MV On The Spot

Something you’ll notice when you vacation on Martha’s Vineyard is that we’re into saving the environment, protecting the island and sustainable living on the island. We invite and encourage you to do the same while you’re here - Martha’s Vineyard is a precious place! From alternative energy to buy local to organic farming to eco-friendly products, here’s your guide to a green Martha’s Vineyard.

Island Grown Initiative. IGI is a grassroots, non-profit organization that promotes locally grown food and the local farmers that grow it. They have built community and support for the farmers on the island and great awareness about the importance of growing local on the island and beyond. Also, they sell terrific shirts and sweatshirts.

The Bio Store. Found just before you go over the bridge from Vineyard Haven to Oak Bluffs, EcoMV’s Bio Store is full of clothes, food, packaging, fabric, bodycare and cleaning supplies that are non-toxic, sustainable and biodegradable. They even have biodegradable to-go containers, cups, plates, and eating utensils - all made out of corn and used by many island eateries.

South Mountain Company. A building company with a big green heart that powers their offices with wind and builds solar and wind energy alternatives into many of their homes. They also use Clivus composting toilets whenever possible - saving the island’s water resources. Building materials are taken from sustainable woods and other creative places - recycled windshield wipers for shower tiles anyone?

CSA. Community Support Agriculture is a system where community members by shares of a farm ahead of time in return for farm goods - the community commits to supporting the farm ahead of time. Three MV CSA’s of note:
Whipporwill Farm provides good old farm produce - veggies, fruits and flowers.They aren’t certified organic, but use all organic farming methods.
Flat Point Poultry has an organic, free-range poultry CSA.
Martha’s Vineyard Fiber Farm is the first ever natural fiber CSA, selling shares in wool sheared from their Angora Goats, Cormo, Cotswold and Babydoll Southdown sheep. Recently written up in the Wall Street Journal.

Alternative Energy. Many islanders are using wind (including the Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School), solar and sustainable pellets to energize their home. There are many resources on the island including: Vineyard Alternative Heating and South Mountain Company.

Recycling. Quite simply, Martha’s Vineyard recycles. Your rental house should provide information on what to do with trash and recycling for that particular property. Thanks for pitching in!

Once known as “Cottage City”, Oak bluffs is a truly unique resort town on Martha’s Vineyard full of color and character to this day.

Located on the northeast shore of the island, Oak Bluffs offers an historical edge which includes The Flying Horses Carousel – the oldest operating platform carousel In the United States, The Martha’s Vineyard Camp Meeting Association in the heart of Oak Bluffs which showcases hundreds of painted Victorian “Gingerbread” cottages to be dazzled by, and of course the Tabernacle – the physical and spiritual center of the Campground which was built in 1879 by John W. Hoyt of Springfield, Massachusetts.

Home to the largest marina on the island, the finest golf course, beautiful public beaches, public parks and wildlife galore, Oak Bluffs is your destination of choice for trendy and artsy shopping.  See a movie, enjoy a night on the town with live entertainment and dancing (OB being one of the two “wet” towns on the island that serve alcohol), eat at one of the excellent restaurants or just take a walk down the thrilling Circuit Ave, the town’s main drag.

Several special events emphasize Oak Bluffs personality and take place annually:  Grand Illumination Night in the Campground cottages, the Monster Shark Tournament, and the August Fireman’s Association Fireworks.  At The Grand Illumination, residents of the Campground place ornate Chinese lanterns (some electric, some still lit with just a candle), around each Gingerbread Cottage. The lanterns remain dark until after dusk. At an appointed hour, people gather in the Tabernacle for a sing-along and community gathering. At the end all the lights go out and thousands of Chinese lanterns spring to life in a brilliant cascade of light throughout the campground. The celebration ends after visitors walk through the Campground enjoying the sights and sounds of an event taken straight from the turn of the century and brought to life every year in this quaint town of Oak Bluffs.

The village of Vineyard Haven, located in the town of Tisbury, is the main port for Martha’s Vineyard. The harbor is the year-round home to the island ferries run by The Steamship Authority (passengers, cars and freight) and the New England Fast Ferry (passengers only), and it is filled with private and charter sail boats throughout the year and especially each summer. Once you step ashore, some of the best the Vineyard has to offer is within walking distance.

The famous Black Dog Tavern, bakery and retail shops stand steps away from the ferry, and most visitors mark their summer visits by purchasing their annual Black Dog t-shirts. Sitting on the porch at the tavern happily devouring your lobster dinner remains a highlight and is always worth the wait. No reservations accepted, but it’s a joy to sit on the small beach and watch the harbor while you wait for your name to be called.

