Monthly Archive

  The beloved ferry the Islander plied the waters between Woods Hole and Martha’s Vineyard  for 57  years before retiring in the winter of 2007.   There was just something about this tub of a boat that endeared her to all who sailed on her…  she wasn’t a great beauty but she had a regalness about her.  

Her blue plastic outdoor seats  certainly weren’t known for their comfort. But comfort wasn’t necessarily what one was after for the 45 minute sail from America to the Vineyard, it was more of a transition from the everyday to the magicalness awaiting you.   The Vineyard is many things to many people and in many hearts the Islander was the emotional connection.  

I don’t know if any songs have been written about her but I do know that one in particular was written on her.   Carly Simon was on the Islander  late one night on her way home to the Vineyard when she penned her song “Never Been Gone.”   Her words come to mind every time I  go back to MV.  

She has been replaced by a bigger and sparkling new ferry called the Island Home.  I haven’t sailed on her yet but I’m sure when I do I’ll be thinking a little about her predecessor.  

 In 1971 Captain Robert Douglas opened The Black Dog tavern so that Vineyarders would have a place to gather, especially during the winter months.   A place where they could enjoy a good meal and good conversation.

 If there is an unofficial mascot of MV then the Black Dog is it.   Its tee-shirts, baseball caps, sweatshirts etc with the profile of the black dog have been seen everywhere from MV to Thailand and China.   For awhile MV was the only place you  could visit a Black Dog store but they’ve branched out now to places like Cape Cod, Provincetown, Chatham, Newport RI,  Nantucket, Mystic CT and Portland, ME.   But there still remains only one Black Dog restaurant and that sits unpretentiously on the harbor in Vineyard Haven. 

There actually was a black dog, named Black Dog.   She was an orphan puppy given to Capt Douglas by a friend.  She accompanied him on his ship the Shenandoah almost every day and she turned out to be quite the sea dog. 

Besides the tavern restaurant and the stores the Black Dog also has a bakery and  my mouth is watering just typing this.  The granola is superb, the biscotti is the best I’ve tasted anywhere and according to our family dog Chappy, the dog biscuits are to drool for. 

In 1602 Bartholomew Gosnold, captain of the vessel the Concord, discovered Martha’s Vineyard.  It was however  already inhabited by the Native American’s know as the Wampanoag’s who called the island Noepe.   I guess they were undiscovered until he arrived.   

Gosnold was taken by the beauty of the island and of the abundance of grapes.   He decided to name the island after his infant daughter.. Martha.  

A popular story is that Gosnold  had three daughters so he named the Elizabeth Islands just west of MV for Elizabeth.. Martha’s Vineyard for Martha.. and the remaining island.. well  ‘Nan took  it’ (Nantucket).  I don’t know if he even had three daughters or if  he did in fact  name Nantucket but it makes for a cute tale. 

  The Flying Horses are one of America’s oldest carousels… certainly its oldest platform carousel.  It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.  The horses were carved by C. W. F. Dare in 1876 in New York City.   They were brought by steamer to Oak Bluffs in 1884 and have been bringing smiles to children.. and childlike adults.. ever since.

Hurdy gurdy type music accompanies you on your journey around and around.  The horses are stationary, no going up and down for this herd.   The best part  is trying to catch the brass ring which entitles you to a free ride. 

If you look closely into the  glass eye of each horse you will see an animal of some sort there.  The manes and tails are made of real horse hair and of course for some of us the horses are real too. 

If you want to harken back to a simpler time then a ride on the Flying Horses is a definite must.. I know it is for me. 

 In the spirit of Halloween I’d like to tell the following story.

On the magical and much haunted island of Martha’s Vineyard.. in the town of Oak Bluffs.. in a restored Victorian home is a restaurant called The Sweet Life Cafe.   In this house in the 1930’s lived a daughter and her mother.   In this house the mother passed away.   That woman was my grandmother and the daughter was my mother.   I had never met my grandmother as she passed on long before my parents were married but I always felt a closeness to her. 

A few years ago my daughter and I decided to treat ourselves to dinner at the Sweet Life Cafe… we’d never eaten there but felt the time was right.   It was around 5 o’clock on a beautiful cloudless and breezeless May evening so we opted to sit on the patio in the garden as it was empty and peaceful.   We had a glass of wine and settled back to talk about our day and enjoy the pretty surroundings.   The tables were beautifully laid out and each had on it a small hurricane lamp with a candle in it.  We looked around and noticed that the candles on all the tables but ours were lit!   Our waitress re-lit ours.   The candle went out.   Again she lit it.  Again it went out.   She came back with a new candle.  Again out it went.   Again she re-lit it to no avail.  My daughter and I joked that our grandmothers were joining us and were definitely in a playful mood.  

