It's Still Halloween in Provincetown

PTown Halloween displays traditionally range from whimsical to clever to frightening. Take a tour!

Even though the big Halloween ball, Spooky Bear and PBG events were held last week, you can still find the spirit of this great holiday in spots throughout Provincetown. When Halloween actually falls on a Saturday, all stops are pulled out for a huge celebration, while elaborate costumes and unparalleled reveling run rampant on PTown streets and in our clubs, but when the big day falls in the middle of the week, parties and events of all kinds mostly occur on the weekend before.
Even so, there's a lot of fun to be had just by watching for all of the die-hards who are still celebrating on the actual 31st of October, no matter what, and by spotting decorations of all sorts as you make your way through the town.
I happened into the Seamen's Bank branch on Shank Painter Road today, where every teller was in costume or elaborate makeup, or both, with trays full of sandwiches and cupcakes set out for anyone stopping in. They were combining their annual customer appreciation day with the chance to dress up and have a little fun, giving out tote bags, calendars and several handy little gifts that let customers feel the trick-or-treat spirit of the day.
I also found cashiers and various other employees at the Stop and Shop wearing some sort of costume, or attempt, as well. I didn't stroll down Commercial Street today, but I'll guarantee there were a few costumes to be found there, and likely in a number of our restaurants and shops as well.
The big surprise for me today was at the Quest lab at Outer Cape Health, where Mary, the woman drawing my blood this afternoon, had big spiders in her hair, and a pair of very tiny skeletons dangling from her ears and dancing as she turned her head, each bone swinging with her every movement. I thanked each of these folks for getting into the full spirit of the occasion, and putting little smiles on my face as I went about my day.
As for decorations around town, one place I always look is the corner yard where Cemetery Road meets Conwell Street. They always have a great Halloween display that takes up most of their yard. They've built a huge spider web with a big, black, tarantula-looking creature and other decorations all around the place.
One of this year's funnest Halloween displays has been the gorgeous antique car filled with skeletons and spooks, seen either parked at the Clarendon House, at 119 Bradford Street, or spotted tooling around the town.
Hats off to all of those who use any excuse to celebrate, decorate, or dress up, and who make it so much fun to live and visit in Provincetown!

See World Class Entertainment Over Four-Day PTown Memorial Day Bash

Kick off the new season with great entertainment over the four-day weekend celebrating Memorial Day in Provincetown. It starts with rollicking comedy at the Post Office Cabaret. Two of PTown's favorite stand-up comics will each make appearances every day of this fun, extended weekend. Click for tickets or visit the box office at 303 Commercial Street.

 This summer it will be very exciting to see the Pilgrim House reclaim its identity as a premier entertainment venue in Provincetown, and it all starts with the fabulous Miss Richfield 1981 moving her unique, hilarious mix of comedy, song and audience interaction to this stage with her all new show "Born Again." Click below to get tickets early for Saturday, May 26th or Sunday, May 27th at 8:30 PM. Both are likely to sell out. Find the Pilgrim House at the end of the footpath at 336 Commercial Street.

Saturday, May 26th and Sunday, May 27th, 8:30 PM at Pilgrim House

Mark Cortale Productions and the Art House present blockbuster music and comedy this weekend with Melissa Ferrick and multiple award-winning comic and PTown favorite Judy Gold, each appearing at the Art House on Saturday night. The Grammy Award-winning Indigo Girls will perform Sunday night at Town Hall at 6 PM. Their opening act will be our own Zoe Lewis, a "band in a body."

All three of these Memorial Day Weekend shows are one night only, with Judy Gold returning to perform late June through August, along with some 30 more artists playing at the Art House throughout the summer, so bookmark the schedule and check it often, In the meantime, see these shows while you can.

Click above for performer profiles and links to tickets for each show

The Crown & Anchor complex, at 247 Commercial Street, has so many events going on for the four-day holiday weekend that it's hard to even list them all here. 16 parties, events and performances will take place between now and Monday evening, starting with singer/comic Julie Wheeler performing tonight thru Monday at 7 PM in the Cabaret Room, followed by Rise Up, the kickoff party for Memorial Day Weekend, starting at 9 PM tonight in the Paramount Room. 

There are more dance parties scheduled in the evenings, as well as a pool party Sunday afternoon. The legendary Illusions Drag Revue and the fabulous Thirsty Burlington will each perform Saturday and Sunday nights. Bobby Wetherbee brings his award-winning piano bar and sing-along to the Dive Bat tonight thru Sunday with no cover charge, and Doug Repetti will be on the piano Monday and Tuesday nights. Check the schedule, and follow the links there to get tickets, or stop by the box office at the edge of the Crown's new pet friendly patio and outdoor grill.

