N MAGAZINE September 2023

Tom Nevers Bluff comprised of three separate lots. This combined property would be perfect as a multigenerational investment. 27 Bosworth Road is a timeless 5 bedroom Classic shingle style home. 15 Lyford Road is a 3 bedroom, 3 1/2 bath waterfront home perched on Tom Nevers Bluff; and 3 Wanoma Way is vacant land with private beach stairs. 15 Lyford may be purchased on its own for $7,995,000 with deeded beach stair access.

SCONSET 14 & 16 Coffin Street | $13,250,000

DIONIS 15 Swift Rock Road | $3,495,000

MONOMOY 26 Monomoy Road | $11,800,000

CISCO 5 High Brush Path | $4,995,000

MIACOMET 51 West Miacomet Road | $5,850,000

SQUAM 67 Squam Road | $11,750,000 GREATPOINTPROPERTIES.COM 1 NORTH BEACH STREET NANTUCKET, MA 02554 508.228.2266

6 MAIN STREET SIASCONSET, MA 02564 508.257.6335

SALES \ RENTALS SCONSET \ TOWN

CASHMERE SET AND FANNY PACK: MURRAY'S TOGGERY SHOP

HAT: BEAU & RO

EARRINGS: HEIDI WEDDENDORF

BRACELETS: THE VAULT

CONTRIBUTORS

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

BY THE NUMBERS

A numerical snapshot of Nantucket this fall.

NTOPTEN

All the places you need to be and see this fall.

NECESSITIES

Put these items on your fall wish list.

KID’N AROUND

How to keep your kiddos entertained this fall.

98

Layering It On

HEALTH N WELLNESS

Sometimes, life’s greatest inventions are created by necessity.

NEAT STUFF

Katherine Grover’s jewelry does much more than sparkle— it tells stories.

NBUZZ

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

NEED TO READ

Tim Ehrenberg gives his fall reading list.

PUBLISHER & EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Bruce A. Percelay

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR

Antonia DePace

EDITORIAL ADVISOR

Robert Cocuzzo

ART DIRECTOR

Paulette Chevalier

DIRECTOR OF ADVERTISING & PARTNERSHIPS

Emme Duncan

CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER

Kit Noble

FASHION PHOTOGRAPHER

Brian Sager

SENIOR WRITER

Jason Graziadei

CONTRIBUTORS

Tim Ehrenberg

Larry Lindner

Sharon Lorenzo

Wendy Rouillard

PHOTOGRAPHER

Bill Hoenk

Michael Blanchard

Georgie Morley

Barbara Zachary

ADVERTISING SALES

Fifi Greenberg

EDITORIAL INTERNS

Olivia Cyr

Brooke Wheeler PUBLISHER N. LLC

CHAIRMAN: Bruce A. Percelay

COMMON GROUND In Search of

Nantucket is one of the last places you think of relative to the great partisan divide we are seeing in this country. But even on this bucolic island, there are clear signs that the nation’s divisions live here as well.

When N Magazine, for example, put President Joe Biden on our cover, within hours, nearly 800 people canceled their digital subscriptions. When The Nantucket Project invited former President George W. Bush to speak several years ago, founder Tom Scott found himself at the wrong end of aggressive and sometimes threatening messages as to why Bush was invited. From the vandalism at the African Meeting House to defacing the LGBTQ+ mural in Tom Nevers to the rancor around the affordable housing issue, there are clear signs of discord on the island—on both sides.

BRUCE A. PERCELAY Publisher

Historically, Nantucket has been a bastion of tolerance and civility dating back to its role in the Underground Railroad, as well as when abolitionist Frederick Douglass spoke at the anti-slavery convention at the Atheneum in 1841. The island was also a leader during the women’s suffrage movement. And as shown by the recent vote to allow nude bathing on our beaches, freedom of thought has always been a hallmark of Nantucket, but we are seeing evidence where this concept is fraying at the edges.

This year’s Nantucket Project, in partnership with the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate, seeks to reinvigorate Nantucket’s role as a thought leader and a beacon of civil debate through its annual event this coming October. TNP will be gathering national figures from both sides of the aisle to discuss ways in which division in this country can be toned down and perhaps ideas on how to reunite aspects of American life. Nationally known speakers from decidedly different political and social perspectives will be engaged in candid discussion in an effort to gain a better understanding of opposite points of view.

Nantucket has always been a shining light for freedom of thought and expression, which has made this island a uniquely civil place in which to live. We hope that The Nantucket Project will help reinforce this tradition and let Nantucket stand as an example for the rest of the country.

Sharon Murray Lorenzo has been a Nantucket summer resident since 1978. She is a professor emeritus at the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School as a s pecialist in art law and cultural heritage policy. With degrees in law, business and art history, she has prepared more than a decade’s worth of students for work in museums and art-related arenas.

Bill Hoenk has been capturing Nantucket in breathtaking images for well over a decade. After 25 years in the restaurant industry, 15 of those on Nantucket at The Chanticleer and Dune, Hoenk retired from restaurant work and began his full-time freelance and fine art career on the island in 2018. You can easily spot him photographing events for Nantucket About Town, with his two different colored shoes (an homage to his mentor, the late, great Gene Mahon), and every Saturday during the summer selling his fine art Nantucket photography at the Sustainable Nantucket Farmers and Artisans Market. Hoenk’s work has been published in many national and international publications, including a photo on the cover of Time magazine, and his images have been featured on several television networks, including CBS, ESPN, The Weather Channel, CNN, HBO and Netflix, and in the blockbuster movie Patriots Day

When the Prince and Princess of Wales visited Boston for the Earthshot Prize Awards, Michael Blanchard was chosen as the official photographer of the historic visit. Blanchard has photographed close to 2,000 events in his nearly 15-year career, which started at age 21. His favorite event from 2023? Elton John’s annual Academy Awards afterparty. Beyond the allure of celebrity, prominent families entrust him to capture their most intimate gatherings and family milestones. In March, Blanchard traveled to the shores of Jamaica to document the union of Nantucket residents AJ Williams and John Henson, officiated by actor Anthony Anderson. The photos were published in People magazine.

Bill HOENK

Sharon MURRAY LORENZO

Michael BLANCHARD

NUMBERS

Hours $

650,000

16

250,000

39.79 $

2,500

The amount raised for on-island cancer care and oncology research during the 11th annual Swim Across America–Nantucket.

Number of shark attacks near Nantucket.

The amount given to the Nantucket Resource Partnership for food security and infrastructure by the Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs.

$

The year that Allan Bell purchased the Nantucket Pharmacy, which has been around since 1937.

The amount of time first lady Jill Biden spent on the island for a Democratic Party fundraising event in July.

Feet of wetlands that could be restored at Lily Pond Park if the Nantucket Land Bank’s proposal goes into effect.

The number of panels on the new solar array at the Surfside Wastewater Treatment Facility, which is designed to offset the plant’s electrical load and provide an estimated $35,000 in annual savings.

The number of rescues at Nobadeer, Madaket, Ladies, Miacomet and Surfside beaches on July 30 due to heavy surf and rip currents.

The average cost of a lobster roll on Nantucket.

1

CARA CARA POP-UP

AUGUST 30-SEPTEMBER 2, 10:00 AM-6:00 PM

Federal Suite at the Faraway Hotel

Get ready to peruse an array of colorfully patterned pieces during the Cara Cara Labor Day weekend pop-up. Shop a wide range of the brand’s joyful and versatile collection, featuring chic resort wear, breezy beach dresses, trendy accessories and more. Plus, don’t miss the Nantucket-exclusive top. caracaranyc.com, farawayhotels.com

4

CROSS-ISLAND HIKE

SEPTEMBER 23, 8:00 AM

Embark on an extraordinary adventure that will take you through the wonders of our beautiful island during the Nantucket Land Bank’s fourth annual Cross-Island Hike. Starting at Sesachacha Pond, the 21.6-mile excursion ends at Settler’s Landing at Madaket Harbor. nantucketlandbank.org/news/ cross-island-hike/

5 5

NANTUCKET CLIMATE CHANGE SUMMIT

SEPTEMBER 6, 4:30-7:00 PM

Great Harbor Yacht Club

Gather for the very first Nantucket Climate Change Summit this month with the Linda Loring Nature Foundation and the Nantucket Conservation Foundation. Free and open to the public, the event will give an update on the current state of the island’s climate change knowledge, as well as highlight current projects and steps that need to be taken to enhance Nantucket’s future.

To connect further, join the social hour after the Summit. llnf.org/events/ nantucketclimatechangesummit

tnpONE

OCTOBER 5-8

White Elephant Hotel

Prepare to ignite your imagination, inspire new perspectives and empower your drive for positive change in our world. The Nantucket Project’s annual gathering, in collaboration with the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate, will take you on a transformative journey as it challenges conventional thinking, embraces new ideas and creates connections that inspire action through noteworthy presentations, panels and more. nantucketproject.com

7 7

NANTUCKET HARVEST FAIR

OCTOBER 7

Nothing is more beautiful than a traditional New England fall—and Nantucket’s islandinspired celebrations are no exception during the Nantucket Harvest Fair. Located at the grounds of the Old Mill, this family-friendly event offers festive activities, island-grown produce, live music, shows, contests and more. Themed around cranberries, the festival features educational programs about the history of Nantucket cranberry farming, as well as cranberry treats to enjoy throughout it all. eventseeker.com/nantucket/ oct-19-2023/417584540-harvest-fair

7 8

FALL FASHION SHOW

OCTOBER 7, 6:00-8:00 PM

The Dreamland

In celebration of the fifth annual Cobblestones & Cranberries weekend, the Nantucket Island Chamber of Commerce is debuting its very first fall fashion show, featuring looks from Chamber member retailers. During the show, guests will also vote for the Best Fall Fashion Award and enjoy live entertainment. nantucketchamber.org

7 9

NANTUCKET HALF MARATHON

OCTOBER 8, 8:00 AM

JAMES GALLAGHER

SEPTEMBER 14-OCTOBER 7

Bennett Hall

Get a glimpse into the life of actor and ladies’ man James Gallagher in the world premiere of Academy Award-nominated screenwriter Valerie Curtin’s original play. Audiences are in for a captivating evening with this production that stars Emmywinning actor John Shea. theatrenantucket.org/shows/ james-gallagher/ 10

2 3 10

RUN FOR ROBIN 5K NOVEMBER 19

SCALLOPERS BALL

OCTOBER 6, 6:30-10:30 PM

Nantucket Yacht Club

Celebrate the kickoff of scalloping season with the Nantucket Shellfish Association for an evening filled with friends, food and fun. Local fisheries, community members and visitors come together and enjoy seafood, a silent auction, music, dancing and more. This event aims to celebrate the exceptional allure of Nantucket as a place to call home, emphasizing the island’s distinctive marine life and local fisheries. nantucketshellfish.org/events

33 Bartlett Farm Road

Lace up your sneakers and join the Nantucket Triathlon Club for the 11th annual Half Marathon. One of the most scenic half-marathon courses on the East Coast, this run will be nothing short of unforgettable. Starting and finishing at Bartlett’s Farm, this route takes you through sandy beach roads with incredible ocean views, bike paths and lightly traveled neighborhood streets. There will also be a 10K and Kid’s Fun Run. runsignup.com/Race/MA/Nantucket/ NantucketHalfMarathon

Celebrate the life of Robin Harvey during the ninth annual Run for Robin 5K. Completely focused around Nantucket’s community, the Harvey Foundation Nantucket’s event features a post-run cookout at the Sconset Casino. harveyfoundationnantucket.org

GARMENT DYE MOCK NECK SWEATER

Dressing for the crisp fall weather is

CUSTOMIZABLE WATERCOLOR ART

These fun and sophisticated watercolor alphabets will grow with your kids so you can forever preserve the special interests and places of your family’s memories. From the artwork to the high-quality print on 100% cotton rag to the hand-built frames, everything has been thoughtfully put together … all you need is the wall space!

MOLLYGRAMS @themollygrams • mollygrams.com

COLIE COBBLE: A NANTUCKET STORY AND CRAFT BOOK

A developer is going to pave Nantucket’s cobblestones, and one little cobblestone simply can’t stop singing the blues! This two-part children’s book includes a story and crafts to give plenty of creative fun to rainy—and not rainy—days.

KATE TEVES @coliecobble kateteves.com/nantucket

FUN ITEMS FOR

FALL

DIAMOND FROTH RING

Inspired by glistening ocean spray, salt and pepper diamonds are beautifully nestled into a bed of 14-karat gold in this one-of-a-kind ring. Each piece is handcrafted and as unique as the person who wears it!

ICARUS + CO. @icarusandco icarusandco.com

BLUNDSTONE CHELSEA BOOT

More than just an iconic look, Blundstones are comfortable, versatile and made to last. Their water-resistant leather makes them perfect for a fall stroll around Squam Swamp, while their modern silhouette means you can pair them with jeans for a trip to the brewery.

MURRAY’S TOGGERY SHOP @ackreds • nantucketreds.com

LAWN BOWLING

Beautifully crafted of Hevea wood, this lawn bowling set is portable and easy to play on the sand or in the grass. So kick off your shoes, grab some friends and enjoy an afternoon outside soaking up the last days of sun!

ELAKAI @elakaioutdoor • elakaioutdoor.com

NAIDU WINES 2021 PINOT NOIR RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY

It’s time to trade in the summer rosés and raise a glass of red! This delightful Russian River Valley pinot noir from Naidu Wines, the first Indian immigrant and female-founded and -operated wine brand in the United States, is elegant and juicy with notes of dark cherry, plum, blackberry and allspice— perfect for those cool autumn evenings.

