Monday, July 8, 2013

Martha's Vineyard, My Island Home

Though I can proudly call Boston my home, MV has my heart; there is something so special about this Island! When I was student here many years ago (in Northeastern's  MV Summer Workshop) I just fell in love with it. Everything about it was so quaint and lovely, and the ancestral Italian fishermen in my past must have sent me a siren song to love it. It worked. 

So imagine how excited I was to bring my two little ones to the Island for the first time this summer! I planned a trip for all of us that would celebrate both the 4th of July (which tends to be a hectic holiday around here) and my 6th anniversary on July 7. 

On Wednesday the 3rd, we checked into the most fabulous hotel, The Harbor View in Edgartown.  http://www.harbor-view.com (Originally, we were supposed to stay at a little Inn called the Hob Knob - also known as the Hob Snob, as they didn't allow children,forgot to mention that when I booked the place weeks ago, and subsequently asked us to leave. I was livid, but ironically, the manager wrangled us a room at the Harbor View, which was where I wanted to stay all along.) The Harbor View is like an upscale Kellerman's from Dirty Dancing - plenty of activities for the kids, which was perfect. We just fell in love with the place. We had dinner at The Wharf and enjoyed Red, White and Blueberry Ice Cream at Mad Martha's, of course! I bumped into former Austin students Bridget and Shannon Kent while walking in Edgartown, and we capped off the night with a night swim for Emerson - who swam with noodles for the first time!

On Thursday the 4th, we hung out at the hotel all day; after an amazing buffet at Water Street, we visited the Edgartown Lighthouse and took part in all the festivities: stringing star beads for 4th of July necklaces, making ice cream, watching the annual Edgartown parade and trying to secure the best seats for the fireworks. Though the actual fireworks were so hazy because of the mugginess, it was an idyllic day. Em was excited, John fell asleep, and it was a wonderful celebration. I also bumped into Max Gouveia, who I taught at Austin and who works at the hotel.

We took a midnight cab ride over to the Wesley Hotel in Oaks Bluff, which was an perfectly located as it was run down and creepy. We slept on the towels I packed, and vowed never to stay there again. Bye, Wesley Hotel. See ya never!

On Friday the 5th, we checked out the Gingerbread Houses, which Em loved, and had breakfast at Linda Jean's, where we bumped into another student - Miss Molly Waitt, who nannies in OB. Small world. We also took the kids to the Flying Horses Carousel, which was so sweet. Beauty really is in the eye of the beholder, because the horses, although ancient, still spark excitement in every child and adult. Em was so adorable and streeeetched out to reach for the brass ring, which gave me a Catcher in the Rye flashback. I can't believe how fast she's growing up. We headed back to Edgartown (whew!)  to stay at the Chappy House Cottage at the Kelley House Hotel, a sister Hotel to the Harbor View http://www.kelley-house.com and had an incredible dinner on the roof deck at the Seafood Shanty. I saw Sean and Julianne Lenehan (more Austin grads) and was so proud to learn that Jules was teaching English in Thailand.

On Saturday the 6th, we had a very chill day by the pool. Em and Peter flew her ladybug kite by the lighthouse and went to the beach while John and I relaxed and took a long stroll. Traveling with two little kids means we have to "divide and conquer," especially to keep them both happy. But a nice anniversary dinner at Alchemy was just the ticket. Pete and I did shots to celebrate, which was hilarious. I'm sure the waiter thought we were crazy.

Sunday the 7th was our last day, and we chilled by the pool again before our last lunch at the Atlantic, and did a little shopping, where I finally got my Martha's Vineyard Alex and Ani bracelet. Our taxi driver was so fun - he was also a 7/7/07 groom and drove us out to the East Chop lighthouse where he had his ceremony. Talk about kismet...as if everything on the Island wasn't enchanting enough...

...and I can't wait to go back.

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