Grand openings

NEW: STUDIO

At By the Sea Driftwood Company, a cozy studio tucked away on a winding road near the center of Orleans, artist Catherine Wissmann gives new life to objects that have washed up on area shores. In her capable hands, lobster buoys become lamps, driftwood is fashioned into candle sconces, and a shutter from a dune shack is transformed into a tabletop and fitted with oar halves for legs. Wissmann’s creations run the gamut from small and inexpensive (quahog paperweights filled with beach sand and tiny shells for $10) to larger and steeper in price (a table made from a lobster pound and topped with a sheet of sea glass for $550).

Because she leaves the components of her creations as she found them — metal fastenings are left in wooden planks; buoys used for lamps and wall hangings remain their original color — each work is unique. A few minutes in Wissmann’s studio offers a sense of her art’s anthropological nature: Collections of fishing lures and ship pulleys and old marine hardware, all findings from her beach outings, can be found among the displays, awaiting incorporation into new pieces.

Since opening in June, By the Sea has been a draw for those wishing to bring a touch of the Cape into their homes. For Wissmann and her husband, Robert, her partner in shoreline hunts, reusing objects carried in by the ocean is a continuation of a longstanding practice.

‘‘People have used driftwood to build their homes and heat their homes,’’ Robert says. ‘‘We’re continuing a tradition that’s been around for centuries.’’

For a list of other new and established Cape galleries and studios, check out ‘‘Arts & Artisans Trails of Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard & Nantucket,’’ available for $13.95 at www.capecodchamber.org/store or by contacting Bonnie Coutu at the Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce, 508-362-3225, ext. 537.

By the Sea Driftwood Company, 4 West Road, Orleans. 508-240-5783. Hours: Tues-Thurs 10 a.m.-1 p.m. or by appointment.

- AMI ALBERNAZ

NEW: B&B

Last year, The New York Times ran a story about the slow but steady demise of Cape Cod’s bed-and-breakfast industry. But Paula Murphy wasn’t worried. By then, she and her husband, Brian, had already started renovating what would become the very successful Annabelle Bed & Breakfast in Sandwich, which opened in January.

Their friends asked what had taken them so long. I have to second that. The Murphys’ attention to detail translates into a full candy dish in the hall, lush gardens (Paula is a horticulturist, and it shows), and luxurious toiletries (not to mention a Jacuzzi) in the sparkling-clean bathroom of the Beach Rose room. When Paula found out we were escaping our beloved but tiring offspring for the night, she brought two glasses of sauvignon blanc to our room.

The inn feels secluded because it’s set on two quiet acres, but it’s actually right in town, so we were able to walk to shops, museums, and restaurants. After dinner, we sat on our (shared) deck and gazed up at the starry sky. By this point we had to admit that we didn’t just like Annabelle; we might even have become addicted. We missed our kids, but only out of a sense of duty.

But life is about change, and by morning it was time to return home. Before wistfully merging into rush-hour traffic, though, we did take a few minutes to savor the sunny porch, the butterflies flitting among the flowers, and homemade Belgian waffles covered in fruit, maple syrup, and whipped cream. We didn’t get to try out the charming two-person swing in the yard, but it seemed smart to save something for next time.

Annabelle Bed & Breakfast, 4 Grove St., Sandwich. 508-833-1419. Rates in season from $125-$205, off-season $110-$145.

- BETSY BLOCK

NEW: STORE

Usually, clothes that are purchased on Cape Cod are best left on Cape Cod. Those pastel track suits that sell for hundreds at upscale boutiques, the baggy linen pants that hang over heel-less sandals, and shirts that say ‘‘Cape Cod’’ in cursive script — they don’t fly back in civilization.

But now, thanks to a mother-daughter team that opened a boutique in Hyannis in May, you can get some real use out of your Cape purchases. Shaunna Clothier, named for co-owner and former Maxwell & Co. buyer Shaunna Wharton, has high-fashion goods you’d find on Newbury Street. In fact, Wharton aims to be steps ahead of Newbury Street.

‘‘We’re not doing the True Religion thing. That’s done,’’ Wharton says of her impressive jean collection, which does not include brands like True Religion and 7 For All Mankind, all of which are still hot in Boston shops. ‘‘We’re more LA.’’

Wharton and mom Saundra Lambert sell J&Company and Tag jeans, stylish sweaters by Shirin Guild, bejeweled belts, leather jackets for fall, and a sizable sale rack in back. Antiques used to display the gear are also for sale, and the duo offers good gift items such as Hanky Panky underwear at the counter. Best of all, Wharton has taken care of a Hyannis shopping-district eyesore. The boutique, which has an easy-access parking lot, was an abandoned gas station for 12-plus years.

Shaunna Clothier, 478 South St., Hyannis, 508-771-8009. Hours: Mon-Sat 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sun by appointment.

- MEREDITH GOLDSTEIN

NEW: RESTAURANT

When it comes to beachside dining, the view doesn’t come any better than the one at Hemisphere. Situated right by the sand and sea in Sandwich, Hemisphere doesn’t just offer inspiring vistas over Cape Cod Bay: With upper and lower outside decks and panoramic interior windows, it virtually spoon-feeds them. Though a new name in Cape dining, for almost three decades the restaurant was previously known as Horizons. After a revamp, new owners Tracy and Eric LaBonte reopened the two-story restaurant and bar (plus function room) in May.

The interior is simple and sleek, with blond wood and fresh white paint. A central bar dominates the room, but the star attraction is the nightly floor show through the windows as the sun sets, ribboning the sky with ever-changing shades of orange. Hemisphere is ‘‘upscale casual’’ with classy tableware and the menu is medium-priced, with entrees ranging from $15 to $22, and a nice selection of wines that run from $22 to $40.

It’s the thoughtful touches to standard dishes that count, though. The arugula salad ($7) is dotted with strawberries, with both leaves and berries perfectly accented by a balsamic vinegar dressing and a smattering of black pepper, and it’s complimented by toasted sunflower seeds and a goat cheese crostini. Huge housemade ravioli ($14 for entrée) are stuffed with crabmeat and dressed in a sauce of crème fraiche and red bell pepper, which is flecked with roasted corn kernels.

If there’s a downside, it’s overcrowding. In other words, avoid if there’s a function. The kitchen can’t seem to handle a summer crowd on top. Plus, the angled ceiling and bare wood accentuate every murmur, and chatter becomes cacophonous.

Hemisphere, 98 Town Neck Road, Sandwich. 508-888-6166. hemispherecapecod.com Hemisphere is open for lunch (11:30 a.m.-3 p.m.) and dinner (5:30-10 p.m.). The bar is open until 1 a.m.

- LINDA LABAN