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contents 98
F E AT U R E S
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44 TOMMY’S PLACE A Gift for Children Living with a Life-Threatening Illness
48 THE ART OF GIVING Julia O’Malley-Keyes dedicates life and work to bringing others joy.
56 A HOMECOMING FOR ROAD RUNNERS The New Balance Road Race brings together local host families and elite athletes every August.
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62 FALMOUTH A–Z Activities for every letter of the alphabet
FALMOUTH LIVING • 2020
DEPARTMENTS 8 Publisher’s Letter 10 Editor’s Note 12 Contributors
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16 Our Town
Falmouth by the numbers, furry friends who make us smile, local reads you’ll love, upgrading outdoor spaces, new businesses to the food and beverage scene and a wearable coastal keepsake to take home
36 Photo Essay
Local photographer Lee Geishecker captures Falmouth through the seasons.
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106 Calendar of Events Home Edition
108 Beaches 109 Golf 111 Restaurant Guide 118 Shopping Guide 124 Past and Present
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A look back at three historic buildings that remain an active part of town life.
128 Snapshot
70 BUILDING ON THE PAST Integrata Architecture + Construction updates and enlarges
a beloved family home while keeping its heart and soul intact.
80 FACES OF FALMOUTH Meet five locals who are shaping their community.
92 ON THE LIGHT SIDE 5 must-try lunch spots serving up healthy bites
98 UNIQUE BOUTIQUE Local clothing retailers offer personal, curated shopping experiences along with a sense of community.
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on the cover: Another
Path to Paradise, Oil on Linen, by Julia O’Malley-Keyes 7
publisher’s letter
Sláinte “slawn-che” to New Beginnings! WELCOME TO FALMOUTH LIVING!
P H OTO B Y L E E G E I S H E C K E R
From my childhood days visiting the Cape every summer for a weekly vacation, I never thought that in my adult life, I would be living where I had dreamt. I am grateful every day to live in such a special place. What began as a thought of starting my own magazine is now a reality! You are holding the inaugural annual issue of Falmouth Living, a magazine that aims to capture all that makes this seaside community unique and enchanting. Launching a new company and magazine is exciting, challenging, and a tad scary. Thank you to my incredible team, our contributors, and to everyone in the Falmouth community. Despite the challenging times that we all have been facing, we have many things for which to be thankful: a beautiful coastline, stunning sunsets and sunrises, and being able to get in touch with nature. Above all, it has been inspiring to see how many people have been giving back to the community and helping one another with acts of kindness. This heartwarming generosity reinforces how blessed we are to live here. We are extremely thankful to all of our advertisers for their support. We couldn’t have produced this magazine without each and every one of you. In the coming weeks, months, and throughout the year, please support these fantastic local businesses — shop online, order curbside delivery, buy a gift card, visit their websites, follow and like them on social media, and visit them in person when able. We hope that you enjoy reading this debut issue of Falmouth Living and look forward to hearing from you! Join us as we explore Falmouth, the “Village by the Shining Sea.”
Suzanne Ryan Publisher Falmouth Living
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FALMOUTH LIVING • 2020
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editor’s letter
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s someone who has worked in print publishing for well over a decade, I’ve never put together a magazine issue quite like this one. When publisher Suzanne Ryan and I sat down over coffee this winter to talk about starting Falmouth Living, we never could have foreseen the events that would unfold over the following months. While the coronavirus pandemic has brought a lot of uncertainty into our lives, it hasn’t fundamentally changed who we are as people. In reviewing this issue, I see an abundance of kindness and generosity in Falmouth’s tight-knit community. Local families volunteering to host athletes who come to compete in the New Balance Falmouth Road Race, and end up forging lifelong relationships. (“A Homecoming for Road Runners,” page 56). A real estate developer converting a historic inn off Main Street into a vacation home for children battling a life-threatening illness (“Tommy’s Place,” page 44). An internationally recognized oil painter whose works of art are less about earning success and recognition, and more about bringing joy to others. (“The Art of Giving,” page 48). Talented, driven locals shaping their community (and the world) in ways big and small (“5 Faces of Falmouth,” page 80). Clothing retailers that offer personal shopping experiences along with a sense of community (“Unique Boutique,” page 98). I also see a lot of resiliency, with businesses and organizations swiftly adapting to meet social distancing and public health guidelines. Restaurants quickly pivoted to curbside takeout service, retailers created online stores and cultural venues began to offer virtual events (see page 106 for our calendar of events: home edition). As circumstances surrounding COVID-19 evolve, we encourage readers to visit business websites for the latest information on products, services and policies. We hope you enjoy reading the premiere issue of Falmouth Living. Sincerely,
Rachel Arroyo Editor Falmouth Living
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P O L H E M U S S AV E RY DA S I LVA
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contributors LANNAN O’BRIEN is a freelance writer and editor whose work has appeared in several local newspapers and lifestyle magazines, such as The Enterprise newspapers, Cape Cod and the Islands and South Shore Home, Life & Style. She lives on the Cape with her fiancé and enjoys crafting, craft beer and exploring area nature trails with her dog, Remy. In the summer, you may also find her serving delicious seafood from Seafood Sam’s brand-new food truck.
VERONICA NETO is a freelance writer who resides in Falmouth. She graduated from Suffolk University in 2018 with a degree in print journalism and has written for Fortune magazine. In her free time, she likes kayaking, reading and spending time with family and friends. ROB DUCA has been an editor and writer for more than 40 years. His stories have appeared in Sports Illustrated, The Boston Globe, The Baltimore Sun and Yankee magazine, among many other publications. He was a sports columnist for the Cape Cod Times for 25 years. More recently, Rob was editor of New England Golf & Leisure magazine. He lives in Cummaquid.
CHRIS KAZARIAN is a freelance writer who enjoys telling stories about people who are making an impact nationally, regionally and here on Cape Cod. His writing has appeared in Hemispheres InFlight Magazine, espnW, The Hockey News, Boston Herald,
Worcester Telegram & Gazette, Providence Journal and the Cape Cod Travel Guide. In this issue, he profiles “5 Faces of Falmouth” who are shaping their community.
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BILL HIGGINS is an awardwinning former newspaper sports editor and writer who has covered everything from World Series, Super Bowls, Stanley Cups and NBA championships
MICHAEL PETRIZZO is an award-winning photographer based in Falmouth with decades of experience shooting family portraiture, professional headshots and landscapes. The framed prints of this accomplished landscape and fine art photographer hang in homes and offices internationally. In this issue, he captured artists, community leaders and a deep-sea explorer for “5 Faces of Falmouth.”
to the Masters golf tournament, Boston Marathons, America’s Cup yacht races and World Cup soccer matches. Beyond fun and games, Bill’s most memorable and proudest moments have been with his family and 38-year marriage to Marsha. They have a son and daughter and four grandchildren. A longtime editor in chief and writer at Cape Cod’s major lifestyle magazines, JANICE RANDALL ROHLF now splits her time between homes in Sandwich and Boston. Her most recent freelance articles have appeared in Ocean Home, North Shore Home, Modern Luxury Interiors, New England Living and Traditional Building magazines.
KYLE J. CALDWELL is a New York-based photographer who specializes in architectural photography. His work can be found in many regional and national publications. In this issue, he captured the beauty, history and character of a 19th-century family cottage renovated to fit its owner’s multigenerational needs.
LEE GEISHECKER , professional photographer and co-owner of VagabondView photography, located in historic Queens Buyway, photographs scenic landscapes, portraits, weddings and events. She is also the president of Professional Photographers of Cape Cod, and serves on the board of directors for Arts Falmouth and Woods Hole Theater Company. In this issue, Lee has captured the beauty of Falmouth throughout the seasons.
FALMOUTH LIVING • 2020
IT ALL STARTS HERE... THE CAPE COD LIFESTYLE YOUR LOCAL BOUTIQUE AGENCY SERVING FALMOUTH, BOURNE AND MASHPEE
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Follow Falmouth Living online for year-round updates on all things Falmouth!
VOLUME 1
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ISSUE 1
FUN LOCAL EVENTS & ACTIVITIES
ANNUAL 2020
BEAUTIFUL PHOTOGRAPHY
PUBLISHER Suzanne Ryan suzanne@falmoutlivingmag.com
BEHIND THE SCENES MAKING OUR MAGAZINE CONTESTS & GIVEAWAYS
falmouthlivingmag.com facebook.com/flivingmag instagram.com/falmouthliving.mag
EDITOR Rachel Arroyo ART DIRECTOR Alison Caron Alison Caron Design
COPY EDITOR Janice Randall Rohlf
ADVERTISING Suzanne Ryan
WRITERS Mike Ciolino, Rob Duca, Bill Higgins, Chris Kazarian, Veronica Neto, Lannan M. O’Brien, Janice Randall Rohlf PHOTOGRAPHERS Kyle J. Caldwell, Lee Geishecker, Lannan O’Brien, Michael Petrizzo
ADVISORY COMMITTEE Lee Geishecker, Julia O’Malley-Keyes, Janice Rogers
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P.O. Box 183 Sagamore Beach, MA 02562
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Enjoy modern outdoor living
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OPEN FOR Three new food and beverage businesses show resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic. BY ROB DUCA
O
ne food and beverage business is tapping into the craft beer craze that has swept across Cape Cod in recent years. The other is providing locals and tourists with a menu that one would expect to find in a coastal community, but doesn’t always, which is fresh seafood purchased directly from fishing boats. Meanwhile, a new café is hoping to create a casual sidewalk vibe where customers can enjoy breakfast, lunch or dinner while watching the world go by. But all three new businesses to the Falmouth scene have one thing in common: recovering from the economic devastation imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic.
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“It’s the biggest hit you can possibly take, something that will be very difficult for most people to come back from,” says Andy Baler, owner of Bluefins Sushi & Sake Bar, which made its debut on Main Street in Falmouth just three days before it was forced to close due to the pandemic. “We had 32 new staff members we were training, then we opened, and then we closed.” Bluefins was new to the scene, so it was not set up to transition to takeout and delivery. Therefore, diners will only now be able to sample a multifaceted menu that focuses on locally sourced seafood, with an emphasis on classically prepared sushi and tempura FALMOUTH LIVING • 2020
Bluefins Sushi & Sake Bar, Main Street’s newest restaurant, focuses on locally sourced seafood, with an emphasis on classically prepared sushi and tempura dishes.
BUSINESS dishes. “We offer fish prepared in every possible way,” says Baler. Baler also owns Bluefins in Chatham, which he opened in 2014. His experience in the wholesale fish business runs deep, going back to his youth unloading fishing boats in Woods Hole and Falmouth Harbor. He owned the Chatham Pier Fish Market for 20 years and currently owns a seafood processing plant in Dennis, and an oyster farm in Yarmouth. “I’ve sold fish around the world,” he says. “I buy from the boats, and because I own a fish plant, I can source fish from anywhere.” Baler is familiar with Falmouth, where his great uncle owned a pharmacy for 30 years. He says he chose Falmouth as the second Bluefins location because “I was looking for a place that had a happening walking Main Street and could use a fish house.” The comfortable dining room, with soft lighting FALMOUTHLIVINGMAG.COM
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Bad Martha Farmer’s Brewery, which opened last September on the former site of Oysters Too, has an entirely new building with high ceilings and a rustic, barn-like interior.
and a relaxing vibe, invites customers to settle in at the sushi or martini bar and sample craft cocktails along with traditional, nouveau or fusion-style sushi. For those not quite in tune with raw fish, the menu also offers multiple hot dishes, from sesame-seed tuna with Chinese broccoli and a wasabi ginger sauce to seared salmon served with lobster mashed potatoes and maple bacon Brussels sprouts. Meat lovers can choose from selections like steak frites, braised short ribs or a Wagyu beef burger. Bad Martha Farmer’s Brewery, which began on Martha’s Vineyard in 2014, opened a second location in East Falmouth last September, becoming the seventh craft beer brewery on Cape Cod.
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FALMOUTH LIVING • 2020
“Not long ago, it was just Cape Cod Beer [in Hyannis] on the Cape, but there has been a nationwide trend for craft breweries and we’re still seeing substantial growth,” says Josh Flanders, Bad Martha’s general manager. The brewery is located on the site of the former Oysters Too, but in an entirely new building with high ceilings, exposed wood beams and a barn-like interior. There is also a front porch and side patio with extensive seating. Customers order from the bar and are encouraged to mingle and make new friends as they listen to live music and sample one of 16 craft beers produced on site in a 15-barrel system. During the pandemic, Bad Martha offered takeout and delivery of pizza and beer. Dining-in food items also include sandwiches, pretzels and bar snacks. But most people come for the beer. “It’s a unique atmosphere,” says Flanders. “We don’t take reservations and we don’t assign seating. It’s more like a gathering at a friend’s house than going to a restaurant.” The brewery offers a variety of craft beer styles, from an oyster stout and a honey lager to a pale ale and a Belgian wit. Beers are offered on a rotating system, but the medium-bodied Martha’s Vineyard ale and a traditional IPA are on the menu year-round.
(Top) The new brewery, the seventh to open on Cape Cod, produces 16 craft beers on site in a 15-barrel system. (Above) A variety of craft beers, from oyster stout and a honey lager to a pale ale and a Belgian wit, are offered on a rotating system, but the medium-bodied Martha’s Vineyard ale and a traditional IPA are on the menu year-round.
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Black Dog Heights Café offers fresh pastries, inventive breakfast bowls and satisfying sandwiches in a casual setting.
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“There is always something new coming onto the menu, but we have some favorites that are there all the time,” Flanders says. The Black Dog Heights Café, located on Grand Avenue, had its opening delayed until May 9, when it began offering curbside takeout. “It gave us a little more time to assess what was going on and to make heads or tails of it,” says Adam Ogonowski, the café’s manager and chef. “But anybody who says they understand exactly how this is going to impact their business going forward is lying.” The café offers fresh-baked pastries, inventive breakfast bowls and the signature Woofer sandwich,
which is two fried eggs, bacon or sausage and cheese on a choice of bread. Lunch offerings include oven-roasted turkey and chicken sandwiches, and even a grilled Fluffernutter of peanut butter and marshmallow. There are also burgers, salads, burritos and quesadillas. Ninety percent of the seating is outside, where there is also a full bar. “It’s a casual vibe where people can sit and watch traffic go by,” Ogonowski says. There could not have been a more challenging time to build a new food and beverage business, but Bluefins Sushi & Sake Bar, Bad Martha Farmer’s Brewery and Black Dog Heights Café are forging ahead, confident that their business model will withstand a pandemic.
FALMOUTH LIVING • 2020
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Falmouth’s Furry Friends Ruby, of North Falmouth, loves to play with her favorite purple sock monkey.
Liam is a beach boy. He’ll swim in the ocean all day in North Falmouth. He loves soaking up the sun and catching seashells before they sink below the water. Sienna loves going to the ocean along Surf Drive and retrieving her tennis ball from the water all day long.
Pemi is completely addicted to chasing the tennis ball. Snug “Snuggle” wants to sit at your feet and be rubbed.
Gus plays with his toys, and likes to swim and walk at Bourne Farm.
Nick was named after Cape Cod Marine Nicholas Xiarhos. This namesake pooch is a service dog to his East Falmouth owner, Curtis.
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Vincent van Gogh & Theo van Gogh enjoy chasing the waves along the water at Great Pond. They run back and forth as the waves come.
Pippa and Rogan are best friends who enjoy retrieving a ball or Frisbee and swimming and chillin’ together in the pool.
Tucker enjoys sunbathing, being pampered and going for walks at Bourne Farm.
Cutty and Chloe love going to work with their owner and greeting all the friendly customers.
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FALMOUTH LIVING • 2020
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Hooked on Cape Cod BY R ACHEL ARROYO
B
The Cape Cod Destination Bracelet is one of The Gilded Oyster’s most sought-after pieces.