Bike and car rentals are close by to help you get around, but you don’t even need them to explore Vineyard Haven’s Main Street. This picturesque, shopping extravaganza of a street boasts unique boutique style shops filled with clothes, cool stuff, books and art. Some of our favorite spots are The Green Room (men and women’s clothing), Bunch of Grapes (one of the greatest bookstores ever) and Rainy Day (literally filled with too many fantastic items to list here). Art galleries abound and showcased artists often capture the spirit and beauty of the island.

Vineyard Haven offers excellent dining (Le Grenier) and quick eats (ArtCliff)…and plenty of ice cream (Mad Martha’s) - just to name a few hot spots. The Mansion House hotel, spa, health club and restaurant (Zephrus) stands right on the corner of Main and State Road giving guests full service inside and total access to the town. If it rains, duck into the Capawock movie theater, a refreshing change from the multi-plex, or find the Vineyard Playhouse which features a summer packed with world-renowned plays and actors in a unique Vineyard setting.

And if you have time, wander just a block or two past Main Street, up away from the harbor. You’ll find the a beautiful, seaside, New England town - white clapboard homes, lush gardens and tons of character.

One of the highlights of the summer on Martha’s Vineyard is the West Tisbury Agricultural Country Fair with Mid-Way sponsored by the Martha’s Vineyard Agricultural Society. Every August for four days (Thursday - Sunday), the fairgrounds host the classics at this real old-fashioned fair.

Kids and adults alike enjoy rides, games, shucking and fiddle contests, the skillet throw, horse pull, woodsmen competition, the fiber-arts tent and dog & livestock shows. There is no resisting the live music, puppet and dance shows…and, of course, the tournament of all tournaments - Cow Chip Bingo.

NOTE: Come to the fair hungry. Here’s a sampling of what you’ll find: local restaurants have booths showcasing their best recipes, the MV Fire Departments grill hotdogs and burgers, local schools provide ice cream and there’s kettle corn, fresh lemonade and cotton candy galore.

The Ag Fair is just one of the many summer traditions on the island, making August a fantastic and event-filled time to visit Martha’s Vineyard.

Prices and dates for the annual Ag Fair can be found here.

Patrie Grace is one of those Martha’s Vineyard treasures who marches to the beat of her own drum, is truly gifted in her work and is a character so full of surprises that no author could come up with her heart, hilarity and no-nonsense style of action. For the last 25 years, Patrie has coordinated and planned weddings and other events such as fundraisers, dinner parties, anniversaries and milestone celebrations. I wanted to hear all about wedding on the Vineyard and here’s what she shared:

Anne Mayhew: Why do people want to get married on the Vineyard?
Patrie Grace: After 25 years of being in the wedding and event business here, I still wholeheartedly feel that Martha’s Vineyard is one of the top ten places in the world to have a wedding.

• Destination wedding. Your guests are truly leaving their life and their world on the main land and traveling to an island. It creates an intimacy within the party because everyone seems to be so present - much more than if they left home for a few hours to attend your wedding and then went back to their lives. Whether you have 6 people or 350, the island brings people tightly together
• The island is beautiful. It serves and supports romance and taking your breath away visually. The fragrance of the island, the local produce, the local goods that one can access here; the community feel, the real user-friendliness of the island - they all contribute to this holistic beauty.
• Weddings are an industry here that have been consistently supported by the economy and by the islanders with priceless pieces of land, vacation house rentals, lighthouses, farms (available so that ceremonies can overlook 360 degrees of ocean or wonderfully manicured gardens). Again and again, clients send letters that family and friends continue to remark on the memorable quality of their event on the island.
• No rules. When you have an island wedding, in my opinion, you can do it anyway you want. Once you get on that ferry boat and cross the water, you can throw the traditional rules overboard or go strictly by the book. You can really create your wedding in whatever your vision is. It’s that crossing over the water that gives you the freedom. We can make it happen here.
• Finally and personally, my love of the island, sharing it with people and experiencing it as a place that creates lasting unions, memories…my love is sincere, and I represent it wholeheartedly in my work.

I really listen to people - what is your dream wedding or event? I put the pieces together and wave the red flag when ideas will create stress…I’m all about the pleasure of creating something good and not about buying into the idea that it has to be stressful!

Anne: What do you have to know about getting married on the Vineyard that you wouldn’t have to know about elsewhere?
Patrie: The ‘destination’ part, for sure. Because of the travel involved, people need information, rental houses, inns, the ferry - they all book up to 6, 9, 12 months ahead of time. Then you have to ask other questions, because of the travel details, do you invite everyone to the rehearsal dinner or after brunch?
Also, it is expensive here (I don’t believe in sugar-coating this fact!) and everything has to physically get on this island. But there are many ways to keep it simple…one of my specialties!

