WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 5, 2026 11AM TO 4PM – RAIN OR SHINE
Thursday, July 23
Sunrise Yoga
7:30 a.m. daily, Children’s Beach, Harborview Way. Bettina Broer leads this early-morning yoga session. Bring your own mat.
Pick Your Own Vegetables
8:30 a.m. Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, Bartlett’s Ocean View Farm, 33 Bartlett Farm Road. Journey on the Bartlett’s Farm hay wagon into the heart of its produce fields, with plenty of time to fill your own bag.
Feeding Frenzy at the Aquarium
9 a.m. Monday-Saturday, Maria Mitchell Aquarium, 32 Washington St. Join MMA aquarists and staff as they feed the creatures at the aquarium and learn about their feeding behaviors. Registration required on calendar page of www.mariamitchell.org
Ravenous Reptiles
9 a.m. Monday-Saturday, Hinchman House Natural Science Museum, 7 Milk St. Join MMA staff as they feed the hungry animals at the museum and learn about the adaptations of turtles, frogs, snakes and more. $20. Registration recommended on calendar page of www.mariamitchell.org
Island Calendar
Marine Storytime
9:15 a.m. Monday-Saturday, Maria Mitchell Aquarium, 32 Washington St. An MMA educator will read a marine- or science-themed book, introduce one of the MMA’s animal friends and finish with an activity related to the book. $15 per child, chaperones free. Registration recommended on calendar page of www.mariamitchell.org
Dance Party in the Garden
9:45 a.m. Atheneum garden, 1 India St. Cory Morgan leads an energetic, joy-filled dance time with songs, silly dance moves and challenges like Freeze Dance and the Cha-Cha Slide. The perfect way to start the day with a smile. Weather permitting. Bring a blanket.
Tree Tour
10 a.m. Nantucket Land & Water Council, 6 Ash Lane. Nantucket waterkeeper RJ Turcotte leads a tour of downtown trees and discusses how the island’s trees have been preserved over the decades. Tickets at www. nantucketlandwater.org
THURSDAY, PAGE 13
File photo
Inquirer and Mirror columnist Ginger Andrews will lead the Maria Mitchell Association’s Owl Prowl next Thursday, see listing, page 42 for details.
The evolution of Misty Blues
By Kendall Graham kgraham@inkym.com
More than a century after the blues first emerged from the American South, the genre continues to evolve without losing sight of its roots.
Its influence stretches far beyond its own boundaries, laying the foundation for rock ‘n’ roll, jazz, funk and countless other forms
of popular music. Yet despite that enduring legacy, the blues is often misunderstood as a museum piece: a genre frozen in history or defined solely by heartache.
For Gina Coleman, founder and lead vocalist of the Berkshire County-based band Misty Blues, nothing could be further from the truth.
“The blues is the quintessential American storytelling genre,” Coleman said. “It is the perfect vehicle for me to communicate my lived experience and that of the people and situations that surround me.”
Formed in 1999 and now celebrating more than 25 years together, Misty Blues has become one of New England’s most enduring contemporary blues acts.
Coleman was first encouraged by actor
Ruben Santiago-Hudson to pursue blues music while performing in a production of “A Raisin in the Sun” at the Williamstown Theatre Festival in the late 1990s. Hearing something unmistakably blues in her voice, he handed Coleman a CD collection of female blues artists titled “Men Are Like Streetcars” that spanned the 1920s through the 1960s.
Photo by Rick Pauline
Gina Coleman and Misty Blues will play Cisco Brewers Saturday afternoon and the Gaslight Sunday night.
MusACK
The grape that Hollywood killed – and those keeping it alive
By Peter McEachern I&M Columnist
There is a canton in southern Switzerland that most people, including most Swiss, could not find on a map without help.
It is called Ticino, and it is unlike anywhere else in Switzerland in almost every respect. It is Italian-speaking, Mediterranean in climate and temperament, sheltered from the Alps’ cold by the mountain wall that rises behind it to the north and open to the warmth of the Italian plain that lies below it to the south.
The palm trees are not a joke. The light is different. The food is different. And almost everything grown in the vineyards is Merlot: not because Merlot is fashionable or convenient or the path of least resistance, but because in Ticino the conditions for growing it are close to ideal, and the producers who have farmed these hillside terraces for gen-
erations have long understood this.
I traveled through Ticino on one of my European trips, and what I found there reshaped my understanding of this grape. Ticino Merlot is not Bordeaux Merlot, nor is it California Merlot, nor is it the soft, plummy, immediately agreeable wine most people picture when they hear the word.
It is something more specific and more interesting than any of those: a wine shaped by mountain soils, Mediterranean light and the particular combination of warmth and altitude that the canton’s geography creates.
The wines have depth and structure, with a mineral precision that the region’s obscurity has kept largely to itself. They are, in the best cases, genuinely beautiful – and they are made from a grape that spent the better part of a decade being laughed at by
Courtesy of Peter McEachern
A winery in Washington State’s Columbia Valley, the epicenter of quality Merlot in America.
Courtesy of Peter McEachern
A vineyard along the road between Maroggia and Arognoin Ticino, Switzerland.
Wine Cellar
Courtesy of Peter McEachern
Chateau Petrus in the Bordeaux region of Pomerol, France. Petrus produces the most expensive red wines in the world.
people who should have known better.
Before we talk about what Merlot is, we have to talk about what happened to it. In 2004, the film “Sideways” was released, in which a fictional wine snob named Miles Raymond delivered a line that did more damage to a noble grape variety than any critic, bad vintage or agricultural blight in recorded wine history: “I am NOT drinking any Merlot!”
American Merlot sales dropped by double digits within a year. The irony – savored by wine professionals for two decades and counting – is that the wine Miles holds up as the pinnacle of everything he believes in, the bottle of Château Cheval Blanc he nurses through the entire film like a talisman, is approximately 60 percent Merlot.
The grape won the argument. Hollywood didn’t notice. Neither, for a while, did anyone else.
What makes Merlot Merlot
Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon are, genetically speaking, close relatives – Cabernet Sauvignon is a natural crossing of Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc, while Merlot shares Cabernet Franc as a parent –and they are grown side by side across most of the world’s major red wine regions.
Yet the wines they produce are fundamentally different in character, and understanding that difference is the first step toward understanding why both varieties matter.
Where Cabernet Sauvignon is bold, structured and tannic – a grape that makes its presence felt immediately and requires time to soften into something approachable – Merlot is rounder, fuller and more immediately generous. Its tannins are softer by nature, its fruit character leans toward ripe plum, black cherry and chocolate rather than Cabernet’s black currant and graphite, and its lower
acidity gives it a velvety, plush texture that makes it one of the most immediately pleasurable red grapes to drink young.
This is simultaneously Merlot’s greatest virtue and the source of most of the criticism directed at it: wines made for immediate pleasure are easy to dismiss as lacking seriousness, and a generation of producers making soft, slightly sweet, unambitious Merlot in the 1990s gave that dismissal some genuine justification. The grape was not the problem. The ambition was.
What Merlot can do – what it does in Pomerol, in the best Right Bank Bordeaux, in Ticino, in Washington State’s Columbia Valley and in the hands of producers who take it as seriously as the great Cabernet estates take their variety – is produce wines of extraordinary richness, complexity and longevity that are, if anything, more sensually satisfying than the greatest Cabernets precisely because they do not make you work as hard for the pleasure.
Pétrus, the most expensive wine in the world, is almost entirely Merlot. The argument, as I said, was settled a long time ago.
The world in three glasses
• Ticino, Switzerland: Geographically, Ticino is an island for Merlot, an enclave of Mediterranean viticulture completely surrounded by the Alpine conditions that define the rest of Swiss wine country. The canton sits at the southern foot of the Alps, its valleys running down toward Lake Maggiore and the Lombard plain.
Its climate is shaped by the protective wall of mountains to the north, which blocks the cold, and by the open southern exposure, which brings warmth and light.
Approximately 80 percent of the wine produced in Ticino is Merlot, not a monoculture
Squam Farm under a sepia sky
By Neil Foley
I&M Columnist
Wildfires across Canada have cast our mid-summer days in sepia tone. The eerie shade of orange light filtering through the haze sets an ominous mood and poor air quality makes long walks unhealthy.
What is a summer on Nantucket, however, without an outdoor adventure? No need to push yourself to the edge of exhaustion, but a short walk in the height of the season is good for the soul.
The summer is flying by, and it seems like the entire world is moving at break-neck speed. I wanted to go to one of my go-to old standards, revisiting beautiful parts of a property I know well.
Under the glow of an orange sun, I venture out to Squam Farm and walk up the gravel driveway from the recently renovated public parking lot.
I stop at the rock wall and flip the flat
cover stones in search of snakes. With luck, I find a gorgeous black and auburn garter snake and a small yearling milk snake.
Both dazzle me with their color patterns, but I only reach for the milk snake as the garter slithers to the neighboring rock.
As the six-inch snake winds through my fingers, I turn it to appreciate its spotted belly. I gently lay the rock back in place and release the milk snake at the edge so that it can crawl back safely.
Watching these charming creatures carry on peacefully with colorful allure, it is hard for me to see why people treat all snakes with such repulsion and disdain. I ponder their need for PR as I continue on.
The grasslands out in the open leading up to the barn are alive with insect
Photo by Neil Foley
A small Eastern milk snake under the cover of a basking rock.
Photo by Neil Foley
A tiny grasshopper jumping through the open fields of Squam Farm last week.
Walk with Neil
Breakfast on the go: Bacon, Egg and Cheese
By Francesca Giangiulio fgiangiulio@inkym.com
You loved my roundups last year, so we’ve decided to bring them back. This time, with a breakfast twist.
The bacon egg and cheese may be simple, but that’s what makes it so good. And it’s that simplicity that tricks many restaurants into thinking putting one on the menu is an easy breakfast addition.
Yes, it’s a staple, but it’s not just a matter of slapping three ingredients on whatever bread you have and calling it a day. A true bacon, egg and cheese (I will refer to it as a BEC moving forward, for brevity’s sake) is a lesson in balance.
The bacon must be crisp; no one wants to fight with the pork fat just to get a bite. The cheese, perfectly melted so it glides over the sandwich, but isn’t dripping out onto your hands. You also need enough for it to bind the other ingredients, but not too much that it’s overwhelming the other flavors.
And finally, the egg. The most important part of the sandwich that, I feel, is often the most overlooked. The egg, if scrambled, should be light and fluffy, almost like you’re biting into air. If fried, I want a crisp outer layer, but it can’t be over-cooked. Otherwise
Let’s Eat!
you run into the same problem as chewy bacon. It’s also never good if yolk is oozing out the sides all over your fingers.
