August 2014 Block Island Summer Times

Shopping /Dining Guide • Events Calendar • Points of Interest • Ferry/Plane Schedules

Free

August 2014 EXTRA

What to do on your Summer Vacation

Photo by Kari Curtis

Island Map Inside

Page 2

BLOCK ISLAND SUMMER TIMES August 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

August 2014

www.blockislandtimes.com

BLOCK ISLAND SUMMER TIMES

Page 3

I Tried It!

The author, in black tee and yellow life jacket, on her first banana boat ride. She discovered the thrill of flip-turns and falling off — that’s her in the drink inset far right. Photos by Mason Littlefield

By Isabella DeLeo From a distance, I have often watched the banana boats serpentine through the harbor. With great curiosity, I would listen to the shrill cries of the people aboard these absurd canary yellow, banana-shaped tubes as they tore through the water with accelerating speed. I would watch them send a few waves back to shore, leaving behind a wake large enough to resonate with the beachgoers. Today, I am not an observer.

I do not look upon these riders with envious eyes. Today I ride.

As we suit up in the armor of our large, puffy life jackets, the five other future banana boaters and I exchange words of excitement and anxiety. I learn that the two teenage boys are from Connecticut, and that one has a summer house on Block Island. The family of two teenage sisters and their younger brother happen to also live in Connecticut, just one town over from the teenage boys. I think of how

Banana Boating

the world can feel so small, so secure in its familiarity and happy coincidences as we make our way from the dock at Old Harbor onto the white, cushioned banana boat platform below. In doing so, we turn our backs to the harbor, grabbing hold of the rungs of the small, makeshift ladder.

Once aboard, we receive instructions from the man at the helm of the boat that will tow us for the 30-minute ride.

He tells us to look out for one another if someone happens to fall into the water.

He gives us the sign that tells him to stop the boat: running your hand under your neck. Finally, we board the boat. I climb onto the back, tightly gripping the handholds. We ripple through the water, watching the dance of boats pulling in and out of the marina.

As we accelerate out to sea, mist and the undulation of waves embrace us.

Some of the boaters dip their toes into the water. Others free their hands from the holds, reaching toward the sky. I think

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.

tranquil thoughts, enjoying the speed and freedom of being on the water. The sea is smooth. Suddenly, the boat towing us makes a sharp “doughnut” turn and all of the people in the back, including me, are thrown into the depths.

Someone still on the banana boat signals that we have fallen off and the tow boat abruptly stops. Those of us who have fallen off swim into a group and, together, slowly make our way to the boat. As we tread, the crest of a large wave pulls us momentarily under the surface. The swim toward our floating banana in the sea feels almost Sisyphean, but we eventually climb onto the boat, drenched, exhausted and laughing.

I soon realize that the excitement of banana boating is akin to that of watching a psychological thriller film. You hold on tight, fully aware that you’re going to be thrown off, but not really believing in the inevitability of your expulsion into the void until it happens, making each

Co-Publishers................................ Fraser Lang/Betty Rawls Lang Editor........................................................................ Lisa Stiepock Production............................................................Christopher Izzo Contributors........................... Martha Ball, Sara Dunleavy Berge Margie Bucheit, Isabella DeLeo, Brooke Hammarskjold, Cindy Lasser, Susan Middeleer Mleczko, Joshua Moldanado, Paula Taylor, Judy Tierney Copy Editor...............................................................Renée Meyer Photographers................................... Tom Adams, Gerard Closset, Kari Curtis, Malcolm Greenaway, Annie Hall, Lesley Helterline, Robin B. Langsdorf, Mason Littlefield, Kate Ryan Advertising............................. Betty Rawls Lang, Shane Howrigan Advertising Design..................................John Barry, JM Swienton

period of calm at once both suspenseful and relaxing.

After 30 minutes of doughnut turns, eerie calm and treading water, we start to head back. I am exhausted and relieved to see the familiar face of Old Harbor. I’m also happy to be surrounded by my fellow banana boaters’ smiling faces and their cheery chorus of “can we do it again, please?” Banana boating is a thrill and a real bonding experience. On the water, you can see a group of people, many of whom previously were unknown to one another, help the sea-fallen back into the boat. You can witness — and participate in — people coming to one another’s aid, protecting them from the fathoms. It’s one wild ride. But be prepared: you will get wet (and you may lose a shoe)!

For more information contact Block Island Parasail and Watersports at 401864-2474. Located at Old Harbor Dock.

Thirty minutes, $35 per person.

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 August 2014

www.blockislandtimes.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 when you try on a Kai-Kai! cream facing 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.

August 2014

www.blockislandtimes.com

BLOCK ISLAND SUMMER TIMES

Page 5

An Ideal Day

Steve, Lauren, and Landon Filippi of Ballard’s Inn And what are his parents doing during this ideal nap? Reading. Lauren says she’d probably choose something lighthearted for the beach, “maybe something

by Nicholas Sparks, a good love story.”

And Steve? “I’d probably read the Block Island Times,” he says with a laugh. And when he’s done with that?

Probably a biography. He just finished “Call me Ted,” Ted Turner’s autobiography and pronounced it “excellent.”

Once Landon wakes up the family will go get lobster rolls for lunch at Ballard’s: hot, drenched in butter, for her; cold for him. The secret to the cold one, Steve tells me, is lemon zest. They’d get lounge chairs and an umbrella and eat on the beach, maybe ordering some of the drinks that come in pineapples. Steve likes the Tropical Fusion, a mixture of juices and rum. Lauren likes the pina coladas.

“We’ll listen to Sean Allen on the outdoor patio while we build sandcastles with Landon.” He’s gotten really good at it says Lauren. “We were determined to make him a beach baby and he’s getting there. At first he wasn’t sure about the sand sticking to him. But we kept bringing him down to the beach and it was worth it. Now he’s liking it.”

Next, Steve says he’d get one of his brothers and swim out to “the rock.”

Actually, he says, it’s an ideal day so both of his brothers would be free. “Blake’s an attorney and a candidate. He’s running to represent Block Island in the General Assembly.” So it would be unusual for him to be free; Paul on the other hand is often hanging around and ready to take a swim. They all love to swim to the rock that’s out beyond the breakwall, a good workout, and something they’ve been doing since they were kids.

After a quick shower and change

33 Ocean Ave

by Lisa Stiepock “Steve almost never takes any time off,” his wife Lauren tells me as we sit down to discuss what an ideal day off would be like for him and his family.

Steve Filippi runs Ballard’s Inn with its hotel, restaurant, bar and beach so this is not a surprising thing to hear.

After handing 18-month-old Landon over to a friend for a bit, Steve and Lauren are happy to play along with the idea of a perfect day off in the middle of the summer on Block Island.

Steve knows right away how such a day would begin: “We’d both go for coffee at Elevation Studio — a tall iced Dave’s coffee with a little soy milk for me and the same but with extra cream for Lauren.”

Asked if they would then stay for an exercise class on this imaginary day off or get the hell out of there, Steve is again quick with an answer: “Get the hell out of there!”

Instead, he says, they would “take the little one down to the end of Coast Guard Road. It’s shallow there, explains Lauren, and on this perfect day Landon would get used to the water quickly and run around. “Dad takes him out wading,” she says, “and I stay dry.” Dad and Landon will look for animals like horseshoe crabs. “And of course Landon will have his ball,” says Lauren. “He doesn’t go far without that ball!”

“Yes,” agrees Steve, “He’s practicing to be the next Pele.”

What would the family do after the that? This time it’s Lauren who’s quick with an answer: “Then Landon takes a half-hour nap.”

A half-hour on an ideal day?

She reconsiders. He’ll take an hourlong nap.

Lauren, Steve and Landon at Ballard’s Inn. Photo by Kari Curtis it’s time to head to dinner. “Our absolute favorite place to go,” says Lauren, “ is the Spring House. We have a ritual. We go sit in the Adirondack chairs on the lawn and let Landon run around.”

The hill is perfect for tiring him out, she tells me because he runs up and down after the ball on his own. Mom and Dad get to lounge in those chairs, watch him and take in the ocean views. They might share a martini or just hang out.

Eventually they would head into the bistro, where they love the ambience and the menu. “There’s so much fresh stuff from the garden,” says Lauren. When asked what they’d order on a perfect day, this is one time neither is quick with an answer. They can’t decide among a slew of favorites including arugula salad, vegetable soup, the pizzas and flatbreads, and a number of pasta dishes. “The one one with eggplant from the garden and tomatoes and smoked mozzarella,” says Lauren. “The one with peas and sausage and mushrooms,” counters Steve.

No matter what they order, says Lauren, “We always go and chat with

[owners] Mr. and Mrs. DiBiase until the food comes. They love Landon.”

What’s for dessert?

Steve laughs and says “Well we have to head back to Ballard’s for dessert so we can listen to John Brazile on accoustic guitar in the main bar. He’s so good and he’s such a nice guy. He can take any request — even all eight minutes of Free Bird.”

Every night around 8:30 the bar area starts to fill up with people waiting to hear him and the special lights make it feel like a nightclub, says Lauren.

And the dessert itself? Cheesecake with pureed raspberries on top. No coffee! They need to get to sleep early. “We are guaranteed to get woken up for a little while sometime between one and four,” says Steve, “and then we’re up for good by 6:30.”

“At which point, says Lauren, “He will be ready to take on the day. Heading straight for the ball he knows is waiting for him in the foyer.” She’s talking about Landon. But Steve will be on the ball, too. Vacation over. Back to work.

(401)466-8533

CHECK OUT OUR FACEBOOK PAGE FOR SPECIALS & EVENTS www.facebook.com/pppbifb

-BBQ, SEAFOOD, PIZZA & MORE -SUNDAY REHAB BRUNCH -OUTDOOR SEATING -LIVE MUSIC

The original BLOCK ISLAND Hook Bracelet is here!

TM

-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 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

www.blockislandgolddiggers.com

90 Chapel St., Box 693 Block Island, RI 02807 466-2611

Page 6

BLOCK ISLAND SUMMER TIMES August 2014

g inng anndd s i v errv IIsslla eaarrs e S S ckk Yye looc 434 BBl oorr 4 FF

www.blockislandtimes.com

NG 51 YEARS CELEBRATI

Featuring Seattle’s Best coffee and frozen fruit drinks

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.

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

SERVING HARD AND SOFT ICE CREAM • DEL’S LEMONADE

*****

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

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.

August 2014

www.blockislandtimes.com

BLOCK ISLAND SUMMER TIMES

Page 7

Beach Reads bles, in true Hiaasen style, into massive Medicare fraud, tourist hustles — and a voodoo witch.

A look at some of this summer’s most popular reads, fiction and nonfiction, adult and young adult, from Cindy Lasser, owner of Island Bound Bookstore.

Empty Mansions

by Bill Dedman

The true story of the very unusual life of Huguette Clark, who was born during the Gilded Age and who, at 16, inherited nearly 300 million dollars from her father. She had few friends; even the doorman that worked in her building had not seen her in 20 years. The last known photo of her was from 1928. She spent millions on dolls and priceless works of art.

When she died in 2011 at age 104, she owned palatial homes in California, New York, and Connecticut, but had never lived in any of them. While still in excellent health she chose to live in the Beth Israel Hospital in New York instead of her Fifth Avenue Mansion, and that’s where she spent the final 20 years of her life.

We are Called to Rise

by Laura McBride

This is my favorite book of the summer. Four narrators tell a story set in residential Las Vegas. Avis is facing the unexpected end of her marriage and the fact that her son has returned from Iraq broken and abusive. Roberta is a courtappointed child advocate. Bashkim, 8 years old, lives with his Baba and Nene, Albanian refugees who run an ice cream truck. Finally, there’s Specialist Luis Rodriguez-Reyes, who wakes up in Walter Reed hospital, injured and traumatized after losing his best friend in Afghanistan. This is an incredible story about four people from different backgrounds and circumstances who collide in unimaginable ways.

Bunker Hill

by Nathaniel Philbrick

Bad Monkey

by Carl Hiaasen

Philbrick takes real stories and writes them so compellingly they seem like fiction. This one is about the Boston battle that ignited the American Revolution and the ordinary citizens who became invaluable in the effort to fight the British. He traces the roots of the war and makes it easy for the reader to understand the events and the people who made them happen, illuminating the Boston Tea Party, the Battle of Bunker Hill, and much more.

If you haven’t read Carl Hiaasen, it’s time; he is very funny. Hiaasen is a Floridian who is an investigative reporter and columnist for the Miami Herald, so he is never at a loss for inspiration. Here, a Key West tourist snags a human arm while fishing and, through a series of odd circumstances, suspended cop Andrew Yancy ends up storing it in his freezer while investigating what he suspects is a murder. Soon he stum-

FOR KIDS AND TEENS Spirit Animal Series #1: Wild Born

by Brandon Mull

This first book in a seven-volume series takes place in the world of Erdas, where every child who comes of age must drink a special Nectar to discover if they have a spirit animal, a rare bond between human and beast that bestows great powers to both. Along with these Great Beasts they must defend the world from the Devourer, an evil enemy who has returned to Erdas.

Swim that Rock

by Jay Primanio

“Swim that Rock” takes place right in Narragansett Bay and the waters off Rhode Island, including Block Island.

Because his widowed mother is in jeopardy of losing her diner, Jake goes to

work as a quahogger on the Bay (his father had ben a quahogger). This is a fast-paced coming-of-age story, filled with great characters including fishermen, clammers and a scrappy boat captain, that illustrates how challenging an occupation commercial fishing can be. *Island Bound and the Island Free Library are sponsoring a talk and booksigning with Jay Primanio on Thursday, August 7, at 7 p.m. at the library.

island bound island

BOOKSTORE bound

The place to come for all your BOOKSTORE summer reading PLUS now featuring Utrecht art supplies.

nook

Open Daily 11:30-9:30 Fresh Local Seafood Daily Raw Bar featuring Block Island Oysters from BI Oyster Co.

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.

1 Buck Shuck on the Patio Monday – Thursday 3-4.

Tuesdays - Steamers and a Storm 1.5 pounds of fresh ste amers and a Ne wport Storm Beer!

Stop in to see what’s new at the Beachead!

• Catering Available • www.thebeachead.com Take out 466-2249

You can find these award winning novels at Island Bound Bookstore, Block Island Historical Society and on-line at stonewallfreedom.com

Page 8

BLOCK ISLAND SUMMER TIMES August 2014

www.blockislandtimes.com

Cottage Industry

The Block Island Oyster Company and Raw Bar at the Beachead

By Sara Dunleavy Berge I watch oyster farmer and entrepreneur Dave Deffley swim out to his boat; while I take photos from the dry shoreline my sense of adventure pales in comparison. He swings around the back pond and picks me up at the Hog Pen, camera and note pad in tow. Once aboard, I find a place to perch amidst tubs of fishing line where I think I’ll be steady enough to jot some notes. It’s Tuesday of July Fourth week and the harbor is the fullest it’s been this season, yet that magic hour around dusk has left the pond hushed. Maybe everyone’s at dinner. If they’re lucky they’ve made their way to the Beachead to discover The Block Island Oyster Company Raw Bar. Enter Dave Deffley and Perry Phillips.

Dave Deffley, heading out to his oyster boat, The Flow; Perry Phillips at the helm with first mate Ahi; the partners collect, sift and cull in preparation for the afternoon’s Raw Bar at the Beachead. All photos by Sara Dunleavy Berge

Continued on next page

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.

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

August 2014

www.blockislandtimes.com

BLOCK ISLAND SUMMER TIMES

Page 9

The Beachead is conveniently located on the Great Salt Pond, which means the Oyster Company haul does not have far to go to get to the Raw Bar, and the oysters you get — on the shell or in a shooter — are as fresh as can be. Above, Perry fills the hold; the author, in red shorts, and a friend test some shooters with the boys; Dave shucks an oyster into each shooter during Buck-a-Shuck happy hour.

Continued from previous page They’re young, they’re Rhode Islanders (Deffley hails from various mainland locales, and Phillips from Block Island), they know a thing or two about oysters, and trust me, you won’t mind the view while they’re shucking. The first words out of Dave’s mouth after I climb aboard their red vessel are, “I think I’m having a battery problem,” followed by a long pause.

My heart sinks a little as I prepare for our cruise around New Harbor and the oyster farm to be postponed. “The radio battery, which is a big problem in my book.” I’m just happy to be tooling around, but reggae is a priority for these boys. Dave jerry-rigs some tunes as we cut the still water toward the back pond.

Their lease in the Great Salt Pond came through last spring from Block Island Maritime Institute (BIMI). “We

wouldn’t be where we are today without BIMI,” they both echo. As part of their lease agreement they provide educational programming for inner-city youth who visit in the summer. You can see in their eyes that it’s not just part of the job. These two are passionate about their craft and they enjoy giving anyone a tour of the farm, particularly “newbies” and kids, they tell me. Now standing waist deep in waders, they pull up bags of their precious cargo for me to examine. I can imagine the thrill of sharing this with someone who’s never been on the water before.

But don’t be fooled, Deffley and Phillips are hardly just cruising the pond admiring their ever-growing crustaceans, which will number more than 250,000

by September. This farm-to-table operation requires a fast turn-around to ensure ultimate freshness. It’s lucky for them that their plot backs up to the Beachead, where

Since 1991

Your only source for Island-made fudge!

BUY 1 POUND... GET 1/4 POUND FREE! Fudge, Taffy, Handmade Chocolates & Sugar-free, Too! Home of Chocolate Covered Bacon!

lar farm-to-table operation just across the water, and East Beach Blondes, also grown nearby in Ninigret Pond in Charlestown, to bring some variety to the Beachead. As Deffley explains, the oysters taste like the body of water they come from, making each of their tastes unique and impossible to replicate. The Block Island oysters are sweet, clean and briney (due to a higher salt content), whereas the East Beach Blondes are mild and smooth. The Matunucks, also briney, can be further described as buttery and robust. The oyster boys would recommend sampling all three!

