Shopping /Dining Guide • Events Calendar • Points of Interest • Ferry/Plane Schedules
Free
July 2014 EXTRA
Happy Independence Day! Happy Summer!
Photo by Jill Warburton Photography
Island Map Inside
Page 2
BLOCK ISLAND SUMMER TIMES
July 2014
www.blockislandtimes.com
From Seed to Plate, planted, grown and harvested right here from our own farm.
You’ll enjoy the difference.
Veranda Café Get out of town and enjoy the Island’s best kept secret! Serving lunch 12 - 3 pm • Sunset appetizers 3 - 6pm
The Dining Room
Open daily 6 - 10pm • outside seating available
Victoria’s Parlor
Cocktails 5pm - closing • Bistro menu 6pm - closing • outside seating available
Sunrise Breakfast
A perfect way to start the day 7:30 - 11am daily
Martini Night Thursdays
401-466-5844 • www.springhousehotel.com • info@springhousehotel.com
www.blockislandtimes.com
July 2014
BLOCK ISLAND SUMMER TIMES
Celebrate the Fourth Block Island Style!
Page 3
Wednesday July 2, 2014 Beach Clean Up with The Nature Conservancy When: 9 - 10 a.m. Where: Scotch Beach
Thursday July 3, 2014 2nd Annual Fireworks Picnic When: 6:30 - 10 p.m. Where: Sullivan House, Corn Neck Road BBQ, music and games — all to raise money for the Committee for the Great Salt Pond Cost $35 for adults $15 for children Fireworks! When: Sundown, about 9 p.m. Where: Crescent Beach Concert at 7p.m. before the big bangs
Friday July 4, 2014 Skowronskies passing the Surf Hotel
4th of July Parade When: 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. Where: Parade begins at Legion Park in New Harbor and ends at the Statue of Rebecca in Old Harbor Theme “Your Favorite Children’s Book” Want to join in? Gather at 9:30 in the field behind The Oar restaurant. Fire Department Steak Fry When: 12 - 2 p.m. Where: Fire Barn, Beach Avenue Steak, corn on the cob, potato salad, pasta salad, rolls, beer, wine, soda and watermelon 2013 parade photos by Malcolm Greenaway
Grand Marshall Connie LaRue
Dressed for the occasion, National Hotel Porch
The Juggler
The Clown
On the porch of the Surf Hotel
Our Staff
Ocean Avenue, Box 278, Block Island, RI 02807 Phone: (401) 466-2222 Fax: (401) 466-8804 e-mail: mail@blockislandtimes.com webnews: www.blockislandtimes.com
The Block Island Times was founded in 1970 by Dan Rattiner, publisher, and Margaret Cabell Self, editor.
The Block Island Times, a member of the New England Newspaper and Press Association and The National Newspaper Association, is printed on 100% recycled paper by Mass Web Printing. It is distributed by Special Delivery, Inc.
The Unicyclist
Co-Publishers................................ Fraser Lang/Betty Rawls Lang Editor........................................................................ Lisa Stiepock Production............................................................Christopher Izzo Contributors................................... Edith Blane, Margie Bucheit, Isabella DeLeo, Bob Downie, Cindy Lasser, Renée Meyer, Susan Middeleer Mleczko, Lily O’Gara, Paula Taylor, Judy Tierney, Lars Trodson Photographers.................................. Tom Adams, Gerard Closset, Kari Curtis, Malcolm Greenaway, Annie Hall, Lesley Helterline, Robin B. Langsdorf, Kate Ryan, Jill Warburton Advertising............................. Betty Rawls Lang, Shane Howrigan Advertising Design.................................. John Barry, Jm Swienton
(Most) kids love a prarade
Correction Policy
Advertising: This newspaper does not assume any responsibility for an error in an advertisement. Editorial: This newspaper will correct errors in reporting. Opinions expressed in columns or letters to the editor in this paper are those of the writers and do not necessarily reflect those of this newspaper. The opinions expressed by the cartoonist are not necessarily those of the publisher. The Block Island Times Summer Times insert is published four times in June, July, August and September.
Page 4
BLOCK ISLAND SUMMER TIMES
July 2014
www.blockislandtimes.com
CONSERFEST EMBRACE YOUR PLACE
HOMEMADE HOT FUDGE WAFFLE CONES REAL WHIPPED CREAM FRESH-SQUEEZED JUICES FROZEN YOGURT & TOFUTTI & FUDGE HOMEMADE COOKIES MUFFINS & BROWNIES
music on a mission
(THROUGH THE MOON GATE AND LEFT AT THE BACK YARD)
Chapel Sweets Corner of Chapel Street and Weldon’s Way
The Home of the Sandy Feet Turtle. Island’s Best Fudge and Taffy. Freshly Cut Fudge Our Own Chocolate Freshly Roasted Nuts
Say “I Love Chocolate” and get 15% off!
Treat the Kids or Yourself! ATM On Premises Ice Cold Beverages Ask About Our Dog Treats and Bandanas!
We Ship! Daily Specials!
401-466-2672 • chapelsweets@yahoo.com • www.blockislandusa.com
OPEN 10 AM
Aug. 9th& 10th
Low Anthem Kingsley Flood
Liquid Revolution Frank Viele Roz Raskin & the Rice Cakes
Gruff Lion Joel Taylor Beach Avenue Poppa Squash DJ Peter Dante/DJ Libre Christina Holmes Black Marmot Mr. Kowalsky Andrew Moon Baine Rootdown Hoedown feat. TMG
& more TBA ... For more info:
Conserfest.org
Two-Day FREE Festival Raising Awareness and Funds for Environmental Conservation on Block Island, RI
If you like our front, you’ll love our back. Come have a cocktail or meal, and enjoy the views from our new back deck.
Breakfast • Lunch • Dinner • Cocktails • 401.466.2241
July 2014
www.blockislandtimes.com
BLOCK ISLAND SUMMER TIMES
Page 5
An Ideal Day
Gary Ryan
By Lisa Stiepock Gary Ryan became a town councilor this past December and he’s been a member of the Rescue Squad out here for 25 years. But most of us know Gary best as the knowledgeable butcher and friendly face behind the deli counter at the Block Island Grocery store. We caught up with him recently at the BIG after he’d just spent his lunch hour on a rescue run, flying someone off island. He was in good spirits as, after a close call, it appeared the person would pull through just fine. Clearly it’s pretty unusual for Ryan to have a bona fide day off. In fact he says it’s total dream world. But if he ever did, it might look something like this.
Yesterday’s news
He’d begin by sitting down in his living room with a cup of coffee, his first of three or four, and reading yesterday’s New York Times. Why the paper from the day before? “Because I never get around to reading it,” he says. Ryan says he’s a die-hard print guy. “I can’t do the tablet thing. I have a stack of books on the bedstand a mile high.” As it’s an ideal day, next up for Ryan is a walk on the beach with his dog Lucy, a 13-year-old golden retriever. Ryan likes walking the beach picking up driftwood and other found objects. He used to go to the dump to troll for hidden treasure. “Of course I can’t call it the dump anymore, Sean will tell me it’s the Transfer Station.” (That would be Sean McGarry, an owner of the, ahem, Transfer Station.) He recalls the section they used to have at the dump for rummaging and how the late Herb Fisher once found him a set of Congressional Records from the 1800s there. The books are now proudly displayed on Ryan’s bookshelves. “I found the expenditure for the building of the Southeast Lighthouse in one,” he says. These days Ryan drives past the dump and heads for West Beach, his favorite spot for finding the driftwood that he and his son Erik will make into tables. Erik’s a wedding design planner (he’s the Ryan of Ryan Designs…) and he uses the tables for his functions. Gary likes walking the stretch of sand from West Beach to the lighthouse as it’s lesstraveled and makes for better finds. Two of his favorite found objects are an intact turtle shell and a pair of large teeth. He says the teeth are molars, an inch wide but not sharp like shark’s teeth would be. He even gave them to an archaeologist once to inspect at his university lab; he brought them back with a less-than-satisfying answer — he had no idea what they were. Lucy is getting older so Ryan’s walks are sometimes cut a bit short. The other day he says he realized she wasn’t following along and he turned around to see she’d sat down. So he went back and just sat down next to her for awhile. Then the two went home.
Honey-do list
Back from their walk on this dreamworld ideal day, Ryan says he’d next knock off a few of wife Bonnie’s projects. Screens, gardening, fixing lights perhaps. And he’d start thinking about what to make for dinner. Often that turns out to be salmon. “It’s my favorite because you can cook it a hundred ways. Last night I had it in olive oil with some roasted garlic from the night before. I dredged it in some sea-
Ever wonder what Gary Ryan does when he’s not behind the deli counter at the Block Island Grocery? Read on! Photo by Kari Curtis soned flour and let it get crispy on each side, then added a garlic onion marmalade in time for it to melt on top.” Dinner-planning reminds him he hasn’t had lunch. It’s an ideal day so Bonnie’s free too and the two head to Dead Eye’s to dine on the back porch overlooking New Harbor. “I like that because you can’t see the road you’re out of town away from everything looking at the harbor.” He’ll probably order fish, maybe even the fish and chips. Back home he’d “put a dent in that pile” of books on the bedside table, he says. Right now he’s reading three: “Flags of our Fathers” by James Bradley about the flag raisers at Iwo Jima; “Embers of War” by Fredrik Logevall about the U.S. involvement in Indochina, which won a Pulitzer; and “Pursuit: The Chase, Capture, Persecution, and Surprising Release of Confederate President
Jefferson Davis” by Clint Johnson. He says he’s been enjoying this last one and is grateful to Cindy Lasser at Island Bound for recommending it to him.
Pucks and puckers
However, if it’s really an ideal day, he considers: “Hockey season would still be going, the Islanders would be on, and they’d win. I might as well dream big!” Now it’s dinnertime so out comes the salmon, maybe with some spinach which he’d cream with “mascarpone, bits of bacon, and a touch of nutmeg.” He’d serve that with some type of rice or one of his “all-time favorites,” mashed potatoes, to which he’d add mascarpone, sour cream, and sautéed onions. You don’t have to be standing at the deli counter to get hungry talking to Gary! Then of course there’s the requisite glass of red wine. Even with fish, Ryan says he likes
a glass of “really dry Italian red, the kind that almost makes your lips pucker.” Continuing to dream big, Gary says next he and Bonnie would find a movie they are each equally excited to watch. Or there would be another hockey game on! Or he might decide to sit at the bar at Eli’s. “It’s always fun there with Rosemary and Emily, it’s comfortable and nice because you know everybody. Of course, there are times I try to get away from that,” he admits. Where does he go when he doesn’t want everyone to know his name? He and Bonnie head off island to the Matunuck Oyster Bar or Turtle Soup in Narragansett opposite the Tower. “Oh and we recently discovered the Sea Goose in Westerly,” he says. “We really like that place.” No matter what, an ideal day would end the same way: Curling up in bed with a good book, of course.
Page 6
BLOCK ISLAND SUMMER TIMES
July 2014
g inng anndd s i v errv IIsslla eaarrs e S S ckk Yye looc 434 BBl oorr 4 FF
www.blockislandtimes.com
island bound island
BOOKSTORE bound
The place to come for all your BOOKSTORE
Featuring Seattle’s Best coffee and frozen fruit drinks Visit Our
Famous Bakery Full line of pastries,birthday cakes and wedding cakes Try our new rustic breads Featuring 32 flavors of homemade ice cream & yogurt 24 flavors of artisan gelato and sorbetto Fresh squeezed orange juice Cheese deli Let your children enjoy our new game room Air conditioned
summer reading PLUS now featuring Utrecht art supplies.
OPEN DAILY 466-8878 Post Office Bldg.
Stone Wall Freedom - The Trilogy A fictional story inspired by the beauty and history of Block Island, RI David Lee Tucker’s remarkable trilogy offers three unique stories surrounding 18th century Block Island. All are then tied together in the conclusion with some satisfying surprises. “A fascinating and moving story about slave freedom. An engrossing, worthwhile read especially for lovers of history and Block Island.” Jack Lynch, BI Author, Angler, Photographer and Lawyer.
*****
Breakfast Daily Daily Special 7:00 ~ 11:30am
One dozen donutsStyle or one dozen bagels Serving Country Buffet breakfast for $8.50 Saturday and Sunday
BRING THIS AD AND GET 15% OFF! Island residents and employees pick-up your discount card and get coffee for 75¢ per cup all
You can find these award winning novels at Island Bound Bookstore, Block Island Historical Society and on-line at stonewallfreedom.com
Dinner at The Manisses Casual. Fun. Elegant. Delightful. Delicious. Served nightly in the Gazebo Room, the Gatsby Room, the Garden Terrace, and, of course, the bar.
466-2421 Enjoy flaming coffees & sinful desserts in the Upstairs Parlor. A delicious way to end your Block Island evening.
July 2014
www.blockislandtimes.com
BLOCK ISLAND SUMMER TIMES
Page 7
Beach Reads
Paperback Writers
by Cindy Lasser
Kline’s book is fictional, but it’s based on the true history of thousands of children shipped to the Midwest from the East Coast between 1854 and 1929, in the hopes of escaping lives of forced hard labor. This story centers around a young Irish girl, Niamh, whose entire family was lost in a tenement fire. Niamh is put on a train loaded with dozens of other children who have also lost their families; all hoping that their journey will connect them with new parents and new, better lives.
Let’s Explore Diabetes With Owls by David Sedaris
Fans of David Sedaris will not be disappointed with this essay collection. If you’re in the mood for a humorous romp around the world, then this is the book for you. Sedaris has a unique perspective on, and finds the funny in, everything from French dentists and airports to litterers and taxidermists. And, of course, his very colorful family.
This author writes under the pseudonym Mark Owen, but his real name is Matt Bissonnette. He reveals how SEALS train and ready themselves through physical and mental endurance training. Owen was a member of the SEALS for 10 years before he went on the mission to kill Bin Laden. He takes you firsthand into that mission. You will also go behind the scenes inside other Special Operations missions with the SEALS and Rangers. Owen reveals a real dichotomy: The SEALS do a lot of dirty work in our wars, such as raiding villages to kill or take guerrilla leaders; they also do work that’s positive any way you look at it, such as helping locals build needed infrastructure.
The Secret History by Donna Tartt
If you loved “Goldfinch,” you must go back and read this book. It is more than 20 years old, but as good as ever. The Secret History takes place at a small college in Vermont. Richard Papen arrives from California and befriends a very small, elite group of students who
always gets dumped. It’s happened 19 times. Recovering from yet another breakup, Colin is dragged out of bed by his best friend, Hassan, and the two take off on a road trip. Their friendship is at the heart of this funny, coming-of-age story.
are Classical Greek majors. Richard is ashamed of his blue collar roots and transforms himself to fit in with this exclusive group. He is pulled into a dangerous game of duplicity and sin. From the very first page, we know that one of these students was murdered and by whom. What we don’t know is why.
FOR YOUNG READERS Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library by Chris Grabenstein
FOR YOUNG ADULTS An Abundance of Katherines by John Green
This book was chosen as the 2014 Kids Reading Across Rhode Island book for the summer. Kyle Keeley is fun-loving guy who is crazy about games — board games, word games, and particularly video games. His hero, Luigi Lemoncello, the most notorious and creative game maker in the world, is building the new town library. Twelve kids, including Kyle, win a spot to sleep over in the library before it opens. It’s after the group arrives at the library that the real games and intrigue begin. They discover that they are locked in and must solve a series of clues and puzzles to escape.
-BBQ, SEAFOOD, PIZZA & MORE -SUNDAY REHAB BRUNCH -OUTDOOR SEATING -LIVE MUSIC
Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline
No Easy Day by Mark Owen
CHECK OUT OUR FACEBOOK PAGE FOR SPECIALS & EVENTS www.facebook.com/pppbifb
A great who–done-it that has readers changing their allegiance between husband and wife right up until the last page, and keeps them on the edge of their beach chairs until the last page as well. Amy Dunne disappears on her fifth wedding anniversary and her diary reveals there had been hidden turmoil in her marriage. Her seemingly perfect husband, Nick, is desperate to clear himself as he watches his world unravel. Things are not at all what they appear to be.
Pollen discusses the enduring power of the four classical elements—fire, water, air, and earth—to transform the stuff of nature into delicious things to eat and drink. Pollen enlists experts to teach him new skills in each area. Divided into four chapters based on the four elements, Pollen explains how grilling (fire), braising (water), baking bread (air), and fermenting (earth) have impacted our health and culture. He finds that cooking together with friends or family creates a healthier lifestyle both socially and ecologically. Cooking good, natural food is good for the planet and for personal relationships, too.
(401)466-8533
Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
Cooked: A Natural History of Transformation by Michael Pollen
33 Ocean Ave
We all know that sand is bad for book bindings, but it’s also no fun for us readers to be carting heavy hard cover books to the beach. So I’m always happy to see some of my favorites come out in paperback just in time for summer.
When it comes to relationships, Colin Singleton only dates girls named Katherine. And when it comes to girls named Katherine, Colin
Where fashion is always in full bloom
Vera Bradley • Jo Jo loves you • Miss me 401.466.2006 • 41 W Water ater St, Block Island wildflowersblockisland@gmail.com
-BBQ, SEAFOOD, PIZZA & MORE -SUNDAY REHAB BRUNCH -OUTDOOR SEATING -BBQ, SEAFOOD, PIZZA & MORE -LIVE MUSIC -BBQ, SEAFOOD, PIZZA & MORE -SUNDAY REHAB BRUNCH -SUNDAY REHAB BRUNCH -OUTDOOR SEATING -OUTDOOR SEATING -LIVE MUSIC -LIVE MUSIC
nook
CHECK OUT OUR FACEBOOK PAGE FOR SPECIALS & EVENTS www.facebook.com/pppbifb CHECK OUT OUR FACEBOOK PAGE FOR 33CHECK Ocean Ave (401)466-8533 OUT OUR FACEBOOK SPECIALS & EVENTSPAGE FOR SPECIALS & EVENTS www.facebook.com/pppbifb www.facebook.com/pppbifb
Page 8
BLOCK ISLAND SUMMER TIMES
July 2014
www.blockislandtimes.com
Restaurant 1879 at the Atlantic Inn: Shout it out!
By Lisa Stiepock When it comes to special occasion dining on Block Island, the Atlantic Inn is on everyone’s list. But you shouldn’t wait for an anniversary or mortgage payoff to head to the beautiful old Victorian at the highest point on High Street, say the owners. They want their restaurant to be on everyone’s list for any-night dining, too. Even if you are just looking for a few appetizers (tapas) and drinks, they say, come and soak up those ocean views from
on the lawn, at the bar, or even in what used to be the formal, full-dinner-only, not so long ago prix-fixe-only dining room. To prove the point they’ve even given the restaurant a new name, 1879 for the year the inn was built, and a new look — one that’s stripped down literally and figuratively. For as long as most people can remember the dining room has looked the same: regal furniture, crisp white tablecloths, menu books taller than some of the guests. Beautiful and decid-
edly formal. “Everyone felt the need to whisper,” says Brad Marthens who owns the inn with his wife Anne. “When I ate here on my nights off, even I would find myself whispering,” chimes in Executive Chef Evan Wargo. Last fall the trio, along with the Marthens’ son Brad Jr., began talking about making some changes. Wargo says he recalls asking what was under the multiple layers of paint on the tabletops
beneath those white tablecloths. “The next day Brad Jr had a room blocked off for sanding,” says Wargo. The sanding revealed gorgeous quartersawn oak. The team, especially Brad Jr., spent all winter sanding, stripping, and staining the tables, pulling up carpet, and re-painting walls. New chairs were purchased, ones with cushioning and broad backs you can really settle into. The overall result is a room that’s still beautiful and elegant, but cozier and more inviting. “Ann and I have had the place for twenty years,” said Marthens of the changes. “It was time.” They also felt it was time to promote Wargo. Wargo has been executive chef at sister restaurant, Eli’s, on Chapel St., for some five seasons. This is the first year he will hold the position at both restaurants. Wargo promises that the food will be “the same caliber, if not better, but not as complicated.” Then he corrects himself to say it will be complicated to make, but you won’t know it until you taste it. So no Continued on next page
A garden table is set with two favorite spring appetizers — the shaved vegetable salad and the seared foie gras; for dessert a coconut panna cotta with macadamia praline, mango-lime sorbet, toasted coconut and passion fruit curd, garnished with basil from the garden. the restaurant was under renovation all winter. Photos by Kari Curtis.
FINN’S
SEAFOOD RESTAURANT
• Fresh seafood simply prepared in a traditional New England style • Food and cocktails on the deck overlooking the harbor • Bring the kids! • The largest selection of lobsters on the Island!
Open Daily. 11:30am-9:30pm.
466-2473 • www.finnsseafood.com
Bar Special: Make any sandwich a Meal Have lunch at the main bar between 11:30 and 4 Monday-Friday and for $3 more we will add cole slaw and French fries to your order.
Live lobster • Fresh and smoked fish Shellfish • Chowder-to-go • Ice Lobster Bakes in a tin. Just add water, cook and enjoy!
FISH MARKET
NG 51 YEARS CELEBRATI
(Order one day in advance)
Open Daily 10am - 7pm • 466-2102
Open Daily 11:30-9:30 Fresh Local Seafood Daily Raw Bar featuring Block Island Oysters from BI Oyster Co. 1 Buck Shuck on the Patio Monday- Friday 3-4.
Stop in to see what’s new at the Beachead! • Catering Available •
www.thebeachead.com
Take out 466-2249
AN ISLAND TRADITION. Since 1963 island residents and visitors have enjoyed Doris Payne’s homemade donuts. You will find the delicious treats at Smugglers Cove on the corner of Ocean Avenue and Westside Road. Have a seat on the deck, enjoy a hot cup of coffee or another of our various morning delights. Nearby are charter boats and the Block Island Maritime Institute. Open daily from 7 AM.
SERVING HARD AND SOFT ICE CREAM • DEL’S LEMONADE
www.blockislandtimes.com
Continued from previous page
“foam” will appear on the menu, but there may be a little surprise flavorful foam garnishing an order. Molecular gastronomy is popular right now, says Wargo, and if it improves a dish he’ll use it. “We want your expectations to be exceeded,” he says. When asked to describe a few favorite dishes, Wargo starts with the seared foie gras. It’s served with a pistachio sponge, pickled strawberries, oil-cured black olives, and black pepper sauce. “You get it all: sweet, sour, bitter, salty and spicy,” he says. People are loving the spring vegetable salad, too, he says in which he
July 2014
foregoes mixed greens in favor of shaved beets, carrots, radishes, fennel, and asparagus that’s served with whipped goat cheese. The roasted fluke has been popular as well; it’s prepared with braised leeks, Meyer lemon sauce, forbidden black rice, and capers. Among the fromscratch desserts popular right now is the strawberry and rhubarb crumble with an almond crumb topping and honey gelato. Wargo says he’ll offer daily specials and change the menu every few weeks. He’s also offering a chef’s tasting menu, as well as a complete vegetarian menu on request, similar to Eli’s. It’s all about being accommodating, he says. “We want people to feel welcome, to feel comfortable, to come often.”
BLOCK ISLAND SUMMER TIMES
Page 9
Clockwise from above: Wargo (sitting, right) and his culinary team; Brad and Brad Jr. in front of the bar; after a winter’s worth of renovations, the dining room is ready for guests with new carpet, lighter wall color, refinished tables, and comfier chairs. Photos by Kari Curtis
BEADS, NECKLACE
&
MORE NEW DESIGNS ARRIVING IN JULY
BRACELET
New for 2014
NEW!
Find your way back to Block Island with this latitude and longitude necklace. And new latitude and longitude bracelet now available
Located on Water Street (Under The Harborside) Open 10am – 6pm www.jennifersjewelry.org
401-466-7944
Exclusive new adjustable bracelet.
New Block Island Rings for 2014 14K White and 14K Yellow Gold and Sterling Suzy’s Seaglass Block Island Pendants & Designs in Sterling & 14K by Jennifer
Page 10
BLOCK ISLAND SUMMER TIMES
July 2014
www.blockislandtimes.com
Block Island’s Original
Since 1991
Coffee House
Your only source for Island-made fudge! BUY 1 POUND... GET 1/4 POUND FREE! Fudge, Taffy, Handmade Chocolates & Sugar-free, Too! Shipping Available • Wedding Favors
Home of Chocolate Covered Bacon!
Take Out or Hang Out Coffee Tea Cappuccino Espresso Smoothies Organic Juice Baked Goods Light Fare 401 • 466 • 5520 Dodge Street Home of the Original Block Island Pepperoni Bread
Chapel Street ~ Block Island 466-5196
Real Fruit Smoothies, Jim’s Organic Coffee, Breakfast Burritos and Organic Egg Sandwiches, Falafel, Salads, Veggie Wraps and House made Burgers, Grilled Sandwiches
Take out orders
E a t In or Take out
466-2230
www.frooziesblockisland.com
Located to the left of the Post office. Outside and Inside dining overlooking Old Harbor
Open daily 11 am to 7 pm. 401 466 2435
Aldo’s Aldo
Watch the World Cup Finals / June 11th through July 13th. Come in and enjoy our specialty drinks and bar bite menu!
An Italian restaurant & pizzeria
Having a party? Ask about our catering menu!
A taste of Italy on Block Island
Full Air Conditioned Bar • Gluten Free Pasta Available Featuring Fresh Seafood, Choice Veal, Chicken and Beef Weldon’s Way ~ in the heart of Old Harbor 401-466-5871 Daily: 11 a.m. - 10 p.m. Take-out available Homemade sauces to go www.aldosrestaurantblockisland.com
Thursday - Mama Leone Night purchase an entrée and receive complimentary soup, salad and dessert.