Anne: Talk to us about timing - because time moves at a different pace on the island! If I were getting married in September of 2009, what would I do and when would I need to do it?
Patrie: May - October is THE wedding season. I say this because it doesn’t matter if you are getting married at the beginning or the end of this season, you have to book ahead of the season because providers are booking for the season one year ahead, one season ahead. This applies to anything that only one wedding per day can have, such as the wedding site, the band, the photographer, the caterer, etc. I have clients who start two years ahead of their wedding date to get everything they want.
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When people ask me to describe Oak Bluffs, I tell them about the Flying Horses because, to me, the carousel illustrates the flavor of the town perfectly. It’s colorful, historic, loud, full of laughter & fun and unlike any other place in the world.

The Oak Bluffs carousel is the nation’s oldest operating platform carousel and a National Historic Landmark cared for by the Martha’s Vineyard Preservation Trust. Built by Charles W.F. Dare in 1876, the Flying Horses arrived on Martha’s Vineyard in 1884.

Featuring small and large horses, as well as carriages to ride on, the Flying Horses challenge you to catch the brass ring as your circle round. The lucky rider who captures the brass ring wins a free ride. Rides are $1.50 and you can buy a season pass if you know you’ll be climbing aboard again and again. Around the carousel is an arcade complete with games and snacks and open windows pulling the nearby ocean breeze inside to cool the riders.

The carousel is located at the bottom of Circuit Ave - the town’s main drag featuring great shopping, movies, ice cream, fudge and restaurants ranging from pizza to oysters on the half shell - an extension of the excitement and energy of the Flying Horses.

Cool fact: check out your horse’s eyes…you’ll find a surprise!

Randi Baird is a celebrated photographer on Martha’s Vineyard who specializes in environmental portraiture, combining two of her, and my, favorite things - people and the landscape of Martha’s Vineyard. The island is a special place and your vacation on the Vineyard is a special time, something to be savored. I asked Randi to do this interview because she’s the one to capture your moment…forever.

Anne: What are your favorite locations on the island for family portraits?
Randi: I always ask clients if they have a favorite spot. I want to find places that are dear to them, places that bring out their best selves. If they don’t know the island well, I have favorite spots all over the island, so I ask them where they’re staying and I try to absorb and then match their mood with a specific island spot. Of course, I love to use the water, the beaches…

Anne: What is the significance of the Vineyard environment in supporting and enhancing the photo shoot?
Randi: The vineyard is about the environment, the visual space, the beauty…and people enjoying the landscape…they are completely linked. The Vineyard is a special place for people. They come back year after year, it’s family time, it’s down time - away from home and regular life and this creates an opportunity for people to really connect with each other…and themselves. I encourage people to wait 4-5 days into their time on the island before we do the shoot so they can really unwind.

Anne: Have you done portraits anywhere else in the world? and if so, what is different about doing them on MV?
Randi: I’ve worked in Asia, Europe, Russia and throughout the United States, traveling the world photographing life in action. What’s different about Martha’s Vineyard is its natural beauty and the indescribable feeling that people have while they’re here.

Anne: What is your technique for getting people to relax and for getting authentic photos?
Randi: I’m a mom, so I really enjoying working with kids, and I’m in-tune with them. I like when kids are kids and I do my best to just let them be kids. I capture them at play and then get some posed portraits. I’m capturing family time, a day in the life - moments within their lives. I do direct and I like direction and I bring fun props. Primarily, I connect with kids and adults in a similar way - by connecting on a personal level, starting conversations, going with the moment and being warm and friendly.

Anne: What is your ultimate goal when shooting portraits?
Randi: I’m the observer. Whether it’s a portrait I’m shooting for an engagement photo, a wedding or just to capture a relationship or family moment, it’s all about them. Oftentimes, the best photos happen when people aren’t looking at the camera - real life is captured.

Anne: What do you love most about living on the Vineyard?
Randi: We’re so lucky to live here! Because of the diversity of people, the sustained traditions, the farming, the fishing (it’s great to be surrounded by fish), the strong sense of community, the fact that you can create real change, that you can have a voice here…and be heard.

Anne: Many of our readers are lucky Vineyard vacationers, can you give us a quick list of things absolutely not to miss?
Randi: There are so many! Let’s see…
Lobsters at Larsen’s
Dinner and sunset on the beach in Menemsha
Chilmark Chocolates
Visiting the farmstand closest to the place you’re staying, and buying whatever’s in season
Up-island
Aquinnah beaches
Getting on the water - kayaking, sailing, surfing
Swimming every day
Shopping in Vineyard Haven
A walk through the Campground in Oak Bluffs
Black Raspberry ice cream at Mad Martha’s
Breathing deeply in the ocean air!