B.I. Oyster Co. is offering some of the freshest oysters you’ll ever get your hands on. Get in line during lunch and dinner at the Beachead, and especially don’t miss Buck-a-Shuck, that’s right, one dollar oysters at happy hour, Monday to Friday, 3 to 4 p.m. The boys would be happy to shake a spicy oyster shooter for you too!

Block Island’s Original

Coffee House

Shipping Available • Wedding Favors 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

466-2230

www.frooziesblockisland.com

the fruits of B.I. Oyster Co. are reaped.

A raw bar on the Beachead patio (which also boasts an inviting fire pit) means Deffley and Phillips are not only farming, but working the restaurant end of things as well. In order to keep those “bucks for shucks,” as their tip jar reads, coming, there are times that a mid-shift run out to the farm becomes neccessary. But they are committed to every step of the process.

“We’re really excited to have them; it adds a great element to the restaurant,” says Beachead owner Becky Pappas Clark, who is particularly pleased with Dave and Perry’s participative approach with guests.

When they get an order from the waitstaff, one of the boys is sure to hand deliver the oysters to the table and let people know exactly what they’re getting.

In addition to their own oysters, Deffley and Phillips are partnering with Matunuck Oyster Farm, which has a simi-

On the National Back Po Porch

Take Out or Hang Out Coffee Tea Cappuccino Espresso Smoothies Organic Juice Baked Goods Light Fare 401 • 466 • 5520 Dodge Street

Eat I n or Take o u t 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

Page 10

BLOCK ISLAND SUMMER TIMES August 2014

www.blockislandtimes.com

Specializing in honestly good grub made from scratch.

Located between the Boat Basin and Champlin’s Marina.

Find us on Facebook or go to potsandkettles.com.

Owner operated food truck on Block Island 12 months a year.

HAND WROUGHT JEWELRY

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.

Exclusive retailer of merchandise

Live lobster • Fresh and smoked fish Shellfish • Chowder-to-go • Ice

Dodge Street MARMARJEWEL S.COM MARMARJEWELS COM 215-880-3922 Home of the Original Block Island Pepperoni Bread

FISH MARKET

Aldo’s Aldo An Italian restaurant & pizzeria 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 The Leone and Papa families serving Block Islanders since 1970 Founder ~ Aldo Leone

www.aldosrestaurantblockisland.com

Lobster Bakes in a tin. Just add water, cook and enjoy!

(Order one day in advance)

Open Daily 10am - 7pm • 466-2102

Ask about our table side flaming Parmigianino cheese wheel!

Come in and enjoy our specialty drinks and bar bite menu!

Having a party? Ask about our catering menu!

Thursday - Mama Leone Night purchase an entrée and receive complimentary soup, salad and dessert.

Second Time Around Music of the 50's, 60's, 70's and beyond!

Every Thursday & Friday night 6 - 10 p.m.

Kimberly has left the Beachead, and has opened Block Island’s newest restaurant!

Guess what it’s called...

e b r m i K ★★★★★ly ’s Ocean Avenue • 466-8600 • Cocktails & Dinner, 5:30~10pm • Kimberly’s Catering, 465-6243

August 2014

www.blockislandtimes.com

BLOCK ISLAND SUMMER TIMES

Page 11

Local Flavor

Finn’s

An island institution for forty years, Finn’s Seafood Restaurant is the quintessential something-for-everyone place.

It’s hard to find an island resident who doesn’t have a favorite Finn’s menu item.

Summer visitors have their favorites, too, the things they look forward to all winter.

It’s almost ritualistic. One friend talks about getting her lobster dinner with corn on the cob. Another has to get his fish and chips as soon as he steps off the ferry.

For me it’s the broiled fish sandwich.

Has been for decades. There’s something about the simplicity of the hamburger bun, some lettuce, tomato and a chunky wedge of lemon. What makes it so good of course is that the fish is always so fresh and cooked so perfectly, not surprising at a place with its own fish market attached.

And none of us has to worry if the folks we’re with don’t love seafood as much as we do. There’s plenty of pasta and salads and meat. Like I said, something for everyone. — Lisa Stiepock

home made deli style grab ’n go salads & sandwiches perfectly packaged for the beach The wise and friendly wait staff, like mother-daughter team Paige and Teri Gaffett above, and the seafood, whether it’s boiled lobster or flounder, are the main reasons we go to Finn’s. But the kids tell us they also love that “they still let us order off the children’s menu and they still give us crayons and placemats to color!” They are eating, left to right, fish and chips, chowder, and a veggie burger.

Home ma de deli st yle grab ’n go salads & sandwich es packaged perfectly for the be ach

Coffee • Espresso • Smoothies • Frozen Coffee • Acai Bowls • Baked Goods • Hawaiian Style Poke Salads

Open Daily 6 a.m.- 6 p.m.

Ocean Avenue above PPP 466-5180 Like us on Facebook!

Acai Bowls

Page 12

BLOCK ISLAND SUMMER TIMES August 2014

www.blockislandtimes.com

Take home an island memory.

• For your cottage

Lesley A Ulrich p h o t o g r a p h y

Family Portraits

www.lesleyanneulrich.com

401 466 5858

• For your boat • For your garden • or Just for you!

The Shops at The National Hotel 401 466 2558

Block Island Trading Company provisions for island time

Been There. Done That.

Now Get The T-Shirt!

• tees & sweats • hats • souvenirs • stickers • sunglasses and lots more

Christmas in August!

Join our mailing list

Water Street • At The National Hotel • 466-5977

Warm up your holidays with memories of summer fun from the Block Island Trading Company.

Great gifts, ornaments, home decor and more.

Limited-edition Byers’ Choice Block Island Santa.

Ornaments in a multitude of shapes and sizes.

BlockIslandTradingCompany.com

August 2014

www.blockislandtimes.com

1

BLOCK ISLAND SUMMER TIMES

Page 13

2

Twenty Trends for 2014

1. Make every day a spa day with these organic exfoliating treatments from Farmaesthetics. Get them at Koru Eco Spa. 2. Cozy up with a B.I. sweatshirt from Block Island Tees. 3. Fetch a Chuckit brand ball-launcher for your favorite pooch at Block Island Sport Shop. 4. What will you create with these art supplies from Island Bound Bookstore? 5. Satisfy your sweet tooth with a Chocolate Turtle from Chapel Sweets. 6. Deck out your home with a wooden saying from Essentials. 7. Clasp onto a sterling silver B.I.-inspired bracelet from Jennifer’s Jewelry. 8. Look to Clayhead Salon & Spa for its fashionforward décor, beauty products and treatments — and handbags. 9. Get your Look at Me brand skirts from Strings ‘N Things. Made from repurposed tees. 10. Take home Blockhead, the mascot of recently opened Blockheads Gifts and Souvenirs, and tune in to his adventures: the gift shop plans to release a children’s book based on the character. 11. Find your Yak leather bag at East of the River Nile Trading Company. 12. Sail the sea with a tee from Islandog. Man’s best friend not included. 13. Show your wild side with Silver Spoon Jewelry from Full Moon Tide. 14. Art with a cause: Solviken property prints

by Gillian Stevens. A portion of the proceeds is donated to aid the property’s conservation. At Jessie Edwards Studio. 15. Be decadent: there’s a flavor for everyone at Blocks of Fudge, be it traditional like chocolate and vanilla or less so, like creamsicle or snickers bar. 16. Seaside, homebound or out on the town: get comfortable in this B.I. sweatshirt from Star Department Store. 17. Anchors, mermaids, starfish, oh my! Get these nautical-printed tote bags, bath mats and driftwood art at WaterColors. 18. Chic and comfortable: find your perfect dress at Island Mist. 19. TOMS for tots. Your kids will look good and you’ll feel good knowing that with every TOMS purchase, a pair of shoes is donated to a child in need.

Find them at Diamondblue Surf Shop. 20. Golddiggers Block Island Jewelers offers these handcrafted beads with B.I. sand inside, letting you take the beach everywhere with you.

—Compiled and photographed by Isabella DeLeo

4

6

8

9

10

14

17

5

7

12

11

3

18

13

15

16

19

20

Page 14

BLOCK ISLAND SUMMER TIMES August 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

August 2014

www.blockislandtimes.com

BLOCK ISLAND SUMMER TIMES

Page 15

What’s New

B. I. Embraces the Food Truck Trend Step up for street food: hot dogs, lobster rolls, fish tacos, even quinoa salad

By Brooke Hammarskjold This summer, three food trucks have opened around the island after the town rewrote an ordinance to add more licenses. In previous years, there had been one Hawkers and Peddlers license, for a food cart at Settlers’ Rock. In August last year the Town Council voted 4 to 1 to allow up to three of the trucks and subsequently, according to Town Clerk Molly Fitzpatrick, approved the first three viable applications: Pots & Kettles across from

Legion Hall, Southeast Light Delights at the Southeast Light, and the cart at Settlers’ Rock near the North Light.

Southeast Light Delights:

Southeast Light Delights, run by André Boudreau and his family, serves classic New England food to tourists visiting the iconic red brick lighthouse atop the bluffs. The fare is proving so tasty and affordable, however, that there’s also a loyal island-resident following that is

heading up Spring Street for lunch on the lawn of the lighthouse.

Boudreau has lived on the island year-round for decades. He owns a housepainting business that slows down in the summer and, with his son getting older (Jacques is 12), had been thinking it was the perfect time to start a family business.

When the town announced the addition of these licenses, Boudreau and his family immediately knew the Southeast Lighthouse was the perfect location for

one. They live next to the lighthouse because Boudreau’s wife, Lisa Nolan, is the executive director of the Southeast Lighthouse Foundation. Every summer tourists knock on their door looking for water, information and more. The lighthouse is one of the most popular tourist attractions on the island and, as it’s a oneand-a-half-mile mostly-uphill walk from town and on the way to the Mohegan Bluffs, André and Lisa knew a food truck Continued on next page

Clockwise from top: Southeast Light owners and staff Andre Boudreau, Lisa Nolan, Jacques Boudreau and Mary Conant in front of the truck; the Lobster Grilled Cheese and the Upper Crustacean with bacon and Manchego cheese are proving popular, as are the Avery’s and Maine Root natural sodas; Jacques and Mary with handmade whoopie pies from Sugar Rush; and the lighthouse lawn that’s doubling as the picnic grounds. Photos by Kari Curtis, Brooke Hammarskjold and Lisa Stiepock

Page 16

BLOCK ISLAND SUMMER TIMES August 2014

www.blockislandtimes.com

Continued from previous page

At her Pots & Kettles truck across from the Legion of Honor, Cindy Kelly serves up “food for the people” like fish tacos with chop chop salad and chili lime vegannaise.

Desserts include gluten free peppermint brownies, Uncle Harvey’s carrot cupcakes, and oatmeal chocolate chip cookies. Photos

by Kari Curtis and Cindy Kelly

would answer many a visitor’s desire to grab some lunch or snacks on the run without having to return to town.

Boudreau’s menu speaks to his memories of growing up on the New England coast with seafood, sandwiches and hot dogs. “The inspiration was nostalgia, when you go to visit the seashore as a kid,” Boudreau said. The menu includes cold and hot lobster rolls, grilled cheeses, caprese rolls and some signature dishes: lobster grilled cheese and the Upper Crustacean, a cold lobster roll with crispy bacon and melted Manchego cheese. All the food is made to order.

For dessert there are old-fashioned Good Humor ice cream bars, Del’s lemonade, and whoopie pies, made by Kate Musso from Sugar Rush B.I., which are rapidly developing a cult following.

“I’m selling things I like,” says Boudreau, “and hoping other people like it, too. But if they don’t, you can change your menu any time, that’s the beauty of a food truck.” In the coming weeks, Boudreau plans to add a chow mein sandwich to his menu, an item made famous in Fall River, Mass., right over the Rhode Island border.

Boudreau plans to stay open in the off-season as well, at least through the fall and maybe beyond. “Living here year round… I see a day where we’re pulling this thing up to the ice-skating pond,” he says.

Check out his facebook page for menus and more at www.facebook.com/ seldelights.

Pots & Kettles:

Pots & Kettles, Cindy Kelly’s food truck at the start of the West Side near the Legion of Honor, offers fresh, season-

al, from-scratch, healthy and affordable dishes that she plans to serve year round.

Kelly began cooking during college when she and her roommate decided to eat healthier and realized that in order to do so, they had to make the food themselves. After many years working in construction on Block Island, she was inspired to provide other islanders with healthier, quicker options during the offseason. “I’ve been aware that it’s a challenge to get good food when you’re working really hard in the winter, it’s limited, I think there are more people wanting to eat out than there are food options,” Kelly says.

When the town announced in the fall that the ordinance was to be rewritten to include licenses for up to three food trucks, Kelly decided it was the perfect opportunity to start her food business.

After a long application process in which she had to create a business plan and mission statement, she received one of the licenses and got right to work. “Cindy wanted to do everything from scratch.

She wanted it to be affordable, healthy, something people could eat all year round,” says Pots and Kettles Employee Angus Gracey.

The process leading up the truck’s opening included finding and painting the truck, creating a menu and picking a location. Although it was targeted toward islanders during the off season, by the time Kelly finally opened up, it was almost summer. So, Kelly realized she had to adjust her menu for the summer crowd. “The whole concept of this truck is offseason, I didn’t really think about the summer until it was here,” says Kelly.

The current menu is filled with fresh, organic options including grilled cheese sandwiches, quinoa salad and many deliContinued on next page

Sterling Silver Block Island Bracelets NEW! Adjustable, multi color woven bracelet!

From $45.

We engrave too!

Located on Water Street just steps from the ferry!

Air conditioned!

401-466-5430

10% off your order with this coupon.

OFFER VALID SUMMER 2014

Open Daily 8 a.m. - 6 p.m.

www.blockislandtimes.com

Continued from previous page cious desserts including frozen bananas dipped in chocolate then rolled in peanuts or coconut. (Oh, and if you happen to be there when the oatmeal chocolate chip cookies come out of the oven, you have to treat yourself.)

Additionally, there are daily specials and gluten free options. Some customer favorites are the sweet potato and black bean taco that’s topped with roasted kale and the bratwurst sandwich, with bratwurst that’s been simmered in stout beer with onions and jalapenos and then grilled on rye bread with melted swiss cheese and served with grainy mustard.

The bratwurst was added at the request of Cindy’s husband Gene Hall and it’s the only thing on the menu that contains processed ingredients. Other than the bratwurst, everything is made from scratch daily by Kelly and Lisa Sprague. Word has traveled fast about the good food at this truck and there seems to have been a steady line since it opened in June.

Although some may view running a food truck as an easy task, it certainly is not for Kelly, who works 18-hour days for the business. “I feel strongly about it being something that’s going to work with the community, it’s not just a quickbuck thing, it’s a real passion for me to have a business that feels rewarding and has a purpose,” she says. Kelly will start to add hotter items to the menu for the winter months and also plans to serve more takeaway meals in the winter so customers can easily grab them and go.

Check out her facebook page for menus and more at www.facebook.com/ pages/Pots-and-Kettles.

August 2014

North Light Food Truck

BLOCK ISLAND SUMMER TIMES

Page 17

The food truck at Settlers’ Rock, the parking lot of the North Light, serves up delicious grilled sausages and hot dogs.

Owner Ben Edwards, who grew up on the island, had been watching the recent popularity of food trucks, so when it was announced that up to three licenses were available, he knew it was something he wanted to be a part of. “It’s a movement that’s so trendy, that’s doing really well right now and it seemed like it would be worthwhile doing it here,” says Edwards.

Edwards also sells water and Del’s lemonade. A lot of water and Del’s — which isn’t a surprise when you consider the location at the very end of Corn Neck Road, four miles from town.

Many tourists simply want to cool off after the long bike to the lighthouse, says Edwards. He decided to start with a simple menu. “I would like to expand the menu but for now we want to execute what we can, and learn and add as we go forward,” says Edwards. So far, he says, no one item has stood out as the most popular, and each day differs in terms of what sells best. But customers do seem to be loving the Rhode Island hot dogs, which come with many toppings, including red onions, caramelized onions and relish.

At the end of Corn Neck Road, this cart offers welcome relief to cyclists and hikers in the form of hot dogs, sausages, snacks and cold drinks. Photos by Kari Curtis and Brooke Hammarskjold

Fine Clothing

Mahoney’s Clothier Featuring a full line of Vineyard Vines Block Island’s exclusive dealer

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

Block Island RI (401) 466-7596

231 Water Street • Block Island 401.466.8616

Page 18

BLOCK ISLAND SUMMER TIMES August 2014

www.blockislandtimes.com

Under a Pink Pearl Moon

An evening hike entitled “Sense of Wonder� delivers precisely that

Top to Bottom: The group reaches the end of the trail and spots the moon; a few of the author’s hiking companions gather at the trailhead; Listening for creatures in the woods are Dorothy Rule, center, OVF intern Meghan Bernier, right, and her mother Joanne, left. Photos by Judy Tierney

By Judy Tierney On the island with three friends in the house, I was looking for something interesting to do at night during their visits besides the usual drinks with dinner or a movie, and while I was thinking, I happened to focus on a postcard lying on the dining room table in a large pile of recent mail. Maybe it was the colorful lettering that caught my attention, but I picked it up and noticed in the corner “Sense of Wonder Evening/Twilight Walk� scheduled for that Saturday night by the Ocean View Foundation. I was intrigued, as were my friends, and so on Saturday we cooked in early and got ourselves to the meeting place, the Clay Head Trail parking lot, on time at 8 p.m.

