Here is a dream of mine that someone else is living out – for now…!
Gavin’s friend Jim, his wife and their deaf dog Sage bought a little weekend cottage retreat on Lummi Island.

Lummi is one of the San Juan’s – a little under a 2 hour drive from Seattle and about a 8 minute ferry ride.

When I heard Gavin was going to help Jim fix up the cottage this past Saturday/Sunday I begged him to take pictures and here are the beautiful results – thank you Gavin!!!! . After a “hard day’s work” (according to Gavin about 3 hours) it’s time for Gavin to have a glass of wine while Jim and Sage fish…

Of course I want to be on that beach manning the fire and grilling oysters or salmon or something- ANYTHING!!! This is why I moved to the Pacific Northwest afterall…

I love the ruggedness of the beach, you can just smell the salty ocean air…

Apparently Sage loves it too!
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Here’s a shot of the outside of the house – you can see the proximity to the beach

A view from the front

Inside, an irresistible fireplace….I can smell the driftwood burning! And love love love the wainscoting!

In the kitchen, some local produce for a simple and perfect dinner…..

In case you were wondering if lavender grew at the beach (I know I was!) – the house next door

Gavin promises more pics and updates to the house on Lummi Island and I cannot wait!

In the meantime, save me a sip, we’ll be there before you know it!

BTW, we’re having a little technical problem here at CL so if you want to comment on this post just click on the post title!

And thanks again for the pics Gavin, they are gorgeous and tres cozy!

This post is about a very inspiring store called Rooms & Gardens on State Street in Santa Barbara, CA. Marc and I just spent his birthday weekend there at the wonderful Canary Hotel which is more or less right across the street from the hotel (how lucky for me and lucky for Marc that the Apple store is right next to Rooms & Gardens…something for everyone, right?).

The Canary Hotel (part of the Shutters on the Beach in Santa Monica) underwent a complete renovation by interior designer Michael S. Smith and has a wonderful Moroccan/Spanish Isle feel. If Michael’s name rings a bell it is because he has been appointed as White House decorator by Michelle Obama to “Obama-ize” the White House. Fine tunings of the hotel were done by Eric and Jamie Voulgaris of Rooms & Gardens. The store is a beautiful eclectic mix of British Colonial and California Casual with French and Eastern influences. In 2006 actress Mary Steenburgen joined the team opening up the Santa Monica store on Montana Avenue. A lot closer to home for me and I will definitely check it out!

You’ll notice all my pics are of the little gem of a courtyard in the back complete with the world’s most charming chicken coop!
It just goes to show that even in a very small space lots of little vignettes can be created resulting in a most Cozy garden!

This is a great store, definitely check it out the next time you are either in Santa Barbara or Santa Monica! And if you like big fluffy beds covered in luxurious white sheets stay then I highly recommend staying at the Canary!

Can you imagine waking up to this view every morning? Not the treacherous sky, just Martha Stewart’s gorgeous New York farm Cantitoe! And to think, this is the place where she had to spend her 5 months of house arrest back in 2004 (the place is so large she actually was limited to certain parts of it, can you imagine?!!). But lets focus on more pleasant things! Cantitoe is a 153-acre property she purchased in Bedford in Westchester County, New York in 2000 which Martha has been lovingly restoring and renovating, giving it the total Martha Makeover, wow wow wow!

The property, once called Sycamore Farms was first settled in 1784 and was named after Cantitow, the wife of an Indian chief named Katonah who lived in the region in the 1700s. And get this, apparently her neighbor is Ralph Lauren! Why do I find that so Not Shocking???!!! Like it would be Tara Reid or something? I think NOT!!!

When I look at that looming sky I think I would so have a fire in the fireplace and the kettle heating up on the stove (Viking, of course). It looks like the sky is about to burst, wow, thunder and lightning! Living in Southern California I have to say it’s been a long time since I’ve experienced that!

This looks like morning time on the farm. I can smell strong Italian coffee and maybe bacon and eggs frying in the kitchen….
The calm before the storm!

This looks like morning time on the farm. I can smell strong Italian coffee and maybe bacon and eggs frying in the kitchen….

Seems that Ms. Stewart has become a bit of a photographer herself crediting these pics as her own on her blog and she even tells us the camera she uses (a Canon EOS 5D Mark II). I think the shots are beautiful so I of course checked this camera out and it retails for about $2500-3000 smackers!). Guess I will not be rushing out to Samy’s Camera anytime soon…

Here is a shot of the front of the house. Wouldn’t mind having my lemonade or ice tea here, would you? And what a view it must be.

and below, can’t you feel the dew from the grass on your bare feet? Almost looks like a vineyard…

The photos are certainly gorgeous and what I love about this farm are all the different aspects of it. Apparently Martha’s new home is more like a small village, with a series of houses and out-buildings dotting the expansive grounds. When in town Martha lives in the 1925 farmhouse (the Winter House) a three-story structure fronted by a long porch and dormer windows on the third level. Next to the farmhouse is the property’s original abode: a 1770 Colonial house, known as the Summer House. There is also a nearby tenant’s cottage, where her daughter, Alexis, lives when she visits.

