An adventure this weekend reconfirmed my notion of summer. Cuttyhunk, in my opinion, is the epitome of an idyllic summertime landscape. Cuttyhunk is the outermost island of the Elizabeth Islands in Massachusetts, just 1.5 miles long, who plays host to 52 full-time residents and a bounty of boaters and island hoppers in the warmer months. There are hardly any cars on the island, but plenty of golf carts driven by those carefree inhabitants. Rugged rugosa shrubs scatter the perimeter of the picturesque harbor and beaches, and historic homes dot the lush hills. Any spot on the island offers a special vantage point, whether it may be sand, architecture or a glimpse of the nearby Vineyard Sound. The surrounding waters have been known for shipwrecks and a plethora of striped bass for eager fishermen. Above are a few captures from the excursion.
Cheese By Carol
My sister Caroline has a knack for creating some of the most effortlessly beautiful cheese plates. Follow along her creations at @cheesebycarol on Instagram.
Summertime Consignment
I thought this perfectly captured the spirit of a New England summer, as our neighbors in Jamestown are selling their Dyer Dinghy, proudly presented on their front lawn. The petite vessel would make for a fun picnic sail! See more for sale, here.
Ship Shape
Love these sweet little beds in a guest room by Amanda Lindroth. Makes me think of summer sleeps on Nantucket and elsewhere....I'm also on the hunt for upholstered X benches...
Full Bloom
One of the best things to wake up to this morning.... a new bloom on our 20 year old hibiscus tree we were anxiously watching. Can't wait to see the rest of her....
Sarah Bartholomew
At long last, Sarah Bartholomew's new site is live, and her portfolio is stunning (no surprise there, of course, as the southern designer has one of the best eyes out there). This living room at a Belle Meade Georgian home is one of my favorite spaces. The use of pattern and texture is brilliant - classic but modern. Follow along: @sarahbartholomewdesign
Moules Marinières
One of my favorite things about summertime is the food. Fresh fruit for cobblers, seafood from local harbors and salads crafted from garden harvests...
We've seemed to have mastered the "Moules Marinières" dish, as we've feasted on mussels a few times and our recipe has progressively improved.
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 small shallots , sliced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 1/2 pounds mussels
- 8 ounces chicken stock
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 2 tablespoons cream
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
- lemon wedges
- salt and pepper
- Crusty French bread
DIRECTIONS:
- Clean and remove beards from mussels.
- Preheat a large pot to medium and add olive oil and butter. Once butter has melted, add sliced shallots, a pinch of salt and pepper then cook for 5 minutes until the shallots have softened.
- Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add wine, chicken stock and mussels, then cover with a lid and steam mussels for 8-10 minutes or until all mussels open. (If any mussels do not open, discard).
- Add cream and parsley, stir and season with salt if necessary.
- Serve with lemon wedges and slices of crusty French bread.
Enjoy!
xx
Fern Fanatic
My fern fetish began when my dear friend Betsy carried the most beautiful bouquet at her wedding with ferns. She later mentioned that Jackie Kennedy also had ferns in her bridal bouquet...
Ferns fascinate me as there are over 10,000 species and aesthetically, they exude a mystical yet understated elegance. On the subject of ferns, one of my favorites to follow on Instagram as of late is the English artist @lucindawhartonartist. Her posts usually include lovely vignettes around her Georgian Country home she is restoring, often with her two labrador retrievers in tow. She also seems to be a fern fanatic as her posts (akin to the above) include garden ferns around her home.
Hunt
We hopped over to Jessica Hagen's Fine Art Gallery last evening to honor the work of Hunt Slonem. Hunt was in town to celebrate the occasion of having a solo exhibition at the gallery. His work, obstreperous in color and material, is well known for its neo-expressionist character, mostly of butterflies, rabbits and tropical birds. Like Hunt's own personal style, his pieces are splashy, colorful and equal parts whimsy. Hunt's work is known around the world, with permanent collections at the Guggenheim, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Whitney, and the Moreau Foundation.
I first discovered Hunt's work at a gallery in San Francisco, only to then see one of his bird paintings in Aspen. From then on, I was intrigued. View more of Hunt's portfolio, here.
Above: A personal favorite - A tangerine hued piece as part of Hunt's oil on diamond dust (on canvas) collection. We then left with Hunt's book "Bunnies" and scribe.
WSJ: 'Great Explorations in Kenya'
