Provincetown at the tip of Cape Cod is a place so beautiful that it has attracted generations of artists and writers who have found the light that bounces around from sea, sand, and sky inspiring.
"… the land on which Provincetown is built is essentially a sandbar, tenuously connected to the mainland, continually reconfigured by the actions of tides. When Thoreau went there in the mid-1800s, he called it 'a filmy sliver of land lying flat on the ocean, a mere reflection of a sand-bar on the haze above.' It has not changed much since then, at least not when seen from a distance. Built as it is at the very end of the Cape, which unfurls like a genie's shoe from the coastline of Massachusetts, it follows the curve of a long, lazy spiral and looks not out to sea but in, toward the thicker arm of the Cape."
This is a very special place. It's our escape when we need a break from Boston. At the same time, it is an urban space where you can arrive by ferry or park the car and not really need it for the time you are there.
We just returned from a two week escape to Provincetown, MA. Early spring gave us a new perspective on the town and another time when we know we can enjoy this lovely place.
This was the view from our new favorite deck. The moorings were empty, the sea was stormy, there was a mist in the air, but it was a beautiful, restful, and peaceful day.
In the next couple of weeks, we'll drop in more photos and give you more reasons why you might want to enjoy Provincetown now as locals and visitors return, shops and restaurants begin to open, and the quiet is deeply soothing.
We just returned from a two week escape to Provincetown, MA. Early spring gave us a new perspective on the town and another time when we know we can enjoy this lovely place.
This was the view from our new favorite deck. The moorings were empty, the sea was stormy, there was a mist in the air, but it was a beautiful, restful, and peaceful day.
In the next couple of weeks, we'll drop in more photos and give you more reasons why you might want to enjoy Provincetown now as locals and visitors return, shops and restaurants begin to open, and the quiet is deeply soothing.
Are you planning on traveling with your dog this summer? If so, you may want to make some reservations now.
Finding accomodations that are great for you and pet friendly takes some work. Many of the places we love the best are booked up quickly.
We have our first trip of the season planned and Poppy is already packed and ready to go. (How do we tell her she is way too early?) It seems that we take more bags for her than for us.
When we travel by car, she is tucked into this travel crate to keep her safe and secure and to keep her from distacting the driver.
If you are traveling by air and hope to tuck your small dog under the seat, you need to reserve that space early as well. Most airlines limit the number of dogs allowed in the cabin.
If your dog is not a good traveler and will need a kennel or a pet sitter, that too should be booked about now if you hope to get your first choice.
Here are a few posts with more resources for traveling with dogs:
Are you planning on traveling with your dog this summer? If so, you may want to make some reservations now.
Finding accomodations that are great for you and pet friendly takes some work. Many of the places we love the best are booked up quickly.
We have our first trip of the season planned and Poppy is already packed and ready to go. (How do we tell her she is way too early?) It seems that we take more bags for her than for us.
When we travel by car, she is tucked into this travel crate to keep her safe and secure and to keep her from distacting the driver.
If you are traveling by air and hope to tuck your small dog under the seat, you need to reserve that space early as well. Most airlines limit the number of dogs allowed in the cabin.
If your dog is not a good traveler and will need a kennel or a pet sitter, that too should be booked about now if you hope to get your first choice.
Here are a few posts with more resources for traveling with dogs:
Are you planning on traveling with your dog this summer? If so, you may want to make some reservations now.
Finding accomodations that are great for you and pet friendly takes some work. Many of the places we love the best are booked up quickly.
We have our first trip of the season planned and Poppy is already packed and ready to go. (How do we tell her she is way too early?) It seems that we take more bags for her than for us.
When we travel by car, she is tucked into this travel crate to keep her safe and secure and to keep her from distacting the driver.
If you are traveling by air and hope to tuck your small dog under the seat, you need to reserve that space early as well. Most airlines limit the number of dogs allowed in the cabin.
If your dog is not a good traveler and will need a kennel or a pet sitter, that too should be booked about now if you hope to get your first choice.
Here are a few posts with more resources for traveling with dogs:
Time to make reservations, if you plan to treat Mom to a meal out on Mother's Day, May 11, 2014.
