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VINE THE
Departments
4 EDITOR’S NOTE
16
COLD
WATER IS HOT
The latest health and wellness trend – cold plunging – pops up on the Vineyard.
By Sara Mason Ader
18 PERSONAL
BEST
Vineyarder Catey Best came home to grow a beautiful life at Takemmy Farm.
By Emma Kilbride
20 A WALK BACK IN TIME
A historic walking tour of Edgartown takes you through three centuries in little more than an hour.
By Susie Middleton
From the Editor IN THE MOMENT
On Friday nights in the summer, my husband and I sometimes order takeout from Nomans (page 8), head to State Beach, set up our beach chairs and have ourselves a picnic. It’s a little thing, but it’s a treat to eat outside, at the water’s edge, toes in the sand, cold drinks by our side. Veering from the routine requires a summer state of mind; these precious (and I don’t mean cute – I mean invaluable) long, warm days go by in a flash.
That’s why I stop to buy flowers from roadside stands. Have you seen the beauties that Catey Best is growing at Takemmy Farm (page 18)? It’s why I played hooky from work (again!) and took a tour of historic Edgartown (page 20) the other day. And it’s why I’m buying tickets to see “Miss Maybelline’s Nocturnal Flights of Fancy,” talented playwright Kathleen McGhee-Anderson’s latest work at the Martha’s Vineyard Playhouse (page 10) opening July 13.
I haven’t yet decided whether to follow the cold-plunge trend (page 16), but I’m seriously considering it. (And no – not in our waters, which believe it or not, are too warm for a real cold plunge this time of year!)
But I am going to make the most of summer, and I hope you will too. Visit farms and art galleries and sign up for speaker events (page 5). And if you need a spot of joy, check out Storm the shop dog (page 24).
- Susie Middleton
5 ON THE ROCK/BOOKS
8 VINE & DINE
Five Things To Eat at Nomans
10 Q&A
Playwright, Poet, Producer:
An Interview with Kathleen McGhee-Anderson
24 THE VIEW
A Vineyard Shop Dog
27 BY THE NUMBERS
Happy 50th Birthday, Jaws!
Cover Photo: Playwright Kathleen McGhee-Anderson at Catboat Coffee Co.
EDITOR
Susie Middleton
ART DIRECTOR
Jared Maciel
CONTRIBUTORS
Sara Mason Ader, Sissy Biggers, Chris Burrell, Mindy Dutka, Ray Ewing, Laura Holmes Haddad, Emma Kilbride, Jeanna
Shepard PUBLISHER
Monica Brady-Myerov
GENERAL MANAGER
Sarah Gifford
SALES MANAGER
Frederica Carpenter sales@vineyardgazette.com
SALES TEAM
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MARKETING MANAGER
Alessandra Hagerty
AD PRODUCTION
Jane McTeigue, Jared Maciel, McKinley Sanders
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FIND-A-FARM
A NEW MAP MAKES IT EASY
Just in time for tomato and corn season, the Martha’s Vineyard Agricultural Society has released their updated Martha’s Vineyard Farm Map, thanks to funding provided by the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources and the Dukes County Conservation District.
The brochure – which highlights 24 farms (18 of which you can visit or make an appointment to visit), four aquaculture operations and nine agriculture-related Island nonprofits – was designed and illustrated by Island artist Elissa Turnbull. It includes information on whether the farms sell meat, dairy, eggs, fiber, flowers and/or vegetables and fruit. Pick up the free brochure at the Ag Society, 35 Panhandle Road, West Tisbury, and Island libraries. marthasvineyardagriculturalsociety.org.
KINDNESS MATTERS
RECIPES & STORIES FROM MV SALADS
In celebration of salad season, Oak Bluffs business owner Susanna Herlitz-Ferguson has published a cookbook of fresh, Mediterranean-inspired recipes. Made with Kindness: Tales & Tastes from MV Salads on Martha’s Vineyard includes 18 fresh recipes – from Baked Feta with Figs and Olives to Cioppino Stew – that feature Susanna’s popular “MV The Dressing” salad dressing.
In addition to the recipes, Susanna’s 18 personal essays – stories that touch on all aspects of Vineyard life – make this a delightful keepsake for anyone visiting the Vineyard this summer. Bonus: Beautiful food photography by Marnely Murray and beautiful Island photography by Larry Glick. Visit mvsalads.com for more information.
The Martha’s Vineyard Author Series begins with Frank Bruni (The Age of Grievance) on Thursday, July 11, at 7 p.m. at the Chilmark Community Center, and Amor Towles (Table for Two) on Sunday, July 14, at 7 p.m. at the Martha's Vineyard Performing Arts Center. For tickets and a full schedule, visit mvbookfestival.com/2024-schedule.