There were six other folks similarly intrigued and we all followed OVF Director Kim Gaffett and her summer intern Meghan Bernier along a trail that led us from twilight in the parking lot to leafy darkness in a swamp. Further along, the trail opened to twilight again on the bluffs, a luminescent pink pearl perigee moon was rising majestically over the ocean. Perigee is the technical term for what we call super moons, at those nearest points of elliptical orbit, which make the moon appear as much as 30 percent brighter and 14 percent larger than usual,

according to NASA. We were as close to the moon as we earthlings get, feeling as if we could almost reach out and touch it.

All of us stopped and watched in awe, totally imbued with, well, a sense of wonder. Bringing us back to earth Gaffett told us though the moon may be “salmon colored� she calls it a “bluefish moon� because the fishermen are catching blues at this time. Not surprising that Gaffett, whose love of Block Island and nature shines through during these Foundation events, would frame this perigee moonrise with a local theme.

What the darkness brings

When we first gathered at the head of the trail to start on the walk, Gaffett explained that she had named this activity for Rachel Carson’s posthumously published book “The Sense of Wonder� in which the author urges parents to take their children into the wild to help them develop a love of nature.

On our way along the trail, we will not be able to rely on our sight but will begin to use our other senses, she said.

Though we might see swallows overhead going to roost, we would mostly just hear other birds settling down.

Continued on next page

Hooked on Block Island?

BLOCKHEADS

Weldon’s Way / 466 5800

August 2014

www.blockislandtimes.com

BLOCK ISLAND SUMMER TIMES

Page 19

From above clockwise: Part of the Pots and Kettles beach; a piece of iron broken from the seam that runs across that beach; the area is named Pots and Kettles after the rocks; the group listens to Gaffett explain the geology, the author’s friend Rosemary is in pink on the far right; their bonfire with a piece of petrifying wood in it. Photos

by Judy Tierney

Continued from previous page As though on cue, a crow caw caws and a towhee calls towHEE, towHEE. Gaffett listens and identifies the towhee.

Later, at home, I look it up on the internet and see that the Eastern towhee has markings similar to, but more striking than, the robins we see all the time. The back feathers are a true black on the male and a rich rusty brown on the female but it’s the bright reddish-brown sides on both that are most distinctive. The Cornell Lab of Ornithology describes this bird too plainly as “an oversized sparrow” that lives in undergrowth “where their rummaging makes far more noise than you would expect for their size.” I’ll look forward to seeing one in the daylight.

As we made our way back down the trail single file Gaffett pointed out that the considerable summer road noise on Corn Neck Road had dropped away.

It was quiet. The scent of honeysuckle surrounded us, suddenly we saw a little towhee, and farther down, as we traipsed over the wooden planks in the swamp, we heard a green frog croak. Night had fallen inside the tree boughs, though officially the evening was still in twilight.

Suddenly the trail disappeared and the sound of the ocean broke the silence.

We were standing on a slight bluff with the beach and the ocean in front of us.

We might, Gaffett said, see baby barn owls flying above us. They are learning to feed in this area and get curious when they hear people, she explained.

Pots and Kettles beach

Gaffett pointed to black striations in the cliff that appeared after “slumps” occurred and to the remains of a path that collapsed down as well. Little Sachem Pond, once fresh water along the shore, is gone as well. The bluffs, she says, are always changing, losing about two feet a year. Asked whether Hurricane Sandy caused this, she says no, that precipitation that drains down from the adjacent lands has. The black striations in the cliff are petrifying wood, not quite stone yet, more like a peat or charcoal. They are millions of years old, Gaffett says, explaining that the island was formed by two separate glacial formations and the seams date back to one of them.

This beach is named Pots and Kettles after the gnarly black and reddish rocks that crop up here. These arise from seams of iron, also left by the glaciers, which can be found in a number of places on the island. The iron oxidizes to red in the water, Gaffett tells us. A red crust forms

around sand or small rocks, sometimes causing the rocks to rattle. In some cases the crust of rust breaks away from a larger rock leaving a cup shape, which Native Americans used to cook in.

As we listened, my friend Rosemary spotted a large bird sitting on a branch up on the bluff. It rose up and spread its wings, flying along cliff’s edge, and Gaffett identified it as an owl.

Bonfires and comb jellies

It seems only fitting that we would stop and soak in this place. And we do, building a bonfire using some of the petrified wood. After a gathering around the campfire for a bit, we headed back along the trail using flashlights for illumination.

But other than that thready light at our feet, we were in pitch darkness. Now the frog sounds amplified as though they’d gathered in the swamp for a music fest, the honeysuckle scent seemed stronger and, further down along the meadows fireflies danced in the grass and in the trees beyond. Three separate species of fireflies, Gaffett tells us.

The fireflies made Joanne Bernier think about the luminescent creatures she saw in the water underneath the bridge on Beach Avenue the previous night, so instead of driving home, we drove down

there to take a peek. Kim and Joanne were already there, and so were the sea creatures. They bobbed along in the current. Maybe they are squid, Joanne suggests. We watched them float down the current for a while and then returned home, still in a state of wonder.

Later, I posed the question to my Facebook friends from the island, and Corrie Heinz, who worked summers for Fish and Wildlife and lived out in the Beane Point cottage, let me know they are comb jellies. I searched the web for facts on comb jellies and found The Monterey Bay Aquarium website where it states the creatures are also known as gooseberries and are an invertebrate, “beautiful, ovalshaped animals with eight rows of tiny comblike plates that they beat to move themselves through the water. As they swim, the comb rows defract light to produce a shimmering, rainbow effect.”

Peter Voskamp, former editor of The Block Island Times, posted that kayaking through them at night is magical. Maybe it is, and maybe it is time for me to sign on to one of Heinz’s Pond and Beyond nighttime kayak tours.

I could do with a little bit of magic to add to my sense of wonder.

Find out about OVF walks and other activities at oceanviewfoundation.org.

F U LL O F FUN FOR E V E R YO N E !

Kate Knapp Watercolor and Oil Paintings 2014

Peter Michael Gish New Work 2014

July 31st – August 13th August 14th – September 3rd Opening reception Opening reception August 2nd from 5 – 7pm August 16th 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

TOY STORE Water Street he Ferry Across From T 7 401 466 869

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

Page 20

BLOCK ISLAND SUMMER TIMES August 2014

www.blockislandtimes.com

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

August 2014

www.blockislandtimes.com

BLOCK ISLAND SUMMER TIMES

Page 21

SPONSORED BY THE RED BIRD LIQUOR STORE

Behind The Bar

Tiffany Hewitt on the ferry Anna C.

Q: How long have you been bartending on the ferry?

A: I've been working for Interstate 17 years. I started out answering phones and selling tickets and in the summer of '98 I started bartending. The owner Sue Linda is my great aunt. My mom worked with Sue for 21 years.

Q: How have things changed since you started?

A: We have so much more product!

We didn't have things like Cup o' Noodles. We had water, a couple beers, hot dogs. And it was a four-key register! Now it's 70 and there's a big list of cocktails.

Q: Have you bartended anywhere else on Block Island?

A: I worked two summers at the Beachead. Kimberly was on the boat and asked, 'Wanna come work for me?' I said, 'I work here five days a week.' She said, 'You've got two left!'

So I did Tuesdays and Wednesdays there.

Q: Where are you from?

A: I grew up in Montville, Connecticut, it's the same town as Mohegan Sun. It’s where they keep the ferries in winter.

Q: Where do you spend your winters?

A: Bartending on the ferry sometimes!

This past winter, I took five months off and worked in Mystic as a waitress at the Daniel Packer Inn. Q: When you started did you think you'd be working here this long?

A: Definitely not! But it’s not a bad thing. I make my own schedule. And I like being on the water. I mean, this is my office! I enjoy talking with the customers, too.

Q: What’s the best thing about working the bar on the ferry?

A: Being on the water. I don’t like being stuck inside.

Q: What’s the worst thing about it?

A: The bad rides in winter, when the bow goes straight down and you’re afraid it’s not coming back up. When everything is flying off the shelves — I like being neat and organized.

Q: Talk about the worst ride you've been on.

A: Back when this boat was doing the New London trip. It took two hours to get here and then the wind had picked up so we couldn’t dock. We had to go back. I was trying to re-book space for some 26 cars and 60 to 70 people.

At midnight I was still finding hotels for all those people, families — even dogs — in New London that night.

Q: What qualities do you most value in a customer?

A: Knowing what they want. And being friendly and polite. Saying please and thank you, the basics.

Tiffany Hewitt on the Anna C. At right, the famous ferry Bloody Mary in its keepsake cup. The signature cocktail is made with horseradish, Tabasco, celery salt, pepper, Worcestershire, a good hearty bloody mix and tomato juice. It’s garnished with celery, olives, lemon and lime.

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 superpower would be most helpful to have as a bartender?

A: Mind-reading! Or arms like Inspector Gadget.

Q: What's the weirdest thing a customer has said to you?

A: ‘The reason you’re not serving me is your eyebrows are too thin.’

Q: What’s your favorite story from behind the bar?

A: We used to post a list of silly questions people asked us: What time does the 9:30 ferry leave? Is your coffee hot? Do we have to wait until it stops raining for the boat to leave?

Q: Say you have a night off on the island, where would you go for a… …Romantic evening?

A: The Manisses, outside in the garden …Family dinner?

A: The Oar. …Girls’ night out?

A: Kittens for White Girl Wednesdays.

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 August 2014

www.blockislandtimes.com

Behind the Photos

Inside the Tower at the Southeast Lighthouse

by Malcolm Greenaway Photographing in tight spaces can be difficult — the photographer is unable to move far enough back to include all he or she wants in the picture.

One solution is to use an extreme wide angle lens. For example, the remarkable 8mm. fisheye lens has a 180-degree field of view. What this means is that the lens can capture whatever is directly to the left of the lens, whatever is directly to the right of the lens, whatever is directly above the lens, whatever is directly below the lens, as well as everything else that is in front of the lens.

Consider example A, a picture I took of the Spring Street Gallery: This one shot includes the entrance directly to my left, the adjacent room directly to my right, the ceiling directly above my head, the floor directly below at my feet, as well as the portion of the gallery in front of me. Unfortunately, the fisheye lens produces a circular image. Moreover, mapping a rectangular shape (the room) onto a circular field (the fisheye image space) can produce jarring distortion and incongruities as is evident in this image.

But what if the object one is photographing is itself circular? Since the object is circular and the result is circular, the two might make a pretty good fit. With that in mind, I decided to take pictures of the inside of the Southeast Light tower (a circular structure) using the fisheye lens (which generates a circular image).

I began by taking a picture of the Southeast Light tower from below looking up. (See figure B.) Not too bad— it seemed to work. The circular tower and the circular image seemed to make a good fit.

Building on my success, I proceeded up the stairs, almost to the top, to take a picture of the tower looking down. (See figure C.) Once again, there was a good fit between the circular tower and the circular fisheye image. However, a new problem arose: Since the camera is at eye level, and since pointing the fisheye lens down then captures everything below the lens, the resulting image included my shorts, my legs and my shoes.

What to do? The ideal solution would have been to get my shorts, legs and feet behind the lens. But that would have required me to suspend myself upside down with a rope, one end tied to the platform above and the other end tied around my ankles. That was not about to happen.

As a last resort, I reluctantly invoked Photoshop: I copied portions of a clean step and used the copies to replace my shoes and calves. I copied portions of brick wall and used the copies to replace my shorts. Voila! Problem solved. (See figure D.)

Example A: A 180-degree view inside the Spring Street Gallery taken with a fisheye lens shows how the resulting circular image distorts the rectangular room.

Block Island Conservancy

Come learn with us!

Education Center Block Island Conservancy Invites you to visit our new Education Center located on Weldon’s Way.

Open Daily 10am – 4pm

Summer Programs Tuesday Night Lecture Series

Rainy Day Activities

7PM at BIMI

www.biconservancy.org

Beverages and discussion following lecture Aug 5 (Tue) : Jason Mancini - UConn anthropologist and senior researcher at Mashantucket Pequot Museum studying Indian Mariners BIMI Program Director, Shelley Brown and BIMI Intern, Tyler Ferdinand

Fun Educational Activities 3 Programs Daily (Mon-Sat)

Aug 12 (Tue):

The Squid Jiggers Maine-based folk duo, Dave Rowe and Troy Bennett

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

Come Listen to Songs of the Sea! $15 per person $25 per family, children under 18 free Aug 20 (*Wed) : Bryan Oakley - Block Island shoreline changes and beachsamp.org

August 2014

www.blockislandtimes.com

Figure B: Using the fisheye lens to capture a circular room, in this case looking up into the tower at the Southeast Lighthouse, works well.

BLOCK ISLAND SUMMER TIMES

Page 23

Figure D: Find out how the final image was perfected in the story at left.

Figure C: Capturing the tower from above, however, also captures the photographer’s legs.

Schuyler Knapp Photography Aerials | Portraits | Landscapes

www.SchuylerKnapp.com www.Facebook.com/HuntCountryAerials Block_Island_Club_ST_2014_final.pdf 1 5/27/14 1:45 PM SchuylerKnapp@aol.com -­‐‑ (401) 466-­‐‑ 5441, Cell (540) 454-­‐‑ 5228

Beautiful jewelry, gifts and clothing • Dodge Street • 401-466-2538

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

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 24

BLOCK ISLAND SUMMER TIMES August 2014

August is Just Peachy

“The walls were wet and sticky, and peach juice was dripping from the ceiling.

James opened his mouth and caught some of it on his tongue.

It tasted delicious.”

– Roald Dahl, James and the Giant Peach

www.blockislandtimes.com

By Susan Middeleer Mleczko August is a month for cookouts, picnics and sitting back after a day at the beach and enjoying dinner with family and friends. My August menus tend toward the simple, and, I’ll admit it, lazier side of my summer repertoire. But who needs fancy meals when the freshest of ingredients can be found everywhere? A few fresh herbs, a dash of amazing extra virgin olive oil, and you’re done.

Our theme this month is peaches —who can resist a drippy sweet peach at this time of year? Here are three go-to recipes that I particularly love for the summertime. First, start your evening with a frozen peach daiquiri. A dear friend of mine from Charleston, South Carolina, taught me the secret to this wonderful recipe and because those very daiquiris have become something of a legend among my friends on the island, I thought I’d share it with you. The secret, believe it or not, is leaving the skins on the peaches, which makes the whole process so much easier too.

The next recipe, a grilled peach and goat cheese salad, is so easy, and it’s terrific as a starter or side salad. Try it with grilled lobster or fish – I guarantee, you’ll be sold.

Finally, an ever-in-demand finale to my summer dinners, is a peach and blackberry crisp, with just a hint of almond flavoring and a lovely brown sugar, pecan and oatmeal topping. The crisp can also be made ahead, reheated and accompanied by vanilla ice cream or chilled whipped cream. What’s not to love?

Rebecca’s Frozen Peach Daiquiris Serves 4-5 There’s only one rule here: Taste one of your peaches before you make this recipe. If they’re on the tart side, you will need more sweetener; if they’re super sweet, you’ll want less sweetener and perhaps more lime juice. If you don’t have a blender that can crush ice cubes, then crush the ice yourself first. If your refrigerator can’t crush the ice for you, put some cubes in a clean dishtowel and give them several mighty whacks with a rolling pin or hammer to break the cubes up. It’s good therapy…

3 - 4 cups fresh ripe peaches (3 - 4 large, 5 - 6 medium) cut into chunks, unpeeled 1/4 - 1/3 cup agave syrup, super-fine sugar or simple syrup — to taste 1/4 - 1/3 cup fresh lime juice (3 - 4 limes) — to taste 1/3 cup dark rum, such as Cruzan or Mount Gay 3 fresh mint leaves, plus a few for garnish (or use lime wedges for garnish) 3 cups crushed ice – crush first and then remove from blender, adding back once the fruit is pureed and tasted. Or crush your own (see above)

Put all ingredients except ice into the blender. Blend and taste. Adjust flavor and sweetness as needed.

When the pureed ingredients are to your liking, add the crushed ice and blend on a higher setting until thick and very smooth. Serve in wine glasses and garnish with mint leaves or lime wedges.

Continued on next page

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

Everything you need for a day at the beach.

Resort wear including Fresh Produce in all sizes Beach gear & swimwear for the whole family.

Beachcomber Dodge Street 401-466-2777

August 2014

www.blockislandtimes.com

BLOCK ISLAND SUMMER TIMES

Page 25

Continued from previous page

Grilled Peach Salad Serves 6 Adapted from Jamie Oliver’s “Cook with Jamie” Making the best of what a delectable, ripe peach (or a nectarine) has to offer, this is a wonderful, fresh salad for a summer evening’s meal. It can be prepared ahead and assembled just before dinner. Don’t dress the salad until you are ready to assemble to avoid soggy greens. You don’t need to remove the peach skin, as the grill will burn off most of the peach fuzz anyway.

Bitter greens, like friseé or curly endive make this salad because of their bitterness juxtaposed with the sweetness of the peach. Can’t find friseé? In a pinch, other lettuces like endive or a pre-washed ‘Spring Mix,’ that often contains friseé and baby curly endive, will do. ½ cup Chevre-style goat cheese (not aged) Salt and pepper to taste 7 - 8 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil – and more for drizzling 1½ lemons 1 Tbs. walnut oil (optional) 3 Tbs. Parmesan cheese – freshly grated 3 ripe peaches – or nectarines, halved Friseé, endive or baby lettuces of your choice Mint — several baby leaves or a few large ones, julienned, for garnish Walnut pieces — pan-roasted for just a few minutes (optional)

To make the dressing, place the goat cheese in a bowl and gently break up with a fork or whisk, adding a pinch of salt and pepper (you won’t need too much salt as you’ll be adding salty Parmesan later…) Add the lemon juice and olive oil and stir a bit more with your fork, then add the walnut oil, if you have it, and the grated Parmesan cheese. Stir again but not excessively or the dressing might separate. If it does — which it might when it’s hot and humid — never mind. No one will notice.)

