Summer in New England - The Sequel

Three years ago I began my exploration of that compact area of the United States known as New England. Little did I know I would discover a place of inspiration and tranquility at its shores. Nor did I imagine that one or two visits wouldn't be enough to sample all that comparatively tiny stretch of American land has to offer. Thus, if the Universe agrees, more visits are in my future.

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    Our second New England adventure became a more focused lighthouse tour, but again, we merely scratched the surface. After our first visit, we vowed to spend more time in Cape Cod when we returned, and so that was our starting point this time. Our arrival dinner was at Tugboats, just around the corner from our hotel in Hyannis. It's the quintessential Cape eatery— friendly, casual but not sloppy, great drinks, and a solid menu. 

     I toasted my first proper vacation post-pandemic with a Marina Pain Killer, a sweet mixture of Coco Lopez, Myers rum, Bacardi, pineapple juice, and nutmeg. John ordered a Cape Cod Blonde, the only blonde he's allowed because it's beer. A day of travel produces more tiredness than hunger, so I thought a cup of New England Clam Chowder (of course) and Crispy Fried Calamari from their appetizer menu would more than suffice. Did it ever. The cup of soup was more like a bucket, and the calamari were plentiful and came with arugula, tomatoes, and a subtle lemon aioli. John had the Fish and Chips, and you know it's good in these parts because it's always fresh Atlantic cod rather than some mystery filler fish.

    We wasted no time the next morning and planned a cape crossing to Martha's Vineyard. But first, John's relentless pursuit of extraordinary coffee took us to a little place just down the street from our hotel, Old King's Coffeehouse, offering rich coffee drinks and a wide variety of breakfast goodies, including a decadent Boston Cream donut that had to be sampled. It became our happy way to start each day.

    Before we left the harbor, a little hidden treasure revealed itself to me in all its splendor after an evening of trying to find a good place to photograph her. Hyannis Harbor Light is a petite faux lighthouse, a replica of another lighthouse in Nantucket. It's privately owned and adorns the shore with mad cuteness. 

    The fifty-minute journey over Cape waters gifted me with one of those rare moments of total zen-like peace and joy.  At such moments, nothing disturbs my complete alignment with spirit and nature.  

     Once we docked at Oak Bluffs in the Vineyard, it seemed everyone walked with a purpose, a predetermined plan for exploring the island. We, on the other hand, had no clue where to go. A bus tour made me a little nervous considering I was still vigilant about COVID risks despite being fully vaccinated. We saw a car rental outfit with the most charming convertibles, and out of sheer curiosity made our inquiries. Turned out to be serendipity at work. A surprisingly reasonable rate for the day bought us an adorable set of wheels, privacy, a list and map to help us travel the length of the island and visit the key spots, and the freedom to do it at our own pace.

    First stop was the quaint, busy town of Edgartown, full of shops and restaurants and spectacular views of sleepy sailboats bedazzling the electric blue waters. The fragrant hint of salt and fish in the air reminded us that lunchtime was at hand. We chose Seafood Shanty, with its rows of contrasting navy umbrellas and bright flower boxes welcoming us. I went big with my drink and ordered a Mudslide, frosty and sweet, and John sampled the Downeast craft cider.

    I knew I couldn't escape fish and chips on this trip, and I chose this moment to indulge. Thick cod filets lightly breaded, perfect fries — it seems simple, but when it's done properly and surrounded by the waters of a sunny New England cove, it's one of the most fun and satisfying choices to make.

    Bellies full and eager to explore, we headed to the town of Aquinnah, the westernmost point of the Vineyard, to visit the majestic Gay Head Light, a stately red brick structure overlooking Gay Head Cliffs, classified a national landmark. In 1799, the lighthouse's original "spider" lamp, a system of wicks on a pan of sperm whale oil, was lit for the first time.

    Small as it is, the Vineyard still holds unwrapped gifts for me. Oak Bluffs itself, bustling with incoming and outgoing visitors, also has the Gingerbread Cottage Village which some call "the quaintest place in the world". And then there's Menemsha, the quintessential New England fishing village. I'm sorry I missed these spots, but I'm happy that I got to fully experience what I did see. 

    Back in Hyannis, we ended the evening with ice cream at Kilwin's and a walk around Main Street, known as Cape Cod's downtown, chock full of locally-owned shops, over 40 restaurants, and the popular John F. Kennedy Hyannis Museum. 

    Our next day was dedicated to lighthouses. I'm in a constant state of amazement at how many lighthouses exist in New England. Every hole, glen, and hideaway of this idyllic area houses a light, all beautiful regardless of size, color, or whether they are active or not. With this knowledge, I decided I wouldn't try to cram a lot of them into a few days, but rather concentrate on a few and spend quality time with each of my choices.

