Recent Remarks by Guests & Book Sale Summary

“We're still talking about the wonderful stay at your house. We've explored so many nice things on the Cape and definitely want to come back. Please find enclosed my pictures of your beautiful garden.” (above photo of Seagull Cottage in June) Annette, Christian & Tilman, Newburyport, MA and Germany

“What a bed! Where did you get it? We thought we wouldn’t like a bed & breakfast, but, wow, it was better than a hotel!” Laura & Rick, who drove down from New Hampshire yesterday only to find No Vacancy signs posted all along Route 6, and took advantage of our last-minute cancellation for the Green Room.

“I called the Pearl Restaurant to check on their being safe for Rebekah to eat. They called me back within 20 minutes and were fantastic. If you have anyone concerned about food allergies, send them there. Their process is outstanding!!!!” Susie, from Virginia, a return guest whose child is allergic to peanuts, prior to 2009 trip to Wellfleet.

“My life is completely crazy most of the time. It looks like i never have time for anything but work. But hopefully, i can change it one day and have the opportunity to go back to Cape Cod and your wonderful Seagull Cottage.” Natalia, from New Orleans, who enjoyed mushroom-hunting here a couple years ago, and to whom I responded with the news a reporter from the Boston Globe will write a piece on mushrooms and Wellfleet for publication this September.

Sven and I went down to the second annual book sale in front of town hall, to benefit the library. Lots of folks out on this beautiful morning, all intent on discovery of that precious book that would make their day. I found mine: Vera (Mrs. Vladimir Nabokov) by Stacy Schiff. Sven looks forward to reading The Basque History of the World by Mark Kurlansky, famous for Cod and Salt. While amongst the books, we saw Dennis O’Connell, one of the main organizers, who told me last month’s sale netted almost $10,000!

Dyer Pond, Perfect Pond II

Dyer Pond was still this afternoon when Sven and I walked over for a quick swim, trailing, down the access path, three teenage girls who immediately disrobed and entered the water, then stood chatting, stationary, during the rest of our brief stay. Three people sat at the water's edge, in beach chairs, intent on their books. I considered telling them about the second annual book sale at town hall tomorrow morning but decided they probably already knew about it. While Sven swam out across the pond, I watched a father with three children frolicking in the water, warmer than usual according to my pinkies. A tot left the shallows with regret and was scooped up by her dad, who wrapped her in a towel, then offered his T-shirt as a dress so she would not have to walk home wearing a wet bathing suit. Sven stopped to chat with him as the man packed up, towels, beach chairs, paraphernalia. I looked back in climbing the bank and saw the little girl had succeeded in her quest for a ride home on her dad's strong shoulders. The scene reminded me of last summer when my granddaughter was here with her parents and that family, too, frolicked in the water. Sven enjoyed his swim and said the pond felt very familiar, although we had not been in many months. "The water is clear. It's private, a family pond," he concluded. Another day at Dyer Pond, perfect pond at this time of year.

Numbers Game?

Wellfleet has almost 3000 year-round residents but, in summer, the population swells to 18,000, and sometimes if feels as if they are all trying to get downtown at the same time. Truro is celebrating its 300th birthday this summer. Wellfleet has to wait 54 years to hold a similar celebration. The Wellfleet Historical Society has papers that date back to 1701. The oldest "object" in the museum is the Gross coverlet, made in 1783. (Remarkably preserved, it's been passed down through the Gross family - 10 sisters and 3 brothers - of Gross Hill Road, until it was given to the Historical Society.) A walking tour costs $3 and starts, today, Friday, at 10:15. Or, you might choose to explore Wellfleet harbor with Blue Claw Boat Tours. The first trip out to Jeremy Point leaves at 9. Ten polka dots on the cheerful sailboat above, offered for rental on the pier. Our town has four beaches on the ocean, and thirteen kettle ponds. Five selectmen, including one woman, meet twice a month. This year the Wellfleet Harbor Actors’ Theater is celebrating its 25th year. On Wednesday, the third show of the 25th season started at the Julie Harris Stage: The Little Dog Laughed. Congratulations to WHAT on 25 years! More and more restaurants and galleries in town, too many for an exact count. But there will be only one Preservation Hall. Roll the dice and gamble the night away next Thursday, starting at 7 pm, all for a great cause. Don't miss your chance at over $15,000 in prizes, raffles, and silent auction items during what sounds like a fabulous evening garden party. Blackjack, roulette, craps, poker, lots of numbers in perspective at the first Las Vegas Night in Wellfleet, August 13th.

