Showing posts with label Steamers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Steamers. Show all posts

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

A Cape Cod Wedding

Why yes, I am going to dedicate a post to the wedding I attended about a month ago. I've been traveling, you understand. Plus, this was one amazing wedding that could not go un-blogged. Enjoy!

On August 27th at 4:30pm our good friends Mike and Trisha were married at the historic Highfield Hall in Falmouth, MA. Narrowly escaping Hurricane Irene - my heart goes out to the couple whose wedding at this very same venue for Sunday, August 28th, was canceled. Can you imagine? (Understanding, the devastation of Irene proved much worse for many, I'm not discounting that fact for a second.) But back to the blissfully happy, incredible fun weekend at hand. Adam and Mike are childhood friends, so since Adam was in the wedding we arrived on Friday afternoon in anticipation of the rehearsal dinner. We checked into our downtown Falmouth hotel - The Inn on the Square, settled into our room,and explored our quaint surroundings on North Main St. Even though I grew up on Cape Cod, the extent of my visits to Falmouth were high school soccer games and track meets. It is a good 30-45 minute drive from my hometown of Yarmouth Port and typically, if I do any additional travel during my visits to Cape Cod, it is to the Lower Cape. (Orleans, Nauset Beach, Wellfleet, Truro, Provincetown.) As you can see, Falmouth is a lovely town, highlighted by a sunny, blue skied afternoon (no doubt, the calm before the storm.) We woke up on Saturday to a thick blanket of fog and impending rainstorms. After a swim in the hotel pool, a hearty breakfast at Persy's Place and few relaxing hours in the room, it was off to Highfield Hall!The ceremony and reception were already moved indoors, where special touches adorned the space, like the bride and groom's initials hanging on the wall above them and a happily ever after banner strung below.The groomsmen kept it casual with tan linen pants, the lightest shade of sea foam green collared shirts and brown reef sandals.
The bridesmaids all wore a different shade of blue and varying styles of strapless dresses. I loved how they all looked unique yet cohesive. And the bride was of course, stunning. The ceremony was personalized and touching. Aww. Happily ever after indeed!Cocktail hour was held on the back wraparound porch.It proved to be a quintessential Cape Cod Wedding through and through. From the tastefully done beach themed table locators and decor, to the raw bars freshly shucked oysters, clams and shrimp cocktail.There was a lobster bake dinner complete with clam chowder and a whole lobster each with all the fixins. Were talking a mesh bag full of briny steamers, plump mussels and fork tender red bliss potatoes with a side of crispy, lightly dressed coleslaw and the sweetest late summer corn on the cob. Plus a slice of bread and lots of warm melted butter. You just cant beat a feast like this one. (The wedding officiator to my right, is allergic to shellfish - so I think that explains the face.)We tied on the traditional plastic lobster bibs and dug in. The rest of the evening was filled with joyous wedding festivities as they go. The bride and groom cake was adorned with golden sprinkles to look like sand, frosting seashells, classic Adirondack beach chairs and a white picket dune fence. Vanilla cupcakes with a citrusy orange frosting topped with gold sprinkles and candy starfish for the guests, were divine. There was a photo booth - one of the most amusing I've ever taken part in.
And of course, dancing. Lots of it.......late into the evening after the reception ended at Liam Maguire's Irish Pub downtown. We had such a blast that night, and the next morning as we dodged falling trees and narrowly escaped the hurricane. Luckily, it seemed everyone had already evacuated or buckled down, as we were one of the few cars on the road proving the quickest ride off Cape all summer.

Where was the last wedding you attended?

Thursday, July 15, 2010

Lobstah Rolls

Last Saturday I mentioned to Adam my intense week long craving for a lobster roll. After letting my statement sink in a little bit, he then developed a craving too. No persuasion necessary, in that moment, he knew we needed to get them for lunch. But where?! We talked it out. Neptune Oyster? Nah to expensive and a tad to upscale for our lazy unshowered Saturday afternoon selves. J Hook & Co? Nah to far of a walk knowing full well it was going to downpour at any moment. Then we remembered the "Oyster Bar" over in Faneuil Hall / Quincy Market and off we went. Walrus and Carpenter is the name of said Oyster Bar. Locals - you know the one! They always has a pot set up encouraging free chowder samples.
We dodged the mobs of tourists, took a seat in a secluded corner of the bar and right away each ordered ourselves a Sam Summer ($5.50) on tap.
Really, it's not that difficult or annoying navigating through the ungodly crowds of Quincy Market when you know exactly what you want to eat and therefore what counter you want to end up at!
Steamers (Market Price) and Beer! Steamers ($14.75) and Beer!
Nothing better on a hot summer afternoon! Oh yea except the reason we were drawn here in the first place.
The Lobster Roll ($14.75) in all its glory. Although it is not served in the traditional hot dog bun, I do enjoy the dense, slightly crispy on the outside, doughy on the inside, sandwich roll in which the lobster is served.
Cold chunks of sweet lobster lightly are coated in mayonnaise and piled on a bed of bright green lettuce. On the side a bag of my favorite potato chips - Utz!The lobster meat is fresh. The portions are generous.
Lobster Roll Cravings? Walrus and Carpenter won't disappoint. (Their clam chowder is also really good!)
Even at peak tourist season in the middle of the afternoon we managed to snag two seats at the bar.
Our hospitable server offered to take our picture and I just couldn't turn him down. He totally thought we were tourists. Taking snapshots of everything around will give people that impression.
We managed to get caught in the flash flood on the walk home. We had fun with it though, jumping through puddles and running through the streets of the North End like our lives depended on it.
I do plan to try the Neptune Oyster's roll this summer. Where is your favorite place for Lobster Rolls?!
P.S. I'm a little behind. As you may have noticed, I just blogged about last Saturday. Life.is.busy. In a good way. But what else is new?!
Walrus & Carpenter on Urbanspoon