Cape Cod Five Cents Savings Bank is proud to announce the grand opening of their new in town branch (including an ATM machine) at 0 Main Street – stop by and see what all the buzz is about!!

Windwalker Real Estate is proud to announce that Lee Gaw’s citizen request at last evening’s selectman’s meeting resulted in parking restrictions being lifted for the winter in the downtown core district, with the exception of Main Street and 30 minute parking spaces.

Construction of the Dreamland Theatre and the associated loss of parking spaces in the core district gave Lee the extra impetus to speak out in support of giving all the local people a break for the winter.

When you see Lee around town, be sure to say thank you for being our citizen’s champion!

Follow the story in the I&M online

This event, directed by Kit Noble,  is not one to miss!  On October 8th, Nantucketers will be taking to the streets and beaches, forests and fields armed with smart phones, Flip Cameras, GoPros and any other handheld HD device to capture the many faces and spaces of the Grey Lady.

In the spirit of ‘Day in the Life’ picture books, and, more recently, Kevin Macdonald’s documentary, ‘Life in a Day’, ‘Nantucket 24′ will chronicle a single day on island as seen through the lenses of hundreds of Nantucketers. The raw footage will be submitted to Nantucket Films where it will be edited and scored to create a movie mosaic entitled ‘Nantucket 24: One Day on Island Time’.

‘Nantucket 24′ will premiere at the Dreamland in May of 2012, a perfect project to get the theater’s long-awaited reels spinning. Imagine your smart phone footage stretched across the big screen while the adoring Nantucket community looks on. The Dreamland will surely be an unparalleled beacon of community arts. What better way to celebrate its opening season than to be part of the story?

Check out facebook for more information or visit www.nantucketfilms.com.  We’re ready with our Flip – are you?

It is no secret – we all knew it and now it’s official!  Nantucket beaches have made it to the 2011 National Geographic list of the top 10 beaches in the world.  The list is short and the destinations are exotic and impressive - Hawaii, Tahiti, Maldives, and the SeyChelles are all mentioned.  Nantucket was a top pick because of the cleanliness of the beaches, the spectacular views, and exquisite sunsets!

Of course being on short list of such a prestigious publication does not happen all by itself.  There are many volunteers and organizations responsible for making it happen.  Three such organizations are  The Trustees of Reservations, the Conservation Foundation, and The Clean Team.  Each organization is committed to the support and preservation of the natural beauty of Nantucket. On Saturday, March 19th, all three organizations are joining together to allow volunteers a chance to get involved as a group to contribute to the continuing effort to keep our beaches clean, safe, and inviting as possible to benefit beachgoers, anglers, and our wildlife.

WHEN:  Saturday, March 19th, from 9:00 a.m. until Noon

WHERE:  We will meet at 8:45 a.m. at the Wauwinet Gatehouse

RAIN DATE:  Sunday, March 20th

With March on Nantucket being such a changeable month, in which we may see warm spring-like temperatures or late-season storms, you can understand how this saying might hold true in some instances.  I saw the first snow drops appear on Academy Lane this past week.

Sunny yellow daffodils can be seen bursting through the ground on every street corner -  we are definitely in the midst of March Madness!

Each spring there are thousands of daffodil festivals across the world, celebrating the arrival of the beautiful sunny blossoms and Nantucket is no exception. In Roman days, the Romans thought that daffodil sap contained healing properties, and brought it along with them on conquests. It became a well-loved flower everywhere with its early blooming and bright colors.

Plans for the annual Nantucket Daffodil weekend are well under way with several cars already registered to take part. This year the festival takes place a week later due to the Easter holiday from April 29th to May 1st  and this is not the only change – we are pleased to report that there is another class being added to the parade this year – vintage motor bikes!

Nantucket home owners and visitors alike enjoy the celebration of Daffodil Festival.  We take the opportunity to enjoy the rebirth of spring with hopes and promises of sunny days ahead. There are many things to do and events to enjoy this year; we look forward to welcoming you to the Island of Nantucket and hope to see you on the road to Siasconset on Daffy Day!

“For oft, when on my couch I lie
In vacant or in pensive mood,
They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude;
And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the daffodils”  - William Wordsworth

“As marvelous as the stars is the mind of the person who studies them.” - Martin Luther King Jr

No doubt about it, Nantucket has an incredibly big sky! The stars and planets in our night sky are stunning and almost appear within reach…

Recently, on a rather frosty February evening, the Windwalker Team and their families visited the Maria Mitchell Loines Observatory on Milk Street Ext.  The day was perfect and it appeared that we were in for a crystal clear night of stargazing. The sky was clear as a bell until about 5:50 PM but by 6:15, as we huddled together for warmth, the clouds had enveloped the full moon and “gobbled up” all the stars.  Astronomers Vladimir Strelnitski, PhD, Director of Astronomy and David Sliski, Astronomy Assistant  were not to be daunted.  We were treated to a mini lecture on the two telescopes on site and saw an award-winning photograph (pictured above) of colliding galaxies taken by the larger telescope at the Loines Observatory.