Reflections on Plastic ...

Check out these marvelous knobbed whelk shells! Our cottage guests found them among the eelgrass, on a beach at Nantucket where they spent the day. Fascinating article about the garbage patch in the Pacific yesterday on CNN.com. “Here's what scientists do know: They know the size of this zone is huge, maybe as big as Texas. And they know that all the plastic accumulated in the patch has mostly broken down into smaller bits, floating just under the water's surface like confetti, basically a soupy mix of plastic-filled seawater that stretches for maybe thousands of miles. They know the garbage patch has been growing for many years, and scientists first became aware of the problem years ago when fisherman reported encountering widespread debris. They know there are other debris fields in other oceans of the world, but this one is the biggest.” Plastic breaks down into small bits, which seabirds mistake for food. Plastic was the subject of conversation over breakfast: what all the plastic in the environment is doing to the world. We all need to rethink our lives, when we use plastic, what alternatives there are, how we can urge friends and neighbors to adopt similar behavior. Seventh Generation offers recycled plastic kitchen bags and ran an informative newsletter article about plastics in June. Take a pretty basket or tote with you to the store. Suggest to the young, inexperienced person behind the counter not to use a bag on one or two items. (I do so all the time at Cumberland Farms.) As early as 2003 articles about plastic bags appeared in National Geographic, warning how many end up in the ocean. We do not know what all this plastic is doing to the environment, but early thinking indicates the consequences could be dire. Wellfleet recycles plastics today but imagine a town policy tomorrow of reclaiming all plastics, the way some cities have done for firearms, and requiring food manufacturers to package their products in alternatives. “Okay, folks. Turn in your Tupperware, bottles, measuring cups …” The list would go on and on. As one of my guests said this morning, “I tried to live without plastic and discovered how hard it is.” Plastic is everywhere. Sometimes central governments need to lead the way and ban a product that is toxic to the environment. Kudos to the PR folks in the plastics industry! Talk about successful marketing! They are right up there with the honchos who convinced us to smoke cigarettes. What a world we are leaving to our children! How much better to find whelks in the eelgrass, beside the ocean, than bits of discarded plastic! (Alex, below, has done an amazing job of collecting shells since he arrived last weekend. The whelks are from Nantucket, but Duck Harbor was the source for most of the others.)

Summer Priorities? Shop, Dine, Beach

Summer’s here at last. A lot of us were beginning to wonder if it might be a total no-show. Yesterday I snapped this photo of three girls enjoying the ocean in small kayaks.
Thank goodness the hot weather has arrived. Chez Sven has two guests this week who are taking psychology courses in Eastham. They are highly motivated women, both very organized, more so than regular vacationers, who want to relax. I have noticed these ladies have worked out their schedules to a T. When not in class, they shop, dine, and beach. Yesterday one returned in the evening after sushi at Mac’s Shack with a Karol Richardson shopping bag. She showed us her treasures purchased at KR, as well as at Left Bank Gallery Small Works and Jewelry: a dress, a jacket, and two pairs of earrings. “They don’t make anything like this back in Minnesota,” she said. Dining is, of course, a preoccupation for folks who are staying in Wellfleet without access to a kitchen. I always show guests our restaurant book during B&B orientation. This year’s favorites are the Shack, Pearl, The Juice, and Winslow’s Tavern. Fewer people are going to Wicked Oyster and The Bookstore, but those who do have reported great dinners. We also have had folks who loved Flying Fish. Beach-going …. Hmmmm. Everyone wants to go to the beach. What people are not so happy about is the obligation to buy a sticker. We have had guests who have walked up to Cahoon Hollow, or biked, or chosen Seashore beaches instead with free access thanks to a National Parks card. Some guests simply wait until 5 pm and spend the twilight hours enjoying Cahoon Hollow. The town beaches used to be free before 10 and after 4 (Hat tip to Amy: I wrote this very early! Yesterday Sven and I were thinking about 100 years ago, when no one went to the beach as we walked along LeCount Hollow Beach and Wellfleet's beaches were referred to as the "backshore.") In recent years the sticker hours were changed to 9 to 5. What a shame! I can feel that the recession does touch our guests, and purchase of the sticker is just one more expense, deemed unacceptable. If waiting until 5 is the only option, they will do so. Would Wellfleet really lose that much income by returning to free before 10 to after 4 schedule? It would make so many people happy ….