Click for parties, events and performance schedules

Get your summer started right. Look over the schedules, make a spreadsheet if you have to, and get to as many of these venues as you can for shows, parties and more taking place all over Provincetown, all weekend. For events requiring tickets, get 'em now! (Julie Wheeler, for example, is sold out for tonight, but she'll do three more shows.) There are dozens of events here for you to enjoy.

Have fun, be careful, be kind to each other, and have a great holiday.

Bagpipe Music on Cinco de Mayo? Only in Provincetown

Dancers at the annual Cinco de Mayo Festival in Washington, D.C., photo by D. B. King

Happy Cinco de Mayo! Any excuse at all can and will be used to create a party in Provincetown. You'll likely find a celebration or two in the bars, and elsewhere as well. Today is also the Kentucky Derby.  The last couple of years I've spent it at Vorelli's, where they really get into the spirit of the race, with everyone at the bar rooting for their particular horse. Bartender Connie makes it a lot of fun, and she may even come up with a special beverage or two for these two occasions. Vorelli's is famous for great drinks and a very friendly bar.
I heard bagpipe music in the center of Provincetown for just a few minutes this afternoon. By the time I got dressed and out the door the piper was nowhere in sight, and I didn't know whether I should head east or west to try to catch up and find out what was going on. Does anybody know? Was this a funeral procession? Has the fellow who piped here many years ago returned? Was this meant as an ironic giggle celebrating Cinco de Mayo?
As a whole, we Americans  are woefully ignorant of other cultures. We use the occasion of Cinco de Mayo as a reason to chug-a-lug a good bit of tequila or Corona, and we eat tacos and burritos, the same way we slug down green beer and eat corned beef and cabbage on Saint Patrick's Day. There's nothing wrong with that, but we're co-opting another country's holiday without really knowing anything about it. And most of us do have it wrong.
Here's a partial list of goofy (dare I say stupid?) questions posed to Google by well-meaning folks who wanted to celebrate this Mexican holiday, which actually gets more attention in the US than it does south of the border...

When is Cinco de Mayo?

Cinco means five in Spanish, de Mayo means of May, so, the 5^th of May is Cinco de Mayo, and that’s when it’s celebrated.

Where is Cinco de Mayo?

Is that a trick question? Where are you? If, on May 5^th, you are somewhere that recognizes the 365 days of the year, chances are, Cinco de Mayo is wherever you might be. If in doubt, stop in at any neighborhood bar and inquire.

What is Cinco de Mayo in Spanish?

            Cinco de Mayo.

When is Cinco de Mayo celebrated in Mexico?

            On Cinco de Mayo.

When is Cinco De Mayo in the US?

            On Cinco de Mayo

When is Cinco de Mayo in  Portland, Oregon?

Actually, Cinco de Mayo runs from May 4^th through the 6^th in Portland this year. Turns out this is the largest multicultural festival in the state of Oregon, held on its downtown waterfront, and it is definitely a bigger celebration than those typically held in Mexico.

Is Cinco de Mayo Racist?

No, but donning a sombrero, a poncho and a cheesy fake mustache while speaking in a mock-Spanish accent all day might be.

And, yes, people actually asked Google:

Is Cinco de Mayo about mayonnaise?

            Seriously? No, really…

So what is Cinco de Mayo? Americans often think it is Mexico’s Independence Day, but it’s not. That’s Grito de Dolores, held on September 16^th. And, no, it’s not the Day of the Dead. That’s Día de Muertos, the three-day holiday when Mexican families gather together in remembrance of deceased relatives and friends. It is usually held from October 31 to November 2.

Cinco de Mayo commemorates the day in 1862 when the tiny Mexican Army, against all odds, prevailed against the powerful French fighting forces in the Battle of Puebla, a small town that was expected to fall to France that day. But the seriously outnumbered Mexican troops surprisingly won the battle, galvanizing the Mexican forces.

When the French returned a year later and easily seized the town, Cinco de Mayo may have lost a bit of its luster. It is considered a minor holiday in Mexico, but now it  is probably celebrated in America with more gusto than anywhere else in the world. Here’s how that happened…

During the 1960s, many Mexican-American civil rights activists began using the occasion as a source of pride. By 1989, a shrewd importer of Mexican beers launched a holiday ad campaign aimed at Latinos, but eventually ads in magazines, newspapers, and on TV garnered a much wider audience.

Fast-forward to the year 2013, when, despite the growing criticism of cultural stereotypes unleashed for a day every May 5^th, this holiday had become part of the annual party circuit in the US. That year Cinco de Mayo beer sales reached $600 million, far outstripping Saint Patrick’s Day and the Super Bowl!

There’s nothing wrong with a party on someone else’s holiday, and the world should celebrate other cultures and their heroes, but let’s be respectful of others and their traditions. Let's spend a moment thinking about the soldiers that fought that day, on both sides, and lets think twice before doing, saying or wearing something that might advance racist stereotypes.

