Friday, July 10, 2009

~ How I spent my summer vacation ~

Hello Ladies! It feels like it's been forever since I did a post or had a chance to visit you all...I'm back from my little summer getaway and what better place to share our summer cottage than here. Well it's not really mine, lol, but my great friend Sandra needed a puppy sitter while she went away and with my parents up visiting this summer, we needed a place to share quality time and feel like we were away. Northport , NY is only one town away, but right on the water and it's such a quaint little village so the timing was perfect. I grew up in this area, but it's amazing how relaxing and tranquil any place can be when you decide to focus on making it a vacation spot. Plus I loved the idea of not loosing any travel time, a 10 minute car ride and we were there. I also made the decision to not leave the town at all, no coming back home to get the mail or shop in my usual places here, but instead, stay in the Norman Rockwell existence with a new set of eyes :) Vacation eyes :) So come for a little tour of one of my favorite towns....

As soon as my girlfriend moved into this house, I knew she had found a little jewel. It oozes charm in every way. I've spent many girlfriend get togethers here and had already worn out the front porch chair before this summer :) But being here and knowing I didn't have to leave for a week was a real treat!

Little Bella, she's the reason for my stay, and she entertained us every day with her puppy ways and adorable demeanor. Awww, is she so cute?!

I love this great little kitchen, it's packed with fabulous details and charm! I used the grill a lot, but also did my fair share of steaming seafood and enjoying some cooking in here too..


The perfect accessory to any cottage :) A gorgeous claw foot tub!

The living room looking into the kitchen area....

Nooks and cranny's were everywhere!


A sweet kitchen shelf unit, simple and elegant...

The details in her home are amazing , even down to the door knobs! I have to get some of these, they are just gorgeous in person!
This room below was my Moms room for the week, I adore the red polka dot sheets and fluffy bedding!


This bedroom has always been a favorite of mine ( below ), again, the bedding was so luxurious and yet the simple cottage decor just makes you relax and feel right at home. I adore this room for many reasons, I love that the breeze blows right in and it's so pretty and charming!

Lets walk outside the front door and take a walk downtown Northport....


The weather was so gorgeous, I felt so lucky the whole week to wake up to the warm sun, the scent of flowers and that sweet salty air when you're close to the water , nothing beats that! And what a perfect view the park has too!

Sailing anyone? ....

Or, perhaps some yachting ? a lunch or sunset Cruise?

The town has always made me feel like I've stepped back in time, but yet what's so great about it is, for the nostalgia you can enter into it's many cafes and still get a malted milk shake or an egg cream :) But you can also go to the next store and get a fabulous pair of trendy sandals and browse the beautiful boutiques too!

Every little town needs a General store too....The one below has that great hardware store smell, I just love it :)

Pretty little antique shops too!



And best of all, little pockets of bistro dining and courtyards away from it all...

It's a great little town for that unusual gift, I wanted to take this bike home, it's actually a planter, how cute would it be filled with pots of hydrangeas or daisy's ?!

Well that's it, I'm finished with my " how I spent my summer vacation" essay :) Ohhhh, it feels so great to be out of school :)! I'll leave you with this last picture, it's a flag that the village made out of flowers on the entrance to the dock area, cute idea!

I hope you all are enjoying a beautiful summer!! and finding your own spots to vacation in or at least get away for a bit to rejuvenate and relax! I've missed seeing your new blog posts, so now I'm off to go visit and catch up with you all!

Happy Summer!

Hugs, Cynthia xo

50 comments:

Jill said...

Hi Cynthia!
Aren't you the lucky one! What a lovely home, just perfect. I especially like the porch and the pooch, what a doll baby.

The shopping looked Heavenly! I love, LOVE little towns like that.

Sounds like you had a wonderful and relaxing time!

~Jill
At Home in the Country

Nancy Rosalina said...

Oh Cynthia, What an adorable little cottage! Love all the charm and cozyness that a cottage can have! And, this one has it all! Thanks for sharing your Summer Essay with us...I say you made a 100 A+!!! Nancy

Amy said...

Oh Cynthia...how lovely is the cottage. Sooooo charming and cozy and the town is picture perfect. I'd love to visit it someday. Welcome back.

Ruth said...

