August 2024

Beyond Compare Lincoln Circle

Located in Nantucket’s prestigious Cliff neighborhood, 14 Lincoln Circle is one of the most thoughtfully and meticulously restored homes on the island. Highlights include amazing water views, ten-foot ceilings, built-in cabinetry, rich wood paneling, a modern kitchen, and a 900+ square foot rooftop deck that is believed to be the largest of any residential property on the island from which the panoramic views are spectacular. There are several living areas and many amenities including a formal dining room, an exercise studio, a sauna, and a climate-controlled wine room to name a few. The primary bedroom occupies a private wing on the main level and features a marble-tiled bath. Also on the main level is an additional bedroom suite which opens to the back patio. On the second floor, there are two bedrooms, each with en-suite baths. The newly constructed second dwelling includes two bedrooms, a kitchen, 2.5 bathrooms, a bunk room/office, laundry, a living area, and a two-bay garage. There is HDC approval for a swimming pool on this property.

FEELS LIKE HOME

by

photo

Matt Kisiday

Blue Water. Cool Breezes. Warm Welcome.

Welcome to John’s Island, a cherished haven enjoyed by generations who have discovered the undeniable allure of life by the sea. Indulge in 1,650± tropical acres along miles of pristine beaches of the Atlantic Ocean. From sunrise to sunset, delight in the active and legendary social lifestyle and world-class features. This is truly ocean-to-river living at its finest, where your boat dock and adventures on the river may be mere steps from your backyard, or where you leisurely bike underneath the canopy of oaks along sun-dappled streets, or take early morning walks on the warm sands as the sea gently laps at your feet. Indulge in gorgeous architectural details, tranquil living areas and lush grounds - all a stone’s throw from ocean, river or golf. We invite you to indulge in a life of bliss in John’s Island.

Ba Stone

Bob Gibb Owner/Broker

Jeannette Mahaney Judy Bramson

Luke Webb

Kristen Yoshitani

Cheryl Sangbush

Rennie Gibb

Rachel Hickman

THERE IS ANOTHER WAY TO FLY. It is flying that is an extension of what you value not an interruption of it. Less harrowing than flying commercial. More intimate than flying private. IT’S FLYING PERSONAL. And once you’ve done it, you’ll never want to fly any other way.

SCHEDULED SERVICE TO NANTUCKET FROM THE NEW YORK AREA.

Welcome to your stunning waterfront retreat on the picturesque New England Island of Nantucket,

Welcome to your stunning waterfront retreat on the picturesque New England Island of Nantucket - 36 Easton Street. This exquisite single-family home features nine bedrooms and 9 1/2 bathrooms, newly renovated and expanded to offer incomparable luxury and comfort. Step inside the first floor and be captivated by the elegant beachy style, professionally decorated to create a serene and welcoming atmosphere. The first floor offers an open floor plan with a breathtaking panoramic water view. Enjoy the spacious layout with a large luxury fully equipped kitchen, complete with a generous walk-in pantry with an extra fridge, and freezer. All appliances are top-of-the-line, ensuring a seamless cooking experience. Walk out of the kitchen and enjoy your morning tea on the covered porch on rainy days or cozy up by the indoor fireplace on chilly evenings. The first floor is also home to one primary bedroom, media room and a second bedroom, while the second floor offers another primary bedroom with its own private outdoor shower and terrace, perfect for enjoying the unique harbor views and activities. Stay in the stunning bedroom next to the primary bedroom with its own spacious terrace and enjoy the tranquil views of the harbor waking up and evening cocktails as the sun sets over the water.

Additionally, two more bedrooms on the second floor provide relaxing space for guests and family. Ascend to the private third floor, featuring a bedroom with gorgeous water views, also ideal for a home office or personal sanctuary. Outside, you’ll find another outdoor shower and an oversized 2-car garage with two spacious bedrooms above, one with water views and the other with views of the salt marsh. One of these bedrooms has been transformed into a beautiful fully equipped gym with a kitchenette, full bath, and an additional washer and dryer. Store your kayaks, paddle boards and bikes in the garage or underneath the house and launch straight from your own beach. Conveniently located moments from town, you’ll have easy access to several fun restaurants and shops. Enjoy morning activities at the nearby beaches, just minutes away. With eight parking spaces, including the garage, hosting gatherings and dinner parties is a breeze in the furnished backyard directly on the water. This turnkey property is being sold fully furnished, excluding the art, offering a seamless transition to your dream island lifestyle in Nantucket. Don’t miss this opportunity to own the one-of-a-kind beach house in one of New England’s most desirable destinations, Brant Point, Nantucket.

EXCLUSIVELY LISTED BY

Hedyeh Renstrup

+1( 203) 231 9134 hedyeh@maurypeople.com

LUXURY SUPERYACHT EXPERTS

Founded in 1945, Allied Marine is one of the largest yacht brokerage and yacht charter companies in the world. Exclusive dealer for new Ferretti Yachts, Pershing, Riva and Itama and authorized dealer for CRN and Custom Line yachts. Allied Marine is a global leader in both preowned and new yacht sales.

This flybridge yacht, with its streamlined design, sleek lines and sharp styling, satisfies the owner’s every wish in terms of comfort, style, seaworthiness and safety at sea. After the recent major restyling, Ferretti Yachts 780 features extensive glazed surfaces in the hull, giving the sleek and streamlined profile a sportier look, new furnishings, with an enlarged bar in a central position in the standard layout, and redesigned interiors.

Water Wonderland

62 WANOMA WAY, TOM NEVERS - $12,995,000

62 WANOMA WAY, TOM NEVERS - $12,995,000

Nothing short of magnificent this property is the crown jewel of Tom Nevers on 3 acres. Where pond meets sea and privacy and solitude collide allowing you to take in the inherent beauty of the landscape. This 4 bedroom, 4.5 bath main house boasts expansive decks, large open kitchen, dining, and living area with panoramic views in every direction. Guest cottage stands alone with gorgeous mahogany finishes, full kitchen, 3 bedrooms and 3 full bathrooms. Special features include expansive widows walk, private path to pond, and deeded beach access.

Nothing short of magnificent this property is the crown jewel of Tom Nevers on 3 acres. Where pond meets sea and privacy and solitude collide allowing you to take in the inherent beauty of the landscape. This 4 bedroom, 4.5 bath main house boasts expansive decks, large open kitchen, dining, and living area with panoramic views in every direction. Guest cottage stands alone with gorgeous mahogany finishes, full kitchen, 3 bedrooms and 3 full bathrooms. Special features include expansive widows walk, private path to pond, and deeded beach access.

Sconset Collection

29 MAIN & 1 WEST SANKATY - $9,800,000

Classic sophistication nestled in on Sconset’s charming Main Street with swimming pool and extra lot to utilize for future generations. This property exudes both charm and functionality with an outstanding location to soak in all that the village has to offer. With 4 bedrooms and 4 bathrooms, darling sun porch, and attached garage this property embodies summer living at its finest.

21 OCEAN AVENUE - $5,950,000

Iconic Rudder Grange is a historic treasure located on one of ‘Sconsets most picturesque avenues. With deep blue sea views from nearly every window, this classic beach house exudes charm and embodies summer living. The front covered porch provides for both dining and living activities perched high above the streetscape to watch the world go by. 5 bedrooms and 2 full bathrooms, enjoy a recently renovated kitchen, newly refinished original hardwood floors, and fresh interiors. Other features include adjacent garage, first floor bedroom, and rear side yard to catch the afternoon sun.

4 WINDSOR ROAD - $7,295,000

Where privacy and elegance collide. This luxurious 6 bedroom, 5.5+ bathroom home property boasts high-end features and finishes throughout and is situated on over one acre of land. Step outside to your own private oasis, complete with a refreshing pool and relaxing spa. The outdoor space includes an expansive yard, covered deck, gas fireplace sitting area, and a kitchen cabana with leathered granite countertops, perfect for entertaining guests or enjoying a quiet evening at home.

23 BANK STREET - $4,195,000

This darling and recently fully renovated cottage is a seaside gem. Located on the quiet end of Codfish Park in Sconset this property is comprised of a 3 bedroom and 2 bath main house, a superb 2 story 1 bedroom and 1.5 bath cottage, and storage shed with special amenities such as private courtyard, outdoor kitchen, central air, private parking, and views of the ocean. Property is offered furnished and ready for summer occupancy.

Brant Point Waterfront

47 Hulbert Avenue

Brant Point | 6 Bedrooms | 5 Full, 1 Half Bathrooms | $15,995,000

The beach is your backyard. This Brant Point waterfront property has private beach access and outstanding water views. A calm water beach is yours to enjoy swimming, boating or just gazing at the mesmerizing views. An inviting and comfortable home with classic style. Gracious entry into large foyer with beautiful formal staircase. To the left is a lovely office and den with comfortable seating area and fireplace. The living room at the rear of the home has a fireplace surrounded by built-ins and access to a furnished sun porch and the private deck beyond. Adjacent is the beautiful dining room with French doors to the deck facing the harbor. The kitchen has a breakfast nook with built in seating, granite countertops and high-end appliances. There is access from the kitchen to a private covered porch with shaded seating al fresco. The first floor also has a side entrance that leads to a single bedroom that doubles as the laundry room and has a full bath. The second floor has a large stairway landing providing access to four bedrooms. The third floor is a twin bedroom, private balcony, and private bath. One step off the back deck and your toes are in the sand.

INTERIORS

A healthy community starts here.

Nantucket Cottage Hospital is the island’s source for health and wellness, providing compassionate care with the expertise you would expect from Mass General Brigham.

Amy Beaton, MSN, RN, BSN, Nurse Director, and Dr. Michael Bell, Medical Director, care for patients in NCH’s Emergency Department.

THE NANTUCKET CLUB

SOCIAL, FITNESS & FAMILY FUN BY THE WEEK OR FOR THE SEASON

Situated just steps from downtown, The Nantucket Club features all the amenities and services you would expect from a private club.

A limited number of seasonal, weekly, semi-daily and year-round memberships are offered.

TWO HEATED POOLS + A KIDDIE POOL

CABANA RENTALS

KID’S CLUB

SAUNA & HOT TUB

PERSONAL TRAINING

GROUP CLASSES

SIGNATURE AMENITIES

FIRE TRUCK RIDES

SPA & WELLNESS

NEW SPA TREATMENTS

Now offering improved spa services including a range of massages, facials and skincare treatments.

BUILDING CUSTOM CRAFTED HOMES THAT CELEBRATE NANTUCKET LIVING.

At Cheney Custom Homes, we pride ourselves in our distinct ability to marry unparalleled craftsmanship with innovation to build an inviting home that showcases your personal aesthetic. Our passion for the Island and commitment to making each client’s dream a reality is the driving force behind every home we build.

CONTRIBUTORS

Meet the talented group of writers and photographers who helped make this issue possible.

BY THE NUMBERS

A numerical snapshot of Nantucket.

NEAT STUFF

Hatch’s Package Store is much more than your average convenience store.

NTOPTEN

All the places you need to be and see.

NECESSITIES

Put these items on your summer wish list.

Outfit to Sea

KID’N AROUND

How to keep your kiddos entertained this month.

NGREDIENTS

Lobster, butter and a toasted bun are the equation for a perfect summer meal.

HEALTH N WELLNESS

Where to de-stress on Nantucket.

NBUZZ

All the news, tidbits and scuttlebutt that’s fit to print courtesy of the Nantucket Current

NEED TO READ

Tim Ehrenberg gives his summer reading list.

BIKINI TOP: SOUTHERN TIDE SKIRT: CARTOLINA

BAG: MURRAY’S TOGGERY SHOP

SUNGLASSES: THE VAULT BRACELETS: SUSAN LISTER LOCKE

EARRINGS AND NECKLACE: HEIDI WEDDENDORF RING: CALISTA WEST

NOSH NEWS

Folgers and Starbucks, the perfect blend.

Great tacos on the go.

NDESIGN

ABD Studio expertly balances contemporary and traditional sensibilities in an art-filled island home.

NSPIRE

Bill Liddle sets his sights on an Opera House Cup victory.

The Perfect Couple’s star Eve Hewson.

Go behind the scenes of The Perfect Couple with Elin Hilderbrand.

Boys lacrosse wins first state title in program history.

America’s Got Talent star to deliver national anthem at the Pops.

Leah Bayer of Aunt Leah’s Fudge bestowed with this year’s Fred Rogers Good Neighbor Award.

Introducing The Hive

Wendy Schmidt and Cecil Barron Jensen

NVESTIGATE

Gaining

understanding

NDEPTH

Remain’s latest buzz. Bob Reynolds’ view of the markets.

Time to move on from town meeting?

Actress Eve Hewson from Elin Hilderbrand’s The Perfect Couple

Photography by David Zaugh

Shot

Heels: Badgley Mishka Rings: David Yurman Earrings: Kasun

NQUIRY

N Magazine

Savant Systems’ Robert Madonna.

Posh

FOGGY SHEET

A

An evolution of Nantucket’s automobiles.

Hannah Davis and Andrew Katirai celebrate their nuptials with a reception at the Wauwinet.

PUBLISHER & EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Bruce A. Percelay

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR

Antonia DePace

Editor

Kristin Detterline

ART DIRECTOR

Paulette Chevalier

DIRECTOR OF ADVERTISING & PARTNERSHIPS

Emme Duncan

CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER

Kit Noble

FASHION PHOTOGRAPHER

Brian Sager

SENIOR WRITER

Jason Graziadei

CONTRIBUTORS

Madeline Bilis

Brian Bushard

Robert Cocuzzo

David Creed

Tim Ehrenberg

Greta Feeney

Wendy Rouillard

PHOTOGRAPHERS

David Zaugh

Matthew Kisiday Bill Hoenk

EDITORIAL INTERN

Louise Brickman

PUBLISHER

CHAIRMAN: Bruce A. Percelay

Lights, Camera, August!

Because of Nantucket’s physical allure, the island has been the subject of several movies and television shows over the years—but none hold the promise of a major audience like the upcoming Netflix series based on Elin Hilderbrand’s bestselling book, The Perfect Couple. The series’ star-studded cast includes Nicole Kidman, Dakota Fanning and Liev Schreiber and also features rising star, Eve Hewson, who happens to be the daughter of Bono. A talent in her own right, Hewson plays the bride in the series and sat down with N Magazine to discuss the upcoming Netflix production and her thoughts on Nantucket.

Speaking of action, the 52nd Opera House Cup will be held this month, an event that brings energy and excitement to our waters. The event is to host over 40 boats, including the annual return of an array of former America’s Cup contenders. In this issue, we focus on Bill Liddle and his Alerion, Fortuna, who have been top contenders in the race.

The ocean around us is pivotal to Nantucket’s well-being, and a story written by Greta Feeney talks about the danger of acidification of our waters, but also highlights a sophisticated new buoy that can monitor the health of our seas and give direction as to how we can improve our aquatic environment.

In an interview with Wendy Schmidt, who has been a champion of all things environmental on Nantucket, we learn about her newest venture called The Hive, which is providing kitchen space for food providers on the island and encouraging locally grown produce.

The ruling this past spring limiting short-term rentals on the island puts a spotlight on inns and

hotels on Nantucket, which are likely to pick up some of the slack. No longer frumpy and homespun, the inns of today are sophisticated and amenitized, with a new design aesthetic that appeals to a broad audience. Inside, we feature five of the newest properties on the island for this summer.

Segueing to another asset class, industry veteran Bob Reynolds, who served both as chief operating officer of Fidelity Investments and president/CEO of Putnam Investments, shares his expert opinion on the state of the market given its dramatic rise and his opinion on its near-term prospects. To paraphrase a legendary TV commercial for the long-defunct E.F. Hutton brokerage company, “When Bob Reynolds speaks, people listen.”

From the Boston Pops to the Boys and Girls Club summer groove to the Opera House Cup and beyond, the activity in August could best be described as action-packed, making it an exciting time to be on Nantucket. We hope you squeeze as much as possible out of the last month of the summer but take solace in knowing that September can, in many ways, be the most enjoyable month of all on the island.

Bruce A. Percelay Publisher

BRUCE A. PERCELAY Publisher

David ZAUGH

David Zaugh is a portrait photographer based in Los Angeles who has photographed movie stars such as Mark Hamill, Bruce Dern and Chris Pratt. In the past, Zaugh has also photographed Nantucket’s own male supermodel, Hoyt Richards. For this August issue and cover, Zaugh photographed actress Eve Hewson, who stars in the upcoming Netflix series based on Elin Hilderbrand ’ s The Perfect Couple

Brian BUSHARD

Madeline BILIS

Madeline Bilis is a writer and editor based in Boston. Her work has appeared in Boston Magazine , Travel + Leisure, Architectural Digest, Real Simple and Slate , among other outlets. She grew up outside of Worcester, Massachusetts, then graduated from Emerson College with a degree in journalism. Madeline is the author of a guidebook called 50 Hikes in Eastern Massachusetts and can often be found exploring lesser-known trails in Greater Boston and on the Cape. She covers travel, design and other lifestyle topics, but relishes the opportunity to tell stories about New England and its inhabitants. See more of her work at madelinebilis.com.

Brian Bushard is a contributor to the Nantucket Current and N Magazine, and is currently a political reporter on Forbes’ breaking news team, covering the 2024 presidential campaign, the environment, sports money and former President Donald Trump’s ongoing criminal cases. A graduate of the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, with a degree in political science, Bushard has covered local and state politics for several print publications and radio stations, previously producing for WBUR’s sports show Only a Game and its daily news series Radio Boston. He previously lived on Nantucket and wrote for The Inquirer and Mirror, where he covered town government, the environment and the arts.

334,000

Number of Instagram and Facebook followers of Elin Hilderbrand

1

3,000

The number of affordable units in Aspen,

28”

Minimum length of a bass that is a keeper when fishing

3

Number of ferries canceled because of labor shortages

329

The number of affordable housing units on Nantucket

Number of orcas spotted on Cape Cod $

60

Number of pews given away before the renovation of St. Mary’s Church

3 to 10

Number of years you have to wait for a mooring in the mooring field depending on the size of your boat

$

5.29

Average cost of a gallon of premium gas on Nantucket

3.4

Million

Number of dollars spent in the renovation of St Mary’s Church

Stephen Maury co-listing with

15 and 17 Pilgrim Road | 28,596 sf | $11,495,000

15 or 17 Pilgrim Road | 14,000+ sf each | $5,995,000

15A Pilgrim Road | 7,500 sf | $3,495,000

5 Huckleberry Lane

Dionis | $16,000,000 | Jamie Howarth

Stunning water views from this well-maintained, updated 5 bedroom home with 1 bedroom pool house and garage with studio above.

81 Polpis Road

Polpis | $8,495,000 | Stephen Maury

Nantucket’s Premier Building Sites

In the heart of Nantucket’s most sought -after neighborhood, discover an extraordinary canvas for your custom residence. Available in several configurations, offering flexibility to suit your unique vision and lifestyle needs.