Now, how about a margarita? In fact, how about some carnitas tacos or pozole verde at the Central House? The Crown & Anchor’s restaurant has changed their menu a bit for the spring, reflecting a bit of the heritage of Chef De Cuisine Edwin Amaro. He offers an all-day menu Friday through Sunday featuring a couple of Mexican entrées amongst the traditional American dishes and seafood.

When the new menu came out I was so happy to see that Thursday is still Mexican Night. A salad served with your choice of seven Mexican entrées is just $18. I can’t wait for Thursday to roll around. I love Mexican food, and I’m nurturing a genuine, growing affection for the culture, too.

Despite This Cold Weather, Thousands Enjoy First Light Provincetown, Our 6-Day Celebration of the New Year!

Ring in the New Year in Provincetown, with more than 70 events in our annual First Light celebration.

It's New Year's Eve, and we're right in the middle of our famed annual First Light festivities in Provincetown, where thousands have been celebrating the New Year since Thursday, with 36 more events and fireworks over the harbor still to come!

Special New Year's Eve dinners, entertainment, film, live music, galleries, parties, shopping, concerts, dancing, family fun, New Year's brunches, champagne toasts and the Polar Bear Plunge are just a few of the events (several of them free!) taking place throughout the town through Tuesday, January 2nd.

Food ranges from street festival favorites like sausages, soups, waffles and pot pies to upscale dishes like roasted quail and free range veal in a great restaurant. There will be filet mignon, truffle mac & cheese, extraordinary seafood, as well as a simple bowl of great clam chowder. Vegetarians will find plenty of choices as well.

Go online to get the complete First Light Provincetown schedule, with links to information on events, accommodations, menus, a map of the town, and dozens of ways you can join us in this spirited, joyous holiday celebration.

As usual in Provincetown, there truly is something for everyone in this 6-day festival. There are special New Year's Eve menus and complete dinners from a three-course meal for $55 to a six-course Chef's Tasting Menu and champagne toast followed by live music and dancing into the New Year for $125. There are several free or no-cover events and parties of all kinds in venues all over town, variously offering party favors, hats, noisemakers, and at some, even a bit of free champagne for those of legal age.

Suede will give her annual New Year's concert Monday at 8 PM at the Crown $ Anchor.

There are New Year's Eve parties tonight, and more special dinners and fireworks parties tomorrow night. The fireworks will be on MacMillan Pier, scheduled for 5:30 PM on New Year's Day. You can watch this great display on your own from anywhere on the beach along the Harbor, or join the festivities at a number of waterfront restaurants and clubs, like Tin Pan Alley or The Crown & Anchor.

You can support the Pilgrim Monument and Provincetown Museum with a $50 donation that will give you a fantastic view of the fireworks from high above the town on the PMPM grounds, while enjoying wine, oysters, champagne and hors d'oeuvre. Several great fundraisers for PTown organizations are held during First Light.

There are also restaurants offering their regular menus this week, in case you just want a plate of pasta or a burger, and you may even find some off-season specials. And Fanizzi's will serve an extra Sunday Buffet Brunch this week, on Monday, New Year's day, from 10 AM until 2 PM. You'll find everything from their mixed fruit bowl and pastries to mussels steamed in white wine and herbs, along with French toast (real maple syrup, or course,) various egg dishes, sausage, bacon, the pasta of the day, breakfast burritos and more. At $14.95 for all you can eat, and just $8.95 for kids, that's a PTown bargain at any time of the year.

And for those of us who might be up on New Year's Day before most folks will get out of bed, Bayside Betsy's will be serving breakfast by 8 AM.

Hot mulled wine at The Canteen's food court and holiday market will warm you up.

Shop the holiday market at the Canteen, bringing local vendors and artisans together with a food court, hot drinks, bonfires and street food, along with free events like entertainment, a fireworks-watching party, and ice skating on the beach.

Some 30 guesthouses and inns are open during First Light, along with dozens of shops and galleries, and about 40 restaurants, bars and coffee shops. There's even free parking in all town-operated lots, and Operation Safe Ride offers a free, sober ride home on New Year's Eve from 10 PM to 4 AM, provided by designated Provincetown taxi and transportation companies, even if you're living or staying as far away as Orleans.

Again, you can find out about all of these things, and more, by checking the aforementioned First Light Provincetown schedule, then come and join the celebration in our beautiful little historic fishing village by the sea.

Here's wishing us all a happy, safe, healthy, joyous New Year!

A Christmas Card From Two Early Provincetown Artists

Artists Ada Gilmore and Mildred "Dolly" McMillen were among the Provincetown Printers, early 1900s.