Toast the walnut pieces for just a few minutes, tossing occasionally in a skillet, being very carefully not to let them burn. (You really must be attentive – I can’t tell you how many poor nuts have gone screaming to their deaths over the years due to incineration at my hands!)

Meanwhile, halve the peaches and get your grill very hot. Rub oil on the

grill rack and brush some olive oil on both sides of the peach halves. Place on the grill and cook until you see some nice grill stripes on both sides. Remove peaches immediately. Again, you must be attentive. The grilling won’t take long but can go very wrong, very quickly.

Toss the friseé, endive or baby lettuces with just enough of the goat cheese dressing to coat. Taste as you go to get dressing amount just right.

At this point, you can refrigerate everything until ready to assemble.

When ready to assemble, arrange a small bunch of the dressed greens on a salad plate, and place a peach half, cut side up, snuggled next to the lettuce.

Sprinkle a few of the pan-roasted walnut pieces over the salad and drizzle on a tiny bit more extra virgin olive oil.

Continued on next page

BEADS, NECKLACE

&

BRACELET

New for 2014

Reversible

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 26

BLOCK ISLAND SUMMER TIMES August 2014

www.blockislandtimes.com

Continued from previous page

Peach and Blackberry Crisp Serves 10 This peach and blackberry crisp is always a hit. Make sure to let it cool a bit first, before serving, so the juices have a chance to congeal and ‘set’ a little and so it doesn’t burn your tongue.

You can also make it ahead and reheat just before serving or serve at room temperature.

When removing the skins from the peaches, the easiest method is the 30-second hot water bath method. This works like a charm if you use ripe peaches. Not ripe? Forget about it! Wait until they’re ripe. Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil, then carefully drop peaches into the boiling water and leave for only 30 seconds — any longer and you’ll end up with baby food.

Carefully scoop the peaches out of the hot water with a slotted spoon and place on a paper towel or clean dishtowel. Cool for several minutes and peel. The skins should just slide off. If you aren’t using the prepared peaches right away, put them in a bowl and sprinkle on some lemon juice so they don’t turn brown.

FOR THE FILLING:

FOR THE TOPPING:

1/2 cup unbleached, all-purpose flour

1 cup brown sugar

2/3 cup granulated sugar, or to taste

1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp. salt

3/4 cup old-fashioned or quick rolled oats

2 Tbs. freshly squeezed lemon juice

1/2 cup pecans or walnut pieces -optional

1 tsp. almond extract 7 cups peaches, peeled and cut into bite-size pieces 1 cup blackberries, washed and drained

½ tsp. salt 2 tsp. ground cinnamon 4 Tbs. softened butter Vanilla ice cream or chilled whipped cream to accompany

Preheat the oven to 350º. Butter a 3- to 4-inch-deep glass or ceramic casserole dish. Place the prepared, cut up peaches and whole blackberries into a large bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar and salt. Sprinkle the almond extract and the lemon juice over the fruit and toss gently with a spoon or, with your best kitchen tool, your hands. Add the dry ingredient mixture to the peaches and blackberries and toss again with your fingers until it coats the fruit evenly. Pour the fruit mixture into the buttered casserole dish and set aside.

Mix together the flour, brown sugar, oats, nuts, cinnamon and salt, making

sure that the brown sugar is fairly well distributed in the mixture. Add the softened butter and combine with your hands or a wooden spoon. Don’t overmix; it should still be ‘crumbly.’ Gently spread the topping over the fruit filling in the casserole and place the casserole in the oven for about 40 to 45 minutes or until the topping is just slightly browned.

Cool a bit so it has a chance to set a little and serve with vanilla ice cream or chilled whipped cream. If making ahead, cover loosely with aluminum foil until ready for use. Then uncover and place in warm oven until just warmed through, or serve at room temperature.

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

www.blockislandtimes.com

Block Island’s Sacred Labyrinth

August 2014

BLOCK ISLAND SUMMER TIMES

Page 27

Barbara MacDougall in the center of the Labyrinth at her home near the end of Corn Neck Road. At her feet is the stone basin in which visitors often leave offerings. Photo by Kari Curtis

By Margie Bucheit First, this is not a maze, a puzzle with hidden dead ends, meant to trap the unwary. No, this is a (sacred) labyrinth, a winding pathway that often doubles back on itself before finally arriving at a center.

“Which is sort of like life,” says labyrinth owner Barbara MacDougall. “You think you’ve finally got it and then you have to go back again and do something over. I find that [lesson] very refreshing.”

Located on the family’s property, off of Corn Neck Road, the labyrinth is a popular site for many. However, it is sometimes misunderstood. Block Island’s site has eleven rings. MacDougall explains that it is Celtic in design, rather than Medieval. It is the second labyrinth to exist off of Corn Neck. The first, MacDougall remembers, was across the street in the garden of a former neighbor.

When the residence changed hands, new owners did not fancy the care and maintenance involved with a labyrinth. They planted the site over with grass and piled the stones that had marked the circuitous pathway near the road. They consulted a landscape designer about using the rocks to build a wall. He asked about the origins of the stones and according to Block Island lore, his answer was succinct.

“You can’t use those to build a wall, because those are sacred stones,” he supposedly replied. The stones instead were moved by truck twelve years ago to a field near MacDougall’s house. They formed the cornerstones for the current labyrinth.

Just Build It

MacDougall, whose professional life as a spiritual director in the Episcopal Church has taken her to retreats and conferences in many locations, first contemplated building a Block Island labyrinth while visiting Grace Cathedral in San Francisco. There she walked the Cathedral’s interior labyrinth seeking direction for herself. Instead, she says, she repeatedly received a message.

“Build this.” Like Noah and his ark, she wanted to ignore the message but it kept replaying itself.

Back on Block Island, she contacted friends and family to help with the project. She did some homework, settling on an eleven-ring design somewhat like the one at Grace Cathedral, but unique, as Block Island itself is. With the help of a labyrinth designer and her dowsing rods, the small group helped lay out a design by walking in pairs in four directions and setting marker stones. Finally, the site

was ready for the final digging and cutting of the walkway. The entire cost was $1200. The participants all pitched in to share the cost, which MacDougall says came to about $100 per person.

A weekend was set aside for the labor of cutting the pathways and placing the stones. A group of about ten or twelve friends and strangers worked the entire day one Saturday, using a dowsing rod to place stones in concentric circles along a pathway set by the designer. When late afternoon arrived and the group was too tired to continue, they began wishing for some young and strong help.

“That was when these four young guys showed up over the stairway,” MacDougall laughs. “They asked us what we were doing and then pitched in.”

Every Stone Knows Its Place

The stones in a labyrinth cannot be placed just anywhere. The dowsing rods provide direction, the young men discovered. Each rock, prior to placement, had to be reckoned with about where it belonged in the pattern. As the builders moved the stones from the pile, some would be set down and then moved, sometimes several feet, sometimes just a few inches. By sunset, the pile was gone.

MacDougall set the stone baptismal font that had once rested in the center of Block Island’s first labyrinth, in the heart of the new site. Twelve years later, the stone basin still rests where it was first placed. Pennies and other offerings of small stones or pieces of jewelry find their way into its bowl. Each year the money is donated to charity. One year MacDougall said she had $120 worth of pennies.

Sometimes people leave notes that are painful. MacDougall recalls visiting the labyrinth one evening and finding a few of these. What, she wondered was she to do with this pain that someone had entrusted to the labyrinth? As if in answer, a strong afternoon wind came up, and blew across the site, “clearing the labyrinth,” she explained. Here she pauses to request that those who want to leave a note write in the journal that is provided near the labyrinth site. Then others can share in an insight.

Sometimes the labyrinth’s teachings are subtle, there for the taking if the walker listens. Consider the story of a fourteen-year-old boy who was seeing changes in his life that he did not like.

He wanted to bolt ahead and skip dealing with the present, MacDougall recalls. It was the labyrinth that taught him he needed to slow down. He took to the windy path at a run, only to stop well into one

of its circuits to ask why he was rushing?

“Stop rushing and begin enjoying life,” he wrote in a note for the labyrinth owner. He thanked her for the lesson learned.

Then there was the friend who came to visit and informed MacDougall that the labyrinth needed weeding. She spent a large portion of her visit on her knees pulling crabgrass out of the pathways.

Once home, she contacted MacDougall about how her life was beginning to change for the better. She moved on from a difficult relationship and found a job that better suited her.

“She wasn’t just pulling the weeds out of the labyrinth’s pathway. She was pulling the weeds out of herself as well, so she could move on in life,” MacDougall reflects.

And that is why MacDougall herself is reluctant to tell people how to walk the labyrinth’s path. It is her belief that the walking itself will teach each individual who visits a unique lesson. But there are some gentle guidelines for those who are curious. These are posted near the labyrinth’s entrance. The main one suggests that a walker go in with a question and then let go of it while walking out.

Of course, sometimes people just don’t want to know. “Some people are scared, because they don’t want it, the spiritual path. They have their life in order. They don’t want to disturb what they are already doing,” MacDougall says.

Pay a Visit, Leave a Stone

The labyrinth still could use some rocks along its pathway, its owner says.

She encourages visitors to bring rocks, placing the stones to make their offering a symbol of something they want to let go of, or a representation of a wish of some kind.

“But make sure the labyrinth tells you where to put the rock,” she reminds.

As for messages, there is a book where notes can be left, “and sometimes people write several pages,” MacDougall says. The book is in a box on a table, near some statuary of people’s heads. She prefers that people not leave notes in the baptismal font.

About those heads? They once were part of an exhibit in New York City, but the park was being sold. The artist told the labyrinth owner she wished a place on Block Island existed where they could be placed.

“Well, I have a place,” MacDougall said, and the statues were moved to the labyrinth, silent watchers to the pilgrimage of many.

MacDougall says that in the early days of the Christian church, during the crusades, many would make a pilgrimage to a distant holy site. But it was expensive.

Cathedrals of the day inlaid labyrinths into the marble floors of their great halls.

The faithful who could not afford a distant journey or were too ill to undertake one would instead walk the labyrinth.

“When you couldn’t take a pilgrimage to Israel, you could still walk the labyrinth,” she explains. One of the greatest remaining interior labyrinths is in the cathedral of Chartres in France.

Other labyrinths exist around the world and are used for meditation in many religions besides Christianity. They were known to exist in ancient Egypt and Greece. Sites on the Internet abound with modern-day public and private locations.

Some are in churches, rehabilitation centers, hospitals or parks. Some are round, spiral or rectangular. Some are elaborate, with gardens but many are simple, like Block Island’s. All invite contemplation about a journey along life’s path.

MacDougall herself has often sought out the lessons of the labyrinth in places she has visited or lived. One of the most recent was at a retreat site in Arizona.

Walking that labyrinth she learned to “let go of things,” she said.

Contemplating today’s journey along the labyrinth’s path MacDougall is asked where she is on the circuitous walkway.

This is her site after all; one she has walked countless times, alone as well as with others.

“Even though life has many twists and turns like the labyrinth, I am at peace with my life,” she reflects.

A Visit to the Sacred Labyrinth • Remember, this is private property, shared as a gift with visitors.

Treat it with respect.

• It would be helpful to read about the labyrinth experience before you enter its winding pathway.

• Bring a stone, but let the labyrinth decide where it needs to be placed.

• Take a moment to reflect, after walking the path, before continuing on with your day.

• Leave a donation if you like. It will go to a charity of MacDougall’s choice. Or if inspired leave a reflection in the journal in the wooden box on a table near the stonewall. Please do not leave your trash.

Page 28

BLOCK ISLAND SUMMER TIMES August 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

“Quahog. BI Quahog. Quahog & Rock Seaweed Ring.”

Phone orders 401-578-1125 www.blockislandjewelry.com Showing at the Block Island Farmers’ Market

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

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

August 2014

www.blockislandtimes.com

BLOCK ISLAND SUMMER TIMES

Page 29

Judy’s Picky Picks

Norman and Kimberly (at left) with some of the kitchen staff. Inset from left: Beet Salad; Crab Cakes appetizer and the Salmon Duo; chocolate mousse. Staff photo by Kari Curtis

Mistakes at Home and a Far Better Meal at Kimberly’s

By Judy Tierney I know a lot of people who pride themselves on their cooking. One of them is my sister-in-law Regina, a grad of the Culinary Institute, in other words, a real chef. One of her favorite eyewitness stories is of working in a New York City restaurant with two feuding kitchen guys, one of whom ended up in a steaming pot of liquid and the other, in a police car.

Don’t ever call her Reggie or you could end up in one of her soup pots.

Among the others I know (and I will never name names) some really are good and others, not so much. I consider myself a so-so cook. Sometimes my meals come out superb, at other times, inedible, though everyone (translation — my husband Ron) chews through those anyway and knows better than to complain.

Last week I put a steak on the grill after marinating it for twenty minutes in a baggie with my own special recipe (store-bought teriyaki sauce) and while it was cooking, I started reading a new book, “The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry: A Novel.” Well, the book was so good I forgot to go out and turn the steak on time. By the time I got there it was patterned with grill stripes and a charred black coating. I tried to knife the charred parts off while the other side was cook-

ing but, alas, to no avail. I plated the poor things as soon as I could, cringing at its appearance, and went into the house with apologies that I had ruined it.

One or two bites into his supper, Ron exclaimed that he’d never eaten a better steak. He said it again when he’d almost finished. Go figure! I’d call it divine intervention but I don’t think any deity really cares how my husband likes my mistakes. Now I know there is nothing better than benign neglect for dinner — perhaps they teach that at the culinary institutes.

My up and down cooking skills are why we go to restaurants so much. Our favorites are not always the most expensive or lavish, they are the ones where the food is good and consistently so. They don’t have days when the cook is off and so is the food.

This brings me to my most recent positive restaurant experience and my Picky Pick for this month, the new Kimberly’s on Ocean Avenue. Ron and I first met Kimberly Ward back when we were new cottagers and she was the manager of Deadeye Dick’s. I assume her husband Norman was cooking there then, because the basic flavors of their dishes remain the same. We used to sit out on the side porch over the water and let our

little boy run down to the pond below where he would skip rocks and watch little crabs while we fell in love with the crab cakes and the Thai beef skewers.

A few years later the Block Island Fitness Center opened and when we worked out Kimberly and Norman would also be there, especially after the summer season ended. I began to recognize Norman when he was running or bicycling on the street. All the islanders who exercised back then knew each other.

The Wards moved over to the Beachead when friend Steve Orlando bought it, and eventually took over the lease. Now they have moved again, this time to the building on Ocean Avenue that once housed Harry’s and before that McNamara’s. I tried it out last week with my friend J and we each gave it an enthusiastic thumbs up. The only Ward ingredient missing here is a view of the water, but the friendly ambience of Kimberly coming to tables to chat, along with members of the former Beachead crew like Lisa Ommerle and Bruce Eagleson more than make up for that. I felt comfortable and well-treated among these old friends.

On the menu that night was one of my favorite appetizers, lamb chop lollipops. It might just be that I love them because Kimberly served them up when

she catered my son’s wedding, but everyone else seems to like them, too. Could be they are just delicious! J and I split an order of the lollipops and then I had a salmon that was delicious, so fresh and cooked to the absolute perfect temperature.

J ordered a beet salad as she is right now somewhere between vegan, vegetarian, and carnivore, depending on the day or even the course. Her salad was colorful, with red beets on one side, yellow on the other and, in her own words, “beautiful steamed green asparagus between them.” I am not a beet lover, but J is and declared it delicious. After her lowcalorie meal, J ordered dessert, which she shared with me. Chocolate mousse is tops on my list. I love it and it is hard to find in restaurants these days. This was a really good one, made even better by its accompanying chocolate espresso truffle handmade by Sheila at Blocks of Fudge.

I’ll be back to Kimberly’s soon, because I liked it a lot and also, Ron hasn’t tried it yet and he is eager to go.

Sometimes it is not the view outside that makes the restaurant, but the view within.

For more information about Kimberly’s and their menu, check out the Block Island Times Dining Guide at www.blockislanddiningguide.com.

Page 30

BLOCK ISLAND SUMMER TIMES August 2014

Cult Following

The Blockachillo at Ben & Jerry’s

Coffee lovers are finding an extra fix these days at Ben & Jerry’s on Water Street, where owner Steve Papa came up with a drink that marries the intense B&J’s flavor Coffee Coffee Buzz Buzz Buzz with that uniquely Rhode Island coffee syrup known as Autocrat. Throw in a little milk, put it through the shake machine, top with whipped cream and drizzle with a little more Autocrat.

Downright addictive.

Ben Wohlberg

Artist’s Studio

-

806 Payne Road

Reception: Saturday, August 2nd 4 - 7 pm Open Daily: August 3 - 15 1 - 5 pm also showing at Aurora Gallery - (above the post office) Open Daily: August 9 - 15 10 am - 6 pm 401-787-3843 - www.benwohlberg.com www.benwohlberg.com

www.blockislandtimes.com

August 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 August 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

Real Estate Section

August 2014

Around the Block

The Beach Pavilion Now ‌ For the Beach Pavilion Then turn to page 25

Photo by Kari Curtis

What to do, Where to go, How to get there

Page 2

BLOCK ISLAND SUMMER TIMES August 2014

www.blockislandtimes.com

Sullivan Real eState The Island Experts since 1967

Mansion Beach

Eschaton

$1,100,000

$699,000

• Prime location steps from Mansion Beach.