Although a BEC is beautiful in its original form, I understand that it’s hard to resist zhuzhing it up a little, and we have some wonderfully creative chefs on-island who have given us their own interesting renditions of the BEC.
This list highlights the classic grab-andgo three-ingredient breakfast, as well as some more unique options the island has to offer.
I have traversed Nantucket to find the best, eggiest, cheesiest, greasiest, most hangover-curing-est BEC on the island.
This, however, is not a comprehensive list of every BEC sold here, and I left off some of the more obvious choices this time (Stubby’s immediately comes to mind) to illustrate the width and breadth of options out there.
I am just a girl, and I can only eat so many BECs in five days. There will be at least one more roundup before the end of the summer, since there are so many BEC’s worth sampling on this island, and the DMs are open
Photos by Francesca Giangiulio Clockwise from top: Bacon, egg and cheese breakfast sandwiches from bagel Bar, Born & Bread and Fresh.
if you want to suggest who makes the list next time.
• Provisions, “The Original,” $10.05 (extra for bagel): Provisions may be known for the Turkey Terrific, but I think the breakfast deserves some extra attention. The Straight Wharf sandwich shop offers two breakfast sandwiches and a variety of local bagels and house-made cream cheeses.
“The Original” comes with an herbed egg frittata, sharp cheddar cheese, crisp and crunchy bacon, and – drum roll please – tomato chipotle jam. It’s sweet, bright, with just a little bit of heat to give the sandwich that extra kick that makes it stand out. I wish I could buy a jar of the tomato jam.
You might be thinking that’s my favorite part of the sandwich. Wrong. Along with the classics, Provisions has a Cisco Beer bagel. This is the best part of the sandwich. It has a crisp outer shell, almost like an Asiago bagel, and you get a little hint of that earthy hops flavor that comes from an IPA.
The different flavors of this sandwich all work together beautifully and make for an interesting and fresh bite that still provides all the satisfaction of a classic BEC.
• Cook’s Cafe, “All Day Breakfast Wrap,” $17. Cook’s Cafe on South Beach Street offers wraps, bowls, smoothies and a variety of vegan specialties like tofu curry and falafel. It’s recently added lamb gyro and chicken schwarma, which I’ll have to return for.
The wrap comes with scrambled eggs, bacon, ham, Americam cheese, green peppers, onions, tomato, spinach and hot sauce. The
thicker-cut ham adds a lighter, golden-roasted flavor to complement the salty bacon.
I really enjoyed the freshness and additional texture that the vegetables brought to the wrap. It felt like something I could take to the beach or eat on a hot day and it wouldn’t weigh me down. I’m a big fan of spice, so the hot sauce built into the wrap was perfect for me. I loved the little kick, especially with the crispness of the veggies.
• Bartlett’s Ocean View Farm, “The Classic,” $9.99: People have been recommending this sandwich to me for months, but this was the first time I had the pleasure of actually trying it. Now conveniently located on an NRTA route, Bartlett’s Farm has yet to disappoint me. Corn, tomatoes, curry chicken salad, key lime pie, and I can now add the BEC to my list of farm must-haves.
I don’t normally go for English muffins on my breakfast sandwich because their yeasty tang can overpower the other ingredients. Not this time. The sandwich was bigger than I was expecting, almost double the size of your standard, store-bought English muffin. This sandwich has such a nostalgic flavor, it transported me back to Sunday-morning family breakfasts. It’s exactly what you think a BEC should taste like.
The soft and fluffy English muffin gives way to a soft, steamed egg. The thin-cut bacon has that quintessential breakfast flavor and the gooey, creamy American cheese ties it all together. It’s great for morning dips at Cisco Beach or casual catch-ups overlooking the farm fields.
MUSIC AND MOVEMENT WITH COOL CORY Fridays | 10:00 - 10:30 AM | 7.10 - 8.21
CAPOEIRA ON THE BANDSTAND WITH WERDUM Sat | 9:00 - 10:30 AM | 6.13 - 10.03
SUMMER CONCERT SERIES
Sundays | 6:00 - 7:15 PM | 6.21 - 9.6
Photo by Francesca Giangiulio
The All Day Breakfast Wrap at Cook’s Cafe.
“The Ministry of Time” speculative fiction at its best
By Shannon Ross Contributing Writer
I’ve been diving more into speculative fiction lately, the umbrella term for a super-genre that explores impossibility within possibility: science fiction, alternate history and fantasy, to name a few.
I’m having so much fun reading “The Ministry of Time” by Kaliane Bradley and imagining what it would be like to host a traveler from the past and explain the world we live in to them.
The narrator, a nameless civil servant in the UK government, is tasked with that role. She is assigned to be a “bridge,” a host family of sorts, to a time traveler from the past as part of a government experiment to find out whether the past can not only survive time travel but also acclimate to an independent life in the 21st century.
Her charge is Commander Graham Gore, a time expat pulled from 1847 during his expedition to the Arctic (which would have ended in his untimely death had he not been pulled to the future: a common thread with all the expats, as to not create the “butterfly effect” with time travel).
The two share an apartment together, creating a domestic space for Gore to acclimate to. After two weeks of hospitalization due to frostbite, pneumonia and extreme exhaustion from the 1847 expedition, Gore attempts to flee the Ministry three times.
Once sedated and informed he can not return to 1847, he agrees to enter the “bridge program.”
As part of his initiation to the 2020s he’s briefed on the following developments since 1847: the electric grid, the internal combustion engine and indoor plumbing. It’s up to the narrator to teach him the rest.
What follows is a lighthearted, odd-couple roommate dynamic, and a cast of other colorful “time expats,” all from different times, who befriend each other.
Gore moves through his new world with curiosity and an innate ability to adapt, fitting for a rugged explorer.
The “capacity to enslave lightning,” which is how he refers to electricity, is startling to him. He becomes entranced by bicycles and Spotify, yet disturbed by germs and the concept of dating: two unmarried people spending time together without a chaperone. As a result, he washes his hands often and turns his nose up at the other “time expats” once they figure out what dating apps are.
The narrator begins to develop feelings for Gore. Although she knows everything about his life through his journals and her historical research as part of her job, he is still remarkably mysterious and closed off about his motives and his thoughts.
The ministry’s motives are also unclear: What is the real reason for this “time trav-
el experiment?” Why are some of the expats being recruited to become field agents? And what is the sketch of a device that a dismissed member of the ministry tells the narrator is a weapon from the future?
This very clever, very funny book delves into all kinds of possibilities regarding iden-
tity, love, time travel and secret motives at the highest levels of bureaucracy.
I recommend it as a great read to open the horizons to more speculative fiction and wonder, “What if?”
Shannon Ross is a library associate at the Nantucket Atheneum.
Kaliane Bradley
Good Reads
(Continued from page 3)
Hands-on History
10:15 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, Nantucket Whaling Museum Discovery Room, 13 Broad St. Hands-on family programming connecting the Nantucket Historical Association’s 2026 exhibition “The Wider World and Scrimshaw” with a craft for participants to make and take home. Register on calendar page of www.nha.org
Book-Signing: Alexander Starritt
10:30 a.m. Mitchell’s Book Corner, 54 Main St. Author Alexander Starritt will sign copies of his book “Drayton and Mackenzie,” a New York Times Editor’s Pick.
Family Connections Tour
10:30 a.m. Nantucket Whaling Museum, 13 Broad St. Museum guides bring the NHA’s 2026 exhibit, “The Wider World and Scrimshaw,” to life with visual and tactile elements. Concludes with a take-home craft activity. Free with museum admission. Register on calendar page of www.nha.org
Walking Tour
10:45 a.m. Monday-Saturday, Nantucket Whaling Museum, 13 Broad St. The Nantuck-
Island Calendar
et Historical Association’s downtown walking tour transports visitors on a journey through Nantucket’s past and tells the story of the rise and the fall of the whaling industry, the rise of tourism and the impacts the island’s economy had on social and racial development on Nantucket. Reserve tickets at www.nha.org
Hands-on History at the Old Jail
11 a.m.-4 p.m. Old Gaol (Jail), 15R Vestal St. Learn about the Nantucket Historical Association’s Old Jail and some of its inhabitants, and make a beaded keychain. Free.
Mini Movers
11 a.m. Hinchman House Natural Science Museum, 7 Milk St. Young children and their caregivers are invited to wiggle, dance and explore the animal kingdom through movement, music and hands-on discovery. $15. Additional session Saturday. Registration recommended on calendar page of www.mariamitchell. org. Additional session Tuesday.
Old Salts Sailing
1 p.m. Jetties Sailing Center, Jetties Beach, end of Bathing Beach Road. Nantucket Community Sailing offers free access to sailing for seniors 55 and over. Register at www.nantucketcommunitysailing.org
Read to a Buddy
2 p.m. Atheneum gallery, 1 India St. Children 6-12 are invited to bring a book from home or choose one from the library and read to a READ (Reading Education Assistance Dog) therapy dog. Registration required by calling (508) 228-1110, ext. 103.
Live Music: Wim Tapley and the Cannons
4 p.m. Cisco Brewers, 5 Bartlett Farm Road. Athens, Ga.-based Americana, folkpop and neo-soul band Wim Tapley and the Cannons will perform.
Art Reception: AAN
5 p.m. Cecelia Joyce & Seward Johnson Gallery, 8 Federal St. The Artists Association of Nantucket will host a public reception for its Never Out of Beach exhibition, on display through Aug. 4.
Meet the Artist: Alyssa Fortin
5 p.m. Hostetler Gallery, 42 Centre St. Photographer Alyssa Fortin will discuss the creative vision behind her underwater ballet photography, including a coastal wine tasting.
Nantucket Preservation Trust Annual Meeting
5 p.m. Upstairs at 11 Centre St. Nantucket Preservation Trust will host its annual members meeting. More information at www.nantucketpreservation.org
Where Science Meets Stewardship
5 p.m. Nantucket Conservation Foundation, 118 Cliff Road. Woodwell Climate and the Nantucket Conservation Foundation partner to explore how science and stewardship work hand in hand to advance practical climate solutions. The event will feature a discussion between Woodwell president and CEO Max Holmes and NCF president and CEO Cormac Collier, followed by a panel discussion. Register on events page of www. nantucketconservation.org
John Mulaney: “Mr. Whatever”
6 and 8:30 p.m. Nantucket Performing Arts Center, 5 North Water St. Four-time Emmy, Critics Choice, and WGA-award winning writer, comedian and actor John Mulaney will take the NPAC stage. Tickets at www.nantucketperformingarts.org
THURSDAY, PAGE 14
(Thursday, continued from page 13)
Sip and Stitch
6 p.m. Erica Wilson, 25 Main St. An evening of creativity, conversation and community. All are welcome, whether you’re a seasoned embroiderer or threading your first needle. Free.