3 Lyford Road

Tom Nevers | Call for price | Joyce Montalbano

Unobstructed ocean views! Build your dream home on this 2.45 acre property with ample ground cover.

2 Maple Lane

Surfside | $6,995,000 | Stephen Maury

6-bedroom custom home with pool, cabana and garage.

Sweeping harbor views from this custom home with 5 en suite bedrooms, oversized pool cabana on a private 1+ acre lot.

WINE

FINDS

WRITTEN BY ANTONIA DEPACE PHOTOGRAPHY BY KIT NOBLE

Hatch’s Package Store is much more than your average convenience store.

In the early 1900s, Hatch’s Package Store originally operated as a garage that sold kerosene in five-gallon containers for heating. The store, located at 133 Orange Street, has continued to evolve with the changes on the island, including acquiring a beer and wine license after Prohibition. Today, among its regular stock, the store offers not only special orders of fine wines but also a barrel program unique to Nantucket. Hatch’s manager Zach Held talks with N Magazine about these programs, what’s new at the store and more.

What is something you wish everyone knew about Hatch’s?

Hatch’s has recently gone through some major renovations: new floors, fresh paint, new fixtures and new lighting—and a fresh approach to the layout that has our regulars thrilled. Along with the renovations, management has brought a lot of cool new items to the store such as craft beers and a wide variety of tasty snacks. Hatch’s website is also brand-new, with a much easier interface to order online for pickup or delivery.

You also special-order fine wines. Tell me more about this and the process.

Hatch’s has the ability to find practically any wine on the market because we work with so many distributors. If you are looking for a particular wine, come into the store and talk with me or [co-manager] Matt Hotin, or give us a call and we will most likely be able to source whatever you are looking for.

With this in mind, what makes Hatch’s stand out compared to some of the other wine and liquor stores on island?

Our fantastic staff is highly knowledgeable and look forward to helping customers find whatever it is they are looking for. Hatch’s is also the first and only retail store on Nantucket to feature barrel programs. A barrel program is a process in which a retailer works with a distiller to choose different blends and barrel aging to produce a one-of-a-kind product to put on the shelves. Hatch’s worked with three distillers—Maestro Dobel, Old Forester and Cleveland Underground—to come up with four unique spirits: two tequilas (Maestro Dobel) and two whiskeys (one from Old Forester and one from Cleveland Underground), exclusive to Hatch’s.

What have been some of your favorite special-order wines thus far? Are there any good bottles that ended up permanently on the shelves?

We have a number of special orders every week, and we do occasionally keep some of those wines on the shelves. One order that comes to mind is Larkin Cab Franc. We were luckily able to get our hands on a couple of cases, some of which we put on the shelves. We then brought in the Larkin Sauvignon Blanc and the Jack Larkin small batch bourbon.

What is new this month?

Hatch’s will have three private label wines (rosé, sauvignon blanc and white Burgundy) that are only found at Hatch’s. All from France, these wines are unique and delicious—something we are very proud to carry. For more information, visit ackhatchs.com.

1

NANTUCKET ISLAND SAFE HARBOR FOR ANIMALS WOOFSTOCK GALA

AUGUST 2

Bartlett’s Farm

Beat the heat with music, drinks, dancing and dogs at Bartlett’s Farm to help raise money for animals in need. nishanimals.org

NANTUCKET HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION’S A NANTUCKET NIGHT

AUGUST 3

Bartlett’s Farm Cocktails, a seated dinner, live music, dancing and a unique Tony Sarg-inspired setting are promised at this inaugural event. All proceeds will benefit the organization and its continued storytelling through collections, programs and research. nha.org

DREAMLAND CONVERSATIONS: EMILY SWEENEY AUGUST 22 2 3 10

RAFAEL OSONA’S AMERICANA, FINE ART, MARINE AUCTIONS

Auctions & Showroom, 21 Washington St. Enjoy this two-day auction featuring artwork like hand-painted card suit boxes, oil paintings and scrimshaw. The fine art and marine auctions will captivate your attention and creative eye. All pieces are available for bid and purchase. rafaelosonaauction.com 10 4

4 7 7

NANTUCKET GARDEN CLUB

68TH

ANNUAL HOUSE & GARDEN TOUR

AUGUST 7

The Nantucket Garden Club presents its glimpse into historic and new homes and gardens on the island with this year’s tour theme “A Pleasant Summer Stroll.” This fundraiser event contributes to conservation projects and educational programs in the local community. nantucketgardenclub.org

BOSTON POPS

AUGUST 10

Jetties Beach

Kick off the 27th annual Boston Pops event with entertaining performances by special musical guest Super Diamond, a Neil Diamond tribute band. Join thousands of community members in supporting Nantucket Cottage Hospital at one of the island’s most enjoyed summer events. nantuckethospital.org

7 8 5 5

NANTUCKET PRESERVATION TRUST

ANNUAL

6 6 2 2

AUGUST 3-4

AUGUST FETE

AUGUST 8

West Chester Street

Admire the preserved architectural heritage made possible by NPT supporters at the August Fete celebrating “A Night on Nantucket’s North Shore.” Escape to one of the best-preserved 18th-century homes on the island while enjoying cocktails and hors d’oeuvres. nantucketpreservation.org

NANTUCKET BOYS & GIRLS CLUB

TIM RUSSERT SUMMER GROOVE

AUGUST 17

Join the NBGC for its largest annual fundraiser—an unforgettable night of food, inspirational speakers, and live performances and entertainment. The event celebrates the generosity and gathering of the community that serves hundreds of children and their families. nantucketboysandgirlsclub.org

ANTIQUES COUNCIL’S THE NANTUCKET SHOW

AUGUST 9-12

Bartlett’s Farm

Twenty-eight exhibitors will be showcased to carry on the the 30-plus-year tradition of fine antique shows on Nantucket. Representing a wide range of exhibits from antique jewelry to traditional fine art, you will find some of the best cutting-edge designs from across the country. thenantucketshow.com

7 9

OPERA HOUSE CUP

AUGUST 18

As the summer season comes to a close, the Nantucket Community Sailing hosts its annual Opera House Cup regatta. The original first all-wooden, single-hulled classic boat regatta on the East Coast, this year’s event will feature an abundance of spectacular vessels like Eros, Outlier, Lynx, Ticonderoga and more. nantucketcommunitysailing.org

Uncover local mysteries with Boston Globe journalist Emily Sweeney as she unpacks the unsolved cases of the Islands. Sweeney is the author of multiple books and has appeared in several television series, such as Bloody Boston, Stranger Than Fiction and an upcoming Netflix series How to Become a Mob Boss. nantucketdreamland.org

FROM EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS

MICHAEL DOUGLAS AND BARRY LEVINSON

A lm about the American Dream.

WRITTEN AND DIRECTED BY NANTUCKET SUMMER RESIDENT DAVID SMICK

NARRATED BY MICHAEL DOUGLAS

PERIDOT, PINK TOURMALINE & AQUAMARINE DROP EARRINGS

Add a touch of glamour to any outfit with these stunning drop earrings featuring over 25 carats of peridot–August’s birthstone–pink tourmaline, and aquamarine set in 18k gold.

SUSAN LISTER LOCKE GALLERY

@susanlisterlockejeweler susanlisterlocke.com

IMP OF THE PERVERSE BLAZER

Add some personal style with a little edginess in this Imp of the Perverse blazer at REMY on Old South Wharf! Hand-dyed in custom colors with a distressed trim and finished with Edgar Allan Poe buttons, this linen and cotton twill blazer is available in XS-XL and is the perfect statement piece for any wardrobe. REMY @remycreations remycreations.com

AERIN & GRACIE HEATHCOTE LACQUER BACKGAMMON SET

Heritage and craftsmanship intertwine in this backgammon set featuring Gracie’s Heathcote design, a hand-painted scene combining flowering trees and bushes as well as butterflies and birds. Presented in a smooth lacquer and brass case, this charming set is also a beautiful addition to a table or bookshelf when not in use!

CENTRE POINTE

@centrepointenantucket • @centrepointenantucket

AUGUST WISH LIST

SWIM TRUNKS

A go-to for summer, the 7-inch Chappy Swim Trunk features quick-drying capabilities, UPF 50 sun protection, elastic waistband and a soft mesh lining. Plus, it’s crafted from REPREVE® Recycled Polyester, resulting in a great fit and feel, while upcycling nearly 11 plastic bottles per pair.

KAWAMA TEQUILA & SODA

Kawama Tequila & Soda is a local, Boston-born, low carb canned cocktail started by two siblings and former Harvard and St. Lawrence college athletes. The perfect option to cool down this summer and stay refreshed, now with two new flavors – Blood Orange and the first-ever Tequila Iced Tea or “Tea-Quila.”

BOCCEROLL™

KAWAMA @kawama.usa kawamausa.com

Blending the best parts of Skee-Ball, bocce and cornhole, BocceRoll™ is a new classic yard game you’ll want to take with you everywhere. Perfectly portable with a compact footprint that doesn’t take up too much space in your backyard, at the beach or wherever you play, this addictive game will provide fun all summer long!

BOCCEROLL™ @bocceroll playbocceroll.com

A FAMILY DAY WITH THE NHA

The National Historical Association celebrates its Summer of Sarg, the featured exhibition at the Whaling Museum this summer, with a free, all-ages community event at Children’s Beach, August 5 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. A recreation of Tony Sarg’s 75foot Sea Monster named Morton, a Thanksgiving Day Parade sized balloon, will be displayed at Children’s Beach for this special day. There will also be a host of family-friendly activities including a Nanpuppets performance and crafts exploring the art of puppetry. nha.org, @ackhistory

ART IN AUGUST WITH AAN

The Artists Association of Nantucket offers a variety of weekly art camps for your kids this summer. Your child can explore various artistic pursuits from clay sculpture and comics to mixed media and watercolor. Young, budding artists ages 4 to 14 are encouraged to experience the creative process of artmaking in this welcoming environment. nantucketarts.org, @ackartists

MUSICAL MAGIC WITH NCMC

Join the Nantucket Community Music Center this August for a month of musical adventures! Kids of all ages can dive into the joy of music with their free community programs from sing-alongs, ukulele lessons, kazoo parades, drum classes and much more! Learn to play an instrument while making new friends. All events are free and open to the community. nantucketmusic.org, @nantucketcommunitymusiccenter

HANDS-ON FUN WITH THE MMA

One of the island’s must-do family activities this summer is visiting the Maria Mitchell Association’s Hinchman House Natural Science Museum at 7 Milk Street. Here, children of all ages will enjoy learning about the animals, plants and birds indigenous to Nantucket as well as the history of how Nantucket came to be an island. There are snakes, frogs, turtles, insects and many more species for hands-on fun!

The MMA also offers a variety of programs Monday through Friday including Bug Bonanza, Ravenous Reptiles, Nature Story Hour, and Sensational Science. As well, be sure to check out MMA’s other properties: the Loines Observatory, Aquarium and Historic Mitchell House. mariamitchell.org, @maria_mitchell_association

Nikki Rene, Tiny Tuckets, Barnaby Bear and Liliput Vintage. Please join us on Saturday, August 10th, to meet Eliza, the founder of Joy Street Kids, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. In all, it’s the perfect stop on your way to Lizza’s Puppet Show at the Atheneum this summer for all Nanpuppet merchandise and more. peachtreekidsnantucket.com @peachtreekidsnantucket

CREATE & MAKE AT BARNABY’S TOY & ART

Barnaby’s is in full swing with more than 100 art classes for children ages 2 to 13, and kids can also drop in and create, all day, every day. All Barnaby’s classes are taught by professional artists and educators who will guide your child’s technique and processes in an inspirational space in downtown Nantucket. Barnaby’s also has a wide variety of toys and art kits to go that have been handselected and designed for all ages! barnabysnantucket.com, @barnabystoyandart

HONOR ROLL

Lobster, butter and a toasted bun are the equation for a perfect summer meal.

There’s nothing more quintessential New England than a lobster roll during the summer—and the one served at the SeaGrille is a favorite among Nantucket gourmands.

Here, the mid-island restaurant serves up the recipe that keeps locals coming back for more.

INGREDIENTS INSTRUCTIONS

• 1/ 4 pound fresh shucked lobster meat

• 2 tablespoons of mayonnaise

• 1 tablespoon of finely diced celery

• Juice from 1/ 4 of a lemon

• 2 tablespoons of butter

• 1 brioche hot dog bun

• 1 small handful of arugula

• Pinch of salt and pepper 1 2

Cut lobster meat into large chunks.

In a mixing bowl, toss with mayonnaise, celery and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper.

3 Melt butter on a griddle or pan and toast the bun on each side till golden brown.

• 1 teaspoon of chopped chives 4 5

Split the bun and line the bottom with arugula, then fill with lobster salad.

Top the lobster with a sprinkle of fresh chives and enjoy!

WRITTEN

DEPACE

Winding Down

WRITTEN BY LOUISE BRICKMAN

Where to de-stress on Nantucket.

t’s no secret that many of those on Nantucket struggle with the stress that comes along with nearly year-round, chaotic tourism—especially during the summer months when it’s at an all-time high. In the past 12 months, Fairwinds has helped over 950 clients with mental health and/or substance misuse concerns. Many of these challenges are related to or caused by stress and anxiety. In general, this can lead to an increase in chronic illnesses like digestive issues, inflammation, heart disease and more. Here, N Magazine chooses some ways to relax and unwind on the island during this final chaotic summer month—your health will thank you for it.

MASSAGE

LAVENDER FARM WELLNESS

6 West Creek Road • lavenderfarmwellness.com

Massage can help decrease stress by lowering heart rates, relaxing muscles and releasing endorphins. At Lavender Farm Wellness, a diverse menu of treatments does just that from deep tissue and trigger point massages to myofacial release and prenatal massage. Take it one step further by booking an Executive Wellness Assessment: a program launched by director Ugne Aleknaite that looks at the essential health pillars of nutrition, exercise, sleep, stress, relationships and healthier habits through a variety of analyses and offers resolutions to any indicators that could lead to a happier well-being.

HOT YOGA

YOGA BY 11:11 3 West Creek Road 1111nantucket.com

Infrared heated panels help yogis to break a sweat and work against inflammation at Yoga by 11:11, where classes can be upward of 105 degrees Fahrenheit. Choose from a variety of classes like Heated Core Flow, Hot 26, Heated Yoga Sculpt, Long & Lean, Restorative and Yin (unheated)—all of which come with a Lululemon rental mat, a hand towel and lavender-scented eye towels to finish your flow.

Carrie Seyer, Founder of 11:11 Yoga

FACIALS

NANTUCKET ISLAND GLOW

2 Sanford Road • nantucketislandglow.com

Did you know that skin is the largest organ? Treat it to a facial at Nantucket Island Glow, which specializes in European-style facials with owner Jurgita Budaite. While every facial is customized for every client’s needs, a general method of cleansing, exfoliation, extractions, massage and deep

ISLAND GLOW

While the nurse practitioner-owned and -operated medspa specializes in a variety of services like aesthetic injections, the new DiamondGlow Facial is not to be missed. During the treatment, board-certified NPs use a noninvasive skin-resurfacing treatment to extract and exfoliate and then infuse SkinMedica Pro-Fusion serums into the skims for long-lasting results.

MEDITATION

49 Fairgrounds Road • mastnantucket.com

The experience at MAST starts right at the entrance, where a lush garden filled with flowers leads clients to take their first of many deep breaths on the property. Inside, the luxury well-being center specializes in private,

personalized experiences through offerings like yoga, breathwork, meditation and sound healing for all levels.

LASHES SKIN CARE SUNLESS TAN HAIR REMOVAL MAKEUP

NANTUCKETISLANDGLOW COM

REPORTED BY THE NANTUCKET CURRENT

TIGHTER WETLANDS REGULATIONS APPROVED BY CONSERVATION COMMISSION

The Conservation Commission adopted a long-delayed overhaul of the island’s wetland regulations in late June on a 6-1 vote. Under the new regulations, no-disturb zones will be set to 25 feet from wetlands—down from 50 feet in a version under consideration last July—and no new structures will be allowed within 75 feet of wetlands.

The regulations will also impose further restrictions on coastal engineering projects and require that

all pools be designed to never interact with floodwater. The regulations are set to go into effect on January 1,

2025. Commissioners have long argued that the update is necessary to protect the island’s environment, conform to the large body of existing scientific research and prepare the island for the impacts of climate change. The update had the support of various local groups, including the Coastal Resilience Advisory Committee, the Nantucket Coastal Conservancy and the Advisory Committee of NonVoting Taxpayers.

SOUR GRAPES: NANTUCKET WINE FESTIVAL FEUD HEADED TO COURT AFTER FEDERAL LAWSUIT FILED

After what appeared to be a hostile takeover attempt of the Nantucket Wine & Food Festival by Gordon’s Fine Wine in late June, festival owner Nancy Bean filed a lawsuit in federal court June 26 against Gordon’s and the White Elephant Hotel. Bean is accusing Gordon’s and the White Elephant of false and misleading advertising, unfair and deceptive trade practices, trademark dilution, breach of contract, tortious interference and conspiracy.

intend to enter into a genuine partnership with the Nantucket Wine & Food Parties, but rather to take control of the Nantucket Wine & Food Festival and to do so without paying fair value,” the lawsuit states. “Instead, the Gordon Parties have engaged in a campaign of false and misleading advertising and promotions, after gaining access to proprietary and confidential financial information for other purposes, to exploit years of Bean’s hard work and success and claim the Nantucket Wine & Food Festival as their own.” Gordon’s Fine Wine initially claimed that it had purchased the Nantucket Wine and Food Festival, but later retracted that statement and clarified that it was producing a new event entirely. Most significantly, Gordon’s Fine Wine has struck a deal with the White Elephant, which has long hosted Bean’s Nantucket Wine & Food Festival, to launch Gordon’s all-new Nantucket Food and Wine Experience. The new event will be held next May during the same week as the 27th iteration of the existing festival.

LEGISLATIVE EFFORTS TO STOP PROPOSED VESSEL SPEED

RESTRICTION

EMERGE IN CONGRESS

Nantucket may have some unexpected allies in its fight to prevent the proposed marine speed restrictions under consideration by the federal government that are meant to protect endangered North Atlantic right whales but could have dire impacts on the island’s economy.

Several legislative efforts have been launched in the

U.S. Congress to forestall or nullify the proposed “North Atlantic right whale vessel strike reduction rule,” but none of them were filed by lawmakers representing Nantucket or Massachusetts. The U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Appropriations’ Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Subcommittee on Tuesday released its appropriation bill for the 2024-25 fiscal year, and it includes a rider that would prohibit funding for the enforcement of the speed restriction rule. Meanwhile, two bills have been filed in Congress—one in the House and another in the Senate— seeking to forestall the implementation of the proposed speed restrictions “until mitigation protocols are fully developed and deployed.” The Senate bill, sponsored by West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin and Arkansas Senator John Boozman, would “prohibit the issuance of an interim or final rule that amends, updates, modifies, or replaces the North Atlantic Right Whale vessel strike reduction rule until mitigation protocols are fully developed and deployed.”

