Before giving me a tour of the town, the couple insist I try their Beachcomber - a scoop of vanilla frozen yogurt plopped into a fruit cup, then sprinkled with granola and drizzled with honey. When I argue that it's only 11 a.m., John tells me he adapted the recipe from a breakfast he had in Greece. I give in.

      Beachgoers can't miss the Bartletts' two businesses, but many overlook worthwhile stores in town like Manchester by the Book (27 Union Street, 978-525-2929), which sells mostly secondhand tomes, and the antiques and upscale consignment shop The Stock Exchange (5 Beach Street, 978-526-7569). "People always make a beeline to the beach.... A stroll through town up this way is often missed," John says to Karen Park, owner of the gift shop Zak's (2 Beach Street, 978-526-1115). Occupying seven rooms of an 1800s-era house, Zak's specializes in curious items, from rubber spiked-hair wigs and white-leather bracelets with red baseball-style stitching to quilted luggage sets and pocket-sized inspirational books.

      Reaching these stores from the commuter rail station is easy, says Lisa. (It's a 45-minute trip from North Station on the Rockport line.) If you drive, beware that you might have trouble finding a place to park. We stop by The Landing at 7 Central (7 Central Street, 978-526-4533), a restaurant where the Bartletts are members of the wine club.

      "We're in here at least twice a week," says John, who recommends the New England clam chowder, a twist on the familiar with bits of bacon and fresh corn. "It's so easy that we can walk," Lisa chimes in, "or stumble home, if necessary."

      Lisa says another beverage in town has an effect on her: the chocolate latte from Nantucket Chocolatier (6 School Street, 978-526-0040). Movie buffs might recognize the shop as Hooper's Market from State and Main, but everyone can appreciate its variety of chocolates.

Patrick Gerard Healy