Special Screening:
“Influenced”
6 p.m. Dreamland Theater, 17 South Water St. The Dreamland will screen “Influenced,” starring author, actress and “Odd Mom Out” creator Jill Kargman, preceded by a conversation with Kargman. Tickets at www.nantucketdreamland.org
Stargazer Gala: A Night at the Circus
6 p.m. Tom Nevers Field, 130 Tom Nevers Road. The Maria Mitchell Association hosts its annual gala fundraiser, an evening of magic, marvels and wonder, featuring world-class acrobats, aerialists and jugglers, followed by live and silent auctions and dancing. Tickets, $750, available on calendar page of www.mariamitchell.org. The circus remains in Tom Nevers for general-public performances Friday through Sunday.
Island Calendar
Thursday Night Fete
6-8 p.m. Nantucket Island School of Design and the Arts, 23 Wauwinet Road. NISDA hosts an evening of food trucks, island tunes, open mic and a chance to make a ceramic bowl to contribute to the Nantucket Food, Fuel and Rental Assistance No More Empty Bowls fall fundraiser. All are welcome.
“Escape to Margaritaville”
7 p.m. Bennett Hall, 62 Centre St. Theatre Workshop of Nantucket presents the musical review “Escape to Margaritaville,” an homage to the original Parrothead himself, Jimmy Buffett. Visit www.theatrenantucket.org for additional dates, times and tickets.
“Men on Boats”
7:30 p.m. Nantucket Performing Arts Center, 5 North Water St. NPAC presents “Men on Boats,” part true adventure, part outrageous comedy. Visit www.nantucketperformingarts.org for tickets, additional dates and times. Through July 29.
On the Isle: “42nd Street”
8 p.m. Sconset Casino, 10 New St. On the Isle, Sconset’s long-running community theater group, presents the classic Broadway hit “42nd Street.” Continues through Sunday. Tickets at www.ontheisle.org
Live Music: Goth Babe
10 p.m. The Muse, 44 Surfside Road. Goth Babe – American indie rock singer-songwriter Griff Washburn – will perform. Tickets at www.musenantucket.com/shows. Second show Friday.
Live Music: Local Notes
10 p.m. Rose & Crown, 23 South Water St. Nantucket’s homegrown rock band Local Notes will perform. 21 and over.
Live Music: Morrissey Blvd.
10 p.m. Gaslight Nantucket, 3 North Union St. New Bedford-based soul, funk, R&B and rock band Morrissey Blvd. will perform. 21 and over.
Live Music: One Night Stands
10 p.m. The Chicken Box, 6 Dave St. New England party band One Night Stands will perform. Additional shows Friday and Saturday.
Friday, July 24
Marine Ecology Field Trip
8:30 a.m. Hither Creek, Madaket, near 25 Massachusetts Ave. Adults and children 8 and older are invited to help Maria Mitchell Association staff collect, identify and release fish, crabs, shrimp and other marine crea-
tures with a seine net. Additional sessions Monday and Wednesday. Tickets, $35, on calendar page of www.mariamitchell.org
Nature Walk: Windswept Cranberry Bog
8:30 a.m. Starting location provided upon registration. Nantucket Conservation Foundation Staff will discuss the bog’s history, showcase the work that took place over the last two years and look forward to what Windswept will look like within the next several years post-restoration. Register on events page of www.nantucketconservation.org
Pick Your Own Flowers
8:30 a .m. Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Bartlett’s Ocean View Farm, 33 Bartlett Farm Road. Spend a picturesque morning in the farm’s organic flower fields. The Bartlett’s team provides the clippers and guidance to help you create the perfect bouquet. Rain or shine.
Kids Bird Watching
9 a.m. Maria Mitchell Aquarium, 32 Washington St. Children 7 and up are invited to learn how to observe, listen for and identify the birds of Nantucket’s coastal ecosystem. $25. Register on calendar page of www.mariamitchell.org
Island Calendar
Guided Nature Walk
10 a.m. Linda Loring Nature Foundation, 110 Eel Point Road. LLNF director of research and conservation Sarah Bois leads a guided tour of the sandplain grasslands and heathlands of the LLNF property. Free, but registration required on calendar page of www.llnf.org
Morning Mah Jong
10 a.m. 33 Washington St. Join the Nantucket Mah Jong Club and the Maria Mitchell Association for beginner group lessons and open play. All levels welcome. Tiles and cards provided. Register on calendar page of www.mariamitchell.org
Dharma Yoga
10:15 a.m., Bartlett’s Ocean View Farm, 33 Bartlett Farm Road. Joanne Burnham of Dharma Yoga leads this session to strengthen and lengthen, enliven and invigorate, soothe and calm. Visit www.dharmayoganantucket. com to register or for additional dates.
Patio Pop-Up
10:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Artists Association of Nantucket Cecelia Joyce & Seward Johnson Gallery, 8 Federal St. Meet AAN member-artists Sharon Woods Hussey and Nancy Nichols, learn more about their work and creative process.
Bug Bonanza
11 a.m. Mill Hill Park, off Prospect Street. Maria Mitchell Association staff lead this exploration of the insects and small creatures that live in the grasses, flowers and trees of Nantucket. Intended for children 4 and up and adults. $20. Register on calendar page of www.mariamitchell.org. Additional sessions Monday and Wednesday.
Dreamland Kids Weekly Showcase
11 a.m. Dreamland Theater, 17 South Water St. Young performers in the Dreamland’s S tage Explorers showcase what they’ve learned through theater, language and etiquette, followed by an interactive tea service and sing-along. Tickets at www.nantucketdreamland.org
Hands-on History at the Oldest House
11 a.m.-4 p.m. Oldest House, 16 Sunset Hill Lane. Learn about the Nantucket Historical Association’s Jethro Coffin House and the generations of Nantucketers who lived there, and create your own cup-andball game. Free.
FRIDAY, PAGE 34
Did someone order a spectacular harbor view? Visit the newly renovated Brant Point Grill Deck at White Elephant, where the menu is rivaled only by the sunset over Nantucket Harbor. Enjoy al fresco dining in our fresh new outdoor bar and deck space, where our chefs use local flavors to prepare lobster, grilled steaks and signature New England dishes.
The of Nantucket Best
Every year The Inquirer and Mirror asks its readers to identify the BEST OF NANTUCKET in more than 70 categories, from food and lodging, to shopping and leisure activities and much more, through an online ballot at ack.net. The 2026 winners are listed below.
Boston Pops on Nantucket, Nantucket Cottage Hospital
Island Tour
Gail Johnson, Gail’s Tours
Kids Water Activities
Nantucket Community Sailing
Museum/Historic Site
The Whaling Museum,
Nantucket Historical Association
Theater
Dreamland, Nantucket’s Film & Cultural Center
SHOPPING
Antiques Store
Sylvia Antiques
Art Gallery
Artists’ Association of Nantucket
Bicycle Shop
Young’s Bicycle Shop
Boat Yard & Marine Supplies
Madaket Marine
SHOPPING
Drugstore
Nantucket Pharmacy
Furniture
Nantucket Looms
Garden Center
Bartlett’s Farm
Gift Shop (tie)
Four Winds Gifts
Nantucket Looms
Jewelry
Anna P. Jay
Kids Clothing Pinwheels Nantucket
Mens Clothing
Murray’s Toggery Shop
T-Shirt Shop
Annie and the Tees
Wine Store
Hatch’s Package Store
Womens Clothing
Ladybird Lingerie
TRAVEL
Auto Rental (tie)
Affordable Rentals Nantucket
Nantucket Windmill Auto Rental
Hotel
The Nantucket Hotel
Inn
The Summer House
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Island Calendar
Teen Game Night
Star-gazer Circus
3 and 7 p.m. Tom Nevers Fairgrounds, end of Tom Nevers Road. The Maria Mitchell Association brings the Venardos Circus, a Broadway-style traveling circus featuring acrobats, aerialists, jugglers and comedians from around the globe. Tickets at www.mariamitchell.org
Wines & Rinds
3:30-5 p.m. Bartlett’s Ocean View Farm, 33 Bartlett Farm Road. A relaxed, guided pairing of the farms favorite wines and cheeses.
Live Music: Mihali
4 p.m. Cisco Brewers, 5 Bartlett Farm Road. Vermont singer-songwriter and co-founder of rock band Twiddle will perform in this benefit for Nourish Nantucket. Tickets, $25, at www.ciscobrewers.com
6 p.m. Nantucket Atheneum, 1 India St. Teens and tweens are invited to play a selection of Nintendo Switch games like Just Dance, Mario Party and more. The games will rotate and are first-come, first-served.
Live Music: Cranberry Alarm Clock
7 p.m. Fairgrounds Restaurant, 27 Fairgrounds Road. Nantucket’s own Beatles tribute band Cranberry Alarm Clock will perform.
“Putting It Together”
7 p.m. Bennett Hall, 62 Centre St. Theatre Workshop of Nantucket presents “Putting It Together,” an adaptation of the Stephen Sondheim musical revue. Through Aug. 14. Visit www.theatrenantucket.org for additional dates, times and tickets.
Live Music: Colbie Caillat
7:30 p.m. Nantucket Performing Arts Center, 5 North Water St. Singer-songwriter Colbie Caillat, who hit it big in 2005 with
“Bubbly” and has since transitioned to country music, will perform. Tickets at www.nantucketperformingarts.org
Stargazing at the Observatory
9:30 p.m. Loines Observatory, 59 Milk St. Join Maria Mitchell Association astronomers for a tour of the night sky, including t he moon, planets, star clusters, nebulae and other galaxies. $27 for adults, $17 for children. Register on calendar page of www. mariamitchell.org. Additional sessions Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.
Karaoke
10 p.m. The Rose & Crown, 23 South Water St. Channel your inner rock star on The Rose & Crown stage.
Live Music: Jamie McLean Band
10:30 p.m. Gaslight Nantucket, 3 North Union St. The Jamie McLean Band, which blends New Orleans soul, Mid-American roots, Delta blues and New York City swagger, will perform. 21 and over.