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rian and Denise Quinn moved to Falmouth three years ago, after four decades of vacationing on Cape Cod every year with family. “We always said we would live here one day,” says Denise. The couple relocated from Western Massachusetts, where they raised a family and ran a successful jewelry shop for 15 years. Living in Falmouth, it wasn’t long before Denise wanted to open another jewelry shop. A year and a half ago, the Quinns opened The Gilded Oyster on Main Street, a sweet boutique full of precious keepsakes and coastal- and Celtic-inspired jewelry. “It’s been a lot of fun,” says Denise about The Gilded Oyster’s first summer last year. “We’ve been received very well.” The Gilded Oyster showcases handcrafted jewelry from local and regional artists as well as the owners’ son, Corey Quinn, who is an accomplished master goldsmith, and brother-in-law, Terry Quinn, an award-winning designer based in Virginia. One of the Gilded Oyster’s signature pieces is the “Cape Cod Destination” bracelet, with a pair of interlocking letter C’s. “The two C’s are hooked together like the way the Cape is hooked on your heart,” Denise explains. “Then there are four gold wraps that represent the Upper, Lower, Mid and Outer Caper areas.” The bestselling bracelet is available in two widths—wide and narrow—and can be customized. “Some customers request the C’s in gold,” says Denise, instead of silver. This summer Denise is working on releasing a new jewelry collection, “Sand and Sea,” with sandblasted silver and gold for texture, and inset with a blue diamond that represents the sea. All the jewelry-wearer has to do is look down to be reminded of sunny days spent at the seashore.
FALMOUTH LIVING • 2020
SMALL POOLS. BIG BENEFITS.
PHOTO TIM MURPHY, FOTO IMAGERY
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B R E AT H I N G N E W L I F E I N T O O U T D O O R S PA C E S
A
Vineyard Home, Falmouth’s newest design showroom, and Longfellow Design Build offer design tips for making the most of your outdoor living areas.
s warmer weather makes its annual return, we find ourselves spending more time outside, enjoying the great outdoors and the comforts of our own backyards. But this year is expected to be different. With homeowners preparing to spend more time at home because of COVID-19, many are interested in enhancing the look and functionality of their outdoor living spaces. “Now more than ever, homeowners are remodeling old spaces and creating new spaces that make staying at home more enjoyable,” says Jacob Avakian, owner of Vineyard Home on Main Street in Falmouth. “People are adding threeseason rooms, patios, decks, gazebos and outdoor areas.” Vineyard Home is a brand-new design showroom dedicated to outdoor living. Even though the new business’s
With homeowners preparing to spend more time at home this year because of COVID-19, many are looking to upgrade their outdoor living spaces with added amenities, such as fire tables (top), outdoor speakers (facing page, top left) and outdoor areas designed for relaxation (above).
TEX T AND PHOTOS BY MIKE CIOLINO 28
FALMOUTH LIVING • 2020
in the warmth of the morning sun. He says this is sometimes the best thirty minutes of his day,” Birchenall says. Longfellow won a PRISM award from the Builders and Remodelers Association of Greater Boston for “Best Living Area” for a Cape Cod home she designed that features a patio perfect for cocktails and dinner with a small group of friends; infrared radiant heating to keep guests cozy and warm; a simple roof deck, an ideal setting for a nightcap, quiet music and stargazing; and a stone pathway that begins at the edge of the patio and leads to a “fire garden”—a gas fire-pit surrounded by Adirondack chairs. Whether it’s a quiet place to read, a three-season room where the kids can hang out or a patio dedicated to daily exercise, new outdoor living spaces can provide daily enjoyment not only now, during the COVID-19 crisis, but for years to come. grand opening coincided with the COVID-19 shutdown, Avakian says they’ve had a steady stream of customers interested in upgrading their homes with audio, video, fire pits, fire tables and landscape lighting. Recent innovations in home automation technology have opened up a world of possibility for outdoor living products, Avakian says. Vineyard Home recently created a fully screened back deck for a Falmouth home overlooking Wood Neck Beach. “We wanted to enjoy being here at the beach well into the fall,” says the homeowner, Greg Nicoll. “Vineyard Home hooked us up with a great LED TV and sound system that holds up to moisture, and a gas fireplace to take the chill off. Now we can watch football games ‘outdoors’ in November.” “Often small upgrades such as a heating unit over a patio dining table, outdoor speakers along a back deck or landscape lighting can make a big impact on the day-to-day enjoyment of your home,” Avakian explains. Moisture-resistant, ceilingmounted speakers perfect for three-season rooms, LED TVs and gas fireplaces are great for enhancing the use of outdoor living areas, he says. Kelsey Birchenall, an architectural designer at Longfellow Design Build who has five years of experience designing new homes, remodels and additions for Cape Cod homeowners, stresses the importance of designing spaces that encourage and support a variety of experiences throughout the day. “Recently, we designed an unusual front yard patio for a new Falmouth home so the homeowner can enjoy his morning coffee FALMOUTHLIVINGMAG.COM
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A E R I A L P H OTO : M A I N E I M AG I N G
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MOORINGS
BY
THE
NUM B ER S Largest town in Massachusetts in square miles.
A L E X B O N DA R E K
The length of Shining Sea Bikeway from Woods Hole to North Falmouth.
The estimated number of spectators who attend the New Balance Falmouth Road Race.
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G E T AC Q UA I N T E D THE
WITH
A NN I E HART COOL TE AM
Purchasing a home is one of the single most important investments in a person’s life. The Annie Hart Cool team combine their expertise and local knowledge to help you navigate the home buying or selling process. Let the Annie Hart Cool team be your trusted professionals for all your Real Estate needs. Annie, Steve and David bring over 20 years of experience each to the team. Jodi and Michael are former clients turned Realtors. Cape Cod is a world class address. It’s a Lifestyle. We are here to serve your Real Estate needs. Shown left to right:
Annie Hart Cool, Steve Strojny, Jodi Freedman, David Iseman & Michael Lewis
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There’s nothing like a great read to kick off the summer, and what could be better than one with local ties? We’ve searched high and low for authors and books representing the Cape, and have a few of the latest and best to get lost in during your down time. From dramatic memoirs to canine crime fiction, we found something to inspire locals of all ages with a range of literary tastes. BY L ANNAN O’BRIEN
BIG SUMMER
by Jennifer Weiner
The complexities of female relationships are front and center in Jennifer Weiner’s latest novel, in which main character Daphne Berg receives a surprising request from an ex-best friend: to be the maid of honor at her big summer wedding on Cape Cod. The two haven’t spoken in six years since a fight ended their friendship, and the story that follows their reunion offers lessons in resilience, friendship and forgiveness. Jennifer Weiner is a #1 New York Times bestselling author, whose books have spent over five years on the New York Times bestseller list. A Princeton University grad, Weiner has a background in journalism and is a contributing opinion writer for the New York Times Op-Ed and Sunday Review. The author is known for using social media as a platform to elevate women’s voices and self-esteem, particularly in her 2016 movement encouraging women to don their bathing suits with the #weartheswimsuit hashtag. Big Summer was released on May 5.
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T H E L A S T B O O K PA R T Y
WILD GAME
by Karen Dukess
by Adrienne Brodeur
As an aspiring writer, Eve Rosen is fascinated by Truro’s summer literary crowd. Eve is thrilled when invited to a party at the Cape summer home of writer Henry Grey, while working as a secretary for his New York publisher. Longing to escape her family’s suburban, middle-class life, she is immediately starstruck by the distinguished guests and dreams of entering the publishing community. When she accepts a position as Henry’s research assistant, it seems her dream is coming true—that is, until the Greys’ exclusive summer “Book Party” reveals harsh realities about the literary world. Karen Dukess lives with her family in Pelham, New York, and enjoys spending time in Truro whenever possible. The author has a degree in Russian studies from Brown University and a master’s in journalism from Columbia University. Among other roles, she previously worked as a newspaper reporter, a magazine publisher and a speech writer on gender equality at the United Nations Development Programme. Paperback edition was released on June 9.
“Cape Cod is a place where buried things surface and disappear again,” writes Adrienne Brodeur in her memoir, Wild Game, in which she recounts her role as her mother’s secret-keeper during a decade-long affair. One summer night on the Cape, 14-yearold Brodeur learned of her mother’s infidelity, and, desperately seeking her attention, became her accomplice in a destructive web of lies. Brodeur, an accomplished editor, founded internationally acclaimed fiction and art magazine Zoetrope: All-Story, with filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola in 1996. She has since served as an editor at Harcourt, and in 2013 left publishing to join Aspen Words—a literary arts nonprofit of the Aspen Institute—where she launched the annual $35,000 Aspen Words Literary Prize. Today, Brodeur and her family split their time between Cape Cod and Cambridge. Paperback edition will be released on July 7.
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OUR TOW N
OF MUT TS AND MEN
by Spencer Quinn
In the latest adventure of the Chet and Bernie Mystery series, private investigator Bernie Little of the Little Detective Agency and Chet, his four-legged partner, are determined to solve the mysterious death of a hydrologist who requested their services. As they address the many questions surrounding the case, Bernie suspects that the wrong man has been arrested for the crime. With just an eight-pack of Slim Jims for compensation, the two set off on a suspenseful journey, knowing little of the danger ahead. Readers know him by the pen name Spencer Quinn, but locals know his real name is Peter Abrahams, whose family has lived in Falmouth since 1982. The author writes crime fiction for both adults and children. He has become best known for several detective series with lovable canine narrators, such as Chet and Bernie, Queenie and Arthur, and Bowser and Birdie, for which he draws inspiration from his own dogs, Audrey and Pearl. Of Mutts and Men is set to be released on July 7.
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SPENCER QUINN Although a Boston native, Peter Abrahams has established strong roots in Falmouth. He and his wife, Diana Gray, have been residents since 1982, and have raised their four children here. Now that their children are grown, it’s just the two of them and their dogs, Audrey and Pearl, which Abrahams describes on his website as “the kind of researchers writers dream of, showing up every day and working for treats.” A Williams College alum, Abrahams began his writing careeer with novels for adults, like psychological thrillers Lights Out, Oblivion, End of Story, and The Fan (which was adapted into a 1996 film directed by Tony Scott, and starred Robert De Niro). It wasn’t until his wife suggested writing about dogs that Abrahams ventured into canine-inspired crime fiction, developing the pen name Spencer Quinn to differentiate these series from his darker stand-alone books. The author has earned multiple awards for his work, and Stephen King even referred to him as his “favorite American suspense novelist.”
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The Conservatory provides unparalleled artistic opportunities to the Cape Cod community and beyond. More than 2,400 students of all ages, from 2 to 92, participate in the Conservatory’s music, dance, and art programs each year. We strive to be a continual source of inspiration inside the classroom and out in the community, with a commitment of making the arts accessible to all. With campuses in Falmouth and Barnstable, we invite you to pursue your passion for the arts at the Cape Conservatory! Discover a great way to play at capeconservatory.org! Â
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FALMOUTH CAMPUS 508.540.0611 60 Highfield Drive Falmouth
BARNSTABLE CAMPUS 508.362.2772 2235 Iyannough Road West Barnstable
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Seasonal A local photographer captures Falmouth through the seasons.
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PHOTO ESSAY
PHOTOS AND TEX T BY LEE GEISHECKER
Sailboats in Quissett Harbor bask in the sunshine of a late summer day.
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PHOTO ESSAY
Spring represents rebirth. There is a freshness to everything, and as the days start to lengthen, there is more time and space to photograph the newness. I prefer the early part of the day at this time of year because of how it correlates with new beginnings. As my subjects, I choose serene gardens and quiet beaches to capture the beauty of Falmouth in spring.
Looking toward the beach from the West Falmouth bike path.
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The sun sets over Old Silver Beach in North Falmouth.
Summer
Summer boasts rich and vibrant colors, along with longer days. Landscape photography could become more challenging as the crowds arrive, unless you pick the right time of day and know the unique spots of Falmouth. With the sun’s higher position in the sky, there are plenty of chances to capture reflections and silhouettes once the sun starts to set.
Boats line Falmouth Harbor.
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A late-day look at Nobska Light presiding over Vineyard and Nantucket Sounds.
A pair of swans swim along Salt Pond Sanctuary in autumn.
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PHOTO ESSAY
Autumn
Autumn’s palette is full of warm, soft colors — red, orange and gold. Sunsets showcase these same hues. This time of year, it’s easy to settle in and absorb the sights and sounds around Falmouth. Autumn seems to be the shortest season, but the weather stays mild enough to photograph all of its beauty.
The golden rays of a late September day shower the shore at Crescent Beach.
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PHOTO ESSAY
Bourne Farm in North Falmouth is blanketed in a layer of snow.
Winter
Often considered the quietest time of the year on the Cape, winter could also very well be the most beautiful to photograph. Serenity and peace take over spots that once held summer crowds. The low sun of winter casts long shadows and reveals muted tones. Sunrises and sunsets are distinctly different from those of other seasons. One of my favorite subjects to capture is the calm after the storm, while everything is glistening and the snow is crisp and clean.
A dusting of snow covers the West Falmouth Boathouse and surrounding landscape along Falmouth Harbor.
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The Clam Shack, near the end of the harbor by Vineyard Sound, reflects early morning sun.
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Eight-year-old Grifyn Sawyer, the inspiration behind Tommy’s Place, pictured with family.
A Gift for Children Living with a Life-Threatening Illness welve years ago, Amy Sawyer and her family took a week-long trip to Martha’s Vineyard. They enjoyed dinners out, swam in the pool and spent time under the sun at a beautiful house by the sea. But what they treasured most about that week wasn’t the scenic views, local restaurants or numerous attractions—it was the memories they made with the youngest member of their family, 8-year-old Grifyn Sawyer, who died only months later after battling aplastic anemia, a rare blood disorder. The trip had been donated to the Sawyers through an anonymous donor at the Floating Hospital for Children at Tufts Medical Center. “We were indebted to him, and we’d never met the man. For 10 years, we never knew who he was,” Amy Sawyer says, explaining that they sent him thank-you letters and photos of their trip with the hospital’s help. It was only a couple of years ago that Sawyer learned his identity, when she received an email from the man,Tim O’Connell, revealing plans to open a vacation home in Falmouth for children who are battling a lifethreatening illness—a plan he said was inspired by Grifyn and her family’s experience on the Vineyard.
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Tim O’Connell, founder of Tommy’s Place, poses outside the former Elm Arch Inn, the future site of the nonprofit’s vacation home for children who are battling a life-threatening illness.
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Tommy’s Place founder Tim O’Connell plans to renovate the interior and exterior of the former Elm Arch Inn into an 11-bedroom, single-family vacation home, adding fun features such as a game room, home theater, arts and crafts room, library and even a replica of the nearby Quarterdeck bar. He also hopes to refurbish an existing pool rumored to be the first in-ground pool built in Falmouth.
Dedicated in Grifyn’s memory, the home will be named for the late local hero and Falmouth Road Race founder Tommy Leonard, who entered O’Connell’s life by chance and formed a connection built on their shared love of helping others. Named Tommy’s Place, the dedication was O’Connell’s way of giving his friend a symbolic “place to call home,” since Leonard was orphaned in his youth. The home will be located at the former Elm Arch Inn, a historic building just off Main Street. Once renovated, it will host free week-long stays for one family at a time, along with any guests and support staff they would like to bring. Most who step inside the over 200-year-old building see a broken, neglected structure beyond repair. “Why would you want to save this?” many have asked O’Connell, who, beyond the uneven floors and broken stairs, sees the foundation for a child’s dream house. “I told the contractors I wanted every kind of door, every window,” says O’Connell. “Not everything has to look perfect because I don’t want every room to be the same.” His dream for Tommy’s Place is big: restore the exterior of the building, and completely renovate and transform the interior into an 11-bedroom, single-family home with a new kitchen, living room and dining room, bathrooms and fun
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additions like a game room, home theater, arts and crafts room, library and even a replica of the nearby Quarterdeck bar—where, locals know, Tommy Leonard could often be found working or nursing a pint. A small building beside the inn will provide a space for any support staff families might need to bring with them. Renovations for each room at Tommy’s Place are being sponsored by different donors, named for someone they love and decorated in their own unique styles. Among others, Falmouth artist Karen Rinaldo, known for the annual Falmouth Road Race posters, is fittingly dedicating the arts and crafts room to her mother. Most important, there will be rooms dedicated to Grifyn and the Sawyer family. “The goal is to get people out of their environments and give them an HGTV, Disney [inspired] experience,” O’Connell says.