Endless Art
The Granary Gallery kicks off the summer season with their first Artists’ Premiere on July 5 from 4 to 6 p.m. Featured artists are Alison Shaw, Dan VanLandingham and Anne BesseShepherd. The Granary Gallery is located at 636 Old County Road, West Tisbury, and is open seven days a week. Granarygallery.com.
At the Martha’s Vineyard Playhouse, painter and poet Harry Seymour will have an exhibit, “Paintings and Poetry in Harmony,” in the Playhouse Art Space, beginning Wednesday, July 3, and running through August 9, while “Miss Maybelline’s Nocturnal Flights of Fancy” will be on the Patricia Neal Stage from July 13 through August 10.
Elissa Turnbull \ Martha’s Vineyard Agricultural Society
Dan VanLandingham
Ray
Ewing
BOOK IT Whodunit
BY MOLLY COOGAN
One of the greatest vacation indulgences is splurging on a new book and then having the time to read it! Mystery readers can look forward to spending time with some of their favorite detectives this summer with the release of several sequels to bestselling series.
The Comfort of Ghosts is the eighteenth – and final – book in English author Jacqueline Winspear’s award-winning Maisie Dobbs series. In this historical mystery, which takes place in London in 1945, psychologist and investigator Maisie Dobbs finds herself unraveling mysteries from her own past as she confronts the realities of the present.
Meanwhile, Detective Easy Rawlins is back for his sixteenth appearance in Farewell, Amethystine, the latest from the celebrated and awardwinning author Walter Mosley. It’s
1970 and Rawlins, L.A.’s premier Black detective, is faced with a seemingly simple missing persons case that nonetheless forces a reckoning during a time of monumental change.
And Greg Iles fans can rejoice with his first release in seven years.
Political thriller Southern Man is the seventh book in the Penn Cage series and takes place in the present day, 15 years after the events in Natchez Burning. A dangerous third-party candidate preying on unrest and fear is quickly rising toward the White House – can Cage expose the unlikely politician’s lies before the nation’s democracy is destroyed? At nearly 1,000 pages, you may have to extend your vacation to find out!
Molly Coogan is co-owner of Bunch of Grapes Bookstore.
FIVE THINGS TO EAT at Nomans
BY LAURA HOLMES HADDAD • PHOTOS BY RAY EWING
On the Island, dining out with a group – whether it’s a large family or a bunch of friends – can be daunting. And searching for a restaurant with the space, the food and the vibe amid the summer crush can make you just want to stay home. But luckily there is a solution: Nomans in Oak Bluffs, with a menu and atmosphere that will please everyone from toddlers to grandparents, vegans to meat-lovers.
Nomans opened in 2019, transforming the former Lola’s space at The Island Inn, a stone’s throw from Harthaven and Nantucket Sound, into a casual, fun indoor-outdoor experience. Modeled somewhat like a German beer garden (biergarten), where drinks are enjoyed amidst greenery, Nomans’ patio features
several seating areas, outdoor games, and “rum huts,” you can reserve.
With no reservations or wait list, the idea is to grab a table, place your food order inside, and pick it up at the window. (All food comes in familyfriendly recyclable containers.) Live music happens several nights a week (the Friday night dance parties with DJ Smooth B are legendary), and special events pop up through the season.
Nomans has its own house rum and delicious specialty cocktails in addition to beer and wine. The menu offers classic updates at affordable prices, and everything is made to order. All menu items are available to go as well.
Laura Holmes Haddad is a former cookbook editor and a regular contributor to the Vine.
Nomans has their own house rum — perfect in a pineapple-mint daiquiri.
1) NOMANS QUESO & CHIPS ($12)
Put aside everything you think you know about melted cheese and order Nomans’ queso to start your meal. Topped with flecks of green onions, it has just the right creamy consistency and mild spice level that make it impossible not to double dip. We won’t tell if you simply call it dinner.
2) PICKLE BRINED FRIED CHICKEN SANDWICH ($15)
The fried chicken sandwich trend is still going strong, and this is one of the best on the Island. Crunchy, juicy chicken thighs are served with a tangy, spicy sauce and a freshly made slaw. Be sure to grab extra napkins for this one. Don’t forget a side of crispy fries ($8), served with not-too-spicy chipotle aioli.
3) CHICKEN TACOS ($15)
As a California native, I’m skeptical of most East Coast Mexican food. But Nomans’ chicken tacos deliver: served in corn tortillas, the flavorful pulled chicken is topped with slices of avocado and served with a side of delicious house-made salsa.