This 1918 Christmas card depicts Provincetown artists Ada Gilmore and Mildred (Dolly) McMillen relaxing by the wood stove with their cat. Each had been in Paris studying art, and in 1914 or 1915 they moved to Provincetown together. They were among the handful of artists who developed a unique, new printmaking technique here in 1915 which became known as the Provincetown print.
It is also called a white line woodblock or woodcut print, where the artist cuts a design into a flat piece of wood using grooves to separate shapes and blocks of color. Dolly McMillen found that she still preferred working only with black ink, so that's what she pursued. The card above is her design. Now, was PICO the name of the cat, or the cottage they were living in, or some sort of Provincetown organization, or something else altogether? And why in all caps? Guesses, anyone? Please comment below.
As the new year rolls around I want to feature some of the gorgeous white line prints I've dug up recently. In the meantime, you can click on the following link, or just google white line woodblock prints to find dozens of fine examples, many of them portraying Provincetown scenes or characters. I look forward to bringing you some of my favorites.
Merry Christmas, and happy holidays to all!
                                          TheYearRounder

Today is National Gingerbread House Day

According to one of my favorite odd websites, NationalDayCalendar.com, December 12th was designated some time ago as Gingerbread House Day in the United States. Exact details of its birth aren't known, but this celebratory day gives folks and families across the country an annual day to create whimsical, edible holiday decorations, or the occasion to haul out gingerbread houses from past years to display throughout the holiday season. A well-made gingerbread house, properly stored between holidays, can last indefinitely, and continue as a yearly display, or can be broken up and eaten at any time.
The heavy, stiff dough used to make the dense "cookie" pieces that make up a gingerbread house are so hard that there's actually very little difference in the texture of a freshly created sculpture and one that has been trotted out each holiday season for a couple of generations, or longer. I read this week about a family that has brought out the same treasured gingerbread heirloom each Christmas for more than 60 years, created by the current generation's great-grandmother in the 1950s.

There's a certain elegance to this simple gingerbread house.

A simple design like the one at the left, sparsely decorated with white icing "snow" and just two candied cherries, adds a little warmth to a holiday buffet table.
The elaborate design of the larger house below seems to have dozens of individually created panels of art stretching around the confection. It reminds me of Commercial Street's old Shop Therapy building, painted by dear departed artist Bob Gasoi. A poof of cotton candy makes the smoke coming out of the chimney. The only rule for making a gingerbread house is that every element of its construction and decoration must be edible.

This elaborate artwork reminds me of the old Shop Therapy.

A soft gingerbread in a cake form is one of my very favorite desserts, but the thin, rigid variety used in making a gingerbread house is baked from a very stiff dough meant to cook into very hard, sturdy planks, or be cut in particular shapes like the two large rectangles that usually form the roof of a simple gingerbread house.
This stiff dough seems to date back to at least the tenth century AD, when an Armenian monk brought his firm gingerbread to Europe, where French Christians used it in various religious ceremonies and often baked it into shapes meant to represent images of saints.
The Brothers Grimm seem to be the first to have thought of a house made of gingerbread, writing it into their children's story Hansel and Gretel. From there it seems to be the Germans who began creating festive, decorated little cottages during the holiday season.

Two young boys pose with gingerbread houses they decorated.

Decorating a gingerbread house can be great holiday fun for kids, but adults seem to enjoy this cheery, creative outlet just as much. The annual Holly Folly celebration in PTown now includes a chance for folks to create their very own gingerbread masterpiece.
Try your own artistic hand using this recipe for gingerbread, complete with simple instructions, from the Food Network. A recipe for royal icing, which acts as the edible "glue" that holds all of the pieces and decorations in place, is included. This recipe will make a small house about six inches tall, but you could double the recipe (and measurements for the pattern you will create) to make a house about a foot tall.

You can make tiny gingerbread houses as party favors, or provide guests with all the goodies to make their own

You can also get a kit online, or buy cast iron molds that will give you gingerbread panels textured to resemble a shingled roof, for example. Small candies like M&Ms, jelly beans, gumdrops, Dots, Smarties, Red Hots and many others can be "glued" into place with royal icing. Pretzels, licorice laces, cereals and other edibles can be used as well. Cinnamon Toast Crunch, for example, can become shingles on the roof.
Royal icing can be piped on to make icicles hanging from the roof, or tinted green and "painted" onto overturned ice cream cones to make evergreen trees. It firms up within a few minutes. The icing then hardens permanently, can last a lifetime, and will never spoil, should you want to preserve your creation for future holidays. Or you can decide to eat the whole house and all decorations as the holiday season comes to an end.

