Posted by Kerry on Mar 17, 2009
At the risk of sounding exclusive, there is something different about Martha’s Vineyard…though it may not quite be what people who live elsewhere are thinking. Of course it goes without saying that adjustments have to be made to living on an island, and that we are markedly more casual in dress and in atmosphere than comparable resort areas.
There really are not that many black tie events held on Martha’s Vineyard. We have them, and getting dressed up is fun on the rare occasions that it is called for. The need for fancy shoes and fancy dress is but a distant memory for most, completely unknown to some and good riddance seems to be the majority consensus.
When the weather hints at turning, one thing for sure will be the barometer for Spring around here… flip flops. It is the Vineyard’s true test of an islanders capacity for endurance NO SHOES ! Despite the forecast predicting temperatures in the mid 40’s, suddenly shorts and flip flops are everywhere you look. People are so desperate to get that summer ball rolling, that a sunny day in March will do it. I have plenty of empathy, and I understand that not everyone loves winter. There is however, a rather large discrepancy between 40 degrees, and 70 degrees.
For clarification, there are the traditional indicators as well. This morning I saw crocuses in the lawn, buds on the trees and only needed 3 layers of clothing on my run. The sun is up way past 6 PM, and daylight savings has changed my life, also, unbelievably, Dairy Queen opens for the season today. Happily we are well on our way, and after what seemed a very long winter, Spring is officially with us as of Friday this week. I will be keeping my socks on well into April, and look forward to flip flop season in its own time.
Flip Flop
Posted by Kerry on Feb 03, 2009
Some people, like myself, summered here. Some, like my husband, had family ties, and family homes here. Other people had always wanted to visit, and once they came they never wanted to leave. And fewer still were born and bred here. This island with it’s endless beaches and winding trails, farmer’s markets and community suppers has become home to more people looking for a quality of life and that special Vineyard vibe that is only available on these shores. So is it right for you?
Challenges facing a full time move to the Vineyard include some of the following; housing and economic sustainability, the transition of quiet winter months to action packed people infused summertime, interaction with people in the dead of winter can be tricky (where are they?) and, last but not least, transportation should you want to travel to places other than another island town. Like a shoe store for instance.
There is a huge fluctuation in business activity between seasons, and depending on your vocation can mean being flush one month, to peanut butter sandwiches the next. Many year round residents work in multiple fields and wear many hats. We are a creative and flexible bunch, and we all have great senses of humor! Thankfully computers have evolved in my lifetime and social networking like Facebook and Twitter are available and viable ways to extend your business community. The computer also solves the shoe store problem, which may not be high on the priority list for some, but creeps up there from time to time for me. We do have local shoe stores of course, and I certainly shop them first and foremost! But it is nice to have options and with a laptop, you can work, shop, chat, and network and not feel like you are missing any major opportunities. Today, we can do just about anything with technology.
The housing market is in transition, and there are all manner of property available. We have housing starting in the mid 300’s for a basic ranch with 3 bedrooms and one bath, to multi-million dollar water front enclaves. We have beach houses, family homes, Victorian beauties, and we have your dream home. We have the location, the size, the lot, and the setting. We are not lacking in inventory by any stretch of the imagination. There are currently 688 properties available for sale on Martha’s Vineyard, of which 473 are single family homes. There are 143 land listings with many condo and multi family dwelling units as well. With this plethora of availability we’ve seen a decrease in prices and, it stands to reason, more motivated sellers.
Another consideration for island life is socialization. I moved from the city, but did so in the middle of July so I hardly noticed as I was still surrounded by people most of the time. It was a couple of weeks into September that the full realization of what I had done sank in… When the summer crowd thinned out, the island was in its full glory. And there was a definite change to the pace. The tempo relaxed, people stopped to chat rather than hustling by, and you could get a reservation to eat out on a Saturday night. What happened? It is that quick that you have to ask the question. There was an adjustment phase for me, and for others it is exactly what they crave. Less bodies, more time for reflection and community.
View from my office
Martha’s Vineyard has the nightlife, the retail, the businesses that make every community unique and accessible. It also subscribes to the ideal that we can be independent of a bigger unit and operate on a level that is intimate yet functional and self sustaining. I look out the window of my home office watching the snow fall, and wonder how I lived anywhere but here. We have it all, would you like to join us?
Posted by Kerry on Jan 14, 2009
Farm Neck Golf Club After The Snow
What is life like in the wintertime on the Vineyard? I can’t tell you how many people have asked, and how many variations of the answer I’ve given. If they are asking in August, I can safely , from the warmth of summer and the distance of months, reply with enthusiasm. “It’s Great” . That is always my sincere response, “the island empties out and we have it to ourselves!” I am optimistically projecting some peace and quiet into my life from the hectic craziness of the summer.
Ask again in November, and the answer changes slightly, there may in fact be a wane in the enthusiasm. “Oh it’s a little quiet”, is standard, or “hmmm, thinking about getting away soon”…Come January and despite my best intentions, the word “desolate” usually manages to sneak into the conversation. We are unlike anywhere else, and the population discrepancy shows exactly how unique we are. During the year, island residents number around 15,000 persons. In the summer it is well over 100,000. Schizophrenic would be an appropriate description.
On more than one occasion I have been struck by the solitude that I feel here in the winter, and in the summer I can’t keep the days straight. It has certainly been a big change from my hometown of Montreal, where I didn’t need an ounce of creativity to be entertained. It was all at my doorstep. Anything that I could dream up was available to me and in hindsight much was taken for granted. Now I am challenged to find creative ways to entertain myself and my family. We spend our free time out of doors, in each others company and in the company of close friends… When in absolute need of a crowd, and it does happen, we’ll travel up to Boston to see a show or go to a gallery .
Though it may not be the most stimulating social environment in winter, this island is a beehive of activity and action in the business community. So many people have been drawn to this unique location, and we have business leaders and experts who willingly share with, us as well as the experienced professionals who are the foundation of our community. I look forward to introducing you to some of them as this Blog progresses, and showing you what the Vineyard has to offer at all times. It is an exciting place to live and work, no matter the season.
Now if we only had a wholefoods…