Second Time Around
The Leone and Papa families serving Block Islanders since 1970 Founder ~ Aldo Leone
On the National Back Po Porch
Music of the 50's, 60's, 70's and beyond! Every Thursday & Friday night 6 - 10 p.m.
Sunset Restaurant and Lounge at the Narragansett Inn Overlooking the Great Salt Pond, New Harbor
Serving Breakfast Buffet ($11.95 includes juice, coffee and fruit) 7:30 - 10 am and Dinner (served 6 pm - 10 pm) Lounge opens at 5 pm Full bar, eclectic menu including fresh seafood, steaks, handmade pasta and beautiful sunsets overlooking New Harbor and the Great Salt Pond.
Book your next function where the setting is superb and friendly service prevails.
July 2014
www.blockislandtimes.com
Judy’s Picky Picks
By Judy Tierney The Not New Boutique is a signature island rummage sale event. It used to run once or twice a summer, now it is open every Wednesday through the tourist season. For weeks ahead of its opening date, we year-rounders search through our closets for clothing we no longer can use and then drop it into a blue hamper at the side door of St. Andrew’s Rectory, the summer Catholic Church whose members sponsor the sale. The extra space in our cramped Block Island homes feels so good — but only for a little while. On the day of the sale, everyone treks down to St. Andrews to find something special to take home and voila, our closets fill up yet again. My friend J who describes almost everything in her life in the superlative mode, calls me afterward every year to tell me what she has found there: a wonderful designer label jacket, a pair of almost-new marvelous Mary Janes. She wears her newfound clothing proudly, as we all do, congratulating ourselves for being such good shoppers. And we maintain a discreet silence when we meet a friend or neighbor dressed in one of our castoffs, inspecting to determine whether they look better than we did when those clothes were ours. This spring I spent a lot of time on the mainland and sadly, I missed the opening of the Not New Boutique. When I returned the weather had turned warm. As I rummaged through my closet looking for summer tees and shorts, I realized that my collection was shabby and shapeless, worn out from washing and wearing over the 10 years I have lived only on Block Island. A bright red tee shirt was now a faded rose, and when I tried it on, the shoulders were snug and the hem was above my waist. Something had happened to it, and though I hate to admit it, something had also happened to me. It was time for me to buy some new clothes.
Hitting the racks
Like a gambler planning a trip to a casino, I set a limit for myself. I would carry one modest-sized shopping bag, a plastic one with a floral design sold at a major discount clothing store, and I would buy no more than the bag could hold. It was a Friday in early June. Not all the shops were open, but I had noticed as I drove down Dodge Street that the door was propped open at one of my favorites, the Beachcomber. I called my friend R who often brings me to that shop to search for Fresh Produce cottons, and she did not need to be convinced that this would be a good day to shop. I ditched my car and we walked to town together. Virginia, the owner, greeted us by name — we’d been there many times before. She is a tiny woman with closecropped graying brown hair and one forelock. This year, for flair, she has dyed that lock purple. Now it’s really easy to find her when you need help in her store. Virginia found a pair of navy blue pedal pushers for me. They were just what I was looking for, so into my bag they went. R put a few outfits on hold. She wasn’t sure they would match clothes she already had at home. I suspect, though, she has gone back there by now to buy them. If you want to help the people of Haiti, look through the rack of white cotton clothing in the rear of the shop made by SIMBI INC, a company that is based and manufactures in Haiti. A portion of their proceeds goes to Aqua Haiti, a nonprofit that installs water filtration systems to combat diseases caused by untreated water, such as cholera.
BLOCK ISLAND SUMMER TIMES
Page 11
We took a break after examining everything in the Beachcomber to visit a friend and then I returned to my excursion alone; I’d tired R out. I headed for Strings N’ Things, another favorite as it is often open in the winter and carries clothing and jewelry styles from the sixties that I am fond of. Christine Bassett was on the sales floor that day. She also is a tiny woman and for a few seconds, I imagined myself as also her size, before a quick try-on brought me back to my senses. After a few false starts I found the perfect dress cut to fit me, a black tee dress with a few orange and purple string swatches across the waist. Above the hem, a dancing bear, a reminder that this is a Grateful Dead Enterprises dress. I was familiar with the tee shirts and ties that are sold mostly for guys, but a dress? I would have liked it anyway, but when I put it on I was transported back thirty or forty years to a particular concert in Springfield, Mass. when I was a dancing bear. Sold. It went into the shopping bag with the navy pants.
Beyond threads
No shopping trip is complete for me without a stop at Island Bound. Yes, I read on electronic devices, but I find they tire my eyes and I miss turning paper pages, folding down corners, seeing a stack of unread books waiting their turns on my night table. What is a household without a bookcase or two or three? When we moved to Block Island I had to give away much of my collection, but I did keep my old favorites and one representative book of each mystery author I love. My husband asked why I found it so hard to part with the books he knew I no longer opened. Their pages were yellow, he said. But they are my friends, I replied, even if now they are largely unvisited friends. I compromised with him and gave away many of my beloved books, but I have not stopped buying new ones. I think of it as a tithe, like those of the many people I know on the island who tithe their churches to keep their doors open. Island Bound’s owner Cindy Lasser was hobbling around her shop on crutches when I stopped in. She had dislocated her kneecap, an injury that sounds so painful I winced as she told me. I chose two books: Elizabeth Warren’s “A Fighting Chance” and Sue Monk Kidd’s “The Invention of Wings.” Cindy told me to wait a second, and she bent down to a carton of books under a display. They were leftovers from World Book Night. I had missed that this year as well as the Boutique. On World Book Night classics of all kinds are donated and readers are asked to give them away to someone who is not a big reader, but who might enjoy them. (This year the event was sponsored by UPS.) I always grab one book for a nephew who should read but doesn’t often, I leave one in a local bar for anyone who would like it, and I find something for the great nieces in my extended family. I was glad Cindy had some left for me to distribute and took a copy of “Catch 22,” which I will give to Sara, my great niece who is an avid reader but usually prefers stories about vampires, and an Agatha Christie. After I zipped through the Christie, I left it in a condominium clubhouse that is lined with bookshelves where the older residents share their readings.
Nighty night
Four books added to my shopping bag almost filled it, but not quite, so I continued on my quest. As I left Island
From top: Beachcomber owner Virginia talks about her Haitian clothing line, proceeds from which go to providing clean water in that country, inset is a detail from one of the pieces; one of many budhas to be had at East of the River Nile; the jammies Judy found at Full Moon Tide. Photos by Judy Tierney
Bound, my friend J came tripping out of the post office. That is one of the joys of Block Island in the shoulder seasons, meeting up by chance with a friend who isn’t in any kind of a rush and has time to spare. J joined me because I told her I was going to stop in at two of our favorite shops, East of the River Nile and Full Moon Tide. In the Nile, I was yadda-yadda-yadding with Ron Munschie about Guatemala and about his buddha collection — small big-bellied laughing buddhas, beautiful statuesque buddhas, even a yard sized stone fountain —when J took me by the arm and led me to the shelf with the felt baby slippers from Nepal. I’d forgotten about these tiny lions and bunnies and mice, all of them with ears and eyes, noses and mouths, faces that fit over tiny baby toes. When I first saw them last year, I had no little one in my family, but now I am a new grandma and my little
Nora deserves a pair. Together, after great deliberation, J and I chose the white bunnies. They did not take up much room in my shopping bag. At our final stop next door, Full Moon Tide, I caved to buy the lightest weight cotton pajama I think in existence. It is perfect for those hot steamy nights when there is company in the house and clothing is de rigueur. Ron is already calling it my ice cream suit, though those are pure white and this has teensy blue flowers running through it and splashy periwinkle blossom borders. With this purchase my bag was full and my feet were tired so I headed home and J headed back to work. I think there is no better place to shop than Block Island, whether it’s the Not New Boutique with recycled clothing or one of the many specialty boutiques with new, trendy offerings. I shall return later in the summer to peruse new stock in other shops.
The National Hotel Page 12
BLOCK ISLAND SUMMER TIMES
July 2014
Dine with your dog on our outside patio Enjoy food and cocktails at the National Hotel Fireside Take in the view from our outside bar
us on our og friendly back deck! 401.466.2901 • www.blockislandhotels.com
Lesley A Ulrich
All Day. Every Day. p h o t o g r a p h y
Family 66.2901Portraits www.blockislandhotels.com www.lesleyanneulrich.com
401 466 5858
Art Gallery
Fine Art Jewelry Memory Cards Camera Batteries B. I. Driftwood Signs Frames Stationery
Essent
www.blockislandtimes.com
Where Is Workers S
Shops at the National Hotel
Located in the lo National, we’re than any shop on
and more...
Family Portraits
401 466 5858
I
46
Block Original Ge
Homemade and sim
Open daily fr
Under
Block Island, R
Block Island • For your cottage Compan • Trading For your boat
Take home an island memory.
provisions for Island time
• For your garden • or Just for you!
The Shops at The National Hotel 401 466 2558
Been There. Done That. Now Get The T-Shirt!
weats
Been There. Done That. Now Get The T-Shirt!
s
ses more!
• tees & sweats • hats • souvenirs • stickers • sunglasses and lots more
Water Street • At The National Hotel • 466-5977 Water Street • At The National Hotel • 466-5977
Water Street, The Shops at the National www.BlockIslandTradingCompany.co
July 2014
www.blockislandtimes.com
1
BLOCK ISLAND SUMMER TIMES
Page 13
2
Twenty Trends for 2014
4
1. The surf meets the High Street with California Leash Company handbags. Get these waterresistant, wetsuit-material bags at Diamond Blue Surf Shop. 2. Look stylish in these silver-andsea glass bracelets at Solstice. 3. Look and feel good in Simbi brand clothing and hair accessories at Beachcomber; a portion of their sales helps install water-purification systems in Haiti. 4. Be on top of the world in this Fish The World tee at Salty Dog. 5. Sail the seas (or go for a night on the town) in St. James nautical-inspired, U.V. skin-protecting clothing at Glass Onion. 6. For movers and shakers: the gemstone moves as you move, “dancing to the beat of your heart.” At Jennifer’s Jewelry. 7. You’ll bewitch in these Alex and Ani bangles from Peppered Cat. 8. What will you uncover with these excavation kits from Building Blocks? 9. Feel all “Great Gatsby” in these Vineyard Vines button-downs and ties from Mahoney’s Clothier. 10. Relax seaside in this B.I. long-sleeved tee from Wave. 11. Be wildly comfortable in this anchor sweatshirt from Wild Flowers. 12. Feel easy, breezy and bamboo-tiful in this bamboo cotton dress from Rags. 13. Get comfortable in flip-flops from Kai-Kai Sandals – they’re like clouds for your feet, but with arch support, strong soles and secure straps. 14. Home is where the heart is; find “home” tees at Block Island Trading Company. 15. Pamper yourself with moisturizers, lip balm and the like from Cool to Be Kind. 16. Magnum P.I. reporting for duty: get these shades at B-Eyes.17. Shine bright with this lighthouse-print Lily Pulitzer dress from Bonnie and Clyde. 18. Give your look an edge with these earrings from Mar Mar. 19. Shield the sun in style with a hat from The Mad Hatter. 20. Wherever you go, take a piece of Block Island with you. Get B.I.-shaped jewelry at Blvck Market. Compiled and photographed by Isabella DeLeo.
6
7
3
5
8
9
11
10
14
17
18
12
13
15
16
19
20
Page 14
BLOCK ISLAND SUMMER TIMES
By Renée Meyer The group of volunteers meets at a most civil hour – 9 a.m. at the office of The Nature Conservancy on High Street. On this Wednesday there are a dozen. Some have done this for years, some, such as this writer are first timers. They are quite good natured for an army, and quite welcoming of the new recruits. What are they fighting? Vines, prickers and poison ivy. The suggested uniform is gloves, long-sleeved shirts and long pants. This is Adrian’s Army. Their leader is life-long island resident Adrian Mitchell and their mission is to keep the miles of Block Island’s hiking trails clear of brush, low branches, dead trees, and in some areas clear of danger. Mitchell retired as head of Block Island’s “road crew” several years ago and, not wasting a beat, joined the staff of The Nature Conservancy in order to take on the task of maintaining its growing network of trails.
July 2014
Marching with Adrian’s Army On this Wednesday Mitchell is unable to be there so Peter Greenman, his second in command, takes over. Greenman has been doing this type of work for nineteen years now, longer even than Mitchell. He estimates that between a few weeks missed for off-island appointments and weather, he does this 45 times per year. Yes, Adrian’s Army marches all year round. Magic doesn’t happen all by itself. Sometimes weather gets in their way, but not often. The weekly nine o’clock muster starts with introductions and some banter. One of the newbies is a house guest of soldier Willie Feuer. Another is the 24 year-old daughter of Cathy and Nigel Joyce. She’s taking a two month leave from her job in Manhattan to spend the summer on the island. She loves to hike the trails and figures she might as well help maintain them. Volunteers have brought their own weapons. From small clippers to larger
loppers, everyone is armed. Ray Torrey has even brought a weed-whacker. They compare notes on what may need to be done where on the island. One reports that the trails at Rodman’s Hollow need mowing. Greenman says he will pass that information on to Mitchell. Then he divides the group of 12 into three teams and gives them their assignments. One team is heading for the Gaffney Trail off of Lakeside Drive and the other two are heading for Clay Head. But not so fast. First there is the traditional stop at Bethany’s Airport Diner for coffee. Robin is ready and waiting with extra coffee on hand and mugs lined up along the counter. We all sit at the picnic tables outside and soak in the sun on this, the first truly hot day of the season. Talk quickly turns to some pressing island issues, but it’s all in good fun. Then we head for the trails. Up Corn Neck Road we go in Greenman’s old VW
www.blockislandtimes.com
bus, headed for Clay Head. On the way Greenman explains that the erosion caused by Superstorm Sandy was quite severe and he wanted to show this reporter the work they had done. We turn up what seems like an impossibly narrow and steep road for the bus; fortunately we meet no one coming down. When we park at the end of the road we are quickly met by the other Clay Head team. We are at some mid-point in the Clay Head trail, and Greenman and team head south on the trail while the others head north. First we all admire the view though. In the distance below us is the North Light, Sachem Pond and the ocean beyond that. A large schooner sails in the distance. Both Greenman and another member of Adrian’s Army say that doing this trail maintenance has led them to discover areas of the island they never knew, and opened up vistas they would otherwise Continued on next page
Clockwise from top: One of the biggest rewards of this volunteer work, says the author, is coming upon views like this one at the juncture of two Clay Head trails; ready for battle are Ray Torrey, Dean Brown, Peter Greenman, and Sochia Cohen; as are Chris, Cathy and Nigel Joyce. Photos by Renée
Meyer
July 2014
www.blockislandtimes.com
Continued from previous page
never have seen. This is one of the rewards for what they do. Over the past several months the army has done a lot of work at Clay Head. In the wake of Sandy the trail along the bluffs had become dangerously close to the edge and Greenman is particularly concerned about the safety of hikers, especially children who love to run ahead of their parents on the trails. So what have they done? They have cut new trails and blocked off old ones, either with cut brush or with sections of a split-rail fence, essentially moving the trail away from the dangerous edge. In one area they have put up posts with rope atop to warn people away from the ledge – only four feet away. Still, Greenman worries. He’s hoping that they can put up some signs to warn people of the possible dangers there. Today we have come to give the trail a “haircut.” The goal is to clip back branches and vines that are extending into the path: anything that might snag a hiker. The work is leisurely and enjoyable. Blooming wild roses and native Arrowwood viburnum are
BLOCK ISLAND SUMMER TIMES
Page 15
in full bloom along parts of the trail. The scent of the roses alone is enough to have made the morning memorable but the company is just as good. Along with Greenman the team is made up of Sochia Cohen and Dean Brown. Cohen has been doing this about once a month for several years. Brown joined a year and a half ago after retiring, although he has been active in conservation on the island since the 1960s. His son-in-law thought he needed something to do. Cohen and I work our clippers while Brown and Greenman go after the larger stuff with their loppers. We all move up the trail, talking and clipping as we go. On this day the subject of Iraq dominates. Greenman says the discussions get particularly lively when it’s local election time. Before we know it we reach the end of the trail and turn back. When we reach the bus the haze has cleared some and the view of the North Light is even more spectacular. The other team has left a note under the VW’s windshield wipers. “The trail is clear so we headed to the Hodge Property.” Off to fight another battle.
Clockwise from top right: Jules Craynook, Cliff Theve, Willie Feuer with houseguest Todd, and the Joyces; a portion of the new trail the army has recently cut at Clay Head; erosion caused the old trail to get dangerously close to the edge of the bluff — the bluff is undercutting the trail even more than one can see here, so the army cut a new trail and blocked this one off with cut brush; Peter Greenman walks along part of the trail that has been studded with poles and ropes to keep walkers from danger and to help minimize further bluff erosion. Photos by Renée Meyer Top left: Adrian Mitchell rallies the troops with new caps and coffee at the Bagel Shop — from left are Mitchell, Dean Brown, Willie Feuer, Cliff Theve, Chuck McMellon, and Jules Craynook. Adrian was back on the trails after recovering from knee surgery and said how much he enjoys working with this group and how much he wanted to thank all the volunteers for their hard work and dedication. Photo by Kari Cutis
Page 16
BLOCK ISLAND SUMMER TIMES
July 2014
www.blockislandtimes.com
Crazy as a Coot, Happy as a Lark
As director of the Ocean View Foundation, Block Island’s First Warden Kim Gaffett leads nature tours. Our reporter went on one of her legendary bird walks. By Judy Tierney On winter mornings when even the sun has difficulty deciding whether it should rise, almost nothing stirs on Block Island, not man nor beast nor machine. On our road, unless the transfer station is open, Howie’s yellow school bus is often the first and only vehicle to pass by my house until mid morning, and there are almost never morning joggers. There’s an exception though. On certain Tuesdays, a small group of sturdy New Englanders joins naturalist Kim Gaffett (also the island’s First Warden) for Crazy as a Coot, an early morning bird walk at a location determined the previous evening — most likely by where she has seen interesting birds recently or where others have told her they have seen some. I confess that this winter I was unable to drag myself out of the house to join the group. Though I am up with the rising sun at their meeting time of 8 a.m., I am still sipping coffee and catching up on my email messages, finding excuses not to go outside into the grey cold. This winter was so dreary that even my cat, a huntress with a nose for every small creature, curled up in a ball on an easy chair and
became, temporarily, an indoor pet. On June 17, the Coots held their last bird watching walk of the season (there are plenty of themed summer walks, though, which we’ll discuss later), to be followed by a celebratory breakfast at Bethany’s Airport Diner. I did manage to get to that one, because after all, I hate to miss a party, even one that starts at 8 a.m. And, in June, the weather had finally turned. The destination was Cormorant Cove. There’s not much parking down there, so we met up at the corner of West Side and Champlin Road, the street most of us know as Coast Guard Road, and carpooled down to the end. Eighteen of us joined Gaffett for the bird walk, marking the return of cottagers and visitors; birds aren’t the only migratory islanders. Gaffett brought her scope and fellow birder Maggie Komosinski brought her pen and pad to keep track of the birds we spotted. The first in our sights was a black and white American oystercatcher minding its own business, trolling for oysters and clams in the wet sand of low tide along the water line. Gaffett set up Continued on next page
Clockwise from top: Kim Gaffett, center with binoculars, gathers us on the beach at Cormorant Cove; Gaffett holding a goldfinch during one of her earlier birdbanding workshops; an American oystercatcher at Andy’s Way, note its bright orange bill and eyes; to the right of the dock is the oystercatcher we saw bending over to snag an unsuspecting bivalve; Gaffett alerts the group to more birds, and we flock around her. Photos by
Judy Tierney and courtesy Kim Gaffett and the Ocean View Foundation
Kimberly has left the Beachead, and has opened Block Island’s newest restaurant! Guess what it’s called...
e b r l ’ y m i K ★★★★★ s Ocean Avenue • 466-8600 • Cocktails & Dinner • Kimberly’s Catering, 465-6243
July 2014
www.blockislandtimes.com
Continued from previous page the scope so we could all see it more clearly without disturbing it. Though binoculars work well for spying on the birds, the scope offers a much clearer view, especially when it’s set up on a tripod as Kim had done. The oystercatcher was quite dashing, particularly its long bright orange bill. I am new at bird watching, and confess I don’t see half of what the experienced birders see. When everyone’s attention turned from the beach to the fields across the street, they saw robins, goldfinches and other feathered friends. I saw one robin and one goldfinch. My attention wandered to the daisies growing in one of the meadows, the high grasses stretching back to a tree line, the sweet cottage I’d not noticed before. These coot walks are good for enjoying the countryside even for wannabe birders who can’t seem to spot a hawk on a branch. Gaffett took a few minutes to teach us about dune formation, explaining that what we were looking at was the backside of a dune. She pointed out black pines in the distance — how, although the older ones died off in a beetle infestation, young ones are now replacing them. She also showed us cedars, roses, bayberry, hawkweed and sorrel. Finally there were the grasses. All of these, Gaffett said, catch the sand and build it up from the backside. We celebrated afterward at an outdoor table at Bethany’s Airport Diner,
BLOCK ISLAND SUMMER TIMES
Page 17
where Robin Fletcher made sure we all got the correct orders and lots of coffee or tea. Bethany even came outside to say hi and bring us a cake. Komosinski wrote up the final bird count. There were 22 species spotted; the most plentiful were great black back gulls (30 of them).
Summer’s schedule of walks
Though this was the last coot walk of the season, Gaffett will be leading other walks and bird banding sessions throughout the summer as Director of the Ocean View Foundation. Among their activities, designed for children and adults, are Tuesday bird banding and Friday bird walks at Andy’s Way. Check www. oceanview.com or the weekly Block Island Times for their full schedule. Even if you have never gone on a nature walk — or maybe especially if you haven’t — Gaffett is extremely knowledgeable and her narrative will draw you in. You might even take on a new hobby as it seems I am beginning to do. I can feel the birdwatching beginning to take hold on me, for when I visited the mainland a day later, I spotted wildfowl swimming on a reservoir and slowed down to try to see what kind of ducks they were. Unfortunately, I could not stop, as the mainland is busier than Block Island after all, and was stymied in my quest to check their markings and look them up. I felt frustrated, and suddenly, as traffic was barreling down on me, I realized, perhaps I was getting to be more of a birdwatcher than I thought.
Clockwise from bottom left: As the group searches for more birds, I wander off and spot a sweet little cottage. How many times have I been on this road before, never noticing this quiet reminder of simpler times?; Searching for birds, I am distracted by wild daisies. Once upon a time, they grew everywhere. Now, finding them is a special treat; Die-hard coots no doubt seeing much more than I am; Using this dune as an example, Gaffett teaches us about dune formation; After the walk, our group enjoys a windy and delicious breakfast at Bethany’s Airport Diner; During breakfast, Komosinski compiles the final list of species spotted, tallying 22. Though the beach we visited is called Cormorant Cove, we saw but three of that species; Bethany presents us with a cake celebrating the winter’s unusual influx of snowy owls. Photos by Judy Tierney and courtesy Kim Gaffett and the Ocean View Foundation
THE OAR
Great food, great view, great prices, great crew at
BI Boat Basin, New Harbor • Open: 11:30am • Take-out available • Bring the kids! COME AND ENJOY OUR GREAT SUSHI BAR!
466-8820
Page 18
BLOCK ISLAND SUMMER TIMES
July 2014
www.blockislandtimes.com
The Bird Lady of Block Island, Miss Elizabeth Dickens
Kim Gaffett and the Ocean View Foundation’s bird walks and bird banding demonstrations are two of many island traditions that are born of a rich legacy, that of Miss Elizabeth Dickens. Historian Robert Downie wrote about that legacy for the weekly Block Island Times and Edie Blane added her own childhood remembrances:
One Robin
by Robert Downie Fifty-one years ago, on June 12, 1963. Elizabeth Dickens, an 85-year-old lifelong islander, entered the temperature in her diary as “55” degrees, followed as usual by the birds she had seen on her sweeping farmland near Southwest Point: “1 Barn Owl, 1 Crow, 1 Pheasant, 6 Barn Swallows, 5 Redwings, 2 Song Sparrows, 1 Northern Yellow Throat, and 1 Robin.” Presumably, that “Robin” was the last bird she ever recorded on a piece of paper, capping 50 years of daily written accounts of her bird sightings. Passing through her years like a steady vessel at sea, Elizabeth Dickens had emerged in the last half of her life as the Block Island’s ship-of-state — the most well-known, beloved, written-about person of her lifetime on the island — all because of birds. Due to her, binoculars replaced on Block Island the gun barrels of turn-of-the-century bird hunters, and the island’s fame as a welcoming mat for both the birds and their watchers spread. Living at the end of a dirt road, facing the sea and the setting sun, Elizabeth Dickens must have led one of the last pure island lives. Surrounded by silence — cut off by that rutted lane from the noises of cars and trucks, and by time from the din of planes and mopeds — her world was the sound of wind changes, barnyard animals, and the singsong of a bird or the whoosh of an entire flight. In the fields around her, she could bask in the sun’s warmth on a cool fall day. No soap opera on TV in the afternoon for her. No romance novel or courtroom paperback filled her time. Outside, the book of nature was spread open, its pages turning magically by themselves — from morning to evening, from winter to summer. And she recorded that world by listing her observations on the empty
Clockwise from top: In 1948 a Providence Sunday Journal article pictured Miss Dickens displaying a sparrow hawk to Larry Rose and Lester Littlefield. On the left is a mounted snowy owl, on the right a horned grebe; Miss Dickens at the Block Island Historical Society; Elizabeth Dickens, sitting at right with her blonde hair in ringlets, poses with some of her West Side School chums in the late 1880s; this famous portrait of Miss Dickens shows her in one of her favorite birdwatching spots. Historic photos courtesy Robert Downie
pages of notebooks: each bird sighted on each day, each book comprising five years’ worth of days. She started her bird diaries in 1912 at the late age of 34. Two years later she began teaching classes in bird lore to the island’s school children. Both endeavors would last some 50 years. By the fateful month of June in 1963, the living room of Elizabeth Dickens’ small family homestead was stacked with piles of her diaries, and with binoculars and other bird-related items lying nearby. Among them were articles that had been written about her in newspapers, ornithology journals, and popular nationwide magazines such as Life and The Saturday Evening Post. The day after the entry ending in “1 robin,” on June 13, 1963, Elizabeth wrote the temperature —“55”— in her diaries and, uncharacteristically, not a word more. There were no entries for June 14 and 15, 1963. She was visited by friends the next morning, having been missed at the High School graduation she annually attended. As described in Herbert Whitman’s biography “Elizabeth Dickens, the bird lady of Block Island,” published in 1982: “They found her lying in the long grass between her house and the barn with a soup can in her hand. The back door of the house was open and the lamps, their chimneys standing beside them, were ready to be lit … Elizabeth was barely alive. Her arm was broken.” She was hardly able to talk. The next day, after transportation to Westerly on the mainland, Miss Dickens died. Islanders would no longer hear her familiar phone call: “Run to the window and look at the sunset!” As the woman who taught generaContinued on next page
www.blockislandtimes.com
Continued from previous page
tions of island children to appreciate not only birds but all of nature, her stature has only grown since her death. In the 1986 book “A World of Watchers” by Joseph Kastner, she dominates a chapter titled “The Imbuers: Elizabeth Dickens and the Woman Writers.” Her literary company in that book would have pleased her: from Audubon to Forbush to Roger Tory Peterson. If you look past the many modern summer homes, you can see much of what Miss Dickens saw. And a large portion of her former farmland is now preserved as the Lewis-Dickens Nature Preserve, with a public path stretching toward the sea.