4) ELOTE CHOPPED SALAD ($14)
This salad is bursting with color and flavor (think carrots, kale, fresh grilled corn and cabbage) and I could eat the lime-chili dressing with a spoon. Add a protein (chicken, codfish or lobster) to make it even more substantial.
5) CUPCAKES AND COOKIES (PRICES VARY)
You can’t go wrong with your choice of sweets from the daily offerings of gorgeous cupcakes, cookies and bars. Nomans’ baker is filling the dessert case with tons of spectacular treats that are big enough to share. The rotating menu includes a double-chocolate cupcake with velvety frosting and a chewy chocolate chip cookie stuffed with chocolate chips.
Playwright, Poet, Producer
An Interview with Kathleen McGhee-Anderson
BY SISSY BIGGERS • PHOTOS BY JEANNA SHEPARD
Los Angeles–based television and film writer, producer, poet and playwright Kathleen McGheeAnderson has spent summers on the Vineyard since she was a young child. Today, she dedicates as much time as her busy career allows to her Oak Bluffs cottage and garden, where she finds respite and inspiration. Her latest play, “Miss Maybelline’s Nocturnal Flights of Fancy,” debuted last summer with staged readings to sold-out crowds at the Martha’s Vineyard Playhouse. The full production explores Black life on Martha’s Vineyard across generations and premieres on the Patricia Neal Stage on July 13th.
Kathleen grew up in Detroit and graduated from Spelman College. She went on to get an MFA from Columbia University’s School of the Arts in film. She was one of the first African-Americans to write for the screen, and has had a rich and varied career spanning from screen to print.
Q. Tell me about your earliest memories of being on the Island.
A. I was raised in Detroit, but my mother is a Philadelphian, so from the age of five, we would join our East Coast family on the Vineyard. One of my earliest memories was learning how to ride a bike up in the Highlands
of Oak Bluffs, which wasn’t developed then, so it seemed like I was on a dirt path in the middle of a forest. Those kinds of sense memories stay with you.
As the years went by, I started doing my own thing, but I still came back regularly. When my mother retired as a schoolteacher in 1987, she bought a house in old Oak Bluffs off of School Street where “Miss Maybelline” is set. When the property became mine, I reimagined it so that our family could enjoy it for generations. Now it’s my privilege to take care of her.
Q. Tell me about your mother. Is the play’s centenarian, Miss Maybelline, based on her?
A. My mother just turned 96 — Christine McGhee, Phi Beta Kappa, which she will let you know. She still has her Phi Beta Kappa key! It’s safe to say that yes, it is, but Miss Maybelline
is a composite figure, an amalgamation of qualities of my mother and her two friends. My mother is an avid reader with a brilliant mind, but not extremely social. But she made friends with the ladies on the corner and that’s the community I’ve written about in my play.
Q. When did the play begin to take shape in your mind?
A. I started writing about my mom and her friends and that special place – their porch life – over a decade ago. When I showed it to her, she wasn’t sure how her friends would respond. She asked me to hold off. I would not be a writer had it not been for my mother, so I respected her opinion, and put it down for awhile.
Q. What is a “nocturnal flight of fancy?”
A. Well, some older people [with
Douglas. She was a star and an amazing actor alongside one of the best actors in the Shakespearean canon, John Douglas Thompson. They actually rehearsed in my Oak Bluffs garden, which people call my miniamphitheatre.
Q. What is different about mounting a play at the Martha’s Vineyard Playhouse?
A. I like theater best of all my genres, which include television and film, because of the intimacy and the immediacy. The Martha’s Vineyard Playhouse affords both of those things because the audience is so close to the experience and nestled in this safe space for theater, and the feelings of the play connect more. I’m totally comfortable with MJ [Martha’s Vineyard Playhouse Artistic and Executive Director MJ Bruder Munafo], so we have shorthand. The workshop last year was unusual, because it was a two-week workshop [and a two-night public reading], funded by the Martha’s Vineyard Community Foundation.
Q. Besides seeing your work on your favorite stage, do you have a favorite summer event or tradition?
A. Illumination Night – and it’s also one of Miss Maybelline’s flights of fancy. She takes the young boy who she’s befriended on a flight describing the most magical things that happen on the Island. In her mind, one of them is Illumination Night. But, now that you ask, my other favorite “illumination night” is my good friends Karen and Skip Finley’s fireworks party. It’s a bunch of close friends who grew up together gathering around a bonfire on the beach. Fire leaps into the sky and we lean back in our beach chairs and watch it crackle and pop.
Q. Let’s talk about Hollywood. Is there one thing that you are best known for in your wide-ranging career?
A. There isn’t one thing. My career has been more of a tapestry – a whole variety. It’s drama, theater, film, television and literature. Last year I
co-wrote the memoir for one of the last remaining Four Tops.
