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Journalism, A Casual Conversation?

I’m back at college way up here on the North Shore now and I’ve been trying to keep up with what’s going on back at home by checking out the local papers’ websites, like Cape Cod Times and Cape Cod Today. But it’s tough when I’m not actually there because the big stories like Glen Marshall and the whole casino deal overshadow almost everything else, and then I miss all that little stuff.

So here’s the solution to all that…

Google has just obtained a revolutionary website called GrandCentral.com (http://www.grandcentral.com/). Here’s how it works: Anyone can create an account and then reserve a FREE phone number with the area code of anywhere in the U.S. you would like your number to be from. If you have a blog, like me, you can post your new phone number and have readers call in with story ideas, tell their own personal story, or maybe just to be interviewed for a story you’ve already written or would like to write.

You can set up your new GrandCentral number so that it will ring on your cell phone, office phone, or home phone—or all of them! The number that shows up on the caller ID is the GrandCentral number. If you know you’re expecting a call from someone to interview, you can answer. If you would rather the caller leave a message, you just let it go to the voicemail box of your GrandCentral account.

Just by hitting the number four on your phone, you start recording your conversation with the caller (if they have agreed to be recorded for an interview of course). If you decide not to answer, the caller can leave a message for you, which is also recorded. And now for the best part… After an interview is recorded or a voicemail is left, the recording is emailed to you in mp3 format instantaneously for your listening and easy-editing pleasure. Amazing.

Now I have my new GrandCentral number (508-444-8643), after Craig Walker the Founder and CEO read my blog post about his site and emailed me to tell me good job, and I’m just waiting to hear from my fellow Cape Codders about interesting stories and things that are going on back at home. I will leave prompts here and there and hope that readers also call in to give their thoughts and ideas on the subject. Keep an eye out for my GrandCentral number and go get your own! Hurry, the numbers can’t possibly be free for long.

Proud to Be an American

Going to the base on my day off and checking out all kinds of military apparatus was not exactly my top priority on Sunday. After dragging my boyfriend to the beach for a couple of hours in the morning, he gave me a well-thought-out guilt trip about how we should now spend the rest of the day doing something he wanted to do. So off to the Cape Cod Air Show we went.

The parking situation on the base was horrendous, and it was noisy, crowded, hot, and entirely too full of testosterone. But as the afternoon wore on and the clouds burnt off, I suddenly became interested in all of the fancy planes and things; I even climbed up and sat inside of some of them.

We peeked inside of a Coast Guard helicopter, one very similar to what you can see in the film about the Coast Guard Rescue Divers, The Guardian. (I highly recommend it to anyone by the way). Then we strapped ourselves into a UH-60 Blackhawk. Mike and I saw a B-52 Bomber and walked right through the almost 250-foot long C-5 Galaxy. We stood outside the fenced off area where the stealthy F-117A Night Hawk sat guarded by several military personnel. Then I immediately felt goose bumps all over after seeing an F-15 Eagle with a sign that read “First on scene on September 11, 2001.”

After a few hours of walking around at Mike’s high speed pace in a pair of crappy worn out $3 flip flops, my feet were really killing me. I sat down on the concrete and planned to remain there until Mike wanted to venture over to the fried dough stand. But as soon as those Thunderbirds took off for the sky, I was right back up on my feet, staring up at them in awe. “This is the sound of freedom,” said the announcer as they took off.

And he was right. It was nothing short of amazing watching the pilots perform unbelievable stunts and fly in flawless formations all afternoon. The show ended with a huge applause from the crowd and the song “Proud to Be an American” blaring from the speakers on the runway. It was a great feeling to be there and see all of that. It really did make me feel proud to be an American.

We never did get that fried dough, and we ended up sitting in traffic for almost 2 hours although the Falmouth gate is mere minutes from my house, but the Air Show was definitely something I’m glad I didn’t miss. I didn’t even really mind all of the traffic on the way out because it was a good indicator of just how many people came out to support our country’s military this weekend. And I’m proud I was able to one of them.

