Town Column : Aquinnah
By Molly Purves
Published: May 21, 2009
I know it's only mid-May, but I feel like it's already August. Not because of the weather, but because all of a sudden everyone seems remarkably busy and unreachable. It feels like we just went from ho-hum winter to full-on summer schedule. I don't see everyone at the library that I used to because everyone is working, setting up their shop, their restaurant, or opening up their rentals. Everywhere I go I hear the sound of lawnmowers and weed-whackers as people ready their houses for the summer.
Having been only a summer resident for years before I came here full-time a couple of years ago, I never really experienced the transition from winter to summer. Now I know how suddenly it seems to come and how much work goes into putting everything together. And now of course I miss all the free time I had in the winter. I'm tired already and the traffic's just getting started.
This seems to be the week of openings. The Outermost Inn will be open for dinner tomorrow, May 22. They will be open every night except Monday. Please call for a reservation at 508-645-3511 and remember that they now serve beer and wine. The Chilmark Store is open. No more driving half an hour to buy a few things, although if you want a Sunday New York Times you better get there early before they all sell out. The Beach Plum Inn opened last Friday and is open for dinner every night and they have added breakfast. From 7:30 to 9:30 am they will be open to the public for an a la carte breakfast. Call 508-645-9454 for more information. And The Home Port, under new ownership, also opens this week. I haven't heard any opening dates for the old Cornerway space, a.k.a. the old Feast of Chilmark. I know it will be run by Paul O'Connell, who has Chez Henri in Harvard Square, Cambridge, but I don't know when they will open or what the menu will be. I heard that State Road (formerly Deon's) will open at the beginning of June. I love having all these good food options up-Island because it's really nice to get a good meal and not have to drive 40 miles round-trip to do it.
The Wampanoag Health Expo went very well last weekend, with almost 300 people attending (competing with an exceptionally beautiful day) and about 175 people going to the information sessions.
The community garden is moving along. A meeting was held to discuss what the first steps should be and it was decided that clearing and turning the land would be a good start. Some trees need to be removed and some fence posts built. The garden has received an additional $2,000 funding from CPA.
Noli Taylor said she had a lovely baby shower and felt much supported by the community here. She is due June 1. I felt the same way when I had my son here. Martha's Vineyard, Aquinnah in particular, is a great place to have a baby.
