Inn Sight

What To Do On A Rainy Day At The Carriage House Inn

2011-11-23T15:22:00.008-05:00

Well, if you were staying with us today this blog entry would come in handy. It's raining cats and dogs today, the day before Thanksgiving. Hopefully, you are safely where you need to be for tomorrow's feast. If not, take care in getting there. In the meantime, here are some wonderful ideas for what to do on a rainy day on Cape Cod.

Of course, the game table is always set up in the Living Room at the Inn for chess and checkers. And our DVD collection has approximately 250 great movies. Our library and magazine collection are pretty extensive, too. And the free, water, soda and chocolate chip cookies make for a pleasant respite. But, once you’re out the door, the answer that screams out says “get over to Route 6A." Simply turn left out of our driveway, follow Route 28 until it dead ends in Orleans at Route 6A. Turn left and prepare to see the real Cape Cod. The first stop should be a drive through Nickerson State Park, beautiful woodlands, forests, lakes and ponds.

A little further down 6A, pay a visit to Maddocks and Wisteria Galleries on the right hand side. The next stop is one of our favorites – Lemon Tree Plaza. A unique little shopping mall with The Cook Shop, Woodworks Gallery, and other quaint shops. The area is filled with statues, water features, and lots of little nooks and crannies to discover.

A little further down on the right is the Museum of Natural History – both fun and educational in one location. Next a visit to Brewster General Store – everything you would imagine from an old fashioned General Store – even the penny candy. Both worth visiting and getting out of the rain.

The next stop on the left side of 6A is Sydenstricker Glass and Kemp Pottery. Afterwards, veer off Route 6A to the right toward Sesuit Harbor. In the summer you can enjoy one of the BYOB restaurants on the Cape at Sesuit Harbor Café at Northside Marina in East Dennis. Protected in your car from the elements you can enjoy the beautiful harbor filled with boats, ships and yachts. If you're lucky, you can even catch a seal or two playing in the harbor.

As you head back to 6A there are several restaurants in the area – Marshside, Chapin’s, Red Pheasant, Blue Moon Bistro, Scargo Café, Old Yarmouth Inn or Olivers. Take your pick!

We also recommend a visit to the Bonsari Gallery in Dennis. They have incorporated a high tea service to attract additional patrons to their beautiful gallery.

And we think one more stop is mandatory at the Cape Cod Museum of Art and the Cape Playhouse – a large area together making up the Cape Cod Art Association. There are shops, theaters and so much more to see – it could take you all day!

And that about wraps up your day-long rainy day discovery of Route 6A – but there is so much more to see from Sandwich all the way to Provincetown. We just wanted to whet your appetite on a wet day.

Val & Jim Mellett
The Carriage House Inn

2011-10-14T12:17:00.011-04:00

What a Year It Has Been!

Well summer has been and gone and Val and I just finished our first year at the romantic Cape Cod Carriage House Inn. We began early last September and we're amazed at how quickly the year flew by.

Our overall impression as new innkeepers is absolute amazement. For whatever reason, the Carriage House Inn attracts the most wonderful, interesting and fun-loving guests from all over the world.

We wanted to recap some of our experiences with you. So here we go - a whole year's worth!

According to our guests:
Top Cape Cod Restaurants: Impudent Oyster, Del Mar Bistro, Buca's and Pisces
Favorite Chatham Tavern: The Chatham Squire and The Red Nun
Favorite Breakfast at the Carriage House Inn: All of them!

Favorite Cape Cod Beach: Hardings and Lighhouse
Favorite Island: Martha’s Vineyard
Favorite Day Trip: Whale Watching off Provincetown (Guests have seen upwards of 50-60 whales on one trip.

And if you're tempted to take that Whale Watch... Here are some recommended stops along the way to Provincetown that you're sure to enjoy.

National Seashore Headquarters at Salt Pond, Eastham

Coast Guard Beach, Marconi Beach and Calhoun Hollow Beach

PB Boulengerie – an incredible French restaurant and bakery

The Beachcomber Bar and Restaurant at Calhoun Hollow Beach (rated one of the top beachside bar and restaurants in America)

Race Point Beach (rated on Good Morning America this summer as one of the ten most beautiful locations in America)

And to complete the trip, here are some suggestions for the ride back from Provincetown so you can make it truly a full day of adventure!

Truro Vineyards

Moby Dick Restaurant

Wellfleet Harbor

The Pearl, Max’s Shack and Wicked Oyster Restaurants in Wellfleet

The Hot Chocolate Sparrow (Jim’s favorite ice cream sundae store)

We look forward to staying in touch with all of you. Our first newsletter went out in September. If you'd like to join our e-newsletter list to keep up with the goings on at Carriage House Inn and our little piece of heaven in Chatham, click here to visit our website where you can join our mailing list. We love to hear from you so please drop a line and let us now what you think!

All our best,

Val & Jim Mellett
The Carriage House Inn
Chatham, MA

http://www.thecarriagehouseinn.com/

Cape Cod Life , Chatham Bed and Breakfast

2011-03-02T16:15:00.006-05:00

Our Chatham bed and breakfast has a special weekend planned on March 25-27, 2011, that will introduce you to Chatham, local real estate options, and the Cape Cod life.

Welcome to the "Baby Boomers by the Sea Weekend". Nestled on the elbow of Cape Cod, Chatham is rich with beauty, history, and culture. Let us introduce you to its famous beaches, architecture, and quaint downtown. The Carriage House Inn will provide you with a delightful place to stay and trusted, local real estate firm, John C. Ricotta & Associates, will host your tour of Chatham.