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The goal was to open this summer, but with the coronavirus pandemic and ongoing funding and renovations yet to begin as of early spring, he says it may end up being later in the season. O’Connell, a Boston and Martha’s Vineyard real estate developer by trade—who has a home in Falmouth and has summered on the Cape since the ’70s—is undaunted by the age of the building or size of the project. “In Boston, I’ve done a lot of old buildings…you just put them back together,” he says. “We’ll put it back together and we’ll make it amazing for these kids.” Outside, O’Connell hopes to refurbish an existing pool on the property, which he has heard might be the oldest pool in Falmouth. “The yard is important,” he says, recalling that families that have visited his Martha’s Vineyard house enjoy spending time together outside. In addition to the vacation he gave the Sawyers, last year O’Connell donated a stay to the Sheehan family, whose 7-year-old son, Danny, has an aggressive form of brain cancer. Danny made local headlines when he was sworn in last July as an honorary police officer in his hometown of Marshfield, Massachusetts. After learning the story through the organization Cops for Kids with Cancer, O’Connell offered the family a trip to the Vineyard for the week of July 4th. The vacation came with a surprise: upon their arrival, the Sheehans were greeted by Edgartown and Tisbury police and were provided an escort to the rental house.
“Having Danny just laugh and play in the pool and enjoy ice cream outside… they sound like such simple things, but when you have a child with cancer, you aren’t really able to appreciate those moments,” says Danny’s mother, Natalie Sheehan. “This trip gave us the opportunity to take that moment and hit the pause button, to just be and be present.” Sometimes, it’s enough for a family to simply escape the hospital setting. “It lets you regroup and it lets you feel normal for a little bit,” Amy Sawyer says of her family’s trip. “It just allows you to get out of the hospital and be a family and have fun.” For more information and to donate, visit tommysplace.org.
(Above) Last year O’Connell donated a weeklong stay at his Vineyard home to the Sheehan family, whose 7-year-old son, Danny (pictured here), has an aggressive form of brain cancer. “This trip gave us the opportunity to take that moment and hit the pause button, to just be and be present,” says Danny’s mother. (Left) O’Connell stands in front of the future home of Tommy’s Place.
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The Art of Giving Julia O’Malley-Keyes dedicates life and work to bringing others joy.
Nantucket Harbor, oil on linen, 14" x 20"
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S
BY L ANNAN M. O’BRIEN
tep into the little gallery at 143 Maravista Avenue (chosen by the artist for its number, which represents the number of letters in each word of “I love you”) and you’ll be welcomed by Julia O’Malley-Keyes. She’ll offer you a brief tour of the space and answer any questions you have, then she’ll leave you alone with her work while she tends to the garden. She’ll return only if you ring the bell, or if it’s a nice evening, to ask, “Would you like a glass of wine?” It is, as she puts it, “the zero-pressure art gallery.” A firm believer in the golden rule, O’Malley-Keyes offers the privacy and space she’d appreciate as the art viewer. And only when she has left will you notice that the beautiful photographs you were admiring aren’t photographs at all—they’re oil paintings.
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Woodneck Beach Wonderland, oil on linen, 36" x 40"
Perhaps it’s the relaxed atmosphere of her gallery space, her tendency to swear like a sailor or her down-to-earth disposition, but something about talking with O’Malley-Keyes feels like reuniting with an old friend. While she firmly denies any renown, it’s true that she’s an internationally recognized painter who has been trained by household names in the art world. While summering in Maine as a teen, O’MalleyKeyes honed her skills under the guidance of family friend Andrew Wyeth, one of the best known American artists of the 20th century. “He wouldn’t let me pick up a paintbrush until he thought my drawing was good enough,” she says. “That’s why my work is so detailed.” With Wyeth’s help, she sold her first painting at age 16. She opened her first art gallery in Provincetown in her early twenties, which she operated for a decade. From 1996-2012, she ran her award-winning Day Hill Fine Art Gallery in Falmouth. In between, she has traveled the world and studied painting, until her journey led her back to the place she loves: Falmouth. If you ask O’Malley-Keyes, everything she has accomplished is owed to someone else. She credits each of her skills to the artist who trained her in that particular area of expertise. Her gallery space is thanks to the
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Julia O’Malley-Keyes works on an oil painting outdoors.
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Les Voiles de St. Tropez, oil on Belgian linen, 26" x 40"
Quissett Harbor Picnic, oil on canvas, 32" x 40"
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Woods Hole Golf Club - Cape Cod, oil on Belgian linen, 26" x 40"
Nantucket Sound Sailors, oil on linen, 26" x 40"
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former town zoning administrator, Sari Budrow, who advocated for her. It isn’t hard to imagine, then, that the motivation for her work is a selfless one: creating a positive feeling for other people. “My inspiration is always that feeling of looking at something and having it bring back a great memory, and in some way, comforting you,” she says. The artist is inspired by the beauty around her, in Falmouth and beyond, because as she says, “We’ve got tons of negativity in the world. Why would I want to add to that?” Although much of O’Malley-Keyes’ childhood was spent in Greenwich, Connecticut, with summers in Maine and on the Cape, her family of eight children called many places home. Describing her father, Nial O’Malley-Keyes, as an eccentric world traveler, she recounts being uprooted to new homes throughout the country, and even to Mexico, over the years. Any traditional sense of stability was absent, but there was a common thread connecting each of the O’Malley-Keyes family’s homes: the ocean and sailing, leading to Julia’s appreciation for classic sailing yachts. It was O’Malley-Keyes’ father, too, who inspired her to
spend life traveling the world, experiencing other cultures and learning from the best artists in the field. He also helped spark her artistic journey early in life, requiring that each of his children pursue a creative path. Julia’s, of course, was painting. O’Malley-Keyes’ work is an invitation. Whether the subject is a swan, a ballet dancer or a sailing regatta, it seems to invite the viewer in to be part of the experience. That’s exactly the goal. Each feather of the swan’s extended wings, intricate lace pattern on a dancer’s costume, and wrinkle of a crewman’s shirt is executed in lifelike detail, with hardly a brushstroke in sight. “With every single painting I create, the objective is that you can feel yourself in it,” says O’Malley-Keyes. “You’re there. When I do a painting of Wood Neck Beach, I want you to feel the breeze and smell the scent of the flowers.” It might seem like magic, but in reality, it’s the result of an Old Master technique of layering “hundreds and hundreds” of layers of transparent color. In this painstaking process, each layer needs to dry before applying the next, until, at last, the image visually reads a certain color. “You can only get that living, breathing luminosity by
Hummingbird Luncheon, oil on linen, 32" x 40"
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Perfectly Cape Cod, oil on linen, 14" x 20"
this technique,” O’Malley-Keyes says. “Sometimes when I take a step back and look at [the finished product], I’m really wowed.” And that’s only the painting process. For her classic marine paintings, O’Malley-Keyes attends sailing regattas from Antigua to Cowes, England, and Saint-Tropez, France, often leasing a boat and hiring a professional photographer to capture the action. But even with professional photos, she explains, “You can’t paint directly from photography and have it be believable.” She might do a quick sketch, but being on the water presents its challenges, so she takes notes about colors and other details on a voice-activated recorder. The time and effort O’Malley-Keyes puts into her work isn’t about personal success, but rather a means to bring people joy. Her passion for giving extends beyond the canvas, too. For the past 50 years, the artist has regularly donated her work, including original oil paintings, to charities near and far, like Cotuit Center for the Arts, Cape Cod Museum of Art, Figawi Charities and many more. Behind it all, she says, is a simple sentiment: “You get from life what you give to it.”
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Sérénité, oil on linen, 30" x 40"
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A HOMECOMING FOR The New Balance Falmouth Road Race brings together
T
BY BILL HIGGINS
here’s no place like home, Dorothy learned in “The Wizard of Oz,” but the Host Family Program of the Falmouth Road Race is perhaps the next best thing. Every August dozens of local families open their homes to welcome elite and invited runners as adopted sons and daughters for the world-class event. Click your racing flats twice and follow the Yellow Brick Road from Woods Hole to Falmouth Heights. The New Balance Falmouth Road Race is a crown jewel of summer. Beyond the competition and pageantry, however, it’s the myriad of well-orchestrated logistics like the Host Family Program that help give the race its charm. First held in 1973 as a fun run for fewer than 100 participants, Falmouth soon evolved into a sporting spectacle with thousands of participants, including many of the world’s best distance racers. “No vacancy” signs in August on Cape Cod are as common as salt water taffy and fried clams. So what to do? “Host families started because we couldn’t afford to put runners up in hotels on a weekend in Falmouth,” says Rich Sherman, race co-director, along with his wife, Kathy, and John and Lucia Carroll from its inception
P H OTO : N E W B A L A N C E FA L M O U T H R OA D R AC E / D M S E S P O R T S , C H R I S T I N A M A R T I N
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ROAD RUNNERS local host families and elite athletes every August. until 2010. “By the mid to late 1970s, when we began getting more elite runners, we needed places for them. We advertised and reached out to friends, and they responded in a huge way. “It was out of necessity and essential,” says Sherman, “and it grew from there. One of the benefits was the community became a big part of the race. The families loved having the runners and 99 percent returned year after year to help us. A lot of wonderful relationships have come from it.” Sherman remembers Captain Kidd owner Bill Crowley—the race begins in front of the Woods Hole restaurant—being the first host. He took
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in Bill Rodgers in 1974 and Rodgers won the race. As Falmouth grew in prestige, Hall of Famers Frank Shorter, Joan Benoit Samuelson, Rod Dixon, Alberto Salazar and others arrived and stayed with local families. When the race became so popular a lottery was used to fill the field, Sherman said he’d barter bib numbers in exchange for a host family. Toni Reavis, the longtime running journalist and television commentator, has been a fixture at the race since the 1970s. He says Falmouth is one of the few events where the community still opens its homes to runners. “The practice is part of what makes the race so
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P H OTO S: N E W B A L A N C E FA L M O U T H R OA D R AC E / D M S E S P O R T S , C H R I S T I N A M A R T I N
(Above) 2019 Aetna Falmouth Elite Mile winner Corey McGee. (Right) One of the 800+ finishers at the SBLI Family Fun Run.
special for so many,” says Reavis. “It isn’t seen as much these days, but Joanie’s race in Maine still utilizes it.” Samuelson, a six-time Falmouth champion, created the Beach to Beacon 10K in 1998 in her coastal hometown of Cape Elizabeth, and modeled the race much in the image of Falmouth. The Falmouth Host Family Program now is organized by operations manager Matt Auger, who works with race staff and volunteers to coordinate about 35 homes for upward of 60 runners. At one time, when there were more invited runners, there was a need for nearly 60 homes. Auger provides a 17-point information packet of frequently asked questions host families may have before, during and after the race. The guide includes everything from preparing meals, to transportation requirements and any financial obligations. “A host family can do as much or as little as they want,” says Auger. “The race has agreements with athletes for travel reimbursement so there are no expectations in that regard. They need to provide a place to sleep, of course. They’re not required to cook special meals, but most have an open-cupboard policy and will usually take their runners shopping for any special foods they might want.
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(Above, left) Scott Ghelfi interviews champion Ben Flanagan at the finish line of the 2018 New Balance Falmouth Road Race. (Above, right) The Ghelfi family at Christmastime in 2019, with 2018 Falmouth Road Race champion Ben Flanagan. From left, Flanagan, Hannah Ghelfi, Scott Ghelfi, Wendy Ghelfi and Durham Ghelfi.
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“The No. 1 job of the host,” says Auger, “is to get their runner to the starting line and then reconnect after the race.” Scott Ghelfi, who grew up in Falmouth, is president of the race board of directors. He has a unique perspective and appreciation for the event. He was a youngster when his parents first opened their home to competitors in the late 1970s. He and his wife, Wendy, own businesses in town and have also hosted runners over the years, including 2018 champion Ben Flanagan from the University of Michigan. Their daughter, Hannah, a scholarship golfer at Michigan, didn’t know Flanagan until he arrived on race weekend two years ago. She slept on the living room couch so he could have her room and was at the finish when he jumped across the line as the surprise winner. When Hannah and Ben returned to school in Ann Arbor that fall, they reunited and now are in a serious relationship.
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“It is a pretty neat story,” says Scott Ghelfi. “We weren’t planning to take a runner in 2018. We had a full house with lots of family. When Ben came to race headquarters to check in, I noticed him in his Michigan stuff. When I found out who he was I wondered why we weren’t asked to host him, given our connection to UMich. I knew about Ben because he had won the NCAAs (10,000 meters) that spring. His host family fell through at the last minute so I called Wendy and asked if we could make room for him.”
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P H OTO S: N E W B A L A N C E FA L M O U T H R OA D R AC E / D M S E S P O R T S , C H R I S T I N A M A R T I N
(Above) Runners cool off along the 7-mile course. (Below) Falmouth Volunteers in Public Schools Executive Director, Tracey Crago poses in 2019 with her athlete Katie (Matthews) Newton. The Cragos are one of the many other host families who open their homes to competing New Balance Falmouth Road Race athletes.
Flanagan fit in instantly with the Ghelfi family, son Durham, Hannah and the other houseguests on hand for the weekend. Unheralded as a late entrant, he was confident prior to the race. “I drove Ben to the bus that takes the elites to the start and he convinced me he had a legit shot to win if he was with the leaders with a mile to go,” said Scott Ghelfi. “He had never seen the course so I gave him a few things to watch for, especially the final steep hill at the finish. The main thing I told him was when you crest that hill, it flattens out, and you need to be in first place by that point if you’re going to win. It’s a free fall downhill after that, and you won’t likely catch anyone. “I was the announcer at the finish line, but we lost the feed on the press truck so I had no idea who was leading,” says Ghelfi. “When Toni (Reavis) jumped off the truck [to] finish ahead of the pack, I immediately got him on the mic for an update, wanting to hear Ben’s name. He mentioned a couple of leaders and then I noticed Ben cresting the hill in the lead and I interrupted Toni to yell, ‘…and Ben Flanagan!’ I lost my mind and voice after screaming Ben’s name over and over.” The Ghelfi and Flanagan families and friends celebrated after the race, and some of the younger members continued well into the night. Ben was the toast of the town. Wendy Ghelfi was as excited as anyone, describing the weekend as the best of the year and the 2018 race the best ever. “Ben is a gem of a guy,” she says.
“I guess the race and the weekend worked out pretty well, in a lot of ways, for everyone,” adds Scott Ghelfi with a smile. That’s Falmouth, where memories, and sometimes more, are made. And so with summer at hand, and on the eve of another road race, the world will soon arrive again, and the community will open its doors again. Welcome back; welcome home.
2020 FALMOUTH ROAD RACE Interested in running the 2020 Falmouth Road Race? Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this year’s race will be virtual. For more information, visit falmouthroadrace.com
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(Above) Top Women’s WC Finisher in 2019, Tatyana McFadden, setting another course record at 26:15 — her 5th Falmouth Road Race win. (Below) An estimated 75,000 spectators line the course and finish area to cheer the 12,800 official race entrants.
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Falmouth
A-Z
So much more than its charming seaside villages and miles of pristine coastline,
Falmouth possesses a rich history and culture. The town boasts abundant activities for folks of all ages. Here’s our list of Falmouth favorites to explore and enjoy all year long. BY SUZANNE RYAN
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A
b BIKING
ART
Falmouth boasts a lively arts and culture scene. Dedicated to the visual arts, Falmouth Art Center offers art exhibitions, events and educational opportunities year-round. falmouthart.org
Grab a set of wheels and pedal your way along Falmouth’s bestknown bike trail, Shining Sea Bikeway, named after lyrics from Katharine Lee Bates’ famous song, “America the Beautiful.” The 10.7-mile bikeway extends from North Falmouth all the way to Woods Hole, past scenic marshes, cranberry bogs and beaches. capecodbikeguide.com/ shiningseabikeway
CHAPOQUOIT BEACH
“Chappy,” as locals call it, is a popular summer
destination, offering white sands and sweeping views of Buzzards Bay. On a clear day, you can spot landmarks such as Cleveland Ledge Light and the Elizabeth Islands in the distance. Turn to page 108 to see a complete list of Falmouth beaches.
