When we drove into the resort beach town of Seabrook, this view of the ocean was the first thing that I saw and I was hooked. It had been a while since I had seen the Pacific Ocean and it surprised me just how different it looked from the East coast of Florida that I know so well. I had saved a Seattle Magazine article about the growing town of Seabrook and thought that it would be perfect for a Sunday driving trip. Dan announced that he wanted to "put his feet in the ocean" and I thought a sweet oceanfront town (within a 2 1/2 hour drive) with pizza, gift shops and ice cream would be perfect. I was right, but in so many other ways too. Watch this 2 min promotional video about Seabrook and you'll see why the setting spoke to me.
The planned community has Nantucket style cottages - gray shingles, crisp front porches, window boxes. It looks like a town of dollhouses and it really felt like a lovely escape. The longer we stayed, the more I was considering booking a week's vacation. It was clean, new and on a bluff right over the water.
Our first stop was for a late lunch - a Margherita Pizza cooked in a brick oven at Frontager Pizza Co. The restaurant had great style, big windows and a delicious food.
It was a cool and cloudy day and you can't go wrong with hot, gooey pizza - yum!
After lunch, we walked down to the beach with chairs-in-a-bag and braved the wind in order to get a real moment on the beach. It was great to see two families out with kites that were dancing over the broad hard sand beach. By positioning the wind at our backs, we were comfortable. I can only imagine a full beach full of vacationers when the sun is out and the temperature is near 80.
As I considered Seabrook for a future getaway, I noticed the homes along the bluff. That is where I would want to book a getaway, where I could see the sun set over the ocean every night from our accommodations.
After the beach, we walked up to look in a few shops and ended up getting two large ice cream cones at Sweet Life Candy store. Dan chose a pretzel cone for his scoop. I had never seen that as an option before and he loved it. It's not often that you can improve ice cream, but I guess they did!
We really enjoyed our visit to Seabrook. I applaud the creators for designing a picturesque getaway that celebrates the kind of summer fun I want: a casual family setting, bike rides, porch sitting and water, water, water. #seabrook #summerinwashington #vacationspots #finddelight
Want an original way to remember your vacation? Make a Waterlogue "watercolor painting" of your best vacation picture, save it, print it and then hang it on the wall. Waterlogue is an iPhone and iPad app that quickly (and I mean in one minute or less) converts your photo into a watercolor painting that you can save and print. And when I say an original way to remember your vacation, I really mean original. No other painting will look quite like yours because the artwork is a computer rendering based on your original photograph. Plus there are stylized settings like "Mechanical" or "Vibrant" to make your watercolor images fit your aesthetic. I am in love with this app and could auto-magically turn my photographs into artwork all-day-long. I know that this must have real watercolor artists reeling, but I can't help it. I love how my photos look as paintings and I will never have the skills to convert them myself with paint and a brush. The location? Beautiful Worth Avenue with its palm trees and gorgeous shops in Palm Beach, Florida. We came here for lunch and an afternoon of window shopping and bougainvillea admiring. What a day.
It's tulip time, the oh-so-important time frame in the Fall when you need to plant your tulip bulbs so that you are able enjoy them next Spring. I must be honest and admit that in my backyard, the squirrels have won. Until there is some bulb-breakthrough, I can't plant tulips again only to find that they were eaten by my pesky neighbors. I've sprinkled them with hot sauce, planted them under wire barriers, you name it and they are always gone by Spring. My message here is two-fold. If you have luck with tulips, it's time to get out there and plant. If you have my situation, it's time to promise yourself a trip to Tulip Time in Holland, Michigan. There are 6 million tulip bulbs planted and ready for us to ooh and ahhh over the first week or so in May. Next year theHolland Tulip Festival is May 3-10th, 2014 and I am going.
My last visit was in 2007 and I miss it! When the tulip fields are blooming, my heart swells.
These "Angelique" tulips (above) look like peonies, don't they?
When something this lovely happens only once a year, it is worth it to get out your calendar and commit. Before school picnics and soccer matches dictate your weekends, write "Tulip Time" on your calendar the first weekend in May (I just did!). That way, when you are scheduling your entire Spring, you can glance at your calendar and say, "Oh gosh, I'd love to, but I'll be at Tulip Time enjoying 6 million tulips that day. Maybe the next weekend?" Ha! But you know I'm serious. If you don't put it on the calendar now, it gets very hard to find the time later. Post some pictures from your trip on my Moments of Delight Facebook Page, ok?
