This Week on Nantucket 12.31.08

Happy New Year to you and yours. Thank you for your support in 2008, and I promise you a better newsletter in 2009. When you have a moment, let me know what you like, don’t like, and what you’d like to see that I don’t now do.

Here’s what I know is going on tonight and in the next few days. See below for other restaurants that are also open.

Cambridge Street’s New Years Eve Party

DJ rocket.one plays dance party jams to ring in 2009.

Wednesday, December 31, 7:00 pm

Rainfoot

Chicken Box

Rainfoot plays all your favorite 50′s, 60′s, 70′s, 80′s, 90′s and present hits. Free champagne toast at midnite.

Wednesday, December 31, 10:00 pm – 1:00 am

New Year’s Eve Party

The theme is the Caribbean, with Dj Bri Guy – belly flop contest, limbo stick, palm trees and anything else to make you feel warmer than it is. Wear you best beach attire. No cover, complimentary champagne at midnight.

Wednesday, December 31, 10:00 pm – 1:00 am at the Rose & Crown

Arno’s New Year’s Eve Celebration Dinner & Third Annual New Year’s Day Pajama Party

Fixed price as well as regular menu for NYE. Last dinner of the season on New Year’s Day with 50% off all food, and 25% off all bottled wine, and prizes for best pjs. Reservations accepted 508.228.7001.

Fifty-Six Union Dance Party

Wednesday, December 31, 10:30 pm – 1:00 am at Fifty Six Union

LoLa New Year’s Eve Party

Wednesday, December 31, anytime after 6 pm

MMA/Shearwater Seal Pup Cruises Journey to Muskeget Island

View the local flora and fauna, including newborn Gray seal pups. Come aboard the Shearwater for an up-close look. Expert commentary from Captain Blair Perkins and MMA Director of Natural Sciences Dr. Bob Kennedy. Hot chocolate included. Call Shearwater for more info and to reserve: (508) 228-7037.

Dec. 31 1-3:30pm & Jan. 1 1-3:30pm

New Year’s Special Open Night

Study the constellations and view the Moon, planets, nebulae, galaxies and more through a telescope. In case of poor weather, a slide presentation will be offered. Open Nights are offered at MMA’s Loines Observatory, 59 Milk Street Extension (across the Prospect Hill cemetery) Free for MMA members; $10 adult, $6 child non-members.

Fri., Jan 2 8-9:30 pm

New Years Kids and Family Skate Party

Early Skating and New Years Celebration with favors and fun. Public Skating prices apply. $4 youth, $7 adult, $4 skate rentals.

Wednesday, December 31, 12:00 – 2:00 pm, Nantucket Ice C.N.B. Community Rink

Nantucket Headlines 12.31.08

Headlines from local publications, and links to the full story. Sources: Inquirer and Mirror, Nantucket Independent, Yesterday’s Island, and the Cape Cod Times.

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ISLAND LIFE

Camera Shop closes on Main Street (Nantucket Independent)

“Taxi Tax” could be 60 cents (Nantucket Independent)

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PEOPLE

Madoff’s island ties (Inquirer and Mirror)

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CUISINE

Court decision boosts wine selection (Inquirer and Mirror)

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ARTS

RISING STAR: Jess Kody (Nantucket Independent)

Rob Stark (Nantucket Independent)

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OCEAN

SHAB to seek new scallop definition (Inquirer and Mirror)

Scallopers call for easier definition for seed (Nantucket Independent)

With scalloping on the wane, some turn to oyster farming (Inquirer and Mirror)

MMS delays Cape Wind decision (Nantucket Independent)

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GOVERNMENT

Gov. Patrick signs Nantucket Sewer Act (Inquirer and Mirror)

Schools advised to seek $450,000 from voters in override (Inquirer and Mirror)

John Miller deletes word “Interim” from NES principalship (Inquirer and Mirror)

School seeks at least $450,000 in an override (Nantucket Independent)

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NON-PROFITS

Dreamland, Unitarian Church among CPC grant endorsements (Inquirer and Mirror)

Hospital asks Board of Health not to cut contribution to human service agencies (Nantucket Independent)

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IN MEMORIAM

Island mourns loss of Neil Parent (Inquirer and Mirror)

Nantucket in the News

The Boston Herald, Philadelphia Inquirer, and CNN report that island home owner Chris Matthews of MSNBC is considering running for U.S. Senate in 2010. Matthews recently met with Pennsylvania party leaders to talk about running against Republican Sen. Arlen Specter.

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The current issue of “Cooking Light” now on the stands has an 18 page article on Nantucket Stroll, promoting Nantucket in the off season. The photos were taken at last year’s Stroll.