NAIDU WINES @naiduwines naiduwines.com

AROUND

SPEND SEPTEMBER WITH MARIA MITCHELL

One of the island’s must-do activities this fall is visiting the Historic Mitchell House at 1 Vestal Street. Take a trip back in time to the 1800s and learn about Nantucket’s first female astronomer, Maria Mitchell. Maria Mitchell’s house contains many stunning artifacts from the Mitchells’ daily life in the 19th century, showcasing Maria’s personal items such as her opera glasses, beer mugs and Dolland telescope. Her house is especially known for the remarkably preserved example of faux wood grain painting in the kitchen dating from the 1850s. The Maria Mitchell Association’s Historic Mitchell House, Aquarium, Hinchman House Natural Science Museum and Loines Observatory are all open to the public. @maria_mitchell_association, mariamitchell.org

STEP INTO SEPTEMBER WITH THE NANTUCKET HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION

This September, the NHA’s newly renovated Discovery Center at the Whaling Museum is open for families every day during museum hours. Enjoy interactive play stations, a photo booth, a reading corner and a new Captain’s Quarters play station. And be sure to explore the Whaling Museum, featuring exhibitions for all ages to

enjoy. The NHA’s daily programs, offered by its expert museum guides, include exploring Life Aboard a Whale Ship and the famous Essex Gam. These presentations are engaging, educational and fun for the whole family! Plus, year-round residents can enjoy free admission. @ackhistory, nha.org

CREATE THIS FALL

AT BARNABY’S TOY & ART

Stop by Barnaby’s Toy & Art Shack at 12 Oak Street in downtown Nantucket. The shop offers a variety of art classes for children ages 2 and up through September! The doors are always open for kids to drop in as well, which is perfect for creating works of art any time of day. Between crafts, peruse the store’s abundance of toys, all of which have been carefully selected to provide functionality, hands-on interactive play and entertainment. For more fun, be sure to grab one of the Barnaby’s Art Kits to Go. And if you’re not on island? Don’t worry, a new location opens this month—Barnaby’s Beacon Hill Boston. @barnabystoyart, 508.680.1553, barnabyack@gmail. com, barnabysnantucket.com

THIS FALL WITH THE DREAMLAND

The Dreamland is the perfect place to have fun, learn and grow all year long. Whether your child is a performer or an arts lover in general, they’ve got you covered! Dreamland always has a lineup of numerous musicals, blockbuster films and much more. Registration for the Dreamland Stage Company’s winter production of Disney’s Beauty and the Beast opens September 15. Space is limited, so be sure to set your clocks for midnight! Auditions for the upcoming holiday musical, Madeline’s Christmas,

a musical play adapted from Ludwig Bemelmans’ delightful book, take place September 29-30. Featuring a multigenerational cast, this production is a holiday treat for the whole family! @dreamlandstagecompany, nantucketdreamland.org

BACK TO SCHOOL WITH PEACHTREE KIDS

Welcome back to Peachtree Kids! Open year-round on the sunny side of historic cobblestoned Main Street, Peachtree Kids has been a favorite onestop shop for Nantucket’s locals and vacationers since 2004. Peachtree Kids carries timeless classics and ontrend clothing, shoes and accessories for infants and children through size 14. New brands in store include Sammy + Nat, Nanducket, Nikki Rene Studio, Petit Peony and Joy Street Kids—all while continuing to carry shop favorites Piping Prints, Barnaby Bear, Hatley, Busy Bees and Bailey Boys and more! @peachtreekidsnatucket, peachtreekidsnantucket.com

EXPLORE AT THE LINDA LORING NATURE FOUNDATION

Looking for an adventure? This month, head out to the Linda Loring Nature Foundation to see a bounty of blooming Nantucket wildflowers including asters, goldenrods, hibiscus and more. Also, be sure to stop by anytime to enjoy the Story Walk—a new book is posted each month for children to enjoy along the trails. @loringnatureack, 110 Eel Point Road, llnf.org

CRUNCH

Ever since Adrienne Lufkin was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease in her teens, she’s had to be more conscious about the food that she puts in her body. In general, those with Crohn’s disease are recommended to stay away from “trigger foods,” which can include foods high in insoluble fiber, high lactose-containing foods, sugar alcohols, artificial sweeteners, high-

WRITTEN BY ANTONIA DEPACE PHOTOGRAPHY BY KIT NOBLE

fat foods, spicy foods, caffeine and sweetened beverages, among others, according to the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation.

These restrictions, in tandem with Lufkin’s background in the culinary arts, led to the creation of Struesli. “I had been making [the granola] for myself and my family and my friends for years. And I thought, this is something

It’s something you eat every day. It’s a pantry staple. It should be made with the highest quality ingredients. And I can’t say that that’s true for most granola.

— Adrienne Lufkin

that boosts my health and wellness. It always was something that was my go-to blend that was delicious and a boost of nutrition,” Lufkin, who summers on the island in Squam, says. “I thought maybe other people might benefit from it, too.”

And she was right. The granola, which launched in January of this year with the original and cacao + coffee flavors, has become recognized for both its taste and simple ingredient list (tiger nuts, pecans, walnuts, coconut flakes, hemp hearts, black chia seeds and flaky sea salt). Just one serving of Struesli provides a meaningful amount of fiber and healthy fat content, all while being plant-based and sweetener-free. The traditional granola oat base was also swapped for sliced tiger nuts, making it grain-free and prebiotic. “That’s what sets us apart nutritionally: our fiber content, our healthy fat content, our prebiotics and just really the amount of micronutrients and antioxidants that you’re getting from this particular combination of ingredients without any fillers or unnecessary sugar,” she says.

Being different is a good thing—leading Lufkin and the company to gain enough traction that Struesli is now carried locally at Nantucket Meat & Fish Market, The Green Market and Sconset Market. On the mainland, it can be found at Erewhon, Amazon and an abundance of other stores around the country. “It’s like the

universe opened up and said, this is going to be a thing,” she adds.

The granola is 100 percent USDA certified organic, non-GMO, grain-free and certified gluten-free—a complete 360 from the traditional, sugar-filled boxes bought at the grocery store. “I always buy the best coffee I can find, because it’s something that I drink every day—I want it to be organic, shade-grown and pesticidefree, because I’m putting it in my system every day. So I felt like that’s the same as granola. It’s something that you eat every day. It’s a pantry staple. It should be made with the highest quality ingredients. And I can’t say that that’s true for most granola,” she explains.

Aside from being nutritionally dense and well received by consumers for its taste, the product also fills a gap within the health community as one that’s safe for those with autoimmune disorders like Lufkin. “It was really important to me to have a product that a multitude of people with varied lifestyles and dietary restrictions could eat,” she says, noting that the granola is also good for those with diabetes, celiac disease or gluten sensitivity. Lufkin adds, “That was my goal: to make it a food that many people could incorporate into their day, into their lifestyle, seamlessly. Because I know what it’s like trying to find a product that checks all the boxes.”

Struesli launches its third flavor, savory + seed, this October.

Crown Jewels

INTERVIEW BY ANTONIA DEPACE PHOTOGRAPHY BY KIT NOBLE

There’s a lot more to jewelry than sparkling gems and pearls—in fact, diverse cultures have attached symbolic meaning to their jewelry throughout history. It’s the stories and meanings behind foreign jewelry that inspired Katie Grover of Katherine Grover Fine Jewelry during her travels. And then in 2009, a chance encounter with a goldsmith in Istanbul allowed her to create her own pieces—eventually leading her to share her designs with the rest of the world.

Tell me more about the inspiration behind your fine jewelry.

I became interested in jewelry after managing a jewelry store on Nantucket in my 20s. I love to travel, and without realizing it, I found myself looking at jewelry when I traveled—looking at the fashion of it, the value of it, but also the iconography of it. What place did it hold in a different culture? What images resonated for that culture? Did it hold meanings different from our own concept of jewelry or adornment? Were the materials and techniques different?

You recently traveled to Istanbul and London. How did these places inspire you?

On this recent trip, I visited the British Museum, the Victoria and Albert, the Ashmolean and the Istanbul Archaeology Museum specifically to look at their ancient jewelry collections. At the Istanbul museum, for instance, I saw a wonderful exhibit with artifacts and gold jewelry from Ephesus. The patron goddess of Ephesus was Artemis, and there were many images of her in an ancient temple there that is regarded as one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Artemis was associated with the hunt, fertility and wild animals. Hawks held a special place in the legends around Artemis. As a consequence of that, there were many ancient hawk pendants and designs in the jewelry from Ephesus. Now, we might not find a hawk to be so compelling as a charm or a talisman to want to wear one in gold today. But I can tell you that in the very next display case, there was a pair of earrings that I would love to wear!

I just designed a necklace that was inspired by a piece found in the Cheapside Hoard in London. What is known as the Cheapside Hoard is a cache of 400-plus pieces of exquisite Elizabethan-era jewelry. Cheapside was the name of the street where the hoard was dug up. Buried in the 1640s, it was discovered in 1912 when workmen were digging in the basement of a building to shore up the foundation. No one knows

for sure who buried these jewels, or exactly why. Both a civil war and the plague were looming at that time. Sadly, whoever buried them never made it back to retrieve them.

You make your pieces with 24-karat gold. Can you tell me more about that and what makes the material so special?

I have chosen to make my pieces in 24-karat and 22-karat gold. I can, and do, make things in 18-karat or 14-karat gold, and those alloyed metals have nothing to apologize for in my book. But I love the color and character of high karat gold. In many parts of the world, that is the standard for fine jewelry. It doesn’t happen to be so here in the United States, but in places like India, Turkey, China and the Middle East, 24-karat gold is where a family puts its wealth. In India, there are even direct deposit accounts whereby a portion of your salary can be deposited with a jewelry store as a

Aside from the visual richness of 24-karat jewelry, I am fascinated by the fact that ancient peoples valued it so highly. They saw 24-karat gold as totally pure, as it needs nothing to be added to it to enhance it. As something so pure, it took on a sense of the divine, a gift from the Gods—just as it is.

While Nantucket tends to be more laid-back with fashion, fine jewelry still holds a large epicenter here with locals. How do your fine pieces fit here, and what is your hope for their place on the island in the future?

Many residents and visitors on Nantucket share a sense of appreciation for antiques and the fine decorative arts. My jewelry is an extension of that. For

savings plan for when you have enough to buy something else and add to your wealth in that way.

me, it is always rewarding to share the stories behind my jewelry with others because telling a story adds so much meaning and ultimately pleasure to the wearing of treasured pieces that resonate. Things, in this case jewelry, evoke emotions. I recently gifted a Tibetan dorje pendant to someone dear to me who was going through a hard time. The dorje, like the Herakles knot in Greek iconography, symbolizes strength, and which of us couldn’t use a shot of strength from time to time?

For an appointment to see the full collection, please contact Katie Grover at 646.896.4013.

Katherine Grover’s jewelry does much more than sparkle—it tells stories.

REPORTED BY THE NANTUCKET CURRENT

CLAM SHACK SAGA RESOLVED

The players in Nantucket’s highprofile clam shack saga are now happy as clams after coming to an amicable agreement to end the dispute. Steve Karp, owner of Nantucket Island Resorts, and Charlie Johnson, former chairman and CEO of the investment firm Franklin Resources, have been at the center of a controversy that has generated national attention since Johnson’s efforts to stop the construction of the 62-seat restaurant was first reported by the Current back in March. Johnson outwardly voiced his frustration with Karp

and the design of the restaurant relative to the potential negative impacts it would have on his next-door property at Old North Wharf in an exclusive sit-down interview with the Current last month. But the Current has learned

that Karp and Johnson met privately at Old North Wharf shortly after the publication of that interview to understand each other’s concerns and resolve the dispute. That meeting ultimately led to a resolution that is anticipated to include the dropping of all lawsuits and regulatory appeals by Johnson and the Old North Wharf Cooperative against the clam shack restaurant spearheaded by Gabriel Frasca and Kevin Burleson. “Charlie and I have shaken hands as neighbors and we look forward to the opportunity next summer to enjoy a shared dinner of clams over a beer at Gabriel’s new restaurant,” Karp said.

LAND BANK ADDS TO ITS HOLDINGS

On August 2, the Nantucket Land Bank spent $6 million to complete two new property acquisitions, including 11.2 acres of undeveloped “pristine land” at 15 Burnt Swamp Lane with an existing trail system. The second acquisition was a small adjacent property at 22 Hawthorne Lane that includes a dwelling that will be retained and used for Land Bank staff housing. The large parcel at 15 Burnt Swamp Lane was sold to the Land Bank

ACK•NOW TO START PAYING NANTUCKET PROPERTY OWNERS TO RENT TO LOCALS

Political action group ACK•Now has launched a program to pay property owners for converting housing units into year-round rentals for local residents, a move intended to combat Nantucket’s affordable housing crisis. ACK•Now’s new sister organization, ACK•Now Community Initiatives, has already set aside $300,000 for the program, dubbed “Lease to Locals,” which will be the first of its kind in the United States to be entirely privately funded and not rely on taxpayer support. The majority of the funding was provided by the McCausland Foundation, run by billionaire Peter McCausland, one of ACK•Now’s founding members. “I’m thrilled

for $4.1 million by Katherine and John Roe, “who have a family legacy of conservation on the island,” according to the Land Bank’s announcement. The Land Bank described the 11-acre property as one-of-a-kind and stated that it “is grateful for the opportunity to become the next steward of this parcel. We look forward to further establishing the trail networks already put in place by the family (and freshly mowed!) and opening this space to the public to enjoy.”

with the launch of ACK•Now Community Initiatives and its focus on making it easier for year-round residents to live and work here,” ACK•Now board chairman and business owner Carl Jelleme said in a press release. “The Lease to Locals program is hitting the ground running thanks to a generous gift from the McCausland Foundation.” Developed by Placemate Inc., an online platform focused on solving the housing crisis in vacation towns, Lease to Locals programs have already been implemented in half a dozen towns across the western half of the country, but ACK•Now’s project will be Placemate’s first operation east of Colorado.

AN END OF AN ERA AT NANTUCKET PHARMACY?

Changes are coming to a Main Street favorite and one of downtown Nantucket’s most iconic locations. Nantucket Pharmacy, which has been locally owned and serving the community since 1937, is at a crossroads. Owner and pharmacist Allan Bell, along with his longtime partners Ken Knutti, RPh, Jill Audycki, RPh, and Joanne Skokan, are all in their 60s and 70s and looking forward to their next chapters in life. “At some point, you know, we’re done,” said Bell, sitting in the small, cramped

office behind the pharmacy in late July as the summer crowds flowed in and out of the Main Street location. “I’d like us to not be here next Memorial Day. I don’t think we could do another summer. We can, but I don’t think we want to. I think, mentally, we’ve all sort of slowed it down. It’s time.” Nantucket Pharmacy, with its throwback soda fountain and gift store, is a cornerstone of Main Street. It’s a place where generations have gathered and islanders have forged trusted relationships

with the friendly and knowledgeable pharmacy team. So what happens next? Bell isn’t exactly sure, and for now, several scenarios are on the table.

