Getaways Guest Blog Series: Stacey from Quintessence

I'm very happy to have the lovely Stacey from Quintessence as a a Getaways Guest Blogger today. Stacey's blog is filled with thoughtful, informative posts on everything from wine and design to movies. Here's a bit about Stacey's vacation tips and faves...

Favorite Vacation Spot

I want to thank Connie for inviting me to participate in her fun Getaways Guest Blog Series. For me it was an easy choice since I have been going to the same vacation spot for many years. Nantucket is a small (only 14 miles long by 3-1/2 miles wide) island 30 miles off the coast of Massachusetts with over 82 miles of beautiful unspoiled beaches, a charming historic town of cobblestone streets, chic shops and restaurants and an abundance of natural beauty, 40% of which is protected by the Land Trust.

Photos Courtesy of The Wauwinet Inn

Where to Stay

The Wauwinet Inn is a luxe Relais & Chateau property on the northeast part of the island where it is very narrow, so there is access to both bay and ocean. You can stay in the lovely main building or rent a cottage. Toppers is their award winning restaurant and there is a fabulous spa as well but the best part is sitting out on the lawn in the evening enjoying a spectacular Nantucket sunset overlooking the bay with a glass of champagne or a cocktail.


Photo Credit: Michael Galvin/Nantucket Chamber of Commerce



Where To Eat

Nantucket has a wide variety of great restaurants. For an adult evening out without the kids, our choice frequently is The Chanticleer in the “other town” of Siasconset (pronounced Sconset). Reopened a couple of years ago as a more casual version of the original French restaurant, we like the more laid back bar area to enjoy the bistro cuisine. Or go for a leisurely lunch and sit in the beautiful rose garden outside.

What To Do

One of the best aspects of Nantucket is that there is something for everyone at every age making it the perfect getaway location for either a family or a couple. From exploring the many beaches to visiting the historic whaling museum to renting bikes to tour the island, you could easily fill up a long weekend or week with activities.

And there is always town with its many tempting shops for fashion, art and decor. I always find something new to bring home.


Photo Courtesy of NJ Tours



5 Vacation Essentials

Essentials for a Nantucket vacation are good sunscreen, strong sunglasses, a great cap or hat, a book for the beach, and your camera. And if you’re renting a house, make sure you have a hair dryer because Nantucket is a notorious bad hair island.

Top: Birger et Mikkelson, pants: J Brand, sandals: Prada,

Bag: Chloe, Hat: Helen Kaminski, Sunglasses: Oliver Peoples

Packing Tips

Packing for Nantucket can be tough because of the unpredictable weather. Style tends to be casual chic. For day I pack long slim shorts or capris, fitted tees and a couple sun dresses with flats or comfortable sandals and havianas and a cover up for the beach. For evening I always bring several pairs of white pants from jeans to dressier versions that I can wear with a variety of tops, a couple sleeveless summer dresses in case we get invited to a party and sandals with a bit more of a heel. You have to bring an assortment of layers like sweaters and wraps because it can be hot during the day but the ocean breezes mean evenings get quite cool. I add belts and accessories to mix up my looks.

Favorite Travelling Companion

My favorite traveling companions to Nantucket are my husband and children. My kids have been going their entire lives and look forward to our traditions such as lobster dinners and family game nights - thank goodness we have an even number for teams. As you can see, even my dog likes it! My husband and I try to go up by ourselves once a year for a long weekend where we just relax and do things both together and apart. We’ll spend afternoons lounging at the beach (me under an umbrella) or he’ll get in some golf or fishing while I poke around town. Then we’ll rendezvous back at the house for a home cooked meal of fresh grilled swordfish and sweet island corn or go out to Chanticleer’s (see above) or Lola’s for sushi.

Photo of Prague via

Next Spot I'd Like to Visit

My husband would like to go to Hawaii because he prefers vacations where he can do things outside -golf, snorkle etc. Another option he likes is a ski vacation in the Rockies or Alps. Any more urban destinations that interest me like Prague or Barcelona I'll have to do with girlfriends!!

Guest Post: All About Brights & Colour Blocking

Color Blocking at Its Finest: Gucci SS 2011 via style.com

Get Ready for Summer with Rainbow Bright Colour - Spring/Summer dressing has burst into life this year with an eye-popping array of bright hues in bold blocks of colour. Colour blocking is a key trend for Spring/Summer 2011, seen on everything from women’s dresses to accessories.


Alex Perry SS 2011 via style.com



Models exploded onto the catwalks in a riot of paintbox colour, with zesty citrus tones simultaneously complementing and clashing with bright pops of red, aqua, pink and purple – all in their loudest, most in-your-face forms. 



Don't Want to Go Full Throttle? Try a Color
Block Accessory {Scarf from Tory Burch}




Or Try A Brightly Trimmed Bag
{Marc by Marc Jacobs via Net-a-Porter.com}





After the muted tones and sombre palettes of winter, tackling these new, bold hues can seem as daunting as ditching the opaques and baring your legs – but the beauty of colour blocking is that it can be as full-on or low-key as you like.