Saturday, July 25
Nantucket Clean Team
8 a.m. Handlebar Café, 15 Washington St., and the corner of Polpis and Wauwinet roads. The Nantucket Clean Team meets Saturdays from spring through fall to pick up trash around the island. Pickers and bags provided.
Swim Across America
8 a.m. Jetties Beach, End of Bathing Beach Road. The biggest fundraiser of the summer sports season in terms of dollars is the annual Swim Across America event held at Jetties Beach, now in its 14th year. More than 400 swimmers raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for the island’s leading institutions in cancer treatment and patient care. For more information on all of the swims and to register, visit www.swimacrossamerica.org/Nantucket
SATURDAY, PAGE 36
(Friday, continued from page 15)
Courtesy of Steely Dead
Steely Dead, which blends the music and vibe of Steely Dan and the Grateful Dead, will play Cisco Brewers Sunday.
Brant Point Association Annual Meeting
8:30 a.m. Nantucket Hotel, 77 Easton St. The Brant Point Association will hold its annual meeting. Brant Point residents and business owners welcome. For more information visit www.nantucketBPA.com
Farmers & Artisans Market
8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Cambridge Street, between North Union and South Water streets. Sustainable Nantucket hosts a market of fresh local produce, island cottage-industry artisans and food. Weather permitting.
Capoeira at the Beach
9 a.m. Children’s Beach, Harborview Way. Kick off your Saturday mornings with an exciting Brazilian martial arts experience that’s fun for all ages. Free.
NanPuppets
9:30 a.m. Something Natural, 50 Cliff Road. Lizza Obremski brings her puppet friends for a half hour of education and fun. $10, kids under 1 free. Bring a blanket.
Patio Pop-Up
9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Artists Association of Nantucket Cecelia Joyce & Seward Johnson Gallery, 8 Federal St. Meet AAN member-artist Tricia Deck, learn more about her work and creative process.
Artisan Market
10 a.m. Nantucket Island School of Design and the Arts, 23 Wauwinet Road. Island artists and artisans show and sell their work. Free.
Read to a Buddy
10 a.m. Atheneum gallery, 1 India St. Children 6-12 are invited to bring a book from home or choose one from the library and read to a READ (Reading Education Assistance Dog) therapy dog. Registration required by calling (508) 228-1110, ext. 103.
Storytime with a Princess
10 and 11 a. m. Dreamland Theater, 17 South Water St. Children 4-10 are invited to go backstage, dress up in authentic theatrical costumes and work directly with the Princess and her royal cast to learn their role on stage. Tickets at www.nantucketdreamland.org
Book Signing: Adrienne Lufkin
10:30 a.m. Mitchell’s Book Corner, 54 Main St. Author Adrienne Lufkin will sign copies of her Nantucket-inspired cookbook “Savor the Golden Hour.”
Island Calendar
Theatre Workshop of Nantucket’s “Escape to Margaritaville” is on stage at Bennett Hall through Aug. 22. See listing, page 14 for details.
Music and Movement
11:45 a.m. Children’s Beach bandstand, Harborview Way. Cory Morgan leads a half hour of song and dance intended for children.
Live Music: Misty Blues
Noon, Cisco Brewers, 5 Bartlett Farm Road. Berkshire County blues band Misty Blues will perform.
Bartlett Farm Walking Tour
2 p.m. Saturday and Wednesday, Meet in front of farm market, 33 Bartlett Farm Road. A free, 30-minute behind-the-scenes journey into 200 years of agricultural history on this farm owned by the same family since the early 1800s.
Beach Biology Field Trip
sociation aquarium staff for a hands-on beach exploration. A fun and engaging way to connect with the shoreline and better understand the plants, animals and natural processes that shape Nantucket’s beaches. $30. Register on calendar page of www.mariamitchell.org
Star-gazer Circus
3 and 7 p.m. Tom Nevers Fairgrounds, end of Tom Nevers Road. The Maria Mitchell Association brings the Venardos Circus, a Broadway-style traveling circus featuring acrobats, aerialists, jugglers and comedians from around the globe. Tickets at www.mariamitchell.org
Live Music: Jimmy Denny
“Finding Nemo Jr.”
5 p.m. Dreamland Theater, 17 South Water St. The Dreamland’s youth theater company presents Disney Pixar’s “Finding Nemo Jr.” Tickets at www.nantucketdreamland.org
Dreamland Conversation: Casey Neistat
5:30 p.m. Dreamland Theater, 17 South Water St. YouTube creator, filmmaker and island summer resident Casey Neistat will discuss his work, inspiration and influences with former N Magazine editor Rob Cocuzzo. Tickets at www.nantucketdreamland.org
Almanac Summer Soiree
6:30 p.m. 25 Almanack Pond Road. Almanack Arts and Almanack Screenwriters host their annual summer fundraiser, featuring an evening of food, drink, live entertainment and a conversation with Grammy-winning record producer and music supervisor George Drakoulias exploring how music brings screenwriting to life. Tickets at www. almanackscreenwriters.org/soiree
Jazz Night at the Fairgrounds
8 p.m. Fairgrounds Restaurant, 27 Fairgrounds Road. A rotating cast of island musicians and special guests perform an evening of live jazz.
Karaoke
10 p.m. The Rose & Crown, 23 South Water St. Channel your inner rock star on The Rose & Crown stage.
Live Music: Fountains of Wayne
10 p.m. The Muse, 44 Surfside Road. New York City-based rock band Fountains of Wayne will perform. Tickets at www. musenantucket.com/shows
Live Music: Buckle & Shake
10:30 p.m. Gaslight Nantucket, 3 North Water St. Nantucket’s own alt-country band Buckle & Shake will perform. 21 and over.
Sunday, July 26
Nantucket Bird Walk
7:45 a.m. 4 Vestal St. Island bird guide and Inquirer and Mirror birding columnist Ginger Andrews leads this exploration of birding landscapes and hidden nooks. Loaner binoculars available. Dress for the weather. $35. Register on calendar page of www. mariamitchell.org
Patio Pop-Up
(Saturday, continued from page 34) SUNDAY, PAGE 38
2 p.m. Low Beach Parking Lot, Low Beach Road, Sconset. Join the Maria Mitchell As-
4 p.m. Cisco Brewers, 5 Bartlett Farm Road. Atlanta-based indie singer-songwriter Jimmy Denny will perform.
10:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Artists Association of Nantucket Cecelia Joyce & Seward Johnson Gallery, 8 Federal St. Meet AAN member-artist James Dolph, learn more about his work and creative process.
Photo by Bill Hoenk
(Sunday, continued from page 36)
Star-gazer Circus
11 a.m. and 4 p.m. Tom Nevers Fairgrounds, end of Tom Nevers Road. The Maria Mitchell Association brings the Venardos Circus, a Broadway-style traveling circus featuring acrobats, aerialists, jugglers and comedians from around the globe. Tickets at www.mariamitchell.org
“Finding Nemo Jr.”
Noon, Dreamland Theater, 17 South Water St. The Dreamland’s youth theater company presents Disney Pixar’s “Finding Nemo Jr.” Tickets at www.nantucketdreamland.org
Live Music: Doug & Co.
Noon, Cisco Brewers, 5 Bartlett Farm Road. Nantucket’s own jam band Doug & Co., inspired by the Grateful Dead, will perform.
Nantucket Car Show
1:30 p.m. Nantucket Intermediate School parking lot, 30 Surfside Road. The fourth annual Nantucket Car Show invites all car enthusiasts for an afternoon of classic and exotic cars, food trucks, live music, giveaways and games. Benefits the Nantucket Boys & Girls Club.
Live Music: Folias Duo
2 p.m. Atheneum Great Hall, 1 India St. Flutist Carmen Maret and guitarist Andrew Bergeron – the Folias Duo – will perform from their extensive catalog of over 70 original works. Free.
Live Music: Cranberry Alarm Clock
3-6 p.m. Sandbar, end of Bathing Beach Road. Nantucket’s favorite Beatles tribute band, Cranberry Alarm Clock, will perform.
Live Music: Steely Dead
3 p.m. Cisco Brewers, 5 Bartlett Farm Road. Denver-based Steely Dead, which seamlessly fuses the catalogs of Steely Dan and the Grateful Dead, will perform.
Beginner’s Ukulele
5:30 p.m. Nantucket Community Music Center, 56 Centre St. No instrument? No problem. Ukuleles available. All ages welcome. Free.
Big Screen Bucket List: “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon”
6 p.m. Dreamland Theater, 17 South Water St. The Dreamland screens 2000’s “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon,” starring Chow Yun-Fat and Michelle Yeoh, as part of its summer Big Screen Bucket List series.
Island Calendar
Theatre Workshop of Nantucket will host its annual summer fundraiser Tuesday at Bartlett’s Ocean View Farm, featuring a performance by Killer Queen, one of the world’s most popular Queen tribute bands.
Live Music: Mitch Blake
6 p.m. Children’s Beach bandstand, Harborview Way. Island musician Mitch Blake will perform. Free.
Live Music: Julia Newman
6 p.m. Rose & Crown, 23 South Water St. Nantucket singer-songwriter Julia Newman will perform.
Live Music: Mount Joy
9 p.m. The Muse, 44 Surfside Road. Los Angeles-based indie rock band Mount Joy will perform in this benefit show for Team Impact, which connects children battling serious or chronic illnesses with college athletic teams. Tickets at www.musenantucket/shows
Live Music: Misty Blues
10:30 p.m. Gaslight Nantucket, 3 North Union St. Berkshire County-based blues band Misty Blues will perform. 21 and over.
Monday, July 27
En Plein Air
10 a.m. Maria Mitchell Association Outdoor Classroom, 33 Washington St. Artist Nikoline Bohr leads this class that guides participants through the techniques of creating art directly in nature. Intended for adults. $45. Register on calendar page of www.mariamitchell.org
Monday Magic
10 a.m. Children’s Beach bandstand, Harborview Way. Magician, musician and artist Mark Carapezza provides free, family-friendly entertainment and hands-on activities.
Live Music: Liz Kelley
Noon, Cisco Brewers, 5 Bartlett Farm Road. Nashville-based singer-songwriter Liz Kelley will perform. Second show Tuesday at 4 p.m.
Drop-in Craft Gam
1 p.m. 1800 House, 4 Mill St. Have an unfinished chair, basket, beading or stitching project? Bring any project and work in the company of other creative people. Free.
Outdoor Art
2 p.m. Maria Mitchell Association Classroom, 33 Washington St. Outdoor art invites participants to slow down, observe and connect with the natural world through close-up drawing and artistic exploration. $45. Register on calendar page of www.mariamitchell.org
Live Music: Joy Riders
4 p.m. Cisco Brewers, 5 Bartlett Farm Road. The Joy Riders will perform.