August Craziness & A Great Fish Store on Wellfleet Pier

Lots of people waiting in line for take-out and ice cream at Mac’s Seafood, on the town pier, today at noon. I hope they all had places to stay. It’s incredible the number of folks who think they can make an early-August reservation at the last minute! I field at least three emails a day, as well as several phone calls. Here’s what I respond to the emailed requests: “Thank you for your inquiry about Chez Sven. I am sorry but we are fully booked and have been for months at this busy time of the year. I wish you luck with your search. Your best bet would be to call the Wellfleet Chamber of Commerce to see if there have been any cancellations.” To say there are too many people in Wellfleet right now would be an understatement. Inhospitable? Not at all. Simply a matter-of-fact observation. Sven and I do not list a phone number on our Web site because we do not want phone calls, preferring to handle reservations online. Nevertheless, the phone has rung often over the past few days. These aspiring guests ask in an extra-cheerful voice, “Do you have any rooms available this weekend?” When I say no, many of them hang up so abruptly that I do not even get a chance to suggest they call the Chamber. A small bed & breakfast is not a hotel. More Americans are realizing and appreciating the difference, but in August, it often feels like we still have a long way to go. Driving anywhere has become a nightmare. Yesterday I tried to buy fish at Hatch’s later than usual, around 6 pm, feeling fortunate to have found a parking space in the town hall lot, packed as tightly as the wall of mats at Quiet Mind Studio after yoga classes are done for the day. There were so many tourists in the very hot shop – almost two dozen – that I did an aboutface and headed down to the harbor. Mac's fish store is located at the other end of the building from the take-out counter. Shopping for dinner was quick and easy. The flounder, salmon, and bluefish fillets were cozy and cold on their bed of ice. Check out the fish counter an hour ago. One person shopping. I spoke with manager Sam Bradford who told me Hatch's and Mac's each has its own clientele. While in the shop, I bought some of the delicious seaweed salad. Mac's used to have great octopus salad, but seems it is no more, having succumbed to the same fate as the Shack's Tofu on Green Mango: if customers do not purchase, dish will cease to exist. I had no trouble parking, although there were scores of cars on the pier and tourists everywhere, in line for cruises or rental boats. A superb idea on this hot and muggy fourth of August....

"Monster" House Controversy To Be Covered By Regional TV

Duck Harbor is one of my favorite beaches. On the way to Duck Harbor, the views of the National Seashore are extraordinary. As you zip along Duck Harbor Road, minding your own business, enjoying life, up the hill and then down, towards the Herring River, whether by bike or car, your eyes sweep across the wild landscape only to stumble upon a building, which destroys the Nature-goes-on-forever feeling and stops you dead in your tracks. This feeling is what motivated the town to change the by-laws over the winter. I have had guests come back and ask me how anyone was allowed to build such a monstrosity in the Seashore. I shrug and tell them the town voted to prevent such reconstruction in the future. The topic will be covered tomorrow evening on NECN, locally Channel 8, The News at 9. I was not able to get over there today to take a photo, because I was stuck in traffic on Route 6, but here is one of those views from last fall. For information on the government's recent appeal, read Marilyn Miller's article in the Banner.

Cruising Cape Cod Waters with Massachusetts Audubon

Many parents with young children visit Wellfleet every summer and need activities to keep them busy. A fun activity for the whole family is to take a cruise with naturalists from Massachusetts Audubon. Last August one of our regular guests boarded The Navigator at Wellfleet pier and explored the harbor with his parents. Cory told me about the different sea creatures that were hauled on deck for the children to see. Thirty-five people at a time can enjoy this Cape Cod Bay Marine Life Cruise, offered again this year. Last week our current cottage guests went on a similar cruise, but out of Orleans: the Nauset Marsh Family Cruise. Their vessel, a pontoon boat, was named, appropriately, Queen of Orleans. The trip lasted two hours, perfect for the attention span of younger children. With only three families on board, plus the crew and a naturalist – total fifteen max – everyone was able to take full advantage of the experience. Maggie remembered seeing green crabs. She learned the difference between the males and the females. “There’s a patch on the belly where the eggs go,” Maggie told me. She also saw snails in the marsh and tasted some pickle grass: “very, very spicy, and salty, like the sea!” But it was the horseshoe crabs that really attracted her interest. “It was cool to see a live one. Usually you see the shells they molted from,” explained Maggie’s mom. “The eyes are in a funny place on the back,” added her daughter. “Did you know horseshoe crabs are ticklish?”

