Welcome to Happy House! Located in the Oak Bluffs district of Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts (in case you're unaware, Martha's Vineyard is an island off of Cape Cod, MA). Ryan, Aiden, and I stayed here for an entire week of New England bliss. Yes, we were blissful Blisses! And it was indeed a happy house. A few highlights of the trip (see more photos in the slideshow at the end of this post):
We took a couple trips to Tashmoo--a beautiful, private, and quintessential New England beach that can only be accessed by driving for miles on a hidden, bumpy dirt road. Ryan caught some clams there, we went in the freezing crisp water, caught crabs through the rocks on the jetty, collected the gorgeous beach rocks and sea glass, and just enjoyed every moment. We even got to see a private wedding ceremony take place right on the rocks.
Every morning we would walk and get coffee, doughnuts, or bagels from Back Door Donuts. Every morning or afternoon (depending on our main activity for the day), we'd play croquet in the lawn surrounding the Tabernacle in the center of the campground. Who knew that game was so much fun?
On another gorgeous day we went kayaking out on the lagoon. We met a lovely little french bulldog named Betty Olive (owned by the woman running the kayak rentals) who Aiden and I wanted to take home with us. The lagoon was just gorgeous, and I continually pined for all the lovely cottages that lined the banks.
In the meantime, we enjoyed all the quaint and unique little shops and restaurants covering the island. I got my tie-dye Black Dog shirt after dining at the Black Dog Tavern in Vineyard Haven. We repeatedly got blocks of fudge from Murdick's and ice cream from Mad Martha's, tried out the supreme nachos at Sharky's (holy cow!), and I tried my first fresh oysters at the Oyster Bar Grill. Aiden discovered the "best cheeseburger ever" at Nancy's, right on the harbor (which we visited about three times throughout the week). My favorite meal of the trip though was getting fresh lobsters and clams from the fish market, and cooking them at home in our cottage. After Aiden went to bed, we'd have a glass of wine out on the porch in our rocking chairs. I don't think life could get much better.
Every morning I ran a 4-mile loop and came back along East Chop Road (where East Chop Lighthouse is located). It had the most breath-taking view and the most beautiful cottages lining the street. Every morning the same elderly woman would be sitting in front of the lighthouse looking out over the water. And I understood exactly why she did it. I hope one day to live in a place like this that simultaneously has such vitality and tranquility. What a gem.
One afternoon we strolled down to the Flying Horses Carousel. On Aiden's second ride, and my first, we both caught the brass ring! There's only two per ride, and those two riders get to stay on for a free ride. Ryan's been going to MV since he was a kid, and has yet to get the brass ring. We were excited to say the least. : )
Getting there and departing from the island was an adventure of it's own. We had bought our ferry tickets months in advance so we could bring our car over. The fog was so thick on our trip over that I wasn't able to see the island until we arrived, but on the trip back to Cape Cod, I saw West Chop Lighthouse from a distance, and even saw some seals in the water. What a magical air when you're standing on the deck of that ferry, and what a truly magical place.
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