Remembering Miss Dickens
by Edith Blane When I opened the June 16 issue of the Block Island Times I was pleased to see the article about Miss Elizabeth Dickens written by Bob Downie (one of his best articles). It brought back many memories of my school days and our monthly bird study classes. I was fortunate to have them with Miss Dickens from first
grade in 1935 to graduation in 1947. Miss Dickens had very piercing blue eyes, white hair drawn up on top of her head and was always very neatly dressed. I think she suffered from bad feet for she wore black high top sneakers in winter and white ones in summer. From time to time Miss Dickens would invite one or two girls in the 8th or 9th grades to come to her house for dinner. I remember going with Barbara (Dodge) Hall and Ann Moran. We went on the school bus to the road we now know as Southwest Point Road. We cut off on Dickens Road, following the winding laneway through four or five gates, shut to keep cattle and livestock on their home meadows. We arrived in the late afternoon very excited to be at Miss Dickens’ home. She met us at the door, binoculars in hand, and told us we were to go on a bird walk before dinner. What a treat it was to walk over the meadows, having a chance to look through the binoculars and to have her tell us how to recognize the birds, their plumage and their calls. There were no nearby houses and I felt as if I was walking over the moors. We could see and hear the ocean from Miss Dickens’
July 2014
BLOCK ISLAND SUMMER TIMES
small house. We arrived back at the house and our grand treat of dinner out awaited us. I can only remember having cold, home canned turkey and a very tart condiment. I am sure we had vegetables and potatoes (it would not have been a Block Island meal without potatoes) but I cannot remember. But I can still recall the condiment. It was a clear, golden brown color with bits of some fruit or melon in it. I wish I had asked what it was but I was shy and so overcome by dining out that all other things went out of my mind. The turkey had been canned in glass jars by Miss Dickens; she raised turkeys. For dessert we had a layer cake with whipped cream. I was so excited I could scarcely eat. Because we had long walks to get back home, the dinner was served early. It was late spring with plenty of light, so we could get home before dark. Barbara and Ann lived on Connecticut Avenue and High street respectively, but I had to walk all the way down the Neck. Believe me, that was a long trek, but we thought nothing of it for we all walked wherever we needed to go. Not many folks had cars. As an adult I realized how the classes and bird walks with Miss Dickens
Page 19
enriched my life. To be able to hear a bird call when in my house and recognize the bird is all due to her teaching. For instance, I remember what she said about the little goldfinch — that he wears his little black beret and is one of the few birds that sings in flight, saying “two and twenty.” For years I had tried to find a dead bird that was in good enough condition to be stuffed, mounted and added to the bird collection. Finally, at age 14, I found a piping plover that Miss Dickens said was in fine condition to be stuffed. So my bird is in the collection, with the date I found it and my name then — Edith Littlefield — written on the small tag in Miss Dickens’ distinctive hand writing. It seems like such a small thing now, but to me in those days, it was a big deal. Want to see and know more about Miss Dickens and the birds of Block Island? Visit the Elizabeth Dickens Room on the first floor of the Block Island Historical Society; you can even arrange a special tour that includes a trip to the school to see the bird cases by calling the Society at (401) 466-2481.
There are many island residents of a certain age who can startle visitors with their ability to identify birds by sight and by song; they were lucky enough to be students of Miss Dickens, who taught island children for nearly five decades beginning in 1914. Todays Block Island schoolchildren are lucky to have her collection of stuffed birds in glass cases in one school hallway. As Edith Blane describes above, finding a dead bird worthy of Miss Dickens’ collection was a goal of many island children. Bird case photos by Kari Curtis
Page 20
BLOCK ISLAND SUMMER TIMES
July 2014
www.blockislandtimes.com
USGS Maps and NOAA Charts Unique Delightful Jewelry Body Care Home Accessories Fun Summer Accessories Hats, Bags and Clothing
Est. 1991 Handmade in USA
401-466-5161
www.glassonionblockisland.com PART OF NED PHILLIPS JR. & CO., WATER STREET, OLD HARBOR, BLOCK ISLAND
St. James summer dress made with UV protectant microfiber provides protection and comfort for long summer days. After the beach and a quick shower this dress will be ready wrinkle free and fresh for your evening out.
Four Great Shops You Just Have To Check Out! Jewelry, clothing, gift, toys FUN stuff FOR ALL AGES!
233 Dodge St. & www.marye-kelley.com
Preserving whats precious in the world. Block Islands newest boutique- style family shop.
Don't miss B-Eyes Sunglass Shop located in the Star Dept. Store Building on Water Street.
Best Selection of Block Island Apparel When in doubt do what the locals do...
Wave.
Resort Clothing at Mainland Prices:
WAVE
Exclusive carrier of Roxy • Quiksilver • Tommy Bahama • Be as You Are • Reef Sandals • Maui Jim • Oakley • Ray Ban
Clothing for a Charmed Life Seven Jeans Scout Bags Joe’s Jeans BB Dakota Jude Connally
Located in the center of Water St. Block Island, RI 401-466-8895
Susana Monaco Havaianas Block Island Blonde Tees Free People Lilly Pulitzer
Open daily 10am - 10pm
Island's largest selections of T-shirts • Sweatshirts • Hats • Sportswear
LIFEGUARD SWEATS
Must Have Styles Arriving Daily!
CARHARTT• CHAMPION
Guaranteed to match and often beat mainland prices! Located in the center of Water Street • 466-8822 • www.waveblockisland.com
CELEBRATING 59 YEARS
Sandals • Kids T’s • Gifts • Toys • BI Stickers OPEN 8:30 AM - 10PM DAILY 466-5541 RAFTERS • SALTWATER TAFFY • CROCS
B-EYES SUNGLASS SHOP Name brand sunglasses and accessories for all ages!
NEW: Shwood Brand, Wooden and Stone Sunglass Collection Block Island’s original hat shop! Largest selection of visors, cowboy hats, fedoras, Eric Javits and famous, fun and funky costume hats!
The Mad haTTer • WaTer STreeT • 466-3131
Native, Von Zipper, Electric, Bolle, Serengeti, Anarchy, Peppers, Chillies, Body Glove, Panama Jack, Croakies and more! 9 am to 8pm
July 2014
www.blockislandtimes.com
BLOCK ISLAND SUMMER TIMES
Page 21
SPONSORED BY THE RED BIRD LIQUOR STORE
Behind The Bar
Leo Leone at Aldo’s Restaurant Q: Where did you grow up? A: Here! Well half here and half Miami. Every school year I’d spend first and last quarters on Block Island and the middle quarters in Miami. Then junior and senior year I really wanted to stay here, so my parents let me. They stayed, too. Q: When/where was your first bartending job? A: Aldo’s Restaurant 11 year ago. Before that, since age 16, I barbacked here. Q: Have you bartended anywhere else on Block Island? A: Not on Block Island. I bartended a couple years at a casino in Fort Lauderdale — long hours, good money, seedy people; on a party yacht in Miami — so much fun, such good people; and in Beverly Hills. Q: Who’s the most famous person you’ve served a drink to? A: Arnold Schwarzenegger — he has a huge head! And Mary Donnelly. Q: Where do you spend winters? A: Tropical climates. Q: Favorite? A: Naples, Italy. Q: What is it about bartending that continues to hold your attention? A: The customers. You never know who you’re gonna meet — or who you’re gonna throw out. Q: Where can you be found when you’re not behind this bar? A: At one of my other jobs: sales agent at Lila Delman Real Estate and managing a car rental business in Old Harbor. Q: What’s the best thing about working the bar at Aldo’s? A: That my aunt is the owner.
Q: What’s the worst thing about working the bar at Aldo’s? A: That my aunt is the owner (with a huge laugh). Q: How does your experience behind the bar translate to other aspects of your life? A: Do I have to answer that one? Q: What qualities do you most value in a customer? A: Sense of humor. Tipping ability. And someone who appreciates a great bartender. Q: What superpower would be most helpful to have as a bartender? A: Stretch arms like Stretch Armstrong. Q: What are some of the best (or worst!) pick-up lines you’ve heard? A: I lost my number, can I have yours? Wanna take a ride in my dinghy?
Leo Leone behind the bar at Aldo’s with cousin and fellow bartender, Christina Papa. Photo by Lisa Stiepock ; the espresso martini with three coffee beans. Photo by Kari Curtis
The Bird is the Word for Barbecues on Block Island. Come in and see our wide selection of wines for any occasion. Or, let us order exactly what you want.
Q: What’s the lamest attempt at a fake I.D. you’ve ever dealt with? A: This girl who looked 16 had an I.D. from a 29-year-old Wisconsin woman. Q: On the rare occasion that you have a night out on the town, where would you go for a… A: Romantic evening? Winfield’s, then a coffee drink at the Manisses. Family dinner? Aldo’s of course. Boys’ night out? Trader Vic’s. Q: Will you share your recipe for a Specialty of the Bar drink? A: To make an espresso martini, use vanilla vodka, Bailey’s, Kahlua, add a shot of hot espresso so it gets frothy and top with three espresso beans for health, wealth and happiness. — L.S.
The Red Bird Liquor Store Fine Wines, Liquor, Kegs, Cigars, Soda Case Discounts! HOURS Mon.-Thurs. 9am - 9pm Fri.-Sat. 9am-10pm Sunday 10am-6pm
466-2441
Page 22
BLOCK ISLAND SUMMER TIMES
July 2014
www.blockislandtimes.com
Red, White and Blueberries By Susan Middeleer Mleczko
This month we’re going to the berries! As the lazy days of summer ease into July, so too comes an influx of luscious, local fruits of all color and sizes; all easily available at roadside garden stands, the local grocery store, back yards, and best of all, from foraging in the wild. Those, like me, who have experienced and enjoyed foraging for local berries, especially those in search of the abundant wild Block Island blackberry, have many a fond memory the hunt: Of stained blue fingers, the occasional scratch or two (not so fond) and delicious Fourth of July desserts that my mother prepared, after a long day at the beach, of cobblers, grunts, pies and tarts oozing with these delectable fruits. On Block Island, wild fruits abound from early June through October includeingblackberries, blueberries, rosehips (best picked later in the season as are
beach plums), shadberries and elderberries. They are all edible and fairly abundant, (though the birds tend to pluck the blueberries before the humans get to them. Can you blame them?) A word of caution here… Never pick and eat anything that you are not sure about. A good general rule: if you cannot positively identify it, don’t eat it! Some berries can be very poisonous. One of the most popular island edibles is the wild blackberry. Abundant on the island starting in mid-July it can be found along the edges of many of the island’s roads and pathways. I should note that you might want to take a few things into consideration when starting out in search of blackberries: Wear old clothes! Not only are the thorns of the blackberry fearsome but also the juice of the berries can stain. Beware of poison ivy… The leaves
Strawberry Shortcake – Serves 6 If making ahead (and not freezing), the shortcakes can be baked in the morning, wrapped, refrigerated and then reheated in a 300°F oven for a few minutes before serving. The macerated strawberries can be prepared up to 2 hours ahead as can the whipped cream, if covered and refrigerated. If needed, lightly rewhip before using.
Ingredients:
The Strawberries 1 lb. ripe strawberries, stems and leaves removed (approx. 4 cups) 2 Tbs. granulated sugar The Shortcake 2 cups unbleached flour; more for rolling 1/3 cup granulated sugar, plus extra for dusting before baking 1 Tbs. baking powder 1/4 tsp. baking soda 1/2 tsp. salt 4 oz. (1/2 cup) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces 1 large egg 1/4 cup heavy cream; more for brushing – room temperature 1/4 cup buttermilk – room temperature Whipped cream 2 cups heavy cream 2 Tbs. granulated sugar (You can add/subtract sugar to your taste. I prefer mine not overly sweet.)
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 425°F.
For the strawberries
Put one-third of the berries into a mixing bowl and, using a potato masher or a fork,
can look quite similar to the blackberry and it often likes to grow near its thorny friend, so watch out for it! The leaves are of similar shape, though Poison Ivy always has three leaflets in a cluster. They are normally shinier, have no serrations or ‘teeth’ on the leaf’s edge and Poison Ivy has no thorns. Pick berries that are a deep black color and just slightly soft to the touch. An unripe berry, while OK, perhaps, for jams or pies can be a bit tart if picked too soon. Oftentimes foragers will mistake a red, unripe, blackberry for a raspberry. Raspberries don’t normally grow wild on the Island, so don’t pick the red ones, as tempting as they might seem. When picking, it’s a good idea to remind kids that it’s one for the pot or basket and one for them…. not two or three! Getting back to our theme of July’s red, white and blue summer treats, I’ve
chosen a few old standbys (and one new one for adults) like strawberry shortcake, which is so easy to prepare and everybody’s favorite, especially for the Fourth of July; a refreshing ‘white’ blackberry soda/sparkler (with a sophisticated and alcoholic adult version as well) and of course, blueberry muffins. My grown children still won’t let me get away with not making blueberry muffins at least once or twice when they come up to the island for a visit! Why more people don’t make their own, I’ll never know. If you pay attention to these four words: “Do not over mix” and have the ingredients at room temperature and ready to go ahead of time, you should be successful every time. And, the only ‘special equipment’ you need, is a muffin tin! In deference to the Fourth, I’m starting with the ‘red’ recipe first:
mash them into a rough purée. Slice the remaining berries 1/4 inch thick and stir them into the mashed berries along with the sugar. Taste the berries; add more sugar if necessary. Let the berries sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes.
For the shortcake
Position a rack in the center of the oven and make sure the oven is preheating to 425°F. (You need a hot oven for well-risen biscuits!) Line a large heavy-duty baking sheet with parchment or grease slightly with cooking spray. Sift the flour, 1/3 cup of the sugar, the baking powder, and baking soda into a large bowl. Stir in the salt. Using a pastry blender, a fork, or your fingertips (I like using my fingers, the best tool of all), work the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles very coarse cornmeal. Do not over mix if you want light, fluffy biscuits. In a small bowl, beat the egg and heavy cream with a fork. Mix in the buttermilk. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and pour in the cream mixture. Mix until just combined with the fork until the dough is evenly moistened and just comes together. Gather the dough and gently knead it three or four times. If the dough seems dry and doesn’t form a cohesive mass, spoon in more cream (1 tsp. at a time) and very briefly knead again. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and roll it into a 3/4 inch-thick disk. With a sharp 2 1/2-inch biscuit cutter (or a glass or jelly jar about the same size), press it down to cut the dough into rounds and lift straight up to remove (don’t twist the cutter or glass as it might seal the sides of the biscuits and could inhibit rising). Transfer the rounds to the prepared baking sheet. Gather the dough scraps, gently knead them together, re-roll, and cut out more biscuits until you have a total of six. Lightly brush the biscuit tops with about a tablespoon of cream and sprinkle with the remaining tablespoon of sugar if desired. Bake, rotating the baking sheet once, until the biscuit tops are lightly browned, 10 to 15 minutes. Let the biscuits cool slightly while you whip the cream.
For the whipped cream
In a medium metal or glass bowl (chilled if possible on a hot day), whip the heavy cream and sugar to soft peaks with an electric hand mixer. (Use immediately or refrigerate, covered, until ready to serve).
To assemble
Using a serrated knife, split the warm biscuits in half horizontally and transfer the bottoms to 6 dessert plates. Spoon about two thirds of the macerated berries and their juice evenly over the biscuit bottoms. Don’t worry about a few berries oozing out onto the plate. It’s part of the charm of being homemade. Top with a generous dollop of
Sterling Silver Block Island Bracelets NEW! Adjustable, multi color woven bracelet! From $45. We engrave too!
Open Daily 8 a.m. - 6 p.m.
www.blockislandtimes.com
whipped cream and cover each with a biscuit top. Spoon more berries and cream over each shortcake and serve immediately. Note: If you really want to go ‘all out’ with the red, white and blue theme for the 4th of July, garnish the tops of the cakes with some fresh blueberries as well. Also, if you are pressed for time, or simply don’t feel like cutting out the biscuits, you can put all of the biscuit dough in a round 9” cake pan and bake as one large cake. Bake about the same amount of time (give or take) until lightly browned on top. When cooled, carefully slice in half with a long serrated bread knife and fill with two thirds of the strawberries and half of the whipped cream, carefully place the other half of the pastry on top (if it breaks, no big deal, the whipped cream will hide all defects!) and then top with the rest of the whipped cream and strawberries. Serve sliced into pie shaped wedges. Vanilla/lemon ice cream sodas with blackberries and Limoncello/Prosecco ice cream floats with blackberries (adults only) Making sodas in the summer can be a fun event for children and adults alike. They’re easy, cooling after a hot day at the beach and delicious! I’ve included two examples, the Vanilla/lemon/blackberry sodas are geared for the younger set and the Prosecco/Limoncello/blackberry floats for the adults. And, with both of these ice cream desserts, if you’d like to stick to the 4th of July theme, you can use strawberries or raspberries and blueberries instead of using the blackberries. For the older folk, the second elegant Prosecco, Limoncello and blackberry ice cream float (and yes, be warned, it does contain quite a bit of alcohol), is a version of the classic ice cream float but it is light and oh, so good as well as being perfect for a hot summer’s evening. Serve in large wine glasses. Enjoy!
Vanilla/lemon sodas with blackberries For the kids: – Serves 1
Ingredients:
Vanilla ice cream Lemon gelato (if you can’t get gelato, sorbet is OK) Heavy cream or Half & Half (chilled) Soda or seltzer water (chilled) Fresh picked blackberries Whipped cream ½ tsp. Vanilla Red & blue sprinkles (optional)
To assemble
Pour 3 tbs. heavy cream or Half & Half and 1/2 tsp. of vanilla into the bottom of a tall glass. Stir with a long spoon. Drop a large ice cream scoop of Lemon gelato into the glass and stir briefly again, followed by a few blackberries and then a large scoop of vanilla ice cream (more if it’s a really big glass). Fill the glass to about three-quarters of an inch from the top with cold soda or seltzer. Give it another brisk stir and garnish with a few more blackberries, then the whipped cream, ending with a blackberry on top. The kids might also want to garnish with some sprinkles too. Just because!
The naughty version for the adults…. Limoncello/Prosecco ice cream floats with blackberries — – Serves 1
Vanilla ice cream or gelato Lemon gelato (or sorbet) Prosecco (or any dry sparkling wine) Limoncello Fresh picked blackberries Fresh mint leaves
To assemble
In a large wine glass, pour a tablespoon (or two) of Limoncello. Add a large scoop
July 2014
BLOCK ISLAND SUMMER TIMES
Page 23
of lemon gelato, stir briefly and add a few blackberries. Next, add a scoop of vanilla ice cream or gelato, a few more blackberries and pour the Prosecco or sparkling dry wine of your choice over the top until it almost covers the ice cream. Garnish with a few more blackberries and a leaf or two of fresh mint if you like.
Blueberry Muffins
-- Adapted from the Fannie Farmer Cookbook These luscious, warm, little bites of blueberry bliss take only about half an hour from start to finish! Have the milk and egg at room temperature (you can put the egg in some warm water to speed things up and briefly microwave the milk 15 seconds or so) and don’t forget: don’t over mix the batter!
Ingredients:
2 cups flour 3 tsp baking powder 1/2 tsp. salt 1/2 cup sugar 1 large egg, lightly beaten – room temperature 1 cup milk – room temperature 1/4 cup melted butter (4 Tbs.) 1 cup blueberries rinsed and checked for telltale stems.
Directions
Preheat oven to 375°F. Have all your ingredients assembled, at room temperature and ready to go. Wash blueberries, check for those pesky little stems and shake out to get rid of excess water. Reserve one quarter cup of the flour and sprinkle over the blueberries on a sheet of waxed paper. (This step keeps the blueberries from sinking to the bottom of the muffin when cooking.) Generously butter the muffin tin. Mix together remaining flour, baking powder, salt and sugar in a large bowl or, if you find the humidity has gotten to them and they’re a bit clumpy, put in a large sifter or sieve and sift into the bowl. Add the egg, milk, and melted butter, stirring just enough to dampen the flour; the batter should not be smooth. No need to panic if you see little dustings of flour here and there. Fold in the berries gently and then spoon batter into muffin cups until they are about two-thirds full. The batter should be somewhat thick and almost hold its shape in the tins. An old-fashioned large metal ice cream scoop (with the thin band of metal that releases the scoop when you press the handle lever) is a fantastic tool for this. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. Cool a few minutes then ease out of muffin tin with a knife. (You might want to go around the edges of each muffin with the knife depending upon how much the muffins seem to be sticking to the top edge.) Serve warm in a clean dishcloth or paper napkin in a basket or serving dish. Note: When baking, always use ‘dry’ measuring cups for the dry ingredients and ‘liquid’ measuring cups for the wet ingredients. (A dry measuring cup holds more than a liquid measuring cup, for example.) If you don’t, your measurements will be off and the results might not turn out so great…
Page 24
BLOCK ISLAND SUMMER TIMES
July 2014
www.blockislandtimes.com
BLOCK ISLAND “Block Island Bracelet”
ARTISTS
Phone orders 401-578-1125 www.blockislandjewelry.com Showing at the Block Island Farmers’ Market
BLOCK
BOARDS
HANDCRAFTED BY THE GASNER FAMILY HANDCRAFTED by NOAH GASNER
Cutting & Wood WoodCrafts Crafts Cutting Boards Boards & Sold at: at: Sold The B.I. Farmer’s Market The B.I. Farmers’ Market, Arts & Crafts Fair, Local Galleries Arts & Crafts Fair, By Appointment, BI Kite Company
B.I. Kite Company
Also Available: B.I. Beach Stone Stack
“Block Island Wire Outline Ring”
BEN WOHLBERG by appointment 466-2004 www.benwohlberg.com
By hand - One at at time - On island - 39 years
Phone orders 401-578-1125 www.blockislandjewelry.com Showing at the Block Island Farmers’ Market
Leah Robinson Watercolors & Giclée Prints
Available at: Block Island Arts & Crafts Guild Fairs The Spring Street Gallery Wednesdays at BI Farmer’s Market www.leahswatercolors.com
“Quahog. BI Quahog. Quahog & Rock Seaweed Ring.” Phone orders 401-578-1125 www.blockislandjewelry.com Showing at the Block Island Farmers’ Market
Capturing the joy and essence of life! Family portraits, weddings and all special events candidly captured.
www.robinlangsdorf.com 401-466-5055 917-855-1797 Showing fine art photography at the BI Farmer’s Market and the Spring Street Gallery.
AlsoNecklaces, Available: B.I. Stack Rings, andStone Earrings Necklaces, and Julia's Earrings “Julia’s Jewelry” Jewelry For more more info info or to place an order For Call: or Call:401-864-4357 401-864-4357 or Email: ngasner@uvm.edu Email: gasner@verizon.net
July 2014
www.blockislandtimes.com
BLOCK ISLAND SUMMER TIMES
Spring Street Gallery
1
For more than 30 years, Spring Street Gallery has successfully operated as a gallery, run by community members interested in raising awareness about the Block Island art scene. The artists are a diverse group who create beautiful and unusual works of art that range from paintings and photographs to ceramics and jewelry. The co-op gallery is staffed by artist-members, providing a knowledgeable and personalized shopping experience in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere. Here’s a sampling of this season’s artwork, with descriptions in the artists’ own words. — Gerard Closset
1. Gerard Closset: “Sunrise at the Southeast Lighthouse” “I took this photo very early in the morning when the soft light brought life to the panorama, making the shadows slowly disappear. A light breeze and a warm rising sun were helping to dissipate the light fog on the water, giving it a misty look. This photo helps me relive this very special moment, feeling the excitement of seeing the transformation of a familiar landscape into a magical scene.” 2. Kate Bird: “Clam Portrait” “I’ve made many new portraits of shells, mussels, oysters and clams this winter. I found them to be very agreeable models and I’ve enjoyed their subtle shapes and the monochromatic palette.”