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D DOG PARK
Welcome to all pups, big and small! The Falmouth Dog Park offers two fenced-in areas, one for all dog breeds and one exclusively for smaller dogs. The free park is open year-round from dawn to dusk. falmouthdogpark.com
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e
EAT
Falmouth’s restaurants will delight even the most sophisticated palates. Choose from oceanside clam shacks to fine dining spots. Looking for a new eatery to try? Turn to page 111 to see our restaurant guide.
For a selection of fresh fruit and vegetables, artisan breads, cheese, seafood and more, visit Marine Park, overlooking Falmouth Harbor, every Thursday between noon and 6 p.m. until October 8. falmouthfarmersmarket.com
WOODS HOLE GOLF CLUB
GOLF
Book a tee time and hit the links at one of Falmouth’s public golf courses. Pros and novices alike are sure to enjoy the lush, tree-lined fairways, scenic views and well-designed layouts created by some of the most well-known course architects. Turn to page 109 for our golf guide.
f G i h FARMERS MARKET
HARBORS OF FALMOUTH
Falmouth has one of the longest coastlines in the state. With almost 70 miles of coastline and 14 harbors, the town provides ample opportunity for on-the-water fun, from fishing trips to boating excursions.
ICE CREAM
No summer day is complete without a trip to the local ice cream shop. Smitty’s
Homemade Ice Cream
offers 45 sinfully indulgent flavors as well as orange and watermelon sherbets, frozen yogurt, sundaes and frappes.
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A musical extravaganza presented by the Falmouth Village Association and ArtsFalmouth, Jazztober (formerly Jazzfest Falmouth) features a weekend of live performances of jazz, blues and contemporary music hosted by various venues in town. Visit artsfalmouth.org to learn more.
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An aerial view of WHOI’s campus.
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KAYAKING
Paddle your way through the shallow, calm waters of Waquoit Bay, a narrow expanse of water that leads to Washburn Island and is suited to kayakers of all levels.
LOBSTER ROLLS
New Englanders love the perfect “lobstah” roll — heaps of knuckle and claw meat packed into a butter-toasted split-top roll. Luckily, many restaurant menus feature their own versions of a traditional lobster roll, including the Quarterdeck, Quahog Republic Dive Bar and Falmouth Fish Market.
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© WOODS HOLE OCE ANOGR APHIC INSTITUTION, M AT T H E W B A R TO N
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MARINE BIOLOGICAL LABORATORY
Founded in Woods Hole in 1888, the MBL has since attracted scientists from all over the world to its venerated campus and research facility. At the on-site Pierce Exhibit Center, visitors of all ages can learn about the history of the MBL and its impact on the life sciences through colorful exhibits, underwater video footage and hands-on experiments using a microscope. mbl.edu
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O n OYSTERS
Taste the fresh, briny goodness of locally harvested Sippewissett Oysters. Grown in an open-ocean environment off the eastern coast of Buzzards Bay in Falmouth, Sippewissett Oysters have a distinct “meroir,” giving them a firm texture and a clean, refreshing taste. For a list of local restaurants offering Sippewissett Oysters, visit sippewissettoysters.com.
NOBSKA LIGHT
Overlooking Falmouth Harbor and Woods Hole Harbor, Nobska Light’s 40-foot tower offers stunning panoramic views of Woods Hole, Vineyard Sound and the Elizabeth Islands. Originally established in 1828, Nobska Light’s current cast-iron structure was built in 1876, and is now one of the most widely photographed landmarks in town. To learn about Nobska’s history and touring opportunities, visit friendsofnobska.org
PADDLE BOARD
With 818 acres of freshwater ponds and ample access to saltwater bays, Falmouth is an ideal place to launch a paddle board. Don’t have one? No problem! Board Stiff Surf and Skate can help. boardstifffalmouth.com
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QUEENS BUYWAY
Discover a treasured town shopping destination. Established in 1926 for the growing tourism industry, the Queens Buyway offers small-town charm and unique retail shops in historic Falmouth village.
ROAD RACE
ALEX HILLMAN
The New Balance Falmouth Road Race, founded in 1973, is a world-class event, attracting elite athletes and recreational runners from all over the world to its 7-mile seaside course. This year, because of the public health crisis caused by COVID-19, the event will be a virtual run. falmouthroadrace.com
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SHOPPING
With its mix of quaint shops and trendy boutiques, downtown Falmouth is a fun and walkable shopping destination for residents and visitors alike. Turn to page 118 for a shopping guide to downtown Falmouth.
UNCORKED
Get the full grape-to-glass experience at Cape Cod Winery. Take a tour through the vines, learn about the viniculture process and, best of all, sip and savor the locally crafted whites and reds. capecodwinery.com
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NORTH FALMOUTH
WEST FALMOUTH
TRAILS
Get back to nature with a hike along one of Falmouth’s scenic trails: Beebe Woods and Peterson Farm, Long Pond and Falmouth Town Forest, the Moraine Trail and Bourne Farm offer a variety of vistas, from quiet woods and water views to bucolic farmland.
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VISIT THE VILLAGES
In the town of Falmouth there are 8 villages: Falmouth, East Falmouth, Hatchville, North Falmouth, Teaticket, Waquoit, West Falmouth and Woods Hole, each with its own charm. FALMOUTHLIVINGMAG.COM
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WEST FALMOUTH MARKET
A beloved community institution since 1902, West Falmouth Market is so much more than a grocery store. This friendly neighborhood spot offers everything from fresh produce, coffee and sandwiches to an old-time butcher shop, bakery and wine and beer as well as prepared meals and catering services. westfalmouthmarket.com
“X” MARKS THE SPOT
The Knob is a unique land mass that extends from Quissett Harbor out into Buzzards Bay. A rocky plateau with an impressive view, it’s a picturesque spot to take in nature, birding and sunsets.
YEAR-ROUND ACTIVITIES
Falmouth is a vibrant community, with many events and activities scheduled throughout the year. For a list of monthly goings-on, visit the Falmouth Chamber of Commerce’s website: falmouthchamber.com
ZOO
Get up close and personal with the furry critters at
Coonamessett Farm. Home to alpacas, goats, lambs and
donkeys, the farm is fun for all ages, with pick-yourown vegetables and a cafe too. coonamessettfarm.com coonamessettfarm.com
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Building on the Past Integrata Architecture + Construction updates and enlarges a beloved family home while keeping its heart and soul intact. BY JANICE R ANDALL ROHLF • PHOTOS BY K YLE J. CALDWELL
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alking through the brand-new house she’s about to move into, the homeowner is nostalgic. “I have a soft spot for this house,” she says, as though she’s already lived in it, and once she relates her story, it all makes sense. For although the site has the earmarks of new construction, if you look beyond its freshly painted walls, pristine appliances and yet-to-be-planted lawn, a family history unfolds that is more important to the place’s underpinnings than any concrete foundation could ever be. The original structure in this North Falmouth ocean-view location was built in 1889 and named “Rose Cottage.” It belonged to the grandparents of the current owner, who fondly remembers the aromatic flowers that gave the place its name and hopes to plant her own soon. Unheated and less than half the size it is now (3,800 square feet), it was a simple summer bungalow, with just a wood stove in the kitchen for heat. “The last time [the stove] was used was during the 1954 hurricane,” recounts the homeowner. With a laugh, she adds: “Any rational person would have torn the house down.”
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DA N T E B O R G E S E
(Right) Built in 1889, the original front portion of “Rose Cottage” was preserved, including its shingled facade with pop-out dormers. (Above) The vintage living room fireplace and mantel were also salvaged.
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Cathy Kert, in collaboration with Lisa Steers of Mid-Cape Home Centers’ Martha’s Vineyard location, designed the home’s two kitchens. For the main kitchen, Dura-Supreme cabinetry was chosen and finished in a soft gray-green custom color.
Andrew Borgese, principal of Integrata Architecture + Construction, in Falmouth, begs to differ. In his opinion, the house wasn’t a tear-down, but, he concedes, “Maybe it was in the ICU.” Reluctant to raze the structure, Borgese launched a plan for design and construction and enlisted the help of interior designer Cathy Kert of Pocasset. Their end goal was a year-round home suited to multigenerational living, one that would accommodate not only the homeowner but also her son, daughter-in-law and their two young girls. It was important that everyone’s wishes be listened to with respect and their needs be met as cost-efficiently as possible. The overriding challenge was how to design a substantial addition that didn’t look like an awkward appendage to the preserved front portion of the house, a sweet, shingled façade with pop-out dormers. Borgese and Kert hashed out details with the family that ranged from building code-related issues to where to carve out a reading nook for the girls. They designed an ample living space for the homeowner that gives her
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privacy but also allows her to enjoy the rest of the first floor—the eat-in kitchen, living room and a den. The second floor has three bedrooms and two bathrooms designed for the son and daughter-in-law’s young family, and a dormer was added to the third floor so that the homeowner’s other son can have his own bedroom and bathroom when he comes to visit. Sustainable and energy-efficient design and construction were also high on the family’s priority list, which was another reason they chose to work with Integrata.
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(Above and opposite page) The homeowner’s son and daughter-in-law’s second-floor master bedroom and en suite bath. (Right) A staircase leading to the second floor features wainscoting salvaged from the original home.
All agreed that maintaining the summer-cottage feeling of the home was key. “There was so much character to this house,” says Borgese. “Some things were definitely worth salvaging.” These ranged from the general massing—how the three-dimensional elements are combined and juxtaposed to create the volume of the structure that we see from the outside—to small details like the decorative batten strips that cover the gaps between the vertical siding and portions of the original wainscoting that were stripped and stained. The vintage living room fireplace and mantel were left untouched, while a pair of sturdy wooden roof brackets, decorative elements, were moved from the back of the house to a doorway out front that leads from the homeowner’s apartment to a deep side porch shared by all. Having her own access to the porch, as well as a private door that leads from the outdoor shower into her bathroom, were important to the homeowner, who is moving from a considerably larger home.
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(Above) A private living space, replete with master suite and an open-concept kitchen and living area, was designed to give the homeowner privacy while also allowing her to enjoy the rest of the first floor. (Left) The homeowner chose vibrant Turkish tiles in a red, white and blue design for her kitchen backsplash.
An avid cook, she also insisted on having a full kitchen, not just a kitchenette. “We wanted to offer her the maximum living and storage space that we could in light of her substantial downsize,” says Cathy Kert, whose certification in Aging in Place proved to be an asset. “The space gives [the homeowner] independent living and privacy but also gives her the opportunity to welcome her large family over.” All of the first floor is universally designed and includes three-foot-wide doors easily navigated by a walker or wheelchair, should it ever be needed. Both kitchens were designed by Kert in collaboration with Lisa Steers of Mid-Cape Home Centers’ Martha’s Vineyard location. Their aim was to deliver a built-in furniture look using semi-custom cabinetry kicked up a notch with a few custom features. While the all-white apartment kitchen sports the Medallion line of cabinetry, in the main kitchen
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CASE STUDY #21 DESIGN On Time CONSTRUCTION On Budget MOVE IN As Scheduled the bad weather, “ Despite Integrata completed our project
New Homes + Additions + Remodeling
ahead of schedule with a feat of consummate organization. I could not recommend a design/build firm more highly. – MONICA, HOMEOWNER
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508.495.6575 View more projects at: www.INTEGRATA-AC.com
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a higher-end line, Dura-Supreme, was chosen and finished in a very soft gray-green custom color. Here, arched toe kicks and strategically placed beadboard accents are details that aesthetically elevate the room, along with vintage-style pendant lights sourced from Australia by the homeowner. There is also a custom black-and-white backsplash with a soft green border behind the range from Tessa Morgan of Flying Pig Pottery, just down the road in Woods Hole. Flooded with light, the home’s central living spaces are designed to accommodate large gatherings; a number of relatives live nearby. But for the fourth, fifth and sixth generations of the family who now live here year-round, it’s the reminiscences that spring from these gatherings that will matter most. “The house has so many memories for me and my two sons,” says the homeowner. “This was an emotional investment.”
(Right) Each of the homeowner’s young granddaughters has her own second-floor bedroom. (Below) Maximizing every inch of space, Andrew Borgese designed a reading nook under the stairs for the grandchildren.
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photograph by Michael J. Lee
photography by Dee Sullivan
AUTHENTIC · ORIGINAL · HYGGE cathykertinteriors.com
| 508-743-7711 |
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Faces of Falmouth BY CHRISTOPHER K AZARIAN PHOTOGR APHY BY MICHAEL PE TRIZZO
Fine art digital painting by Michael Petrizzo
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Falmouth is home to beautiful beaches, great restaurants, a thriving nightlife and an abundance of family-friendly activities. But it’s the people who make Falmouth such a special place. We had a chance to sit down with five locals — Annie Hart Cool, Chuck Martinsen, Bruce Strickrott, and Mindy and Ron Reasonover — who epitomize the best of this Upper Cape community. They are all talented, daring, driven, and have achieved success in their respective careers. Most importantly, they all care about the impact they are having, not only locally, but globally as well.
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Mindy and Ron Reasonover
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The first thing you notice when you walk into Mindy and Ronnie Reasonover’s East Falmouth home is the bright, vivid colors—a welcoming “enviRonniement” that embodies the fun-loving spirit of its owners. But it wasn’t always this way. When the two met in 1998, just three years after Ronnie’s first wife, Paula, died, his artwork “was black, dark, scary,” Mindy says. “I’m not kidding. Then I was with him for a while and everything he was painting was blue, only shades of blue… Then all of the sudden it turned crazy.” Crazy—the good kind—is an apt metaphor for the gregarious pair whose paintings are awash in an assortment of vibrant hues, tones and shades that make it feel as if it’s summer year-round. “This is the only place you can live like a pirate and get away with it,” Ronnie says of the Cape. “It is the feeling I get here. It feels old. We still have winding roads and old houses as old as the state, which is cool.” If the Reasonovers are modern-day pirates, then Cape Cod is their ship and their art is the treasure. The couple’s adventures on the figurative high seas of creativity began around the time they were first introduced to each other by Ronnie’s brother-in-law nearly a quarter century ago. At the time, Ronnie was living in Natick, the owner of a window, siding and door remodeling company, after having spent a fouryear career in the minor leagues with the Detroit Tigers, Philadelphia Phillies and Atlanta Braves that ended in 1981. “Everybody in my family played professional baseball; my oldest and youngest brothers played,” says Ronnie, who was born in Nashville. “My dad [Robert] played for the Brooklyn Dodgers and was a scout for the Mets.” As for Mindy, she was balancing raising a family in Holliston with selling real estate and Tupperware when she took an art class that eventually led her to launch Color Your World, an interior painting company. Initially, its focus was faux finishing, which expanded
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into murals when she offered to create one in a client’s bathroom. It was a white picket fence with hydrangeas—a motif that has become prevalent in her work. “That first mural was like, ‘Whoa, I did that. I hope they like it,’’’ she says. “They were like, ‘Oh my god, we love this.’ That gave me the confidence to move along.” Those murals eventually found their way to the Cape—they can be found in a number of Falmouth homes as well as businesses, including La Cucina Sul Mare on Main Street—when she and Ronnie moved here and got married just 10 days before 9/11. Since arriving in Falmouth, the Reasonovers’ art has blossomed. They have their own distinct styles. Mindy is known for her striking depiction of flowers— hydrangeas, lilacs, sunflowers and hollyhocks— often in a Cape Cod setting. Ronnie deftly jumps from hand-painted wood carvings—sharks, whales, squid and even life preservers—to bold paintings that typically depict cityscapes as well as Cape Cod and Florida scenes with buildings that have a Seussian feel. “Color, color, color,” Ronnie says when asked to describe his style. “Sunsets, early mornings, solitude. I try to put you in a place where you feel like you’re asleep and in kind of a relaxing place.” Since last year, the pair have showcased their work in the quaint village of West Falmouth, across from the West Falmouth Market. Here at The Village Gallery, Mindy also shares her talents by leading weekly painting classes. “I love it,” she says. “I didn’t know I could paint until I was 35. I love being able to pass it on to people…I am self-taught. That’s how I learned and I’m still learning every day.” It’s a similar approach for Ronnie, who equates art to his first career. “I am trying out every day,” he says. “It is like baseball.” “It is practice every day,” Mindy adds. “I love it. It is therapy. When you’re painting, you’re not thinking about anything else except the painting. That is where you are.”
