The Squire, Chatman, MA

One of the most wonderful things about the Wequasett Resort was that they offer free shuttle service to a couple of local towns, Chatham being one of them. We couldn't wait until 8 to eat the The Wild Duck and knew we wouldn't make it by 5:30 (the only two reservations they had), free shuttle or no, so we went to The Squire. It was going to be about 20 minutes for a table so we went to the bar and I got this lovely Basil Hayden manhattan.

By the time the hostess came to get us, we were happily into our cocktails and decided to stay at the bar. I got these yummy fried clams.

When we first sat down, there was a lovely older gentleman next to me and two older women next to him. He and his "lady friend" (from him, this was completely charming) were staying at their Chatham house and her friend was visiting. Sad to see them depart but even sadder at the arrival of the couple who took their seats. She was the drunkest woman I have ever seen (sorry, the pictures just don't do the situation justice). Dinner, drinks and a show...it doesn't get much better than that. They ordered spring rolls and she kept aiming for the dipping sauce and missing it. She apparently kept missing her mouth too because there was quite a bit of sauce and food particles on her face. The mess in front of and around her plate was astonishing. They eventually stumbled out and we went to the Wild Duck for dessert. Horribly chalky brownie sundae but good decaf cappuccino. They called the hotel to come get up and we enjoyed about one minute on the side patio until someone started smoking a stinky cigar. Are there any other kinds?

with a view

This is the view off our private porch on the afternoon we arrived.

This is the small private beach down a few steps from our porch and some boats you could rent if you we so inclined.

We drove down to Chatham Beach...really what happened is we took a wrong turn when driving to downtown Chatham (shopping/restaurants/galleries)

It was sunny but cool. The wind was blowing so hard it was almost like getting a mini-dermabrasion.

Chatham Lighthouse

A room...

I won two free nights at the snazzy looking Wequasset Resort on Cape Cod. Yes, free, no sales seminar to sit through, from American Express. I entered the raffle when I went to the reopening of their store in Harvard Square. Originally the coupon said good for rooms only between October 15 and November 30 and April 1 - May 15. So I whined a little and they let me have my prize on September 18 and 19; increasing the odds of us getting in some tanning hours.

Cathedral ceiling - makes me long for the day when my bloody extra room is done so I can start on the next project...knocking out the ceilings? building a porch? redoing the bathroom? All on the list. But I'm here to relax so no bad thoughts.

The bedding is lovely: nice fluffy comforters, huge pillows and lots of them. Vanity is separate from tub and toilet. There is coffee maker with a good variety of coffees, cocoa and tea. Mini bar prices with the exception of the wines seem reasonable - can of coke for 75 cents. Yup, we are still in 2009 not some weird time warp.

And here is what we saw when we walked up the three steps. A lovely private patio with a table and four chairs and two chaise lounges.

A few minutes after we start to settle in, there's a knock on the door and we receive a lovely cheese tray and a bottle of wine. We enjoy the cheese, fruit and crackers but not the weird orange spread. We were not able to figure out what is was but it left a seriously icky aftertaste. We hold off on the wine and head down to explore the town of Chatham.

We got a room which would go for $345 to 835/night depending on season. I would not be able to afford this under the best of economic circumstances but if I could, I would expect absolute perfection. There were some strange things going on at this place. The arm lamps above the beds were so loose we joked that we could have the room all summer long for the rest of our lives if one of them fell on our heads. The door jam was loose (and a huge chunk of weather sealant flapped) creating the perfect tripping opportunity. We had to call and ask for hand towels and face clothes even though they replaced towels, etc. at turn down and again with daily cleaning (what modern luxury hotel does not offer you the option of not replacing bedding and towels daily in order to save the environment by not wasting water on laundry when it is not needed - apparently this one). On Sunday morning, our tray and dishes from our arrival amenity on Friday were still on the patio table even though we called to have them removed. We had to ask for a mini-bar key. Mini-bar was open when we arrived but locked that night when we returned to the room (we were not asked at check in if we wanted key).

A room with a view? You bet. Did it make up for the flaws? ... to be continued.