2
3
3. Susan Coffin: “Waves” “I was trying to loosen up while capturing the motion of the waves. I’ve been working quickly, working on small paintings mostly involving water. Lots of fun!” 4. Alex Baba-Vulic: “Ferry Leaving Harbor” “I took this photo on October 7, 2012 on a very peaceful day. Last Hi-Speed Ferry was leaving Block Island and heading to Point Judith. People that live on the island know very well that after a day like this usually a big storm is coming their way. I personally experienced many days like this in the past nine years and developed a special feel about when it is a good time to go out and capture an interesting moment with my camera. This is one of them. It was taken at 6:31 p.m. on that Sunday afternoon. In just two weeks after that day, I found out that was the last scene
Page 25
taken the way it was, because hurricane Sandy arrived and moved jetty rocks around and washed away harbor light…”
5. Eileen Miller: “Graceful” “This is one of my favorite paintings. It just flowed down my arms onto the canvas — very much like the filaments of water and light that it depicts. It is called ‘Graceful’ not only for its gentle movement but because it reminds me of how it feels to look around while swimming underwater — the shifting of turquoise and clarity. What a magnificent ocean we have here.” 6. Grace Bochain Luddy: “Late September, Great Salt Pond” “I live on Block Island year ‘round, and because of that I am in a wonderful position to experience and photograph the island as it goes through its seasonal changes. I’ve had a great time this year, going out to take pictures almost every day. This one is a favorite because I have such fond memories of that night on Great Salt Pond. The business of summer was over, everything was decompressing, everything was breathing out... The pond had been jammed with boats, and now there was only one. It was one of those last nights when it was still warm enough to swim, I had gone in with my dogs, and then everything got so calm and still and luminous. So I was out on the dock at the boat club taking this picture. It was all about saying goodbye to those last precious days before we got hit with this past winter. It was one of those unplanned times I could easily have missed if I hadn’t had my camera with me. So good to be there with the camera when the light is perfect. You can’t make that happen. It’s just a gift.“ 7. Jerry Powers: “Sunrise” “I had the good fortune to be in a small boat off the south shore one morning last August when the sun came up. Usually one looks at a sunrise or sunset. On this occasion I was aware of being in it. The experience is something I wanted to share.” 8. Tom Kalb: “Block Island Club Balcony” “When I framed this balcony stave through the lens I was absorbed by the strong linear chevron capped by the rounded terminus. When I scanned the negative, I loved the narrow depth Continued on next page
4
6
8
5
7
9
Page 26
BLOCK ISLAND SUMMER TIMES
Continued from previous page
July 2014
of field with the dramatic focus directed at the caked and peeling edge. The printed image was pleasing for its painterly qualities and the overall composition reminded me of Motherwell.” 9. Jennifer Gasper: “Race Week” “My favorite photo is ‘Race Week, Mohegan Bluffs.’ This is my favorite because it shows the natural beauty of Block Island and its surrounding waters as well as one of the island’s long standing traditions of race week.” 10. Sharon Lehman: “Shannon at the Farmer’s Market” “Each person has their own method of designing their garden — some are neat, some are messy. Some use beach rocks and sticks, others use official garden structures or individual decorations. I decided to paint several of my friends in and around their gardens and this painting is one of four large ones that I finished this winter. All of the gardeners were willing to let me take pictures of them in their environment and had no idea how they would look in the finished paintings. I found that to be very trusting. My paintings are not meant to be official portraits, but to show each one of these people in their different places and highlight their personalities. This picture of Shannon selling her garden products at the Farmers Market doesn’t really look like her, but I think it shows her essence.”
www.blockislandtimes.com
11. Jane Emsbo: “Sarong” “It’s hard to pick a favorite painting, as time and mood and weather often dictate the choice. This painting, ‘Sarong,’ is appealing right now to lead us through spring with joy and color and good rhythms for dancing.” 12. Leah Robinson: “Summer Breeze” “It’s a special favorite of mine, the sign is very heavy, and to catch the flowers so still in such a breeze! Plus this was my art beginning on the Block Island!” 13. Wendy Livingston: “Boro Glass Jewelry” “This Boro Glass and Pearl necklace and earring set represents the beautiful colors of the ocean seen in these Boro Glass beads. The flat, oval pearls remind me of seashells, which are so plentiful on Block Island. I try to capture the blue and green colors visible from almost every vantage point on the island for each creation of my one of a kind Wearable Art.” 14. Robin Langsdorf: “Storm Clouds” “I shot this photo during the golden hour when a storm was hovering over Block Island. I love the golden glow in the sky, across the buildings and on the B.I. ferry, our passage to and from America. In addition to showing this in color, I have also made a cyanotype print of this photo. Cyanotype is an old process where a print is made in the sunlight and the
image turns blue. I chose to tone it with coffee giving it a warm, brown tone. Either way, I am drawn to the drama, color, light and story.” 15. Karen Capuciati: “Raku-fired Pottery” “Raku-fired pieces are quite special to me. We pull the pottery glowing hot out of the kiln and place them in wood chips — always magical. On this piece, the watercolor design is muted, the crackle pattern is wonderfully distinct and there is a surprise inside where the glaze pooled. What is especially nice is that the unusual trough-like form is surprisingly functional in the home.” 16. Becca Hollaway: “Blue Ladies” “In looking for designs for my pottery I was inspired by the Fauves, who used unusual colors for objects to render fresh images, and by the intense palette of some German Expressionists. I brought those painting techniques to my glazing. I love the way this piece fired with all the colors remaining true. It will be hard to part with it, but I hope someone likes it as much as I do.” 17. Ted Merritt: “Block Island Double Enders.” “My goal as a SSG artist is to memorialize Block Island’s marine heritage with acrylic paintings. The ‘Double Ender’ is done in a primitive style reflecting the raw power of the sea and the perseverance of Block Island sailors back then.”
13
10 16
11
14
12
15
17
DWW-0217 Summer 2014 BI Summer Times Revise 10 x 15.875_DWW-0180 BI Magazine Summer Ad 10 x 15.875 5/16/14 11:59 AM Page 1
July 2014
www.blockislandtimes.com
BLOCK ISLAND SUMMER TIMES
Ours is on target to become the nation’s first offshore wind farm. Soon, the Block Island Wind Farm will not only supply most of Block Island’s power — reducing energy rates by as much as 40% — but those five turbines will also reduce air pollution across southern New England for years to come by displacing fossil fuels. And we will create a brand new industry, right here in the Ocean State, putting people to work building and maintaining the projects that will power our region’s future. Learn more at dwwind.com or @DeepwaterWind.
dwwind.com
Page 27
Page 28
BLOCK ISLAND SUMMER TIMES
July 2014
www.blockislandtimes.com EAST OF THE RIVER NILE
An eclectic mix of gifts, jewelry, sea fossils, clothing and home furnishings from around the world. 401-480-9728 459 Chapel Street, Block Island
TRADING COMPANY
Beautiful jewelry, gifts and clothing • Dodge Street • 401-466-2538
Whitney Knapp ~ Block Islandscapes
July 17th – 30th Opening reception July 19th from 5 – 7pm Browse our collection of Paintings, Drawings, Prints, Ceramics, Unique Gifts, and so much more.Visit us above the Post Office, overlooking Old Harbor.
466-5314
for hours or appointment.
www.JessieEdwardsGallery.com
ADVERTORIAL
Comfy Kai-Kai Sandals For Kai Costanzo, founding a business has been an odyssey sparked by personal need. A triathlete since he was young, Costanzo collected sandals as he traveled about the world, surfing and racing triathlons. Yet, he wasn’t satisfied with the footwear he discovered. They were either uncomfortable, unsturdy or both. Fed up with the world’s imperfect sandal selection, Costanzo decided to begin producing his own brand of sandals. “I wanted to create a simple sandal that would stay on your foot well,” he explains. As a runner, Kai knew “a bit about feet” and he drew upon this knowledge during his quest for the perfect sandal design. Arch support was important, he decided — flat flops would not do. The initial process took about a year, Kai admits. After all, he didn’t want to sell a shoddy product. He gathered samples from five countries, including Peru, Brazil, and Colombia before finally selecting a design that met his expectations. Today, the sandals are produced in Peru and Brazil. He found that development year frustrating “but nice because you get Christmas presents [for your family]” he says, smiling. In 2004, Kai-Kai Sandals emerged on the market in Montauk, his hometown. Buyers there were supportive and eager, “repeat customers helped,” says Kai. With his sister, Gabrielle, he estab-
Buy a Kai-Kai Sandal and get a free Freefrom Bracelet small scoop Block Island Ice whenfacing you try on a Kai-Kai! cream the ferry. Kai Costanzo, with sister Gabrielle on the porch of the Inn at Old Harbor, shows off a pair of B.I.-soled Kai-Kais. Photo by brooke ortel lished two stores in Montauk. While Kai is the founder of the company, he says that Gabrielle has provided constant support: “She has been with me every step of the way, building the brand.” The sandals are best known for their comfort, which was Kai’s main objective in creating them. Sought after for their arch support and thick strap, KaiKai sandals mold to the feet, but do not have a painful break-in period, says Costanzo. They’re “comfy right off the bat.” They don’t have a warranty, but Costanzo created a “Swap Your Flop”
program, which allows customers to receive 40 percent off of a new pair of sandals while their old pairs are given to the homeless. Designed to fit a wide variety of feet, Kai-Kai sandals are offered in children’s sizes, various widths, and top out at a men’s size 15! Encouraged by the positive feedback in Montauk, Constanzo branched out, selling his sandals to a couple of stores on Block Island. However, this year, that changed when Kai bought the Inn at Old Harbor. Now the Inn is run by Costanzo and his family. The sandals are sold in the rear of the building. Kai's
father, Conrad, is a fixture on the rear deck overlooking the ferry. He helps to size customers and is as enthusiastic about the sandals as his son. “We’ve had people running in flip-flops,” he remarks. “It’s the Brazilian rubber and great arch.” Kai says that currently, he and his family are “just learning how to run an inn successfully.” That doesn’t mean that he’s not brainstorming new ideas for his brand, though. He hopes to develop some non-thong styles, as well as a greater variety of children’s designs in the near future.
July 2014
www.blockislandtimes.com
BLOCK ISLAND SUMMER TIMES
Page 29
Hidden Block Island
The Back Porch at the Surf
We keep hearing island residents asking one another in hushed tones whether they’ve been to the back deck at the Surf Hotel yet. At one and the same time they want to share their wonderful secret and keep it a1secret. Block_Island_Club_ST_2014_final.pdf 5/27/14 1:45 PM Dining at one of the cafe tables you can’t help but be astonished at how everything
is transformed from this new angle, even the ferries going in and out of the harbor look utterly new. And sitting at the bar, hanging out over the water, is like being on the bow of an elegant old cruise ship. — L.S.
Open to EVERYONE with weekly, monthly or full-summer memberships. Sailing, tennis, swimming, and arts & crafts programs for kids. Family access to sailboats, kayaks and tennis courts.
C
M
Y
CM
MY
CY
CMY
PHOTO: ELLA PERRY
K
Photo
by
Kari Curtis
Visit us on the Great Salt Pond just west of Corn Neck Road or sign up online at: www.blockislandclub.org. Telephone: 401.466.5939
Page 30
BLOCK ISLAND SUMMER TIMES
July 2014
www.blockislandtimes.com
Summer Traditions
Blues on the Block
Nancy and George Dodge “cutting a rug” at Blues on the Block. Inset: a favorite band at the Blues, Otis and the Hurricanes. photos by Kari Curtis
Nine years ago George Dodge followed the lead of his friend Nick Castanga who had started a concert series in Westerly called “Blues on the Beach.” It had turned into a fun family event there and Dodge thought Block Islanders could have fun with something similar. The first concert in July 2005 featured Johnny Nicholas and the Texas All Stars, featuring Greg Piccolo. Dodge told folks to “pull up a beach chair and bring the kids,” and they did. And they still do. Dodge is still involved and there are now three shows per summer at the Fred Benson Beach Pavilion, co-sponsored by the Block Island Tourism Council and the Block Island Residents Association. For many families, this has become a nevermiss-it tradition. It’s free and alcohol-free and the music is always fantastic. The first show this year is July 9th. Bring a beach chair. Bring the kids. Dance al fresco. Say hi to George. Then come back again on July 23 and August 6.
Ocean View Foundation
For time/day information about July’s Daily Programs see full schedule in the Block Island Times weekly edition, or call 401-595-7055
Sense of Wonder Night Walk • Night Sky Viewing • Mystery Walk July 12 at 8 p.m.
Located on Water Street just steps from the ferry!
Air conditioned! 401-466-5430
July 17 at 9 p.m.
July 26
Camps on Block Island Camp Mohegan (Week long sessions) ...........June 23–Aug.15 Block Island Soccer Camp..................June 30–July 3 / Aug 4–8
10% off your order with this coupon.
Block Island Lacrosse Camp...............June 30–July 2 / Aug 4–6 Youth Elite Soccer Camp ............................................July 7–11 Champion Baseball Camp.....................July 14–17 / July 28–31 Aspire Basketball Camp ......................July 21–24 / Aug. 11–14 Water Sport Camp ..................................................Aug. 18–22
For more information: Rec Department, 466-3223 OFFER VALID SUMMER 2014
www.new-shoreham.com
July 2014
www.blockislandtimes.com
BLOCK ISLAND SUMMER TIMES
a n r t u 1 a 8 t s 7 e 9 R at the Atlantic Inn
Tapas Cocktails Great Wines Great Food Casual Elegance A New Experience
Cocktails ~ 4:30pm ❧ Tapas ~ 5:00pm ❧ Dinner ~ 6:00pm ❧ Reservations 466-5883 ❧ www.atlanticinn.com ❧
Page 31
Page 32
BLOCK ISLAND SUMMER TIMES
July 2014
www.blockislandtimes.com
BALLARD’S
BEACH CLUB • RESTAURANT • BAR
Featuring Shawn David Allen On Our Beach Patio. Monday through Friday 2pm – 7pm
Featuring John Brazile Live Acoustic Guitar Music Every Night 7pm – 11pm
Dine in our dramatic new dining room Relax on your private deck And watch the ferries dock Newly renovated rooms with ocean & harbor views Enjoy a cocktail and lunch on our deck overlooking our private beach Live entertainment
BALLARD’S BEACH CLUB RESTAURANT BAR
401.466.2231•www.ballardsinn.com
Around the Block
What to do, Where to go, How to get there
Photo by Jill Warburton Photography
Real Estate Section July 2014
Page 2
BLOCK ISLAND SUMMER TIMES
July 2014
www.blockislandtimes.com
Sullivan Real eState The island experts since 1967
Harbor Pond Peninsula
Ocean View Cottage
Secluded tidal peninsula, unparalleled waterfront location. 3+acres (8 lots) surrounded by water, sunrises and sunsets. Charming Cape, outbuildings, easy walk to town/beaches.
Tastefully renovated 3 br /1.5 bath. Compelling island and ocean views. Set on 3+ high, private acres. Guest Cottage offers many possibilities. Incredible spot must be seen to be believed.
$1,995,000
$2,950,000 CYNTHIA PAPPAS, BROKER Rebecca Pappas Clark, Associate Broker Gail Heinz, Shannon Morgan, Logan Mott Chase
Y 4 TH O P P A H F J ULY!
Telephone: 401 466-5521 Fax: 401 466-5369 email: info@sullivanbi.com www.blockislandhouses.com
Coastal Contemporary
Walk to Beaches & Andy’s Way
Turn Key Traditional
$1,725,000
$1,295,000
$1,595,000
Seaweed Lane
Let the Vacation Begin!
• Newly refurbished stand alone condo; just turn the key & enjoy! • New Kitchen, floors, paint, appliances & furnishings. • Spectacular ocean views & easy beach access.
Perfect Penthouse
• Gorgeous 2+Acre Lot is an ideal building site. • High elevation in great neighborhood. • Stunning sunrises and ocean views to Clayhead.
$875,000
$1,275,000
• 3BR/2 Bath award-winning winterized gem. • 3.3 Private, meadow like acres. • Salt Pond, Ocean and CG Station views.
• Spacious comfortable 4BR/2Bath home. • Easy walk to Mansion Beach & Andy’s Way. • Immaculate w/great yard & gardens.
• Spacious 6+BR/3.5 Bath w/private location. • Expansive easterly decks offer lovely sunrise ocean views. • Winterized w/fireplace for year ‘round use.
• Upscale 2BR/2.5 Bath boasts hardwoods, a/c, fireplace & custom kitchen. • Private Rooftop Deck w/sunset ocean & Salt Pond Views. • Perfect layout for entertaining w/wetbar and winefridge!
$745,000
401-466-5521 SALES • RENTALS • APPRAISALS www.blockislandhouses.com
www.blockislandtimes.com
July 2014
BLOCK ISLAND SUMMER TIMES
Page 3
Featured House
La Serenissima of Block Island
By Paula Taylor La Serenissima, the most serene, is what Venetians call Venice as it floats above the Adriatic. That is the effect of Marty and Ila Schulman’s home as it almost seems to float above the ocean between Mansion and Scotch beaches. Their house sits off Corn Neck Road at the front of a community of 21 houses built starting in 1989 on the site of what once were the modest red Cutting’s Cottages. In the late eighties Marty Schulman was living in Orange, Connecticut. A boater and swimmer by avocation, he decided with his former wife to look for a summer home for their family of four, which included two daughters. After almost two years of scouting locations from Cape Cod to Nantucket and as far a Watch Hill, R.I., he found Block Island to his liking. But most of the older homes he looked at were inland, away from the water. When he found “the house,” it was being built by the builder for himself. Marty managed to convince him to sell it and his family moved in. Soon the other 20 families moved into the other homes and a community was born. Marty reminisces about annual Fourth of July parties where the grills would come out and neighbors soon became friends. Because of the elevation of the house, and views in all directions, there was no need to get in your car to see fireworks; just sit back in the living room or deck and take it all in. The three-bedroom house is on three levels with a bathroom on each. The basement has been the perfect playroom for his children and their friends. In place of a window it has a charming trompe l’oeil painting of a window looking out on a tropical landscape. Giving this author a tour, Marty mounts the steps and admits, at age 77, it’s a good workout for him. The color scheme is white walls, white tiles and natural, light wood floors. It is a wonderful canvas for the colorful lithographs that ornament the walls. Schulman tells me about how his now-grown family enjoys the house. There is a path just feet from the sandy beach. No need to load kids, towels, games, food, etc. into the van and drive; just jump off the porch and go. And when the kids get hungry or thirsty the house is just so close and convenient. Speaking about convenience, Marty talks about his commute from New Haven, Conn., where he had his business. He would drive about an hour from his home in Orange, park at Westerly, R.I, leave the car, fly on New England Air and be on Block Island in 15 minutes. And with the return to work after the weekend, he frequently would leave Block Island at 7:30 Monday morning and be in his office by 9, getting an extra night at his favorite retreat. Because their home is insulated, the Schulmans have spent many Christmas-through-New Year’s holidays here. Some years, Marty remembers as warm; some cold. He smiles when he recounts participating in the Polar Bear Plunge on New Year’s Day or seeing a pod of whales swim by. “This home means a lot to me. It’s where my girls learned to swim and windsurf. My older daughter, Deb, went on to live in Maui, after receiving an NIH grant, and she’s never been back here to live. Lisa, my younger daughter, still comes here with her husband and kids and their close friends from Connecticut.” Marty’s new bride, Ila, who is the owner of Golddiggers jewelry store on Chapel Street, was first introduced to Block Island when the two were dating. Marty says this island and his boat “sealed the deal.” Over the years Marty has caught striped bass, fluke, sea bass, bluefish and porgy in the waters here. One season, Marty entered the Annual Billfish Tournament and won with a 400 pound marlin. Another year he came in second. He still has the trophies to prove it. As we walk through the house, Marty shares the view he and Ila have of the sunrise from their bedroom and says they are the luckiest people on earth to have it. The dining room looks out on Mansion Beach. As we look out on the green yard, Marty is reminded of the blackberries that border the property and that make good eating in August. Then he tells of Ila’s 6oth birthday, when the family invited 100 people, including of course their neighbors, to a celebration with two bands under a big tent. It is memories like those that have made this serene home such a treasure to the Shulmans and, they hope, to the next family who will enjoy it. The property is listed at $1,690,000. Call Attwood Real Estate at (401) 466-5582 or visit www.attwoodrealestate. com for more information.
A path from the Schulman’s house leads right to the quiet section of beach between Scotch and Mansion. Looking out from the front porch toward town you can see the breakwater of Old Harbor and the Surf and National hotels. “The hustle and bustle at the ferry docks is far away. It’s so quiet and peaceful here,” says Marty Schulman. Photos by Kari Curtis
Page 4
BLOCK ISLAND SUMMER TIMES
July 2014
Block Island Conservancy Education Center Block Island Conservancy Invites you to visit our new Education Center located on Weldon’s Way.
www.blockislandtimes.com
Bethany’s Airport Diner Presents:
PARTIES ON THE FLY We’ll cater and host your evening party at the diner ONLY 24 HOURS NOTICE NEEDED!
SEAFOOD PACKAGE with Chowda’ and Lobsta’ Rolls ITALIAN PACKAGE with Stuffed Shells and Sausage & Meatballs COWBOY PACKAGE with Chili and BBQ Chicken KID’S PACKAGE with Mac & Cheese and Hot Dogs or Chicken Fingers
Open Daily 10am – 4pm Rainy Day Activities
• All parties include sheet cake, ice cream, bottled water and decor • • Beer, Wine and Mimosa’s available with a cash bar • • Minimum of 10 people, maximum of 30 • • Party Hours: 6-8pm or 7-9pm •
www.biconservancy.org
CALL FOR MORE PRICING AND DETAILS
( 4 0 1) 4 6 6 - 310 0
Block Island Real Estate Leader
Locally owned boutique office offering personalized professional service to Block Island sales and rental clients for over 40 years. Block Island Real Estate Resource on all island listings.
Call to schedule showing of any listing.
Leading Sales office in 2013 10 of the 49 sales in 2013 involved Attwood clients.
The original BLOCK ISLAND Hook Bracelet is here! TM
Local Knowledge We are proud of our long-‐term Island ties and enjoy working with others who also treasure the magic of our island. Contact us anytime Chapel Street office, Email, Phone or Website
Susan Park Weissman, Head Broker, Owner Linda Spak, Assoc. Broker Jeannie Weissman Anderson, Agent
460 Chapel Street, Block Island, RI 02807
(401) 466 – 5582 www.attwoodrealestate.com attwoodrealestate@verizon.net
www.blockislandgolddiggers.com
90 Chapel St., Box 693 Block Island, RI 02807 466-2611
July 2014
www.blockislandtimes.com
BLOCK ISLAND SUMMER TIMES
Page 5
3
1
2
Home Improvement
4
1. What’s the next best thing to feasting on lobster? Eating off of an antique Carlton Ware lobster plate, of course! At Red Right Return. 2. Get a chip of the old Block with this island-shaped repurposed driftwood from Photo Dog. 3. The pearl of the world: get these dishwasher, microwave and oven-safe oyster-shaped plates at Bird’s Nest. 4. Dream in down with these French feather pillows from Lazy Fish. 5. Want to commemorate a special event? Follow newlyweds Caroline and Andrew’s suit and order a custom letterbox at Marye-Kelley. 6. Have some fun with Cool to Be Kind’s vibrant wine, martini and shot glasses. Compiled and photographed by Isabella DeLeo.
5
6
Interior Design Priscilla Anderson Design Boston Block Island
On Block Island For 25 Years
617-947-4044 PriscillaAndersonDesign.com
Page 6
BLOCK ISLAND SUMMER TIMES
July 2014
www.blockislandtimes.com
it only takes it only takes lyme disease gets you when you’re not looking. lyme disease gets you when you’re not looking.
Prevent lyme disease: rePel tiCks
• 20% DEET on skin • Permethrin on clothing
CheCk for tiCks in the shower. remove tiCks right away. health.ri.gov/lyme
Lyme_BI Times_4-875x7-875.indd 1
3/31/2014 3:18:20 PM
F U LL O F FUN FOR E V E R YO N E !
TOY STORE Water Street he Ferry Across From T 7 401 466 869
HAND WROUGHT JEWELRY
Exclusive retailer of merchandise 226 Water Street ~ 401-829-7074 ~ www.fishtheworld.us Call about fishing charters
Dodge Street MARMARJEWEL S.COM MARMARJEWELS COM 215-880-3922
www.blockislandtimes.com
July 2014
Discover Block Island A to Z
BLOCK ISLAND SUMMER TIMES
Below is just a small sampling from the new book for kids young and old by Block Island’s own Gloria Hall Daubert. Copies are available at Island Bound Bookstore.
Page 7
Page 8
BLOCK ISLAND SUMMER TIMES
July 2014
www.blockislandtimes.com
Sea Gypsy 37’ Sailboat Sea Gypsy II
2 Hour Sail
Includes: Lunch & Beverage
$45 per person max 6 people
Call For Reservations
Pale Horse Fishing Charters
Captain Ron 401-225-1030 Sail Times: 10am-12pm, 1230pm-230pm, 3pm-5pm, Sunset
Light Tackle Fishing for the Whole Family
Also available as a “botel” by the day or week.
