PTOWN

P’TOWN HACKS

PTOWN ‘HACKS’

INSIDER TIPS TO IMPROVE YOUR VISIT

Towleroad POP-UP GAY SUMMER CAMP 2014

POP-UP GAY SUMMER CAMP IN PROVINCETOWN

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A brief history of Provincetown 1602 - British explorer Bartholomew Gosnold names ‘Cape Cod’ after sailing into what is now Provincetown, Harbor.

1620 - The Pilgrims arrive in Provincetown, sign the Mayflower Compact.

1654 - Governor of the Plymouth colony purchases land from the Nauset tribe for two brass kettles, six coats, 12 hoes, 12 axes, 12 knives and a box.

1727 - Provincetown is incorporated.

1871 - The Atlantic House, the nation’s oldest gay bar, was founded.

1898 - Charles Hawthorne opens Cape Cod School of Art, 1st outdoor figure painting school.

1915 - Provincetown Players experimental theatre formed.

1935 - Hans Hofmann opens his school of art.

1936 - Tourism begins to compete with fishing as Provincetown’s prominent industry.

1940 - Tennessee Williams arrives in town.

1961 - Cape Cod National Seashore established by John F. Kennedy.

1968 - Provincetown Fine Arts Work Center, a nationally recognized artists and writers colony, is formed, offering 10 writers and 10 artists seven-month residencies.

1970’s - Provincetown starts to become the gay travel destination it is today.

1975 - ‘Whale watching’ launched as a business.

1983 - Provincetown AIDS Support Group (PASG) established.

1989 - First Cape Air flight between Boston and Provincetown 2004 - Ptown becomes gay wedding destination as gay marriage is legalized.

2014 - Towleroad’s Pop-Up Gay Summer Camp launched.

Notable residents, past and present, of Provincetown include Tennessee Williams, Eugene O’Neill, Susan Glaspell, Stanley Kunitz, Ryan Murphy, Jackson Pollock, Mo Rocca, Charles Hawthorne, Judy Gold, Marsden Hartley, Marc Jacobs, Robert Motherwell, Anthony Bourdain, Hans Hofmann, John Dowd, John Krakauer, Franz Kline, Kurt Vonnegut, Willem de Kooning, Ryan Landry, Joel Meyerowitz, Frank Gaspar, Norman Mailer, Mary Oliver, Michael Klein, John Waters, Alan Emtage, Harry Kemp, Blanche Lazzell, Michael Cunningham, Kate Clinton, Urvashi Vaid, William Mann, Paul Lisicky, Mark Doty, David Drake, Cookie Mueller, Jacqueline Woodson, Andrew Sullivan, Al Jaffee.

WELCOME TO PROVINCETOWN! All kinds of people have been coming here, for all kinds of reasons, to relax and do all kinds of interesting things for a very long time. You're in very good company. We hope you have a great time, look forward to meeting you, and hope that this guide makes for a richer stay. Let us know what you think and send us your P'town hacks (tips@towleroad.com) to share on the site or in next year’s guide.

Andy Towle, Michael Goff and the rest of the Towleroad team On behalf of the Office of Tourism and the Visitor Services Board, I am delighted to welcome you to a destination like nowhere else. Provincetown is the oldest continuous art colony in America and the birthplace of the Modern American Theater. We have been named "best resort town" and two of our beaches are included in the country's top ten. P’town is proud of its diversity and has become the number one destination for same sex weddings.

We look forward to you visiting again.

Tony Fuccillo, Director of Tourism

I would say that exploring the Cape Cod National Seashore by bicycle, foot, swimming, or kayak would be my favorite thing to do.

There are plenty of places to rent bicycles and explore the "Province Land Bike Trails" that weave through the dunes. The bike trails are also ideal for running and include challenging hills and breathtaking landscapes.

