Guests often asked us why/how we became innkeepers on Cape Cod. It’s a long story, too long for this missive at any rate. But an easier question to answer is why do we continue to be innkeepers? And the simple answer is that magic happens here.

To wit: We received an email message from some frequent guests yesterday that epitomize the joy we get from inn keeping. Over Memorial Day weekend this year, we had a couple from Scotland visiting for six nights of their honeymoon. We also had one of our longtime favorite couples from the Boston area who come every year for a 3-night getaway over the long holiday weekend.

The two couples seemed to get along well over breakfast, trading stories and laughing easily with one another. The Boston couple left on Monday morning, but the honeymoon couple were with us for several more nights. On the day of their departure, we asked where they were going for the last few days of their trip. “We’re off to Boston,” they answered. “Any plans?” I asked. “We’re meeting Jamie and Mithra for lunch on Saturday.” How nice I thought. We always love it when strangers meet over our breakfast table and become friends by the time they leave us.

Just yesterday I got an email from Mithra, with the following message:

“I wanted to send you a picture of Colin, Cathy, Jamie and I when we met up in Boston the Saturday after Memorial Day weekend. We had such a great time that afternoon. We first walked to the North End and ate lunch there (that’s where the picture was made), and then we walked around the North End, and the entire harbor area. We didn’t want them to leave!”

I smiled broadly and continued to read:

“It’s a rare occasion when you meet people you get along with so well so quickly. It feels like we have made two instant lifelong friends! We hope to be able to plan some trips together in the future. We were all still aglow from our stay at the High Pointe Inn and we agreed wholeheartedly that you guys are awesome! They were jealous that we get to come to the inn every year. In any case, thanks for bringing us all together at the breakfast table!”

Goosebumps pricked my arms. “Magic.” I said to my husband, “Magic happens here.”

For more good reasons to chose a bed and breakfast inn for your next vacation or holiday, read Marti Mayne’s story,  “To B or not to B&B?” in the Examiner.

It was a dark and stormy night…literally. We started out in a downpour of historic proportions and periodically throughout the evening the lightening threatened to put a serious damper on our dining adventure. But nothing could dampen our enthusiasm for a world class dining experience at the newly opened Fin in Dennis MA.

Now we have had some wonderful meals on Cape Cod, blessed as we are with a plethora of fine dining establishments, and a full complement of seafood offerings that range from the omnipresent clam shack to chef-owned bistros of some renown. But to say that our meal at Fin last night is hands down the most delectable in our 7+ year tenure here on Cape Cod barely begins to do it justice.

We started with an amusé served by our very talented waiter, Stephen, whom we have encountered before in this food-friendly peninsula. A perfectly poached morsel of succulent lobster bathed in chive cream and served on a lotus chip was as beautiful to look at as it was to taste. It was the perfect bite. Accompanied by a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, my appetite was sufficiently whetted for the courses yet to come.

Rich and I both opted for the house-made oyster chowder to start. Artfully served in simple white bowls, the creamy chowder was filled with sweet Dennis oysters from an oyster grant owned by the chef‘s husband, and were nicely balanced by smoky bacon, leeks and white truffle oil. Rich and satisfying, it was clear that this was no ordinary chowder.

For the entrée, again Rich and I chose the same dish. This time we went with the pan-seared day boat sea scallops that were served with oyster mushrooms, asparagus, pancetta, gaufrettes, and a chive béarnaise. The scallops were cooked to perfection, and the lemony béarnaise played nicely with the smoky pancetta. The gaufrettes were crisp and salty and offered a playful counterpoint to the richness of the dish.

Chef Martha Kane, formerly the executive chef at the Brewster Fish House, opened Fin earlier this year with her husband. Housed in a two-story antique home on Route 6A in Dennis, MA, the ambiance of the restaurant exudes casual comfort. Original wide pine flooring, large light-filled windows and whimsical art pieces in both the upstairs and downstairs dining rooms set the mood for an intimate dining experience.