Michelle Obama debuted this fine gingerbread replica of the White House made for Christmas, 2016

Visit Shari's Berries online to see 31 Amazing Gingerbread House Ideas to get inspired to build your own gingerbread creation, or simply to enjoy photos of fabulous designs ranging from a charming log cabin to a three-story Victorian. You'll find a gingerbread tree house, an Asian pagoda, Frank Lloyd Wright's Fallingwater and the 150 pound White House replica that Michelle Obama introduced in 2016, adding a lovely new focal point in the long-running tradition of First Ladies decorating the White House for Christmas.
It seems that First Ladies Martha Washington and Dolley Madison each had great recipes for soft gingerbread cakes, but it was Lou Hoover who began decorating the White House Christmas tree with hard gingerbread during her tenure as First Lady, between 1929 and 1933. Still, it wasn't until Pat Nixon's time as First Lady that the first gingerbread house appeared among the Christmas decorations at the White House. Next came the first of the gingerbread villages that have become part of the holiday decorating tradition at the White House.
Start your own Christmas gingerbread tradition. See if you might find a gingerbread house at a holiday craft fair. You may be able to find one at the holiday market, sponsored by The Canteen, running Fridays through Sundays through January 1st. Or, for a unique afternoon of enjoyment, try making your own special gingerbread house for the holidays.

Tin Pan Alley's Closing Party is Tonight, Benefitting Provincetown's Soup Kitchen

Support SKIP,  the Soup Kitchen In Provincetown, at this buffet style feast where the chef will
just keep cooking, and sending food out to the dining room, until all the food is gone!

Tonight at 5:30 PM, food of any and all descriptions will begin rolling out of the kitchen at Tin Pan Alley, destined for a brief moment on a long buffet table set up in the dining room, before every last morsel of food in the kitchen is eaten up in a benefit for Provincetown's remarkable Soup Kitchen. Folks will be milling around, conversing with friends, enjoying all they care to eat as the chef simply cooks and cooks and cooks until al the food in the restaurant is gone.
For a donation of $25 per person, we'll all be feasting on any or all of the fish, fowl, beef, soups, salads or any other dishes the chef might come up with as coolers and pantry are literally emptied, right down to the bare shelves. As one of the town's favorite restaurants prepares to close for the season, their generous donation of the proceeds from this event will help to support an important community resource.
In the average winter season in Provincetown, SKIP (the Soup Kitchen In Provincetown) serves more than 10,000 hot, hearty meals to folks from Provincetown and beyond. This year, the number of meals, served at SKIP each weekday from November through April, is rising. Lack of employment opportunities, coupled with the outrageous rents charged by many landlords, results in more people helping to make ends meet by having some, or all, of their lunches at the Soup Kitchen.
Located at the United Methodist Church on Shank Painter Road, SKIP is also simply a welcoming place for people seeking community, and the chance to socialize at a time of year that can be a bit bleak for many of us. All are welcome, whatever the reason they come for lunch. No questions are asked. Housing outreach and assistance are also available as a state housing expert shares SKIP's office there on Thursdays.

From upscale delights to home style comfort foods, Tin Pan Alley serves some
of PTown's best meals, complete with live music in a welcoming atmosphere.

So turn out tonight at Tin Pan Alley, across from Town Hall, for one last great meal before they fold up for the winter.
If you've been very good, eaten all your vegetables, and played well with others all year, you might be lucky enough to taste TPA's wonderful seared scallops, or maybe a steak from a grass fed cow, or their lovely roasted local chicken.
Chef Raul likes to spice things up a bit as well, so I'm always eager to try any unusual dish he might whip up. You know, though, one of my real favorites here is Jack's own recipe for turkey meatloaf, made with a little dried fruit and a few surprises mixed in, and one of the greatest comfort foods ever. That's a meal many of us miss when the place closes for the season.
Tin Pan Alley has also brought back the "supper club" aesthetic to Provincetown, offering live music just about every night of the week, and tonight will be no exception. There will be entertainment, of course, beginning at 6 PM.
Come and enjoy Tin Pan Alley's closing party, do a little good for the community at the same time, and wish all of the friends you'll find there a happy and prosperous new year.

Spindler's Restaurant Celebrates Their First Anniversary on Thursday, Dec 29th

Spindler's restaurant, at 386 Commercial Street, will celebrate
 its first anniversary on Thursday, December 29th, from 4 till 7 PM

Spindler's restaurant opened their doors at this time last year, giving Provincetown a brief preview of the great food they would begin offering in the following spring. They will celebrate their first anniversary tomorrow, December 29th, which also marks the 94th anniversary of the sinking of the ship Annie L. Spindler, which would become the namesake of this wonderful new restaurant in PTown's Gallery District.
She was a British schooner that Provincetown folks had dubbed the "Rum Runner," regularly carrying contraband to this vicinity during the era of Prohibition in the United States. The manufacture or sale of alcohol on American shores was outlawed from 1920 to 1933.
At that time ships would bring rum up the coast from the Caribbean, distilled spirits like gin would be carried across the Atlantic from England, and champagne would find its way here from France. Ships would wait far offshore, out of local jurisdiction, for boats that would venture out in the middle of the night to strike a deal on as many cases of illegal hooch as they could afford or carry.