Bridge Collapse on Cape, Maybe Not Too Far Off

With last week’s tragedy of the bridge collapse in Minneapolis, there’s been much talk about the safety of our own bridges right here on the Cape. Only a couple of days after the disaster, I ventured off-Cape over the Bourne Bridge and got a sharp shiver and an uneasy feeling passing the heavy oncoming traffic. Could it happen here?

Well if the proper measures are not taken, it is very possible. The Federal Highway Administration’s National Bridge Inventory has listed 50 of the Cape’s bridges as functionally obsolete, including both the Bourne and Sagamore Bridges. This term, ‘functionally obsolete,’ basically means that at least one aspect of the bridge is not in compliance with current standards and needs to be fixed. Scary? I thought so.

What’s even scarier is that there are six other bridges on the Cape with bridges that need immediate renovations and are listed by the federal agency as structurally deficient, two of which are in Falmouth and I use both on a regular basis.

The 55-foot Water Street drawbridge in Woods Hole and the 120-foot Chapoquoit Bridge in West Falmouth both need to be replaced. There are plans in the works for both projects but the earliest date mentioned for the replacements is 2009. At least once a week I go to Chappy, my favorite beach in Falmouth. This means I drive over the Chapoquoit Bridge a minimum of twice a week. As for the Woods Hole drawbridge, I may not use it as much, but every couple of weeks or so my boyfriend and I go out to dinner down in the Hole. But now I think we’ll just take a short detour around Eel Pond to avoid the dicey drawbridge.

It's got me wondering, if the bridge collapse in Minneapolis had not happened, would anyone have noticed the poor condition of these local bridges?

Deep Doo Doo

As a dog lover, I cannot imagine a day when I am not allowed to bring my old black lab, Bailey, for a walk on the beach. Sometimes I get glares from the disgruntled tourists who—for some unknown reason—feel that once they are here for the summer, everything is theirs, including our beaches for which they come and crowd.

I do have a problem, however, with dog crap that is left behind for someone’s lucky foot to step in, and sadly it is probably more often than not a local’s foot instead of a tourist’s. I am certainly not saying to stop bringing your dogs to the beach, like Bowerman’s Beach Club feels is the answer.

There’s an easier way that will make everyone happier. A couple of years ago, Falmouth and other towns across the Cape, installed plastic gloves that turn inside out into baggies after you pick up your pet’s poo. Then, you simply toss it in the trashcans that are scattered around the beach parking lots.

C’mon, we dump enough crap into the water just a short ways offshore, there’s no need to leave any more on the beaches.

The 28A Ice Cream Cruise

Got that summertime craving for sweet and creamy ice cream? Just take a quick ride down scenic 28A and you are sure to find exactly what you fancy.

Starting in West Falmouth and heading north on Route 28A, you will find Eulinda’s Ice Cream on the left almost directly across the street from the West Falmouth Market. This quaint little ice cream shop has a variety of flavors, frappes, and sundaes to suit anyone’s cravings.

Next stop, the new Whistle Stop Ice Cream in the small plaza in between North Falmouth Liquors and the Village Pantry. This ice cream shop used to be a little ways back right off of 28A in a tiny building, which now is surrounded by a huge condo complex. There is another Whistle Stop in Bourne off of Shore Road as well.

Smitty’s Too comes up quick after Whistle Stop, less than a minute’s drive. But be sure not to miss this small, secluded ice cream shop right next to Jack in the Beanstalk. There are a few umbrella-covered picnic tables and plenty of parking. But obviously, the delicious homemade ice cream is what brings in the crowds each night.

Although this next ice cream shop is a little ways off the beaten path of 28A, Holy Cow is definitely worth the short detour. Take a left at the Route 151 and 28A lights and follow County Road through a 4-way stop for less than a mile and Holy Cow is on the right. A black board filled with unusual flavors, like Smurf and Dinosaur Crunch covers an entire wall of the small building. They also sell Cape Cod Bagels for those early birds starting at 7 AM.

If you’re more in the mood for soft serve ice cream, Dean’s House of Pizza back at the corner of 151 and 28A has chocolate, vanilla, and twist and a list of toppings, like Heath Bar, Crunch Coat, Reeces Pieces, M&Ms and more.

Next up on the route is the new Lazy Sundaes ice cream shop. It is located where the well known Emac & Bolio's Ice Cream once was, right behind The Parrot Bar & Grill. You are sure to enjoy the long list of traditional & delicious lavors offered here.

