Martha’s Vineyard music and nightlife at Nectar’s

For a long time now, a live music club known near and far, has sat in a cool little spot next to the airport. It wore the name Hot Tin Roof, and then The Outerland, and now, it’s Nectar’s. The Nectar’s crew actually hails from Burlington, VT and they’re known for launching the band Phish (if you haven’t heard of them, ask anyone 40 and under.) Since 1975, Nectar’s has lived by the motto: Go see live music.

Their belief in supporting local bands, small bands and real musicians is strong and impassioned. Here on the Vineyard, they keep the music coming all year round, but also make time in the weekly schedule for local night every Monday and the Family Dance-o-Rama every Sunday from 5:30 – 7:30. Of course there’s food and drink to be had, specifically Nectar’s world famous Gravy Fries.

True to form and in sync with the Vineyard’s knack for giving back to the community, Nectar’s will hold a benefit concert on November 14th to support Plum Hill School and the Island Waldorf Community. Bringing in fantastic, Canadian singer/songwriter Chris Velan from Montreal, with local favorites like Entrain and Ben Taylor, the night promises to be one to remember.

Fall seems to be blooming late on the island this year, so if you come out for the weekend, mid-November, you may still catch some beautiful autumn colors. Don’t forget that rental rates are lower in the off season…and let me know if I can help you find the perfect weekend getaway…Nectar’s will supply the music! Check out their website for all upcoming shows.

Fall Checklist for Summer 2010 on Martha’s Vineyard

The kids are back in school, the days are getting shorter and cooler…and it’s hard not to start dreaming about next summer on the Vineyard! Don’t worry, I don’t think you’re crazy, I think you’re very, very smart because planning for a fantastic 2010 summer on the Vineyard really does need to start now!

Here’s my checklist to keep you fully on top of things:

1. If you want the house of your rental dreams, book it now! The fall is actually our busiest booking time as folks scramble for primo houses. Our inventory is huge, our site has been updated and is beautiful, and we get new listings every day!

2. Make plans with friends and family as soon as possible. It’s much easier to plan a vacation for two, or even a family of five (who all do exactly what you tell them because three of them are kids!), than it is to plan for your extended family or groups of friends. The sooner you all get your schedules set, the less stress you’ll have. No one should have their summer planned yet – so you’ll be asking them to commit before you have to dance around everyone else’s commitments.

3. Ferry reservations. Yes, I know you can’t actually book your ferry reservations until February, but let me remind you how much less stressful it will be to plan the times you would like to sail (and sync them up with any other travel you need to do to get here) when you aren’t under the gun of opening day on the Steamships Advanced Reservations Line!! I recommend that you plan it out on paper and clip it to your February calendar. On the big day, just go online and book those tickets!

4. Same with the plane. You can book your plane reservations now and they do fill up! Also, unlike the ferry, airline fares are cheaper if purchased in advance.

5. If you’re really eager, create a list of all of the things you love doing on the island – include beaches to visit, restaurants, festivals and stores. This can be especially fun with the whole family as you reflect on the summer of ’09 and get ready for the summer of ’10. Then make a big calendar and start jotting down activities you don’t want to miss. You can even decorate it with pics from summers past. When the snow starts to fall, this beautiful calendar and homage to Martha’s Vineyard will be sure to warm you up…

Any other questions, concerns, delightful memories to share? Don’t hesitate to ask me!

Image credit: WillPosh

Martha’s Vineyard Vacation Rental: West Tisbury Water View

West Tisbury is a real treasure on Martha’s Vineyard. Officially, it’s part of the slower, less-crowded half of the island known as up-island. But, it’s not all the way out on the west end of the Vineyard, it’s right next to Vineyard Haven and Edgartown. As a result, you truly get the best of both worlds – the quiet, paradise and the easy access to the hustle and bustle of downtown.

This West Tisbury vacation rentals sits off a classic Vineyard dirt road off of the beautiful Lambert’s Cove Road – known for its towering trees, winding curves and access to Lambert’s Cove Beach and Uncle Seth’s Pond (super kid friendly). Like most water view homes, this one has two stories, built in reverse with the living areas – kitchen, living room, deck – all upstairs so you can spend your waking hours looking out across Vineyard Sound. Of course, the all important deck, is perfect for sitting outside for breakfast, lunch and dinner, reading a book off your summer reading list, or just staring up at the Vineyard night sky.

Inside, the house boasts vaulted ceilings, a large fireplace and a contemporary kitchen. Two master bedrooms downstairs have their own private baths, as does a TV room with a sleeper sofa. Bunk beds are perfect for the kids in your crew – or those that feel like kids when they’re on the island!