From condos to cottages to exclusive waterfront homes, interested Boomers will discover the ins-and-outs of purchasing Cape Cod real estate. One of the highlights of the weekend will be a fun and low-key wine and tapas reception held at the former Port Fortune Inn – now a skillfully renovated, award-winning private home!

Here’s what your weekend will include:

Friday and Saturday night lodging at the Carriage House Inn
Gourmet breakfast, Saturday and Sunday
Wine & Cheese welcome party Friday evening at the Inn
Guided tour of Chatham and select homes Saturday morning
Saturday evening reception

Your own copy of;
"Beyond Work: How Accomplished People Retire Successfully"
by Dr. William Roiter

Interested in summering or living year round on the Cape? Please join us and turn this learning experience into a romantic Cape Cod getaway! Call now 1-508-945-4688 for pricing.

Val & Jim Mellett The Carriage House Inn

Sea Glass Collecting on Cape Cod

2010-08-16T15:16:00.004-04:00

Who doesn’t love sea-glass? Those rounded pieces of soft hued glass weathered and rounded by water and time. We even used it as inspiration for our guestroom room 2 in the main house of our inn. There are many colors and everyone has their favorite with the general consensus that black is the most rare. Each real sea-glass piece has its own story depending on shape and color and type of bottle or vessal that it may have originated from. Searching for real sea-glass these days is serious business with sea-glass hunters keeping their secret beach locations hush hush. The best time to look is low tide.

There is even a National association the North American Sea Glass Association and their annual convention will be Hyannis this October 9th and 10th. The attendees are professional sea glass collectors and they offer a $1,000 prize for the rariest piece of glass brought to the convention. Orange, Red, Black, Turquoise and Yellow are the most valuable and rare colors.

When I was in the 2nd or 3rd grade my parents rented a beach cottage on the Cape and during that summer one of the older woman in our neighborhood of cottages asked me to collect sea glass for her special project. She was making a coffee table and the entire top was to be nice smooth pieces of white, blue, turquoise, or purple glass, preferably flat smooth pieces. Well being a kid, I was up for any contest, with my plastic bucket I would walk the beach for hours each day collecting sea-glass for her. I can recall collecting quite a few pieces, and she was thrilled. I wish I had kept a few of these gems for myself, as more than 40 years has gone by since that time. I wonder if that table still exists in some one’s Cape cottage?

Anyway, the Cape Cod Times website features a video on collecting sea-glass. video http://www.capecodonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100625/MEDIA0302/100629802 The woman in the video mentions some of her favorite beaches to collect sea glass and she says that Skaket Beach in Orleans is one of her favorites on the Cape. Well Skaket beach is very close by and there is a wonderful spot to grab a lobster roll nearby called Captain Cass. Also, the collector on the video notes that she loves the fact that litter, broken glass becomes a gem, and I would have to agree! Come and stay with us and see how much sea glass you can find!

Val and Jim Mellett
The Carriage House InnYour Cape Cod Bed and Breakfast

Monomoy Wildlife Preserve – One of Chatham’s Gems

2010-08-05T15:25:00.004-04:00

Chatham is blessed with a spectacular location surrounded by amazing beaches on the “elbow” of the cape. One of Chatham’s most scenic spots has to be Monomoy Wildlife preserve. Located down Morris Island road only minutes from our Chatham Inn, Monomoy was established in 1944 and has 7604 acres all except 40 only accessible by boat.

Monomoy is a great spot to explore, fish, relax in the sun or bird watch. Insiders tip: there is free parking in the small lot so this is one spot where you can enjoy a beautiful beach without having to fork over any money to park. There is a small 3/4 mile trail that starts on the bluff above the beach. It then heads down a big set of stairs to a beach. From there there the trail proceeds along a huge boulder breakwater that protects the multi million dollar homes on the bluff above. After 1/2 mile or so it opens up to a lovely stretch of beach and marsh area. The “trail” is actually along the beach with several self guided tour markers that relate to the trail map you can pick up at the trail head or in the small visitor center. Off in the distance you can see Monomoy Island and the shallow flat water between. To the east you can see the small windswept dunes of South Beach.

There are also ferry and water taxi companies that take you to Monomoy Island such as Rip Ryder and Outermost Adventures.
Come to Chatham and explore the natural wildlife refuge!

Paula & Tim MillerThe Carriage House InnYour Cape Cod Bed and Breakfast

Carriage House Inn & Our Fabulous Guests

2010-07-24T16:13:00.003-04:00

Our Fabulous Guests

One of the best things about being an innkeeper at the Carriage House Inn is meeting and getting to know a varied and interesting group of people, our guests. In short, our guests are wonderful but it is when you get to know them and all of their talents and experiences from around the world that you get the true benefit. One such example is Dave and Jean Anstaett from Lee’s Summit, Missouri. Dave is well known in his area for teaching and writing poetry. He has published three books of poetry. Upon leaving today, Dave presented this prose to us. We were truly touched.

Gatekeepers to the Sea

Two statements define Tim, without limiting:
“I wish I had been at Woodstock” his deep ocean night blue eyes meeting ours.
“I love to cook” the eyes lighten and we can almost
smell the joy evident, cooking, there.

