John and Meg's Wedding!

Ask and You Shall Receive

2005-09-07T15:32:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to let everyone know that we are open for queries as the wedding approaches. Please do give us a call if you should need anything (from directions, to hotel/restaurant recommendations, to help zipping up your dress :) John and I will be available via telephone all next week, though we will be simultaneously sipping Mai Tais on our expansive deck. Please, everyone, let us know if you need anything! Yay wedding!

Only 16 Glorious Days to Go!

2005-08-31T06:20:00.000-07:00

And only 10 days until we leave for our manse on Nantucket Sound! Yay!

MFCA

2005-08-06T21:34:00.000-07:00

Dylan (the older of the ringbearers-now 6 and three quarters) and I have been chatting quite a bit about the wedding since he was asked to be a part of the "groom's team." Last summer we introduced Dylan to a long-standing tradition between John and I. When John used to come to Virginia Beach to visit, we would often devote an afternoon to a serious game of "floatie wars." (Rules to follow.)

Since there are two outdoor pools at the Corsair/Cross Rip, it has long since been decided that one pool would be devoted to the exclusive use by floatie wars contestants, while the other is more of a freestyle venue, to be used in any way that one wishes. I thought it only fair to make our guests aware of these considerations/restrictions, especially since the entire week has been officially designated as the Northeast Regional Olympics of floatie wars by the Massachusetts Floatation Combat Association (hereafter MFCA.)

If you're a beginner to floatie wars, please don't be intimidated. Most of us have not taken the plunge and become professionals yet. Most of the major sponsors concentrate on the Southeast and Southern California regions, where the training season is longer. Thus, in a way, we're all beginners here. The main rules and regulations:

Objective: To climb aboard an unstable floatation device (**NOT** a seafaring vessel, see complete rules and regulations for an outline of acceptable floaties) and face off with an opponent also aboard a similarly unstable device. The "face off" can last between 2 seconds and several hours, but must not end before one competitor has been successfully "dunked" or effectively removed from their device and plunged unceremoniously into the drink. Age and skill level are unimportant in the matching up of opponents, and under no circumstances should anyone be "allowed" to win.

1. You must bring your own floatie. A floatie will not be provided for you. (There is a floatie pro shop located at Bastians on Lower County Road in Dennis Port. Bastians is located on the northeast side of a small strip mall about 1/2 mile past the Dog House and 1/2 block past Clancy's restaurant. The professionals at Bastians can help in floatie selection. They are also kind enough to blow up your floatie, should you wish to avoid becoming winded before competition.)

2. Your floatie must be regulation size. Color and style are unimportant, though we certainly suggest that you choose a comfortable and attractive floatie, since performance is often tied to self-esteem. (Regulations regarding size can be found on page 102 of the MFCA handbook, but the general rule of thumb is that your floatie should be significantly smaller than is comfortable for your tuchas. In fact, you should barely be able to perch atop your floatie without becoming unstable. When in doubt, buy the smallest circular floatie available. Please, please, please, for your own sake, make sure it has a hole [long story, let's not get into it.])

3. You may not punch, bite, kick (at least not very hard), or pull the hair of your opponent. This isn't rugby, folks. (Although you may be asked to "shoot the boot" in a bizarre hazing ritual that I can't mention in print for fear of arrest.)

4. If you've got two people, and two floaties, game on!

Please play responsibly.

Food and Bev

2005-07-28T10:47:00.000-07:00

During your stay on Cape Cod, you can visit the following when your tummy rumbles:

"Tri-Tri-Triple Crown!"

Captain Parker's Pub
Route 28
West Yarmouth, MA
(508) 771-4266

This pub is home to the triple crown winner of chowder festivals (see their website for details.) Their New England Clam Chowder (the white kind) is the most unbelievable thing you'll ever experience. You can catch them on the Food Network, but the fame that their fabulous chowder has brought has not changed the small-town goodness of this pub. The waitstaff are the same ones that I grew up with. The owner still trolls the bar and helps seat customers. The atmosphere is very "olde Cape Cod" with lots of solid pine paneling and bay windows. They also make a killer plate of fried clams and a bomb fried fish and chips platter. An early or late lunch is recommended, as the wait for dinner will exceed an hour. Most lunch entrees are between $10 and $15. Good kids menu.