Our Windwalker family must indeed be charmed because suddenly the clouds parted and there before us through the observatory window was the bright full moon surrounded by stars.  The telescope was quickly positioned for a lunar view and all of us, old and young, peered through the powerful lens at the “man in the moon”. It was explained to us that even many undergraduate students never have exposure to telescopes such as these, making this a memorable experience, especially for the children in our group.  I thought to myself, these are the moments that light a fire in our future scientists.

On an equally clear, crisp, night in October 1847, while family and friends gathered in the rooms below, young Maria Mitchell gazed up into the stars and discovered a telescopic comet, invisible to the naked eye. This event propelled her to fame and changed the face of science and education throughout the world.

“The Mission of the Nantucket Maria Mitchell Association is promotion of the legacy of Maria Mitchell and exploration, education and enjoyment of Nantucket’s land, waters and skies beyond. Located on the island of Nantucket, Massachusetts, the MMA serves both visitors, seasonal and year-round residents.  Now celebrating over a century of discovery, the MMA is dedicated to opening up the universe to curious minds, and allowing people to see what before was unseen.  Our simple motto – ‘Explore, Educate, Enjoy’ – captures the essence of our programs and activities”.

Windwalker Real Estate sends a big thank you to Janet Schulte, Executive Director and the Maria Mitchell astronomers for a wonderful evening under the starry sky over our Nantucket homes.

“May you have warm words on a cold evening, a full moon on a dark night and a smooth road all the way to your door”- An Irish Blessing

Leone Collins & The Windwalker Team

www.windwalkerrealestate.com

2011 is well underway and as we approach spring for Nantucket property, so we decided it would be fun to check out some fun facts for our beautiful island.  Local lore has it that…

• The Steamship Authority bookings for 2011 are up 28%
• Nantucket Island Resorts accommodation bookings are up 30%
• Several new shops will be visible on Main Street and on Easy Street
• Earlier rental bookings are trending toward a bold 2011 rental season
• Though some events are already sold out, there is still time to purchase your passes for the Nantucket Wine Festival in May
• Patron passes for the Nantucket Film Festival 2011 are available at a 10% discount until March 16^th
• Look for the new Cape Cod Five Cents Savings Bank branch that will be opening on West Creek Road in March
• Whalers Hockey -With three wins this week, the Nantucket High School hockey team earned a berth in the Div. III playoffs in its first season as a varsity program
• February has brought less than an inch of snow to Nantucket, while off-islanders are buried in more snow than they have seen for years, we can see the bare ground

There will also be several new restaurants opening their doors this year:

1. Pazzo (by the guys at Lola) will be opening in the Sflogia space
2. Six Degrees East (of Slip 14) will be replacing Cambridge Street
3. Brickhouse Tavern (under the management of Michael Strugis) will be opening at the JC House
4. Fussaro’s (Tommy Fussaro, long term Island resident) will be opening in the El Rincon space
5. Chefs Amanda Lydon and Gabriel Frasca are taking over at 21 Federal
6. Mark & Eithne Yelle will be opening in April at the Old Daily Breads location offering prepared foods and baked goods
7. A new gourmet wine and cheese store will be located on South Wharf

The days are longer and the daffodils are beginning to pop up out of the frozen ground-a sure sign of Spring!

We are excited to announce the newest addition to Nantucket’s exercise options.  The Nantucket Cycling Studio uses Realryder stationary bikes.

The Studio uses exceptional equipment; signing up for classes is a breeze with their online booking tool; and they are passionate about helping you achieve your fitness goals.

Check out the Nantucket Cycling Studio website.

Make sure to check them out the next time you are on the  island, or consider them as an exercising option when you are on the island in your Nantucket summer rental.

In keeping with Nantucket property”s finest traditions this holiday season, 2010 Main Street  ”strollers” came alive when Nantucketers and visitors  alike joined together for impromptu holiday reveling to the sound of  Bruce Springsteen’s  “Santa Claus is Coming  to Town” on Nantucket’s Main Street over stroll weekend!

See the Nantucket Stroll video.

Don’t miss the third annual Nantucket Lighthouse School Hoedown featuring square dancing, a BBQ dinner and even a mechanical bull to ride.

Saturday, October 23
6:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.
Great Harbor Yacht Club
www.nantucketlighthouseschool.org

$60 per person
$100 per couple