Publisher's Note

Nantucket has long relied on the generosity of its seasonal residents to provide major funding and support for many of its nonprofit institutions that contribute to the quality of life here.

The Nantucket Cottage Hospital has, over the years, been the beneficiary of such largesse, and the summer concert with the Boston Pops wouldn’t exist without the generosity of people such as Steve and Jill Karp, who underwrite Keith Lockhart and Co. every year. In fact, some of our most treasured organizations, such as the Nantucket Conservation Foundation, were founded by summer residents.

Back in the early 1960s, Roy Larsen, then president of Time-Life Inc., and Alfred “Teeny” Sanford came together with other island interests to defend the threat against our open spaces by creating a conservation district. Their vision was far-reaching and the result today is the protection of nearly 9,000 picturesque acres – a third of the island – in trust for perpetuity.

It should be no surprise then, that some of today’s most innovative local charitable works are again emanating from our new summer community. Wendy Schmidt has been coming to Nantucket for 10 summers, discovering the island on a day-trip from the Cape where she used to spend time. A walk down the cobblestones proved magical, and she and her husband, Google CEO Eric Schmidt, fell in love with the island and have been here ever since.

Theirs was a quiet existence on Nantucket until last fall, when Wendy made news through one of her nonprofit foundations. The Town of Nantucket was attempting to buy the old Island Spirits building on Washington Street for conversion into a transit hub. When voters failed to approve the $1 million tax override necessary to complete the $3.5 million purchase, Schmidt’s Greenhound LLC quietly snapped up the property and began working with the town to convert the building to a transit hub using green technology.

Within the next two months she also purchased Mitchell’s Book Corner and a share in the Dreamland movie theater, which caused many islanders to ask the question, “Just who IS Wendy Schmidt?” Our West Coast correspondent Dan Fost provides some perspective from his in-depth interview with this very interesting resident.

May is synonymous with the Nantucket Wine Festival and we have devoted space in this issue to two of the headliners at this year’s event. Jorge Ordoñez is credited with restoring Spain’s vineyards and wines to prominence after the industry collapsed into mediocrity at the end of the Franco regime. Ordoñez is being celebrated as this year’s “Wine Luminary” at the festival and will be on hand with a selection of his excellent wines. Turn to page 30 to read his story.

California wines are some of the best in the world, especially the Cabernets of the Stags Leap District. This year the festival will have a strong selection of vintners from this district so participants can taste these fine wines and see what the fuss is all about. Turn to page 34 for a Who’s Who in the Stags Leap District. Wine is best enjoyed with food and Maria Sinskey, chef at the Sinskey Vineyards, has just the dish to serve with a fine Cabernet. Turn to page 42 for Sinskey’s spring dinner menu and recipes.

There’s a lot to celebrate this spring, and this issue of Nantucket Today can serve as your guide. Turn the pages and enjoy!

MARIANNE R. STANTON

EDITOR AND PUBLISHER

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