Try a One-Colour Bright Outfit
{Blouse, Skirt - Christopher Kane SS 2011,
Clutch - Jimmy Choo via Net-a-Porter.com}

For maximum, impossible-to-ignore impact, try building a head-to-toe outfit in a single colour – turquoise shorts and a lace tee in a matching shade, for example, or a vibrant purple maxi dress. Then build in accessories that either match or contrast with the main colour: try acid yellow against blue, or tomato red on purple.

Great Contrast {Marc by Marc Jacobs
Silk Dress via The Outnet}

No less noticeable a way of embracing the colour blocking trend is to build up pieces in different colours, whether contrasting (a pink top, tangerine skirt and red wedges, for example) or ones that create more of a sense of harmony, such as citrussy shades of orange, lemon and lime.

Colour Blocking is Beautiful with Muted, Classic Hues,
Too {Colour Block Dress Available at LauraAshley.com}

If all of this seems too dazzling – and let’s face it, after a long winter, summer dressing can take more than a bit of a mental adjustment – and you find yourself clinging to a more neutral palette, you can still introduce bold colours in ways that are impactful and fresh without feeling like a walking Lego creation. Pep up an otherwise plain ensemble with just one or two acid-bright accessories: an oversized slouch bag, for instance, or a colourful scarf and zingy espadrilles. You could even just opt for brightly painted fingers and toenails, leaving the rest of your outfit relatively neutral, or provide a subtle hit of colour with a chunky bangle in a vibrant hue.

The Right Trim Adds Interest {Sweater by
Miu Miu via Net-a-Porter.com}

Broad stripes, or hoops, are an easy and unforgettable way to do colour blocking but if an all-over look is a stripe too far for your tastes, look out for designs that incorporate block colours by way of a contrasting band at the hem, for instance, or with edging in a solid colour on pockets or along fastenings. Picking up these colours with a matching accessory, such as a shoe or bag, will lend a greater sense of relevance to the outfit, making the use of colour look meaningful and confident, rather than incidental.

Colour Blocked Silk Top by BCBG

Yes, it’s time to cast off the safety of winter’s charcoals and blacks and embrace a rainbow of colour. After all, haven’t you been longing for lighter days and warmer temperatures? Try for some sartorial positive thinking: go bright and here’s hoping the weather will follow suit. Even if not, the bold exuberance of this trend will imbue even the most dismal day with an irresistibly mood-enhancing burst of colour. Now doesn’t that sound as tempting as an icy-cold, neon-bright Popsicle on a hot summer’s day?


Guest Post Supplied by Laura Ashley

Bright, Cheerful and Functional: That's cobistyle

You know me, I'm always trying to find ways to make things I like (ie: light-coloured fabrics) functional and worry free. I don't want to have to freak out every time someone sits on my chair holding a glass of red wine and I don't want to have to start banning my niece and nephews from coming over. Which is why I think the new collaboration from Cobi Ladner (former editor of House and Home) and Joanne Fabrics is so great. Cobi has recently launched cobistyle, a new line of upholstered items and decorative accessories that went on sale in Canadian stores this month.

And the upholstered pieces can be purchased in her "high performance" fabrics too. Like the indoor outdoor fabrics Trina Turk designed for Schumacher (I love the Peacock Print in Driftwood) or the velvets now produced by Sunbrella, these can be used inside or outside and are great for spills or wiping away dirt. Just great for a living or dining room chair or a banquette. I'm sold.

“When I started cobistyle, I made a promise that I would never add to the marketplace more of the same. I believe your home should reflect your own unique character and make you happy. In order to do that, we need choices we can fall in love with!” ~ Cobi Ladner

New House Purchase: Carrera Marble Washstand

Do you remember my post awhile back about finding a vanity just like this one for a steal (the one above is from Restoration Hardware)? And how my husband wasn't thrilled about the style? And then I was all heartbroken and what not? Well, good news! After searching high and low for something else we liked M finally came around and decided he liked this washstand (which he's dubbed The Spider) after all. My faith in my superior powers of persuasion has been restored!

So yesterday we went to buy it and...guess what? It was even cheaper than the first time I looked at it. This never happens to me. Obviously this washstand and I were meant to be. Now I just have to decide on what fixtures to put with it and whether or not I want to change out the builder tile. I'm not 100% on doing that yet. I'd like to but there are definitely more important house things to spend money on first.

Due to exposed pipes M says he'll be installing
a finishing valve like this one from Dahl.

Same with wallpaper. I'm planning on wallpapering our powder room and because it's a small space it will be relatively affordable if I'm good and pick relatively affordable wallpaper, but I may just paint it for now and do wallpaper down the road. I guess we'll just have to see where we're at when the time comes.
Oh, and I'll need to buy a toilet paper holder, garbage can, mirror and light fixture. How is it my lists just keep getting longer?! There is the issue of lack of storage with this vanity, but I'm not too concerned as it is just for a powder room and I can always put a basket or something underneath if I feel the need.

Anyway, I'm just glad that the powder room vanity can now be crossed off our house To Do list! We had a pretty productive weekend in terms of furniture too, I think we've narrowed down our couch ideas and found some great contenders for a table. Oh, and yesterday I went to try Five Guys Burgers. I've heard a lot about them and decided I wanted to see what the buzz was about. When I got there the line was out the door. My verdict? Burger was definitely good, fries were meh, I doubt I would wait in that line up again. Have you tried Five Guys? What did you think?

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