Flea Market/Drive-in, a Unique Experience

There’s nothing quite like going to a drive-in movie on a hot summer night! The weather may not be cooperating this year but that has not dampened the spirits of our guests from abroad who seek out our very unique drive-in theater as part of their Cape Cod experience. I am not a double-feature fan and must admit I often forget to mention the drive-in during my spiel about Wellfleet. But this is not a problem: our guests have done their research! The Wellfleet Drive-in is one of only four remaining drive-in theaters in Massachusetts. Guests from Colorado actually left me their guidebook, with page 280 starred. According to its knowledgeable author, Kim Grant, the Wellfleet Drive-in opened in 1957, the Renaissance for drive-ins in the USA with over 4000 in service. What I didn’t know is that a former MIT engineering professor designed the Wellfleet screen: John Jentz. Our drive-in does double duty as a flea market during the day. There's lots of junk on sale, but it's also possible to find real treasures. The folks who left the guidebook saw Harry Potter with their teenage daughter. We had guests earlier in the month, who journeyed out on a cloudy evening when the first part of the double-feature was Full Moon & Fog. They described the experience as surrealistic, with mist occasionally obscuring the screen. Fortunately, the couple were jet-lagged and didn't mind dozing from time to time. They had come not to see the movie but to experience the drive-in!

Now the flea market falls in an entirely different category but is no less memorable, an activity my kids always have on their vacation to-do list. Indeed, you never know what you might find at the Wellfleet Flea Market! Today I brought home some nice old etched crystal wine glasses for $25, and Sven bought an organic cotton shirt from Nordstrom's at one of the discount stands for ten. I saw happy children at a booth where a woman was customizing necklaces. We even ran into former fire chief Alan Hight, who was selling glass bottles, among other things. He lamented the fact that there were not many merchants out today, perhaps due to the good weather. On the way home we saw a line of cars waiting at Cahoon Hollow. It seems everyone did go to the beach!

Sven is Back & Letter from the Town Administrator

Sven is back from his trip to Sweden! I went to Barnstable to pick him up this morning. Upon my return, I found a letter from the town administrator in the mailbox. It may be a form letter, but how pleased I was to read these words: "On behalf of the Town of Wellfleet, we wish to extend our gratitude to you on your work on the Citizens Economic Development Committee. Your extensive knowledge and understanding of the important matters with which this Committee deals have been invaluable to the Town." The letter was signed Paul Sieloff, Town Administrator. I think it is absolutely dandy that the town acknowledges the work of its volunteer committee members and sends such letters once a person has chosen not to serve any longer. In my case, I felt it would be impossible to fulfill such a commitment over the summer, our busiest season here at the bed & breakfast. The term was originally supposed to end June 30. Many of the members decided to go for reappointment, which is great. They will be the guiding force behind implementation of the committee's suggestions. One of the main suggestions, a comprehensive Web site, will soon begin to take form and should be operational by spring, 2010. How wonderful! No longer will I need to post a calendar of events since they will all be located on the new Web site!

How About Attending a Local Event This Weekend?

Every once and a while I take time out from blogging to suggest fun things to do over the weekend. What with the rain, the traffic will be heading to P-town. How about going in the opposite direction, to Hyannis where Clean Power Now is auctioning off a 2010 Honda Insight LX hybrid? The car will be on display at Hyannis Country Garden. If you would prefer to bid on art, check out the silent auction being held August 8 at the Castle Hill Center for the Arts in Truro. Get a sneak preview today, Thursday, from 4 to 6 pm. Also worth mention, Jimmy Tingle will perform at a joint benefit for Castle Hill and Payomet on August 2. Don’t miss Patty Larkin’s gig at the Congregational Church, August 6, to benefit Cape & Islands Radio. Is dancing your thing? The Sentimental Journey Swing Band will enchant 100 couples during the benefit organized by the Wellfleet Historical Society, tomorrow night, at the Chequesset Yacht & Country Club. Support the WHS and help get the sign up on their freshly painting building. Jumping forward a week, join Rebecca Arnoldi August 5th at Quiet Mind Studio for Journey Dance. While at QMS, sign up for some great massage. Finally, if you have not seen Noises Off on WHAT’s Julie Harris stage, don’t miss the final performances. The show, which closes August 11, got a rave review in the Banner. If there’s no money for theater tickets, how about gallery openings this Saturday from 5 to 7? Harmon Gallery will present Daniel Maffia’s “Hollywood Icons.” The Left Bank Gallery reception for Graceann Warn and Ellen Grantner will take place from 6 to 8 the same evening. Walk next door to the Cove Gallery for “New Works” by Larry Horowitz. I stopped in last week and admired paintings, including some incredible fish by David Witbeck.

