SISTER RAIN NANTUCKET WEEK X2
7 / 10
Today’s piece, as well as yesterday’s, will share with you all the things I did while on Nantucket. Twenty years of reading about thee places was the most extensive research I have ever done before a trip. Nantucket is Elin Hilderbrand and Nancy Thayer’s world and for one week I was living in it.
M-Z
MADELEINE’S WRITING APARTMENT FROM ELIN HILDERBRAND’S%, “THE RUMOR”:
IYKYK. The second floor of the Victorian house across from Black-Eyed Susan’s on India Street. “The Rumor” may be my favorite Hilderbrand book. I plotzed. Look it up.
MAIN STREET
As much as I was looking forward to spending time on Main Street, so prevalent in the books that I have read, my experience was not that great but strictly from a navigational standpoint with my limited vision. The sidewalks are comprised of uneven bricks, the street is cobblestone, you are on a hill, either going up or down. It took a bit of fun out of being on Main Street for me. In the evening, though, from the safety of our car, the lovely shops with their bright window displays were much more enjoyable for me with no chance of falling. Delightful!
The Hub, Nantucket Looms, Nantucket Pharmacy, Breezin Up:
We headed to town and found parking on a side street. We visited The Hub with its coffee bar and souvenirs. Nantucket Looms with its luxury home decor items, Breezin’ Up, one of my favorite shops in Ocean City, New Jersey is also here in Nantucket. Nantucket Pharmacy with its large display of Elin and Nancy books and old-fashioned counter known for its ice cream treats.
Mitchell’s Book Corner:
I had ordered the new Elin Hilderbrand book, “Endless Summer,” from Mitchell’s Book Corner. I was thrilled to enter the shop, walk to the reserved cart and see my last name on a piece of paper wrapped around my signed copy. The two women working there got a kick out of the fact that a photo of Elin and me from a book signing at home a few years ago was my iPhone wallpaper.
I love visiting independent book stores. Mitchell’s is one of the best. It is cozy and inviting. Be sure to go upstairs. Not one corner of Mitchell’s Book Corner is to be missed.
MALLORY’S HOUSE FROM ELIN HILDERBRAND’S, “28 SUMMERS“:
IYKYK. Mallory lives near Miacomet Pond. At one point, Hilderbrand had posted a photo of the Nantucket house that she used as Mallory’s. It does not have an address but through the help of a fellow Elin-lover on IG, I found it. Or, I should say Mister Rain found it, as a blind squirrel will find a nut from time to time, but she cannot find Mallory’s house. Using the photo I had of the house on my iPad plus the picture of a hand drawn map my IG friend provided, he found it. And if I plotzed at Madeleine’s writing apartment (above) I just about LOST MY SH*T at this discovery. IYKYK times 100.
MILESTONE ROAD:
On the way to Siasconset, commonly known as Sconset, located at the eastern end of Nantucket about eight miles from town, via Milestone Road, Mister Rain yelled out that he just saw a zebra. Then a rhino. I had forgotten to tell him that I had read that some pranksters placed these life-sized animals along this stretch of Milestone, in a natural setting that brings to mind the Serengeti.
NANTUCKET CLOTHING COMPANY:
After visiting many other shops of this kind, we bought some shirts and baseball hats here.
OLD MILL:
Built in 1746, this the oldest functioning mill in the United States.
POLPIS ROAD:
If you still have any doubts about this trip being a pilgrimage for me, we took Polpis Road to the northeast part of the island and I kept shouting, “I’M ON POLPIS ROAD! I’M ON POLPIS ROAD!” Even a road having been read about over and over again is a destination.
SIASCONSET (aka SCONSET):
Originally a fishing village, this charming and picturesque community combines modest rose-covered cottages with elegant new homes. If the entire island of Nantucket is a storybook, this is the fairytale. Many of the homes here have names: Looney Dunes, This Much Is True, Auld Lang Syne.
Claudette’s Sandwiches:
Had lunch on their patio. The sandwiches were great.
Codfish Park Playground:
A child’s fantasy come to life with its ship and lighthouse to climb on.
Drive-Bys:
The Chanticleer
French restaurant with a carousel horse in the garden.
Siasconset Casino
No jackpots here. This is a tennis club and event venue.
Siasconset Union Chapel
Built in 1883.
Sankaty Head Lighthouse:
You used to be able to follow the Sconset Bluff Walk (“I Call My Own Bluff Everest“) all the way to Sankaty Head Lighthouse but terrible erosion ended that. Now you have to drive Baxter Road to get to it, parking down the road a bit then walking to it. They were working on the lighthouse, but you can only go up in it certain times of the year anyway. It was still a moment to get close to it and take some pictures.
Sconset Bluff Walk:
Read my story, “I Call My Own Bluff Everest” to learn more.
Sconset Market and Summer House Beachside Bistro were both closed for the season.
STARBUCKS:
Nantucket Meat & Fish Market has the only Starbuck’s on the island. There is no signage on the building indicating the coffee company is inside. Nantucket has no other chain businesses.
THE THREE BRICKS:
The Three Bricks are across the street from the Hedwen House, built by Joseph Starbuck for his three sons. He was a whaling merchant who did not want his sons to go to sea so he gave them each identical houses totaling $36,000 at the time. A whale boat then would have cost $2,000. Only two of the three are shown in this photo.
WHALING MUSEUM:
The highlights here for me were the whale skeleton suspended from the ceiling, looking like a dinosaur about to devour you, as well as the roof deck, where you can see downtown Nantucket laid out before you. It wasn’t raining but grey and misty, adding to my thoughts of whales and men at sea.
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