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A PRODUCT PORTFOLIO AS DIVERSE AS YOUR NEEDS.
From contemporary to traditional, Andersen offers an array of products that allows you ultimate design freedom. Each product is made with the commitment to quality and performance that you expect from Andersen.
Explore the possibilities at andersenwindows.com “Andersen” and all other marks where denoted are trademarks of Andersen Corporation. ©2020 Andersen Corporation. All rights reserved.
FALMOUTH LUMBER, INC. MAIN STORE: 670 Teaticket Highway East Falmouth, MA 02536 508-548-6868 DESIGN CENTER: 748 Teaticket Highway East Falmouth, MA 02536 508-548-3227
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BUILDER OF THE YEAR MEMBER
Homebuilding that is distinctly personal. The only thing more personal than inviting someone into your home is inviting them to help you build it. As a family-owned construction firm building homes on the Cape for more than 25 years, we understand just how meaningful that invitation is. If you choose to work with The Valle Group, you will find a process that is client-focused and relationship-driven every step of the way, an approach that is both highly professional and distinctly personal, work quality and craftsmanship that is second to none, and a team of talented people who genuinely care.
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40 Point Road $8,500,000 BD 5F 1H BA 6,340 4040 Point Point Road Road $8,500,000 $8,500,000 55 5BD BD 5F 5F1H 1HBA BA 6,340 6,340SFSF SF Linda Gill 508.423.0643 Linda LindaGill Gill 508.423.0643 508.423.0643
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46 Roos Roos Road Road $5,995,000 $5,995,000 5BDBD 1HBABA4,553 4,553 4,553 SFSF 4646 Roos Road $5,995,000 5 5BD 4F4F4F 1H1HBA SF Azarian Azarian Team Team 508.360.4600 508.360.4600 Azarian Team 508.360.4600
EAST EASTFA FALMOUTH FALMOUTH EAST LMOU T H
3535 Green Green Meadow MeadowLane Lane $2,750,000 $2,750,000 666BD BD 5F 5F1H 1HBA BA 5,347 5,347SFSF SF 35 Green Meadow Lane $2,750,000 BD 5F 1H BA 5,347 Kenny-Heisler Kenny-Heisler Team Team 508.296.8585 508.296.8585 Kenny-Heisler Team 508.296.8585
NORTH NORTHFALMOUTH FALMOUTH NORT H FA Point LMOUTH 3838Sunset SunsetPoint Road Road $2,350,000 $2,350,000 3 3BDBD 2 2BABA 2,057 2,057SFSF 38Kevin Sunset Point Road $2,350,000 3 BD 2 BA 2,057 SF KevinLeddy Leddy 617.512.0500 617.512.0500 Kevin Leddy 617.512.0500
FALMOUTH FALMOUTH FA LMOU T H $1,450,000 1515 Marvin Marvin Circle Circle $1,450,000 4 4BDBD 2F2F1 H 1 HBABA 2,376 2,376SFSF 15 Marvin Circle $1,450,000 4 BD 2F 1 H BA 2,376 SF Sue Sue Gregory Gregory 508.360.5936 508.360.5936 Sue Gregory 508.360.5936
FALMOUTH FALMOUTH 8383Colonial Colonial Way Way $1,299,000 $1,299,000 4 4BDBD 2 2BABA 2,124 2,124SFSF FALMOU TH Kenny-Heisler Team 508.296.8585 508.296.8585 83Kenny-Heisler Colonial WayTeam $1,299,000 4 BD 2 BA 2,124 SF Kenny-Heisler Team 508.296.8585
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Compass Compass is aislicensed a licensed realreal estate estate broker broker andand Kinlin Kinlin Grover Grover Realty Realty Group, Group, LLCLLC is aislicensed a licensed realreal estate estate broker broker affiliated affiliated withwith Compass Compass andand each each abides abides by Equal by Equal Housing Housing Opportunity Opportunity laws. laws. All All material material presented presented herein herein is intended is intended for for informational informational purposes purposes only. only. Information Information is compiled is compiled from from sources sources deemed deemed reliable reliable butbut is subject is subject to errors, to errors, omissions, omissions, changes changes in price, in price, condition, condition, sale, sale, or withdrawal or withdrawal without without notice. notice. Photos Photos maymay be be virtually virtually staged staged or digitally or digitally enhanced enhanced andand maymay notnot reflect reflect actual actual property conditions. conditions. Compass is a licensed real estate broker andproperty Kinlin Grover Realty Group, LLC is a licensed real estate broker affiliated with Compass and each abides by Equal Housing Opportunity laws. All material presented herein is intended for informational purposes only. Information is compiled from sources deemed reliable but is subject to errors, omissions, changes in price, condition, sale, or withdrawal without notice. Photos may be virtually staged or digitally enhanced and may not reflect actual property conditions.
Falmouth Glass & Mirror 508-540-0317 | falmouthglass.com
225 Main Street, Falmouth | 508-548-0487 | falmouthjewelryshop.com 225 Main Street, Falmouth | 508-548-0487 | falmouthjewelryshop.com
A specialty store offering a tightly curated collection of women’s contemporary fashion and accessories inspired and designed by tastemakers from NYC, Madrid, Copenhagen, Berlin, and beyond. Stop in and say hi, we’ve been waiting for you. 352 Main St., Falmouth, MA
www.storyfalmouth.com
IG @storyfalmouth
Consistently elevating residential interiors and exteriors with timeless elegance and distinction Consistently elevating residential interiors and exteriors of our customers and yours with timeless elegance and distinction.
KITCHEN DESIGN:
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PHOTOGRAPHY:
KAYLEE DECOLLIBUS
BUILDER:
McLAUGHLIN & SON, INC.
CABINETRY DESIGN SHOWROOM | WINDOWS & DOORS | FLOORING BENJAMIN MOORE PAINT DEPARTMENT | LUMBERYARD | HARDWARE CONTRACTOR DIVISION | EQUIPMENT SALES & RENTALS
CAPE COD & ISLANDS
SOUTHSHORE
BOSTON
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contents F E AT U R E S 56 SEASIDE WOODY The timeless ride of a classic legacy of a family’s 1934 Ford Woody.
64 SANDS OF TIME Take a peek inside two of the historic cottages along Surf Drive.
72 SEASIDE COTTAGES
Photo essay of Surf Drive cottages
76 STONES IN THE MOORS Handcrafted walls anchor a gorgeous garden.
90 BY THE SEA
new build on an old family property A gives homeowners a perfect spot for summertime gatherings.
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102 A SALUTE TO OUR FIRST RESPONDERS Falmouth’s First Responders are
committed to serving and protecting our community.
112 A HILLTOP PARADISE A home garden in Woods Hole has proven to be an evolution of color and interest.
124 READY FOR LAUNCH
renovated Falmouth Heights home is A the perfect setting to enjoy a boating and beach lifestyle.
134 YES, CHEF!
A look at the chefs who are transforming Falmouth’s dining scene
FALMOUTH LIVING • SPRING/SUMMER 2025
BUILD – REMODEL – IMPROVE
SYNERGY SERVING THE CAPE FOR OVER A DECADE 508-564-1247 | synergyhomeimprovements.net
contents
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F E AT U R E S (continued)
142 DOCKSIDE & ALL DECKED OUT IN STYLE
178 A NEIGHBORHOOD TRADITION
158 OUT OF THIS WORLD
188 50 YEARS LATER JAWS STILL HAS TEETH
izzle through summer in style with looks S from local boutiques. almouth’s premier psychic medium F heals clients by communicating with departed souls.
164 WELCOME TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD
hen a homeowner sought a knowledgeW able builder, it turned out the ideal contractor lived right across the street.
172 CALLING ALL CANINES
L ocal dog-friendly settings where you can experience the local scenery for both exercise and entertainment.
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Fourth of July In The Moors
movie that still resonates with audiences A today turns 50.
192 UNDERSTANDING THE OCEAN THROUGH APEX PREDATORS harks give WHOI an opportunity to learn S more about the mysteries of the ocean.
194 THE ISLAND BECKONS
xperience an unforgettable day exploring E magnificent Martha’s Vineyard.
202 FRUITS OF THEIR LABOR Touring Falmouth Farms
FALMOUTH LIVING • SPRING/SUMMER 2025
AT O S T E R V I L L E & AT B R I C K K I L N
Announcing Beacon Gardens at Brick Kiln! This new location is exclusively for landscapers...and while we’ll have lots of nursery stock we can also transfer whatever you need from our Osterville location for ease of pickup in Falmouth.
You can also visit us at our Osteville location and see our retail store & full nursery stock.
contents
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DEPARTMENTS 24 Local Buzz Mr. T’s Bees
28 Styled By Nature
From sea to Silver Sea
IN EVERY ISSUE 20 Publisher’s Letter 22 Contributors
31 Timber Traditions
39 Local Reads Summer Reading Awaits
32 Taste
46 History Eddie Swift for the Win
35 The Giving Place
52 Artist Profile Capturing Cape Cod
Where Wood Tells a Story Harbor Sips and Sweet Treats More than a Food Pantry
42 Spirits & Craft
The Familia Speakeasy
213 Falmouth Eats 218 Calendar of Events 224 Last Word
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on the cover: Iconic beach cottage on Surf Drive with “Lizzie,” a 1934 Ford Woody owned by John Irving & Lori Weseman. Photo by Betty Wiley FALMOUTH LIVING • SPRING/SUMMER 2025
VENETIAN PRINCESS PIROUETTE
ROBERTO COIN BOUTIQUE Mashpee Commons | 16 Steeple Street | Suite 9-102 | Mashpee, MA | 508.477.7772 robertocoin.com
publisher’s letter
A Summer to Remember As we embrace the arrival of summer, an awakened feeling feeds our soul with good vibes that energize us. The adventures of carefree days are here, whether it’s enjoying a beach day with the soothing sounds of waves hitting the shore, taking a walk on the Shining Sea Bikeway, or watching a sunset over the ocean. These are the days that produce memories that will last a lifetime. I’m delighted to share with you the 10th issue of Falmouth Living. Over the course of the year, I’ve met some incredible folks in the community that graciously opened their doors so we could photograph their homes and their friends and families. Get ready for engaging stories and stunning photography from iconic beach cottages on Surf Drive to an inspired legacy 1934 Ford Woody, to astonishing gardens. We spotlight Jackie Duffey, a medium, the Speakeasy tasting room now open at John’s Liquor, and the vibrant community as we celebrate our local first responders and the Falmouth Service Center. The quote, “Home is where the heart is,” says it all with the expertise of interior designer Jennifer Perini, whose attention to detail is impeccable, with a total transformation of a dream home by Geoff Bright of Synergy in Falmouth Heights, with a new build for the Depew family, and with a deeper look at a few chefs who are transforming Falmouth’s dining scene. I am truly blessed to have such a gifted group of people to collaborate with on producing this magazine. It’s a privilege and honor to work with each of you who contributes to the success of Falmouth Living. A big shout-out of gratitude to our advertisers, contributors, readers, followers, and the Falmouth community. We hope you enjoy reading this magazine as much as we enjoyed curating an inspiring look at Falmouth for you. Cheers to a fun-filled summer with an abundance of sunshine, glorious beach days, and time with family and friends.
VOLUME 6 ~ ISSUE 1 SPRING/SUMMER 2025 PUBLISHER Suzanne Ryan suzanne@falmouthlivingmag.com ART DIRECTOR Alison Caron Alison Caron Design alison@falmouthlivingmag.com COPY EDITOR Nan Fornal ADVERTISING Suzanne Ryan Julien Courbon WRITERS Lisa Cavanaugh, Carina Christo, Meg Costello, Mimi Golub, Chris Kazarian, Sarah Murphy, Veronica Neto, Jeanne Petrizzo, Angela Prout PHOTOGRAPHERS Taylor Michaud Cadwell, Deborah Foley, Peter Julian, Ben Laney, Drew Lederman, Betty Wiley, Derrick Zellmann HOME ST YLIST Michele LaCamera For subscriptions order online or scan code
falmouthlivingmag.com
Spring/Summer magazine price $7.95
Photo by Derrick Zellmann Makeup by Lacey Strong
Suzanne Ryan Publisher Falmouth Living suzanne@falmouthlivingmag.com
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Handcrafted strand white gold necklace set with diamonds by Coast GoldWorks. Sterling Silver Sand Dollar dangle earrings, available at The Gilded Oyster. Multicolor knit long sleeve top by Aldo Martins, available at story.
P.O. Box 183, Sagamore Beach, MA 02562 Falmouth Living is a registered trademark for Falmouth Living magazine. © Salty Pawz Media LLC. All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be reproduced in whole or in part without the written permission of the publisher. Publisher disclaims all responsibility for omissions, errors and unsolicited materials. Printed in the USA.
FALMOUTH LIVING • SPRING/SUMMER 2025
FIND YOUR PERFECT SH ADE
Draperies • Blinds • Shutters
Thibaut • Stout • Carole • Sunbrella Fabrics EAST FALMOUTH 706 Teaticket Highway 508-457-0077 • 508-419-1008
kcsdraperyfalmouth.com
contributors
CHRIS KAZARIAN enjoys telling stories about people who are making an impact. His writing has appeared in Hemispheres magazine, the Boston Herald, and the Providence Journal among others.
DERRICK ZELLMANN is a commercial and editorial photographer based between Boston and Cape Cod. He photographs celebrities, artists, professional athletes, firefighters, Academy and Emmy Award winners, and models.
SARAH E. MURPHY began writing as a child growing up in Falmouth Heights. She spent twelve years as a local reporter and photographer and is now a freelance journalist and social justice activist.
BETTY WILEY is a photographer and instructor on Cape Cod who specializes in landscape and nature photography. Her work has appeared in numerous local magazines and guidebooks.
TAYLOR CADWELL has ten years of experience in architectural photography on the Cape, creating captivating spatial contexts for marketing and publication.
DEB FOLEY is passionate about helping small businesses increase their visibility and connect with clients using brand photography.
VERONICA NETO is a freelance writer who grew up in Falmouth and now resides in Bourne. Her work has been featured in Fortune magazine and other publications.
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LISA CAVANAUGH is an editor and writer who grew up in New England and for several years worked in the film industry as a Hollywood story editor, producer and writer. She lives in Yarmouth and focuses on stories about lifestyles and interests of Cape Codders.
JEANNE PETRIZZO is a copywriter based on the South Coast of MA. When she isn’t researching or writing ads and articles, she enjoys long walks on the beach, especially in Falmouth.
MIMI GOLUB is a freelance writer and founder of an online magazine for women. She enjoys boating on Vineyard Sound, exploring nature, and buying shoes.
PETER JULIAN has apprenticed with renowned photojournalists Constantine Manos and Lisa Kessler. His commercial work is inspired by national architectural photographer Dan Cutrona. MEG COSTELLO is the research manager at the Falmouth Historical Society’s Museums on the Green. She edits the Museums’ monthly blog, “Untold Tales of Falmouth.”
CARINA CHRISTO graduated from NYU in 2024 where she wrote for the Washington Square News on campus. She summers in Falmouth with her family.
BEN LANEY is a Plymouth real estate photographer capturing South Shore and Cape homes with professional photos, drone work, and video tours.
ANGELA PROUT is a freelance writer and marketer based in Falmouth. She loves exploring all that the Cape has to offer, especially dog friendly spots with her four-legged BFF Manny and delicious destinations with her chef husband Gavin.
FALMOUTH LIVING • SPRING/SUMMER 2025
IT ALL STARTS HERE... THE CAPE COD LIFESTYLE
Photo By Derrick Zellmann
YOUR EXPERIENCED LOCAL AGENCY Serving Falmouth, Bourne and Mashpee
100 Palmer Avenue | Falmouth | 508-444-6891 | saltpondrealty.com
LOCAL BUZZ Brian tends to his beehives at Peachtree Circle Farm.
Mr. T’s Bees WHEN BRIAN TODESCO went to a friend’s house and noticed a beehive in the neighbor’s backyard, he was fascinated. “It was the perfect time of day, so you could see the bees coming and going,” he recalled. “I just thought it was the coolest thing.” Without any expectations, or thoughts of a potential business, he started off in 2016 with two hives in his backyard. Wanting to expand his operation without adding to his own property, Brian approached the owners of Pariah Dog Farm at the Falmouth Farmers Market one day about the possibility of keeping some of his hives at the farm. Since then, he has continued to grow.
Brian has 125 hives all over Falmouth, including at Coonamessett Farm, Peachtree Circle Farm, Tony Andrews Farms, and Cape Cod Flower Truck, some of which also sell his local raw honey at their farm stand. He enjoys setting up the hives for the farmers, providing bee jackets for them to wear so they can go through the hive together as he shares his knowledge. He also appreciates the opportunity to witness what happens behind the scenes at various locations. “One of the things I love about being a beekeeper is that I get to see all these people and their farms, and all the work that goes into them, and how they keep going,” he said. “I’m on their property once a week all summer,
BY SAR AH E. MURPHY | PHOTOGR APHY BY SUZANNE RYAN 24
FALMOUTH LIVING • SPRING/SUMMER 2025
THURSDAY THURSDAYNIGHT NIGHTBBQ BBQIS ISBACK! BACK! KICKING KICKING OFFOFF MEMORIAL MEMORIAL DAYDAY WEEKEND WEEKEND AND AND RUNNING RUNNING THROUGH THROUGH LABOR LABOR DAY. DAY.
STAY STAY TUNED TUNED FOR FOR MORE MORE DETAILS! DETAILS!
FULL FULLSERVICE SERVICE COUNTRY COUNTRYMARKET MARKET&&
EVENT EVENTCATERER CATERER WW HH AT A TWW E EO O F FFEFRE R Boar's Boar's Head Head Deli Deli I Old I Old Fashioned Fashioned Butcher Butcher Shop Shop House House Smoked Smoked Meats Meats I Pineland I Pineland Farms Farms Prime Prime Grade Grade Beef Beef Fine Fine Wines Wines I Beer I Beer & Liquor & Liquor I Montilio's I Montilio's Baking Baking Co. Co. Products Products I Pie I Pie In In The The SkySky House-Roasted House-Roasted Coffee Coffee Cape Cape Cod Cod Bagel Bagel I Maison I Maison Villatte Villatte Breads Breads
MAKE MAKE EVERY EVERY GATHERING GATHERING UNFORGETTABLE UNFORGETTABLE WITH WITH WEST WEST FALMOUTH FALMOUTH MARKET. MARKET. WHETHER WHETHER YOU’RE YOU’RE PLANNING PLANNING ANAN EVENT EVENT OROR BROWSING BROWSING IN-STORE, IN-STORE, OUR OUR DEDICATION DEDICATION TOTO QUALITY QUALITY SHINES SHINES THROUGH. THROUGH. ENJOY ENJOY CUSTOMIZED CUSTOMIZED CATERING CATERING MENUS MENUS CRAFTED CRAFTED TOTO YOUR YOUR TASTES, TASTES, OROR EXPLORE EXPLORE OUR OUR MARKET’S MARKET’S EXCEPTIONAL EXCEPTIONAL SELECTION—BOTH SELECTION—BOTH OFFERING OFFERING THETHE SAME SAME ATTENTION ATTENTION TOTO DETAIL DETAIL YOU YOU CAN CAN TRUST. TRUST.
L OLCOACTAE T DE A D TATTHTEH E F AFLA MLOMUOTUHT H OHSOPSI TPA I TLA L
STOP STOPBYBYOUR OURMAIN MAINSTORE STORETODAY! TODAY! L OLCOACTAETDE D A TA 6 T 2632 W 3 W E SETS T F AFLAMLO MUOTUHT H H IH G IHGW HW A YA Y
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PROUDLY PROUDLY SERVING SERVING PINELAND PINELAND FARMS FARMS ALL-NATURAL ALL-NATURAL PRIME PRIME GRADE GRADE BEEF BEEF NATURAL NATURAL MEATS MEATS
FOLLOW FOLLOW USUS ONON SOCIAL SOCIAL MEDIA MEDIA
@WESTFALMOUTHMARKET @WESTFALMOUTHMARKET westfalmouthmarket.com westfalmouthmarket.com catering@westfalmouthmarket.com catering@westfalmouthmarket.com 25
LOCAL BUZZ
Top: Honeybees actively coming in and out of the beehive. Bottom: Mr. T’s Bees is harvested late and it’s truly amazing what’s happening April through October; the color of the honey ranges from light to dark. at farms in Falmouth.” Brian’s season spans about four to “I still have his baseball glove with five months, beginning when the first that written on it.” dandelion blooms, usually in late April For Brian, who also works for an or early May and lasting until October. excavation company, the unexpected The color of the honey ranges from nature of beekeeping is one of the light to dark, determined by the time things he enjoys most. of harvest and nectar source. Spring is “Every year is different, and there sweeter and golden in color, a result of are challenges, especially when you’re what’s in bloom, such as dandelions raising your own queens,” he said. and honeysuckle. Fall is a dark amber “It’s like any kind of farming. You shade with a bold flavor, reflective need to sustain yourself.” of goldenrod, Japanese knotweed, and sumac. Brian’s website features a photograph with a jar from each harvest lined up to illustrate the difference. His products are available at DaSilva Farms, West Falmouth Market, and Vital Nutrition, to name a few. You can also find his orange and black logo, designed by his wife, Sara, every Thursday at the Falmouth Farmers Market, thanks to Lisa O’Connell of Cape Cod Flower Truck. Brian’s two sons, Tyler, 25, and Anthony, 21, also contribute to their dad’s endeavor, assisting him with maintenance and moving hives. Brian spent the past winter building his own equipment so he can continue to expand. He hopes to add another 25 hives in the next year. Mr. T’s Bees What began as a hobby has become a business mrtsbees.net that brings him pride, particularly in its Mr. T’s Bees name, an homage to his late father, a beloved Bourne Little League Coach who also served as president of the league. “No one could say our name, so everyone just called him Mr. T,” Brian recalled.
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FALMOUTH LIVING • SPRING/SUMMER 2025
From sea to Silver Sea A truly sustainable apparel line is flourishing in Falmouth
Nicole at Old Silver Beach, is wearing Silver Sea Apparel, Lifestyle Sports Bra.
HAVING KIDS CHANGES PEOPLE. The experience can compel new parents to reconsider fundamental areas of their lives, like finances, career goals, and home location. For Nicole and Jake Foy, finding out they were expecting twin girls made them reconsider their personal and environmental health. They started with their pantry and cleaning supplies, making exchanges for less toxic options. However, when they reached their closets, they faced what appeared to be a toxin-laden dead end, especially for two people who live active lifestyles and often opt for activewear. “In going through our closets, almost 90 percent of what we owned wasn’t on our curated list of four or five materials that actually checked all the boxes,” Nicole said. Some activewear brands already market their clothes as sustainable or toxin-free with primary fabrics like organic cotton, recycled polyester, or even bamboo. But 28
a closer look will reveal the finished product is not nearly as clean as one would hope. “Pretty much every brand that’s promoting a sustainable or toxin-free activewear product is still blending their primary fabric . . . with Spandex,” Jake said. Stretch and comfort may be appealing, but Spandex is a synthetic, nonbiodegradable material sourced from petroleum. Also, its production process has a significant negative environmental impact. Sometimes, what seems like a dead end can spark an idea—especially at the right moment. Nicole had recently transitioned her career from fashion to education, but she found herself missing the fast pace of her former role. “That was a gap for me at the moment, and so with my active lifestyle, how could I marry both of those together?” she said. Her answer? Silver Sea Apparel, a name inspired by FALMOUTH LIVING • SPRING/SUMMER 2025
P H OTO S C O U R T E S Y O F S I LV E R S E A A P PA R E L
BY JEANNE M. PE TRIZZO
ST Y LED BY NATURE
Owners Jake and Nicole with their twin daughters.