A NANTUCKET HIGH SCHOOL SOPHOMORE HELPED DISCOVER WHAT COULD BE A PREVIOUSLY UNKNOWN PARASITE INFECTING BAY SCALLOPS

A Nantucket High School student may have discovered a new parasite infecting the island’s bay scallops. On her final day of studying Nantucket Bay scallops with Dr. Valerie Hall of the Maria Mitchell Association, 16-year-old NHS sophomore Dalena Garcia-Sosa found what appeared to be a strange parasite in a specimen’s digestive tract. It was like nothing Hall had ever seen before in her years studying bay scallops. “I really wasn’t sure what I was looking at,” Hall said. “We are not convinced this is a parasite. We don’t know what it is.”

“We were looking at the slides and we saw something we had

never seen,” Garcia-Sosa said. “It had a membrane, which led us to believe it was probably alive.”

Hall believes the odds that the findings represent a parasite are “at least 50-50.” But it’s impossible to say for sure at this point. “I don’t really want to go higher than that,” she said.

With Hall retiring and Garcia-Sosa’s research time running out, it seemed like the potential parasite might remain unstudied, but Garcia-Sosa worked with NHS and local marine scientists to set up an independent study allowing her to continue the research. All but one scallop Garcia-Sosa sampled in her independent study appeared to be infected with the

potential parasite. So far, it’s unclear what is causing the infestation and what the potential impacts could be for Nantucket’s scalloping industry, the marine ecosystem or human consumers. It’s also unclear whether the potential parasite is an entirely new species, previously unknown to science—but Garcia-Sosa thinks it might be.

NEW SHORT-TERM RENTAL COMPROMISE HEADS TO VOTERS IN SEPTEMBER, AGAIN UNDER PROTEST

The Select Board voted unanimously in late June to approve the warrant for a September Special Town Meeting. It includes a consensus short-term rental (STR) article drafted by the sponsors of a trio of citizen warrant articles. The consensus article, which received the support of two of the three groups as well as the Select Board, was created by an STR subcommittee that included representatives from the Planning Board and Finance Committee. Two representatives from each of the three citizen warrant articles related to STRs sat on the committee. The compromise bylaw would limit STR operators to renting buildings on a single lot and ban STRs in tertiary dwellings, affordable housing, workforce housing and covenant housing. Short-term rental operators currently renting dwelling units on multiple lots would have eight years to comply with the new law. It would also limit STR operators to eight changes of occupancy during July and August. New STR operators would be limited to three changes of occupancy in July and August for five years, at which point they would be allowed eight. If passed, the bylaw would go into effect on July 1, 2025.

WHITE HERON THEATRE PROPERTY IN DOWNTOWN NANTUCKET ON THE MARKET FOR $13 MILLION

White Heron Theatre, the 150-seat performing arts venue in downtown Nantucket that opened in 2016, was listed for sale in mid-June for nearly $13 million, and the future of the theater company is uncertain. The property at 5 North Water Street has been owned by White Heron Theatre founder Lynne Bolton since December 2012, when she and her husband Roger acquired the lot from the late Flint Ranney for $2.5 million. The White Heron Theatre Company is operated as a nonprofit organization separate from Nantucket Theatre Project, the limited liability company that owns the property. Both are

controlled by Lynne and Roger Bolton. “I initially bought the property at 5 North Water Street with the intention of selling it to the theatre company, which would raise the funds to purchase the property and allow us to deliver value to the community,” Lynne Bolton said in a statement to the Current “During the 12 years since the property was purchased, the theatre company management and Board of Directors of White Heron have not succeeded in raising the money to purchase the property. I have reluctantly concluded that I cannot continue to support the property on my own and therefore have decided to put it on the market for sale.” Since 2012 when the theater company relocated to Nantucket from New York, it has been run by Bolton along with producing director and co-artistic director Michael Kopko. The pair met after Bolton directed Kopko’s daughter in a local production years ago.

DESPITE MARKET TURMOIL, ONE NEW NANTUCKET VACATION GOING FOR $100,000

Nantucket’s short-term rental market has been thrust into turmoil this year after several major developments. There was the bombshell Land Court decision in March that could mean hundreds of island properties are being rented illegally. Then came the Town Meeting votes in May when a bid to nullify the court ruling by allowing STRs in all residential districts was rejected, while a ban on corporate ownership of vacation rentals was approved. Last month the largest operator of STRs —The Copley Group—put nearly its entire Nantucket real estate portfolio on the market. Rentals are reportedly down again this summer, with one long-established island real estate office telling the Current that it is off by 19 percent compared to last year. Despite the disruptions and apparent downturn, some in Nantucket’s STR market remain not only undeterred but downright bullish—at least for now. The recent developments haven’t stopped the island’s vacation rentals from reaching new heights—by one metric at least. What is believed to be the most expensive vacation rental in Nantucket history

recently hit the market: a waterfront estate along the south shore that is being marketed for $100,000 per week. The eyepopping rate to rent the compound at 94 Tom Nevers Road even left some of Nantucket’s most seasoned real estate brokers surprised. “I have not seen one that high before,” said Debbie Dilworth, the president of the Nantucket Association of Real Estate Brokers.

EROSION FIRESALE: NANTUCKET WATERFRONT HOME

ASSESSED AT NEARLY $2 MILLION SOLD FOR JUST $200,000

When Jane Carlin and husband, Ben Gifford, purchased a summer home on Nantucket’s west end in 1988, there was a wide expanse between their new property and the Atlantic Ocean that included three neighboring homes closer to the shore, Sheep Pond Road and an acre of land.

After years of erosion, those homes and the road itself are all gone, and the shoreline is now just a stone’s throw from Carlin’s back porch.“It’s about ready to go in,” Carlin told the Current. “It has really been relentless. It used to be a neighborhood, and you knew who lived where. And now, if you take a drive out there, there’s not much to see.” The writing was on the wall, but Carlin and Gifford had hoped to have at least one more summer at the property where they had forged so many memories over nearly four decades. Mother Nature, however, had other plans. After the three successive storms hit Nantucket out of the south over the winter and ate away even more of their property, the couple cleared out the house and started investigating

how they could move and donate the home to a local affordable housing nonprofit.

“All winter I had been really frantically trying to see if any of the organizations would consider taking the house and moving it, and we would help with the cost of moving,” Carlin said. “I didn’t want to see it fall into the ocean or get demolished. But I had no luck whatsoever.”

That’s when they got a call out of the blue. Don Vaccaro, a businessman who bought the property next door at 26 Sheep Pond Road 10 years ago, was on the line with an offer. “We said, ‘Whoa! Carlin recalled. And so on Month Day, the property that includes a 1,700-square-foot home—which had been assessed by the town in 2024 at $1.9 million—was sold for the shockingly low price of just $200,000.

Scan the Flowcode to read more news on the Nantucket Current

Tim Ehrenberg of “Tim Talks Books” gives

SCAN HERE to connect with @TimTalksBooks

For even more book recommendations, follow @timtalksbooks on Instagram. All books available at Mitchell’s Book Corner and Nantucket Bookworks or online at nantucketbookpartners.com.

BY ANY OTHER NAME BY JODI PICOULT

“What if?” This is the question Jodi asks in all her novels, taking us on a reading journey through tough moral and ethical dilemmas that don’t always have easy answers. This month Jodi returns to the literary stage with another what-if question. What if Shakespeare didn’t write his plays, but Emilia Bassano did? You’ve probably never heard of Emilia Bassano, but you’re about to. Jodi admits this is the “book of her heart” and the one that she was meant to write. You don’t have to be a Shakespearean scholar to love this novel as Jodi makes each character, sonnet and timeline easily accessible for the reader, and as always, her research and storytelling are top notch. I also loved the contemporary timeline with Melina Green and the themes of ambition, courage and desire, which are relevant centuries apart and that I know pulse through Jodi’s own life and writing career. To read or not to read. There is no question!

Elizabeth Strout has been creating characters that feel like a part of my community and life for years. Olive Kitteridge. Lucy Barton. Bob Burgess. Opening up these books to spend time with the residents of Crosby, Maine, is always enjoyable, but this one was my favorite visit yet. Strout has a way of bringing stunning insights about the human condition with just a single sentence. It’s no wonder she won the Pulitzer Prize. The book begins with our beloved characters in the midst of a shocking crime and one in which Bob is defending the man accused. The best part about this book is witnessing the characters we’ve grown to love, walk and talk with each other about their lives, fears and regrets, and as if the reader is saying “tell me everything!”

MARGOT’S GOT MONEY TROUBLES

BY RUFI THORPE

Rufi Thorpe’s The Knockout Queen from 2020 knocked my socks off, and her newest, Margot’s Got Money Troubles, is another crowd-pleaser. Meet Margot, the child of a Hooters waitress and ex-pro wrestler who has an affair with her English professor, gets pregnant and starts an OnlyFans account to make a living. When people question if Margot can be a good mother and participate in online sex work, troubles ensue. This book is the perfect August read. It’s laugh-out-loud funny, endearing with characters to love and remember, and so entertaining you won’t be stressing about your to-do lists and upcoming after-summer responsibilities.

THE ART OF FIELDING BY CHAD HARBACH

The author Ann Patchett has a tagline: “If you haven’t read this, it’s new to you.”

While I usually always feature books that are recently published for this article, I am going to take a page out of Ann’s book here and recommend one of my favorite reads from 2011, The Art of Fielding by Chad Harbach. This is one of those novels that sits on my shelf and whenever my eyes scan the title, I think, “I loved that book.” It’s a campus novel, which I adore, and primarily about baseball, which I’m not particularly fond of, but it’s presence in this novel makes it a home run! Student Henry Skrimshander at the fictional Westish College on the shore of Lake Michigan seems destined for big-league stardom, but when a routine throw goes disastrously off course, the fates of five people are upended. This is like the very best of John Irving and Jonathan Franzen, and it will always hold a special place in my heart and on my bookshelf. This was Chad Harbach’s debut and I wait and hope every year to see if he will write something again.

THEY DREAM IN GOLD

BY MAI SENNAAR

Elin Hilderbrand and I started Season 2 of our literary podcast Books, Beach, & Beyond with special guest and award-winning actor, Sarah Jessica Parker. She created SJP Lit, a publishing imprint that brings us thoughtprovoking, inclusive and bighearted stories. The most recent title for SJP Lit is They Dream in Gold by Mai Sennaar. Buckle up, readers, because this literary debut by a striking new voice in fiction is a journey across half the globe, spanning two decades, and featuring two dreamers and the diasporic pursuit of home. Sarah Jessica Parker calls it a “mouth-watering delight!”

To listen to our episode with Sarah Jessica Parker and hear all about SJP Lit, visit booksbeachandbeyond.com or tune in wherever you get your podcasts.

THE FRIDAY AFTERNOON CLUB BY GRIFFIN DUNNE

You can meet Griffin Dunne and get your book signed on Thursday August 15 from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at

I am still seeing stars after reading The Friday Afternoon Club by Griffin Dunne. This memoir of growing up among larger-thanlife characters in Hollywood and Manhattan is popcorn reading at its finest, but with such a genuine talent for writing and storytelling. You won’t believe all the people in these pages: Carrie Fisher, Sean Connery, Janis Joplin, Joan Didion, Thomas Wolfe—the list goes on. In the center of this starstudded crowd of film and literary celebrities is Griffin, and his voice and story leap off the page with humor, heart, vulnerability and family tragedy. Sometimes celebrity memoirs are a dime a dozen, but this one is pure gold.

LONG ISLAND COMPROMISE BY TAFFY BRODESSER-AKNER

Literary close-ups on one family are some of my favorite types of novels, and Long Island Compromise is one you will get lost in. In 1980, a wealthy businessman named Carl Fletcher is kidnapped from his driveway. This dark moment shatters the Fletchers and their suburban paradise, and for 450 pages we are along for the ride of family dysfunction and trauma. The novel spans the entirety of one family’s history, through several decades and generations and multiple familial perspectives, and we witness their mistakes, quirks, joys and trials, tears, drama, and mental and emotional health. It is ultimately a novel about inheritance, both financial and emotional and how that inheritance defines them all. Don’t miss this laugh-out-loud, “maybe-my-family-isn’t-so-bad” story!

Mitchell’s Book Corner.

CONNECTION

FOLGERS AND STARBUCKS, THE PERFECT BLEND

antucketers love their coffee but few know about the island’s serendipitous coffee connection. In 1849, three Folger brothers left Nantucket in search of gold in California. One of the brothers, J.A. Folger, split off and became partners with Pioneer Steam Coffee and Spice Mills, which produced roasted and pre-ground coffee. Folger eventually bought the company and renamed it Folger Coffee Company. The firm grew dramatically and was eventually sold in 1963 to Procter & Gamble and became the top coffee brand in America. The Folger family had, and continues to have, deep roots on Nantucket, leaving an important mark on the island. A prominent whaling family, the Folgers were instrumental in the colonization of Nantucket Island in the Massachusetts colony. Adding to the family lore is the fact that Peter Folger was the maternal grandfather of Benjamin Franklin.

WRITTEN BY BRUCE A. PERCELAY

fathers of Nantucket

James Folger and Folger’s Coffee advertisement

TACOTUCKET

Great tacos on the go

Tacos are hardly indigenous fare on Nantucket, but they have emerged as a popular quick bite on the island. There are numerous places to grab a tasty taco, soft or crunchy, on the island before hopping on a boat, racing off to the beach or jumping on a ferry. The following is a sample of some of the island’s popular options.

WRITTEN BY ANTONIA DEPACE AND BRUCE A. PERCELAY

Nantaco offers quick, relatively inexpensive, tasty and filling tacos for those in search of the perfect meal on the go. Fish and shrimp tacos are among the most popular menu items, along with a variety of burritos, quesadillas and beach bowls—all of which are served with both speed and quality in mind.

BOAT HOUSE 2 SANFORD ROAD

BOATHOUSENANTUCKET.COM

The Boat House specializes in tacos to go that also happen to be minimally processed for the health-conscious diner—there is something particularly appealing about food that is deemed all-natural versus highly processed or filled with antibiotics. Make your own or opt for one of their originals, including the Mr. Gordon which includes jerk chicken, brown rice, pinto beans, lettuce and chili lime mayo; and Nino’s Famous Fish Tacos, made with cod, crunchy cabbage slaw, cilantro, lime and chili lime mayo. Located adjacent to the Stop and Shop and somewhat off the beaten path, the Boat House presents a quick and tasty option for those who choose not to brave the traffic in town.

MILLIE’S

(Mid-Island at the Rotary)

1 SPARKS AVENUE

MILLIESNANTUCKET.COM

Millie’s footprint on the island continues to expand from its original location in Madaket to its offerings on Broad Street and mid-island at Sparks Avenue. The Sparks Avenue location offers takeout using some of the same menu items from the Madaket flagship but also includes tacos, lobster rolls, po’boys, quesadillas and family boxes designed to feed five to six at home.

Great for eating in or dining out, Casa Real serves some of the best Latin food on the island. While there is a robust menu to choose from, the taco section is especially appealing with protein options of steak, chicken, al pastor, braised beef tongue, grilled shrimp and quesibirria—all served with cilantro and onions tucked inside a corn tortilla with lime and salsa on the side. CASA REAL 5

WHAT’S INN?

WRITTEN BY DAVID CREED

The new faces of Nantucket’s historic hotels

The days of the four-poster bed, laced curtains and braided rugs as the décor de jour for inns on Nantucket have long been a thing of the past. Dowdy has been supplanted with cool with respect to the interiors of the island’s newest inns and hotels. Frumpy has been replaced by luxury with thousand-count sheets, designer toiletries and gourmet breakfast offerings.

The following is a summary of newly designed or renovated hotels for this season that are raising the bar of hotel offerings on the island. More than simply inns, these are places to truly stay in.

Photo by Paige Ashley Harding

76 MAIN INK PRESS HOTEL

In-season price range: $649-$1,049

The only hotel on Main Street, 76 Main has gone through a total redesign that combines a coastal aesthetic with a captivating theme of media on the island. Rebranded as the 76 Main Ink Press Hotel, the walls in the common areas, lobby and rooms have become a means to tell stories about Nantucket over the last 200 years as seen through the eyes of Nantucket’s print and broadcast media. Everywhere you look, the hotel reveals some part of Nantucket’s history.

Each room has its own story theme, ranging from famous journalists on the island to broadcast media personalities to stories of shipwrecks and those of the whaling days. Certain rooms focus on famous island personalities, including beloved author Elin Hilderbrand, whose bestselling book The Perfect Couple is about to become a Netflix feature series.

by Paige Ashley Harding

Photos

THE BEACHSIDE BY LIFEHOUSE

In-season price range: $549-$1.349

The Beachside has transformed from a modest motel into a luxurious retreat, capturing Nantucket’s summer traditions. This 92-room hotel is perfect for families, with adult and kids pools, Barnaby’s Kids Club and an arcade. Guests can enjoy summer classics at the Swim Club or take advantage of on-site yoga and Peloton bikes in the gym. Evenings come to life with Dreamland’s outdoor movie nights under the stars.

Described as “a love note to a Great American summer, Beachside offers a family-friendly alternative, previously exclusive to the Nantucket Hotel on Easton Street. Enjoy exclusive dining

without reservations, featuring fresh island fare, local snacks and creamsicles. The Swim Club’s poolside service and takeaway menus cater to all ages. Cool off at the Lobby Bar & Lounge or explore local provisions, picnic wine and stylish cabana shirts at the on-site shop. Whether exploring on complimentary bikes or relaxing in serene spots, every detail at The Beachside ensures a memorable stay.

19 BROAD / SWAIN HOUSE

In-season price range: $849-$1,249

Adjacent to the hotel known as 21 Broad, 19 Broad/Swain House was built in the late 1800s by coal merchant Andrew Hunt, who originally owned both properties with his brother-in-law Captain William Swain. This Victorian masterpiece, used primarily as a private residence, now offers the unique distinction of being available to rent by the room or the entire house, making it stand out under new short-term rental laws. Fully renovated with a contemporary, minimalist vibe, the hotel shares a large, private deck with its neighbor, 21 Broad. 21 Broad, previously known as the Nesbitt Inn, is the

longest continually running hotel on Nantucket. Constructed in 1878 by Charles Robinson, Nantucket’s most prolific builder of the late 19th century, 19 Broad is one of the finest examples of Victorian architecture remaining on Nantucket. It retains many of its character-defining features, including ornamental carvings by James W. Folger. The Swain House stands as proof of the enduring appeal of Victorian design, offering a glimpse into the island’s rich architectural heritage.