Sometimes technology is a delight. When I saw this kiosk and realized that it would snap a digital photo of us and post it to Facebook, Twitter or in an email, I couldn't resist. Dan and I were walking through Mandalay Bay on our way back from dinner at Border Grill when we took this photo. Cute, eh?
You simply stand in front of the screen, tap to take a picture (and, yes, you can do retakes) and then log into your email/Facebook/Twitter to send it out to your friends. What a great idea! It gives a plug to the source (Thank you, Mandalay Bay) and shows your family and friends that you are having a great time on your vacation. It also reinforces Mandalay Bay's new branding of guests as "resortists," rather than tourists. Interesting.
I am not a big fan of the typical Las Vegas activities. However, when someone says Las Vegas in March to a girl in snowy Michigan, there is lots of appeal. When Dan was sent to a work conference for a week at the MGM Grand earlier this year, I tagged along for fun. We had dinner together each night and during the day I did some writing and explored many of the French patisseries in the area. You can see all of my posts from this trip by clicking Las Vegas under the City Series section in the sidebar of my blog. But in terms of the casino, I have to be honest, the smoke, fake strawberry air freshener and noise of the public areas was a lot to take. I am lucky that I found sanctuary on the pool deck, which was deserted from early morning until about 11 am. This gorgeous setting was where I spent my mornings reading, writing and blogging. Neat, eh? It was warm and quiet. Not a soul around except for some lap swimmers in one of the other four pools. When people asked me how my trip was, I say that I loved my time in Las Vegas, but probably not for the reason they think. Sometimes you have to tweak things to make them right for you.
I miss you! I am on vacation in Gulf Shores, Alabama and I can't blog! We have 28 of my husband's relatives sharing a house and the internet at this rental property is patchy at best. I noticed that I had a connection, so I've jumped on to say Hi. I will be home and able to post about lots of blog worthy topics starting Monday. Until then, I hope you can find delight in the Olympics! xo Anne
I thought that you would like to see my homemade souvenir from a trip to New York City.
This is my "See Yourself In The City" mirror that literally puts you back in the middle of your trip!
To make my "See Yourself In The City" picture project:
Buy an 8 x 8 flat wooden frame at the craft store. Select the photos you want to work with, and choose the "Contact Sheet" setting when printing, this will produce tiny photos like mine.
Use a decoupage medium to attach the photos to the frame and use a coat of the same over the photos as a sealer. Be sparing with it, as you do not want the ink from the photos to run. After the decoupage medium is dry, secure a mirror into the opening (on the back) with strong tape. Voila!
A super-cute way to put yourself back on vacation. Just look in the mirror!
Tonight is the night! The first beach fire of the year and I can't wait. If the wind stays calm, we can sit on the shore of Lake Michigan and watch the sun go down.
Sitting at a beach fire always makes me want to write a screenplay. I can't think of the last time a campfire at sunset was the setting in a movie, can you? I really think that the romantic comedies of today are missing out and I would love to see some honest conversation in front of a crackling fire.
When Lilly Pulitzer introduced a line of fragrances last year, I instantly thought bull's eye! I had been searching for a light fragrance that said Vacation and if any brand can master that mood, it's Lilly.
With brightly colored glass bottles (love the printed ribbon "scarf") and names like Wink, Squeeze and Beachy, they have created the perfect addition to any pink & green occasion.
I gave gift sets of Wink & Beachy for Christmas (Santa brought me Squeeze!), and although it is dark and cold now, I know that once Springtime hits everyone is going to love wearing them.
In January/February/March, I always make grand plans in my mind for "Summer." New restaurants I want to try, adventures to have out on the peninsula etc.
But in the end, on a perfect July night like this, I never want to go anywhere. Watching the sun go down with a cup of coffee is what I "want to do" every time.
This photo was taken at 7:26 pm. The sun was still warm, the water was perfectly calm and I just wanted to sit and talk over the day.
As you are organizing your Summer, remember that sometimes the perfect plan is no plan at all.