• Updated 2BR/1BA home w/1BR/1BA guest Ctg. • 2.6 acre lot included w/approvals-ready to build!

• Waterfront 1BR Cottage w/bluff frontage.

• 2+ private acres w/unobstructed water views.

• Enjoy crashing waves & starry night skies.

PRiCe ReDuCeD

Walk to Beaches & Andy’s Way

Great Salt Pond Getaway

$1,295,000

$525,000

• Fresh, spacious 2BR/2.5 Bath Condo.

• Watch boating activity & entertain on spacious deck.

• Stylish interior boasts hardwoods, fireplace, a/c & more.

• Spacious comfortable 4BR/2Bath home.

• Easy walk to Mansion Beach & Andy’s Way. • Immaculate w/great yard & gardens.

The dog days of

SUMMER

Carefree Townhouse

• Turn the key and move right in to this 1BR/2Bath unit.

• Romantic master suite w/Jacuzzi tub.

• Enjoy association pool & deeded water access!

Coastal Contemporary

• 3BR/2 Bath award-winning winterized gem.

• 3.3 Private, meadow like acres.

• Salt Pond, Ocean and CG Station views.

$335,000

$1,725,000

Harbor Pond Peninsula

Turn Key Traditional

Ocean View Cottage

$2,950,000

$1,425,000

$1,995,000

• Secluded tidal peninsula, unparalleled waterfront location.

• 3+acres (8 lots) surrounded by water, sunrises and sunsets.

• Charming Cape, outbuildings, easy walk to town/beaches.

• Spacious 6+BR/3.5 Bath w/private location.

• Expansive easterly decks offer lovely sunrise ocean views.

• Winterized w/fireplace for year ‘round use.

• Tastefully renovated 3 br /1.5 bath.

• Compelling island and ocean views.

• Set on 3+ high, private acres.

PRiCe ReDuCeD

Perfect Penthouse

Rose Lane

• 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!

• 4BR/2 Bath winterized home.

• Newly updated, sunny interior • Lovely rolling lot near town & beaches.

$799,000

$699,000

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.

$1,275,000

Sullivan Real Estate

Cynthia Pappas, Broker Rebecca Pappas Clark, Associate Broker Gail Heinz, Shannon Morgan, Logan Mott Chase

Telephone: 401 466-5521 • Fax: 401 466-5369 • Email: info@sullivanbi.com www.sullivanbi.com

SALES

•

RENTALS

•

APPRAISALS

www.blockislandtimes.com

August 2014

BLOCK ISLAND SUMMER TIMES

Page 3

Featured House

A Dream House on Corn Neck Road

By Paula Taylor Dream about a waterfront home on Grove Point, at the far northerly end of Block Island. Dream about sweeping 200-degree water views; the colors of the Sound changing from azure blue and cobalt in summer to a deep steel blue as fall changes to winter. And finally, dream about taking hundreds and hundreds of photos of sunsets, each one unique, so many that you create a blog to share with the world.

Ginger and Dan Kenney lived this dream. In 1987, when their first child was due to be born, they purchased the land where their home is now built. It was only their first or second visit to Block Island, but they fell in love with this tranquil place and engaged a realtor to help them search for a house. After looking at many, Ginger says, “nothing touched our hearts.” Dan is, after all, an architect, and his occupation forms their specific taste in where they like to live.

What they did find that year was a wonderful undeveloped piece of land at the end of Corn Neck Road. “At the time it was a little more expensive than our budget allowed and we really didn’t want to build,” says Dan. But in this case the heart won out over the head. In 1989 the Kenneys broke ground and started to build their vacation home.

Dan describes his architectural vision for his home as, “contextual to the island and at the same time modern.

The design admits a lot of light through the extensive use of glass, creating an open plan.” He says that longtime residents told him when it was finished that his design is sensitive to the site: “not a ‘McMansion’ and that makes me feel good.”

The home itself has wonderful symmetry, clean lines and neutral colors throughout. It is light-filled with a multitude of windows, a skylight and natural wood floors.

“The views are amazing. On a clear day we can see the Newport bridge and the coasts of Rhode Island and Connecticut. From our bedroom we can see the North Light.

It casts such a lovely light that sometimes I don’t even want to sleep,” says Ginger.

Dan chimes in, “You can see that the Block Island Sound is a waterway that is heavily trafficked. We see every variety of ship from freighters to pleasure crafts. It is truly an active view of the waterfront.”

The Kenneys have done some research regarding the waters near their home at Grove Point. In the 1880s a ship called the Golden Grove, loaded with provisions and meat that was salted and preserved, was wrecked in the waters off of Block Island. It had been making its way from Nova Scotia to Ireland, from the New World to the Old. Part of the mystery was why it was even in these waters. No lives were lost and a happy outcome for Block Islanders was that all winter preserved meat and other foodstuffs kept washing ashore for them to enjoy. It is also said that some of the surviving sailors stayed and married island women.

Ginger and Dan Kenney have a true appreciation of the natural wonders of Block Island. They both comment on the wonderful colors, plants and wildlife that each season brings: the seals basking in the sun on the rocks in early spring; the roses and honeysuckle of summer; the golden colors and light of fall; and even the spareness of winter.

Ginger remembers being in her house alone one week in October a few years ago when the island was covered in Monarch butterflies. Over the years they have had many guests enjoy walks with them to the North Light, the Maze and along the beaches.

Ginger’s love of her home and the environs led her to create a blog to record and share with the world the sunset and moonrise views from her deck. She remarks that she has spent many hours and captured hundreds of images, first on film and later digitally. “ Each one,” she says, “is different.

There isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t appreciate the beauty around me.” You can visit Ginger’s blog at www. gskenney.com/ginger/block-island.

When asked why Ginger and Dan made the decision to place their home on the market, they said that their children have grown and moved to California, and they want to be closer to them. Which means the dream they enjoyed for many years can now be accessible to a new family.

This property is listed at $2,950,000. For more information call Ballard Hall Real Estate at (401) 466-8883 or visit www.blockislandproperty.com.

The Kenney home at Grove Point at the end of Corn Neck Road is situated, designed, and decorated to make the most of the gorgeous lightplay outside and the stunning views of the North Light and the Block Island Sound.

Page 4

BLOCK ISLAND SUMMER TIMES August 2014

www.blockislandtimes.com Love the Earth and the Earth will love you back

Full of funky stuff Design services available Dodge Street

466-2990

“Fishbone Ring”

Inspired by Rebecca’s Logo & Great Food

Phone orders 401-578-1125 www.blockislandjewelry.com

Organic, Eco-Conscious fashion located inside Jennifer’s Jewelry

Showing at the Block Island Farmers’ Market

OFFSHORE PROPERTY LLC

LLC

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.

Local Knowledge We are proud of our long-­‐term Island ties and enjoy working with others who also treasure the magic of our island.

Real Estate Sales & Vacation Rentals

OFFSHORE PROPERTY

Real Estate Sales & V acation IR entals Block Island, R hode sland LLC Let us help you be here…

Block Island, Rhode Island Let us help you be here…

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

Susan Black, Principal Broker/Owner, Robin Lewis Vila, Sales Associate/Owner Susan Black, Principal Broker/Owner, Robin Lewis Vila, Sales Associate/Owner

Edith Littlefield Blane, Broker, Kathy Mulshine-­‐Lemle, Sales Associate

Edith Littlefield Blane, BrokerF, oreman, Kathy M ulshine-­‐Lemle, Sales Associate Richard Sales Associate

Richard Foreman, Sales Associate 448 Ocean Avenue, Block Island, RI 02807

401-­‐466-­‐5446 ocean ffprop@verizon.net ww.offshorepropertyllc.com 448 |O Avenue, Block |I w sland, RI 02807

401-­‐466-­‐5446 | offprop@verizon.net | www.offshorepropertyllc.com

August 2014

www.blockislandtimes.com

1

BLOCK ISLAND SUMMER TIMES

2

Home Improvement 4

Boston Block Island

3

5

1. Find colorful Claireware pottery at Lazy Fish. 2. Pick up clay flower baskets and microwave-, dishwasher- and oven-safe soup and scallop bowls at Block Island Blue Pottery. 3. Keep your pets in your back pocket: find animalthemed notepads at Islandog. 4. Milk this opportunity: Island Mist has Rhode Island-made Silk Tree Farm goat’s milk candles. 5. Lighten up your meals with magnetic salt and pepper shakers from Full Moon Tide. —Compiled and photographed by Isabella DeLeo

Interior Design

Priscilla Anderson Design

Page 5

On Block Island For 25 Years

617-947-4044 PriscillaAndersonDesign.com

Page 6

BLOCK ISLAND SUMMER TIMES August 2014

www.blockislandtimes.com

SEAWINDS UNIT 2 4 BDR•3 BTH• $995,000

WEST SIDE HILL TOP 4 BDR•4 BTH• $2,495,000

SEAWINDS UNIT 8 3 BDR•2.5 BTH• $995,000

DUNN ROAD HIDEAWAY 2 BDR•1 BTH• $950,000

OVERBAY 4 BDR•2 BTH• $1,590,000

NEW HARBOR COTTAGE •3 BTH• $995,000

Kate Atwater Butcher- Broker, Connie Volante Finn, Megan Hennessey, Emily Butcher, Julie Garosshen- Licensees Erica Tonner- Sales Assistant

401-466-5887 • 596 Corn Neck Road (in front of Gas Station) • www.birealty.com Sale Pending

MANSION BEACH 3 BDR•2 BTH•$879,000

OLD HARBOR COTTAGE 3 BDR•3 BTH• $675,000

SEAWINDS UNIT 7 3 BDR•2.5 BTH• $995,000

SEAWINDS UNIT 5 4 BDR•3 BTH• $995,000

MOHEGAN TRAIL LOT .99 Acres• $995,000

WEST SIDE LOT 2.44 ACRES• $720,000

www.birealty.com, birealty@birealty.com

www.blockislandtimes.com

August 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 August 2014

www.blockislandtimes.com

Sea Gypsy 37’ Sailboat Sea Gypsy II

2 Hour Sail

Includes: Lunch & Beverage

$45 per person max 6 people

Pale Horse Fishing Charters Light Tackle Fishing for the Whole Family 226 Water Street ~ 401-829-7074 ~ www.fishtheworld.us Call about fishing charters

G Willie Makit Charters

Capt. John Hunnewell (802) 379-0336

Call For Reservations

Captain Ron 401-225-1030 Sail Times: 10am-12pm, 1230pm-230pm, 3pm-5pm, Sunset Also available as a “botel” by the day or week.

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!

Going the Distance Banana Boat Rides

aRe Back!

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

www.blockislandsport.com 401.466.5001

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 for this fragile ecosystem.

— Margie Bucheit

August 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 REAL ESTATE

Coastal Properties

NEW PRICE

West Side Views - $2,500,000

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.

Waterfront, Grove Point - $2,950,000

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.

2 LOTS

All Season Sanctuary - $1,975,000

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.

Mohegan Estate - $3,650,000

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 August 2014

www.blockislandtimes.com

It’s time for new outdoor furniture!

Come in to see our selection.

Seaside Casual Featuring: Stainless steel hardware UV protected Durable and stylish Variety of colors

heldon’s SFURNITURE Serving Block Island since 1852 349 Main Street, Wakefield

783-5503

We deliver to the ferry!

Block Island’s

dunes are a special place.

DREAMS REALITY

They’re both beautiful and fragile.

Please enjoy the view, but stay off the dunes.

MARINEMAX MAKES YOUR BOATING DREAMS COME TRUE

BIRA

MarineMax Warwick 1 Masthead Dr | Warwick, RI 02886 Call: 1 (888) 539-3115 Online: www.marinemax.com/warwick

Block Island Residents Association

Since 2010, The Block Island Fishing Academy has been providing a safe and engaging environment where children can learn the skill of fishing.

August 2014

www.blockislandtimes.com

Avenue Beach

74

Shopping and Snacking through Old Harbor

d Roa eck nN Cor

75

Street Dodge Ocean Avenue

27 26

73

Old To wn Roa d

29

18 17 20 19

22 21

23 25 24

14 16 15 12 13 11 9 10 8 7 4 6 5

34 32 33 31 30

l Street Chape

69

1

2 68

3

35 67 66

65

64

63

t tree ter S Wa

Connecticut Av enue

28

BLOCK ISLAND SUMMER TIMES

36 37 38 40 39 41 42 44 43 45

60

46 ay ’s W ldon We

59

47 48

61

49

W at er

R

62 ecc eb a

58 57

St re et

56 55

Spr ing Stre et

Hig hS tre et

50 54 51 52 53

70

71 72

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. Topside Cafe 29. Block Island Historical Society 30. Block Island Blue Pottery 31. Red Bird Liquors 32. The Bird’s Nest 33. Marye Kelley 34. The Island Free Library

South of Chapel Street 35. Jennifer’s Jewelry 36. Adrift 37. The Mad Hatter 38. Wild Flowers 39. Building Blocks 40. Koru Eco Spa 41. Star Department Store 42. B-Eyes Sunglass Shop 43. Seaside Market 44. Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream 45. Rebecca’s 46. Mahoney’s Clothier 47. Cool to be Kind 48. Block Market 49. Malcolm Greenaway Gallery 50. Terrapin Tacos 51. Island Bound bookstore

52. Jessie Edwards Studio 53. Clayhead Salon & Spa 54. Finn’s Seafood Market 55. Islandog and Strings & Things 56. Kai Kai 57. Block Island Ice Cream 58. Rags 59. The Glass Onion 60. Old Harbor View Takeout 61. Block Island Conservancy Education Center 62. Block Island Sport Shop 63. The Ice Cream Place 64. Aldo’s Bakery and Ice Cream 65. Blockheads 66. The Cigar Shop 67. Chapel Sweets 68. Goldiggers 69. Island Mist

Farther Afield 70. Spring Street Gallery 71. North Light Fibers 72. Block Island Health and General Store 73. Island Hardware 74. Block Island Depot 75. Eylandt Antiques

Page 11

Page 12

BLOCK ISLAND SUMMER TIMES August 2014

www.blockislandtimes.com

HOMEMADE HOT FUDGE WAFFLE CONES REAL WHIPPED CREAM FRESH-SQUEEZED JUICES FROZEN YOGURT & TOFUTTI & FUDGE HOMEMADE COOKIES MUFFINS & BROWNIES (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

Listen local.

102.7FM

Rhode Island PublIc RadIo RIPR.oRg

August 2014

www.blockislandtimes.com

33

16 31 25

22

Page 13

Dining on Block Island

24 10

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 29

5 18

37 30

7 27

19

39

41 28

14

17

23 21 11

40

15

3

32 26

2

6

12 13 36

4

8

20

4

1

38 34

35

41

9

31

34

13

4. Ballard’s Inn 41. Winfield’s 9. Dead Eye Dick’s 34. Restaurant 1879 at The Atlantic Inn 31. Pots & Kettles Food Truck 13. Finn’s Seafood Restaurant 22. The Narragansett Inn

22

B= Breakfast L= Lunch 1. 1661 INN. www.blockislandresorts.com.Spring Street. 401-466-2836. B 2. ALDO’S RESTAURANT & PIZZERIA Weldon’s Way. 401-466-5871. L, D Liquor License

D= Dinner

22. THE NARRAGANSETT INN. www.narragansettinn.net. Ocean Avenue. 401-466-2626. B, D Liquor License

3. ALDO’S BAKERY. www.aldosbakery.com. Weldon’s Way. 401-466-2198. B, Deli, Bakery and Ice Cream.

23. THE NATIONAL TAP AND GRILLE. www.blockislandhotels.com. Water Street. 401-466-2901. B, L, 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

24. NORTH LIGHT FOOD TRUCK. Corn Neck Road. L

5. THE BEACHEAD. www.thebeachead.com. Corn Neck Road. 401-466-2249. L, D. Liquor License 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

25. THE OAR. Jobs Hills Road/West Side Road. 401-466-8820. L, D Liquor License 26. OLD HARBOR VIEW TAKEOUT. Water Street. L 27. OLD POST OFFICE BAGEL SHOP. Corn Neck Road and Ocean Avenue. 401-466-5959. B, L 28. PAPA’S PIZZERIA. Corn Neck Road. 401-466-9939. L, D Beer and Wine 29. PAYNE’S KILLER DONUTS. The Corner of Ocean Avenue and West Side Road. B 30. 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

31. 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

32. REBECCA’S SEAFOOD RESTAURANT. Water Street. 401-466-5411. B, L, D

12. ERNIE’S Water Street. B

33. REBECCA’S DOCKSIDE. Payne’s Dock, New Harbor. 401-466-5572. L, D

13. FINN’S SEAFOOD RESTAURANT and FISH MARKET. Water Street directly across from the ferry dock.

401-466-2473. L, D Liquor License

34. RESTAURANT 1879 AT THE ATLANTIC INN. www.atlanticinn.com. High Street. 401-466-5883. D Liquor License

14. FROOZIES JUICE BAR AND CAFÉ. www.frooziesblockisland.com. Water Street on the back porch of the National Hotel. 401-466-2230. B, L

35. SOUTHEAST LIGHT DELIGHTS. www.facebook.com/seldelights Spring Street. L

15. HARBOR GRILL. Water Street. 401-466-2828.

16. HARBORVIEW RESTAURANT. West Side Road at Champlin’s Marina. 401-466-7777.

36. TERRAPIN TACOS. Water Street. (Post Office Building) L,D. 401-466-5505 37. TOPSIDE CAFE. Ocean Ave. above Poor Peoples Pub. 401-466-5180 B, L

17. JUICE AND JAVA. Dodge Street. 401-466-5220. B, L

38. THE SPRING HOUSE RESTAURANT AND VERANDA CAFE. www.springhousehotel.com. Spring Street. 401-466-5844 B, L, D Liquor License