Everyday Tanks, by Silver Sea Apparel in Marlin Blue, Black, Graphite and White.
all facets of marketing. Their labor of love is for their the beauty of Falmouth’s own Old Silver Beach. kids, but also their customers. Since the start, Nicole has Nicole’s fashion experience also taught her to pick a rigorously tested each product by asking dozens of women differentiator. Why should any customer choose their to wear the pieces and provide feedback. This design and activewear over other major brands? Because Silver testing process prioritizes the experience of the user. Sea Apparel would be a truly clean, toxin-free, and “We’re a husband-and-wife team with a growing sustainable activewear brand. family, and we’re trying to make the world a better Silver Sea activewear is made using TENCEL Lyocell place,” Nicole said. “We’re trying to live in reality. We’re and Bio-Based Spandex, both plant-based, toxin-free, trying to help where we can.” and biodegradable materials. Silver Sea Apparel is available through the company’s TENCEL Lyocell is produced from eucalyptus trees website or wholesale. New products on the grown in ethically managed forests. The horizon include a tank top with a builtwood is chipped and processed for impurities, To learn more, visit in bra (their most-requested piece) and a then ground into a pulp. A nontoxic silverseaapparel.com menswear line. chemical process turns the pulp into fibers, which are spun into fabric. Remarkably, the Silver Sea Apparel flagship entire production occurs in a closed-loop process Lifestyle Sports Bra. that recycles the manufacturing materials to reduce waste and chemical use. Even more remarkable, there isn’t a tradeoff. Silver Sea activewear is soft, comfortable, naturally moisture-wicking, and antibacterial, with just the right amount of stretch. And it’s all manufactured here in the U.S.A. The brand’s flagship piece is the Lifestyle Sports Bra, designed by Nicole and brought to life with the help of a local pattern maker. Besides the natural materials, every other detail is considered, from elastic width to strap size. Other products include tanks and long-sleeved t-shirts, all featuring the same super-soft fabrics. Silver Sea Apparel has been the definition of a family business since its start in July 2024, with Nicole spearheading design and Jake handling FALMOUTHLIVINGMAG.COM
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Green Creative Furniture Since 1970 508-362-2676 • Open 7 Days 9 –4 2454 Meetinghouse Way, West Barnstable westbarnstabletables.com
IN MEMORY, to an incredible man, his talent was unmatched you will be truly missed. Richard T. Kiusalas 1938 ~ 2025 Family, Friend & Artist
TIMBER TRADITIONS
Where Wood Tells a Story The Enduring Craft of West Barnstable Tables BY ANGEL A PROUT
TUCKED JUST OFF MEETINGHOUSE WAY in West Barnstable, West Barnstable Tables has been quietly crafting heirloom-quality furniture since 1970. Housed in a repurposed 1920s cranberry processing facility—with its telltale red floors stained by decades of the Cape’s iconic fruit—the shop is a living tribute to our area’s history, both in form and philosophy. Founded by Dick Kiusalas and Steve Whittlesey in 1970, the workshop was born from a desire to create functional furniture from salvaged antique hardwoods—Northern red pine, American chestnut, Eastern white pine, and oak—sourced from dismantled buildings across New England. Dick, then an advertising professional, was first drawn in by the transformation of a weathered board leaning against a barn. That simple moment sparked a lifelong passion for reclaiming wood and honoring its story. Though Steve eventually stepped away, Dick carried the vision for decades, working well into his eighties. He created custom furniture with meticulous care, including a cabinet inspired by Kurt Vonnegut’s Cat’s Cradle, made from wood salvaged from the author’s Barnstable study. Dick died earlier this year at age 87, but his legacy lives on through the artisans he mentored—many of whom have been with the business for decades. Visitors to the showroom are greeted with the warm scent of sanded hardwoods and the sight of timeless craftsmanship. From the signature antique hardwood tables to designs in new hardwood such as cherry, black walnut, and tiger maple, every piece is made with reverence. Traditional techniques, hand tools, and a minimalist set of saws define the process. As showroom manager Scott Turner puts it, their methods are “very, very, very primitive”—and proudly so. What sets West Barnstable Tables apart is not just the materials they use, but also the stories they preserve.
FALMOUTHLIVINGMAG.COM
The craftsmen approach each project with reverence, allowing the wood’s past to inform its future. “Matching is a dirty word around here,” Scott says. Each board has its own personality. Clients may offer inspiration for custom orders, but the wood and what is revealed throughout the process is ultimately what determines the final design. That philosophy leads to furniture that is timeless and that is to be admired and appreciated for its personality and unique character. No two pieces should, or ever will be, the same. One recent example: a table originally built by Dick in the 1970s from hardwood reclaimed during Boston Logan Airport’s expansion. When it was returned to the shop to be refinished and resold, Dick recognized it instantly—proof of the piece’s lasting impression. The showroom boasts more than just tables, offering a diverse selection of mirrors, sideboards, cabinets, coat racks, coffee tables, and even candle holders. The pieces share a dedication to honoring the material’s history. Some are new commissions, while others are spec pieces, and still others are returns from original owners, to be lovingly refinished and passed along to the next deserving steward. More than just furniture, West Barnstable Tables is a sustainable, heritage-driven practice rooted in story and skill. The artisans aren’t just building objects—they’re preserving memory. As the next generation of craftsmen take up the tools, the mission remains the same: Listen to the wood, honor its journey, and shape it into something beautiful that’s meant to last. For those interested in experiencing this blend of history, artistry, and craftsmanship firsthand, West Barnstable Tables welcomes visitors to its showroom at 2454 Meetinghouse Way in West Barnstable. For more information, visit westbarnstabletables.com.
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TASTE
Harbor Sips and Sweet Treats The Return of Falmouth’s Little Blue Coffee Truck
TEX T & PHOTOGR APHY BY ANGEL A PROUT
Falmouth Harbor is a beautiful backdrop for a cup of crafted coffee.
WITH THE ARRIVAL OF THE SEASON, Falmouth Harbor prepares to welcome back a charming fixture—the Little Blue Coffee Truck. Nestled beside the Falmouth Tides hotel on Clinton Avenue, this adorable truck offers more than just a caffeine boost: It also invites visitors to embrace the simple pleasure of savoring a thoughtfully crafted coffee against the backdrop of our beautiful harbor. Isn’t everything better with a view? This summer, take the time to sip some of the smoothest beverages in town, while admiring the comings and goings of boats, ferries, and eager anglers casting hopefully from the jetty. 32
Now entering its second season, Little Blue has already established itself as a small haven for coffee aficionados and pastry lovers alike. Its coffee menu is anchored by Snowy Owl Coffee, a Brewster-based roastery known for its dedication to quality and sustainability. From classic espresso to the ever-popular iced mocha, each drink is brewed with care, and served by some of the friendliest staff around. Arrive hungry as Little Blue’s menu extends beyond coffee, inviting customers to snack on local sweet treats too. Pastries from Maison Villatte, Falmouth’s beloved French bakery (now with a Woods Hole outpost as well as FALMOUTH LIVING • SPRING/SUMMER 2025
its downtown mainstay), offer a taste of European tradition in every flaky bite. Whether it’s a buttery almond croissant or a delightful fruit Danish, these mouthwatering confections are made even more delicious when enjoyed by the sea. For a more playful offering, try a gourmet Pop Tart from Weesh bakery in Roslindale. It’s a nostalgic nod to childhood, but reimagined for a sophisticated palate. Rounding out its selection of sweets, Little Blue offers ice
Above: Little Blue Coffee Truck is a small haven for coffee, pastry, and ice cream lovers. Left: Little Blue’s menu Below: The Bridge at the Flying Bridge is a sibling, offering a similar selection.
and sweet treats from the other side of the harbor. As Little Blue returns to its spot by the Tides, it becomes more than a seasonal fixture. It’s a gentle reminder of the pleasures of slowing down, of sipping coffee by the sea as the iconic harbor life unfolds before you. Consider taking a moment to visit this Instaworthy blue truck—a place where quality meets simplicity, and where Falmouth’s unique charm is distilled into every cup.
Follow the truck on social media for updates @littlebluetides
cream, too, and we all know there are never enough excuses (or locations!) to dig into summer’s favorite treat. Enjoy a cool respite while indulging in classic flavors like vanilla and chocolate or a refreshing cone of orange sherbet or black raspberry chip froyo. There’s a timeless joy in enjoying a scoop by the harbor— an experience that feels quintessentially Cape Cod. Adding to the experience, Little Blue has a sibling location at the Flying Bridge restaurant, known as “The Bridge.” This takeout window, positioned at the front of the restaurant, mirrors Little Blue’s offerings, allowing visitors to enjoy a similar selection of coffee, ice cream, FALMOUTHLIVINGMAG.COM
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THE GIVING PLACE
Ginny Irving, director of development and communications
MORE THAN A FOOD PANTRY Falmouth Service Center Fosters Community of Caring BY SAR AH E. MURPHY WHETHER IT’S FILLING A GAP during a temporary time of need, or empowering those who experience food insecurity by helping them increase selfsufficiency through a network of support, the Falmouth Service Center has been a community leader since 1983. And as the organization’s tagline states, it’s much more than a food pantry, evolving into a multiservice agency that offers 16 programs, seven of which are food-related. They include community food distribution to Cape Cod and Southcoast, Massachusetts, not limited to Falmouth, home delivery for seniors and individuals with disabilities, Fresh Market partnerships with Falmouth Public Schools and Joint Base Cape Cod, and the famous turkey basket distribution at Thanksgiving, which provides anyone FALMOUTHLIVINGMAG.COM
with the want or need all the fixings for a holiday meal, including frozen turkeys donated by the community. The tradition has become a hallmark of the Falmouth Service Center and the town of Falmouth. In addition to the primary goal of reducing hunger, the Service Center aims to alleviate the stress that accompanies financial insecurity, with services such as fuel assistance, SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program), budget management workshops, and nutritional education, collaborating with community partners, including We Can, Duffy Health Center, Farming Falmouth, Barnstable County Extension, Belonging to Each Other, and A Place at the Table, to name a few. The Service Center also offers funding to 35
THE GI VING PLACE
Above: Volunteers Lynne Shapiro, Bobbie Minor, Rachel Berman, and Diana Lingafelter Below: Volunteers Bernadette Ruskey, Pamela Towers, Molly Kilburn, Patty Maloney, Carolyn Schmitt, Judith Selleck, Mary Macauda, Bruce Holbrook, Thomas Farley, Laurie Raymond, and Sally Leader
cover the cost of motel rooms during the freezing winter months for individuals experiencing homelessness. Development and communications director Ginny Irving joined the Service Center in April 2023, bringing two decades of fundraising experience in related industries, such as affordable housing, hospice care, and human services, to fill one of the newly created roles in response to the growing needs of the community and the organization. According to Ginny, those needs have grown exponentially in recent years. In 2020, the Service Center food distribution program accommodated an average 200 families per week; in the last two years, the numbers have risen from 500 to 600 per week. Having grown up in Falmouth, where she and her husband, Michael, a fourth-grade teacher at North Falmouth Elementary School, chose to raise their family, Ginny is grateful to contribute her skills to the mission. “To be able to do the work I’ve been doing for more than twenty years at such a beloved organization has been a dream come true,” she said. As the staff grows, so does the physical space. Construction is underway on a two-story, 2,500-squarefoot addition slated for completion in the fall. The expansion will include second-floor office space for clients and community partners, and the first floor will feature a clothing and household goods room with 36
merchandise from Hand in Hand, the Service Center’s thrift store on Sandwich Road. Making people feel welcome so they can accept the assistance they need and deserve, free of shame, is another part of the Service Center’s vocation. “Our clients will often say, ‘I used to donate to you, and now I need your help.’ It can be especially hard for seniors because they’re very prideful,” Ginny said. “So we remind them, ‘You paid it forward. You helped others, and now we’re here to help you.’” She recalled one client who loved to knit and wanted to give back, doing so by making handmade baby blankets to be distributed with winter clothing for families in need. Another past client approached Ginny at an event to share the impact the organization had on his family after his wife was in a car accident. A week’s worth of FALMOUTH LIVING • SPRING/SUMMER 2025
THE GIVING PLACE Home | Auto | Watercraft | Personal Umbrella | Life | Business
Volunteers Michelle Rogers and Francis J. DeYoung
groceries sustained them until their insurance kicked in, enabling him to pay household bills. “I hated the idea of having to come to you,” said the father of two young children. “But I couldn’t put food on the table for my kids. You were all so warm and welcoming.” Ginny credited former longtime executive director Barbara Swain, who died in December 2024, for her contribution to fostering that empathetic environment. Today, the Service Center boasts an army of 600 volunteers dedicating their time and talent. “For so many, the Falmouth Service Center is synonymous with Brenda Swain. She made this place what it is. She’s the reason people feel comfortable here, and one of the reasons we have all these volunteers and so many of us staff members are here. It’s because of the culture she created. We wanted to be part of that culture,” Ginny said. “What a loss to this community, but my goodness, what a gift she gave to this community.”
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LOCAL READS
Summer Reading Awaits BY VERONICA NE TO
There’s nothing better than having a great book on hand from a local author to kick off the summer. From a mystery thriller to a romance sequel, here are books to add to your list. When the Past Is All Deception by R. Michael Cassidy
Loosely based on the 1991 unsolved murder of Boston professor Mary Jo Frug, Falmouth native and Boston College Law School professor R. Michael Cassidy’s first novel tells the story of law professor Mark Price. The conservative professor finds himself at a crossroads when he is removed from his classroom because of conflict among him and his students over issues of political correctness. His better half and more liberal partner, Susan Price, has just been nominated for a seat on the State Supreme Court. However, one night in Harvard Square, she is brutally stabbed to death on her way home from work. The investigation unfolds with plot twists and secrets that will keep readers on their toes. Professor Cassidy has recently migrated back to Falmouth after raising his family in Boston. He serves as chair of the Board of Bar Overseers in Boston, an agency that investigates and disciplines errant lawyers, which he says contributed to several ethical legal twists to this thriller. Good news, readers: There’s a Cape Cod–based sequel in the works.
Haunted Ecologies by Corey Farrenkopf
In this collection of fifteen eco-dark fantasy stories mostly set on Cape Cod, Harwich-based author and librarian Corey Farrenkopf highlights seaside folk horror and gothic forest wanderings. With each story’s environmental focal point, Farrenkopf emphasizes the never-ending threat of climate change. “I hope that readers both get a sense of urgency when it comes to trying to think and act more environmentally consciously, while also being hopeful about potential outcomes. Things are dark, but there can be a light at the end of the tunnel if we work intelligently toward a better future,” he says. Farrenkopf ’s family stretches back 11 or 12 generations on Cape Cod, and he is no stranger to writing about it. He’s published more than 100 short stories so far. This is his second book; his debut novel, Living in Cemeteries, was released last year.
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LOCAL READS
Spring in Cranberry Harbor by Candace Hammond
The sequel to author Candace Hammond’s Christmas in Cranberry Harbor continues the story of Boston journalist Lizzie Martin, who runs the Cranberry Harbor Chronicle with her father. She has been reunited with Jack, her exfiancé whom she believes to be romantically back on track until he becomes distracted by his latest off-the-grid housing project for the town. With her past life in Boston behind her, Lizzie’s new chapter faces the current challenges of living in an off-season town. Challenges turn into opportunities as she helps her community grow and evolve with the times. And, luckily, the locals are there to help. Hammond, who lives on the Lower Cape, wears many hats as a journalist and novelist and hosts an arts podcast on WOMR out of Provincetown. “I love telling stories that are fun, warm, and comforting, but also speak to contemporary issues impacting Cape Cod, my favorite place to set my stories and plays, and my home,” says Hammond. Published by Cape-based Sea Crow Press, this salty homage is part of an eventual four-book series and a perfect summer beach read.
Some Doubt About It by Marion McNabb
This romp of a debut novel by Midcape author Marion McNabb centers around Caroline Beckett, a self-help guru who’s proof that women really can have it all. She reconnects with her former mentor, Deborah Van Buren, the complete opposite of Caroline, who has been kicked out of local restaurants for causing a scene with her chihuahua, Mary Magdalene. What do they have in common? The afterthought of life choices, the legacies they will leave behind, and most important, the rediscovery of what life holds for women. McNabb captures continuous humor, female relationships, and even Greek philosophy in her book, set on the Cape. “I have received so many comments about how the story reads like a love letter to Cape Cod. Indeed, taking place here on Cape was integral to the metamorphosis that Caroline has. I truly enjoyed writing about this special place.” says McNabb. McNabb’s career has included a range of freelance work and most notably writing for Rainbow Rangers on Nick Jr. Her next novel will also be set on Cape Cod.
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SPIRITS & CRAFT
The Familia Speakeasy Honoring the Past, Toasting the Future at John’s Liquor
BY CHRIS K AZARIAN PHOTOS BY SUZANNE RYAN
NEARLY EVERY COMMUNITY has a business that serves as a linchpin, connecting people to one another, to its happenings, and to its history. John’s Liquor Store is one such landmark in Falmouth, an everimportant third place, outside the home and work, where people can convene, socialize, and exchange ideas. “Have you ever played Dungeons & Dragons or watched ‘Lord of the Rings,’ and they go into an old tavern, grab an ale, and they share stories and gossip? A small store like this, it is an old tavern and that kind of place where you have a connection with people,” owner Mark Saunders Ferreira says. “It’s not just people grabbing their liquor, 42
coming in and getting out. They want to talk to you.” “A lot of my customers call me by my first name,” Peter Cvitan, the store’s head sales associate, chimes in. “Some guy came in yesterday — he is a massive guy, the type you’d never want to mess with. He is taking care of his mother. He came in yesterday and wanted a hug. He hadn’t seen me in so long.” “It’s that personal touch you get here, which is pretty cool,” Ferreira says. This year, Ferreira is leaning into that concept with the opening of The Familia, a speakeasy-style tasting room that is connected to the store. “This store has been FALMOUTH LIVING • SPRING/SUMMER 2025
A vast selection of fine bourbon whiskey for tasting in The Familia Speakeasy room.
it was damaged during a storm that summer. in my family since 1937,” he says. “I’m trying to instill John died when Ferreira’s father, Mark, was a child. that experience into the store and have it be more of the “My grandmother tried to run it along with a few other community, something other than a liquor store because siblings, and I think it was a bit of a challenge until my we’re not just a liquor store.” dad took over,” says Ferreira. “He was young when he He makes the statement on a Friday in mid-January as took it over and made it a very successful business. He he was putting the finishing touches on the new addition, started doing catering. . . . He saved which formerly housed its bottle- and this location and its legacy.” can-redemption center. The concept Much like his father, Ferreira for the tasting room stemmed from has been connected to the store Ferreira going down rabbit holes from a young age. It started with when it came to researching rare beers his taking out the trash, overseeing and whiskeys for the store to stock. the redemption room, becoming a Not only did it lead to new cashier, stepping up to be manager of clientele seeking out the product, the catering side of the business, and but it also had Ferreira considering then “basically my dad’s right-hand the concept of a tasting room man,” he says. that incorporated the history and Two years ago, his father died character of John’s Liquor Store. after a short bout with cancer. He “The building itself, as far as I was only 65. know, the origins are around 1901. “Hard work,” Ferreira says, It was a milk store,” he says. “Then about one of the lessons his father my family bought it in 1937 when it taught him. became a restaurant and liquor store.” Another? “Appreciate everything His grandfather was the famed as you go along,” he says. “He taught John, whose name is emblazoned on Blue Note “The Honey Heist” straight bourbon me patience and to never give up.” its iconic sign, originally erected in whiskey crafted in Memphis exclusively for As to what his father was like, the 1950s and repaired in 2010 after The Familia Speakeasy at John’s Liquor. FALMOUTHLIVINGMAG.COM
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SPIRITS & CRAFT The Familia Sauce offers a delightful sweet and spicy taste.
Cvitan pokes his head into the tasting room and says, “Everybody loved him. He used to buy us lunches, dinners, all kinds of stuff. He was personable. “Mark’s sister, Coral Zine, a ‘super mom,’ is an essential source of support to our legacy while balancing her career as a fulltime registered nurse. She was a devoted daughter, always ensuring their father was well cared for, and now continues to be an incredible presence as Mark grows the business.” How do we celebrate the past? By moving forward. The Familia symbolizes the two—John Ferreira and Mark Ferreira—who started and built John’s Liquor Store into what it is today. While Mark Saunders Ferreira had long known he would be the next in that lineage, he never expected it would happen so quickly. “I thought we would have a few more years [together],” he says. Last fall, he began renovations to the store, opening the room earlier this year. He dreams of holding tastings for hard-to-find whiskeys and craft beers and inviting food trucks to add to the convivial atmosphere. “Maybe we’ll do ‘Craft Beer Tuesdays’ or ‘Whiskey 44
The Familia Speakeasy at John’s Liquor with Blue Note “The Honey Heist.” A prescription form back in prohibition days when liquor was called “medicinal liquor.”
Wednesdays,’” he says. “And we may have some kind of events for members to have exclusive tastings. It lets us know our customers better and gives us a better opportunity to interact with them.” Though I’m not much of a drinker, I do love tastings. Ferreira, along with his wife, Deseree Frustaci, who is a vital partner in both the store and bar catering operations, share a passion for the science and history behind the products they sell, especially rare whiskeys, craft beers, and fine wines.” More important is “the community tied to it,” he says. “The more I talk to people about it, the more interested I get and the more it fascinates me. And I love passing that knowledge onto our customers.” A few weeks before The Familia was set to open, Ferreira pauses when asked what his father would think about the room. “I think my dad would love it,” he says. “I think he would say, ‘You spent too much money on this.’ But he’d love it. I think he’d be very proud of everything that is happening here.” FALMOUTH LIVING • SPRING/SUMMER 2025
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EDDIE SWIFT FOR THE WIN
BY MEG COSTELLO PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE WOODS HOLE HISTORICAL MUSEUM ONE AUGUST DAY IN 1961, a modest home in Woods Hole buzzed with activity. Dozens of visitors came and went, congratulating Edward Ellsworth Swift on turning 100. Eddie had done a lot over the course of a century, but he may have been proudest of his work with spritsails, the little sailing ships that became Woods Hole icons. Eddie had not only designed and built spritsails, but he’d also raced them against top-notch yachtsmen—and he’d won. Shipbuilding was in Eddie’s blood. His Swift ancestors had made a fortune building whaleships launched from Woods Hole. By the time Eddie was born in 1861, whaling’s glory days were over. He drew his first breath in his parents’ house on the corner of School Street and Water Street. Lucy and Ezekiel Swift named their baby Edward Ellsworth Swift. His middle name was inspired by a Civil War hero who had died for the Union two months earlier.
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HISTORY Eddie attended a one-room village school in Woods Hole. Early exposure to farming and fishing taught him self-reliance; his father Ezekiel taught him how to work in wood. It was a traditional Cape Cod upbringing, but changes were stirring after the Civil War. New people with new ideas began to arrive in town, carried by the railroad, which reached Falmouth in 1871. At the age of 18, Eddie left school and joined his father’s building business. Wealthy visitors wanted summer homes, and the Swifts helped to build them. Their projects included the Henry H. Fay house at Nobska and the Robert Bacon house on Church Street. Ezekiel and Eddie also ran a hardware store and lumberyard. The building boom extended to ships as well as houses. Carpenters created a variation on a catboat called a “spritsail” (rhymes with schnitzel). This sturdy little craft first appeared in the village in the 1870s. It was well suited for navigating the tricky currents that swirled around Woods Hole. Moreover, the mast of a spritsail could be folded down in a hurry. This was an especially handy feature for sailors who had to pass under the old stone bridge that spanned the entrance to Eel Pond.
Left: Woods Hole Spritsails Racing, Great Harbor, 1902. Painting by Franklin L. Gifford. Below: Little Harbor with catboats racing in fog and clouds, c1900. Photograph by Sarah Bryant Fay.
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Spritsail fleet readying for a race at the Woods Hole Yacht Club near the MBL, c1900. Photographer unknown.
Eddie didn’t invent the spritsail, but he was uniquely determined to maximize its potential. Laboring in his backyard on School Street, he completed his first spritsail, Spy, around 1890. About nine years later, Eddie finished his second spritsail, Susie. It was probably named after his wife, Susan Flora Freeman, whom Eddie had married in 1891. Racing fever had gripped the village, leading to the establishment of the Woods Hole Yacht Club in 1897. Every Sunday throughout the summer, a cannon at the yacht club boomed to signal the start of another race. Crowds gathered to root for fourteen local spritsails as they battled for a trophy. The yacht club divided spritsails into two classes: “A” for racing craft professionally designed for wealthy yachtsmen, and “B” for the heavier, homemade boats favored by working fishermen. Eddie registered Susie in the B class. She won . . . and won . . . and won. With Susie, Eddie had produced the spritsail of his dreams: a sleek, versatile ship that was both a workhorse and a
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racing craft. Yacht club officials bowed to Susie’s superiority and promoted her into Class A, where she took her place alongside craft built by well-known yacht designers such as Nathanael Herreshoff. The fad for racing spritsails eventually waned in Woods Hole, but Eddie kept busy with other things. He gave sailing lessons to children. He ran a hardware store noted for its friendliness and reliability. At his beloved Church of the Messiah, Eddie served as parish clerk from 1882–1951. As Eddie and his wife grew older, they were cared for by a niece and nephew. Even when he became bedridden, Eddie took pleasure in the world around him. Through his window at 10 School Street, he watched Redfield Laboratory being constructed. He “highly approved” of the modern building. Friends read the newspaper to him and helped him to follow the America’s Cup races of 1962. In May 1964, Eddie slipped peacefully away, at age 102. He’d been born under Lincoln and died under LBJ. He’d witnessed the end of the whaling era and the beginning of the space age. Three of his spritsails are now in museums.
FALMOUTH LIVING • SPRING/SUMMER 2025
HISTORY
Left: Church of the Messiah, c1890. Photographer unknown. Below: Eel Pond (man with sail and spritsail boat), August 21, 1890. Photograph by Baldwin Coolidge. Coolidge, a top photographer of his day, left many prints and negatives which are now at the Woods Hole Historical Museum.
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HISTORY
The legendary Susie is preserved at Mystic Seaport, along with an unfinished spritsail found in Eddie’s workshop. Eddie’s first spritsail, Spy, can be seen at Woods Hole Museum, fittingly housed in a barn built by Eddie himself. The museum also has a silver trophy that commemorates Susie’s victories in August and September of 1900. In the 1980s, Susie returned to Woods Hole for a visit. Local historian Jennifer Gaines got the chance to sail in her. “What a delight she was!” Gaines remarked. She tacked happily, flew downwind, and was “altogether great fun to sail!” Not bad for a little workhorse in her eighties! But what else would you expect? Susie took after her creator, Eddie Swift, a man who outlived everything except his joy in life.
Above: Eddie Swift seated in front of his hardware store at 10 School Street, c1950. Below: Little Harbor, west side, including Hatch house and spritsail, 1895. Photograph by Baldwin Coolidge.
