The Pleasures Of a Day Off

I took a day off from work on Friday. I had planned to take a photography class but decided against it. It was a 3 day commitment and expense that I just did not want to take at this time.

I had breakfast with a friend in Wakefield and then took a solo trip to Concord. If you have been reading my blog for a while you know Concord is one of my favorite towns. I started with Nesting on Main, a fantastic shop right in the heart of downtown.

The store uses a neutral palette for display with soft pops of color. I always spend too much money here because all of the merchandise matches my taste perfectly.

I had to control myself with the recent expenses of Molly's health care. This was one of the reasons I nixed the photography workshop. I wanted to buy everything in the cabinet but I controlled myself buy a single item (in the cabinet).

Do you love silver things as much as I do? A classy display for sure.

At Nesting, you will find antique and vintage pieces, and then there are the fabulous repurposed items. Did you notice the saxophone lamp?

The green birdcage caught my eye. In one of my magazines or home décor books there was a photo of a green birdcage just like the one above and the homeowner or stylist had used it to cover teacups and china dishes. So cute! I wanted the birdcage but passed on it. A little pricey for me. Maybe I can find one at a flea market.

What a sweet way to display bath products, bring in the whole sink!

I have never tried tub tea but it smelled wonderful. And you know that beautiful recipe book caught my attention.

 The ladies of Nesting have such a knack for presentation. Each piece is masterfully placed.

There are a couple of rooms to the shop. This room had more natural elements and again the neutral palette.

Oooh, would Vivienne my dress form like a little sister? Sorry, not today. I have no room for another little Vivienne.

It would be cool to have a scale like this in my bathroom. Oh wait, I am afraid of scales!

Back to the main room and the sunny entrance of the shop.  The floor is spectacular.

Unrelated objects all blend seamlessly when you use a muted palette. I like the composition of the display with the lamp shades and umbrella.

I was going to collect vintage mirrors at one point. I have two, but decided I have enough collections in my home. I let this beauty stay at the store.

Since the store is called Nesting, there are many birds and nature related displays in the store.

Speaking of nature, this is Phoebe, the neighboring shopkeeper's dog. She often wanders in for a treat from the ladies at Nesting.

A unique table for the industrial chic crowd.

Plenty of artsy items here. I love how this corner is merchandised.

Another shot of Phoebe before I depart. Here's the cool floor I mentioned earlier in this post. Bye Phoebe, I will be back!

I asked Terry at Nesting for a recommendation for a local coffee shop. I knew about the one downstairs that is always crowded and I did not want to go to a Starbucks. I wanted a coffee shop with ambience and a good product. She pointed me to Coffee Haute which is down a little alleyway and within walking distance of Nesting.

Oooh, yes! This will do nicely. I was a little warm from my walk and I wanted a snack and a cold drink.

And I staked out my spot. This is MY chair.

What a nice place to get the creative juices flowing. Spacious, uncrowded at this time of day, and the aroma of a good brew.

If I had not been flying solo, this would have been my seat of choice but I left it for a larger group should it be needed.

I love the couch and the table. The owners have a sense of style and have created a comfy spot despite the industrial look.

I guess I know who will take up residence at that comfy sofa and cool table.

I would imagine if it got busy it would still seem spacious in here. There is outdoor seating as well.

By the time I took this photo I had already devoured my chocolate cupcake with espresso frosting. The coffee was nice and strong and was not weakened by the ice.

I love love love Haute Coffee. I will be back for one of their fabulous salads another day. So glad I asked Terry for a recommendation.

Can't wait to return to Concord on another day when I have even more time to explore.

Christmas Bucket List

Are there things you simply must do for the holidays? Like visit a certain place or eat a certain food? Well here are my holiday must haves or my Christmas bucket list.

I like to see a live performance at the holidays. The Boston Pops, the Nutcracker Ballet, The Christmas Revels, it's always great to take in a Christmas show. This year I am hoping to see the Nutcracker at the local theatre.  It's a musical. Should be interesting.

Next weekend, I will attend the Nutcracker Tea.  This will be my second year attending the event.

My sister and I usually meet friends for dinner at the Bedford Village Inn in Bedford, NH.  The inn is stunning. And the week after Christmas is the best time to visit.  It is still decorated for Christmas but the atmosphere is more relaxed. We look forward to this special dinner.

I enjoy shopping in the small shops in surrounding towns such as Concord, Lexington, Winchester, and Melrose. I've already been to Nesting on Main.  They do such an amazing job with their displays. If I have time I like to go to Boston and browse around Beacon Hill and Newbury Street.  The window shopping is great!

I also take in church fairs and antique fairs. I find the best stuff there. In fact, I will show you some of my finds in another post.

A must do on my list is to visit Burdick's in Harvard Square.  Their hot chocolate is too die for! The cafe is decorated tastefully for the holidays. After hot chocolate, I have the energy to brave the crowds and do some serious shopping.  There is always lots to see in Harvard Square.

Here's a view of the twig chandelier in Burdick's. I had hoped to duplicate this for my Christmas Soiree but time is running short and there is still so much to do!