Q. Is there one television show as a kid that really influenced you?
A. Little House on the Prairie. Watching TV as a kid, I liked a well-told story. That’s my craft today. [Inspired by the show,] I tried my hand at it – writing a short story – and Michael Landon read it. I wrote the script and it was the first sale I ever made. So he started me on the road.
Q. What obstacles did you face breaking into television writing rooms?
A. I was the first dramatic television writer of color, and when I came along, the opportunities were not available. And now it’s much different. And that is a testament to those other writers and myself who really wanted this to happen and worked for this to happen. To see it happening now is so rewarding. When the doors did open, you had to bring the talent. I think they were rather impressed, I guess,
with the skill set that I brought to the table. I think they appreciated it. And they could see me. Certainly, they could see me.
Q. In the years you’ve been coming to the Island, what’s changed the most?
A. People complain about change. It’s classic on this Island. But I do think the change has been more rapid in recent years. Before it was gradual, so it was easier to acclimate. The part that is difficult for me is the idea that bigger, newer, shinier, cleaner is better than weathered. The people who are in charge of beautifying the Island are doing the Disney version of what the Vineyard used to be. I live in L.A. and there’s a Disney replication of everything. But last year when I went up-Island to meet a friend, I found that old sense of the Island – the feeling was pretty much the same as always.
Sissy Biggers is a regular contributor to the Vine and an occasional contributor to Martha’s Vineyard Magazine.
Kathleen McGhee-Anderson, settled on a bench at Catboat Coffee Co., will often take her pen and notebook to a coffee shop to write.
SATURDAY, AUGUST 24th
WASHINGTON PARK (opposite Our Market) OAK BLUFFS, MA
KIDS DASH 9:00am · RUNNERS/WALKERS 9:30am
REGISTRATION & NUMBER PICK-UP
$25 Walker, $25 Runner
$10 Kids Dash
MVH Main Lobby · August 23rd • 3:00pm - 6:00pm
Washington Park · August 24th • 7:30am - 9:00am
Cold Water is Hot
The latest health and wellness trend – cold plunging – pops up on the Vineyard.
BY SARA MASON ADER • PHOTOS BY JEANNA SHEPARD
Plunging feet-first and neck-deep into a vat brimming with frigid water may not sound like everyone’s idea of a good time. But a growing number of followers say the resulting adrenaline rush and overall sense of well-being afterwards is well worth the initial shock and discomfort from the extreme temps.
Cold water has been tapped for therapeutic and wellness uses since the days of the ancient Greeks and Romans, for purposes ranging from illness cures to skin care. Practices vary from brief cold showers to longer soaks in ice-filled tubs, and proponents say the mental and physical benefits can be immensely meaningful.
Paula Karol, a nurse practioner specializing in dermatology and the owner of Vineyard Haven–based spa DermaSea, first tried cold-plunging in January 2022 when friends convinced
her to join them on an icy dip into the Atlantic.
“The impact was profound,” she says. “I had this feeling of accomplishment and it really stuck with me.”
After that first exposure, Paula knew she wanted to incorporate a method for cold plunging into the spa she was planning to build. When DermaSea opened this spring, the wellness facility specializing in medical dermatology and healing included a room with a cold-water immersion and a sauna for heat therapy.
“I was thinking about cold plunges from my own experience,” she says. “There are a whole list of health benefits, but I was focusing on the sense of well-being I felt, which fits right in with my objective for DermaSea.”
Scientific research into cold plunging is still relatively inconclusive,
but athletes and fitness trainers have long relied on cold-water immersion to speed muscle recovery and to reduce inflammation. The most widely
known advocate for cold plunging is Dutch extreme athlete Wim Hof, who earned his nickname “The Iceman” after setting a series of world records
for cold exposure.
Wim Hof has made it his mission to prove the benefits of cold for the average person. His methods involve a series of exercises and breathing techniques intended to help individuals who are not extreme athletes safely reap benefits such as reduced levels of stress, better sleep and heightened mental clarity.
How cold is cold? That depends on your goals. Wim Hof practitioners say the benefits start with exposure of 10 minutes or less in temperatures below 57 degrees. As the temperature decreases, the benefits accrue with less time. And they discourage plunging alone, both for the sake of safety and enjoyment.
Wim Hof–certified massage therapist Deborah Wirzburger stresses the social aspect of plunging. “Wim wants to make it safe but he also wants to make it fun,” she says, explaining that incorporating friendly competitions and taking photos are encouraged as part of his method.