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FALMOUTH LIVING • SPRING/SUMMER 2025
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Capturing
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Cape Cod
ARTIST PROFILE
JAN LHORMER ’S ARTIS TIC VISION
Head in the Clouds, oil on canvas, 36" x 36"
THE SEASIDE LANDSCAPES OF CAPE COD have long served as muses for artists, their canvases filled with lighthouses, sailboats, and weathered shingle cottages. Provincetown, in particular, has cemented its reputation as an art colony, attracting renowned painters eager to capture the Cape’s coastal charm—many in a more abstract, expressionist way. For Jan Lhormer, a Falmouth-based artist, inspiration isn’t just about capturing the postcard-perfect scenery. Instead, she distills the essence of a place—shifting tides, changing skies, and unseen energy. In her sunlit home studio, oil paintings in varying stages of completion lean against the walls. The textures of blues, pinks, and earth tones come together to form
abstract interpretations of the world around her. Cloudy splotches and streaking paint create a striking contrast, evoking both emotion and movement. “They are layered, a lot of putting the paint on, wiping it off,” Jan explains. “Some of them I keep going back to—it can take months, maybe even years.” On the other hand, Jan’s ink botanicals come together much more quickly, often completed in a single sitting as she illustrates flowers from her garden. They lean toward realism yet maintain a looseness that invites interpretation. “Some people see them as more abstract, too,” she says with a smile, showing how her work offers multiple layers of meaning, depending on the viewer’s perspective.
BY CARINA CHRISTO • PHOTOGR APHY BY PE TER JULIAN FALMOUTHLIVINGMAG.COM
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Jan Lhormer’s sunlit home studio, with oil paintings and ink botanicals in varying stages of completion displayed throughout.
That openness to interpretation reflects her own nonlinear artistic journey. “I always did [art] as a child, and then I kind of got away from it in high school,” she recalls. “Actually, I was studying art history at first in college, and then I took a semester abroad in Italy, and that awakened a drive to rediscover my own artistic voice, which sort of really got me back into wanting to do the art myself,” she explained. Inspired by her time in one of the art capitals of the world, she shifted her focus from studying the history of art to creating it and earned her undergraduate degree at Colorado College before completing a master’s degree in studio art at Boston University. Originally from Pittsburgh, Jan Lhormer has called Falmouth home for 22 years after spending two decades in Boston. She spent summers working and exhibiting on Martha’s Vineyard with her husband before moving to Falmouth. “We loved being by the ocean,” she recalls, “but the Vineyard was too remote at that time, before the internet.” Plus, Falmouth offered the convenience of being closer to her teaching position at Bridgewater State University. Teaching studio art, she reflects, has become an indispensable aspect of her artistic journey. “I like passing on to the younger generation, and I get inspired by what they do,” she noted. Interacting with students has opened her eyes to new ways of 54
Yellow Roses, ink botanical, 14" x 11"
FALMOUTH LIVING • SPRING/SUMMER 2025
ARTIST PROFILE
Evening Sky, watercolor, 5" x 7"
thinking and how technology might influence art. “I feel like it’s important to be involved with our community,” she added. Throughout her decades of experience creating, Jan has exhibited her work in numerous galleries, including a solo show at the Painting Center in New York City, as well as displays at the Cape Cod Museum of Art in Dennis and venues across New England. Her work is currently on exhibit at New England Contemporary Fine Art in East Greenwich, Rhode Island. Her upcoming solo exhibition at the Art Complex Museum in Duxbury will be held in 2026. This will be the first time Lhormer exhibits her
oil paintings and ink botanical drawings side by side. “I think they go together, but I’ve never had a bigger show— showing the large oil sea and sky pieces with the smaller ink botanicals. That will be exciting.” A deeply engaged member of the art community, Jan has spent years writing about the art world and mentoring emerging artists. She finds inspiration in painters Helen Frankenthaler, J.M.W. Turner, and Joan Snyder. Those interested in exploring her pieces can visit her Instagram (@janlhormer) or her website (janlhormer.com)—or schedule an appointment to visit her home studio in North Falmouth.
Homespun Garden, oil on canvas, 14" x 33"
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SEASIDE BY CHRIS KAZARIAN | PHOTOGRAPHY BY BET T Y WILEY
I bought a ’30 Ford wagon, and we call it a Woody (Surf City, here we come) You know it’s not very cherry, it’s an oldie but a goody (Surf City, here we come) —Jan & Dean, Surf City (1963) 56
FALMOUTH LIVING • SPRING/SUMMER 2025
WOODY
The timeless ride of a classic legacy of a family’s 1934 Ford Woody.
LIFE IS A JOURNEY. AND IT SHOULD BE TRAVELED IN STYLE WITH A HEALTHY DOSE OF FUN THROWN IN. John Irving and Lori Weseman of North Falmouth have embraced that philosophy with their 1934 Ford Woody station wagon, a vintage automobile that fits perfectly into this seaside community. “A really big part of its charm and nostalgia is its ties to surf culture,” Weseman says. “The surf culture really made the Woodies popular. And the fact they were the beach wagon. That’s what people called them. I heard a story people would drive them into the surf and abandon them. I don’t know if it’s true or not.”
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The Yankee Wood chapter of the National Woodie Club represents owners throughout New England.
What makes for a good story? It has interesting characters, longevity, and a sense of the fantastical. The couple’s Ford Woody, dubbed “Lizzie,” is the centerpiece of this tale, which dates back 91 years (and 100,000 miles) when John Hammond—“Just like the gentleman’s name in ‘Jurassic Park,’” Weseman says—purchased the vehicle from Falmouth Ford. Back then, the iconic wood-bodied cars were highly sought after thanks to the spacious interiors, which made them ideal for families and for road trips, and their speed: The V-8 engine topped out at 65 miles per hour, among the fastest at the time. “John wanted the latest and greatest,” Irving says. The same year Hammond purchased the vehicle, Clyde Barrow, of Bonnie and Clyde fame, penned a thank-you letter to Henry Ford, writing, “For sustained speed and freedom from trouble, the Ford has got every other car skinned, and even if my business isn’t strictly legal it doesn’t hurt anything to tell you what a fine car you got in the V8.” How this V-8 got into Irving’s hands goes back to his grandparents, John and Ruth Carlson, who emigrated from Sweden and rented a home behind Nobska Light. The couple worked for Hammond, who owned an estate in Woods Hole, where John was the gardener, and Ruth was the cook and housekeeper. Irving’s grandfather had another responsibility, picking up Hammond’s visitors in the Woody. Weseman explains the car’s secondary name: “When people would come to the estate, he would take the station wagon to the station to pick them up,” she says. “That is why they called them station wagons. They were used by hotels to pick up passengers. In [the movie] ‘White Christmas’ all the Woody cars had the name of the hotel on the side so passengers knew which car to get into.” This one was never used by a hotel; on the door of the driver’s side is etched “End O-Lane” in reference to the end of the lane where the car was garaged. 58
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John Irving and Lori Weseman, owners of the 1934 Ford Woody, on Surf Drive
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Hammond eventually sold the car to Irving’s grandfather. “He called it ‘Leesie.’ He had a very strong accent,” Irving says of his grandfather. It has remained in his family ever since. “It was the only car my grandfather ever owned,” Irving says. “He set it aside for going to the beach on weekends.” After Irving’s grandfather died in 1961, his mother, Elsie, purchased the car for $300, at which time it found a new home in Westwood, where he was raised. It moved back to the Cape in 1979 when his parents moved to a historic North Falmouth house. “We used it for special occasions. It was not a daily driver,” Irving says. “We would take it to car shows and rides in the country.” It was stored in a barn on his parents’ property, and at one point attracted powderpost beetles, “which is the death of wooden cars,” says Weseman. “That was a big scare,” Irving says. “They put boric acid and water on the wood. It kills the bugs and deters them. They only made a couple little holes, which we covered up with varnish.” A little over a decade ago, Irving became the fourth owner of the car, taking it to Jericho, Vermont, where he lived and worked as the plant manager for the McNeil Generating Station in nearby Burlington.
Not long after he retired, about eight years ago, Irving reconnected with Weseman; the pair had met in 1974, working at the now-defunct Boston engineering firm, Chas. T. Main, and dated for about a year. “We were sweethearts in 1974 and then again around 2018,” Weseman says. By that time, Weseman was a school nurse at East Falmouth Elementary School, a job she held from 2010 until last October. Just before the pandemic, the couple purchased their home in North Falmouth, and the Woody made its triumphant return to the Cape. Now closing in on 100, the Woody shows its age through several quirks. Want air-conditioning on a hot summer day? Simply open the front windshield. “The windows are canvas and don’t roll up or down,” Irving says. “The back ones slide up into the roof and the front ones unsnap and you store them under the roof above you.” When turning, Irving notifies cars the old-fashioned way, through hand signals. When it’s raining and the Woody is going up a hill, there’s a good chance the windshield wiper—there’s only one on the car—will stop because it is vacuum driven. “It harkens back to what people think was a simpler time,” says Weseman.
Authentic touches include a single side-mount spare tire.
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John & Lori sitting at Nobska Lighthouse in “Lizzie,” their 1934 Ford Woody.
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The name “End O-Lane” refers to the end of the lane where the Woody was garaged. John Irving, owner of “Lizzie”.
The Woody sports an H-pattern stick shift. And there are no seat belts, which is why Weseman prefers to drive their chase car, a modern Subaru Outback, on longer treks to car shows in Mystic, Connecticut, or Ogunquit, Maine. Over the years, this 1934 Woody has won its fair share of prizes. Irving and his wife take pride in being ambassadors for the car, with Weseman serving as vice president of the Yankee Wood Chapter of the National Woodie Club, representing owners throughout New England. Every year, the car receives a coat of varnish to prepare for the summer, when it’s driven nearly every day, a highlight for their visitors who delight in making treks to Old Silver Beach, Woods Hole, and one of their favorites— Eulinda’s Ice Cream in West Falmouth. “It means a lot to me,” says Irving, noting that it is still all original, from the wood siding to the engine to the tires. “It is just the history and the fact it has been in the family since it was basically new.”
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“For John, it’s a labor of love,” Weseman adds. “He’s always out there sanding it. He loves working on it. We love the car, and the fact that it grew up on the Cape right around here and will be here, probably for the rest of its life, is really special.”
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Sands of Time BY LISA CAVANAUGH | PHOTOGR APHY BY BE T T Y WILEY HOME ST YLIST MICHELE L ACAMER A
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Originally built over a century ago as beach cabanas, a handful of historic structures still dot the shoreline along Surf Drive. Here is a peek inside two of these classic cottages.
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Soaking up the endless days of summers.
It’s only about 200 square feet of rough-hewn shingled wood, but for Michele Gaziano and her family, the cottage on Surf Drive Beach is a very happy place. “It’s basically one room and a deck, but most of our summer days are spent there,” she says. “We do everything there, from lunches, dinners, and 4th of July parties to watching sunsets and the Falmouth Road Race.” Gaziano and her husband, Steven, along with her parents, Barbara and Mike Meissner, bought the cottage in 2003, and right away, the foursome knew they wanted an airy, beachy vibe inside and out. “It was pretty unfinished, so we put up the beadboard and painted it a sunny yellow-green.” The outside furniture was purchased for the cottage, but a few Cool, refreshing lemonade hits the spot on a summer’s day.
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items inside are family favorites. “We already had wicker chairs and some other pieces, and they fit perfectly,” says Gaziano. The artwork is also quite meaningful. “From the very beginning, we spent lots of time there with my parents, but my dad passed about nine years ago,” says Gaziano. Her father, Mike Meissner, had picked up painting as a hobby after retirement, and his work adorns the wall of the cottage. “We have many of his paintings there, which keeps his spirit with us.” The Gazianos have four children, who now range in age from 18 to 23, so there always seems to be plenty of people gathered at the cottage. “We love to share it with friends and family,” she says. “Our time together feels just like wonderful, endless summer days.” One of Mike Meissner’s paintings
Bright and cheery living space
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Break on through to the other side of paradise.
Not too far down Surf Drive is another quintessential beach cottage with an intriguing weather-related history. When Hurricane Bob hit the Cape in 1991, the storm surge damaged homes along Surf Drive and drove them across the road into Salt Pond. This circa 1950s cottage was one of them. Luckily, it was relatively undamaged and was hoisted by crane back onto the beach, to be again used and beloved by sun- and fun-seekers. The current owners spend much of the summer and some of the shoulder seasons enjoying the proximity to the water and the opportunity for kayaking, relaxing, An antique Buffalo Foam fire extinguisher made into a lamp.
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Cozy and rustic with a sense of whimsy and beachy style.
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Stunning water views of Vineyard Sound.
and stargazing. The interior has retained its traditional dark wood walls and floors, with a large, unadorned picture window facing the sea to let in copious light and allow for unmatched views. A cheerful, eclectic mix of old and new furnishings and décor lend the cottage a homey, welcoming feel. Like most of the charming cottages on Surf Drive, these two are a bridge to history. Here, it’s easy to envision the sleepy summer days of decades past as well as to imagine a future where time stands still, sunsets seem to linger longer, and life at the beach remains enduringly lovely.
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Seaside Cottages PHOTOGR APHY BY BE T T Y WILEY
Surf Drive is one of the most scenic roads on the Cape bordered on one side by Vineyard Sound and the other by Oyster Pond and Salt Pond as it winds towards Nobska Lighthouse and Woods Hole to the northwest. Quiet in winter but bustling in the summer, this stretch of road is popular with cyclists and runners as well as those enjoying a walk along the beach to take in the beauty of nature while feeling as though they’re stepping back in time. 72
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Stones
in the Moors
Handcrafted walls anchor a gorgeous garden. BY LISA CAVANAUGH PHOTOGR APHY BY BE T T Y WILEY
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The expansive front garden areas open up to a view of Vineyard Sound with daises, rose of Sharon, and spirea.
AFTER VACATIONING ON THE CAPE MOST OF HIS LIFE, Bill Guggina and his wife, Peggy, bought an older home in the Moors section of Falmouth in 2017. “When we bought the property, it had been in the same family for 55 years,” says Guggina. “The house was not insulated, so we did a major renovation between 2019 and 2021, and when it was done, it was like a whole new home.” That also meant an entirely clean slate for landscaping. “All we had in the yard was dirt.” The couple’s inspiration was to create something that looked like it belonged there. “When the glaciers on Cape Cod receded, all the piles of rocks they formed stayed behind,” says Guggina. “We sit on the terminal part of the glacial moraine, so the glacier stopped in our yard, depositing rocks and sediment.”
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Above right: The side yard with its beautiful curved lines provides a pathway leading to the backyard, bordered by hydrandgea, rhododendron, winterberry, and pink and purple cranesbill. Below: A spacious patio area includes a soak pool and outdoor dining area with catnip, sedum, Supertunia, and silver grass with gorgeous views of Vineyard Sound
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Top: An aerial view of the backyard showcases the keen design with plant groupings surrounding the soak pool and patio area along with the retaining walls that Bill Guggina built himself. Right: Bill Guggina
The Gugginas embraced that as a theme, so their first project was to add some classic New England–style dry-stone walls. “I went to a stone-wall–building school in Dummerston, Vermont, and I also had help from my cousin Mark in building my first stone wall. We built about 250 feet of dry-stone walls, using stone from our yard,” says Guggina. “Then we started imagining the garden.” Guggina also got certified as a master gardener during that time. “The focus was more on horticulture, plant biology, and soil composition in that course, so we also referenced books on landscape design and looked at many gardens.”
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Granite steps bordered by daylilies, catnip, and Japanese holly lead up to the patio and seating area in the backyard.
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They began with a foundation of evergreens to create a privacy screen and then added more trees, shrubs, and eventually the garden beds of perennials. “We thought a lot about color,” says Guggina. “We aimed to color coordinate and keep it simple. We planted in groups, so nothing looks too busy.” Some of their favorites include quintessential Cape Cod hydrangeas and roses. “We have lots of roses because they bloom from spring through fall,” says Peggy. “Bill has named all the parts of the yard, so we have a dedicated area called the rose garden, which is all roses, with a lovely little bench in the middle.” Left: Along the driveway are Endless Summer hydrangeas with pachysandra as a low border next to the garage. Below: The front of the house showcases more of the stone masonry work accented by Apricot Drift, creeping phlox, and Endless Summer hydrangeas.
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There is also a monument garden, a fire pit garden, a shade garden, and a garden around the pool. “We also have a vegetable garden,” adds Peggy, who tends to their selection of tomatoes, squash, and cucumbers. “We keep it simple.” They also plant annuals to add some instant interest to their property. “I think they’re a nice way to put a little splash of color here and there to brighten things up,” says Guggina. “We did petunias this past summer, and they were spectacular.” The couple’s property overlooks Vineyard Sound and includes a hot tub and fire pit in addition to the gardens. These outdoor spaces delight them and their visiting family and friends, but Guggina, a retired electrical engineer and manufacturing operations executive, never stops planning and working on their yard. Right: The lower level of the yard has a potting shed and work area. Sedum, Japanese holly, and catnip provide splashes of color. Below: Beautiful shades of yellow from the daylilies and false cypress ‘gold mop’ complement the blue hydrangeas along the driveway.
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The large outdoor living space is bordered by a variety of perennials, which include catnip, ornamental grasses, sedum, and a Blue Point juniper.
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Golden early morning light washes on the stone retaining wall with apricot drift roses, daylilies, Shasta daises, Endless Summer hydrangea, and a green giant arborvitae provide lots of vibrant color in the lower plant bed.
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“I’m always moving things around, finding new spots for plants,” he says. “Last winter, I was always outside, preparing soil, clearing beds, and, of course, building more stone walls.” He likes that he can add to a time-honored tradition with this work. “I got very interested in geology and the history of stone and rock walls,” he says. “In New England, they were mainly created as farmers cleared their fields and would pile the rocks they dug up around the perimeter of their property. They weren’t building them as an architectural feature as much as just getting them out of the way.”
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The stone wall along the side yard provides a beautiful backdrop for the curved design of the planting bed with pink drift roses, Russian sage, joe-pye weed, and gaura. Below: A cozy conversation area with a fire pit provides a great outdoor living space for chilly evenings and entertaining.
He notes that there are some charming stone walls in New England that were built appropriately using the principles of dry-stone orchestration, such as the ones you see in Scotland, Ireland, and England. “I spent some time in Ireland and remember being very impressed with the hundreds of miles of these structures,” says Guggina. “So I was glad to learn the correct method to replicate these walls in our garden. It is a big undertaking and takes some time, but the process is a very satisfying meditation.”
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By the Sea A new build on an old family property gives homeowners a perfect spot for summertime gatherings.
BY LISA CAVANAUGH PHOTOS BY DREW LEDERMAN
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A multitude of gathering spaces outdoors and in ensures the homeowners can entertain their growing extended family.
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he original house on this shoreline property, once part of a collection of four small cottages, was purchased by the current homeowner’s parents in 1963. “My husband and I took over the cottage from my parents,” says the homeowner, “and it was always a great summer vacation house for our family.” Eventually, the couple, who now have four adult children and seven grandchildren, realized they were outgrowing the charming cottage. “We wanted something that would be easy to entertain and accommodate a large family,” says the homeowner. “Six of our grandchildren are under the age of three, so we also wanted a house that would be durable and comfortable.” Once they had received approval from the town to build, the homeowners sought the skills and expertise of Upper Cape professionals to help them bring their vision to life. Their architect, Greg Siroonian from RESCOM Architectural, Inc., in Bourne, recommended working with Agricola Construction, located in Mashpee. “Greg urged us to strongly consider Agricola because they have a keen sense of detail and offer custom finish work.”
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Layered textures in the living room area create interest with an overall calm feel.
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A cast concrete fireplace surround by Elements Concrete blends in seamlessly. Dual sofas by LEE industries with Schumacher trim anchor the living room space. A hammered nickel sink by Native Trails adds interest to the bar area.
Finding the builders to be flexible and easy to work with, they began the project and then brought in interior designer Jennifer Perini. “She was wonderful,” says the homeowner. “We had a great rapport with her, and she had such great ideas.” One example was Perini’s suggestion to add an understated wallpaper to the coffered ceilings. “It just added another dimension to the ceiling.” “It is a blue grasscloth wallpaper,” explains Perini, owner of Jennifer Perini Interiors in Falmouth. “Agricola did such a beautiful job with the coffered ceiling and the wainscoting up the stairs. I built off those features to bring in another dimension of color in the room, and I chose the hue to mirror the ocean view outside.” It also aligned with another goal for the home: to focus on including a lot of texture. “I wanted it to look elegant yet still be relaxed and comfortable. None of the materials are fussy, but there is still a level of sophistication.” Other textural items in the space include the rug, which has a subtle rope pattern and noticeable weave. “The drapes also have a very slight blue stripe in them,” says Perini, “and we repeated the grasscloth in the back of the built-in bookcases to add a little interest.” 94
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Vertical tongue & groove paneling in the primary bedroom frames the ocean view. A serene color palette with accents of natural materials creates an elegant and calm space. The Quadrille fabrics pillow and coastal art pull the colors of the room together.
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Perini followed the same concept in the kitchen with the countertops and the backsplash tile. “The kitchen is done in neutrals, so we chose tiles in beige and gold with many variations, to add some complexity,” says Perini. “The countertops are made of honed natural stone, soft to the touch, so the room has multiple finishes, but they create a calm atmosphere,” she adds.
Island beverage drawers at the ready to entertain. Marble and porcelain tiles by Bellew tile perfectly accent the Taj Mahal countertops. Pendant lights by Visual Comfort.
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The house’s design palette adheres to mostly blues and tans to maintain a harmonious feel. Perini included other color accents on the first floor, such as some greens in the rug and the throw pillows, while she played with different color tones upstairs. “It’s really about what
colors the client wants to feature along with the “coastal colors,” she says. One of the grandchildren’s rooms has a green headboard with royal-blue and bright-orange accents, while another features vivid red, white, and blue nautical accents.
Color throughout with a double headboard by Pincushionz made from Seema Krish fabrics, roman shade by KC’s Drapery, and Scalamandre throw pillows on each bed.
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An adult guest room has a lovely blue patterned quilt at the foot of the bed, from which Perini drew inspiration. “That quilt was a launching off point, and we used the same color in the tub wall tile in the bathroom opposite the room.” “It’s always helpful to me if somebody has an item that speaks to them, whether it’s art or fabric, and then I can run with it and pull it all together,” says Perini. “You can have a separate focus in different rooms, so it doesn’t become one monochromatic space after another.”
The hydrangea print quilt by Coastal Brahmin is perfectly paired with work by artist Ric Della Bernarda of Ogunquit, Maine.
The first floor landing greets you outside the elevator with a sweet window seat moment. Pillows with Stout fabrics and an Annie Selke runner add a pop of color.
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Each bathroom has its own flair with a mix of patterns, all in coastal blue colors. Tiles by Bellew Tile.
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“Jennifer also helped us with the selection of furniture that made the house comfortable for us and our family,” says the homeowner. “And what was wonderful was how the whole team got along.” They laud their foreman, Travis Schoonmaker, who looked after the project daily, and how seamlessly everything went. “Jennifer and the builder had a great working relationship, and while it was the first time working together, I’m sure it won’t be the last.” Now that they have made this coastal home their full-time residence, the homeowners are relishing their life by the ocean even more. “We are just across the street from the beach, and our new home is so easy to live in,” says the homeowner. “It’s everything we wanted.”
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Wainscot paneling that carries from the entry to third floor is incorporated into the elevator’s interior design. The primary bath tiles mirror the colors of the adjacent bedroom, blending marble mosaics and porcelain materials for a high-end look.
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FIRS T RE OUR SPO NDE RS Falmouth’s First Responders are committed to serving and protecting our community. BY CHRIS KAZARIAN
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LUCINDA QUIGLEY Falmouth Firefighter
THE BEST WAY TO EXPERIENCE LIFE? Challenge yourself. That’s how Lucinda Quigley is approaching her journey on this planet, testing the limits of what she can achieve mentally and physically. It’s why she’s both a firefighter and biological oceanographer, constantly seeking out “the next challenge and the next challenge,” she says. That desire to continually better herself has its roots in her childhood. She was raised by supportive parents, Helen and Mark, who always encouraged their daughter to pursue her interests. “They know I have always done well when I had a lot of things going on in my life,” she says. “I always performed at a high level in athletics and academics. This is similar. They are two different career paths, but both fill a niche in things I like in life and that I’m passionate about.” Quigley, who grew up in Newton and attended Noble and Greenough School in Dedham, earned her bachelor’s degree in environmental science from Brown University. While there, she was a defender on the school’s ice hockey team, earning a spot on the ECAC All-Academic Team all four years. Prior to her senior year, she spent a summer at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) where she worked in a lab that studied deep-sea fish. “That is what started my interest in pursuing an oceanography degree,” she says. After graduation, Quigley headed out West, enrolling at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography in San Diego. This summer, she is set to earn her doctorate, which is focused on how the physics of the ocean impacts commercially important fish in the Pacific Ocean. In the midst of her doctoral studies, Quigley realized there was a void in her life. “I was no longer playing hockey and no longer playing a team sport, which had been such a dominant part of my life growing up,” she explains. “Fast-forward to grad school and I was focused on academics. I felt like something was missing.” That’s when she started to explore the idea of becoming a firefighter. “I was attracted to it because it is team-oriented and has a physical component that was missing in my life,” she says. “It piqued my interest.” It was around this time that the Falmouth Fire Rescue Department was hiring. She applied and was hired last February. It allowed her to fulfill her dream of returning to Cape Cod, a spot she “first fell in love with during my internship at WHOI,” she says. “I knew I wanted to come back here.” Last May, Quigley was one of 33 firefighters to graduate from the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy’s training program in Stow. Constantly pushing herself, Quigley was presented with the Richard N. Bangs Outstanding Student Award as the top graduate in her class. Quigley’s schedule has her working a 24-hour shift, followed by a full day off, another 24-hour shift, and then five days off. “It gives me a lot of time to go home and work on my Ph.D. on the side,” she says. Her goal is to land a postdoctoral position that will allow her to build upon her schooling and continue studying the mysteries of the ocean. She wants to balance that with her career as a firefighter. “No emergency is too small. It is very rewarding to help people who may not have anybody else there to help them,” Quigley says of what she loves most about it. “I think letting people know we are here for them is important.” She speaks with enthusiasm about the work she is doing in the department, which allows her to rotate from one assignment to the next. One day, she is in an ambulance. The next, she is on an engine. The variety suits her as no two days are ever the same. Her short-term goal is to become a paramedic, while her long-term one is loftier: “I would like to stay in this department and eventually work my way up to becoming a lieutenant,” she says. That’s not surprising for Quigley, who is never satisfied. She is continually learning, growing, and moving on to the next challenge.
