Take a dip in the sound or fly a kite at Ocean Park. Then kick back on your porch with your coffee or cocktail and watch the boats sail by. This RARE vacant waterview lot sits in the heart of the historic Copeland District, within a few steps to town, beach, bike paths, parks and ferries.

Here’s the West Tisbury homestead you’ve been wishing for! This lovingly maintained three-bedroom ranch house is ready for you to occupy, update, expand or even clear away to create the habitat of your dreams.

Absolutely delightful 5-bedroom home in a sought-after Lambert's Cove Rd location. There is an eclectic combination of traditional colonial design with more modern design elements such as beautiful banks of corner windows.

For my fair weather friends and other friends, too

Spring is here, when Vineyard hearts and minds turn to osprey, pinkletinks, Red Sox (or Yankees), garden clean-ups and . . . food!  Okay, so we think about food all year long.  Still, this is the season when year-round restaurants expand their business hours, while seasonal establishments pry off the shutters.  This year, expect to find more transitions than usual – sad ones and glad ones -- in the island’s food landscape.  As always, there’s much to tempt your beach-ready bod into ruination.  Pay attention; there may be a quiz . . . .

The proprietors of Waterside Market, which just marked its first anniversary of serving crowd-pleasing casual fare in Tisbury, are set to open Blue Canoe Grill in the former harbor side home of The Mediterranean.  The Med, in turn, moves to roomier digs where Lola’s Southern Seafood in Oak Bluffs used to be.   Alas, Lola’s served up its final barbecued mussel in December.  Kathy (aka Lola) and Paul:  Thanks for 15 years of good times! 

We also bid a fond farewell to Balance, O-Sun and Pomodoro’s, which served its final calzone in January.  In its place on Circuit Avenue comes Deon’s, bringing the Caribbean-inspired cuisine of The Cornerway down-island (and down-price) from Chilmark.  Sorry, Bill Clinton: The Cornerway is no more.  Rising from the ashes of the old Deon’s/Bittersweet/Red Cat/Ice House in North Tisbury is a spanking new eatery dubbed State Road by owners Mary and Jackson Kenworth of Slice of Life renown.   Don’t worry; the Slice lives on.  Across from the Oak Bluffs p.o., cozy Park Avenue Bistro is substantially reinventing itself as a family-friendly establishment; new name to be announced.  

Regrettably, Café Moxie won’t be ready to reopen as planned on the anniversary of last year’s tragic Independence Day inferno.  Look for Moxie to rebound in 2010.  Meantime, the old Belushi-Pisano gallery may soon be home to a new Thai restaurant.   

The Homeport is under new ownership, promising to cleave unto the Menemsha icon’s no-frills seafood traditions and atmosphere.  In Katama, Lure at the Winnetu morphs into the more casual and less pricey Lure Grill.   Similarly, elegant Lamberts Cove Inn is shifting from sumptuous entrees to a bistro menu.      

If you don’t feel like getting cleaned up to dine out after a grueling day of R&R, pick up some signature chicken salad at Vineyard Gourmet, which got a tony facelift this winter from new owner and former staffer Krista Marinelli.  Or slide into Vineyard Grocer, the new market in the old health food barn on State Road, where you can pick up a hot takeout dinner du jour, created by master chef Marvin Jones.  Or, pending Edgartown approvals, grab some deli items at the proposed new Island Package Store at the former site of The Outerland.  That’s right, up-islanders:  a package store.  No more schlepping all the way down-island just for a six-pack or syrah!         

Do-it-yourselfers can look forward to the June 23^rd debut of the Down-Island Farmers Market at Tisbury Wharf, where fresh local ingredients will be on sale every Tuesday, through September.  

And finally, when you’re heading home for the season, there’s no need to cram all those unopened non-perishables in your vehicle.  Think about donating them to the Island Food Pantry.  With love.

Bon appétit!

Shelley C.