Photography by Greg Ceo

THE BRANT (SALT HOUSE)

In-season price range: $695-$1,040

The Brant, a luxurious renovation of the former Dolphin Hotel on North Beach Street, is now a high-end inn and mini resort. Featuring rooms with kitchenettes and a breezy coastal feel, The Brant offers an exclusive equity membership program, which provides guests with access to dedicated rooms each year, The Brant’s Jeeps, dedicated storage space and concierge services. Members also enjoy access to an exclusive lounge, partnered with Veuve Clicquot, adding a touch of luxury to their stay.

THE MARTIN BY GREYDON HOUSE

In-season price range: $600-$1,400

The Martin has been newly renovated and redesigned by Nantucket Looms. Its former traditional aesthetic has been reimagined as a coastal theme with varied hues of gray, green and blue giving it a distinctly contemporary feel. The Martin, which was built in 1803, has 15 rooms, provides a complimentary continental breakfast and is open year-round.

THE ART OF LIVING

WRITTEN BY MADELINE BILIS

PHOTOGRAPHY BY MATTHEW KISIDAY

ABD Studio expertly balances contemporary and traditional sensibilities in an art-filled island home.

When designer Brittany Giannone sat down with her client to dream up the interiors for their recently purchased home, she knew she had to underscore the identity of the place—and its owners. Giannone, the founder and principal at San Francisco-based ABD STUDIO, has summered practically every year on Nantucket since she was born. Her client, meanwhile, was an art collector who hailed from the South and spent much of her time in San Francisco after years of working on the East Coast. The client had fostered a deep love for Nantucket during that time, and she and her husband realized one of their favorite places to vacation should be a part of their children’s lives.

“We want them to understand and love Nantucket,” says the client. “This place has something no place else has.”

So, they bought a newconstruction masterpiece on the island and tapped Giannone— who’s worked on several of the client’s homes—to not only reflect their eclectic style, but to design in a setting that Giannone knew and loved well. As for the house’s identity: It would be a modern refuge that channeled Nantucket’s traditional sentiments while incorporating art and design nods from

both West Coast living and Southern roots.

That began by injecting the place with color. When she and her husband bought it, the client noticed the home was devoid of brighter hues. “It was all taupes and white and gray, ” Giannone says.

So the client, who was trained as a painter, decided it’d be best to connect the outdoors with the indoors. She’d inherited a striking flower garden in the property’s central courtyard and resolved to repeat the colors from the flowers—

alliums, hydrangeas, hostas and others—in the living area and bedrooms. She infused the fabrics, artwork and accents with greens, maroons and mauves that felt harmonious with the garden.

The next major consideration was art. As a collector, it was imperative for the client to showcase pieces that created a sense of calm and comfort. “The challenge was to make the home feel like it was embracing you,” says the client. “And that you didn’t feel like you were on display.”

Textures juxtapose through art and a hanging coral-inspired pendant.

Amodern home with stark white walls and blocky paintings wouldn’t do, so she opted for pieces from multiple artists like Tanya Ling, Per Kirkeby and Allan McCollum. One focal point in the living room is a largescale abstract work, with deep golds, oranges and browns, while another piece in the primary bedroom draws in the leafiness of the courtyard with broad green brushstrokes.

Like the home itself—which the client describes as having a very strong nod toward the classic architecture that makes up Nantucket, but with a contemporary reinterpretation—the art strikes a balance between classical and modern. It establishes an environment for both sculptural sofas and antique pieces to feel at home in the same room.

Several of the artworks on view subtly reference nautical themes and Nantucket’s history. One such piece is the woven wall hanging in the home’s front hallway. Created by Sheila Hicks, it’s meant to point to Nantucket’s history of weaving and basket-making. “The challenge was: How do we pay tribute to Nantucket without using overtly traditional symbols?” explains the client. Sparing rattan accents and basketmaking objects achieve the same goal, as do coral-like light fixtures

Indoor and outdoor spaces combine at the Nantucket abode.

The main living space combines three distinct gathering rooms: the kitchen, dining room and living room.

in the hallway and a pendant in one of the bedrooms, which resembles a sea urchin. A driftwood sculpture mounted above the fireplace by artist Leonardo Drew brings a touch of the sea to the living room as well.

Relishing every detail in the home is a priority for the client when summer arrives, explaining that her family migrates to different parts of the home at different times of day. Mornings are chiefly spent in the sunny open-concept kitchen and great room, when the client often finds herself catching up on work at the oversize island or the nearby long dining table. Here, soaring ceilings give the room a grand sense of scale. Exposed shelving, meanwhile, lets the client display her collection of glassware and ceramics.

“We added brass shelving [behind the island] to add storage, but visually, it continued to play on height in the space,” Giannone says. “The ceilings are high and there’s drama there.” Vintage rugs and runners bring added softness into the kitchen. The client and her husband estimates approximately half of the rugs in the house are antique, with vintage fabrics and found objects punctuating the modernity of each room.

Brass and soft textures continue into the dining space. It’s anchored by two large white pendant lights, which Giannone says are meant to ground the dining setup within the larger layout. The custom walnut table adds extra warmth to the room, with a textured top that’s meant to be unfussy. “None of the finishes are super precious,” Giannone adds. “It’s a home that’s really made to be enjoyed.”

As the day goes by, the family gradually spends more time in the courtyard’s in-ground pool—and then in the living area. There, the reupholstered sofa steals the show. “The fabric on the sofa was the first thing we chose for the entire house,” Giannone says, as the client sought a funky, modern floral pattern to recall the garden beyond the large windows. The chairs opposite the sofa are vintage and come with two sets of upholstery: a lively dotted pattern for summer and a wool plaid for winter, ready for when the family decides to spend the holidays on island.

The media room features custom upholstery in Jennifer Shorto textiles (sofa) and a large Allan McCollum artwork.

The Sea Urchin Pendant by Coup D’Etat hangs above one of the daughters’ bedrooms.

Nautical elements are subtly added, like in this rope-knotted mirror.

Come nighttime, unwinding from a day well spent is a joyous comfort in each bedroom. The primary bedroom is wallpapered in seagrass, one of many textures exhibited throughout the room. More can be found in the jute rug blanketing the floor, and in the dresser from New York’s Roman and Williams Guild. “It’s hand-carved and kind of looks like it’s something from under the ocean,” Giannone says. She explains the client wanted the space to feel like a ship captain’s bedroom, with a balance of stately accents and light, modern touches.

Every bed in the home features chambray blue linen sheets, or in other words, the textile equivalent of summer on Nantucket. In a bedroom for one of the client’s daughters, striking plaid textiles the client purchased in Morocco serve as a rug to ground the bed. A bright-blue painting by Tanya Ling on the wall is framed with chrome, matching the metallic shine of the chrome four-poster bed. The other bedroom features a range of textures and patterns, from a chunky throw blanket and woven baskets to plush leather seating at the foot of the bed.

In the same wing of the house beyond the clients’ daughters’ bedrooms, there’s also a media room for spending time away from the sunshine. A partition divides the mounted TV setup from a Ping-Pong table. “When you open the doors, the pool’s outside, and this is an entertaining space,” Giannone says. “Or you know, everyone piles on this massive sofa after dinner and you watch a movie.” The client reupholstered the home’s existing L-shaped sectional with a preppy yet modern green plaid, then finished off the room with hanging cloth lanterns.

The media room isn’t the only part of the home with expansive glass doors. Every room has a generous view of the property, with several sets of sliding doors offering stunning portals to sea breezes. With the doors completely open, it’s easy to appreciate the home’s seamless connection between indoors and out.

The entire home, including its guest house, is split into seven separate buildings, each with its own identity. Though from the outside, classic weathered shingles bring a touch of Nantucket’s heritage to the angular modern rooflines of each wing. A modern in-ground pool in the property’s courtyard serves as a central gathering place among the home’s separate wings. Surrounded by

The primary bedroom

The living room

lush plants, flowers and greenery, it’s a sunny refuge that’s only steps from the kitchen and living room.

Whiling away summer days in this art-filled abode is all too easy when the environment is light, airy and approachable. “The design of our homes really inspires how we’re affected every single morning when we wake up—how we get to take our first step forward into a fresh new day.” Giannone says. “If you wake up in a home where you love the colors, love the textures and feel cozy in your vacation home, you’re able to relax and entertain.”

Overall, the client wanted a place where anyone who entered would feel disarmed and relaxed—and that there were places for private reflection and relaxation. “Sometimes with modern architecture it’s hard to feel that way because of the stark walls, big windows and openness of the rooms,” she says. “But with the goal of giving people the emotional satisfaction that a more enclosed space brings, we really tried to create warmth— an environment that had fabrics and textures and a layout that was inviting.” The idea was to ensure nothing felt too precious, and instead, let the inhabitants of the space simply be themselves.

The end result, the client says, is a home that reflects her eclectic, bicoastal sensibilities. “It’s a wonderful oasis for our family.”

Back of the house with pool and sitting area.

The other daughter’s bedroom.

Find Your Place in Massachusetts

BROAD REACH

Bill Liddle sets his sights on an Opera House Cup victory.

It has been nearly two decades since a year-round Nantucket resident won the Opera House Cup Regatta. Chris Magee, owner of the Zingara, was the last year-round winner back in 2005. Bill Liddle—with his 26-foot Alerion, Fortuna—hopes to break that two-decade drought after a third-place finish in 2023 has him heading into 2024 with plenty of momentum.

“To win the Opera House Cup I would be ecstatic given the people I am racing against,” Liddle said. “I’m mostly familiar with the Alerion sailors, all of whom are really competent and highly skilled individuals who have been doing it for a while. To be able to actually beat all of them would be pretty fantastic.”

Liddle moved to Nantucket as a teenager in the late 1970s and was quickly introduced to sailing by family friends Vladdy Kagan and Erica Wilson. They were passionate sailors, and it didn’t take long for that passion to rub off on Liddle. He said the idea of getting on a boat gives him the ultimate sense of freedom.

Bill Liddle. Photo by Kit Noble.

WRITTEN BY DAVID CREED

PHOTOGRAPHY BY KIT NOBLE AND CORY SILKEN

“I remember sailing up the harbor. There used to be a barge up there, and I just remember going up to it, tying up and hanging out there and throwing shells in the water,” Liddle said. “That was a strong memory. I suppose I have many memories exploring Polpis Harbor on a calm day. It ’ s pretty unique. The world slows down when you’re on a boat.”

Sailing continues to be an escape for Liddle. He recently took time away from his work to sail with Alfie Sanford from the Azores to Bermuda. He has

also sailed in the Caribbean to partake in some clinic work and competed in regattas in St. Petersburg, Florida, this past winter.

“I would sail just about anywhere if given the opportunity, but I will say that Nantucket for day sailing is still the best,” Liddle said. “There is no doubt. But sailing with Alfie from the Azores to Bermuda was an extraordinarily memorable time with him just as a teacher but also looking at stars in the middle of the night in the middle of the Atlantic. Then when it was calm

the next day being able to swim in the ocean while seeing an outback whale breaching in front of you.”

Liddle’s love of being on the water has never waned. Wind surfing became his main hobby after graduating high school and helped him discover his love for speed on the water. Liddle knew that one day he would return to his sailing roots, and this hobby helped him come to the realization he wanted to do more than sit back and relax on his boat while exploring the picturesque island when that day came.

Bill Liddle’s boat, Alerion, Fortuna. Photo by Cory Silken Photography, LLC.

Liddle has been selling real estate on island since 1992, and after a brief two-year sabbatical from 2000 to 2002 to work in New York City as a real estate project manager, he returned to the island and co-founded Great Point Properties alongside Greg McKechnie where he remains to this day.

As his career and family began to shape into form, he found himself desiring to get back out onto the water to sail. It led to him purchasing a 38foot Alerion Express Fiberglass boat with a modern design and small living area below.

“I quickly learned that my family didn’t really want to sail with me,” Liddle joked. “They had no interest and just didn’t embrace it the way I thought they would. So I then started racing the boat and we would do these handicap races out of Nantucket Sound. I quickly realized that all of the other boats were much more serious sailors and much more serious boats. I decided that if I want to race, I should get into the one design fleet where there are other boats within the same ZIP code as me.”

It led to Liddle giving Alfie Sanford a phone call in 2016, over 40 years after Liddle had first expressed his interest in an Alerion boat to Sanford.

“Fortuna is an Alerion and Alfie and Edward Sanford reintroduced the class in the 1970s to Nantucket because they were building them,” Liddle said. “It was the reintroduction of a boat that was designed in around 1914. In 1980 when I was around 14 years old, I wrote Alfie a letter asking for a brochure. He lived right around the corner and sent me a brochure. Then in 2016, I called him and said I’d love for him to build me a boat. He’slike, ‘you might have taken longer than any other client I've ever had.’ ”

Photo by Kit Noble.

The boat’s construction began in Chatham in 2017. The Pease Brothers began building it before being sold to First Light Boatworks, who completed the work under Woody Metzger.

“The boat is made out of cedar and teak wood,” Liddle said. “It’s what’s referred to as a cold-mold construction

sailing experience. He will be putting aside the leisurely approach and replacing it with a more business-like mindset with two experienced sailors by his side including a young local sailor named Sam Turner, who has been on the Nantucket Yacht Club sailing teams in the past.

“He is a local kid but away at boarding school now,” Liddle said. “Then I have a

some competition being reeled in my focus might change from fun to trying to place well and beat them out,” Liddle said. “But being out on that Alerion is just pure joy. It is a simple boat and absolutely elegant. I enjoy looking at every square inch of the boat, appreciate the design and love the smell of the wood. Being out and being able to see all of the beautiful boats around me as

where they layer laminates of wood over a shell or form of the shape of the hull and then they put laminates of wood on and follow the form. It’s just one thin veneer after another and then it’s finished with mahogany and teak and other species of wood.”

Looking ahead to the 52nd Opera House Cup on August 18, Liddle will be taking a slightly different approach from years past where he has been accompanied by friends with little to no

friend named Andrew Kotchen, who is an architect out here and in New York looking for some peace of mind, so we are going to provide that in some way. Andrew has been a racer since he was a child.”

Liddle says that while he will be taking a more serious approach to this year’s regatta, his top priority remains having fun and appreciating all of the beautiful boats he hopes to see behind him.

“I always prioritize having fun but look, if I feel like all of a sudden we have

well as the natural beauty surrounding us is a wonderful escape and on race day is really quite meditative—especially if we can win. All the little worries in my head seem to go away and I am just fixated on what is in front of me.

“It’s so invigorating to be surrounded by boats where some are new and just beautifully designed and beautifully engineered while others are stunningly gorgeous and have history,” Liddle said. “It is a real joy. I am looking forward to it.”

Photo by Kit Noble.

The Perfect Couple. (L to R) Eve Hewson as Amelia Sacks, Sam Nivola as Will Winbury, Nicole Kidman as Greer Winbury, Billy Howle as Benji Winbury, Liev Schreiber as Tag Winbury, Dakota Fanning as Abby Winbury, Jack Reynor as Thomas Winbury in episode 103 of The Perfect Couple. Cr. Seacia Pavao/Netflix © 2024

Nantucket Goes

HOLLYWOOD

INTERVIEW BY BRUCE A. PERCELAY

The Perfect Couple’s star Eve Hewson.

Eve Hewson is a rising star who has recently appeared in Bad Sisters and Behind Her Eyes. Born in Dublin, Ireland and the daughter of famed musician Bono, Hewson is making a name in her own right as a dramatic actress and one who appears in comedic roles. She costars as the bride in The Perfect Couple series, which is a murder mystery centered around Nantucket and an adaptation of Elin Hilderbrand’s novel. N Magazine sat down with Hewson to discuss the filming of the series, and her interactions with Nicole Kidman and author Elin Hilderbrand.

Have you ever been to Nantucket? If not, is it on your bucket list?

Well, what was so disappointing was that we never had enough time to go over to the island. We shot in Chatham, basically. And we had a weekend to go over to Nantucket but the weather changed so much when we were shooting that our schedule kept moving around. We ended up having to shoot Saturdays and so we never got to make there, which was ridiculous because we were acting as though we were on Nantucket. We were so close, but so far.

Elin Hilderbrand, who wrote The Perfect Couple, is obviously very well known on Nantucket and has been coming here for a long time. Did you get a chance to meet her?

She was fantastic. She’s one of those dream writers where it’s their story and it’s their book, and they sort of pass it along to us. She was very cool about being “this is your thing.” She was such a champion and a cheerleader, but she wasn’t overly involved. She just came to set to bring her family, meet all of us and is a ray of sunshine. That woman is just so delightful, and so

we were all kind of starstruck to meet her when she came.

How exhausted does your father (Bono) get by being asked “aren’t you Eve Hewson’s dad?”

Exhausted, he is just exhausted by it (laughing).

In terms of the characters in the show, there’s something ironic about your role. You’re playing the simple outsider and obviously your life is probably the exact opposite. Was there anything in that plotline that you particularly identified with?

Yes, I actually really do relate to being an outsider in so many ways. I never grew up in sort of a waspy, affluent culture. I grew up in Dublin, which is a very different kind of place. I’m Irish, I haven’t spent a lot of time in America, which is a completely different culture to me. So I’ve always felt a little bit far removed from the environments that I’m in. But not when I’m at home.

The thing that I loved about the character Amelia was that she was just such a free spirit, and she’s

really not self conscious. And that’s so different to I think Greer (Nicole Kidman). Greer has created this life for herself that is very image conscious. Amelia doesn’t see the world that way and that’s the tension between them. Amelia kind of triggers something in Greer that she wishes she could be but never allowed herself to be. I thought that was really interesting, two women coming from very different places, trying to understand each other. So, Amelia is a real outsider. And when she enters this world depicted in this series, everything changes.

There was one scene where you are in the kitchen with Greer and she is staring at you. With this laser beam glare and you are staring her down. It was actually uncomfortable watching it because it felt so real. Was it easy to get into roll on that because it felt so realistic from the viewers’ perspective?

Nicole is such an incredible actor. She’s truly one of my all time favorite actors on the planet. I was sent the script and I really loved the

story, I thought it was so gripping. I was sent the first three episodes and I ’ ve always wanted to do a murder mystery type of show, so this was just a dream and I had absolutely no idea that Nicole was going to play the mom. When they told me they got the role in the series, they kept talking about this Nicole person, and I said who ’s Nicole? When they said Nicole Kidman, I was completely shocked and excited. There ’ s nothing better than working with a fantastic actor like that because it can feel real in the moment in between action and cut. With someone like that you don ’t have to act so much, you ’re just reacting because they ’re giving you everything.

In defense of Nantucket, the portrayal of the value system in the show did not necessarily reflect on life as we know it on the island. In fact, I think people aspire not to be that way.

The’re definitely fictional characters, for sure.

Can you tell us a little bit about the production? Elin said it was a virtual army of people who totally transformed the house in Chatham where the series was shot and actually built a second structure. You’ve seen a lot of productions. What was your assessment of how big an effort this was?