Colgate University Reception
5 p.m. Location provided upon RSVP. Colgate president Brian W. Casey will host this reception for alumni and parents to discuss the state of the university and its third-century plan. E-mail vpadvancement@colgate. edu to RSVP or for more information.
Geschke Lecture: Randall Davis
5:30 p.m. Great Harbor Yacht Club, 96 Washington St. The Nantucket Atheneum presents MIT professor of computer science and electrical engineering, and Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory research director Randall Davis, a pioneer in the fields of knowledge-based systems and human-computer interaction. Tickets on calendar page of www.nantucketatheneum.org
Meet the Artists: Peter Sirotin and Ya-Ting Chang
5:30 p.m. Atheneum Great Hall, 1 India St. A free and informal meet and greet with violinist Peter Sirotin and pianist Ya-Ting Chang before their Nantucket Musical Arts Society concert Tuesday. Free.
Stitch and Cinema
5:30 p.m. Dreamland Theater, 17 South Water St. The Dreamland presents Erica Wilson Stitch and Cinema, in which movie-goers are invited to bring their needlepoint project and settle in for a screening of the premiere episode of “The Five Star Weekend.” Tickets at www.nantucketdreamland.org
Courtesy of Killer Queen
Island Calendar
held
Israel Discussion: Michael Oren
5 p.m. Unitarian Meeting House, 11 Orange St. Congregation Shirat HaYam hosts Michael Oren, former Israeli ambassador to the U.S. and former member of Israel’s Knesset, who will speak on “Israel at a Crossroads: Resilience and Global Leadership.”
Live Music: Jimmy Denny
7:30 p.m. Gaslight Nantucket, 3 North Union St. Atlanta-based indie singer-songwriter Jimmy Denny will perform.
Karaoke
10:30 p.m. Gaslight Nantucket, 3 North Union St. The Gaslight continues its summer of karaoke with Yolo Joe. 21 and over.
Tuesday, July 28
Birding with Woody
8 a.m. Location provided upon registration. Nantucket Conservation Foundation trustee Woody Newell leads this birding adventure through an NCF property to find and appreciate Nantucket’s avian residents and migrants. Register on events page of www.nantucketconservation.org
Tiny Salts
9 and 10:30 a.m. Jetties Sailing Center, Jetties Beach, end of Bathing Beach Road. Nantucket Community Sailing invites sailors 2 to 4 years old for an hour of songs, education, hands-on maritime activities and sailing. Visit www.nantucketcommunitysailing. org to register or for more information.
Music in the Morning
9:45 a.m. Atheneum garden, 1 India St. Island musician and teacher Cory Morgan invites babies and children to explore rhythm, sound and music through clapping, instrument play and music games. Free. Weather permitting
Little Riders and Lasting Connections
10 a.m. Tuesdays through June 9. The Creeks Reserve, 2 Milestone Road. A stroller walking group for parents and children eight weeks to five years. Meet new people, enjoy the outdoors and support community wellbeing. Call (508) 957-7423 to register.
Tie-Dye at the Beach
10 a.m. Children’s Beach bandstand, Harborview Way. A fun-filled tie-dye session. T-shirts and all materials are included. Free.
Book Signing: Judy Lannon
10:30 a.m. Mitchell’s Book Corner, 54 Main St. Author Judy Lannon will sign copies of her book “Callahan’s Cottage.”
Family Connections Tour
10:30 a.m. Nantucket Whaling Museum, 13 Broad St. Museum guides bring the NHA’s 2026 exhibit, “The Wider World and Scrimshaw,” to life with visual and tactile elements. Concludes with a take-home craft activity in the Discovery Room. Free with museum admission. Register on calendar page of www.nha.org
TUESDAY, PAGE 40
Photo by Kaie Quigley
The Nantucket Car Show will be
Sunday in the parking lot between the Nantucket Intermediate School and Nantucket Elementary School off Surfside Road.
(Tuesday, continued from page 39)
Music in the Morning
10:30 a.m. Atheneum garden, 1 India St. Nantucket favorite Hugh Hanley returns for a morning of songs, finger-plays and singing games. Bring a blanket.
Patio Pop-Up
10:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Artists Association of Nantucket Cecelia Joyce & Seward Johnson Gallery, 8 Federal St. Meet AAN member-artist Meryl Bralower, learn more about her work and creative process.
NanPuppets
11:30 a.m. Cisco Brewers, 5 Bartlett Farm Road. Lizza Obremski brings her island puppet friends to the brewery. Fun for all ages. Free, but donations welcome.
Somatic Yoga
12:30 p.m. Atheneum gallery, 1 India St. Forty-five minutes of slow, focused movement concluding with full-body relaxation that will leave you feeling relaxed and recharged. Registration required on calendar page of www.nantucketatheneum.org
Golden Age Films: “The Apartment”
1:30 p.m. The Dreamland will screen 1960’s “The Apartment,” starring Jack Lemon, Shirley MacLaine and Fred MacMurray. Free for seniors. Tickets at www.nantucketdreamland.org
Adult Metal Detecting
2 p.m. Maria Mitchell Association Aquarium, 32 Washington St. Metal detectorist Nicoline Bohr leads this hands-on introductory course intended for adults interested in exploring the world of metal detecting. $40. Additional session Wednesday. Register on calendar page of www.mariamitchell.org
The Power of Connection
2 p.m. Online at www.nantucketatheneum.org. Best-selling author Marisa Franco discusses her book “Platonic,” and how to create lasting friendships in an increasingly lonely world. Register on calendar page of www.nantucketatheneum.org
Teen Tuesday Crafternoon
4 p.m. Atheneum courtyard, 1 India St. Teens 12-18 are invited to make fluffy slime using shaving foam to take home. Weather permitting. Registration required by e-mailing shurd@nantucketatheneum.org
Brant Point Runners
5:30 p.m. corner of Easton and North Beach streets. Brant Point Runners meets weekly at the corner of Easton and North Beach streets until early July, when the route will change, for a friendly but competitive 5K run. All are welcome.
Island Calendar
Atlanta-based indie singer-songwriter Jimmy Denny will perform Saturday at Cisco Brewers and Monday at the Gaslight.
Killer Queen Theater Gala
6 p.m. Bartlett’s Ocean View Farm, 33 Bartlett Farm Road. Theatre Workshop of Nantucket celebrates its 70th season with a gala fundraiser featuring a live concert by Killer Queen, one of the world’s preeminent Queen tribute bands. Tickets and more information at www.theatrenantucket.org
Live Music: Eric D. Johnson
6 p.m. Almanack Arts, 25 Almanack Pond Road. Chicago-bred indie rock musician Eric D. Johnson of Fruit Bats will perform a solo acoustic set. Visit www.almanackarts.com for tickets.
Open Arts Night
6:30 p.m. Atheneum Great Hall, 1 India St. The stage and mic are still open for any and all, but the library has added an arts a crafts component so people may feel free to come and work on any kind of art project while listening to the entertainment.
Night Line Dancing
6:45 p.m. Children’s Beach, Harborview Way. An evening of line dancing hosted by Nantucket Culture and Tourism. Bring comfortable dancing shoes. Drop-in. Sponsored by Nantucket Culture and Tourism.
Classical Music Concert
7 p.m. St. Paul’s Church, 20 Fair St. The Nantucket Musical Arts Society presents violinist Peter Sirotin and pianist Ya-Ting Chang in the third installment of its summer concert series. Tickets $34 at the door.
Comedy Show: Jane Condon and Friends
7 p.m. Dreamland Theater, 17 South Water St. Comedian and island summer resident Jane Condon brings her annual show to the Dreamland, featuring Emily Ruskowski and Kelly MacFarland. Tickets at www.nantucketdreamland.org
Night at the Aquarium
8:30 p.m. Maria Mitchell Aquarium, 32 Washington St. Discover what Nantucket’s fishy friends do when the sun falls below the horizon and the moon fills the sky. $20. Registration required on calendar page of www. mariamitchell.org
Full Moon Nature Walk
9 p.m. Location provided upon registration. Maria Mitchell Association executive director Joanna Roche leads this peaceful one-hour walk under the light of the full moon, discussing legends and narratives of the past and present. Free, but registration required on calendar page of www.mariamitchell.org
Live Music: The Head and the Heart
9 p.m. The Muse, 44 Surfside Road. Indie folk band The Head and the Heart will perform. 21 and over. Tickets at musenantucket.com/shows. Second show Wednesday.
Live Music: California Honeydrops
10 p.m. The Chicken Box, 6 Dave St. Oakland, Calif-based blues and R&B band The California Honeydrops will perform. 21 and over. Second show Wednesday.
Live Music: West 22nd
10:30 p.m. Gaslight Nantucket, 3 North Union St. Austin, Texas-based indie rock band West 22nd will perform. 21 and over. Second show Wednesday.
Wednesday, July 29
Birding Field Trip
7:45 a.m. Linda Loring Nature Foundation, 110 Eel Point Road. Explore Nantucket’s birding hot spots and observe birds in their natural habitat. Binoculars, a spotting scope and field guides available to borrow. Free, but registration required on calendar page of www.llnf.org
Wellness Wednesday
9:30 a.m. Children’s Beach bandstand, Harborview Way. Free children’s yoga with Phoebe Strobino that encourages movement and mindfulness in a relaxed outdoor setting.
Crafts in the Courtyard
10 a.m. Atheneum courtyard, 1 India St. Children are invited to seashell babies. Younger children might need adult assistance.
Courtesy of Jimmy Denny
Book-signing: Elin Hilderbrand
11 a.m. Mitchell’s Book Corner, 54 Main St. Best-selling island author Elin Hilderbrand will sign copies of her books. The first 100 people in line will get a ticket. Line starts at 10 a.m. Only books purchased at Mitchell’s and Bookworks can be autographed.
Hands-on History at Greater Light
11 a.m.-4 p.m. Greater Light, 8 Howard St. Learn about the Monaghan sisters and their artists’ retreat, and color in a painting by Gertrude Monaghan with watercolor. Free.
Reader Advice
11 a.m. Nantucket Atheneum, 1 India St. Annye Camara of the Atheneum’s Readers’ Advisory Group will help you find books tailored to your interests.
Live Music: Buckle & Shake
Noon, Cisco Brewers, 5 Bartlett Farm Road. Nantucket’s own alt-country band Buckle & Shake will perform.