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TIMING AND LUCK ARE EVERYTHING IN LIFE. Coupled with hard work, they can propel someone to a place they always dreamed of going. That happened to Jeffrey Lourie two years ago, in June, when the Falmouth Select Board appointed him to be the town’s next Chief of Police. “I am very lucky and very fortunate to be a temporary caretaker of the Falmouth Police Department,” he says. “I am very thankful every day that I get to come to work and do something I love.” Since 1988 when Chief Lourie took his oath to serve and protect, he has donned a uniform to deliver on that promise. The affable chief speaks with passion and sincerity about what his 37year career in law enforcement has meant. “I feel this is somewhat of a calling,” he says. “It’s not what I do. It’s who I am.” Serving the public is a responsibility that Lourie has taken seriously since his first job, when he was hired as a patrolman in his hometown of Shrewsbury after graduating from Western New England University with a master’s degree in criminal justice. His career saw him rise up the ranks, joining in 1994 the Auburn Police Department, where he spent nearly two decades and became a patrol sergeant and then the detective bureau commander before he was named Chief of Police in Uxbridge in 2013. He was tapped by Westborough in 2018 to lead its department before landing his dream job in Falmouth. His talent, vision, and experience have paid dividends here. He has added much-needed manpower to the department, hiring 24 people, while promoting nine staff. “We are in much better shape than when I started,” he says, referencing the roughly 45 officers he had during his first summer; now that number is over 70. “We had a very difficult summer my first year. We spent a lot on overtime.” In a town with a population of 33,000 that balloons to more than 100,000 during the summer, he explains, “It’s not feasible to police that with 45 officers. You have to turn that into 90 to 100 officers, and you do that by having them work overtime.” Under his leadership, the department has created specialty assignments, enhanced officer training, and successfully renegotiated contracts that include rewarding officers who have furthered their education. It has also embraced transparency through a robust social media strategy, having police regularly engage in community events, and deploying body cameras for all officers. Last June, Chief Lourie and his department welcomed retired Officer John Busby back to Falmouth, 45 years after he was ambushed. While driving to work the midnight shift, Busby was shot by the driver of a blue sedan. Two shots to the face shattered his jaw and most of his teeth, nearly severed his tongue, and almost took his life. It represented a dark chapter for the department—the prime suspect, Melvin Reine, was never charged in the case—one that the chief sought to make amends for by honoring Busby.
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JEFFREY LOURIE
Falmouth Chief of Police
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“He sacrificed so much. Someone tried to take his life and murder him,” Chief Lourie says. “I wanted to recognize him and have him come and experience what we are today.” In September, the department presented Lucas Souza of Falmouth, a sophomore at Upper Cape Cod Regional Technical High School who was diagnosed with bone cancer last spring, and his mother, Jennifer Scarano, with a $5,000 check on behalf of Cops for Kids with Cancer. How do you define leadership? Through acts like these. In April 2010, Jacob Matthew Boudreau lost his battle with cancer. He was only 12. “He is one of my mentors,” says Chief Lourie. “He is my nephew. . . . He taught me that every second of every minute of every hour of every day is precious. We need to make the most of it and reach our full potential.” Through contrition (Busby) and compassion (Lucas), Chief Lourie shows that Jacob’s lessons have endured 15 years after his death. While Chief Lourie has made significant strides since he first arrived in Falmouth, he has more that he wants to accomplish as he continues to help the department reach its full potential. On his to-do list is to create a traffic division, a K9 team, a drone unit, and a patrolling motorcyclist. His biggest priority could be the most challenging— construct a new, more modern station to meet the needs of his team and the town. “We’re tying to fix up this station, but we can’t keep the water out of it. And it is too small,” he says of its current headquarters, which was built in 1969. This June, Chief Lourie will be celebrating his 32nd wedding anniversary with his wife, Carol. The couple have two daughters, Gabriella, who lives in New York City, and Isabella, who recently received her master’s degree from Louisiana State University and will be an intern with the Denver Broncos next season. While admittedly “on the back nine,” Chief Lourie still has, “a lot of energy for this work. I look forward to being a part of helping enhance what we do for the folks in Falmouth.” It’s a career that has allowed him to be of service to others, which isn’t lost on him. “I feel like I have a purpose in this job,” he says. “I love this job.”
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FIRE TRUCKS BRING OUT THE KID in all of us. It has long been that way for Scott Chicoine. As a wide-eyed boy growing up in Falmouth, he was captivated by those big red vehicles that are the envy of nearly every child and that play such an important role in the safety of any community. “It is something that always appealed to me when I was a kid,” he says. “I used to go by the fire station in town and just enjoyed looking at the fire trucks, so pretty much I always wanted to be a fireman.” That dream became a reality for Chicoine in 2000, when he was hired as a firefighter at Joint Base Cape Cod, roughly five years after he graduated from the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth with a bachelor’s degree in humanities and social science. He landed the job two years after his father, Edward Chicoine, died. He was an air traffic controller, who worked in the tower that sits right next to the fire station where his son has worked for the past quarter century. “I remember coming out here as a kid, looking at the trucks and going on them,” he says. “Then I got to work in the same building years later.” Both of his parents (his mother, Phyllis, who died last May, was a fifth-grade teacher at the Morse Pond School) are buried at Massachusetts National Cemetery in Bourne, which Scott passes every time he heads into work. July will mark his 25th anniversary at the base. He has worked his way up to captain, all while navigating changes that included shifting from being a federal firefighter to a state firefighter following the Department of Defense’s Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) Commission in 2005, which forced the relocation of the Air National Guard’s 102nd Fighter Wing to western Massachusetts three years later. “It didn’t impact operations. We continued to work our shifts and continued to go on calls,” Chicoine recalls of that period of uncertainty. “When midnight struck, we went from federal workers to state workers. I wouldn’t say it was a smooth transition. It disrupted a lot of families and a lot of people’s jobs, especially the pilots.” Over the course of his career, Chicoine said, the department’s primary mission has focused on airport crash and rescue. “We have crash trucks because the Coast Guard flies their missions here, and we have Blackhawks with the Army out here. And then there is transient aircraft,” he explains. While there have been no major incidents, he says, his department recently responded to smoke in the cockpit of a Coast Guard HC-144. 106
Chicoine is one of roughly 38 staff that includes four captains, each of whom is responsible for managing an entire shift. “I run incident command, day-to-day operations, hiring, overtime, and making sure our shift, as a whole, is getting their tasks done,” he says. He compared the base to a small city, encompassing over 31 square miles and home to the Coast Guard, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Massachusetts Air National Guard 102nd Intelligence Wing, Massachusetts Army National Guard, Cape Cod Air Force, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection. Last year, the department fielded 875 calls for service. Its volume, Chicoine says, is not comparable to neighboring towns like Falmouth, which “are probably 80 percent medical, especially with an aging population in this area.” Crews will respond to everything from motor vehicle accidents to fires to fuel spills to icy water rescues. “It seems like everything is put on our laps,” he says. “We have to wear a lot of hats when a call comes.” They also provide mutual aid, supporting other fire departments throughout the Upper Cape in responding to emergencies. “Just the other day we had a two-alarm fire at condos off Gifford Street,” he says of one example of how his department will assist when needed. “An incident can escalate quickly. It’s helping out with manpower and apparatus, and supporting towns when they might be short-staffed.” As to what he likes best about the work, he doesn’t hesitate: “Obviously, it’s helping people in their time of need. I don’t enjoy going to calls that involve people in traumatic situations, but it is nice to be able to help them when they need it.” That call to service is something that runs in his family. He is the youngest of four, including his brother Mark of Virginia Beach, who served in the Navy, and another brother, Shawn, of Falmouth, who is a retired state trooper. Chicoine has balanced his job with raising a family with his wife Kerry, a department chair and associate professor at Massachusetts Maritime Academy. The couple have two children, Eric, 19, a sophomore at Mass Maritime, and Kenny, 17, a junior at Falmouth High School. Having lived here his entire life, Chicoine says, “You sort of take for granted the beauty of Falmouth. People come here to visit and say, ‘This place is amazing.’ You have to step back and realize that you shouldn’t take this place for granted. It is a combination of a lot of things, the people, the shops, the restaurants. It’s a beautiful place.”
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SCOTT CHICOINE
Captain, Joint Base Cape Cod Fire Department
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WHILE IT’S THE CHILDHOOD DREAM of many kids to one day become a police officer, it was never that way for Julia Massi. “I was strong-armed into this by Lieutenant [Sean] Doyle and my brother,” Julia laughs. “Every time I have a bad day, I tell them, it’s your fault.” She makes the comment on a Friday in the middle of December, a day before she joined several of her fellow officers in collecting toys for needy children as part of the department’s annual Stuff-A-Cruiser event. What makes for a good police officer? “You have to be caring and compassionate,” Julia begins before listing the next quality: “You have to be a little bit of an adrenaline junkie because you’re running toward scenarios most people are running from.” Caring and compassionate. Those are the reasons why Julia is a perfect fit for the role she has held for the past decade. During forward-facing events—like Coffee with a Cop, High Five Fridays at the Morse Pond and Teaticket schools, and presentations to community groups—there’s a good chance you’ll see Julia. Initially hesitant to become a police officer, the Falmouth native is now one of the faces of the department, representing it at events intended to humanize first responders, showing they are like all of us—they care about Falmouth and the people who live here. Julia’s path to becoming a police officer was not immediate. She joined the Massachusetts Air National Guard after graduating from Falmouth High School in 2006. Following basic training in Texas and a six-month stint in Mississippi, she returned to Falmouth and was stationed full time at Joint Base Cape Cod. She left the National Guard three years ago, receiving multiple honors, including the Army Commendation Medal and Air Force Achievement Medal. Her time in the military included several stateside deployments as well as one to Iraq in 2010—she served at Balad Air Base, nicknamed “Mortaritaville” because of its frequent mortar attacks—and another to Afghanistan in 2013. During that deployment, she was taking her civil service exam while the base was under a rocket attack. By that time, she had served as a dispatcher with the Falmouth Police Department, encouraged by her older brother David, who was an officer and is now a sergeant. “I was a dispatcher on the midnight shift and my brother had given up trying to convince me to become a police officer,” Julia says. “Then Lt. Doyle started in.” Lt. Doyle had Julia join her brother on the occasional ride-along to experience firsthand what being an officer is like. “They won, and I signed up for the test,” she says. She was hired in October 2014, graduating from the academy in early 2015. Along with her duties as a patrol officer, Julia serves as a public information officer, on the social media team, on the narcotics unit, with the honor guard, and on the property and evidence room team. She was one of five officers who tested out body cameras that will be used by the department to improve transparency, accountability, and supervision.
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JULIA MASSI
Falmouth Police Officer
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As one of seven women on the force, Julia is using her time and talents to leave a mark, not only with the department but also in the community. She recently organized the department’s Cops for Kids with Cancer Gala at the Sea Crest Beach Resort in May to help families in New England facing childhood cancer. The disease is something she is far too familiar with as David was diagnosed with melanoma. Her other brother, Chris, the executive sous chef at Woods Hole Golf Club, also has battled cancer, melanoma that spread to his lymph nodes. At the beginning of this year, Lt. Doyle, the man responsible for giving Julia the push she needed to become an officer, retired after 35 years of service to the Town of Falmouth. “He was the best supervisor, in the police, military, or as a civilian, I’ve ever had,” Julia says. “He cares. That is the biggest thing.” Care and compassion: The best police officers approach their job with both. And because Lt. Doyle cared enough to encourage Julia to become a police officer, she now has a job that she is passionate about. “I do love my job. I know I would have been very bored doing another job,” she says. “I’m very happy. I love it here. Every day is different, and you never know what to expect.”
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THE PAINTING DEPICTS THREE FIREFIGHTERS standing at the ocean’s edge, looking out at the Boston skyline, their backs to the frame with the names of the towns they work in—Falmouth, Boston, and Boston—emblazoned on their coats. Art can be a way to express emotions in a way that words cannot. This piece, commissioned by Michael O’Connor, was a love letter given to his grandfather, Ronald Holmes, roughly three years ago. The message was clear, showing the bond that Michael, Ronald, and Michael’s uncle, Ronnie Holmes, shared. Today, the painting hangs proudly in O’Connor’s Hatchville home; Ronald, a lieutenant with the Boston Fire Department, died last July at the age of 83. Michael, a firefighter in Falmouth, and Ronnie, a firefighter in Boston, are carrying on the legacy of public service for their family. “The goal always was to be a firefighter,” says O’Connor. “I like the idea of being able to help people. I feel like it’s a calling in a way. When someone is having the worst day of their life, for me to show up, whether I’m responding to a medical emergency or a fire, by me being there I’m committed to giving them the best care.” It was a goal that was deferred for more than a half decade after he graduated from Canton High School in 2015. He worked in construction for his father, Thomas, president of LMA Services, a TGO O’Connor Company, The O’Connor Companies in Stoughton, all while holding fast to his dreams. In 2018, he became certified as an EMT but had to wait until early 2021, when the call he had long been waiting for finally came. It was from Falmouth Fire Rescue. During the hiring process, he told them if he was offered a job with the department, he would purchase a piece of land and build his own house. “I wasn’t kidding,” he says. “As soon as they gave me an offer, I bought a piece of land. The fire chief [Timothy Smith] lives right behind me.”
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Since moving here four years ago, O’Connor has built more than a home. And it started with that one phone call that changed his life. “All I wanted was an opportunity,” he says. In his short time as a firefighter, the 28-year-old has responded to everything from gunshot wounds to actual suicides to car crashes to medical emergencies. “You can’t express or show fear. If you show up, you need to be the one that, when they see you, they feel better. If I’m panicking on a call, then they will,” he says. “I like being able to respond to someone’s problem.” Thanks to his schedule—a 24-hour shift, one day off, another 24-hour shift, and five days off—he can balance his work as a firefighter with owning a company, O’Connor Development, through which he constructs and renovates houses. The first one he completed was in Brockton roughly six years ago. “It was a 1,600-square-foot modular house, two stories. It was really, really beautiful, and it took me about eight months to build,” he says. “My most recent one I did in 52 days. I’ve become much more experienced in the building of homes.” He has both a general contractor’s license and a real estate license. These days, the bulk of his work is in Falmouth, a place that has served as the launching pad for his personal and professional life. Last November, he got married; his wife Arianna is a teacher in Harwich. The couple, who met at Cape Cod Winery where Arianna worked, are expecting a son in August. “I love being very close to the water. And I think the people in Falmouth are really nice,” O’Connor says. “I like living in an area that is a destination for people to get away from their struggles and stress and frustrations. I think a place like that has an ambiance of happiness.” His mother has imparted a bit of wisdom to her son: “She always says you have to choose to be happy. I think if you’re waking up in Falmouth, you have a better opportunity to be happy.”
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MICHAEL O’CONNOR Falmouth Firefighter
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Hydrangeas and daylilies in the back with steps leading down to the pool and deck area. The upper deck of the home features a vegetable garden planted in boxes.
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A Hilltop Paradise This home garden in Woods Hole has proven to be an evolution of color and interest. BY LISA CAVANAUGH PHOTOGR APHY BY BE T T Y WILEY
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Above: A riot of color in the backyard comes from plantings of hydrangeas, daylilies, catnip, crocosmia, and coneflowers. The steps lead to an upper seating area and plant beds. Below: White spikes of hydrangea paniculata
FOR THE OWNERS OF THIS LOVELY HOME IN WOODS HOLE, the motivation to get involved with gardening started from the practical need to maintain the property’s topography. Constructed in 1993 on a forested piece of land, the house is situated at 40 feet of elevation, so retaining the hill became critical. “In order to site the house, we had to flatten a section in the middle of the property,” says the homeowner, “but that resulted in a very steep hill that became key in our landscape design.” Knowing that it would be important to have plants to stabilize the hill, the couple sought professional advice from a landscape architect and then continued to build upon her initial ideas. “I tell people that I’m now 30 years into our five-year plan,” laughs the homeowner. “I always had a longterm approach that you plant things not for the way they’re going to look this year, but the way they’re going to look next year and in years to come.”
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The upper tiered portion of the yard in back includes hostas and hydrangeas and provides a beautiful setting for the sparkling lap pool. Off to the right is boxwood and a planter with calla lily and geraniums.
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Above: The unusual purple and white petals of this hydrangea show the homeowner’s love of hydrangeas and his affinity for lots of color in his garden. Below: The front garden area has beds of hostas and hydrangeas surrounded by borders of dusty miller.
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He says he and his wife make gardening an adventure. “Since implementing that first landscape plan, we drive to the garden center every Memorial Day weekend, fill the truck up with plants, and find place in the garden for them.” Being in Falmouth has meant ending up with many hydrangeas, one of the most popular and iconic of Cape Cod flowering plants. “My wife thought it was exaggerating when I suggested we probably have 100 hydrangeas on the property, but I counted. As of last summer, we have 102.” The result is a captivating and vibrant home garden. “We always have a great time going to the garden center and discovering new varieties,” says the homeowner, who admits that sometimes a particular plant may not work where they first imagined it would go. “We haven’t had success with certain plants, and others have been outstanding.” He gives the example of black-eyed Susans. He loves them, but no matter how many times he has tried, they don’t last. At the same time, a Japanese red maple they planted 25 years ago in the backyard flourished only after they moved it to the front yard to a spot with more sun.
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Above: Hostas and colorful daylilies are planted along the side of the yard. Below: The beautiful white blooms of the Kousa dogwood tree in the front provide a beautiful contrast with the blue flowers of the various hydrangeas.
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Above: Elephant ear hostas provide color and texture to the garden. Left: Beautiful pink macrophylla
The garden boasts areas filled with peonies, hostas, butterfly bushes, rhododendrons, daylilies, and rose of Sharon, each providing lushness and variations of hues over the growing season. Their yard also has its share of evergreens, including some fast-growing pines they put in during the early years that are now easily 30 feet tall. “My wife thought planting them so close to the house was a mistake,” says the homeowner, “but I thought we needed them for privacy. She turned out to be right!” He says he doesn’t regret any of their planting decisions over the years, but it is a good reminder that there is no such thing as a stable garden. “When something has outlived its purpose or is tired, it has to go. That makes room for something new and different.”
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For the love of outdoor cooking the homeowner truly enjoys his Patriot Pit Smoker for smoking meat along with his grill and plancha (not shown).
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Above: Pottery and planters with a variety of annuals on the deck provide splashes of color. Below: Delicate shades of blue, lavender and yellow in these hydrangea macrophylla blooms provide beautiful contrast in the garden.
In addition to the tapestry of trees, shrubs, and perennials the homeowners have nurtured, each year they add annuals, mainly in pots, for pops of color and interest. “Annuals are marvelous, aren’t they? You plant them on Memorial Day when they’re small. By July 4th, they’ve grown nicely and are still going strong in October.” There is no question that the homeowner truly enjoys the gardening process. “I’m retired now after a wonderful career. In the business world, you go to work, work hard each day for years, and in the end hope that what you did made a difference,” he says. “How different that is from gardening. If I spend four or six or eight hours in the garden, I instantly see it is different than it was before. It is gratifying every time.” 120
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A bed of pachysandra leads to the back of the property with a pool, patio, and deck areas perfect for entertaining.
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Above: The planting beds in the back burst with color in the summer, featuring the warm hues of various daylilies complemented by the cool blue tones of hydrangeas. Below: The pool is surrounded by a variety of hydrangeas, hostas, and daylilies, creating a beautiful and vibrant color palette.
His wife adds that they enjoy relaxing in their exterior space as well. “We do a lot of outdoor cooking and have a pool where we entertain family and friends,” she says. For her, reveling in the colors of the hydrangeas is one of her favorite aspects of spending time outside. “When we started, we didn’t know any better. We just planted everything in
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the blues,” she says. Since then, they have happily discovered all the variations in tone and hue that hydrangeas come in. “Now we have, in addition to the gorgeous blues, pinks and purples and reds and burgundies,” she says. “It really is a reflection of the incredible evolution of hydrangeas and our many years here.”
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RE ADY FOR A renovated Falmouth Heights home is the perfect setting to enjoy a boating and beach lifestyle. BY LISA CAVANAUGH • PHOTOGR APHY BY L ANEY AERIAL
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L AUNCH It was a boat that brought Barry and Lisa Kittredge to Falmouth. Not a ferry, but their own vessel, which the couple had purchased in 2012 after years of vacationing in New Hampshire. “I grew up going to Lake Winnipesaukee and loved it,” says Barry Kittredge, “but, eventually, we wanted to explore someplace else.” The Kittredges visited every marina on the Cape and settled on Falmouth. “We chose Falmouth Harbor because of all the services, the shopping, and the restaurants nearby,” says Kittredge. “To us, the town offered many options that we loved.”
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Top: Natural light brightens the spacious, open-concept living area made for coastal living. Bottom: Geoff Bright, owner, Synergy.
For almost the next ten years, they rented a summer house and enjoyed taking their boat out on the Cape’s waters. “When COVID hit, it changed the rental market for us,” says Kittredge. The owners of their rental property decided to sell in an increasingly hot market, so the couple stayed at a few different places in Falmouth. “I finally said let’s buy a home,” says Kittredge. “We love the town and have some friends there, so we started looking in neighborhoods in Falmouth Heights.” What they found was a charming but outdated early twentieth-century house on a beach-adjacent street. “It had good curb appeal, but the house was in tough shape,” he says. “To me, it was either a teardown or a remodel.” 126
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Geoff Bright, the CEO of Synergy in East Falmouth, the builder they chose for the project, agreed that a total renovation was needed to give the couple the home they envisioned. “They liked the house the way it sat related to the exterior view,” says Bright. “For the purposes of timing, we had a path to perform a whole renovation, so we took that route. We completely stripped it all the way to the studs, inside and out.” Bright and the Kittredges worked together regularly throughout the remodel. “We usually operate in a design/build format, but it worked out very well because the owners were so in tune with what they wanted,” he says. “They were very well prepared, and as a result, we FALMOUTHLIVINGMAG.COM
delivered accordingly.” “Geoff was very attentive; he would answer his calls and get back to me immediately,” says Kittredge. “This was helpful because I’m not from the area and could not always be there.” Even though the new design used the same footprint, many alterations were made. “We removed a center chimney clear down to the slab,” says Bright. “We also removed every partition wall on the main floor and installed a post and beam design, which Barry and Lisa liked. It is a very similar design to their primary home in Hudson.” The home was originally a four-bedroom, but Kittredge and Bright’s plan reimagined the layout to 127
Above: The charming living space with multiple windows gives the home a bright and airy feeling. Left: The staircase thats leads to the second floor has red oak stairs; a shiplap wall adds a nice design element. Opposite: A suite of stainless steel appliances, with a gray backsplash of subway tiles, complements the kitchen and engineered maple floors.
include a more extensive primary suite. “Upstairs, we stayed with a similar footprint but deleted a bedroom,” says Bright, “and in its place, we added a 120-squarefoot primary bath, which turned out to be fantastic.” Because the structure is a 1928 building, there were many challenges. “There were several structural imperfections, mostly in floor framing, nonconforming span conditions, nominal lumber dimensions, you name it,” says Bright. “There was notable time spent leveling floors as much as possible, replacing plywood sheathing, and completely reframing the sunroom and rooftop deck area. We also needed to retrofit certain areas with small-scale insulation to conform with HERS-rating requirements.” The house was completely upgraded in every mechanical system and now has two forced-air gas furnaces, an on-demand gas-fired water heater, a 128
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completely new 200-amp electrical panel, a custom home audio/video system, and central vacuuming. “It also has been completely energy code compliant with spray foam insulation throughout,” says Bright. The property includes a gas firepit outside, landscape lighting, underground electric service from the pole at the street, and a wholly refinished exterior; a sod lawn with irrigation; paver driveways and walkways; and a back patio with a pergola. Despite the contemporary comforts and elegantly modern style within, the house has kept the original theme on the exterior. “As per 21st-century desires, the home is outfitted with smart home devices for exterior cameras, thermostats, the home audio/video, and smart lighting,” says Bright. “But we also stayed in line with the Cape Cod outdoor living feel by adding a rooftop deck above the sunroom/family room area, which has direct ocean views The master suite has a rooftop deck with ocean views.
