First Impressions

Posted by Shellie Dunlap On May 21, 2013 In Blog

Some wise person once said, “first impressions are lasting impressions.” Our family was duly impressed last week as our son Brian and his wife Melissa welcomed their first child. Miss Delilah Pearl (named for my beloved Grandma Pearl) refused to arrive on time, but she certainly made her appearance with pomp and circumstance as two grandmas, a great grandma, a grandpa and two aunts waited expectantly in the hospital waiting room for the announcement she had entered the world.

Melissa was a champ as the days post due-date wore on and she resorted to lawn work and endless long walks to move things along. When the news came that her water had broken, we all arrived for the family motorcade escort to the hospital to discover our son dressed in a traditional Nantucket uniform (khaki’s, button-down shirt and blue blazer). This from the guy who while in High School never wore anything but Adidas t-shirts and wouldn’t be caught dead in a blazer of any color.  We all laughed and asked him why in the world he was dressed this way for a baby delivery.  He proudly announced he wanted to make a good first impression on his new daughter.

In the end, it was Miss Delilah who made the big impression.  Initially with her very first cry (the one her other “Grammie” and me heard while hiding just on the other side of the delivery room door), then over and over again as we snuggled her, kissed her and passed her around. Undoubtedly, our first impression of her will be a lasting and ongoing one as she steals our hearts anew each time we see her.

Nantucket has this same effect on people. If you are not an island native, I have no doubt you clearly remember the first impression the island had on you. I arrived the first time by boat, so I was captivated by the expansive open arms of the harbor.  Rounding Brant Point, I was spellbound by the little light house signaling its greeting, charming gray cottages lining the wharf, the church steeples shimmering above the rooftops, the sailboats bobbing on their moorings and the hospitable strangers waving from the shoreline as if to say “welcome home.”

In the same way Delilah will forever be creating new first impressions, every morning on Nantucket provides an opportunity to be newly impressed. Stroll hand in hand along the shoreline at Cisco Beach, discover island treasures while peddling with Nantucket Bike Tours and then wrap your day up with a sunset cocktail and fabulous meal on the sand at Galley Beach.

Be impressed.

Shellie Dunlap

Tailgating

Posted by Shellie Dunlap On May 7, 2013 In Blog

       

    Click photo to see photo gallery of Daffy Fest

 In his hit song “Reality,” Kenny Chesney offers the perfect prescription to “feel a sense of freedom and leave our worries behind” with his lyrics “all we need is a sunny day and an old tailgate.” We were treated to an extraordinary sunny day and more than a few fabulous tailgates last weekend as Nantucket celebrated its Annual Daffodil Festival.  With an estimated three million daffodils in bloom, the island was awash in yellow and the coveted flower stole the show at the weekend events.

The festivities began on Friday with the re-opening of many local restaurants and retail shops and the unveiling of a giant magic daffodil garden by the Nantucket Arts Council. Saturday featured the Daffodil Flower Show sponsored by the Nantucket Garden Club, the Kids Parade, Hat Pageant and Dog Parade. The headline event of the weekend was the Classic Car Show and Parade which showcased dozens of creatively decorated and occupied classic cars that wound their way through downtown and then led a huge contingency of enthusiastic “Daffys” out to ‘Sconset for the annual island picnic.

I’m no novice when it comes to tailgating. The most fun you could have in small town Iowa on a Friday night was gathering with a large group of friends in the school parking lot before a sporting event with a lawn chair, a grill full of burgers and a cooler full of cold drinks. My horizons have been broadened as Nantucket raised the bar on the traditional tailgate event. On Saturday afternoon, Main Street ‘Sconset was lined with hundreds of creative picnic farers. Elaborately adorned tables with china and crystal set up alongside their classic Ferrari, were nestled alongside red checkered picnic blankets where friends munched on cold cut sandwiches and lemonade served from the tailgate of their family truck.

Daffy Fever was viral with most everyone donning yellow gear for the day. Some chose to follow a theme like the Pan Am Crew, Great Gatsby, Critter Cafe and Fifty Shades of Yellow (only on Nantucket!). Several restaurants set up tasting stations with The Green featuring delicious marinated grilled colossal shrimp and a mouth-watering carrot cake and Topper’s from The Wauwinet carving thick slices of a roasted bone-in ham. The mood was fun and festive as revelers strolled up the quaint ‘Sconset street, sipped Mint Juleps and Limoncello, admired neighboring picnic spreads and re-connected with old friends.

As another season gets underway on Nantucket we turn our focus to other spring and summer celebrations. It’s not too late to secure a vacation rental for the Nantucket Wine Festival, FIGAWI, Nantucket Film Festival or a multi-week stay in paradise. You too can gather friends on the lawn or one of the island’s beautiful beaches for a tailgate party or family picnic.

Let’s do lunch.

Shellie Dunlap

Hostetler Gallery Opened Daffodil Weekend

Posted by Dan Dunlap On April 29, 2013 In Blog

Hostetler Gallery officially opened this weekend in their new permanent location at 42 Centre Street on Nantucket. Congratulations David and Susan, your gallery is fabulous and we’re happy to see you in your own building!