Sure looks like a lovely home and town! I would die for one of those claw foot tubs!!

stefanie said...

oh, i would love to live there, its just perfect, the cottage the town, thank you so much for sharing, i'm off to daydream

Mary Ann said...

Thanks you so much for sharing these simply lovely pictures!! I enjoyed it so much.

Mary Ann

Penny from Enjoying The Simple Things said...

What a wonderful cottage to vacation in! And that little town is my idea of a PERFECT waterside town. Thanks for sharing it.
Hugs,
Penny

Brooke said...

Wow! I am available to dogsit!!! What a fantastic little jewel of a town and adorable house! Lucky you!

Anonymous said...

What a perfect Get-Away!!
Love,
Marilyn

p.s. I LOVE the Cottage!!

Deb said...

What a gorgeous little spot to spend your summer vacation! Love that little cottage ♥

Unknown said...

What a lovely break! Can I go next?
I think I love the tub the best!

~Liz

Marty@A Stroll Thru Life said...

Wow, how lucky were you to get to spend a week in this gorgeous cottage and the town is just so pretty. I would be in 7th heaven. So glad you enjoyed it. Hugs, Marty

Monica said...

Glad you had such a relaxing vacation, Cynthia!
Your friend's cottage is delightful!
Hugs,
Monicax.

Stacey said...

What a wonderful way to have a little vacation! Lucky that you live near such a beautiful area...nothing quite like that here in Oklahoma. :) Thanks for sharing that gorgeous cottage.

blushing rose said...

What a lovely vacation we are having this year ... all you gals going to these lovely locations & staying in these darling homes/cottages ... & we just have to tap in & mentally whisk away with you. Thank you.
Glad you had such a nice time, poochie is a cutie. TTFN~ Marydon

Tootsie said...

what a charming place! I bet you will miss being there!

Debbie said...

Oh my gosh ...was it hard to go home....maybe not your home is darling too. But what a wonderful trip. Thanks for sharing,

Just a little something from Judy said...

I've always wanted to visit Northport, so think how excited I was to have a personal tour guide on this post. Not only that, I love seeing inside little cottages like your friends, and here I has a perfect opportunity to do just that. I think your friend's cottage is certainly one I would choose to buy. It is beautiful! Thank you so much for a tour of the cottage, the town, and a picture of a special puppy. Wishing you a good weekend!

Elyse said...

hi cynthia and welcome back!

what a relaxing vacation with family. i love the photos of the quaint shopping district. i just love those in little towns! hope you bought yourself a little treat or two!

xo

Old Centennial Farmhouse said...

OHMYGOSH, Cynthia! Truly, what more could you ask for than relaxing in such a cutie pie of a town? I loved all your photos and the tour you let us walk along on with you. I would most like to visit the general/hardware store, it looks so interesting! And that sweet cottage you stayed in is WONDERFUL!
XOXO
Joni

Lisa said...

Oh what great fun!! Your pics are lovely! Thank you for sharing your summer with us!
Hugs, Lisa

A Southern Rose said...

Oh I love her cottage! I love that little town too. It looks so peaceful and so full of charm. Her puppy is precious! I would've gotten attached to her! I'm glad that you had a great time.

Crystal Rose Cottage said...

How nice was that little get away! Looks like the perfect small town to hang out in for a week! Loved her cottage and also all the little shops to visit. Your friends little puppy was toooo cute!
~Patti

Ribbonwood Cottage said...

Hi Cynthia! Welcome back from your little paradise visit! I love these pictures and I can't tell you how much I enjoyed looking at them. I am from S. Calif. and I just love seeing pictures from the East coast. It is so different but so wonderful...I love it. Glad you could go! Thanks for taking me along!
Debbie

Ginger~~Enchanting Cottage said...

What a blessing to be able to stay at such a sweet~sweet~cottage!
Ginger

Tea Time With Melody said...

Great trip. Isn't it great when you can go just a short distance and it makes you feel like you are miles and miles away on a grand vacation.

Mimi Sue said...

I will volunteer to puppy sit the next time she needs one! I'm a little farther away than ten minutes though. Lovely, quaint town. You're a lucky girl. Mimi

Tracy said...