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Left: A guest bathroom across from the mudroom. Above: The mudroom has a shiplap wall, a built-in bench, and overhead cube storage. Bottom: A luxurious master suite bathroom with a walk-in-shower, claw-foot tub, porcelain tiles, and double sinks.
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and is directly accessible from the primary suite.” Bright feels that by combining this with additional outdoor living areas and the décor selected by the Kittredges, the home speaks to the native feel of the beach house aesthetic. “The project was a big success, and I really enjoyed
working with Barry and Lisa,” he adds, a sentiment shared by the homeowners. “Everything was a little bit of a challenge, but it all worked out, and the workmanship from Geoff and his team was great,” says Kittredge. “I’m seldom surprised in life, but it came out beautifully.”
Top: One of two guest rooms with double beds on the second floor. Right: An outdoor patio with a pergola and fire pit provides the family with ample opportunity for relaxing and entertaining.
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! f e h C , Yes A Look at the Chefs Who Are Transforming Falmouth’s Dining Scene BY MIMI GOLUB PHOTOGR APHY BY DERRICK ZELLMANN
EARLY MORNINGS, one can find Chef Leon Biscoe drinking coffee and crafting weekly menu specials at one of The Flying Bridge’s indoor tables overlooking Falmouth Harbor. As the head chef of the town’s busiest waterfront restaurant, his days are filled with prepping, organizing, managing, cooking, ordering, and cleaning. But before the rush begins, with the sounds of boats on the water and the aroma of fresh seafood in the air, Leon takes a deep breath and lets his creativity flow. Chef Leon’s love for cooking started in the Navy when stationed in Italy. “I fell in love with food,” he recalls. “It sounds dramatic, but the way the Italians use fresh, inseason ingredients really struck me. They highlight natural flavors, not mask them.” From vine-ripened tomatoes to perfectly cooked fish, Italy introduced him to ingredients at their peak. That experience led him to pursue a career in the kitchen. After his military service, Leon joined a restaurant in Newport, Rhode Island, despite having no formal training. “I was nervous, green as heck,” he admits. He 134
paid close attention to the head chef and his colleagues, taking notes and absorbing everything he could. His dedication earned him the respect of the restaurant’s staff. After a few years, Leon’s family grew, and he wanted a career in the food industry with regular hours. He worked with a company developing large-scale hospitality menus, but soon realized that he missed the creativity of the kitchen. “I didn’t want to make food for a paycheck—I wanted to be in a place where I could be inventive and give more of myself,” he reflects. Chef Leon’s culinary philosophy revolves around using seasonal ingredients. Whether it’s the delicate flavors of summer herbs or the hearty comfort of steak in the winter, he applies the lessons he learned in Italy—letting the ingredients shine. Since 1983, The Flying Bridge has been a local institution, offering traditional dishes like lobster rolls, fried seafood, Instagram-famous onion rings, and now sushi. In recent years, new ownership has allowed room for more creativity in the kitchen. Chef Leon has answered the call with his innovative specials. FALMOUTH LIVING • SPRING/SUMMER 2025
The staff loves his philosophy and work ethic. Chef Leon works closely with his kitchen team. Renardo, known as “Ren,” who works the line, says, “Chef cares about us as people, not just as workers,” Ren says. “He makes us better every day.” Chef Leon’s job requires constant multitasking. “I’m always adjusting and moving around the kitchen from lunch to dinner service,” he says. “Around 3 p.m., I give the staff a break because, after service ends around 9 p.m., the work isn’t over, and I don’t want them to burn out.” Though the hours are long and physically demanding, Chef Leon, with his steady demeanor and constant smile, says he loves what he does. “It could be a rainy day, and I’m still happy because of the people I get to meet and the food we create together.”
Sautéed scallops with burnt chili and maple bacon butter
Leon Biscoe
E XECUTIVE CHEF AT THE FLYING BRIDGE
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Federico Mainardi
H EAD CHEF AT OSTERIA LA CIVETTA
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One of the entrées available at Osteria La Civetta.
IT IS NO SURPRISE that Chef Federico, or “Fede” as the staff lovingly calls him, feels at home in the kitchen of Osteria La Civetta. Everything about the restaurant pays homage to his roots in Northern Italy. From the authentic décor to a menu filled with cuisine inspired by the EmiliaRomagna region, Fede uses his extensive culinary training to prepare the food of his youth. While Chef Fede is known for his meticulous attention to detail, it is his philosophy of using fewer high-quality ingredients that sets him apart. Whether making homemade pasta, slow-braising short ribs, or roasting pork, he believes in letting the ingredients shine. Overall, Federico’s cooking reflects the essence of true Italian cuisine: simple, elegant, and prepared with respect. Chef Fede has traveled the world since attending culinary school in Italy a few decades ago, working in kitchens across Spain, Egypt, Australia, and China. These international experiences broadened his style and exposed him to a range of regional techniques, flavors, and ingredients. In 2009, when owner Sara Toselli decided to expand Osteria La Civetta, she reached out to her hometown culinary school, and Federico answered the call. America was a frontier that Fede had yet to conquer. What was supposed to be a temporary position in his traveling chef gigs soon became his passion, mission, and new family. Together with his wife and first child, Fede moved to Falmouth in 2019 to become head chef of Osteria La Civetta. Now, as a family of four, the Mainardis are happily settled in the community. When he’s not in the FALMOUTHLIVINGMAG.COM
restaurant kitchen, which is nearly every day of the week, you can find Fede barbecuing for his family or experimenting with new dishes at home, often incorporating elements of his wife’s Peruvian background into his creations. According to Sara, there is no one calmer in the kitchen than Chef Fede. “When you work with chefs, you often need to manage their emotions and attitudes, which can be a lot, especially while also directing the front of the house on a busy night. You work 10- to 12-hour days, especially in the summer when the kitchen is very hot, and it can be very stressful behind the scenes,” Sara explains. “The staff sees that Fede is always calm, organized, a good listener, and has a consistent demeanor. His behavior not only composes and reassures everyone, but it also gives us the strength to handle whatever comes our way.” For Federico Mainardi, the key to success lies in keeping things simple so that diners can enjoy a true culinary experience at La Civetta. He takes great care in preparing specials that showcase his love for local ingredients while incorporating techniques he learned while traveling the world. He is also open to ideas from his staff, who often will bring different experiences into his kitchen, which he says he welcomes with open arms. While continuing to grow in his role, offering pasta cooking classes and working with Sara on new ideas, Chef Fede remains unwavering in his commitment to serving the Falmouth community high-quality Italian food. 137
Erin Sloan H EAD CHEF AT AÑEJO MEXICAN BISTRO
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FOR NEARLY THREE DECADES, Chef Erin Sloan has honed her craft in kitchens across the U.S., building an impressive culinary résumé. As the head chef at Añejo Mexican Bistro in Falmouth, she oversees a busy kitchen with precision, while retaining a passion for the diverse cuisines she’s learned to cook along the way. Erin was just 17 years old when she first stepped into the kitchen at a local Falmouth restaurant. While she was originally seeking a waitstaff position, the restaurant’s head chef encouraged her to try the line instead. “I had zero cooking experience, but in a busy summer tourist town, you have no choice but to get good at it,” she says. “You learn how to manage a high volume of orders without losing your cool, and that skill has stayed with me.” Erin quickly caught the culinary bug and moved to Providence, Rhode Island, to work as a cook at a seafood restaurant. “I loved being on the line. It felt natural, and I was eager to learn new techniques,” she recalls. Next stop for Erin? Mobile, Alabama, where her culinary journey truly expanded. There, she fell in love with Southern spices, sauces, and seafood that differed greatly from the East Coast fare of her youth. “From gumbo to crawfish boils, the food was unlike anything I had cooked before,” she explains. “It was a small restaurant, run by good people, and that made it easier to become the kind of chef who customers truly appreciated.” Añejo’s Shrimp Po-Boy taco pays homage to this time in her life.
Despite her fondness for the South, Erin couldn’t resist the call of Cape Cod’s beauty. She applied to be Añejo’s lunchtime chef and worked her way to becoming head chef of the Falmouth location, managing a dedicated team while ensuring the menu reflects both the vision of the restaurant’s founder and her own creative twists. It’s no secret that Añejo is a popular spot for both locals and tourists, with a waiting list that is active year-round. Chef Erin takes pride in fostering strong work relationships that often turn into lasting friendships. Having spent most of her life in kitchens, she understands the stress that comes with the job. “You spend so much time together that if you don’t support each other, the whole system falls apart,” she says. “My goal is to create an environment where everyone feels valued.” Her team at Añejo Falmouth certainly feels valued. Tara, one of Añejo’s longtime employees, praises Erin’s leadership, saying, “Erin is the captain of the ship—she leads by example and inspires the whole team.” As one of the few female head chefs in Falmouth, and in an industry dominated by men, Erin’s journey hasn’t always been easy. “When I was younger, I had to work harder to earn respect,” she admits. Despite these challenges, Erin has thrived by sticking to one core principle, lead by example. Her motto is simple yet powerful: “Never ask anyone to do something you wouldn’t do yourself.”
Añejo’s Shrimp Po-Boy tacos, chips & salsa, and a margarita.
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WATCHING CHEF JOHN WILSON toss a pan of homemade gnocchi with his right hand while basting broccoli rabe in duck fat with his left is like experiencing Keith Lockhart conducting a Boston Pops concert. Layer in fresh duck meat, adorn the final dish with crispy skin, and suddenly it becomes a symphony of food that rivals any Michelinstarred restaurant in the world. Water Street Kitchen, located in the charming seaside village of Woods Hole, has become a beloved gastronomic destination over the past decade. The restaurant’s enduring popularity can be attributed to one key factor: the quietly creative chef and founder, John Wilson. Surrounded by the tranquil waters of Great Harbor and bathed in soft, inviting light, this culinary hotspot offers a magical dining experience that reflects Wilson’s vision of artistic and sustainable food. John’s path to becoming a renowned chef is unorthodoxly rooted in mechanical engineering. Growing up in Pittsburgh, he followed in his siblings’ footsteps and enrolled in engineering courses. After a few college semesters trying to make his passion fit the family mold, he took a job at a café, gaining firsthand insight into the inner workings of a family-owned restaurant. But it was his second job, creating sushi for Whole Foods, that truly ignited his passion. “Early in the morning, I would make sushi for the store, which gave me time to reflect on what I really wanted to do,” John explains. “It was beautiful, artistic, and somewhat mathematical. I thought to myself, Wait, this might be it.” Simultaneously, Pittsburgh’s food scene was growing, and John seized the opportunity to join a trendy restaurant group. Soon, he was running one of their kitchens. “We focused on local farm sourcing and making everything from scratch,” he says. “The head chef also taught me the importance of treating the staff with respect and kindness. Those lessons still stay with me.” The employees of Water Street, most of whom have been there since its inception, would agree that John takes these lessons seriously. Chef John’s food journey took him across the country, moving from sous chef to head chef at several upscale restaurants, experimenting with different cuisines, and 140
Thinly sliced prime sirloin is decked out with Parmesan reggiano, hazelnuts, chili oil, and crispy shallot to make the popular beef carpaccio.
gathering inspiration for his future endeavors. “One of my favorite jobs was at a place where the menu changed almost daily,” he says. “It sparked my creativity and influenced how I approach our menus today.” Eventually, he found his way to Cape Cod where he hosted pop-up dinners for friends and family in Woods Hole. What began as an intimate gathering quickly gained a cult following. “It was so rewarding to get immediate feedback on my work,” John says. “It pushed me to keep evolving.” Not long after, the opportunity to open a restaurant came into play, and Water Street Kitchen was born. Water Street Kitchen’s seasonal menus have earned a devoted following. There are local diners who visit weekly, and others who come from around the world. No matter how far the clientele has traveled to get here, each guest is treated like royalty by the devoted staff members, who excitedly share their love of Chef John’s vision nightly against the waterside backdrop that is Woods Hole. FALMOUTH LIVING • SPRING/SUMMER 2025
John Wilson H EAD CHEF AND OWNER OF WATER STREET KITCHEN
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DOCKSIDE &
All Decked Out in Style Sizzle through summer in style! From flirty cocktail dresses to laid-back looks for a night out in Falmouth, these boutiques have all the fierce fashion magic you need to slay the season.
PHOTOGR APHY BY DERRICK ZELLMANN MODELS: GR ACE CURLEY, CHARLEE BAUSEMER, AND NATE ROWE FROM SIGNED MANAGEMENT; AND HADLEY DOMBROWSKI FROM GAIA MAKEUP: L ACEY STRONG HAIR: CHARLOT TE SYLVIA @CAPECOD.BLONDE FROM HEADLINES SALON & DAY SPA LOCATIONS: COURTESY OF FALMOUTH TIDES, THE FLYING BRIDGE RESTAUR ANT AND MARINA ST YLED BY L AUREN BRISBOIS, CELEBR ATIONS OF FALMOUTH; JEANNIE & HADLEY DOMBROWSKI, GAIA AT GREEN EYED DAISY; NEDA SULLIVAN, FALMOUTH JEWELRY; LISA SUE SMEDBERG, STORY.; DENISE & MEAGHAN QUINN, THE GILDED OYSTER COORDINATED BY SUZANNE RYAN 142
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Grace (left): Statement top with embroidery and contrast cord detail. Silver ball trim on sleeves and silver ball as closures on front. By Scarlett Poppies. Silky off-white tank top. Full-leg pleated pants with cuffed hem and slit pockets. Comes with nylon belt with snap metal buckle. By Beate Heymann. All available at story. Pear-shaped pearl pendant and gold Cape Cod cut-out necklace. One-of-a-kind ‘By the Sea’ collection pearl ring paired with a pearl bracelet in gold. Available at Falmouth Jewelry Shop. Charlee (right): Asymmetric black dress with one short sleeve and one strap, gathered on front bodice with side zipper and high back slit. Oversized black sunglasses and chunky silver necklace. All by Liviana Conte. Italian leather clutch in gunmetal by Lara B. Designs. All available at story. Three Diamond ‘Forever’ custom-made huggies paired with a Vintage pear-cut diamond halo ring. Available at Falmouth Jewelry Shop.
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Linen viscose blend top and shorts adorned with contrast cord and embroidery. Shorts have an elastic waistband with drawstring and side pockets. Top and shorts can be purchased separately. By Scarlett Poppies. All available at story. Gold paperclip chain with matching paperclip earring and oval pearl. Available at Falmouth Jewelry Shop.
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Hadley (left): Light and breezy cotton blend Gilner Farrar sun dress with quilted smocking at bodice for easy fit. Shown with Lisa Todd cardigan with contrasting heart cuff detail; Gamin by Bibi Lou sneakers featuring pearl embellished laces and cushioned insole; and a vintage 18K gold heart locket necklace. All available at GAIA at Green Eyed Daisy Nate (right): Sustainable Filson ranger short field jacket made with lightweight, waterresistant dry wax cotton in deep sea and exceedingly soft yarn dyed flannel shirt. Sustainable Marine Layer lightweight twill field pant. Sustainable Oliver Cabell Italian sneakers made with an orthopedic insole and attention to detail. All available at GAIA at Green Eyed Daisy. Rope-style gold men’s chain, paired with a custom-made vintage amethyst and diamond ring. Available at Falmouth Jewelry Shop (left): Julie Vos vintage-inspired 24K gold-filled heart charm bracelet. Available at GAIA at Green Eyed Daisy
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Floral print dress crafted from a luxe linen viscose blend with fitted waist, classic lapel collar, and smocking at the wrist. Features a full open front with a printed placket and has a side zipper. Handbeaded artisanal work is featured across the yoke by Scarlett Poppies. Available at story. Pear-shaped blue topaz necklace with matching earrings. Emerald-cut natural Spinel ring with diamonds in gold. Available at Falmouth Jewelry Shop
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Grace (left): Midi-length cotton dress with soft mesh appliqué for structure, tiered skirt, and elastic waist. Comes with detachable belt and has sideseam pockets. By Scarlett Poppies. Available at story. Mariner-style wire necklace with custom-made “Darling Starfish” pendant. Tree scallop gold ring. Vintage gold slip-on bangle. Available at Falmouth Jewelry Shop Charlee (right): Silk linen organza dress features hand embroidery with silver sequins. Front neck tie has intricate hand-beaded floral tassels. Has side zipper and is lined. By La Fuori. Available at story. Sculptural teardrop gold earrings, paired with all-gold Cape Cod bracelet by LeStage. Available at Falmouth Jewelry Shop.
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Signature waxed Filson Cruiser Jacket paired with water-resistant, 5-pocket tin cloth pant, combining utility with style. Filson, an iconic, century-old, sustainable American brand featured in “Yellowstone”. Buki, wrinkle-resistant sustainable button-down shirt with moisture wicking and natural dyes completes the outfit. All available at GAIA at Green Eyed Daisy
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Charlee (left): Button-down scallop edge denim skirt & white cotton cable with red trim sweater vest by ButterMelon. Available at Celebrations. “Samara” earrings with 14K yellow gold wires. Available at The Gilded Oyster. “Diamond Beachcomber” ring in 14K rose gold and genuine diamonds. Available at Coast GoldWorks. Grace (right): Navy blue cotton dress with white piping, ties & eye hooks by Bailey Rose. Available at Celebrations. Sterling silver fish cuff bracelet with turquoise eye. Available at The Gilded Oyster.
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Charlee (left): American flag white knit crewneck pullover sweater by Hiddenbrand. Periwinkle blue layered ruffle mini dress by Sky to Moon. Available at Celebrations. Sterling silver textured starfish & white freshwater pearl dangle earrings. Available at The Gilded Oyster Grace (right): Natural color dropped shoulder, open knit, boat neck sweater by Pol, with white ribbed lace trim cami by Mono B. and long white cotton pin stripe elastic waist skirt by Le lis. Available at Celebrations. “Articulated Fish”: sterling silver & turquoise eye large fish pendant on chain and sterling silver fish cuff bracelet with turquoise eye. Available at The Gilded Oyster
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CELEBR ATIN
G 20 YEARS
Headlines S A L O N & D AY S PA a barbara shop co.
~ ~ ~ ~ hair
218 Main Street, Falmouth
nails
508-457-1100
skin headlinesalonspa.com
Handcrafted Fine Jewelry Inspired by the Serenity of the Sea COME VISIT OUR NEW STUDIO LOCATION! 261-C Main Street, Falmouth • 774-392-6233 • coastgoldworks.com
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Nate (left): Sustainable Filson tin cloth jac-shirt providing performance and durability and 100% recycled quick drying nylon camo shorts. Sustainable mid-weight quilted crew neck Marine Layer sweatshirt, made for year-round comfort and style. All available at GAIA at Green Eyed Daisy. Strand of pearls, paired with a Phillip Gavriel sterling silver bracelet and the NEW men’s Cape Cod bracelet by LeStage. Available at Falmouth Jewelry Shop. Hadley (right): Pistola’s popular utilitarian jumpsuit resists wrinkles, with cinched waist. Accessorized with American-made handcrafted adjustable Streets Ahead belt with distinctive hardware. Gamin by Bibi Lou leopard sneakers with metallic flame and cushioned insole. Gaia’s own handcrafted precious and semiprecious layered beaded bracelets. 100% recycled highly water-resistant camo tote bag. All available at GAIA at Green Eyed Daisy.
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Custom-made scallop earrings with aquamarine. Available at Falmouth Jewelry Shop. Drop-sleeve knit sweater. Central relief stitch and openwork. Ribbed hem with contrasting stripe. Ribbed round neck in tone on tone. By Sita Murt. Cotton poplin wide-leg pants in sage. Pleating in front and back. Features side pockets and an elastic waist in back. By Sundays. All available at story.
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Multicolor knit tank top and matching pants with elastic waistband. Tank top and pants can be purchased separately. By Aldo Martins. Faux suede offwhite jacket featuring two decorative front pockets and split details on the cuffs. By Rino & Pelle. All available at story. Mariner-style wire necklace with custom-made “Darling Starfish” pendant. Three scallop gold ring. Vintage gold slip-on bangle. Available at Falmouth Jewelry Shop.
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A COASTAL FINE JEWELRY BOUTIQUE
Come Visit Us Today! 155 Main Street, Falmouth 774.763.5742 thegildedoyster.com
Fresh & Authentic Artistry B R IDA L COM M ERCI A L SPECI A L E V EN T S LaceyStrong.com @LaceyStrongMakeup
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SPECIAL THANKS TO
Elegant, American-made, lace-appliqué cocktail dress in periwinkle. Available in an array of colors. Accessorized with handcrafted Deepa Gurnani clutch, Julie Vos 24K gold-filled hoops, handcrafted Bora quartz sterling ring, and Lola Cruz embellished strappy heel. All available at GAIA at Green Eyed Daisy.
Falmouth Tides, The Flying Bridge Restaurant and Marina, for providing us with a beautiful setting for our fashion shoot.
VISIT THE FOLLOWING SHOPS TO GET THE HOTTEST SUMMER LOOKS Celebrations of Falmouth 210 Main St., Falmouth 508-457-0530 Falmouth Jewelry 255 Main St., Falmouth 508-548-0487 falmouthjewelryshop.com GAIA at Green Eyed Daisy 199 Main St., Falmouth 508-495-0403 greeneyeddaisy.com story. 352 Man St., Falmouth 774-763-5451 storyfalmouth.com The Gilded Oyster 155 Main St., Falmouth 774-763-5742 thegildedoyster.com
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Out of This
WORLD Falmouth’s premier psychic medium heals clients by communicating with departed souls
BY MIMI GOLUB • PHOTOGR APHY BY PE TER JULIAN
E
xperiencing loss of a loved one is a journey fraught with complicated emotions. The phone calls, visits, and comfort of touch suddenly disappear. Whether it’s a parent, partner, friend, child, or even a pet, each passing opens a window of grief that sways endlessly without clear direction. Mourners are left to navigate life differently, often burdened with questions that may never find resolution. What if we could hear from those that we lost? Would we be able to exchange apologies? Would we find peace and comfort if we knew those who left us were still watching over our lives? “One of the most rewarding aspects of my work is helping individuals find loved ones who have transitioned into the spirit world,” says Jackie Duffey, a Falmouthbased psychic medium and owner of The Holistic Swan. Her work rejoining the living with the souls of the departed can offer solace and closure, allowing opportunities to express love or resolve past grievances. “Whether it’s a long-awaited goodbye or a heartfelt message, the connections made during my sessions can bring answers and healing,” Duffey explains.
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Duffey’s gift of welcoming souls into her mind and body shines whether she is addressing a large audience at Falmouth’s The Yoga Collaborative, conducting a worldwide seminar on Zoom, or meeting clients in her West Falmouth office. She perceives phenomena that often defy explanation, frequently delivering messages from the spirit world that resonate deeply with her clients. These spirits or souls communicate to her through a sensory experience, which turns into clues that help individuals understand that their loved ones are in the room. A woman who lost her son contacted Duffey. Weeks earlier, Duffey had felt for days the spirit of a young man carrying a basketball. Immediately after their reading began, Duffey realized this youthful spirit was the woman’s son, who had tragically died. Through Duffey, he revealed that his mother was carrying his gold watch, and that the dog’s favorite toy was in the room. The mother was overcome by this validation as she held up the watch and toy. The son encouraged her to pursue achievements in his name, predicting that she would one day grace the cover of People magazine. Inspired by
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Jackie Duffey during a session with a client.
Duffey’s reading, the mother founded a charitable organization in his memory and later appeared on the cover of an issue of People that celebrated the kindest families in America. Duffey did not always embrace her gift. Born in the U.K., she felt different as a child, often sensing events before they unfolded. Despite her natural abilities, her parents encouraged her to conform to normalcy. One night, she dreamed of the Challenger space shuttle explosion, only to wake up and learn that her premonition had come true. Struggling to fit in, she continued to face profound emotions around spirit—like the day she awoke weeping for her uncle, later discovering he had died. Her efforts to suppress her spiritual gifts persisted for years. She found success as a modeling agent in New York City, mingling with fashion elites. “I enjoyed my career but never felt I truly belonged. Something was still missing,” Duffey reflects in her distinct English accent. Seeking a change, she enrolled in massage therapy school, which led to an encounter with a hospice patient, reminding her of her long-dormant abilities. She went on to study Reiki, reflexology, and energy healing, leaving the fashion world behind. Years later, after moving to Cape Cod with family, she set up a reflexology practice and met a young mother battling cancer. “Initially, I hesitated to tell her I saw her mother in the room,” 160
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The triangle shelf represents the spiritual terms of a trinity, the interconnectedness of the mind, body, and spirit. The black Ankh is the Egyptian symbol for “life,” which represents the concept of both physical life on Earth and eternal life in the afterlife. The buddha and crystals including amethyst enhance intuition, and green fluorite assists in creating an energy frequency of balance with the body mentally and physically.