Walking across the breakwater to Long Point is also a must. At high tide you can swim through channels carved between the sea grass at the Moors (where Rte. 6 meets Bradford St.) This is an amazing vantage point to witness and appreciate the incredible but fragile Cape Cod ecosystems.

Chris Bergland Kiehl’s 200 Commercial Street

You have to make it up to the Pilgrim Monument. It may look like a tourist attraction but the feeling of being at the highest point in Provincetown, with a 360 degree view of water, in the place the Pilgrims first landed is truly exhilarating.

Provincetown is steeped in local history and many people don't realize the Pilgrims made it here first before they settled in Plymouth! Whenever I leave town, I'm always so excited when I come over the hill in North Truro and the Monument is in sight. You have arrived.

And for the extra brave souls, visit Provincetown between Thanksgiving and February 1st and see the Monument decorated with lights for the holidays.

Cathy Nagorski General Manager Sage Inn, 336 Commercial Street.

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My favorite tip: public beach between Captain Jack’s Wharf and the boat ramp at the West End beach. The location is a quiet spit of sand and beach that visitors and the “townies” enjoy!

Rick Murray Owner Crown & Anchor Inn, 247 Commercial Street, and Mussel Beach Health Club, 35 Bradford Street

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Hitchhiking in Provincetown

BOOK EXCERPT

An excerpt from Carsick, by John Waters

I still hitchhike in Provincetown to Longnook, the most beautiful beach in Truro (about ten miles away). I usually ask someone to go on a thumbing date with me. Author Philip Hoare, artist and singer Kembra Pfahler, the late and great art dealer Colin de Land, have all joined me alongside the highway.

And we’ve never had any real trouble either. Once I was hitching with photographer Henny Garfunkel, whose extreme hairdo and stunning fashions can make children cry, and a man did a U-turn and picked us up —never a good sign. As usual, I got in the front and the woman hitchhiker got in the back. It smelled inside, like he was living in his car or something. I had a sudden flashback Continued…

John Waters, photo by Greg Gorman

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BOOK EXCERPT (CONT.) to the scene I wrote in Pink Flamingos where Mink Stole’s character says to her husband, played by David Lochary, that she’s tired of “just driving around . . . driving around” looking for female hitchhikers to pick up, kidnap, and then have raped and impregnated so the babies could be sold on the black market.

“See that safety sticker?” our vaguely creepy driver asked. “Yeah,” I said hesitatingly, looking at the Massachusetts official emissions- test sticker on the inside of the windshield. “I drew that myself,” he chuckled with a leer. I turned around to see Henny’s wide- eyed look of panic but it was all a false alarm; he dropped us off at the beach without incident.

But sometimes I go alone and I’m never sure if the drivers who pick me up recognize me. “Who is this man in the car?” a confused child who had never heard of hitchhiking once asked his mom and dad after I got in. “Why is he in this car?” he continued as I squirmed in embarrassment under the kid’s hostile glare and tried to explain what hitchhiking was.

Another time, a handsome long-haired pirate type stopped to give me a ride in his pickup, and just as I was about to jump in the front, he smiled and said, “No, you’ll have to ride in the back, my dog’s up here in the front.” Ha! Suddenly put in my proper place around such rugged hippie good looks, I Continued…

BOOK EXCERPT (CONT.) didn’t see the crew either. Nervously eyeing the cameramen hanging out their windows, shooting us as they tracked our car, I casually mentioned to my ride, “Don’t look over now on your side of the car, but there is a film crew shooting this whole thing.” “Okay,” he said with a shrug, completely unimpressed, and then drove for ten more minutes before dropping me off at the beach. Even when the crew jumped from their vehicle to film my exit, he never ruined their final shot by looking into the camera lens.

What a pro.