The Annie L. Spindler, aground at the Race Point Coast Guard Station, 1922.

The Spindler, having sailed out of Nova Scotia loaded with Canadian whiskey, famously ran aground on Race Point Beach, within a few yards of the US Coast Guard station.
The schooner had been powerless against the high winds and heavy seas of a nor'easter, as the crashing waves of that brutal winter storm tossed the boat up onto the shoreline early on the morning of December 29th, 1922. Read my original article The Wreck of the Annie L. Spindler and learn more about the humorous side of this event, and about the rescue of the crew by breeches buoy.

I try to order something new every time I eat out so I can tell you
about it, but Spindler's charcuterie board is so good that it will be very
hard not to order it every time I go there. It's the best in Provincetown.

Since I eat at every restaurant in town every summer, I only made it to Spindler's once during their first season. So I looked them up on Yelp today to read comments other diners had made. They scored a solid four-star rating. I left my own review there as well, reading something like this...

Spindler's Charcuterie Board is the very best in Provincetown, right down to their house-made mustard, which is the best I've ever tasted. Generous servings of premium salumi include chef's selections of handmade regional specialties like Genoa salami, tartufo, prosciutto di Parma or chorizo Seco, the dry-cured spanish style chorizo.
The chef will also choose a couple of pâtés or terrines for you, such as a house-made pâté de campagne, a duck rillette or a wonderful chicken liver mousse. Each is delicious. Crusty French bread is accompanied by the chef's exceptional hummus. Garnishes and accoutrements like tiny cornichons, perfectly pickled red onions, and that superb grainy mustard I mentioned, complete the board. You can also order a board of selected cheeses, or the chef will choose an assortment of meats and cheeses for you.
I had a nice roasted chicken entrée that night as well, and excellent service. My visit was during their opening week, and my waiter and other staff ran to the kitchen several times to find answers to all my questions, without a hint of aggravation.

Join Spindler's 1st anniversary party Thursday, December 29th,
from 4 till 7 PM. Free admission includes tastes and tidbits,
with a cash bar for you to enjoy one of their fine libations.

Spindler's is a great addition to PTown's list of very good restaurants, and, happily, we can look for them to soon begin operating year-round under their new license, recently approved by the Town. With luck, everything will fall into place somewhere in the early part of January, so keep an eye out for their upcoming 1922 special, celebrating that year's "landing"  of the Spindler on Provincetown shores.
Watch for an Early Bird dinner special that will offer a three-course meal, served at a bargain price in the early evening. A salad, followed by an entrée, as well as dessert, will be offered for only $19.22.
I can't wait!

Also, click the link below to visit Spindler's website and find out about all the New Year's festivities they have planned, like their six-course tasting menu and dinner party with champagne toast on New Year's Eve. There will be two seatings. On New Year's Day they'll present their Bloody's and Corpse Reviver Brunch. Call 508 487-6400 for reservations for these two events.
Go to www.spindlersptown.com for tickets to Sparkles@Spindler's, a cocktail party from 4 till 9PM on New Year's Day, serving plentiful hors d'oeuvres and Spindler's "Rum Runner" punch, and promising "an evening of music, fireworks, fun and friends." Tickets for this event are limited, so hurry.
In the meantime, be sure to stop in at Spindler's 1st Anniversary Party on Thursday, beginning a 4 PM. There will be free hors d'oeuvres and tastes, and all are invited. A cash bar will also be in operation, so beer and wine will be available, along with their lineup of specialty cocktails. The chilly weather will keep the party from spilling out onto the outdoor patios, so it's bound to be a bit crowded, but be patient. If you come by and can't squeeze in, come back a little later and try again. It'll be worth the effort.
Find Spindler's is at 386 Commercial Street, at the Waterford Inn. See you there!

Happy Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Solstice, and Festivus, et al.

A Holiday Wreath, Cape Cod Style

Whatever holiday tradition you might uphold or abhor, I wish you a sense of peace, love and joy, whatever the coming year may bring.

Provincetown Offers Holiday Revelers 150 Shops, Galleries, Restaurants and Accommodations

Good Scents, at 351 Commercial Street, brings us fragrant
products from around the world, joined by at least 80 more
PTown boutiques and galleries open for your holiday shopping.

I took a spin around the streets of Provincetown the other day and found more than 150 businesses open for folks who want to shop, eat and play in the relaxed and welcoming atmosphere of our holiday season. I counted more than 80 stores, boutiques, gift shops, galleries, hand crafters, and other unique purveyors of various goods and finery before I lost count of them all.

