JOHN S. ALLEY
508-693-2950
The weekend weather was awful, it was cold and did it rain. The Father’s Day weather forecast is for a reasonably good day, but dad will find a way to relax at least for one day no matter what the weather is. The summer season officially begins on Tuesday. The VTA buses will be operating on the full summer schedule beginning next Saturday. School will be dismissed for the summer at noon on Tuesday.
The parks and recreation committee reports that beach stickers will be available starting on Saturday and every day thereafter from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and weekends from 4 to 7 p.m. at the shed near the tennis courts at the school on Old County Road. Stickers will be required as the beach opens with life guards next Saturday.
Sig Van Raan and his wife, Susan Dickler, are holding what he says is the mother of all yard sales tomorrow at their home. They sold their Cambridge residence last week and moved all their stuff here and are slowly digging out. They are holding a gigantic yard sale from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 90 Music street. Later in July they will be moving some of the furniture to their new place, a pied-à-terre loft in Manhattan. They send sincere thanks to Trip Barnes and his able crew for the fabulous job they did. Also a bit of household social news: his daughter Sofia and son Jackson are both home for the summer and Susan’s daughter, Willie, is due for a weekend visit from Baltimore.
Noah and Susan Block, of Music street, held their first formal dinner party last Sunday night since their move from New York city last spring. She has completely transformed the interior of the old Frank Adams place.
Dan Cabot reports that the annual Howes House painters’ art show and sale, is today and tomorrow, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. It will feature a retrospective honoring the work of Island artist Virginia Blakesley. She is celebrating her 90th year, and he says still paints with energy and taste. Fellow professional artist, Ann Howes, whose work will also be in the show, praises Ms. Blakesley’s eye for color and form, and marvels at her unusual perspectives. “Virginia can make a painting out of anything.” Nancy Cabot, director of the show, has convened the Howes House painters every Friday afternoon for a dozen years. This year’s show includes watercolors by Ann Howes, Susan Silva, Sue Tory, Marshall Sewall, Nancy Holt, Sally Flood, Else Membrane, Susan Boas, and Nancy. All are welcome and admission is free.
Marian Irving, of Old County Road, reports that church members are honing their knives and getting ready to cull and slice 500 pounds of fresh strawberries in preparation for their hugely popular Strawberry Festival. The First Congregational Church’s 23rd annual Strawberry Festival will be held next Saturday between the hours of noon and 4 p.m. Come and enjoy the berries on shortcake with whipped cream, or berries with ice cream. Tables will be set up on the lawn. Proceeds from this popular event provide funding for the continuing maintenance of the historic building and grounds. This year the event is chaired by Peter and Peggy Yoars.
Dick Reische, of Runner Road, reports that while he was back home in Connecticut for golf and root canal work, his wife Diana hosted longtime friends Linda Beech and Jan Hazard of New York city, Carol Brown and Nancy Warner of Pelham, N.Y., and Cynthia La-Mothe of Lincoln for several days. Joining them for a dinner, featuring Jan Hazard’s clam chowder, were Suellen Knight, Joan Thomas and Joan Connolly.
Our condolences to the family and friends of Danny Bryant, who died last week in a Boston hospital from injuries sustained in a fall. He grew up in this town and when he married he moved just over the town line into the old Furness house. Another old friend, Bobbie Ann Gibson, passed away Monday morning in Oak Bluffs and our condolences to her family Bobbi and her sister, Mary Jane, ran the old Airport restaurant for many years taking over from their mother who held the first lease.
Allen Hansen reports that antique sales begin today at the Grange Hall, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The sale will occur every Friday this summer. Do stop by.
Restaurant week is back for the third straight year and promises to be better than ever, starting on Sunday and lasting until Thursday. This year more of the Island’s restaurants invite you to enjoy multiple course prix fixe dinners ($25-45) and lunches ($15-20). Among those restaurants participating are Lattanzi’s, Lambert’s Cove Inn, Black Dog, Square Rigger, Chesca’s, Sharky’s, Offshore Ale and Zephrus.
Katy Fuller, over at the Martha’s Vineyard Museum, reports that you have an open invitation to attend the museum’s summer opening reception this afternoon from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. The museum will debut new exhibits in the 18th Century Cooke House, open up all the exhibits for free viewing, and host a reception on the lawn for members and guests. Martha’s Vineyard Capoeira will also treat guests to a demonstration. Then on June 25, a William street house tour in Vineyard Haven will take place. A lecture by Vineyard historian James H. K. Norton discussing the historic qualities of the houses and sharing stories from their past takes place at 11 a.m. in the Katharine Cornell Theatre. Houses are open from 1 to 4 p.m. with a reception at the last house. Call 508-627-4441, extension 110 for details and tickets.
7A Foods, located behind Alley’s General Store will open to the public today. They will serve breakfast, lunch and much more. They have renovated the interior of the building to better accommodate the public.
Colleen Morris, over at the library, reports that on Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. you can come and learn about the making of Jaws: Memories of Martha’s Vineyard by Matt Taylor and Jim Beller. Joining Matt will be Lynn and Susan Murphy, Jaws special effects personnel and Julian Wise, contributing editor. The library will feature a short mini-documentary about the making of the book with Q & A followed by a book signing. This event is free and open to the public. Then on Thursday at 10:30 a.m. there will be a special story time. Kate Feiffer will read and sign her new book My Side of the Car, that is illustrated by her father, Jules. Next Friday the JC Trio will be on hand at 4:30 p.m. for some relaxing jazz music.
On June 15, 1942, John Palmeira, air raid warden and chairman of civil defense, issued an order to all motorists driving at night that required them to use only their parking lights on all roads leading south off the Edgartown Road. “Since school was dismissed last week and the teacher who was in charge of the center, Miss Ruth Blanchard, has gone up to New Hampshire to be with her mother for the summer, John was forced to move the control center from the schoolhouse to his home for the summer. The alarm, should there be warning of an air raid, will be the ringing of church bells. Mr. Palmeira has just received a siren for his automobile to help him spread any alert. He is also conducting monthly air raid exercises and school students were drilled in the proper procedures to take in case of an air raid. Sector wardens are making sure that blackout screens are in place on all homes each and every night.”
Happy birthday to: Joan Merry, Leslie Baker and Max Nunes today; two special women from Webster, Donna Annese and Deborah Kokernak, Arthur Perry, Peter Eldridge and Randi Baird tomorrow; Krik Hammarlund, Travis Thurber and Debra Levesque on Sunday; Donna Eldridge, Danyon Russell and Lisa Magnarelli on Monday; Allen Look, Dawn Charters and Connie Toteanu on Tuesday; Matthew Stackpole, Karen Lipsky, Stan Hersh, Jean Kelleher and William Eger on Wednesday; and Josh Montoya and Richard Sylva on Thursday. Belated birthday greetings to Lollie Nabors.
Well, that is all of the social news for this week’s column. If you have any news please call or e-mail me. Have a great week.
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