A Weekend on Martha’s Vineyard
My family has the incredible fortune of getting the chance to visit Martha’s Vineyard every year. We stay in a humble little motel on the water, in the quiet, charming town of Tisbury. This past weekend was our Vineyard trip, and as usual I had a magnificent time. This little island once again charmed me with its sea breezes, vibrant gardens and bright, blessed blue air that wakes the senses.
This year, the hours slowed as we enjoyed leisurely café breakfasts, long runs by the sea, and indulgent scoops of Mad Martha’s ice cream.
Each morning we would rise naturally after a solid night sleep. Me, my sister and my mom all pulled on our running sneakers each morning and took off down the street. There’s no better place to run than Martha’s Vineyard. The air seemed lighter on the island, and so the run seemed easier than usual. My body wanted to take off down that road. We ran past thick greenery and lush gardens of every color. Close enough to the sea, the breeze flew over our sweaty skin and through our hungry lungs.
When we had finished our run, we stopped at my favorite little café for breakfast. The Waterside Market boasts wonderfully fresh breakfast sandwiches with farm fresh eggs, along with freshly brewed coffee and iced tea, which we sipped leisurely on the outdoor porch. As I proclaimed many times to my family, I could not have been happier anywhere else. The tea was fresh, my sandwich was mouthwatering and the breeze made me feel like I was in paradise. Add to that good company and a beautiful view and you have quite the perfect setting.
Returning to our motel and having a quick rinse off, we lay on the beach sunning ourselves, reading and occasionally dozing off. I took advantage of the convenient proximity of the ocean and took a couple dips in the lovely water. After that, the evening crept slowly in and we shared a brilliant Italian dinner as a family at a place called Jimmy Seas, in Oak Bluffs.
For lunch, we enjoyed smoothie bowls at a juicery, which I was obviously obsessed with. The place is adorned with brightly colored flags and small Buddhas. We ate outside, people watching and enjoying the warm weather.
The following morning was much the same as the first, spent at The Waterside Market once again, this time in my best dress with a book in hand. After another slow morning, we took off on an adventure, into Edgartown where there’s lots of shopping to do, though not much I can afford it’s great for window shopping. I was attempting to stick to a budget, but was drawn into one of the most splendid bookstores. The place has been one of my favorites for ages, and actually reminds me of a spot you’d discover in England.
The shop has high ceilings, stunning paintings and interesting knickknacks on every shelf, so it is much like a bookstore in disguise. The shop owners sell trinkets and bookmarks to most of the tourists until someone like me wanders in seeking the fresh assortment of titles that they display on their shelves. Most of the books are ones I haven’t heard of before. They are not your classic best-selling novels and self-help books. In fact, most of them are smaller, lesser known collections of poems and essays about writing. I felt right at home there and soon left with an arm full of books in a charming yellow bag.
Strolling along the streets of Edgartown, it was certainly the perfect day, and I felt right at home. When we finally returned to our motel that evening, time felt as though it had rushed quickly through our fingers, and we were all surprised that it was already time to leave. We resigned ourselves to packing our bags, saying goodbye to the glorious salty villages of Martha’s Vineyard and setting of for the mainland once more on the ferry.