Children’s Chess Club
3 p.m. Atheneum courtyard, 1 India St. Young chess players of all abilities are encouraged to check out the library’s new chess club. Learn the basics or challenge your friends to a game. Bring your own board or play with one of the Atheneum’s.
Nantucket Calendar
Live Music: Autumn Drive
4 p.m. Cisco Brewers, 5 Bartlett Farm Road. Boston-based indie rock band Autumn Drive will perform. Second show 4 p.m. Thursday.
Williams Reception
4:30 p.m. Location provided upon RSVP. Williams College alumni, families and friends are invited to a reception with president Maud S. Mandel. For more information or to RSVP, e-mail college-relations@williams.edu
Game Night
5:30 p.m. Atheneum Great Hall, 1 India St. Tabletop board and card games, including Mag-ACK The Gathering and drop-in Dungeons and Dragons. Intended for adults and teens. Free.
Geschke Lecture: Dr. Jeremy Nobel
5:30 p.m. Great Harbor Yacht Club, 96 Washington St. Primary-care physician, public-health practitioner and poet Dr. Jeremy Nobel will discuss his work and The Foundation for Art & Healing, the organization he founded to address the public-health crisis of social isolation through creative expression. Tickets on calendar page of www. nantucketatheneum.org
Wonderful Women on Wednesday
5:30 p.m. Susan Lister Locke Gallery, 28 Easy St. The gallery will host Emmy-nominated producer Annabelle Dunne (“The Center Will Not Hold”), who will discuss her work and the film industry.
Knitting Group
6:30 p.m. Atheneum first floor, 1 India St. Curious about learning how to knit? The Atheneum’s veteran knitters can get you started. Stymied by a challenge in your project? The group can help with that. Free. Drop-ins welcome.
Film for Thought: “The Last Guest of the Holloway Motel”
7 p.m. Dreamland Theater, 17 South Water St. The Inquirer and Mirror and the Dreamland present this documentary about British soccer star Tony Powell, who in the 1970s disappeared from the public eye at the height of his fame without a word to friends and family, as part of their Film for Thought” weekly film series. Q&A with producer Ramiel Petros to follow. Tickets at www.nantucketdreamland.org
Trivia Night
8 p.m. The Rose & Crown, 23 South Water St. Test your general trivial knowledge. First place wins a $50 gift card.
Thursday, July 30
Dance Party in the Garden
9:45 a.m. Atheneum garden, 1 India St. Cory Morgan leads an energetic, joy-filled dance time with songs, silly dance moves and challenges like Freeze Dance and the Cha-Cha Slide. Weather permitting. Bring a blanket.
Breathwork and Movement
11 a.m. Location provided upon registration. Andrew Viselli leads this 60-minute session that incorporates guided meditation, reiki and subtle movement to relax, calm and empower. Register on events page of www.nantucketconservation.org.
Hands-on History at the Old Jail
11 a.m.-4 p.m. Old Gaol (Jail), 15R Vestal St. Learn about the Nantucket Historical Association’s Old Jail and some of its inhabitants, and make a beaded keychain. Free.
THURSDAY, PAGE 42
(Thursday, continued from page 41)
Mini Movers
11 a.m. Hinchman House Natural Science Museum, 7 Milk St. Young children and their caregivers are invited to wiggle, dance and explore the animal kingdom through movement, music and hands-on discovery. $15. Additional session Saturday. Registration recommended on calendar page of www. mariamitchell.org. Additional session Tuesday.
Old Salts Sailing
1 p.m. Jetties Sailing Center, Jetties Beach, end of Bathing Beach Road. Nantucket Community Sailing offers free access to sailing for seniors 55 and over. Register at www.nantucketcommunitysailing.org
Kids Metal Detecting 101
2 p.m. Maria Mitchell Aquarium, 2 p.m. Metal detectorist Nikoline Bohr leads this hands-on adventure just for kids. Learn the basics of metal detecting while searching for treasure on the beach. $30. Registration required on calendar page of www.mariamitchell.org. Additional session Tuesday.
Read to a Buddy
2 p.m. Atheneum gallery, 1 India St. Children 6-12 are invited to bring a book from home or choose one from the library and read to a READ (Reading Education Assistance Dog) therapy dog. Registration required by calling (508) 228-1110, ext. 103.
Villanova Summer Social
3:30 p.m. Millie’s Restaurant, 326 Madaket Road. Villanova University alumni, parents, students, families and friends are invited to a summer social with president Peter M. Donohue. RSVP by visiting vuevents.villanova.edu/nantucket2026
“The Academy” Party
4 p.m. Nantucket Hotel, 77 Easton St. Elin Hilderbrand and the Nantucket Book Foundation will host “The Academy” Party, inspired by Hilderbrand’s most recent novel, which she wrote with her daughter Shelby Cunningham. Tickets at www.nantucketbookfoundation.org
Art Reception: AAN
5 p.m. Cecelia Joyce & Seward Johnson Gallery, 8 Federal St. The Artists Association of Nantucket will host a public reception for its Never Out of Beach exhibition, on display through Aug. 4.
Meet and Greet: TWN’s Justin Cerne
5 p.m. Hostetler Gallery, 42 Centre St. Meet Justin Cerne, artistic director of Theatre Workshop of Nantucket, and discov-
Island Calendar
File photo
The annual Swim Across America Nantucket fundraiser, which raises money for cancer treatment and patient care at Nantucket Cottage Hospital, will be held Saturday at Jetties Beach. See listing, page 34, for details.
er the stories behind the productions he’s brought to the island stage, while tasting wines from innovative wine-makers exploring new approaches to cultivating exceptional wines.
Preservation Trust Annual Meeting
5 p.m. Nantucket Preservation Trust, upstairs at 11 Centre St. The Nantucket Preservation Trust will hold its annual meeting. Members welcome. For more information visit www.nantucketpreservation.org
Evening Art
5 p.m. Maria Mitchell Association Natural Science Museum, 7 Milk St. Artist Nikoline
Arts Center, 5 North Water St. Comedian, writer, actor and director Mike Birbiglia takes the stage at the NPAC. Tickets at www.nantucketperformingarts.org.
Restoring Nantucket’s Coastal Landscape
6 p.m. Online via Zoom. Nantucket Conservation Foundation director of science and stewardship Karen Beattie will discuss the transformation of the Windswept Cranberry Bog into a thriving coastal wetland. Register on events page of www.nantucketconservation.org
Dreamland Storytelling: Unchartered Waters
7 p.m. Dreamland Theater, 17 South Water St. Storytelling is back at the Dreamland for the first time during the summer. Celebrity and community storytellers expand on the theme “unchartered waters.” Tickets at www.nantucketdreamland.org
Owl Prowl
8 p.m. Maria Mitchell Association, 4 Vestal St. MMA field ornithologist and I&M columnist Ginger Andrews leads this search for owls and other nocturnal animals and birds. Intended for adults and children 8 and up. $30. Registration required on calendar page of www.mariamitchell.org
Nighttime Marine Ecology Field Trip
8:30 p.m. Maria Mitchell Aquarium, 32 Washington St. The aquarium staff discusses the fish, squid, crabs and other creatures that come out to feed at night in the shallow waters of Nantucket Harbor. Register on calendar page of www.mariamitchell.org
Live Music: Dope Lemon
9 p.m. The Muse, 44 Surfside Road. Dope Lemon – Australian indie singer-songwriter Angus Stone – will perform. Tickets at www. musenantucket.com/shows
Bohr instructs participants on how to create a personal work of art inspired by Nantucket’s iconic lighthouses and resident animal ambassadors in the museum’s collection. Intended for adults. $45. Registration required on calendar page of www.mariamitchell.org
“Finding Nemo Jr.”
5 p.m. Dreamland Theater, 17 South Water St. The Dreamland’s youth theater company presents Disney Pixar’s “Finding Nemo Jr.” Tickets at www.nantucketdreamland.org
Mike Birbiglia and Friends
6 and 8:30 p.m. Nantucket Performing
Live Music: Local Notes
10 p.m. Rose & Crown, 23 South Water St. Nantucket’s homegrown rock band Local Notes will perform. 21 and over.
Live Music: Buckle & Shake
10 p.m. Gaslight Nantucket, 3 North Union St. Nantucket’s own alt-country band Buckle & Shake will perform. 21 and over.
Live Music: Pop Disaster
10 p.m. The Chicken Box, 6 Dave St. Boston-based party band Pop Disaster will perform. Additional shows Friday and Saturday.
Dr. Nicholas Ouellette - Helping Nantucket Move Better Since 2015
For over a decade, Island Chiropractic has proudly supported Nantucket with expert, personalized musculoskeletal care. Our goal is to identify the root cause of what’s holding you back and help our community meet the unique demands of active island life. Every visit begins with understanding what you need, followed by compassionate, hands-on care, rehabilitation, and movement-based treatment. Thank you, Nantucket, for your continued trust and support!
File photo
The Nantucket Clean Team meets for an hour each Saturday morning from spring through fall to pick up trash around the island.
Eat: Which one’s your favorite? Bacon, egg and cheese hand-helds
(Continued from page 11)
• Fresh, “Wake N’ Bacon,” $18: Fresh Nantucket is a combination liquor store and grab-and-go sandwich and smoothie shop steps from Nantucket Harbor. It may not seem like those two things go together, but after my taste test of the Wake N’ Bacon, I hope they never change. Bottom line: this is a hangover cure sandwich.
The cashier said the “Eggbert” (egg, cheese and sriracha aioli on an English muffin) was the most popular sandwich, but the Wake N’ Bacon adds something more original to the classic BEC.
Along with our big three ingredients, the Wake N’ Bacon includes jalapeño cream cheese and a hash brown all on a lightly toasted plain or everything bagel. I got the everything, of course, and I loved the extra hints of flavor from the garlic and poppyseeds.
The cream cheese takes the place of your classic American or cheddar on this BEC, and I really enjoyed that new layer of creaminess. The jalapeño also adds a nice, subtle kick. But it was the hash brown that sold me on this sandwich. It balances the thickness of the cream cheese with a crispy, greasy, starchy bite.
• Roastd, “BEC on English Muffin,” $10: Roastd has four locations on-island: Orange Street, Airport Gas, Mid-Island Stop & Shop and Bartlett’s Farm.
For my BEC expedition, I ventured to the recently moved Orange Street location. In case you haven’t been, it’s exactly the same as before, just 500 feet further up West Creek Road.
The year-round coffee shop offers the regular round-up of grab-and-go sandwiches –sausage, bacon, English muffin, croissant, etc. I loved that the fried egg had a little crispiness on the edges, but there was still some creaminess in the yolks. The English muffin is not too bready and is a subtle and sturdy carrier for the sandwich.
