the vineyard blog

Kick off spring on Martha's Vineyard in the iconic New England town of Edgartown during the annual celebration of the season and Mother’s Day. This will be the 8th consecutive year that the town of Edgartown has presented this event and every year it just gets better. Because it takes place on the  same weekend as Mother’s Day, visitors and locals alike take advantage of the dedicated schedule to shower mom with as many joys as possible. The entire town of Edgartown and its business members are decorated in all things pink and green, and you just feel the bright, fun energy this weekend brings. It’s also quite like the “beginning” of spring, since the weather has (typically) warmed up and New Englanders are rejoicing! 

Below, a few samples of events that will take place during Pink & Green Weekend: 

Pink & Green Dog Show
If you have a four legged friend, this is the weekend to dress them up in pink & green and have them earn their keep at the Pink & Green Dog Show and Parade. Dog owners from all over the  island - and off island - are part of this dog show that showcases the best in class! Dogs are dressed to the nines during the event, and are awarded prizes such as best dressed. 

“Mother Earth” at Donaroma’s Nursery 
​The true originators of Edgartown’s Pink & Green, the Donaroma family has been a trailblazer for all things pink and green, as they were the creator of the weekend, eight years ago, as a way to bring in a breath of fresh air into spring and the  island. This year’s theme for their nursery exhibition will be Mother Earth and we can't wait to see it in all its glory! 

Pink & Green 5k
An event that brings the mothers and daughters, sisters and best friends, aunts and nieces together for a race that’s not only fun but also gorgeous as it takes you all over Edgartown and Katama. 

Mother’s Day Brunches
There is nothing mothers love more than a brunch she doesn't have to cook herself, so make sure to check out all the Mother’s Day Brunches that will be happening in Edgartown. One of the best brunches in Edgartown will be happening at the newly renovated restaurant Bettini at the Harbor View Hotel and they are already accepting reservations for Mother's Day Brunch on Sunday, May 12th. Click Here To View Menu and call 508-627-3761 for reservations. 

If you’re looking to relax on Martha’s Vineyard, walk the beaches, read your book, and take some yoga classes while here, we have done the research for you! No matter what type of yoga you enjoy at home, the island has a vast array of classes and there is something for everyone, scattered throughout the island in  locally owned studios. You’ll connect with local yoga teachers that work on the island both seasonally and year around, like Stacey Forend at Eclipse Studio. She tells us, “Yoga came to me when I was ready to explore my inner workings, a time when I forgot who I am and why I am here. A time I was in dis-ease. I found and I’m still discovering so much of my Self in Yoga. They say when the student is ready, the teacher appears. You never stop being a student, even when you’re teaching.”
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Location:  The Yoga Barn in West Tisbury
 
About: An exquisitely restored New England barn located in a beautiful pondside meadow, the Yoga Barn is a transformational space for yoga and bodywork. The light-filled studio will inspire you to deepen your practice under the expert instruction of our teaching staff. Two comfortably appointed bodywork rooms offer the best in massage therapies and traditional Chinese medicine to enhance your well-being.
 
Types of Classes: Anusara, Breathwork (Path to Liberation), Kid’s Aerial Yoga, Kripalu, Medication (Cosmic Consciousness), Restorative, Slow Flow & Yin, Vinyasa, Wild Things (upbeat version of Anusara), Yin, and Yoga Essentials.
 
Location: Yoga on the Vine in Edgartown
 
About: This boutique yoga studio offers a variety of yoga classes for every body.
They believe yoga is for everyone. Yoga on the Vine is a collective of skilled and knowledgeable teachers from a variety of traditions. With decades of combined experience they seek to provide the most supportive, uplifting and welcoming environment for your yoga practice.
Types of Classes: Vinyasa, Yin, Heated Vinyasa, and 26 x 2. Prenatal and postnatal private sessions are also available.
 
Location: Eclipse Studio in Vineyard Haven
 
About: Eclipse Studio is a 684 square foot studio space, with a petite lobby area, private bathroom, and landscaped outdoor space (seasonally available). Ample parking, walking distance to the Vineyard Haven ferry, with private event  and class staffing and support. They are a community space across disciplines: art, education, fitness, holistic health and more.
 
