Walks and Blocks

We're fortunate to be able to witness the Cape's natural beauty and historic significance. Both of these wonders are highlighted in this edition of Cape Cod Girl, by listing some of my favorite "Walks & Blocks".

"WALKS": Observe the natural beauty of the Cape by walking the many miles of conservation land trails that are found in every town.  Most trails meander around the tree-lined marshes of our coastal communities.  Many of you may even drive by them without ever noticing! Murkwood Conservation Land and Brady's Island, both in Sandwich, are just a couple local conservation areas with short, easy-to-walk trails.
In 1986, the Compact of Cape Cod Conservation Trust was formed on the belief that there is still an opportunity to preserve the essence of the Cape, "which exists in the collective imagination: A place of white sand beaches, broad salt marshes, quiet pine woods, intriguing cranberry bogs, and startlingly blue kettle ponds."  The CCCT is a non-profit service center assisting six local land trusts on the Lower Cape.  For a complete list of the Conservation lands they support throughout the entire Cape, please visit their website at:
http://www.thecompact.net/ or  http://www.capecodchamber.org/cape-cod-trails 
to find a walking trail near you!

So where do the "BLOCKS" come in? I'm glad you asked.  There are blocks of granite with historical markers and memorials scattered throughout every town on Cape Cod.  Within an easy walk of the Sandwich Village, there are easily a half dozen different memorials ranging from recognition of wartime veterans to simple memorials of local public figures.  One of particular interest is found on the corner of Main Street and Beale Ave. in Sandwich. This monument honors Samuel M. Beale, known as "Our Friend and Doctor".

Some of the more popular, well known monuments found on the Cape include the JFK Memorial located on the Lewis Bay waterfront in Hyannis, and of course, the Pilgrim's Monument tower in Provincetown.

Every town on the Cape has memorials, markers and monuments. The fun is in finding them, reading them, and getting to know who made that town so special.  It's also important and rewarding to discover even now, decades later, who is still remembered & honored for their bravery, contribution or sacrifice to that particular town.  Happy hunting!

Sandwich on Dwellable

Shop Sandwich First... No, really!

  Like it or not, the holiday shopping season is officially upon us.  So what will it be?  On-line shopping during the wee hours of the night, while you worry about your credit card info. being hacked?  Fighting the traffic going over the bridge to the "real stores" in Plymouth or Wrentham?   Aimlessly browsing the stores and mall in Hyannis?  No, no, no my friends!  There's no need to fear, your Cape Cod Girl is here!!  I have all the answers you're looking for to get everyone on your shopping list exactly what they want, all within about a mile or two from your front door (well, give or take!)
   The Sandwich Chamber of Commerce has a wonderful promotion, "Shop Sandwich First".  The mission of the promotion is to educate the local public about all the businesses and services available right in Sandwich, celebrate and preserve the character and traditions of the oldest town on Cape Cod, and strengthen our local economy.  And what does all this mean for us busy holiday shoppers?  Great finds without the hassle!
   Some of my favorite shops & merchants are listed on my "Who I Like" column, but allow me to elaborate.  I've already blogged about the shops and restaurants along Jarves Street, but did you know there are a couple great shops just around the corner from Jarves, on Rte. 6A, that are not to be missed?   
The first is one of my all time favorite shops in Sandwich, Heart of Stone, www.HeartOfStoneOnline.com (or friend them on Facebook) located at 130 Rte. 6A (right next to Russell's Corner).

    They sell everything from jewelry, home decor, baby gifts, fashion accessories, as well as gifts for kids & teens.  It doesn't matter if you have to find a gift for your mother-in-law, your boss or your friend's kids, I'm telling you, you'll find it here.  The owner, Angela, is super helpful & friendly.  If she doesn't have the exact item you're looking for, she will work to get it for you.
   Heart of Stone is planning an Open House on November 11th - 13th, so you can get a sneak-peak at their holiday offerings.  They're even planning a "Ladies Night" on Thursday, Nov. 10th from 5 - 7:30pm.  So let your husband feed the kids supper, grab your girlfriends and check it out.  Hey, someone has to get all that Christmas shopping done, right?
   The second place you should check out is Splash Stationers, www.facebook.com/splashstationers.

They are in the process of moving from their cozy Jarves Street location, to a more spacious spot right on Rte. 6A in Sandwich, (two building down from Heart of Stone, next to the Jack Conway Real Estate building, in the former Sandwich Herb Shop). They specialize in all kinds of stationery and fine paper products, but like Heart of Stone, Splash has something for everyone. Every time I've gone into their shop, I've never left empty handed!  Obviously they have stationery, note cards and misc. paper products, but they also have things you might not expect, like jewelry, recipe boxes and photo albums.  The owner, Rose, is very knowledgeable and detail-oriented.  Even if you don't know exactly what you're looking for, she has just the right touch to guide you toward that perfect gift for the person on your list who has everything.
   When they re-open, they plan to offer a large variety of Christmas and holiday offerings too. Splash will open in their new building on the day after Thanksgiving (Black Friday!). What better way to burn off all that turkey than to pop in and check them out?  Happy shopping everyone, and remember.... Shop Sandwich First!