Clean up your act

A surprising surge in the number of bath product stores on the Island may find you happily headed to the outdoor shower. These family-run businesses take inspiration from the Island, with aromas named for different areas of the Vineyard. Try an Edgartown citrusy sea salt scrub from Vineyard Bath Company (North Summer Street in Edgartown), a Chilmark Cucumber Melon Body Wash from Simply Soaps (Circuit Avenue in Oak Bluffs), and some Honeysuckle Rose Lotion from Huckleberry Pink (Nevin Square in Edgartown). Get a whiff of you!

Dirty banana

Fruity frozen drinks are a staple for Vineyarders and tourists alike when those hot summer days hit. The outdoor and indoor bars at Nancy’s on Oak Bluffs harbor serve a wide range of chilled and iced concoctions, but the top selection is a frozen mudslide blended with ripe banana. With a drizzle of chocolate syrup, the Dirty Banana is like a grown-up sundae – just don’t guzzle it and get brain freeze.

Books for the beach

On Martha’s Vineyard, we love our lighthouses. They fascinate us, guide us, and are things of beauty on the horizon. Last August, Alison Shaw contributed a photo essay on the Island’s beacons to this magazine. Soon she had a book deal and now her distinctive and beautiful photos are in To the Harbor Light, which also includes the lighthouses of Nantucket and Cape Cod. Added bonus: historical facts and tips for planning visits. (Vineyard Stories)

For his most recent writing project, national barbecue and grilling guru Steven Raichlen got out of the kitchen – mostly. His first novel, Island Apart, is set on Chappaquiddick (where he has a home) and centers on a love story, but also features mouth-watering cooking scenes. (Forge Books)