Keep in mind that this "treat Mom to a great meal day" falls at the beginning of graduation season in Boston with Simmons College, Emmanuel College, Fisher College, Emerson College, Massachusetts College of Pharmacy, and Berklee College of Music holding commencements that weekend. (Here's the full list of Spring 2014 Commencement Dates for planning purposes.)
If your budget is tight, take Mom out for breakfast or treat her to breakfast in bed and some lovely flowers.
For Mother's Day dining ideas, here are two excellent lists of restaurants with special menus and hours for May 11, 2014.
Don't be surprised if some places require a credit card to secure the reservation. This is the type of holiday when people may book multiple restaurants and decide where to go at the last moment. That can make the restaurant turn away other potential customers, so a guarantee may be needed to reserve.
OpenTable always does a great job of guiding you to the right reservation. What's more, you can just click through and reserve from this list.
Boston Chefs has a list of specials for the day from their members. (That link is to the 2013 list and it will be updated closer to the date.)
As more great Boston food sites publish their recommendations, we'll post updates here! Follow us on Twitter ( @BostonZest ) for notice of those additions! Right now, here are a few recommendations from last year.
For a gathering of family members with different food preferences, it's great to know about a place like Eastern Standard where they can please the cocktail lover, the meat-and-taters brother, and the family epicure.
If you are meeting people from outside the city, you might consider La Morra in Brookline. They say, "Treat your mom for a 3-course brunch w/favorites such as fresh donuts with spiced sugar and cream, Tuscan toast and homemade frittatas."
If Mom is a seafood lover, call now to secure a table at Island Creek Oyster Bar. This Kenmore Square restaurant has established itself as the best fine dining seafood restaurant in Boston. Your family will enjoy the best in seafood in a big, comfortable room with reservations and service that will make Mom feel spoiled.
And, for the best gift, let her choose something from her Wish List. Get an Amazon Gift Card! You can send it by email or print it out to tuck into a greeting card.
Details: Writers: Penny & Ed Cherubino Photo: istockphoto.com
Note on Comments: We monitor comments constantly and anything that is pure spam, inappropriate, or nasty is swept away. In addition to readers comments, we welcome hearing from the people, places, and services we cover. Often, those add great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you.
Time to make reservations, if you plan to treat Mom to a meal out on Mother's Day, May 11, 2014.
Keep in mind that this "treat Mom to a great meal day" falls at the beginning of graduation season in Boston with Simmons College, Emmanuel College, Fisher College, Emerson College, Massachusetts College of Pharmacy, and Berklee College of Music holding commencements that weekend. (Here's the full list of Spring 2014 Commencement Dates for planning purposes.)
If your budget is tight, take Mom out for breakfast or treat her to breakfast in bed and some lovely flowers.
For Mother's Day dining ideas, here are two excellent lists of restaurants with special menus and hours for May 11, 2014.
Don't be surprised if some places require a credit card to secure the reservation. This is the type of holiday when people may book multiple restaurants and decide where to go at the last moment. That can make the restaurant turn away other potential customers, so a guarantee may be needed to reserve.
OpenTable always does a great job of guiding you to the right reservation. What's more, you can just click through and reserve from this list.
Boston Chefs has a list of specials for the day from their members. (That link is to the 2013 list and it will be updated closer to the date.)
As more great Boston food sites publish their recommendations, we'll post updates here! Follow us on Twitter ( @BostonZest ) for notice of those additions! Right now, here are a few recommendations from last year.
For a gathering of family members with different food preferences, it's great to know about a place like Eastern Standard where they can please the cocktail lover, the meat-and-taters brother, and the family epicure.
If you are meeting people from outside the city, you might consider La Morra in Brookline. They say, "Treat your mom for a 3-course brunch w/favorites such as fresh donuts with spiced sugar and cream, Tuscan toast and homemade frittatas."
If Mom is a seafood lover, call now to secure a table at Island Creek Oyster Bar. This Kenmore Square restaurant has established itself as the best fine dining seafood restaurant in Boston. Your family will enjoy the best in seafood in a big, comfortable room with reservations and service that will make Mom feel spoiled.