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Chuck Martinsen COMMUNIT Y LEADER
Do we choose our jobs or do they choose us? In Chuck Martinsen’s case, it’s a little of both, which may explain why he has continued to work for the Town of Falmouth since he was first hired as a dock mate in the Harbor Master’s Office while a high school student in 1993. Twenty-seven years later, Martinsen has made his way up the ranks, currently serving as the Deputy Director of Marine and Environmental Services, a position he has held since 2013. “I’m around what I love all the time,” he says, in reference to the outdoors. Whether for hobby—he is an avid hunter, fisherman, hiker, tracker, shellfisherman and boater—or for work, Martinsen has his feet firmly planted in nature. “There is a link between what I do for passion and what I do for my job, and they overlap,” he says. His line of work has other perks, too. Working outdoors, “I get a ton of exercise. I’m constantly moving...and it keeps you healthy and in shape,” he says. But there’s another reason why Martinsen has remained with the town for so long—he can make a meaningful difference in this place he calls home. “One of the reasons I’ve enjoyed working at the local level is you really have the ability to serve the community you’re living in, which is a wonderful thing,” he explains. His impact can be witnessed both on land and water. On Bay Road Extension in North Falmouth, Martinsen oversaw a $700,000 federally funded reconstruction of a herring run that was first built during the Works Progress Administration in the 1930s. “One interesting thing about it is we thought we were replacing a herring run, but in actuality, it replaced an American eel run, which also had herring in it,” he says. As Falmouth’s shellfish warden, Martinsen oversees the town’s aquaculture program, which he estimates is one of the largest municipal shellfish programs in the country. “We grow everything from scallops, oysters, quahogs, and we’ve done some recent work with razor clams.” The program helps bolster community involvement with roughly 5,000 volunteer hours committed annually to ensuring its success. Prior to the start of the pandemic, Martinsen initiated a new training program, teaching female inmates how to build shellfish gear, in partnership with the Barnstable County Sheriff’s Office. Over the years, Martinsen’s department has worked with inmates who have helped build the town’s upweller program, where shellfish are raised, and install farms in several of Falmouth’s estuaries. While the relationship has benefitted the town, Martinsen says, it has given inmates job training skills in an industry that is only expected to grow.
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Martinsen’s first Town ID
“It’s really been one of the most rewarding parts of the job to see some of the inmates just kind of get it,” he says. This type of compassion isn’t surprising for those who know Martinsen. Despite his size—he strikes an imposing figure at 6'6" and 255 pounds—he has found ways to quietly give back to others. Martinsen’s generosity was on full display three years ago when he joined a team of nine, led by his high school friend Jake Levenson, in assisting the Caribbean island Dominica after it was devastated by Hurricane Maria. “My job was ensuring the security of the packages and the individuals on the trip,” he says. He also played the role of fundraiser, helping the group raise roughly $280,000 in aid for the tiny country. “It was a tremendous experience and probably one of the greater accomplishments in my life,” he says. His greatest accomplishment happened last October when he and his wife Brittney welcomed their first child, Finn, into their lives. One of the lessons Martinsen will teach Finn when he gets older is the importance of perseverance. As a kid, Martinsen struggled with dyslexia. “I was diagnosed when I was nine years old and went to a school called Landmark School in Beverly,” he says. “I had a humbling childhood, but I had teachers who were really good to me…Landmark gave me the tools I needed to succeed.” In 2001, Martinsen earned a bachelor of science degree from Westfield State College. Five years later, he earned a master’s degree in public administration from Suffolk University. “I feel very blessed to have dyslexia,” he says. “As much as it has been a challenge, as I’m hitting the latter half of my career, it has helped me out more than it has kept me back.”
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Annie Hart Cool
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COMMUNIT Y LEADER
Pigeonholing Annie Hart Cool is nearly impossible. She’s a Realtor, a storyteller, a theater director, an actress, an avid bicyclist, an unofficial camp counselor, a Katharine Lee Bates impersonator and a justice of the peace. It’s that last role she put to good use in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic when she officiated a wedding unlike any other, marrying Wanda Sylvia and Thomas “Mike” Betti outside his East Falmouth home at the beginning of April. She stood 10 feet away from the happy couple; more than a dozen guests watched from their cars or the front yard, all maintaining social distancing etiquette. “Love endures,” Cool wrote on her Facebook page afterwards. “Love is indomitable.” Less than a month earlier, before the quarantine was put in place, Cool sat in her kitchen listing all the ways she has become a beacon of goodwill since moving to Falmouth nearly four decades ago. Cool grew up in Princeton, Massachusetts, the youngest of five siblings. Their father, Dan, died of a heart attack at the age of 56, leaving behind their mother, Priscilla. “My dad died when I was eight,” Cool says. “My mother was a phenomenal human being. She did everything, so my expectation was I should do everything.” The statement embodies Cool’s multitasking nature, a trait she undoubtedly inherited. After graduating from Wachusett Regional High School in 1976, Cool went as far away as possible—Ripon College in Wisconsin—to study nursing. While she eventually returned home, receiving her Bachelor of Science in social work from Fitchburg State in 1980, she was able to parlay her infectious laugh into stardom while in the Midwest. “[Wisconsin] is where I got discovered,” she says. “They used my laugh on the laugh track for TV shows,” before they eventually transitioned to live audiences. Turn on TV Land today and there’s a good chance you’ll hear her laughter on shows that include “All in
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the Family” and “Mork & Mindy.” While she no longer gets paid to laugh, humor has remained a constant throughout her life that has seen her serve as a nanny for actress Sunny Griffin and newscaster Rick Wagner’s children; a social worker at Gosnold; the executive director of the Arts Foundation of Cape Cod; and the executive director of the Armed Services YMCA at Camp Edwards. At that last job, she met her husband, Mark, a now-retired air traffic controller. The pair have been together 27 years and will celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary in June. This year also marks Annie’s 25th anniversary as a Realtor, the last nine of which have been at Sotheby’s International Realty. “I like the marriage of house and people,” she says. The stage has also been a huge part of Annie’s life. She’s performed in countless plays at the Falmouth Theatre Guild, Buzzards Bay Playhouse, Barnstable Comedy Club and Your Theatre in New Bedford, as well as offBroadway in New York City. These days, Cool has assumed more of a behind-the-scenes role at the Woods Hole Theater Company, where she’s directed numerous plays and organizes its “Tales & Anecdotes” storytelling series. “In so many ways, it is an outlet,” she says of theater. “It is a positive in a negative world and it is a way to be creative and get outside yourself. I love helping people get outside themselves.” If you think that Annie is always on the go—helping someone, giving back somewhere, rallying around a cause—you’re not wrong. This spring, while observing a statewide shelter-in-place advisory, she assisted photographer Lee Geishecker in capturing outdoor portraits of 230 Cape Cod residents—all to raise money for the Falmouth Service Center. When you’re Annie, life is about bringing people together, even when the rules dictate we should be six feet apart.
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Bruce Strickrott DEEP-SEA EXPLORER While his travels on land have led to once-in-a-lifetime events, they don’t compare to his adventures at the bottom of the ocean. Since joining the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution’s (WHOI) Alvin Group in 1996, Strickrott is nearing 400 dives in the deep-ocean research submersible that is renowned for locating a misplaced hydrogen bomb off the coast of Spain in 1966, its 1986 underwater exploration of the RMS Titanic, and its investigation of the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. The connection between Strickrott and the Alvin dates back to 1964, the same year the two were born; the sub is six months older than its counterpart who serves as the vehicle’s senior pilot and the manager of the Alvin Group. The history of the machine, named after WHOI engineer and geophysicist Allyn Vine, is not lost on Strickrott. “What I’m doing is carrying on the legacy of people who started the program in the 60s and it’s a big honor for me to do that,” he says. Strickrott, a US Navy veteran, completed his first dive off Bermuda in 1997, one year after he graduated from
© WOODS HOLE OCE ANOGR APHIC INSTITUTION, LUIS L AMAR
Bruce Strickrott has long lived the life of a nomad, immersing himself in singular experiences that embody the human spirit. For more than a decade, he spent eight months out of the year at sea and the remainder traveling the country in his Jeep CJ7. He avoided the highways, exploring America the way it was meant to be explored, along the back roads. He’d couch surf with friends and family, and camp in relatively remote locations like the north side of the Columbia River Gorge, against the backdrop of Mt. Rainier in Washington. “When I was there, I noticed a sign that said, ‘Stonehenge’ with an arrow pointing up and thought, ‘How could I miss that?’” he recalls. Maryhill Stonehenge is a full-scale replica of Stonehenge—a monument to the local soldiers who died in World War I—set on a bluff overlooking the Columbia gorge. Then there was the time he flipped a coin to see whether he should backpack across Europe or learn how to fly a plane. “I ended up going to San Diego for a month and a half and learned how to fly,” he says.
After launching from the RV Atlantis, two support swimmers work to remove safety lines from the sub’s science basket.
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views on life. “Life is short, but it’s wonderful,” he says. “It is about following your dreams and finding joy in one’s occupation…Having a job you love is fun and a gift, and about answering the question, ‘What is it we’re meant to do?’” It is why Strickrott spent 11 years traveling the country when not at sea. In 2007, he settled down in Denver before moving to Falmouth four years later. “I’m still learning and still exploring and finding all the secret places on the Cape,” he says. Over the next year, he’ll have more opportunities to do just that as the Alvin undergoes an $8 million upgrade, enabling it to expand its reach from 14,800 feet to 21,325 feet. When complete, it will allow Strickrott, who was born outside of Washington, D.C., and raised in Clifton Park, New York, a chance to go where he always dreamed of going as a kid. “I always knew I wanted to do something extraordinary. I fantasized about being an astronaut,” he says. “When you’re a kid, you remember going out to the yard and seeing something new, like a rock or a tree laying on the ground, and wanting to see what is underneath. Every kid is an explorer. Every kid is a scientist. Why do we give that up when we’re older? I don’t think we should.”
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Florida Atlantic University with a bachelor’s degree in ocean engineering. “It was before I started in pilot training,” he recalls. “It was a shallow dive, about 500 meters, as part of a sea trial. We landed in the mud at the bottom of the ocean. Now that I know what the rest of the ocean looks like, it wouldn’t have been that inspiring, but for being my first opportunity to do it, it was amazing.” In his office at WHOI, Strickrott has a cobalt blue bottle recovered by then-pilot Matt Heintz, a reminder of his first trip in the 20-foot-long vehicle that can fit three people underwater. “Every time I take someone new down there, I know they will have a life-altering experience,” he says. “They will never see the ocean the same, and [they] have a much better appreciation of man’s scope in where we are relative to it all.” In March, Strickrott’s team returned from a trip to the Gulf of Mexico where the Alvin was diving on methane seep sites as part of research to better understand the biology that exists there. “The first dive, we were at a brine pool—you have to imagine a lake at the bottom of the ocean, and it looks really cool,” he says. “It’s pretty much like being on a different planet.” These travels to awe-inspiring places have informed his
The Atlantis, owned by U.S. Navy and operated by WHOI, is one of the most sophisticated research vessels afloat.
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FINE ART PHOTOGR APHY Preserve memories with personal portraits that endure for decades to come. I specialize in beach portraiture, or any setting that is special to you and your family, as well as fine art classical studio portraits. Expert photography and fine art production services for your personal and professional needs, based in Falmouth, Cape Cod, MA.
350 Gifford Street | Falmouth | mikepetrizzoart@gmail.com | 860-209-1990 | petrizzofineart.com
On the Light Side 5 must-try lunch spots serving up healthy bites
BY VERONICA NETO
Falmouth has an abundance of eateries to choose from when that midday hunger hits. But when lunchtime calls for lighter, healthier menu options, these restaurants deliver with fresh ingredients, scratch cooking and menus that accommodate special dietary needs, from gluten free to vegetarian.
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P H OTO S: L E E G E I S H E C K E R
Eat Your Heart Out Cafe & Gourmet Market 587 MAIN STREET It was almost 20 years ago that chef and owner Sean Dailey started his award-winning catering service, Eat Your Heart Out Catering. Although the business was a bona fide success, catering to weddings and corporate functions, from Falmouth to Provincetown, Dailey wanted to do even more to serve his community. Last September, he and his wife opened a cafe and gourmet market on Main Street. “My wife and I wanted to open up the retail aspect of it, a farm-to-table concept, as much local as we can get here on Cape Cod,” says Dailey. Chef Dailey’s personal approach to customer service along with a versatile and frequently updated menu make Eat Your Heart Out Cafe & Gourmet Market a standout. If customers would like to order a sandwich off a past menu, he’ll gladly make it for them. And if a customer is looking for a healthy lunch option that is easily customized, Dailey has a handy recommendation: try one of their cold bowls. Their best-selling Greek Power Bowl features chicken, spiced chickpeas, barley, artichoke, feta, tomato, cucumber, onion and pepper with a lemon oregano yogurt dressing. Dailey designed the open concept cafe space to have a hometown feel. Whether you are dining in or ordering carryout, the cafe’s ambiance is just as welcoming as its owners and staff. “I have a passion for people and food,” says Dailey. “You’ve got to be present to be successful.”
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Southwest salad
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Bog Salad with green apple, cranberries, mixed greens, crunchy sprouts, a goat cheese crostini topper with an apple-cranberry vinaigrette.
Pickle Jar Kitchen The Pickle Jar Kitchen is beloved by visitors and locals alike. The restaurant, located in a historic building in downtown Falmouth, has a cozy and comfortable neighborhood feel ideal for meeting up with friends and enjoying a fresh cup of coffee or one of their delectable “sammies” with a housemade pickle. Co-owned by longtime friends Benjamin and Cassandra Gallant and Elisabeth Lay, the Pickle Jar is open daily for breakfast and lunch. “People think we are super healthy, but we do have pancakes and pastries,” says Casey with a laugh. Their menu has plenty of choices for everyone, including those who would prefer a healthier option, such as the Bog Salad, a Cape Cod classic with green apple, cranberries, mixed greens, crunchy sprouts, a goat cheese crostini topper and apple-cranberry vinaigrette. “There’s food for almost every person, from vegetarian to a pulled-pork dish,” says Elisabeth. For the Pickle Jar Kitchen, food has always been at a top priority, but Falmouth’s tight-knit community and their friendly staff remain the heart and soul of the business. “I don’t want to say we’re like the show ‘Cheers,’ but we kind of are,” says Cassandra. “You know everybody by name and it’s a nice sense of community.”
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V E R O N I C A N E TO
170 MAIN STREET
Bean & Cod 145 MAIN STREET
P H OTO S: V E R O N I C A N E TO
Quality ingredients and simple home-style cooking are the secrets behind Bean & Cod’s longstanding appeal. “Everything comes right out of the kitchen,” says owner Steve Vannerson. It’s all very clean products.” For 12 years, the Main Street cafe has been serving praiseworthy fare, from homemade soups and fresh salads to specialty sandwiches and comfort foods. One of their most popular menu items—and a must-try next time you visit—is a homemade chicken salad sandwich with greens in a whole wheat wrap. To give customers even more healthy options to choose from, Vannerson frequently offers vegan and gluten-free menu specials. “Our customers are looking for a good, healthy lunch, reasonable price, and food that they can trust,” says Vannerson, all of which can be found at Bean & Cod.
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Le Bon Jour 420 E . FALMOUTH HIGHWAY Mamadou Dia Diagne’s journey to Cape Cod From Senegal, West Africa, seemed as far-fetched to him as becoming a chef. Yet one unplanned and life-altering trip later, combined with a flash of insight, led him to open Le Bon Jour with his business partner, Mamadou Ly, in February 2019. “People needed something different yet familiar. They needed a spot where they could eat healthy, exotic and flavorful dishes,” Dia Diagne recounts. The East Falmouth eatery specializes in international food. You’ll find everything from spicy gumbo soup and fresh salads to healthy grain bowls layered with flavors from all over the world. Try the Thai Buddha bowl made with either rice or quinoa and cauliflower, broccoli, fingerling potatoes, red curry sauce, crushed peanuts and charred pineapple, or their Mediterranean bowl, with rice or quinoa, falafel, hummus, Moroccan tomato, cucumber, lettuce, pita bread and tahini dressing. Dia Diagne also showcases a variety of West African spices in his dishes, including the Mediterranean, Mexican and Italian bowls. Dia Diagne says he is looking forward to summer, when he hopes to introduce more African comfort food specials to hungry diners. “If you’re looking for a little bit of everything,” he says, “this is the place to be.”