One time my hitchhiking date was Patricia Hearst. As we walked toward Route 6 from Provincetown, we quickly got a ride, but I don’t think the driver recognized us until we got in, me in the front, her in the back. He kept doing double takes looking over at me and finally said, “Are you John Waters?” and I said yes, and at the same time he looked in the rearview mirror I said, “And that is Patty Hearst.” He looked totally shocked but I

BOOK EXCERPT (CONT.) could tell he realized it was her. “He made me do it,” Patty deadpanned, and I was so proud of her improvisational skills. We were now a hitchhiking comedy duo.

Coming back to Provincetown that day with Patty was harder because we had to hitchhike right on Route 6, a highway with cars whizzing by, which made it seem more like real hitchhiking. It took some time for us to get a ride and I could tell Patty was starting to get nervous, especially when we were finally picked up but asked to “switch cars” by the driver, who hooked us up with another ride from a friend in North Truro, the next town before Provincetown. Later, her husband, Bernie, whom I love but realize is the head of security for Hearst Corporation, was a little perturbed when she told him of our day’s adventure. “Oh, come on, John,” he said with impatience, “hasn’t she had enough trouble?!” I guess he was right. But have I? Excerpted from CARSICK by John Waters, published in June 2014 by Farrar, Straus and Giroux, LLC. Copyright © 2014 by John Waters. All rights reserved.

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MAP

First and foremost, rent a bike for the week! There is nothing like making your way around town in the fresh Cape air or going to the beach on a bike. It really helps you connect with the town in a way unlike any other.

Second, oysters and cocktails for happy hour. Victor's, the Red Inn, and The Squealing Pig (Red Inn is my favorite) all have Happy Hour with inexpensive raw oysters and peeled shrimp. The view at the Red Inn is spectacular and the bartenders are great. If you're lucky, Will and Tommy will be behind the bar.

Third, get out and about in the morning before the crowds hit town, then head to the beach or pool or your room for a nap in the afternoon. You get the best of both worlds.

Andrew Hood Owner Mimeres, 19 Ryder Street E.

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‘hacks’ OVERHEARD on Commercial Street When walking to the breakwater pay attention to the tide, because it's going to be your iPhone’s first swim if you don't time wisely...

Secret public restrooms @ The Library, the old fire station, Town Hall, Whalers Wharf.

Look for parking on unmarked curbs on Bradford Street.

There is nothing wrong with some fried food on the pier in baskets where the boats come in.

Make sure to get the cash you need at the beginning of a holiday weekend because the ATMs can run out.

When hiking to outer beach through the dunes, be prepared to wade through waist high water at times, its a good time to practice your skills at carrying your belongings on your head.

Go to the gym during tea dance if you aren't a drinker and prefer some quiet gym time.

In need of a theme party costume? Marine Supply is an Army/Navy shop in the center of town crammed with gear and inspiration.

There is no line at Spiritus. After the bars close, you’ll see a huge line form out the door of the pizza place. The smart kids head right inside. They’ll be eating before you are.

Each year Provincetown creates the perfect recipe to give visitors the most memorable, colorful and thrilling Halloween holiday experience. It's one of the most famous eerie locations on the Atlantic coast — a permanent set right out of a studio backlot — except here the shadows, dark alleys, and misty silhouettes are enchantingly real. In the dark fog of an October night in Ptown, the ghoulish tolling of lighthouse bells ward off wayward ships. The historic cemeteries bathe in soft moonlight where ghosts of the original pilgrims are said to still haunt. Here Halloween now lasts for 10 days, giving revelers two weekends of entertainment.

Provincetown Tourism Office 260 Commercial Street @ Ryder

This town, with a reputation as America's First Destination and one of acceptance of all people, now has two distinct weekends where the art of leather--and how one wears it--takes center stage.

Each February, the town hosts Snowbound Leather Weekend, which heats up the atmosphere each year, giving attendees opportunities to wear more layers of leather. then in the fall, Mates Leather Weekend takes place, providing the rugged leather the perfect backdrop for exhibition.