It was incredible what they did. They took over a lot of places in Chatham, but it was mainly the house that they rented for these three months. First of all, the house was absolutely stunning. I don’t know what it looked like beforehand, but apparently, it was a complete transformation. It was beautiful. And we spent most of our time in that house, which is really great. It’s such a luxury to be in one set and on such a beautiful set, as well. We spent a lot of time there, we had a green room up in the attic, where all the kids went up in between scenes and entertained themselves and we got to sit out on the beach during lunchtime to enjoy the sunshine. It was really beautiful.

You are from a very thoughtful, activist-engaged family. Is acting your ultimate goal in life? Or do you see yourself going beyond that, in terms of you as a person?

I love acting and it’s something that I need to do in order to understand the world and understand humanity. But I definitely want to have my own company and my own films. I want to make my own work, write and direct, because as much as acting is amazing—and I’ve been very fortunate—

Photo by David Zaugh.

Top: Altuzarra, Skirt: Altuzarra, Heels: Badgley Mishka, Rings: David Yurman, Earrings: Kasun.

there’s a lot of your life that you’re not in control of. I would just like to sort of be my own boss.

Do you gravitate toward dramatic roles and is that what you find most fulfilling?

When I started out, I was definitely given more dramatic roles. I think maybe that’s the Irish in me. We have very dramatic faces or something. But for the last few years, I’ve done mainly comedy. So I’m coming back to the drama world in this show, especially with my character. I know we’re sort a dark comedy, a lot of it is funny, but my character was dealing with

something so intense for the six episodes. Going back into that dramatic part of myself I really enjoyed.

Elin is a very prolific writer. Could you see any other of her books, assuming this is successful, being turned into a series?

There could be an entire Elin Hilderbrand universe. I wouldn’t be surprised if she’s already working on it.

If you were to create the ideal scenario for your next movie, does this experience inspire you to want to do more projects like this?

A lot of my career has mainly been television, and I feel really lucky because I feel like we’e in this massively golden era of TV. And even though I grew up watching movies being the number one product coming out of Hollywood, I think it’s now TV and movies are getting less and less important. The storytelling in television is so creative but I’m open to any genre. I’m about to go do something that’s mainly comedy. I just did Bad Sisters, which is sort of a dark comedy.

I’m always looking for what’s the best character, where’s the best writing, where is the best storytelling and I think it’s in television. So I hope to stick to TV.

Is there any possibility of making a visit to Nantucket?

I hope so. They said to us that when we do the premiere, we’ll do a premiere on Nantucket. So, I’m waiting for the invitation.

Well, I’m a huge, huge TV fan. I love doing shows like this that are murder mystery, binge worthy with big characters, big stories, big drama. I really enjoy watching those series when they come out, so I was really excited to do this and be a part of it.

The Perfect Couple. (L to R) Liev Schreiber as Tag Winbury, Nicole Kidman as Greer Winbury in episode 103 of The Perfect Couple. Cr. Courtesy of Netflix © 2024

The Perfect Couple. (L to R) Eve Hewson as Amelia Sacks, Meghann Fahy as Merritt Monaco in episode 101 of The Perfect Couple. Cr. Hilary Bronwyn Gayle/Netflix © 2024

Behind the Scenes with ELIN HILDERBRAND

WRITTEN BY BRUCE A. PERCELAY

Netflix’s upcoming series The Perfect Couple

Nantucket has had its brushes with Hollywood fame over the years, but nothing could be truly termed a blockbuster hit. Elin Hilderbrand and Netflix’s adaptation of her bestselling book The Perfect Couple could change all of that.

With a star-studded cast, including Nicole Kidman, Dakota Fanning, Liev Schreiber and Eve Hewson, the upcoming series has all the potential to become a major television hit that would not only catapult Hilderbrand to a new level but also expose Nantucket to a national audience.

Eve Hewson, a rising star and the daughter of famed rock musician Bono, plays the bride in The Perfect Couple. She shared her thoughts about the film and Nantucket with N Magazine. Hilderbrand, who has authored 30 books relating to Nantucket, also sat down with N Magazine to discuss the Netflix series and the drama behind her years-long efforts to get her book from print to the television screen.

Give us some background as to how this project started.

The genesis of this project was bananas. I sold it to Fox in 2019 to a producer named Gail Berman who did Buffy the Vampire Slayer, The Addams Family, the Elvis movie, among others. She is a very big deal and loves my books and picked up The Perfect Couple for her production company.

In 2019, Fox passed on the deal because they had a Lee Daniels project that was set on the Vineyard and felt it was too similar and Gail took the project to her own production company. She sat on it for over a year and referred me to a contact in Southeast Asia. They offered me a significant amount of money and wanted to do the series to be set in Bali with an Asian cast speaking English and planned to market it in places like South Korea, Thailand, Hong Kong and Singapore. I simply couldn’t do that and said no.

There were numerous false starts from there, and finally, I connected with a woman named Susanne Bier, who has major credits to her name with

“[Nicole] really thinks Nantucket is so storybook and so perfect and absolutely loves it.”

– Elin Hilderbrand

productions that included Nicole Kidman and Hugh Grant. They called Nicole, who said she wanted to do it, but we did not have a male lead at which point.

I suggested Liev Schreiber, which Nicole was excited about. They then got Dakota Fanning and Meghann Fahy, and it snowballed from there.

Did you have a say in the cast or was this completely up to Netflix?

Ultimately, it is up to them, but they like to hear my suggestions because I am engaged in the streaming world. They asked my opinion about Liev Schreiber, as I was the one that suggested using him. As it turned out, he was the only person Nicole Kidman wanted to work with. So, do I have influence? I’m really not sure.

I know your books are not autobiographical, but is there anyone in this movie that you see yourself in?

There’s a little bit of me in Greer, who is the part that Nicole plays, because she’s a novelist. There is a little bit of the writing life that I was able to incorporate with [my] career and it was Nicole’s role in the movie. It was super fun because I make fun of writer’s block and all this stuff and Nicole has told me that she particularly loved this role.

Have you gotten to know Nicole Kidman and educate her about Nantucket?

She flew to Nantucket at the end of August and we had dinner at the Galley. She said, “I love it here and I want to come back for Thanksgiving.” I suggested to her that Thanksgiving was not a good idea because the president was here and said she could come back for Christmas Stroll. She really thinks Nantucket is so storybook and so perfect and absolutely loves it.

Cast for Netflix’s The Perfect Couple.

Nicole Kidman Liev Schreiber

Eve Hewson

Billy Howle

Dakota Fanning Meghann Fahy

Ishaan Khattar

Jack Reynor

Sam Nivola

You are a prolific writer. Is it your dream scenario where this series just continues with Netflix, because there’s enough content for them to go for numerous seasons?

That is correct. Yes, I have plenty of content and I would love it if The Perfect Couple went into a second series using one of my other books.

The movie was actually shot in Chatham, not Nantucket. Were they able to faithfully reproduce Nantucket, and why did they select the Cape?

When I went over to the set last May, I saw what the production entails. We are talking about enormous trucks that I don’t think would even fit on the boat. There were enormous cranes with huge lights and hundreds of people working on this production, which is why I understood why shooting on Nantucket was not practical.

“You need a large budget to shoot Nantucket properly, and my gut is that this show is finally going to do that.”

– Elin Hilderbrand

Basically, they rented a waterfront house in Chatham, took out every stick of furniture, re-wallpapered and repainted it, as well as redecorating it. I don’t know how they got this done but they also added two guest cottages in the backyard.

When you walk into this house, it feels like you are on Nantucket. I then went in January to the last shoot at a reservoir in California. They had tents

and a rehearsal dinner and it was like going to a wedding on Nantucket with seafood towers, place settings and hydrangeas. It looked like a wedding out of the pages of your magazine and was dead on. I could not believe how authentically Nantucket it looked with extras wearing Nantucket reds and all the details.

Was there any shooting on Nantucket?

Yes. They sent what is called a second unit who came in a van with cameras and shot all over downtown. They shot at Cisco and had a photographer come in his helicopter and filmed alongside the Endeavor to get the feeling of it being under full sail in the harbor. It was crazy for those on the Endeavor to all of a sudden have a helicopter filming right next to them.

Do you think that the series could have a meaningful impact on tourism in Nantucket?

Absolutely. I really hope people don’t get angry about it, because it’s busy already. I mean, the only thing that makes me not worry about it is that Nantucket is self-regulating. So basically what’s going to happen is the summer is as busy as it can be. And then it’s going to push out to the shoulder season. I see that already with my own readers who come. My readers are on Nantucket, early June. And then they will come back in September. October midweek, and into November because that’s when they can afford it. And that’s when you know there’s room. So yeah, I think it will make an enormous

difference. Because who doesn’t want to come to visit once they see it? I mean, everyone’s gonna be like, I want to go there.

“I

have plenty of content and I would love it if The Perfect Couple went into a second series using one of my other books.”

– Elin Hilderbrand

How many followers do you have on the internet, either through Instagram or whatever other platforms?

I have 171,000 followers on Instagram and 156,000 on Facebook. I can tell you that 92 percent are female and 8 percent are male.

The success rate of movies on Nantucket has not been high and I am just wondering what your thoughts are on that.

I understand what you’re saying and the answer is Nantucket has never been done correctly. You need a large budget to shoot Nantucket properly, and my gut is that this show is finally going to do that. It’s nobody’s fault that Nantucket hasn’t been done correctly to this point, but it’s just impossible to access in a Hollywood way and shooting on the Cape is the closest you can get to reality. They did a great job on this film, short of bringing the entire production to Nantucket, which would have resulted in everyone hating my guts. It’s just not feasible.

WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS

WRITTEN BY DAVID CREED

Boys lacrosse wins first state title in program history.

The Nantucket boys lacrosse team made history on June 15 after winning the Division 4 state championship 7-6 against the Sandwich Blue Knights. It was the first state title in program history and the first state title earned by any Nantucket sports team since the 2011 Whaler football team beat Boston Latin Academy in the Super Bowl.

“I still can’t believe it,” senior captain Cole Chambers said after the game. “I can’t believe this is happening right now. It is crazy. This is what we all dreamed of and worked for our whole lives.”

The Whalers were the No. 1 seed in the tournament while the Blue Knights were the No. 3 seed. Chambers and sophomores Arann Hanlon and Nolen Mosscrop scored two goals each while senior Colby O’Keefe scored once.

“This means everything, to be honest. One last ride with my brothers,” senior midfielder Ryan Davis said. “I grew up playing with these kids every day, every season, and these brothers were always by my side. It means everything to be with them through this entire thing.”

Throughout the game, sophomore goalie Jeremy Jenkinson

was sensational for the Whalers. He finished with nine saves on the scorecard, but it was undoubtedly more. Jenkinson stepped up over and over for his team, making several elite stops at timely moments including one with his arm as time expired in the game.

“It was a good thing I saw it well [on June 15] because [the day before] I wasn’t seeing it well in practice so I was a little nervous,” Jenkinson admitted. “But today, I saw it pretty good. Means everything to win it for the community and the boys.”

“That might have been one of the best games Jeremy has ever had,” senior captain Griffin Starr added. “He stepped up and is just a great kid. I say he deserves to be league MVP and I say that with no disrespect to Logan

PHOTOGRAPHY BY CHRIS TRAN

The boys lacrosse team with coaches

The boys lacrosse team celebrates their state championship win.

Poulin [star Nauset midfielder], but Jeremy has to be up there.”

O’Keefe said scoring in the title game will be a memory he cherishes for the rest of his life. He said he couldn’t describe in words the feelings of happiness he felt when the clock hit zero and the Whalers became state champions.

“Ending our high school careers on a dub doesn’t happen to many people,” O’Keefe added. “It only happens to one team in our division, and that’s us. So we are excited about it.”

Head coach Sam Aloisi, who has coached the Whalers’ program for 11 years, said it was a special moment to win the first state championship of his coaching career with this group of players.

“This is awesome, and this is the group to do it with,” he said. “They deserve it. If anybody does, it is these guys. They put in a lot of time, a lot of commitment. This is a fitting end for these seniors. They earned it. They earned it all.”

and we’re down 6-4 to King Philip in the fourth quarter but come back and win that game. That was when it was looking like these guys were for real. They had made up their minds of what they wanted to do and what they wanted to be. After that King Philip game, that is when I felt like they may be able to win the state championship. When we scheduled it, we did so as sort of a reach game and these guys came back to win it.”

Much of the boys lacrosse team’s core was made up of members of

Nantucket finished the season with a 16-1 regular season record and 21-1 record overall. Aloisi felt the Whalers’s lone loss this season, which came against Falmouth on April 9 13-6, was one of two turning points for this team. He also pointed to the Whalers’ narrow 7-6 victory over King Philip on May 5.

“We went away and we got embarrassed over there,” Aloisi said of the team’s first performance against Falmouth. “Then Falmouth came over, these guys woke up, and we beat them. Then we went away

Knapp softly tossed a puck in a scrum happening at center ice.

The story circulated across the state as the loss of Knapp derailed an otherwise terrific season for the Whalers. Nantucket finished the regular season with a 15-4-1 record and earned the No. 2 seed in the Division 4 state tournament after making it all the way to the state semifinal the year prior.

the 2023-24 boys hockey team, which felt they had their chance at a hockey state title stripped away by the MIAA after a five-person committee appointed by the organization suspended star senior winger Braden Knapp for one year following an incident against the Blue Knights in the final game of the regular season when

“I mean I wish Braden [Knapp] could be here with us,” Davis said while reflecting on their state championship. “This is for him. This is for everybody. This is for the whole Nantucket community.”

Without Knapp, the Whalers still managed to win a pair of games in the hockey state tournament before losing 4-1 to Stoneham in the state quarterfinal. Senior captain Griffin Starr, who also played goalie for the hockey team and was the Whalers’ captain, said the shenanigans at the end of the hockey season motivated the lacrosse team all year long.

“After hockey season, we jokingly said we were going to see Sandwich in the finals [in lacrosse],” Starr said. “We kind of just wrote it up as a joke, but this honestly could not have been written up any better. The last three years Sandwich has made it to this game and now they go home sad for the third time in a row.”

The title game was played the day after the Nantucket High School graduation. All of the senior players bailed on the post-graduation festivities— including the annual beach party—to head home and get a good night’s sleep.

“They [earned] a bigger party tonight,” Aloisi said after the game.

Sophomore attacker Nolen Mosscrop (24) after one of his two fourth quarter goals in the state title game against Sandwich

The scene as the clock expired and the Whalers took home the school’s first state title since 2011 and first in program history.

Senior captain Michael Culkins kisses the trophy.

Senior Ryan Davis cuts the net after winning the championship.

Sophomore Arann Hanlon (4) and senior captain Michael Culkins.

Reaching a

A HIGH NOTE

WRITTEN BY BRUCE A. PERCELAY

America’s Got Talent star to deliver national anthem at the Pops

t the age of 16, Amanda Mena’s performance on NBC’s America’s Got Talent television show not only saw her winning the “Golden Buzzer” from the judges but actually brought tears to their eyes. So impactful was Mena’s delivery that her performance on the hit television series was rated among the 10 best in its entire history. Her rendition of “What About Us” by P!nk captivated the audience and put her on a trajectory to become a national star.

To date, the 22-year-old singer from Lynn, Massachusetts, has appeared on American Idol, America’s Got Talent and The Voice, which has opened doors for her where she is now performing on a national stage. Mena has performed on Broadway, singing “I Feel the Earth Move,” in the Carole King musical Beautiful and was invited by Hollywood producer Kenny Ortega to perform a tribute to the late Aretha Franklin at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood.

Mena is one of many homegrown singers from Massachusetts who have gone on to become household names. While she has not reached stardom yet, she delivers performances that critics have come to notice on a local level. Keith Lockhart invited her to perform at the July 4th Boston Pops concert at the Esplanade where she sang a duet with Queen Latifah and Arlo Guthrie, which Lockhart rated among the top shows they have ever produced. She sang the national anthem at the opening game for the Patriots celebrating their 2019 Super Bowl Championship and has sung for the Patriots three times since.

A senior at Berklee College of Music, Mena graduated with honors from St. Mary’s High School in Lynn, Massachusetts, and

has recently released several

followers on Instagram and Facebook. It is anticipated she will be releasing her first album in the near future.

Mena will be delivering

band. Clearly, not only does America have talent, but for the Pops this year, Nantucket

Sweet Heart

Leah Bayer of Aunt Leah’s Fudge bestowed with this year’s Fred Rogers Good Neighbor Award.

Years ago, Leah Bayer was caring for a family friend at Nantucket Cottage Hospital when she first met Fred Rogers. “He came every day to bring her a bowl of his homemade soup,” Bayer recalled. “We always said that it was his soup that helped her recover.” At the time, Bayer had no idea that Fred Rogers was a famous children’s television host. Instead, she connected with him over the fact that they were both from Pennsylvania. Bayer was taken by Rogers’ simple, soft-spoken kindness. His approach for caring for others aligned with her own. Now decades later, Bayer has been honored with the Dreamland’s Fred Rogers Good Neighbor Award in recognition of the same understated kindness that she witnessed from Rogers all those years ago.

WRITTEN BY ROBERT COCUZZO

PHOTOGRAPHY BY KIT NOBLE

Leah Bayer

Aunt Leah’s Fudge on Straight Wharf

or me to be recognized for this esteemed award is the highest honor that reaches my heart and soul,” Bayer said. With her platinum blonde hair bound behind her trademark red visor, Bayer is known by most as “Aunt Leah,” the longtime proprietor of Aunt Leah’s Fudge on Straight Wharf. For the last 40 years, she’s been an unofficial ambassador for the island, serving old-fashioned hospitality alongside her tasty treats to everyone who walks through her swinging double doors.

college classmate and eventually got a job at the Hub. Before long she was also moonlighting at the Sweet Shop across the street. One thing led to the another and Leah became a first-grade teacher at Academy Hill on Nantucket—and never left. She taught first grade for 35 years before retiring to work full time at the fudge shop that she opened during the summer. Though she no longer teaches students formally, Bayer has mentored many employees who have gone on to great heights from her fudge shop.

“She is truly a ‘good neighbor’ and an absolute gift to this community...”

– Alicia Carney

Yet the sweetest part of Aunt Leah is not her locally famous fudge. On an island where generosity is most readily seen in monetary donations, Bayer purveys in simple acts of kindness. Whether she is gifting boxes of her fudge to policemen, firefighters and hospital staff during the holidays, or caring for ailing friends, or handing out water to dock workers in the heat of summer, Leah exemplifies what it is to be a good neighbor. She proves that one can make a difference in another’s life, no matter what they have at their disposal. “A group of small gestures will reach farther than a single large one,” she says of her approach. “I think that if everyone could do some small things that it would make a big difference in this community.” Bayer came to the island in the summer of 1968 at the behest of a

Leah Bayer with statue of Mr. Rogers

“I am always inspired by her optimism and passion,” says Ashmita KC, who has worked for Leah since she was 14 years old. “Her kindness—whether it is in giving out bottle of water to the guys working around the courtyard, or delivering fudge and cranberries to stores all around island, or encouraging new local businesses—is something all of us could learn from.” Born in Nepal before moving to Nantucket as a child, Ashmita was championed by Leah to pursue higher education. Currently serving as the manager of the fudge shop, Ashmita will be embarking upon her doctorate in biomedical research.