18. KIMBERLY’S. Ocean Avenue. 401-466-8600. D Liquor License.

39. THE SURF HOTEL. www.thesurfhotelbi.com. Dodge Street. 401-466-2241. B,L,D. Liquor License

19. LOS GATITOS at MCGOVERN’S YELLOW KITTENS. Corn Neck Road. 401-466-5855. L Liquor License.

40. THREE SISTERS. Old Town Road. L

20. HOTEL MANISSES. www.blockislandresorts.com. Spring Street. 401-466-2836. D Liquor License.

21. MOHEGAN CAFÉ AND BREWERY. Water Street. 401-466-5911. L, D

41. WINFIELD’S. Corn Neck Road. 401-466-5856. D # denotes the restaurant’s location on map above

Page 14

BLOCK ISLAND SUMMER TIMES August 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

August 2014

www.blockislandtimes.com

Mig’s Rig

TAXI

c

r e t t ri

taxi - tours - bike rack wedding transportation

Page 15

Two convenient locations for all your pet needs!

hut

401-480-0493

BLOCK ISLAND SUMMER TIMES

Salt Pond Shopping Center 91 Pt. Judith Rd Narragansett, RI 401-789-9444

aquarium & pets

Kingstown Plaza 6637 Post Road North Kingstown, RI 401-886-9494

We deliver to the ferry!

kayak pond and beyond

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

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

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 Hi-Speed Ferry Departs daily from Point Judith and Old Harbor

June 21st - September 1st Day Mon-Sun

Departs Point Judith 7:15a, 9a, 11:10a, 1:20p, 4:40p, 6:45p

Day Mon-Sun

Departs Block Island 7:55a, 10:05a, 12:15p, 3:30p, 5:45p, 7:35p

*Labor Day- Monday Sept. 2nd use Sunday Schedule

Pt. Judith at 6am (passenger only)

Septebmer 2nd - October 13th

August 25th - August 31st

Day Mon-Fri Sat-Sun

Departs Point Judith 8a, 10:30a, 12:30p, 5:45p 8:15a, 10:30a, 12:30p, 3:30p, 5:45p

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

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

September 1st - Labor Day Day Mon

Departs Point Judith 8a, 9:30a, 10:30a, 11:45a, 1:30p, 3:30p, 5p, 6p, 7p

Day Mon

Departs Block Island 8:15a, 10a, 11:30a, 12:45p, 3p, 4p, 5:30p, 7p, 8p

401-783-7966 • 866-783-7996 www.blockislandferry.com

Block Island Express New London - Old Harbor

June 29th - August 31st Day Sun Mon-Wed Thur, Fri Sat

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

Day Sun Mon-Wed Thur, Fri Sat

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

September 1st Labor Day Day Mon

Departs New London 8:30a, 11:50a, 3:10p, 6:30p

*Columbus Day- Monday, Oct 13th use Sunday schedule

Day Mon

Departs Block Island 10:05a, 1:25p, 4:55p, 8:10p

401-783-4613 www.blockislandferry.com

September 5th - September 20th 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

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

860-444-GO B.I. • 401-466-2212 www.goblockisland.com

New England Airlines Westerly to Block Island Summer Schedule

Summer Schedule

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 Departs Block Island Daily 8a, 10a, 12p, 2p, 4p, 5p, 6p Additional Flights: Friday 7p

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 August 2014

Boats ashore in Rat Island at New Harbor.

Photo courtesy of the Block Island Historical Society.

Hurricane Planning for Residents and Visitors

www.blockislandtimes.com

EXPERT FISHING INFORMATION

“Block Island Script Ring”

TACKLE • BAIT Phone orders 401-578-1125 www.blockislandjewelry.com

Home of the

Three generations on Block Island BEACH AVE • 466-5547

Showing at the Block Island Farmers’ Market

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.

T-Shirts

“gifts for pets and their humans”

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.

Block Island collars, leashes & treats s Toys & treats for cats and dogs Fun pet themed items and gifts for humans Water St., Block Island

www.blockislandog.com

EAST OF THE RIVER NILE

401-466-5666

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

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.

www.blockislandtimes.com

August 2014

BLOCK ISLAND SUMMER TIMES

Manisses: A People and a Place Glenda Luck’s latest album is more than just music

Page 17

Clockwise from above: The band; the album cover; Glenda; Sellar dancing on the wing of Hassinger’s plane.

by Joshua Maldonado Block Island is named for the Dutch explorer who 400 years ago circled this porkchop-shaped place and named it Adriaen Block’s Eyelandt. However, 90 years earlier Italian explorer Giovanni da Verrazzano had observed it from the open sea, naming it Claudia after the queen consort of France. And 2,000 years earlier Native Americans settled on the island, calling it Manisses, or Little island of Manitou (omnipresent spirits). “This album was written out of admiration for, and to pay tribute to the first people of Block Island known today as the Manisses,” says Glenda Luck in the liner notes to her latest musical compilation (www.glendaluck.com).

“Compilation” is the right term for “Manisses: A People and a Place,” which is a work of music, history, song, and art. Luck is a songstress and multi-instrumentalist who’s been a Block Island resident on and off for twenty years. She has spent the last three years researching the history of the island and its people in preparation of this song cycle. I am looking at a binder of hers on the subject filled to its gills with lyrics, historic notes, archaeological reports and narrative sketches.

“The hardest part was completing the last ten percent [of each song]. The more I’d research the farther I’d reach into the subject, which of course prompted more research,” said Luck in a recent interview. Tanned and blonde, Luck is radiant as she talks about this project and the indigenous history it portrays.

The 15 musical tracks on “Manisses” are punctuated with fascinating bits of island history, narrated by an array of experts, including archaeologist Kevin McBride and Native American genealogist and researcher Coni Dubois.

A number of locals chime in, too, including island resident Shirlyne Gobern who reads a letter written by Manissean Isaac Church, from whom she is descended. The inspiration to include some historical narration came from the late Herman Hassinger (1929-2012), who donated his time and his plane to shuttle her and bandmates “Wild” Bill Sellar (drums) and John T. Whitaker (standup bass) back and forth to a recording studio in Montauk. Otherwise, an off-season commute to Montauk can mean a total of four

ferry rides! “I am forever indebted to him,” says Glenda.

“The recordings probably couldn’t have been completed without him.”

Along with piano balladry, song poems, contemporary and progressive-folk songs, the narratives work to evoke a particular time and place. After an introduction inviting us to imagine island life “two-thousand years ago, before the first Europeans made contact…when these oceans and waterways were navigated by canoe alone,” the sounds of the shoreline fade away and into the first track, “Little Island.” It was the first song Luck wrote for these sessions: “I had just been to the Mashantucket Museum and walked around the life-size village, all of these images and experiences were swirling around in my head. I thought, with the Europeans coming and going, there was probably a similarity in how year round people feel now in relationship to the tourists.” Luck has spent seven winters on Block Island, and understands its splendid isolation well.

The song’s lingering and circling piano-lines signal the paradigm shift between that quiet and the cacophony of summer, as do the lyrics: You who stay away from me Shrouded up safe in your city lights You come back to me with a summer sun Come back to me with your perfume and rum Come back to spy on my sister and I You ask us to dance, but we do not reply…

Provocative lyrics, compelling notes of history, and a mix of musical styles keep things interesting throughout “Manisses.”

“Silver Paddles,” one of the most complex musical arrangements on the album, is an aquatic espionage by way of descending guitar lines and “Wild” Bill Sellar’s spirited, propulsive percussion, that tells the story of Manissean night rowers who, by virtue of moonlight, spy Mohegans who were planning a surprise attack on them.

The jaunty singalong “The Great Salt Pond” is like a “This Land is Your Land” for islanders and naturalists alike. The nimble playing of John Whitaker on his upright

bass anchors a lilting song-poem called “Cry the Moon,” Glenda’s quietly effective paean to what local indigenous communities refer to as “Grandmother Moon.” And then there’s “John Oldham.”

I’ve read the history books, the many pages bound, by…

Names and dates and places, like the day you came to town…

- “John Oldham” One of the most controversial histories surrounding Block Island is the murder of John Oldham, an English trader who met his demise in 1636 at the hands of the Manisseans for reasons unknown. Oldham’s death prompted the Massachusetts Bay Colony to send John Endecott, ruthless military commander and staunch Puritan, along with 90 men to the island with orders to kill all native men and capture all women and children. Over plaintive guitar, banjo strumming and funeral-procession drums, Luck addresses Oldham’s history with a linear timeline of events, laying bare the facts in provocative fashion: “An English trader by the sea / Captain Oldham… were you a traitor?”

Although the album is dedicated to those original human habitants, Glenda clearly has a soft spot for other animals who may have pre-dated those humans. Her original artwork of a pair of seals balancing on a rock graces the cover, and one of the most beautiful arrangements is called “Seal Song,” an elegant piece of documentary-pop that bobs along cheerfully with a thankful dedication to “our oldest friends.”

Writes Luck on the liner notes, “This project was created out of respect for all who came before, all who are here now, and all who came after.”

Here on my little island of Manitou All the year long there’s so much to do Just ask the birds and they’ll tell you it’s true Just like the birds they all fly away When the winter wind blows and the cold air moves in Like the owl and the crow, only the strong ones will stay…

- “Little Island”

Page 18

BLOCK ISLAND SUMMER TIMES August 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!

August 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

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. Easy walk to town and beach! $1,985,000

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, 2+ acres, western views.

Garage. $1,300,000

Page 19

LAKESIDE DRIVE: Pristine 4 bedroom, 2.5 bath privately located 2.5+ acre lot abutting conserved land. Ocean views. $1,495,000

SANDS FARM ROAD: Private, 3 bedroom, 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 AMY DODGE:

1.1 acre lot with ocean views. $499,000

OLD TOWN ROAD: Renovated 3 bedroom, 2 bath w/AC, convenient to Harbors and beaches. $945,000

Mary E. Stover, Principal Broker-Owner & Nancy D. 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 August 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

August 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! For non-emergencies, call 466-3220.

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 the property of its owner, dogs must be leashed with a cord not exceeding six 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, 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 fats, oils and greases, or paper products including “flushable” wipes.

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 August 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, but it is closed during inclement weather. Tours are available. 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: (401) 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.

August 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 August 2014

www.blockislandtimes.com

Natives Invasives Exotics Paintings by Josie Merck

Aurora Gallery, Post Office Building, Block Island Sunday 24 August - Saturday 30 August Happy Hours daily 5-7 pm Other times call for appointment 203-981-9085 www.josiemerck.com

To benefit Rhode Island Natural Survey www.rinhs.org

HIP OR KNEE PAIN

The Hygeia House

SLOWING YOU DOWN?

Yankee Magazine’s Editors Choice, 2014

“Best Inn for the Literary Set”

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

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

SUMMER IS HERE!

• 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.

Do you have your Eat Fish shirt yet?

Want to know more? For information on free evening presentations in your area, please call 401 788-1606.

Stop by Twin Maples on Beach Ave.

Visit us online at www.eatfishshirts.com 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

August 2014

www.blockislandtimes.com

BLOCK ISLAND SUMMER TIMES

Page 25

Block Island’s Beach Pavilion: The Pride of Rhode Island

1959: Betty and Ann Gray in front of the pavilion. Photo courtesy of Sarah Gray

By Martha Ball The late Linus Dodge, remarked — confessed? — that he had been to the beach. “Once,” he explained, “had to, I was courting.” Linus, born in 1892, was a fisherman who could not swim, come from a tradition wherein the ocean was to be worked. In the few decades before he was born the shore had become a place of recreation for visitors, perhaps even women and children, but not working men who had fish to catch and land to farm. As time passed and the fortunes of the Island changed, he saw future generations of his own family, sea-going men many of them, become part of that beach-going crowd.

It is not a story unique to one family.

The beach today is a place of morning walks and evening cookouts bookending days of sun and sand. Younger generations working long hours are more likely to say they don’t get there “as often as I’d like” than recall one event long ago.

The narrative of the bathing beach over the last 125 years is one of a commerce shifted from the strictly utilitarian to one our New England forebears would

warn us to shun: simple pleasure.

The ocean was a thing to be harvested by the Native Americans for food and the shells from which wampum was crafted.

From the first European settlement, sand, drift and seaweed rights were transferred with land in deeds painstakingly copied by hand. Small boats were launched from the island’s coves and returned, their nets filled with catch, nourishment for the body, fertilizer for the land, export for cash.

Early references to bathing facilities are of “huts” for changing clothes.

The Rev. T. S. Livermore’s 1877 history devotes space to natural history, gleaned from then older persons, with a few paragraphs dedicated to the bathing beach.

It was not until 1894 that the Town entered into an “Indenture” with O.S. Marden for the “sole and exclusive privilege of bathing on the East Beach.” The annual cost was $655 and he was to keep a reasonable number of bath houses at a charge of fifteen cents for bath without bathing suit, twenty five cents for “bath including a bathing suit,” all subject to the

Late 1890s: Waiting in line for bathing suits at B.I. Bathing Beach on the corner of Beach Ave. and Corn Neck Rd. Photo courtesy of B.I. Historical Society

“rights of G. McCotter,” elsewhere identified as having “an interesting process of separating the black or iron sand from the other.”

The Bathing Beach quickly became a popular spot, a stop on the horse car track that ran between the harbors, a locale of photographs of people in multilayer costumes, standing in line to rent bathing suits, vying for space in the water. It was near town, within sight of the big hotels, but also on the edge of the countryside; it was the first Golden Age of tourism.

In 1927, with more optimism than history would prove warranted, a lease was executed with the Block Island Bathing Beach Company, President Giles Dunn and Treasurer Ray Payne. The Company was to make improvements of not less than $10,000, any plan to be approved by the Town Council. The site included the shore between “Old Pier” (a delta shaped configuration of rocks visible at low tide, roughly across from the Beachead restaurant) and a point 600 yards north of the existing bath houses.

It granted the lessee the exclusive

right to maintain bathing facilities from the Harbor to Benj Rose’s Lot to the north.

They were to be modernized, including sanitary toilets, boardwalks, “and so forth.” It is this expanded building, or the part of it left after the 1938 hurricane, that is remembered by some with longer histories here. It is the one visible over the rolling hills in the Wetherbee murals that grace the walls of Club Soda.

The most common memory, one that is part of old bathing beach lore, is shared

by Bill Comings, who talks of a place where young people could dance, where there was a juke box for music and “Good Night Eileen” was a favorite tune.

The record indicates bumpy going, reported profits were meager and at one point the Company asked the Council to shut down all free access along the east shore. The troubled and empty forties showed no promise of rebound and in 1947 Interstate Navigation, then headed by Ray Abel, President, and John Wronowski, Treasurer, took over the lease. One presumes their beach venture did not work, Continued on next page

1954: Block Island State Beachouse the year it opened. Photo courtesy of Martha Ball

Page 26

BLOCK ISLAND SUMMER TIMES August 2014

www.blockislandtimes.com

Clockwise from top: 1957 vintage lifeguards from left to right — Charlie O’Brien, Dick Kiley, Frank Whalen, and Vin McAloon (photo courtesy of Lulu Kiley); Judy Gray on playground swing 1959 (photo courtesy Sarah Gray); beach in 1954 (courtesy State of Rhode Island); the state beach playground in the 1950s (photo courtesy of Carol Lynch Brown).

Continued from previous page as the contract soon was transferred to a Mr. Blakely.

A second Golden Age for the bathing beach began in the early 1950s. At the start of that decade the wheels were turning for the new pavilion, a modern structure to complement the airport construction which had marked a mid-century looking forward. There was hope that the postwar prosperity which had been so elusive might yet touch Block Island.

In 1953 the General Assembly voted “The Town Council of the Town of New Shoreham is hereby authorized and empowered to acquire by eminent domain... for the purpose of developing recreational facilities thereon for public use the title in fee simple in and to that certain land known as Crescent Beach...”

Contained in the act was a provision that the Town would gift to the State the central portion of that land.

The Town Council held a special session in May of that year. State Senator William Lewis reported at length on a meeting he and State Representative Samuel Mott had attended in Providence with various officials regarding a proposed bathing beach.

He explained that the State was requesting an area almost 500 feet longer than that of its largest facility, Scarborough in Narragansett, as they wanted “protection of their beach in order to eliminate undesirable situations which might arise close by.” There would be no fencing off

of any area, “as was customary on the mainland,” nor would there be any restriction on crossing the beach; the only charge would be for use of the facilities.

An oft-repeated refrain at that council meeting was that people were interested in what was best for the town. While brochures aimed at visitors would continue to list swimming on a par with golf and bicycling — and in one even hunting — there seemed to be a greater understanding that Crescent Beach, long and sandy and open and free, was an asset to be promoted.

Largely a formality to acquire title to the land, the condemnation was complicated by two extant leases which needed to be extinguished prior to the State accepting ownership. The later was for the soon-to-be-former bathing beach, held

by Mr. Blakely, and the older, the Black Sand Extraction lease, dated from 1868.

The Town was required to settle them, it appears, to prove they really wanted the new beach house.

The record, written by those who were supportive of the new facility, in 1953 indicated the old structures were in poor condition, by one account, uninsurable, by another, run more as a hot dog stand with changing rooms that had not been open for “three years.”

As the new bathing beach progressed, provisions of the 1927 contract regarding the removal of buildings on the old site were put into play. Adrian Sprague headed a crew that completely dismantled them.

He used windows and the wooden shingles for the house he and his wife were build-

ing; lumber and various pieces were incorporated in other homes around the island.