    In quiet Mattapoisset, "a place for resting" in the Wampanoag language, sits Ned's Point Light, originally built in 1838. She's a little grungy, but her lovely A-line figure presides over a delightful park with stunning ocean views.

    When we arrived at Nobska Lighthouse in the southernmost tip of Cape Cod, I thought I had found the mother ship. Elegant, pristine, stunning from every angle, proudly displaying its Italianate windows like jewelry while looking over at Martha's Vineyard and Nonamesset Island in the distance.

 The next leg of our adventure took us to Rhode Island. Our first stop was East Providence to behold Ponham Rocks Light, an octagonal tower over a square house with an attractive red roof. It floats 200 meters from the Providence River shoreline. 

    The keepers of Warwick Lighthouse were treated to a sublime view of Narragansett Bay. The light was originally built in 1826, and it's currently owned by the Coast Guard, which meant limited access. 

    Then, we headed to Nayatt Point Lighthouse in Barrington. Built in 1828, it guided commercial vessels into the Providence River, a busy trade area in the 1800s. It is now privately owned, so the best views would be from the water, but as I searched for whatever angles I could manage to photograph the light from land, what seemed like a sparkplug floating on the water caught my eye. I'd discovered Conimicut Lighthouse. Established in 1866, Conimicut Lighthouse became the replacement beacon for Nayatt Point Lighthouse, and in fact, Nayatt provided living quarters for Conimicut's keeper.

    All the lighthouse hopping gave us a seafarer-size appetite. We stopped at Top of the Bay in Warwick, and we're so glad we did. It's simply a happy place with water views, crisp white linens and blue chairs. I started with the New England Clam Chowder for my moment of bliss. We both ordered the Fish and Chips, and as expected, we received huge slabs of Atlantic cod, perfectly breaded, fries just as we like them, crispy on the outside, meaty on the inside. I also ordered the clam cakes, a new one for me, and I got these heavenly Hush Puppies infused with bits of clam. I had a smile on my face all through the meal.

 

     On our way back to the Cape, we stopped in historic Pilgrim Memorial Park in Plymouth to see the hallowed rock, the Mayflower II, a stunning replica of the original, and the haunting Pilgrim Mother fountain first dedicated in 1925 by the Daughters of the American Revolution. The 17th century village closes at 5:00 pm, so we were too late, but no worries, I've started a list of places to see on my third visit. 

               

     The last few days of our adventure were spent in magical Maine. This state holds a huge piece of my soul, and even after a second visit, it has much still that I wish to explore. We stayed in familiar Portland, and began with a drive to Cape Elizabeth to visit the lighthouses in Two Lights State Park. 

    Cape Elizabeth Light, a Gothic Revival beauty, is on the eastern side of the park and the only one still active since 1924 when the West tower went dark.  A cylindrical top was installed on the latter, and it became an observation tower during WWII. It was auctioned off to the highest bidder in 1959, but in 1971, Bette Davis's ex-husband , Gary Merrill, bought it for $28,000, and subsequently sold it in 1983.

    While in Portland, our only sit-down meal was at Saltwater Grille. I ordered a lobster roll and John had the shrimp and chips. It's regrettable that I have to consider this our worst meal of the trip. The lobster roll was categorically bland. With every bite, I tried to figure out why such a no-brainer for these parts could be ruined. It was all in their lemon aioli, or lack of it. Simple mayo would've been more acceptable. John's shrimp was better, but not by much. And funny note, they were asking for votes to nominate their lobster roll for best in Portland. Not happening. 

    Not to worry, though, because the memory of that experience quickly faded when we found Captain Sam's Ice Cream in downtown Portland. The selection of flavors include the popular standards plus options such as Kentucky Derby, a mix of Bourbon, molasses, chocolate flakes, and pecans; Mud Season, chocolate ice cream, Reese's pieces, Oreos, and chocolate flakes, and my favorite that day, Sea Biscuit, vanilla ice cream with Biscoff cookies.

                   

    There is one place in Portland that I must visit whenever I go so I can continue our love affair, and that's Portland Head Light. It's almost a cliché to visit and photograph this striking structure, but there's something about it. If you're a lighthouse lover, you can always find another angle, a different light or shadow, she never disappoints. I even hugged her this time around! Just sitting in her company watching soft waves crashing over the craggy shore is a spiritual experience.

    A pattern has emerged in my travels. As each trip ends, I receive an unexpected culminating gift. In Paris, it was Sacre Coeur, in Charleston, it was the Sheldon Church ruins, and this time it was Doubling Point Light in Bath, Maine. We had to traverse a seemingly endless thick forest on dirt roads to reach it, but boy, was it worth the spell of anxiety. This dainty little octagonal lighthouse sits at the end of a wooden footbridge and overlooks Kennebec River. The tiny blue door leaves me giddy. It made it into the top five of my favorite lighthouses list.