Paula’s smile is quick, is large.
Her jade –blue eyes fill with rays of sunlight
as she mischievously postulates,
“If there are no facilities on the island, it is not a problem.
It is a very big ocean”

These hand holding descendants of the same
but renamed
Poseidon and Neptune guide us on our
ocean visit from the Carriage House Inn

Tim dips magical nectar, with Olympian acclaim
from his endless supply of surprises
etched crepes, monograms fruits
passes his trident over each entrée
each morning, each day of our stay sends us off refreshed,
replenished and ready for the sea

Paula guides our stay, our day
Almost Zeusian in her questions
she finds the source of our expectations
signs her advice for fare and voyage with a personal scroll
then sends us off genuinely awaiting our return, our tales

They are Neptune, Poseidon
They are our lighthouses as we navigate
through wave after wave after wave
of perfect vacation

Thank you to all of our guests for enriching our lives and for being so much fun!

Paula & Tim MillerThe Carriage House InnYour Cape Cod Bed and Breakfast

Cape Cod Kayaking

2010-06-27T14:39:00.002-04:00

One of the best ways to see the Cape in all it’s splendor and natural beauty is from a kayak. There are many ways to kayak around Chatham and one of the best options is located just down the road about ¼ mile from our Cape Cod Inn. You can launch your kayak right from the boat landing off of Old Harbor Road and paddle in the harbor and up to the fish pier near the current cut of Nauset Beach and out around the Chatham Lighthouse for those with experience.

In addition to paddling on one’s own kayak you can rent a kayak, tour or take guided lessons from some of our wonderful local operators. One of the largest is Goose Hummock located in Orleans (just a 15 minute drive from the Inn), they offer a schedule of tours, lessons, and rental options. The tours are of Town Cove, Pleasant Bay, and Nauset Marsh. The tours are guided and last 2-3 hours and he are lessons and tours offered 7 days a week. The website for Goose Hummock is www.goose.com Guests of the Carriage House Inn receive a 10% discount off of all tours.

Another great option for kayaking is renting a kayak from Nauti Jayne’s boat rentals out of the Wequassett Inn, located about 3 miles up the road from us on Pleasant Bay. This is for those who want to paddle on their own and explore the beautiful waters of Pleasant Bay. The absolutely best thing about kayaking on the bay is before or after you can enjoy lunch or dinner at the Wequassett Inn’s Outer Bar and Grille. We love their fried clams, lobster salad, and homemade ice tea served with a simple syrup. Plus there is a view of a 4 million dollar pool area, fire pit and waterfalls.

Paula & Tim MillerThe Carriage House InnYour Cape Cod Bed and Breakfast

Pisces Restaurant of Chatham

2010-06-11T12:04:00.007-04:00

For a long time, Pisces in South Chatham has been our all round favorite restaurant. It just seems to hit on all cylinders for us with a wonderful light Cape style bistro atmosphere, superb fresh food and friendly but professional service. Pisces is located approximately 8 minute drive from our Inn's guests

Val and Jim Mellett The Carriage House InnYour Cape Cod Bed and Breakfast

Clam Shacks located near the Carriage House Inn, part II

2010-05-30T11:08:00.002-04:00

Here are a couple more of our favorite Clam Shacks near the our Cape Cod Inn.

Sesuit Harbor Cafe- Dennis – Located on the northern part of the Cape off of 6A on Sesuit Harbor and Cape Cod Bay, the Sesuit Harbor Café is a wonderful funky spot tucked behind a few boatyards. It is a little difficult to find but the reward of fabulous food makes the trek worthwhile. You order at the counter and then go sit at one of the numerous picnic tables out side along the harbor. There usually is a fair amount of boating activity to kick back and watch while waiting for your food. The lobster rolls are outstanding. The seafood is perfectly cooked as well.They also operate a lobster bake cruise www.lobsterrollcruise.com . It is BYOB – Open May 10,
2010 Breakfast and Lunch, May 28, 2010 Dinner

Liam’s Clam Shack – Located right on Nauset beach only 18 minutes up the road in Orleans has a large and varied menu that caters to the many beachgoers in the Summer. It focuses heavily on seafood with excellent fried or broiled seafood platters and some of the best onion rings around. It can get very busy at lunch time in season but it is also open for dinner and that is a nice quiet time to head to the beach and grab a nice casual dinner and relax on the picnic tables that are a stones throw from Nauset Beach. One of my favorite things to get at Liams are their Onion Rings and their fried clams. Liams opens May 29th weekends only until mid June.

Paula & Tim MillerThe Carriage House InnYour Cape Cod Bed and Breakfast

Water View Wallks from a Cape Cod Bed and Breakfast

2010-05-21T14:47:00.004-04:00

When you leave our Chatham Inn you can take an absolutely breath taking walk right from the Carriage House Inn’s front door. You head left down Old Harbor Road and immediately there are sweeping views of the harbor and the gorgeous houses tucked behind immaculate hedges on the hill above the waterfront. As you head down the hill there is a home right before you turn right on to Cow Yard Lane that in early spring literally is blooming with hundreds of daffodils in the lawn and gardens, it is a glorious field of yellow. Mid May brings honeysuckle bushes along the walk that scent the air with a subtle sweet scent. When you head down cow yard you are likely to see a fisherman in waders trying to find dinner or a kayaker headed out for a relaxing paddle. Once you reach the harbor you turn right and walk along the sandy path along the water viewing the lobster boats coming and going, the now famous current cut and the rear side of some stately homes. One keeps walking until you reach the Chatham Fish Pier where you can visit and rest on the pier’s observation deck, or if you are hungry you can grab a cup of chowder or a lobster roll from the Chatham Fish Pier. To head back to the Inn you walk along Shore Road where you get water views in between the million dollar homes that line the street. The entire walk takes about 35-40 minutes and it is just lovely and refreshing and best of all free! Book your reservation today at Chatham's number 1 rated in on Trip Advisor the Carriage House Inn

Paula & Tim MillerThe Carriage House InnYour Cape Cod Bed and Breakfast

Cape Cod Clam Shacks

2010-04-26T12:32:00.004-04:00

A sure sign that the summer season is almost upon us is the opening of the many Clam Shacks around the outer Cape. By clam shack we mean no-frills, picnic tables in the sand, no waiters or waitress type of place with of course ultra fresh seafood. Here are some of our fave’s.All of these are waterfront with great views to boot!

