Seafood Sam’s , Casual Dining on a Canal

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Seafood Sam’s is Food with a View

Sail Boat cruising the Cape Cod Canal

Seafood Sam’s is a summer staple for me. Alone or in a group I have to make the trip to Sandwich, MA at least once a summer. Seated at a metal picnic table on a covered outdoor deck one can watch the boats cruising the Cape Cod Canal with a plate of succulent seafood to enjoy.

Seafood Sam's sign in Sandwich MaThe Seafood Sam’s Story

The first Seafood Sam’s opened in 1974 in an old laundromat. Tiny with no seating, there were only 6 employees. Their equipment was ancient but serviceable and Sam had a dream. Today that dream has expanded to  three locations, all located on Cape Cod. You can find a Seafood Sam’s in Sandwich, Falmouth and South  Yarmouth.

In the Good ‘ol Summertime

I like Seafood Sam’s because it screams summer to me. Nice breezes off the canal or ocean, fresh seafood, the cry of gulls. Its Casual Dining too so shorts and flip flops are the dress code. Comfortable is theme of the day. I bet you could even wear that Hawaiian shirt from your Aloha vacation!dining area

What’s your Favorite Summer Meal?

What meal do you crave when the sun gets warm and the soft ocean breezes begin calling your name? I wonder what food means summertime to you? Is it Lobster, clams, scallops? Do you like them fried, steamed, in a salad, broiled or baked? How about an old fashioned clam bake on the beach with lobsters and corn on the cob?

Seafood Sam’s Menu

fried seafood plate with friesYou may not be able to get a clam bake on the beach at Seafood Sam’s but you can get just about everything else. They have fish and chips along with everything else I mentioned and save room for dessert. I saw some chocolate chunk cookies that look like they were to die for! I resisted. My lunch version ( slightly smaller portion) of fried scallops was plenty filling. Like Goldilocks I found the meal that was just right!

If You GoSeafood Sam's in Sanwich MA

If you go expect that it can get busy. You’ll find yourself standing in line to place your order.I figure it’s just more time to study the menu board. Ocean breezes can make even a summer day feel cool so you might want a sweater or windbreaker if you plan to sit outside. At the Sandwich location be sure to visit the Cape Cod Canal Visitor Center. It’s right next door and filled with interesting information about the amazing canal. 

All those Little Things

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Those Things you almost forget to mention

I’ve got a few things to share with you. A little of this and a little of that. Things I forgot to mention and things that just didn’t seem to fit in any place else. So today’s post is a little bit of house keeping.

The “Sandcastles”

This post really seemed to hit the spot. So I want to share a couple more photos. The first one is The Sand with the Dragon Tattoo. Catchy

Sand sculpted like a dragon

Then there’s the sculpture named Wishful Thinking. Who among us haven’t indulged in wishful thinking at one time or another? Here’s a little I dream of Jeannie magic along with the winning lottery ticket. That’s really Wishful Thinking!

If you’d like to see more of my pictures from the Competition, you can stop by  http://dustyroadsphotos.zenfolio.com/p955600703. Be sure to sign the guest book and say Hi.

My Photo Page Has Gone to The BirdsFlamingos

Speaking of my photo page link, I had it in my menu but it disappeared. I’ve been trying to figure out what went wrong. You should be able to see it and click on it. Its really bumming me out. I will get it figured out but it might be awhile. Technology is not my friend, its my challenge. I put together a lovely slide show with music. The theme is Birds. So until I get the link fixed, you can find my Birds slide show at http://dustyroadsphotos.zenfolio.com/

 

 

Did I forget the Dessert?

Remember the Birthday Celebration at Woods Hole? I never told you where we ended up for dessert. A birthday celebration needs cake and ice cream so that’s what we had.  Leaving Woods Hole we made a stop in Falmouth, MA at Cupcake Charlie’s . What a great way to have Cake and Ice Cream. Everyone can choose their own flavors. Its easy to see why Cupcake Charlie’s is called “New England’s Best Cupcakes”.

Sift Ice Cream And a Cupcake

“Life is Short . . . Eat a Cupcake”

Not Your Everyday Sand Castle

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Sand Castles or Sand Sculpting

Abstract sculpture showing 2 enrgies

Don’t come to see sand castles at Revere Beach, Massachusetts. These sand artists traded plastic buckets and toy shovels for coal shovels and palette knives. Each artist gets 12 tons of sand and an 18’ x 18’ exhibit area in which to mount their own sculptures. This year, 15 artists from the United States, Canada, Russia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, and Italy competed.

14 Years and countingFood Truck Line the street next to the beach

This is the 14th year for this competition. More than a contest, this is a festival with live music, food trucks and carnival rides. A DJ keeps the action pumping as the beat goes on. All around the sculptors beach goers swim and splash. The artists have from Friday at 10 am until Saturday at 2 pm to  create their masterpiece. That’s a great time to get action photos of these sand magicians. This year there are no teams, no duos. It’s all solo sculpting.

The Team EffortRats and Mice on barrels

The centerpiece sculpture is a team effort. All of the competitors worked together to create the main attraction, a twenty-foot-wide recreation of the U.S.S. Constitution. It even has cannons that fire. They are only water cannons but that just adds to the fun. Unsuspecting visitors get a good soaking when they linger in the “splash zone”.