(Above) Farro and Apple Salad with kale, roasted sweet potatoes, crispy shallots, pecans and shaved Parmesan with an apple cider vinaigrette.
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Devour Artisan Eatery 352 MAIN STREET, #3 Combine fresh, quality ingredients with creative and inclusive menu items and you have Devour Artisan Eatery. In August 2019, husband-and-wife team Aanjes and Hollis Hershfield opened the artisanal breakfast and lunch spot in Falmouth’s Library Square with a goal of giving customers a unique dining experience. “The biggest thing for me was how could we make delicious food that appeals to everyone?” says Aanjes Hershfield, who, like her husband, grew up eating a plant-based diet. While there are artful sandwiches that will satisfy a meateaters appetite, Devour Artisan Eatery is also proud to offer vegan and vegetarian dishes. “Being able to give experiences to people who wouldn’t necessarily gravitate towards something like tofu is great,” says Aanjes. That includes workmen, who after a long morning, will order the divinely delicious “Goddess,” a tofu sandwich mixed with vegetables in a toasted sprouted wheat bread.
The Goddess with crispy pan-seared tofu, mixed greens, heirloom cherry tomatoes, red onions, pickles and avocado on toasted sourdough bread.
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UNIQUE BOUTIQUE Local clothing retailers offer personal, curated shopping experiences along with a sense of community. BY JANICE R ANDALL ROHLF
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Until recently, the process of choosing a shopping destination, browsing new merchandise and trying things on satisfied a side of me that gets pleasure from planting myself in a world of color, texture, style and design. The joy of conversation with a fellow shopper or the business owner made shopping less about transactions and more about social interaction. These three Falmouth boutiques share that mindset. Temporarily forced to pivot due to COVID-19, they are excited about reopening their doors to the community, a gesture that goes way beyond selling you a piece of clothing.
Last June, Lisa Sue Smedberg realized her dream of opening Story, a specialty shop on Main Street in Falmouth that offers a tightly curated collection of women’s clothing and fine objects, like handcrafted pottery and jewelry.
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S TORY.
Smedberg has created a warm and welcoming shopping environment full of exquisitely styled pieces from niche American and European designers.
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isa Sue Smedberg opened her jewel-box specialty shop last year on June 14, her birthday, with the notion of creating “the atmosphere of a living room.” Her bittersweet-colored velvet couch (not for sale) is a comfortable place to perch as you consider the tightly curated collection of women’s clothing from niche American and European designers. Framed pages from some of Smedberg’s favorite books adorn the wall above a rack of exquisitely styled pieces like a fitted, bow-back trench coat,
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opposite which pima cotton tees brandish tastefully embroidered inspirational sayings. They are unique but wearable pieces that resonate with women of all ages, promote sustainable fashion, and offer a balance between quality and price. There’s another kind of balance that concerns Smedberg, who has been coming to Falmouth since the 1980s and now lives here full-time. “It’s not always about the clothing,” says the well-traveled former advertising professional. “The space FALMOUTH LIVING • 2020
“ I t ’s not always about the clothing... The space is a launching pad for other connections.” — Lisa Sue Smedberg
Story specializes in unique but wearable clothing that resonates with women of all ages.
is a launching pad for other connections.” She is well on her way to cultivating Story as a community gathering space, albeit a small one. At an invitation-only event last fall, 30 local women enjoyed wine and cheese while listening to Falmouth native Andrew Maggiore discuss Fashion Feng Shui, a holistic dressing practice to discover your true essence and choose a wardrobe that’s in sync with your energy style. For the holidays, wine expert Becky Sue Epstein presented a champagne tasting. FALMOUTHLIVINGMAG.COM
Through these events (there are more to come) Smedberg observes, “Women are meeting like-minded people, exchanging business cards, finding their tribe. “Sometimes the world can feel polarizing,” she continues. With Story (so-named because “What you wear is as interesting as what you’re doing”), the goal is to write a new chapter about the importance of community. That there’s cool clothing, too, doesn’t hurt.
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UNDERGROUND FA SHI ON
With her up-to-the-minute fashion savvy and empathic personality, Palmer (above) is a welcome sounding board for her clients.
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ff the beaten path both physically and conceptually, Nicole Palmer’s boutique in Falmouth’s Homeport office complex appeals to women who not only want clothing they won’t find elsewhere but who also like the idea of being in on a secret. Now three years old, Underground Fashion has been “discovered” but continues to attract the same kind of clientele who would prefer, say, an indie film star over a Hollywood A-lister. Palmer maintains
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the cachet by bringing in the type of clothing she became familiar with during several years as a contemporary fashion buyer specializing in European labels. “For me, it doesn’t matter where your store is located,” says Falmouth resident Palmer, who was born in Seoul, has lived throughout Asia and has traveled extensively in Great Britain and France. “My clients become regular customers because they’re comfortable here. It’s not about the location, it’s about FALMOUTH LIVING • 2020
“ My clients become regular customers because they ’re comfortable here. It ’s not about the location, it ’s about what you provide.” — Nicole Palmer
Palmer (left), a self-described skincare addict, recently added a curated selection of skincare products to her list of offerings at Underground Fashion.
what you provide.” With her up-to-the-minute fashion savvy and empathic personality, Palmer is a sounding board for her clients who, she says, are always looking for something new. Take her recent foray into skincare products, for example, which is a result of hearing women in her store say how frustrating it is to single out a skincare product from the vast selection of creams, cleansers, serums and the like on the market. “I filter [the choices] for them,” says Palmer, a FALMOUTHLIVINGMAG.COM
self-described skincare fanatic who has tried a multitude of products and especially likes, and carries, Dr. Barbara Sturm Molecular Cosmetics line. “If I sell a brand, I always go to their institute to learn about it,” says Palmer, adding that buying online is fine if you already know or use a brand. “People come in here to discuss their particular skin issues, and they’re not going to remedy the situation with an online order.”
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Holiday horses (left) pass by Puritan Cape Cod on Main Street in Falmouth.
PURI TAN CAPE COD
The Penns (above) make a toast at Puritan Cape Cod’s centennial celebration last year. (Below) Puritan offers custom embroidery services.
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“
’d rather make a friend than make a sale.” Puritan Cape Cod founder Abraham Penn’s attestation has resonated throughout the 100-year-old clothing company’s history and is at the core of its customer service ethos today, a time when it’s hard to believe a retail operation of its breadth and caliber would eschew online transactions. In Falmouth, just like at its Hyannis flagship store and other two Cape outposts, service to the community is second only to service to the customers who walk through the door.
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Shop off the rack (above ) or invest in one of Puritan’s custom shirts (below), and choose your own fabric, buttons, collar and sleeve styles. (Left) Eileen Fisher is one of many designer collections that can be found at Puritan Cape Cod.
For Gwynne Stifler, manager of both the Falmouth and Mashpee locations, and her staff, it’s important to “make sure we’re a friend and neighbor as well as [a salesperson.].” So, while keeping track of customers’ apparel preferences is top of mind (and Puritan has a well-orchestrated system to do this), so is paying attention to a customer’s dedication to a worthy cause. Puritan works with many local organizations to host benefit shopping parties where a portion of the sales is donated to a particular Cape Cod nonprofit. FALMOUTH LIVING • 2020
(Above) Complimentary gift wrapping with a smile. (Below) The Puritan Falmouth location
(Above) Puritan Cape Cod has its own print magazine. (Below) Customers can now shop Puritan’s online store for fashionable items, including jewelry by Julie Vos.
(Above) Puritan offers custom, made-to-measure clothing, from suits and shirts to sport coats and pants. (Below) The Vineyard Vines whale makes an appearance at Puritan Cape Cod’s Chatham location.
“ I’d rather make a friend than make a sale.” — Abraham Penn
All Puritan stores carry both men’s and women’s clothing, though not all locations carry all the same brands. Women can find Eileen Fisher and Bella Dahl separates, for example, in Falmouth, and if you have your eye on a particular piece from Lafayette 148, it can be brought in from Hyannis the next day for you to try on “in the comfort of your own neighborhood,” says Stifler. Puritan’s personal touch (they often send thankFALMOUTHLIVINGMAG.COM
you notes) sometimes extends to easing some of their longtime customers into trying something new. It’s all about getting to know her customers, notes Stifler, which can’t be done “if they’re on the other side of a computer.” “Earn the Relationship” has been Puritan’s mission for the last 100 years. “It’s one thing to have a mission statement,” says Stifler. “It’s another thing to actually live it.”
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In an effort to curb the spread of the coronavirus, many summer and early fall events have been postponed or cancelled. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t fun things to do, see and learn. These organizations have managed to innovate and adapt to the current climate, and are providing a variety of online activities designed Tip Visit websites for to inspire, educate and the latest event news entertain while practicing and reopening updates. social distancing. 106
Take an Online Art Class
FALMOUTH ART CENTER There’s never been a better time to pursue an interest in making art. Falmouth Art Center hosts a variety of classes via Zoom so you can learn at home. Offerings include drawing and painting in many media—including pastels, acrylics, and watercolors—and styles, from landscape and still life to abstract. The Center also features weaving and pottery classes, and some just for children. Whether your skills lie at the beginner or advanced level, or somewhere in between, you’ll find current and future listings at falmouthart.org
TO O M A N Y M A R G U R I TA S, BY L I N DA FA R M E R , O I L O N C A N VA S
C O LO R W H E E L PA I N T I N G, BY M E L L I S S A M O R R I S , M I X E D M E D I A O N PA P E R , 18 ” X 2 0 ” / C O U R T E S Y O F FA L M O U T H A R T C E N T E R
EVENTS CALENDAR: Home Edition
View an Art Exhibit HIGHFIELD HALL
A juried art show produced by Art Because..., “60/60: Over Sixty Pieces of Art by Women Over Sixty” explores the experience of what it’s like to be an artist and a woman who has lived through the last 60 years. Through a diverse collection of viewpoints, in a variety of artistic media, this exhibit delves into what women artists over 60 would like to say to the world through their art. A gallery of selected artworks from the exhibit is now online, ahead of its original July 1 in-house opening (which had not been officially cancelled at press time). highfieldhallandgardens.org
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Attend a Virtual Festival WOODS HOLE FILM FESTIVAL
The show must go on! The 29th annual Woods Hole Film Festival will continue to deliver on its commitment to present the best independent films from emerging filmmakers from around the world. But this year it will be a virtual experience. From July 25 to August 1, the Woods Hole Film Festival will hold film screenings and live events via video and web conferencing, including Q&As with filmmakers, workshops and panel discussions, screenplay winner reading, awards presentation and much more. If public health and safety guidelines allow, WHFF may also include Woods Hole-based in-person events. For pricing and event info, visit woodsholefilmfestival.org.
Join a Community Walk
Run in a Virtual Race THE NEW BALANCE FALMOUTH ROAD RACE
The New Balance Falmouth Road Race, a world-class running event that typically attracts more than 12,000 runners and 75,000 spectators each year, is going virtual this summer. For the 48th running of the iconic race, registered participants will run, walk or jog 7 miles in their own neighborhoods between August 15 and August 29. Registration is open until August 15, with the first 5,000 entrants offered a guaranteed spot in the 2021 New Balance Falmouth Road Race. To register or to learn more about this year’s event, visit falmouthroadrace.com
THE 1ST VIRTUAL FALMOUTH WALK
A summer tradition for 30 years, the Falmouth Walk will host its first virtual walk on August 15, where registered participants create their own 5k course. As a fun addition to the event, walkers who submit their personal route to falmouthwalk@falmouthwalk.org by September 1, 2020, have a chance to win a free entry to the 2021 Falmouth Walk. A free entry to next year’s Walk will also be given to the most creative route submitted, as judged by co-founder Eddie Doyle. Visit falmouthwalk.org to learn more.
Take Private Online Music Lessons CAPE CONSERVATORY
Have you ever wanted to pick up an instrument but didn’t know where to start? Or, would you like to hone your playing skills? The Cape Conservatory now offers online music lessons to students of all ages and skill levels. Their expert instructors connect with students via a computer, tablet or smartphone, making it possible to take music lessons from anywhere in the world. For details and tuition costs, visit capeconservatory.org. Joe Magnant, of Cape Conservatory, teaches an online music class.
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Beaches
OF FALMOUTH
Explore the beautiful beaches and warm waters of Falmouth. The town’s public beaches include an inland freshwater pond and miles of sandy shoreline that hug the coasts of Buzzards Bay and Vineyard Sound. BRISTOL BEACH
Menauhant Rd. Quiet spot in Falmouth Heights overlooking Vineyard Sound. Beach sticker required for parking
CHAPOQUOIT BEACH
Chapoquoit Rd. Secluded; a favorite among families and windsurfers. Beach sticker required for parking
FALMOUTH HEIGHTS BEACH
Grand Ave. One of the longest and most popular beaches in town. Parking is limited and beach sticker is required
GREW’S POND BEACH
Gifford St. Located in Goodwill Park off Gifford Street this is a fresh water pond with a nice sandy beach. Volleyball courts and barbeque grills. No sticker required
MEGANSETT BEACH
County Rd. Small beach in Megansett Harbor - parking limited and beach sticker required
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MENAUHANT BEACH
Menauhant Rd. * The longest beach in Falmouth, located on Vineyard Sound, is divided into an east and west side by a tidal stream that connects Bournes Pond to Vineyard Sound. Beach sticker required, or a one-day fee of $10
OLD SILVER BEACH
Quaker Rd. * Overlooks Buzzard Bay, features soft sand, sand bars and shallow water. Season sticker or daily entry fee of $20
STONEY BEACH
Gosnold Rd. Located in Woods Hole Village - parking limited and beach sticker required
SURF DRIVE BEACH
Surf Drive Rd. * Close walk to Falmouth Center - picturesque views of Martha’s Vineyard and Nobska Light beach sticker required or a one-day fee of $15 or $10, fee paid at Mill Pond
WOOD NECK BEACH
off Sippewissett Rd. Shallow, bayside waters. Ideal for families with children - beach sticker required
Public parking available (*indicates fee) Note: all beaches require beach sticker to park unless noted. Handicap accessible/ beach wheelchairs available Lifeguard Concessions Mobile concession/ ice cream truck Grilling/picnic area Sanitary facilities Bath house Swimming lessons Additional Information: Town of Falmouth Beach Department 508-548-8623 falmouthmass.us
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FALMOUTH
G LF CAPE COD COUNTRY CLUB
PAUL HARNEY GOLF CLUB
THE CAPE CLUB
The club is on the border of Coonamessett Pond, an 18-hole championship golf course open to the public. The course was laid out with an interesting variety of undulating fairways and subtly-sloped greens wandering through a landscape with charming vistas of lakes and woods.
Since its opening in 1967, thousands of golfers from professionals to beginners have been challenged by the executive style par 60 course. From the championship tees, the course measures just over 3,600 yards. The course features undulating terrain, rolling greens, and fairways lined with native pines and oaks.
The golf experience at The Cape Club promises to be one of the best in the region after undergoing an expansive transformation that included all new green complexes, expanded playing corridors, new/re-contoured fairways and more.
48 Theater Drive, Hatchville 508-563-9842 capecodcountryclub.com
FALMOUTH COUNTRY CLUB
630 Carriage Shop Rd., East Falmouth 508-548-3211 falmouthcountryclub.com
D O U G L A S L E V Y P H OTO G R A P H Y
Whether you’re a seasoned golfer or a novice duffer, Falmouth offers a choice of courses to fit your skill level and style of play.
Falmouth Country Club is known as a local favorite around the Upper Cape. Our flat terrain, lush fairways and our immaculate greens will bring out the best in your game! We have 27 holes of golf that the whole family may enjoy!
