Aquinnah

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The Martha’s Vineyard Film Festival was this weekend and my, oh my, was it grand! So many great films, such good food and coffee, and so many friends. It started with a sold-out screening of a documentary by Chilmarker Matt Heineman called “Escape Fire” about the health care industry, and there were more sold out screenings in the next two days. I saw Jim and Kathy Newman at many screenings along with Sarah Thulin, and our head librarian, Cathy Thompson was at nearly every film.

There were many volunteers from Aquinnah: Lisa Vanderhoop, Wendy Swolinzky, Cynthia Robinson and Alex Taylor all pitched in. I saw Robin Smith and Wendy at the screening for “Crazy Horse” (a documentary about the longest running adult nightclub in Paris) on Saturday night and we all made jokes about their obsession with ladies’ backsides afterwards (I really can’t print here what we said, sorry).

The last two films on Sunday were fantastic, “Marina Abramovic, the Artist is Present” and “Under African Skies” a documentary about the making of Paul Simon’s Graceland album. It ended on such a high with a closing night party in the Hay Café, an outdoor café that was new this year to the festival. I left around 10:45 pm and the party was still going strong.

Pizza in Aquinnah is back! This Saturday from 12 noon to 3 pm Juli will hold a pizza day (weather permitting). Bring your toppings and head over to the Orange Peel Bakery on State Rd. Pizza days will be held every Saturday until about mid-April when it will shift over to Wednesday pizza nights.

At the library this month, coffee hour continues on Saturdays from 10 am to 12 noon. There will be a kids’ movie this Thursday, March 22, from 5 to 6 pm. Then next Thursday at 5 pm there will be a film for adults. The next book group meeting will be on Thursday, April 12, from 5 to 6 pm when Tea Obreht’s “The Tiger’s Wife” will be discussed.

More March birthdays: Lauri Bradway’s is this Saturday; the inimitable June Manning’s is Monday, March 26 and Jeffie Butler’s is Tuesday March 27. Happy Birthday to all.

Speaking of Jeffie, her mom Mallory just got back from visiting her and her family in Colorado for ten days. Mallory had a great time with both her daughters; Nina is there as well and of course Jeffie’s daughter, Maeve was always at the center of attention.

Saskia and Nanawe Vanderhoop returned recently from a two-week visit to Saskia’s family in Holland. Saskia said that when they arrived at her brother’s house he said: “Oh good, Saskia’s here now we don’t have to sleep in the house.” So, what else could she do but take her brother and his family on a hike into the woods where they all built a shelter together and then passed the night peacefully outside?

On April 2, the Aquinnah Land Bank Advisory Board will meet at 1 pm in Town Hall to cover two orders of business: to conduct a review of the North Head management plan; and to discuss the Steamboat Landing application, which is pending before the Aquinnah Planning Board plan Review Committee the following evening.