Close to town, beaches and ferry, this home features many pleasant surprises. Enjoy your summer nights from the screened porch off of the dining area, and the stainless steel appliances and breakfast peninsula in the kitchen. The second floor has a bonus/family room, 2 bedrooms and 2 full bathrooms. A home worth seeing, inside and out! Price: $697,000

Beautifully designed contemporary in Major's Cove. Custom built home with vaulted ceilings, wood floors, gourmet kitchen, granite counter tops, professonal landscaping, and more. Access to private association boat landing on Sengekontacket Pond, as well as tennis. Enjoy the best of island living in this comfortable exquisite home. Price: $1,675,000

Charming new hip roof contemporary with numerous custom features. Walk to town, the ferry, school, market, and Tashmoo salt water access. This open floor plan has a custom gourmet kitchen with granite counters, gas range, s/s appliances, breakfast bar, dining area, sunny alcove, living room, and full bath on the main level. Price: $625,000

Hello Fair Weather Friends and other friends, too:

By popular demand (two people), FWF Update has expanded its audience reach beyond summer residents and visitors to embrace "regular" Islanders, too.  To all you newcomers, welcome to my irregular eBlast of random news of Martha's Vineyard.

This correction from the Spring '08 edition: The lifeguards did NOT return to Oak Bluffs this season, and beachgoers are hopping mad (especially my own mother, who circulated a petition).

On to Summer '08 --

First, the really bad news: Independence Day was scarred by a tragic fire in Vineyard Haven, which destroyed Cafe Moxie and darn near destroyed Bunch of Grapes bookstore next door.  The annual Tisbury Street Festival helped buoy town spirits the following week.  Bunch of Grapes is expected to reopen in Spring '09.

The beach weather is thus far amazing, and rumors of great white sharks in our waters turned out to be a hoax.  The breach at Norton Point is now so wide, there's even an island in the middle of it.  Alas, Lucy Vincent Beach has eroded away at the "corner" of the Aquinnah cliffs, splitting bathers (clothed and otherwise) into two sections of the sands.  Alas again, Anderson the popular yoga instructor is missing in action thus far this season at Inkwell Beach in Oak Bluffs.  Anderson: If you're within reach of this eBlast, we hope all is well.

Yes, everything must change.... The Chilmark flea market moved to West Tisbury.  The Possible Dreams Auction (August 4) moved to The Outerland.  Sharky's moved its margaritas, lobster quesadillas, etc., to a new place in Edgartown BUT still holds forth in Oak Bluffs, too.  And beware: Parking tickets in the down-Island towns have been upped to twenty bucks.

The 1st annual Aquinnah Music Festival on July 19 was a hit.  The next major music extravaganza is the all-day, all-evening Martha's Vineyard Festival on August 10 - an expanded version of last year's Boston Pops Concert in Ocean Park.  This year's headliners: Gladys Knight, the Neville Brothers and 16-year-old Katie Mayhew of West Tisbury, who belted like a pro with the Boston Pops in Boston on July 4th.

The annual late summer mad week will be upon us August 17-24, featuring the Agricultural Fair, Illumination Night, the Oak Bluffs fireworks.... I could go on, but then somebody would complain "why didn't you mention such-and-such."  Tip: You could go to www.TicketsMV.com to find out about every single summer happening and buy advance tickets, too.

Feel free to forward FWF Update to your friends and associates.  Happy Summer!

Shelley C.

P.S. My latest from Martha's Vineyard Magazine: From Jamaica to the Vineyard