Coogan's

Did I get a beer? Not likely. Did I forget to take the picture until after I had drunk half of it? I have done that before but no. This, my friends, is the Knob Creek manhattan I got for $11 or thereabouts at Coogan's, 160 Milk Street, Boston. And this, my friends, is just wrong. Yes, this is a beer joint but come on. Hit the restaurant supply store and buy a dozen cocktail glasses. Hit the outlet stores and get a dozen for $24. Where's your pride? My water glass looked eerily similar to this glass. It was kept full upon request but swept up and not replaced at one point. Never saw a food menu and was never offered one or asked if I wanted anything but this place has $10 lobsters and some other specials before 7 pm.

One of the draws is the Trivial Pursuit game. I think teams exist before they arrive; the group I was with is supposed to have some good players. My team (the man who insisted I take his business card who ditched me, the team, the whole kit-n-kaboodle for the blonde at the other end of the bar; the out-of-towner who pulled Frederick Douglas out of who knows where as the correct answer to one of the questions but offered nothing else for the rest of the game; and the only other person in there besides me who ordered a manhattan - same glass, same sad look) finished in the middle of the pack.

What I bought at Wally's and what I did with it

Happier subject - food. Here's what I bought at Wally's in Maine.

Corn - delicious. Potatoes - ditto. Purple pepper - ever even seen a purple pepper before. It smelled very much like a green pepper but was much milder in flavor. I roasted it and put in on a crusty piece of bread.

Tomato - very good but no dicernable difference in flavor from the one I bought at Lambert's. The basil and mozzarella in the salad are from Lamberts. Just a little Ken's Steak House Balsamic & Basil Vinaigrette on it.

Remodel - Day 8 (or I come home and cry after a wonderful weekend)

So I come home and just drop all the purchases and suitcase to run into the new space. I can't believe it. The floor looks nothing like the existing floor.

Do these floors look dark to you? Trust me. They are. It's not even the same wood grain. In fact, it looks very similar to the sample that I rejected.

I leave a message for the contractor. I try to remain calm but it's very difficult. I don't say anything about my reaction, just name and phone number and please call me.

Next morning around 11 am when I still haven't heard from him. I call again. He asks if I've seen the floor. I want to ask if he's seen the floor but even with my limited experience with contractors, I know not to antagonize him too much. I am unhappy. He claims he left Saturday around 6 pm when they were just starting to put the stain on. I don't say anything about the very strict instructions that they were not to be left in the house alone. I tell him how unhappy I am. When is he going to come and see this mess and more important, when is it going to be fixed?

He comes over Tuesday night and agrees that the wood is not a match. I wonder out loud how they (whoever they is...) thought they were going to get away with this. How did they possible think this would be acceptable. They have basically ruined my house.

Can you tell by the date of this posting that it is now over two weeks since this happened? Well it has been. I have been offered $400 off the cost of the remodel. $400? See last sentence in previous paragraph for my answer to that. Contractor came over and pulled a sample from the closet which is the lightest shade of any of the wood in the house so not the best. I again point out the colors and tones I want from existing wood. I get a sample that is too light; even lighter than the sample they pulled from the closet. I give them pictures of the shades I want. Wednesday of this week, I call the contractor. When am I going to see a sample? He saw one this week but said it was too light. He is going to get another one.

Haven't seen or heard from him since. This will eventually resolve itself but my patience is almost gone.

Paint color looks pretty good though.

Hazel Nut Cream

Lousy picture; fabulous product. This little 6.7 oz jar ($5.99 in the wine section upstairs in the kitchen/house store next to Portsmouth Light & Gas, Portsmouth) comes a close second to Dalmatia Fig Spread as being the most perfect food item). It came in pistachio flavor too.

Yes, you can just stick your finger in the jar and eat it like that. I tried it on crackers and bread in the store; better on the bread (although that may have been the result of mediocre ritz like crackers). The wine guy said to try it on fish so the fish wouldn't taste so fishy. That just seems wrong - fish is supposed to taste fishy. The cashier said to use it as a topping on cheesecake. Now that sounds much better.

So far at home I have tried it only on vanilla ice cream with blueberries. Yummy.