"Fine Dining within Walking Distance"

The Ebb Tide
94 Chase Avenue
Dennis Port, MA
508-398-8733

Growing up, I spent one week on Cape Cod with my mother, aunt, and their friends each summer. We rented a cottage on Cornell Drive (between the Lighthouse Inn and Corsair off Lower County Road) and walked to the beach every day. At night we went shopping. It was all ladies, and they could all cook. That being said, we did very little eating out. Our cottage had a full kitchen, and the food was always plentiful. However, for one night, we would get all dolled up and go out to a fine meal. We often went to the Ebb Tide. Some things have changed since I was little, but I'm pretty sure they still have some nice food. The waitresses are dressed a little funny (some strange meld between a German Fraulein and an Amish barnraiser), but don't let that scare you. The menu is mostly steak and seafood, and most entrees are between $20-$35. Reservations are recommended.

"Woof woof"

The Dog House
189 Lower County Rd
Dennis Port, MA
(508) 398-7774

A favorite of the elder ringbearer, Dylan, this is a drive-in restaurant shaped like Hansel and Gretel's house. There are outdoor picnic tables, and it is a good place to stop on the way back from the beach for a hot dog or some (fantastic) onion rings. Meals around $5. Adults and pets welcome.

"Man oh man, that's good"

Sundae School
381 Lower County Rd
Dennisport, MA

Forget Provincetown, this is truly Cape Cod's crown jewel. Since the 70's, college kids home on break have been shilling out homemade ice cream (and fro-yo, ice milk, etc..) in a remarkable number of flavors to eager, sunburnt customers. You must, must, must visit Sundae School and try the 4-scoop sampler. The Ginger ice cream has been my favorite since I was 8. If it's not the best ice cream you've ever had, I'll eat it for you :)

Accomodations

2005-07-27T10:54:00.000-07:00

If you haven't already, you should soon make your hotel reservations for the weekend of the wedding. The hotel that we recommend is the Corsair/Cross Rip, located about 3 miles from the wedding venue, the Lighthouse Inn.

Corsair/Cross Rip
41 Chase Avenue
Dennis Port, MA 02639
800-889-8037
www.corsaircrossrip.com

The hotel is located right on the water, with two outdoor pools and one indoor pool. It has a private beach and a game room with lots of fun stuff for kids. Please mention the Maynard/Winderbaum affair to get the most preferred rate.

Of course, there are literally hundreds of other hotels in the vicinity, if you should choose to do something a little different. Search in Dennis Port, West Dennis, or South Yarmouth. Do this as soon as you can! We are sharing our weekend with the Cranberry Festival, an event that draws many to the area.

Invitations are mailed!

2005-07-25T11:46:00.000-07:00

Today I lugged the invitations to work, where I utilized their handy-dandy envelope sealer. After I had sealed all the envelopes, I let them dry, of course, and then brought them to the Chinatown USPS (the home of the kindest and friendliest postal workers ever!--well, perhaps not the home, I don't think they probably live there...), around the corner from where I work on Bedford Street. I had them placed gently into a mail bin, and I was assured that they would be handled with the utmost of care. I can't wait to start receiving replies!

Invitations

2005-07-06T08:30:00.000-07:00

Thanks to the hard work and incredible talent of Kristi Martik Duffy, we now have our invitations far in the works. We plan to mail them by 7/16/05 or so. Be on the lookout!

Our First Wedding Post!

2005-06-26T14:18:00.000-07:00

The wedding is 80 days away, and we decided to create a wedding website! This should serve as a resource for our guests to find out information about the wedding. As the date draws closer, we will update with blogs about fun things to do, places to go, restaurants to eat at, etc. For now, just some basic info:

Our nuptials will take place at The Lighthouse Inn in Dennis Port, Cape Cod

on September, 16 2005

The ceremony will take place at 6pm, and our reception will immediately follow.

If you plan to attend (and, of course, we hope you do!), we recommend making reservations as soon as possible at the Corsair/Cross Rip hotel http://corsaircrossrip.com/ Please mention the Maynard/Winderbaum affair to reserve with the best rate. Time is of the essence, as the weekend of our wedding is also the weekend of the cranberry festival, an event sure to draw a large crowd to the Dennis/Hyannis area.

The Corsair/Cross Rip is a lovely hotel with a great deal of amenities that promise to make your stay enjoyable. There are two outdoor pools, one indoor pool, access to private beach, and a large game room with lots of fun stuff for kids to do.