Class, welcome to MV101.  In this course you will learn the fundamentals of a Martha’s Vineyard vacation.  Pay close attention and take copious notes.  There will be a test upon completion of the course.

Oak Bluffs' gingerbread houses are a must for any first-time Martha's Vineyard visitor.

First, it’s important to understand that Martha’s Vineyard is an island.  (Say it with me, “island”.)  You can’t drive to it.  Practical jokes notwithstanding, there is no tunnel or bridge to take you there.  You must arrive by boat or, if you have the wherewithal or are a sitting president, by plane.

When you are hungry, do not – I repeat, do not – go looking for McDonald’s, Applebee’s, Chuck E. Cheese’s, or any other of that ilk.  You won’t find them.  Even if you could locate one of those beasts, it would be in very bad taste (quite literally) to patronize them.  Martha’s Vineyard specializes in real food.  Good food.  Leave the chains where they belong: on the mainland or on your snow tires.

The preferred method of transportation on the Vineyard is the VTA, or Vineyard Transit Authority.  You can get anywhere on the island for a reasonable price, especially if you purchase a multi-day pass.  You can also rent a moped if you want to annoy drivers and immediately identify yourself as el tourista. (Not recommended.  Points will be deducted.)

For a more leisurely pace and healthful experience, bicycles are an excellent alternative.  You can bring your own over on the boat (see “island” above) or rent one at any number of convenient shops.  The bike path system is superb, offering plenty of safe, off-the-road routes to a variety of island destinations.

Speaking of destinations, you will need to take in all of the following sights if you are to have a true neophyte’s MV vacation:

1. The Flying Horses
2. The Gingerbread Houses, a.k.a. Methodist Campground, a.k.a. MV Camp Meeting Association
3. Sunset on Menemsha Beach
4. South Beach
5. Gay Head
6. The Jaws Bridge

[Note: More advanced activities will be explored in detail in the follow-on class to this one: MV102, for which this class is a prerequisite.]

While a day trip is a perfectly acceptable way to get a cursory view of the island, it is strongly recommended that several days be set aside for the complete “MV Experience”©.  (Extra credit – and extra enjoyment – will be granted to those who stay at Vineyard Square Hotel and Suites, sponsors of this session.  No fee has been a paid for this promotional announcement.)

Finally, a long walk is a required project for this class.  The following locations will be accepted as fulfilling this requirement:

1. Mytoi gardens on Chappaquiddick
2. Polly Hill Arboretum
3. Felix Neck Wildlife Sanctuary
4. Any beach

There are many other possible walking trails, but they are recommended only for our more advanced students.

Now it’s time for your test: Grab a ferry and visit.

Good luck.

And whether you come celebrate with her or give her a relaxing time away with her special someone, there’s plenty to do here on The Vineyard to keep her smiling all month long.

Celebrate mom at Vineyard Square Hotel & Suites

Edgartown’s first Pink & Green weekend features a fancy ball and plenty of special deals for mom. Plus, things are happening all over the island. We’ve compiled a list below. Don’t miss this opportunity to show your mom how much she means to you.

1. Mother’s Day Brunch @ The Lure Grill

2. Farm Neck Café Mother’s Day Brunch

3. Mother’s Day family fun day 11am – 2pm @ Middleton Nursery (West Tisbury)

4. Edgartown Lighthouse Open 11am – 3pm (free for mothers and children under 12)

5. Gay Head Lighthouse Open 1pm – 3pm (free for mothers and children under 12)

6. Mother’s Day Brunch @ Harbor View Hotel

7. Amusement arcade opens for the Weekend.

8. Carousel opens on Saturday and Sunday.

9. Island Alpaca open for Mother’s Day weekend

This public art project leaves the Vineyard on May 7, so make sure you get out and about and see them soon. Kidd has said that the project is intended to make folks feel positive about their lives and inspired.

We spoke to her the other day and she mentioned that Island residents this time of year (gearing up for the season) either feel overwhelmed with work or overwhelmed with the need of work. We couldn’t agree more. Seeing her words of encouragement have brightened up the days of Vineyard Square’s busy staff.

Read more about the project in this MVTimes article.

Paris has the Eiffel Tower.

New York City has its Empire State Building.

San Francisco boasts the Golden Gate Bridge.

Every great city has a landmark that is visible from almost any vantage point within its limits.  Edgartown is no different.  In fact, Edgartown does them all one better.  While those other architectural wonders are impressive where they stand, the one that is the pride of Edgartown Harbor is mobile.

Mad Max boat sailing off Martha's Vineyard (photo courtesy of Mad Max Marina).

It’s a massive, fluttering sheet of white suspended from a majestic mast and sporting the image of a surly buccaneer named “Mad Max”.  The sinister stare of this profligate privateer surveys the harbor whenever he’s not otherwise occupied cruising the coastline of the Vineyard.

Mad Max is the name of a catamaran that offers cruises to landlubbers like me whose oceanic exploits are normally limited to the ferry.  But it’s more than that.  It is actually a monument to the seafaring history of the city.

