Ocean 104.7 – HappyCapeCod

Local Intel on Cape Cod

The visitor center on Route 6. Photo credit: Affordable Cape Cod Vacations.

Author’s Note: I recently started listening to podcasts. (Thanks Matt.) The topics run the gamut from restaurants, to movies, to local happenings, to politics, to sports. I was quickly reminded (again, thanks Matt) that everyone who starts listening to podcasts thinks they are witty and sharp enough can do their own. Enter my light blub moment – and queue your eye roll…Fortunately, my podcast idea is not about Cape Cod; a very entertaining one already exists (more on that below), which according to host Eric Williams, www.HappyCapeCod.com compliments quite well. Nice!

My podcast idea is rooted in my winter season passion; skiing. While the format is a work in progress, three episodes have been written, two episodes recorded (find episodes at @PowderHoundSkis, jsshaw9.podbean.com or subscribe to PowderHounds Podcast on iTunes). Launching any project, learning new technology, navigating nuance of the medium, scheduling guests and attracting listeners is already a heavy lift. I remain optimistic thanks to ideas constantly – and randomly – popping up in my head. It’s already been a lot of fun just scripting and researching content for the episodes, especially pleasing when coming across unexpected articles and topics. Of course, just clipping in my bindings provides a sense of excitement as the next trail, apre cocktail or conversation may provide a nugget of an idea for a topic or segment. A couple friends have offered advice and support, which I appreciate. Hopefully this whole thing will come together. At least the Cape Cod Ski Club may appreciate it!

The podcast artwork. Photo credit Cape Cod Times.

I consume a lot of information about Cape Cod. Whether daily e-newsletters, printed weekly newspapers, monthly travel guides, books about or authored by Cape Cod residents, podcasts, word of mouth, and through social media mentions, there are a lot of ways to learn about happenings on Cape Cod. While there is no wrong door to learning about Cape Cod, local intel is always best. Below are my picks of people and resources to stay up-to-date with everything Cape Cod!

The Cape Cod Fun Show Podcast. The description says it all, “join Eric Williams and his zany cohorts as they give you the inside scoop on beaches, restaurants, upcoming events and peculiar adventures. Get stoked for fun on Cape Cod!” While the podcast is professionally produced, via CapeCodOnline, Eric, Mung, Greg and the other guest hosts keep to a fast-paced script that includes food finds, outdoor activities, upcoming events, and of course, the tide charts. The Fun show covers the entire Cape, from Bourne to P-Town. Speaking of both Cape towns, I’ve added a dessert stop in Bourne and pizza stop in P-Town to my “to try” list. Episodes are produced weekly.

There is Even More Fun This Week on Cape Cod & Cape Cod Bucket List, courtesy of CapeCod.com! Ann Luongo, who writes both sections, is the Marketing Writer and Lifestyle Reporter for CapeCod.com, having spent a decade plus covering similar ground on the South Shore. If you subscribe for CapeCod.com e-daily, “The Cape’s Top Stories,” chances are one of those editions will have Ann’s list of featured upcoming events as well as a list of other community events occurring that week. New within the last year or so, Ann also writes a weekly ‘Cape Cod Bucket List’ section, of must-do’s, such as camping on the outer Cape, watching a double-feature at the Wellfleet Drive-In, having a bonfire on the beach, catching a Cape Cod League Baseball game, enjoying a summer band concert, and much more.

Radio Ocean 104.7. As written before, Ocean 104.7, “custom crafted for the Cape,” provides hourly news updates on the hour. Queue the ship bells! Dave Read greets listeners in the morning, with regular updates from Justin Saunders, Brian Merchant, Luke Leitner, and the gang. Favorite radio personality Cat Wilson anchors the afternoon into evening schedule, with a special segment “the cheap seats” featuring local bands every Sunday from 8-10 pm. You do not have to be in your car to listen to Ocean 104.7. The station can be played via Alexa at “WOCN” or through the Ocean 104.7 app. The radio broadcast usually cuts out around Raynham along I-495, but it once lasted in my car all the way up to Hopkinton. I actually posted on Twitter just to capture that occurrence. And of course, Ocean 104.7 rocks those delightful and charming old fashion radio jingles for local businesses.

Newspapers – Cape Cod Chronicle. The Chronicle is a weekly newspaper focusing on the Lower Cape towns of Chatham, Harwich and Orleans. The two-section, weekly newspaper, with e-edition options, features detailed reporting of local news, especially Board of Selectman activities, with plenty of commentary from residents in sections dedicated to local businesses, history, nature, real estate and of course, letters-to-the editor. You can sign-up for free weekend as well as breaking news e-editions.

Newspaper – Cape Cod Times. The Times is a daily, Cape-wide newspaper with a robust website. I mean robust, tons of photo galleries, links to national news, videos, entertainment, etc. Because of this Cape Cod Times offer three different subscription plans; unlimited digital access, 7-day home delivery with unlimited digital, and Sunday only home delivery with unlimited digital access. While their paywall is quite generous, local newspapers especially need our support so subscribe in one way or another today!

Cape Cod Best Read Guide. The free booklets/mini magazines are printed by a national company, and can be found at many restaurants, tourist attractions and visitor’s centers around the world. Locally, there are June, July and August editions just to keep pace with upcoming calendar of events, with “shoulder season” editions for fall, winter and spring when not as many tourists are pouring over pages and clipping $1 off coupons for mini golf, ice cream and whale watches. There are multiple forms of these booklets/mini magazine, similar styled guidebooks created by the Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce, and even guidebooks for each town in collaboration with local Chambers of Commerce. While the content is mostly paid advertisements by the local companies included, these booklets can still be quite informative, if nothing else as a mini telephone book and map of attractions. As the company states, “Think of the Best Read Guide as the shortest path from discovery to experience.” The visitor center after Exit 6 on the mid-Cape highway (Route 6) has every free guidebook available, so that’s the place to stock-up.

