May 3, 2011 · 1:14 pm

making the most of a day

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something for everyone - alley's general store

after watching wills & kate make history with their now famous 2 kisses on the balcony – we headed off for an up island tour. first we had to make a pit-stop at alley’s general store in West Tisbury for some refreshments. if you have ever been to alley’s you know it is impossible to get out of there without some unintended purchases. (i’m all set with dish towels for the next couple of years!) if you have never been to alley’s – become their patron – you won’t regret it. they’ll most likely have whatever it is you need but they’ll also have something you didn’t know you HAVE TO HAVE!

beautiful lucy vincent beach

it’s still quiet on the Vineyard and since it’s technically off season you can go to many of the private town beaches with no trouble. thus – i chose the coveted lucy vincent beach in Chilmark. it was a lovely 60 degree day and a great opportunity to take in some solitude on one of the island’s prettiest beaches.

*interesting factoid…Chilmark has the highest median home value of all small towns in America. you have to be a resident or be renting in Chilmark in the high season to go to lucy vincent beach.

TRIP TIP – to make sure you can see this beauty of a beach – go visit lucy vincent in the off season like me!!!

the sign says it all

while we didn’t make it all the way up island to Aquinnah – we did make it to Menemsha! i highly recommend this to anyone visiting the island. the beach is great for kids and adults alike with an active fishing dock to one side & shallow calm waters buoyed off for swimmers. you can crab by the jetties & collect sea glass and some of the prettiest beach rocks on the island. Menemsha town beach is known as one of the best viewing spots for the sunset where spectators clap as it sets. then there’s the fish markets…

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· 1:13 pm

a word about food & drink

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it's lobster roll season - delicious!

it was lunchtime when i arrived in Menemsha – what luck! it occurred to me that it’s that time again to start enjoying a summertime favorite – the lobster roll. as i started to pass the menemsha fish market their sign “lured” me in…lobster roll & clam chowder – $15 – i was hooked! if you go to the Vineyard this summer you MUST go get a lobster roll from the menemsha fish market – might have been my best yet!!! the chowder was awesome too. the owner announced they ship lobsters around the world and threw in a couple of bumper stickers to boot!

cold brew with ms. pac-man

it’s still shoulder season on MV so an afternoon beer looking over the harbor wasn’t as easy as you’d think.  gladly i went to a year round staple – the wharf – where i had a beer at a make-shift ms. pac-man table. there was no room at the bar since this pub is a local favorite – i took a couple of hours getting to know a few – what a great time. i may never have had this much fun in a such a brief time on the Vineyard!

DINNER & DRINKS –

i should also mention that i had a great dinner at henry’s hotel bar in the harbor view hotel. they made a great cocktail – which is key for me! later i headed to the atlantic – they also have a generous pour and a great bar scene – definitely worth a stop if you are near Edgartown.

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· 1:13 pm

i survived the ride!

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East Chop Lighthouse - Oak Bluffs

it was a nice mid 50 degree morning to do the 30 mile bike ride around Edgartown, Katama and Oak Bluffs this past weekend. i truly enjoyed the enthusiasm and spirit of all the riders in the ‘MS Ride the Vineyard‘. what a great way to spend a morning! next year’s date is already set – may 5, 2012 – i’ll be back for sure.

although most of the day was gray, to end my visit i spent some time taking in the beautiful sunset at the lookout tavern in Oak Bluffs. what a great spot! check it out when you are next on Martha’s Vineyard.  see you later in the summer MV!

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April 25, 2011 · 9:00 pm

Early May – NOLA…heading to the Big Easy

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throw me some beads, mister!

TO DO LIST – again, probably overly aggressive but here it goes:

1) hob knob with important people at the compete dCMO summit 2011 – i’m especially excited to hear what arianna huffington, editor-in-chief of huffington post, drew patterson, CEO of jetsetter.com & shane steele, VP marketing of twitter have to say about digital innovation

2) eat some completely authentic n’awlins food – beignets at cafe du monde, muffaletta from napoleon house  & a spicy bloody mary on bourbon street – ya know the kind they put okra in – YUMMY

3) fortune told in jackson square & visit a voodoo shop (perhaps historic NO voodoo museum) to prick a doll or two – better hope you’re on my good side

4) lafitte’s blacksmith shop & bar which is the oldest bar in the US plus they say it serves the best hurricane in town…we’ll see. a cocktail at the columns just because the porch has great atmosphere

5) old new orleans rum distillery – i love rum! plus, i hear frenchman street (where the distillery is located) is THE place for music

6) neville brothers show at tipitina’s & JAZZ FEST friday – hello Arcade Fire!

AND..catch some beads, baby – LAISSEZ LE BON TEMP ROULER – let the good times roll!!!

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April 17, 2011 · 4:55 pm

Late April – revisiting a trusty old standby – Martha's Vineyard, MA

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Edgartown Lighthouse

Aquinnah Lighthouse

soon i’ll be heading out to the lovely Martha’s Vineyard.  the primary purpose of this trip is to participate in ‘Ride the Vineyard‘ – part of the MS Bike Tour (National Multiple Sclerosis Society) which is the largest organized cycling event in the United States, raising millions to fight multiple sclerosis. i’m on a team with friends & excited to enjoy one of my favorite places – Martha’s Vineyard – by bicycle. it IS new england so here’s hoping the spring weather cooperates! i’m signed up to ride 30 miles where i will take in scenic views along winding roads seeing the quaint charm and beautiful ocean via Oak Bluffs, Edgartown & Katama.

i’m lucky enough to have a family member with a gorgeous home on the Vineyard so no hotel stay this time for me! i do plan to visit some old haunts in Edgartown – espresso love – great for your morning cuppa joe & homemade tri-berry muffin or afternoon sandwich and  alchemy – delicious dinners & fantastic cocktails and perhaps the wharf pub – for a cold brew of course.

no trip to the Vineyard is complete for me without a visit to Menemsha – an adorable fishing village where you can grab a cup of chowder on the dock – YUM! and maybe Aquinnah – home to the Wampanoag Indians and the stunning clay cliffs at Gay Head Light. this part of the island is so beautiful and soulful – it definitely feels far away from the rest of the world  & virtually brings me to tears every time i visit.

and let’s not forget the shopping…one of my favorites is beetlebung dry goods – a family-run business on the island that makes great tees with simple yet awesome designs. (i love their starfish!)

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