Capt. John Hunnewell (802) 379-0336
G Willie Makit Charters
www.SailSeaGypsy.wix.com/charter
LINESIDER FISHING 2, 3 & 4 Hour Trips Available CHARTERS 1/2 & Full Day Trips
Stripers, Blues, Fluke, Sharks & Tuna Leaving from Old Harbor Dock Contact Captain Eric: (401) 439-5386 info@linesiderfishing.com
Our 32 Season Is Underway! nd
Located in Old Harbor Check Out Our Great Rates 2 Hour ~ $290 3 Hour ~ $390 4 Hour ~ $490
Family Fishing with Captain Mitch on the “Sakarak”
6 Passenger Charters Cha All Bait and TTackle Included Reservations
Office: 401-466-5151 Boat: 484-431-7131 Capt. Bill Gould
Email: pauliegwillie@aol.com www.gwilliecharters.com
Full Days and Half Days • Inshore Fishing 401-486-3476 A family business celebrating its 53rd year! Since 2010, The Block Island Fishing Academy has been providing a safe and engaging environment where children can learn the skill of fishing.
www.blockislandtimes.com
After Hurricane Sandy and subsequent 2013 winter storms devastated dunes along Corn Neck Road, and in particular those protecting Crescent Beach, volunteers installed snow fences to clearly mark rights of way to the beach from Corn Neck Road and beach parking areas. The fences help the dunes replenish, so please do not move them. And keep to these designated trails, so that new plantings to help anchor the sand have a chance to take root. They are an important line of defense to this fragile ecosystem. — Margie Bucheit
July 2014
BLOCK ISLAND SUMMER TIMES
Please Help Protect Our Dunes
Page 9
After the devastating storms of the winter of 2012-13, spring weekends saw scores of islanders volunteer to install snow fencing to mark walking paths between the dunes. The storms proved just how crucial, and how fragile, the island’s dunes can be. Photos by Kari Curtis
Ballard Hall
Coastal Properties
REAL ESTATE
West Side Views - $2,800,000
Waterfront, Grove Point - $2,950,000
All Season Sanctuary - $1,975,000
Mohegan Estate - $3,650,000
Enjoy expansive ocean and sunset views from this sprawling custom-built 5 BR and 4 BA home on the West Side. Gourmet kitchen features family-sized granite dining island. First floor master suite, private guest apartment, 6-bed bunk room, and two additional bedrooms provide comfortable accommodations for all. Contact Gail Hall 401-741-7001.
Beautiful ocean and SE Lighthouse views from this gracious 5 BR & 3 BA contemporary home. Peaceful and private 4.8 acre lot with pond and dock. Spacious high-end chef’s kitchen, vaulted living room with fireplace, and multiple decks for summer enjoyment. Pretty Island and ocean views. Contact Gail Hall 401-741-7001.
Listen to the ocean surf while enjoying magnificent uninterrupted 260 degree ocean, North Light and Sachem Pond views at the Island’s North End. Casual contextual contemporary home offers an open design plan, 4 BR and 3BA. Private beach for beachcombing, exploring and surfing. Contact Gail Hall 401-741-7001.
Architectural style and exceptional ocean views from this large custom home near Mohegan Bluff. Magnificent open plan great room with stone fireplace. Private master suite on its own floor. Family suite with 3BR and 3BA. Guest cottage over 2 car garage. 4.72 acres, 2 lots of record. Contact Judith Cyronak 401-741-7732.
Gail Ballard Hall, Principal Broker Blake Phelan, Associate Broker | Judith Cyronak, Associate Broker | Michele Phelan, David Graham, & Chelsea Phelan, Sales Licensees Heidi Tallmadge & Laurel Littlefield, Office Assistants
Phone: 401-466-8883 Fax: 401-466-3119 • www.blockislandproperty.com • www.luxuryrealestate.com
Page 10
BLOCK ISLAND SUMMER TIMES
July 2014
www.blockislandtimes.com
Going the Distance
www.blockislandsport.com 401.466.5001
Block Island’s
dunes are a special place.
It’s time for new outdoor furniture! Come in to see our selection.
Seaside Casual Featuring:
They’re both beautiful and fragile.
Stainless steel hardware
Please enjoy the view, but stay off the dunes.
Durable and stylish
UV protected Variety of colors
heldon’s SFURNITURE Serving Block Island since 1852 349 Main Street, Wakefield
783-5503
We deliver to the ferry!
Banana Boat Rides
aRe Back!
BIRA Block Island Residents Association
established in 1989
Old Harbor Dock Parasailing Rides • Banana Boat Rides
Call 401-864-2474
Old Harbor Dock
Call 401-864-2474 • www.blockislandparasail.com Parasailing Rides Banana Boat Rides established in 1989
July 2014
www.blockislandtimes.com
Avenue Beach
73
Shopping and Snacking through Old Harbor
d Roa eck nN Cor
74
Street Dodge Ocean Avenue
72
27 26
Old To wn Roa d
18 17 20 19
22 21
23 25 24
14 16 15 12 13 11 9 10 8 7 4 6 5
33 31 32 30 29
l Street Chape
68
1
2 67
3
34 66
64
65
63
62
t tree ter S Wa
Connecticut Av enue
28
BLOCK ISLAND SUMMER TIMES
35 36 37 39 38 40 41 43 42 44
59
45 ay ’s W ldon We
46 47
60
58
48
W at er
61 57 56
a ecc Reb
St re et
55 54
Spr ing Stre et
Hig hS tre et
49 53 50 51 52
69
71 70
Old Harbor Shopping & Snacking Stroll North of Chapel Street 1 Full Moon Tide 2 East of the River Nile 3 Blocks of Fudge 4 Deja Vu 5 Wave 6 Bonnie & Clyde 7 The Salty Dog 8 The Peppered Cat 9 Solstice 10 BITs 11 Essentials in The National Hotel 12 Becketts Gelato 13 Photo Dog 14 BI Trading Company 15 Arous 16 Froozies 17 Mar Mar 18 Beachcomber 19 WaterColors 20 Red Right Return 21 Juice n’ Java 22 Lazy Fish 23 Mark’s Beachcomber Hair Design 24 Ambergris 25 Diamondblue Surf Shop 26 The Old Post Office Bagel Shop
27 Block Island Grocery 28 Block Island Historical Society 29 Block Island Blue Pottery 30 Red Bird Liquors 31 The Bird’s Nest 32 Marye Kelley 33 The Island Free Library
South of Chapel Street 34. Jennifer’s Jewelry 35. Adrift 36. The Mad Hatter 37. Wild Flowers 38. Building Blocks 39. Koru Eco Spa 40. Star Department Store 41. B-Eyes Sunglass Shop 42. Seaside Market 43. Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream 44. Rebecca’s 45. Mahoney’s Clothier 46. Cool to be Kind 47. Block Market 48. Malcolm Greenaway Gallery 49. Terrapin Tacos 50. Island Bound bookstore 51. Jessie Edwards Studio
52. Clayhead Salon & Spa 53. Islandog 54. Strings & Things 55. Kai Kai 56. Block Island Ice Cream 57. Rags 58. The Glass Onion 59. Old Harbor View Takeout 60. Block Island Conservancy Education Center 61. Block Island Sport Shop 62. The Ice Cream Place 63. Aldo’s Bakery and Ice Cream 64. Blockheads 65. The Cigar Shop 66. Chapel Sweets 67. Goldiggers 68. Island Mist
Farther Afield 69. Spring Street Gallery 70. North Light Fibers 71. Block Island Health and General Store 72. Island Hardware 73. Block Island Depot 74. Eylandt Antiques
Page 11
Page 12
BLOCK ISLAND SUMMER TIMES
July 2014
www.blockislandtimes.com
Fine Clothing
Mahoney’s Clothier Featuring a full line of Vineyard Vines Block Island’s exclusive dealer
❦
Block Island RI (401) 466-7596
Custom Block Island Designs Men’s and Boy’s Ties, also Belts
The Only Block Island Wedding Tie Great Groomsmen gifts And don’t forget the women! Vineyard Vines bags and accessories
❦
Vineyard Vines / Kaeli Smith / Sloane Ranger Mahi Gold / HIHO / West Indies / Charles River Apparel Guy Hardy / Harrington / Ease... / Adams Fuji Bags and Backpacks And Many More
231 Water Street • Block Island 401.466.8616
Block Island Realty SOLD
West Side Road: 4.29 acres of rolling farm land with two dwellings and several out buildings. The 19th century farmhouse offers three bedrooms and two baths. The barn offers two bedrooms, one bath and a spacious open living room. $1,395,000
NEW
Mohegan Trail: Enjoy fabulous water views to the Southeast and Southwest from this pretty building lot tucked in off Mohegan Trail. Abuts conservancy land to the South, adding to the privacy and view protection! $550,000
WEST SIDE ROAD: High on a hill on the quiet west side sits this spacious five bedroom, four bath home. The sweeping views over beautiful farm land and the Block Island Sound and beyond to Montauk and Watch Hill are one of a kind. Offering four different living areas on three floors, two master suites, beautiful outdoor living spaces and lovely landscaping all beautifully maintained and in move-in condition. $2,495,000 IT 7 G UN N I D PEN SALE
ING LIST W E N
Old Town Road: Newly renovated home
with separate garage offers three bedrooms and three bathrooms. Property is located within walking distance of both harbors and the beach. Pretty Ocean and pond views. Great rental potential. $675,000
Overbay: Sitting on a knoll on the west side, this spacious property offers a three bedroom home and a 700 square foot studio with two bay garage. Lovely views of New Harbor. $1,895,000 $1,590,000
ING
LIST
NEW CONSTRUCTION! Located just steps from Old Harbor and the Beach, this brand new three bedroom, three bath home is beautifully designed. The property offers a one car garage, open floor plan, and central a/c.It is rare to find homes in this price range that are in move in condition. $995,000
SEA WINDS: Enjoy the ease of condominium ownership with these luxurious 2200 square foot town homes. Offering 3 bedrooms,2.5 baths,central air, detached one car garages and lovely views of the Atlantic. Located within a 15 minute walk to Old Harbor and Crescent Beach. Priced to sell! $995,000
Corn Neck Road, Box 721 Block Island, RI 02807 Sales • Appraisals • Rentals 401-466-5887 • Fax: 401-466-5426 Email: birealty@birealty.com www.birealty.com
Center Road: This delightful 3BR/2BA home sits on a hill above New Harbor and is within a mile to Crescent Beach. Beautifully rebuilt in 1999. Views are over Trims Pond to the Atlantic. $870,000
Mansion Road: 3 bedroom home offers privacy. 5 minute walk to Mansion Beach. Open floor plan with high ceilings. Over 500 square feet of decking and a spacious flat yard are great for outside entertaining. $879,000
Friendly Professional Service Kate Atwater-Butcher, Owner and Principal Broker Connie Volante, Megan Hennessy, Emily Butcher Julie Garosshen, Sales Associates • Erica Tonner, Sales Assistant
July 2014
www.blockislandtimes.com
10
22
Page 13
Dining on Block Island
32
16 30 24
BLOCK ISLAND SUMMER TIMES
For menus and all you need to know about B.I. restaurants, pick up a copy of the 2014 Block Island Dining Guide or go to blockislanddiningguide.com.
9 28 25
19
5 7
18
27
26
29
2
38 17
36 14
23 21 11
37
15
3
31 25
2
6
12 13 34
36
8
20
4
1
33
35
29
24
23
11
2. Aldo’s 36. Surf 24. The Oar 29. Poor People’s Pub 23. National 11. Eli’s 35. Spring House 20. Manisses
20
35
B= Breakfast L= Lunch
D= Dinner
1
1661 INN. www.blockislandresorts.com.Spring Street. 401-466-2836. B
21
MOHEGAN CAFÉ AND BREWERY. Water Street. 401-466-5911. L, D
2
ALDO’S RESTAURANT & PIZZERIA Weldon’s Way. 401-466-5871. L, D Liquor License
22
3
ALDO’S BAKERY. www.aldosbakery.com. Weldon’s Way. 401-466-2198. B, Deli, Bakery and Ice Cream.
THE NARRAGANSETT INN. www.narragansettinn.net-.Ocean Avenue. 401-466-2626. B, D Liquor License
4
BALLARD’S INN. www.ballardsinn.com -Old Harbor at the end of Water Street. 401-466-2231. L, D Liquor License
23
THE NATIONAL TAP AND GRILLE. www.blockislandhotels.com. Water Street. 401-466-2901. B, L, D Liquor License
5
T.HE BEACHEAD. www.thebeachead.com - Corn Neck Road. 401-466-2249. L, D. Liquor License
24
THE OAR. Jobs Hills Road/West Side Road. 401-466-8820. L, D Liquor License
25
OLD HARBOR VIEW TAKEOUT. Water Street. L
6
BETHANY’S AIRPORT DINER. 401-466-3100. B, L, D. Beer and Wine
7
THE CHANNEL MARKER. Corn Neck Road. 401 -466-9800. D Liquor License.
8
CLUB SODA. Connecticut Avenue. 401-466-5397. D Liquor License
9
DEAD EYE DICK’S. www.deadeyedicksbi.com. Payne’s Dock New Harbor. 401-466-2654. L, D Liquor license
26 OLD 27
POST OFFICE BAGEL SHOP. Corn Neck Road and Ocean Avenue. B, L 401-466-5959.
PAPA’S PIZZERIA. Corn Neck Road. 401-466-9939. L, D Beer and Wine
28 PAYNE’S
KILLER DONUTS. The Corner of Ocean Avenue and West Side Road. B
29
POOR PEOPLE’S PUB. www.poorpeoplespub.com. Ocean Avenue. 401-466-8533. L,D Liquor license
10
ELEVATION CAFE www.elevation-bi.com at Champlins Marina. 401-466-9642. B,L
30
POTS & KETTLES FOOD TRUCK www.potsandkettles.com. West Side Road. 401-864-2433. L
11
ELI’S RESTAURANT. www.atlanticinn.com/elis.htm. Chapel Street. 401-466-5230. D Liquor license
31
REBECCA’S SEAFOOD RESTAURANT. Water Street-Open-7a.m. to 2p.m.. 401-466-5411. B, L, D
12
ERNIE’S Water Street B
32 REBECCA’S
13
FINN’S SEAFOOD RESTAURANT and FISH MARKET. Water Street directly across from the ferry dock. 401-466-2473. L, D Liquor License
33 RESTAURANT 1879 AT THE ATLANTIC INN. www.atlanticinn.com. High Street. 401-466-5883. D Liquor
14
FROOZIES JUICE BAR AND CAFÉ. www.frooziesblockisland.com -Water Street on the back porch of the National Hotel. 401-466-2230. B, L
34
TERRAPIN TACOS. Water Street. (Post Office Building) L,D. 401-466-5505
35
THE SPRING HOUSE RESTAURANT AND VERANDA CAFE. www.springhousehotel.com. Spring Street. 401-466-5844 B, L, D Liquor License
36
THE SURF HOTEL. www.thesurfhotelbi.com. Dodge Street. 401-466-2241. B,L,D. Liquor License
37
THREE SISTERS. Old Town Road. L
38
WINFIELD’S. Corn Neck Road. 401-466-5856. D
15 HARBOR
GRILL. Water Street. 401-466-2828.
16 HARBORVIEW 17
RESTAURANT. West Side Road at Champlin’s Marina. 401-466-7777.
JUICE AND JAVA. Dodge Street. 401-466-5220. B, L
18 KIMBERLY’S.
Ocean Avenue. 401-466-8600. D Liquor License.
19
LOS GATITOS at MCGOVERN’S YELLOW KITTENS. Corn Neck Road. 401-466-5855. L, Liquor li-
20
HOTEL MANISSES. www.blockislandresorts.com. Spring Street. 401-466-2836. D Liquor License.
cense.
DOCKSIDE. Payne’s Dock, New Harbor. 401-466-5572. L, D
License
= Denotes the restaurant’s location on map above
Page 14
BLOCK ISLAND SUMMER TIMES
July 2014
On the island, take it slow.
www.blockislandtimes.com
Breeze back and forth from T.F. Green. New daily service from Providence makes getting
Providence
here easy. Beat the crowds and start your vacation sooner, get back for business, and enjoy easy connections through T.F. Green. It’s fast,
Block Island
affordable and fun. Your wings to Block Island.
capeair.com 800-CAPE-AIR
To the island, make it fast.
Block Island Bike & Car Rental Ocean Ave. near Smuggler’s at New Harbor
Get to Block Island in just over an hour via the fastest ferry from the mainland.
401-466-2297
Half day, Full day & Weekly Rates on Great Bikes & Affordable Cars
goblockisland.com
Courteous Service Sets Us Apart
The trip to Block Island takes about 12 minutes. We’ve been flying here for over 40 years.
Flights by Reservation 401-466-5881 401-596-2460 800-243-2460 FlyBI@BIRI.com www.Block-Island.com/NEA
Block Island’s Airline Since 1970
July 2014
www.blockislandtimes.com
BLOCK ISLAND SUMMER TIMES
Page 15
“gifts for pets and their humans”
Mig’s Rig
TAXI
401-480-0493
Block Island collars, leashes & treats s Toys & treats for cats and dogs Fun pet themed items and gifts for humans
taxi - tours - bike rack wedding transportation
www.blockislandog.com
Water St., Block Island
kayak pond and beyond
401-466-5666
BLOCK ISLAND BOAT BASIN
block island tours & rentals
Dockage Marine Hardware Supplies Groceries Gifts Sundries Launch Service
401.578.2773 corrie_estelle@hotmail.com
West Side Road
466-2631 ON THE HOUR
Use your head and feet to find...
Use your hands to stop your moped! Quality Mopeds & Bikes • Courteous Service Reasonable Prices • Right Across from the Ferry 466-5444
TRANSPORTATION TO AND FROM BLOCK ISLAND Block Island Traditional Ferry Departs daily from Point Judith and Old Harbor
June 21st - July 3rd Day Mon-Fri Sat, Sun
Departs Point Judith 8a, 9:30a, 10:30a, 11:45a, 1:30p, 3p, 5:45p, 7p 8a, 9:30a, 10:30a, 11:45a, 1:30p, 4p, 6p, 7p, 8p
Day Mon-Fri Sat, Sun
Departs Block Island 8a, 10a, 11:30a, 12:45p, 3p, 4p, 5:15p, 7:45p 8a, 10a, 11:30a, 12:45p, 3p, 5p, 6p, 8p, 9p
July 4th Day Thu
Departs Point Judith 8a, 9:30a, 10:30a, 11:45a, 1:30p, 4p, 5p, 6p, 8p
Day Thu
Departs Block Island 8a, 10a, 11:30a, 12:45p, 3p, 4p, 5:30p, 7p, 8p
July 5th - Aug 24th* Day Mon-Fri Sat, Sun
Departs Point Judith 8a, 9:30a, 10:30a, 11:45a, 1:30p, 3p, 5:45p, 7p 8a, 9:30a, 10:30a, 11:45a, 1:30p, 4p, 6p, 7p, 8p
Block Island Hi-Speed Ferry Departs daily from Point Judith and Old Harbor
Westerly to Block Island Summer Schedule
July 3 - July 7
Departs Block Island 10:05a, 1:25p, 4:55p, 8:10p 10:05a, 4:55p, 8:10p 10:05a, 1:25p, 4:55p, 8:10p 10:05a, 4:55p, 8:10p
Sun Mon
June 21st - September 1st
Day Sun Mon-Wed Thur, Fri Sat
Day Mon-Sun
Departs Point Judith 7:15a, 9a, 11:10a, 1:20p, 4:40p, 6:45p
September 1st Labor Day
Day Thur-Fri Sat Sun
Day Mon-Sun
Departs Block Island 7:55a, 10:05a, 12:15p, 3:30p, 5:45p, 7:35p
Day Mon
Departs New London 8:30a, 11:50a, 3:10p, 6:30p
Mon
Day Mon
Departs Block Island 10:05a, 1:25p, 4:55p, 8:10p
Summer Schedule
Day Mon-Fri Sat-Sun
Departs Point Judith 8a, 10:30a, 12:30p, 5:30p 8a, 10:30a, 12:30p, 3:30p, 5:30p
Day Mon-Fri Sat-Sun
Departs Block Island 9a, 11:30a, 4:30p, 6:30p 9a, 11:30a, 1:30p, 4:30p, 6:30p
*Labor Day- Monday Sept. 2nd use Sunday Schedule
Septebmer 2nd - October 13th
August 25th - August 31st
Day Mon-Fri Sat-Sun
Departs Block Island 9a, 11:30a, 4:30p, 6:30p 9a, 11:30a, 1:30p, 4:30p, 6:30p
Day Mon-Fri Sat, Sun
Departs Point Judith 8:30a, 11a, 1:30p, 3:30p, 5:15p, 7p 8a, 9:30a, 10:30a, 11:45a, 1:30p, 3:30p, 5p, 6p, 7p
401-783-4613 www.blockislandferry.com
Day Mon-Fri Sat, Sun
Departs Block Island 8:15a, 11a, 1:30p 3:30p, 5:15p, 7p 8:15a, 10a, 11:30a, 12:45p, 3p, 4p, 5:30p, 7p, 8p
401-783-7966 • 866-783-7996 www.blockislandferry.com
June 29th - August 31st
New England Airlines
Departs New London 8:30a, 11:50a, 3:10p, 6:30p 8:30a, 11:50a, 6:30p 8:30a, 11:50a, 3:10p, 6:30p 8:30a, 11:50a, 6:30p
Departs Point Judith 8a, 10:30a, 12:30p, 5:45p 8:15a, 10:30a, 12:30p, 3:30p, 5:45p
Pt. Judith at 6am (passenger only)
New London - Old Harbor Day Sun Mon-Wed Thur, Fri Sat
May 22nd - June 20th
Day Mon-Fri Sat-Sun
Day Departs Block Island Mon-Fri 8a, 10a, 11:30a, 12:45p, 3p, 4p, 5:15p, 7:45p Sat, Sun 8a, 10a, 11:30a, 12:45p, 3p, 5p, 6p, 8p, 9p *Saturday, August 2nd-Additional Departure time leaving
Block Island Express
*Columbus Day- Monday, Oct 13th use Sunday schedule
Day Thur-Fri Sat
Departs Westerly 7:30a - 9:30p every hour 7:30a - 6:30p every hour (no 2:30 p) 7:30a- 6:30p every hour 6:30a, 7:30a, 9:30a, 11:30a, 1:30p, 3:30p, 4:30p, 5:30p, 6:30p Departs Block Island 8a - 9p every hour 8a - 7p every hour (no 3p) 8a, 9a, 10a, 11a, 12p, 1p, 1:45p, 2:30p, 3:15p, 4p, 4:45p, 5:30p, 6:15p, 7p 7a, 8a, 10a, 12p, 2p, 4p, 5p, 6p
Day Fri Sat Sun
Departs New London 10am, 3:10p, 6:30p 8:30a, 11:50a, 6:30p 8:30a, 11:50a, 3:10p, 6:30p
Departs Westerly Daily 7:30a, 9:30a, 11:30a, 1:30p, 3:30p, 4:30p, 5:30p, 6:30p Additional Flights: Thursday 7:30p Friday 7:30p, 8:30p
Day Fri Sat Sun
Departs Block Island 1:25p, 4:55p, 8:10p 10:05a, 4:55p, 8:10p 10:05a, 1:25p, 4:55p, 8:10p
Departs Block Island Daily 8a, 10a, 12p, 2p, 4p, 5p, 6p Additional Flights: Friday 7p
September 5th - September 20th
860-444-GO B.I. • 401-466-2212 www.goblockisland.com
401-466-5881 www.block-island.com/nea/ Flight times and restrictions subject to change. Call daily for changes. *every half hour
Page 16
BLOCK ISLAND SUMMER TIMES
July 2014
www.blockislandtimes.com
B
L
O
C
K
I
S
L
A
N
T
I
M
E
S
.
C
O
M
D
The Block Island Times. Online and in print.
Boats ashore in Rat Island at New Harbor. Photo courtesy of the Block Island Historical Society.
Hurricane Planning for Residents and Visitors
c
r e t t ri
hut
Two convenient locations for all your pet needs! Salt Pond Shopping Center 91 Pt. Judith Rd Narragansett, RI 401-789-9444
Kingstown Plaza 6637 Post Road North Kingstown, RI 401-886-9494
We deliver to the ferry!
aquarium & pets
Everyone should be aware that the National Weather Service is warning the East Coast that a major hurricane will strike within the next few years. We are asking everyone who owns property on Block Island or will be visiting during hurricane season to create an individual plan for the eventuality of a hurricane warning being issued for Block Island.
Please read the following carefully and make your plans in advance. A) If you are a visitor in our hotels or B & B’s, please heed the directives to leave the Island if they are issued. All our ferries will cease operations and move to a safer harbor well before the hurricane arrives so you must react immediately when you are advised to leave. All hotels and B & B’s will be alerted and we ask that you cooperate with all directives. B) If you are renting a house on the Island, the same directives apply. Our capacity for shelter facilities is limited. Please leave the Island if that request is made. Ferries will try to get as many people and vehicles off the Island as possible, but they will cease running well before the hurricane arrives. C) If you are an Island resident, observe the following home preparedness: • Check working conditions of all emergency equipment flashlights, battery powered radios. • Have enough perishable food and water supplies on hand for 3-5 days. • Know where the Town Shelter is and whether you have a safe route to it, if necessary. • Bring in all loose items around the porches or property. • Make sure your vehicles have gas. • If you have a propane grill, secure it and keep the propane supply full, but secured outdoors. • Cover large windows with shutters or plywood. • Have a first aid kit prepared. • Fill bathtub and large containers with water for sanitary purposes. • Turn refrigerator to its coldest settings and keep door closed. • Medicine renewals - have enough of your regular medication for 1-2 weeks. • If you are concerned about your location in a storm, consider going to a friend’s house in a safer location. Corn Neck Road may not be passable due to high tides: flooding and access to Town and or the Town shelter may be cut off for some time. • Champlin Road will most likely experience storm surge and people should evacuate from Champlin’s Farm seaward.
“Fishbone Ring”
Inspired by Rebecca’s Logo & Great Food
Phone orders 401-578-1125 www.blockislandjewelry.com Showing at the Block Island Farmers’ Market
EXPERT FISHING INFORMATION TACKLE • BAIT Home of the
T-Shirts
Three generations on Block Island BEACH AVE • 466-5547
Custom-built coverage
If you have questions, please call Police Dispatch @ 466-3220, but please DO NOT CALL except for an emergency once the storm hits. Stay inside until the storm has passed. Do not venture out in the calm when the eye is overhead and do not go walking on any breakwater during the storm. Heavy rain may undermine bluff areas, so please do not walk along any bluffs during or following the storm. Use common sense; make sure family members know where you are.
