Hyannis Christmas Stroll on Cape Cod

Hyannis Christmas Stroll set for Dec. 6


(posted by Jim Kinsella), Cape Cod Today

Holiday event features breakfast with Santa, boat parade, hayrides, tree spectacle, caroling, hot cocoa on tap.  Activities will revolve around four major events on Main Street and the Hyannis waterfront.

The JFK Hyannis Museum will display the third annual "Spectacle of Trees," where 20 decorated Christmas trees will be raffled off with the proceeds going to support 12 local non-profits. Viewing and bidding will go on Thursday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Friday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., until winners will be drawn on Saturday evening.

Saturday's events kick off at 9 a.m. with "Breakfast with Santa" at the British Beer Company. Tickets are available at the BBC, the JFK Museum and Quantum Communications for $6 each, and must be purchased in advance.

Throughout Saturday, the Main Street community will host a variety of holiday events. Free activities up and down Main Street range from the Cookie Stroll Contest to bands playing, carolers caroling, and bells ringing, hayrides, a magic show, free children's caricatures and holiday shopping specials. All will be sprinkled with hot cocoa and treats. There will be readings of "Polar Express," Christmas journeys on the Cape Cod Railroad Train and a North Pole Post Office.

At 4 p.m., the harbor will host a boat parade. At 5 p.m., boats enter the harbor as harbor businesses and homes light up to welcome Santa. Watch the events from the warmth of the Cape Cod Maritime Museum or close-up from a harbor tour provided by Hy Line Cruises. At 5:40 p.m., Santa will make an appearance to meet with the children, and will be surrounded by a selection of activities.

The stroll will be presented by the Hyannis Main Street Business Improvement District, the Hyannis Area Chamber of Commerce, the Hyannis Civic Association and Qantum Communications. The event is sponsored by Rockland Trust, with additional support by TD Banknorth, Puritan of Cape Cod, Cape Cod Five, as well as the Bank of Cape Cod, the Steamship Authority, Hyannis Marina, Palio's Pizzeria, Kandy Korner, Regal Cinemas, Heritage House and Hy-Line .

More information is available by visiting http://www.hyannismainstreet.com/.

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone.  I know I won't be anywhere near the computer tomorrow, so I'd like to take this opportunity to wish every a wonderful day with friends or family.  I'd also like to thank my front office supervisor, Lisa for working tomorrow so that I can spend the day with my family.  Thanks.

Voula

Stress and Anxiety Relief

I thought I would deviate from my ususal blogs and offer a technique that I have found useful for stress relief. If you need stress and anxiety relief...and who doesn't, take a few minutes a day and try the following technique:


Have you thought meditation is only about making your mind go blank? And really, that doesn't seem very useful or interesting does it?

Yogis and meditators have practiced various forms of meditation for ages, and the benefits may lead to enlightenment, but what if your goals aren't so lofty - just a reduction in blood pressure or clearer thinking, maybe a calmer mind and a little less worry would be nice.

Here is a meditative practice called Metta, or kindness meditation you may want to try. Metta cultivates a sense of compassion for yourself and for all life, and gets you off the hamster wheel of worry and anxiety. Set aside a few minutes, it would be 5 or 10. Maybe the same few minutes you would have listened to a ryling radio show or the news that would have brought your blood pressure up.

You can begin by sitting in a comfortable position, closing your eyes if you want to.

Sit with your back straight, without being strained or overarched.

Take a few deep breaths, relax your body. Settle into your body and into the moment.

This meditation begins with the self and then the focus broadens out to people close to you, then your community, then all beings. You might imagine it like ripples going out in a still lake.

First, contemplate kindness for the self, Classical Metta phrases are:

"May I live in safety. May I be happy. May I be healthy, May I live with ease."

See if certain phrases emerge from your heart that express what you wish most deeply for yourself, not just for today, but in an enduring way. Phrases that are big enough and general enough that you can ultimately wish them for all of life, for all beings every where.

Second comtemplate and repeat the phrases for a loved one, a friend or family member:

"May you live in safety. May you be happy. May you be healthy. May you live with ease.

Then apply the pharase to someone you don't really know - consider the bank teller or cashier you saw this morning, and again repeat the phrases: May you live in safety, etc.

Lastly apply the contemplation to all beings - you can include all people, animals, trees, etc.

"May all beings live in safety, May all beings live with ease, etc.

You can repeat these phrases over and over again, have your mind rest in the phrases and whenever you find your attention has wandered, just see if you can gently let go and begin again.

Try this practice for a few weeks and see what happens. So much research is now being done on the benefits of meditation, and the results are amazing health benefits which affect the health of your heart and mind.