“Everyone, no matter what their job is, needs to feel appreciated, treated with kindness and valued on Nantucket,” Bayer says. “Everyone is important here

and deserves that recognition.” Yet, when it comes to receiving her own recognition, Bayer is visibly sheepish. Of the many nominations the Dreamland received from the community for the Fred Rogers Good Neighbor Award, entries for Bayer were said to be particularly impassioned. “Her love of this community and the thousands of lives, including generations of families, that she has impacted is incredible,” said the Dreamland’s executive director Alicia Carney. “She is truly a ‘good neighbor’ and an absolute gift to this community... We are honored to recognize her and celebrate her outstanding contributions and efforts in spreading love and joy to those in this community.”

For those who grew up watching Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, part of what made the children’s television program so magical were all its kind-hearted characters, from Mr. McFeely on a “Speedy Delivery” to Lady Elaine Fairchilde in the Neighborhood of Make-Believe. Aunt Leah would have fit right into that cast of characters. Here on Nantucket, she is one of the reasons why we can say “it’s a beautiful day in the neighborhood.”

Blaise Flegg Professional Scholarship Recipient 2018

“I’m a welder working anywhere from Boston to the islands. Thanks to the Foundation I was able to go to trade school and graduate debt free. I am now 6 years into a career in welding and construction, loving what I do, and thankful for the Nantucket Golf Club Foundation for helping me get to where I am today.“

39 Nantucket Scholars since 2006

57 Professional Scholarship recipients since 2018

52 institutions of higher education attended

Grants to 93 Island organizations

836 grant requests – 741 grants funded

Largest grant of $1M

Through the generous support of the members of the Nantucket Golf Club and their guests, the Nantucket Golf Club Foundation has raised over $45 million in the last 22 years for the benefit of Nantucket youth.

SMART BUOY

WRITTEN BY GRETA FEENEY

Gaining a deeper understanding of our ocean.

Nantucket is renowned for its pristine bay and abundant scallop fishery. But the waters surrounding the island, like oceans across the globe, are becoming increasingly acidic. And the scallops are not happy about it. As levels of carbon dioxide rise in the atmosphere, a reduction in the pH of ocean water spells trouble for sea creatures with carbonate-based shells and skeletons, as well as for those organisms higher up in the food chain, like humans, that feed on them.

But there is hope on the horizon. Research has shown that kelp and eelgrass beds can help improve the ocean’s pH by sucking up excess carbon dioxide during photosynthesis, creating a safe haven for scallops, clams, oysters and countless other sea creatures. According to scientists, by protecting and cultivating Nantucket’s eelgrass, we can actually help stem the tide on ocean acidification, addressing some of the issues around habitat degradation for marine life, while providing an even broader benefit to the climate as a whole. Still, a deeper understanding of the

effects of ocean and coastal acidification is key to enacting the kinds of land use reform measures necessary to reduce the pH-skewing nutrient loading that, in addition to atmospheric carbon dioxide, is negatively impacting Nantucket’s coastal waters. With the recent acquisition of a cutting-edge oceanographic monitoring device, the Maria Mitchell Association is effectively poised to help the community address some of these pressing issues.

MMA Executive Director Joanna Roche believes in bringing the community together around quality data to better inform

the decision-making process surrounding the health of Nantucket Harbor. According to Roche, the deployment of the MMA’s new EMM700 environmental monitoring module—a high-tech, solar-powered buoy that can continuously gather multiple streams of data from the ocean enviroment— “creates a partnership of organizations that are interested in supporting the health of the harbor— a critical mission. And the data will be available to anyone, and we will start this summer by taking the temperature of the water, measuring its pH and monitoring the nitrates.”

Adream 10 years in the making that started with just a conversation between former MMA Executive Director Jack Dubinski and Roche, then a founding member of the Clean Water Coalition, “The Mitchell Curve” (which is what the collected, scrubbed and translated data will be called) has come to fruition through the strong leadership of Roche and her team of scientists, including Jónelle Gurley, director of Science and Programs, with a joint funding endeavor by Remain Nantucket, the Great Harbor Yacht Club Foundation, the Osceola Foundation and a private donor.

The EMM700, which was being launched this summer in a location deemed optimal by the harbormaster and MMA scientists, is essentially a cutting-edge computer system contained within a virtually indestructible platform buoy capable of performing much of the work of a

“What this buoy is going to do is give us real-time, continuous data. I don’t know if you know anything about the philosophy of science, but having multiple streams of data on different metrics over time, in a continuous stream, brings exponential value to the actual data.”

– Dr. Rich Blundell

field scientist, only continuously and in any and all weather conditions.

Dr. Rich Blundell, MMA’s scientist in residence, is excited about the possibilities. “I’ve done a lot of oceanographic research and worked out of schooners that sailed out of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute, and so I have a long history of dealing with deep sea oceanographic equipment that studies everything from ocean currents, salinity, temperature, conductivity, phosphorus—all the things that this buoy is going to measure.”

“I love the green lawn as much as anybody else, but come sailing with me out there one day, and look at these flowing green expanses of eelgrass, and you’ll fall in love with it, too. And so there’s different kinds of logic that we can call upon to take care of this harbor.”

– Dr. Rich Blundell

With his hands-on experience, Blundell can contextualize The Mitchell Curve as a science communicator who aims to bring the community together around the important issue of environmental stewardship.

“The local and the state governments are going to be making decisions that are going to affect resource management,” he says. “They also are going to have access to the data. And here’s the thing—we only have spot checks on it now. What this buoy is going to do is give us real-time, continuous data. Having multiple streams of data on different metrics over time, in a continuous stream, brings exponential value to the actual data.”

“Maria Mitchell was also a Big Historian, ” says Blundell, whose research and work as an educator seeks commonality in what can often be construed as a disparate narrative—human versus nature.

On the subject of Nantucket’s marine ecosystem, Dr. Blundell envisions a paradigm shift in thinking.

“I think it’s really important to get people to see the beauty and the diversity that’s out there. If we care about it, then we’re not making an argument that you better stop fertilizing your lawn. We’re actually

A self-described “neurodivergent scientist and cultural communicator, ” Blundell studies Big History, a new branch of science that contextualizes human and natural evolution together. Like Maria Mitchell, he is a transcendentalist who believes in the inherent goodness of humans and nature.

saying, ’You know, by doing that, you’re hurting this thing you love.’ I love the green lawn as much as anybody else, but come sailing with me out there one day, and look at these flowing green expanses of eelgrass, and you’ll fall in love with it, too. And so there’s different kinds of logic that we can call upon to take care of this harbor.”

INTRODUCING

THE HIVE

WRITTEN BY ANTONIA DEPACE AND BRUCE A. PERCELAY

Remain’s latest buzz

IBY KIT NOBLE

nnovative, forward-thinking ideas for Nantucket are nothing new to Wendy Schmidt, whose latest venture, “The Hive,” will support local farmers and makers to ply their craft while expanding food resources on the island.

Those looking to produce food on Nantucket are often stymied by access to affordable commercial kitchens, a problem that Schmidt has sought to address through a facility designed for food innovation and production that will be both affordable and accessible. The Hive, opening early this month, will include rental kitchen space, as well as specific programming and the opportunity for food producers to access bulk ordering of sustainable products and packaging, as well as other shared services.

The Hive’s building at 5 Amelia Drive—the former location of Keepers Restaurant—was expanded to include six commercial kitchens and common space for meetings, as well as a centralized online platform for food ordering and a pick-up food locker system. It will also have a vending machine for non-perishable food items made by the island’s local creators.

N Magazine sat down with Wendy Schmidt and Cecil Barron Jensen, Executive Director of Remain, to gain a deeper understanding of the role The Hive will play in the food production world on Nantucket.

PHOTOGRAPHY

Wendy Schmidt and Cecil Barron Jensen

“We’ve

been thinking for a long time about the food system on the island and how we can help make that a place of more opportunity.”

– Wendy Schmidt

Tell us about the inspiration behind The Hive.

Wendy Schmidt: This is an extension of the larger philanthropy of the Schmidt Family Foundation. We focus on several areas: human rights, clean renewable energy, healthy food and agriculture systems and access to fresh, healthy food.

Since we started Remain in 2008, we have focused on the social and environmental sustainability of the island, and that’s reflected in all of the projects we’ve undertaken, starting with the year-round viability of downtown which will likely always be a challenge. Remain is supporting anchor institutions downtown by being a benevolent landlord to the businesses from Born & Bread to the Corner Table to the Nantucket Community Music Center and Mitchell’s Book Corner. These are important tent poles for downtown and for the community.

Is the idea to focus on locally grown

food?

Wendy Schmidt: We’ve been thinking for a long time about the food system on the island and how we can help make Nantucket a place of more opportunity. A lot of food is grown on the island, and we have lots of farmers markets. Just like communities across the country, we are facing high rates of food insecurity, housing shortages and economic challenges.

So what is your strategy?

Wendy Schmidt: There’s a way here on the island that we can make a difference as a philanthropy interested in access to healthy food systems. That’s how Pip & Anchor came about, originally working with 100 Mile Makers, including the organic local food boxes that people can sign up for. We’ve previously looked for places where we might help production and offer commercial kitchens to people to use because that’s really a limiting factor if you’re a food producer.

When 5 Amelia Drive showed up as an opportunity to purchase with a couple of kitchens in it, this was our moment. We looked to see if this model actually works anywhere…and it turns out it does. And so Cecil and our team at Remain just started digging into how to transform this particular site into what we’re opening this summer.

How do you interface with food entrepreneurs?

Cecil Barron Jensen: We’ve always been really interested in helping young startup businesses flourish on the island. We noticed that a lot of the small businesses were food related...people who wanted to start restaurants or takeout businesses, or maybe they were creating a product like jam or salsa that they wanted to develop and get to market. Our colleagues

Wendy Schmidt

at the Nantucket Island Center for Entrepreneurship in the Nantucket Chamber of Commerce offices were doing a lot of coaching of small foodrelated businesses. We had the idea of giving cooks and chefs commercial kitchen space while also combining it with support for entrepreneurs, including educational opportunities to learn about growing an idea and turning it into a fullfledged business.

When we found 5 Amelia Drive, it had two existing, big beautiful kitchens. We added four kitchens. They’re varying sizes and outfitted with a wide variety of equipment. We see the kitchens working for the innovation folks, people who are developing small products like jars of pickles or sweets,

as well as those who have existing catering businesses.

Can you explain specifically how it works?

“ You and I could go in and say oh, I’d really like to have that beef tenderloin tonight or whatever it is that they’re cooking. That can be reserved and we can pick it up in the food lockers.”

– Cecil Barron Jensen

Wendy Schmidt: What we did here was to make the scale appropriate and to utilize this building to its full potential. It has two apartment units on the top floor for housing, which is also an important need on Nantucket. We plan to have a take-out business there, so there will be food outside. The building is fully electrified, meaning that in a conventional traditional setup, you would have gas firing everything, but because we’re working on renewable energy, we put induction into five out of the six of these kitchens. The air quality will be great, it’ll be a healthy environment for people to work in and visit.

Cecil Barron Jensen: The plan is to have two opportunities for people to pick up food when they’re visiting The Hive. One is with the food lockers. If chefs are making meals in the building, for instance, a caterer is cooking a giant menu for a party and they have the ability to cook 10 extra meals, they can list it through an online ordering platform managed by our operator. You and I could go in and say ‘oh, I’d really like to have that beef tenderloin tonight’ or whatever it is that they’re cooking. The meals can be reserved and we can pick them up in the food lockers. And then there will be vending machines, where you can purchase stable, packaged food. If somebody is making jams or chocolates or pasta that’s in a package, they can use the vending machine for people to purchase.

What are some of the benefits of the shared space model?

Wendy Schmidt: We are trying to use all of the newest technologies in this building, both in the customer experience and also in the production side of things. The other great advantage of having people in a shared space this way is how you can achieve economies of scale. We can dig into sustainable packaging and share all of those resources among everybody who uses this. As a single producer, you might work there twice a week for three hours, but the arrangement allows for lots of food producers. So it’s not just six people we’re talking about here, we’re talking about many producers working in these spaces.

Will there be any eating spaces at The Hive?

Wendy Schmidt: There’s going to be some comfortable seating on the porch. It’s not really like a restaurant, but honestly just down the street at Pip & Anchor, you can purchase prepared food in a setting with seating to eat on site. The Hive is not intended to be a place where there’s going to be food service, but people are welcome to come inside and to watch what’s going on through the large windows into the kitchens—to see how the sausage is made, and to make food purchases.

Is

there an educational component to The Hive?

Cecil Barron Jensen: One of the more important things is the Maker to Maker learning. I think there’ll be tons of opportunities in the building for makers to support each other, and that’s something that our operator, Karen Macumber, will definitely facilitate. She’ll make sure that there are lots of educational opportunities. The makers will be able to have conversations about how to market their products, how to package and distribute them.

When it comes to food insecurity on the island are there any programs or initiatives that you’ve worked on towards that that will be able to reach that part of the community as well?

Cecil Barron Jensen: Remain has had a wonderful relationship with the nonprofit, Nantucket Food Fuel Rental Assistance, which operates the Nantucket Food Pantry. They are housed in the Greenhound Building, which was owned by Remain until 2021. We’ve also funded a number of studies, which have informed how organizations can meet the needs of the community.

Our tenants at Pip & Anchor, in partnership with Nantucket Resource Partnership, are significant players with their Nourishing Nantucket boxes. To date, they’ve distributed more than 6,500 boxes of fresh, local, nutritious food, feeding 80

“I can see how it makes a difference on Nantucket, in all of our partner businesses, but to be able to add this, it’s just going to change the way people think about how they make food on Nantucket and how they grow food and how it’s sold.”

– Cecil Barron Jensen

families weekly on the island who are experiencing food insecurity. So we’ve definitely been in conversations with them and what we’re hearing is that people who are providing for food insecure people need commercial kitchen space, especially for products that are grown on the island. Our hope is that The Hive and its makers will become an important resource in the community to help support local farmers and food insecure families.

How many local businesses are you projecting to be able to support during the summer season?

Wendy Schmidt: We plan to start with 12, but ideally, we’re going to grow the program as we learn the system, as we get comfortable with the procedures and the policies and the way that we have to manage these kitchens and also meet Board of

Gary McBournie, Wendy Schmidt, Bill Richards

Health standards. So the target number right now is 12. But that’s a starting point for us and we’d love to be able to accommodate more in the future.

I imagine it also opens up a lot of opportunity to have different types of food on the island, we only have so many restaurants because we only have so much space.

Wendy Schmidt: Local opportunities are often out of reach for a lot of people who would like to participate in the food business. But The Hive brings together people with talents, skills, abilities, and provides coaching on different ways to build their own businesses and livelihoods.

What other educational programs could be happening at The Hive, whether it’s for those makers or maybe even for the Nantucket community to learn more about healthy food?

Wendy Schmidt: There’s so much potential. One of the programs at our foundation focuses on healthy food and agriculture, agroecology, the mysteries of mycelium in mushrooms…There’s so much to learn—for example, let’s learn about bees. Let’s learn about what’s at risk in the world right now because of climate changes and how we become part of solutions instead of being part of the problem. What is in soil? What soil grows healthy food? What do you need to do to make that soil? All soil in the world doesn’t grow food, and people don’t understand that. There are lots of topics that we could bring into the public conversation in that space, and I think we’re very open to all these conversations. And it’s a great public service.

Where do you see The Hive growing in the next five years?

Wendy Schmidt: I think in five years time, we will have not only proven the concept, but it’ll also be a well-oiled machine. It’ll be an island resource people know about from the time they’re young. They know that there’s a possibility if I want to do this, there’s a place where I can start. And by then you would have people who had succeeded through the system who could mentor people coming into it. It could become a real engine on the island in five years time.

Cecil Barron Jensen: It goes back to that idea of The Hive as an incubator. You can imagine all these

Is there anything that we didn’t touch on that you would like to add?

Cecil Barron Jensen: I just want to make sure that all the credit goes to Wendy and her incredible vision for this work. I can see how it will make a difference on Nantucket. It’s just going to change the way people think about how to make food on Nantucket and how it’s grown and how it’s sold. And I think that’s really exciting. And, credit to Wendy for the vision for that.

Wendy Schmidt: That’s very kind, Cecil. Vision is one thing, and bringing it to life takes a dedicated team, working through thick and thin to fit all the pieces together. We have a talented team at Remain under Cecil’s leadership,

The Hive and then flying off. Maybe they will become brick-and-mortar restaurants, or maybe they will go the food truck route, or maybe they will take their business off-island where they’re co-packing some wonderful food that started on Nantucket and it’s being sold in grocery stores all over New England. You just never know, so I love the idea of being able to really grow businesses and see it happening right in The Hive.

aspects—from the construction to the financing to the running of it and the nuts and bolts of how it’s all going to work, interfacing with the health department and getting new electrical panels and on and on and on. It’s taken skills and we’re lucky to have them. We’re also grateful to the talented team at Gary McBournie Design, Matt MacEachern at Emeritus architecture, and Gerard Clarke with Clarke Brothers Construction.

Cecil Barron Jensen and Wendy Schmidt

“...A Whaler at Twilight is a wonderful and thoughtprovoking read.”

--Eric

Jay Dolin,

author of Leviathan and Black Flags, Blue Waters

Available wherever books are sold. To order through National Book Network, please call 1-800-462-6420.

A series of in-depth conversations between luminaries, well-known journalists, activists, authors, entertainers and so much more at The Dreamland: Nantucket’s Non-Profit Film & Cultural Center

INTRODUCING SAVANT POWER STORAGE 20

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FORTUNE TELLER

WRITTEN BY BRUCE A. PERCELAY

Bob Reynolds’ view of the markets.

Bob Reynolds has had an impressive career in the securities world, having been chief operating officerof Fidelity Investments and president and CEO of Putnam Investments and is currently serving as chairman and CEO of Great-West Lifeco U.S.

Reynolds has steered some of the largest financial service companies in the United States through both economic booms and challenging financial periods and has a perspective on the equity world that few can rival. Reynolds sat down with N Magazine to discuss the state of the market at a time when securities valuations have reached new heights and during a period of particular uncertainty in our domestic political environment. Reynolds shared his insight with us regarding his outlook for the markets.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY KIT NOBLE

Pre-COVID, the stock market was at 29,000 and we’re now hovering around 40,000. Would you have ever anticipated the market would have done what it’s done over a relatively short period?

Yes, because so much money was pumped into the system. Consumers had a lot of money to spend and they spent it. Stock prices have always followed

Given the fact that the government stimulus has stopped, would the corollary be true that the market has peaked for the moment?

