Allison Roberts

Chilmark

Features Writer at The Martha's Vineyard Times

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Articles

Sometimes we need a little humor: The Hope Diamond

2 weeks ago | mvtimes.com | Allison Roberts

Yesterday I was attempting to open a new bag of espresso beans. It was a massacre. This wasn’t my first rodeo, though. I’ve been battling bullheaded packages for years. Last summer I saw an image of delectable-looking veggie kabobs on social media, and got the lofty idea that I’d like to grill, so I bought metal kabob skewers. Though I love a well-executed exaggeration, I am not blowing smoke when I say that I nearly cut my finger off trying to free them from their plastic prison.
Memories from Bring a Kid to Work Day

3 weeks ago | mvtimes.com | Allison Roberts

I’m not sure if there was an official “Bring a Kid to Work Day” in 1973, but when I was 8 years old, my dad, Richard Roberts, brought me to the art department of the Democrat & Chronicle (D&C) newspaper in Rochester, N.Y. Dad worked as an artist, and eventually as the art director. I felt immensely proud seeing his art published in the paper.
'Muse' art show at Featherstone

1 month ago | mvtimes.com | Allison Roberts

“Muse,” the new show at Featherstone Center for the Arts, is a feast for the eyes — a veritable buffet of creativity. The theme revolves around what inspires artists to create, and since 98 artists are featured, it clearly resonated with many Island artists. “This is our first show of the spring season,” chief executive officer Ann Smith says.
High school students build a tiny house

1 month ago | mvtimes.com | Allison Roberts

Tiny houses may seem like a relatively modern-day concept, but according to Parametric Architecture, tents, igloos, yurts, and huts were once considered average-size dwellings. As a matter of fact, in 1845, American naturalist and essayist Henry David Thoreau was ahead of the curve, building a 14-meter-square (roughly 50-square-foot) cabin at Walden Pond.
Bats, biodiversity, and us

1 month ago | mvtimes.com | Allison Roberts

Liz Olson, assistant director, wildlife biologist, and board member of BiodiversityWorks, has not only found her passion, but is immersed in it daily. Hanging out in her cozy office, we chatted about her work at BiodiversityWorks, and her passion for wildlife became evident very quickly as we jumped right into a discussion about bats. “The Northern long-eared bat is nearly wiped out. Ninety-nine percent of the population has declined from white-nose syndrome,” Olson said.
Marc Fournier: Jack of all trees

2 months ago | mvtimes.com | Allison Roberts

Have you ever met a person who is so passionate about their work that they nearly bounce when they talk about it –– sort of like Tigger, in “Winnie the Pooh”? During a walking tour at Polly Hill Arboretum recently, I met a man named Marc Fournier (dubbed “Tigger”), who has enthusiastically made conservation, environmentalism, climate change, and horticulture his life’s work. “I do a lot of tree and energy-efficient work,” Fournier said.
Guided walk at Polly Hill Arboretum

2 months ago | mvtimes.com | Allison Roberts

On a bitter cold sunny day recently, I decided to bundle up and go learn more about trees by attending the “Appreciating Trees in Winter: Bark, Buds, and Branching Architecture” walking tour at Polly Hill Arboretum. Assistant director and curator Emily Ellingson led a group of about 16 attendees through a section of the Arboretum. “Today we’ll be doing more of a tree and shrub observation,” she said.
In the Kitchen with Gail Arnold

2 months ago | mvtimes.com | Allison Roberts

For our latest “In the Kitchen with” article, I met with talented Chef Gail Arnold at her lovely home, which has a killer view of the ocean. Arnold has been working professionally since she was 18. “My first job was in high school, working in a restaurant,” she said. Her father had a big influence on her. “My mom was in charge of soup. My dad cooked just about everything else.
Community music centers

Jan 8, 2025 | mvtimes.com | Allison Roberts

It seems like no matter what environment we find ourselves in, music is always welcome. In middle school, I set my record player on repeat, put on Neil Young’s “Harvest,” Joni Mitchell’s “Court and Spark,” or Fleetwood Mac’s “Rumours” album, and climbed into bed. Neil, Joni, and Stevie’s music were lullabies to me –– their voices wove through my dreams. Music-wise, we’re exceedingly lucky on the Island.
Sometimes we need a little humor: Good enough

Jan 8, 2025 | mvtimes.com | Allison Roberts

The messaging we receive from advertisers, the entertainment industry, and sometimes even family members about what success looks like can be intense. If we aren’t amazing athletes, awe-inspiring chefs, or hotshot CEOs, we aren’t trying hard enough. Overall, I know better than to buy into this nonsense, but recently negative self-talk barged through my front door. “Your front tooth is crooked,” it announced, pushing past me.