74 Club Valley Drive, East Falmouth 508-563-3454 paulharneygolfcourse.com
TGC AT SACCONNESSET 132 Falmouth Woods Road East Falmouth 508-457-7200
Our Club combines the natural beauty of an award-winning golf course designed by Rees Jones with a relaxed atmosphere of friendship and hospitality, creating an exceptional golf experience. Our members and their guests receive the highest level of personalized service and attention upon each visit to the Club.
125 Falmouth Woods Road, Falmouth 508-540-4005 capeclubresort.com
WOODS HOLE GOLF CLUB 130 Quissett Avenue, Falmouth 508-540-1899 woodsholegolfclub.com
A private club for almost twelve decades. Player accuracy has been a premium requirement of the game at this purposefully links-style golf course. Fescue-lined fairways and subtly undulating greens create a golf course that can play differently every round, regardless of handicap.
Woods Hole Golf Club
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ONE OF THE FINEST LOCAL RESTAURANTS
Where Asian Fusion and Japanese Style Sushi are Taken to the Next Level Downtown Falmouth Chatham 110
295 Main Street
513 Main Street
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774-763-6421
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bluefinschatham
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bluefinsfalmouth.com
bluefinschatham.com
bluefinssushi
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FALMOUTH
Restaurant Guide
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RESTAURANT GUIDE
A romantic dinner at sunset. Relaxing at a brew pub with your best buds. Seaside fish and chips or lobster rolls. Discovering ethnic cuisines. Takeout breakfast and lunch specialties. Whatever your dining pleasure, you’ll find it in Falmouth. Check out our list to discover your perfect meal.
THE 41-70
71 Water St., Woods Hole 508-457-3100 Causal waterfront dining serving breakfast, lunch and dinner AMERICAN
Bluefins Sushi and Sake Bar
ANCHOR HOUSE
100 Davis Straits, Falmouth 508-299-8200 Classic fried seafood, steaks and burgers and more
291 Main St., Falmouth 774-763-6421 bluefinsfalmouth.com Authentic Sushi focus on fresh, locally-sourced seafood, coupled with inspiration from local Cape Cod farm ingredients. We aim to craft sushi and fine kitchen cuisine that both celebrate and showcase seafood in classically inspired Japanese methods combined with modern Asian style. Featuring an upscale atmosphere with a fantastic martini bar vibe. Like us on Facebook @ facebook.com/ bluefinssushi
AMERICAN
ANEJO MEXICAN BISTRO & TEQUILA BAR 188 Main St., Falmouth 508-388-7631 Contempary Mexician cuisine and select tequilas with an outdoor patio MEXICIAN
BAD MARTHA FARMER’S BREWERY 876 E. Falmouth Hwy, E. Falmouth, 508-939-0540 Brewed Beer, sandwiches and brick oven Pizza BREWERY
BANGKOK CUISINE
291 Main St., Falmouth 508-548-1728 Traditional Thai food made with fresh ingredients THAI
BEAN & COD
145 Main St., Falmouth 508-548-8840 A specialty grocery store featuring quality sandwiches and deli favorites MARKET
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BEAR IN BOOTS BURGER BAR
285 Main St., Falmouth 508-444-8511 Serving scrumptious burgers, full bar and more
BESTY’S DINER
457 Main St., Falmouth 508-540-0060 A Falmouth icon, retro-style diner serving breakfast and lunch DINER
BURGER BAR
BEN & BILL’S CHOCOLATE EMPORIUM 209 Main St., Falmouth 508-548-7878 Handmade chocolates and ice cream available at this sweet shop ICE CREAM
BRITISH BEER COMPANY
263 Grand Ave., Falmouth 508-540-9600 Right across from the beach and Vineyard Sound, this pub offers craft beer, burgers and seafood AMERICAN PUB
THE BLACK DOG HEIGHTS CAFÉ
465 Grand Ave., Falmouth 508-540-4409 Freshly prepared breakfast, sandwiches, salads, burgers, soups and much more CAFÉ
BUCATINO RESTAURANT AND WINE BAR 7 Nathan Ellis Hwy., N. Falmouth, 508-566-8960 Authentic Italian cuisine, including pizza and pasta dishes with an extensive wine list ITALIAN
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RESTAURANT GUIDE C SALT WINE BAR & GRILLE
75 Davis Straits, Falmouth 774-763-2954 Modern American cuisine with continental influences, open for dinner and Sunday brunch AMERICAN
CAPE COD BAGEL CAFÉ
419 Palmer Ave., Falmouth 508-548-8485 Serving fresh bagels, plus a full menu of signature sandwichs and salads CAFÉ
THE CAPE GRILLE AT THE CAPE CLUB RESORT
125 Falmouth Woods Rd., E. Falmouth 508-540-4005 An upscale, fine-dining experience for dinner, featuring steaks, seafood and pasta AMERICAN
CAPTAIN KIDD RESTAURANT
77 Water St., Woods Hole 508-548-8563 Waterfront dining with stellar ocean views, local seafood, steaks and full bar. AMERICAN
CASA VALLARTA MEXICIAN RESTAURANT & TEQUILA BAR 70 Davis Straits, Falmouth 508-299-8177 Traditional Mexican cuisine in a casual dining atmosphere with top-notch margaritias MEXICIAN
CHAPOQUOIT GRILL
410 West Falmouth Hwy., W. Falmouth, 508-540-7794 From Mediterranean-inspired cuisine to wood-fired, brick-oven pizza MEDITERRANEAN
THE CLAM MAN
15 Boxwood Circle, Falmouth 508-548-6044 A retail fish market that offers fresh fish, shellfish and chowder MARKET
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CLAM SHACK OF FALMOUTH
227 Clinton Ave., Falmouth 508-540-7758 Classic fried seafood with outdoor dining overlooking Falmouth Harbor SEAFOOD
COFFEE OBESSION
110 Palmer Ave., Falmouth 508-540-2233 38 Water St., Woods Hole 508-540-8130 Known for exellent coffee, lattes and baked goods COFFEE
CONFERENCE TABLE
205 Worcester Ct. #8B., Falmouth, 508-540-7136 Offering great meals for lunch and dinner AMERICAN
COUNTRY FARE RESTAURANT
319 Main St., Falmouth 508-548-9020 A cozy spot for breakfast; customers rave about the French toast and sausages
Estia
BREAKFAST
CRABAPPLES
553 Palmer Ave., Falmouth 508-548-3355 Causal dining offering breakfast, lunch and dinner AMERICAN
CUPCAKE CHARLIE’S
153 Main St., Falmouth 508-540-2253 A family owned bakery offering ice cream, cupcakes and fresh baked goods inluding glutenfree options daily BAKERY
DANA’S KITCHEN
881 Palmer Ave., Falmouth 508-540-7900 A casual spot serving wraps, sandwiches and salad. CAFÉ
DEVOUR EATERY
352 Main St. #3, Falmouth 508-540-5900 An artisan eatery serving breakfast, signature sandwiches, rice bowls, salads and more. Always fresh CAFÉ
117 Main St., Falmouth, 508-548-3300, estiacapecod.com A Greek taverna located in downtown Falmouth rhat serves authentic and traditional Greek cuisine with a modern twist. Serving popular, favorite dishes, coal-fired pizza, spanakoptia, pastitsio and moussaka. This sophisticated and lively atmosphere captures the essence of the Cape. Visit Online @ estiacapecod. com, Like us on Facebook @ facebook.com/estiacapecod and Follow us onInstagram @ instagram.com/estiacapecod
DJ’S FAMOUS WINGS
EAST END TAP
DOGGS & HOGGZ
AMERICAN PUB
872 Main St., Falmouth 508-457-9464 Original-style Buffalo wings and much more AMERICAN
781 Main St., Falmouth 508-548-3663 A casual spot for classic burgers as well meatloaf, turkey and veggie burgers BURGERS
DYNASTY BUFFET
28 Davis Straits, Falmouth 508-548-6689 Cantonese restaurant with favorites like coconut shrimp, General Tso’s chicken and crab rangoons CHINESE
734 Teaticket Hwy., Teaticket 508-444-8677 A local pub serving lunch and dinner with live entertainment
EAT YOUR HEART OUT CAFE
587 Main St., Falmouth 508-388-7911 Freshly prepared sandwiches, salads, soups and much more CAFÉ
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RESTAURANT GUIDE ELI’S AT THE COONAMESSETT INN
311 Gifford St., Falmouth 508-548-2300 Offers Sunday brunch, daily lunch and dinner with an exceptional wine list AMERICAN
EPIC OYSTER
70 County Rd., N. Falmouth 508-563-3742 Housed in an old railcar offering fresh seafood and a variety of oysters shucked to order SEAFOOD
EULINDA’S ICE CREAM
634 W. Falmouth Hwy., W. Falmouth, 508-548-2486 Located right by the Shining Sea Bike Path, this is a great stop for a frozen treat ICE CREAM
FALMOUTH FISH MARKET
157 Teaticket Hwy., Teaticket 508-540-0045 A retail fish market that offers fresh fish, chowder, lobster rolls and fried platters to go MARKET
FALMOUTH RAW BAR
56 Scranton Ave., Falmouth 508-548-7729 Fresh seafood, raw bar classics and homemade clam chowder with waterfront views SEAFOOD
THE FLYING BRIDGE RESTAURANT
220 Scranton Ave., Falmouth 508-548-2700 Waterfront dining on Falmouth Harbor serving fresh seafood and full bar SEAFOOD
FLYNNIE’S BAR 3
824 Main St., Falmouth 508-388-7636 A local sports bar offering burgers, sandwiches, salads, seafood and steaks with a vast beer selection SPORTS BAR
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North Falmouth Cheese Shop 402 N. Falmouth Hwy., N. Falmouth, 508-356-3666, northfalmouthcheese.com North Falmouth Cheeee Shop offers a range of gourmet food products, high quality domestic and imported cheese, charcuterie, patés, pickles and olives, crackers and cookies and mustards and oils. A wide selection of local products is available including savory and sweet breads from Maison Villatte. You will also find jams and jellies, honey, chocolate, coffees and much more. Visit us online at northfalmouthcheese.com, Follow and Like us on Facebook@ facebook.com/ NorthFalmouthCheeseShop and Open Monday – Saturday 10:30 – 6 pm, Sundays 11– 3 pm
GHELFI’S CANDIES OF CAPE COD
228 Main St., Falmouth 508-457-1085 A variety of delectable chocolates including fudge and truffles, with gift baskets and wedding favors available SWEETS/CANDY
THE GLASS ONION
GOLDEN SWAN INDIAN CUISINE
323 Main St., Falmouth 508-540-6580 Traditional Indian food from Channa Masala, fish currry to homemade garlic naan
GREEN POND FISH MARKET
767 E. Falmouth Hwy., E. Falmouth, 508-548-2573 Offering fresh catches, fried clams, seafood specials and platters SEAFOOD
GOLD SAILS CHINESE RESTAURANT
29 Locust St., Falmouth 508-540-3930 Offering traditional pub fare and live music AMERICAN PUB
CHINESE
316 Gifford St., Falmouth 508-540-0886 Fresh, authentic Japanese cuisine for lunch and dinner JAPANESE
INDIAN
37 N. Main St., Falmouth 508-540-3730 Contempary American cuisine featuring Washburn Island oysters with an extensive wine list AMERICAN
143 E. Falmouth Hwy., E. Falmouth,508-548-3521 Family-owned, serves authentic dishes from family recipes
HOMEPORT SUSHI & KITCHEN
GRUMP’S PUB
HOLY COW ICE CREAM
75 County Rd., N. Falmouth 508-274-6571 Friendly serivce paired with a wide selection of flavors and waffle cones ICE CREAM
HONG KONG RESTAURANT
165 Teaticket Hwy., Teaticket 508-457-0020 Family-oriented, with authentic dishes made from scratch CHINESE
ITALIAN GOURMET FOODS - SLICE OF ITALY INC.