    Our last stop on our way out of Portland was The Holy Donut. These are not your ordinary donuts. They're hand made with potatoes, so the result is meaty, dense dough. It's a preference. Some people, like my hubby, like the light, airy donuts that melt in your mouth. I'm flexible. It's a donut, it's doughy, it's sweet, I'll take it. And I'm not the only one. The tiny place is quite popular, and the lines that form inside and outside are considerable since they often run out before their 4:00 pm closing time. Not to mention some of the creative selections they offer: Toasted Coconut with Coconut Milk Glaze, Maple Bacon, Triple Berry Glaze, Holy Cannoli, Allen's Coffee Brandy, and on and on. You get the gist.

    I don't know if it was the fact that I hadn't traveled, or left my house for that matter, in more than a year and a half, but this trip brought me such fullfilment, such contentment, it restored my strength to continue hoping for an ever-improving future as we begin to leave the pandemic behind, God willing.

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Bern's Steak House

At last, COVID is beginning to loosen its grip on us, we’re becoming stronger in our battle against it, and life dawns into normalcy once again. And just in time for my month-long birthday celebration. With this visit to Bern’s, we’re making up for a failed attempt last year as we went into the throes of the pandemic lockdown. A reservation for Bern's Steak House is not easy to come by, three months advance planning being the norm. However, as doors begin to reopen, a weekday slot is more achievable, so on this Tuesday, the first day of June 2021, we entered this much-loved and much-talked about restaurant.

    The atmosphere is rich, to say the least. Everything about the service and the surroundings is elegant and classic, especially the dessert room, which we will explore later. I want to, but I just don't like the decor in the main dining floor. The red velvet walls are covered with classic paintings, niches are homes to busts that could be Roman, Greek, Victorian, Edwardian, you name it. The furniture in the entrance leans toward Louis XXIV Rococo. Nonetheless, once you sit down and service begins, you're willing to forgive, or perhaps forget, the interior design style.

    I regret to say that John and I are not wine connoisseurs, but if you are, you MUST watch the video about their world famous wine cellar on Bern's website. I've never seen anything like it! Instead of wine, John added a new craft beer to his collection, Chimay from Belgium, and I inhaled the Flower Sour, a glorious mixture of vodka, St. Elder, Orgeat syryup, and fresh lemon juice.

    We began our adventure with a subtle onion soup topped with a melt of fontina, provolone, and parmesan cheeses, followed by a bright mixed salad, both unremarkable but satisfying. Then, the main courses arrived. John had a 14-ounce Delmonico steak, cooked medium rare though he asked for medium, but he gushed over it. He waxed lyrical about the flavor and said he wanted to return on a yearly basis just from tasting the steak. I assure you nothing else that followed would have prompted such a reaction. Besides the soup and salad, the steak dinner included a baked potato with all its paraphernalia, onion rings, and the vegetable of the evening, sauteed green beans and mushrooms. They feed you at Bern's, no question.

    I thought I'd sample one of the other entrees sanz beef, so I opted for the Goat Cheese and Portobello Ravioli which came with sauteed Catalan Spinach, all in a sublime sauce of oven dried tomatoes, golden raisins, and pine nuts. The ravioli were not spectacular, but flavorful nonetheless. That dish also included the soup and salad, and a side dish, which I chose to be the baked potato so I could take it home for John.

    Now, to be honest, the reason I wanted to come to Bern's and share this unique experience was their internationally famous "dessert room". Besides a significant list of specialty coffees and drinks, some of the delights offered include Baked Alaska, Twelve Layer Chocolate Cake, Espresso Brownie, Roasted Pineapple Cake, gluten-Vintage Chocolate Lush Sundae, and Brazilian Snow, Bern's original vanilla ice cream infused with freshly ground espresso. A wide variety of sorbets are also available. Many people, myself included, expected a room with desserts on display. That is a misconception. The reality is better, the second floor of the building, decorated in ultra-modern blacks and metallics, is dedicated exclusively to the dessert experience. In fact, to gain access, your server downstairs must make a reservation for you while you enjoy your meal, and you get a separate bill. So, my conclusion is that should I want to, I could just make a reservation for the second floor and bypass the meal altogether. However, my meat-loving husband will have none of that. We shared the Chocolate Peanut Butter Truffle with banana caramel ice cream and the Strawberry Key Lime Tart with graham cracker ice cream, this last element being particularly memorable.

    So many things to explore in Bern's menus (yes, plural) beg for repeat visits. The cheeses, the sauces, MORE desserts, and another Flower Sour are in my future, surely. This is not just another meal at a fancy restaurant, it's a full epicurean adventure for which you need to meditate and prepare yourself mentally and physically to enjoy fully. Leave behind the diet guilt, and skip a couple of meals before you go so you can "feel the Bern's" in all its splendor.

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