Types of Classes: Vinyasa Flow, Restorative, Men’s Beginner Yoga, Buti Yoga, Graceful Somatic Technique, Energy Balancing Yoga,
 
Location: Hot Yoga MV in Edgartown
 
About: At Hot Yoga MV, Kristin (owner) and her dedicated staff educate students on the roots of the Vinyasa culture, the history of yoga as a whole, and the therapeutic aspect of yoga by following the Paramahansa Yogananda lineage.
 
Types of Classes: Hot Vinyasa
 
Location: Peaked Hill Studio in Vineyard Haven
 
About: This is the only place on island where you can study and learn KAIUT Yoga®
 
Types of Classes: KAIUT Yoga®
 
Location: Spirit Moves You in Oak Bluffs
About:
Types of Classes: Movement Therapy, Yoga Instruction, Shaman Healing
 
Location: Bodhi Path in Vineyard Haven
 
About: Shamar Rinpoche founded the Martha's Vineyard Bodhi Path Buddhist Center in 1999. The present location in West Tisbury is a few miles from the beach, in a quiet, wooded area. Our meditation hall provides a comfortable and beautiful space for group and individual Dharma activity. Our weekly schedule offers three meditation sessions. When our resident teacher Lama Yeshe is present she offers guided meditation instruction, Dharma teachings and one-day retreats. We also host other Bodhi Path Dharma teachers and Rinpoches throughout the year.
 
Types of Classes: Meditations and teachings 

Memorial Day this year is on Monday, May 27th and is referred to as the “beginning of the season” for most island brands and businesses. Everyone on island is excited to welcome guests for the new season and has fresh, new energy and below we are sharing some of the best things to do on Martha’s Vineyard for Memorial Day Weekend 2019. Honor fallen Veterans by attending any of the town Memorial Day Parades and if you have younger kids, join the March to the Sea the island kids do from their respective schools and they drop fresh flowers into the sea in remembrance. ​

Lighthouse Tour
Explore the Cape Pogue Lighthouse and the “magnificent barrier beach with its sandy shoreline, expansive salt marsh, beautiful salt pond, and unique colony of hardy red cedars" on the shores of Chappaquiddick, a small island in Edgartown. Or visit the iconic Edgartown Lighthouse, the famous Gay Head Light in Aquinnah, or the East Chop Lighthouse House in Oak Bluffs. Want more info on the Island's lighthouses? Click here.

When you’re on vacation, a sweet treat or dessert is a daily occurance and why not? Calories don’t count when you’re on Martha’s Vineyard and that’s why we asked locals what their favorite bakeries and treats were! This list has been rounded up and below are the top spots on island where you can get a delicious cookie, cake, freshly baked bread, and so much more. From classic New England favorites like chocolate chip cookies to traditional Brazilian desserts such as brigadeiros, we think this is the sweetest blog we’ve ever written. ​

7a Foods has a cult following for their sandwiches, but it’s a well known fact that they also have fans that rave about their breakfast sandwich made on house made jalapeno cheddar biscuit. Starting off savory, but make sure to pick up a few of their amazing  peanut butter cookies as well as their compost cookies. ​
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Scottish Bakehouse is one for the books, because if you’re craving something sweet, they will most likely have something for everyone. Whether you’re vegan or gluten free, paleo or dairy free, the Bakehouse really strives to make everyone happy. Enjoy their flourless chocolate cakes or goodness bars any time of day. 

Black Dog Bakery is known for their amazing cakes and cookies, along with the pies, dog treats, and donuts they bake up fresh  every day. Whether you need a dozen ginger cookies or a large Blackout Cake for a birthday, this is the place to go. ​

Life at Humphrey’s is a new concept that combines Slice of Life and Humphrey’s. The businesses have joined forces to bring a new offering to the island, but the great thing is you can still get those amazing Butter Crunch Cookies! ​

Espresso Love is the place to head on over to if you need both a sweet treat and a coffee drink. Pair your flat white with one of the slices of carrot cake, or order a few of their classic blueberry muffins for breakfast the next morning. 
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Vineyard Grocer is your go to not only health food store but if you need a specialty cake, they offer them!  You do have to pre-order the cakes, but they make all kinds of flavors and variations for birthdays and events.
 
Not Your Sugar Mamas is your go to plant-based shop on island. They make the sweetest and most delicious cookies, banana bread, truffles, and more - all made without refined sugar! They also focus on vegan goods as well as a more holistic approach. Try their new juices as well! 

​Sweet Bites is your one stop shop for a variety of cookies, cakes, and savory pastries, but they are best known for their brigadeiros. Brigadeiros are a type of Brazilian truffle that is made in a variety of flavors.
 