Susan Hostetler

Thank you for allowing Lee Real Estate to take part in making another of your dreams come true…

Posted by Maya Kearns On April 26, 2013 In Uncategorized

Call us to see these fabulous properties this weekend!

Daffy

What’s Up Dock?

Posted by Shellie Dunlap On April 23, 2013 In Blog

       

The empty docks at the Great Harbor Yacht Club last week were a picture perfect representation of the island’s eager anticipation of spring.  While we all enjoy the rest and reprieve that comes with a few months of an “empty nest,” Nantucket residents eagerly look forward to that moment when the island awakens from its winter slumber.  As I stood on the dock gazing out over the pristine (and very empty) Nantucket harbor, I realized that all too soon the scene would be replaced with boats bobbing on their moorings or tied to their slips and another Nantucket summer would be in full swing. I wondered who these seafarers will be; a long time Nantucket family with a home in Shimmo and a boat in the harbor.  Perhaps a couple with their vessel moored calling the boat basin home all summer. Or maybe a young captain and first mate who chart their first-ever course to Nantucket for a day trip.

In anticipation of the first events of the season, Daffodil Festival this weekend, Wine Weekend and FIGAWI in May, there is exhilaration in the air as landscapers begin their spring clean-up and planting, shopkeepers design their new window displays, restaurants unveil summer menus and homeowners begin to open and freshen their homes for the season.  While the tasks and methodologies vary depending on which industry one is in, the objective is the same – all are preparing to welcome honored guests to our beloved Nantucket.

Nantucket has a long standing history of readying itself for the return of its loved ones.  Centuries ago, whaling captain’s wives and children stood atop their widow’s walk and scanned the horizon for a glimpse of a ship’s expected arrival. As communication methods improved, messages were sent across radio waves to inquire about a vessel’s location and ETA.  Today we make cell phone calls or send text messages to establish what time we need to be poised on the sand at Brant Point to greet friends as they round the corner.  Technology has progressed, but the sentiment remains unchanged – we are excited to welcome friends, loved ones and first-time visitors home to Nantucket.

Whether you plan to travel to Nantucket by plane or boat, for the first time ever or the first time this season, you can be assured that weeks of thoughtful preparation and enthusiastic planning have been underway in anticipation of your arrival.  While here, plan to take a walk along the docks to look at the sleek crafts in the boat basin, browse through the quaint shops or slide on to a bar stool at Cru, Slip 14, Straight Wharf or The Tavern and raise a glass to another eventful Nantucket summer.

Ship shape.

Shellie Dunlap

Roll The Dice

Posted by Shellie Dunlap On April 9, 2013 In Blog

       

Las Vegas and Atlantic City had nothing on Nantucket Island on a recent blustery Friday evening. The third floor of the Dreamland Theatre was transformed into a Vegas style casino complete with Craps Table, Roulette wheel and Blackjack tables…all to raise money for the Montessori Children’s School of Nantucket. Guests were treated to passed appetizers, their favorite libation and my favorite part…a $1000 chip (play money of course) to commence the gambling.

The event was fun and festive, sometimes loud and boisterous as guests celebrated a sizzling roll of the dice or their friends winning Blackjack hand. I’m not much of a gambler (although I love an occasional turn at the slot machine), but this was a fun occassion to learn some different games and socialize with people we don’t often see. My husband and I spent the majority of our night around the Craps table attempting to make sense of the complex bets and uncertain odds. Early on we played it safe and stuck to the “pass line,” but as the evening progressed and the table heated up we began taking chances on something called “The Horn Bet.” The table dealers explained to us this was risky and our odds were low, but we decided to take our chances. The shooter was hot and the dice were in our favor and we cashed in. Every now and then a good bet and the willingness to take a chance pays off.

As I gazed out over the pristine Nantucket harbor from the third floor Dreamland party room, it occurred to me that virtually every major accomplishment Nantucket has achieved required somebody or some organization to take a gamble. The enormous undertaking of restoring the theatre itself came with huge unknowns and no guarantees…but as I stood there enjoying the facility in its completion I was confident it was a risk worth taking. I considered the gratitude I owe, not just to the Dreamland Foundation, but to every person and organization with the foresight and courage to take a leap of faith and invest in the restoration, preservation and modernization of our island.

Frequently I hear Nantucket homeowners…even those preparing to sell…say their investment in Nantucket was the best decision they ever made. Beach picnics at Jetties, July 4th water fights on Main Street, surf-casting off Madequecham, ice cream in ‘Sconset and families gathered together for sunsets in Madaket.

As I pen this article, it’s the eve of my daughter’s 21st birthday. I’m in LA with her having a “coming of age” girls weekend to commemorate the big event. I’m reminded that our Nantucket home was purchased when she was just one year old. The first time her tiny toes touched ocean water was on Cisco Beach. Her first ice cream cone came from the Nantucket Pharmacy. Her first little pink bike, complete with neon pink training wheels, was ridden on Woodbury Lane. This May she’ll come “home” to Nantucket where she’ll get to play on the island as a big girl while enjoying her first Nantucket Wine Festival. Nantucket is part of our family legacy and a gift to our children and grandchildren. There is no question…investing in this island was the best decision we ever made. Why not consider your own investment in Nantucket memories – either with the purchase of your first summer home or a family vacation to the island. The pay-off will amaze you.