Thoughts at Cahoon Hollow on Blogging in Wellfleet

As I walked at Cahoon Hollow Beach yesterday evening, I wondered whether any of the women around the bonfires were "Mommy bloggers." One of the hot topics at the Blog-Her conference in Chicago this past weekend was blog-ola, whether it is ethical to receive goods in exchange for favorable reviews. It seems many Mommy bloggers receive such offers. These women have formed a tight-knit community whose purpose is the sharing of information on life during and after pregnancy. How I would have loved to have had such a resource when I lived in Paris 40 years ago! (Here in Wellfleet, no one offers free dinners or free tickets or free anything in exchange for mention in this very local blog, not even a measly free oyster or seconds Beachcomber T-shirt.) According to NPR, “More than 1,500 people attended the conference, a mere fraction of the tens of thousands of women who blog.” I really enjoy reading some of these Mommy blogs, like Flotsam, Breed ‘Em and Weep, or Tumble Dry. How wonderful these young writers can express themselves online while putting heart and soul into raising children! On this topic the deep inkwell of emotion never seems to run dry. The writing is so fresh it seems as if the bloggers hit motherhood straight out of some course in creative writing. There are not many folks blogging about life on Cape Cod. The Cape Cod Times presents blog “chowder,” newsy blogs they choose for reasons unknown to anyone but the editor. Actually, the common theme is “issues” related to Cape Cod. The problem is the mix includes newspaper articles, which, in my mind, should be banned from any blogging category that hopes to be taken seriously. So far I have not found a Cape blog worth reading for the writing, with the exception of Elspeth Pearson’s Diary of a Locavore, but I would love your suggestions ... NOON UPDATE: The FTC is considering rules to regulate blog-ola. Read about it here.

The Ideal Type of Guest

Lots of whales visiting Cape Cod waters this month. When I was downtown yesterday, I ran into Mac Hay, outside Mac's Shack, and we exchanged a few words about Summer, 2009: lousy weather, great whale-watching, decent numbers of tourists still choosing Wellfleet despite the recession. I found myself telling him that most of our guests have been a delight, except for the few who would do better at a hotel. He nodded, recognizing the type of tourist. On the way home, I thought about how much I have enjoyed so many of our guests. We had a charming couple from Scotland a couple weeks ago, folks who declared they had "barely scratched the surface" of all the things there are to do here, after a full week's stay. They sent these two photos with the recommendation, "Please feel free to use them on your blog as I think when people see how beautiful Cape Cod is they will definitely want to come. One is of the 'Moon Rise at Cahoon Hollow' and the other is 'Whale Watching off Provincetown'." Such people make the ideal type of guest. They understand that Sven and I are inviting them into our home, as if they were, in fact, family friends, and will treat them as such on condition that they behave with due respect. We may be innkeepers but we are not housemaids. Once guests have taken possession of their rooms, we do not enter, which is exactly how we receive personal friends. If B&B guests stay more than three nights, we will change sheets upon request, as it says on the Web site. Often cottage guests prefer to do the change themselves. Some green guests do not want sheets changed at all, nor towels, and look askance at the whole idea. Everyone is different. Guests from abroad, especially from the UK, have more experience with bed & breakfast stays and get our concept right away. Mac reminded me that unfortunately we cannot satisfy everyone. So true!