890 Main St., Falmouth 508-495-1106 Serving specialty gluten-free, 100-percent beef hot dogs, pulled pork and St. Louis-style ribs and barbecue options AMERICAN
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RESTAURANT GUIDE JACK IN THE BEANSTALK
800 Giffords St., Falmouth 508-548-1300 Delicious deli sandwiches and homemade soups, produce from local farms, wine, beer and gourmet foods MARKET
JACKS RESTAURANT & BAR
327 Gifford St., Falmouth 508-540-5225 American-style dinners from burgers to seafood and live music AMERICAN
JIMMY’S OF WOODS HOLE
22 Luscombe Ave., Woods Hole, 508-540-6823 Directly across from the ferry, a full menu of burgers and sandwiches along with its delectable ice cream CAFÉ
JOSH’S AT DAVISVILLE
339 E. Falmouth Hwy., E. Falmouth,774-255-1178 Serving freash seafood, steaks, pasta, salads and chowder with a full bar AMERICAN
LA CUCINA SUL MARA
237 Main St., Falmouth 508-548-5600 Authentic Italian cuisine serving fresh pasta, seafood and wine ITALIAN
LANDFALL RESTAURANT
MAISON VILLATE
267 Main St., Falmouth 774-255-1855 Authentic French bakery offering fresh croissants, baguettes, tarts, pastries and cakes BAKERY
MARTHA’S
281 Main St., Falmouth 774-763-2066 Offering breakfast, baked goods and sandwiches, build-your-own burgers, healthy “Grains and Greens” CAFÉ
MARY ELLEN’S PORTUGUESE BAKERY
829 Main St., Falmouth 508-540-9696 A favorite breakfast and brunch spot featuring Portuguese bread and pastries BAKERY
MIN’S KITCHEN
352 Main St., Falmouth 508-495-3388 Using the highest quality ingredients, known for its modern flair with classic Chinese cuisine CHINESE
MOLLY’S TEA ROOM
227 Main St., Falmouth 508-457-1666 A full-service tearoom with a selection of sandwiches, salads and quiche TEA
MOONAKIS CAFÉ
9 Luscombe Ave., Woods Hole, 508-548-1758 Rustic waterfront dining serving fresh local seafood, full bar and much more AMERICAN
460 Waquoit Hwy, E. Falmouth, 508-457-9630 Favorites for breakfast and lunch; try the burgers, wraps or paninis CAFÉ
LE BON JOUR
NEW PEKING PLACE
420 E. Falmouth Hwy., E. Falmouth, 774-612-3967 Freshly prepared made-toorder salads, soups, burritos and international bowls INTERNATIONAL
LIAM MAGUIRE’S IRISH PUB
273 Main St., Falmouth 508-548-0285 A favorite pub serving traditional Irish fare with a full bar
452 Main St., Falmouth 508-540-8204 Serving Chinese, Thai and Japanese cuisine FUSION
OSTERIA LA CIVETTA
133 Main St., Falmouth 508-540-1616 Authentic Italian cuisine, serving homemade fresh pasta, seafood and wine ITALIAN
PAPA JAKE’S PIZZA
146 Sandwich Rd., E. Falmouth, 508-457-7272 Casual sports bar and restaurant with pizza, wings and sandwiches PIZZA
PAUL’S PIZZA AND SEAFOOD
14 Benham Rd., Falmouth 508-548-5838 A hometown favorite that has 32 toppings for your pizza PIZZA
PERSY’S PLACE
40 N. Main St., Falmouth 508-540-3500 Best know for their large breakfast menu BREAKFAST
PICKLE JAR KITCHEN
170 Main St., Falmouth 508-540-6760 Know for homemade pickles, specialty sandwiches and beverages served in mason jars CAFÉ
PIE IN THE SKY
10 Water St., Woods Hole,508-540-5475 Handmade baked goods, coffee, fresh sandwiches and more CAFÉ
PIER 37 BOATHOUSE
88 Scranton Ave., Falmouth, 508-388-7573 Popular spot on Falmouth Harbor for lunch, dinner, full bar and live music AMERICAN
PIES A LA MODE
200 Teaticket Hwy., Teaticket 508-540-8777 Pies, quiches and pasties, all made from scratch with fresh local ingredients PIES
PIZZA 1 & SUB 2
735 E. Falmouth Hwy., E. Falmouth, 508-457-1212 A large menu of pizza and subs, known for its standout Steak Bomb PIZZA
PRIME TIME HOUSE OF PIZZA
286 Old Main Rd., N. Falmouth, 508-563-1900 338 E. Falmouth Hwy., E. Falmouth, 508-540-3595 Two Falmouth locations serving quality pizza, subs, calzones and more PIZZA
QUAHOG REPUBLIC
97 Spring Bars Rd., Falmouth 508-540-4111 A self-proclaimed dive bar, known for homemade stuffed quahogs, lobster rolls and clam chowder SEAFOOD
QUARTERDECK RESTAURANT
164 Main St., Falmouth 508-548-9900 Serving delicious steak and seafood in a casual setting AMERICAN
QUICK’S HOLE TAQUERIA 6 Luscombe Ave., Woods Hole, 508-495-0792 Enjoy Baja California inspired cuisine with outdoor seating while listening to live music MEXICAN
QUICK’S HOLE TAVERN
29 Railroad Ave., Woods Hole, 508-495-0048 A nautically inspired spot, known for “wicked fresh,” creative farm-to-farm dishes AMERICAN
RED’S RESTAURANT & LOUNGE AT THE SEA CREST BEACH HOTEL
350 Quaker Rd., N. Falmouth 508-356-2136 Waterfront dining serving fresh local seafood, steaks and much more AMERICAN
SEAFOOD SAM’S
356 Palmer Ave., Falmouth 508-540-7877 Quality lobster rolls, fried seafood cooked to order and homemade chowder make Seafood Sam’s a classic on the Cape SEAFOOD
IRISH PUB
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RESTAURANT GUIDE SHUCKERS WORLD FAMOUS RAW BAR & CAFÉ
91 Water St., Suite A, Woods Hole, 508-540-3850 Causal waterfront eatery offering seafood, known for its many ways of preparing and serving lobster SEAFOOD
SILVER BEACH PIZZA & SEAFOOD
557 N.Falmouth Hwy., N. Falmouth, 508-563-5000 Causal dining with just about everything from pizza to pasta PIZZA
SILVER LOUNGE RESTAURANT
412 N. Falmouth Hwy., N. Falmouth, 508-563-2410 Serving seafood, steaks, sandwiches and cocktails AMERICAN
SIMPLY DIVINE PIZZA CO.,
272 Main St., Falmouth 508-548-1222 Enjoy a crative selection of hand tossed, Neapolitan-style pizza made with fresh ingredients PIZZA
SMITTY’S HOMEMADE ICE CREAM
326 E. Falmouth Hwy., E. Falmouth, 508-457-1060 Homemade ice cream, waffle cones, banana splits, root beer floats and ice cream cakes to order ICE CREAM
STEVE’S PIZZERIA & MORE 374 Main St., Falmouth 508-457-9636 Pizza dinner plates, grinders and more, for dining in, picking up or delivery PIZZA
SUPREME PIZZA & SUBS
147 Teaticket Hwy., Teaticket 508-548-4200 Friendly service and quality pizzas, subs and salads PIZZA
TALK OF THE TOWN DINER
362 N. Falmouth Hwy., N. Falmouth, 508-563-3041 Comfort food, omelettes and Belgian waffles; for lunch wraps and sandwiches DINER
THAI KITCHEN
258 Teaticket Hwy., E. Falmouth, 508-444-6660 Casual eatery with authentic Thai cuisine THAI
WATER STREET KITCHEN
56 Water St., Woods Hole 508-540-5656 Waterfront dining serving fresh local inspired home-cooked, offering the freshest ingredients AMERICAN
WEST FALMOUTH MARKET 623 W. Falmouth Hwy., W. Falmouth, 508-548-1139 A traditional market, scrumptious deli sandwiches or wraps, homemade soups, pizza, baked goods, wine, beer and gourmet foods MARKET
WILD HARBOR GENERAL STORE
200 Old Main Rd., N. Falmouth, 508-563-2011 This general store has a bakery, deli, beer, wine, and more MARKET
WINDFALL MARKET
77 Scranton Ave., Falmouth 508-548-0099 Fresh bread made from scratch, assortment of cheese, pastries, pizza and deli platters available at the bakery MARKET
WOODS HOLE MARKET & PROVISIONS
87 Water St., Woods Hole 508-540-4792 A full- service deli and gourmet bakery, as well as everyday groceries MARKET
NORTH FALMOUTH CHEESE SHOP Specialty Cheeses Breads
Charcuterie Coffees
Chocolates and More
402 North Falmouth Hwy North Falmouth 508-356-3666 northfalmouthcheese.com
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With a number of shops, boutiques and galleries all intermixed and within walking distance of one another, downtown Falmouth is an ideal destination for those looking to shop ‘til they drop! All you need is a pair of comfy shoes and you’re ready to hit the pavement.
1 THE BLACK DOG GENERAL STORE
214 Main Street 508-495-6000 A clothing shop with authentic apparel & gear for the entire family
2 BOARD STIFF
193 Main Street 508-540-9555 A wide selection of surfboards, skateboards and biking accessories
5 CAPE CHIC
176 Main Street 508-548-1232 An exciting collection of coastal, casual, chic women’s apparel
3 BUYWAY BOUTIQUE Queens Buyway, 47 North Main Street 508-540-4884 Consignment shop featuring upscale designer-label clothing and accessories
4 CALINE FOR KIDS
149 Main Street 508-548-2533 A children’s boutique with extensive clothing for boys and girls
6 CELEBRATIONS OF CAPE COD
210 Main Street 508-457-0530 A boutique shop with unique gifts and home accessories
7 EIGHT COUSINS
189 Main Street 508-548-5548 An independent bookstore offering reads for all ages
8 FALMOUTH JEWELRY
225 Main Street 508-548-0487 A one-of-a-kind, locally owned fine jewelry store offering custom designs
9 FATFACE
245 Main Street 508-388-7288 A casual clothing boutique for the whole family
10 THE GALLERY ON MAIN
317 Main Street 508-444-6073 An art gallery featuring artists of all kinds
11 THE GILDED OYSTER
155 Main Street, 774-763-5742 A Coastal Fine Jewerly Boutique located in historic downtown Falmouth that brings together local heritage, timeless elegance and special treasures of the sea. Featuring many Cape Cod and New England designers as well as one-of-kind pieces from Family Goldsmiths. Every visit to The Gilded Oyster is an exploration of coastal craftsmanship and artistry. We also showcase beautiful pieces from across the seas, handcrafted by Artisans from Ireland and Scotland. Visit us online, follow us on Instagram @ instagram.com/gildedoyster and like us on Facebook @ facebook.com/gildedoysterfalmouth
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352 Main Street 508-548-9107 Fine jewelry for all occasions
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261 Main Street 508-444-6668 A one-of-a-kind home décor boutique offering handcrafted floral designs
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199 Main Street 508-495-0403 A boutique catering to women’s day and evening fashion needs
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360 Main Street 774-289-9222 A custom stained glass studio offering restoration services
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16 HOWLINGBIRD STUDIO
Queens Buyway, 91 Palmer Avenue 508-540-3787 A screen printing shop for T-shirts, sweatshirts and more
17 HOMESPUN GARDEN 174 Main Street 508-457-4441 Offering special occasion gifts for you and your home
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FALMOUTH LIVING • 2020
SHOPPING SPREE
21 LIVIN EZ CASUAL WEAR
18 LEROUX KITCHEN
266 Main Street 508-540-0115 A great selection of casual tees and tops for the whole family
208 Main Street 774-763-2081 A wide collection of kitchen and home products
22 MAD AS A HATTER
19 LIBERTY HOUSE
Queens Buyway, 104 Palmer Avenue Hats for any outdoor occasion
Queens Buyway, 119 Palmer Avenue 508-548-3900 A diverse selection of women’s clothing and accessories
23 MAXWELL & CO.
200 Main Street 508-540-8752 Specializing in women’s and men’s apparel
20 LILLY PULTIZER
199 Main Street 508-540-0697 Women’s clothing and accessories for all occasions
24 OSBORN & RUGH GALLERY
Queens Buyway, 114 Palmer Avenue 508-548-2100 A working art studio and gallery
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27 PURITAN CAPE COD 25 THE PINK POLKA DOT
Queens Buyway, 45 N. Main Street 508-540-3015 A stationery boutique carrying notecards and personalized invitations for all occasions
26 PORT CARGO
156 Main Street 508-540-4466 Specializes in women’s apparel and accessories
199 Main Street 508-548-0116 Men and women’s apparel for all occasions, from formal to casual attire
28 RURAL ROOTS
Queens Buyway, 95 Palmer Avenue 508-863-7939 Interior design services with a wide selection of custom home furnishing
29 SETTING THE SPACE
233 Main Street 508-444-9500 Home décor and accessories for the home
30 SOFT AS A GRAPE
251 Main Street 508-457-7480 Specializing in comfortable casual clothing for the whole family
32 TOUCHÉ
234 Main Street 508-495-0598 Offering women’s apparel, jewelry and unique gifts
33 TWIGS OF FALMOUTH
178 Main Street 508-540-0767 A boutique shop carrying unique gifts, including pottery, artwork and jewelry
31 STORY.
352 Main Street, 774-763-5451 Story is a chic specialty clothing store offering a tightly curated collection of women’s contemporary styles inspired by tastemakers and influencers from around the globe. Each piece is carefully selected for its contemporary styling and expert craftsmanship. Shop in our plush living room setting during store hours or by appointment. Call or visit our website at storyfalmouth.com for hours and inspiration.
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SHOPPING SPREE
34 VAGABONDVIEW
Queens Buyway, 95 Palmer Avenue, 508-540-8439 VagabondView Photography Studio - Life...The Way We See It! We offer portraits, weddings and event photography, along with editing and retouching services; we also design beautiful finished products — photo albums, custom prints, canvases and much more at our studio. Visit us online, follow us on Instagram @vagabondview1 and like us on Facebook @VagabondView-Photography
A COASTAL FINE JEWELRY BOUTIQUE
Sold exclusively at The Gilded Oyster.
Cape Cod Destination Bracelet • Diamond Oyster Shell Pendants
Stop in to The Gilded Oyster today! 155 Main Street, Falmouth • 774.763.5742 thegildedoyster.com
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Past and A look back at three historic buildings that remain an active part of town life. BY R ACHEL ARROYO
Winston Churchill once famously said, “We shape our buildings; thereafter they shape us.” Like unearthed time capsules, these public buildings reveal clues about Falmouth’s past while they continue to participate in our daily lives. With one foot in the past and one in the present, we take a look at three of Falmouth’s most recognizable buildings that have withstood the test of time.
56 Highfield Drive From vacation home to museum and cultural center Highfield Hall, a Stick Style Queen Anne built in 1878 as a summer estate for the Beebe family, serves as a historic attraction and cultural center, drawing more than 15,000 visitors a year. Today, you can tour the Victorian mansion perched on a hill and stroll the restored gardens and abutting 383 acres of town-owned nature trails as well as attend a variety of cultural events and programs, such as live musical performances, art exhibits, lectures, culinary classes and kids’ activities.
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“Everything that we plan for this beautiful estate is always in keeping with what the Beebes had intended it for,” says Tara K. Burke, co-executive director of Highfield Hall. “[The Beebes] were great philanthropists and great lovers of art, music and horticulture.” The history of Highfield Hall begins with James Madison Beebe’s rags-to-riches story. Beebe left home at the age of 16 to seek his fortune in Boston. He found work at a dry goods store,
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PHOTOS COURTES Y OF HIGHFIELD HALL
(Above) A vintage photo of 19th-century Highfield Hall. (Below) Highfield Hall today.
where he was a quick study; by the age of 21 he started his own small retail dry goods store and later a successful wholesale company, making him a wealthy man. Around 1870, Beebe, his wife, Esther, and their adult children began summering in Falmouth.
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The family patriarch, however, passed away before ever seeing Highfield Hall built. When the last member of the Beebe family died in 1932, Highfield Hall was bought, sold and repurposed several times over, with each new owner having a different vision for the property—a health center and sanatorium; a religious hotel and retreat; a hotel with theatre shows. Remarkably, throughout the years, Highfield Hall has managed to survive fire, demolition, age and neglect. With the help of volunteers and the nonprofit Friends of Highfield Hall, the mansion and gardens have been restored to their original grandeur. Burke says she feels honored to work in such a beautiful setting, carrying on the legacy of the Beebe family. “This house and gardens were made to be enjoyed,” says Burke, “and it gives us great pleasure to see the surrounding communities enjoy this property as much as we do.”
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COURTES Y OF THE FALMOUTH HIS TORIC AL SOCIE T Y AND MUSEUMS ON THE GREEN
65 Palmer Avenue From private residence to house museum The Conant House has the honorable distinction of being the oldest home still in existence on the Town Green, says Mark Schmidt, executive director of Museums on the Green. “I think the public likes hearing that,” he says, “and how it has been repurposed.” The circa 1730 Colonial, which houses Falmouth Historical Society’s research library and administrative offices, offers historical exhibits and self-guided tours year-round as part of Museums on the Green—a two-acre campus owned and operated by the Falmouth Historical Society that attracts roughly 10,000 people a year to its museums, events, lectures, programs and research facility. Originally a half-Cape, the Conant House’s appearance has changed over the centuries. But, remarkably, the house has managed to keep its Colonial-era charm. Visitors to the home can still see its early post and beam framing with mortise and tenon joints as well as architectural details from both the 17th and 18th centuries. While some debate remains over the historic home’s true age, church records show the house was built by Reverend Josiah Marshall in 1724 and later purchased in 1730 by the town for
Reverend Samuel Palmer, a well-liked physician who also served as pastor of the First Congregational Church for 45 years; Palmer Avenue is named after him. Throughout its lifetime, the house has been used as a sea captain’s home, an inn, a private residence, a boarding house and now a museum. When asked what it’s like to work in a historic building, Schmidt jokes, “I think the entire staff would tell you that…[it] presents its own set of challenges—some of them quirky, some of them difficult and some of them amusing. Let’s just say, it’s never boring.”
(Above) The Conant House, pictured next to Dr. Francis Wicks House circa 1885, was built around 1730. (Below) A porch and addition not original to the historic home was removed after the Falmouth Historical Society acquired the property in 1966; recent restoration efforts include a renovation completed by Cape Associates in 2016, shown here mid-renovation.
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The Lawrence Academy pictured circa 1900.
20 Academy Lane
(Below) A present-day photo of the Falmouth Chamber of Commerce.
From high school to community hub
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COURTES Y OF THE FALMOUTH HIS TORIC AL SOCIE T Y
Along Academy Lane, just off Main Street in downtown Falmouth, stands an 1834 Greek Revival. The stately building with columned portico has been a familiar sight and integral part of town life for close to two centuries. As many local history enthusiasts may know, the Victorian-era structure holds a special place in history as the town’s first high school. In 1833, a growing demand for a local private school prompted residents to build Falmouth Academy, renamed Lawrence Academy in 1842, after a wealthy bachelor from Hatchville named Shubael Lawrence bequeathed a sizable sum to the institution. When the town bought the school in 1890, it became Lawrence High School. Over the years, the building has seen many name changes, renovations and uses. Until 1930, it was used by the B.F. Jones Post and Grand Army of the Republic and called Grand Army Hall. After WWI, the American Legion replaced the Grand Army of the Republic and it was called Legion Hall. After WWII, the United Service Organization (USO) shared the facilities. Today, the building is home to the Falmouth Chamber of Commerce and visitor center, where last year alone more than 12,000 people walked through its pair of blue doors seeking information about local businesses, events and programs. An antiques appraiser and history buff, Falmouth Chamber of Commerce’s president and CEO Michael Kasparian has a special appreciation for the building. “I love the fact that the chamber is the custodian of this important building. It’s the perfect spot for a visitor center and for us, personally, to have walking access to downtown, and then to have all that history. It’s exciting to think that it’s been around for 200 years, and that we are continuing to use it.”
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SNAPSHOT
PHOTOGR APH BY BET T Y WILEY After a rainy afternoon, I drove over to The Knob, where the multicolored clouds and rays of light made me think this is how heaven must look. The view of light after a heavy rain seems appropriate as we come out of the pandemic, a different kind of storm.
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