Town Column : Aquinnah
By Molly Purves
Published: December 17, 2009
I was off-Island this weekend in New Jersey and while I do not think it's fair to use my town column as a place to bash another town or a whole other state, I must express some gratitude for the fact that we have no strip malls, no fast food, no interstate highways, and that we only have to deal with really bad traffic in the summer. My friends say the holiday shopping/traffic scene off-Island is not pretty, nor does it encourage charity or peace on Earth, the true values of the holiday season. What it does encourage is road rage, debt, and bad eating habits. I was very happy to come home on Monday. I saw the sunrise on the ferry and drove up to sleepy little Aquinnah. Thank goodness.
Not yet tired of holiday happenings? Here's some more: tonight at 7:30 pm at Our Lady Star of the Sea in Oak Bluffs is the Reflections of Peace concert to benefit Hospice of M.V.
This Saturday is the annual Town/Tribe Potluck Holiday Party at the Old Town Hall from 6:30 to 8:30 pm. Bring a dish to share. There will be gifts for the young ones of the town and someone in a Santa hat.
Also on Saturday, there is a special screening of Liz Witham and Ken Wentworth's "Kate Taylor: Tunes from the Tipi," at 7 pm at the Katherine Cornell Theatre in Vineyard Haven. Ken, Liz, and Kate will be on hand afterwards for a questions and answer session. Have I mentioned what a great job Liz is doing with the town website? If you haven't seen it, check it out. Visit aquinnah-ma.gov.
The Orange Peel Bakery will be open and baking through the holidays. Call Julie at 508-645-2025 if you have any special orders. Julie did switch times for pizza night. It is now pizza day on Saturdays from 1 to 3 pm. The weather has not been cooperative the past few weeks. It needs to be above 40 degrees.
Remember, Chilmark Chocolates is closing Sunday through the end of January. Better stock up now. If you go on Thursday or Friday you can see Ona behind the counter.
Are you a parent of a high school student on Martha's Vineyard? Theresa and Jamie of the M.V. Youth Task Force have developed a survey to assess the needs and concerns of teenagers and parents on Martha's Vineyard. Go to the edline page at mvrhs.org to take the survey and be entered to win a $50 gift card to the supermarket of your choice.
Welcome home to the Gerhard family who have completed their move from the Bay Area to Aquinnah. It's great to have more year round people up here and they are good company.
One week to Christmas, and then one more to New Year's, then we don't have to think about the holidays for a whole year. But any day is a good day to be grateful we don't live near a strip mall in Jersey.
