The Island of the Rich and Famous

The first lesson I learned when arriving on Martha's Vineyard: never go anywhere without your camera. Everywhere I turned there is another picture to take. The natural beauty is astounding. Not to mention the trappings of the Rich and Famous whose imprints are all over the island in their haunts and houses. My tour guide for the day was Doug Jones (lower left) who I knew from Cleveland. Doug is an Account Executive for Time Warner and mine was one of the stations in his territory. He travels the Eastern U.S. but comes home to live on the Vineyard. It was my good fortune that Doug happened to be at home the day I arrived and generously offered to take me on a tour of the island. Later that day I met Doug's wife, Jeanne Staples, who joined us for a lobster dinner. Jeanne is an oil-color artist whose works are displayed in a gallery on Martha's Vineyard as well as in New York and elsewhere. That's Doug (lower left) behind the wheel on our island tour. Wife Jeanne Staples is with Doug at dinner (lower right). The photo above is one that will define my memory of Martha's Vineyard. It is the lighthouse overlooking the Aquinnah Cliffs (formerly known as Gay Head). The recent name change was in deference to an Indian tribe that settled that part of the island. It is the westernmost tip of Martha's Vineyard.

The scene in the middle photo below might look familiar to fans of Jaws One. It is Menemsha Harbor, which became Amityville in the movie. There are still some vestiges of the production props, but it takes a knowledgeable local to show you where to look. As for some of the other notable sights, lower left across the water in the middle of the row of houses is the backdrop for the remake of Sabrina. The house is also formerly home to Billy Joel. If you click on the gravestone picture (lower right) you'll see it marks the burial place of John Belushi. Doug told me Belushi's fans will frequently leave beer cans as an offering to the departed star. The inscription on Belushi's headstone reads "I may be gone, but Rock and Roll lives on."

One last photo from the tour. To the right is the home of Bob Villa. I didn't get close enough to see if it needed any painting or repairs. There are lots and lots of other photos, but they'll keep

for another time. Martha's Vineyard is really a special place. If you can ever put it on your itinerary, I highly recommend making a visit. I hope you're lucky enough to know a local as generous and knowledgeable as Doug Jones who can take the time to show you around!