my mother gets credit for finding this one: the graham & co hotel in phoenicia, ny.
seriously, i’d pack my bags this second for a weekend of hikes, bikes, fire pits and hammocks in the Catskills. wouldn’t you?
their branding is great, too. i love how they describe themselves: an update on the traditional weekend away. like this place, the vibe seems to be like summer camp for adults in the best possible way….probably with a lot less attitude, though.
(images courtesy of the graham & co website)
i love this duck. he was so chill…
pretty little mushrooms…
spur-of-the-moment, i decided to take my camera with me on a morning coffee run a couple weeks ago in east hampton. not really knowing if i’d see anything to take a picture of, but it was a gorgeous morning…. i took a different road home (past all the big ol’ mansions… i was being a total sunday driver) and drove by a duck pond i had never noticed before.
so i had to stop. it was just so…nature-y! i like nature… i forget about it sometimes, since i live in a city. but i grew up in it and i have nice memories of it. as long as there are no bees near me, nature and i get along really nicely.
(photos by laurakinsey)
today is my dear, dear friend tammy’s birthday. she and her husband are moving to bozeman, montana in a couple weeks, so when i saw this house in architectural digest last month, i knew i had to save it to post today. happy birthday, tammy!
what a gorgeous place. i’m especially loving the exposed ceiling trusses, the pendants above the dining room table, and those crazy comfortable-looking leather chairs in the living room. you can see the entire slideshow here.
(photography by Joshua McHugh)
this amagansett home was featured in the nytimes t magazine back in may. swoon-worthy indeed. i love that this modern barn look was infused with all sorts of great finnish style… my favorite bits are the light fixture over the seating area, that pile of wood in the corner, the embroidered rug, all the marimekko fabric, and that serene bedroom….
this house belongs to tiina laakkonen and her husband. she also has a shop in amagansett that i love to pop into called tiina: the store. it’s got the same aesthetic, and sells the most gorgeous things for your home, including these chairs from ilmari tapiovaara.
don’t these have adirondack chairs beat in terms of style? i think so. put these on my porch any day.
…and i’m already reminiscing about the weekend. what was supposed to be just a little pit-stop at clam bar turned into an opportunity for a quick snack and a drink. seriously, what’s better than a grilled hot dog? (some might say any of the local seafood options available, but sometimes a hot dog is where it’s at, right?)
(photo by laurakinsey)
every wednesday we’ll take a look at an amazing home or collection of interior spaces that make me go all swoon-y. first up: this amazingly peaceful masonry home located in ripatransone, italy, by architect fabio barilari. i love the neutral color palette, sparse furnishings, and sweeping views of the Italian countryside. can’t you imagine sitting in that eames rocker with a macchiato, staring out the window while thinking deep thoughts? or better yet, no thoughts?
see all the photos (and floor plans!) here
(photos by vincenzo barilari)
…right?
this is from last year, but i did kind of the same thing this year, just in a slightly different place. the weather wasn’t the best, but that’s kind of okay. i’m still trying to figure out where i put all my summer clothing and i need to get my beach bag items figured out. i like to keep it packed so i can just grab it whenever and go!
i love hearing about everyone’s summer plans. my brother is going to turkey and some greek islands. i have many friends going to the south of france in a couple weeks. (for work. pffft.) anyone else doing something fun?
(instagram photo by laurakinsey)
if i could spend it hangin’ out up here, mondays wouldn’t be so bad….so meh…. so blah….
(photo credit here)
tucked away in the hills of western new york is a little gem of a ski town that i simply adore called ellicottville, home to holiday valley and holimont ski resorts. in addition to skiing, snowboarding, or thrill-seeking on their new mountain coaster, you can also après-ski in style at the yodeler lodge, the tamarack club, or in town at dina’s. the walkable downtown boasts all sorts of fun shops to poke around in, and there is a nearby sculpture garden and alpaca farm to investigate in case you’re not a skier.
(photo via flickr)
summers in EVL are also pretty great. over at the mountain, you can golf, zip line, or test your tree climbing skills. (take a look here.) the roads leading in and out of town are perfect for long (and hilly!) bike rides. my personal favorite summer event is the fourth of july pet parade. pet owners lead their animals through main street – often in costume. i have seen dogs, a guinea pig in a cage perched on a wheelbarrow, a trio of baby goats, alpacas, horses, and something called a Zee-Donk (hybrid zebra and donkey!) march down main street. the animals all gather near the gazebo at the end so people can pet them. it’s totally fantastic, as are the fireworks and evening concert at the base of the mountain performed by the buffalo philharmonic.
these places are also on my “must-do” list:
- a massage at falling waters spa
-a trip to the salamanca antiques mall
-going to Dom’s Butcher Block in town if we’re cooking something meaty. amazing.
-a walk up Greer Hill Drive to see some pretty houses
(bottom photos by laura kinsey)