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Jackie uses the oracle cards for daily inspiration, crystals and stones with positive affirmations, and a pendulum dowsing tool for connecting with and measuring energy.
minister. “The divine intelligence of spirit and my own she recalls, “but the mother wanted me to inform my soul have been exceptional teachers. I feel guided to help client about her lost wedding ring. It turned out to be others on their healing paths and discover their purpose,” precisely where her Mum said it was—between the washer she explains. “I am always healing and learning myself, and dryer.” This experience deepened both Duffey’s and trying to balance my work life with my human life. I do her client’s psychic journeys, helping them navigate her this by immersing myself in Falmouth’s beautiful nature, eventual death with a greater sense of purpose. “My client nurturing human connections, spending time with my made me promise to continue this work, and that’s one of family, and releasing what no longer serves me—whether the reasons I am here today,” Duffey says. it be bad habits, unhealthy relationships, or past hurts.” Since the mid-19th century, psychic mediums have While Duffey can be serious and reflective, she also sought to address the questions of the bereaved. The radiates joy and a clear sense of humor. During the 1840s Spiritualism movement gave rise to individuals interview, a series of “thumbs up” emojis mysteriously claiming to communicate with the deceased. Spiritualist appeared on the Zoom screen. “That is spirit validating churches worldwide have expanded this decade, what I am saying,” she says with a laugh and a twinkle in providing space for individuals seeking to develop her eye. “We must remember that spirit can be playful and their psychic skills. Various methods, including tarot, bring us joy,” she explains. astrology, and channeling, are used today to convey By embracing her gifts and sharing her experiences, spiritual messages. Pop culture has also embraced the Jackie Duffey has helped countless individuals find idea of psychic mediumship through shows such as Long healing and clarity. In a world fraught with Island Medium, Crossing Over with John uncertainty, her work illuminates the path to Edwards, Ghost Whisperers, and Medium. For more information, understanding our shared existence as souls Duffey has trained at several Spiritualist jackieduffey.com navigating the human experience. churches, working toward becoming a 162
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A Tibetan singing bowl from India is used with a collection of crystal singing bowls for healing sessions that assist in bringing into balance the “chakras,” the energy centers within us, and help the body relax into a state of presence. The table is Palo Santos, a type of wood (known as “holy” wood). Duffey will set the space at the beginning of the day as she prepares to connect with spirits and hold daily sessions.
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Welcome to the NEIGHBOR
When a homeowner sought a knowledgeable builder for a new build in a wooded Falmouth enclave, it turned out the ideal contractor lived right across the street. BY LISA CAVANAUGH PHOTOGR APHY BY CADWELL IMAGERY
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HOOD
ON A PRIVATE ROAD NOT FAR FROM THE SHINING SEA BIKEWAY, a distinctively designed ranch home is immensely pleasing not only to the homeowner, Sally Depew, but also to the neighbors. “It so happens, my wife and I live right across the street from the house,” says Bob Favret of Coast to Coast Construction. “Once Sally bought the property, she contacted me with specific ideas of what she wanted to build.” Depew’s ideas blended with Favret’s sensibilities, and their design reflects a respect for the wooded locale, a nod to Cape Cod tradition, and a passion for fine home construction.
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“I knew someday I would own a home in Falmouth,” says Depew, who spent many childhood weekends at Falmouth beaches and working as a lifeguard here while in college. “Timing is everything,” she says. “I was aware of the location, and we were lucky it went on the market when it did. We immediately made an offer and started planning our new home.” Depew was clear that she and her husband desired a ranch. “At the time, we knew that retirement was very close, so we wanted one-level living,” she says. “Many builders don’t build ranches in today’s world because they need a lot of space.” Finding Favret proved to be ideal. “My husband and I were self-employed at the time in a small business, and when we met with Bob, we saw that he had a similar business model,” says Depew. “With Bob, I knew that communication would be excellent, and the fact that he lived across the street was like the icing on the cake.”
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Coastal-inspired open kitchen and living space with a roughhewn nickel gap wood for the soaring whitewashed ceiling.
Painting by Nancy Depew
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Left: Sally & Don Depew Above: A mudroom off the garage entrance. Below: The vibrant colors resonated with Sally.
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Above: The color scheme is carried into the master bedroom. Right: The guest bathroom has a unique starfish ceiling light.
Depew, who grew up in Raynham in a family with a photography business, sketched out what she wanted for the new home. “I’m a visual person, so I drew it all out beforehand.” Her first thought was to ensure that their Falmouth home was “very Cape Cod” but also felt current. “We have cedar shingles—which are timeless— and black Hardie board, which speaks to the present day,” says Depew. “I believe architecture should speak to its current time.” “Sally knew exactly what she wanted, and we just took it from there,” says Favret, who used a design consultant, Brian Bourque, to assist with the project. “The Hardie board plank siding is fairly maintenancefree, so that was a great product to include,” he says, “and we were able to match the color scheme she wanted, which is very striking.” Inside, Favret’s team employed light-colored engineered wood for the floors and rough-hewn nickel gap wood for the soaring ceiling in the living room.
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Master bathroom with a walk-in shower.
city’s cosmopolitan influences.” It had “Sally wanted that look, and it is an an impact,” says Depew, “My sister-inamazing design,” says Favret. Together, law, Nancy Depew, is an artist, and she the builder and homeowner created did the painting in the house. I have a a perfect ratio of water to paint to dear friend who’s a fashion designer out provide the whitewashed ceiling look. of New York City, and her home also “My passion is in finishes,” says inspired me.” Favret. “I’ve worked my way up from Now that Depew and her husband being a framer to a finish carpenter.” are spending more and more time in He utilizes the Russo Woodworking Falmouth, they relish the ease and company out of Mashpee on all his delight of living on one level in a dream projects, and they came up with a home. “We will eventually be here full design with Depew for her kitchen time,” she says, “and it’s exactly what I cabinetry and installed it. wanted. Kudos to Bob for all his hard To counterbalance the classic Bob Favret, Coast to Coast Construction work. From our first meeting, I could tell neutrals, Depew chose bright oranges he was the perfect contractor for the job. I feel like I won and pinks for décor and artwork. She and her family had the Lotto with him.” attended an Indian wedding, and the vibrant colors of “It was a wonderful project,” says Favret. “It’s almost like the garments and decorations resonated with her, so she a model home to show my future customers. If somebody replicated them in their new Cape Cod home. wants to see my work, this is my favorite house to bring “We’ve lived outside New York City for decades,” she them to. And the commute isn’t bad either,” he laughs. says, noting that she and her husband have absorbed the 170
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A full-service needlepoint shop.
Our shop offers a wide variety of canvases, fibers, and embellishments. We also offer project finishings and in-store classes. Shop in store or online. Tuesday – Saturday 10 am – 4 pm 387 Nathan Ellis Highway (Rte.151), Mashpee
Call us about classes & clubs. 508-681-0548 Visit our website and follow us on needlepointobsession.com
Shop local for all your furry family member needs Falmouth Pet Center Established 1989
We specialize in Super Premium dog and cat foods, including Frozen Raw, Gently Cooked and Dehydrated Foods.
SOME OF THE SPECIAL BRANDS WE CARRY: Earthborn Orijen Stella & Chewy’s Fromm
The Honest Kitchen Open Farm NutriSource
Farmina Primal Tucker’s
508-457-4420 • 112 Davis Straits, Falmouth • falmouthpet.com Located at the intersection of Jones Rd. and Route 28, across from CVS
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CALLING ALL CANINES
Savor the Dog Days of Summer BY SAR AH E . MUR PHY
Although Falmouth beaches are intended for humans only from May until the beginning of October, there’s no need to feel guilty for having to leave your four-legged friend at home as you enjoy all that Falmouth has to offer, whether you’re a resident or visitor. There are plenty of dog-friendly settings where you can experience the local scenery for both exercise and entertainment.
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ANGEL A PROUT
Manny at Great Pond
FRANCES A. CRANE WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AREA If it’s solitude you seek, head to Crane, boasting sand, plain grassland, diverse habitat, common and endangered wildlife species, and wide-open space. While leashes are required, the expansive setting makes it ideal for high-energy breeds and, like so many natural landmarks in Falmouth, Crane offers endless opportunities for bird-watching and photography. Operated by the State Division of Fisheries and Game; free parking is available at Crane North along Route 151, and Crane South, off Ashumet Road and Hayway Road. https://300committee.org/conservation-lands-2/ crane-wildlife-management-area/
M I C H E L E L AC A M E R A
THE KNOB The Knob is an attraction for folks who want to explore the area and observe nature at its best with stunning views of Quissett Harbor and Buzzards Bay, and it is also a great adventure for your pup. It’s best to keep your canine friend on a leash while walking the trails.
Bella, a Great Pyrenees, enjoys Bourne Farm.
FALMOUTH DOG PARK The dog park offers off-leash socializing in an enclosed, environmentally friendly outdoor setting, with benches, a gravel area, and a water fountain. Located on 1.6 acres of town-owned land, the park is divided into three fenced play areas to ensure safety and fun for both canines and humans: Small Dogs, Acclimation and Time-Out, and All-Dogs, open to breeds of all sizes. Handicap-accessible, free parking available. 257 Brick Kiln Road, East Falmouth; for park rules visit falmouthdogpark.com
Adventure Bound—Happy Tails
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BOURNE FARM This historic landmark provides a bucolic setting spanning over 50 acres of trails and woodlands. Maintained by Salt Pond Areas Bird Sanctuaries Inc., the rolling fields overlooking Crocker Pond are dotted with apple trees, grapevines, and pumpkin patches. While Bourne Farm is free to the public and meant for all to enjoy, it’s closed during weddings and other private events. Dogs must be leashed at all times, and owners are responsible for clean-up. 6 North Falmouth Hwy., (Route 28A). saltpondsanctuaries.org
Buddy & Dan having fun at Falmouth Dog Park.
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Rafael, Alexis Reid, Evyan Wolfman, Donna Reid and Jerry Reid, at Cape Cod Winery
Paw-Friendly Spots around Town There’s no need to keep your four-legged friend cooped up inside. Here are some suggestions for pet-friendly places to check out this summer. Many of these local restaurants have outdoor seating to encourage you to bring your pup along for the day!
CAPE COD WINERY 4 Oxbow Road, E. Falmouth, 508-457-5592 A dog-friendly atmosphere where you can sit back and relax with your pup, enjoy a glass of wine, and listen to local music. Grab a bite from the Café Mermaid food truck. capecodwinery.com
BLACK DOG HEIGHTS CAFE 465 Falmouth Heights Road, 508-388-7713 As the name implies, canine friends are most welcome at the Black Dog, a popular spot for breakfast or lunch before a day at the beach or a ride on the Island Queen with outdoor seating. theblackdog.com
WEST FALMOUTH MARKET 623 Route 28A (West Falmouth Highway), 508-548-1139 Pick up a sandwich from the in-house deli before or after a bike-path walk and enjoy the outdoor seating, especially on Thursday nights, when you can indulge in a BBQ dinner while listening to live local music from 5 to 8 p.m. (through Labor Day). westfalmouthmarket.com
BAD MARTHA FARMER’S BREWERY & BREWPUB 876 East Falmouth Highway, 508-444-6571 The East Falmouth taproom, next to Mahoney’s Garden Center, offers a welcoming escape from the hustle and bustle of Route 28, with a beer garden featuring live music and outdoor games. badmarthabeer.com/ falmouth-brewery
FALMOUTH VILLAGE Main Street is full of pet-friendly establishments with outdoor seating, including Pickle Jar Kitchen, Añejo Mexican Bistro, and Ben & Bill’s Chocolate Emporium. Be sure to stop by Eight Cousins bookstore for a drink for your four-legged friend from the complimentary water bowl at the front door. You’ll happen upon other water stations along the way.
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Veterinarian Services Providing comprehensive veterinary care for your furry friend for a long, healthy, happy life. DEER RUN VETERINARY SERVICES 168 Teaticket Hwy. E. Falmouth 508-548-3406 deerrunvet.com FALMOUTH ANIMAL HOSPITAL 1184 Sandwich Rd. E. Falmouth 508-563-7147 falmouthanimalhospital.com VISTA VETERINARY HOSPITAL 614 B Main Street Falmouth 774-268-4782 vistavetfalmouth.com WEST FALMOUTH VETERINARY CLINIC 593 West Falmouth Hwy. W. Falmouth 508-540-5728 westfalmouthvet.com
Falmouth Animal Hospital
Local Organization FRIENDS OF FALMOUTH DOGS Looking to add a four-legged member to your family? Maybe you want to celebrate with a donation a beloved dog who crossed the Rainbow Bridge, or help connect rescue dogs in need of loving families. Check out Friends of Falmouth Dogs to learn how you can make a difference. Falmouth’s nonprofit dog shelter is also an invaluable resource to Falmouth Animal Control to help reunite missing or found dogs with their families. You can also support FFD’s mission by following on Facebook and Instagram: Friends of Falmouth Dogs. Animal Control Center, 150 Blacksmith Shop Road, 508-548-7742, friendsoffalmouthdogs.org Friends of Falmouth Dogs Animal Control Center
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Pup-Friendly Accommodations If you’re looking for a place where your pup can stay with you on vacation, check out these pet-friendly locations. AUTOCAMP CAPE COD 836 Palmer Ave., Falmouth 855-203-1518 autocamp/location/cape-cod COONAMESSETT INN 311 Gifford St., Falmouth 508-548-2300 larkhotels.com FALMOUTH TIDES 267 Clinton Ave., Falmouth 508-548-3126 falmouthtides.com
Brody, resident pup at Palmer House Inn
Jodi McGowan, owner of Trots and Treats, walking Remi and Luna
Dog Walking/Pet Sitting TROTS AND TREATS If you’re traveling this summer or hosting a full house of human and canine guests, contact owner Jodi McGowan. Jodi knows that entrusting your pet with someone can be stressful and anxiety-inducing. The Trots and Treats team meet with potential clients and their dogs prior to services, which include walks and drop-in visits, pet sitting, puppy play dates, and even cat care for their feline counterparts. Jodi and her team never walk off leash, they don’t use retractable leashes, and they avoid crowded places whenever possible. 508-662-1189, trotsandtreats.com 176
PALMER HOUSE INN 81 Palmer Ave., Falmouth 508-548-1230 palmerhouseinn.com TREEHOUSE LODGE 527 Woods Hole Rd., Falmouth 508-548-1986 mytreehouselodge.com WOODS HOLE INN 28 Water St., Woods Hole 508-495-0248 woodsholeinn.com FALMOUTH LIVING • SPRING/SUMMER 2025
Dog Training For the ultimate dog training techniques for your pup to learn the desired behaviors while keeping its unique spirit that makes your pup special. POSITIVELY YOURS DOG TRAINING 188 Nathan Ellis Highway North Falmouth 508-962-7125 positivelyyoursdogtraining.com
Treats from Uptown Dog Cape Cod
Barks & Bites These local pet stores have everything you will need for your pet to live well and enjoy themselves. Each store carries high-quality dog food and pet supplies for your furry friend. FALMOUTH PET CENTER 112 Davis Straits Falmouth 508-457-4420 falmouthpet.com
UPTOWN DOG CAPE COD 410 West Falmouth Hwy. W. Falmouth 508-495-2880 uptowndogcapecod.com WAQUOIT FEED & GARDEN 441 Waquoit Hwy. E. Falmouth 508-457-9400 waquoitfeedandgarden.com
Moose receives his diploma from Jospeh’s Obedience Training School
S U Z A N N E R YA N
JOSPEH’S OBEDIENCE DOG TRAINING 55 Jonathan Bourne Dr. Pocasset 508-563-1122 josephsdogtraining.com Falmouth Pet Center
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FOUR TH OF JULY
A Neighborhood
BY SAR AH E. MURPHY | PHOTOGR APHY BY BE T T Y WILEY
THIS YEAR MARKS THE CENTENNIAL of the Moors Association, which was originally founded as a community of summer homes in the neighborhood of Elm Road. The Association has grown over the past century into a tightly knit community of about sixty families, including many year-round residents. 178
Traditions are plentiful in the Moors, and the most eagerly anticipated—by residents of all ages—is arguably the Moorland Road Fourth of July Parade. The event has been a summer highlight for Frank Tietje since his family moved to the neighborhood 64 years ago, when he was just three years old. His parents, the late Emil FALMOUTH LIVING • SPRING/SUMMER 2025
IN THE MOORS
Tradition
“Bud” and Eleanor Tietje were year-round residents of the Moors, well known and well loved for their many contributions to Falmouth. The parade is such a long-standing tradition, Frank isn’t sure when it started, and he doesn’t remember a time when it wasn’t an integral part of his childhood. Every FALMOUTHLIVINGMAG.COM
summer, he and his siblings would excitedly decorate their bikes in red, white, and blue. His father, who worked seven days a week and was never able to participate, would rush home on his bike from Falmouth Inner Harbor, where he operated his business, Patriot Party Boats, to watch his children revel in the simple joys of youth. 179
Above: Brendan and William Uniack sport a pirate look to celebrate walking in the parade. Bottom Left: Frank Tietje, master of ceremonies. Bottom Right: Brenna and JW Crowley, riding in the parade in their blue car, decked out with the American flag and red, white, and blue attire.
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Traditions are plentiful in the Moors, with a flagraising ceremony and Pledge of Allegiance by residents of all ages.
Even pups get to show off their holiday spirit.
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“My dad was one of the few ‘spectators’ we had each year,” Frank recalled with a laugh. “He’d set up a ladder in front of our house and stand on it for a better view, waving flags as everyone passed by.” Today, Frank and his wife, Margaret, live in his childhood home, and throughout the years they’ve helped to cultivate that same experience for their own children, nieces, and nephews, and the generation after them, by organizing the neighborhood events. With bullhorn or microphone in hand, Frank enthusiastically serves as master of ceremonies, kicking off the festivities with a flag-raising ceremony and Pledge of Allegiance, followed by group songs, such as “God Bless America” and “America the 181
Top: Cruising in style for 4th of July parade. Above: Peggy & Bill Guggina Right: Serena Marken embraces the sparkle of red, white, and blue.
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Beautiful,” featuring lyrics by Falmouth’s own Katharine Lee Bates. Prizes are awarded for Best Costume and other achievements, sparking creativity and friendly competition. The Fourth of July events include kids’ games, a softball competition, and a beach BBQ, to name a few, but to Frank, there’s something special about the parade, which also honors the memory of Moors residents who have died each year. “For me, it’s about neighborhood and patriotism combined,” he said. “It’s a great way to instill the special nature of the holiday.” Bill and Peggy Guggina became full-time residents of the Moors in April of 2018. The previous owner of their home lived there for 55 years. The Gugginas discovered the significance of the flagpole in their front yard just in time for their first Independence Day in the neighborhood.
Right: From left to right Charlotte, Emma, and Luke Below: Gather around to sing “God Bless America” and “America the Beautiful.”
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Cheers Happy Birthday America!
S U Z A N N E R YA N
“There was a knock on the door on July 2, and we learned our flagpole was the one they’ve always used for the flag-raising ceremony,” Peggy said. Not only did the Gugginas embrace the tradition, but they also got involved in the planning. For the past five years, they’ve helped to organize the music, with participation from their children and grandchildren. While the Moors Fourth of July celebration is newer to their family than others, the tradition has become equally special. “It’s a really nice neighborhood,” Bill said. “The whole day is a slice of Americana.” 184
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Falmouth fireworks over Vineyard Sound.
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Our 72-foot luxury fast ferry is the only ferry that sails into Edgartown Harbor! Choose one of our daily trips to cruise the beautiful waters of Vineyard Sound on your way to the Vineyard’s most picturesque town, where you can enjoy the finest shops, restaurants, and inns that the Vineyard has to offer!
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JAWS FIFTY YEARS LATER,
STILL HAS ITS TEETH A movie that still resonates with audiences today turns 50.
BY CHRIS K A ZARIAN | PHOTOS COURTESY OF NBCUNIVERSAL BEAUTIFUL. PICTURESQUE. IDYLLIC. AND UNSPOILED. These are the adjectives that actor and screenwriter Carl Gottlieb uses to describe Martha’s Vineyard in his book, The Jaws Log, a fascinating and definitive chronicle of the making of what is considered the first summer blockbuster, Jaws. “No major film had ever been shot there before, so both sides had a lot to learn,” writes Gottlieb, who was called on by a young Steven Spielberg to rewrite the script, based on Peter Benchley’s novel, just 11 days before production was set to begin. “It was Hollywood meets the Yankees, and if it wasn’t culture shock, it was close enough.” Long after that seminal movie hit the big screen—in 2007, the American Film Institute ranked it 56th in its list of the 100 greatest American films—it is preparing for a major splash this summer to celebrate its 50th anniversary. A short ferry ride from Woods Hole—that’s how Spielberg made his way to the Vineyard in the spring of 1974 to begin production on a little film about a big shark. It’s an animal that goes largely unseen in the two-hour-and-10minute movie—the website The Daily Jaws notes that it is first pictured roughly 62 minutes in when it attacks the good Samaritan in the boat 188
Quint (Robert Shaw) and Chief Brody (Roy Scheider) out looking for “Jaws,” the great white shark
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as he looks after Chief Martin Brody’s oldest son, Michael, in the estuary. In total, the shark appears on screen for four minutes. It’s the danger that lurks hidden from sight, just underneath the murky surface of the ocean which provides the real horror in this cinematic masterpiece that continues to captivate audiences to this day. “We’ve always had drama and always had theater going back to the Greeks. The Greeks considered theater so important for the general population as a way to comment on the events of the day,” Gottlieb says in a phone interview from his home in West Hollywood. “The thing about movies is that at one level, they are a collective acting out of our myths and beliefs and value systems with heroes and villains. . . . It is why it is called mass entertainment. There is something in there for everybody. “That’s the reason Jaws was so successful,” he continues. “It touched a chord in everybody who saw it. Who knew that if you made a movie about a shark, everybody would want to see it.” Audiences did indeed eat it up—to the tune of $260 million in its first theatrical release; it was the first film to earn over $100 million in U.S. box office receipts. The devotion for Jaws has continued a half century after it debuted on the big screen. Indoor and outdoor screenings throughout the Cape—as well as continuous showings on cable—have made it a staple of the summer season, as common as minigolf and ice cream in our little corner of the state. It can also be witnessed online in memes like the one
Steven Spielberg on set directing a scene
featuring a photo of a young boy’s face opposite a scene of blood spurting out of the water with these words underneath: Remembering ALEX KINTNER Taken from us this day – June 29, 1975
It’s regularly shared on social media at the end of June to the delight of Jeffrey Voorhees, the actor who played Alex, the second victim—the third if you count Pipit, the black Labrador retriever—in Jaws. “I died when I was 12,” he laughs, referring to his age when they shot the scene in which his character is on a raft and eaten by the shark that terrorizes Amity Island. Voorhees and his family moved to the Vineyard a year prior, and he has lived there ever since. Until recently, he managed the Wharf Pub in Edgartown, which has long drawn fans of the movie hoping to meet him. Over the years, the restaurant has capitalized on that connection, serving a burger named after Alex Kintner. “People come in from all over the world,” he says, all with the hope of meeting the boy who lost his life one summer on Amity. What was supposed to be a one-day shoot for Voorhees turned into five after a series of mishaps—in one take, his arm came out of the water; in another his leg did the same—has turned into lifelong fame for the now 62-year-old. There was a time in his life when he shied away from it all, the reluctant star hesitant to capitalize on it. “I used to hide from it,” he says. A decade ago, he participated in the island’s celebration of the 40th anniversary and shortly thereafter, he started attending autograph Matt Hooper (Richard Dreyfuss) & Chief Brody (Roy Scheider) inspecting a shark shows around the world, often joined by (not Jaws)
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Richard Dreyfuss (Matt Hooper) as well as the late Elizabeth Lee Fierro, who played Kintner’s mother, and the late Susan Jane Backlinie, who played the first shark victim in the opening scene. Yes, there’s money in this game. But it’s also nice to reconnect with those he shares a bond with in the film, and to connect with audiences who find magic in characters like Quint (Robert Shaw), Chief Brody (Roy Scheider), and Mayor Larry Vaughn (Murray Hamilton). He now is on Cameo, recording videos for fans to mark special occasions, often from the same beach where Alex Kintner was eaten. The most unusual request was from the children of a man who died on the couch—while watching Jaws. “I said, ‘What the hell. I’ll give it a shot.’ So, I held up my phone and said, ‘Hey, your father and I had a little something in common. He died while watching me die. This is dead Alex Kintner. Have a Jaws-some funeral,’” says Voorhees. Their reaction? They gave him a five-star review. It’s one example of the level of fanaticism of the Jaws faithful, many of whom are eager for this year’s
Filming on the Orca
celebrations to arrive. It will allow them a chance to escape to the Vineyard, which was transformed for nearly six months—principal photography was scheduled to take 55 days—into the fictitious world of Amity Island. While there, they will be filled with echoes of the past, from John Williams’s masterful score to Captain Brody’s iconic catchphrase, “You’re gonna need a bigger boat,” to Quint, Hooper, and Brody singing, “Show Me the Way to Go Home” aboard the Orca.
JAWS FILM LOCATIONS
If you’re heading to the island this summer, make sure to check off these locations which serve as recognizable backdrops in the 1975 blockbuster. • Jaws Bridge—Look for the kids (and, yes, even some adults) jumping into the water. Located on Beach Road, the American Legion Memorial Bridge connects Edgartown and Oak Bluffs. It’s the bridge the shark passes under when entering the estuary. • Joseph A. Sylvia State Beach (Oak Bluffs)— The famed beach where Alex Kintner is attacked by a shark. • Edgartown Town Hall—This municipal building served as Amity Town Hall in the film, where Quint offers to help the town catch the shark. • Edgartown—The same quaint, charming buildings that doubled for those of Amity Island are still standing today in Edgartown. • Chappy Ferry—Connecting Edgartown to Chappaquiddick, this is the ferry where Mayor Vaughn confronts Chief Brody about stirring up fear among the public due to the recent shark attacks in Amity. • Cow Beach (Edgartown)—The shark’s first attack, of Chrissie Watkins, at the beginning of Jaws was filmed at night off Cow Beach.