Tonight, Mac's Italian style celebration highlights seven varieties of
seafood. Click on the link at the left for Mac's New Year's Eve menu.

There are more than two-dozen wonderful restaurants open to serve you anything from a great deli sandwich to a splendid holiday meal with wine pairings and live music. You can enjoy shoulder season bargains and specials or immerse yourself in fine dining at its best.
Mac's Fish House, for example, offers choices ranging from its famous all-you-can-eat fish and chips dinner on Thursday nights for just $16, to tonight's Feast of the Seven Fishes. This special meal is a traditional Italian holiday feast.
Mac's is also pulling out all the stops for its special New Year's Eve Dinner, beginning with an amuse-bouche, followed by six courses, then dessert, with optional wine pairings available as well. This fabulous meal will be followed by live music from the Rip It Ups. A portion of the proceeds from this event will benefit SKIP, the Soup Kitchen in Provincetown. Call 508 487-6227 to inquire about reservations.

Click on the link at the right to reserve a room online, or call
508 364-2549 for the White Porch Inn's special winter rates.

Lodging in PTown varies widely from rustic simplicity to stylish elegance.
The multiple award-winning White Porch Inn, for example, is a jewel among dozens of inns, B&Bs, guest houses and hotels in Provincetown that are open throughout the holiday season. In fact, this fine inn and a number of others stay open year-round, often featuring great bargains on seasonal rates.
This immaculate B&B has the charming look of an old sea captain's home, while the thoughtfully renovated interior provides a unique backdrop for contemporary paintings by artists from all around the world. Guests often become attached to a particular painting during their stay. Happily, many of these artworks are for sale, gaining the place a fine reputation as an Art Hotel. In an international survey of comments and ratings by its visitors, the White Porch Inn scored 9.7 out of 10, which ranks it among the top 3 percent of those surveyed hotels around the world.

Suede's unique talent defies description,; her voice is truly her own. MUST SEE!

The jazzy, bluesy, fabulous vocals of Suede will be oozing out of the Paramount at The Crown & Anchor on New Year's day as the diva takes the stage at 8 PM.
In fact, The Crown & Anchor will be a very busy place over the holidays, with Bobby Wetherbee's famous sing-along piano bar, Thirsty Burlington's Christmas Special, drag bingo to benefit the Provincetown Business Guild, and a huge New Year's Eve dance party.
There will be special menus in the restaurant, along with Peter's award-winning wine list, and special room rates, too. There will also be a food court on New Year's Day as part of Provincetown's First Light celebration, and this will be a great spot to watch the fireworks that evening. Click the links above to see all the things going on at the Crown.
Come and enjoy Provincetown for the holidays, with something for everyone. Visit the PBG website for the First Light event schedule, including parties, entertainment, Hanukkah festivities, family fun, European style holiday market, a bike event, indoor farmers market, polar bear plunge, fireworks, and food events all over town. There's also a list of lodging and restaurants open to serve you. Come Join us! Create a New Year's tradition for yourself with our 2nd annual First Light celebration.

Three PTown Events This Weekend Offer Great Food, Shopping and Entertainment

Get homemade baked goods today at the Methodist Church bake sale in PTown.

There's a bake sale today at the United Methodist Church in Provincetown, at 20 Shank Painter Road, from 10 AM to 2 PM. There's no telling what kinds of tasty baked goods will be offered.
You're bound to find homemade cookies, brownies and a variety of holiday treats and festive goodies made by parishioners, with proceeds going to the church's student education fund.

See the Outer Cape Chorale and Chamber Singers
free concerts in PTown and Orleans this weekend.

The annual holiday performance of the Outer Cape Chorale got underway last night with the first performance of this year's program "O Be Joyful" at Town Hall in Provincetown.
There will be another performance of this free concert (goodwill donations are gratefully accepted) tonight at 7 PM at Town Hall, with one last chance to see this highly anticipated event on Sunday afternoon at 3 PM in Orleans, at Nauset Middle School.
Traditional holiday tunes will also be featured. Go a bit early to either venue, as this event generally plays to a packed house.

The Canteen brings a European style holiday festival to
Provincetown with food, fun,  entertainment and shopping!

The Canteen's very popular Holiday Market returns for weekends through New Year's Day. Fridays through Sundays until January 1st, from 11 AM till at least 7PM each night, you'll find this winter festival both indoors and outdoors at The Canteen, at 227 Commercial Street.
You'll find hot food and drinks, live music, theater performances, exhibits, local vendors, booths filled with crafts and gifts made by skilled artisans, and the list goes on…
This wonderful event was inspired by traditional European Christmas and New Year's festivals, providing food, fun and entertainment for the community and its visitors.
This year, an ice skating rink has been added, and Cape Cod Beer will be on hand, presenting a new winter brew, available only at this event. The beach at The Canteen will be a great spot to watch the fireworks, and a free champagne toast for all will celebrate the New Year.