Mac’s Seafood – Located on the Town Pier in Wellfleet about 40 minutes from the inn this fabulous spot has some of most amazing views of Wellfleet Harbor and a really interesting menu. First of all, the menu includes all the usual suspects such as clam and lobster rolls and fried seafood galore. But what sets this apart is their diverse menu that also includes things like shrimp wraps, grilled tuna burrito’s and sushi. Mac’s owns several seafood stores so the quality of the fish is first rate. We also love sitting at the picnic tables with our feet in the sand absorbing the amazing views west of Wellfleet harbor and Great Island. The tables are big so don’t feel uncomfortable sitting down next to strangers. It is a great way to meet people. It is BYOB so bring one of our coolers with your own beer or wine. Opens May 19th.

Chatham Pier Fish Market –Formerly Nickerson’s and just a mere ½ mile down the road from our Chatham Bed and Breakfast at the Chatham fish pier this local spot is a combo fish market and takeout clam shack. With its proximity to the Fish pier where the fresh local catch is hauled in you can’t get any fresher fish. They have excellent lobster bisque, clam and scallop rolls and a fabulous fish and chip that our British guests swear by. We also love their lobster rolls, very meaty, just a dollop of mayonnaise served on a nice toasty roll. There is not much seating right there (a bench overlooking harbor on the backside of the market and 1 picnic table across the lot). Our guests like to take our beach chairs and beach towels that we provide and walk 100 yards across to the town beach and spread and enjoy a delicious picnic on the beach. Opens May 7th

Paula & Tim MillerThe Carriage House InnYour Cape Cod Bed and Breakfast

Cape Cod Lighthouses

2010-04-16T09:59:00.007-04:00

The history of the cape lighthouses is one of the ever changing geologic history of Cape Cod and modernization. There is something that is inherently “New England” and captivating about the Cape Lighthouses. Sentinels of a seafaring way of life over a hundred years ago, the first cape lighthouses were built in the late 1700’s and early 1800’s at the early part of our young nation’s history. Over the years, many have been moved back from the Ocean due to the constant erosion of the sea. The first Chatham Lighthouse was a lard burning lighthouse and was commissioned by President Thomas Jefferson over 200 years ago. Chatham originally had two lighthouses to distinguish them from Highland Light in Truro. One was moved to Eastham in 1923 to replace one of the Three Sisters.

There are well over a dozen lighthouses on Cape Cod with 9 located on the outer Cape. Our favorite Lighthouse is called Chatham Light and it is located just a bit over a mile from the
“A lighthouse is such a potent image, practical because lives depend on it and at the same time utterly romantic, this lonely building on the cusp of land and sea, sending out light into the darkness” Jeannette Winterson

We offer map that will help you discover all the Lighthouses on the Cape here at the Carriage House Inn, and you can easily visit at least 8 of them in one day, grab a picnic and make a day of touring. Our local Cape Cod Times news paper lists tours that being offered each week, and we have that information readily available for our guests here at the Inn. for more information on Lighthouses, check out this link to the National Sea Shore.

Val and Jim Mellett
The Carriage House Inn
Your Cape Cod Bed and Breakfast

Chatham Cape Cod's Casual Dining

2010-03-23T11:05:00.007-04:00

Many times when we want to go out to eat but want to go more casual, there are several places in Chatham and surrounding towns that are perfect for a reasonable quick meal. These places are also filled with the local characters and visitors alike. Here are three of our favorites.

The Squire: A Chatham institution open over 40 years, the Squire sits smack in the middle of downtown Chatham. You can’t miss the blue awning and multi colored lights ringing its roofline. There are two sides to this establishment, the dining room on the right and the tavern on the left. The dining room is very cozy and warm with weathered wood paneling and comfortable booths, and the dining room offers a more extensive dinner menu. The tavern is a peanut shells on the floor (although not in summer) place with tv’s, pool table and live music on weekends. You will also be rubbernecking reading the cute vanity license plates that line the walls like a talking wallpaper. They also serve the full dining menu in the off season with the tavern menu of burgers, sandwiches and fried seafood.
Must Try: Lobster Bisque

Land Ho: Located in Orleans (and Harwich Port now) just 15 minutes up the road from the inn, this local hangout has a menu filled with excellent sandwiches and a fabulous daily special board. The red check table clothes, mini signs of local businesses and lively bar make the atmosphere upbeat. There is live music on many weekends and they have some of the friendliest bartenders in the area who will actually talk to you even if you are not a local. This place is always busy but the service is quick and friendly and knowledgeable.
Must Try: Fried clams or any special board item