THE EMBATTLED SUMMER HOUSE

(FINALLY)

RETURNS

After being closed for more than a month due to failed inspections and facing a notice of non-renewal of its food permits, The Summer House hotel and restaurant finally returned in late July. It had been shut down by the town since mid-June, missing out on a sizable chunk of the season. The cottages and main restaurant are now open, but the beachside bistro remains closed for now. Embattled owner Danielle deBenedictis told the Current that Rev. John Murray from St. Mary’s Catholic Church held a blessing for the entire staff at the property the morning it opened. “We’re gratified and delighted to be open again,” deBenedictis said. “And we’re thankful to all those who worked so hard to get a great institution back in business—the town inspectors and all our staff who worked around the clock to make this possible. Most of all we’re humbled by the many letters of support we received from the Nantucket community who missed us while we were closed. We look forward to continue providing a fine dining and lodging experience as we have for over 40 years now.”

BOB MATTHEWS GETS 5 YEARS IN PRISON FOR FRAUD

TOWN

SWITCH ON

NEW SOLAR PROJECT

The town has flipped the switch on a new 232-panel solar array at the Surfside Wastewater Treatment Facility that will offset the sewer plant’s electric load and provide an estimated $35,000 in annual savings. It is the town’s first operational solar project. The solar panels were installed over the spring and early summer atop the roof of one of the treatment plant’s primary buildings by local solar company ACK Smart Energy. The sewer plant is Nantucket’s second-largest consumer of electricity, the town stated in its announcement. The 104.4-kilowatt (DC-kW) rooftop solar array is estimated to generate over 150,000 kilowatt-hours of clean power, offsetting approximately 6 percent of the sewer plant’s electric load and 106 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions per year.

Bob Matthews, the former millionaire Nantucket developer and previous owner of the Point Breeze Hotel on Easton Street is headed to prison for more than five years after pleading guilty to numerous charges including conspiracy, money laundering and tax evasion. Matthews, 65, went belly-up in his bid to renovate and convert the Point Breeze (now the Nantucket Hotel) into a luxury condo club after defaulting on a $41 million loan. The sentence was handed down July 31st at a federal courthouse in Bridgeport, Connecticut, where prosecutors described Matthews as a “grifter” who defrauded investors and banks of millions of dollars through schemes related to the Palm House Hotel in Palm Beach, Florida, and the Point Breeze. In Florida, more than 60 investors sent Matthews at least $500,000 each for the Palm House project but he used the money to fund a lavish lifestyle and pay his debts. During the sentencing hearing, Matthews apologized to those he had scammed and acknowledged that he had used investors’ money to maintain his lifestyle, Hearst Connecticut Media reported. Matthews’ ex-wife Mia is a co-defendant in the case who has also pleaded guilty and is awaiting sentencing.

FLIPS

Tim Ehrenberg from “Tim Talks Books” dishes on the hottest reads for fall.

SCAN

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.

WEST HEART KILL BY

DANN MCDORMAN

A whodunit murder mystery is one of my favorite types of stories no matter the medium. Think Agatha Christie novels, the Knives Out or Scream films, any Law & Order or Only Murders in the Building episode, or a fun night of playing the board game Clue.

West Heart Kill by Dann

McDorman takes the genre in a completely meta direction by putting you directly into the story with every turn of the page. All the ingredients are here for the perfect whodunit recipe. A remote, old-money hunting lodge. A locked room.

Three corpses. A cast of monied, scheming characters from which you must figure out who can be trusted. All written in a unique subversive narration with multiple breaks of the fourth wall that turns every reader into a sleuth. The reveal at the end is still making my head spin for its ingenuity and fresh take on the murder mystery ending. When you finish it, direct message me @timtalksbooks to discuss.

Available October 24.

HAPPINESS FALLS BY ANGIE KIM

Angie Kim’s Miracle Creek was a favorite book of 2019 for me, and I could barely contain my excitement with the announcement of her sophomore novel, Happiness Falls . It starts with a banger of a first sentence: “We didn’t call the police right away.” What follows is a close-up of a Korean American family in crisis following the disappearance of their patriarch. The best mystery stories are the ones that are so much more than just a mystery, and this one dives into what connects us all: family, love, language, race and the pursuit of happiness.

ALL THE DEMONS ARE HERE BY JAKE TAPPER

Who knew that 1977 was such a memorable year, but CNN’s head anchor turned bestselling novelist Jake Tapper puts it all on the page and takes us back there in All the Demons Are Here. This thrilling narrative peppers real-life people and actual events together with fictional characters Ike and Lucy Marder. It’s all here—Watergate, disco, ’70s music, UFO sightings, Evel Knievel and tabloid journalism—for an adventure like no other. I was so impressed with Jake’s writing chops and can’t wait to go back and read his first two novels, The Hellfire Club and The Devil May Dance If you like history and mystery, and you like to learn something while having a blast turning the pages, then Tapper’s books are for you!

Don’t miss our Books, Beach, & Beyond podcast episode with Jake Tapper where Elin Hilderbrand and I get into it all. Listen and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts or head over to booksbeachandbeyond.com.

THE BREAKAWAY BY JENNIFER WEINER

Break away from your normal schedule this month to binge-read Jennifer Weiner’s latest novel. Weiner is known for novels with heart, humor, love and friendship, and all of those components are expertly cycled across the page in The Breakaway. This novel is a trip, quite literally. Our leading lady Abby Stern leads a cycling trip from New York City to Niagara Falls and let’s just say the journey isn’t without its divots in the road. She runs into a past fling, her mother surprisingly joins the group at the last minute and the other cast of bikers add drama, laugh-out-loud dialogue and deeper themes on the nature of loving yourself and others. Don’t miss this entertaining romp that gives you the same endorphins as a late summer bike ride.

OF TIME AND TURTLES: MENDING THE WORLD, SHELL BY SHATTERED SHELL BY

SY MONTGOMERY

I revere nonfiction books about animals and have featured many in this column over the last eight years. I think human beings can be enlightened if we open our eyes to other life around us. Just last month, I highlighted a book about owls, but this time around I spotlight the turtle. Sy Montgomery has written some of my favorite books on animals—The Soul of an Octopus, The Good Good Pig, The Hummingbirds’ Gift to name a few—and Of Time and Turtles is the latest in her animal collection. The turtle’s lineage stretches back to the time of the dinosaurs, and this book focuses on the Turtle Rescue League in southern Massachusetts as well as drawing on other cultures and numerous studies to understand these fascinating and surprising creatures. The turtle may just help us answer the eternal question, how can we make peace with our own time? Available September 19.

WILSON RAWLS

SUMMER OF THE MONKEYS BY

September means “back to school” for students across the country, and I wanted to recommend a book that was one of my favorites as a young bookworm. If any student is looking for a book for an English Literature class this semester, isn’t ready for summer to be over or loves a grand adventure classically told, then pick up Summer of the Monkeys by Wilson Rawls. From the beloved author of Where the Red Fern Grows (another favorite of young yours truly), this is the story of Jay Berry Lee and a tree full of monkeys that he finds have escaped from a traveling circus. Originally published in 1976, this adventure stands the test of time and still gives me all the excitement and heart it did when I first read it 30 years ago.

P. S. You don’t have to be a student, child or back in school to enjoy this tale of monkey trouble in the Ozark Mountains of Oklahoma.

WELLNESS BY NATHAN HILL

Similar to Jack and Elizabeth who notice each other on the first page of Nathan Hill’s new novel, it was love at first sight for me when reading Wellness. The autumn might be my favorite time of year to get lost in a book, and you can so easily slip into this story and the people who live in it. All I kept hearing was “just wait until you read Wellness” and it truly lives up to the hype. By the author of The Nix, the book presents a modern-day love story. However, this isn’t a romance novel but is instead a commentary and a complete investigation into one relationship from its beginning that we can all relate to and see ourselves in. It’s about connection, with your spouse, the world around you, the internet, art, your body, your home and your heart. It’s one of those novels that reminded me why I love reading. Available September 19.

SALVAGE NANTUCKET

WRITTEN BY ANTONIA DEPACE PHOTOGRAPHY BY KIT NOBLE

Preservation from the inside out

One of Nantucket’s greatest assets is the extraordinary preservation of our built environment—but what happens when modern trends and behaviors begin to erase the elements that we have left? According to Michele Kolb of Kolb Architects, this is exactly what’s beginning to happen when it comes to the historic homes on the island. “This accelerated demolition that’s happening here really has to stop,” she says of the constant construction that’s seemingly resulting in new homes every season.

According to the Historic District Commission’s design guidelines, the island holds “one of the best intact collections of late 17th- to mid-19th century buildings in the United States. More than 150 years of maritime community are represented here by the almost 800 buildings built before the Civil War that are still lived in and used today.”

“These endangered houses are like endangered species,” says Kolb, who has a Master of Design in historic preservation from the University of Pennsylvania Stuart Weitzman School of Design.

With each of her projects, she takes a retain, recover and restyle approach, which can be seen in one of her recent projects at 2 Cabot Lane. Tucked off of Cliff Road, the Victorian home was built in 1855. On this property, she was not only able to salvage characteristics like original floors, paneling, plaster walls, molding, trim, ceiling medallions and more, but also reduced her carbon footprint by sourcing all of the furniture and décor from local yard sales and consignment and thrift shops.

Kolb and her family in front of 2 Cabot Lane

The Swain family with dog standing in front of fence and house in winter at 2 Cabot Lane. Pictured are Mr. Swain and wife Harriet (Hamblin) Swain, Eleanor (Hamblin) Appleton, George Swain, Oscar Swain and Edward Swain.

Today, 2 Cabot Lane still boasts its original structure with minimal additions.

Keeping the integrity of the original structure, Kolb also chose to double the width of an opening between a sunroom and the kitchen. By doing so, she increased visibility and ease of access between rooms, as well as adding more daylight in the kitchen. In all, the result valued the imperfections of the home all while bringing it up to currentday living. “The key when you go into these houses is to see what the client’s program is, help guide them to making the right decisions and satisfying the component of how they want to live without gutting these places,” she explains.

But in a world where the incessant need to have everything new grows by the minute, Kolb’s sustainable approach is rare. Take 30 India Street as an example. When it sold last April for $4.39 million, the historic interior of the home from 1840 was intact. According to the architect, it has since been completely gutted and renovated.

Not only does this mark yet another part of the island’s history as lost, but according to Kolb, salvaging historic materials like molding, doors, paneling and porcelain knobs can save both the homeowner and the island time and money. She calculates that an average 2,000-square-foot home can equal about 111 tons of debris. At $372 per ton, this equates to about $40,000 in dump fees alone. She states that there’s about 17,000 tons of construction and demolition debris transported

30 India Street in 1995. Since, the interior of the home has been completely renovated.

Kolb refinished the original floors of 2 Cabot Lane which, keep the character of the abode.

off the island annually. “Redirecting 25 percent or 4,500 tons at $372 per ton dump fee is $1.7 million in savings on dump fees and reduced landfill,” she explains. Kolb made these conclusions thanks to the 2022 Nantucket Building Material Salvage and Architectural Reuse

Study by EBP Consulting. But with this in mind, it still begs the question as to why these historic homes aren’t more protected on Nantucket from the start. The problem lies within a number of realms, the most important being an understanding of the actual responsibilities

of the Historic District Commission. “The Nantucket HDC, like a lot of other historic districts in the country, only has jurisdiction on the exterior of a structure. We don’t get into the interior,” says Holly Backus, preservation planner at the HDC.

Hadwen House, 96 Main Street, and at left, the Hadwen-Wright House, built by William Hadwen for his wife’s niece, Mary (Swain) Wright, at 94 Main Street. Hadwen-Wright House is one of the homes protected by the Nantucket Preservation Trust.

Backus adds that there is an option to apply for a preservation restriction through the Nantucket Preservation Trust, but that this relies directly on the homeowner. If accepted, the enactment protects the architectural integrity of the property and also restricts future alterations and uses.

Of note, about 25 homes and buildings are completely protected from the inside out through the nonprofit. This includes the Hadwen-Wright House, Thomas Starbuck House, Greater Light and George Gardner House.

In looking for more solutions that celebrate Nantucket’s tradition of reusing, it comes down to creativity and education. For Kolb, it’s the dream to open a salvage warehouse marketplace that would promote the preservation, salvage and reuse of the island’s valuable historic fabric. It would be her hope to find a 4,000- to 5,000-square-foot space where she could also promote education, host preservation expert lectures, hold classes in deconstruction and more.

Kolb salvaged the original doors of 2 Cabot, keeping its historic charm.

For Backus, it can be as simple as a recent application from a Sconset homeowner who was requesting to move a garage off her property in order to bring in another structure from town that was built in the 1930s. “But what I really appreciate … is that even the garage that was original to the property was also going to be moved onto another property,” Backus says. “There was no demolition that was proposed, which was fantastic. For me, that was a win-win from a salvaging perspective.” Solutions like this also continue the island’s identity of moving structures—one that Backus says has been in existence for over 270 years.

In terms of education, the current offerings lie mainly with the Nantucket Association of Real Estate Brokers, which provides continuing education courses for members, including one that teaches real estate agents how to promote historic homes and their existing structures rather than idealizing the opportunity to demolish them and create something new. But in all, there’s a common ground that must be reached: having respect for the island. “Those of us that live and breathe this every single day understand that Nantucket is more than just a name,” Backus explains. “When you’re buying a piece of Nantucket, you should respect that history.”

Refinished existing floors and an antique cast floor grate grill served as a heat transfer from the Cast iron stove.

Historic integrity is retained in the historic doors, trim, Victorian balusters and stairs.