Lower Makonikey Beach is just a five minute walk from the house, and the front yard is perfect for a game of catch or hide and seek among the stone wall. I highly recommend having dinner right around the corner at the Lambert’s Cove Inn. The food is exquisite and so is the mood (no children under 16 to preserve the romantic atmosphere!)

Please contact me for details about this ideal house set in idyllic West Tis!

Martha’s Vineyard Living Local Festival

Martha’s Vineyard is as progressive and very eco-friendly as it is beach-filled and gorgeous. We’ve embraced the living local movement with gusto, many members of our community are actually leaders in the rally! All spring, summer and fall, the markets are filled with local produce, meats, art and music. The restaurants plan their menus around what island farms are harvesting. Even our grocery stores carry local goods.

And every fall, the Island Grown Initiative throws a massive festival to celebrate the Vineyard’s local community. The Living Local Harvest Fest runs this weekend, Oct. 2 & 3 and is “a rich program of free community events that aim to increase awareness and accelerate the uptake of sustainable living on Martha’s Vineyard.”

From food, live demos, panel discussions to a gorgeous market from local artisans, herbalists to energy specialists – this festival has it all. There are stories from the Wampanoags, kids activities, music and even community yoga. Everything can be found at the West Tisbury Ag Hall…I’ll meet you at the pie eating contest!

For the full schedule, please visit http://www.livinglocalharvestfest.org/

Martha’s Vineyard Ag Fair 2009

Let’s me see…

• Summer?…Check!
• August?…Check!
• Warm and steamy beach days?…Check!
• The summer event we’ve all been waiting for?..Check!

It’s time for the Martha’s Vineyard annual Ag Fair! Beginning August 20th and running through the 23rd from 10am to 11pm (7pm on Sunday!), it’ll be non-stop fun. Here’s a smattering of what we all have to look forward to at the fairgrounds in West Tisbury!

• Fair food – cotton candy, lemonade, fried dough and more!
• A full assortment of amusement rides from Midway
• Games and contests
• Skillet toss and the horse pull
• Woodsmen competition
• Fiber-arts tent, photography and painting
• Live Music!
• Dog & livestock shows
• Biggest and best local produce
• Puppet shows and live dance performances
• Local wares and goods
• Workshops
• Celebrity sightings (okay, I can’t promise this, but the Obama’s will be in town and the island is crawling with celeb families that truly love this old-time fair!

It’s 10 days away, but guess what? We do still have some last minute openings for August rentals if you decide on a last minute trip to the fair! Contact me for details, options and more information.

Hope to see you at the Ag fair! It’s a great place to be for kids, families, teens and beyond – there truly is something for everyone.

Image credit: OmarOmar

A taste of the Caribbean on the Island of Martha’s Vineyard

Deon’s, a fantastic Vineyard restaurant, has moved from Chilmark to Oak Bluffs this season giving folks easier access to its extraordinary food. Also, moving to Oak Bluffs means that alcohol will be served on the premises as Chilmark is a dry town and Oak Bluffs is not.

With his family, Deon hails from Anguilla but makes Martha’s Vineyard home. He’s brought his Caribbean flair to this island, however – and his “Contemporary, Caribbean Fusion” is sooo good. It really is a perfect match…I mean, we have more fresh fish here than you can shake a net at.

Here’s a sneak peak at the 2009 summer menu…

Reggae Mussels with coconut rum, madras curry, soft herbs, thyme, fennel & celery~

Conch Fritter Calypso with avocado, pesto, sprouts, jakanoo sauce~

Miso Crusted Swordfish with sweet batata fries & braised asparagus~

Cinnamon Braised Lamb Rack with Merlot ver jus, green beans and yucca puree

They’re open for dinner and Sunday brunch and you can find Deon’s Restaurant right on the main strip in Oak Bluffs, 53 Circuit Ave. 508.696.0001

And…We’ve got some great vacation rentals just a leisurely walk away from your dinner table! Contact me for more info.

Morning Glory Farm, Edgartown, Martha’s Vineyard

The Farm Stand is open! Locally grown, friendly people, good food, family business, picturesque setting. How much more Vineyard can you get than Morning Glory Farm???

Morning Glory is a working family farm in Edgartown with a ‘farm stand’ – which is really an incredible farm store full of just picked produce (and some shipped in), homemade baked goods, a superb salad bar and steaming soup from their kitchen.

You can grab some food and sit outside on picnic tables looking out at the beautiful fields, letting the kids run around and play in the trees, talking to other picnicers…it’s true Vineyard style!

Morning Glory has a new, gorgeous book as well – so you can take a piece of the Vineyard home with you, recipes, images and all. The photos were taken by world-renowned photog, Alison Shaw and the book is:

…an evocative look at how a once-worthless piece of scrub land became Morning Glory Farm. This book captures in pictures and words the work, the family, and the food of this best known Martha’s Vineyard farm.

