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Discovering The Box Office Cafe As you drive along route 28 heading from Harwich to Chatham, at the town line you'll see an old cemetery on your right.Then you climb a hill. Be prepared to take a left turn at the top of the hill, right across from the Nantucket House Bed and Breakfast. Making left turns on Cape Cod can be very hazardous, so carefully take your left turn onto Morton Road. There on the corner you will see a building with many windows and a beautifully carved wooden sign out front that says The Box Office Cafe. The exact location is 2642 Main Street, South Chatham, MA 02659.
Some of the movie posters that caught my attention were My Fair Lady, with Rex Harrison and Audrey Hepburn; Steve McQueen as Bullitt; Cape Fear with Gregory Peck, Robert Mitchum, and Polly Bergen; and The Towering Inferno with McQueen, Paul Newman,William Holden, and Faye Dunaway. Who is responsible for this setting that's like a nostalgic dream come true for people like myself who went to the movies every weekend during childhood and on into adult life? The answer: Paul Schuyler and his wife Jade Rutanen. Paul pursued a film career that began at Cornell University, where he was a graphic designer, and then led him to Los Angeles and Hollywood.
When Paul and Jade began raising a family, they decided to move back to her hometown of Chatham and apply their creativity toward launching The Box Office Cafe. It's open from Paul Schuyler, his wife Jade Rutanen and James Dean 6am to 9pm daily, year round, and the menu is a form of entertainment in itself. It's a "WI-FI Hotspot," says Paul, who describes the Cafe as "the someplace different you have been searching for." The living room is well supplied with magazines and newspapers. Names for menu items are about as "different" as it could get. There's a sandwich called The Hunt for Red October, a veggie burger named Back to the Future, a coffee called Meet Joe Black, an espresso latte called Doctor Zhivago, a tuna melt described as The Poseidon Adventure, a breakfast sandwich named The Ron Howard, a breakfast wrap called The Clint Eastwood, a Mystic Pizza, and a club sandwich called Caddyshack. There are also salads, finger foods, a kids' menu, plus beer and wine. You may visit the Cafe online at www.theboxofficecafe.com Also, ask about the free delivery. The phone is 508.430.5211. After you enjoy The Box Office Cafe, you will find Christmas Joy Gifts nearby, as well as a truly old-fashioned Baker's Hardware. If you are in the mood for a beautiful and While you browse, you may even come across a few copies of my book, The O'Connell Boy: Educating 'The Wolf Child'~~An Irish-American Memoir (1932-1950). I don't mind saying that the writing about my unusual early years has been compared to Charles Dickens' literature about boys struggling with adversity. I'm not complaining about that. Please don't leave the area without carefully walking or driving directly across route 28 to follow Forest Beach Road, which begins right opposite the Cafe. Along the straight uncomplicated road you will pass Tobey Turtle and Aunt Carrie's roads on your left. At slightly under a mile, a scenic treat awaits you. Forest Beach has parking for several vehicles, a pristine beach to provide sand for your shoes, and a wonderful view of Chatham's coastline and Monomoy. But there's more! There's a vista deserving the adjective "superb." When heading toward the beach you passed a street on your left called Bay View Road. Go back to it, now on your right, and stroll past a "no hunting" sign, also on your right, with a marsh next to you and a view of the dunes in the distance at Forest Beach.
Don't be frightened! The rules make sense and don't infringe on your personal freedom very much. The first rule is "All people are welcome to enjoy themselves without charge in the conservation areas of Chatham from 1/2 hour before sunrise until 2 hours after sunset." The beautiful vista as seen from Chatham's Forest Beach Now go to the top of the rise and absorb the special treat I promised. It will unveil itself before your eyes. With parking for a few cars, and some thoughtful seats for weary walkers, you will be able to gaze out to sea straight ahead in the direction of Forest Beach and then, when you look to your left, you will see the magnificent panorama of Chatham Harbor, the lighthouse, and the coastline extending all the way out to the end of Monomoy. What a vista! If you are alone, it's a perfect place to be quiet and meditate. If you are with others, it's a perfect location to share the goodies you brought with you from the Box Office Cafe. If you have your camera, use it. Your lens will enthusiastically embrace the pleasant vista. I think you'll agree that your visit to The Box Office Cafe was both fascinating and delicious. And your Forest Beach adventure was a memorable discovery. That's it for now from The Cape Cod Rover. Till next time, View Other Cape Cod Rover Visits Copyright 2008. Tom O'Connell. All rights reserved. Note: Tom O'Connell is a Cape Cod Writer and Lecturer. Take a look at his www.sanctuary777.com website where you will find many essays as well as excerpts from his books. His new memoir is Bugging Out: An Army Memoir (1954). He is also the author of The O'Connell Boy: Educating The Wolf Child~An Irish-American Memoir (1932-1950).See chapters at www.sanctuary777.com.
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On my first visit, what I noticed right away as I stepped inside the friendly surroundings was the array of old movie posters throughout the restaurant and all around the "living room" area. My eyes immediately went to a larger than life cutout of Humphrey Bogart, with his own trademark "look," standing there in a corner near the wide-screen TV where old films are often screened for patrons.
In L.A., to further his skill as a director, he took part in an acting master class where he was involved in experimental films. That's where he met the actress he would later marry. Paul was assistant director for "Rapid Fire," a Brandon Lee action film. And among his other credits was his production of a psychological thriller called "Wasted." A more recent five-minute film "Bomb" was a collaboration with his wife Jade, and was shown at the Woods Hole Film Festival. It can be seen online at www.wytshark.com.
One of my favorites is the simple, unadorned blueberry scone. There is much home cooking and baking that goes on at the Cafe, and there's a steadily expanding vegetarian & vegan menu. You will also find a variety of smoothies, protein shakes, bean blenders, and tea lattes. There's a "Build your own" approach to pizza, which is made "from scratch."
Move slowly now, and notice an unmarked lane on your right going up a hill. In the distance you will see an oval sign. Up close you will see "Forest Beach Conservation Area, Town of Chatham." Nearby is another sign which lists some rules. Among other things, it says, "Rules governing use of land under Conservation Commission control."