Red Nun: Located on Main Street next to the ball field in Chatham, the Red Nun is named after the large red buoys that mark shipping channels called red nun’s. More of a small local’s bar than a restaurant, the Red Nun has many tv’s to watch sports and just a few tables and booths. Their menu is OK but the main reason to go here is for their burgers. Simply put, it is the best in town. These large juicy burgers of pleasantly seasoned ground beef are always cooked perfectly and served on a big English muffin type bun.
Must Try: The Burgers

All of these great spots are located close to our Cape Cod Bed and Breakfast

Paula & Tim Miller
The Carriage House Inn
Your Cape Cod Bed and Breakfast

Winter Walks on Cape Cod

2010-02-11T10:09:00.005-05:00

Most everyone knows that there are plenty of fabulous things to do on the Cape in the Summer time. Number one is relaxing on its magnificent stretches of beaches. Winter provides a time for more soul searching and quiet introspection. The beaches are still a wonderful place to walk in the winter but here and in subsequent blogs I will focus on some other great walks around the Cape that are easy and also provide some fresh air to keep cabin fever at bay.

The Salt Pond Visitors center at the Cape Cod National Seashore, is just a short 20 minute drive from the Inn, and is a great place to start. The Nauset Marsh trail head begins right at the visitor’s center. At the trail head there is a detailed map with descriptions of highlights of each portion of the trail. At only 1.3 miles it is easy for everyone even the most novice trekker. The trail circles a portion of a salt pond where I saw black ducks cautiously negotiating the thin ice that covered the pond scattering as I approached. The salt or kettle pond was formed when glaciers retreated and left huge chunks of ice behind and formed large depressions in the earth when they melted. Ponds were formed when the water table rose. These are common all over the cape. Red tail hawks, herons and wild turkeys are also around at this time of year. About halfway up the trail, you come upon a glorious overlook with views across the marsh out to Nauset Beach and the Ocean. This is one spot where Samuel de Champlain moored during his 1605 voyage. Apparently it was a huge bay at that time and has slowly filled in with marsh grasses over the centuries. The trail then curves back to the Visitors center through red cedars, black oak, white oak and the winterized skeletons of bayberry and rosehip bushes.

Back at the Visitors center, there are some excellent exhibits and several different 12 minute movies to watch. In the winter the movies are shown on demand so no waiting. I watched sands of time which illustrated the geologic history of the Cape. This is a great way to start or end a walk to get some insightful meaning to this lovely stroll.

Please ask us for maps when you visit our Cape Cod Bed and Breakfast

Paula & Tim Miller
The Carriage House Inn
Your Cape Cod Bed and Breakfast

Lobster Rolls, Chatham Cape Cod

2010-01-19T09:40:00.005-05:00

Chatham Fish & Lobster – The Winter Lobster Roll Fix

Being mid-January, most of our favorite seasonal spots for lobster rolls are closed. We needed our fix though. The answer came in Chatham Fish & Lobster, the combo fish market and small restaurant located in the Cornfield Plaza on Rt 28 in Chatham.
Upon entering the clean space you are met by a big display case of prepared entrees and sides. That was not what we were after. We wanted fresh seafood. Three booths are to the side surrounded by displays of food items for sale, a small but pleasing casual atmosphere. Their menu is on a blackboard as well as a special board.

We honed right into the Lobster roll which they describe as fresh, steamed daily, lightly tossed in mayo for $17.99. It was hard to choose another item because there were several different interesting grilled sandwiches such as Blackened Tuna Caesar wrap or grilled salmon or swordfish sandwich. They also had the usual suspects under fried seafood along with now ubiquitous fish tacos, the west coast invention that every place on the east coast now have on their menus. We finally chose the Fried Scallop Caesar $8.99 from the special board and for good measure a cup of their lobster corn chowder $5.99.

The lobster corn chowder was creamy and great depth of flavor. Our only complaint is that we would have liked bigger lobster chunks in the chowder rather than the more shredded pieces that were in it.

The lobster roll did not disappoint. It came on the traditional New England style grilled roll overflowing with big sweet chunks of lobster meat only lightly dressed with mayo. Absolutely delicious. We give it 4 ½ starfish. We would order the potato chips next time as the side of cole slaw was not up to the caliber of lobster roll. The fried scallop Caesar was gigantic. They served 11 big fat fresh sea scallops nicely fried on a large Caesar salad. We admit that we were really only after the scallops but tricked ourselves into thinking we were being healthy by having the salad with it.

Overall this place works because you have the restaurant side getting the freshest seafood due to market adjoining it. Because Chatham Fish and Lobster is open year round and 7 days a week we can get our Lobster roll fix anytime. Winter hours are 9:30am – 5:00pm.

Paula & Tim Miller
The Carriage House Inn
Your Cape Cod Bed and Breakfast

First Night Celebration Cape Cod

2010-01-03T12:45:00.003-05:00

Paula & Tim Miller
The Carriage House Inn

2009 has come and gone. To set the stage for a wonderful new year, Chatham put on its 19th annual First Night event. This is the only First Night on the whole Cape. Chatham and all the volunteers put on a jolly good show. The day starts out with the annual Chatham Town picture where citizens from Chatham pose at the Lighthouse for a big group picture. I wouldn’t want to be the one getting hoisted up in the crane to shoot the photo. The afternoon is filled with fun events for young and old alike. You could see opera, rock, bluegrass at many venues located in local churches and the new community center.

