Architectural designer Nicholas Waldman gave his clients an efficient multi-use space—and a maximum view of the surrounding woods—in this treehouse inspired design.
Annie Bradshaw and her husband created Martha's Vineyard Tile Company in 1996. Today, 21 years later, the bustling business offers a huge variety of tile from 30 vendors, each of whom carry up to 300 lines. That's a lot of tile!
Gardening is big business all over Martha’s Vineyard. To meet this demand, the Vineyard's long-established landscape and garden companies have been joined in recent years by a wave of young gardeners who are willing to work long hours during the season to make a good living.
Eighteen red stools, a 30-foot counter, menu items written on construction paper hanging on the walls, two pots of hot coffee always humming, one ancient register, cash only — the Dock Street Diner is a place where time has stood still. This is a good thing. It’s like stopping for a bite in your own kitchen, but way better. You don’t have to cook or clean up, and the food is home cooked the way grandma did, fast, no fuss, and with just the right amount of tough love.
Blair Hill, owner of Native Cuts, runs so much more than a barber shop. The Vineyard Haven native, part Wampanoag, part African American and 100 per cent in love with what he does, says his shop is a welcome gathering space for all.
In his early days as a barber here, he worked in at Bert’s Barber Shop in Vineyard Haven, Benito’s in Oak Bluffs and finally opened his own place 12 years ago, first on Evelyn Way in Vineyard Haven and now on State Road, next to Lapel’s cleaners.
When summer rolled around, my dream as a kid of eight or nine was to join some pals on a lake somewhere in Wisconsin or Indiana to see how the rustic half lived and played. I spent my formative years in an urban neighborhood of crammed apartment buildings on the north side of Chicago. A time away in an overnight camp for a few weeks seemed like an idyllic interruption. But being the only child of a Jewish mother whose hobby was planting and nurturing fears, I was lucky if I was allowed to cross our street by myself.
On Martha’s Vineyard, summer camps abound with options for children of all ages and interests. There are drop-in day camps offering a diverse group of activities guaranteed to delight and tire out even the most enthusiastic child. Weeklong adventures at sea, in the woods, on the farms or on the sports fields help focus attention on a more singular aspect of summer fun.
I found myself knocking on an unlikely door recently. I’m not a religious person, but I arrived at the door of St. Augustine’s church to light a candle for a friend. As I struggled with the key code, a woman appeared next to me and let me in. After lighting the candle I turned around to see the late afternoon sun streaming through the stained glass windows, projecting disco-ball-like colored spots of light on the pews. Beautiful, delicate light. And I started to cry.
February can be bleak and so when pink and red hearts start appearing in storefronts, I appreciate the splash of color. I like Valentine’s Day and its over-the-top gaudiness: stuffed animals clutching red satin hearts with “I love you” written in script; cheap chocolates, red wine, those gross, powdery heart candies. I think it’s a little easy to dismiss it as a Hallmark holiday- even if it largely is one.