After 15 years of working as a licensed massage therapist on Martha’s Vineyard, Deborah was searching for ways to help her clients relax at the outset of their sessions so that her therapeutic work would be more effective. She attended a wellness industry conference in Helsinki, Finland, where she was reminded of the joy she had felt sauna bathing and then being rinsed off with cold water in her Finnish grandfather’s yard as a kid.
“Cold rinsing was part of the traditional sauna bathing experience,” she says, recounting how these Finnish practices work wellness into daily routines. She realized she wanted to bring both heat and cold therapy
into her work and decided to pursue the Wim Hof certification, eventually incorporating training sessions into her menu of offerings for clients. “The concept of cold exposure is to push yourself to the edge, and get comfortable being uncomfortable,” she says.
Deborah’s business, The Nordic Mermaid, provides massage, cold plunging and sauna therapies at clients’ homes or in retreat settings on Martha’s Vineyard and Cape Cod. A “Mobile Spauna,” which is a custom-designed party-bus-style spa incorporating a wood-burning sauna and ice bath, is being built and planned for launch next year.
If you’re thinking of giving cold plunging a try, the experts recommend checking in with your health professional or a Wim Hof–certified professional to get you started. And though the chilly ocean waters surrounding the Vineyard are actually too warm in the summer season to reap the benefits of plunging in nature, Islanders have plenty of other options for getting their cold on.
Along with Nordic Mermaid’s mobile sessions, the cold plunge room and sauna at DermaSea are available in 45-minute sessions that cost $65 for one person or $100 for two. Paula offers a tutorial and some tips, and she will stay in the room at the client’s request. She also offers packages for multiple sessions with discounted pricing.
Or you could take advantage of an Arctic dip into a tub set up by the Cold Plunge Guys at Nomans in Oak Bluffs. As part of Self-Care Sundays, Nomans is hosting the innovative company from noon to 3 p.m. on Sundays from now until the end of the season. The Beverly,
Mass.-based company sells cold-plunge and sauna equipment and has run more than 100 cold-plunge events throughout New England (including the Vineyard) in the past year.
At the events, co-founder Mitch Cunningham says the goal is to introduce people to the idea of cold plunging without pushing people to go in. “Usually they see someone else doing it, and then they want to try too,” he says. “By the end of the event, people say they are so glad they did it. They feel great.”
The Cold Plunge Guys are also available for private events and parties, which typically involve “lots of screaming, laughing and smiling,” Mitch says.
If you’re all in and want to consider purchasing your own tank, the Cold Plunge Guys offer a range of products for home use including a Martha’sVineyard-inspired red cedar barrel.
“Our tubs offer the convenience to build the cold plunge into a daily habit,” Mitch says. “Until you get in and try it, you won’t understand the feeling we’re chasing.”
Sara Mason Ader is a freelance writer and editor based in Hingham, Mass. She enjoys travel, reading and swimming, and recently resumed piano lessons after a decades-long hiatus.
Paula Karol, NP-C, included a cold-plunge tub and sauna when she designed DermaSea spa, which she opened this spring in Vineyard Haven. Her son Kevin Beaulieu takes the plunge.
Personal Best
Vineyarder Catey Best came home to grow a beautiful life at Takemmy Farm.
BY EMMA KILBRIDE • PHOTOS BY JEANNA SHEPARD
Takemmy Farm sprawls like a giant cat along State Road in West Tisbury. In summertime, it’s a lush, green matrix of fenced-in paddocks, dotted with grazing geldings. At the property’s edge is a small wooden booth. It would be almost imperceptible along the endless line of fence if it weren’t for its eye-catching cargo: bouquets of fresh-picked flowers in shades of pink, violet, peach and blue.
For the past two summers, bornand-raised Vineyarder Catey Best has grown and arranged the flowers that fill Takemmy Farm’s flower stand. All day long, drivers, bikers and dog walkers stop on the road’s shoulder to buy bundles of blooms to take home.
“There’s a different range of openness of flowers customers are looking for,” Catey said. “Sometimes, the sun does
my work for me by blowing the flowers open on a very hot day.”
Through all seasons, Catey spends every day thinking about flowers — harvesting them, fertilizing them, propagating the rarest varieties. But her love affair with flora is not something she ever expected.
When Catey was 13, her mother bought Takemmy Farm and started selling home-grown flowers at the very same stand Catey uses today.
Occasionally, Catey’s mom would enlist her to keep watch over the stand, ensuring passers-by didn’t swipe bouquets without paying. When it came to actual gardening, a teenage Catey wasn’t interested.
“I wasn’t really into farming in seventh grade. I was into, you know,
hanging out with friends,” she laughed.