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Beachgoers all run out of the water after someone screamed “shark”.
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Mayor Larry Vaugh (Murray Hamilton) Matt Hopper ( Richard Dreyfuss) and Chief Brody (Roy Scheider) talking about closing down the beaches.
Show business, Gottlieb says, is simple at its root: “It’s basically a bunch of people acting out for the benefit of the larger population, which pays money to see them to get a few hours of joy or terror or laughs. People look forward to that. Our job is to give it to them.” In that, Spielberg and his team delivered in spades. This explains why there’s something different about this summer on the Vineyard. “The phones have been ringing off the hook,” says Erica Ashton, executive director of the Martha’s Vineyard Chamber of Commerce, which is helping to plan and promote a series of events to celebrate Jaws turning 50 this year. “I think that people were deeply affected by the movie. It’s something that has become a cultural touchstone. Even though it came out in 1975, and the Vineyard has changed, we still don’t have fast food. It’s mostly mom-and-pop boutiques and not national chains. You can come here and go back in time, and Main Street is still Main Street. It’s a very special place. A magical island. You kind of come here and feel the weight of the world drop off your shoulders when you get off the boat.” FALMOUTHLIVINGMAG.COM
JAWS 50TH CELEBRATION While June 20 marks the official day that Jaws hit the big screen in 1975, Martha’s Vineyard (and Falmouth) have multiple events going on from May onward to celebrate the film that forever changed the landscape of cinema. • Jaws at 50: A Deeper Dive—The Martha’s Vineyard Museum in Vineyard Haven opens its Jaws exhibit on May 24, featuring everything from behind-the-scenes stories, photographs, and drawings of the making of the iconic film to an interactive display on shark science. Special talks, events, and experiences will take place from Thursday, June 19, through Monday, June 23. • Jaws Tours—Fans of the film will delight in seeing some of the recognizable locations where the film was shot, including the Jaws bridge, the Chappy Ferry, and Edgartown Town Hall. Led by Jeffrey Voorhees (Alex Kintner), the tours include trivia and interesting tidbits about the film. • Amity Sharks v. Quint Navigators (Thursday, June 19)—Head over to The Shark Tank (Vineyard Baseball Park) and enjoy a game that will pay homage to the 1975 classic. • Meet, Greet, and Mingle Party (Friday, June 20–Sunday, June 22)—The Wharf Pub in Edgartown plays host to a weekend-long Jaws bash, featuring Jeffrey Voorhees, Jeffrey Kramer (Hendricks), and production designer Joe Alves. Photo ops, retro Narragansett beer cans, Jaws-inspired entertainment, and merchandise will add to the ambiance. • Barks & Sharks (Sunday, June 29)—Bring your four-legged friends to Edgartown Lighthouse for a Jaws-themed dog costume contest. • Outdoor Screening (Friday, September 5) — Every year, this free screening of the cult classic behind Redfield Auditorium gets more popular, prompting the organizers at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution to playfully proclaim, “We’re gonna need a bigger lawn.” Make sure to bring a blanket or lawn chair. • An Unmissable Jaws 50th Anniversary Spectacle – Experience Jaws Like Never Before! (Saturday, June 21, 7:30 p.m.) — The legendary celebration continues, with a 50th anniversary screening of Universal Pictures’ Jaws at the stunning Winnetu Oceanside Resort—a unique opportunity to watch Jaws under the stars, in the very place it was originally filmed. Presented by the Martha’s Vineyard Chamber of Commerce and Alamo Drafthouse Cinema, with support from Circuit Arts, this iconic outdoor screening set to the breathtaking score performed by the Cape Symphony, will transport fans straight back to Amity Island, where the legend began.
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Understanding the Ocean Through
APEX PREDATORS Sharks give WHOI an opportunity to learn more about the mysteries of the ocean
TO P P H OTO B Y TO M B U R N S; B OT TO M P H OTO B Y S A M PAY E T
BY CHRIS K AZARIAN PHOTOS COURTESY OF WOODS HOLE OCEANOGR APHIC INSTITUTION WHEN IT COMES TO THE OCEAN’S APEX PREDATORS, there may be no place more hospitable for them than our local waters. “New England is a great place to be a shark,” says Camrin Braun, Ph.D., the principal investigator for the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution’s (WHOI) Marine Predators Group. “We’re lucky to have these animals in our backyard. A lot of them come to the Cape in the summer and fall because there’s a lot of fish for them to prey on.” Sharks have lots to offer oceanographers like Dr. Braun. “Our goal is to understand their behavior and ecology and also learn how they move around to better understand the ocean,” he says. “I think it’s a really cool way to learn more about the ocean and in turn to learn about the animals.” Top: A mako shark Above: Dr. Braun from Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
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TO P L E F T P H OTO B Y TO M B U R N S; TO P R I G H T P H OTO BY C R A I G L A P L A N T E
Aove left: Smooth hammerhead shark. Above right: Dr. Braun and team from Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution.
He highlighted one example of a 400-pound mako his team tagged several years ago. The creature swam to the Gulf Stream and into an eddy, which “oceanographers have been studying for 40 years or better,” Dr. Braun says. “It swam into one of these features and spent almost six weeks hanging out in this eddy which was not even 100 miles wide.” What that told researchers, he says, is that while “we thought these features were biologically very boring, almost like a desert, why would a top predator spend time there? We found interesting results that not all these eddies are what we thought. They might be productive and a place that sharks seek out and spend their time in.” Having grown up in Idaho, Dr. Braun was fascinated at a young age by the animals he encountered in lakes, rivers and streams in the Rockies. “This sort of novelty of the underwater world was always inspiring, motivating, and mysterious,” he says. “I always enjoyed putting my face in the water and looking around and seeing a world that was so different from ours.” That fascination has continued to his current work though it has been transferred to the ocean. “That kind of alien world happens right here in our backyard,” he says. “We don’t have a good understanding of it.” This is why the work his team is doing is so critical to uncover the mysteries of the ocean and the unprecedented changes occurring to it in recent years. While his group conducts research around the world—in late winter and early spring he traveled to New Zealand to study elephant seals—it always has its foot firmly entrenched in what is happening locally. “It is a pretty exciting place to do ocean science,” he says of the Cape Marine Predators Group. FALMOUTHLIVINGMAG.COM
As for the species of shark most commonly found in Falmouth, he mentions dogfish and the occasional blue shark. In the fall of 2004, a 1,700-pound, 14-foot great white shark attracted national attention when it visited Falmouth, spending several days near Hadley Harbor, off Naushon Island. This was unusual, Dr. Braun says, as most great whites as well as “blues, makos, and porbeagles all end up more concentrated on the Outer Cape and a little offshore than what we get in Falmouth.” Dr. Braun has had the thrill of swimming with makos, blue sharks, and hammerhead sharks offshore in the Northeast Canyons, 130 miles southeast of Cape Cod. “It is incredible,” he says of the experience. “When you see them in the water, you really appreciate them.” He also recalled the excitement he felt when he saw his first great white. “Just to see them, they are such a cool animal and well-designed to do what it does which is to hunt and ambush seals in shallow water,” he says. “We are quite lucky to have them so accessible to us. Any day you can drive from Falmouth to Chatham and go on a boat and have a good shot at seeing one. It’s a very rare thing. There are only a handful of places in the world where that is possible.” WHOI Ocean and Climate Outreach Series presented by the Yawkey Foundation. Come watch JAWS Friday, September 5th, 6 – 6:30 p.m., Redfield Auditorium at 45 Water Street, screening beginning at sunset
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d n a l s I e Th eckons B Experience an unforgettable day exploring magnificent Martha’s Vineyard
TEX T AND PHOTOGR APHY
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Enjoy a ferry ride over to Martha’s Vineyard on the Island Queen
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commuters, and is an easy hop on and off. Seasonal ferries like the Island Queen ferry and the Falmouth-Edgartown Ferry provide convenient access directly from Falmouth Harbor, while the Steamship Authority ferry out of Woods Hole is the ultimate lifeline to the island, operating yearround, and provides the only option if you are inclined to take your car. We suggest leaving the car behind and enjoying the ease of exploring by foot, bike, or public transit.
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WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU VENTURED OVER TO MARTHA’S VINEYARD? Here’s your reminder that it’s just seven miles off the coast of Falmouth and a very worthwhile trip. “The Vineyard,” or “The island” as Vineyarders call it (not to be confused by the references to “The island” that Nantucket residents claim too), is an easy jaunt from the mainland, providing endless opportunities for entertainment and new experiences. Martha’s Vineyard beckons with its unique blend of seaside charm, historic character, and natural beauty— similar but oh-so-different from the allures of Falmouth and all of Cape Cod. While the island may feel a world away, it’s remarkably accessible, making it an ideal destination for a day trip from Falmouth. Who doesn’t want to take an easy excursion to another world? Whether you’re yearning for an idyllic bike ride, a leisurely ferry journey, or a day filled with exploration and indulgence, set your sights on a visit to this nearby wonderland. Falmouth provides multiple options to visit this enchanting island. Imagine Aq uin how nice it can be to arrive by sea! For na h a year-round option, the Patriot Water Taxi offers reliable service, is a favorite among daily
West Tisbury
Edgartown
Chilmark
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Oak Bluffs
Stroll through Ocean park, an inviting spot for a picnic or kite flying and exceptional views of Vineyard Sound. Bottom left: Iconic gingerbread cottages Bottom right: Main Street shopping
The ideal way to start your day would be cycling along the Shining Sea Bikeway, the breathtakingly beautiful route that takes you straight to the Steamship Authority ferry terminal. This serene stretch of scenic beauty is an adventure in itself, winding through marshes, cranberry bogs, and picturesque coastal vistas, from North Falmouth to Woods Hole. Leave your car at one of the many public lots along the way and ride into island time. The boat ride to Martha’s Vineyard is a memorable 45-minute journey across Vineyard Sound. As the boat sails away, you’ll be treated to views of Nobska Lighthouse and the lush and exquisite coastline. Approaching the island, majestic views of the Elizabeth Islands and the Vineyard’s welcoming harbors set the tone for a day filled with impressive sights and unforgettable memories. Each of Martha’s Vineyard’s three primary port 196
towns—Oak Bluffs, Vineyard Haven, and Edgartown— offers a unique experience. No matter which ferry you take, you’ll find plenty to explore within walking distance. The Patriot Water Taxi, Island Queen, and select Steamship Authority boats will take you to Oak Bluffs, while Vineyard Haven is home to the Steamship Authority’s year-round terminal, and the FalmouthEdgartown Ferry is the only option for taking you into Edgartown. Regardless of the option you choose, once you disembark you will be within easy walking distance of some of the Vineyard’s most exciting attractions. Arriving in Oak Bluffs, you’ll immediately sense the lively energy of this bustling town. Start with a FALMOUTH LIVING • SPRING/SUMMER 2025
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stroll through Ocean Park, an inviting green space featuring a historic bandstand, perfect for a picnic or kite flying, and offering even more exceptional water views. Nearby, the Martha’s Vineyard Camp Meeting Association awaits, where the iconic gingerbread cottages delight visitors with their kaleidoscope of colors and intricate details. With historic and religious roots dating back to the early 1800s, this captivating neighborhood is home to the annual Grand Illumination event happening on the third Wednesday of August each year. Ah, to feel like a kid again! For a touch of nostalgia, ride the historic Flying Horses Carousel, the oldest platform carousel in the United States. Then, meander your way to Oak Bluffs Harbor, a destination in itself, lined with vibrant eateries, waterfront bars, and ample shopping. Don’t miss Donovan’s Reef, where the famed Dirty Banana frozen drink is a crowd favorite—perfect for an afternoon cooldown and a real treat to sip as you take in the hustle and bustle of the harbor’s activity.
Top: Take a ride on the iconic Flying Horses Carousel Bottom: A vibrant destination with eateries and waterfront bars with ample shopping
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In Vineyard Haven, the magic of Main Street calls. Boutiques and galleries invite you to browse the goods of the makers and creators who showcase their wares and call the island home. Don’t miss the Beach House for a specially curated collection of exceptional home goods and CB Stark Jewelers for iconic island-inspired pieces. Be sure to ask about their signature charm bracelets! Next, stop by the Martha’s Vineyard Museum, a treasure trove of island history and art, plus an interactive play space for kids. Visit the eclectic Chicken Alley Thrift Store for a true island experience and unique souvenirs. This beloved spot for vintage finds and quirky collectibles now rakes in more than $1 million in sales each year in support of Martha’s Vineyard Community Services.
Vineyard Haven
Hungry? For a relaxed dining experience, settle in at Fish MV or El Barco, where you can savor tacos and cocktails on their sun-soaked patios. Vineyard Haven’s laid-back vibe and artistic flair make it an ideal destination for a leisurely afternoon. Be sure to grab a box of Murdick’s fudge or Mad Martha’s ice cream to satisfy your sweet tooth before heading back on the boat. 198
Top: A must stop: Murdick’s Fudge Left: Your trip won’t be complete till you have a scoop of Mad Martha’s ice cream. Right: The magic of Main Street with boutiques and galleries for all.
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Edgartown Ferry
Take a walk to the Edgartown Lighthouse.
Visit the Carnegie Heritage Center and take in its Living Landmarks exhibit.
Edgartown Should you step off the ferry in Edgartown, expect a picture-perfect town brimming with coastal elegance and steeped in whaling history. In the mid-1700s, Edgartown’s deep, protected harbor made for one of New England’s most prolific whaling capitals, a legacy still evident today in the grand sea captains’ mansions lining North and South Water Streets. Stroll along Main Street, where upscale boutiques like Kin, Juniper, and Rainy Day sit alongside iconic brands like Lilly Pulitzer, Vineyard Vines, and Lululemon. For a quick bite to eat, visit Rosewater Market or Behind the Bookstore, a hidden gem tucked away in a courtyard behind Edgartown Books. Visit the Carnegie Heritage Center, full of Martha’s Vineyard history, set in a neoclassical brick building that once housed the FALMOUTHLIVINGMAG.COM
Edgartown Harbor.
Edgartown library for more than 100 years. No trip to Edgartown is complete without a walk to the Edgartown Lighthouse, one of the island’s five iconic lighthouses, where you’ll find breathtaking views of Edgartown’s harbor, Chappaquiddick, and Cape Cod. 199
Don’t miss the sleepier three towns of up-island— West Tisbury, Chilmark, and Aquinnah—for a truly relaxing retreat. Many infrequent visitors to Martha’s Vineyard don’t realize that a significant piece of the island is home to miles of old stone walls, quaint honorbox farmstands, and hundreds of acres of conservation property. Accessible via the Vineyard Transit Authority bus system, taxi, or rideshare, the more laid-back region feels like another world entirely, with rolling hills, serene beaches, and seemingly uncharted lands.
Start with a visit to 7a Foods in West Tisbury for its famous Liz Lemon sandwich, an impressive concoction of house-made pastrami, turkey, Swiss, coleslaw, Russian dressing, and potato chips on rye, as inspired by the dream sandwich of the 30 Rock character and best enjoyed on the lawn of the Field Gallery, surrounded by whimsical outdoor sculptures. Stop by Grey Barn Farm to sample award-winning, organic cheeses and artisanal goods. Its Prufrock cheese is a must, a certified organic, washed-rind cheese and that’s revered as the farm’s “critical darling” and
West Tisbury, Chilmark, and Aquinnah
Enjoy the whimsical outdoor sculptures a the Field Gallery. Bottom right: Stop by Grey Barn Farm to sample award-winning organic cheeses and artisan goods.
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a winner of a 2024 Good Food Award, among others. In Menemsha, the quintessential fishing village, indulge in the freshest seafood from a family-owned fish market and settle in on the sand for a breathtaking sunset—a sight that draws crowds and claps, for one of the most awe-inspiring daily rituals in New England. End your up-island journey at Aquinnah’s Gay Head Cliffs, designated as a National Natural Landmark by the National Park Service and a truly magnificent marvel. Standing here, taking in the panoramic views at the westernmost point on Martha’s Vineyard, you won’t believe your eyes or the fact that you’re still in Massachusetts. Take in this spectacular sight and explore the Native-owned shops before making your way back to the ferry. Martha’s Vineyard’s beauty and charm can create lasting memories, just miles away. As the ferry carries you back to the mainland and the glow of the Vineyard fades into the horizon, the allure of island time keeps calling, and you may be inspired to return again and again. FALMOUTHLIVINGMAG.COM
Top: End your day at Aquinnah Gay Head Cliffs with spectacular views of Vineyard Sound. Above: Indulge in the freshest seafood at Menemsha fish market.
GETTING THERE . . . Falmouth–Edgartown Ferry falmouthedgartownferry.com
The Island Queen islandqueen.com
The Steamship Authority steamshipauthority.com
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Fruits of Their Labor TOURING
FALMOUTH FARMS
BY SAR AH E. MURPHY PHOTOGR APHY BY DEB FOLEY
Farming has been an integral part of Falmouth’s history, culture, and economy since its founding. These are just a few of the farms, both large and small, keeping that history alive while providing fresh, local food for residents and visitors.
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TONY ANDREWS FARM 394 Old Meetinghouse Road, East Falmouth ~ tonyandrewsfarm.com Nothing says summer in Falmouth like strawberries from Tony Andrews Farm, where they’re not just a product, they’re part of the experience. Tony Andrews started this East Falmouth farm with his uncle in 1935, implementing farming techniques learned in his native Cabo Verde. Since then, it has become a local institution. Throughout the years, the farm grew into a family affair for Tony and his wife, Marina, who handled the business aspect, and their seven sons. The land was purchased by the Town of Falmouth in 2018, but the Andrews’s youngest son, Geoffrey, stayed on to continue in his role of owner/operator. Today, Geoffrey remains committed to keeping alive the traditions started by his parents, in particular offering locals and visitors the opportunity to pick their own strawberries, a popular pastime they started in the 1950s. Six thousand strawberry plants were planted to meet the demand of the 2025 season, which usually begins around June 10, lasting through mid-July or when they’re picked out. Berries can also be purchased at the indoor farm stand, along with seasonal produce, including Tony Andrews’s famous Silver Queen corn. Snap peas are also available
for picking, along with an array of flowers, including sunflowers, zinnias, gladiolas, dahlias, and marigolds, which are also sold to local florists, such as Windfall Market, for wedding arrangements and bridal bouquets. Tony Andrews Farm is a place for family fun and memory-making, offering farm tours, hay rides, and pumpkin-picking from June through mid-November. Land is also designated for community gardens operated by Falmouth Service Center and Farming Falmouth. In the spirit of the farm’s history, Geoffrey continues to run the farm stand on an honor-system basis enabling customers to purchase items during off hours. “That’s the way my dad used to do it,” he said. “If someone needed something, they knew where to find it.” Geoffrey appreciates the joy the farm brings to visitors of all ages so many years later. “I see folks now who tell me they first came to pick strawberries with their grandmother when they were still in a baby carriage. I love hearing those stories,” he said. Geoffrey takes pride in celebrating his family history. “That’s why I keep doing what I do,” he said. “To keep their legacy alive.”
Opposite: Field of Sunflowers at Tony Andrews Farm, available for picking, along with strawberries and veggies.
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Mr. T’s Bees, local raw honey
PE ACHTREE CIRCLE FARM 881 Palmer Avenue ~ ptcf.com Farming was never part of the plan for Carrie Richter until she moved to Cape Cod and got her foot in the dirt in the landscaping industry. As a self-described “accidental farmer,” Richter changed her plan and made farming her purpose. For the last two decades, Carrie has farmed the rolling hills of Peachtree Circle Farm, where she also lives, using sustainable growing practices for her flowers, vegetables, and fruit. She has also become a familiar face in the farming community, participating in the Falmouth Farmers Market, where she sells her popular jellies, jams, and dehydrated products, in addition to her seasonal produce.
Nestled between the quiet neighborhoods of Sipewissett and the bustling traffic of Route 28, the land is owned by Salt Pond Areas Bird Sanctuaries, Inc., founded by the late Ermine Lovell, with the intent to preserve open space and farmland in Falmouth. To that end, Peachtree must be maintained for farming purposes. Carrie praises Salt Pond and the foresight of its founder. A local realtor, Mrs. Lovell was known for her commitment to protecting green space from development, having grown up on a farm in Virginia before she met her husband and the couple moved to his family’s “Ten Acre
Delia and Lila working the farm
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what I want and how I want,” Farm” in Davisville. she said. “Kudos to Ermine and the Carrie is one of the local entire organization. They should farmers who collaborated with all be applauded for keeping this Falmouth Public Schools and not only as open space, but also their community chef Laura as a working farm,” she said. Higgins-Baltzley in the district’s A one-woman operation, Massachusetts Farm to School Peachtree Circle Farm is always Program for the 2024–2025 busy, regardless of the calendar. school year, donating produce During the “in-season” Richter such as carrots to be featured clocks an average of sixteen hours on the lunch menu. The goal a day, seven days a week, farming is to educate students about by day and canning at night. She sustainability while also also keeps hives on the property supporting local farms by for Brian Todesco of Mr. T’s Carrie Richter, owner of Peachtree Circle Farm, showcasing their produce, Bees, using the wax to create harvesting kale. dairy, and seafood in all seven salves and candles. school cafeterias. During the winter, she’s preparing for the upcoming For Carrie, the fundamental nature of her career is season, while also participating in “off-season” farmers what she finds so rewarding. markets, Saturdays in Orleans and Sundays in Falmouth. “Providing food for people is essential, and this place Carrie credits Salt Pond for allowing her to maintain is an oasis. It gives me solace. It’s hard work, and it’s the property as she sees fit. exhausting, but it’s not a chore. I’m ruined for any other “I want the whole system to be healthy, so I leave a lot job,” she said with a smile. “I can’t imagine any other life.” for wildlife, for seed. They give me the elbow room to do
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COONAMESSET T FARM 277 Hatchville Road, East Falmouth ~ coonamessettfarm.com Also available for rental for weddings and private parties.
site Peck O’Dirt bakery, prepared One of the best places to be on a by owner Anne Konner-Higgins, summer evening in Falmouth is and handmade woolen items made Coonamessett Farm’s Wednesday from the farm’s own alpaca. You can Jamaican Night, featuring a buffet also support Coonamessett during prepared by Chef Laura Higginsthe holidays during its tree sale. Baltzley and her team at The Buffalo Handmade wreaths and swag also are Jump, the on-site café and catering available from late November until company. Owned and operated by they close in late December for a brief “Farmer Ron” Smolowitz and his winter hiatus. wife, Roxanna, the membership-based If you can’t make it to the farm, 20-acre farm offers hand-planted, you can purchase its bagged field environmentally friendly, pick-yourgreens at Windfall Market, Jack in own produce, day passes, and CSA the Beanstalk, and the Falmouth (community supported agriculture) as Farmers Market. You can also enjoy part of its mission and self-described them as a salad staple on the menu at passion for locally sourced food. Hector hanging out Chapoquoit Grill. Coonamessett is also a local Field/farm manager Shane Chambers grew up in destination, with friendly farm animals for all ages to Missouri and studied agricultural business management in enjoy (some for purchase), and an indoor farm stand college. He joined the team at Coonamessett in November curated by Roxanna with gift items by local artisans, 2023 after managing a farm in Sandwich for two years. muffins, cookies, pies, and other treats from the on206
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Farm stand with fresh vegetables, annuals, perennials, and more inside
One of the things Shane enjoys about Coonamessett is the interaction with farm visitors. “There’s a real sense of community here. This feels like a home. I see the same people week in and week out, and they’ll ask me questions about what’s available for picking, or I see them at Jamaican nights because they enjoy it so much,” he said. A new hydroponic system for the 2025 season will enable the farm to sell heads of lettuce in addition to herbs and other greens. A shrimp tank has also been added. Coonamessett partners with the Ohio University Agricultural Intern Program, bringing individuals from countries including Brazil, Ecuador, and Tanzania seeking a farming experience in the United States Locally, the farm partnered with Laura HigginsBaltzley, who is also the community chef for Falmouth Public Schools, for the Massachusetts Farm to School program, donating its produce for use in all seven schools in the district. Shane appreciates the atmosphere of collaboration at the farm. “It’s rewarding because we’re always learning, and we all learn from each other,” he said.
Pippin says hello to the baby goats
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Mason jars in bright, bold shades embellished with twine and starfish serve as colorful vessels for flowers.