Roastd is my go-to for speed and convenience. It’s also open the earliest, which is great for early risers and workers. The sandwiches are all pre-made, similar to what you’d find at a Cumberland Farms, so you can be in and out in less than five minutes most days.
• BagelBAR, “BB Breakfast Sandwich,” $19: BagelBAR is the newest venture from Geronimo Hospitality, the group behind bar Yoshi and O bar. Formerly Juice Guys and Oath Pizza and a handful of oth-
er spots over the years, 44 Straight Wharf’s new tenant is an all-day sandwich shop boasting fresh pastries, paninis, smoothies and (of course) bagel sandwiches.
BagelBAR imports its bagels from Brooklyn, N.Y. and bakes them fresh every day. The bagel is definitely the star of the show on this sandwich, and reminds me a lot of the bagels I used to get when I lived in the city, thick and doughy with that distinct New York chew.
The bacon is on the thicker side with a distinct smoked flavor. You can choose between white American, provolone, Swiss or Cheddar for the sandwich. I got the cheddar; it wasn’t too sharp, and there was a nice balanced ratio between bacon, egg and cheese.
This sandwich is definitely on the larger side, but if you aren’t that hungry and still want that New York bagel taste, you can buy individual bagels with house-made cream cheese for $8 each.
• Pip & Anchor, “Bacon, Egg, N’ Cheese,” $17 : Tucked away on Amelia Drive is what can only be described as a “shop local” paradise. Pip & Anchor, now in its fifth summer on Nantucket, has become a hidden gem and local favorite for fresh produce, pantry goods, bulk essentials and truly
amazing made-to-order food.
The Bacon, Egg, N’ Cheese is served on Pain d’Avignon sourdough, a bakery that started on Cape Cod and is now serving its bread across the country, including Michelin-starred restaurants.
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: the bread will make or break a sandwich. This bread was nearly perfect. Just the right thickness and with a cracking, bubbly crust. I love the buttery crunch on the outside, it’s the kind of cook you can only get from pan-frying.
The pasture-raised eggs have my favorite crispy edge and a great peppery flavor. Seasoning is something often forgotten on the BEC. I prefer it built in rather than sprinkled-on after. It never tastes the same. The P&A BEC also comes with fresh green onion, which added a little brightness and zing. This sandwich had one of my favorite cheese pulls. The gooey orange cheddar could have stretched for miles and added a little bit of richness to the sandwich.
• Born & Bread, “BB Egg Sandy,” $16.95: There is a reason there is a line out the door for Born & Bread nearly every day, and it’s not just Instagram. Born & Bread sells ridiculously good, island-made sour-
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dough, sandwiches and an insane variety of pastries. I go to Born & Bread often, and I’ve never been disappointed.
The BB Egg Sandy is a little different than your classic BEC, but really just in the addition of sriracha mayo and tomato. The sandwich comes on thick slices of B&B’s famous sourdough, and I think the tomato and mayo provide a lighter, fresher balance to the fatty, salty bacon and cheese. The bacon is thick-cut and crisp on the outside with a softer middle.
The sharp cheddar adds a nice tang to the sandwich. My favorite bits are when the cheese gets crisp from the panini press and adds a nice toasted flavor to the sandwich. The eggs are cooked frittata-style and are light and airy.
Just looking at the deep, browned grill marks and the golden, buttery crust makes your mouth water. It’s irresistible, and the toastiness brings out even more of that classic, yeasty sourdough flavor.
• Nantucket Bake Shop, “BEC on Coco Bread,” $9.95: The Nantucket Bake Shop has been a staple of island life for over 50 years, offering bread baked daily, pastries, gorgeous cakes and the island’s only fresh raised donuts. But if you want the best things, you have to go early, and that includes the bacon, egg and cheese.
On the day I visited, the cashier said they
were sold out of donuts by 7 a.m. Thankfully, there was still a BEC for me. At the Bake Shop, the sandwiches are pre-made and offered on a croissant, scone or coco bread. In my professional opinion, you should get the coco bread.
The Nantucket Bake Shop offers a range of Jamaican specialties including classic meat patties, but they also make coco bread. A traditional Jamaican bread made with coconut milk, it’s often served with a patty inside it, but in my case, it was stuffed with a perfectly seasoned egg frittata, ultra-thin bacon and melty cheese.
The stars of this sandwich are the egg and the bread. I loved the seasoning on the egg. It felt hearty and satisfying while still being light and airy. The bread has a wonderful buttery crust that yields to the pillowy soft center. It’s just a little bit sweet and is a great contrast to the savory egg and bacon.
Now that my body composition is 40 percent bacon, egg and cheese, I consider myself something of an expert on the matter.
I can undoubtedly declare that no matter which corner of the island you are on, you are sure to find an amazing BEC. There’s plenty more where this came from, so if we didn’t get your favorite, let us know and we’ll cook it up in part two.
Photo by Francesca Giangiulio
Pip & Anchor’s bacon, egg and cheese is served on Pain d’Avignon sourdough.
Cellar: The grape Hollywood killed, and why it deserves its crown back
(Continued from page 7)
born of laziness but one born of genuine appropriateness: the grape thrives here in a way that almost nothing else does.
The wines I tasted during my time there had a quality I did not expect: mineral precision and a structural backbone that Ticino’s warm climate could easily have stripped away yet somehow preserves, with mountain soils providing acidity and definition that the Mediterranean light alone could not.
These are not soft, easy wines. They are serious, and they are almost entirely unknown outside Switzerland, which is the wine world’s loss and the attentive traveler’s gain.
• Pomerol and Saint-Émilion, Right Bank, Bordeaux, France: This is where Merlot makes its most complete and celebrated case. The Right Bank of the Gironde – separated from the Cabernet-dominant Left Bank by the river – is Merlot country, and the clay and limestone soils of Pomerol and Saint-Émilion suit the variety in the same way the Medoc’s gravels suit Cabernet: perfectly, specifically, irreplaceably.
Pétrus, from a tiny parcel of blue clay in the heart of Pomerol, produces perhaps 12,000 bottles a year and sells them for prices that make Left Bank first growths seem accessible
Le Pin, Lafleur, Trotanoy, Vieux Château
Certan, these are wines of extraordinary richness, concentration and complexity, each built primarily from Merlot and capable of aging for 30 years or more. If you need a reminder that Merlot is a serious grape, buy a bottle of Right Bank Bordeaux and wait 20 years to open it.
• Washington State, Columbia Valley: Washington State has made the most convincing case for serious Merlot, largely because its Columbia Valley climate – hot days, cold nights and continental aridity that concentrates fruit without cooking it –suits Merlot in a way California’s warmer, more consistent climate does not.
Washington Merlot has structure and freshness alongside its richness, a combination that gives it genuine aging potential and table versatility that California versions often lack. Producers such as L’Ecole No. 41, Leonetti Cellar and Col Solare have been making world-class Merlot in the Columbia Valley for decades, largely beneath the international radar, which is one reason Washington State remains one of the best value propositions in serious American red wine.
To age or not to age
Merlot’s softer tannins make it more approachable young than Cabernet Sauvignon, and a significant share of the world’s
Merlot is made to be drunk within three to six years of vintage.
The entry-level Right Bank Bordeaux, most New World Merlot and the accessible Washington State bottlings are all at their best in this window: fresh, fruity, generous and unpretentious about what they are.
The wines worth cellaring are the great Pomerols and Saint-Émilions, which need at least 10 years and can develop with confidence for 25 to 30.
The best Washington State producers make Merlot that ages beautifully over eight to 12 years. And the serious Ticino producers – the ones farming the steeper hillside terraces with genuine commitment – make wines that develop a fascinating mineral complexity at five to eight years, a quality their youth gives no hint of.
Merlot ages differently from Cabernet: rather than the slow, dramatic tannin resolution of a great Cab, it develops a deepening texture and a secondary complexity that builds quietly, without announcement, until you open a bottle at 10 years and wonder why you ever drank it young.
The producers: Region by region
Two producers per region, one to open tonight, the other to cellar. Merlot rewards both approaches, and the range, from an ac-
cessible Ticino to a great Pomerol, is among the widest and most interesting in the red wine world.
Ticino, Switzerland
Europe’s most unexpected Merlot appellation: Mediterranean warmth, Alpine soils and complete obscurity outside Switzerland.
• Daniela e Giancarlo Klausener, Merlot del Ticino “Persico,” $28–$38. Drink now to five years.
A small family estate in the Malcantone hills west of Lugano, farming steep terraced vineyards with a commitment to quality common among Ticino’s best producers and almost unknown outside the canton.
The “Persico” is their estate Merlot: dark cherry, dried herbs and a mineral thread from the hillside soils that immediately distinguishes it from anything made at lower altitudes. Drink it at three to four years and it will recalibrate everything you thought you knew about Swiss wine.
• Christian Zündel, Merlot del Ticino “Granmerlot,” $55–$75. Age-worthy. Christian Zündel is the most celebrated and serious producer in Ticino, a winemaker whose commitment to low yields and minimal intervention has produced Merlot of a quality that the canton’s reputation has consistently undersold.
The “Granmerlot” is his flagship: concentrated and structured, with the kind of min-
eral depth and aging potential that places it in conversation with serious Right Bank Bordeaux rather than with anything most people associate with Swiss wine.
At five to seven years, it develops a complexity that makes the comparison not merely possible but appropriate.
Pomerol and Saint-Émilion, Right Bank Bordeaux
Where Merlot produces the most expensive and most sought-after wines in the world.
• Château Trotanoy, Pomerol, $120–$160. Age-sorthy, drink now to 20 years.
One of the great Pomerol estates and the most accessible entry point into the appellation’s top tier, which is to say it is neither cheap nor easy to find, but it is significantly less impossible than Pétrus and only slightly less rewarding at full maturity.
The wine is rich, dense and structured, with a seriousness that belies Merlot’s soft reputation: dark plum, mocha, graphite and a tannic framework that needs 10 years to fully integrate and develops extraordinary complexity at 15 to 20. This is the Pomerol to buy and put away without looking at.
• Château Larcis Ducasse, Saint-Émilion Grand Cru Classé, $65–$85. Drink now to 12 years.
Elevated to Premier Grand Cru Classé status in 2012, the estate produces wine that fully justifies the promotion. The estate sits on the limestone and clay plateau east of the
village of Saint-Émilion, and the wine has precision and minerality that distinguish it from the richer, more opulent Pomerol style. It is Saint-Émilion at its most structured and age-worthy.