OK, maybe I’m overstating it.  I do that.  But it is definitely a site that has always represented Edgartown Harbor for me.  It peeks above the roofs and gables of the buildings that line the shore, beckoning to the sea everyone within reach of its siren call.

I resisted that call for longer than I care to admit.  I remember hosting friends who were visiting the island.  Ever the pseudo-local, I put on my best haughty manner as I showed them around, pointing out the scenery and places of interest.  As Mad Max loomed over us, with feigned superiority I described its features and told them how I’d always wanted to take it for a sail.  One of them called my bluff.  “Why not now?”  I had no answer.

We all spent the next couple of hours skimming over the waves along the northeast coast of the island.  What a ride!  We brought some wine and snacks (encouraged by the boat’s management) and took in a view of the coastline we’d never appreciated before.  Being one who is prone to mild queasiness on anything but the most placid water surface, I feared the worst on a relatively small boat.  No need to worry.  The twin-hulled construction makes the ride as smooth as gelato.

One of the craft’s exceptional features is the mesh surface that spans the two hulls on the front half of the boat.  We lounged on it as the water rushed just a couple of feet underneath us.  We were mermaids and mermen soaring above the surf.  (See how the imagination can run away with you on such a magical experience?)

As the sun set, we made our way back to the harbor, where Max could once more lodge leisurely in his niche, overlooking his enchanting empire.  The rest of us carried the memory of our excursion long after we had reacquired our land legs.

Try that on the Eiffel Tower.

Joanne Sardini is the new General Manager at our downtown Edgartown, MA hotel.

She took the reins a few months ago and we couldn’t be more thrilled. We’re already seeing great positive changes under her leadership, including fantastic new special offers and creative packages for YOU, our valued guests. After 11 years with Vineyard Square Hotel & Suites, Joanne knows the hotel and the island inside and out. She, her husband Paul, and puppy Dunbar live on the island year-round. Just let her know what you need during your visit and she (or he great staff) will take care of it.

Also New for the 2012 Season

1. New Kitchen = Fresh Baked Breakfast. We’ve built out our kitchen and added new appliances. This means new items for our morning breakfast buffet offerings. Keep your eyes peeled for croissants, fresh-baked muffins and other homemade goodies.

2. New Linens. We’ve refreshed all the sheets and towels in our rooms to new, higher-grade linens. Now, when you slip into bed (or dry yourself off) you’ll discover a silky new softness!

When someone mentions “fast food”, what do you think of?  I think of plastic.  The fast food joints’ signs?  Plastic.  The furniture?  More plastic!  The food?  Well, I can’t be certain, but it sure seems like more of the same.  So why do people go to those places?  Either they’re slaves to conformity or they have a thing for plastic.

One more reason to come to Martha’s Vineyard!  There are almost no such places here.  I don’t want to name names, but you won’t find any burger places with Scottish names or creepy looking royalty.

But if you really must have fast food, you can actually find it on the Vineyard.  Like everything else here, however, fast food Vineyard-style is way better than anything you’ll find on the mainland.  Let’s look at a few places where the food is plenty quick, but it comes with a free side of spectacular seascape.  Oh yeah, and it’s edible.

Oak Bluffs is a great place to get some pizza, pronto.  You won’t find the mass-produced discs of dubious food-like substances that you get at the chains, but you will find Giordano’s real Italian pizza.  On a sultry summer evening, there’s nothing like walking up to Giordano’s take-out window and ordering a fresh, hot slice of pizza heaven.  Get extra napkins.

Martha's VIneyard has many "non-chain" fast food options, including a number of great delis.

Edgartown doesn’t seem like the kind of hamlet to host fast food, but they have just the place for diners in a hurry.  The Quarterdeck is a classic waterfront take-out eatery.  Walk up, place your order, and in no time you’re downing fabulous fried clams, lobster bisque, burgers, fries, even soft-serve ice cream.  Take the short walk to the dock to partake of your fleet feast while watching the On-Time ferry make its rounds to and from Chappy.  Pure joy.  You won’t find that at Wendy’s.

(Edgartown also has Espresso Love, but they deserve – and will get – a column all their own!)

Up island would seem like another longshot for quick cuisine, but it’s there, too.  No mainland chain can hold a frozen shoestring fry to The Bite in Menemsha.  You’ll forget all about the drive-up window at MacDonald’s when you’re munching on fish and chips while watching the sun set on Menemsha beach, just steps away.

Finally, name any restaurant, fast or slow, with a view that matches Faith’s Seafood Shack at Gay Head in Aquinnah.  With everything from whole lobster to hot dogs to sushi, everyone will find something delectable.  Even if you aren’t hungry, the scenery makes it worth the trip.

These are just a few of the places on the island where the food is fast but would be worth the wait no matter how long it took.  There’s fast food and there’s fast food.  On the Vineyard, the emphasis is always on the food… and the atmosphere.

Here’s a site that lists many of the take-out places for all you manic munching mavens.

The Flying Horses carousel in Oak Bluffs.

According to the Martha’s Vineyard Preservation website, the carousel is the nation’s oldest platform carousel and has been designated by the U.S. Department of the Interior as a national landmark. Constructed in 1876 by Charles Dare, it is one of only two Dare carousels still in existence.