SUSAN LISTER LOCKE Jeweler

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THE SILVER LINING SEEING

WRITTEN BY ROBERT COCUZZO PHOTOGRAPHY BY KIT NOBLE

One mother’s mission to raise awareness around the leading form of childhood blindness

An alarming study conducted by the University of Bristol Medical School shows that one in every 30 children might be unknowingly suffering from a form of visual impairment that often goes undiagnosed or misdiagnosed. Cerebral visual impairment (CVI), sometimes referred to as “brain blindness,” occurs when a child’s eyes function properly but their brain fails to interpret the images being seen. Previously thought to be extremely rare, CVI has become the most common form of visual impairment impacting children—and yet it remains largely unknown. It’s one of the few forms of visual impairment that can be improved if it’s detected early enough, but due to a general lack of awareness around it, CVI often remains a hidden disability. Nantucket summer resident Lauren Fornes is on a mission to change all that.

Lauren’s third child, a boy nicknamed Brick, was perfectly healthy when he was born. However, at four months old, Brick became gravely ill. On Christmas Eve, he suffered a series of strokes that impacted the cortical part of his brain, which serves as his visual processing center. The days that followed were long and heartbreaking for Lauren and her husband, Don, and their two older children. Brick endured hundreds of seizures a day. He was diagnosed with epilepsy and cerebral palsy. As they were coming to terms with the new reality facing their child, Lauren and Don were informed that Brick also had been diagnosed with CVI.

Just as with optical visual impairment, CVI affects people on a spectrum, from some only slightly impaired to others suffering complete blindness. “In my son’s case, he doesn't recognize my face,” says Lauren, now almost eight years since Brick’s diagnosis. “He can smell me and hear me, but he has never seen me.” Brick’s

visual impairment was compounded by other disabilities related to his illness. He was relegated to a wheelchair, struggled to learn to speak and experiences tactile defensiveness.

almost nine-year-old boy—it’s a lot. But more than the physical part, it can be extremely emotional.”

Along with caring for their son, Lauren and Don needed to learn how to educate him. Early on, a friend recommended they consult with the Perkins School for the Blind where his son was a student.

“There are good days, and there are great days, and there are hard days,” says Lauren. “It’s very physically taxing—there’s a wheelchair in and out of the car all the time, there’s lifting his body, there’s diapering an

The couple was living on the West Coast at the time, so attending the school in Watertown, Massachusetts, was not an option. However, when Brick was preparing to enter kindergarten and the couple wanted him to attend the same public school in Marin County as their other children, they arranged for a teacher for the visually impaired at Perkins to come advise the faculty on how to teach their son. Despite their efforts, at the end of the week, the principal told Don and Lauren that he thought his school would be unable to adequately support Brick.

“If I can help one mom like me not feel alone and realize that this really hard thing in her life is one day going to create a silver lining that she never imagined, that there is something positive that comes out of heartbreak, then I have achieved the goal of the book.”

– Lauren Fornes

Lauren Fornes and her son Brick (Photo by Claiborn Swanson Frank)

“You can teach the blind. It’s not impossible or even expensive—it’ s just not intuitive. It requires awareness and education.”

– Lauren Fornes

Meredith Hanson brings Lauren’ s words to life through beautiful illustrations.

That was really scary,” Lauren says.

“Because one of the things that we most agree on as Americans, no matter what your political affiliation is, we all agree on universal education. It’s one of the constitutional rights that doesn’t get challenged.” And yet now they felt denied that right because of their son’s disability. As a result, the Forneses decided to move their lives to Massachusetts so that Brick could attend Perkins. Their son not only began to thrive at Perkins, but Lauren identified her mission to raise awareness around the prevalence of CVI and how to educate children with this form of visual impairment.

“You can teach the blind,” she says. “It’s not impossible or even expensive—it’s just not intuitive. It requires awareness and education. Hopefully I can help continue a conversation that might spotlight this so that schools around the country can have the tools they need to educate these children, so they don’t have to pick up and move three thousand miles across the country.”

Lauren turned to storytelling as her vehicle for delivering this message. Shortly after Brick’s illness, she began writing a story, more of a poem really, that she would tell her children or occasionally read at their schools about children with CVI. Over the years, the story evolved and became more refined, centering on Nantucket, where the family bought a home after moving to the East Coast. During the pandemic, Lauren decided to turn her homespun story into a book that she would sell and donate all the profits from to Perkins. She

partnered with local artist Meredith Hanson for her story, and Magic Eyes was released this July.

“If I can help one mom like me not feel alone and realize that this really hard thing in her life is one day going to create a silver lining that she never imagined, that there is something positive that comes out of heartbreak, then I have achieved the goal of the book,” Lauren says.

In the two months since the book has been released, there have already been several instances—what Lauren calls “Brick Moments”—to this end. A fourth grade teacher created an entire curriculum around the book. A group of mothers with children with special needs found a

“Diversity and inclusion are important topics right now, but I think disability inclusion is the last frontier,” Lauren says. “Although there are more people as part of the conversation right now, I think it’s really hard to include the people who can’t speak, that can’t hear, that can’t walk. They need us to speak for them.”

Lauren with her four children (Photo by Claiborne Swanson Frank) community around the book.

Meredith Hanson with Lauren Fornes

Lauren Fornes and Meredith Hanson’s Magic Eyes is available at Mitchell’s, Pinwheels and several other island shops. Learn more about Lauren’s mission at magiceyesbook.com.

Explore Nantucket, With Our Local Expertise

Beyond our transaction expertise, we share our island expertise. From our deep market knowledge and real-time analytics to knowing the best fishing, dining and on-island adventures firsthand, Fisher has you covered. We go beyond helping our clients buy and sell their homes. We help make their whole island experience a memorable one.

1 SHAWKEMO HILLS LANE

59B POLPIS ROAD

A NATION AT RISK

AMERICA’S

WRITTEN BY LARRY LINDNER PHOTOGRAPHY BY KIT NOBLE

GREAT DIVIDE HITS THE BIG SCREEN.

The iconic 1960s anthem plays in the background as images of the Statue of Liberty on fire roll by, followed by scenes of Black and white people hugging, then by footage of a protester embracing a police officer and glorious fireworks bursting above the Stars and Stripes. We are watching America’s Burning, the new (and ultimately optimistic) documentary written and directed by Nantucket summer resident David Smick, in which he explores our country’s dangerously rancorous state of affairs. The film, a pre-final version of which screened at the Dreamland last month (it remains in post-production while Hollywood is on strike), takes a pointed look at the economic dynamics fueling the bitter discourse.

“When you read in the press about the country being divided with kind of a tidal wave of hate, experts give a lot of valid reasons, but they seldom mention the economy,” says Smick, a renowned macroeconomist who taps luminaries from both sides of the aisle to weigh in during the documentary— everyone from James Carville and Leon Panetta on the left to James Baker and Home Depot co-founder Ken Langone on the right. Yet the economy has already contributed to the warning shots of a second civil war, Smith argues, with red states shipping migrants to blue ones. He says such moves can be traced to the nation’s dwindling middle class, with people afraid for their own resources. “The middle class is fading away,” he says, “and it has all been happening within the last 30 years under the leadership of both parties.”

David Smick’s documentary screened at the Dreamland just last month.

We gotta get out of this place If it’s the last thing we ever do We gotta get out of this place

’Cause…there’s a better place for me and you — “We Gotta Get Out of This Place” by The Animals

The film’s narrator, actor Michael Douglas (who serves as coexecutive producer with Academy Award-winning filmmaker Barry Levinson), makes the point on screen that in 1990, if you were born in the bottom 25 percent economically, you had a 25 percent chance of climbing to the top 25 percent. Today, that chance is 5 percent, a drop in possibility from one in four to one in 20. “It’s the loss of the American Dream, the loss of the sense of American opportunity,” Smick says.

The reason, he proffers, is that “we’ve allowed our economy to be taken over by a corporate elite, a financial elite” who contribute so heavily to political races that they tilt laws in their favor. “If you pay enough,” Smick says, “you can write your own laws that stifle competition … to avoid a level playing field.” Part and parcel of the economic imbalance is that if you could afford to invest in the stock market in the last 30 years, you moved ahead. If you relied solely on a paycheck to get you from one bill-paying cycle to the next, you saw your economic power erode. The upshot: People feel disenfranchised.

They feel less willing, and become less able, to try to enter the marketplace with their own startups that might help them skip several rungs up the economic ladder. And they become hopeless—and angry. “We need a mindset that small is beautiful,” Smick says, “that allows people to dream big because they believe the system gives them a shot.” If Bill Gates came along today, the film argues, the conditions would not be in place for him to succeed.

Smick says we need to eliminate Wall Street’s “incredibly lucrative tax loophole” and instead put legislation “through the lens of ‘Does this help or hinder the American dream?’” In other words, as Douglas says in the film, “We need leaders who care less about politics and themselves and more about the common good.”

In addition, Smick urges “less heat and more light in our national discussion.” To that end, he intentionally targets an audience that he calls “the 70 to 80 percent of Americans— center left and center right—who have not lost their minds.”

An Independent, he remarks, “I would like the average person to think, when their leaders are doing and saying certain things, to what extent are they saying it for the common good, for my children and grandchildren, and to what extent is it a mad grab for power, for more clicks on social media? That’s what I would hope people concentrate on—are our leaders thinking about us?”

– David Smick

“We’ve allowed our economy to be taken over by a corporate elite, a financial elite.”

– David Smick

“

The middle class is fading away, and it has all been happening within the last 30 years under the leadership of both parties.”

Michael Douglas, the narrator of America’s Burning

In other words, everyone has a responsibility. As Washington Post writer David Ignatius puts it in the film, “Our elections are character tests. Obviously, we’re testing the characters of the candidates, weighing them. But in a broader sense [elections] test the character of the electorate.”

The film works to make people think harder about their choices—both at the voting booth and in life—with something of a sermon-like call for conciliation, championing empathy over hate. A white supremacist ends up changing his views after sharing Shabbat dinners with Orthodox Jews. Black Lives Matter of Greater New York leader Hawk Newsome says, “I believe that we will find a way to love and respect each other.” The Atlantic writer Arthur Brooks comments, “We have to come together as a country by breaking the habit of contempt.” Panetta adds his own pragmatic twist: “People in communities,

they don’t fight over Republicans or Democrats—they got a pothole, you deal with the damn pothole.”

Smick is confident that the country, the citizenry, will do better. “There will be a solution—it will take a while—that keeps us from destroying each other,” he says. “I’m not naive about the problem, but I do think our best days are to be.”

David Smick interviews Hawk Newsome, president of Black Lives Matter of Greater New York, in New York City.

Writer and director David Smick (seated at right) interviews the former heir apparent to the white supremacist movement Derek Black (seated at left) in Washington, D.C. Black’s godfather was white supremacist, antisemitic leader David Duke.

“There will be a solution— it will take a while— that keeps us from destroying each other.”

– David Smick

RIGHT ON POINT

INTERVIEW BY BRUCE A. PERCELAY

THOUGHTS FROM FOX NEWS COMMENTATOR LAURA INGRAHAM

Laura Ingraham developed her appetite for conservative political commentary as a student journalist at Dartmouth College. Upon graduation, Ingraham joined the law firm of Skadden Arps and proceeded to get a position as a speech writer at the Reagan White House. Having worked for CBS and MSNBC, Ingraham has emerged as a leading conservative voice on Fox News where she has been a commentator for 12 years and host of The Ingraham Angle since 2017.

Where do you draw the line between reporting on particular politicians and becoming involved with them?

I can only speak from my perspective, and if you watch my show for any length of time, you will see that I give very detailed advice to Republicans, and right down to this is how Ron DeSantis can break through, and this is what Trump needs to do. I don’t go through every candidate, obviously, but on the main candidates, I actually try to give them on-air advice, which really is what I would say to them privately as well.

Let’s talk about the great partisan divide that we’re now seeing. Politicians who tend to be extreme have their voices amplified by the media because they are much more interesting. How do you see the effect of the media on perhaps even inadvertently fueling the divisions in the country?

I really reject that characterization for a number of reasons. Number one, the establishment complaining that it doesn’t get enough attention is a reflection on the establishment, both on the Republican and Democratic parties. It’s much easier to book a guest on my show who actually wants to fight for their

position and who isn’t afraid of a debate than it is to book any random establishment Republican. And no personal offense, but if you want to be a leader in your party and be respected by the core electorate, the grassroots, then you actually have to be somebody they think will fight for them. If you’re just hidden in your office and meeting with big donors all day long, then no, the people aren’t going to really want to hear from you or they’re not going to take you very seriously on issues that they care about, from China to the border to protecting free speech to big tech.

In one way or another, all of us or our ancestors were immigrants. We have an enormous labor problem in the United States and don’t have enough bodies; our population growth is essentially zero. Is your position on immigration one where you are opposed to illegal and criminal immigration or the dilution of the population by immigration period?

What we were seeing now, which Democrats are now coming to grips with, is abhorrent. When you have liberal New York City leaders saying enough, when you’re saying don’t send people here, they are now seeing what an open border does to a population. They’re

understanding just how cruel it is, and in a city that’s broken in many ways with crime and homelessness and despair and a shrinking middle class, adding thousands of individuals to that mix is untenable. So it’s not a question of the great migration of the early 1900s. It’s a question of what kind of a country do we want to be now, if our economic concerns with our divisions seem to be getting deeper. I think our public schools are in many ways shattered. I don’t think adding 10 million migrants to the mix when Black Americans in Chicago feel like they can’t get a fair shake in schools is the way to go. Black Americans are infuriated in the inner city that migrants are, they believe, getting services that should be reserved for American citizens, and New York City liberals are throwing up their hands.

That tells you where this debate has gone. Teddy Roosevelt warned against America becoming a polyglot boarding house where people are widgets, essentially just existing for the benefit of business. They just come to America for money, basically a paycheck. That’s not America.

No president in U.S. history has been the target of more criminal cases than Donald Trump, yet the more he appears to be on the receiving end of criminal prosecution, the stronger some of his support becomes. What does that say about the base that just does not seem to be able to be swayed even if a president’s behavior was so reckless? What does that say to you?