Holly Folly Offers Provincetown Visitors More Holiday Events Than Ever

Find out about Holly Folly events when you visit this years' headquarters at Tin Pan Alley, 269 Commercial Street.

Holly Folly is Provincetown's annual holiday celebration, with a particular welcome to LGBTQ visitors who may not always be able to celebrate at home or with family. Every year, dozens of events are packed into a three-day period, beginning on Friday of the first weekend in December.

From ugly sweaters to art exhibits, from cookie parties to splendid holiday music, more than 30 events will take place throughout Provincetown Friday, December 2nd through Sunday, December 4^th. There will be great shopping in more than 100 PTown shops, galleries and boutiques, not to mention holiday treats and wonderful food from one end of town to the other.

This three-day party kicks off today, with six events this evening, and a chance to get a jump on your holiday shopping during the day. Be sure to save your receipts from participating restaurants, shops and galleries. You may win one of five fabulous gift baskets as a reward for your patronage at spots all over town. Get details online or at Holly Folly Headquarters, at Tin Pan Alley.

Swimsuits are required at the Jingle Bell Run, and optional at the Champagne Brunch, which follows.

New this year is the WICKED WINTER WONDERLAND, billed as “An Interactive Holiday Fright Maze for Naughty Kids & Adults of All Ages!” according to the PBG website. Certain special events will provide unique shopping opportunities as well, such as the Holly Folly Food Boutique at Sage Inn and Lounge, where you can 
”Sip, snack and shop from artisanal food and beverage producers from all over New England.”

There will be musical events such as concerts and sing-alongs, lots of food, a wide variety of parties, and a number of participatory events that don’t all fit neatly into categories, like the ANNUAL JINGLE BELL RUN AND CHAMPAGNE BRUNCH on Saturday. Proceeds of the event help to support and sustain the Provincetown Business Guild (PBG) fostering LGBTQ Cultural Tourism in Provincetown.

Guesthouses, homes and businesses throughout PTown are decorated for Holly Folly.

Just strolling through the town will lead you to charming guesthouses, businesses and lovely homes decorated for the holiday season, with prizes to be awarded for the best lights and displays. Special sightseeing tours in a warm, cozy van will be offered by *Discover Provincetown. Call 424•23P•TOWN (that's 424•237•8696) for info or pickup, or to schedule a private tour of historic Provincetown during your visit.

Pick up a printed schedule of Holly Folly events at Holly Folly Headquarters, at Tin Pan Alley, or go online for info at https://ptown.org/holly-folly/. Some of these events are free, some are fundraisers for local organizations, and all are great fun! Here’s just a partial list taken from the PBG website:

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•HOLLY FOLLY INN STROLL 15 guesthouses and inns, guided tour also available

•Ugly Holiday Sweater/Hard Candy Christmas Party

•LEATHER DANCE PARTY

•HOLIDAY DANCE PARTY at Club Purgatory

•ANNUAL HOLIDAY PIANO BAR  Bobby Wetherbee, Central House,  No Cover

•HOLIDAY PAJAMA DRAG BRUNCH


•Special film screening, THIRSTY, featuring local drag legend Thirsty Burlington

•ANNUAL GINGERBREAD HOUSE DECORATING COMPETITION

•ANNUAL BOSTON GAY MEN'S CHORUS HOLIDAY CONCERT

•SOUPER SATURDAY luncheon to benefit PTown's marvelous soup kitchen

•'Tis The Season Holiday Revue at Paramount, at the Crown & Anchor

•The Annual SNOW BALL at the A House, 4-6 Masonic Place

•Holly Folly Cabaret @ Tin Pan Alley - Direct from New York City, Allison Mickelson sings Holiday favorites and signature standards.

•Holly Folly Sing-Along with Billy Hough at the Porchside Bar, Gifford House Inn: 9 Carver Street. Request your favorite holiday tunes. No cover.

•ANNUAL JINGLE BELL RUN AND CHAMPAGNE BRUNCH! Proceeds of the event help to support and sustain the Provincetown Business Guild (PBG) fostering LGBTQ Cultural Tourism in Provincetown.

These and twenty other events, displays, parties and performances await you. Happy Holidays!

*I started Discover Provincetown this past summer to provide year-round, custom, narrated sightseeing tours of historic Provincetown in comfort, at a reasonable price, and with accurate accounts of the history of this remarkable town as the centerpiece of each unique tour. Call or text 424•23P•TOWN (that's 424•237•8696) for pickup, or to schedule a custom tour ranging from 30 minutes to 4 hours.