Later after we’d eaten I stepped inside the house for the first time ever.  As I climbed the stairs to the second floor and headed down the hallway to the restroom I passed what had been three bedrooms and a feeling of comfort came over me. 

Later that evening as my daughter and I were passing by the restaurant we looked in at the patio……   the candle on the table we had been sitting at was burning brightly !!   

There are many, many good restaurants on Martha’s Vineyard but you won’t find a fast food establishment anywhere…  not that the biggest of them hasn’t tried though.   Back in the late 1970’s McDonald’s tried and failed. 

A No Mac committee was formed which included Carly Simon, James Taylor, Mia Farrow  authors John Updike and William Styron and other Vineyarders.  They fought against the conglomerate and  it worked and McDonald’s  gave up  saying they didn’t need the aggravation.  

So…. don’t expect Starbucks but do experience Espresso Love and Mocha Motts.  Don’t expect Dunkin Donuts but do experience Martha’s Vineyard Gourmet Bakery and Dippin Donuts.   

From Atria in Edgartown to Zephrus in Vineyard Haven the food on Martha’s Vineyard is eclectic and delicious… but not so fast.

This is the house I spent all my summers in with my parents and godparents when I was growing up.   I’m a very nostalgic person and during every trip I take to MV I pass by this house and smile.   I was writing in my journal one evening after passing by the house and these words spilled from my pen onto the paper.

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          The House

 The old house saw her walking down the road, the woman was grown up now but the house remembered her as a child.  The woman wasn’t alone.. there was a man and a young girl with her, they were her family.  As they neared the house the woman pointed at it and you could see glimpses of memories in her eyes.  She knew this house well.. many happy hours of her childhood were spent here.   Suddenly they were gone, so fleeting a moment after so many, many years.  The house knew she did not look the same as she had all those years ago… her paint was faded and peeling and her rooms seemed small and dingy… she felt old and neglected.

A few years later a car approached slowly… could it be… yes, inside was the woman but she was alone this time.  The car stopped and she stared at the house.. a smile appeared on her face… she was remembering the people who once lived there and for an instant they were there again.  Then the woman was gone…  the old house sighed.

Years passed and from time to time out of nowhere the woman would appear and stop in front of the house if only for an instant.  It seemed as if something was left undone.  The house stood there waiting year after year.

Then it happened.  A car drove by slowly… it returned minutes later and stopped.  The door opened and the woman got out… she approached the house with great anticipation.  She was pleased to see that the house was freshly painted, it made her happy.  She engaged in conversation with a girl on the porch and then suddenly she was entering the house after more then 40 years… it was quite a moment.  The house wondered what the woman would think of her… time does take its toll and she was afraid she would not be as the woman remembered her!

The woman thought to herself “the rooms seem so much smaller.. or is it that I’m bigger… so many things have changed but I am seeing what was here not what is here now.”  Once or twice however something did seem the same… a faint aroma… the slant of the bathroom ceiling… the curve of the staircase… the white iron beds… the secret room beneath the stairs…  a creak.

It was but a moment in time, the reunion of the woman and the house but somehow their bond would never be broken and neither would forget the other.

Martha’s Vineyard is very pet friendly.   Just about any store will happily welcome your pet in to browse and be fawned over.  

There are a few places on MV that accommodate pets and in my opinion the best one is the Island Inn .  They have different sized rooms from typical motel size to 2 and 3 bedroom suites.   I believe they stop accepting pets the end of May but start again in Sep… that rule might have changed so checking with the management is a good idea.  

In a separate post I will touch upon the part of traveling with a pet to MV that the pet likes best…… food & treats and where to find them.  I will be interviewing our dog Chappy for this post as he is after all the pet expert. 

Once you’ve decided to go to Martha’s Vineyard you’ll need a place to stay.  I like to have those arrangements all taken care of before I leave home… leaving accommodations to chance is pretty chancy on MV especially in the summer months.

My favorite town to stay in is Edgartown, the epitome of a New England town right down to the white church steeples.   Edgartown is filled with elegant old whaling captains homes many of which have been turned into B&B’s.   Picture white picketed fences, green lawns, white homes with black shutters and there you have Edgartown. 

One of my favorite places to stay is the Victorian Inn.. a three story Victorian mansion run by two of the nicest people you’ll find anywhere.  The rooms are large and airy and perfectly decorated.  The breakfast is one of the best on MV bar none.   It begins with a selection of muffins…. then fresh fruit if desired… then your choice of one of several main dishes (I love the French toast) and of course there’s never ending coffee, juices and tea.  In the warmer months breakfast is outside on the patio… cooler months it’s inside in the cozy breakfast room.   And let’s not forget the chocolate chip cookies and tea in the afternoon.  So if you want to get away from it all and just tune out for awhile this is your place to stay, unlike other places the Vic does not have TV’s or phones in the rooms.  As for the location, it’s right smack in the center of town.  They say the Vic is  haunted by the Amorous Ghost… no extra charge if he appears in your room !!!