Double down.

Shellie Dunlap

Luck O’ The Irish

Posted by Shellie Dunlap On March 27, 2013 In Blog

    

I always assumed that the “Luck of the Irish” was a good thing – a reference to the many ways my Irish ancestors and friends have discovered their own personal pots of gold. My uncle recently enlightened me that the phrase is also used to characterize bad luck – who knew? Upon doing a little research, I found that for the most part the viewpoint on what the famed Irish expression denotes lies in the attitude of the beholder. If I step in a huge pile of dog poo with my new shoes on I’m either very unlucky (argh, they’re ruined!) or very lucky (thank heavens I had shoes on!) Perspective.

On this most recent St Patrick’s Day, there was no question our family experienced some GOOD Luck of the Irish. My husband Dan had fired up our gas grill for the first time this season to finish off the ribs that had been slow cooking in the oven all day. Typically he would light the grill, wait ten minutes or more for it to pre-heat and then deliver the meat outside to sear. As good luck would have it, he returned to the grill just a couple of minutes after lighting it – only to discover the entire underside of the grill engulfed in flames. He raced into the house, grabbed the only fire extinguisher we own (the twenty year old one that we have NEVER had to use!) and doused the flame before it had a chance to explode the propane tank or spread to our wood shingled house. Later, there were several raised glasses of Guiness at Kitty Murtagh’s (Nantucket’s only authentic Irish Pub) as we toasted to our unbelievable good fortune and cringed at the thought of how bad the scenario could have been. Side note - be sure you own at least one charged fire extinguisher, know exactly where it’s located and always examine the rubber hose leading from the propane tank to the grill each season. One tiny crack and you too could be in need of some Irish luck.

As I strolled through the streets of downtown Nantucket this week, I was reminded of a Jimmy Dean quote, “You gotta try your luck at least once a day, because you could be going around lucky all day and not even know it.” The mere fact that I get to live and work on this beautiful island means I am going around lucky all day…sometimes I just need to be reminded how fortunate I am.

It’s been said that if you’re lucky enough to be on Nantucket, well….you’re lucky enough. If you’ve never had the good fortune to visit this charmed island, begin making plans now to spend a weekend, a month or a lifetime uncovering all the hidden treasure the island holds. If you’ve already discovered the pot of gold that is Nantucket then it’s your lucky day.

Count your blessings.

Shellie Dunlap

114 Baxter Road; A Great Nantucket Value

Posted by Dan Dunlap On March 24, 2013 In Posts

Great opportunity to own a personal residence or rental property in Sconset. Great views and great value…

114 Baxter Road, Nantucket, MA

Reduced Price On Two Sconset Properties…

Posted by Dan Dunlap On March 17, 2013 In Posts

112 & 114 Baxter Road, Nantucket, MA

Off Island

Posted by Shellie Dunlap On March 12, 2013 In Blog

          

After a busy hustle bustle tourist season on Nantucket and a winter wrought with one storm after the next, many of the local residents – particularly those in service related industries – look forward to a few coveted days of rest and relaxation. I had the opportunity to “get away from it all” for a few days recently. My travels took me from an overnight in Boston, to a 4 day stop in LA to visit my daughter and attend a baby shower for my son and daughter-in-law. I then jetted back across the U.S. to Naples Florida where I met up with my husband and extended family members for a few splendid days of sunshine, tropical beverages and pure relaxation. As nice as it was to “get away,” as much as I appreciated the change of scenery – the fast paced city life of Boston and LA – and the beauty of Florida and time with family…at the end of every day I found my heart beating for Nantucket.

I’ve lived in many locations all over the country…each of them with their own charm and allure. Nantucket is different. There is a deep soul to the island that many cannot define or describe, but virtually everyone who has ever visited here…and certainly those of us who live here…know to be true. There is a magnetic force connecting us to the island when we are here….and drawing us back when we are away. That pull begins even as the boat is leaving the harbor – no matter what the weather or the circumstances, watching Nantucket disappear in the distance always leaves voyagers feeling a bit melancholy.

Returning home by plane gave me the opportunity to put my island romance in perspective. In my mind, Nantucket is larger than life…brimming with countless opportunities for family, friends and clients. As she comes into full view from the air, I realize that this beloved island is, in fact, a tiny sliver of planet earth uniquely positioned off shore with the Atlantic Ocean defining her boundaries. It is no wonder she creates such an intimate connection. I’m reminded of a line from the book “The Big House” that I read while away. “God is out of the business of creating waterfront property.” All we have of Nantucket is all we’re ever going to have, making it easy to understand why so many are passionate about preserving her and why so many clamor to own a piece of her. I consider myself unbelievably fortunate to call this island home.

If Nantucket is on your mind, be sure to make plans now to secure your summer rental or perhaps plan a spring trip to spend a couple days exploring properties for sale. Slip away from your busy “off island” life and come make yourself at home on the Grey Lady.

Home Sweet Home

Shellie Dunlap

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