LDW | West Dennis Beach

Despite the harsh weather reports of Hurricane Earls path towards Cape Cod and his warning from Gretchen's email: It could be bad - water under the house, 80 MPH winds, no power, roof flying off, 2 feet of water in the driveway and road, the adventurous spirits (or just the crazy one's in our group of friends) Gretchen, Derek, Colucci and I loaded up the car and headed straight for West Dennis Beach. The picturesque beach cottage built by Gretchen's grandfather sits just a few hundred feet back from Nantucket Sound. With an evacuation plan in place (My Mom's house 10 minutes up the road) and plenty of food and booze, not even warnings of a category 3 Hurricane could keep us between our 3rd Annual Labor Day Weekend long bash. We kept a loose eye on the weather and a tight fist on our beers as the hurricane was reduced to a category 2, then eventually a 1 and by the time it hit us that evening, a mere rain and heavy windstorm. Lisa drove down late Friday night just in time for a hurricane swim, while Adam and Douglas ventured down early Saturday morning, just as the sun came out to play. DeMane, Holly and Reuter - friends whose travel plans were disrupted by Earl were missed but not forgotten. (We got to act them out in a drunken game of Celebrity ,which is a more fun version of charades!)
This stack of blueberry pancakes and bacon pancakes kicked off a weekend of great eats.

The neighbors boarded up their house.

We took a beach walk.

We ate lunch, drank some beers, went for a swim, and G and I attempted a puzzle while the boys flew kites. Make your own paninis with ham, turkey, cheese, roasted zucchini and tomato.
Black and white puzzles are impossibly hard.
Colucci made a Tom Collins mix: fresh squeezed lemons, limes, simple syrup, lots of gin and a little club soda.
A bruschetta appetizer was just as tasty as it looks.
Dinner night 1: Seafood Lasagna with Tomato Basil Bechamel and Caesar salad. I might have forgotten about this salad if I hadn't taken pictures. Not that it didn't taste incredible with crusty croutons, diced hard boiled egg and fresh grated parmesan cheese - but the Seafood Lasagna out-shined not only the salad, but any other lasagna I've ever tasted. Fresh lobster, scallops and shrimp with ricotta, mozzarella and parmesan in a creamy Bechamel, SO GOOD. Antics ensued. We made it through the storm alive.

The Beach day 2:

The view out my bedroom slider door at the early hours of 9 am. Looks promising today!

Breakfast: ham, egg, cheese & tomato on a homemade biscuit.

My better half and Cappy arrived. Just in time....