My second choice is the The Hob Knob.   This too is beautifully decorated.  The inn is large and rooms vary in size but all are beautifully appointed and comfortable to stay in.  They also have a small exercise room and sauna for those achy tourist bones after a long day of exploring MV.   Breakfast is quite good… nice selection and presentation.  There are a couple of breakfast rooms where you can make yourself comfortable while planning your days activities.  After a full day of exploring MV the inn offers tea and cookies in the afternoon.  The HK is open all year and one of the prettiest times to go there is in early December when it’s all decked out for the holidays.

One more  great place I’ll mention is the Harborside Inn . This is Edgartowns only waterfront resort and it is worth taking a look especially if you have children.   Each room is equipped with a small refrigerator tucked away in the closet.  Even though it is a waterfront resort there is not a beach that you can step out onto.  There is a pool though and a fantastic view of Edgartown harbor right outside your door. 

There are lots of other wonderful places in Edgartown to stay… they can all be viewed at www.mvol.com  it’s really the best way to get a look at all that Edgartown has to offer.

These are the cliffs of Aquinnah located on the western tip  of Martha’s Vineyard.  These multicolored cliffs have been of interest to geologists and paleontologists for many years helping them to recount millions of years of the earth’s formation.  Bones of camels and wild horses as well as fossil bones of ancient whales have been found in the cliffs.
Many years ago people were allowed to climb the cliffs… today the cliffs are protected by law against such adventures.    The cliffs look different in each season… this particular picture of them was taken in the fall when the cliffs are exhibiting  cooler colors from the vibrant oranges that appear in the summer. To walk beneath the majesty of the cliffs allows you a closer look at the drama that took place in their formation. 

There’s not too much more I can say about the cliffs, I’ll let the pictures speak for themselves.  

But if you visit Martha’s Vineyard you must try and see them, you won’t be disappointed they are spectacular.

It was a beautiful Monday morning in October about 12 years ago and my daughter and I decided to rent bikes.   Mind you it had been years since I’d been on a bike and I’d never used hand brakes… but how hard could they be !!   Off we trotted to the bike shop by the harbor in Edgartown.   After a few instructions … most of which I’d missed we got on our bikes and headed out of the shop.   Somehow I wound up not on the road but heading for a hedge of flowers and before I knew it had made contact with them… it was all in slow motion so it seemed like an eternity until I hit the ground.   I laughed and so did the rental guy, my daughter though after showing concern for my well being was convinced I’d want to turn in the bikes and forget about our ride.  But no, I was determined to carry on… once we’d gone back to the inn however so I could bandage my cuts and bruises.   So back on the bike I got and we headed to the inn just a block or so away.  I was doing pretty good until I turned into their driveway and sort of, well, bumped into one of the cars in their lot.   I was really hoping no one in the breakfast room was seeing any of this.   Got myself put together and once again started off on our bikes… my daughter still wasn’t convinced we’d make it out of Edgartown.   You’ll be happy to know that I was finally getting the hang of the hand brakes even though I automatically was using my feet too… sometimes dragging them on the ground as a back up maneuver.

The road between Edgartown and Oak Bluffs is 6 miles of scenic beauty… for most of the ride the ocean is on one side and Sengekontacket Pond is on the other… it’s one of the prettiest bike paths (or roads) on MV.   We stopped several times to take pictures and for me to catch my breath.   At one point the bike path changes from one side of the road to the other… there are big signs telling you about this…  I missed them.   When I saw my daughter move across the road I figured I should follow suit… as I have a problem turning my neck I didn’t see the truck that was coming down the road.   I made it to the other side still not aware how close the truck had come… I do however remember the scared and horrified look on my daughter’s face.   She claims to this day that I gave her several grey hairs… I say, turn about is fair play.

It was a fun day… the company, the weather, the experience of hand brakes… I’m glad we did it ……. once. 

Chappy, short for Chappaquiddick, our family dog is standing in front of a sign post in Oak Bluffs that tells you how far it is from many destinations to Martha’s Vineyard… but how do you actually set foot on MV !