And, for the best gift, let her choose something from her Wish List. Get an Amazon Gift Card! You can send it by email or print it out to tuck into a greeting card.
Details: Writers: Penny & Ed Cherubino Photo: istockphoto.com
Note on Comments: We monitor comments constantly and anything that is pure spam, inappropriate, or nasty is swept away. In addition to readers comments, we welcome hearing from the people, places, and services we cover. Often, those add great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you.
Time to make reservations, if you plan to treat Mom to a meal out on Mother's Day, May 11, 2014.
Keep in mind that this "treat Mom to a great meal day" falls at the beginning of graduation season in Boston with Simmons College, Emmanuel College, Fisher College, Emerson College, Massachusetts College of Pharmacy, and Berklee College of Music holding commencements that weekend. (Here's the full list of Spring 2014 Commencement Dates for planning purposes.)
If your budget is tight, take Mom out for breakfast or treat her to breakfast in bed and some lovely flowers.
For Mother's Day dining ideas, here are two excellent lists of restaurants with special menus and hours for May 11, 2014.
Don't be surprised if some places require a credit card to secure the reservation. This is the type of holiday when people may book multiple restaurants and decide where to go at the last moment. That can make the restaurant turn away other potential customers, so a guarantee may be needed to reserve.
OpenTable always does a great job of guiding you to the right reservation. What's more, you can just click through and reserve from this list.
Boston Chefs has a list of specials for the day from their members. (That link is to the 2013 list and it will be updated closer to the date.)
As more great Boston food sites publish their recommendations, we'll post updates here! Follow us on Twitter ( @BostonZest ) for notice of those additions! Right now, here are a few recommendations from last year.
For a gathering of family members with different food preferences, it's great to know about a place like Eastern Standard where they can please the cocktail lover, the meat-and-taters brother, and the family epicure.
If you are meeting people from outside the city, you might consider La Morra in Brookline. They say, "Treat your mom for a 3-course brunch w/favorites such as fresh donuts with spiced sugar and cream, Tuscan toast and homemade frittatas."
If Mom is a seafood lover, call now to secure a table at Island Creek Oyster Bar. This Kenmore Square restaurant has established itself as the best fine dining seafood restaurant in Boston. Your family will enjoy the best in seafood in a big, comfortable room with reservations and service that will make Mom feel spoiled.
And, for the best gift, let her choose something from her Wish List. Get an Amazon Gift Card! You can send it by email or print it out to tuck into a greeting card.
Details: Writers: Penny & Ed Cherubino Photo: istockphoto.com
Note on Comments: We monitor comments constantly and anything that is pure spam, inappropriate, or nasty is swept away. In addition to readers comments, we welcome hearing from the people, places, and services we cover. Often, those add great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you.
We are enjoying Trader Joe’s Pane Guttiau so much that we’re afraid they might discontinue them. This often seems to happen to our favorite items at the tiny TJs on Boylston Street.
The staff tells us these are a big hit so maybe our evening snack of a few crackers with a bit of soft cheese will be safe for a while.
This is TJs version of the traditional Sardinian parchment bread called pane carasau or carta di musica we sometimes find in North End shops.
Those shown here in a photo for Wikipedia are large and round and often wrapped in paper packages.
Trader Joe’s version is cut into squares, packed in a box, and a bit easier to get home and serve. We find ourselves buying three or four boxes at a time, just in case …
These simple, light crackers are made in Italy with wheat, yeast, water, salt, and olive oil. They are wonderful by themselves with a glass of wine.
Some nights, we let a bit of soft cheese come to room temperature and spead the thinnest possible layer on the cracker. Remember, these are very thin and brittle, so warm cheese and gentle spreading does the trick.
This may be our favorite roof deck snack this summer. Can’t wait for a bottle of bubbles and a tray of cheese and crackers overlooking the Charles.
Our readers outside the Boston area, who don’t have access to a Trader Joe’s, might want to make their own version. Here’s a recipe along with a video that shows how much work it takes to handmake these delights.