I don’t think it says anything more than the Democrats coalescing behind Joe Biden, who has left our border open and who can barely find his way off the stage. Trump is leading across every demographic, not just leading to the core, but Trump is winning in every significant demographic group among Republican voters, and I think what that tells you is people don’t trust the other options are really fighting for them. If you want to beat Trump, I mean, I guess they can try to send him to jail or hope he dies in prison and they can have a big celebration afterward. But that’s not going to solve the problems in the country. And that’s just going to make the country far more divided. They’re whistling past their own graveyard if they think that that's a way to bring the country together to take out Trump. Long after Trump, we’re still going to have a very dissatisfied public, if disagreeing with the elite, media and political class means that you’re a horrible, awful, rotten racist. I think the divide is really as much about the demonization of the American people, as it is about the persecution of Trump.

Sean Hannity and Laura Ingraham

One of the many political panels on The Ingraham Angle

“Teddy Roosevelt warned against America becoming a polygot boarding house where people are widgets, essentially just existing for the benefit of business.”

– Laura Ingraham

What do you think is the answer on how we pull the country together? And how concerned are you as to the trajectory that we are on?

There are a lot of ways that Republicans and Democrats can actually work together, and I’ve urged the progressives to work with the populace conservatives on issues where I thought we agreed … like the First Amendment, tech surveillance and tech collaboration with the government to infringe on law-abiding citizens’ rights. All these wars, China, human rights in China, outsourcing of jobs to foreign countries, like all of that used to be in the progressive wheelhouse. Now it seems like they would rather coalesce behind Joe Biden and the donor class, Wall Street and big tech, than they would be interested in living up to the traditionally progressive ideals. I would say that someone like Glenn Greenwald or Matt Taibbi, in the old days Christopher Hitchens, maybe someone like Tulsi Gabbard; I mean, they haven’t changed their views on any of these issues.

Is there a Democrat in the Senate or the House that you hold in high esteem?

I think a lot of them have been out of the party. I mean, I think the pro-life Democrats, I don’t think any of us know if any of them exist anymore. They’re few and far between. I don’t think today a devout Catholic Democrat of the JFK variety could be named to any significant position in a Democratic administration. I do believe that there are people in the country who already are working together. You see that in Iowa and Arizona on the opportunity scholarships and school choice issues. You see that because Democrat parents want their kids to have good schools, good education, so they’re working with people of a different political perspective on that issue. So that’s actually working quite well. And I think you’re seeing Muslim Americans

work with conservatives, Republicans, on issues of parental rights and curricula. And education. I think you’re seeing a shift among Hispanic and even some Asian voters on some of these economic issues, because their small businesses are getting hammered with regulations and inflation. So I think you are seeing now a realignment. But it’s not toward the establishment; it’s really more about a working-class populace, commonsense sensibility on a lot of these issues.

A lot of people feel that the best and brightest are not participating or running for office. Do you feel that is the case?

I’m not sure about whether that’s the case. Politics has always been a rough and tumble enterprise in the United States, going back to our founding. There is no disputing that it is not for the faint of heart. Obviously, as technology changes, as the media changes, everything’s instantly accessible. The debate necessarily changes as well. We’re not going to have the Lincoln-Douglas debates again. That’s not going to happen, but the culture produces the politicians, right? So we can say all the best and the brightest aren’t running, but what’s the culture itself producing? We’ve attacked the universities. We’ve allowed universities to become cesspools of leftist thought. The business community is dominated by pro-China globalists who don’t spend a lot of time worrying about whether America is living up to its founding ideals and who are more interested in the bottom line, which I get. We’re producing people from the culture that we’ve allowed to grow up around us. I have enormous respect for people who decide that, as tough as it is, that

Two years after the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, the Ingraham Angle reported on the lack of progress made since.

–

Laura Ingraham

“There are a lot of ways that Republicans and Democrats can actually work together, and I’ ve urged the progressives to work with the populace conservatives on issues where I thought we agreed.”

Behind the scenes of one of Ingraham’s projects Ingraham on Tucker Carlson Tonight

America’s worth fighting for. It’s a lot easier to be the head of a hedge fund and not being vilified on a daily basis in the media than it is to stick your neck out and run for office and have half of the electorate really not like you very much.

In relation to Donald Trump, at what point should an individual say that the unity of the country is more important than the individual and that maybe it’s time to put the interests of America beyond the interests of one person?

Are you saying politicians can be self-absorbed and selfish? They’ve all been around for decades, and they all are still clinging to power. OK, so my view on this is if Donald Trump went away tomorrow, the left would dance on his grave for a few days, and then they’d be on to their next target. And likely that target would be Ron DeSantis. And Ron DeSantis would be the next individual who was dividing the country. He was anti-LGBTQ, who was perhaps investigated by the federal government or California for kidnapping migrants and shipping them off to California and parts unknown. In the end, this has very little to do with Donald Trump, and everything to do with the leftist belief that the American people, since 2016, can’t be trusted to elect their own officials. It’s wishful thinking for Republicans to believe that if only Trump went away, the country would magically be united and the Democrats would go back to the Bill Clinton days or the era of big government is over.

What are you most optimistic about given all the challenges that we are facing over the coming decade?

I think I’m most optimistic about this multi-ethnic coalition of new Americans, young Americans, working-class Americans, who are not afraid to speak their mind and love what they think the country really is, which is religiously minded people or civically minded people who just want the government off their backs and want to be able to make a decent living and live in safety and don’t believe the country is systemically racist.

I think most Americans don’t believe the country is a systemically rotten racist country. I think most Americans just want a peaceful, prosperous, patriotic nation regardless of our political differences on this or that issue. … I’m very optimistic. And I think young people are a lot smarter than people of my age think they are. I think they have good BS detectors and I think they know that it’s not right that they’re afraid to speak out on a college campus or they’re afraid to be true to their faith, publicly true to their faith on a college campus. I think they instinctively knew it wasn’t right to keep people out of churches, when they could go to liquor stores during the pandemic. It’s right not to force people to get multiple booster shots to go to school. And I think the chickens are coming home to roost in a really good way. So I’m actually cautiously optimistic.

Ingraham is one of the most listened to women on political talk radio in the country.

– Laura Ingraham

“I have enormous respect for people who decide that, as tough as it is, that America’ s worth fighting for.”

HEALING THE GREAT DIVIDE

WRITTEN BY THE EDITORS

The Nantucket Project and Edward M. Kennedy Institute partner in search of bipartisan solutions. Xxxxxxxxxx

You see it in all aspects of life in America. From divisions in the United States Senate to the House of Representatives, partisanship has leached into daily life, even on Nantucket.

When President Joe Biden was featured on the Winter 2020 cover of N Magazine, within hours, nearly 800 people had canceled their subscriptions. When Donald Trump had a presidential fundraiser on Nantucket, there were three times as many protesters as there were guests. After George W. Bush spoke at the 2018 Nantucket Project, the conference’s founder, Tom Scott, was overwhelmed with aggressive responses as to why the former Republican president was invited. Scott endured similar and often abusive reactions when conservative talk show host Glenn Beck appeared on his stage.

Photo by Lev Radin/Sipa USA

The fact is, the behavior of people with different points of view toward those who have opinions with which they might not agree is endemic in our culture. Even in as bucolic a community as Nantucket, divisions are everywhere, and The Nantucket Project this year is aiming to try to find solutions.

The theme of this year’s Nantucket Project is pluralism, defined in the dictionary as “a state of society in which members of diverse groups maintain their traditional culture or special interests within a common civilization.” In other words, says Scott, “people from different backgrounds and different perspectives need to learn to tolerate different viewpoints or run the risk of our society breaking down, which may be happening before our eyes.”

The Nantucket Project’s goal is to pull together people with diametrically opposed perspectives and reintroduce the notion of bipartisanship and civil debate. The objective is to lower the temperature of both those on the stage and those in the audience and try to demonstrate that our differences can often be our greatest strengths.

The project’s guests include current and former presidential candidates Tim Scott and Andrew Yang, Fox broadcaster Laura Ingraham, CNN’s Chris Wallace, MSNBC’s Nicolle Wallace, Georgia Governor Brian Kemp, and a wide range of other protagonists in the story that is our great divide. In and of themselves, these individuals, are not considered radicals or flamethrowers but are viewed by their counterparts as part of the problem when in fact the issue speaks to a new cultural phenomenon of intolerance that is putting the future of the republic at risk.

And yet, the great divide is certainly not limited to politics and the media. It has seeped into all aspects of our culture. “We need to change the narrative,” Tom Scott says. To that end, he has invited storytellers like Ken Burns and Lynn Novick, as well as cultural influencers like Rainn Wilson and Jennifer Lawrence, along with many others.

Says Scott: “There is no subject that we have addressed over the past 12 years that is more important than this.” He adds, “We have always tried to entertain different points of view, from former President George W. Bush to Julian Assange and

Former White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer and Tom Scott, CEO of The Nantucket Project

Simon Greer with presidential advisors Valerie Jarrett and Karl Rove

Chelsea Manning, but this year’s event reflects work we have been doing over the past year that has opened our eyes to the depth of the problem.”

The Nantucket Project has ventured to all 50 states and hosted conversations with more than 30,000 Americans to get their opinions on the state of the nation and their personal perspectives on what they feel is behind the great divide we are now experiencing.

To add another level of depth to the pluralism focus, Scott has brought on the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate as a partner for the event to be held on the island October 5-8. The institute, chaired by island

summer resident Bruce A. Percelay, has become one of the most influential voices promoting bipartisanship in the United States—reflecting the partnership between the late Senators Ted Kennedy and Orrin Hatch, who despite their enormous differences became close colleagues and prolific legislators together.

Within its $100 million facility across from the JFK Library in Boston, the institute has an exact replica of the U.S. Senate chamber, which is now being used to showcase bipartisan discussions on a national scale in a program called The Senate Project. In concert with Fox News, the institute is hosting a series of ongoing debates between senators from both sides of the aisle in search of common ground. The debates are broadcast nationally

The full scale replica of the United States Senate Chamber at the Edward M. Kennedy Institute in Boston

Neil Phillips and former President George W. Bush

Political commentator Glenn Beck

and bring together senators who might otherwise not choose to interact. Percelay says, “There are perhaps no other topics in American life that can be deemed more important than pulling the country together given the fact that the notion of civil war is no longer a distant thought.”

Percelay, like many others, was deeply impacted by the events of January 6, 2021, and has focused the institute on several initiatives to help restore the Senate to the days when civil discourse and polite disagreement ruled the day.

The Edward M. Kennedy Institute is taking the bipartisan road deeper into the Senate through its Hyannis Port Summits, which bring highly respected former senators together for working weekends in an effort to produce workable solutions to the current tensions and partisan problems seen in the Senate today. Says Edward M. Kennedy Institute CEO Adam Hinds: “Harnessing the wisdom of former senators and working with existing senators on how to improve the functioning of the world’s most deliberative body is a goal that we have set and one that we think can actually move the needle.”

While the institute’s namesake, Ted Kennedy, was a die-hard Democrat, he was known by both parties as a bridgebuilder and would likely not recognize the dynamics of the institution in which he served for nearly 47 years. More can be accomplished by working together than by working against one another, an ideal that motivated Scott and Percelay to join forces.

“The Senate Project and The Nantucket Project view the Kennedy-Hatch example as one that should inspire not just the leaders of today but our citizenry as a whole,” Percelay says.

Kennedy Institute Hyannis Port Summit. Left to right, Russ Feingold (D-WI), Gordon Smith (R-OR) and Tom Daschle (D-SD).

Diplomat Susan Rice

$4,895,000

$2,695,000

$1,745,000 | Kristen Gaughan

FAMILY ALL IN THE

How some of Nantucket’s oldest family businesses navigate the new island economy

While changeover is nothing new to the local economy, recent years have seen the lights flicker in a number of mainstay businesses that make some worry that the island is losing a grip on its original character. From Faregrounds Restaurant putting its property up for sale last spring to Nantucket Pharmacy announcing that this will be its final summer on Main Street under the current ownership, some of the key threads to the island’s economic tapestry have been coming undone under the pressure of operating a business on the island. In the face of this trend, there remains a handful of family-owned businesses that have endured for nearly a hundred years or more by learning to innovate while staying connected to their historic identities. Passed down from generation to generation, these legacy family businesses serve as both living history and bellwethers for the future.

WRITTEN BY ROB COCUZZO PHOTOGRAPHY BY KIT NOBLE

Historic photos of Young’s Bicycle Shop, Murray’s Toggery Shop, and Bartlett’s Farm, courtesy of the Nantucket Historical Association image archives.

LAUREN MURRAY

Murray’s Toggery Shop

When Lauren Murray’s father, John, first asked her if she would ever be interested in taking over their family business, her answer was no. Lauren had grown up working in the clothing shop at the top of Main Street—known internationally for its signature Nantucket Reds Collection—and was in college studying to become a teacher. After graduating, Lauren went on to have a successful career as an educator on the island, but the pull of the family business proved to be nothing short of genetic. In 2020, Lauren and her brother, Greg, and cousins Andrew Bridier and Matt Bridier took over Murray’s Toggery Shop, representing the fourth generation of the shop’s ownership.

“I am very proud and honored to be able to run my family business now,” says Lauren, who is the only owner still living on the island today. “I know there’s not many people in my position, especially on Nantucket where there are customers that I’ve known and helped shop since I started working here in middle school.” While Lauren and her cousins oversee the business, Lauren’s husband, Connor—whom she met while working at Murray’s—serves as the general manager.

Although walking into Murray’s might evoke Nantucket nostalgia, innovation has been key to the shop’s longevity, beginning with Lauren’s grandfather, Philip C. Murray, who introduced the Nantucket Reds pants—originally called “Hulbert Avenue Reds”—after being inspired by the red sails on the sailboats in Brittany, France. When they landed in the pages of The Official Preppy Handbook, Nantucket Reds became and remain an internationally known product.

Lauren’s father was key to expanding the reach of the Nantucket Reds Collection when he established the island’s first e-commerce store, nantucketreds.com. Since then, Murray’s has been fulfilling orders for Nantucket Reds around the world, from Australia to Indonesia and all over Europe. “We just received an order from Chile,” Lauren says. “The website business helps sustain us all year round, especially in the winter when we might only have one person come in during some days.”