EMERGENCY PREPARATION FOR PETS Complete these preparations in advance of visiting Block Island: • Have vaccinations up to date and a good supply of any medications used. • Have tranquilizers if pet becomes upset or agitated in unusual situations. • Have identification on the animal: tags, tattoo or chip. • Purchase a pet carrier that is large enough for the animal to lie down, turn around and stand up comfortably. Do not house different species in one carrier. • Take good pictures of the animal (front, left and right sides) that shows distinguishing marks. • Put pictures, licenses, medical records and ownership papers together in a waterproof bag. Just before leaving home, assemble a pet disaster kit which contains: • Above mentioned medications, photos and records. • Have a leash and properly fitted collar or harness for each pet. • Non-spill dishes and a two week supply of food and water in unbreakable containers. • Manual can opener, if canned food is used. • Grooming supplies and medical kit for injuries. • The pet’s blanket, comfort items. • Items to handle waste, including paper towel, plastic bags, disinfectant, cleanser, litter box and litter or newspaper to shred. Information provided by Block Island Volunteers for Animals
Chartis is the perfect fit for owners of high-end homes. Look to our Private Client Group for sound insurance protection, resources to lessen the chance of property damage and stellar claims service — all custom-tailored for you.
We are proud to work exclusively with the finest independent insurance brokers, including: John H. Lathrop 85A Beach St., Westerly, RI 02891 401-596-2525 jlathrop@lathropinsurance.com
www.ChartisPrivateClient.com Chartis is the marketing name for the worldwide property-casualty and general insurance operations of Chartis Inc. Private Client Group is a division of Chartis Inc. Insurance is underwritten by a member company of Chartis Inc., including CHARTIS PROPERTY CASUALTY COMPANY. This is a summary only. It does not include all terms and conditions and exclusions of the policies or services described. Please refer to the actual policies for complete details of coverage and exclusions. Coverage and supplemental services may not be available in all jurisdictions and are subject to underwriting review and approval.
July 2014
www.blockislandtimes.com
BLOCK ISLAND SUMMER TIMES
Page 17
Cottage Industry
Bureo Skateboards
By Lars Trodson The country of Chile has a singular problem, and three enterprising young men are doing their part to help solve it. The problem is that used and abandoned nylon fish nets sink to the bottom of the ocean and create environmental havoc. It’s been an issue for years, but David Stover, who grew up on Block Island, and two friends, have founded a company called Bureo Skateboards that will make skateboards out of recycled fish net materials. The project began when the group received a grant from an entrepreneurial program called Start-Up Chile. The group is now based in Santiago and creating the prototypes of the skateboards. Bureo also held a Kickstarter campaign to help fund the first run of boards this summer. (See the page at www.kickstarter.com and search for Bureo Skateboards.) Their funding goal was $25,000 and they exceeded $64,000. The nylon waste is “a huge problem for Chile,” said Stover during a stopover on
the island this spring. “They have a massive volume of waste and it’s expensive to get rid of. They have to take it to a landfill, and it’s hard for them to manage this.” Stover said the first step was creating collection points for the used fishnets. They signed agreements with local fishing associations, which recognized the need to address the waste, and received some funding from the Marine Conservation Action Fund, a program sponsored by the New England Aquarium, to begin the collection. “We take it away for no cost,” said Stover. They have so far collected about two tons of nylon waste and are currently partnering with a manufacturer in Santiago where they can store the material. It takes about 30 square feet of nylon fishnet to create one skateboard. “This has been a burden for them for so long that they are receptive to this idea of recycling, which is new to them — the idea of reusing waste and creating new materials is a kind of new idea, but Chile is an advanced economy and receptive to
Listen local. 102.7FM
Left: Stover’s partners demonstrate the amount of net (30 square feet) recycled into one board. Right: Stover (left) with his partners Kevin Ahearn and Ben Kneppers.
new ideas,” said Stover. Stover, who had an internship with island resident Chris Warfel during high school, said that growing up on Block Island helped shape his view of the world. “Just growing up here and being aware of conservation and what we do here on the island,” he said. “It gave us an appreciation for the ocean.” Stover said his parents, Mary and Monty Stover, have been “tremendously supportive and are a big reason why I have had the opportunity to work on this project.” He also said his nine years at the Block Island Sport Shop, owned by Jim and Marion Ortel, was when he learned about the outdoor sporting industry. His two partners are Ben Kneppers, a close friend who has a master’s degree in sustainability, and Kevin Ahearn, a designer who once worked at Boeing. Stover’s visit to the island was but a brief sojourn. The three were raising awareness of their projects at such places as Harvard, MIT, NYU and Columbia during the past several months, and spent Earth Day (April 22) at
Union Square in New York City. They had a screening of a documentary about Bureo Boards at a place called Pilgrim Surf Shop in New York City, which is owned by Chris Gentile, who summered on Block Island as a kid. In May, the group headed to California to raise even more awareness and also participate in beach cleanups. On the tour this summer they are looking to partner with the 5 Gyres Institute, which studies the effects of plastic pollution on the oceans, and with Save the Waves, a non-profit focused on protecting coastal areas. “We’re speaking with both groups,” said Stover. They will be back in Chile in October. Stover said the launch of Bureo Boards has more than met his expectations. “I think we’ve gotten a great response so far. We’ve spent a year waiting to see how the market would respond and it’s been overwhelming,” he said. “We hope to keep the momentum going. It’s more than just a skateboard project.”
DREAMS REALITY
Rhode Island PublIc RadIo RIPR.oRg
MARINEMAX MAKES YOUR BOATING DREAMS COME TRUE
MarineMax Warwick 1 Masthead Dr | Warwick, RI 02886 Call: 1 (888) 539-3115 Online: www.marinemax.com/warwick
Page 18
BLOCK ISLAND SUMMER TIMES
July 2014
www.blockislandtimes.com
Block Island Beaches 1
12
2 11
1.
Cow Cove is located near Settlers Rock. Although the shoreline is rocky, it offers some of the best coastal views and also sports the historic North Light. This is not a safe place to swim because of a strong riptide. Be careful where you walk too: the beach is a nesting area for many rare birds.
2.
Mansion Beach lies at the end of a dirt road with the same name. The island’s most stately mansion once sat like a jewel on a hill overlooking Jerry’s Point. Fire destroyed the house and it was never rebuilt. However, the beach fits the name by being the island’s grandest.
3.
Scotch Beach is a quarter mile north of Fred Benson Town Beach. Scotch is a sandbox for kids and the place to go for vacationers looking for a hotly contested game of volleyball. There is a small parking lot between the road and the dunes.
4.
Fred Benson Town Beach is home to Block Island’s fully equipped bathhouse. In addition to showers, lockers, food, and rental items, the beach is staffed with lifeguards in the summer months. There is also a small parking lot, which fills up fast.
5.
Baby Beach is a well-sheltered beachfront at the south end of Crescent Beach, where children can easily play in the shallow waters. It’s also an ideal place to check out the abundant sea life such as small crabs and starfish and go hunting for shells and sand dollars.
6.
Ballard’s Beach is located on the south side of the Old Harbor breakwater and adjacent to Ballard’s restaurant. Staffed with lifeguards throughout the summer months, it is also a popular destination for sunbathing, swimming, and volleyball.
7.
Mohegan Bluffs beachfront is found at the bottom of the steps that descend from the bluffs. A favorite spot for surfers, it’s also a beautiful and secluded place to swim. Be warned, however, erosion at the bottom of the stairs has made the path from there to the beach tough to navigate.
8.
Vaill Beach is a large beach at the bottom of a hollow. The path to it is located at the bend in Snake Hole Road. At the base of the bend turn left and walk for approximately 50 yards. The surf here is rough and rocks line the shallows, so swimmers should exercise caution.
9.
Black Rock boasts expanses of sand and a series of coves at the base of a cliff. Swimming is difficult because of the large number of rocks, but it’s a perfect place for an oceanside hike. The area takes its name from a large, dark rock that rests offshore in about 15 feet of water and has spelled the end for many ships. Located a pace off the main road, it’s best to walk or bike to get there.
3 13
14
10
4
5 15a 6 15b
15c
7 8 9
10. Mosquito Beach, also known as “Dinghy Beach,” is located just across the road from Scotch Beach, a quarter mile north of Fred Benson Town
Tune In!
July 2014
www.blockislandtimes.com
Beach. It provides a place for boaters in New Harbor to tie up their rafts and dinghies. There are majestic views of Great Salt Pond, making it a good backdrop for photos. 11. Andy’s Way is the island’s premier clamming spot. Standing at the end of a dirt road that bears the same name, it’s a good place to take a stroll. Just north is Beane Point, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife property that is home to many rare birds. 12. West Beach is lightly trafficked and has gentle surf. It’s perfect for walking and is close to the North Light.
BLOCK ISLAND SUMMER TIMES
Page 19
14. Charlestown Beach is popular with fishermen because it has a long jetty at its end. Typically uncrowded, it’s a nice spot to watch the boats come into the harbor or explore the former Coast Guard station that is now town-owned. 15. Grace’s, Dorry’s, and Cooneymus coves are secluded beaches on the west side of the island. They are perfect for a challenging hike or for those looking for an out-of-the-way spot to catch a sunset or a moonrise.
Photos by Annie Hall and Kate Ryan
13. Coast Guard Beach is at the end of Champlin Road and derives its name from the old Coast Guard station that was formerly located there. Don’t swim here, but it’s a good place for clamming and fishing.
“Let us show you the most beautiful properties on Block Island.”
Beach Real Estate
— Nancy Pike and Mary Stover
Sales • Rentals • Market Evaluations FEATURED LISTING
CONN AVE.: Perfectly appointed 4 bedroom, 4 bath home with shipshape guest quarters. $1,985,000
LAKESIDE DRIVE: 4 bedroom, 2.5 bath privately located on 2.5+ acre lot abutting conserved land. Ocean views. $1,495,000
WATERFRONT GREAT SALT POND: Dramatic sunsets, beachfront, 3+ bedrooms, stove fireplace. Walk to Crescent Beach. $2,950,000 CORN NECK ROAD:: Private 3 bedroom, 2 bath cape on 2+ acres, western views. Garage. Abuts conserved lands, walk to Sachem & north beaches. $1,300,000
SANDS FARM ROAD: Private location, 3 bedrooms, Clayhead views. Living room and master fireplaces. $995,000
LAND LISTINGS
OLD MILL FARMS:
2 lots near conserved land. Ocean views or gardener’s paradise! Lot 3-11: $625,000 Lot 3-27: $500,000
OLD TOWN ROAD: Private, renovated 3 bedroom, 2 bath w/AC, convenient to Harbors and beaches. $945,000
AMY DODGE:
1.1 acre lot with ocean views. $499,000
Mary E. Stover, Principal Broker-Owner & Nancy Pike, Broker-Owner Sandra Hopf, Broker Ocean Avenue, Block Island, RI 02807 • www.biBeachRealEstate.com • 401-466-2312 Located behind the Dewey Cottage
Page 20
BLOCK ISLAND SUMMER TIMES
July 2014
www.blockislandtimes.com
INTERSTATE NAVIGATION
THE BLOCK ISLAND FERRY • Year round service • Hi-speed & Traditional • From Point Judith, Newport and Fall River • Many daily departure times to choose from •
401-783-4613
www.blockislandferry.com
The Interstate Fleet
M/V ATHENA
M/V ANNA C.
M/V ISLANDER
M/V CAROL JEAN
M/V BLOCK ISLAND
July 2014
www.blockislandtimes.com
BLOCK ISLAND SUMMER TIMES
Page 21
When You’re On The Block Dial 911 for emergency
IMPORTANT: THE DIALING OF 911 IS FOR EMERGENCY USE ONLY! An emergency is when immediate police, fire or rescue assistance is necessary. 911 should not be dialed for non-emergency calls that do not involve or require immediate assistance. However, if you feel that there is an emergency occurring, but don’t know for certain, presume it is an emergency and use 911. IF IN DOUBT, USE 911! FOLLOW INSTRUCTIONS Do exactly what the 911 operator tells you to do. Give the operator all necessary information, including the fire number on the house. (There are no street addresses on B.I. Instead all buildings have fire numbers clearly marked on the outside of the house.) Remember, your assistance could make the difference between serious injury, life or death.
TOWN ORDINANCES PROHIBIT:
• Drinking alcoholic beverages in streets, on docks, beaches, etc. • Camping, except by special permission. • Sleeping overnight in vehicles or on beaches. • Operating motorcycles between midnight and 6 a.m. • Beach fires and/or driving on the beach without a permit. • Dumping refuse on roads or in harbors. • Shellfishing without a license. • Charcoal fires on boats tied up at docks. • Disturbing the peace. • Unleashed dogs. • Littering.
IMPORTANT ISLAND PHONE NUMBERS
BI Medical Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 466-2974 Police (nonemergency) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 466-3220 Fire Department / Rescue Squad . . . . . . 466-3220 Coast Guard (Block Island) . . . . . . . . . . . 466-2086 Coast Guard (Galilee) 24 hours . . . . . . . 789-0444 RI Poison Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . (800) 222-1222 BI Airport . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 466-5511 Harbormaster . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 466-3204 Town Clerk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 466-3200 Recreation Department . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 466-3223 Interstate Navigation (Block Island) . . . . 466-2261 Block Island Express . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 466-2212 Block Island Hi-Speed Ferry . . . . . . . . . . 466-2261 Transfer Station . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 466-3234
VEHICULAR BEACH RESTRICTIONS Vehicles are permitted to drive on Crescent Beach only from 6 p.m. until 9 a.m. No motor vehicle shall be allowed on the beach without a valid, updated permit from the Coastal Resources Management Council (CRMC). Permits are available at the police department for $50 between 2 and 2:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. All motor vehicles of any description are prohibited on dunes except on trails marked expressly for vehicular use. Vehicles are also not allowed on any lands designated “Open Space” and maintained by the town for the benefit of the general public. DUNE PROTECTION The dunes offer a home to countless species of plants and animals that, like the beach itself, need our protection if they are to survive. To help save the life of our dunes and beaches, we urge you to: • Use designated access paths and parking lots only. • Keep off dunes and beach vegetation. • Keep all vehicles off the beach, as they destroy vegetation and cause beach erosion. • Do not sleep on the beach overnight. BEACH FIRES Beach fires are prohibited without a permit. Permits are available at the police department, and are valid for one day, expiring at midnight. Fires must be at least 25 feet from dunes. Please clean up and dispose of all trash properly and extinguish fires completely before leaving the beach. POND PROTECTION Gas motors banned All forms of gasoline or diesel fuel-powered motors on boats are prohibited on BI’s freshwater ponds. Pollutants and contaminants banned No discharging of any sewage, petroleum products, detergents, pesticides, or any other form of pollutants or con taminants is permitted. Penalty for violation Any person violating this ordinance shall, upon conviction, be subject to a fine of not more than $100, or confinement for not more than 10 days, or both such fine and confinement. Any person convicted of a second violation shall be subject to a fine of not more than $200, or forfeiture of motor and equipment, or both.
WILDLIFE REFUGES Protected wildlife areas Wildlife refuge areas on Block Island include Sachem Pond, Payne’s Farm, the Southeast Lighthouse, Rodman’s Hollow, Lewis-Dickens Farm, Beane Point and Cormorant Cove. No one may hunt, shoot, trap, or annoy wildlife, or destroy or disturb the eggs, nest or nesting area of any wildlife within designated areas. Penalty for violation Any person violating any of the provisions of this ordinance shall be punished by a fine of not more than $100, or be imprisoned not more than 10 days, or by both such fine and imprisonment, together with costs of prosecution. SHELLFISH ORDINANCES A license is required for shellfishing. Beds are currently closed to the harvesting of scallops and oysters. The harvesting of clams is restricted. For more info, call the Harbors Department at 466-3204 or stop by the Harbormaster’s shack in New Harbor (adjacent to the Boat Basin), where shellfishing licenses are sold. ANIMAL ORDINANCES Dogs must be licensed and wear tags on a collar. Unless in a vehicle or on property of its owner, dogs must be leashed with a cord not exceeding 6 feet in length. For problems contact the Police Department at 466-3220. Horses: the New Shoreham Town Council requests that all persons refrain from riding horses in the downtown area. BLOCK ISLAND’S RULES OF THE ROAD PEDESTRIANS. Pay special attention to traffic while in the downtown area. According to Rhode Island law, pedestrians must walk against traffic (on the left side) on roads without sidewalks. BICYCLISTS. Please take care when cycling the unique roads of Block Island. Ride with the traffic, obey traffic signs and adhere to all rules of the road. Hand signals are very helpful to other traffic and can prevent accidents. Keep on the right side of the road and ride single-file whenever possible. For nighttime riding, a light is required for the front of the bicycle and a reflector should be attached to the rear. Bicycles are not permitted on Greenway trails. Helmets are required for bicyclists age 16 and under, and strongly encouraged for adults. AUTOMOBILE DRIVERS. Please exercise extreme caution when traversing Block Island roads. The speed limit is 25 mph island-wide. Pass bicyclists and mopeds only when you are certain it’s safe. ROLLERBLADES, SCOOTERS, SKATEBOARDS. Due to heavy congestion and safety concerns, rollerblading, skateboarding and scootering are not permitted in the downtown area or on Ocean Avenue. Skating and scootering is allowed north of Town Beach, south of the Spring House and on the west side of the island. Please travel with the traffic and adhere to all rules of the road. Scooters with helper motors (electric or gas) are not allowed on roads by RI state law.
BICYCLES AND MOPEDS. Bicycles are the preferred rental vehicles. You can explore dirt roads with them. If you do rent a moped, please note —
• Mopeds are not allowed on dirt roads. • By law, a helmet and eye protection must be worn. • Do not leave the training area until you are sure that you know how to operate the moped and its controls. • Once you are on the road, proceed slowly enough to examine oncoming road conditions. Do not drive on the shoulder of the road. Driver inexperience, heavy traffic flow, sandy shoulders, sharp curves, and uneven pavement are common causes of accidents on Block Island. • Mopeds may be operated from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. only. • Passengers must ride behind the operator. ACCIDENTS. Do not hesitate to seek help from the Rescue Squad if you have or witness an accident. First aid and ambulance service is rendered at no cost to you. A portion of the Rescue Squad budget is met by town funds, but the Rescue Squad relies heavily on donations to cover the full costs of training, equipment, supplies and maintenance. Any contribution made to support this work will be welcomed and acknowledged. Donations are tax-deductible. Mail donations to: Block Island Volunteer Rescue Squad, P.O. Box 214, Block Island, RI 02807. OTHER USEFUL ISLAND INFORMATION RECYCLING. All trash must be separated for recycling. Deposit your sidewalk trash in the recycling containers marked for bottles, cans or trash only. These special containers are not for household or boat trash. Those renting houses should use the Transfer Station, located on West Beach Road. Recyclables (news pa per, glass, cardboard, plastics, aluminum and tin cans) are free. Glass, cans, plastics and aluminum should be clean. Other trash is deposited at a charge of 12 cents per pound, paid in cash, by local check or credit card at the Transfer Station (466-3234). RABIES NOTICE. State law and town ordinances require that all pets (cats, dogs or ferrets) brought to the island be vaccinated against rabies. In addition to vaccinating pets, people should stay away from all wild and stray animals. Rabies is always fatal unless treated before symptoms develop. Rhode Island rabies hotline: 1-800-482-7878, ext. 3. PLEASE CONSERVE WATER. While the island’s municipal water company has been producing a lot of good water this summer, water conservation is still encouraged, and the water is a precious island resource. On properties with septic systems, be sure not to overload the system with showers, dishwashing and clothes-washing all at once. And please don’t shock such systems with paper products, fats, oils and greases. ADVICE FOR VISITORS FROM THE BLOCK ISLAND MEDICAL CENTER LYME DISEASE: Don’t get ticked off. Lyme disease is a serious health threat on Block Island. Visitors should make a daily “tick check.” Look for attached ticks, no bigger than a pinhead, red areas and itchiness. Symptoms include rashes, headaches, joint stiffness, chills, fever, and nausea. Not all ticks carry the disease; not all people bitten catch it. Infection is uncommon if the tick is removed within 24 hours. Consult your physician if you suspect you may have become infected. Treatment after early diagnosis is generally effective, but becomes more difficult if symptoms are left untreated. Long pants and sleeves and insect repellant are suggested for forays into wooded areas, brush and meadows.
Folks from the Block Island Early Learning Center following the rules of the road. Photo by Kari Curtis
Page 22
BLOCK ISLAND SUMMER TIMES
July 2014
www.blockislandtimes.com
Block Island Landmarks 1. THE NORTH LIGHT is the fourth lighthouse built on Sandy Point. The first, finished in 1829, was washed away in a few years. A second light began operation in 1837, but was not visible to ships due to the shifting sands. The government built a third light near the end of the Point in 1857 and that also succumbed to the sea. At last, in 1867, the present sturdy building of Connecticut granite, hauled to the site by oxen, was completed. The North Light now leads a second life as an Interpretive Center with exhibits on loan from the B.I. Historical Society. The lighthouse building will be open in summer daily except Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Tours are available, but it is closed during inclement weather. The lighthouse is located in the Sachem Pond Wildlife refuge and is less than a half-mile walk from Settlers Rock. Please don’t swim at Sandy Point as there are dangerous currents.
THE STATUE OF REBECCA
12. RODMAN’S HOLLOW, named after the island’s first doctor, is a wild and beautiful cleft in the rolling southwestern terrain left from the glacier, and is the haunt of hawks, white-tailed deer, and several rare species of wildflowers. In the 1960s developers bought it and proposed a dozen houses on the slopes. This so dismayed island residents that they formed the Block Island Conservancy, with the late Captain Rob Lewis as their leader, and raised enough money to buy it back so that it could be forever wild. Walking trails lead to Black Rock Beach.
2. SETTLERS ROCK AND SACHEM POND are at the northern end of the island. The stone memorial was erected in 1911 in commemoration of the landing 250 years earlier of the first European settlers on Block Island. In April 1661, the families and animals of 16 men who had purchased the island for 400 pounds sterling arrived by barque from the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Because the island had no natural harbor, they were forced to leave their ship and wade ashore. The cows swam ashore into the cove, known thereafter as Cow Cove. Bird watching, fishing, and sunset gazing are favorite pastimes at this location. 3. CLAY HEAD NATURE TRAIL aka THE MAZE aka BLUESTONE is reached via a dirt road leading off Corn Neck Road across from a yellow Victorian house just two miles north of the Fred Benson Town Beach Pavilion. A paradise for walkers, Clay Head Trail leads to the northeastern shore of the island and meanders along the scenic bluffs of Clay Head for more than a mile until it reaches Settlers Rock and Sandy Point. Take care not to get too close to the edge of the bluffs for there is constant erosion, which means a danger of falling. Branching off the trail are other trails, which gave the area the nickname The Maze. One trail leads directly to the beach north of Jerry’s Point where one can still see remnants of the glacial formation called Pots & Kettles. 4. MANSION BEACH is located at the northern section of Crescent Beach on the east side of the island. It takes its name from the Searles Mansion that stood there from 1888 to 1963. The mansion, unused in 1963, was destroyed that year by fire. Only the stone foundation and entrance pillars still remain. On good beach days there is very limited parking space available. Beautiful views and bigger surf are found here compared to the southern end of Crescent Beach. No lifeguards are available in this area. 5. THE B.I. HISTORICAL SOCIETY MUSEUM, GALLERY & GIFT SHOP, at Bridgegate Square across from the bank, was established in 1942. The building, originally known as Woonsocket House, houses an extensive collection of artifacts reflecting the maritime culture of the island from early colonial days to the present. Exhibit rooms include furniture, textiles, boat models, fishing gear, Native American arrowheads and much more. This year’s special exhibit is “Surrounded by the Sea: the Block Island Story.” The gallery is showing oil paintings of artist C. Sperry Andrews, original photographs by Carmel Vittulo, vintage island photographs from 1913, and Wetherbee posters and historic maps. For group tours, genealogy research or to donate anything with Block Island-related history, please contact Executive Director Pam Gasner at 401-466-2481 or e-mail blockhistory@me.com. The museum is open daily 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. through Labor Day. Off-season open by appointment. Admission: $15 Family/group up to 4; $10 guided tour (2 day pass); Adult $6, seniors and students $4. Members free. 6. OLD HARBOR is the year-round docking point for boats coming in from Point Judith, and accommodates seasonal Newport and New London ferries as well as the high-speed ferries. Old Harbor, once known as Government Harbor as funds to construct it were solicited from the U.S. government, was completed in 1872. Prior to the breakwater it was known as Pole Harbor as islanders pulled ashore and secured their classic double-ender fishing boats to the poles in the sand. There is limited anchoring space within the breakwaters for pleasure craft and a maximum anchorage of seven days. It is nestled within the bustling downtown, where the majority of the island’s hotels, restaurants, and retail shops are located.
11. MOHEGAN BLUFFS, to the west of the Southeast Lighthouse, has a magnificent view of the southern coast and its high cliffs, with Montauk often visible 20 miles away. At Payne Overlook, you’ll find a wooden stairway that was built by the R.I. Department of Environmental Management. It is a difficult climb for the elderly and the unfit, and the footing at the bottom is extremely difficult. Be careful. This beach can be very crowded and swimming is sometimes dangerous.