A lot is going to depend upon what’s going to happen in the election. I think if the current party stays in power, there’ll be downward pressure on the market, because you will know inflation is not going away. I don’t see anything near term that would cause you to lower interest rates. So that would hurt. However, if there was a change in administration, I think that’d be positive for the market, because a new administration will bring something different than what we’ve had.

It has to do with taxes and the Trump tax plan and different things like that; it could be very positive for the market. The first 100 days of this year was the second highest rise in the market in an election year ever. That shows you that there was a lot of cash around, and people were still spending money. Now, you do see a lot of things that are cause for concern with credit and commercial real estate. Personal credit and credit card use are going up and it’s going to put pressure on the consumer.

So if the market is reactive to who is going to end up in the White House, on a micro level, how would you explain why the market went up 600 points after the Trump indictment?

People are discounting it. The general feeling is, I hate to say it, but they were trumped up charges. I think most people’s take is that it’s not going to hold. If anything, I think people are reading into it that anything negative about Trump has made him stronger. The money raised since the verdict, and the money that is continuing to flow is a positive read by the marketplace that it’s not going to have an effect.

“I don’t see anything near term that would cause you to lower interest rates. So that would hurt. However, if there was a change in administration, I think that’d be positive for the market, because a new administration will bring something different than what we’ve had.”

– Bob Reynolds

The wealth effect created by the stock market benefits places like Nantucket disproportionately. Would you imagine that the wealth and presumably the bonuses associated with it from investment firms would have a meaningful impact on the housing market and other aspects of the economy on Nantucket this summer?

No, because I think the current interest rate of mortgages is above 7 percent. And that’s detrimental to the housing market. And inflation will impact rentals and other spending this summer.

“[AI] will definitely have a positive effect on productivity, but it could create a lot more new jobs in different fields.”

– Bob Reynolds

Do you feel then that housing prices are going to be under pressure until rates back off, if indeed they do?

It’s been on a very upward trajectory but I don’t think you can keep it there. I don’t think there’s gonna be a dramatic fall off on prices near term, but I do think if you talk to anyone in real estate, there is some softening in the market. There’s not the volume that there was certainly two years ago, and the higher interest rates are starting to have an effect on people and what they do with their money.

A lot of high-profile prognosticators like Ray Dalio, for example, and even Jamie Dimon, were predicting a recession, or in some cases, worse. It hasn’t happened. Do you think that we have escaped a serious retrenchment in the economy or is it something that is still a possibility?

It’s still to be played out. Again, people are starting to use their credit cards more and you don’t have the same amount of cash around. I think higher interest rates and inflation have made people take a wait-and-see attitude. So I think what Jamie and Ray Dalio have said is still in the cards due to the earnings of companies and the cash that people had carried us to where we are today, but I think people are holding back right now.

Do you see AI as having a profound effect on productivity and in the end, the ability of companies to reduce labor costs, and in a way that could have a material effect on the economy? Over the next 10 years?

It will definitely have a positive effect on productivity, but it could create a lot more new jobs in different fields that we’re not thinking about today. Industries that benefit from AI are probably going to be the next big play, for instance, power companies, because you use so much more energy. There will be a whole new economy built around AI.

The stock market has its ups and downs, but usually the trends over the last decades have been excitingly positive long-term. Are you bullish on equities, given where the stock market is today?

As long as the companies can generate earnings, stock prices will follow. So I think there are companies that are well suited for the new economy, and they will do well and other companies that are not going to do well, but I think there’ll be positive areas to invest money in, that’s for sure.

What is your biggest concern?

I think the election is going to have a bigger impact than people think right now. Some people feel pretty good, but as we get closer and it becomes more clear which party can emerge victorious, I think it’s going to have a pretty dramatic impact on the market. And right now, inflation is still the boogey man out there. And I don’t see any signs of it abating. All you have to do is go to the grocery store, go fill your car up for gas, and it’s an expensive. It’s an expensive world we live in right now. And I just think, at some point, you got to pay the piper.

Antique French Fine Arts Corp.

Arader Galleries

Callaghans of Shrewsbury

D. M. DeLaurentis Fine Antique Prints

David Brooker Fine Art

Earle D. Vandekar of Knightsbridge, Inc.

Finnegan Gallery

J. Austin, Jeweler

Lao Design, Ltd

Lawrence Jeffrey Maison and Company

Paul Madden Antiques

Ralph M. Chait Galleries, Inc.

The Ann Parke Collection

Rehs Galleries, Inc

Roberto Freitas American Antiques

Roger D. Winter Ltd.

S J Shrubsole

Shaia Oriental Rugs of Williamsburg

Silver Art by D & R

Spiral Haus

The Parker Gallery Ltd.

Thurston Nichols American Antiques

Vock and Vintage

William Cook Antiques

Yew Tree House Antiques

Time to Move On From Town Meeting?

The scene at the Nantucket High School auditorium is a familiar one. Residents trickle in, pick up their warrants and sit among peers all waiting for the sound of the town moderator’s gavel. This is an hours-long affair. There are the contentious articles that have dominated the Nantucket Current for months—the short-term rental proposals, articles aimed at curbing fertilizer use and expanding the town sewer, major town appropriations and home-rule petitions that will head up to the State House for a vote. Look around and someone will be knitting. Someone else might be playing a round of town meeting bingo.

Twenty years ago, political scientist Frank M. Bryan described New England town meetings as the last vestige of true democracy, the only form of government left in the U.S. that resembles the one-person-one-vote governance of ancient Athens.

But as Joe Grause looked across the tightly packed auditorium at a sea of over 1,000 registered island voters, he couldn’t help but think it’s time to move on from town meeting.

“I thought this past town meeting was a disaster,” said Grause, a former member of the town’s Finance Committee and the chair of the newly created Town Council Study Committee. “A two-hour debate on short-term rental articles, and people don’t know what we’re voting on, people in the [overflow] room didn’t know what was going on.”

WRITTEN BY BRIAN BUSHARD

PHOTOGRAPHY BY KIT NOBLE

Joe Grause

The first town meeting in the country took place in 1622 in Plymouth. For centuries, towns across New England and New York adopted a town meeting form of government, where all eligible citizens could gather to vote collectively on the issues facing their communities. Over time, as those municipalities grew, some of them shifted toward town council and mayoral systems—while across the country, the annual tradition of town meetings has become increasingly rare.

One of those cities is Aspen, Colorado, a city of nearly 7,000 year-round residents and a $160 million annual operating budget. Perched in the Rockies and dependent on seasonal tourism, Aspen is in many ways not unlike Nantucket. The difference is that Aspen, for decades, has elected a mayor and city councilors that meet twice a week to serve as the city’s legislative body.

“The huge advantage we have is we’re nimble and can respond quickly because you have an elected council working with constituents and a professionally trained city manager,” Aspen city manager Sara Ott said. “If I have an emergency repair on a utility line I can authorize it and move forward.”

Barnstable, the Cape’s largest town, adopted a charter change in 1989 to do away with an open town meeting in favor of a 13-member town council. In its first year, 105 residents returned nomination papers for a shot at the town’s inaugural town council, The Barnstable Register reported in May 1989. That council, like Aspen’s, meets twice per month.

“I thought this past town meeting was a disaster.”

– Joe Grause

“I don’t think it makes a lot of sense to continue [town meeting] when you could do something else,” Ludtke said. “Unless everyone shows up [to town meeting], then the system is flawed.”

Closer to Nantucket, city councils are few and far between. None of the six towns on Martha’s Vineyard have made the change from open town meeting to town council, and only one town on Cape Cod has done so—and has found some success in the process.

“All things being equal, I think our system is a more equitable and rational way of approaching things,” said Betty Ludtke, a member of the Barnstable Town Council.

Last year, voters at Nantucket’s Annual Town Meeting voted overwhelmingly on a citizen’s article drafted by Curtis Barnes to form the Town Council Study Committee, which Grause chairs. That committee is now tasked with drafting a proposal to do away with Nantucket’s form of town government in favor of a town council, a city structure of government that 14 communities in Massachusetts that still call themselves towns—including Barnstable—have adopted.

The issue with town meeting, for a growing number of town officials, boils down to three main points. Nantucket’s town meeting warrants often become too complicated to be effectively voted on at a single open town meeting; major appropriations, bylaws and zoning amendments are voted on only once, or sometimes twice, per year; and the very nature of the hours-long meeting precludes residents from attending.

“We’ve outgrown town meeting,” Select Board chair Brooke Mohr said. “Town meeting is a difficult way

to participate in town government because it requires many hours to engage in the entire process. Our warrant is [roughly] 100 articles long—that’s a lot to engage in. It’s asking a lot of an individual who has other commitments in life.”

The issue of representation, or a lack thereof, has become one of the predominant criticisms some town officials have of the open town meeting. That issue becomes even more evident several hours into the annual meetings, when often, after contentious articles are decided, a sea of one-issue voters spark a mass exodus from the crowd. After several hours, attendance often dwindles even more.

At the 2024 Annual Town Meeting in May, 1,137 residents voted on the first article that came up for a vote—a ban on corporate ownership of short-term rentals—representing just under 14 percent of registered Nantucket voters. By the end of the meeting, fewer than 250 voters remained in the auditorium. Attendance was so dismal at the Special Town Meeting in 2018 that the lack of a quorum kept over $35 million in appropriations from reaching a vote.

“I found that open town meetings were long, drawn-out affairs where you have good attendance the first day, but by the end of the meeting you have 2 to 3 percent of the voters; it’s inappropriate,” Grause said. “The issues facing town are too complicated, too big, and because you have a core group of people who like to go to town meeting,

you have issues decided by a few hundred people.”

In June, the town council committee voted unanimously to recommend moving toward a town council form of government. Changing to a town council requires an official charter change, starting with a vote at a future town meeting and at the ballot box. If voters approve those measures, Nantucket would likely adopt a nine-member council including six island residents elected by precinct and three islanders serving at large, committee members said. Town councilors would serve four-year terms, with a maximum of three terms per member. The five members of the Select Board at the time would automatically

“With a town council, decisions will be made faster.”

– Sarah Alger

roll over onto the council for the remainder of their terms. The Select Board itself would cease to exist.

But changing decades of tradition has not sat well with everyone. “We have a democracy right now. Let’s try to keep it,” Herschel Allerhand said at the 2023 Annual Town Meeting.

“I don’t know why anyone would vote to give up their voice,” Mary Bergman added.

“There’s no silver bullet,” Select Board member Matt Fee said. “All these issues we’re having, they don’t magically disappear. If we have trouble finding staff, if staff is having trouble getting work done, then changing town meeting isn’t going to change that.”

“Being a council member is

more than American Idol, ” he continued. "It's more than who sang the best today. It’s more than who had the best presentation. It’s understanding how things are supposed to go, the best practices, the history, and not just who sang the best today. Those positions have a lot of responsibility.”

Greg Milne, an associate member of the Cape Cod Municipal Leader Association and a Barnstable resident, initially opposed Barnstable’s transition from a representative town meeting to a council in 1989. Pivoting to a council would make Nantucket a city, he argued, whether it wants to be one or not, and regardless of what Nantucket calls itself.

While Milne has come to appreciate some aspects of the city form of government, namely the speed at which major decisions can be made, he also sees a “fatal flaw” in the format.

That flaw, he argued, is that Barnstable councilors are elected by precinct, meaning neighborhoods are represented equally at council meetings. Major policy should not be restricted to one person per precinct, he argued. Those policies and decisions should be made by members elected at large, he said.

Another issue: The meetings themselves are not always well attended.

“They’re usually only attended by people who want to make a public comment,” Ludtke said. “People don’t routinely attend.”

Brooke Mohr made a similar case in considering the possible strengths of town council. She said she was not convinced a town council form of government, in

practice, would actually increase true participation in the debate over issues.

“Folks who cannot or do not choose to participate in town meeting are basically giving their vote to the people who come,” she said. “They are basically assigning their vote to others in a really informal way. In a town council they would still be assigning their vote. Either way, they are having to choose or are choosing to have someone else represent them. The question is in what manner of representation do we do this?”

“Folks who cannot or do not choose to participate in town meeting are basically giving their vote to the people who come.”

– Brooke Mohr

Under Massachusetts state law, municipalities must have at least 12,000 residents to be considered a city. Nantucket, with its yearround population of over 14,000, according to the 2020 U.S. Census, fits the bill for that classification, meaning it could elect a mayor, if voters opt for the change.

If Nantucket were to adopt a mayoral form of government, the island would also retain a council, with a mayor overseeing administrative functions, developing an annual budget to be

voted on by a council, appointing department heads, and in some cases, vetoing acts of the council, according to the Massachusetts Municipal Association. Alternatively, Nantucket could opt for a town council without a mayor, instead pairing the council with a town administrator to oversee procedural responsibilities.

and you’d have no obligation, you could be alone and anonymous like you could be in the city.”

As Nantucket’s Town Council Study Committee continues to mull over the idea of a town council, another question remains. When could the change be made? While Grause said his goal is to

“With a town council, decisions will be made faster,” town moderator Sarah Alger said. “I think it’s always a good idea to look at what you’re doing and see if there are better ways to do it. But if you go to a town council form of government, there’s much less representation. First of all, you’re not going to speak for yourself, you don’t have a vote.

“If I wanted to live in the city, I’d move to the city,” she added. “If it’s going to operate like a city, why wouldn’t it feel like a city? Then you wouldn’t have to participate at all

draft an article for the 2025 Annual Town Meeting, town manager Libby Gibson doubts that timeline is likely.

“Even 2025, in my opinion, is not enough time because there’s a huge amount of outreach that needs to be done and most towns that have switched their forms of town government have taken several years,” she said. Fee, who was reelected to his fifth term on the Select Board in 2022, believes the task at hand is to keep studying what a town council would look like on Nantucket.

“Be careful what you wish for,” he said. “Why are we so successful? Well, it’s partly because you preserve things. You take care of Nantucket, then the economy and everything is taken care of.”

PHOTO BY KIT

NOBLE

CUP RUNNETH OVER

WRITTEN BY JASON GRAZIADEI

MORE THAN JUST A FOUNTAIN.

It may be just a fountain, but in many ways, it’s so much more.

The icon of downtown Nantucket was donated to the town anonymously in 1885 and erected in its original location near the intersection of Main and Centre streets in 1886. The iron fountain was first a basin for people, horses and dogs to drink from, with water flowing 24 hours per day, all year round.

Years later it was moved to its current location on lower Main Street near the Pacific Club, where it has stood for more than a century. It became part of the fabric of the island’s historic downtown, and although the water stopped around 1935, the fountain has remained. Today, it is decorated for each season by the Nantucket Garden Club, and has been the backdrop for countless photos and paintings of the island’s beloved, cobblestoned Main Street.

So when the fountain was violently destroyed by a pickup truck speeding up Main Street at 40 mph on a quiet evening last October, the island was shocked.

Sure, it had been toppled before on several occasions by motor vehicles. But not like this. What appeared like an intentional act—all of which was caught on Fisher Real Estate’s main street camera—eventually led to a probable cause hearing in Nantucket District Court. But the suspect was never charged. The clerk magistrate determined police did not have enough evidence to establish probable cause that the suspect was behind the wheel when the Chevy Silverado struck the fountain, shattering it into pieces.

And so the fall and winter passed with a hole in the heart of downtown Nantucket, and frustration simmering

over the fact that no one had been held accountable for the destruction of the fountain. While the town put up a Christmas tree in its place for a few weeks, and the Garden Club subsequently erected a few decorated barrels, there was no suitable replacement for what had been lost.

In the week after the fountain was destroyed, the town engaged the Plymouth, Massachusetts-based Bartlett Consolidated, a company that provides services to public property owners to assist in “the repair and restitution of roadway appurtenances damaged in vehicular crashes.” Under the agreement between the town and Bartlett Consolidated, the company completed the repairs and is authorized to pursue and recoup its costs from the owner of the vehicle: Michael Holdgate.

Bartlett Consolidated transported the fountain off-island and it was repaired by Cassidy Bros. Forge in Rowley, Massachusetts The Cassidy Bros. Forge team spent weeks “performing intricate welding repairs on the fountain,” according to the town. “This included extensive stitch welding and brazing, followed by re-plumbing for water and electrical connections. The fountain was then steel grit blasted

using refrigerated dry air and painted with Navy-grade marine paint to protect against corrosion. A custom light fixture from Penn Globe was added to complete the restoration.”

According to Katie Cabral, the office manager

“As the need to water horses decreased, the fountain began in 1935 to be used as a location for seasonal decorations and flower displays.”

– NHA

and customer service representative for the town administration, “The only ‘ cost’ to the town was the time spent by DPW staff on-site the day of the accident and the day of reinstallation, but no town funds were actually paid to anybody at all throughout this whole process.”

On June 3, crowds gathered on lower Main Street to watch as the fountain was reinstalled by a DPW crew and private contractors. Under blue skies with a celebratory vibe in the air, the three major pieces of the fountain were assembled, the wiring was connected, and within days, the women of the Nantucket Garden Club had it decked out and looking back to normal.

The return also provided an opportunity to reflect on the history of

Footage of the accident that destroyed the fountain

A scene from the night of October 29 incident.

the fountain, the name it bears on a small plaque—Lt. Max Wagner Square—and its place in downtown Nantucket.

Shortly after its destruction on Sunday, Oct. 29, 2023, the Nantucket Historical Association took the time to update its history of the fountain.

“In July 1932, the selectmen renamed the lower square on Main Street in memory of Lieutenant Max Wagner,” the NHA wrote. “A bronze plaque was placed on the fountain to mark the square’s new name. Wagner (1866–1900), originally from Charleston, S.C., came to Nantucket with the U.S. Signal Service and worked his way up to head of the Weather Bureau office located in the Pacific Club building. He married Mary Jennie Macy of Nantucket in 1890; they relocated to Washington, D.C., in 1897. At the start of the SpanishAmerican War, he was appointed a second lieutenant in the Volunteer Signal Corps. He served in Puerto Rico and then in the Philippines, where he was killed. He was buried on Nantucket in Prospect Hill Cemetery and the idea of naming the lower square for him came from his friends who were members of the local post of the

United Spanish War Veterans.

“As the need to water horses decreased, the fountain began in 1935 to be used as a location for seasonal decorations and flower displays,” continued the NHA’s history. “In recent years, the Nantucket Garden Club has kept the fountain filled with seasonal plant displays. Locals also took to calling it a ‘silent policeman’ after the traffic directions ‘Go to the right’ were painted on it. These were later painted over when traffic on lower Main Street became one-way.”

Last fall’s collision, while perhaps the most traumatic, was, the NHA emphasized, just the latest of at least 13 collisions that resulted in it being knocked over or dislodged over the years.

“In January 1944, a government truck struck it during a blinding snowstorm,” the NHA noted. “Motorists hit it again in July 1954, December 1957, July 1963, May 1966, November 1967, January 1969, April 1980, June 1985, May 1997, October 2012, March 2020, and October 2023.”