The farm is right on the bike trail…perfect for an Edgartown vacation rental…or even West Tisbury – the whole family can ride down through the State Forest and stop for lunch on the way to South Beach. Call me and we’ll find you the perfect Martha’s Vineyard summer rental!

Free WiFi on Martha’s Vineyard

Our hope, of course, is that you’ll come to the island and totally unplug. Things really do move slower around here, but we realize that it’s hard to disconnect completely sometimes. Luckily, many of our local cafes and such feature free WiFi. Here’s a list of some tops spots that are ‘connected’:

• Beetlebung Coffee House, Vineyard Haven, is close to the ferry and has both indoor and outdoor seating.
• Black Dog Cafe, Vineyard Haven, one of my favorite WiFi spots with big couches and overstuffed chairs as well as great coffee, baked goods and sandwiches.
• Mocha Mott’s, Vineyard Haven, classic coffee house right on Main Street, note: loud music.
• Espresso Love, Edgartown, with muffins so good even President Clinton couldn’t get enough of them, Espresso Love has indoor and outdoor seating, full bakery, lunch and dinner.
• Harbor View Hotel, Edgartown, one of the most beautiful hotels on the island, WiFi is available in the lobby, dining and hotel rooms.
• Offshore Ale Co., Oak Bluffs, good food and great entertainment right off of OB’s main strip.
• Steamship Authority Terminal, Vineyard Haven & Oak Bluffs, not only can you enjoy WiFi on the ferry, you can also use it in the terminal and in the standby line from your car!

Many of our rental houses have either wireless internet or cable hook-ups, just let me know if you have to have internet access…or if you’d rather not even be tempted!

Image courtesy of Jem

Best Food & Restaurants on Martha’s Vineyard

The definitive list! (According to my happy belly!)

Best Burger: Harbor View Hotel Pub (Edgartown)

Best Taco: Zapotec (Oak Bluffs)

Best Ice Cream Cone: Scoops (Edgartown)

Best Fudge: Murdock’s (Vineyard Haven, Edgartown, Oak Bluffs)

Best Fried Clams: The Bite (Menemsha)

Best View for Cocktails: The Seafood Shanty (Edgartown)

Best Stir Fry: Scottish Bakehouse (Tisbury)

Best Muffins: Espresso Love (Edgartown)

Best Cotton Candy: The Ag Fair (West Tisbury)

Best Pizza: Giordano’s (Oak Bluffs)

Best Local Faire: Zephrus (Vineyard Haven)

Best Sushi: Sand Bar & Grill (Oak Bluffs)

Best Lobster Roll: The Galley (Menemsha)

Best Clam Chowder: Coop De Ville (Oak Bluffs)

Best Breakfast: The Art Cliff (Vineyard Haven)

Best Raw Bar: Go dig your own (you can get a shellfish permit from Town Hall!)

Best Beach Food: Katama General Store (Edgartown)

Best Coffee: Mocha Mott’s (Vineyard Haven, Oak Bluffs)

Living Local & Cooking for Vitality

Planned just in time for spring to really blossom on the island, Jan Buhrman, Localvore Educator and Chef extraordinaire and John Bagnulo MPH, PHD, are offering an amazing Living Local experience called Cooking for Vitality. It’s a great opportunity to visit the island and enjoy as the crops and flowers are bursting through. The Vineyard has long been known for its vibrant health – the people, the food, the sun, the air, the water!

Their weekend workshop, COOKING for VITALITY, runs May 15, 16 and 17th, 2009. Here are the details:

• How to cook well & simply and what to eat!
• $175  •  All 3 days  •  5 lectures  •  4 cooking demos
• 1 or 2 day options available at $75 per day

Good nutrition is the foundation of good health. Learn what foods promote health and well-being.
You will learn how to prepare healthy, whole food meals, what superfoods are and their
importance in your diet, what food labels mean, easy cooking techniques on “how” cooking
foods is important, and shopping for better health and the planet. Learn what foods we should eat that are grown organically and which are okay to eat that are grown commercially.

You’ll also discover:

• Plant foods for optimal health
• Fruits, vegetables, legumes, and grains
• How to incorporate foods and how best to prepare, etc.
• Animal foods that best complement the picture of our diet
• Nutritional, agricultural, ecological considerations with specific menus and who needs them the most
• How best to incorporate and prepare meals in your daily life
• Case studies from our past experiences
• Pantry Lists, Recipes and Meal Planners to take home

Contact me if you’re thinking about coming and I’ll help you find the perfect rental house – how perfect to have your own kitchen on the Vineyard to try out everything you learn!!!

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