Originally operated as a Coney Island, NY amusement, it was moved to Oak Bluffs in 1884, where it has lived in its red barn, delighting generations of Island residents and visitors ever since. Look for our Facebook Friday Deal this week for a special involving the carousel.

Another “big deal” spring opening is the re-emergence of one of Egartown’s favorite restaurants – Chesca’s. Located right here at the Square, Chesca’s is a ‘must stop’ for every visitor. The menu features Island favorites and fresh seafood, and includes a mix of traditional and more contemporary Italian cuisine.

Described as “bridging the gap between upscale and comfort” foods, Chesca’s also features a wonderful and varied wine lists and classic cocktails. They re-open April 12 for dinner Thur-Sun, closed Mon, Tues, Wed.  Serving 5.30-9:00 pm. Visit Chesca’s website.

Enjoy art shows on Martha's Vineyard throughout the spring!

Lots of fresh new things are happening at the Square (more on that later) and we can’t wait for you to come and be a part of an exciting and bustling 2012 season. So, plan now for your spring visit. Here are a few artful events happening at the Featherstone Center for the Arts in nearby Oak Bluffs this spring. All will be held in the Virginia Weston Besse Gallery:

Spring Art Receptions and Exhibits

The Art of Intaglio

Copper and Zinc Etchings. Featuring Washington Ledesma,  Beldan K. Radcliffe & Nick Thayer . Opening Reception Sunday, April 1 4:00 – 6:00 p.m. Continues through April 18. 12:00 – 4:00 p.m. Daily

The Art of Vineyard Architecture

Opening Reception Sunday, April 22 4:00 – 6:00 p.m. Continues through May 9 12:00 – 4:00 p.m. Daily.

The Art of Flowers

With Guest Curator: Holly Alaimo. Opening Reception Sunday, May 13 4:00 – 6:00 p.m. Continues through May 25 12:00 – 4:00 p.m. Daily.

The Art of Costume Design

Celebrating 30th Anniversary at the Vineyard Playhouse with Guest Curator: MJ Bruder Munafo. Opening Reception Sunday, May 27  4:00 – 6:00 p.m. Continues through June 6 12:00 – 4:00 p.m. Daily.

Every spring, as casual cyclists like myself are just pulling our bikes out of winter storage, a bike ride of distinction is held on Martha’s Vineyard.  The National Multiple Sclerosis Society kicks off a busy fund-raising year with “Ride the Vineyard” on May 5, 2012.

Join the Bike for MS on Martha's Vineyard

There are three routes available from a relaxing 25K around the state forest to a decidedly more adventurous metric century around the island.  All are fun.  All are worthwhile.  It’s a cliché to say that they are for a worthy cause, but clichés become so for a reason.  The effort to solve the riddle of MS is a worthy but torturous cause.  Every mile ridden brings us closer to that solution.

With an estimated 400,000 victims in the US and 2.5 million worldwide, MS is one of the most difficult of all conditions to deal with, either as a victim, a medical professional, or a researcher.  The cause is unknown.  A cure is non-existent.  The treatments are painful yet often ineffectual.  There are dozens of symptoms from the annoying to the completely disabling.  A victim may suffer one or many of them.  There is no “typical” progression.  It generally strikes people in the prime of life, although even children can develop MS.

The greatest hope for people with MS is in research for the future and support for today.  Those are the beneficiaries of the funds raised during this and the other MS Society events.

I’ve personally made the ride several times, sometimes with family and friends, sometimes alone, once with a team.  It has always been rewarding.  In spite of the fact that weather on the Vineyard in early spring is dicey, only one year were the conditions less than ideal.  That year it was a nightmare: cold, windy, and rainy.  The cyclist’s perfect storm.  Yet we had a great time just the same.  There is a camaraderie on this ride born of a shared vision for an MS-free future.

Let’s face it.  Riding a bike on the Vineyard is always an enjoyable experience.  Doing something more with that ride only enhances the experience.  Check out the “Ride the Vineyard” site to see about how you can be a part of it. Your help is needed and appreciated by all who suffer from MS.

For more information about MS and the ride, visit the National MS Society on the web.

Harbor view from our luxury suites on a glorious spring Morning in Edgartown.

1. Slow Food Wine & Cheese, March 23, 6 pm

Nibble cheese and sip wines of the world at the Morning Glory Farm Stand in Edgartown.  Share in a discussion led by Jacqueline Foster, cheesemaker of Mermaid Farm, on the topic of terroir, a taste of place. Explore artisinal cheeses and wines from France, Italy, Spain and New
England. There is a suggested donation of $30 for the cheese tasting and $45 to pair with wines.

2. One Act Play Festival - March 22-24 and 28-30, 2012

Enjoy a diverse selection of short productions that feature favorite Martha’s Vineyard actors and directors. Produced by Island Theatre Workshop and held at the Katharine Cornell Theater, this year’s festival promises to be quite an event. Read about the plays and festival details here. To entice you more — check out the great special we’re offering for this festival!