Ground was broken for the new facility, up the road from the old, in January of 1954; it opened to great fanfare in June of that same year. The building was simple, low and long, with men’s and women’s changing rooms on either side of an open lobby. From Corn Neck Road one could see the counter and the glass booth where the lady who “took the money” for rentals sat. Constructed of redwood, the structure gleamed that first summer, captured in photographs looking like the “Pride of All Rhode Island,” as it was called in a 1956 epic poem by Fran Reed.

The parking lot was vast and paved – such as things were paved on Block Island in 1954, with oil and sand, a rough macadam surface. The shield of the State of Rhode Island hung on either side of the front of the building, blue and gold emblems the appearance of which marked the start and end of every season. Picnic tables climbed the dunes and a boardwalk extended from the stairs over the sand.

A seasonal facility, it nonetheless offered employment for a manager, lifeguards, attendants, even a night watchman and the requisite concession. There were traffic attendants, of sorts, at the start, but longtime lifeguard Vin McAloon says the State knew it had a loss leader on its hands from the first year. It quickly became apparent there was no way parking fees, a major revenue stream for other state beaches, would be accepted.

The hotels in the 1890s adver-

tised conveyances to the bathing beach.

Decades later announcements came over the loud speakers on the building, gently reminding day-trippers they had to pack up and get back to the boat; “the Spring House [or other hotel] bus is in the parking lot” is well remembered.

There was a playground attendant because there was a playground with a big swing set and slide, remembered for being exceedingly hot in the summer sun, a merry-go-round, a sort of May-pole with a single bench seat encircling it, a runand-jump-on-it affair, and a set of monkey bars. When asked whatever he was watching for, one of the early nocturnal sentries, Willis Dodge, remarked “it was quite an interesting place at night sometimes” and added that the equipment was a big attraction, especially “when the bars closed.”

Water was a problem from the onset; a well driven onsite went salt and a line had to be run from the State garage at Twin Maples. Hurricane Carol roared through that first summer, ravaging the northern end of the parking lot. The space was not needed and it was never repaired, simply left until the rest of the macadam wore out as well. The building that virtually glowed to very young eyes was painted State Beach Green, which we guessed was purchased by the tanker truck load. Picnic tables were green, trash barrels were green, an early manager’s car was green . . .

Everyone talked of the spaces between the floorboards of the new buildContinued on next page

August 2014

www.blockislandtimes.com

BLOCK ISLAND SUMMER TIMES

Page 27

1959: Sarah Gray on merry-go-round Photo courtesy of Sarah Gray

Continued from previous page ing; Brian Neville recalls scavenging for coins fallen on the sand below, treasured “until you had to spend them for candy.”

Vin McAloon remembers going in the building with other lifeguards during a storm when the tide was raging under the structure, with water spurting up through the intentionally wide cracks “like sheets of glass.” The answer to “Why were you even there?” is simple: “Dick [fellow lifeguard Kiley] had a key . . .”

Most importantly, the beach was there, until the year it wasn’t. The State built heavy timber groins, jettys, to catch sand. They worked, to a degree, although how much remains debatable. The State continued to maintain snow fencing along the seaward side of the pavilion and when the Neck Road was raised several feet in the summer of 1964, a culvert was installed to allow storm water to drain from the parking lot to the Inner Pond.

The little beach hummed along.

The list of alumni is long. Nancy Lewis Morrison writes “I was 16 . . . the first “lady” lifeguard at an open surf beach in the state . . . The southern wooden groin kind of became my “official” station . . .

I became by default the watcher over the little kids. Although that is exactly where I helped an elderly woman who was being roughed up in the surf.”

More ladies would follow, among them Dick Kiley’s daughter Kristen and long time lifeguard and manager Lisa Sprague who says without hesitation “it was the best . . . job I ever had!” adding “one of the greatest joys was to watch . . . families grow from year to year.” She cites a “distinct memory of Aldo Leone Sr. walking the beach soothing his babies when he got a break. That green . . . I painted the bath house so many times with that color that I never wanted to see it again.”

Still, despite all the love — and paint — reports of deterioration increased; during the 1980s plans to rebuild beach hous-

es statewide were announced. As work on the ones we see along the mainland coast progressed, ours floundered.

Finally, in August of 1990, the new but not much improved facility opened, an event not mentioned in the paper until December. The groins, turned to rotted, splintering timber, had been removed; the parking lot was markedly smaller, and noticeably higher and the culvert under the road blocked. Hurricane Bob hit in 1991 and the lot that had been a huge basin had been so elevated it lost much of its capacity. Storm water crashed past the building and out over Corn Neck Road as it continues to do in bad storms.

The State had protested it had no operations money prior to the 1991 season and after the hurricane seemed determined to rid itself of the poorly reconstructed beach house. In March of 1992 at a Special Financial Town Meeting it was voted to take over the operation and expend up to the $60,000 it was estimated was needed to bring the virtually new building to standards.

The State finally washed its hands entirely of the facility in which it had taken such pride and made such efforts to secure nearly fifty years earlier; on June 6, 2002 the deed was recorded and the “State” beach again belonged to the Town of New Shoreham.

Another chapter waits to be written.

There is much work to be done and it is easy to see only what needs to be corrected and forget we still have the beach.

Photographs of what is now known as the Frederick J. Benson Beach show a glorious slice of a too-short season, cheerful blue umbrellas dotting a strand nearly white under a bright sun. The playground is long gone but children still play in the surf under the watchful eye of lifeguards.

There are evenings when music is played and people, including Linus Dodge’s great-great grandson, dance on the sand, and all that is good and right about summer at the shore prevails.

Clockwise from top left: B.I. Bathing Beach in the early 1900s (photo courtesy of the B.I. Historical Society); B.I. Bathing Beach before the 1938 Hurricane (photo courtesy of the B.I. Historical Society); State Beach and Parking Lot late 1950s (photo courtesy of Martha Ball).

Remembrances

The late Herbie Marks, life-long summer visitor, 1920s: “We all taught ourselves to swim. We started in the calm, shallow water behind the Surf and gradually worked our way up to the Bathing Beach. There was a raft out in the water — once a summer a storm blew it away — and a rope ran from it to the beach. We moved along that rope to the first float then to the second and finally all the way to the raft. The first time anyone made it to the raft, oh boy, that was some accomplishment!”

Edith Littlefield Blane, island girl 1930s: Recalling three school teachers who came to stay at the boarding house where her mother worked: “They sometimes would take me with them to the pavilion. They even had a car. These ladies rented a booth at the pavilion where they changed into and out of their bathing suits. I nearly fainted from the excitement of it and having a shower (mostly cold) before putting on my clothes.”

Malcolm Sheldon, B I Class of ‘56, 1940s: “Back in the late 1940’s, not working at the time, I spent many days at the old beach house, walking up the ramp of the old bathing beach building, on the right hand side was my favorite place, the snack bar, you could smell the wonderful odor. On the left was the small changing rooms with a bench to sit down, and the best part, lying in the hot Black Sand , near the sand dunes . . . that’s the way I saw it, to be that young boy again.”

Bridging the gap between the two facilities, Terry Mooney: “There was a red-headed girl behind the counter [at the old Bathing Beach] who always said I put too much ketchup on my burger and she’d take it away from me, telling me I was eating up all her profits.” [Years later, he was manning the concession stand at the State Beach up the road, ignoring the lady who would call across the sand “don’t give them anything” when her boys approached his counter.]

Brenda Engel, 1950s: “. . . my memory is so poor (I turned 90 in January!). I do remember, though, taking my four children regularly to the State Beach mornings in the late fifties. There was the play equipment including the famous merry-go-round which, it seems to me, I thought dangerous. Most important, for my family was the presence of other children; and, of course, the endless possibilities of sand and sea.”

Page 28

BLOCK ISLAND SUMMER TIMES August 2014

www.blockislandtimes.com

Strings & Things Celebrating Over 28 Years of Cool!!!

Full Moon Tide 28 Years

7, 21, & 24 Speed Cruiser & Mountain Bikes Helmets Available

**************************** *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

Locks Provided

Best New Bikes

on the Block

Surfing • Standup Paddleboarding Lessons • Rentals • TOMS Beach Accessories • Apparel

Fabulous Finds For Everyone!!!

Coastal Home Decor, Dresses, Casual Wear, Hats, Menswear Handblown Glass, Accessories, Soaps, Giftware, Sleepwear, Table Linens, Sterling, Seaglass & Pearl Jewelry

SURF CAMP - July and August 401-466-3145

www.diamondbluebi.com Corner Dodge Street and Corn Neck Road

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

EXPLORE THE GREAT SALT POND ON A PADDLEBOARD

Offering rentals and lessons for all skill levels

World’s fastest growing water sport.

Sunset Tours

OCEANADVENTURESBI.COM 401.368.2611

MONDAY

Block Island - A Natural Introduction: 9 am

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.)

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.

Ruling Passion Sailing Charters Sail away aboard our 45-foot trimaran

Like us on

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!

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.)

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.

Reservations: 401/741-1926 or 401/ 741-1290 www.rulingpassion.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 The Museum Shop/Gallery features maps, postcards, prints & t-shirts SUMMER HOURS 11 am - 4 pm ADMISSION $6 adults, $4 seniors & students Members and children FREE SAVE THE DATES July 31st: 6 pm & Aug. 23rd: 7:30 pm Cemetery Tours August 12th: 9am -1pm Annual House & Garden Tour

401-466-2481 • blockislandhistorical.org

August 2014

www.blockislandtimes.com

BLOCK ISLAND SUMMER TIMES

Page 29

Entertainment Calendar Live Music

Theaters:

Miscellany of Events

Aldo’s Restaurant (466-5871)

Empire Theatre (466-2555)

Arts and Crafts Guild Fair

Thursdays and Fridays 6:30 - 10pm Second Time Around oldies rock ‘n’ roll

See ad in weekly Block Island Times.

Ballard’s (466-2231)

See ad in weekly Block Island Times.

August 1, 4-8, 12-15,18-22,25-29: Shawn David Allen, Guitarist August every day: John Brazile, Guitarist August 2,3,9,10,16,17,23,24,30,31: DJ Libre August 2: Batteries Not Included August 3: Dirty Deeds August 9,10: Mashwork Orange August 16,31: Something Else August 11,17: World Premier August 23: Sugar August 24: Those Guys August 30: Kick

B-I-N-G-O

Bingo Night on Tuesday, August 5 and 19 at the Fire Barn. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Bingo starts at 7 p.m. Benefits the Vol. Fire Dept.

Galleries:

Blues on the Block

Ambergris (466-5252)

Aug 6– New York Minute Concert starts 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).

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.

Captain Nick’s (466-5670) August August August August August August August August August August

August 3 and 17, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the Historical Society lawn.

Work by local artists including jewelry, photography, pottery, more.

Ocean West Theatre (466-2971)

Jessie Edwards Studio (466-5314)

1,2: The Blushing Brides 8,9: Darik & The Funbags 3,10,17,24,31: The Young Guns 4,11,18,25: Disco Night 5,6,12,13,19,20,26 :Piano Bar 7,14,21,28: Superdope Thursday 15,16: Santa Mamba 22,23: Young Neal & The Vipers 29, 30: The Booze beggars 31: Dr. Westchesterson

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

Mahogany Shoals (466-5572)

Greenaway Gallery (466-5331)

Wednesday to Sunday: 9(-ish) pm: Walter McDonough, Irish music and then some.

www.malcolmgreenaway.com Open Daily

The National Hotel (466-2901)

Spring Street Gallery (466-5374)

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

August 6 to August 15- Paintings by Eileen Miller Reception Saturday, August 9 at 5pm August 16 to August 26 - Paintings by Kate Bird Reception Saturday, August 16 at 5pm August 27 to September 5 - Photographs by Gerard Closset Reception Saturday, August 30 at 5pm

Museums Historical Society Museum and Gallery (466-2481 or 401-864-4357) Preview Party and Opening Reception of “Block Island Idyll: Memories of Manisses” and “C. Sperry Andrews: Landscapes and Seascapes” Friday, Aug. 1, 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Historical Society. $15 admission, Members are free.

August 6– World-class classical pianist Martin Soderberg. 7:30 p.m. at St. Andrew Parish Center.

Conserfest

Kate Knapp ~ Watercolor and Oil Paintings July 31st to August 13 Opening reception August 2 from 5 p.m. – 7 p.m.

Kate Knapp ‘s latest work depicts island images with her use of long ribbons of intense color and jagged, spikey strokes making us see Block Island in a new and exciting way.

Peter Michael Gish ~ New Work August 14 to September 3 Opening Reception August 16, 5 p.m.– 7 p.m.

Gish’s newest work is alive with the power of nature in its many forms, expressing what he calls “the shock of seeing” – the frisson of heightened awareness and passing that on to the viewer. Through his deft brushwork and eye for color, light, shadow, and texture, he does just that. A must see exhibit.

Group Exhibit ~ Lingering Light August 30 & 31 A final exhibit of the summer season with a nod towards the changing light. www.jessieedwardsgallery.com

Club Soda (466-5397)

Block Island 2014 Summer Concert Series

A two day free festival with live music to raise awareness and funds for conservation on the island. August 9 and 10; conserfest.org for info.

19th Annual Flavia S. Clark Memorial CROP Walk

Sunday, August 10. Two mile circuits, picking up trash. Registration starts at 7 a.m. at Rebecca. The walk starts at 7:30 a.m. This CROP Walk addressess hunger needs on B. I. and the rest of the world. Sponsor sheets available at churches and from Ellen Jacke at (401) 466-2827.

Kings of the Block Basketball Tournament

A Charity 3 vs. 3 basketball tournament on Monday, August 11 at 2 p.m. at Ball O’Brien Park. $30 per team. Registration starts at 1 p.m. Grand prize is $300. Pick your team and help benefit the B.I.V.F.R.D.

Gardeners Annual Luncheon at Manisses

“Luncheon at the Manisses” on Monday, August 11 at 12 p.m., followed by an entertaining presentation, “Oddball Plants for Oddball People,” given by Adam Wheeler of Broken Arrow Nursery in Hamden, CT. Advance reservations are required. Tickets are $35 for members and $38 for non-members. Call Mary Sue at 466-5356 to reserve your seats.

Annual House & Garden Tour

Tuesday, Aug. 12, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tour the South side to Lewis Farm and a few in between. Tickets and info at Historical Society at 466-2481

Lions Club Clam Bake

Aug. 30 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. on the lawn of the Narragansett Inn. Full bake of Lobster, clams, mussels, corn on the cob, chowder and sausage. Live Music. Raffles. BBQ menu available as well.

Not New Boutique

Summer sales every Wednesday during August, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. behind the St. Andrew Parish Center on Spring St. Clean, gently used clothing may be left in 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.

PHILLIPS REAL ESTATE PLEASE STOP BY AND VISIT OUR YEAR-ROUND, PROFESSIONAL AND FRIENDLY OFFICE.

AUGUST RENTALS STILL AVAILABLE NEW NEWLISTING PRICE

Black Rock Road Dramatic setting -see, hear and smell the ocean. $899,000 NEW LISTING

Whale Swamp Road Simple home offering calm and lovely views. $1,150,000

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 30

BLOCK ISLAND SUMMER TIMES August 2014

401.466.2912

www.blockislandtimes.com

BlockIslandBedAndBreakfast.com

Join us for

Bethany’s Airport Diner Presents:

PARTIES ON THE FLY

Yoga Weekend!

September 26-29, 2014 STARTING AT

$567

We’ll cater and host your evening party at the diner ONLY 24 HOURS NOTICE NEEDED!

PER PERSON

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

Our Properties!

OPE N m ay to october

• 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 • CALL FOR MORE PRICING AND DETAILS

( 4 0 1) 4 6 6 - 310 0

only a 5 MINUTE WALK to TOWN and the BEACH!

Eylandt Antiques Fine Antiques and Furnishings

inside payne’s harbor view inn across from the police station 466-9888

The Barrington Inn

The Inn at Block Island

SPRING/FALL SPECIAL $99.00 per night Sunday-Thursday only

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

Each Office is Independently Owned and Operated

E IC R P ED C DU RE

Center Road: $1,250,000

Joanne Hovey Glenda Luck Block Island 401.466.2900

Snave House: $1,390,000

401.742.1061 401.207.3921

BlockIsland@GustaveWhite.com GustaveWhite.com Newport 401.849.3000

South County 401.596.8081

August 2014

www.blockislandtimes.com

BLOCK ISLAND SUMMER TIMES

live music

Pool table

dancing

games

Page 31

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE CAST AND CREW OF FOOTLOOSE

entertainment schedule 8/1, 8/2

Those Guys

8/3

Anthem

8/6

DJ Dugan

8/7

The Side Doors Early Learning Center Fund-raiser

R ESTAUR ANT Contemporary American Cuisine • Air Conditioned 466-5856 • Corn Neck Road, Block Island 466-5856 • Corn Neck Road, next to Yellow Kittens • Open at 6 p.m.

8/8, 8/9

Wicked Peach

8/10

ConcerFest 2014 featuring Kingsley Flood with Roz and the Rice Cakes

Visa/MC/AMEX/Discover cards accepted • ATM

8/13

DJ Dugan

8/14

Haunt the House BI Rec Center/RBK Fund-raiser

8/15, 8/16

Jamie’s Junk Show

8/17

Reggae Night with DJ Libre

8/20

DJ Dugan

8/21

Marc Phillip

8/22, 8/23

The Complaints

8/24

Reggae Night with DJ Libre

8/27

DJ Dugan

8/28

Marc Phillip

8/29, 8/30

TBA

8/31

Hope Road

9/5, 9/6

Never in Vegas

winfieldsbi.com

Mexican Food • open 11:30 aM–7pM Frozen Margaritas • Beer

on the deck at Yellow kittens For take out call 466-5855

Mondays — Game Night!

Ticket Tuesdays—Raffles & Prizes!

Get your T-Shirts, Tanks, Hats & Hoodies!!!