Last, but certainly not least, Somerset Creamery ends this 7-stop ice cream cruise. With homemade ice cream and warm, freshly made waffle cones, this ice cream shop immediately won me over since it’s opening a few years ago in Cataumet. The original has been located in Somerset, MA for almost 70 years now. They must be doing something right. And now with an addition on the building, it gives the employees more space and more cash registers to get those long lines moving even quicker. The only draw-back: no rainbow sprinkles!

So what are you waiting for? Go satisfy that ice cream craving!

The Vineyard, No Longer Home of Black Dog

Going over to the Vineyard used to be such a treat when I was a kid; taking the slow-but-steady ferry or maybe the somewhat speedy Island Queen, eating my favorite ice cream at Mad Martha’s, riding the prettiest painted horse on the Flying Horses Carousel and trying desperately to nab that brass ring, then grabbing lunch at The Black Dog Tavern of Cafe, and maybe mom will even give in and buy that overly-priced Black Dog sweatshirt you want so badly.

Well nowadays, you are sure to run into a Black Dog Store if you come to the Cape without even taking the short voyage to the Vineyard. There are now 13 Black Dog Stores altogether, including a few on the island and Nantucket, stretching to the Mainland in Falmouth, P-town, and Chatham and reaching all the way to Portland, Maine and Newport, Rhode Island.

Why did this small, celebrated, local piece of Cape Cod have to become something more? My only hope is that the Café, Tavern, and Bakery do not follow suit and take to the Mainland. We need to keep these Black Dog favorites intrinsic to the Vineyard. Driving to downtown Falmouth to shop at The Black Dog is just not the same as taking a memorable ferry boat ride there. And Portland, what are they doing with our Black Dog?

FA Gets Idea of Renewable Energy Spinning

Yesterday afternoon Falmouth Academy took a huge leap to going green. Alternate Energy Systems finished positioning a 92-foot pole adjacent to Beebe Woods, which is going to be the base for Falmouth’s first wind turbine.

The small 215-student school has already been recognized by the state as a leader in recycling ad conservation. After an Algebra II class went through the mathematical procedures with information given by WHOI and the manufacturer, the turbine is expected to provide up to 10% of the school’s electricity needs. The $70,000 project is partly being paid for by a $47,000 grant from the Massachusetts Technology Collaboration.

There are a few other turbines scattered across Cape schools, including Upper Cape Cod Regional Technical School and Mass Maritime Academy. This addition to the Cape’s growing collection of wind turbines demonstrates the great push the Cape community is making to go green and reduce energy costs with renewable energy options.

Cherrystones, Devastated by Fire

A Cape favorite, Cherrystones Restaurant & Lounge, caught fire on the morning of Saturday, April 21 and most of the building burnt down and is now destroyed. Firefighters from several towns were called to the scene at around11:45 AM. Officials speculate that a faulty electrical wire sparked the blaze that crept all the way up into the ceiling and devastated most of the building on Nathan Ellis Highway in Mashpee.

The small, elegant restaurant that many from around the Cape enjoyed dining at regularly, including myself, is now out of commission for an indefinite amount of time. After 18 years in business, it can only be hoped that Cherrystones gets back on its feet soon to continue serving up excellence…especially my favorite Seafood Scampi over angel hair. I miss it already.

Angel's Hope in Harwich

Give a swab of saliva on Saturday and help save a life at the Angel’s Hope Walk in Harwich.

On May 5, Cape Codders interested in being bone marrow donors may register right here on the Cape instead of driving up to the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston. The Caitlyn Raymond International Registry will be coming to the Harwich Community Center from 10 AM to 1 PM for people interested in entering the registry of donors.

Those interested will only have to answer a few questions and have their mouths swabbed quickly and it is free of charged.

It costs $15 to walk in the seventh annual Angel’s Hope Walk, which also begins at 10 AM from the Community Center. The four-mile walk raises money and assists families in paying for cancer treatment for children. Martha Knapp started Angel’s Hope after her son died of cancer at the age of three. She was recently highlighted in Cape Cod Life’s April issue of the “400 People Who Make A Difference.”