Provincetown Tourism Office 260 Commercial Street @ Ryder

The Provincetown Tourism Office has recently released a new mobile app called "iPtown" that lists just about everything the town has to offer along with maps, links to reservation and review sites and a complete integration with social media.

My favorite thing about Provincetown is that it is the meeting place for accomplished creative gay, lesbian and straight people to meet and let the magic of this place foster collaboration and cooperation. I get better ideas here than anywhere else, and meet the people with whom to pursue interesting film and stage projects.

Jim Lande Producer BearCity

Loveland in the West End is the curation of some of the finest things in the world of design and living by the bohemian eccentric connoisseur Josh Patner! Whether a pair of rococo sconces or a pair of Ray Bans , a 19th century American "crazy" quilt, or deliciously fragrant soaps from around the world mixed in with some ravishingly colored beach towels, hand-knit sweaters, and local artists and artisans, past and present.

There are things to be discovered that no other store has!

Walk from one end of town to the other and let it work its spell on you. Just don’t have an agenda!

Do what appeals in the moment. Drop into a museum. Get on a rental bike and see where it gets you. Dress up in a second-hand store or buy a book from one of our illustrious writers/ poets in the Provincetown bookshop or drop into a waterfront restaurant for an afternoon cocktail or a guest house with a stranger. It’s all there for you if you want it.

John Dowd Artist Dowd has a show of “Provincetown at Night” paintings opening Friday, June 27 and over Labor Day Weekend at the William Scott Gallery, 439 Commercial Street.

There are days in Provincetown – especially if you live here yearround, like I did in the ‘90’s – where you want to be in the shade.

So, if you aren’t someone who loves to drink sunshine all day long or you need some quiet time away from the Commercial Street crowd, Beech Forest is a great alternative.

You’re in the woods, all of a sudden – the only place in town where it doesn’t feel like you’re at the beach and the world begins to smell like earth again. There is free parking and you can walk the trail or bike through wetlands and connect to the paths heading to Race Point Beach and Herring Cove.

I even went to a wedding there once – a straight one! We walked for almost a mile in our fancy suits and dresses into the heart of the forest and the most beautiful dusk Provincetown had that summer to a bride who was bashful and couldn’t bring herself to utter the two words that famously cinch the deal. I DO, I DO, we all whispered loudly enough for her to hear – until she did, finally, and the groom went back to breathing. And everyone walked out of Beech Forest feeling that we had just all just married each other.

Michael Klein Poet Author of The Talking Day (Sibling Rivalry Press).

Klein is reading on Saturday, August 16th at Art Market, 148 Commercial Street, with David Ryan, Christina Davis and Alden Jones at 6pm.

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Some helpful phone numbers‌ TAXI Mercedes Cab 508-487-3333 Cape Cab 508-487-2222 Black & White Taxi 508-487-7800 P-Town Taxi Service 508-413-9958

FERRIES Bay State Cruises 617-748-1428 Boston Harbor Cruises 617-227-4321

AIR Cape Air (800) 227-3247

GYM Mussel Beach Gym (508) 487-0001 35 Bradford Street @ Conant 6am - 9pm 7 days a week

HEALTH Outer Cape Health Services (508) 487-9395 Provincetown Medical Group (508) 487-3505 Referral Service of Cape Cod Health Care (1-877) CAPE-COD

CAPE COD NATIONAL SEASHORE nps.gov/caco Special thanks to: Anthony Fuccillo, Paul Hunter, Patrick Catoe, John Finco, Rick Murray, Rick Reynolds, Lottchen Shivers, David Groff, Kenneth Walsh, S. Chris Shirley, John Waters, Michael Klein, Bryan Borland, Stephen Morrison, Michael Minore, Bea Smith, Pat Schultz Real Estate, Anastasia Khoo, and Dave Grant.

Photography by Andy Towle.

TOWLEROAD’S

POP-UP GAY SUMMER CAMP 2014 sponsored IN PART by the provincetown TOURISM FUND

www.towleroad.com