Greyfield Inn

There I was back in the United States, sitting on a boat, eyes closed, breathing in the smell of salt and sand and sea. I had missed the ocean so much. Thirty minutes later we docked on the national seashore of Cumberland Island, Georgia, an island with only dirt roads mostly used for walking or bike riding and almost zero cars. We walked from the seashore into an enchanted Southern forest with her blanket of Spanish moss swaying overhead from the gnarled arms of centuries old live oak trees. And then like a beautiful, perfect white shell  you walk upon on the beach, Greyfield Inn appears in front of you in all her splendor echoing a bygone era. 

It’s hard to write about how being here feels. Words can’t seem to touch this kind of magic. I still find it quite remarkable that this sort of place can even still exist unspoiled by modernization or development. As an original home built in the 1900’s by Thomas and Lucy Carnegie for their daughter Margaret Ricketson as a wedding gift, the home is still adorned by paintings and photographs of the family and priceless heirlooms such at Tiffany lamps and Chippendale furniture. Though it was transformed into an Inn in 1962, it is still overseen by the family as they blur the line between romantic luxury grand hotel and charming, intimate family home. 

I have been once before in the early spring, but I found it to be a cozy hideaway in the winter chill. They keep the fireplace in the parlor roaring all day and the bar stocked where you can make yourself a drink to heart’s desire. In the evening after cocktails and mingling with guests over an oyster roast the dinner bell rings, men in their sport coats and women in their dresses ascend down the stairs for truly spectacular three course meal that rivals any Michelin star restaurant, comprised of many ingredients grown next to the house in one of the Inn’s organic gardens. 

But it’s not all about the mansion. It’s also about the island.

The 200-acres of unspoiled marshland, open empty seashore, former plantation ruins populated by wild horses, and artifacts from centuries of American history including the First African Baptist Church founded in 1893 in a community settled by former slaves and later would become the chapel John F. Kennedy Jr. was married in. The island is home to one of my favorite stretches of beach in the world because you feel as if you have it all to yourself, you see nature as it is when it’s just allowed to be. I started each day here watching the sun rise over the horizon and sparkling off the ocean.

Greyfield Inn has found a perfect harmony with it’s place on the island giving their guests bikes to explore, organized daily tours of historic sites, bird watching hikes, kayaks, fishing and much more. It’s the kind of place you can come and do nothing but relax on the porch swing reading a book or sign up for days of activities. What I love most about it all, is once you step foot on the island it’s as if you live in a magical bubble where you don’t have to drive anywhere or make any decisions whatsoever. Your picnic lunch is packed for you everyday in a basket to grab when you wish, your dinner is arranged and in true southern hospitality style, the home feels like yours for a brief moment in time. 

 

*If you are on mobile you can check out my saved instagram story for a first hand experience with videos of the island & inn. 

Ladfabriken Inn

Ladfabriken_Inn_01

Tucked away on one of the 8,000 small islands off the west coast of Sweden is this charming and colorful hideaway on the sea, Ladfabriken Inn. Previously an old shipping warehouse, these two creative owners Marcel and Johan (Johan is a Creative Director at Reebok) transformed this old working structure into a living world of light, life and inspiration. Art, quirky collections from world travels in previous careers, and their two dogs make this B&B rich with stories to be shared over a glass of wine while watching the sun slip down below the sea.

We more than welcomed the perfectly prepared home cooked dinner Marcel served up with his colorful and clever table arrangements followed by a breakfast extravaganza that is not to be missed. I think, however, my favorite aspect to this unique place, is the exploding garden that wraps around the entire home. You are greeted by a wash of colors and smells the moment you pull off the main road, and it’s a wonderful welcome. Throughout the Inn, and next to your bedside, Marcel leaves traces of the outside garden with his beautiful flowers arrangements perfuming the entire home.

This is one of my favorite stays on our journey with Volvo around Sweden!

Ladfabriken_Inn_02  Ladfabriken_Inn_04 Continue reading “Ladfabriken Inn”

Deer Mountain

It’s always amazing to me how quickly you can go from New York City to quiet, pristine, lush nature. On one of the last weekends of winter, a group of friends met on 15th & 8th under the hustle of city life blanketed blanketed by the sounds of cabs honking and the last few snowflakes of the season kissing my rosey cheeks. We piled into the car, cranked on some Chris Stapleton and headed north up the Hudson River until we reached that final winding road that led us climbing high top the waterfalls and forests until we reached our weekend sanctuary, Deer Mountain.

With only six rooms, this boutique lodge nestled in 168 wooded acres balances the historic rustic nature of the original building from the 1880’s with its modern luxurious updates and amenities. Even though the charming town of Tannersville, with its own set of restaurants, shopping and activities is at the base of Deer Mountain, the inn is set up so you don’t have to leave, if you’re simply looking for a restorative weekend to relax, like I am.

I love places like this. Charm, character, and no two rooms alike. I like a place that tells a story, that leaves an imprint on your memory that can only belong to that one place and when you revisit the moments in your mind you are quickly carried away in the currents back to a place and time with its own particular feel, smell, taste, and warmth. Deer Mountain will always sound like the laughter of friends, smell like a roaring campfire, taste like bespoke cocktails and feel like a special home away from home, where you can sink into bed at night knowing all the stars are watching over you in that clear mountain sky.

Deer_Mountain_02

Deer_Mountain_03

Deer_Mountain_04 Continue reading “Deer Mountain”