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The Nantucket Whaling Museum is one of the “10 U.S. Places to See Before You Die”
by Andrew Harper, on Yahoo. “This list is admittedly subjective, but comes from 30 years of professional wandering. Some places are more well-known than others, but all share a sense of tranquility and wonder,” says Andrew. Of the Museum, he writes “At its whaling peak during the first half of the 19th century, the small island of Nantucket had 88 ships scattered across the oceans. The Whaling Museum is wonderfully evocative of this era (plenty of scrimshaw and rusty harpoons), and out-of-season Nantucket Town, with its Greek Revival mansions and cobblestone streets, is equally enchanting.” He recommends the Waunwinet as the hotel to stay in when you visit. Also on the list is the Battery District, Charleston, S.C. (Andrew recommends the Planters Inn, owned by former island resident Hank Holiday.)

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A travel journalist for Yahoo! Travel has created a list of the best hotel room views:
1. Diamond Head from Halekulani, Honolulu, Hawaii
2. Plantation Golf Course and the Atlantic Ocean from The Lodge, Sea Island Resorts, Ga.
3. Saranac Lake from The Point, Saranac Lake, N.Y.
4. The Berkshire Hills from Wheatleigh, Lenox, Mass.
5. Nantucket Harbor from The Wauwinet, Nantucket Island, Mass.

6. Central Park from The Carlyle, New York City
7. The Madison Valley from The Lodge at Sun Ranch, Cameron, Mont.
8. The Tetons from Amangani, Jackson Hole, Wyo.
9. The Pacific Ocean from Post Ranch Inn, Big Sur, Calif.
10. Boynton Canyon from Enchantment Resort, Sedona, Ariz.
11. Golden Gate Bridge from the Mandarin Oriental, San Francisco

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Conde Nast Traveler has announced the results of its 2008 Readers’ Choice Awards, ranking the best cities, cruise lines, airlines, hotels and resorts worldwide. The awards appear in the November issue, and are derived from the Conde Nast Traveler Readers Choice Survey, the largest independent poll of consumers’ preferences in the U.S. This year, 32,633 readers voted.
Top Islands- North America:
1. Vancouver Island
2. Kiawah, SC
3. Nantucket, MA

Downyflake

Nantucket People in the News

Listen to and watch Alexandra Kopko. She keeps getting better and better.

Click here no video shows above.

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According to a recent report in the Boston Globe, “the FBI tracked the late Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and author David Halberstam for more than two decades, newly released documents show…The FBI monitored Halberstam’s reporting, and at times his personal life, from at least the mid-1960s until at least the late ’80s, the documents show…Halberstam won a Pulitzer in 1964 for his coverage of the Vietnam War while working as a reporter for The New York Times. In 1972, he wrote “The Best and the Brightest,” a best-selling book critical of U.S. involvement in Southeast Asia…Halberstam’s widow, Jean, said he was never certain federal agents were watching him but assumed it was possible…She called the agency’s monitoring of the writer “a terrible waste” of time and taxpayer money.” David died in a car accident in April, 2007.

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The Boston Globe magazine recently ran an article on summer resident Natalie Jacobson entitled “A year after leaving Channel 5, Natalie Jacobson talks candidly about her life – and about the state of television news”. The piece is about her travels, time on the water, Craig Wiggins (the new man in her life), observations about the changes in television news, and relaxing after 35 years at WCVB-TV (Channel 5), where she was the the first female anchor of an evening newscast in Boston. Natalie is now working on her new multimedia business called MyNextBigThing.com, a social networking site to help baby boomers reinvent themselves after retirement. Nantalie is pictured here with Craig at last summer’s Charity on Ice event.

Johnstons Cashmere

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Nantucket Wine Dinner at the Brant Point Grill

Mahon About Town and the Brant Point Grill teamed up for a special wine dinner for MaT subscribers on Monday night, November 17th, in the private dining room behind the bar. The chef came out to talk about his creations, and each wine was introduced by the staff. The food was excellent, and the wine perfectly complimented the food. Thanks especially to Melissa Saunders who made this dinner happen. We’re planning more of these dinners over the winter; I hope you can join us. Photos by Amanda Morgan.

The salad was a Mixed Baby Beet Salad with Roquefort Blue, Candied Pecans, Buttermilk Ranch accompanied by a Schramsberg, “Mirabelle”, NV Brut Rose Champagne from Diamond Mountain, California.

The Fish Course was Broiled Alaskan King Crab Legs with Truffle Hollandaise, accompanied by a Michel Schlumberger, “La Bise”, 2007 Pinot Blanc from Dry Creek, California.

The Main Course was Pan Seared Beef Ribeye with Soft Cheddar Mash, Caramelized Brussels Sprouts, and Foie Gras Bordelaise, accompanied by a Benziger Family Winery, “Reserve”, 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot from Sonoma County, California.

And the Dessert was an Anjou Pear Torte with Sweet Cream Caramel, Tahitian Vanilla Ice Cream, matched with a Rud Mueller Eiswein from Germany.

Rose & Crown

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Nantucket Firetender Auction

The 4th Annual Firetender’s Auction took place on Saturday, November 8, 2008 at the Rose & Crown.

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