7. OCEAN VIEW PAVILION is a place for rest and reflection. The Ocean View Foundation is a nonprofit that secured this Old Harbor plot for the enjoyment of the public. The site features a finely crafted pavilion and remarkable views. The largest hotel on the island, the Ocean View, once stood on this site until fire destroyed it in the summer of 1966. The pavilion is dedicated to the concept of expanding the public’s awareness of environmental issues. Visitors must walk in from Water Street across from the ferry parking lot just to the left of the post office building. The site is open from dawn to dusk. 8. THE STATUE OF REBECCA formally stands in stark white at the intersection of Water, High, and Spring streets. Named after the biblical Rebekah-at-the-well, the statue originally featured water troughs for horses and dogs and once had running water for human consumption. Installed in 1896 by the Women’s Christian Temperance Union, the statue is dedicated to abstinence from spirits. The much-loved statue was recast and reinstalled to celebrate her 100th anniversary. The conservationists who did the work concluded that the woman is not Rebekah but rather Hebe, cupbearer to the gods. 9. ABRAMS ANIMAL FARM has a diverse collection of exotic and domestic animals maintained by Justin Abrams and family, owners of the 1661 Inn and Hotel Manisses. The small farm between Spring and High streets is home to camels, llamas, emus, sheep, donkeys, goats, swans, and ducks. Visitors are free to view and pet the animals, which are accessible from Spring Street. Here you’ll also see the Hotel Manisses’ extensive garden. Open to the public from dawn to dusk. 10. SOUTHEAST LIGHTHOUSE sits 200 feet above the sea on Mohegan Bluffs. When its powerful light was turned on in 1875, the beams reached 21 miles out to sea, farther than any other light in New England. When the National Historic Landmark was first constructed, a large field separated the house and tower from the cliff’s edge. By the late 1980s, the bluffs had eroded to within 60 feet of the building. Funding was obtained through federal, state and local channels to move it to safe grounds. The move took place in August of l993 and a large stone now marks where the tower once stood. The grounds are open daily from sunrise to sunset. Guided tower tours are available on weekends. The building is open daily 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., provided staffing is available. Museum exhibits and gifts are available at the base of the tower including lighthouse T-shirts, which contribute to the ongoing restoration of the tower and interior of the keeper’s quarters. Group tours available by appointment. Info: 466-5009. Volunteers welcome. Please park mopeds, bikes, and cars outside of the fenced area.
13. ISAAC’S CORNER, at the intersection of Center Road, Lakeside Drive, and Cooneymus Road, is named for Isaac Church, the island’s last surviving native Indian, who died in 1886. Nearby (to the east of the four corners) is an Indian burial ground where the headstones (small fieldstones) are set closely together. Indian custom dictated burial of the dead in an upright position, with a pot of clams or oysters beside them to speed them on their way to the next life. The Town’s Heinz Recreation Playing Field, where summer camp and sporting events are held, is located just north of the corner. Take the first right. Parking available on the grass. There are also Greenway trails accessible across the street that meander around Fresh Pond. 14. SMILIN’ THROUGH is a gambrel-roofed cottage situated on Cooneymus Road, where composer and poet Arthur Penn and his wife Nell resided in the 1920s. Penn’s musical works include a song about the B.I. home, “Smilin’ Through.” The original cottage was built in the 1700s by Trustrum and Dorcus Dodge and was remodeled in 1950. The house sits on the edge of a sloping hill, which leads down to the waters of Fresh Pond. 15. BEACON HILL, with its stone tower, is visible from almost any part of the island. From a height of 210 feet above sea level, it commands unsurpassed panoramic views. The Indians held tribal councils there, and watches were kept on Beacon Hill during the American Revolution and the War of 1812. The tower was designed as a memorial to the island’s seamen. It is now a private home, so you’ll have to enjoy the site from a distance. 16. THE COAST GUARD STATION opened in 1938 as one of the first Coast Guard stations on the East Coast. The station was one of two on the island, with the second one once standing at the site of the present-day Beachead. Before its reopening in the 1990s, the current station was boarded up by the U.S. Transportation Department that oversaw the Coast Guard before the creation of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. In the late 1980s the town worked with the federal government to transfer control of the property to the town of New Shoreham. The Coast Guard returned and initiated regular summer patrols of the harbors. The local police, who lack their own boat, appreciate the help on the seas. 17. NEW HARBOR is the first stop for those coming in on the Montauk ferry and is the docking and anchoring spot for most private boaters. New Harbor was, in fact, the site of the island’s first protected harbor, but the expense of keeping a breachway open between the Great Salt Pond and Block Island Sound caused it to be abandoned in 1705. A new breach was cut and a breakwater was constructed to establish a permanent access point in 1897. Docks, marinas and anchoring sites await boaters in the southwest corner of New Harbor, as well as shops, restaurants and hotel accommodations. Pumpout services are provided by the town harbormaster, as discharge in the pristine waters of the Great Salt Pond is prohibited.
July 2014
www.blockislandtimes.com
BLOCK ISLAND SUMMER TIMES
Block Island Map
www.blockislandtimes.com Map by Jessie Edwards of Jessie Edwards Gallery • www.jessieedwardsgallery.com
Page 23
Page 24
BLOCK ISLAND SUMMER TIMES
July 2014
www.blockislandtimes.com
Great place to kick off a sightseeing tour of the island
HISTORICAL SOCIETY MUSEUM 2014 SUMMER EXHIBIT Surrounded by the Sea: The Block Island Story On-going 3-D slide shows & scheduled showings of Island related movies ALEX AND ANI MADE IN AMERICA WITH LOVE ®
The Gift Shop/Gallery features maps, postcards, prints & t-shirts SPRING WEEKENDS SUMMER HOURS BEGINNING JUNE 21st 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. ADMISSION $6 adults, $4 seniors & students Members and children FREE SAVE THE DATES July 31 & Aug. 23: 6 p.m. - Cemetery Tours August 12: 9am -1pm Annual House Tour
226 WATER ST | BLOCK ISLAND, RI 401.466.5654
401-466-2481 • blockislandhistorical.org
POSITIVELY AUTHORIZED RETAILER
HIP OR KNEE PAIN
Love the Earth and the Earth will love you back
SLOWING YOU DOWN?
Take the next step: MAKOplasty® • Surgeon-controlled robotic arm system offers new level of precision to restore your mobility and active lifestyle • MAKOplasty Knee Resurfacing offers a minimally invasive treatment option for early to mid-stage osteoarthritis of the knee • MAKOplasty Total Hip Replacement surgery is planned to your unique anatomy for a new level of accuracy in implant positioning and alignment • Most experienced MAKOplasty surgeons in New England – over 2,000 procedures For a consultation with a physician at South County Orthopedics, call 401 789-1422.
Want to know more? For information on free evening presentations in your area, please call 401 788-1606.
Organic, Eco-Conscious fashion located inside Jennifer’s Jewelry Scan to learn more about MAKOplasty
A partnership of South County Hospital, South County Orthopedics, and VNS Home Health Services www.schospital.com/orthopedics
~
www.scortho.com
www.blockIslandTimes.com
July 2014
www.blockislandtimes.com
Beached Seals and Sea Turtles
Seal and sea turtle strandings on Block Island do happen. If you encounter a seal on the beach, chances are it is just resting. Take some time to observe the animal before proceeding further. If a seal or sea turtle appears to be injured or in distress, call the Mystic Aquarium stranding hotline at 860-572-5955, extension 107. Trained personnel will be sent to the site of the animal immediately. Most importantly, do not approach the animal. Seals are protected under the Marine Mammal Protection Act and — in accordance with NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service guidelines — people should keep a safe, respectful distance of at least 50 yards from them and other marine mammals that they encounter. In addition, seals will bite and can carry disease. Please keep your distance. Types of seals found on Block Island include gray, harbor and harp. Sea turtles you might encounter are Kemps Ridley, leatherback, loggerhead and green. — Margie Bucheit
Page 25
If you see a seal on the beach, it’s probably just resting or sunning — give it a wide berth. If it appears injured or in distress, however, you should call Mystic Aquarium’s hotline at (860) 572-5955, extension 107.
Strings & Things Celebrating Over 28 Years of Cool!!!
28 Years
BLOCK ISLAND SUMMER TIMES
**************************** *Washable Linen. Hemp; and Comfy Cotton Clothing *Seaglass. Shell. Natural Stone & Block Island Jewelry *Incense, Soy Candles, Cards, Giftware and so much other “Really Cool Stuff!!!” 104 Water Street (near Rebecca) 401.466.5666 www.fullmoontide.com
Don’t miss our estate and vintage jewelry collection. Exceptional buys at great savings!
Free your fingers. Let your computer do the walking, for a change.
EXPLORE THE GREAT SALT POND ON A PADDLEBOARD
Block Island white pages and yellow pages are now online at blockislandtimes.com.
Offering rentals and lessons for all skill levels
World’s fastest growing water sport.
Just look for these icons at the top of the homepage to search for Block Island businesses and residents.
Sunset Tours
OCEANADVENTURESBI.COM 401.368.2611
If you need changes made to your business or residential listing, please email phonenumbers@blockislandtimes.com or call us at 401-466-2222.
Like us on
PHILLIPS REAL ESTATE PLEASE STOP BY AND VISIT OUR YEAR-ROUND, PROFESSIONAL AND FRIENDLY OFFICE.
Black Rock Road Dramatic setting -see, hear and smell the ocean. $899,000 NEW LISTING
West Side Opportunity -This 3 bedroom home has cozy appeal. 180 degree ocean views. Enjoy sunsets over B.I. Sound. Lovely 2.5 acre parcel bounded by conservancy land. $1,370,000
Off Beacon Hill Road Unique in so many ways - this property offers elegance, peacefulness and privacy $3,420,000 NEW LISTING
Ocean Avenue Two homes, private dock in lovely New Harbor location. $1,935,000
NEW LISTING
Remarkable ocean, pond and island views all from this 7.95 acre parcel located within walking distance to town and beaches. Three bedroom home full of character and whimsy. $840,000
Ocean Avenue Stress free Island Escape -entirely refurbished and smartly appointed home is ready for you to move right in! $519,000
LAND LISTINGS Sweeping Island and ocean views from this cheerful, sun filled home set atop 2.7 acres. $1,250,000
Beach Avenue Water views. Walk to beach and both harbors. $1,095,000
Jennifer Phillips, Broker
Celeste Helterline & Hanna Greenlee Martin, Sales Agents
Phone: 466-8806 • Fax: 466-8813 • phillips@riconnect.com Located on the second floor of the Post Office Building
WWW.PHILLIPSONBI.COM
Old Mill Road:
2 acre parcel in a country setting with long range views from the east and north to Clay Head.
Off High Street: 1 acre lot within a mile to town, overlooking Mill Pond. Off Spring Street: 1.1 acre parcel atop Amy Dodge Lane with pond and ocean views PENDING
Champlin Road: SPECTACULAR 3.57 acre parcel with direct access to the sandy beaches & views, views views!
Page 26
BLOCK ISLAND SUMMER TIMES
July 2014
www.blockislandtimes.com
live music
Pool tAble
DAncing
gAmes August HigHligHts
July entertAinment 7/1
DJ Skeet beetZ
8/1, 8/2
Those Guys
7/2
DJ Dugan
8/3
Anthem
7/3, 7/4, 7/5 Jamie’s Junk Show 7/3 sponsored by Narragansett Beer
8/7
The Side Doors Early Learning Center Fund-raiser
7/4 matinee Jamie’s Junk Show 1 pm, sponsored by Budweiser
8/8, 8/9
Wicked Peach
8/10
ConcerFest 2014 featuring Kingsley Flood with Roz and the Rice Cakes
7/5
Bikini Bash with Diamond Blue and Imsy Swimwear 5pm – 6pm
7/6
Hope Road
8/14
TBA, BI Rec Center/RBK Fund-raiser
7/10, 7/17
Marc Phillip
8/15, 8/16
Jamie’s Junk Show
7/11, 7/12
Wolfgang Jack
8/22, 8/23
The Complaints
7/18, 7/19
The Complaints
8/29, 8/30
TBA
7/20
Soul Shot
8/31
Hope Road
7/24
TBA, North Light Foundation Fund-raiser
7/25, 7/26
Jamie’s Junk Show
7/31
John Fries Band, BIMI Fund-raiser Wednesdays 7/ 9, 7/16, 7/23, 7/30 DJ Dugan Sundays 7/13 & 7/27 Reggae Night with DJ Libre
Wednesdays 8/6, 8/13, 8/20, 8/27 DJ Dugan Sundays 8/17 & 8/24 Reggae Night with DJ Libre
Yellow Kittens T-Shirts, Tanks, Hats & Hoodies CONGRATULATIONS TO THE CAST AND CREW OF FOOTLOOSE
Mexican Food • open 11:30 aM–7pM Frozen Margaritas • Beer
R ESTAUR ANT on the deck at Yellow kittens For take out call 466-5855
Contemporary American • Air Conditioned 466-5856 • Corn NeckCuisine Road, Block Island 466-5856 • Corn Neck Road, next to Yellow Kittens • Open at 6 p.m.
Visa/MC/AMEX/Discover cards accepted • ATM
yellowkittens.com
July 2014
www.blockislandtimes.com
BLOCK ISLAND SUMMER TIMES
Page 27
A Big Dig
By Lily O’Gara The land at the end of West Beach Road looked like a scene from the Discovery Channel. A group of people was carefully digging up a badly eroded shelf of earth and combing through the contents using giant sieves. Bags labeled “Sample” were scattered about the site, and a young woman was perched on a nearby rock, recording the team’s findings on a purple clipboard. The Mashantucket Pequot Museum and Research Center recently won a contract to survey the Rhode Island mainland shoreline, as well as the shoreline of Block Island, to determine if there is any archaeological damage to coastal resources due to Hurricane Sandy. The team of archaeologists is led by Kevin McBride, an associate professor of anthropology at the University of Connecticut and Director of Research at the Mashantucket Pequot Museum and Research Center. McBride has been traveling periodically to the island since the ‘80s, mainly to excavate native villages.
All through June, McBride and his team of mostly students surveyed 30 miles of coastline, including land around the Great Salt Pond and the Mohegan Bluffs. This first stage, or “walkover,” allowed the team to identify 165 sites around the island that are culturally and/or historically significant. “Basically, 25 percent of the island is an archaeological dig site,” McBride said. Finding the sites has not proved difficult so far — the team searches for quartz, as the natives utilized quartz to make tools. The team then records the GPS coordinates and geographical features of the sites, like erosion, so that they can return to them later. The second phase of the project, namely further surveying and examining the identified sites, will be a bit more rigorous and intensive. This portion of the project will require contacting landowners and gaining permission to dig and conduct testing on the various properties. There will be a meeting about the project that landowners are encouraged to attend at 4 p.m. Saturday, July 12, at the Historical Society.
Members of the Pequot Research Project team examine historically significant areas of Block Island to assess the damage done by Hurricane Sandy. Photos Courtesy Pequot Research Projects
SUMMER Purchase • Refinance • Home Equity
IS HERE!
See what our customers say at www.AdvancedMortgageCorp.com Then call us to become one of them! Do you have your Eat Fish shirt yet?
Brian Tata President
“Block Island Script Ring”
Phone: 401-737-6655 brian@advancedmortgagecorp.com
Phone orders 401-578-1125 www.blockislandjewelry.com
RI Mortgage Broker License: 20011314LB NMLS CO: 1787 NMLS Originator License: 21893
Showing at the Block Island Farmers’ Market
Stop by Twin Maples on Beach Ave.
Full of funky stuff Design services available Visit us online at www.eatfishshirts.com
Dodge Street
466-2990
Page 28
BLOCK ISLAND SUMMER TIMES
July 2014
Full Moon Tide
www.blockislandtimes.com
B
L
O
C
K
I
S
L
A
N
T
I
M
E
S
.
C
O
M
D
The Block Island Times. Online and in print.
7, 21, & 24 Speed Cruiser & Mountain Bikes Helmets Available Locks Provided
Best New Bikes on the Block
Fabulous Finds For Everyone!!! Coastal Home Decor, Dresses, Casual Wear, Hats, Menswear Handblown Glass, Accessories, Soaps, Giftware, Sleepwear, Table Linens, Sterling, Seaglass & Pearl Jewelry 459 Chapel street - 401.466.2422 www.fullmoontide.com
Nature Walks & Programs Weekly from June 16 to August 22
Sponsored by The Nature Conservancy & Block Island Conservancy
MONDAY
Block Island - A Natural Introduction: 9 am
Surfing • Standup Paddleboarding Lessons • Rentals • TOMS Beach Accessories • Apparel SURF CAMP - July and August 401-466-3145
www.diamondbluebi.com Corner Dodge Street and Corn Neck Road
Ruling Passion Sailing Charters Sail away aboard our 45-foot trimaran
Su C r M mm eat em e e or rtim ie e s!
Wine & Cheese sunset cruises Private charters available Coast Guard inspected for 25 person capacity The Most Fun On Block Island!
Join us for an exploration at Hodge Family Wildlife Preserve that is fun and educational. Meet at the parking lot for Hodge on Corn Neck Road.
TUESDAY
Marsh-Mucking for Kids: 9 am
A salt marsh scavenger hunt for kids and their parents. Meet at Andy’s Way, off Corn Neck Road. (Kids need to wear water shoes, parents must attend.)
Reservations: 401/741-1926 or 401/ 741-1290 www.rulingpassion.com
Walk the Walls: 9 am
Come experience the topography of the agricultural fields that almost completely covered Block Island from the late 1600’s to the early 20th century. Meet at the corner of West Side Road and Old Mill Road.
WEDNESDAY
Super Scavenger Hunt: 9 am
Kids and their parents locate all sorts of species special to Block Island. Meet at the Nathan Mott Park, entrance on Center Road across from BI State Airport. (Parents must attend.)
Beach Meet-up & Clean-up: 9 am
Everyone loves a clean beach. Come for a stroll, lend a hand and learn about beach habitats! Different locations each week. 6/18: Settler’s Rock 7/23: Settler’s Rock 6/25: Mansion Beach 7/30: Mansion Beach 7/2: Scotch Beach 8/6: Scotch Beach 7/9: Town Beach 8/13: Town Beach 7/16: West Beach 8/20: West Beach
THURSDAY
Cow Cove Scavenger Hunt: 9 am
Kids and their parents explore the beach to the North Light. Meet at Settler’s Rock, at the end of Corn Neck Road. (Kids need to wear water shoes and parents must attend.)
West Beach Walk: 9 am
Take a walk where the land, pond and sea meet and learn about a unique ecosystem. Meet at the end of West Beach Road, off Corn Neck Road.
FRIDAY
Andy’s Way Family Fun: 9 am
Come learn about the various inhabitants and features of a salt marsh including birds, fish, shells and more. Meet at Andy’s Way off Corn Neck Road. (Kids need to wear water shoes and parents must attend.)
Everything you need for a day at the beach. Resort wear including Fresh Produce in all sizes Beach gear & swimwear for the whole family.
Hiking Clay Head: 9 am
A jaunt with beautiful views and wonderful wildlife. Meet at the parking lot for Clay Head Trail, half-mile off Corn Neck Road, down the dirt road across from the yellow house. Donations Suggested. Call The Nature Conservancy 401-466-2129 for more info.
Beachcomber • Dodge Street 401-466-2777
July 2014
www.blockislandtimes.com
BLOCK ISLAND SUMMER TIMES
Page 29
Entertainment Calendar Live Music Aldo’s Restaurant (466-5871) July and August Thursdays and Fridays 6:30 - 10pm Second Time Around oldies rock ‘n’ roll
Ballard’s (466-2231) July 1-5,7-12,14-18,20-25: Shawn David Allen, Guitarist July 1,2,6-9,13-31: John Brazile, Guitarist June 4,5,8,11,12,18,19,25,26: DJ Libre July 3: Dirty Deeds July 4,26: Something Else July 5: Kick July 6,13: World Premier July 12: Batteries not Included July 19,20: Those Guys July 27: Never in Vegas
Captain Nick’s (466-5670) July 2,3: Sex Toy Party July 4, 5: Santa Mamba July 6,13,20,27: The Young Guns July 7,14,21,28: Disco Night July 1,8,9,15,16,22,23,29,30 :Piano Bar July 10,17,24,31: Superdope Thursday July 11,12: Lighthouse: DJ Fest July 18,19: Darik & The Funbags June 20,21: The Indobox July 25,26: The Blushing Brides June 27,28: Flowers & Kain June 22,29: The Young Guns
Club Soda (466-5397) Mon. Trivia Night 9 p.m. Tues. Karoke 9 p.m. Weds. Open Mic Night 9 p.m. Thurs. DJ Dance Party 10 p.m. Fridays & Saturdays: Live Music July 4 The Silks 10 p.m.
Mahogany Shoals (466-5572) Wednesday to Sunday: 9(-ish) pm: Walter McDonough, Irish music and then some.
The National Hotel (466-2901) Live acoustic music, call for more information.
Poor People’s Pub (466-8533) Sundays: Rehab Brunch 11am-3pm, RootDown HoeDown. Reggae, Funk, Jazz. 1pm on the patio Tuesdays: S.I.N. Tuesday w/ DJ Libre at 10pm Discounts and Freebies for Service Industry Workers Fridays: DJ Libre Dance Party at 10pm
Yellow Kittens (466-5855) Weds., Sat.: DJ Dugan Fri., Sun. (reggae): DJ Libre
Theaters: Empire Theatre (466-2555) See ad in weekly Block Island Times.
Ocean West Theatre (466-2971) See ad in weekly Block Island Times.
Galleries and Museums: Ambergris (466-5252) Located on Dodge St.
Historical Society Museum Gallery (466-2481)
Featuring work by C. Sperry Andrews,original photographs by Carmel Vittulo, vintage island photographs from 1913, Wetherbee artist proofs and historic maps. Gallery and Museum Shop are free.
Jessie Edwards Studio (466-5314)
Fred Poisson ~ Country Work Through July 9th After a successful exhibit in China earlier this year, Poisson has returned to show his evocative watercolor work of his adopted island home.
Whitney Knapp ~ Block Islandscapes
July 17th-30th Opening reception July 19, 5 – 7 pm Whitney Knapp dances back and forth masterfully between her pastel with charcoal drawings as well as her vividly textured oil paintings in this season’s stunning new work. www.jessieedwardsgallery.com
Greenaway Gallery (466-5331) www.malcolmgreenaway.com Open Daily
Spring Street Gallery (466-5374) July 5th - July 15th Photographs by Alex Baba-Vulik Reception Saturday, July 5th at 5pm July 16th - July 25th Paintings by Ted Merritt Reception Saturday, July 19th at 5pm July 26th - August 5th Paintings by Jerry Powers Reception Saturday, July 26th at 5pm
Museums Historical Society Museum and Gallery (466-2481 or 401-864-4357)
Gallery open daily in July 11am - 4pm Featuring work by C. Sperry Andrews, original photographs by Carmel Vittulo, vintage island photographs from 1913, antiques, curios, and unique gifts. July 12, Sat. 4pm - Public information meeting about the Archaeological Surveys July 17, Thurs. 4 - 6pm Tour of the Native American Village site on the Great Salt Pond, guided kayak/ walking tour. Limited space, reservations required. July 17, Thurs. 8pm - Hurrican Sandy Archaeological Survey - public information session with homeowners. Dessert and coffee. July 31, Thurs. 6 - 7pm - “Lost at Sea” Cemetery Tour with stone carver Karin Sprague $10/person, members $5, children free – meet at Island Cemetery. Aug. 12, Tues. 9am – 1 pm - Annual House & Garden Tour - The South side to Lewis Farm and a few houses in between. blockislandhistorical.org
Miscellany of Events July 4th festivities On Wednesday, July 3, the fireworks will be at dusk at Town Beach (raindate is July 4).
2nd Annual Fireworks Picnic - July 3, 6:30 p.m. on the Sullivan House lawn. Serving chicken, pulled pork, and all the “fixings” that make a picnic great. Games for the kids, music for the adults and a silent auction all before the Double Ender’s Fireworks. Tickets available at www.cgspblockisland.org, at the Block Island Grocery and at the event. Adults $35, children $15. Bring your beach chair and enjoy the fireworks after the picnic. The parade is on Friday, July 4 at 11 a.m. Line-up for floats and float judging is 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. at The Oar. This year’s theme is: Your favorite Children’s Book. The BI Volunteer Fireman’s Steak Fry is following the parade at the Fire Barn (1 p.m.). These events are funded only by donations that are gratefully appreciated. To donate send to PO Box 808, B.I., R.I. 02807. PLEASE, Do NOT call the Police Station with Fireworks questions, or event questions. Call 4665343, 466-2474 or 466-5200.
BI Arts and Crafts Guild Fair
July 6 at 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the Historical Society lawn.
B-I-N-G-O
Bingo Night will be back on Tuesday, July 8 and July 22 at the Fire Barn. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Bingo starts at 7 p.m. All proceeds benefit the Block Island Volunteer Fire Department.
Annual Block Island Wedding Show
Everything you need to know about planning a wedding on B.I., with dozens of vendors on hand to help mold the perfect event. Learn about venues, catering, accommodations, music, photography, décor and more. Sunday, July 13, 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. at the Sullivan House.
Blues on the Block
All concerts start at 6 p.m. at Fred Benson Town Beach. Bring a blanket, a beach chair, some friends and some snacks! In case of rain, the concert still goes on at Captain Nick’s on Ocean Ave. (No coolers please). July 9- Otis & The Hurricanes July 23- Johnny & The East Coast Rockers July 30 - Four Barrel Billy Aug 6– New York Minute
Block Island 2014 Summer Concert Series
July 16: Renowned organist Walter Hilse. 7:30 p.m. at the Harbor Church. July 23: Acoustic double-guitar virtuoso Ian Ethan Case. 7:30 p.m. at the Saint Andrew Parish Center. August 6: World-class classical pianist Martin Soderberg. 7:30 p.m. at St. Andrew Parish Center.
50th Anniversary Barbershop Quartet Concert
July 26 - 8 p.m. at St. Andrew Church on Chapel St.
