Category Archives: Activities

Edgartown, Martha's Vineyard, Menemsha, Shopping, Vineyard Haven, West Tisbury

Retail-Therapy: Martha’s Vineyard Style

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When you walk through the shopping districts here on Martha’s Vineyard, you’ll notice the absence of a few of the standards you may be used to. You guessed it – no Gap, no Old Navy, no Anne Taylor, no Nine West. Believe it or not, you won’t even find a Starbucks or a Barnes & Noble on the whole island.

There are virtually no chain stores or restaurant franchises anywhere here. Instead, locally owned bookstores, coffee shops, restaurants and boutiques offer shoppers a wide variety of options and a whole lot of personal attention. And for those of you out there who are in need of a little retail-therapy or just a dress for an unexpected special occasion, you’ll be wonderfully surprised at the quality of the boutiques scattered all over the island.

Heading Up-Island to Menemsha for fried fish and sunsets? Don’t forget to stop by Pandora’s Box – one of our favorite places to shop for gorgeous dresses, designer jeans and even some good sales. This two-room boutique on Basin Road has a dedicated following of some of the island’s most stylish garb and once you step inside you know why shoppers return here year after year.

If you’re in Vineyard Haven, shop at the Green Room on Main Street – winner of the Best of the Vineyard for the past three years. This fantastic shop offers everything from lingerie to shoes to designer swimsuits to super-stylish jeans. Men can shop here too and the downstairs is filled with everything for the surfer in the family from boards to Roxy Girl bikini’s to shades.

In West Tisbury, you’ll love Citrine – a boutique/home accent store/bead-shop combined. Located on State Road in West Tisbury, you can shop the small, but tastefully chosen clothing racks or check out the gorgeous lamps, textiles and jewelry brought in from all over the world while the kids choose from an array of amazing beads to make their own bracelets and necklaces.

On Dock Street in Edgartown head straight for The Great Put On. This true Vineyard standard has been in business since 1969. However, no other boutique on the island could claim to be as up-to-date or as stylish as this very high-end shopper’s paradise. Carrying lines such as Diane Von Furstenberg, Moschino and Vivienne Tam (to name a few) there is no event too sophisticated for an outfit from The Great Put On.

Martha's Vineyard, Services

Martha’s Vineyard is GREEN!

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Something you’ll notice when you vacation on Martha’s Vineyard is that we’re into saving the environment, protecting the island and sustainable living on the island. We invite and encourage you to do the same while you’re here – Martha’s Vineyard is a precious place! From alternative energy to buy local to organic farming to eco-friendly products, here’s your guide to a green Martha’s Vineyard.

Island Grown Initiative. IGI is a grassroots, non-profit organization that promotes locally grown food and the local farmers that grow it. They have built community and support for the farmers on the island and great awareness about the importance of growing local on the island and beyond. Also, they sell terrific shirts and sweatshirts.

The Bio Store. Found just before you go over the bridge from Vineyard Haven to Oak Bluffs, EcoMV’s Bio Store is full of clothes, food, packaging, fabric, bodycare and cleaning supplies that are non-toxic, sustainable and biodegradable. They even have biodegradable to-go containers, cups, plates, and eating utensils – all made out of corn and used by many island eateries.

South Mountain Company. A building company with a big green heart that powers their offices with wind and builds solar and wind energy alternatives into many of their homes. They also use Clivus composting toilets whenever possible – saving the island’s water resources. Building materials are taken from sustainable woods and other creative places – recycled windshield wipers for shower tiles anyone?

CSA. Community Support Agriculture is a system where community members by shares of a farm ahead of time in return for farm goods – the community commits to supporting the farm ahead of time. Three MV CSA’s of note:
Whipporwill Farm provides good old farm produce – veggies, fruits and flowers.They aren’t certified organic, but use all organic farming methods.
Flat Point Poultry has an organic, free-range poultry CSA.
Martha’s Vineyard Fiber Farm is the first ever natural fiber CSA, selling shares in wool sheared from their Angora Goats, Cormo, Cotswold and Babydoll Southdown sheep. Recently written up in the Wall Street Journal.

Alternative Energy. Many islanders are using wind (including the Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School), solar and sustainable pellets to energize their home. There are many resources on the island including: Vineyard Alternative Heating and South Mountain Company.

Recycling. Quite simply, Martha’s Vineyard recycles. Your rental house should provide information on what to do with trash and recycling for that particular property. Thanks for pitching in!

Events, Martha's Vineyard, Oak Bluffs

Village Spotlight: Oak Bluffs

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Once known as “Cottage City”, Oak bluffs is a truly unique resort town on Martha’s Vineyard full of color and character to this day.

Located on the northeast shore of the island, Oak Bluffs offers an historical edge which includes The Flying Horses Carousel – the oldest operating platform carousel In the United States, The Martha’s Vineyard Camp Meeting Association in the heart of Oak Bluffs which showcases hundreds of painted Victorian “Gingerbread” cottages to be dazzled by, and of course the Tabernacle – the physical and spiritual center of the Campground which was built in 1879 by John W. Hoyt of Springfield, Massachusetts.

Home to the largest marina on the island, the finest golf course, beautiful public beaches, public parks and wildlife galore, Oak Bluffs is your destination of choice for trendy and artsy shopping.  See a movie, enjoy a night on the town with live entertainment and dancing (OB being one of the two “wet” towns on the island that serve alcohol), eat at one of the excellent restaurants or just take a walk down the thrilling Circuit Ave, the town’s main drag.

Several special events emphasize Oak Bluffs personality and take place annually:  Grand Illumination Night in the Campground cottages, the Monster Shark Tournament, and the August Fireman’s Association Fireworks.  At The Grand Illumination, residents of the Campground place ornate Chinese lanterns (some electric, some still lit with just a candle), around each Gingerbread Cottage. The lanterns remain dark until after dusk. At an appointed hour, people gather in the Tabernacle for a sing-along and community gathering. At the end all the lights go out and thousands of Chinese lanterns spring to life in a brilliant cascade of light throughout the campground. The celebration ends after visitors walk through the Campground enjoying the sights and sounds of an event taken straight from the turn of the century and brought to life every year in this quaint town of Oak Bluffs.