As for the course she and her brother and cousins are plotting for the future of Murray’s, Lauren indicates that they won’t be falling into the whims of fast fashion any time soon. Instead, she says that many of her shoppers are coming in today for one-of-a-kind pieces. “We are still determined to continue on with that tradition of being family-run while still trying to appeal to the year-round community here,” Lauren says. “We don’t want to be just here for the summer people, but for everyone.”

Lauren Murray and her son, the fifth generation

Lauren’s grandfather, Phil Murray, seated in the Nantucket Reds room in 1994 (NHA image archives)

JASPER YOUNG

Young’s Bicycle Shop

As family folklore goes, before Jasper Young was even old enough to talk, Nantucketers were asking when he was going to take over the family’s bike shop. For that reason, Jasper’s road to owning Young’s was circuitous. “There was never pressure from my parents or family, but there seemed to be expectation from the community and I wanted to get away from that,” says Jasper, who moved to the West Coast to teach after graduating college. “It took me some time to find my way.” Working in California, Jasper realized that he actually wanted to live in a small town by the water—and there was none better than Nantucket. Last summer, he officially bought the family business from his father—becoming the fourth generation of Young’s ownership.

Young’s Bicycle Shop has been a landmark on the Strip since 1931 when Jasper’s great-grandfather Harvey A. Young opened its doors. The business was passed down to Jasper’s grandfather and then ultimately to his father, Harvey. Jasper began working at the bicycle shop at the age of 12 and spent four years managing the operation before buying it from his father. Now running the bike shop on his own this year, Jasper has a clear-eyed view of just how hard it can be in the feast-or-famine

Young's Bicycle Shop has been in the same family for nearly one hundred years.

grind of doing business on Nantucket.

“It’s an intense seasonal business,” he says. “You’re hemorrhaging money in the beginning of the year, and then hopefully by this time you can start making it back.” While there’s a chorus among downtown business owners that the economy is down this summer, Jasper believes that it’s just returning to pre-pandemic busy. “The last couple of years was pretty crazy,” he says. “It was good for business, but it wasn’t sustainable for life.”

While Jasper is committed to continuing his predecessors’ legacy of exceptional service, he hasn’t been afraid to innovate the business model. “This year we started offering e-bike rentals for the first time, which was a push for me because it’s what the

consumer wants and they’re great tools for the island. I was resistant to doing it for a while, but I saw that people really wanted them. I’ve even got my parents on e-bikes.”

Of the many legacies that Jasper is committed to preserving with his family business, he is particularly passionate about the mentorship provided to his young employees. Generations of kids have punched their first timecard at Young’s, so that today, Jasper finds himself hiring children of former employees. “Teaching kids how to work, how to have their first job, how to talk to people on the street and to be confident goes a long way,” he says. “It has to do with community. I think people appreciate the legacy here of helping out your neighbor. It’s something we’ve done for almost a hundred years.”

Harvey Young (left) with his son Jasper who recently took ownership of their family business

JOHN BARTLETT

Bartlett’s Farm

John Bartlett doesn’t need to look far to see reminders of the history he is responsible for tending on his family’s farm. Beyond some of the hundred-plus-year-old buildings on the property, John regularly crosses paths with his eightyeight-year-old father who still drives around on his tractor. “Ultimately, we’re trying to be good stewards, good shepherds, to leave the farm in a better spot than when we found it,” says John, who represents the sixth-generation ownership of Bartlett’s Farm. “The legacy of the business— to keep the farm as a farm—has probably been the hardest part to maintain. We’ve evolved to expand our business to continue to do that.”

Growing up, there was never a serious question in John’s mind as to whether he would work on the farm. While he briefly considered becoming an engineer, he quickly concluded that he preferred to be driving tractors rather than designing them. He started taking over control of the farm in the late eighties and early nineties. Under his watch, Bartlett’s Farm has not only maintained the historic identity that was sewn into its soil in the early 1800s, but it has expanded its offerings to include everything from yoga to farm-to-table dinners to outdoor theatrical performances. “You can’t stand still,” John says. “To keep up, you need to do more with less and be more efficient with the technology and growing methods.” On the farming front this spring, Bartlett’s Farm officially became the first and only farm on Nantucket to be certified organic.

Philip D. Bartlett driving a tractor at his family’s farm in 1948 (NHA image archives)

Key to maintaining the farm’s quality has been in maintaining its passionate staff. “We’ve always tried to provide a safe and productive work environment for our employees,” says John. “We support our employees and their extended family; they become part of our family. We treat people how we want to be treated. When you do that, it always pays dividends.”

As for who will be succeeding him when he’s ready to hang up his boots, John says that it is a topic he and his family have already started to think about but nothing has been set in place as of yet. John has two nephews who are passionately involved with working at the farm. Until the next generation of ownership crops up, John and his team remain steadfast in tending to the legacy planted by their predecessors and making sure it grows well into the future.

Sixth-generation owner of Bartlett’s Farm, John Bartlett

Turning Second Hand Goods into Cutting Edge Technology

Last year, the Hospital Thrift Shop made the largest gift in its 94-year history to Nantucket Cottage Hospital to enable the purchase of a new state-of-the-art MRI scanner. Thank you to the volunteers, staff, donors and shoppers of the Hospital Thrift Shop for supporting the health of our community.

“The new MRI provides much faster scan times and higher resolution images. The faster scan times are a big improvement in convenience and comfort for patients and will make more appointments available. The higher image resolution means that many diagnostic procedures that have previously required a costly trip off-island can now be done here on Nantucket.”

– Dr. Chinyere “C” Rumph, NCH Director of Imaging

Picture Perfect

The NHA’s new priceless painting adds depth to the island’s art history.

Nantucket is known for many things, but traditionally not as much for priceless art—at least for those pieces that are available to the public eye. But as of January of this year, that changed with the major acquisition of Cranberry Pickers. Painted by American artist Eastman Johnson, the oil painting joins the permanent collection at the Nantucket Historical Association (NHA). “This is a top-tier genre painting,” Michael Harrison, chief curator and Obed Macy Research Chair at the NHA, says. “It’s great art, beautifully executed by a nationally prominent painter, and then it is also a local scene. Identifiable. It’s commenting on local issues, and we don’t have as many pieces in our collection that really knock it out of the park on all of those fronts.”

WRITTEN BY ANTONIA DEPACE AND SHARON MURRAY LORENZO IMAGES COURTESY OF NANTUCKET HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION’S ARCHIVES

Eastman Johnson (1824–1906) Cranberry Pickers, Oil on canvas board, 19 3/4” H x 29 5/8” W Nantucket Historical Association Collection, 2023.6.1. Museum purchase, generously underwritten by the Friends of the Nantucket Historical Association, Nancy & Douglas Abbey, the Ainslie Foundation, Patricia S. & Thomas J. Anathan, Susan Blount & Richard Bard Charitable Fund, Maureen and Edward Bousa, H.L. Brown Jr. Family Foundation, Christy & Bill Camp, Sue & Stuart Feld, Shelley & Graham Goldsmith, Margaret Hallowell & Stephen Langer, Anne & Todd Knutson, Ashley Gosnell Mody, Franci Neely, Denise & Andrew Saul, Burwell & Chip Schorr, Helen & Chuck Schwab, Melinda & Paul Sullivan, J. Tilroe, Virginia Guest Valentine, and Kelly Williams & Andrew Forsyth

Aside from it being an acclaimed and highly sought-after piece by Johnson (who co-founded the Metropolitan Museum of Art), the 20-inch by 30-inch work tells the history of Nantucket from an agricultural point of view. “This painting links together a number of these non-whaling threads in the island’s story,” Harrison says. Previously privately owned, this is the first time that the work has been

made available to the public, let alone on Nantucket.

On view in the Williams Forsyth Gallery at the Whaling Museum, the piece is one of many studies that Johnson painted in the late 1870s while summering on Nantucket. The scene depicts a woman and a man standing in a cranberry lot below a cliff, most likely inspired by the low-lying grazing lands used for cranberry harvesting that Johnson saw from his home on 41 Cliff Road. What makes it stand out, however, is that it is the most completed work in the study—next in line, one could say, to his grand finale, The Cranberry Harvest, Island of Nantucket (1880), currently owned by the Timken Museum of Art in San Diego.

According to Harrison, the painting reflects a distinct period in which cranberries were harvested about 20 years prior to the development of big commercial bogs. “He’s really enamored of the landscape and the potential of what the landscape shows. He sees this evocative cranberry bog with these people working in it in

– Michael Harrison

“This is a top-tier genre painting.”

Eastman Johnson, in his studio with a portrait

the fall. And he sees that as a really interesting [point of] what Nantucket has become? Where is Nantucket going now that whaling is no longer the economic interest here?” Harrison explains. “And then he captures this moment [for us] in the island’s history between when lots of whaling ships are coming and going, and when the island becomes developed with summer houses and hotels.”

Cranberry Pickers also illustrates development in the position of women in Nantucket’s late 19th-century society. In general, Johnson started to depict women differently in his paintings around that time, focusing

more on exhibiting them as educated, independent and in charge of their own lives. “This fits with that shift in his artwork where, here, we have the woman commanding the scene. It’s the man who is deferring to her and asking her opinion or seeking direction from her,” Harrison explains. A future exhibition titled In the Company of Women: Winslow Homer and Eastman Johnson, in partnership with the High Museum of Art in Atlanta, will further examine the topic. It will likely take place around the United States, with a pitstop on the island, in three to four years.

–

Michael Harrison

“This painting links together a number of these non-whaling threads in the island’s story.”

A crowd of men and women picking cranberries

Introducing Nantucket’s Hottest Podcast

BOOKS, BEACH & BEYOND

#1 Bestselling Author Elin Hilderbrand and Tim Ehrenberg like you've never heard them before

Join Elin Hilderbrand, #1 New York Times bestselling author of 30 titles and the “Queen of the Beach Reads,” and Tim Ehrenberg, Nantucket’s most voracious reader and creator of the popular Tim Talks Books, as they hit the airwaves in an exclusive podcast produced by N Magazine

In what is poised to become one of the most listened to literary podcasts in the country, Books, Beach, & Beyond features special guests from bestselling and recognizable authors, to publishing industry insiders,

to local island legends who feature prominently in Hilderbrand’s prolific Nantucket stories. Discussing topics ranging from what it’s like to take a book to the screen, to the connection between a reader and a story’s characters, to the intricacies and intimate details of an author’s writing process, Hilderbrand and Ehrenberg bring books to life on the airwaves in a brand-new way!

SCAN

Jenna Bush Hager

Kristin Hannah Taylor Jenkins Reid Ann Patchett

Gilbert Cruz Jake Tapper Jodi Picoult Sunny Hostin

LOCAL

ECONOMY TEMPERATURE CHECK

WRITTEN BY ANTONIA DEPACE

Cross currents suggest an uneven summer season.

When June rolled around and Nantucket’s summer season finally began, there was a looming question in the air: Would the island be as busy as it had been the past few years? Or would the economic headwinds impact us?

Emerging from the pandemic, summers on Nantucket were more popular than ever—in 2021, hotels were booked solid, dinner reservations were as hard to come by as parking spots and house rentals were packed. The airport ran out of jet fuel not once, but twice. But this year, with global destinations again wooing travelers afar—according to the World Tourism Organization, international arrivals reached 80 percent of pre-pandemic levels in the first quarter of 2023—and abysmal weather occurring during the first weeks of the summer, it seemed that the Nantucket fever might have finally broken.

“We’re currently experiencing record-low housing inventory along with the average sale price on the island at $6,450,000.”

According to Sean Driscoll, communications director at the Steamship Authority, a total of 1,440,155 passengers had traveled from Hyannis to the Nantucket terminal as of July 21. This was up 3.1 percent compared to last year. Looking deeper into the numbers, however, there was a decrease in passengers taking the fast ferry compared to last year—off 17.4 percent in June and 19.9 percent in July. “The fast ferry decrease is likely tied to weather—it was pretty crummy just about every weekend through June and early July, and those trips tend to be shorter notice day-trippers or overnighters,” Driscoll says. He also notes that this year, the Authority only ran four trips instead of five on the fast

ferry because of staffing.

The Nantucket Memorial Airport saw numbers that were consistent with those from pre-pandemic data thanks to an overall softening in activity throughout the 2023 fiscal year. Manager Noah Karberg indicated customers being more inclined to travel globally, as well as the unpredictable weather. “Operations were the lowest since 2021,” he says, adding, “The previous two fiscal years were themselves an anomaly, and far exceeded the long-term predictable growth pattern.” More specifically, operations (the number of aircraft coming and going from the airport) were down 12.2 percent from 2022, which matches a general decrease that’s

been occurring since 2006 due to the ferry being a more affordable means of transportation to the island, especially as aviation costs continue to rise.

Rick Ulmer, owner of Rose & Crown, also saw a slight decrease in business—especially during lunch, which was down about 5 percent from last year. “Where we see it’s soft is the day-trippers. We don’t see as many daytrippers for lunch,” he says. Overall, the reduction isn’t too serious, especially with September seemingly staying on pace due to a busy wedding season of rehearsal dinners and welcome parties.

Fred Bisaillon, owner and chef at B-ACK Yard BBQ and The Charlie Noble, observes that the restaurants haven’t seen a tremendous change in

– Bobby Sabelhaus

+3.1%

-40%

Steamship Authority House Sales

-19.9% Fast Ferry

-57% Land Sales

business. He says, “I think it’s entirely possible there are less guests, but the ones we have are spending more time and money while here.”

While hotels like White Elephant claim to be staying on pace, real estate has experienced a greater struggle. According to Bobby Sabelhaus of Great Point Properties, the brokerage’s midyear report stated that rental leases are down 13.9 percent since 2018, the year that represents the brokerage’s highest total of leases for the last five years. “The big takeaway from the rental data is we’re doing fewer leases in 2023, but with longer terms this year as opposed to 2018,” Sabelhaus says, noting that the average days per lease are tracking at 13.56 compared

“The previous two fiscal years were themselves an anomaly, and far exceeded the long-term predictable growth pattern.