Rosewater Market is in the heart of Edgartown and offers breakfast and lunch options throughout the day, along with a vast display of baked goods. What to order? Everything from their vegan snickerdoodles to their cheesecake brownies, angel food cake slices, coffee cake and so much more.
 
Orange Peel Bakery is when you take a ride up island and drive into this magnificent bakery and rejoice in the freshly made goods by Juli Vanderhoop. During the summer they also have a make your own pizza night where guests can bring toppings and create pies in a community setting.

MV Gourmet Cafe & Bakery, also known for their famous Back Door Donuts, is a spot for when you really need a donut or a dozen. You can get donuts at the front bakery anytime, but if you want them still warm from the frier, you’re going to have to wait in line after 7pm during the season! 

Happy sweeting! 

​Spring is a time of rebirth, not only for sleepy plants and gorgeous blooms, but a rebirth for the thousands of graduates concluding their studies all over New England and the rest of the United States. Graduation is a time of rejoice and relief, for both alumnus and parents alike, and what better gift then the gift of a trip to Martha’s Vineyard to relax with your graduate.
 
We’ve put together a three graduate trip suggestions, each depending on the type of graduating college senior personality! 

The One That Loved to Study but at the Same Time, Loved to Party Through College
For the party grad, the island in the spring might be little quiet but you can definitely still find some fun late night happenings to celebrate graduation with friends and family! To start, book a room at Summer Camp Boutique Hotel by Lark Hotels in Oak Bluffs, centrally located to all the fun happenings in this hip town of Martha’s Vineyard. Dinner reservations at Martha’s Vineyard Chowder Company are a must and then head upstairs to the LoFT, the island’s only adult playground with pool tables, dart boards, huge Jenga game, and so much more. Explore the Gingerbread Cottages after waking up a little later (you deserve it after all those early morning college classes) with Mocha Motts coffee in hand and walk over to Biscuits for an incredibly hearty breakfast (try their Cream Cheese and Strawberry Stuffed French Toast). Ride the Flying Horses for one last hurrah and celebrate your graduation - you  did it! ​

​The One That Is Obsessed with Academia, Even After Graduating
Your parents could not be prouder of you - graduating with  honors, a GPA worth tweeting about, and not one but a few jobs lined up after college! This graduate deserves a break and a trip to the island after graduation is just it. Granted, our recommendations are ones that invest in more knowledge and learning while on island, but that’s what your graduate loves, so why not foster it even more? Book a room at the Nobnocket Inn in the town of Vineyard Haven and prepare to dive into the incredible history of Martha’s Vineyard. Start your morning with Nat’s Nook, the island’s only creperie and one that’s decorated with book quotes and even has a stocked bookshelf of books to share. Haad to the new Martha’s Vineyard Museum and dedicate the next two hours to exploring this grand property filled to the brim with island history. Finish off with dinner State Road and dive into their farm to table menu - a delicious delight worth every bite!
 
Top New England colleges and universities like: Harvard, MIT, Boston College, University of Massachusetts, Boston University, Tufts University, Northeastern University, Williams College, Dartmouth College, Yale University, Amherst College, and Brown University, among many others, are graduating this spring and we can’t wait to see the graduates on island this spring season! Plan a graduation trip with your friends and family to Martha’s Vineyard and take a few days to take it all in, before diving into the real world. 

​Bird watching on Martha’s Vineyard can be very rewarding at time, so to bring some of that to our readers, we reached out to a young bird watching aficionado, David Benvent, 16 years old, who learned to love nature at Felix Neck and where he volunteers in the summer months, to ask him some questions about bird watching on this New England island.
 
What is the best season for bird watching? Birding on Martha’s Vineyard all year round is great. Each season brings new, special birds to the island. However, spring and fall are often the best times to go birding because that’s when birds are migrating between their breeding and wintering grounds. 

What are some tips to attract birds to your backyard for bird watching? Bird feeders are the easiest and probably best way to attract birds to your yard. Different foods can attract different birds. For example, thistle is best for finches, and suet is best for woodpeckers. Additionally in spring and summer, oranges or jelly can attract orioles, and sugar water (homemade or store bought) can attract hummingbirds. Planting native plants and bushes in your yard can also provide a place for birds to hide from predators, breed, and stop over during migration.

For more info on birding on MV, visit our birding page.