After high school, she left the Island for Florida, where she graduated from The University of Miami and Ave Maria School of Law. She set out to be an attorney, working pro-bono for human trafficking survivors and asylum seekers. She moved to Baltimore, where she mentored kids at the local chapter of the nonprofit Boys Hope Girls Hope.
“I wanted to help people and be a positive force in the world,” she said.
But Catey didn’t settle into the path she had chosen. She flitted between the Vineyard and Baltimore, cherishing her time with family but remaining committed to her nonprofit work. Eventually, it hit her: she wanted to give up law, and she wanted to come home. She moved back to Takemmy and
started a small plot of her own in her mother’s garden, filled with zinnias, eucalyptus and amaranth. Farming, she realized, was how she was meant to share goodness with others.
“There’s just something that I connect with more about being in nature and being in tune with creating things and sharing joy, versus being in the trenches during people’s most stressful moments,” she said.
Catey sources many of her flowers from her mom Peggy Tudek’s garden. The product of over 30 years of careful planting and pruning, it’s impossibly bright, replete with peonies, gladiolus and towering purple lupines.
Next to it is a garden of Catey’s own. It’s a young garden, but Catey’s constant tending is evident. Flowers
and vegetables of countless varieties sit in rows, waiting to bloom at the season’s height. About a quarter of the large plot is populated with dahlia plants. She spent all winter preserving last year’s tubers before planting them this spring. Now she has over 3,000 plants and 300 varieties.
“That’s my pride and joy,” she said, beaming at the field of dahlias. “Every year, I catch more of the dahlia fever.”
Each day, Catey wakes up at 5 a.m. (with much urging from her English bulldog, Bruiser) to plant, prune and pick. She ensures that her flower stand is full of fresh blooms before 9 a.m. She ventures back out in the cool hours of late afternoon to finish the day’s work.
Catey’s father, Doug Best, who owns D. Best Construction, helped her convert an old chicken coop into a flower cooler. She takes refuge in the cooler during the day’s hottest hours, sorting the day’s harvest into colorful bouquets.
“It’s like my hot and cold therapy: being out here, ready to pass out, and then going to the cooler, 39 degrees, with my parka,” she joked.
Catey loves to bring her work home with her. A vase on her mother’s porch holds a bouquet of Coral Charm peonies, unfolding in the sun like fluorescent pink tissue paper.
“They’re a very faint peach color as they open and age, and that’s beautiful too,” she said of the flowers. “They aren’t fragrant though.”
Catey is discerning about beauty, but she doesn’t discriminate. She has a love for everything that grows, from the dahlias she painstakingly raises from tubers to the invasive mustards that crop up all over her lawn. They might just show up in the same bouquet.
Eventually, Catey hopes to expand her business and arrange her flowers for weddings. For now, she’s focused on her flower stand and sending each visitor home with an armful of her hard, joyful work.
“Working for yourself, you end up working all the time, 365 days a year,” she said. “But it makes me happy. It’s my passion.”
Emma Kilbride is a summer news intern at the Vineyard Gazette.
Vineyarder Catey Best took over her mom’s flower-growing operation at Takemmy Farm in West Tisbury. This is her third year of growing a range of beauties from ranunculus (above) to peonies (top left) to thousands of dahlias. She sells them at the stand on State Road.
A Walk Back In Time
On a historic walking tour of Edgartown led by the Vineyard Preservation Trust, visiting houses from three different centuries can feel like time travel.
BY SUSIE MIDDLETON • PHOTOS BY RAY EWING
Normally at 10:30 a.m. on a Friday morning, I’m hanging out at the 250-year-old Capt. Benjamin Smith house at the corner of Davis Lane and South Summer street in Edgartown. In other words, I’m at the Vineyard Gazette office, attending the weekly news meeting.
But at 10:30 a.m. on a Friday a few weeks ago, I was two blocks away. Not at the courthouse – don’t worry! But standing on the steps of the Old Whaling Church, about to embark on a historic tour of Edgartown, hosted by the Vineyard Preservation Trust, which, coincidentally, owns the Capt. Benjamin Smith House.
Despite working at the Gazette for seven years, where my little corner of
the office is a space off of the newsroom that once was photographer Alison Shaw’s darkroom and now houses much of the Vineyard Gazette archives, I haven’t managed to absorb as much of the history of Edgartown as I would have liked.
But I got curious about the Trust’s historic walking tour after hearing Sissy Biggers, the Trust’s program director (and a Vine contributor) tell me how much she enjoyed giving the tours. I thought that was remarkable, given that she must have walked these brick sidewalks and roselined streets hundreds of times. Even more intriguing: the historical tours are the only way the public can see the inside of some of the town’s oldest properties.
