Nicole Galland
Ladyfest bigger and better than ever
This year the beloved festival Ladyfest, which has moved to Waban Alley Park, was bigger than ever — more than 900 tickets sold, plus...
A vet for all seasons
Back in 1981, Vineyard Vet Clinic’s two veterinarians were enough to serve the Island year-round, but they needed extra help in summer. The recently...
Free for all
Serendipity, some say. Inspiration, say others. A feeling of belonging. Intimacy. Support. Inclusivity and openness. A magical experience. Like coming home. Unmatched and overwhelming...
‘The Shark Is Broken’
It begins with sounds in the dark: that familiar, urgent theme music — then seagulls, creaking boats, the background bustle of men and machines,...
A ‘victim’ from ‘Jaws’ lives to tell his story
Call it fateful irony. In 1974, the Voorhees family had just moved to Martha’s Vineyard, and (by Island standards) weren’t even real Islanders, at...
In the beginning was the POV
When a writer sits down to begin a work of fiction, one of the most important decisions is what narrative voice to use. There...
Cindy Kane is ‘Confidently Vulnerable’ in new exhibit
Local artist Cindy Kane opens an exhibit of her work August 2 at the Granary Gallery. This collection has personal significance to her, as...
Personal effects
Every element of Paula Eiselt and Tonya Lewis Lee’s documentary, “Aftershock,” packs a mighty punch. The narrative arc, the visuals, the information — all...
MV Ps and Qs: Going Viral
Dear Nicole,
I split my time between New York and Chilmark and wanted to come to the Island during this challenging and scary time, but...
MV Ps and Qs: Who gets to be called an ‘Islander’?
Dear Nicole,
Help us resolve a long-standing disagreement between a friend and me. What’s the definition of an Islander? Who exactly gets to be called...
Ps & Qs: Seasonal shutdown
Dear Nicole,
I am a seasonal resident who has had it with the entitled attitudes of the ever-so-holy year-rounders who tend to treat us like...
Ps & Qs: Ticks in private places
Dear Nicole,
Holy cleavage! Guess where I found an embedded deer tick? Unable to disengage the tick from its private perch, I needed to enlist...
Ferry greeting
Please enjoy this recycled and yet timely piece.
Dear Nicole,
"Where are you off to?" If I could count the number of times I've been asked...
Tony the pony
To elicit a smile from every person you pass by in the hospital parking lot, it helps to walk alongside Tony Smalls.
Tony is a...
Betty Burton: ‘Understanding the struggles of others just makes you walk differently’
Updated Jan. 2
What does it mean to be a real Islander? Some folks insist you have to be born here. The thinking goes that...
MV Ps & Qs: Is it OK to insult?
Dear Nicole,
Thanksgiving weekend is over, and predictably I am Monday-morning quarterbacking. Whom did I insult? And should I apologize? If the discussion around the...
MV Ps and Qs: Do you have papers?
Dear Nicole:
I am a teenager, Vineyard-born, of Mexican parents; I am bilingual (no accent in either language), and have lived and gone to school...
MV Ps & Qs: About that free stuff by the road
Dear Nicole,
While I am a believer in the sharing economy, I don't think people should be leaving their old mattresses, even if they're not...
Bridget Tobin: The Island’s lifeline
Ways to spot real Vineyarders: They drive “Island cars.”
When traveling off-Island, they need to get their Island car to the mainland, and back again.
Therefore,...
MV Ps & Qs: No thanks for that gift
Dear Nicole,
A houseguest who visits annually gave me a host gift this year straight out of Baby's First Beach Cottage Collection. It's the kind...