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I have a bunch of bags from MV. I know it’s a surprise that I, MV Obsession, would have a collection of MV bags 
Ok, let’s see what we have here. In the picture on the left – The Midnight Farm bag in the middle is straw and is surrounded by assorted paper bags. The requisite Black Dog bag. My favorite scone dealer in Edgartown, Espresso Love. One of the best books stores on MV, Bunch of Grapes. Our dog Chappy’s favorite store, Good Dog Goods in Oak Bluffs. And Sanctuary which is a wonderful spiritual store in Oak Bluffs.
The picture on the right is three sturdy cloth tote bags. The Secret Garden in Oak Bluffs is very large and holds all my MV counted cross stitch charts which I bought at the Heath Hen. The other great MV book store, Edgartown Books is the pretty blue bag and the Martha’s Vineyard Fiber Farm bag is in the right corner. Please click on store names to visit their websites.
Not quite as many bags as T-shirts (CLICK HERE) but I’m working on it.
According to the Summer issue of Vineyard Style Magazine in their What’s Hot section… this is the hottest T-shirt on MV.
Trendy I’m usually not… but I’m proud to say I have this t-shirt because it’s from the MV Fiber Farm and I got it at their first fiber festival in April of this year.
I got to thinking about my other MV t-shirts of which I have a few… ok, more then a few.
These three are from events that I went to. Illumination Night in Oak Bluffs which takes place this year on Wed, Aug 20th. The Harry Connick Jr/Carly Simon concert at the Tabernacle on Sep 16, 1990. And also at the Tabernacle, the Boston Pops on Aug 4, 2001.
This grouping is of places on MV. The Flying Horses in Oak Bluffs. Espresso Love in Edgartown. Midnight Farm store in Vineyard Haven. The old Tivoli building in Oak Bluffs.
The Black Dog is one of the most famous t-shirts. The red shirt however is from 1987, which is before the well known image of the black dog appeared.
Miscellaneous shirts including the Vineyardosaurus designed by Ronni Simon. A Chappy shirt because our dog is named Chappy. The “It’s A Vineyard Thing” shirt because well, with me everything becomes a Vineyard thing.
Susan Branch’s first cook book was “Heart of the Home” and once I bought it I was hooked. Not only are there interesting recipes and stories in her books but the illustrations, done by Susan herself are charming and beautiful… they almost make me want to get out my colored pencils… almost.
Here are a few of the 13 books she’s written and illustrated. But that’s not all Susan Branch has to offer.
I enjoy her stickers and stamps so I can be artistic and clever too (these are only a miniscule sampling). Her blank calendar books make great journals.
I can’t begin to list all the merchandise Susan Branch has to offer so go check out her website and see for yourself how talented she is and how inspiring her things are.
Susan Branch used to live year round on Martha’s Vineyard. Now she lives most of the year in California where she has opened a store in Arroyo Grande which is just south of San Luis Obispo… I wonder if she’d ever have a branch (groan) on MV some day !
If you haven’t it’s not because of a lack of authors who live there year round or call MV their summer home. Maybe it’s something in the drinking water or the inspirational waters that surround the Vineyard but whatever it is there’s definitely creative forces there.
Perhaps one of the most well known authors who lives and writes there is David McCullough, among his mega hits are ”John Adams” “1776″ and “Truman”. William Styron author of “Sophie’s Choice” and “Confessions of Nat Turner” made his summer home on MV. As did his life long friend the late columnist and humorist Art Buchwald.
The late mystery writer Philip Craig wrote many novels about Martha’s Vineyard. Cookbook and decorating author Susan Branch also lived there, she now splits her time between the Vineyard and CA.
Singer/songwriter and children’s book author Carly Simon lives on MV. She is also a partner is a popular store in Vineyard Haven called Midnight Farm, which is the title of one of her books.
You’ll enjoy browsing for these and many other books in any of the three Island bookstores.
Sun Porch books in Oak Bluffs is charming and welcoming. Curl up on a sofa and pull up a good book to browse through including “Haunted Island” and “Vineyard Confidential” by the owner herself, Holly Nadler.
* Edited 6/08 – Sun Porch books has unfortunately closed.
Edgartown Books which is pictured above is staffed by friendly and informative book lovers. Spend some time browsing through your new books while sitting in a rocker on their porch.
Bunch of Grapes in Vineyard Haven is the biggest of the book stores. Their table of Vineyard books and calenders is chocked full of Vineyard fact and fiction.
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.