Not New Boutique
Summer sales every Wednesday during July and August, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Boutique Building behind the St. Andrew Parish Center on Spring St. Clean, gently used clothing may be left at the collection box at the Parish Center.
Farmers Market
Saturdays, 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at Negus Park and Wednesdays, 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at the Manisses Parking Lot. Homemade Island baked goods, crafts, artwork and Island-grown produce.
Page 30
BLOCK ISLAND SUMMER TIMES
July 2014
www.blockislandtimes.com
Hooked on Block Island?
Come learn with us! Summer Programs Tuesday Night Lecture Series 7PM at BIMI Beverages and discussion following lecture July 1 (Tue) : Isaac Ginis - Hurricane specialist
BIMI Program Director, Shelley Brown and BIMI Intern, Tyler Ferdinand
Fun Educational Activities 3 Programs Daily (Mon-Sat) Programs include: -Squid Dissection -Creature Feature -Harbor Cruise -Aqua Art -Scavenger Hunt/Geocaching
Check out bimaritime.org and our BIMI facebook page for the schedule and more details
Questions? Contact Us 401-284-8338
July 8 (Tue) : Peter Shelley - Cashes Ledge fishing grounds and marine habitat protection
BLOCKHEADS
Weldon’s Way / 466 5800
July 15 (Tue) : Bill Palmer - Diver and history buff exploring wrecks around New England July 22 (Tue) : Alan Blumberg - Hurricane mitigation in the wake of Sandy
Eylandt Antiques Fine Antiques and Furnishings
July 29 (Tue) : Judy Gray and Jules Craynock - former NOAA Meteorologist and Oceanographer, respectively, in Miami Aug 5 (Tue) : Jason Mancini Anthropologist and senior researcher at Mashantucket Pequot Museum studying Indian Mariners Aug 12 (Tue): Squid Jiggers - Dave Rowe and Troy Bennett, Maine folk duo - sea songs Aug 20 (*Wed) : Bryan Oakley - Block Island shoreline changes and beachsamp.org
inside payne’s harbor view inn across from the police station 466-9888
Each Office is Independently Owned and Operated
E IC R DP E UC D RE
Center Road: $1,250,000
Snave House: $1,390,000
• 3,000 sq ft Traditional Block Island family estate rests on one acre • 5 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms and formal dining room, study and skylight kitchen in main house • Private one bedroom cottage and separate 800 sq ft workshop • Very private, yet conveniently close to town • Distant views of the Atlantic Ocean and Trims Pond
• Lovely Traditional 3 bedroom, 2 bath island home rests on 1.10 acres • Newly constructed spacious post and beam cottage w/ 2 bedrooms and private deck included • Distant views of the Atlantic Ocean and Great Salt Pond • Conveniently located close to town
Joanne Hovey 401.742.1061 Glenda Luck 401.207.3921 Block Island 401.466.2900
BlockIsland@GustaveWhite.com GustaveWhite.com Newport 401.849.3000
South County 401.596.8081
July 2014
www.blockislandtimes.com
The 5th Annual Block
BLOCK ISLAND SUMMER TIMES
Page 31
Island
Wedding Show Sunday, July 13, 2014 • Noon - 3pm Sullivan House • Block Island, RI
Cosponsored by: Block Island Weddings magazine Sullivan House Sarah Daly Events The Block Island Tourism Council The Block Island Chamber of Commerce Block island Ferry / Interstate Navigation New England Airlines Block Island Express Dead Eye Dick’s Block Island Brands Warehouse Liquors Newport Storm Brewery Rentals Unlimited
Partial list of exhibitors include: Catering by Kimberly Narragansett Inn Island Wedding Entertainment Ballard’s Inn Rose Farm Inn Marc Philips Atlantic Inn BI Gourmet Island Inns Sara Zarella Photograph Michael Benson Photography A Airline Express Limo & Car Service La Bella Rose Sarah Daly Events Sullivan House Sugar Rush Ryan Designs Sin Bakery Scrumptious Cake Designer BI Party Rental Hilary B. Photography Block Island Cigars
blockislandweddingshow.com
Page 32
BLOCK ISLAND SUMMER TIMES
July 2014
www.blockislandtimes.com
Summer Times Advertiser Index
BEACH AVENUE
TWIN MAPLES www.twinmaplesblockisland.com 401-466-5547 EYLANDT ANTIQUES 401-466-9888
CHAPEL STREET
SERVICES AND SALES ON-ISLAND AROUS 401-884-8818
BLOCK ISLAND BOAT BASIN www.blockislandboatbasin.net 401-466-2631
BLOCKS OF FUDGE 401-466-5196
BLOCK ISLAND FARMERS MARKET
CHAPEL SWEETS 401-466-2672
BLOCK ISLAND RESIDENTS ASSOCIATION
EAST OF THE RIVER NILE TRADING COMPANY www.eastoftherivernile.com 401-480-9728
BLOCK ISLAND WEDDING SHOW 401-466-2222
FULL MOON TIDE www.fullmoontide.com 401-466-5666 GOLDDIGGERS www.blockislandgolddiggers.com 401-466-2611
DEEPWATER WIND www.dwwind.com ISLAND HARDWARE & SUPPPLY 401-466-5831
ISLAND MIST www.islandmistnaturalproducts.com 401-466-8700
PRISCILLA ANDERSON DESIGN priscillaandersondesign.com 617-947-4044
DODGE STREET
TOWN OF NEW SHOREHAM Town Hall www.new-shoreham.com 401-466-3200
AMBERGRIS 917-453-9271
BEACHCOMBER 401-466-2777
PUBLICATIONS
MARYE-KELLEY DECOUPAGE www.marye-kelley.com 401-466-2412 PETER GIBBONS JEWELRY www.blockislandjewelry.com 401-578-1125 PHOTO DOG ART GALLERY www.lesleyanneulrich.com 401-578-1125 SPRING STREET GALLERY www.springstreetgallery.com 401-466-5374
INNS
1661 INN and HOTEL MANISSES www.blockislandresorts.com
401-466-2421 or 1-800-626-4773
ATLANTIC INN www.atlanticinn.com 401-466-5883 BALLARD’S INN www.ballardsinn.com 401-466-2231 BLOCK ISLAND ACCOMODATIONS www.blockislandbedandbreakfast. com 401-466-2912 HYGEIA HOUSE www.thehygeiahouse.com 401-466-9616 THE INNS AT BLOCK ISLAND www.theinnatblockisland.com
401-466-5524 or 877-324-4667
NARRAGANSETT INN www.narragansettinn.net 401-466-2626
THE DARK SAINT www.geoffloftus.com
NATIONAL HOTEL www.blockislandhotels.com 401-466-2901
ISLAND BOUND www.islandboundbookstore.com 401-466-8878
PAYNE’S HARBOR VIEW www.paynesharborviewinn.com 401-466-5758
MAR MAR www.marmarjewels.com 215-880-3922
STONE WALL FREEDOM — THE SLAVE www.stonewallfreedom.com
SEACREST INN 401-466-2882
MARYE-KELLEY www.marye-kelley.com 401-466-2412
TRANSPORTATION
DIAMOND BLUE SURF SHOP www.diamondbluebi.com 401-466-3145 LAZY FISH 401-466-2990
RED BIRD LIQUOR STORE 401-466-2441 WATERCOLORS 401-466-2538
OCEAN AVENUE
ISLAND HARDWARE SUPPLY 401-466-5831
SPRING STREET
NORTH LIGHT FIBERS www.northlightfibers.com 401-466-2050
WATER STREET ADRIFT 401-466-7944
BLOCK ISLAND BIKE AND CAR RENTAL 401-466-2297 BLOCK ISLAND EXPRESS www.goblockisland.com 860-444-4624 and 401-466-2212 BLOCK ISLAND HIGH SPEED FERRY www.blockislandferry.com 401-783-4613 CAPE AIR www.capeair.com 800-227-3247 INTERSTATE NAVIGATION www.blockislandferry.com 401-783-4613 McALOON’S TAXI 401-741-1410 MIG’S RIG TAXI 401-480-0493 THE MOPED MAN 401-466-5444
SPRING HOUSE HOTEL www.springhousehotel.com 401-466-5844 THE SURF HOTEL www.thesurfhotelblockisland.com 401-466-2241
REAL ESTATE
ADVANCED MORTGAGE CORP. www.advancedmortgagecorp.com 401-737-6655 ATTWOOD REAL ESTATE www.attwoodrealestate.com 401-466-5582 BALLARD HALL REAL ESTATE www.blockislandproperty.com 401-466-8883 BEACH REAL ESTATE www.bibeachrealestate.com 401-466-2312 BLOCK ISLAND REALTY www.birealty.com 401-466-5887 LILA DELMAN REAL ESTATE www.liladelman.com 401-466-8777 NEPTUNE HOUSE www.neptunehouse.com 401-261-2032
B-EYES SUNGLASS SHOP www.b-eyes.com 401-466-8676
NEW ENGLAND AIRLINES www.block-island.com/nea 800-243-2460 (toll free) 401-466-5881(Block Island), and 401-596-2460(Westerly)
BECKETT’S GELATO
OLDPORT MARINE ON CHANNEL 68
PHILLIPS REAL ESTATE www.phillipsonbi.com 401-466-8806
RECREATION
SULLIVAN REAL ESTATE www.blockislandhouses.com 401-466-5521
AROUS 401-884-8818
B.I.Tees 401-466-5977 BLOCK ISLAND SPORT SHOP www.blockislandsport.com 401-466-5001 BLOCK ISLAND TRADING COMPANY 401-859-1524
BLOCK ISLAND CLUB www.blockislandclub.org 401-466-5939
BONNIE & CLYDE 401-466-8895
BLOCK ISLAND CONSERVANCY www.biconservancy.org 401-466-3111
BUILDING BLOCKS 401-466-TOYS(8697)
BLOCK ISLAND HISTORICAL SOCIETY GALLERY AND MUSEUM 401-466-2481
COOL TO BE KIND ESSENTIALS 401-466-3168 FROOZIES www.frooziesblockisland.com 401-466-2230 GLASS ONION www.glassonionblockisland.com 401-466-5161 ISLAND BOUND www.islandboundbookstore.com 401-466-8878 ISLANDOG www.blockislandog.com 401-466-5666 JENNIFER’S JEWELRY www.jennifersjewelrybi.com 401-466-7944 KAI KAI SANDALS www.kaikaisandal.com MAD HATTER 401-466-3131
BLOCK ISLAND MARITIME INSTITUTE www.bimaritime.org 401-284-8338 BLOCK ISLAND PARASAIL 401-864-2474 BLOCK ISLAND HISTORICAL SOCIETY 401-466-2481 DIAMOND BLUE SURF CAMPS www.diamondbluebi.com 401-466-3145 THE FISHING ACADEMY OF BLOCK ISLAND 802-688-3654 G. WILLIE MAKIT CHARTERS www.gwilliecharters.com 401-466-5151 or 484-431-7131
OFFSHORE PROPERTY LIMITED www.offshorepropertylimited.com 401-466-5446 SOTHEBY’S INTERNATIONAL REALTY www.gustavewhite.com 401-466-2900
FOOD
1661 INN and HOTEL MANISSES www.blockislandresorts.com 401-466-2421 or 1-800-626-4773 ALDO’S BAKERY & ICE CREAM www.aldosbakery.com 401-466-2198 ALDO’S RESTAURANT www.aldosrestaurantblockisland.com 401-466-5871 BALLARD’S INN www.ballardsinn.com 401-466-2231 THE BEACHEAD www.thebeachead.com 401-466-2249 BECKETT’S AUTHENTIC GELATO BEN & JERRY’S 401-466-5430
LINESIDER FISHING CHARTERS www.linesiderfishing.com 401-439-5386
BLOCKS OF FUDGE 401-466-5196
MAHONEY’S CLOTHIER 401-466-8616 PEPPERED CAT 401-466-5254
THE MOPED MAN 401-466-5444
FINN’S FISH MARKET www.finnsseafood.com 401-466-2102
PHOTO DOG www.biphotodog.com 401-466-5858
THE NATURE CONSERVANCY 401-466-2129
FINN’S SEAFOOD RESTAURANT www.finnsseafood.com 401-466-2473
RAGS 401-466-7596
OCEAN ADVENTURES www.oceanadventuresbi.com 401-368-2611
THE ICE CREAM PLACE 401-466-2145
SALTY DOG www.fishtheworld.com 401-466-5254
OCEAN VIEW FOUNDATION 401-595-7055
JUICE N JAVA 401-466-5520
SOLSTICE 401-466-2558
PALE HORSE FISHING CHARTERS 802-379-0336
KIMBERLY’S VERY OWN PLACE 401-466-8600
STAR DEPARTMENT STORE 401-466-5541
POND AND BEYOND KAYAK 401-578-2773
LOS GATITOS 401-466-5855
STRINGS ‘N THINGS www.fullmoontide.com 401-466-5666
RULING PASSION SAILING CHARTERS www.rulingpassion.com 401-741-1926
MANISSES www.blockislandresorts.com 401-466-2421
WAVE www.waveblockisland.com 401-466-8822
DEAD EYE DICK’S 401-466-2654
THE NARRAGANSETT INN www.narragansettinn.net 401-466-2626
WILDFLOWER BOUTIQUE 401-466-2006
SAKARAK FISHING CHARTERS 401-486-3476
WELDON’S WAY
SEA GYPSY SAILBOAT 401-225-1030
THE NATIONAL TAP AND GRILLE www.blockislandhotels.com 401-466-2901
SEACREST INN & BICYCLE RENTALS 401-466-2882
THE OAR www.blockislandresorts.com 401-466-8820
TIE ONE ON CHARTERS 914-760-0188
PAYNE’S DONUTS at Smuggler’s Cove
BLOCK ISLAND CONSERVANCY 401-466-3111
TWIN MAPLES 401-466-5547
POOR PEOPLE’S PUB www.pppbi.com 401-466-8533
CHAPEL SWEETS www.blockislandusa.com 401-466-2672
MUSIC & PUBS
RESTAURANT 1879 AT THE ATLANTIC INN www.atlanticinn.com 401-466-5883
CONSERFEST www.conserfest.org
THE SURF HOTEL www.thesurfhotelblockisland.com 401-466-2241
GALLERIES/ ARTISTS
TERRAPIN TACOS 401-466-5505/6/7
BLOCKHEADS 401-466-5800
THE ICE CREAM PLACE
OFF ISLAND BUSINESSES 95.9 WCRI www.classical959.com
ADVANCED MORTGAGE CORP. www.advancedmortgagecorp.com 401-737-6655 CRITTER HUT www.critterhutonline.com 401-789-9444 HEALTH SERVICE RI www.healthri.gov/lyme KARIN SPRAGUE STONECARVERS www.karinsprague.com 401-934-3105 LATHROP INSURANCE www.lathropinsurance.com 401-596-2525 MARINEMAX www.marinemax.com 401-886-7899 NEWPORT STORM www.newportstorm.com 401-261-2032 SHELDON’S FURNITURE 401-783-5503 SOUTH COUNTY HOSPITAL www.schospital.com WBMW 94.9, 99.5, 106.5, 107.7
YELLOW KITTENS 401-466-5855
AMBERGRIS 917-453-9271
BLOCK ISLAND’S CREATIVE COMMUNITY Don’t leave the island without previewing the works of the following artists, photographers and craftspeople: Ben Wohlberg, Leah Robinson, Littlefield Bee Farm, the Gasner family, Claire Marschak, Peter Gibbons, Spring Street Gallery, and Robin Langsdorf. Check their ads to learn where their works can be viewed. BLOCK ISLAND HISTORICAL SOCIETY GALLERY AND MUSEUM 401-466-2481 JESSIE EDWARDS STUDIO www.JessieEdwardsGallery.com 401-466-5314 KARIN SPRAGUE STONECARVERS www.karinsprague.com 401-934-3105
SPRING HOUSE HOTEL www.springhousehotel.com 401-466-5844 WINFIELD’S RESTAURANT 401-466-5856
July 2014
www.blockislandtimes.com
BLOCK ISLAND SUMMER TIMES
Page 33
The Hygeia House
The Barrington Inn SPRING/FALL SPECIAL $99.00 per night Sunday-Thursday only
The Inn at Block Island SUMMER SPECIAL July and August
Stay three nights get the fourth night FREE! Excludes Holidays
877-324-4667 • 401-466-5524 www.theinnatblockisland.com • info@theinnatblockisland.com
A small B+B. Perennial gardens and wildflower meadow, conveniently located near town. Gorgeous views and the best in hospitality. 2014 is our 30th year in business on Block Island. Celebrating all season with weekly specials. Follow us on FB or twitter for announcements on deals and availability. Box 141, 71 Spring Street Block Island, RI 02807 seabreezeblockisland.com 401-466-2275
Yankee Magazine’s Editors Choice, 2014
“Best Inn for the Literary Set”
Visit our recently restored inn (b. 1883) overlooking New Harbor. 10 rooms, each with a private bath, water view and original furniture. The inn is listed on the National Register of Historic places and is the proud sponsor of the Block Island Poetry Project. 401-466-9616
www.thehygeiahouse.com
Page 34
BLOCK ISLAND SUMMER TIMES
July 2014
Block Island Walking Trails
www.blockislandtimes.com
1 Hodge Family Wildlife Preserve 2 Clay Head Trail 3 Beacon Hill to New Harbor Link, Harrison Loop 4 Meadow Hill Greenway 5 The Greenway 6 Elaine Loffredo Memorial Preserve 7 Fresh Pond Greenway 8 Fresh Swamp Trail 9 Rodman’s Hollow 10 Elizabeth Dickens Trail Pocket maps with information about each trail can be purchased at the Chamber of Commerce.
Black-crowned Night Heron Andy’s Way hosts not only a beautiful, calm beach off of Great Salt Pond, but also a salt marsh. In the summers, this marsh is home to stateendangered Black-Crowned Night Herons, which are relatively small, with black heads and bodies and white stomachs. Especially at dusk, you might catch the birds wandering the shore, looking for fish. Since they are easily disturbed by humans, make sure to keep a respectful distance.
Northern Harrier Northern Harriers fly high above Fresh Pond, looking for prey. At times, male Harriers perform what is known as a “sky dance” while courting — they dive and twirl through the sky to impress their mates. The Harrier is an endangered species and unusually abundant on the island, so it has been the subject of several studies here. If you are lucky enough to see a dance, give a call to The Nature Conservancy to aid in nest location.
Blackberries It’s the beginning of berry season! Later in July, hidden (and not so hidden) through Nathan Mott Park, you’ll find hundreds of blackberry bushes. Blackberries are a beloved summer fruit of many nonhuman animals, especially the catbird. Catbirds eat so many that they get purple juice rings around their beaks.
Rhinoceros Beetle This spectacular beetle, jet black, and with an enormous identifying horn, lives among the grasses and sandy soil of Rodman’s Hollow. Block Island is the only place in the state where it can be found.
Black-crowned Night Heron photograph by Jessica Kirste; other photos courtesy Scott Comings and The Nature Conservancy.
Highbush Blueberries July marks highbush blueberry season—in fact, in 1999, July was declared national blueberry month! Find some in Fresh Swamp Preserve.
BI Summer Times 6-20-2014_10 Prop_Layout 1 6/20/14 11:02 AM Page 1
July 2014
www.blockislandtimes.com
FEATURED PROPERTY
SWEDE HILL
BLOCK ISLAND SUMMER TIMES
Block Island
61 Dodge street 466-8777 RENT. BUY. LIVE.™
PANORAMIC OCEAN VIEWS - One of Block Island’s premier properties, nestled between two tranquil coves, ‘Swede Hill House’ is set on one of the island’s highest elevations. This stunning four-bedroom home offers more than 3,600 square feet of impeccable living by award-winning arcitectural firm Estes/Twomlbly. Built to the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED Gold standards, recipient AIAri Honor Award, 2013. $4,700,000
LILADELMAN. COM
NEW PRICE
NEW PRICE
Oceanviews - 8.7 acre property located on elite Corn Neck Road enjoys 180-degree ocean views from Montauk to North Lighthouse. $9,700,000
Oceanviews - Open floor plan, 4 BR, cathedral ceilings & living room with fireplace. 2+ acres with views of the Atlantic. $1,795,000
New Harbor - The private post & beam home on 3+ acres features views of Atlantic Ocean. Access to Greenway Trails. $1,175,000
Sachem Pond - “Riptide” Vintage Cape with beautiful views of North Light, a barn, garden house and wrap around porch. $1,475,000
Grace’s Cove - Cozy Engish style cottage located with in walking distance to beautiful sunsets. Ready to move in. $990,000
Clayhead Trail - Steps away from the popular Clayhead Trail and The Maze. 3 bedrooms, 2 full baths and 2 bedroom guest cottage. $2,250,000
Investment Property - Single family or multiunit, total of 6 bedroom, 4 bath on half acre. 2 car garage. Close to town. $1,195,000
Grace’s Cove - Cloud Nine is a great opportunity to own 7.5 acres of Oceanfront property on Grace’s Cove. Walk to beach. $1,325,000
Turtle Pond - Relax by the pond or enjoy the verdant gardens on 3+ acres just outside the heart of town. Open fl. plan, 3 bed/3bath. $1,300,000
NEWPORT
NARRAGANSETT
PROVIDENCE
JAMESTOWN
WATCH HILL
DETAILS@LILADELMAN.COM
BLOCK ISLAND
Summer Rentals Available! Block Island Realtors® Rosemary Tobin | Kaylan McAleer Transue Wendy Crawford | Leone Leone | Kathleen Mulshine-Saxon International Marketing Partners
Page 35
Page 36
BLOCK ISLAND SUMMER TIMES
July 2014
L ENTA NOW R Y KL LL WEE ITY, CA ABIL L I A V
www.blockislandtimes.com
Ballard Hall REAL ESTATE
A
FEATURED LISTINGS NEW LISTING ALL SEASON SANCTUARY - $1,975,000 • 4.8 private acres near bluff beaches • Views of SE Lighthouse & Atlantic Ocean • 5 BR, 3.5 BA, 3 fireplaces
MOHEGAN BLUFF ESTATE - $3,650,000 • High elevation ocean views • 4,732 sq. ft., 5 BR & 5.5 BA • 4.6 acres, 2 lots of record
Gables Inn - $2,400,000 Historic Inn located in the heart of Old Harbor. 13 rooms, owner’s apt, 2 cottages, and 2 lots of record totaling a rare 53,900 sq. ft. Walk to restaurants, shops, ferry landing & the best swimming beaches on Block Island.
NEW LISTING CRESCENT BEACH COTTAGE - $1,200,000
NEW HARBOR LOCALE - $1,395,000
• Charming cottage on Crescent Beach • 3 BR/1.5 BA, condominium ownership • Saltwater views and access to beach
• Fishing, boating & swimming all close by • 4BR & 3BA vacation style living • 2.6 acres, stone walls & mature trees
NEW PRICE
Grove Point - $2,950,000 Listen to the ocean surf while enjoying magnificent, uninterrupted 260 degree ocean and pond views from this contextual contemporary. Direct oceanfront location with extraordinary sunsets over Sachem Pond, the North Light, and Atlantic Ocean
SHEFFIELD FARM CAPE - $1,295,000 • Stunning ocean views • 4 BR & 2 BA • .77 acre lot plus common land
NEW LISTING
OCEAN & SUNSET VIEWS - $2,800,000 • Custom built 5 BR and 4.5 BA • 4 living room areas, private guest suite • 2.6 acres in private setting
Corn Neck Cape - $1,200,000 WALK TO BEACH - $1,575,000 • Stylish renovated beach-style home • 5 BR & 3 BA plus 2 BR cottage • Steps from beach & Harbor Pond
SUNSETS OVER BI SOUND - $995,000 • 3 Bedroom, 3 bath inverted design • Enviable harbor & ocean views • 2 acres with access to Andy’s Way
CORNE NECK FARM - $1,900,000
1892 HOMESTEAD - $1,500,000
• Near Crescent Beach & Andy’s Way • New 4,300 sq. ft. home on 2.96 acres • 6 BR s & 5 BA, central air
• 5 BR and 2.5 BA • 4.3 acre lot w/ Two barns, guest cottage • Historic District designation
LAND LISTINGS NEW LISTING
Beautiful, private property close to mansion beach with lovely gardens and a pretty pond. Well maintained, comfortable home w/fireplace & woodstove in living area. Two car garage w/guest area & bath. Great yard and deck for summertime enjoyment.
• One acre, RB Zone, views, Town water & sewer, private - $549,000
• Coveted location on Champlin Rd, just 2 lots back from Charleston Beach and Cormorant Cove! 2.72 acres, garage, and septic in place - $1,295,000 • Very Private 3.4 acres off Champlin Road includes garage - $865,000 • Calico Hill building site offers amazing Old Harbor & Clayhead views - $549,000 • 6.88 acres located off Payne Road with well, septic, electric, and telephone service to site. Panoramic views, very private, abuts conservancy land. Potential for subdivision. - $1,450,000
NEW LISTING
Privacy and a Pool - $1,100,000 Very private 4 bedroom, 3 bath home centrally located in close proximity to multiple acres of Greenway walking trails. The detached 2 car garage has a finished 2nd floor with a guest room & half bath. Wrap around deck overlooks the fenced, in-ground swimming pool. Central AC & security system.
Ballard Hall Real Estate Corner of Ocean & Corn Neck Roads (Between the Bagel Shop and the Bank)
Gail Ballard Hall, Principal Broker Blake Phelan, Associate Broker Judith Cyronak, Associate Broker Licensees: Michele Phelan, David Graham, Chelsea Phelan Heidi Tallmadge & Laurel Littlefield, Office Assistants
Phone: 401-466-8883 Fax: 401-466-3119 www.blockislandproperty.com • www.luxuryrealestate.com