Fortunately the drizzly weather did not deter the throngs of people to attend this year. Going up and down Main Street you see as many people strolling the sidewalks as you would in the peak of summer. You could view an ice sculpture of a shark, food vendors at various locations, horse & carriage rides. A quick peek into the Squire and you saw folks still in their outlandish costumes from the Carnival Caper Road race, a run that took place earlier from the Squire to the Lighthouse and back. One of the most intriguing was the gloombox, a box that people could stuff with symbols of their woes and problems from 2009 such as broken promises, bad report cards, bounced checks etc. The box was then paraded down in the noise parade with people tooting horns and banging pots down to the bonfire at Oyster Pond. The box was set ablaze sending all past problems up in a wisp of smoke!

Music and festivities continued until the fireworks at midnight and the dropping of the illuminated “Countdown Cod” with the traditional countdown to the stroke of midnight and the New Year. Our cod is much more interesting than a plain old ball in NYC.

Restaurant Review: Impudent Oyster Chatham

2009-12-29T17:57:00.003-05:00

Paula & Tim Miller
The Carriage House Inn
The Impudent Oyster restaurant has been and is a Chatham institution for 37 years, initially the Oyster was a fisherman’s bar and local hangout serving just a bit of food and mainly a local watering hole. Then in the mid 1980’s the owner Peter changed the restaurant to a fine dining establishment open for both lunch and dinner and they have been extremely busy and successful ever since.

A few weeks ago they put out their new winter menu and we just had to try it. The Impudent Oyster is known for its large portions so we were glad to see several half orders available on items such as Pesca Fra Diablo, Sole and Crab Francais and Linguine with Clams. Some notable new items that piqued our interest were the Lobster Mac and Cheese and The Kobe Beef Burger. Without a doubt the Lobster Mac and Cheese is our new favorite menu item at the Oyster. At $14.00 it is an excellent value as well. It is served in a shallow gratin dish with loads of lobster blended with elbow macaroni and a creamy béchamel sauce. We counted no less than 8 claws plus lots of other nice sized morsels of lobster. We also loved the crunchy panko bread crumb topping. The Kobe Beef Burger ($16.00) was pretty good. It is served on a brioche bun which tended to fall apart. This burger is best to eaten with a fork and knife rather than out of hand. While it is a good burger I can’t say that the Kobe beef made it any better. The truffle fries that are served along side are out of this world, salty, earthy and flavorful. They of course still have a large special sheet in addition to the regular menu each night with other fabulous offerings.

With a nice variety of excellent food and good service it is no wonder that the Impudent Oyster is busy even in the off season. We have been back several times just for the Lobster Mac and Cheese! The Impudent Oyster is open for both lunch and dinner 7 days a week!

Carriage House Inn Awarded Chatham Garden Club's 2009 Beautification Award

2009-11-15T16:39:00.008-05:00

Paula & Tim Miller
The Carriage House Inn

The Carriage House Inn was recently honored at the Chatham Chamber of Commerce’s annual dinner meeting with the Chatham Garden Club’s 2009 Beautification Award for small scale landscaping. The garden club of Chatham was founded in 1968 by 29 women who met to form the club. From the start the Club helped to make the town bloom. They are responsible for beautification of many places in our town. The club came by several times this summer and took pictures that are now displayed in the nicely framed award.
Truth be told, we were really excited and proud to receive this award as we do all our own landscaping with the exception of mowing the lawn. Tim has gotten to be quite an expert with the electric hedge trimmers and I have really grown found of pink and white impatiens and hydrangeas, as both flowers do extremely well in this climate. We both feel like the garden could be even better if we just had a few more hours in each day to devote to one of our favorite past times, but then breakfast would never get made and the laundry would pile up, so we sneak out to the garden whenever we can.

A big thank you from the both of us to the Chatham Garden Club!

Chatham Restaurants-Del Mar

2009-10-31T14:20:00.005-04:00

Paula & Tim Miller
The Carriage House Inn

Restaurant Review – Great Deal and Good Food at Del Mar Restaurant, formerly Roo Bar’s of Chatham

Housed in a former Friendly’s building on Main Street in Chatham, Del Mar is the newest restaurant incarnation at this convenient location. Just a 5 minute drive from the Carriage House Inn, Del Mar offers up a wonderfully eclectic menu and contemporary atmosphere. The main part of the restaurant has a comfortable bar to eat and /or have a beverage. The front part of the space is all big comfortable half round booths. There is also table seating opposite the booths. In the summer they have a large covered area which probably doubles the size of the restaurant and is great for large parties.

We have loved the fabulous selection of appetizers and wood fired pizzas for a quick delicious meal for months. Our all time favorite appetizer is the Oysters Rockefeller-fire roasted with bacon, spinach and Sambuca cream sauce- I think it’s the Sambucca cream sauce that makes them taste so great! What brought us here this time is the remarkable prix fixe deal they have going on now. For 18.00 – 20.00 you get a 3 course meal with a choice of soup or one of the several salads, entrée and dessert. This menu features nice selections such as Pan Roasted Salmon, Seared Tuna Au Poivre and Herb Roasted Chicken, and the entrees changes nightly.

We tried the white bean and escarole soup and Caesar Salad for starters. Both were very good and a good size. For entrées we chose the Mac and Cheese with pancetta and grape tomatoes. This was made with orrechiette pasta, fresh herbs and a nice amount of toasted breadcrumbs. It was homey, comforting and delicious. Paula had the pan roasted salmon on top of a grilled vegetable Israeli cous cous salad with arugula and lemon vinaigrette. For dessert we had a chocolate torte with raspberry sauce and the chocolate chip cannoli both were delicious and rich. All in all Del Mar is wonderful food for an even better price, and it’s currently open 7 days a week for dinner.

