Martha's Vineyard

Besides the presence of Sovereign on the Vineyard, our banking system is very small and homegrown. It matches the island.You have the feeling that your money stays on the island, right here next to you as you eat and sleep. We don’t have BankNorth or Bank of America, we have the Martha’s Vineyard Savings Bank, Edgartown National Bank and Bank of Martha’s Vineyard (a Division of Sovereign Bank).

But, then the unthinkable. Apparently, fraud approached some Vineyard banking customers by making fake calls to islanders asking for specific information that would give them access to their accounts. Of all the slimey things.

There is heart in this story, though. The bank jumped into action, alerting its customers, and the community did so as well. The Martha’s Vineyard Chamber of Commerce sent a mass email to it’s members alerting them to the issue and providing instructions on what to do. Other agencies are following. But they can hardly catch up with the word of mouth warnings and camaraderie. In a small town, we all watch out for each other.

This past summer, and now this fall, have been especially full of political talk. The Vineyard has surely been a Democratic strong hold - known for visits from the Clinton’s and extravagant fundraisers. Perhaps because of the tight primary race, this August was the first in several years that the Bill, Hilary and Chelsea Clinton didn’t make their annual trip for President Clinton’s birthday bash, replete with gold and stop at the West Tisbury Ag Fair.

In the summer of 2007, Barack Obama enjoyed a fundraiser on his behalf, and there were strong rumors he would return this past summer. I received calls from his staff to arrange his lodging, but they changed their destination to his home state of Hawaii for the 2008 trip.

Interestingly, the political and election buzz, dropped down past the usual ‘adult’ suspects this year. College students were more eager to participate then I’ve ever witnessed, and they were busy trying to decide if they should register here or where they attend college, in an effort to pick the help their candidate. Many of these Vineyard kids are Massachusetts born and raised, and Massachusetts is a blue state, and these students, able to vote for the first time wanted to lend their vote to a swing state if possible.

Looks like it worked!

I have so much to be grateful for: my family, this incredible island I live on, my business. But, today, I’m thankful for something else: timing.

Despite the warnings, markers and clues about the impending market downturn, Suzanne Lanzone & Daughters had a strong season with multiple house sales, heavy rental traffic. But, it is incredibly fortunate that this economic turndown happened at the end of our season. We have until next spring to recover - and I know the country will.

As for the Martha’s Vineyard realty landscape, inventory is high and we haven’t seen dramatic price reductions. The home owners on the island are not majorly Wall Street, we have a diverse crowd including celebrities, politicians and legacies. Another heavy indicator of the economic temperature on the island: we had our strongest fundraising summer ever.

Bottomline: people want to be on Martha’s Vineyard. It’s a luxury destination, a respite from the rest of the world, it’s safe, it’s private; in short, it’s paradise.

The Steamship Authority is having a wee bit of trouble. The Nantucket is having engine trouble and the Sankaty was brought from the Nantucket-Hyannis route to help out with MV-Woods Hole traffic. But then the Sankaty had trouble as well.

Generally, the Steamship Authority runs like a well-oiled machine with boats on time and reliable, but these little glitches can cause major hiccups, in this case, on both islands.

Air travel, particularly on private jets, afford total convenience and speed which is especially important for Vineyard home owners that shuttle back and forth between Boston or New York. But Cape Air and US Airways Express also offer a great commercial alternative.

But, there’s still something  about being on the boat…the extra time it take to cross the Sound offers time for the shift - from work, home, the busyness of life to the quiet, laid back island environ.

There’s an energy that gathers speed as the ferry nears the Vineyard harbor with hundreds of excited people on board that just doesn’t happen on a plane filled with 8 passengers, tops. A certain nostalgia exists for some, the reminiscence of being on the water, of traveling over water to reach the island, of whalers and sea captains.

Still, the planes aren’t breaking down.

As we near election day, I’m paying attention to the things that made the campaign different and full of change. And it’s always a great surprise when the Martha’s Vineyard community is part of the effort.

At the 2008 Democratic National Convention in Denver, CO, the Democrats held a symposium on all things green, environmentally friendly, alternative energy and sustainable. A Martha’s Vineyard company, EcoMV and its founder and president, Mark Martin, were chosen to both present at the event and provide products to make the convention as green as possible.

EcoMV’s on-island shop, the Bio Store, carries only products that are tried, tested and deemed eco-friendly. These products range from home and personal cleaning, toys, clothes and dishware made primarily of bamboo and help - two materials recognized for their green growing habits (can exist on rain water and grow like weeds) and their sustainability. One of their best efforts to date involves compostable to-go plates, cups, tops, bowls and flatware - which they’ve successfully filled many island restaurants with at this point. They, and we, are hoping for a full sweep by next summer.