– Noah Karberg

-12.2%

to 11.76 in 2018.

In terms of sales transactions, house sales were down 40 percent while land sales were reduced to 57 percent. “We’re currently experiencing record-low housing inventory along with the average sale price on the island at $6,450,000. In the second quarter of 2018, there were around 250 properties for sale, and in the second quarter of 2023, there’s been a significant drop to 143,” Sabelhaus explains. “There is no doubt that high interest rates and high prices are creating a headwind for buyers to purchase a home on the island.”

Some records were made, however—more recently with the sale of 20, 21 and 22 Berkeley Avenue

for $38,127,500. Not only did the Monomoy estate break the island’s previous record sale, but it also broke the Massachusetts record for a single residential home sale.

It will not be possible to get a truly accurate picture of the 2023 season until the end of the year, but all indications suggest a slower local economy, but not surprising when measured against an unusually robust post-COVID rebound.

The question that merchants, restaurants and others will be asking is whether the high costs associated with living and visiting Nantucket is beginning to take its toll or whether the slowdown is simply a much needed breath of fresh air—only time will tell.

Restaurants

Look who is quoting the Current.

Nantucket Current is the fastest growing digital news source on the island, providing instant news to your phone or computer three times a week.

The Current has gained more readers in a shorter period of time than any news source on the island. 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.

thanks

See our full schedule at NantucketDreamland org

See our full schedule at NantucketDreamland org

nantucket dreamland

DRIVER ECONOMIC

Zoë Barry’s fast track to dominating the business world

INTERVIEW BY BRUCE A. PERCELAY PHOTOGRAPHY BY KIT NOBLE

Zoë Barry is the definition of a dynamite go-getter. From Wall Street to racetracks, the CEO and founder of Zingeroo continues to make an impact in more traditionally male-dominated industries. Here, Barry sits down to chat about the inspiration behind Zingeroo and acquired company ZappRx, thoughts on cryptocurrency and advice toward women looking to dominate the business world.

What is your Nantucket connection?

I grew up coming here. My parents and I and my other siblings would come in the summers. We would rent a house here usually at the end of August in the first two weeks of September.

Let’s talk about your entrepreneurial start. I assume you had this in you from childhood.

I always had a mischievous bounce in my step. One of my earliest entrepreneurship endeavors was when I really wanted a pet hamster. I didn’t understand how money worked, and so I asked my mom if I could clean the house like the cleaning lady did. And she said, “Absolutely not.” So I said, “Well, how am I supposed to make money and buy a hamster, then?” And so she came up with this idea for balloon animals, and my babysitter and I learned how to make balloon animals. For a week, she gave us $20 for seed money.

I learned about having a co-founder and business relationships. I learned about quality and different balloons and ones that popped versus [those that] didn’t. I learned about margin, which ones are more expensive versus less expensive. I learned about branding, because I was a seven-year-old kid selling balloon animals to other kids.

So let’s talk about ZappRx. That was your first serious venture. Explain the company and what motivated it.

I had a family member that got really sick and needed access to a very expensive medication. … It took my family member six months to get on this medication, at which point he was deteriorating rapidly. And he was at risk for an event so severe he would have spent the rest of his life in a wheelchair. It wasn’t until the insurance company said, “Well, oh, well, it’s gonna be really expensive to pay for a five-yearold to spend the rest of his life in a wheelchair, maybe we’ll just pay for the drug,” that they paid for the medication. And within a couple of months, he

made just about a full recovery. At that point I was an analyst for a hedge fund and started saying why. Why did we go through that? Why did it take six months? And then I started digging in. And what I realized was this was not an experience that was unique to me and my family. This was actually an issue in the market, and all this great stuff was happening in health care—electronic medical records, e-prescribing. I founded the company in 2012 before there was even a CVS or Walgreens app. We didn’t have prescript apps, and the most concise way I can describe it was Amazon Prime for $100,000 medications. Our goal was to get patients on paid therapy in 48 hours, not six months.

You then sold ZappRx and started another company called Zingeroo.

I had a very heated dinner table conversation with my brothers. We were debating movement in the stock market. They were economics majors at Stanford, but I actually worked on Wall Street. And I said, “Well, how do you think the stocks are going to play out?” I thought XYZ stock was going to do better; they thought ABC stock was going to do better. So I said, “Alright, I’m happy to take your money. Let’s open up some brokerage accounts and trade against each other. Let’s see who is the best investor.” I thought the retail investing experience was going to be like when I worked at the hedge fund. You were going

to have benchmarking, you were all going to understand your performance relative to each other and you’re competing for a year-end bonus.

Turns out, investing on the retail side is like playing solitaire. It is you

by yourself, you have no insights, no data. … I’m an athlete obsessed with data from a competitive standpoint. I was so frustrated by the experience that I decided to found a whole company around the idea of building a community, building real portfolios— not paper trading—and creating shared data. Share data on your portfolio—if you’re at the top of the leaderboard, you should get a bonus. And you can compete for a chance to win. This is geared at retail, and we went out and got a broker-dealer license, we built an app, we launched it, and then what we started to realize, particularly in the last couple of months as the Fed raised interest rates, is the market has changed and moved. Where this is really taking flight, where people are really, really interested, is not the sort of smaller account retail investor, but the much more sophisticated retail investor.

Let’s segue into the car racing world. How did you get started in motorsports?

A venture capitalist started hosting track day events. Golf and business are pretty well established, but for

– Zoë Barry

“And then I started realizing that I was being invited because I was a woman, not because they were serious about my startup. And that really annoyed me.”

young founders and venture capitalists, founders like to go fast, and golf is too slow. So the venture capitalist started hosting track day events, and I got invited to every track day event. And then I started realizing I was being invited because I was a woman, not because they were serious about my startup. And that really annoyed me. So I took a look at what was happening. I’ve been an athlete at a big level. Why can’t I do this sport? I found Monticello Motor Club, bought a race car, signed up and took lessons. I started doing club racing. And now I don’t get invited to any track day events.

What kind of car do you race?

I run a Porsche GT4. It is my second year of racing at the national level.

How many other women are at the same level as you?

I was the only woman running in the Porsche sprint challenge last year. They have an East Coast and a West Coast. There’s one woman on the West Coast, and I was the only woman on

“

I’m an athlete obsessed with data from a competitive standpoint.”

the track in that. We’ve been getting podiums. So for IGT [International GT racing], I was on the podium, which means I got the hat with the laurels. … And they were very surprised by that. IGT was really happy to have a woman on the podium. At the sprint challenge, I won the Apex Award, which for every race they say who has the most passes, so I won that at COTA [Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas].

– Zoë Barry

Zoë Barry represents part of the small percentage of women in car racing.

SOUNDING OFF

INTERVIEW BY ROBERT COCUZZO PORTRAIT BY MIKE MORGAN/NPR

NPR’s Mary Louise Kelly discusses her New York Times bestselling memoir.

While covering the Trump administration, NPR’s Mary Louise Kelly was used to breaking headlines—not making them. However, that changed when she sat down to interview then-Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. Despite the fact that Kelly had informed Pompeo’s handlers of the topics she would be covering during the interview, Pompeo became irate when she began asking him questions about Ukraine. Abruptly ending the interview, Pompeo reportedly berated Kelly, saying that she wouldn’t even be able to find Ukraine on a map.

A Harvard grad, Kelly didn’t shy away from the challenge and said she could. Pompeo had an aide bring in a map without any names, from which Kelly pointed out Ukraine. The story became a flash point in the Trump administration’s adversarial relationship with the press—and another chapter in Kelly’s long and distinguished journalistic career, which she recently wrote about in her New York Times bestselling memoir titled It. Goes. So Fast

As a preview to her upcoming speaking appearance at the Dreamland on September 3, Kelly spoke to N Magazine about her career, her thoughts on the election and the challenges of being a parent and a professional reporter.

“And I will never forget being strapped into that helicopter, staring down over the traffic of Baghdad, and thinking, ‘My son needs me, and I am halfway around the world.

Time for career plan B.’”

Your memoir takes us behind the scenes of your reporting career. Is there a story that best illustrates the challenges of balancing being a journalist and a mother of two?

One day on assignment overseas as NPR’s Pentagon correspondent, we had flown up from a military base in the desert of southern Iraq and just landed in Baghdad. I was there to cover a visit by the U.S. defense secretary, and it was too dangerous to travel by road, so a convoy of half a dozen Black Hawks was organized. We’re all wearing body armor and bulletproof helmets, because there’s incoming mortar fire, even inside the Green Zone. I’m waiting to be pointed to the right Black Hawk, when my cell phone rings. It’s the school nurse back in Washington. She informs me that my son is sick, and how quickly could I get there? And then she started to yell: “I don’t mean to bring him home! He’s really sick, having trouble breathing. We need to get him to a doctor!” As I was trying to think how to answer her, I lost the signal and my phone went dead. I couldn’t get her back on the line for several hours. And I will never forget being strapped into that helicopter, staring down over the traffic of Baghdad, and thinking, “My son needs me, and I am halfway around the world. Time for career plan B.”

– Mary Louise Kelly

Mary Louise Kelly in studio as host of NPR’s All Things Considered

Flying in helicopters and covering war zones, you’ve suffered significant hearing loss. How have you managed being nearly deaf while working as a radio reporter?

It’s a challenge! I anchor a national news broadcast every evening wearing hearing aids, both ears. I got them in my early 40s and I’m in my early 50s now. I have severe to profound hearing loss at high frequencies, and while hearing aids help, I still struggle. But technology offers some amazing workarounds. And the irony is that a professional broadcast studio is about the friendliest environment you can imagine for those of us who are hearing impaired—soundproofed, pin-drop silent and equipped with top-of-the-line headphones.

Your 2020 interview with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, which you write about in your memoir, became a flash point in the Trump administration’s adversarial relationship with the press. Looking to the upcoming election, what lessons did you learn from covering the Trump presidency that will inform how you cover this election? My sons are used to me reporting the headlines, not making them. It was something to watch them take in a news clip of the president of the United States, at the White House, publicly praising his secretary of state for doing “a good job” on me. Among the lessons I learned is the importance of standing up to a bully (the title of that chapter is no accident: “We Will Not Be Intimidated”). Another is about not giving up—in the context of a newsmaker interview, this means you don’t let them dodge your questions.

What storyline are you keeping your eye on with the upcoming election?

As a longtime foreign policy and national security reporter, I’m deeply interested in how the rest of the world is tracking this. Talk to NATO officials and foreign ambassadors, for example, and they’re already starting to think about hedging their bets in case a U.S. president is elected who is less committed to supporting Ukraine than Biden. And having grown up in Georgia, I’m endlessly fascinated by how the election will play out there. Georgia was the center of the political universe for a time in 2020, and voters there decided the balance of power in the Senate. We’ll see what happens this time.

Counterintuitively, I would point to January 6. I was anchoring NPR’s live coverage that afternoon and well into the evening as the insurrection unfolded. I was trying, along with everybody else, to figure out in real time what the hell was happening. Whatever your politics, it was an awful day in our democracy. But for the record, Congress returned that night and finished its work, certifying the election of Joe Biden as president. The Justice Department is prosecuting crimes committed that day; cases are currently moving through our courts. And as for the Fourth Estate … much of what we know about what happened that day is because journalists were there, inside and outside the U.S. Capitol. Reporters interviewed people, documenting what they saw and heard. And our First Amendment protected their right to do so.

Is there an example of bipartisanship in American politics or American life as a whole that you look to as a source of optimism when it comes to mending the divide in the country?

Kelly was given rare access to report from the capital of North Korea. (Photo by David Guttenfelder for NPR, courtesy of Mary Louise Kelly)

Mary Louise Kelly with her sons

What role can the news media play in mending the divide in the country?

I’m not sure it’s the news media’s responsibility to mend our partisan divisions. But it is our role to actively participate in and defend our democracy, and that will involve covering people and views that strike our audience as distasteful or flat-out wrong. Ignoring voices we don’t agree with doesn’t make them go away. We will continue to interview a whole range of people on NPR, for example. That doesn’t mean platforming liars or giving equal time to lies as to truth. It does mean a sustained effort to fact-check and provide context. And it means being more transparent than in the past about the decisions we make over how to cover the news. You may not agree with our decision to, say, interview certain candidates live (or not). But I want it to be clear that we’re thinking very carefully about our approach to coverage, and to draw back the curtain on why we’re doing what we do.

“I am not sure it’s the news media’s responsibility to mend our partisan divisions. But it is our role to actively participate in and defend our democracy, and that will involve covering people and views that strike our audience as distasteful or flat-out wrong.”

Is there a story in today’s news cycle that you think audiences should be paying more attention to?

This isn’t a specific story, but I will say I’m focused on interviews that allow us to glimpse each other’s humanity. Whatever the topic, I’m more interested in interviewing stakeholders in a story than experts and analysts. Some days, that may mean speaking with the president of a country. Other days, it means interviewing and taking time to listen to ordinary people living through an extraordinary event.

In writing about your unique work-life balance, what universal truth can all parents take away from your memoir?

That there is no universal truth. That not a single one of us has figured all this out. That most of us are hanging on by our toenails and doing our best, and that even those with great help in the form of nannies, supportive grandparents or supportive partners run up against the distinct problem that there are only 24 hours in a day.

– Mary Louise Kelly

Kelly interviewing former British prime minister Tony Blair

(Photo courtesy of Mary Louise Kelly)

Kelly reporting from Tehran during the funeral procession of Major General Qassem Soleimani

(Photo by Marjan Yazdi, courtesy of Mary Louise Kelly)

Mary Louis Kelly will be in conversation at the Dreamland on Sunday, September 3rd at 4 PM. Visit NantucketDreamland.org for more information.

DRESS: CURRENT VINTAGE

JEWELRY: THE VAULT

PHOTOGRAPHER:

BRIAN SAGER

WARDROBE STYLIST:

LEXY KAROLYI

MAKEUP STYLIST:

JURGITA BUDAITE OF ISLAND GLOW

HAIR STYLIST:

KATE DIGGAN OF RJ MILLER

PRODUCTION ASSISTANT: RYLE FERGUSON

MODEL: JENNIE ROSS OF MAGGIE INC.

