One, the namesake for our weekend getaway, bares the pleasure of Nantucket year round. The other, a warm memento of days gone by, is destined for Back Bay. This was a great weekend; the stuff from which legends are made: great weather, a new hotel, and an agreement that neither of us would check our e-mail.
We were expecting this to be a quiet weekend but the Cranberry Festival, Columbus Day holiday, and unseasonably warm weather ensured that the streets were crowded and all the stores would be open for business. The White Elephant was a new hotel for us. We stayed in The Residences which are really just a failed condominium project. We liked the quiet of the detached location that is still within reach of the hotel room service and other amenities.
We never run out of things to do on the island. We tried a new (to us) deli, rented a Jeep, hit the beaches, ate our fill, and helped the economy live another day. Our favorite roadside find was the Salt Meadow Antiques stand on the side of Union St. It turns out that Tony Mello, 87, was a mechanic in the US Army Air Force during World War II. And with that, the door was open. The four of us talked about the WWII literature that we’ve read, Tony’s experiences, and that which I have uncovered about my Granddad’s. We shot the breeze with Tony and Tom for at least 30 minutes and finally purchased a handmade whale piece. Tony creates pieces using the barn wood that’s located only a short distance from the roadside shop. He’s responsible for keeping the inventory full while Tom runs the business. We had to laugh because the cost of this original one-of-a-kind piece was $50 and came with a cool story. Conversely, everything sold along the strip is 1000% more expensive…and made in China.