There you have it, my Christmas Bucket list. Do you have one? What's on your list?

Local shopping on Black Friday

I almost never go shopping on Black Friday but after hearing that Nesting on Main closes the week
of Thanksgiving to decorate for Christmas, well I couldn't resist.

My sister and I made a plan. A few hours of shopping in the morning in Concord and then lunch in Melrose at Turner's Seafood.  Not too exhausting and hopefully by shopping locally we would avoid the Black Friday crowds.

I am proud to say I try to do most of my Christmas shopping at smaller businesses. Usually I like the selection of items at local gift shops, flea markets, antique stores and craft fairs and the gifts are more unique.  Plus the people at the mall, both the clerks and the shoppers drive me crazy!

 So Nesting on Main did not disappoint.  The above photos are from today. It was crowded and the space was small so I took just a few photos.

All of the white and silver decorations were so lovely I have decided to use this color scheme for my own holiday decorating. I plan to use lots of silver and crystal pieces to set the holiday mood.

 They create such beautiful displays at Nesting.  Everywhere you turn there is an interesting vignette to view. Talk about eye candy!

A mix of glitter and nature. So stunning. Where is my glitter glue anyway? My sister was inspired too. She will be able to recreate some of the items she saw today. 

I have some silver leaves like this at home. I shall try my hand at creating a winter wonderland.

Let's hope the kitties aren't too interested in it.

More shots of Nesting.  A silvery wreath has that nice frosty look for winter.

These would be cute on a tree or hanging from some garland. I am big on hanging ornaments from garland.  I love the look.

After visiting Nesting, we stopped in at Jack and Toba, a new shop in Concord. I discovered Jack and Toba on a trip to Bedford last April, now they've moved to Concord. I enjoy looking at the displays.

They have an interesting mix of old and new merchandise.  I am loving that black window at the bottom of this shot.

 We had fried clam rolls at Turner's in Melrose and did some browsing downtown. The city was so pretty with all the Christmas wreaths on the Victorian lightposts that lined Main Street. The weather was mild and perfect for walking around.

I said goodbye to my sister and I headed up to Brissonte in North Reading.  This little darling was waiting for his mom or dad to bring him home. He was so cute I couldn't resist taking his photo.

At Brissonte, I controlled myself and just picked up so small items. I got some small vintage strawberry crates.  I will probably use them to display some of my vintage ornaments or I may put some pine cones and greenery in them. Or I could line them with doilies or pretty napkins and put some cookies in them.  Anyway, they are very sweet.

As I was driving home, I noticed the sunset was absolutely gorgeous.  I just had to take a photo so I pulled off the road into a golf course parking lot and snapped this.  It's blurry because of the low light.I just loved all the various colors in the sky tonight, almost an Aurora Borealis effect.  And one of these days I do hope to see the Northern Lights. It's on my bucket list anyway.

So far, I am having a great Thanskgiving weekend.  Yesterday was fantastic. Great food, family, friends.  It was quiet yet perfect.  And I am off from work until Tuesday! My boss told me to relax and I plan to.

I forgot to mention the winner of my blog giveaway.  I am pleased to announce that Sherry at Edie Marie's Attic won the Holiday Bliss Magazine and the white lights. You should receive the package soon Sherry and thanks for reading and commenting on my blog.  I always enjoy what you have to say!

Autumn Vacation Day and a visit to Nesting on Main

Well I have been chipping away at my 19 remaining vacation days.  They are the kind that you use or lose if they are not taken by the end of the year.  So since Veteran's Day on Friday was a bank holiday I took the Thursday before it and also Monday off.

Thursday I went to Cambridge with some friends.  More about that later.

Monday I decided to go to Concord.  My friend Beth works at one of my all time favorite shops in Concord, Nesting on Main so I headed there.  She works Mondays and Tuesdays, the days I never get to go there so since I had Monday off I thought I would visit her.  Of course, she had the day off. Figures!

Anway, I had a lovely time all by myself just browsing around the shop and talking to Melissa, one of the partners at Nesting. She let me take photos to my heart's content!

The ladies at Nesting have such taste and a knack for display and merchandising.  The shop is such a visual delight.  Isn't this box cool?

A lovely display of religious items.  A very popular theme nowadays.

Stunning glassware. Ooh, that would look lovely in a holiday tablescape! They look nice and heavy too!

I thought this lampshade was so sweet! It had such a warm glow.  Such a great item for Fall.

I have to say this display was my favorite.  So shiny and just gorgeous.  Love it all!

Grain sack tea towel.  You know I bought one.  Anything that says cafe and chocolat is a favorite of mine. I think I will hang mine near the tea cups over the new black chest in the kitchen.

A pretty Fall display.

And in close up.

For display, the ladies use some antiques and some reproductions along with natural elements. It all works.

If you are in the Concord area, you must visit Nesting on Main.  Word has it their displays for Christmas are going to be spectacular! They close down the three days before Thanksgiving, just to decorate!