History certainly repeats itself, but let’s hope the fountain has a long run now without any further…disruptions.

Reinstalling the iconic fountain

Robert Madonna

POWER PLAYER

Savant Systems’ Robert Madonna

Most people would bristle at being referred to as a “control freak,” but when you analyze what electrical engineer Robert Madonna does for a living, the name is apt. Madonna’s company, Savant Systems Inc., produces highly sophisticated, integrated and user-friendly controls designed to manage electrical use in homes in a way that leapfrogs the competition.

Motivated by his frustration with a control system in a former New York apartment, Madonna set out to build the proverbial “better mousetrap.”

Savant’s cutting-edge solar batteries and electrical usage software, manufactured under Madonna’s Racepoint Energy division, have enabled Savant

to succeed where others have failed in making smart controls actually smart.

Madonna graduated from the University of Connecticut, where he studied biomedical engineering, and has since emerged into a highly successful serial entrepreneur. His previous venture was sold to Lucent

Technologies, and after an attempt at retirement, Madonna created Savant.

A resident of Cape Cod, which is home to Savant’s headquarters, Madonna has been coming to Nantucket with his family for over 30 years and shared with us specifics about his company, its products and his path to success.

WRITTEN BY BRUCE A. PERCELAY

PHOTOGRAPHY BY KIT NOBLE

Savant app

What is your connection to Nantucket and when did you start coming to the island?

I bought a property here in 1999, but my primary residence is on Cape Cod. We built our home on this property years later, but we have been on the island for 25 years at this point.

When did you start Savant and what triggered the idea?

In the early 2000s, I purchased a “smart” home automation system for my home for convenience, security, lighting and an enhanced audio and video experience. The entire experience was less than desirable and there was nothing “smart” about it. However, I realized during the process that there were many synergies with software technology that existed in telecommunications and the standardization that would eventually happen inside of a smart home.

What was your educational background and how did you get your start in business?

I joined a telecommunication startup company at the age of 24, but my background was as an engineer and I went to school for biomedical engineering.

What was the evolution of your career?

When I moved to Cape Cod to join a startup company, I just fell in love with the idea of building something from scratch and loved the energy and crazy amount of hours required to make these things work. The company on the Cape went out of business after five years of hard work at my end, and I was determined to go off and do my own thing. In 1988, I started my first company at the age of 28 and sold it to Lucent Technologies in 1999. I wasn’t quite sure what I was going to do after that, and I ended

up buying an apartment in New York City. It was decked out with supposedly smart home automation technology but nothing worked. I couldn’t get the TV to turn on or the lights to work. I realized that the industry needed a complete makeover.

Was there a single event or business decision that was particularly important to the growth of Savant?

In 2020, Savant purchased GE Lighting, and that’s part of the whole ecosystem in the lighting aspects of the home. GE Lighting is the original GE Lighting Division of General Electric. We also purchased all the real estate, including Nela Park, which was the first industrial park in the United States that Thomas Edison built. It’s quite humbling to own a piece of Thomas Edison’s company.

“I realized that the industry needed a complete makeover.”

– Robert Madonna

Did the GE Lighting purchase make sense on its own or only in context with Savant?

That’s a good question. It made sense. I mean, other companies were looking at it. So there are other light bulb companies, [and] I think think they were looking at it. What we were looking at was the same technology, but applied to the overall technology going into the homes. So it was a viable business in and of itself. It’s a stand-alone.

Let’s talk about solar. Many people are making long-term investments in solar panels and I am wondering whether you see another technology coming that could render them obsolete or are they here to stay?

I think the technology is coming

There is a lot of debate about solar that it can’t work financially without government subsidies. What happens if that stops?

It’s important to get these new technologies off the ground that the government offers subsidies. The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) is a great example.

to make solar more and more efficient and more costeffective but not obsolete. I just read an article this morning on new technology to make the manufacturing process much cheaper because of the silver they have to use. I think solar is an important part of energy technology, but it might not be the only piece. There’s a company up in Boston called Upstart Power that does small fuel cells for homes. They take natural gas or propane and convert it to energy to charge your batteries. So there’s other interesting technology around the edges, but solar is the biggest piece for residential.

you buy an electric car and you only have 100 amps, the software will figure that out. It knows that you can only charge the car at night when you are sleeping and when everything else is turned off.

Do you believe that electric cars are the ultimate solution in terms of the reduction of fossil fuel production?

It’s definitely part of it, electric cars and hybrid cars. The combination of the two will decrease emissions and more

The IRA is important for many reasons, including solar, batteries and inverters. There are close to 50 million homes in the United States that have less than 200 amps of service, which is not enough energy to plug in an electric car, and many with 100 amps and below. Technology now is getting smart, where breakers are smart and can adjust themselves on the fly. So if

importantly will be a source of energy. I’m a big fan of that because the grid needs to get rearchitected and it’s slowly getting there. In California, and other areas where climate is getting worse, the grids are old and need repurposing. The electric car plays an important role in that because we can actually tap into those batteries which can be applied to the home.

Solar panels on house

Do you have a philosophical position on the environment or is this just a business for you?

I think it’s a little bit of both. I think it’s building technology that helps solve technical problems, economic problems and world problems, which we are doing. I am a businessman and an engineer, and I love this type of technology. But it’s very important to be building things that have a purpose.

Your company is private. Does that give you the freedom to make decisions that may not be economic at the time but will benefit the company down the road?

That’s a great question, because my previous company I took public and I ran it as a public company. In most tech companies, you are investing for the long haul versus immediate profit. And this company, most tech companies are investing in tech, you’re investing for the long haul.

Tesla seems to be the dominant player in the battery storage space. Have you leapfrogged their technology and have they come knocking on your door?

Making a home energy independent is not just about the batteries that back the home up. It’s about the smart software platform that controls and operates it.

In the instance of Nantucket, the electrification of cars makes sense but do you see technology that will work for boats as well?

That’s a great question because I am a big boater. I started looking at the solar catamarans that are out there, which are pretty interesting. They’re getting there but I don’t think they’re quite there yet. They are actually taking the solar cells and building them right into the fiberglass of the boats, which I thought was fascinating and catamarans have a big enough surface area to make this work.

Have there been any specific events that provide further justification for Savant and its mission?

Just two months ago, the cable from Hyannis to Nantucket went down impacting the power on the island. That provides a great reason for backing up a home’s energy source. Resiliency is one of the main drivers of inverters and batteries and I think that is especially important on an island.

Savant’s value proposition is unique in that we focus not only on manufacturing a simple-to-install inverter and battery backup system but managing the overall energy of the home. For example, Savant not only can provide battery storage backup for the entire home, but most importantly the software smart platform allows a homeowner to manage energy consumption with the touch of an app button or hassle-free automation.

You have been extraordinarily successful at reading the tea leaves in business. Do you consider yourself a savant?

I’m certainly no savant. I’ve spent my career as an entrepreneur being passionate about creating new products and technologies and launching companies that can help solve real-world problems. It’s a lofty goal but it’s something our entire team believes in and I’m proud of what we’re accomplishing together.

OutFit to SeA

HER LEFT (BLONDE)

JACKET AND SHORTS: REMY

JEWELRY:

KATHERINE GROVER

HIM POLO: DUCKHEAD

SHORTS: SOUTHERN TIDE

CARDIGAN, BELT AND SHOES: MURRAY’S TOGGERY SHOP

JEWELRY: THE VAULT

HER RIGHT (BRUNETTE) TOP AND SKIRT: REMY

PHOTOGRAPHER: BRIAN SAGER

WARDROBE STYLING: PETRA HOFFMANN MAKEUP: JURGITA BUDAITE OF ISLAND GLOW

HAIR STYLING: KATE DIGGAN

PHOTO ASSISTANT: MEAGHAN DUNN

MAGGIE INC. MODELS

MALE MODEL: RYAN O’SULLIVAN

FEMALE MODEL #1 (BLONDE): CHARLOTTE NAGLE

FEMALE MODEL #2 (BRUNETTE): HAILEY OUELLETTE

Shot on location with Nantucket Mermaids Yacht Fleet

BIKINI TOP AND BOTTOMS: SOUTHERN TIDE

JEWELRY: KATHERINE GROVER SUNGLASSES: THE VAULT

PADDLE TOP AND BOTTOMS: SOUTHERN TIDE

EARRINGS AND MIDDLE RING: CALISTA WEST

INDEX RING AND SUNGLASSES: THE VAULT

SHIRT: SOUTHERN TIDE

SWIM SHORT: DUCKHEAD

JEWELRY: THE VAULT

WATCH: MURRAY’S TOGGERY SHOP

SHIRT, JACKET, BELT AND PANTS: SOUTHERN TIDE

SUNGLASSES, POCKET SQUARE AND WATCH: MURRAY’S TOGGERY SHOP

LEFT

ONE PIECE: SOUTHERN TIDE

SCARF: MURRAY’S TOGGERY SHOP

CLUTCH, SUNGLASSES AND JEWELRY: THE VAULT

RIGHT

BIKINI TOP AND BOTTOMS: SOUTHERN TIDE

JEWELRY AND SUNGLASSES: THE VAULT

HAT: MURRAY’S TOGGERY SHOP

LEFT

ONE PIECE: MURRAY’S TOGGERY SHOP

JEWELRY: THE VAULT

RIGHT

ONE PIECE: MURRAY’S TOGGERY SHOP

JEWELRY: KATHERINE GROVER

SWEATER: MURRAY’S TOGGERY SHOP

BIKINI BOTTOM: SOUTHERN TIDE

JEWELRY: CALISTA WEST

POLO: DUCKHEAD SHORTS: SOUTHERN TIDE SUNGLASSES, BELT AND WATCH: MURRAY’S TOGGERY SHOP

ONE PIECE AND HAT: MURRAY’S TOGGERY SHOP

NECKLACE: SUSAN LISTER LOCKE

A peek into Nantucket Mermaids Yacht Charters, giving you access to the epitome of nautical luxury, offering you a distinct variety of private yachts. Without being tied to a membership or the stress of ownership, Nantucket Mermaids reveals a glimpse into their custom-curated world at sea. Whether you desire a serene three-hour sunset tour in Nantucket or an extended multiweek mega-yacht adventure in Europe, Nantucket Mermaids crafts unforgettable memories from a perspective often elusive to even the most discerning world travelers.

JACKET: REMY JEWELRY: KATHERINE GROVER ONE PIECE AND BAG: MURRAY’S TOGGERY SHOP

SHOT ON LOCATION WITH NANTUCKET MERMAIDS YACHT FLEET

EVERY ROOM

TELLS A STORY

Introducing Nantucket’s Most Captivating Hotel

76 Main Ink Press Hotel provides a fascinating glimpse into Nantucket’s media past within a totally redesigned seacoast environment.

With its subtle blue hues and textured surfaces, 76 Main is more s one that showcases the fascinating past of this historic island through a media lens over the centuries.

Come experience a one-of-a-kind adventure while being pampered with luxury linens, crafted continental breakfasts, and a calming outdoor lounge. Luxuriate today while savoring the richness of Nantucket’s past.

NOVEL IDEA

On a small island, big stories connect us. That’s the driving spirit of the annual Nantucket Book Festival—gathering as neighbors and friends to meet authors, share ideas and celebrate the power of the written word to shape lives. This year’s event took place June 13-16, and featured conversations with Margaret Atwood, Erik Larson, Kwame Alexander, Safiya Sinclair and many more writers who stole our hearts and transformed our minds. Save the date for next year’s festival: June 12-15, 2025.

Heather Reisman, Margaret Atwood and Louise Dennys

Steven Rowley, Lara Love Hardin, Dune, Santi Scheurell, Tim Ehrenberg, Katherine Howe

Kitty Pochman and Trish O’Kane

Christy Cashman and Jane Seymour

Kaley Kokomoor and Dr. Kerri Greenidge

Kwame Alexander

Linda Henry and Erik Larson

Mary Haft

Nathan Coe, Reuben Coe and Manni Coe

Tim Ehrenberg

Ann Sullivan and Paul Harding

Rebecca Hickman, Jill Surprenant and Lesly Recinos-Rivera

Lara Love Hardin and Tim Ehrenberg

Jason Graziadei and Gabriella Burnham

Meg Ruley and Nancy Thayer

Mary Bergman and Tara Karr Roberts Michael Schulder and Bianca Bosker

Jill Karp, Mary Haft and Sara DiVello

Rebecca Hickman and 6th Grade Volunteers

Safiya Sinclair and Mary Haft

Jim Patrick, Rob Benchley and John Stanton

Event attendees gathered in the Nantucket Yacht Club ballroom

Amy Lee, Jon Lee, Candy Heydt, Mason Heydt

Bianca Japp, Pastor Volney Sinclair, Brandon Jellison, Ugne Aleknaite

PASCON Foundation Board (Andrea Katz, Holly Ruth Finigan, Kim Higgins, Lindsley Matthews, Jeremy Bloomer, Cathy Lennon, Sharon Hartley, Emily Molden, Andrea Giletti, Lara Hanson, Eugene Briskman, Sue Myntinnen)

Richard Kingham, Justine Kingham, Ted Giletti, Elle Foley

Mary Raul, Alan Raul, Mary Bloomer, Jonathan Danforth, Andrea Katz, Dr. Jon Katz, Judy McLeod

Annalise Nelson, Mariellen Scannell, Tom Nelson, Jane Bourette

31ST

DREAMCATCHER FUNDRAISER

Hosted at the Nantucket Yacht Club on June 15, the 2024 Dreamcatcher Fundraiser & Silent Auction was a delightful celebration thanks to the Palliative and Support Care of Nantucket (PASCON). Attendees enjoyed food and drinks, as well as a silent and live auction and restaurant raffle. The benefit supported the holistic and critical work that the Foundation provides to the Nantucket community.

Jibo Jibladze, Holly Ruth Finigan

Ritch Leone

Bonnie Fitz-Gibbon, Deb Dolan, Lindsley Matthews, Jesse Royster, Inez Hutton, Bob Felch

Anna Popnikolova

Susan Lawton, Mary Raul, Judy McLeod

Olivia Giletti, Ava Rollins, Annabelle Giletti, Mara Weiner

PASCON volunteers

Zoe DiPinto and Julia Yancy

PLEIN AIR

The Artists Association of Nantucket held its annual festival honoring American Post-Impressionist landscape painter Frank Swift Chase and the artist community on-island June 11-16. For one week, artists were found painting all over the island and then displaying their works at the Big Gallery for sale. This year, Mary Chandler was awarded the Frank Swift Chase award for her piece J.C. House, while Lyn Coffey and Renee Little took home second and third place.

Susan Coyne

Leyah Jensen

Sandra Flavin

G.S. Hill

Susan Coyne

Sandra Flavin

Lisa Matheson

Sandra Flavin

NANTUCKET FILM FESTIVAL

Island residents and community members gathered together to experience the 29th annual Nantucket Film Festival June 19-24. Attendees enjoyed parties, special programs, preview screenings, keynotes and more over the days of the event. The festival announced its audience award winners across different categories such as Narrative Feature, Los Frikis, directed by Tyler Nilson and Michael Schwartz; Documentary Feature, Porcelain War, directed by Brendan Bellomo and Slava Leontyev; Narrative Short, Puppy Love, directed by Daniel Rashid; and Documentary Short, Jumpman, directed by Tom Dey.

Guests at the gathering came together for the four-day event.

Luke Russert and Ken Burns

Dr. Ibram X. Kendi

Penny and Tom Dey

Renée Elise Goldsberry, Kerry Ehrin and Meredith Scardino

Festival goers outside of The Dreamland

Roger Ross Williams

Renée Elise Goldsberry and Melissa Haizlip

Jonathan and Jill Burkhart

Pete Stavros

Madeline Weinstein

Chris Matthews and Kathleen Matthews

Paula Pell and Renée Elise Goldsberry

Paul Scheer

Meredith Scardino

Jason Mantzoukas

Roger Ross Williams

Tony Cox Screenplay Competition winners and jurors

Los Frikis film team

Kerry Ehrin

Sunny Hostin

June Diane Raphael

Ophira Eisenberg

Renée Elise Goldsberry

OYSTERFEST

On June 9, the Nantucket Shellfish Association hosted the 2024 Nantucket Oysterfest to celebrate the island’s oysters and those who farm them. Hosted at Cisco Brewers, five local oyster farms—Fifth Bend Oysters, Pocomo Meadow Oysters, Grey Lady Oysters, Island Oysters and Devils Creek Oysters—were present at the event.

Managed by

DRIVING BACK

in Time

McLeod family seated on a red sportscar, 1967

Steamship Siasconset docked at Steamboat Wharf, 1950s

Steamboat Wharf in 1933

Ducksholm car, Dorthy Rawson at the wheel with the attendant at Island Service Co. gas station, 1930s

A look up Main

Sunny side of Main Street with a full line of parked cars, July 1959

A busy day on Main Street, July 1959

A car in the entrance of Quidnet houses with whalebone gate, 1940s

Street, circa 1970s

Vehicle on Massasoit Bridge in Madaket, circa 1930s

The first car to visit the island from Oregon in 1935.

Vehicle used at Camp Sankaty, circa 1940s

Group gathered around their automobile in 1925

Car disembarking from the Steamship, circa 1950s

Home at 69 Main Street, circa 1950s Cars parked along Main

Bride: Hannah Davis • Groom: Andrew Katirai • Venue: The Wauwinet • Wedding Planner: Handy & Dallaire Photographer: Diogo & Cosimo • Invitation Photo: Shannon Grant • Videographer: Falcon Visual

Caterer: The Wauwinet • Cake: The Wauwinet • Florist: Flowers on Chestnut • Officiant: Rabbi Steven Leder and Cantor Don Gurney • Tent: Nantucket Tents • Bridal Hair: Adam Pardyjak and Jen Tawa Bridal Makeup: Jeannie Vincent • Bride’s Dress and Veil: Vera Wang • Bride’s Second Dress: Vintage Cache Groom’s Tuxedo: MaxDavoli Baroni • Groom’s Second Tuxedo: The Black Tux • Bride’s Shoes: Jimmy Choo Groom’s Shoes: Gucci • Band: Jerry Bennett Entertainment • Invitations & Paper: Wouldn’t It Be Lovely Welcome Party: Private Home • Rehearsal Dinner: The Whaling Museum

When major Nantucket news breaks, the mainland broadcast networks and newspapers turn to the Nantucket Current for insights on what’s happening. Our work has been cited dozens of times in some of the most respected national and regional media outlets, and our team has appeared on CNN and Fox News to discuss island-related stories.

Nantucket Current is the largest and most-read digital news source on the island, providing instant news to your phone or email inbox. The news doesn’t wait to break every Thursday, so why should you? Discover why thousands of Nantucketers now view the Current as their single source of news.

THANK YOU TO OUR SEASON 2 PREMIER SPONSORS

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