While supplies last!

yellowkittens.com

Page 32

BLOCK ISLAND SUMMER TIMES August 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 BLOCKS OF FUDGE 401-466-5196 CHAPEL SWEETS 401-466-2672 EAST OF THE RIVER NILE TRADING COMPANY www.eastoftherivernile.com 401-480-9728 FULL MOON TIDE www.fullmoontide.com 401-466-5666 GOLDDIGGERS www.blockislandgolddiggers.com 401-466-2611

DODGE STREET AMBERGRIS 917-453-9271

BEACHCOMBER 401-466-2777 DIAMOND BLUE SURF SHOP www.diamondbluebi.com 401-466-3145 LAZY FISH 401-466-2990 MAR MAR www.marmarjewels.com 215-880-3922 MARYE-KELLEY www.marye-kelley.com 401-466-2412 RED BIRD LIQUOR STORE 401-466-2441 WATERCOLORS 401-466-2538

OCEAN AVENUE

ISLAND HARDWARE & SUPPLY 401-466-5831 TOPSIDE CAFE 401-466-5180

SPRING STREET

NORTH LIGHT FIBERS www.northlightfibers.com 401-466-2050

WATER STREET ADRIFT 401-466-7944

AROUS 401-884-8818 B-EYES SUNGLASS SHOP www.b-eyes.com 401-466-8676 BECKETT’S AUTHENTIC GELATO BEN & JERRY’S 401-466-5430 BLOCK ISLAND BEADS B.I.TEES 401-466-5977 BLOCK ISLAND SPORT SHOP www.blockislandsport.com 401-466-5001 BLOCK ISLAND TRADING COMPANY 401-859-1524 BONNIE & CLYDE 401-466-8895

FINN’S FISH MARKET www.finnsseafood.com 401-466-2102 FINN’S SEAFOOD RESTAURANT www.finnsseafood.com 401-466-2473 FROOZIES www.frooziesblockisland.com 401-466-2230 JUICE N JAVA 401-466-5520 KIMBERLY’S 401-466-8600 MANISSES www.blockislandresorts.com 401-466-2421

CAPE AIR www.capeair.com 800-227-3247

THE NARRAGANSETT INN www.narragansettinn.net 401-466-2626

INTERSTATE NAVIGATION www.blockislandferry.com 401-783-4613

THE NATIONAL TAP AND GRILLE www.blockislandhotels.com 401-466-2901

McALOON’S TAXI 401-741-1410

THE OAR www.blockislandresorts.com 401-466-8820 POOR PEOPLE’S PUB www.pppbi.com 401-466-8533 POTS & KETTLES www.potsandkettles.com 401-864-2433

OLDPORT MARINE ON CHANNEL 68

RESTAURANT 1879 AT THE ATLANTIC INN www.atlanticinn.com 401-466-5883

VIKING FLEET www.vikingfleet.com 631-668-5700

SPRING HOUSE HOTEL www.springhousehotel.com 401-466-5844 THE SURF HOTEL www.thesurfhotelblockisland.com 401-466-2241 TERRAPIN TACOS 401-466-5505/6/7 TOPSIDE CAFE 401-466-5180 WINFIELD’S RESTAURANT 401-466-5856

SERVICES AND SALES ON-ISLAND AROUS 401-884-8818

BETHANY’S PARTIES ON THE FLY 401-466-3100 BLOCK ISLAND BOAT BASIN www.blockislandboatbasin.net 401-466-2631 BLOCK ISLAND FARMERS MARKET

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 JOSIE MERCK www.josiemerck.com 203-981-9085

MARYE-KELLEY DECOUPAGE www.marye-kelley.com 401-466-2412

DEEPWATER WIND www.dwwind.com

PETER GIBBONS JEWELRY www.blockislandjewelry.com 401-578-1125

ISLAND HARDWARE & SUPPPLY 401-466-5831

PHOTO DOG ART GALLERY www.lesleyanneulrich.com 401-578-1125 SCHUYLER KNAPP PHOTOGRAPHY 401-466-5441 and 540-454-5228

PRISCILLA ANDERSON DESIGN priscillaandersondesign.com 617-947-4044 TOWN OF NEW SHOREHAM Town Hall www.new-shoreham.com 401-466-3200

PUBLICATIONS

THE DARK SAINT www.geoffloftus.com ISLAND BOUND www.islandboundbookstore.com 401-466-8878

GLASS ONION www.glassonionblockisland.com 401-466-5161

REAL ESTATE

MAHONEY’S CLOTHIER 401-466-8616

BEN WOHLBERG www.benwohlberg.com 401-787-3843

CLAYHEAD SALON & SPA www.clayheadsalon.com 401-466-2440

FROOZIES www.frooziesblockisland.com 401-466-2230

MAD HATTER 401-466-3131

AMBERGRIS 917-453-9271

KARIN SPRAGUE STONECARVERS www.karinsprague.com 401-934-3105

YELLOW KITTENS 401-466-5855

KAI KAI SANDALS www.kaikaisandal.com

GALLERIES/ ARTISTS

BLOCK ISLAND RESIDENTS ASSOCIATION

MUSIC & PUBS

JENNIFER’S JEWELRY www.jennifersjewelrybi.com 401-466-7944

MIG’S RIG TAXI 401-480-0493 NEW ENGLAND AIRLINES www.block-island.com/nea 800-243-2460 (toll free) 401-466-5881(Block Island), and 401-596-2460(Westerly)

PAYNE’S DONUTS at Smuggler’s Cove

COOL TO BE KIND

ISLANDOG www.blockislandog.com 401-466-5666

BLOCK ISLAND EXPRESS www.goblockisland.com

860-444-4624 and 401-466-2212 BLOCK ISLAND HIGH SPEED FERRY www.blockislandferry.com

401-783-4613

STONE WALL FREEDOM — THE SLAVE www.stonewallfreedom.com

ISLAND BOUND www.islandboundbookstore.com 401-466-8878

BLOCK ISLAND BIKE AND CAR RENTAL 401-466-2297

LOS GATITOS 401-466-5855

BUILDING BLOCKS 401-466-TOYS(8697) ESSENTIALS 401-466-3168

TRANSPORTATION

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

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 NATIONAL HOTEL www.blockislandhotels.com 401-466-2901 PAYNE’S HARBOR VIEW www.paynesharborviewinn.com 401-466-5758 THE SEA BREEZE INN www.seabreezeblockisland.com 401-466-2275 SEACREST INN 401-466-2882 SPRING HOUSE HOTEL www.springhousehotel.com 401-466-5844

BLOCK ISLAND REALTY www.birealty.com 401-466-5887

THE SURF HOTEL www.thesurfhotelblockisland.com 401-466-2241

LILA DELMAN REAL ESTATE www.liladelman.com 401-466-8777 NEPTUNE HOUSE www.neptunehouse.com 401-261-2032

RECREATION

BLOCK ISLAND CLUB www.blockislandclub.org 401-466-5939

SOLSTICE 401-466-2558

OFFSHORE PROPERTY LIMITED www.offshorepropertylimited.com 401-466-5446

BLOCK ISLAND CONSERVANCY www.biconservancy.org 401-466-3111

STAR DEPARTMENT STORE 401-466-5541

PHILLIPS REAL ESTATE www.phillipsonbi.com 401-466-8806

STRINGS ‘N THINGS www.fullmoontide.com 401-466-5666

GUSTAVE WHITE SOTHEBY’S INTERNATIONAL REALTY www.gustavewhite.com 401-466-2900

BLOCK ISLAND HISTORICAL SOCIETY GALLERY AND MUSEUM 401-466-2481

PEPPERED CAT 401-466-5254 PHOTO DOG www.biphotodog.com 401-466-5858 RAGS 401-466-7596 SALTY DOG www.fishtheworld.com 401-466-5254

WAVE www.waveblockisland.com 401-466-8822 WILDFLOWERS BOUTIQUE 401-466-2006

SULLIVAN REAL ESTATE www.blockislandhouses.com 401-466-5521

WELDON’S WAY

OFF ISLAND BUSINESSES

BLOCKHEADS 401-466-5800

BLOCK ISLAND CONSERVANCY 401-466-3111 CHAPEL SWEETS www.blockislandusa.com 401-466-2672 THE ICE CREAM PLACE

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

ADVANCED MORTGAGE www.advancedmortgagecorp.com 401-737-6655 CRITTER HUT www.critterhutonline.com 401-789-9444 CRUISE PLANNERS www.cruiseshoreandmore.com 855-VIP-SAIL 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 RINPR 102.7 FM, 88.1 FM, 91.5 FM SHELDON’S FURNITURE 401-783-5503 SOUTH COUNTY HOSPITAL www.schospital.com WBMW 94.9 FM, 99.5 FM, 106.5 FM, 107.7 FM 95.9 WCRI www.classical959.com

BLOCK ISLAND MARITIME INSTITUTE www.bimaritime.org 401-284-8338 BLOCK ISLAND PARASAIL AND WATERSPORTS www.blockislandparasail.com 401-864-2474 BLOCK ISLAND HISTORICAL SOCIETY 401-466-2481 DIAMOND BLUE SURF CAMPS www.diamondbluebi.com 401-466-3145 THE FISHING ACADEMY ON BLOCK ISLAND 802-688-3654 G. WILLIE MAKIT CHARTERS www.gwilliecharters.com

401-466-5151 or 484-431-7131 LINESIDER FISHING CHARTERS www.linesiderfishing.com 401-439-5386 THE MOPED MAN 401-466-5444 THE NATURE CONSERVANCY 401-466-2129 OCEAN ADVENTURES www.oceanadventuresbi.com 401-368-2611 OCEAN VIEW FOUNDATION 401-595-7055 PALE HORSE FISHING CHARTERS 802-379-0336 POND AND BEYOND KAYAK 401-578-2773 RULING PASSION SAILING CHARTERS www.rulingpassion.com 401-741-1926

BEN & JERRY’S 401-466-5430

SAKARAK FISHING CHARTERS 401-486-3476

BLOCKS OF FUDGE 401-466-5196

SEA GYPSY SAILBOAT 401-225-1030

DEAD EYE DICK’S 401-466-2654

SEACREST INN & BICYCLE RENTALS 401-466-2882

ELI’S www.elisblockisland.com 401-466-5230

TWIN MAPLES 401-466-5547

August 2014

www.blockislandtimes.com

Don’t miss our estate and vintage jewelry collection.

Exceptional buys at great savings!

BLOCK ISLAND SUMMER TIMES

Page 33

Purchase • Refinance • Home Equity See what our customers say at www.AdvancedMortgageCorp.com Then call us to become one of them!

Free your fingers.

Let your computer do the walking, for a change.

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.

Brian Tata

Block Island white pages and yellow pages are now online at blockislandtimes.com.

Phone: 401-737-6655 brian@advancedmortgagecorp.com

Just look for these icons at the top of the homepage to search for Block Island businesses and residents.

Box 141, 71 Spring Street Block Island, RI 02807 seabreezeblockisland.com 401-466-2275

RI Mortgage Broker License: 20011314LB NMLS CO: 1787 NMLS Originator License: 21893

President

If you need changes made to your business or residential listing, please email phonenumbers@blockislandtimes.com or call us at 401-466-2222.

Page 34

BLOCK ISLAND SUMMER TIMES August 2014

www.blockislandtimes.com

Block Island Walking Trails Striped Bass Off of Mohegan Bluffs and outside of Andy’s Way are the best places to look for striped bass, one of the most popular fish to catch on Block Island. The fish are beautiful creatures, silver and lined with darker stripes along their bodies, and can grow up to 50 pounds—though the world record for a striped bass is 81 pounds. Striped bass spawn in fresh water and then make their way to the sea as adults, and can live 30 years.

1 Hodge Family Wildlife Preserve 2 Clay Head Trail 3 Beacon Hill to New Harbor Link, Harrison Loop 4 Meadow Hill Greenway

Red-Eyed Vireo Block Island sees a number of different birds passing through on their migratory journeys, often to South America. The red-eyed vireo is easy to spot, and certainly easy to hear; it has grey-purple feathers, a blue cap, a white band across its eyes and a call like a lilting conversation. It will stay on Block Island long enough to fatten up on summer’s waning abundance before heading to Costa Rica for the winter.

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.

Maryland Golden Aster As the name might suggest, the Maryland golden aster is hard to track down in Rhode Island, and is now found only on Block Island. In September it blossoms in open fields like those in Nathan Mott Park, growing up to a foot high with cheerful yellow flowers.

Shamrock Spider Shamrock spiders are large spiders, up to ¾ of an inch across, recognizable for a mud-colored, inflated abdomen covered in intricate white spots, with eight striped legs whimsically extruding.

On dewey fall mornings, their enormous webs, up to two feet across, can be spotted covering the ground in places like Rodman’s Hollow. Look for a leaf or other hiding spot on the path’s periphery, where the spiders live.

Text by Nell Durfee; pokeweed photo by Thomas H. Kent; rockweed photo by Robin B. Langsdorf; salp photo by obxconnection.com

White Water Lily In late summer and early fall, Fresh Pond and Fresh Swamp simply overflow with blooming water lilies. These delicate, enchanting flowers are not only beautiful to look at, but also are important to the pond ecosystems. The lily pads are convenient resting places for insects (which in turn are caught by birds), and below the surface lie the rhizomes of the plant, enormous tubers that are eaten by muskrats and other vertebrates and are strong enough to support the weight of a human adult.

August 2014

www.blockislandtimes.com

BLOCK ISLAND SUMMER TIMES

Page 35

BLOCK ISLAND ROWAN HOUSE | 8.7 ACRES $8,400,000 | 401.466.8777

Why see just a few, visit them all at... te Esta ia eal d R e t M Bes ocial S d n a

I N T E R N AT I O N A L

CORN NECK ROAD-OCEAN VIEWS

NEW LISTING-CONNECTICUT AVE

OFF WEST SIDE ROAD-OCEAN VIEWS

RIPTIDE | VIEWS OF NORTH LIGHT | WRAP AROUND PORCH $1,475,000 | 401.466.8777

TWO FAMILY | 1.27 ACRES | WALK TO TOWN $849,000 | 401.466.8777

NEW HARBOR | 3 ACRES | ACCESS TO GREENWAY TRAILS $1,175,000 | 401.466.8777

International Marketing Partners

MOHEGAN TRAIL-OCEAN VIEWS 2+ ACRES | OPEN FLOOR PLAN | CATHEDRAL CEILINGS | FIREPLACE $1,795,000 | 401.466.8777

NEW LISTING-HISTORIC OLD HARBOR 2 INDEPENDENT DWELLINGS | WALK TO TOWN | MATURE LANDSCAPING $2,450,000 | 401.466.8777

BLOCK ISLAND NEWPORT

NARRAGANSETT

PILOT HILL RD-TURTLE POND

GRACE’S COVE

3 ACRES | OPEN FLOOR PLAN | 3 BED $1,300,000 | 401.466.8777

4 BR/3.5 BATHS | WALK TO BEACH $990,000 | 401.466.8777

61 DODGE STREET

PROVIDENCE

JAMESTOWN

401.466.8777 WAT C H H I L L

BLOCK ISLAND

Page 36

BLOCK ISLAND SUMMER TIMES August 2014

L ENTA NOW R Y KL LL WEE ITY, CA ABIL L I A AV

www.blockislandtimes.com

Ballard Hall REAL ESTATE

2 LOTS

FEATURED LISTINGS NEW LISTING

PRIVACY AND A POOL - $1,100,000 • Very private, close to Greenway trails • Wrap around deck, in-ground pool • 4 BR, 3 BA, central AC, security sys.

• 2 car garage w/ 2nd floor guest room

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

Boathouse - $1,565,000 Architect says nautically inspired home “looks from a distance like an arc moored to an Island hillside.” Inside it feels like an ocean liner with circular decks offering sweeping 270 degree views. The loft-like middle level is a wide open light-filled space for living and entertaining. The topside master bedroom suite has stunning Clayhead & ocean views. Guest bedrooms are on the first floor. Exterior architectural details accentuate the “ship-shape” character of the home.

CORNE NECK FARM - $1,900,000 • Near Crescent Beach & Andy’s Way • New 4,300 sq. ft. home on 2.96 acres • 6 BR s & 5 BA, central air

NEW LISTING

1892 HOMESTEAD - $1,500,000 • 5 BR and 2.5 BA • 4.3 acre lot w/ Two barns, guest cottage • Historic District designation

West Beach Retreat - $1,200,000 ALL SEASON SANCTUARY - $1,975,000

CORN NECK CAPE - $1,200,000

• 4.8 private acres near bluff beaches • Views of SE Lighthouse & Atlantic Ocean • 5 BR, 3.5 BA, 3 fireplaces

• Beautiful property close to Mansion beach • Well maintained w/fireplace & woodstove • Great yard and deck for summer

Close to Corn Neck swimming beaches and secluded West Beach for exploring and sunsets. Views over Great Salt Pond to ocean including iconic Coast Guard Station.

4 BR & 2 BA, multiple decks, & 2.8 acre private yard.

NEW LISTING

Gables Inn - $2,400,000 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

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

NEW PRICE

SHEFFIELD FARM CAPE - $1,295,000 • Stunning ocean views • 4 BR & 2 BA • .77 acre lot plus common land

OCEAN & SUNSET VIEWS - $2,500,000 • Custom built 5 BR and 4.5 BA • 4 living room areas, private guest suite • 2.6 acres in private setting

LAND LISTINGS • 2.7 acres off the beaten path. Popular off Corn Neck Rd. location. Private lot with close proximity to nature trails and swimming beaches - $985,000 NEW LISTING • One acre, RB Zone, views, Town water & sewer, private - $549,000 NEW LISTING • 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 SALE PENDING • 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

Waterfront, 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

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