Planes, trains, automobiles, ferries… take your pick.   Eons ago you could take a train directly to Woods Hole and merely walk a few steps and board the ferry.  More people started traveling by cars and so an era ended and the area became a parking lot for the Steamship Authority.     The Woods Hole, Martha’s Vineyard & Nantucket Steamship Authority is the ONLY way to get a car from America to the Islands… and you MUST have a reservation especially if you’re traveling in the summer months.  Personally I make my reservations in February for August but I’m obsessed that way.   There are fast ferries out of New Bedford etc that can be found on the website…since I’ve never used the fast ferries I don’t feel qualified to give information about them and perhaps be wrong.   You can fly to MV also… Cape Air goes out of Boston, Providence, New Bedford and Hyannis.  

Personally though I love the transition the ferry allows you…. leave your everyday life on the mainland and arrive on MV carefree and ready to enjoy your adventures.  It’s cathartic and healing and  the excitement as I  get closer to MV makes my heart race.  It might only be 7 miles and a mere 45 minutes … but it’s like transitioning to a different life. 

Contrary to what some people have heard… there is not, nor ever will be, a bridge or tunnel to Martha’s Vineyard.   The fact that it takes some planning and plotting and jockeying for the perfect ferry reservation makes the process of arriving on MV all the better.  It’s a sense of accomplishment combined with glee once your tickets arrive.. you have done it… you’ve attained a coveted reservation on the ferry, you have been blessed by the reservation gods… it is good. 

 I live in NJ but my heart and soul live on MV… and on MV they like to live here at the Tabernacle in the Campground .  It is my favorite spot on the Island… an oasis of serenity and calmness in the middle of the Vineyard’s most bustling and lively town, Oak Bluffs.   This magnificent iron structure was built in 1879… in 1979 was listed in the Natl Register of Historic Places… in 1999 a major restoration began which still continues… and in 2000 it became a project of Save America’s Treasures.   Those are some of the facts of the building but not necessarily what constitutes the heart and soul of it.

Inside the Tabernacle is a banner that says “truly God resides in this place” and so he does.   I am profoundly attached to the Tabernacle and must visit it every time I’m on MV whether it’s in the heat of the summer or the cold of the winter… I just magnetically gravitate there, I have no choice.

The Tabernacle isn’t just for sermons… many things take place there,  the Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School holds its graduation there every year for one thing.  There are of course religious services held during the summer months.   And concerts, what a magnificent setting for a concert… one that I particularly enjoyed was in 1990 with Harry Connick Jr and his special guest Carly Simon    The concert was at 3 in the afternoon of a spectacular September Sunday afternoon.  Cool breezes wafting through the Tabernacle… the buzz of anticipation in the audience… it was perfect.  When Carly Simon came out the lights were turned off and the only illumination was the sun shining through the stained glass windows that encircle the top of the Tabernacle… it was magic… but that’s the Vineyard, magic does occur there all the time.

One of the best events of the summer is Illumination Night in the Camp Ground…  it’s a magical fairy land and for me it’s hard not to become 8 years old again.  The evening starts with a rousing community sing… the band plays… the whole Campground is alive with the sounds of happiness and joy.  All the gingerbread houses are decorated with Japanese lanterns… many of them handed down from generation to generation and some still being lit by candles.  Suddenly all lights are extinguished and the ceremonial first lantern is lit…. it’s walked up the aisle of the Tabernacle and illuminates it… as that happens all the gingerbread houses come alive with lanterns… it takes my breath away every time.

So there it is… a little bit about my favorite place on MV…  I’ve tried to keep it short but don’t know if I succeeded or not… I do tend to get wordy where MV is concerned. 

 My obsession/love affair with Martha’s Vineyard started early in my life.  I was around 2 and a half in this picture and this was already my second trip.

My connection to MV was through my mother who although born in Maine was raised on MV.   She went to Oak Bluffs high school (each town had its own back then) and after graduating moved to NJ where she met my father and quickly converted him into an MV lover.  

 We stayed with my godparents in Oak Bluffs every year.    Life on MV was so different from Newark, NJ where I spent the other part of my existence.   My mother and I would take the train from NY to Woods Hole in June,  my dad would arrive for the entire month of August and we’d all sadly leave the beginning of September.  

My summers were filled with trips to the beach in Oak Bluffs… endless rides on the Flying Horses… ice cream at the Frosty Cottage on Circuit Ave… popcorn at Darling’s… fairs and parades… at least one trip to Gay Head (Aquinnah)… visiting relatives in Indian Hill… movies… setting pins at the bowling alley in Oak Bluffs… endless hours at the Oak Bluffs library… Bible school at the Tabernacle… Illumination Night… and one especially painful memory of my first and only dance lesson at the Tivoli ballroom where the Oak Bluffs police department now stands.

These are just a few snippets of memories and stories I’d like to share.  Hope whoever reads them finds them as enjoyable as I did experiencing them.

Hi, my name is Joan and I’m a Vineyard-a-holic…