 Sand Sculpting the USS constitution

Making a Statement

Just about all of the sculptors use the venue to make a statement. Some are more clear than others. Some make you think others may make you sad, or angry but like any good art, they all move you.

Mystical Griffin meets human boy

I think my favorite was this one titled “Who are you?”.  A griffin makes the acquaintance of a little human boy. Whimsical and provocative. It made me smile and feel warm all over.

dead mother elephant and dying babiesOne known  simply  as “Save the Elephants” was very powerful. It disturbed me. I admired the workmanship and agree with the message, but I can’t say that I liked it. The image was sad and depressing. I guess it made it’s point.baby elephant

And the winner is…Soul Evolution

David Like scupture representing the evolution of the human soul

The winning sculptor was from Russia. Like all of the sculptures it was thought provoking. I thought it was a beautiful piece of art.  It reminded me of the great Greek sculptures. What a shame they don’t last long. Here today and gone tomorrow, water is a part of each sculpture at the start  as well as part of the end. With a good rain it all dissolves away.

Woods Hole is More than A Pretty Cape Cod Town

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Woods Hole is More than A Pretty Cape Cod Town

Woods Hole, Massachusetts has always loomed large in my mind. As a kid growing up I wanted to be a Marine Biologist. At that time the place to be in that field was Woods Hole.  Cutting edge science discoveries came out of Woods Hole. Besides, they had all of the cool toys like the RV Atlantis.

The RV AtlantisRV Atlantis home to Alvin

We actually got to see it, the RV Atlantis. The RV stands for research vessel. It is one of three ships built to roughly the same specifications. Her main claim to fame is that she is often home to the DSV Alvin. DSV is Deep Submersible Vessel.  Alvin came to the public’s attention as the DSV that explored the Titanic.  Pretty cool, huh. Ok so I’m getting my “geek” on. So sorry . We didn’t see Alvin or even get on the Atlantis but for a science freak like me it was pretty special.

Follow the Fish

Squid gateWe passed a large gate adorned with squid as we wandered in the direction of the Woods Hole Science Aquarium. You really can’t miss it. Just follow the fish signs. Outside the aquarium is a decorative whale sculpture and the seal enclosure. It’s was quite sad to see the empty enclosure. Two long term residents had just died and the aquarium closed the exhibit to investigate the deaths. As far as I know they have not released any conclusions. Painted Whale scupture

Lovely Fish and more

colorful yellow fishThe aquarium is free, donations only. It’s very tiny. It won’t take even an hour to explore but the aquariums are well lit, clean and colorful. There is even a behind the scenes exhibit where you can watch the water get pumped in and filtered. Various fish swim in separate tanks apparently off display or possibly quarantined. They have a touch tank there and they  had a  cute little turtle. Cute little turtle swiming

 

colorful reef fishI’d be boring and out of my league if I started naming all of the fish they had on display so I won’t even try but they do have sea horses! 

If You Go

Woods Hole Science Aquarium is open Tuesday – Saturday, 11-4. Admission is free but donations are appreciated. Parking is very limited especially during the summer. Visitors should use public transportation if possible. There is  no off-street parking available (other than two handicapped spaces). The village has on-street metered parking, but the spots fill up quickly in busy summer months. During the summer, you may want to park in Falmouth and use the capecodtransit.org.

A Cape Cod Birthday Celebration

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A Cape Cod Birthday Celebration

What more could you ask for than spending summer time on Cape Cod. Throw in a birthday to celebrate and you have the ingredients for a perfect day. The question is, can you get there?

First there is the driveBourne Bridge to Cape Cod

 The only way on or off the “Cape” is over one of 2 bridges, the Sagamore and the Bourne. Which one you take depends on where you want to go on  the Cape. The Birthday Girl wanted a”lobsta roll” by the sea.  The Phantom Gourmet suggested Captain Kidd Restaurant in Woods Hole. The Cape Cod Birthday Adventure began at 10:30 am in Brockton, MA. About 3 miles from the Bourne Bridge traffic came to a complete stop. It didn’t matter that we were on a highway with a speed limit of 65 mph. Summer Cape traffic had brought our little excursion to a halt.

Cross Over The Bridge

We had reservations at the restaurant for 1 pm. By 12:00 we had the bridge in sight but we were still just inching along. Finally we squeezed into the 2 lanes of traffic to climb the bridge over the Cape Cod Canal. The views from the bridge are amazing, marred only by the suicide barrier installed to keep the depressed and hopeless alive until they can get help. What a depressing thought!

Captain Kidd RestaurantPicture window

Once over the bridge the traffic began to move and in less that 30 minutes we were entering the little town of Woods Hole. We spotted the restaurant as we waited for a draw bridge to close after letting several small pleasure boats pass from the inner harbor out to the open ocean.

With luck we found parking about a block from the restaurant. In spite of the reservation there was no room on the outdoor deck. The compromise was a table right in front of a large picture window looking out over the inner harbor.

 

Lobster rollsLobster Rolls were the lunch of the day as the birthday girl, her son and daughter all indulged in the seasonal delicacy.

 

I had to be different with a plate of fried sea scallops fresh from the boat. Trust me, you can’t mistake frozen for fresh. The difference is huge. Fried Scallops

 

 

 

 

We were all stuffed after that lunch so a break at the Aquarium before we looked for desert seemed like a great plan.