A July Day in the Life

Up early this morning to fetch bagels and a croissant for the Liberty Coin Suite guests, since it’s their final day and that is their favorite breakfast, I drove to Sam Cooks, but it was closed Mondays. Second best, Wellfleet Marketplace, had no bagels so I picked up a croissant and a loaf of bread. Using Sven’s recipe, I concocted some great organic oatmeal. There came a knock at the door. I chatted with the folks in the cottage, off to Duck Harbor, the subject of this poster by Vincent Amicosante, available for sale at Harmon Gallery. Then I spent the morning cleaning Liberty Coin Suite and doing laundry. I did find the time to place a call to Cuddledown, since I noticed the sage green sheets in our Green Room need replacement. The sun came out so I could air-dry the linens. Despite the humidity, there’s a slight breeze. While emailing back and forth with a couple regarding a reservation in late August, I received a call from a former guest who wants to purchase a gift certificate for a silent auction to benefit a friend struggling with cancer. “I love your place so much that I want to share it,” she exclaimed. (For more info, contact Jon Schimmel through the Dance Boston Web site.) Sven also called from Sweden where the weather has improved, and his family was celebrating the birthday of grandson Zacharias, who has turned twelve. I also got an email from Simone Reagor, with me on the Economic Development Committee this winter, about a new Wicked Local article promoting the Wellfleet oyster, written by Elspeth Pearson, fiancé to Alex of Mac's Seafood. The article reminded me to post specials for Oysterfest, October 17 and 18th this year. For an early lunch, I walked to The Juice. (Lots of choice on the menu. The folks at the next table couldn't make up their mind. I was tempted to tell them guests had raved about the lobster roll. Less mayonnaise, more succulent bits of lobster meat, tossed in a lemon herb aioli.) Once back home, I checked on arrival time for our next guests. Darn! They did not provide it. (Thank you to everyone who emailed after my rant this past week on the inconvenience of being obliged to wait all afternoon.) So, satisfied everything was squeaky clean and under control, I settled in to work on my novel. Two simultaneous professions are harder than one! Thanks to everyone who makes my day job so pleasant.

Evening Brings a Different Perspective to Long Pond

No exercise today, unless you count walking back and forth from the main house to the cottage, which I did numerous times while cleaning, doing laundry, etc, all the chores an innkeeper must accomplish, especially on Sundays in summer. Since I want to fit into the dress I bought at Karol Richardson for my daughter’s wedding in September, I decided a walk would be an ideal way to burn a few calories and chose, as my destination, Long Pond. Evening might bring a different perspective. Would there be anyone swimming at this late hour? Could I even take photos? At 8 pm, sensible tourists should already be snug in their rental homes, removing dishes from their dishwashers, or preparing to watch a DVD on the wide screen TV, now a compulsory item on the list of modern conveniences rental agencies suggest Wellfleet landlords provide for summer visitors. In less than ten minutes, I was approaching Long Pond. What’s this I hear? Joyful voices shouting, in … Russian? Sure enough, there were two fathers in the pond with their children, teaching them to swim, or trying. The kids didn't seem too keen on the lesson, more interested in splashing about after hours on the highway. I snapped a few photos and withdrew as quietly as I had come.

Wellfleet's Bookstore Specializes in Secondhand Books

The other day a guest asked whether there was a real bookstore in town. “Yes,” I replied. “Right after the intersection of Long Pond and Main.” I was fortunate the guest didn’t ask for details because I had not been in the shop for years. Today I decided it was about time to remedy that. I walked to town for fresh strawberries from Hatch’s for tomorrow's breakfast, took a few photos, and, on the way back, stopped in to check out Herridge Books, “quality used books in a village setting.” When I looked around at all the shelves, my heart raced. How very many volumes to discover! I stood there for a few seconds and imagined all the words, all the turns of phrase contained in those books, as well as the hours and energy involved in getting the books published. Peter Hiller, who was down on his hands and knees, lovingly adding a few recent arrivals to the fiction section, stood up and introduced himself. Peter explained his shop specializes in secondhand books, although there’s a bookcase of recent titles near the cash register. The books come from his larger store in Philadelphia. Lucky I didn’t bring Sven! He would never have wanted to leave. There are books for children, books about Cape Cod. Lots of mysteries. Even SWEDISH mysteries, Peter told me. Books on nature, history, art and many other subjects. Down a windy yellow staircase he led me then. The basement is crammed full of books, too, and has a cozy nook for reading. Herridge Books is definitely a funky place to recommend the next time guests ask whether Wellfleet has a real bookstore!

While on the subject of books, bestsellers can, of course, be found at Wellfleet Marketplace. A couple weeks ago we had guests from Berkeley who told me about AbeBooks, as in Abe Lincoln. And, finally, for everyone who loves independent bookstores, here’s a blog written by Mark Fitten, a writer who is using his book tour to promote independent bookstores across the nation. This is one cool blog. Check it out!