Happy learning, listening, talking and reading about Cape Cod!

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?

There and Back Again – A Cape Codder’s Tale

There and Back Again: A Cape Codder’s Tale

“Life is better on the Cape.” There are no truer words (thank you Ocean 104.7 custom crafted for the Cape) that echo in my head when driving past that glorious sign on Route 25 East leading to the Bourne Bridge, Welcome to Cape Cod! Massachusetts 2018 Cape Cod and Islands.

As soon as I see that sign– and recall that pre-recorded “custom crafted” radio tagline – I take a deep breathe and no matter how bad the drive, my day, the weather, it all evaporates on the exhale and in an instant, I’m relaxed and just a bit happier. I’m on the Cape. Hopefully that will be your experience if you are traveling this Memorial Day weekend.

Splitting my time between West Hartford, Connecticut and Chatham, Cape Cod (Mass.), I’ve come to realize the 3-hour-ish drive is sometimes a journey by itself. Chartering a plane into Chatham Municipal Airport is not going to happen, so highway it is. I’ve also come to learn there are only two and a half ways to get to Cape Cod in that 3 hour-ish window:

All Highways: I-84 (East) to I-90 East (Mass Pike) through Hopkinton to I-495 South;
Route 6 East through Providence to I-195 East; or
Route 2 East through Norwich to I-395 North to I-195 East…

The Bourne Bridge at Sunset (Cape Cod Canal Railroad Bridge in background).

…and still (only) two bridges await you. Surprisingly, there’s a fair amount of traffic pockets on each of these routes. For starters, Hartford, Grafton, Foxborough, after Mansfield where I-495 goes from 3 to 2 lanes, Route 25 before the Bourne Bridge and random pockets along Route 6 on the Cape. And of course Providence and Fall River on the other routes. So let’s talk about making this 3-hour plus trip bareable, nay, enjoyable…

Ideally, every trip to the Cape would be a leisurely, enjoyable ride with the sun shining, cool breeze blowing, car full of family/friends and multiple “fun” stops along the way. But I’d be lying if this was always how I feel driving to Cape Cod. About half the time, especially in the summer, I like many others, just want to get there as fast as possible. No pit stops. Everyone gets a ration of snacks and a water bottle (hold it). But it doesn’t have to be that way. Having driven to the Cape more times than I’d like to count (hours sitting in traffic, emissions on the environment, wear and tear on the car, fuel fill-ups, you get the idea), quality stops are key to breaking up a long road trip.

All Highways. I-84 to Mass Pike to I-495

Avoid this route during rush-hour, especially in the summer months. If you have time, an early detour in Carlton, MA is worth the stop. You may have heard of this hidden gem called Tree House Brewery (kidding about the hidden part, but gem it is). Don’t even think about it unless you have nowhere to be. The stretch along the Mass Pike to I-495 is not usually stop-worthy, though The Sole Proprietor in Worchester does not disappoint with chops or catch of the day. Wrenthem Outlets off Exit 15 along I-495 may be a must stop for your other half so try to make sure that person is asleep when you drive by. Edaville Railroad in Carver is another classic hidden gem as one of the oldest heritage railroads in operation in the U.S.; it is especially appropriate for families given the Thomas the Train/Polar Express experience during the holidays. Beyond that, you are now on the Cape, so welcome! History buffs may want to take a detour off Exit 3 onto the old Cranberry Highway/Route 28 East. Prior to the development of the current three lane Route 25 expressway to the Bourne Bridge, travelers use to drive on the old one-lane road, with only a few left turning lanes. Don’t be fooled, the traffic was just as bad back then than it can be today. Fortunately, even the old cranberry highway is now two lanes each way, with Ella’s Wood Burning Oven justifying the detour. Now which bridge to take…

I-384 to Route 6 to I-195

Lobster Reubens are on coastal menus up and down I-95

Take it during summer rush hour. Until you get to Providence, Route 6 is a quiet country road through northeastern CT and western RI. Last year, my wife and I got caught in a flash flood/thunderstorm/lightning extravaganza and were forced to get off the road. Just by sheer luck, we pulled into the parking lot of Shady Acres Restaurant in Foster, RI. A friendly staff, inexpensive sandwich platers (less than $10), and ice cream was our immediate future. By the time we finished, the sun was starting to break through. The sudden change of extreme weather still leaves me in awe. Along Route 6, keep your eye out for Scituate Liquors, that comically displays a sign that provides a cheap laugh, “Last Stop Before Cape Cod,” even though you are still 20 miles from Providence. I like humor and can proudly share I’ve stopped to quickly buy a 6-pack to give them a little business over the years.

Route 2 to I-395 to I-195

Fishing off Chatham — Fishing off the Cape Cod Coast

I’ve actually only taken this route twice since it mirrors Route 6 and kind of goes the wrong direction. The only difference to Route 6 being you get tempted to stop at the Connecticut Casinos, or give up entirely on the Cape, and opt for the Connecticut shoreline. But you have nowhere to stay, so keep continuing eastward weary traveler! Once you get on I-395 north, it won’t take you long to meet up with Route 6 in Foster, RI. Once you pass the Mass. border along I-195 East, you have two potential stops, LePage’s Seafood & Grille, which is usually hopping in the evenings, but has a outdoor patio with waterfront view. A few miles down the road in New Bedford, Kyler’s Catch Seafood Market (take out only available Thursday-Sunday), is the place to stock up on reasonably priced seafood for the weekend.

While “beating Waze” is a satisfying feat, it rarely happens on drives to Cape Cod. A side trip or two will make your drive to the Cape a happy one!