At five to eight years, it is genuinely beautiful: dark cherry, cedar, a limestone mineral quality and a length that keeps extending. One of the great values at this price in Right Bank Bordeaux.
Washington State, Columbia Valley America’s most convincing case for serious Merlot: structured, fresh and almost entirely under the radar.
• L’Ecole No. 41, Merlot, Columbia Valley, $28–$35. Drink now to eight years.
The most consistent and honest Merlot producer in Washington State, and one of the great values in American red wine, regardless of variety.
The Columbia Valley Merlot offers ripe dark cherry, a hint of chocolate and dried herbs and structural freshness from the high-altitude, cold nights, giving it a genuine aging window.
At four to six years, it is at its most complete: generous, balanced and completely satisfying in a way that asks nothing of the drinker except a good glass and an appropriate occasion, of which almost any will serve.
• Leonetti Cellar, Merlot, Walla Walla Valley, $85–$110. Age-worthy.
The founding estate of serious Washington State red wine, and the producer that
first demonstrated to the wine world that the Columbia Valley could compete with Napa on quality grounds.
The Merlot is the wine that built the reputation: concentrated, structured, with a tannic framework and a dark fruit intensity that needs five years and develops beautifully at 10 to 12. This is the wine to open when someone tells you they don’t take Washington State Merlot seriously. It tends to settle the argument.
Drink it with
Merlot’s softer tannins and rounder fruit make it one of the most versatile reds at the table: more forgiving than Cabernet with lighter dishes and equally at home with rich preparations that demand a serious red.
The great Pomerols and Saint-Émilions pair with roasted lamb, duck breast with fruit sauces and mushroom-rich preparations, where the wine’s earthiness and depth find their natural complement.
Washington State Merlot pairs with roasted chicken, grilled salmon – one of the few reds that genuinely works with richer fish – and the wood-fired preparations of the Pacific Northwest.
Ticino Merlot pairs with the risotto and braised meats of the Lombard tradition that the canton’s cuisine naturally reflects: osso buco, brasato al Barolo and a simple plate of local salumi with bread and nothing else required.
And for the “Sideways” crowd who swore off Merlot in 2004: a glass of Trotanoy at 10 years, served blind, without the label showing. The conversion rate is extremely high.
A final word
Miles Raymond was wrong. He was wrong about Merlot, wrong about Cheval Blanc and wrong in the specific way that wine snobs are always wrong when they mistake the worst examples of a category for the category itself.
Merlot at its best – in Pomerol, in Saint-Émilion, on the hillside terraces of Ticino, in Washington State’s Columbia Valley – is one of the great red wine experiences on Earth: generous, complex and capable of aging with depth that its soft-spoken youth entirely conceals.
The grape spent a decade in the wilderness because of a film. It is past time to bring it back in from the cold, open something serious and reconsider. Pétrus, for what it’s worth, has been waiting patiently. It always does.
Next Thursday, July 30: Syrah and Shiraz – one grape, two worlds, zero agreement. The Northern Rhône calls it Syrah and gives you pepper, violets and ancient volcanic stone. Australia calls it Shiraz and gives you something gloriously, unrepentantly hedonistic. The debate has been going on for 50 years. We settle it. Don’t miss it.
Walk: The uncharacteristically Nantucket Squam Farm under a sepia sky
(Continued from page 8D)
switchgrass and horizontal fox grape vines like fat drops of rain. Before the barn I turn left down to the main public trail and left again toward the heart of Squam Forest.
The trail winds through lush wetland edges and abandoned pastures before it finds another intersection. My goal is to take the connector trail between the open loops of Squam Farm and the covered understory of Squam Swamp.
In the middle of the path I am stopped by the sight of a small but mighty insect.
The Eastern velvet ant, affectionately known as the cow killer, is a flightless parasitoid wasp with a distinctive bristly body colored orange and black.
Ants and wasps are members of the same order, Hymenopters, and are therefore close relatives. The bold coloration signals a warning to those who wish to undermine or eat it, saying with aposematic colors, “I pack a wallop.”
The sting from this insect is extremely painful and lasts over 30 minutes, making it notable among entomologists and thril-seekers. I watch with morbid curiosity as it searches around the ground and burrows into another wasp’s hole, possibly to
parasitize the larvae of a larger but less intimidating species.
My animal appreciation for the spooky and dangerous fulfilled, I enter the edge of Squam Forest seeking shade and tranquility.
mostly bare canopy. Beech leaf disease has crisped and destroyed the leaves on this once mighty forest component and made this part of the forest resemble late autumn in the middle of July.
The exposed beech roots on the forest floor have sprouted short twigs called root suckers, a stress response and last gasp to capture enough sunlight to survive. But even these short leaves along the ground are leathery and crisp thanks to the nematode pathogen. This tree is not long for this world.
Large sections of Squam Forest have changed so drastically due to the outbreak. It has only been three years since beech leaf disease was documented on Nantucket and today felt like a punch to the gut seeing these beautiful organisms that I marveled at for years killed off so quickly.
As I walk the loop of Squam Swamp I think of that juxtaposition, the long-lived stalwarts of Nantucket’s representative “old growth forest” caught in the gears of a fast-moving world.
Instead, the amount of light filtering through the canopy gives me pause. What was once a lush and vibrant American beech tree by the main trail of Squam Swamp is now reduced to a sickly skeleton with a
The orange sun greets me as I emerge from the forest again and prepare for the inevitable changes of the next summer day.
Neil Foley is the interpretive education coordinator and ecologist at the Nantucket Conservation Foundation.
Photo by Neil Foley Crisped and darkly splotched American beech leaves afflicted by beech leaf disease.
MusACK: Eighteen albums and counting, the evolution of Misty Blues
(Continued from page 4D)
“I heard many of the songs in the collection individually, but it wasn’t until I heard the songs collectiv ely that I understood where Ruben was coming from. Listening to that collection instantly gave me clarity, purpose and direction,” Coleman said.
That moment became the catalyst for Misty Blues.
The band has grown into an international touring group that has recorded 18 albums, reached the finals of the 2019 International Blues Challenge and shared stages with some of the biggest names in modern blues, building a reputation for honoring the blues’ rich traditions while refusing to be confined by them.
The core lineup today is rounded out by Seth Fleischmann, Bill Patriquin, Ben Kohn, Rob Tatten and Aaron Dean.
Misty Blues will bring its signature blend of blues, soul and roots music to both Cisco Brewers and The Gaslight for a pair of performances Saturday and Sunday.
The two performances offer a chance to catch the band in two distinctly different atmospheres, from the lively outdoor brewery to the slightly more intimate evening atmosphere of downtown Nantucket.
The storytelling tradition of the blues reaches back well over a century.
Emerging from African American com -
munities in the Deep South in the late 19th century, the blues gave voice to hardship, resilience, joy and everyday life while laying the musical foundation for rock ‘n’ roll, jazz, soul, funk and rhythm and blues.
Yet despite its enormous influence, Coleman believes many listeners still don’t fully appreciate the genre’s place in American music.
“I always wanted to educate listeners to the fact that blues was the earliest American music art form, and that it birthed rock and roll, soul, funk and jazz,” she said.
That educational mission continues through Misty Blues’ tribute performances and recordings honoring pioneering women of the blues, with Coleman recently releasing her second solo tribute album, “Uncrowned: A Tribute to Ida Cox,” dedicated to the legendary singer.
Today, she measures success less by awards than by opportunities to introduce new audiences to the music.
When asked where a newcomer should begin exploring the blues, Coleman didn’t hesitate.
“I would give a first-time blues listener a song from the great Ida Cox,” she said, calling Cox’s 1924 “Wild Women Don’t Have the Blues” an early feminist anthem whose songs confronted poverty, romantic betrayal and societal expectations with remarkable honesty. Those early pioneers continue to shape
her own music, but Coleman sees today’s women blues artists expanding the genre in ways their predecessors could scarcely have imagined.
“The early blues queens were somewhat bound by the vaudeville and classic 12-bar structures of their era,” she said. “Today, women in blues are blowing the doors off those definitions.”
“With Misty Blues and my solo work, I’m not staying in one lane. I infused traditional blues with elements of jazz, funk, soul and rock. Female blues artists today are also sharing their own musicianship more frequently, and playing instruments as well as singing. We are redefining the actual soundscapes of the blues.”
That willingness to evolve has also helped explain the band’s remarkable longevity.
Coleman credits Misty Blues’ staying power to its collective mindset rather than commercial ambition.
“I have been very fortunate to surround myself with musicians whose main focus is in creating amazing music and not about achieving certain levels of notoriety or material success,” she said. “The musicians in my band revel in the beauty derived from the collaborative storytelling process.”
“Most importantly, I have surrounded myself with musicians who really enjoy the music we’re producing and respect and cele-
brate each other’s musicianship.”
Over nearly three decades, Coleman’s definition of success has shifted as well.
“Ultimately, my view on success is when I’m granted opportunities to open people’s minds and move their feet,” she said. “Success is continuing to share our music to people who have never heard of us and in places we haven’t been.”
Coleman said she still feels challenged by the music she first discovered through that gifted CD collection years ago.
“What keeps it exciting after 27 years is that the blues is a wonderfully malleable genre that pairs nicely with other musical forms,” she said.
She also credits younger generations of musicians for pushing her creatively.
“I still have a ton of stories to tell, audiences to meet and venues to experience,” she said.
Misty Blues honors the pioneers who established the genre while continuing to push it into new territory, proving that the blues has never been confined to one sound or one generation.
As Coleman sees it, the genre’s greatest strength has always been its ability to adapt while remaining deeply human. Whether drawing from nearly century-old traditions or blending them with modern influences, the mission remains the same: tell honest stories that move both hearts and feet.
Activities:
Absolute Sport Fishing
19 Straight Wharf (508) 325-4000
ACK Surf School
64 Nobadeer Ave (508) 246-7872
Albacore Charters
Slip 1010, Straight Wharf (508) 228-5074
Albacore Charters
Slip 1010 Straight Wharf (508) 228-5074
Altar Rock & The Moors 50 Altar Rock Rd
Althea K Sport Fishing
50 Easton St (508) 325-2167
Ara’s Tours 6 Fair St (508) 228-1951
Bamboo Forest 52 Madaket Rd
Barrett’s Tours 25 Federal St (508) 228-0174
Bill Fisher Outfitters 20 N Cambridge St (203) 962-8867
Captain Tom’s Charters F St, Madaket (508) 228-4225