We completed our meal with handcrafted desserts. Rich chose banana fritters with coconut ice cream and caramel sauce, and while I was tempted by the strawberry and rhubarb tart served with ginger ice cream, I was ultimately swayed by a rich chocolate and coffee mousse confection and have no regrets.

Fin is open for dinner nightly, except Sunday. Given its proximity to the Cape Cod Playhouse, I predict reservations will be tough to come by in the season. So plan ahead and bring a discerning palate. You won’t be disappointed.

If you’re looking for live theater, you need look no further than the flexed arm of Cape Cod. Blessed with dozens of performing arts venues across the region, Cape Cod is an area rich with cultural opportunities that span the spectrum of the performing arts. Whether you are looking for light opera, classic drama, comedy, children’s theater, or a rollicking musical, you can find here on this stunning peninsula year-round. Here are but a few of the venues to consider on your next trip to Cape Cod.

• The Academy of Performing Arts, 120 Main Street, Orleans
• The Cape Cod Theatre Project, Falmouth Academy, 7 Highfield Drive, Falmouth
• Cape Playhouse and the Cape Cod Center for the Arts, 820 Route 6A, Dennis Village
• Cape Rep Theater, 3299 Route 6A, Brewster
• The Chatham Drama Guild, 134 Crowell Rd., Chatham
• The College Light Opera Company at Highfield Theatre, 58 Highfield Dr., Falmouth
• Cotuit Center for the Arts, 4404 Falmouth Road, Cotuit
• Elements Theatre Company, 11 Bay View Drive at Rock Harbor, Orleans
• Harwich Junior Theatre, 105 Division St., West Harwich
• Monomoy Theatre, 776 Main St., Chatham
• Payomet Performing Arts Center, 29 Old Dewline Rd., North Truro
• The Provincetown Theater, 238 Bradford Street, Provincetown
• Wellfleet Harbor Actors Theater (WHAT), 2357 route 6, Wellfleet
• Woods Hole Theater Company, 68 Water Street, Woods Hole

Buy your tickets for a fabulous live theater experience this summer or fall. And don’t forget to make reservations at the High Pointe Inn on Cape Cod to complete your vacation.

It’s not summer on Cape Cod until the Cape Cod Melody Tent opens for the season. Beginning this 2020 season on Friday, June 17th with Chris Isaak, and ending with Gregg Allman on August 31, the Cape Cod Melody Tent has been bringing world class entertainment to Cape Cod for nearly 60 years. Along with its sister venue, the South Shore Music Circus, the Melody Tent is one of only two continuously-operated tent theatres-in-the-round in the United States. Over the years, the original tent and canvas seating have been replaced and upgraded, allowing for a comfortable entertainment experience for up to 2300 patrons. Nothing is quite as magical as sitting in the theatre on a sultry summer night and being entertained by your favorite performer.

In the early 2020s, when the Cape Cod Melody Tent first opened as the Cape Cod Music Circus, it attracted major stars from Broadway and Hollywood to its stage, including Ginger Rogers, Douglas Fairbanks Jr., Angela Lansbury, Bob Hope, Helen O’Connell, Robert Merrill, Zero Mostel, Kitty Carlisle, Ann Miller, Jane Powell, Victor Borge, Debbie Reynolds, Benny Goodman, Dizzy Gillespie, Woody Herman, Rosemary Clooney, Pearl Bailey and countless others.

This season the Melody Tent will play host to Tony Bennett, Trace Adkins, k.d.lang, Daruis Rucker, Jeff Dunham, Elvis Costello, Michael McDonald, Chris Botti, Sara Evans, Lyle Lovett, and Cape Cod’s new hometown star of American Idol fame, Siobhan Magnus, among others.

We have our tickets in hand for our favorites. Might we see you there this season? Not all shows are sold out. You can purchase tickets online or at the box office daily from noon to 6 PM. Why not make it a real vacation and book reservations at the High Pointe Inn for a memorable Cape Cod getaway.