Info borrowed from Cape Cod Times. Check out the center for mindfulness at UMass http://www.umassmed.edu/cfm/index.aspx

Cape Cod Turkey Trot

The 5th Annual Turkey Trot takes place on Thanksgiving Day at 8AM in Chatham.  What a healthy way to start Thanksgiving, a day of feasting! This is a fun event for the entire family (run/walk) and not just for serious runners and it's also a wonderful way to give to the community for all proceeds will benefit the Lower Cape Outreach Council.  To participate, bring $10 registration fee and and a bag of non-perishable groceries and meet behind CVS in Chatham. For more information call 508-945-1798 or visit their website, www.chathaminfo.com/event/show/577

Voula

Lighting of Pilgrim Monument, Provincetown

If you're on Cape Cod next week make sure not to miss the Lighting of the Pilgrim Monument in Provincetown.  This takes place the day before Thanksgiving on Wednesday, November 25th from 5-7PM.  From the top of Pilgrim Monument you can enjoy a panoramic view of Provincetown Harbor, Cape Cod Bay, Cape Cod National Seashore and the town of Provincetown.  The monument commermorates the first landing of the Mayflower in Provincetown on November 21 1620.  For more information on the tree lighting visit http://www.pilgrim-monument.org/lighting.html

Don't for the Tidewater's Manager special of $59 per night for Thanksgiving weekend.  http://www.tidewatercapecod.com/

Voula

Cape Cod Restaurants Serving Thanksgiving Dinner

Cape Cod is home to many wonderful restaurants and while many have closed for the season, there are many that are still open and offering a traditional Thanksgiving dinner. Reservations are necessary for most.  Local restaurants offering dinner on Thanksgiving are as follows: 

Yarmouth House Restaurant - 508-771-5154 The Yarmouth House is less than a mile from the Tidewater and a local favorite so reservations are required.  Meals range from $9.95 for under 12 to $19.95 for a complete turkey dinner with all the fixings.

Anthony's Cummaquid, 508-362-4501

Old Yarmouth Inn, 508-362-9962, on 6A

Harbor Point Restaurant, 508-362-2231 Offers waterfront dining, off 6A

Hearth 'n Kettle, 508-394-2252, More casual atmosphere

Ocean House, 508-394-0700, Thanksgiving dinner from 12-5PM, Breathtaking views of Nantucket Sound, creative cuisine and more on the high end, but definitely worth it!

There's many more options throughout the Cape, but these are our local options. 

Voula

Thanksgiving on Cape Cod

Thanksgiving is a holiday steeped in tradition.  While most get together with their families and friends for a day of visiting and feasting, others like to have a quiet, stressfree day with no cooking. If you're one of the latter, this is the perfect season to visit the Cape when it's less hurried, more peaceful, more budget friendly and relatively traffic free.  In addition to enjoying nature with walks on the beach and visits to picturesque towns, the Cape is the perfect place for starting (or finishing) your holiday shopping.  In addition to the traditional stores in Cape Cod Mall, there's the frugal Christmas Tree Shops, Mashpee Commons with its village-like atmophere with wonderful restaurants, and of course, regional boutiques and local stores with unique Cape Cod specialities.

Even if you're spending the day with family, take the opportunity to come to the Cape for the weekend and avoid the traffic and chaotic shopping of black Friday!  The Tidewater is offering the special price of $59 per night for the weekend or stay 3 or more nights for $49 per night.  Hope to see you on the Cape!

Voula

Provincetown Restaurant Week

Sorry I haven't written a blog for over a week.  I took a week off and visited my brother and his family in Chicago.  Chicago is a beautiful city that feels as if it's on the ocean, even though it's in the midwest.  The contrast of the city skyline beside the vast expanse of the lake is spectacular.  We spent most of the time in his hometown of Naperville, which was voted one of the best towns to live in.  I can see why.  Lots of parks, open space, great shopping, bike paths and best of all, the Riverwalk.

Back to the Cape today and searching for things to do on the Cape.  November 6th - 12th is a perfect time to visit Provincetown.  During this week Provincetown is celebrating their "First Annual Restaurant Week".
The First Annual Restaurant Week will feature twenty of the best restaurants the Provincetown dining scene has to offer. Some of the top restaurants will offer 3 course prix fixe dinners at $24 or $35. It's a great time to sample some of the finest restaurants and creative cuisine at a fraction of the cost.

A special Restaurant Week Gallery Stroll is being held on Saturday, November 7th from 5:00 to 8:00. To find out the participating galleries and restaurants visit http://www.provincetowntourismoffice.org/.