New England

You are currently browsing articles tagged New England.

Summah

I can hardly believe it, but I have been working on back-to-school and fall content for some of my clients. Sob. No really, I don’t ever want summer to end. I don’t know if I can take another winter like the last one. So while I worry about moving to California before the first flake falls, and because it’s Friday, I thought I would share some favorite shots of summer (or summah if you are in Boston).

Boston Harbor

I’ll never tire of the sight of blue seas on warm summer days. This shot is from Liberty Wharf.

I also love eating snacks for every meal of the day, maybe not the best for my waistline, but it’s great for the soul.

snacks

I love being salty. And dirty, and sweaty, with messy hair, in shorts and a bathing suit. It must be the eight year old in me, but I could live in bare feet and perpetually covered in sunscreen. When Sunday rolls around, as much as I love my job, I just want to stay beachy.

boating in Boston Harbor

Pink wine, like this Muga Rioja, just tastes better during a late pink sunset.

Muga Rioja

And lobstahs? Or lobsters? I crave them 24/7. I just might need a lobster boil this weekend.

lobster

Newport

I have said it a million times before, but I adore summer in New England. I just thought I would stop and appreciate it before it slips away.

 

What is summer to you?

Tags: New England, summer

Newport, Rhode Island is one of my all time favorite New England towns. Summer perfection, in each and every purple hydrangea, in the sparkling blue sea, and sailboats, Newport is certainly dripping with wealth, but it is also laden with New England charm and is an affordable day trip from Boston.

Over the 4th of July weekend, we were fortunate to be invited to visit friends who were borrowing a house in Newport for the weekend. We set off Saturday morning for our favorite New England winery, Travessia, to try the 100% Massachusetts grown Pinot Noir that was just released. I’ll post about that later, but let me say, it is fantastic. You should visit Travessia and eat at Ginger Grill after for kimchi and dumplings. But, again, that’s another post.

We arrived in Newport in the early afternoon and got a tour of the house, which was a block from the Newport Harbor.

Newport, RI

A massive old carriage house style home, this house has five bedrooms with bathrooms and two kitchens. The stove was amazing, the fridge was a gigantic SubZero, and I wanted to move in. It was a seriously large, beautiful, but comfortable house decorated appropriately for its age.

awesome stove

Saturday was one of those gorgeous New England summer days that should last forever, so we didn’t waste much time inside the house. Instead we headed to one of the Newport area’s beautiful beaches, 3rd Beach, a secluded bay side swath of soft sand and warm water. I hate to say it, but I can’t get over just how much nicer Rhode Island beaches are than Massachusetts beaches. So much warmer! And cleaner, and the sand is so much softer. I will always love the Cape, but for swimming, I might be heading South more often.

3rd Beach, Newport

Once we had our fill of sand, we headed to Castle Hill for cocktails on the lawn. Talk about beauty, elegance, and feeling like you are in The Great Gatsby or The House of Mirth.

Castle Hill’s expansive lawn transforms you back to another time, with views all around from the outdoor dining area, bar, and Adirondack chairs sprinkled throughout.

Castle Hill

Castle Hill

Castle Hill

Indoor dining areas are equally impressive, sparing no detail, and taking full advantage of Castle Hill’s views. Once we had our cocktails (a Dark & Stormy for me!), our friend used his keen eyes to spot some Adirondack chairs opening up on the lawn, and we went for them.

Castle Hill

Castle Hill

Lounging on the lawn at Castle Hill was the perfect way to wrap up the afternoon before heading back to the house for a barbecue. I can’t believe I had never been there before, and I can’t wait to go back!

The weekend is almost here again! Do you have any fun day trips planned?

Tags: beaches, cocktails, New England, Newport, summer, Travel

My summer weekends are pretty much all going to look a little like this:

boating

boating

With a little of this thrown in

bubbly

There’s sunshine and blue skies and blue seas, a little bubbly, sandwiches, fruit, and dips. It’s a whole lot of fun but  not great blogging material at all, and as someone who hates reading/seeing the same thing over and over in blogs, I will spare you the weekly details.

BUT we are still on track to do lots of fun Boston area day trips, and this weekend we made our way to the first of several Boston Harbor Islands, Spectacle Island for some fun in the sun with great friends.

The dock staff at Spectacle were awesome, helping us newbies pull into dock and even making some pretty knots to keep us tied up. In addition to private boats, Spectacle can be easily reached by MBTA ferry, and it is a great day trip and escape from the city.

knots

Spectacle Island has a varied history that included farming, a quarantine hospital, a glue factory, resort hotels and a garbage dump. The island was recently the receiving ground for excavated material from the Central Artery/Third Harbor Tunnel Project. The site is being returned to the public for recreation as a park is constructed over the landfill. (http://www.nps.gov/boha/historyculture/facts-spec.htm)

Spectacle Island

The island offers a nicely groomed walking or running trail, lots of beautiful flowers and birds, and as the island with the highest point in the harbor, some fantastic views of Boston and the other islands. We caught Aer Lingus flying in (and waved, as we do every single time!) We hiked one of the trails and then grabbed some food before heading back to the boat to sun ourselves in it’s protected little harbor, away from the wind and the waves.

Spectacle Island Spectacle Island
Spectacle Island Spectacle Island
image Spectacle Island

The island also offers a green visitor center with information about the island, shelter out of the sun, clean, nice bathrooms, and a Summer Shack snack bar. And in the summer, they have events such as Yoga for Kids, jazz concerts, clam bakes, and more. It really is the perfect place for a little stay-cation in Boston!

Our day ended on a not-so-great note, boating wise, but we were all safe- stressed and a little shaken-but safe nonetheless. Other than that it was the perfect way to spend a Saturday.

What kinds of things do you like to do on a stay-cation?

Tags: Boston, Boston Harbor Islands, day trips, New England, Travel

« Older entries § Newer entries »

new restaurant
WordPress SEO fine-tune by Meta SEO Pack from Poradnik Webmastera