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.

Magic, pure magic out there in New England

Ok, I stole the title of this post. Anita of Castles Crowns and Cottages commented on my Hamilton Coaches post and she coined the phrase about pure magic. Anita's words are always pure poetry and so are the images she chooses. You need to visit her blog after reading this post. I think pure magic describes Autumn in New England perfectly. I have always felt it is magical here and especially in Autumn.

The photo above was taken at my favorite store, Nesting on Main in Concord. Yes, Nesting is heaven but Heaven right here describes my home state and it's surrounds. All the stores, like Nesting, are decked out in their Autumn finery inside and out. I just love all the vibrant colors.

At Zuzu's Cafe in Wakefield yellow leaves were everywhere on the outdoor patio. Inside it was nice and cozy.

Butternut squash apple soup, a staple of my diet this season. Pure magic! And who can resist the best grilled cheese in town? Half a sandwich and the soup is plenty enough for lunch.

You can find some of the best foliage in cemeteries in Autumn. This one was in Concord.

And this one was in Wakefield. This is close to my home so I go here often. It's by the lake which makes it especially nice.

This Wakefield cemetery had been moved from the town green to this section of land by the church and the lake. I am not sure why but I am always drawn to cemeteries in Autumn.

I was photographing this structure when an older man with long white hair and a straw hat approached me. He asked about my camera and what I was shooting. I didn't want to tell him that I was also using Instagram on my phone because I thought he would think I was cheating.

I asked about this stone structure. He said it was a very old burial crypt. The family, he said, had planted grass on top of it so as to disguise it. The left side door had been pried open a bit so there is a large piece of stone blocking the entrance. I thought the building was interesting and I tried to give it a romantic feel in my shot.

It's hard to imagine that some of these graves are from the sixteen and seventeen hundreds. They have certainly withstood some harsh Winters but their carvings remain in fairly good shape.

Amazingly, very few graves were broken. I think I only saw one completely cracked in half. The crunching of the leaves made spooky sound effects as the sun started to set.

The man in the straw hat said he had photographed the cemetery and the lake many times and he showed me where the light hits the trees at the end of the day.

And there was more magic going on in Concord. Drummer, the abused horse who was rescued by a nice Concord family, was having a great time in the Autumn sunshine. I am so happy to see him again. Last time I drove by his corral he was not there. But he's back and he has a friend. Good for him.

He has some nice scenery to look at all day. I guess he can take refuge in that building in the distance.

And speaking of horses, I don't think I shared this photo of these two beauties in Hamilton. Another shot with my phone.

After all that travel this weekend I stopped by a favorite coffee shop, Jitters Cafe, for an Autumnal favorite. No ones does a cinnamon mocha better than Jitters in Melrose.

Entering my driveway I see I have some raking ahead of me but it can wait.

I still have some magic to photograph.

The Belfry Inne- Cape Cod

When I read about the Belfry Inne of Sandwich, Massachusetts in Yankee Magazine in 2012 I knew I just had to stay there at some point in my life. So it went on the secret bucket list.

This Summer, I found out that Susan Branch was doing a book signing at the Sandwich Town Hall this August. I immediately booked rooms at the Belfry for my sister and myself.

Here's what Yankee Magazine said about the Belfry Inne:

BEST NEO-VICTORIAN B&B
Belfry Inne & Bistro, Sandwich
A restored Victorian manse and a pleasingly formal Federal-era house are part of this bustling B&B complex, but the most dramatic rooms are found in “the Abbey,” a converted Catholic church on the edge of Sandwich village. A few even have stained-glass windows depicting archangels Michael and Gabriel, and most have church-pew beds. The bistro occupies the Abbey’s ground level. Rates: from $179, including full breakfast. 8 Jarves St. 800-844-4542, 508-888-8550; belfryinn.com

After reading that description you want to go now too, don't you? I must say it did not disappoint.

The patio outside the bistro was lovely and perfect for a relaxing lunch. We had breakfast each morning in the converted church. (It was included). We actually stayed in the Painted Lady as the Abbey rooms were more pricey.

Another view of the pretty patio. I snapped a few shots before they opened for the day.

The flowers were plentiful and huge! I noticed this all over the Town of Sandwich, flowers everywhere.

Tricia, the desk clerk and breakfast server, was kind enough to show us rooms in the Abbey. This is the Tuesday room, one of the most requested rooms in the Inne.

The bathrooms were modern and spa-like.   One of them actually had a spa in it!

Here's an overview of the bar and restaurant. The beams are still intact and spectacular.

I'm not sure if this was the choir loft or not. As you can see, the Inne is the perfect blend of old world charm and modern amenities.

All the rooms we saw had the most fantastic stained glass windows. I loved the colors used in each room as well.

How relaxing would a soak in this tub be? I could use this at the condo after a hard day at work.

The room decor was tasteful and lovingly furnished. I can attest that the beds were extremely comfortable.

Some rooms had balconies and patios. Fireplaces were in many of the rooms too. Wouldn't that be nice in the Fall?

Another shot of the many details from the original church which was built in 1901.

Here's the Painted Lady, this is where we stayed. Come back for my next post and I will have a little show and tell about it.

I need to apologize for my unintended blogging break. My computer crashed a few weeks ago so no blogging for me. I just got it fixed and I have lots to blog about so I hope you will come back to read about my end of Summer activities.