On the morning I queued up, the
Trust’s lead educator, Laura Pla, was guiding the tour. Laura lives on Chappaquiddick now but spent many years working with The National Trust for Historic Preservation at The Glass House in New Canaan, Conn. She’s a pro. The tour was full; the limit is a manageable 14 people, which is lovely. Though technically we were 16, with two small pooches.
Our route took us from the Old Whaling Church on Main street to the Dr. Daniel Fisher House right next door, and then to the Vincent House directly behind both. From there we crossed over Main street and walked three blocks south to the corner of Davis and School streets to The Cooke House & Legacy Gardens, which are owned by
the
the Martha’s Vineyard Museum. In a new collaboration between the Museum and
Trust, the Cooke House is now
Laura Pla, an experienced architectural guide, leads a lively tour.
DANIEL FISHER HOUSE
VINCENT HOUSE
South Summer street, stopped briefly outside the Gazette building, and turned down Davis Lane to South Water street, where we saw the giant Pagoda tree, and several whaling captains’ houses before finishing up at The Carnegie Heritage Center on North Water street. The tour is billed at 75 minutes, but the actual walking time is far less and is manageable for anyone. Tours happen Tuesday through Saturday at 10:30 a.m. through August 31. The cost is $25 for adults, $10 for children.
THREE CENTURIES IN AN HOUR
Maybe it was the idea of playing hooky from work, or maybe it was the feeling of being on a field trip, or maybe it was just a thrill to play tourist for a morning – a warm sunny morning, no less – that endeared me to the tour. But I think, ultimately, the reason I enjoyed it so much was the same reason anyone, Islanders included (or maybe especially), would: It’s a rare and fascinating opportunity to see how Islanders lived across three centuries –to imagine their family life, their daily chores, their worship, their fortunes –through the lens of structures built 350, 250 and 180 years ago.
In fact, when Laura pointed out that the Vincent House was built in 1672, the Cooke House in 1766 and the Dr. Daniel Fisher House in 1840, I felt goosebumps realizing we had walked through three centuries in less than an
hour. Not to mention four or five major architectural styles: the Old Whaling Church, with its six massive Doric columns, is a grand example of Greek Revival style – and was engineered and built by 19th century shipwrights; Dr. Daniel Fisher, who became one of the wealthiest men in America during the whaling era (in large part from manufacturing spermaceti candles), built a stately Federal-style home to live in year-round. But a subsequent owner, William M. Butler, added the kind of embellishments – curved porches and balconies, a porte cochere – better suited for an elegant summer home in the early 20th century.
The classic colonial architecture of the Cooke House reminded me quite a lot of our Gazette building; they were built around the same time and both have that symmetrical rectangular design, big hearths, two stories – and sloping wooden floors. The Cooke House, however, has some of its original glass windowpanes (shipped from England) and apparently is one of the few houses in Edgartown that was never moved.
But I confess, at the Cooke House (photos next page), I was more interested in the area outside of the house than in. The variously themed legacy gardens, the colonial raised-bed herb garden and the baby Pagoda tree are a delight for garden lovers like me. Also, there is a fascinating 1850 map of Edgartown etched in stone outside the house, which shows how Cooke street was once the heavily trafficked
The 1672 Vincent House was home to eight generations of one Island family; seeing the inside is like walking through time - from glimpses of the original construction to the 17th century hearth to a living area (bottom photo) fancied up during the Victorian era.
street was once the heavily trafficked Commercial street (and before that Meetinghouse Way because it led from the wharves up to the customs house).
Laura told us, in noting the tens of thousands of ships that came through Edgartown in the 1800s, “Think of Vineyard Sound as I-95. We were the Vince Lombardi rest stop on the New Jersey turnpike.”
THE WAY, WAY BACK MACHINE
For me, the design and construction of the 1672 Vincent House was the coolest by far. Seeing the inside of one of the oldest surviving residences on the Vineyard was eye-opening. Eight generations of the Vincent family lived continuously in this full Cape, which, Laura explained, was originally located in the Edgartown Great Pond area. It was a family homestead on 20
acres where the family raised food.