Cape Cod's Secret Beach

2009-10-11T16:29:00.004-04:00

Paula & Tim Miller
The Carriage House Inn

Bound Brook – Wellfleet’s Secret Beach

After reading an article in Coastal Living Magazine on secret beaches around the US, we began telling our adventurous guests about this spot. The few souls who found it would come back expounding on how beautiful the beach and dunes are. We did not have a chance to find the beach for ourselves until this week (October) and boy what an unbelievable slice of the Cape. Located down almost a mile of dirt and sand road on the Cape Cod Bay side of Wellfleet, Bound Brook beach is not as convenient as the other National Seashore beaches but so worth the trip due to the natural beauty, isolation, and it’s free!

It isn’t marked by the large brown and cream signs of the other beaches in the National Seashore so you definitely need a good map-we can supply one. The only sign is a small one pointing the way to the Atwood Higgins House. It looks as if you are going down a private road but you are not, just stay the course until you get to a small sand parking lot with room for about 5 or 6 cars.

Looming in front of you are 50 foot high dunes. You can hear the distant sound of waves. Hike up over the two hundred yard stretch of dunes, and from the top of the dunes and the view is deep blue sea, dunes and beach that stretches for what seems like miles. You get a great view of Provincetown to the North miles off in the distance with the spire of the Pilgrim Monument. We settled down in one of the hollows of the dunes, slightly protected from the breeze but still a fabulous view of beach and water and we dozed and read books for the entire afternoon. There are few footprints in the sand just the circular etchings of the dune grass and the clean smell of an ocean breeze. The entire time we were there we never spied another human being. When you get hungry you can head to Wellfleet and eat at some of the best restaurants on the Cape, the Wicked Oyster and Mac’s on the harbor! If this Secret Beach is of interest to you ask us when you arrive and we will show you just how to find beach paradise!

Great White Sharks found in the waters off Chatham

2009-09-25T15:36:00.005-04:00

Paula & Tim Miller
The Carriage House

The beginning of September brought a flurry of interest to Chatham in the form of great white shark sightings. Chatham is home to thousands of seals which are protected by law. Their increased numbers has apparently caught the interest of their predator the great white shark which is also protected. Great whites are fairly rare in these northern climes. Marine biologists were able to tag no less than 5 of the big scary fish for tracking. The water this far north is thought to be too cold for them.

All of this also brought the hysteria of the national news media eager to whip up anything into an intimidating and dramatic news story. During the week there were no less than 4 news trucks crowding out the visitors and tourists at the parking lot of Lighthouse beach. The town got into the act and immediately closed all the beaches in Chatham to swimming. Fortunately it was September and wasn’t really swimming weather. You can still stroll the beautiful expanses of the beaches hoping to have your very own “jaws” moment and catch a glimpse of a menacing dorsal fin. Fact of the matter is that there has only been one fatality from a great white in Massachusetts since 1936 and that was in 1936. Bottom line: the beaches in Chatham are pretty safe for swimming when normal cautions are taken ie: don’t strap a piece of steak to your midriff. Scientists also don’t recommend that you go swimming in a seal costume, save that for Halloween. There is always a silver lining. The seal tours in Chatham have been filled to capacity as all of our guests would like to have a glimpse of a great white. A recent guest, Liz was kind enough to send us this photo from their September stay with this photo attached. We are still laughing!! Nice job on photo shop! Remember the movie Jaws.....

Golf Packages at Cape Cod

2009-09-17T14:55:00.006-04:00

This fall stay at the Carriage House Inn midweek and play a round or two of golf at the Captain’s Course, an outstanding golf course located just 10 minutes from the Inn. Tim is an avid fan of golf and can personally attest to the quality of the golf experience at the Captain’s Course. The Captain’s Course, designed by Geoffry Cornish and Brian Silva is considered one of the best courses on the Cape and offers 2, 18 hole courses and is located in Brewster. The golf course’s staff includes PGA professionals available for lessons and clinics. The Captains Course also features a fully stocked Pro Shop as well as full restaurant amenities for a nice lunch or a cocktail after golf. The two courses are the Port and Starboard- The Port Course is more challenging. Par 72, Slope 131, Rating 72.1 (Tim’s favorite) The course has two kettle ponds that guard greens and a stretch of new holes 12-17 that are among the best around. The Starboard Course Par 72, Slope 122, Rating 71.5 is a more comfortable course to play and favored by most who have played Captains since its origin. Because of its ease Starboard is preferred more by those with higher handicaps but both courses will give you a fair test. This golf package is available Sunday beginning at noon, and anytime Monday – Thursday. We will arrange your tee times for you. So stay and play this fall and take in some of the fall color at the same time!

