February 20, 2013
Want to live like a Rockefeller on your next vacation? Want a voyeuristic peek into the world of the rich and powerful?
These iconic resorts across the country — from a Gilded Age Palm Beach estate to a Newport mansion to a Long Island Gold Coast castle — will make you feel like your blood runs blue. Just remember not to comment at length on the beauty of the place. Give an approving nod and ask for tea.
Just when we thought we knew The Vineyard like the backs of our hands, along comes a couple to open our eyes anew to this amazing island. Moira and Yann take daily early morning photos of Martha’s Vineyard that will take your breath away.
All days of the year, in all four seasons, the pair uncover layer after layer of insight and intrigue in our harbors, beaches and back roads. The results are insightful. Check out the full collection on their website, Vineyard Colors.
Independent professionals by trade, the couple struggled to make ends meet in the economic downturn. So, starting in June of 2009, they took on an early morning paper route to help pay the bills. Hitting the road at 3:45 am was tough at first, but in their words, “what started as pure drudgery turned into a revelation: driving the vineyard’s deserted roads at Dawn is exhilarating! Winter or Summer, rain or shine, we are surrounded by beauty. To convince our incredulous friends and family we weren’t delusional, we decided to share pictures every day. More than 700 consecutive days and 65,000 (mostly bad) pictures later, we are hooked to this routine.”
And we are so glad they are! Their photos — particularly of the quiet months of winter and early spring – show us a side of The Vineyard that we usually sleep through. They plan to soon add an online store to their website to sell photo notecards. Until they do, you can purchase the notecards at Alley’s General Store in West Tisbury, Bunch of Grapes Bookstore in Vineyard Haven, Conroy’s Apothecary in both Oak Buffs and West Tisbury, and The Scottish Bakehouse in Tisbury.
It has really inspired us. In fact, it has inspired us SO MUCH we are offering a new “Capture the Quiet Season” package for amateur photographers. Check out our Special Offers page for complete details.
Most people have heard the old idiom referring to the darkest, coldest days of the year as “the dead of winter.” This humble writer is here to tell you that there is life in the cold, dark days of winter if you have the good fortune to spend them on Martha’s Vineyard.
Last month, I wrote about a few of the culinary diversions available to off-season visitors to this fair isle. There’s more to do than eat, however.
The absence of the crowds that characterize the lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer gives the cool, crisp, peaceful days of winter a special feel every bit as pleasurable in their own way as the high season, if you know how to take advantage of them. Fortunately for you, dear reader, I’m here to give you the advice you need for a winter respite.
First of all, there’s the beach. The beach is for summer activities only, right? Wrong. A walk on the beach on a brisk winter day, provided you’re dressed for it, provides a sensory treat that’s hard to match. Chances are that you’ll have the sand to yourself whether you choose to pass the time hiking, jogging, or simply sitting and drinking in the sights and sounds of the ever-changing shore.
My personal preference is for a good winter beach exploration. With no competition to hinder you, there is an undisturbed environment awaiting your curiosity. My most memorable finds include some amazing driftwood and shells, not to mention the carcasses of a massive sea turtle and a seal.
Dead animals and frozen toes not to your taste? Then warm yourself in front of a blazing fire with a cup of cocoa or the hot beverage of your choice. There are fireplaces in many restaurants and hotels, but my hearths of choice are located in the luxury suites at the Vineyard Square Hotel and Suites. (No gratuity was awarded for this shameless promotion, although I can always dream.) Okay, so the switch-controlled, gas-powered fires aren’t exactly authentic old school, but… what the heck. You can light and stoke the wood for half an hour while I curl up by the gas fire in an instant.
In winter, the air, clear as a perfect diamond, shimmers with color and spark. The water’s surface is flecked with frozen silver and gold. And sunsets take on a unique glow unknown in the other seasons. Seeing any of that during a stroll on a winter beach or wooded island lane will remain frozen in your memory long after the frost has thawed.
After all that outside activity, you’ll have built up an appetite for a hearty meal of warm comfort food. I commend your attention to my previous post on island winter fare .
Save a cup of cocoa and room by the fire for me. We can compare dead animal sightings.