Oh Cynthia, your friend has a lovely home.
I'm so glad your back, we missed you!
Tracy

Kathleen Grace said...

What a charmong little town and cottage! Thanks for sharing it with us. I would love to have a vacation like that:>)

Cindy said...

Hi Cynthia, What a lovely cottage to vacation in. Your friend has a lovely style. Hugs, ~cindy s~

Anonymous said...

Hi Cynthia! Welcome home!!! I would have been on that park bench with my coffee at sunrise; then off to lunch in the courtyard and of course shopping that is if I could have ever left that adorable cottage!!! What a great way to spend a week! I'm inspired and I think a trip to the ocean is absolutely necessary now!!! I'm homesick for New England!!!! Have a relaxing weekend dear - Sincerely Jeannette

~Lavender Dreamer~ said...

WOW! How fabulous! Her home is beautiful! I especially love the little shelves and different ways she displays her pretty things. I think the red in my new kitchen is very close to hers. The town is amazing, too! Great photos! Thanks for sharing! I think everyone should do a post like this!

cherry said...

OKKKK I adore the polka dot sheets...do you know where she got them? That is the sweetest little house I have ever seen! cherry

Miss Janice said...

What an adorable house and great little village. Lucky you!

One Shabby Old House said...

Lucky lucky you! What a fabulous place to vacation.
That certainly is what I would call a dream vacation.
Everything in your pictures got me dreaming about planning a perfect getaway.
Glad you found yours.
Hugs
Becky

Colleen said...

What a beautiful cottage and charming town. I know you enjoyed every moment of this vacation. Thanks for sharing it with us.

ROSE VINE COTTAGE said...

Hi Cynthia,
What a perfect vacation spot and sweet lil cottage!
Hugs~Kelly

The Pleasures of Homemaking said...

What an adorable cottage and town! I dream of retiring to place like this with a cute little house! The puppy is adorable! Looks like a perfect place to vacation and I'm sure the puppy appreciated being able to be home instead of a kennel (my dog hates kennels)!

Manuela

Anonymous said...

Hi Cynthia,
I have been trying unsuccessfully to leave a comment for the past several days, it always says "operation aborted"...ugh...
anyway here I am.

Your friend's home is very charming indeed, I can see why you enjoyed staying there and the quaint little town, oh my goodness. Darling, everything is just darling.

Hope you are having a great summer. Miss your visits though:(

Hugs,
LeAnn:)

Michelle said...

Cynthia!

Okay, I'm packing now. I've decided where to move. :) What an adorable little town!! I can so see myself living there. Your friend's house is SO CHARMING!! What a wonderful summer vacation. :)

Lots of hugs..

Michelle

Unknown said...

Hi Cynthia :)
I think your friends cottage is one of the sweetest I have ever seen! How inviting and cozy! Her decor is so perfect! I want to stay there, lol! And the town is the most charming town ever! You are so lucky to live so close to such a quaint and perfect place! I am so glad you enjoyed your vacation :)

Hugs,
Amy

joyh82 said...

I just love your friends house and it looks like you have been having a fun filled summer.

Unknown said...

Hi Cynthia, What a fabulous friend! Her home is lovely. What a wonderful place to relax and enjoy the ocean breezes!

Happy Summer!

Tina

Poppy Cottage said...

What a sweet, sweet place! And the puppy is too cute ;)

Thank you for sharing!
Sharon

Libby Buttons said...

Where to start? How about with envy. Everything is so charming. What a relaxing and beautiful place to rejuvenate ones spirit!
smiles
Darlie
aka "LiBBy BuTTons"

Rue said...

Hi Cynthia :)

What a wonderful town to vacation in! I love your friend's home so much and Bella is absolutely adorable. I can't imagine a better place to stay :)

xoxo,
rue

Lori said...

Oh Cynthia I want to be there! It seems like the perfect place to just relax and rejuvenate! Precious! Lori

Sue said...

What a great place to have spent some time with a cute little dog. This home oozes charm and character. :-) Sue

Janet said...

I adore your friend's home. That red is just perfect for the kitchen. Glad you had an enjoyable week.
Janet

The Catnap Cottage said...

Wow - it is like living in a postcard! Lovely pictures and such a sweet cottage!! Wish I were there!!