In 1977, the house was moved to the center of Edgartown village and positioned on a new fieldstone foundation, with fruit trees and a garden to mimic its original purpose. During restoration, care was taken to preserve the house – a post and beam full cape with wattle and daub construction – as it was built. Or, more accurately, built and reinforced over hundreds of years. On the tour, thanks to exposed sections covered by plastic, you are able to see the spindly scrub-oak trunks used in original construction, as well as the oak staves and clay daub of later construction. In other parts of the house, you can see wide planks used as original siding. They were called bay boards since they had to travel from Buzzards Bay to the Island, which didn’t have large enough
hearth, as well as the bed the adults would have slept in at night. A small room next to it – on what would have been the warm side of the house – was a birthing room. A pantry is on the cooler side of the house. There are only three main rooms. One of the eight generations of Vincents updated the formal gathering room during the Victorian era with a fancy mantlepiece and cabinetry. Restorers kept that era alive in that room, which gives you an odd sense of time travel when you enter it from the very rustic parlor. The tour ends by bringing you into the 20th century, architecturally
built in 1904 as the original Edgartown Public Library. Inside this beautifully restored space, you could spend at least another hour exploring the Living Landmarks exhibits.
Or you could just settle into one of the really comfortable chairs in the front reading room to browse through old magazines and books.
That sure seemed tempting to me, but the time machine was calling me back to the present. Good thing the Carnegie is only a short hop from my office. I’ll be back. And you may see me tagging along when you sign up for a tour.
COOKE HOUSE PAGODA TREE
THE CARNEGIE
At Circuit Style Salon, you’ll get a warm welcome from a one-year-old black-and-white Pomsky named Storm.
STORY AND
PHOTOS BY MINDY DUTKA
Step into Circuit Style Salon in Oak Bluffs and enter a hub of warmth, community and unexpected delight curated by shop owner Seniel Hannagan. To the hint of retro style, vibrant colors and the animated conversation of customers, add the surprise of a warm and furry welcome. Meet Circuit Style’s shop dog, Storm, a one-year-old black-and-white Pomsky.
Clients who walk through the doors of hair salons often get more than a haircut or color; they find solace, camaraderie and a listening ear. At Circuit Style Salon, they get much more: Storm’s boundless affection and infectious energy are an indispensable part of this salon experience. Somehow, she seems to know what each individual needs on any given day.
According to Seniel, who has owned Circuit Style since 2011, Storm’s presence in the salon is a testament to the magic and impact of the humananimal bond. This dog has proven to be a healer, a comforter and a source
of transformation for many of Seniel’s clients. She has softened the hearts of non-dog lovers and, in one instance, even helped a client overcome a childhood fear of dogs. Storm’s gentle presence has touched lives in ways Seniel never expected.
As a new full-time resident of the Vineyard, I’ve personally experienced the surprise, charm and delight of walking into this salon for the first time as a new customer and being greeted by Storm. From her corner chair, she watched me come in and met me at the door, wagging her fluffy purple tail and rolling on her back, saying welcome. She had me at hello, and I felt at home.
Storm’s celebrity status extends beyond the salon walls; she’s often recognized while out on her daily jaunts with Seniel. As for Seniel? She’s humbled and grateful for the joy Storm brings to everyone she meets.
Mindy Dutka is a photographer, dog advocate and founder of dogsimeet.com.
Circuit Style Salon owner Seniel Hannagan is grateful that her one-year-old Pomsky, Storm, brings so much joy and comfort to everyone she meets.
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY, JAWS!
BY SUSIE MIDDLETON AND LOUISA HUFSTADER • ILLUSTRATIONS BY CHRIS BURRELL
It was 50 years ago this summer that Universal Studios and Steven Spielberg arrived on Martha’s Vineyard to film what would become a blockbuster sensation in the summer of 1975.
$51,000,000
CHA-CHING. The movie’s budget – a reported $3.5 million (a little over $22 million in 2024 currency) – with much of it slated to be spent on the Vineyard during a recession, convinced doubting Islanders to welcome the film. In the end, the film came in closer to $8 million (what would be $51 million today).
MEET BRUCE. The mechanical shark, nicknamed Bruce, wasn’t one shark, but three – a toothy full-frontal shark, a profile shark that could submerge quickly and the “sled shark” with just a dorsal fin and tail that was dragged through the water behind a powerboat.
SINK YOUR TEETH INTO THIS 27
Years old - the age Steven Spielberg was when he directed Jaws.
67
Million Americans saw the film on its release in 1975.
EXTRA, EXTRA. Hundreds of Islanders were hired as extras for the film, several with speaking parts. Word spread quickly that extras could make $20 a day just to sit on the beach (and perhaps run screaming out of the water), and more than $120 if selected as “day players” for specific scenes.
12
ALL HANDS ON DECK. Islander Lynn Murphy handled security for the production’s working fleet of more than a dozen mismatched vessels, including the tug Whitefoot, the old CityofChappaquiddick ferry, and a barge called the S.S.GarageSale
100
Million dollars in box-office sales made Jaws the first true American blockbuster.
73
Chairs were in the orchestra John Williams put together for the score of Jaws.