At the DNC, Eco MV supplied many of these products and Mark presented and advised the DNC and participants based on his success assimilating green products into the mainstream.

He was quoted in the MVTimes, “We would like to present the Island as an example of what a community can do if they take a personal interest and work together to help the environment. We will be approaching other local groups and businesses to be part of our involvement with the DNC. We want this to become a collaborative event, because it has the potential to make the Island a benchmark for other communities and bring people to the Island, because they know we are an eco-conscientious community.”

Music to my ears - Martha’s Vineyard on the national stage because of our community commitment to sustainability and responsibility to our land, people and planet.

This is always a bittersweet time on the island. It’s the end for some, the beginning for others - a change for everyone. Perhaps it’s hardest on the summer people - they have to go back to their real lives once Labor Day passes, after all.

A client of mine, who has become a friend, remarked that this is the first Labor Day that won’t cause physical pain for her and her family in a long time. They usually rented for the month of August and so Labor Day was a big stop sign for them that meant they had to say goodbye to the island, their friends and this way of living until next summer.

But last winter, they purchased their own island home. They won’t be leaving until Wednesday, September 3rd…and they’ll be back most every weekend, until the winter, when their whole family will join them for their first Vineyard holiday season.

Of course, people that haven’t spent much time on the island have made comments about how there must be nothing to do here when it isn’t summer - but it isn’t true. The Vineyard community is so strong, the seasons are truly palpable. Sometimes it is a little quiet…but we think that, sometimes, that’s the point.

We’re full into autumn now at the beginning of October. As I sit on my back deck, and enjoy a glass of wine at the end of the day, dusk comes noticeably earlier and there’s a chill in the air. It was a mild October day today, but the warmth of summer has gone.

It was a monumental summer.

Two of the events that I co-chair raised close to two million dollars to support causes that are near and dear to my heart - affordable housing and the Vineyard’s first YMCA.

My daughter, Aly, is home and working by my side which thrills me to the core and highlights what I believe is at the heart of this island community - family.

Parties, events, friends, sailing and exquisite food have made the summer move quickly, easily and laden with satisfaction.

And, finally, I’ve gone out on my own. I took stock, and I made a decision. To remain small, personal and conscious. To give back to this Vineyard that I love. To feel good about what I do and how I serve my clients from the moment I wake up to the moment I fall asleep. To create a new way. And to that, I say, Cheers…and thanks for being here with me.

At the end of July, I helped raise well over $1 million dollars for the Island Affordable Housing Fund…the following week it was close to $1 million for another worthy cause.

Martha’s Vineyard is inches away from having its very own YMCA, and I was so pleased to co-chair their magnificently successful event on August 3rd: Sunday brunch and All That Jazz.

Featuring Vince Giordano and the Nighthawks of Manhattan, the place was swinging with their music - they actually use original instruments from the 30’s and 40’s to attain their one of a kind sound. This was a summer fundraiser to be sure, filled with Edgartowners and summer people. The Harborview provided the food, and Our Market supplied the bubbly and the Bloody Mary Bar.

Our live auction raised $95,000 from seven items including a Boston Whaler and a charter sail on a yacht (a bit of a sailing theme here!). Ticket sales equaled $205,000 bringing us to $295,000. And then, an anonymous (and longtime friend of the YMCA) offered a $500,000 dollar for dollar challenge grant.

The YMCA needs $12 million to break ground, and this event places them at $11.7. A $17 million total will complete the project. The goal is to raise the remaining $300,000 through individual pledges and donations so that they can break ground this fall.

It was an incredible event, and working with Jim Swartz and John Klein, co-chairs of the capital campaign, and my fundraising co-chair, Tina Miller, was outstanding. We looked at all of the other events - and they had one common theme - they all happened at night. So we flipped things around, shook them up and landed on brunch - and it worked. I can not thank this Vineyard community enough for their generousity

Today a client asked me to name my favorite thing about owning a home on Martha’s Vineyard. Before I could even think, I replied, ‘Creating the ultimate island dinner in my backyard.’ Because I can live the high life, because the island makes it easy, because lobster tastes good everywhere.

Martha’s Vineyard has incredible food…and incredible chefs that use the island’s seasonal fare in ways that, to me, are often unimaginable. Morning Glory Farm gives me the freshest ingredients for salad, the Edgartown Seafood Market steams my lobsters to perfection, Great Harbor Gourmet & Spirits uncorks the best Chardonay, and Espresso Love’s brownies, cookies and pies end every meal perfectly.

There is something about enjoying all that the island has to offer in my own backyard, surrounded by my friends and family…breathing in the ocean air and living life to it’s fullest with a true Martha’s Vineyard meal…at home.