get in line at 8:00 a.m. on a Sunday; whether or not the smell of a cinnamon nut roll is in the air.

What is your favorite neighborhood bakery?

Jingle(s) All the Way

Author’s Note: In my research to answer a family question (e.g., settle a debate) about former Thompson’s Clam Bar located in Wychmere Harbor, Harwichport, MA, I came across this 2010 article about “warm memories of local television and radio ad jingles and slogans from yesteryear.” My mind immediately went back in time to connect the “then” of the article to the “now” of one of the finer points, those classic radio ad jingles. (And yes, I found the answer to the question/debate; Thompson’s Clam Bar served over 2,000 meals a day!)

Apparently my internal alarm clock is set to the radio frequency range of Ocean 104.7-Crafted for the Cape, a radio station that covers Cape Cod. The radio station begins to come in around Exit 4 on I-495 and Exit 18 on I-195 and my brain seemingly knew to change the channel during two recent drives. If you have not yet had the pleasure of a leisurely drive on Route 28 or 6A (without traffic) listening to this station, especially through the neighborhoods dotted with charming sea captains homes in Brewster along 6A, you should give it a try. Pandora, Sirius, and Podcasts can wait.

The music ranges from Frank Sinatra to the Beach Boys to the Grateful Dead to the Doobie Brothers, with a mix of helpful updates – weather and traffic – and local news, such as events and happenings. The radio station jockeys are a positive bunch. Even when reporting something not-so-good, they always seem to add a positive twist. For example, if there is rain in the forecast, they would say, “That [rain] will help keep those lawns green,” or, “it’s going to be more of a “shopper” than a “beacher.” Hard not to appreciate the change in attitude – potentially due to the change in latitude, right Jimmy? (Couldn’t resist.)

But what sets this radio station apart from others, is that many of their advertisers proudly market to the masses with delightful radio ad jingles. That’s right, the often corny, seldom funny and mostly adorable greatest generation-era jingles, are sprinkled throughout the daily programming. I can’t recall ever looking forward to a commercial, but turns out I rarely change the channel for the chance to catch one of these rare gems. As a creative soul, I have to give these businesses a shout-out for taking a chance and “jingling all the way!”

Here are a few favorite radio ad jingles to be on the look-out for…and another to take you back to yesteryear. You may even want to save some of these links when you need a happiness pick-me-up! Go:

Barbo’s Furniture

If you like the flute, this jingles for you! On a side note, our family cottage was furnished with Barbo’s furniture for the better part of two decades. And we still have/use all of the furniture!

“Barbo’s….Barbo’s….for furniture you will live with….happily ever after!”

Bobby Byrne’s Restaurant and Pub

In this day and age, the fact that this establishment encourages talking in their ad is refreshing! Put down your phones, kids and adults, time to have a conversation again!

“Everbody’s eating, and drinking, and talking at Bobby Bryne’s!”

Cape and Island Glass

This is a “harder” take on a classic radio ad jingle (scroll down to the last song), though they are dealing with glass after all. The jingle is oddly catchy thanks to Dave Reed’s voice, and certainly memorable for the beats:

“Glass…Cape and Islands Glass…1-800-540-7742…that’s glass…Cape and Islands Glass…if you need glass…”

Casual Designs

While this jingle may make you think twice about how your home is furnished, it’s a cozy little number:

“Surround your outdoor with comfort and style… Casual Designs”

Kent’s Carpetland

Not terribly creative, but hey, singing three words still counts as a jingle in my book:

“Kent’s… Kent’s…Carpetland”

Lobster Claw Restaurant

Clearly leading the pack, it’s hard not to sing along once you know the words. It’s also on our list of places to check out this summer since we always just drive by it on our way to the Outer Cape.

“The cape in the summer is magic,

The sun, and the sea and the wind on the shore,

These days are made for families,

That’s what we’re here for.

At the Lobster Claw Restaurant,

Great dining by the sea,

At the Lobster Claw Restaurant,

We’re one big family.”

The Pancake Man

As a 9-year-old, I can attest that this ad got me with just two views. So much so, I worked over my father to drive 30 minutes for pancakes! He still remembers the syrup on the menus, as do some of our good friends, Frank and Jess with a similar experience.

“Who’s cooking breakfast as fast as he can,

Who’s cooking breakfast it’s the pancake man,

Any time of day,

You can you can,

Join us for breakfast at the pancake man,

I said the pancake man!”

Scudder Taylor Fuel

I dare someone to listen to both this jingle and their recent ad about how air conditioning saves you money, and not give them a call:

“Stay cool…stay cool…with Scudder Taylor fuel.”

Seafood Sam’s

This cheery jingle would be on the same level of the Lobster Claw except for one huge problem; I have not heard it on the airwaves since the spring. Bring it back!:

“Lobster…scallops…and clams…at Seafood Sam’s!”

Thompson’s Clam Bar

But the ultimate jingle is none other than the aforementioned classic, former Thompson’s Clam Bar. This one is personal for me. As a kid in the 1980s, with a birthday on August 30th, and at a time when kids went back to school after Labor Day, I spent many birthdays not just on the Cape, but at Thompson’s Clam Bar.

My parents and grandparents loved this place — and so did us kids. The food was piled high, lucky patrons were seated on an outdoor deck overlooking Wychmere Harbor, with sailboats regularly floating by quietly practically next to the tables! For birthday desserts, they created an ice cream scoop(s) birthday cake which forced everyone to dig in quickly before it melted. No one passed on dessert at Thompson’s! And I swear, their entire wait staff came over to the tables to sing happy birthday. It was the ultimate exclamation mark for a kid lucky enough to spend a summer and birthday on Cape Cod. My eyes are tearing as I write this and a chill just whipped through my body. Ahh, Thompson’s Clam Bar, a true lost treasure that I have not thought about for a long time until now.

Taking you back to the good old days, when kids went back to school after Labor Day, and a tower of fried clams, fries, rings and slaw ran you only $9.99. Let’s go to Thompson’s Clam Bar!

“Hey, where you going,

I’m going to Thompson’s Clam Bar,

Because that’s where the tastiest clams are.

Is the seafood good?

The best by far,

Lets go, to Thompson’s Clam Bar.

Take route 28 to the clam bar sign,

For the happiest eating from noon to 9,

At Wychmere Harbor in Harwichport,

That’s where you’ll find Thompson’s Clam Bar.

Hey, where you going,

I’m going where the tastiest clams are,

Thompsons, Where?, Thompsons Clam Bar, in Harwichport!”

What is your favorite Cape Cod memory of yesteryear?