To contact Randi, visit her website, email her at studio@rbaird.com or call her at 508-696-5335.

Thanks, Randi!!!

I get excited about all of my rentals because every property on Martha’s Vineyard offers something unique and surprising. But, sometimes I list houses that truly blow me away - this is definitely one of those houses. Note: this house is available for 1-2 weeks this August 2008 only!

When you arrive at this Chappy compound, you will not want to leave - and you won’t have to because everything you need is right there. Made for big groups and surrounded by fields and ocean, it’s the ultimate getaway.

Magnitude. Perfect for entertaining or for bringing the whole family, the property includes a charming guest house, and in total offers 6 bedrooms, 3 kitchens and 6.5 bathrooms, housing up to 12 people. Set on 20 acres, this Chappy property offers total privacy and stunning views of the surrounding landscape.

Amusement. Pool, tennis court, pristine Chappy beaches nearby, Master Suite & kitchen that open on to covered patios, porches & decks surrounding the house, a private 6 hole golf course next door and 20 secluded acres to explore…need I say more?

Habitation. The house is newly remodeled and includes a family room, study and a bow window perfect for reading and relaxing. This space invites a full house and pure festivity, while offering quiet places for Vineyard escape and serenity.

For more pictures, details or rental inquiries, email me at annemayhew@gmail.com or call 508-627-6070 x27.

How Do I Get to Martha’s Vineyard?

You have two choices for mainland to island travel - by air or by boat. Planes are small, fast and uncrowded. Boats are big enough to walk around in, have a snack bar with clam chowder, some carry cars and all provide the experience of traveling over water and past beautiful seascapes to reach the island.

BY AIR

Cape Air flies direct to Martha’s Vineyard from Boston, MA, Providence, RI, New Bedford, MA, Hyannis, MA and Nantucket. The Boston - Vineyard flight is the longest with a total flight time of 35 minutes. Cape Air operates year round, and flights depart frequently during the summer season and bit less during the winter. Flying Cessna 402’s, Cape Air is the largest independent regional airline in the United States and is employee - owned company. (p.s. each flight, someone gets to ride shotgun next to the pilot!) For more information and flight schedules visit: www.flycapeair.com or call 800.352.0714.

U.S. Airways Express seasonally serves the Martha’s Vineyard Airport from the following locations: New York’s LaGuardia Airport (LGA), Washington D.C.’s Reagan National Airport (DCA), Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (PHL), and Hyannis’ Boardman-Polando Field (HYA). For more information and flight schedules visit: www.usairways.com or call 800.428.4322 (Reservations) 800.943.5436 (Flight Arrivals and Departure Information)

MVY Airport
The Martha’s Vineyard Airport is conveniently located in West Tisbury, and supplies bus, taxi and car rental transportation. For more info, visit: www.mvyairport.com.

BY BOAT

The Steamship Authority ferries passengers, cars, pets, bikes and dogs to Martha’s Vineyard all year long with increased trip service from Memorial Day to Labor Day and every weekend. The boats run about hourly and travel from Wood’s Hole to either Vineyard Haven or Oak Bluffs. The Steamship Authority also runs ferries between Hyannis and Nantucket, including a fast ferry.

The ferry is a classic Vineyard experience, whether you are standing on the deck getting your first bit of island sun, or watching the game on the big screen tv’s inside (some boats only!). A snack bar boasts chowder, baked goods and wine and beer, and the seagulls provide the entertainment. The ride is 45 minutes long…and the ferries are always on time. For more information, schedules and fees, visit their website at: www.steamshipauthority.com or call 508.477.8600.

Hy-Line Cruises is a Cape Cod family-owned and operated ferry company with more than 40 years in the cruise business. This seasonal ferry travels between Hyannis and Oak Bluffs five times per day during the high summer season and four times per day in May and October. For the 55 minute ride, Hy-Line strongly recommends that you make reservations for their passenger ferry (no cars!). For more information, visit www.hy-linecruises.com or call 800.492.8082.

The New England Fast Ferry carries passengers (no cars!) from New Beford to Vineyard Haven and Oak Bluffs throughout the summer season. With special trips added for weekends, you have your choice of up to 10 trips per day from May - October. The trip takes one hour and offers incredible scenery as you move up the Sound. For schedules and fare, visit www.nefastferry.com or call 866.683.3779.

NOTE: Both Hy-Line and the New England Fast Ferry have added a $4 one-way and $8 roundtrip surchage to all tickets for the 2008 season due to fuel prices.

On MVY
Once you step off the boat, busses and cabs will be at your service, and rental cars and bikes are steps away….or you can always walk to your rental if it’s in downtown Vineyard Haven or Oak Bluffs.