ROMPER AND BAG: MURRAY'S TOGGERY SHOP

BELT: SARA CAMPBELL

JEWELRY: THE VAULT

SWEATER: INKERMAN

SHORTS: MURRAY'S TOGGERY SHOP

NECKLACE: SUSAN LISTER LOCKE

HAIRBAND: SARA CAMPBELL

NECKLACES (worn as bracelets): HEIDI WEDDENDORF

DRESS: SARA CAMPBELL

JEWELRY: SUSAN LISTER LOCKE

BAG: MURRAY'S TOGGERY SHOP

SUNGLASSES: CURRENT VINTAGE

SHOES: 120 LINO

SHIRT, PANTS, CAPELET: 120 LINO

EARRINGS: SUSAN LISTER LOCKE

RING: THE VAULT

SWEATER, SHIRT, AND PANTS: MURRAY'S TOGGERY SHOP

TOP NECKLACE AND SUNGLASSES: CURRENT VINTAGE BOTTOM NECKLACE: ICARUS & CO.

SHIRT, PANTS, AND BRACELET

(shown left): REMY

VEST: BEAU & RO

EARRINGS: GRESHAM

RINGS: SUSAN LISTER LOCKE

BRACELET (shown right): THE VAULT

SWEATER: SARA CAMPBELL

DRESS (worn underneath):

MURRAY'S TOGGERY SHOP

EARRINGS: ICARUS & CO.

RING AND BOOTS: CURRENT VINTAGE

DRESS: BEAU & RO

JEWELRY: ICARUS & CO.

BAG AND BOOTS: CURRENT VINTAGE

N Magazine celebrated the Nantucket launch of Exclusive Yachts at the Harborview Room & Terrace at the Dreamland this past July. During the evening, guests learned more about the members-only club, which delivers personalized yachting experiences worldwide at a fraction of the cost of ownership. After mingling over cocktails and lite bites provided by Island Kitchen, CEO Scott Stuckmann and Head of Sales Lou Clark gave a presentation about the service, which promises to offer an unparalleled and bespoke experience from its diverse fleet of luxury yachts. Learn more at exclusiveyachts.club

YACHTING ON 4

Manisha and Roy Kapani

Lori Jergunson, Andy Timmerman, Paul Jergunson and Giovanna Lucy

Mary and Frank Fahrenkopf and Kim Frisbie

Candy and Mason Heydt

Guests enjoyed sporting Exclusive Yachts-branded hats during the evening.

The evening took place at the Harborview Room & Terrace at the Dreamland.

Guests interested in learning more about Exclusive Yachts were given more in-depth details and packets.

Tuck and Bernadette Meyer

Linda Holliday, Elin Hilderbrand, Eleanor Banco and Marla Sanford

Lou Clark, Rebecca Yellen, Julie Perry, Jacquie Charbonneau and Kelly Carr of Exclusive Yachts

James Scheurell, Tim Ehrenberg, Emme Duncan and Graham Gauthier

Marybeth Gilmartin-Baugher and Suzanne Van Nostrand

Scott Stuckmann of Exclusive Yachts

Scott Stuckmann and Lou Clark spoke more about the memberships at the event.

Jane Winchester Paradis, Meredith Hanson, Gray Malin, Margaret Anne Nolen, Neely Burch Morandi and Chloe Burch Seaver

Guests enjoyed live music throughout the evening.

Mackenzie Horan and Jennifer Lake

FASHION FORWARD

Cartolina founder Margaret Anne Nolen kicked off summer celebrations on July 12 with a dinner celebrating the release of author Gray Malin’s newest book, Coastal. An intimate 60 guests were invited, including author Elin Hilderbrand, Jane Paradis of Jane Win Jewelry, Marguerite Adzick of Addison Bay and Neely Burch Morandi and Chloe Burch Seaver of the accessories line, Neely & Chloe. Hosted at a private residence, the evening featured Cartolina’s collaboration with Neely & Chloe, as well as the brand’s latest styles from the summer collection and prints of Portugal collection. Those who attended the fête received an exclusive Cartolina tote featuring a Gray Malin photograph and a custom illustration by guest Meredith Hanson, as well as a Nantucket charm from Jane Win Jewelry and a signed copy of Coastal

GEORGIE MORLEY PHOTOGRAPHY

Marguerite Adzick and Devon McCready

Gray Malin, Margaret Anne Nolen and Elin Hilderbrand

BON APPETIT

The White Elephant and Boston’s premier steakhouse Grill 23 joined forces for an exciting pop-up July 9-27. With both brands celebrating big anniversaries (White Elephant’s centennial and Grill 23’s 40th), loyalists of the hospitality group and hotel came together for the opening night of the collaboration, which was open for both lunch and dinner during the month. Not only were guests able to enjoy favorites from the original menu, but pop-up exclusives like Grill 23’s private branded caviar, surf and turf with a tomahawk ribeye and baked stuffed lobster, tagliatelle with shaved black truffles, tater tots with shaved black truffles and daily catches.

John Henson and AJ Williams

Chef Robert Sisca

Scott Pioli and Chris Himmel

The dining room welcomed 160 guests on opening night.

Angela and Chuck Arakelian with Richard D. Levine

Allison Mazer, Nicole Conlon and Chip Batchelder

Laura and Richard Elkman

Alaina Pinto

Alaina Pinto, Hector Mancebo, Chris and Tori Himmel, Samantha Guy and Julian Turosienski

A DREAM COME TRUE

The Dreamland hosted its annual fundraiser, the DreamBIG Event, July 23 at a private estate in Tom Nevers. This year, the event had a record number of supporters in attendance and was themed around a 1960s Slim Aaronsinspired Palm Springs pool party. During the fundraiser, the Dreamland recognized two DreamBIG honorees, Charley Polachi and Debbie Lewis, for their outstanding contributions to the organization and presented the inaugural Fred Rogers Good Neighbor Award to Dr. Timothy Lepore. To celebrate, guests danced the night away between bites from Island Kitchen. Proceeds from the evening directly support the Dreamland’s mission to build community on Nantucket year-round through shared experiences in film, the arts, live theater, culture and learning.

Grace Hull, Natasha and Jay Harmon, and Rebecca Becker

Robert Cocuzzo

Dr. Timothy Lepore

Dreamland Stage Company’s cast of Legally Blonde

Melanie Sabelhaus and Jim Guidera

Sue DeCoste, Rebecca Bartlett and Elin Hilderbrand

Holly Finigan and Jay Harmon

Tony Cuppone with Alicia Carney

ELEMENTS OF DESIGN

The Nantucket Historical Association hosted its annual Nantucket by Design, which gathered the industry’s elite interior designers, architects and more for a weekend of inspiration and education. Held August 2-5, the NHA’s summer fundraiser hosted keynote speakers, panel discussions and more. To celebrate, VIPs gathered for the opening night celebration, which took place at a private residence. The traditional Antiques Preview Show followed, along with a fun Closing Night party at the Whaling Museum as the finishing touch.

Marla Sanford with Emme Duncan and Katherine Jetter at the Opening Night

Erik Thomsen of Thomsen Gallery at the Antiques Preview Party

David Billings and Beverly Hall

Kenny Hilbrig, Nicole Tirapelli, John Pilling, Antonia DePace, Beth English and Mark Donato at the Antiques Preview Party

Leslie Killian, Suzanne Epstein, Stacey Bewkes, Suzanne Segalas and Susan Zimmer during the Antiques Preview Party

Martina Mondadori during her keynote speech with Ashley Hicks at the Luncheon

Eileen Boyd Cahill, Jim Cahill, Ryan Rosano and Kathleen Hay

Lauren Fornes and Olivia Charney at the Closing Night Celebration

Charity Grace Mofsen and Jocelyn Wong at the Closing Night Celebration

Trudy DuJardin and Bonnie Roseman

Wambui Ippolito at the Design Panel, which included India Hicks, Thomas Jayne and Nicholas Varney

Georgia McElveen and Andrew Uihlein

NOW ON DISPLAY THROUGH NOVEMBER 1, 2023

Telling the story of Nantucket as a summer destination, from the opening of the first tourist hotels in the 1840s to the multi-billion-dollar real-estate, construction, and rental economy of today.

Learn more and book your visit at NHA.org

HIVE ACTIVITY of

IMAGES COURTESY OF NANTUCKET HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION’S ARCHIVES

Parade of the American Legion on Main Street

Parade of the American Legion drum corps on Main Street

North side of Main Street square, with Rosen’s at 23 Main Street and Gardiner’s Art Store across the street

Shops on the south side of Main Street square, including The Sweet Shop, Nantucket Glass Spinners, The Camera Shop, Main Street Gallery and Mitchell’s Book Store. Publisher: Dexter Press

The Mount Vernon Farm truck on Main Street. Note the large open, round lightship basket carried by a customer. Publisher: Dist. by Edward L. Thomas, Vineyard Haven, Mass.

Two men outside of Buttner’s: Bill Henderson and Franklin Pierce Chadwick. The Buttner’s sign reads: “Gifts and Dry Goods” and “Ladies/Children’s Apparel.”

Postcard of flowers for sale along the north side of Main Street. Publisher: Haddon Photo Shop

Main Street square, looking west toward the Pacific Bank

Downtown scene on Federal Street, looking toward Main Street

Bottom of Main Street, showing the Pacific Club and Straight Wharf, including a laundry, and the H. Paddack Paint Shop

The Bartlett’s Farm truck parked on the north side of Main Street, selling flowers and produce. Publisher: Dexter Press

Costumed people walk past the house at 75 Main Street as part of a hospital fete. Includes Austin Strong, in top hat on left.

Shops along Main Street square, including Wannacomet Water Company and the Pacific Club.

Postcard of a busy day on Main Street, showing shops and cars, with a horsedrawn carriage waiting at the corner of Orange Street

Shops and cars along Main Street square, as seen from the Pacific Bank.

Publisher: Bromley & Company, Boston

Bartlett’s Farm truck and a flower vendor on the north side of Main Street

featured wedding

Bride: Megan Childs • Groom: Michael Grant

Venue: Nantucket Hotel • Wedding Planner & Designer: AJ Events • Photographer: Michael

Blanchard Photographer • Video: Yours Truly

Media • Florist: Orly Khon Floral • Officiant: Joel

Blockowicz, Sr. • Graphic Design and Stationery:

AJ Events • Rentals: Placesetters Nantucket

Bridal Hair: Monika Ramizi • Bridal Makeup: Rita

Sorrentino Makeup • Bride’s Dress: Ines di Santo

Bride’s Second Dress: Rotate by Birger Christensen

Groom’s Tuxedo: Alton Lane • Entertainment: Encore, Reverie

Why do you think you will be a good fit as executive director?

THE SUNNY SIDE

A QUICK CHAT WITH THE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION FOR NANTUCKET’S NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, SUNNY DAILY

What’s one thing that most people might not know about the work of the Community Foundation?

I think the Community Foundation is best known for the grants awarded to island nonprofits through the Nantucket Fund and ReMain Nantucket Fund. This year we awarded $300,000 to 26 organizations through the Nantucket Fund alone! People may also know us through the community scholarships we award. This year we awarded $80,000 through 16 scholarships to 27 students. What people may not know is the role we play in convening around the island’s critical needs, and that we have over 100 other funds that are held to support individual families’ philanthropy and specific community initiatives.

Is there one area that you plan on focusing on from the beginning?

Coming in on the heels of the founding executive director, I want to be sure to build on the success the foundation has had while also strategically planning for

the positive impact we will have moving forward. There are internal operational ways to improve efficiency and external measures we can take to engage even more regularly with our community. I have ideas for the immediate and long-term success of the foundation and will prioritize healthy sustainable growth for our organization.

What legacy has Margaretta Andrews left behind from her long tenure at the Community Foundation?

Margaretta’s legacy is the culture of informed philanthropy she has fostered for the benefit of our Nantucket community— it is a real gift for our future. Namely, she created a strong organization with an endowed Nantucket Fund that will be able to support Nantucket’s nonprofits for years to come, and she has been a trusted advisor within our community and with donors to the foundation. She has brought together people who care and connected them to the needs of the island community. I am fortunate to have the opportunity to build on Margaretta’s legacy.

Community foundations are unique and so is our island. I have an understanding of both. I am driven by our mission, which aims to strengthen Nantucket now and for future generations through thoughtful philanthropy and community leadership. The foundation plays an important role supporting the work of island organizations and can be a strong advocate for the broad needs of the people who make up our community. I am ready to work to assure that all islanders have the social, physical, cultural, economic and environmental conditions essential to flourish and fulfill their potential.

What experiences have prepared you for this role?

I am bringing my experience as an islander and someone who really cares for the people and our future on this island. I have raised my family on Nantucket, I have done the Nantucket shuffle, I have a partner in the trades, and we own our own businesses. I have worked one on one with families during a very important and often vulnerable time in their lives as a doula and midwife; led an island nonprofit providing health care, nutritional support and education to uninsured and underinsured people through the pandemic; serve on a number of advisory committees; and feel that I understand the diverse needs of the people who make up our island community.

What impact do you hope to make?

I hope to grow the Community Foundation for Nantucket into an even more robust foundation of support for our community so the island can remain a welcoming place for people from all places, ages, cultures, means and stages of their lives. I will work to maintain the foundation’s role as that trusted resource well into the future—for donors and for the community that makes this island the uniquely beautiful place we are fortunate to call home.

INTERVIEW BY ROBERT COCUZZO

PHOTOGRAPHY BY KIT NOBLE

The Only Place to Advertise.

Over the past 20+ years, N Magazine has established itself as Nantucket’s leading luxury lifestyle publication and the most powerful advertising vehicle on the island. Renowned for its compelling content, stunning photography and premium production, each issue is hotly anticipated and becomes a permanent collectible in homes around Nantucket and beyond. Accordingly, N Magazine provides businesses with residual exposure unlike any magazine or newspaper of its kind.

To learn more about the many advertising opportunities available with N Magazine, contact Emme Duncan, Managing Editor and Director of Advertising & Business Partnerships, at emmeduncan@n-magazine.com

Brian Sager Photography