CAPE COD FLOWER TRUCK Cape Cod Flower Truck The seeds of Cape Cod Flower Truck were planted during the pandemic in June of 2020, when Lisa O’Connell and her daughter, Zoe, started painting Mason jars in bright, bold shades like magenta, orange, and aqua, embellished with twine, starfish, and other details, and filled them with flowers from Lisa’s gardens. When she started posting photos on social media, people asked if the arrangements were available for purchase. She and Zoe, who was in third grade at the time, initially sold their creations at the corn stand on Route 28A in North Falmouth, located at the end of their street, making the short journey from their house in a golf cart, which gave rise to the name of the business. Lisa’s farm-to-vase vision has since expanded to include microgreens (seedlings of vegetables and herbs), which are used not only to garnish and enhance the flavor of food, but as a valuable source of nutrition, offering concentrated levels of vitamins, antioxidants, and other nutrients. Their versatility makes them ideal for savory and sweet dishes, including sandwiches, smoothies, salads, eggs, tacos, burgers, seafood, and soups. Despite limited outdoor acreage, Lisa, who has a background in biology, is able to pursue her passion for microfarming, utilizing organic practices to grow several varieties of microgreens in her basement greenhouse, including arugula, broccoli, radish, cilantro, and pea shoots. She sells her same-day harvested microgreens at the Falmouth Farmers Market on Thursdays at Marine Park, in addition to pop-up markets throughout the 208
Fresh-cut flowers vary from season to season.
year at Cataumet Fish, West Falmouth Market, and other locations she advertises on social media. Lisa offers microgreen kits for those who want to test their green thumbs. In her basement, she’s also able to grow an array FALMOUTH LIVING • SPRING/SUMMER 2025
Lisa O’Connell, owner of Cape Cod Flower Truck
O’Connell sells kits for growing microgreens.
of tulips in bold shades, which enables her to extend her season and sell bouquets of fresh flowers throughout the year. During the holidays, Lisa offers succulent pumpkin centerpieces, swag, and mini wreaths, and rustic Mason FALMOUTHLIVINGMAG.COM
jars arrangements with greens and cranberries. She also sells “Zoe’s Eggs,” from their backyard chickens. Because Lisa is passionate about making local food and flowers accessible, she enjoys offering her time to help organize and promote the indoor winter Falmouth Farmers Market, held from January through April at St. Barnabas on Main Street. She also keeps hives on her property for Brian Todesco of Mr. T’s Bees and sells his honey at the Farmers Market, tying dehydrated orange slices she makes in her garage to each jar as one of her signature touches. Despite the inevitable challenges she typically faces, Lisa believes she has found her calling, and she is grateful for the response. “I feel so loved by the Farmers Market community and my customers,” she said. “They’ve meant the world to me and truly kept me going through tough times. It’s ‘The Little Farm That Could’ because of them.” 209
Peterson Farm, one of the oldest on Cape Cod, dates back to 1679.
PETERSON FARM 119 Woods Hole Road ~ petersonshepherds.org You know it’s springtime in Falmouth when the lambs make their debut at Peterson Farm during lambing season. The farm is one of the oldest on Cape Cod, on land granted to John Weeks in 1679, which his family farmed for almost 300 years. It was sold in 1949 to Captain John Peterson, who grew produce for his hotel, the Cape Codder, a beloved former landmark in Falmouth. The 300 Committee, Falmouth’s land trust, purchased the property, located on 15 acres of a sprawling 88-acre parcel, in 1998. Since then, Peterson has been utilized as open space for grazing sheep. Border collie owners Diana Wickham and Simon Thorrold met working their “day jobs” at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, where Diana is a robotics engineer and Simon is a senior scientist in the biology department. Diana credits former Peterson shepherd Sue Schoen for helping her train one of her border collies. 210
“She taught me everything I know. That really cemented my future as a shepherd,” Wickham said. When Sue retired in May 2018, she encouraged Diana to take over the operation. Excited about the prospect but overwhelmed by the idea of doing it alone, she teamed up with Simon, and although the venture was new for both, they both bring life experience to the role: Diana grew up on a horse farm in Connecticut and Simon was raised on a dairy farm in New Zealand. To that end, they utilize rotational grazing to reduce carbon, allowing them to offer 100 percent pasture-raised meat, sold through the farm’s website in spring and fall. Because they don’t have commercial freezer space, the meat is available to consumers the same day they send it to the butcher. “We really wanted to run it as a working farm by selling our own meat and having control of the animals FALMOUTH LIVING • SPRING/SUMMER 2025
Springtime in Falmouth, when the lambs make their debut.
from beginning to end, by providing them an excellent life with really high, humane standards, and also produce excellent meat. We’re proud to offer that to the local community,” Wickham said. The farm also offers two varieties of lamb sausage, chorizo and sweet Italian, that are available year-round. As part of their educational mission, Diana and
Simon enjoy sharing their knowledge with the public at open farm days and herding demonstrations. They also enjoy collaborating with local groups, including schools, churches, and organizations such as the Girl Scouts. “We welcome people to ask questions, so if you see us out working, come and say hi,” she said. “We’re very approachable.”
A vegetable and flower garden, farmed by Diana & Simon.
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The Hearing Care Experts for Falmouth & Centerville
Falmouth: 508-910-2221 | Centerville: 508-862-0255 www.duncanhearing.com
7 7 W AT E R S T R E E T
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R E S TAU R A N T GUIDE
Falmouth Eats
P H OTO : D E R R I C K Z E L L M A N N
Flying Bridge
Whatever your dining pleasure—from casual to fine dining— you’ll find it here in Falmouth. Our Falmouth Eats restaurant guide will help you discover your next perfect meal. EAST FALMOUTH
Le Bon Jour
INTERNATIONAL
Bad Martha Farmer’s Brewery
lebonjourcuisine.com
badmarthabeer.com/ falmouth-brewery
PIZZA
BREWERY
Cape Cod Winery
Pizza 1 & Subs 2 pizza1subs2.com
Prime Time House of Pizza
Smitty’s Homemade Ice Cream ICE CREAM
smittysic.com
Thai Kitchen THAI
falmouththaikitchen.com
PIZZA
The Cape Grille at The Cape Club Resort
capecodwinery.com
Ristorante Avellino
capeclubresort.com/dining
East End Tap
avellinocapecod.com
See expanded listing on page 215 WINERY
See expanded listing
ITALIAN
AMERICAN
FALMOUTH Anchor Ale House AMERICAN
anchorale.com
Añejo Mexican Bistro & Tequila Bar MEXICAN
anejo.cc
Bangkok Cuisine THAI
bangkokcapecod.com
AMERICAN
eastendtap.com
Golden Sails Chinese Restaurant CHINESE
goldensailschinese restaurant.com
Green Pond Fish Market SEAFOOD
greenpondfish.com
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East End Tap 734 Teaticket Hwy, East Falmouth, 508-444-8677, eastendtap.com Enjoy the comfort of our great staff serving fantastic food in a rustic coastal-industrial setting. Come try our local Cape favorites like homemade clam chowder, linguica stuffed quahogs or our fresh locally known steak-burgers. Combine our food with 24 beers on tap, and you’ll always “Eat Well — Drink Well.” AMERICAN
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Join us for our 51st season serving the freshest seafood around!
Kids eat for $8.99 every day!
FALMOUTH
356 Palmer Avenue 508-540-7877
SANDWICH
6 Coast Guard Road 508-888-4629
INDOOR AND OUTDOOR DINING AVAILABLE, OR TAKEOUT SEAFOODSAMS.COM
RESTAURANT GUIDE
Cape Cod Winery 4 Oxbow Road, 508-457-5592, capecodwinery.com Our winery is a place of relaxation, and we invite you to join us. We offer nine different varieties of wine, from a Rosé Mermaid Water or a refreshing Sauvignon Blanc to a Chardonnay, just to name a few. Enjoy live music in our spacious outdoor sitting area while sipping a glass of your choice. WINERY
Bean & Cod Market MARKET
beanandcod.com
Ben & Bill’s Chocolate Emporium
The Conference Table Falmouth AMERICAN
theconferencetable falmouth.com
Estia
GREEK
estiacapecod.com
New Peking Palace Osteria La Civetta
Country Fare Restaurant BREAKFAST
eugenehenrys.com
Betsy’s Diner
Crabapples
Falmouth Raw Bar
betsys-diner.business.site
crabapplesrestaurant.com
falmouthrawbar.com
Bluefins Sushi and Sake Bar
Dana’s Kitchen
Ghelfi’s Candies of Cape Cod
bluefinsfalmouth.com
Devour Eatery
DINER
SEAFOOD
Cape Cod Bagel Café CAFÉ
capecodbagelcafetogo.com
AMERICAN
CAFÉ
danas-kitchen.com
CAFÉ
devoureatery.com
DJ’s Famous Wings
GOURMET SHOP
SEAFOOD
SWEETS/CANDY
Coffee Obsession
doggzhoggz.com
coffeeobsession.com
Eli’s at The Coonamessett Inn
SEAFOOD
PIZZA
persysplace.com
casavallarta.us
220 Scranton Ave., Falmouth 508-548-2700 flyingbridge restaurant.com Waterfront dining and bar with open-air decks overlooking Falmouth’s scenic Harbor. Serving traditional New England seafood with contemporary flair and delicious craft cocktails. Plus, live music throughout the summer.
paulspizzacapecod.com
Persy’s Place
Homeport Sushi & Kitchen
The Flying Bridge Restaurant
PIZZA
INDIAN
Doggz & Hoggz
AMERICAN
Paul’s Pizza and Seafood
peelpizzaco.com
djsfamouswings.com
elistavernfalmouth.com
ITALIAN
osterialacivetta.com
Golden Swan Indian Cuisine Grumpy’s Pub
COFFEE
newpekingpalace.com
Peel Pizza Company
AMERICAN
AMERICAN
FUSION
shipchocolates.net
Casa Vallarta Mexican Restaurant & Tequila Bar MEXICAN
BAKERY
Eugene Henry’s Gastronomical Delights
ICE CREAM
benandbillsfalmouth.com
Mary Ellen’s Portugese Bakery
AMERICAN PUB
JAPANESE
homeportsushiand kitchen.com
Italian Gourmet Foods– Slice of Italy Inc. ITALIAN
Jack In The Beanstalk MARKET
jackinthebeanstalk.com
Jacks Restaurant & Bar AMERICAN
jacksrestaurantfalmouth.com
Jim’s Clam Shack SEAFOOD
Jones Tavern
AMERICAN PUB
La Cucina Sul Mare ITALIAN
lacucinasulmare.com
Liam Maguire’s Irish Pub IRISH PUB
liammaguire.com
Maison Villatte
BREAKFAST
Pickle Jar Kitchen CAFÉ
picklejarkitchen.com
Pier 37 Boathouse AMERICAN
falmouthpier37.com
Quahog Republic SEAFOOD
quahogrepublic.com
Quarterdeck Restaurant AMERICAN
qdfalmouth.com
Romeo’s
AMERICAN
romeosfalmouth.com
Seafood Sam’s
See expanded listing on page 216 SEAFOOD
seafoodsams.com/falmouth
Simply Divine Pizza Co. PIZZA
divinepizza.com
Steve’s Pizzeria & More PIZZA
stevespizzeriaandmore.com
BAKERY
FALMOUTHLIVINGMAG.COM
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RESTAURANT GUIDE
Seafood Sam’s
LIAM CONNOR
356 Palmer Avenue, Falmouth, 508-540-7877 6 Coast Guard Rd., Sandwich, 508-888-4629 seafoodsams.com/falmouth Since 1974 we’ve been serving families the freshest seafood, quality lobster rolls, fried seafood and homemade chowder. Come and enjoy our award-winning Cape Cod fare with indoor and outdoor patio dining. SEAFOOD
Captain Kidd Restaurant 77 Water Street, Woods Hole, 508-548-8563 thecaptainkidd.com Waterfront dining with stellar ocean views, local seafood, steaks and full bar offers an unmatched dining experience. You may sip a craft cocktail on our waterside patio and enjoy local oysters from our marble raw bar. AMERICAN
AMERICAN PUB
NORTH FALMOUTH
Silver Beach Pizza & Seafood
The Clam Man
Tiger Ramen
Bucatino Restaurant and Wine Bar
silverbeachpizzacapecod.com
theclamman.com
tigerramen.com
bucawinebar.com
The Flying Bridge Restaurant
Windfall Market
Epic Oyster
windfallmarket.com
eatepicoyster.com
SEAFOOD
FALMOUTH HEIGHTS
The Blended Berry
Tap City Grille
theblendedberry.com
tapcitygrille.com
SMOOTHIES & MORE
SEAFOOD
See expanded listing on page 215 flyingbridgerestaurant.com
The Vine Restaurant ITALIAN
italianrestaurantfalmouth.com
Timber Axe Bar & Bowl See expanded listing PIZZA
timberfiredpizza.com
The Glass Onion
JAPANESE
MARKET
Shipwrecked
AMERICAN PUB
shipwreckedfalmouth.com
The Black Dog Heights Café CAFÉ
theblackdog.com
theglassoniondining.com
The Wharf Restaurant & Bar
Taco Blanco
thewharffalmouth.com
AMERICAN
MEXICAN
ITALIAN
ITALIAN
PIZZA
Silver Lounge Restaurant AMERICAN
silverloungerestaurant.com
SEAFOOD
Talk of The Town Diner
North Falmouth Cheese Shop
The Irish Goodbye House
northfalmouthcheese.com
Wild Harbor General Store
CHEESE SHOP
Prime Time House of Pizza PIZZA
Red’s Restaurant & Lounge at The Sea Crest Beach Hotel AMERICAN
seacrestbeachhotel.com/ dine/reds
DINER
IRISH PUB
MARKET
TEATICKET Falmouth Fish Market MARKET
freshfishcapecod.com
Papa Jake’s Pizza PIZZA
papajakespizza.com
tacoblanco.cc
Timber Wood-Fired Pizza at Timber Axe Bar & Bowl 23 Town Hall Square, 774-221-8777, timberfiredpizza.com Timber wood-fired pizza is crispy, with slightly charred edges, resulting in a crust that is both light and airy, and made by our specialized pizza chefs using only the freshest ingredients, with our imported Italian morello forni oven to cook your 12” pie in minutes. A large menu selection of pizzas or you may even build your own pizza with many toppings to choose from. Like us on social media PIZZA
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FALMOUTH LIVING • SPRING/SUMMER 2025
RESTAURANT GUIDE
West Falmouth Market
Pies À La Mode PIES
623 W. Falmouth Highway 508-548-1139 westfalmouthmarket.com A beloved community institution since 1902. A full-service country market, event caterer and so much more. Offering everything from fresh produce, coffee and scrumptious deli sandwiches or wraps to an old-time butcher shop, pizza, homemade soups, bakery, and wine and beer, as well as prepared gourmet meals and catering services. MARKET
Supreme Pizza & Subs PIZZA
falmouthsupreme.com
Sweet Rice FUSION
sweetricecapecod.com
WAQUOIT Moonakis Café CAFÉ
moonakiscafe.com
Moto Pizza
West Falmouth Market
Coffee Obsession
Quicks Hole Taqueria
MARKET
coffeeobsession.com
quicksholewickedfresh.com
See expanded listing
PIZZA
westfalmouthmarket.com
moto-pizza.com
WEST FALMOUTH MEDITERRANEAN
chapoquoitgrillwest falmouth.com
Captain Kidd Restaurant
Leeside Pub
AMERICAN
quahogrepublic.com/ leesidepub
Candy Go Nuts SWEETS
ICE CREAM
AMERICAN
landfallwoodshole.com
thecaptainkidd.com
Eulinda’s Ice Cream
Landfall Restaurant
WOODS HOLE See expanded listing on page 216
Chapoquoit Grill
COFFEE
candygonuts.com
AMERICAN PUB
Maison Villatte BAKERY
Pie in the Sky Bakery & Café CAFÉ
MEXICAN
Shuckers World Famous Raw Bar & Café SEAFOOD
shuckerscapecod.com
Water Street Kitchen AMERICAN
waterstreetkitchen.com
Woods Hole Market & Provisions MARKET
woodsholemarket.com
piecoffee.com
ax throwing bowling cocktails private parties wood fired pizza - order online timberaxbarbowl.com 774 221-8777 23 town hall sq, falmouth FALMOUTHLIVINGMAG.COM
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JUNE 22 HOUNDS OF HIGHFIELD
Calendar of Events June 5 & 7
COSMOS SESSIONS An extraordinary chamber music festival curated by Cape Symphony concertmaster Jae Cosmos Lee! Intimate yet larger than life, this year’s programs of cello quintets and clarinet quintets will ignite your senses and make your heart skip a beat (in a good way). Cape Symphony Falmouth Campus, 60 Highfield Dr., Falmouth, 7:00 p.m. For tickets, visit capesymphony.org June 14–August 3, playoffs begin August 5
FALMOUTH COMMODORES BASEBALL SEASON The Cape Cod Baseball League celebrates its 139th season, providing fans with competitive baseball 218
entertainment. The Cape League is recognized as one of the best amateur summer leagues in the country by college coaches and professional baseball scouts. The country’s top college players are recruited to play in the ten-team loop. A record total of 257 former Cape Leaguers populate major league rosters. falmouthcommodores.com June 13–15
ARTS ALIVE FESTIVAL 2025 A free celebration of the arts and creativity in Falmouth, located on the Falmouth Public Library Lawn at 300 Main Street and Peg Noonan Park. We will be celebrating the arts, Juneteenth, and Father’s Day. Rain or shine. artsfalmouth.org
June 14
STRAWBERRY FESTIVAL Indulge in fabulous strawberry shortcake, lobster rolls, hot dogs, or BBQ chicken under the tent on the Saint Barnabas lawn, across the street from the Village Green. Arts and crafts vendors, home baked goods sale, plant sale, face painting, games for small children.9 a.m. to 3 p.m. stbfalmouth.org June 22
HOUNDS OF HIGHFIELD Visit Highfield Hall & Gardens on Sunday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. as we celebrate the loving and enduring bond Cape Cod & the Islands have with our canine friends. Enjoy a cheerful, tailwaggin’ time as you meet four-legged
FALMOUTH LIVING • SPRING/SUMMER 2025
P H OTO BY J B K P H OTO G R A P H Y
Celebrate spring and summer in Falmouth with many fun activities for the whole family. Please visit each organization’s website or social media pages for updated information.
THE 2025 | 2026 SEASON
A NEW ERA
Begins
Your Cape Symphony Orchestra welcomes a new Music Director with an extraordinary concert season. With Masterpiece and CapePOPS! performances from Brahms to Broadway and Mahler to Motown, you won’t want to miss a note!
A NEW ERA 9/20 & 21 DEFYING GRAVITY: The Best of Broadway! 10/18 & 19 A SALUTE TO SERVICE 11/15 & 16 HOLIDAY ON THE CAPE 12/5, 6 & 7 PASSPORT TO VIENNA 1/24 & 25 RAGTIME, BLUES, & ALL THAT JAZZ 2/21 & 22 NATURE’S SONG 4/11 & 12 BE OURS TONIGHT: The Music of Elvis Presley 5/9 & 10 VOICES OF SPRING 5/30 & 31 LET’S GROOVE TONIGHT: Motown & The Philly Sound 6/13 & 14
capesymphony.org | 508.362.1111 Masterpiece and CapePOPS! Series Title Sponsor
CALENDAR OF EVENTS friends, fellow dog enthusiasts, and local animal organizations. highfieldhallandgardens.org June 26–October 9 Tuesdays
FALMOUTH ARTMARKET More than two dozen artists and crafters will be offering paintings, prints, and photographs, jewelry, pottery, and fiber arts. 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Falmouth Marine Park. falmouthartmarket.com June 26–August 28 Thursdays
JULY 11–20 11TH ANNUAL CAPE COD HYDRANGEA FESTIVAL
FALMOUTH TOWN BAND CONCERTS Every Thursday evening at the Music and Arts Pavilion, Marine Park, next to Falmouth Harbor. All concerts are free and open to the public. Bring a chair or blanket for your comfort. 7:30 to 9 p.m.
July 4
July 3, 5–6, July 10–12, July 17–19 & July 24–26
FALMOUTH FIREWORKS Voted one of the 10 best fireworks displays in the country by Travel & Leisure magazine, the show is scheduled for dusk at Falmouth Heights Beach. falmouthfireworks.org
BE A PART OF THE CREATIVE PROCESS AT THE CAPE COD THEATRE PROJECT The 31st season of the CCTP brings together playwrights of new American plays with professional directors and actors—often straight from Broadway—for staged readings at Falmouth Academy. Each week attendees get a close-up view into
JUNE 26–OCTOBER 9, TUESDAYS FALMOUTH ARTMARKET
the development of a new play and the unique opportunity to have their feedback incorporated into the final piece before it moves on to major stages across the country. capecodtheatreproject.org July 11–20
11TH ANNUAL CAPE COD HYDRANGEA FESTIVAL The Cape Cod Hydrangea Festival is an annual celebration of the region’s signature flowers and everything gardens on Cape Cod! The main attractions across the 10-day festival are tours of local gardens, usually kept off limits and maintained by individual homeowners. You are sure to enjoy the good feeling of supporting a variety of local nonprofits. For detailed information, visit capecodhydrangeafest.com July 9
FALMOUTH VILLAGE STREET FAIR Don’t miss the best shopping event of the summer! Falmouth Village 220
FALMOUTH LIVING • SPRING/SUMMER 2025
CALENDAR OF EVENTS shuts down Main Street to vehicle traffic and welcomes you to peruse outdoor pop-up shops that will pepper the length of Main Street. Get all your holiday shopping done in July! Runs from 9 a.m.–5 p.m. falmouthvillageassociation.com July 18
ARTRAGEOUS GALA: UP, UP AND AWAY! Falmouth Art Center’s “Biggest Party” of the year. The annual Gala fundraiser will take place outside on the grounds of the Art Center. Join us for inspired fun, with cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, music, exhibits, and an auction. falmouthart.org July 14, 21 & 28 and August 4, 11 & 18
LOBSTERS ON THE LAWN AT ST. BARNABAS This popular event is held on Monday evenings starting at 4:30 p.m. at Saint Barnabas Episcopal Church in Falmouth. Lobster rolls, chips, and pie on the big lawn across from the Falmouth Village Green. stbfalmouth.org
LOBSTERS ON THE LAWN AT ST. BARNABAS MONDAYS JULY 14 – AUGUST 18
July 21–27
BARNSTABLE COUNTY FAIR The Barnstable County Fair has been an annual summer tradition on Cape Cod for more than 175 years. The fair features affordable, old-fashioned family fun for all ages. Make your memories this year with animal shows, 4-H demonstrations, petting zoos, horticulture displays, rides, games, live music, food, and commercial vendors selling a variety of arts and crafts. Cape Cod Fairgrounds, East Falmouth. capecodfairgrounds.com
July 26–August 2
34TH ANNUAL WOODS HOLE FILM FESTIVAL The 34th Woods Hole Film Festival is an eight-day showcase of independent film, featuring daily screenings, workshops, panel discussions, staged readings, special events, an awards ceremony, and more. Voted one of the 25 coolest film festivals in the world by Movie Maker magazine. woodsholefilmfestival.org August 9
WOODS HOLE SCIENCE STROLL A free, family-friendly event with science demos, hands-on activities, and crafts for kids. Engage with people from science organizations and learn about the discoveries they are making. 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. woodsholesciencestroll.org
August 14
AUGUST 9 WOODS HOLE SCIENCE STROLL FALMOUTHLIVINGMAG.COM
KYSHONA Join MVYRadio and Cape Symphony Presents for an extraordinary evening of soul-stirring music, powerful storytelling, and deep connection as Kyshona takes the stage on her LEGACY Album Tour. Known for her captivating presence and 221
W E L C O M E T O FA L M O U T H
YOUR COMMUNIT Y CONNECTION FALMOUTH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE & VISITOR CENTER 20 ACADEMY LANE | FALMOUTH, MA 508-548-8500 FALMOUTHCHAMBER.COM
Photo by David Long
CALENDAR OF EVENTS AUGUST 17 – ASICS FALMOUTH ROAD RACE
the Health & Fitness Expo August 14–16, SBLI Family Fun Run, and the Falmouth Track Festival mile races. Join the conversation on FB and Instagram @falmouthroadrace. falmouthroadrace.com August 30
music that blends soul, folk, and roots influences, Kyshona delivers a performance that is both uplifting and thought-provoking. Experience the raw emotion and inspiring artistry of this unforgettable night! Cape Symphony Falmouth Campus, 60 Highfield Dr., Falmouth, 7:00 p.m. For tickets, visit capesymphony.org August 16
34TH ANNUAL FALMOUTH WALK For more than 30 years the Falmouth
Walk has supported local Falmouth charities. This annual event has brought thousands of people together for a day of exercise, camaraderie, and giving to those in need. Join the excitement in person or virtually. falmouthwalk.org August 17
ASICS FALMOUTH ROAD RACE The 53rd running of the ASICS Falmouth Road Race. Enjoy the iconic 7-mile seaside course. Stop by
BANDS FOR BADGES Bands for Badges, Inc., sponsors concerts to raise money for our local heroes in need. Our sixth annual concert is a family-friendly event featuring bands, food, face painting, a bouncy house and more at the Cape Cod Fairgrounds. All profits go directly to first responders and military families. We do all we can to ease the tragedy for fallen first responders and their families. bandsforbadges.com
Celebrating 50 Years of Wheelchair Racing
August 17, 2025 falmouthroadrace.com
FALMOUTHLIVINGMAG.COM
Adaptive Athlete Program Sponsored by
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LAST WORD
“ When Falmouth Living reached out to me to photograph the beach cottages along Surf Drive, I jumped at the chance. I had been photographing them for years whenever I would go into Falmouth, and I often flew my drone there. While small, they more than make up for it in charm. And the view makes them a popular subject for photographers like me!”—Betty Wiley
PHOTOGR APH BY BE T T Y WILEY
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FALMOUTH LIVING • SPRING/SUMMER 2025
5 5+ Lu x u r y Co n d o s wi t h Vi ew s o f M a r t h a's Vi n eya rd
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