Your Golf Package includes:
• Overnight Lodging for 2
• Gourmet Breakfast for 2
• Golf for 1 Player at your choice of Captains Golf Courses for 18 holes and includes a cart, a second player is an additional $45
• Advance Tee Times
Rooms 1 & 2 $443*
Room 3 $483*
Rooms 4 - 6 $543*
*Plus applicable lodging tax

Paula & Tim Miller
The Carriage House Inn
New Golf Package at the Carriage House Inn

Paula & Tim Miller
The Carriage House Inn

Captain Cass-the Quest for the Best Lobster Roll

2009-08-21T16:20:00.004-04:00

Paula & Tim Miller
The Carriage House Inn

Last summer Travel and Leisure magazine wrote an article on the Best of Cape Cod during the high season, and the author had spent many summers in our area of the Cape. So when the author mentioned that Captain Cass was her favorite place to eat lobster rolls, we took notice. Captain Cass restaurant on Rock Harbor in Orleans looks like a lobster shack and is the real deal. Captain Cass is located only 12-15 minutes drive from the Inn

Now a year later, I have to admit that having been there many times for both lunch and dinner, Captain Cass does have wonderful lobster rolls and so much more. First of all the place is on Rock Harbor in Orleans and looks like an old sea side shanty with weathered siding and buoys hanging everywhere. The inside is very, very casual with light blue and white checkered curtain, old wooden tables and chairs and a lunch counter. The decorations on the wall are lobster shells and family photos. There is no liquor license so it is BYOB which is kind of fun, and I must tell you they have the best ice tea north of the Mason Dixon Line, plus they offer other soft drinks as well.

On to the food, the menu is hand written and short. The selections are primarily seafood with items such as a seafood platter, whole lobster dinner, scallop plate, fish and chips, and some items for land lubbers, hamburgers, hot dogs, grilled cheese sandwiches, and for appetizers she-crab stew, clam chowder, deviled crab and onion rings. My sister Margo told me a few weeks ago the fish and chips were some of the best she has ever tasted. But not me, I always order the lobster roll, when you place your order, they take the fresh lobster right from the shell and they keep it in large chunks/pieces they adorn it with just a drop of mayonnaise and then pile it onto a grilled frankfurter roll served with french fries and cole slaw on the side. It is sweet perfection! The menu calls the lobster roll our famous “no filler lobster roll” and in my book they are correct it is the best! We give it our top rating of 5 starfish. Captain Cass is open seasonally May-October, very limited hours (generally 11am – 2pm and 5pm – 8pm and subject to change), has no phone number, does not take a reservation, and is BYOB and cash payment only!

Friday Night Chatham Band Concerts: Small Towns at their Best

2009-07-25T13:46:00.004-04:00

Paula & Tim Miller
The Carriage House Inn

Friday nights in Chatham beginning towards the end of June until the first weekend in September brings the Chatham Band concerts to the gazebo in Kate Gould Park at 8:00PM on Main Street in downtown, Chatham, the event is approximately 1 mile from the Carriage House Inn. Started in the 1930’s, the band concert is free and brings people of all ages from miles around to enjoy a slice of small town America.

This very popular event attracts upwards of several hundred to a thousand people (many stake a claim early in the day with a blanket or beach chair). The band plays some songs that you would not think of a brass band playing such as The Simpsons Theme, James Bond Theme and Mama Mia! They also do quite a bit of sing along with the audience.

Legend has it that in the 1950’s a patron got up in the middle of the concert and stated that the current gazebo was too small for the 40 piece band. He immediately took up a collection from the other concert goers and got enough donations in that one night to build the bigger bandstand that stands to this day.

My favorite part of this occasion is the relaxed family atmosphere and the people watching: little kids trying to maneuver around a big ice cream cone or try out their first dance moves while attached to a big balloon or glow stick and older folks getting some fresh air waxing nostalgic about times gone by. This whole scene I would describe as wonderfully corny and yet peaceful & familiar. It is a connection to our past before the advent of hi tech everything. A slower paced life to sit back and reflect, enjoy and daydream.

Chatham Pier Fish Market the Quest for the Best Lobster Roll Continues!

2009-07-22T12:58:00.003-04:00

Paula & Tim Miller
The Carriage House Inn

Last week a girlfriend of mine from Charleston, SC drove into town and neither one of us felt like eating at a restaurant (as we were both in shorts and play clothes) so we threw some beach chairs in the trunk of her car and drove the ½ mile from the Inn to the

Chatham Pier Fish Market

take out stand and seafood market. The joint has new owners this year, so I had not sampled much beyond the lobster bisque which was quite good!

Kay (my friend) ordered the lobster roll, which is served with French fries and a small side of cole slaw and I had the fish and chips. While waiting you can watch the fisherman bring in their catch of the day, unload their boats, and view seals playing near the fish pier. After a short 8-10 minutes, the take out window server called our names and we took our dinner down the road another 1/4 mile to the beach at the end of Claflin Landing on the public town beach just south of Chatham Bars Inn. We spread out some beach towels and dropped into our beach chairs and proceeded to eat our fare. I was delighted at the portion size of the fish and chips that I ordered but then I tasted the fish and the taste was wonderful light, crispy all white fish no bones and served with a quarter of lemon, truly perfectly prepared. Kay told me that her lobster roll was good too, but it would be another week until I would try one myself. The evening was perfect we watched the sun go down, chatted and enjoyed the fresh ocean breeze.

A few days later, neither Tim nor I felt like cooking dinner (truthfully I never feel like cooking, Tim is the gourmet chef in the family) as it has been hot and muggy. So I headed back to the Chatham Fish and Lobster, thinking that tonight was my turn to try the lobster roll and a cup of lobster bisque. After a short wait, I took home our dinner, and was really shocked at how much better the lobster rolls are than what I remember. The chunks of meat were large and there was a lot of meat in the roll, the roll was a nicely grilled hot dog roll. My only complaint and I am being picky was that the roll had a bit too much celery for me, I guess I am a purist I want just lobster and not much else. But to date I would rate their lobster roll 4 starfish (out of 5) and one of the best roll I have had since coming to Cape Cod, and better yet, I can pick one up 7 days a week (Memorial Day – Columbus Day), just minutes from the Carriage House Inn’s front door.