Horses naturally. Gotta give neighbor Ralph Lauren something to do when he stops by for a visit!

A gorgeous garden but I’m still partial to the ramble of Jamie Oliver’s…

Check out the link to her blog on her website to see more photos with lots of details of some of the flowers she grows (there must be hundreds maybe thousands of varieties!) and then vegetables too! Martha had a jump on sustainable (of course) wanting the farm to provide everything you need to eat or drink – vegetables, milk, eggs, meat, fruit, right there in those acres.
Heck, right now I’m happy to have a couple of flourishing zucchini plants!!! Guess I’ve got a long way to go…

For a really good story on Cantitoe check out this article from May 2006, lots of shots of the beautiful interiors too including her famous 3rd floor blogging /craft studio. Gimme a fargin break……

But bitterness aside I guess at the end of the day you have to admit, “it’s a good thing”….! I for one, would accept an invitation any day!

Everytime Marc and I go up to the Santa Ynez wine valley we discover something new and this time it was a really something special. While sitting in our favorite coffee shop I picked up the latest issue of Santa Barbara magazine and read a quick article about a party that happened at the Sarloos& Sons tasting room. From the list of celeb guests it sounded pretty swanky. I noticed the address was right on the main street running though Los Olivos. Marc and I usually don’t go to the tasting rooms, preferring to visit the actual wineries when possible but since Los Olivos is so tiny it would be impossible not to check out this new addition.

After breakfast we took a stroll around town and easily stumbled upon Sarloos. When I saw this sign I knew we were in trouble!!!

Inside was like a tiny jewel box! Everywhere I looked was something beautiful, especially if you like Vintage Modern as much as I do! This was not your usual tasting room, someone had really thought this out and taken the concept of cupcakes and wine, or wine paired to go with cupcakes to a new level!

Cupcakes with names like Chocolate Blackberry Syrah and Ginger Lime Chardonnay are paired with the wines of the Sarloos & Sons winery. You can order a “flight” of cupcakes like the picture above, don’t ask how we resisted, but we did. However, we did do a wine tasting and liked some of them very much. The labels are on par with the tasting room, beautiful and unusual each with a story. Check out this page on their website. Also like how they are into Social Media – this is one modern thinking winery. Wish other’s would jump on the bandwagon and update their sites. Hello winery marketing???

One of several gorgeous wine labels

Lots of beautiful treasures to look at!

even a little “retail therapy”… a highly dangerous combo with wine and cupcakes, right?

I loved this table made out of a silver tray

So, all in all a totally delightful new discovery. Maybe a little on the girly side, but let’s face it, if the wine is good and the woman is happy then guys, what’s not to like about that! Sarloos & Sons, highly Cozy and highly recommended!

I think because I grew up on French Creek in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania I have an affinity for lakes, creeks, etc. and the nature that surrounds it. And simple things like croquet, horseshoes, picnics and BBQ’s. We had lots of picnics overlooking the French Creek and my grandmother “Nanny” grew and made many of the things we ate her self. As a child I just wanted store bought crap like other kids got. Little did I know that as an adult I would give anything to be back at French Creek!

So maybe all this explains why I like this magazine called Country Living. Sometimes I think the covers are so bad I’m embarrassed to even get it but inside is a different story. Great photos, art direction and stories. Sometimes a little too countrified but usually not.

So in the October issue is a story about this cool couple, David Hernandez and his wife Tereasa Surrat who bought and restored an old lakeside retreat in Wisconsin and the results are fantastic.

There are dozens of really great inspiring photos, I could barely know which ones to choose…

Even a little winter…

Can’t imagine the work and money that went into restoring this place! Absolutely love Tereasa’s motto of
“found, free or flea”!!!

Would love love love to go to Wandawega Lake Resort someday no matter what the season! This place is Cozy personified!

These days I don’t usually have the extra money to go out and buy flowers much as I’d LOVE to! That of course doesn’t stop me from figuring how to create something beautiful – like these wild Fennel fronds that grow along the road where I live. They look wild and beautiful and smell amazing! Right there in my ‘hood and free!

Guess I’ll skip the flower mart this week! Now that’s convenient cozy!

Oh, BTW, yes I did grow those pepperoncini’s, in fact I have a surplus and now I think they are gonna stay with the fennel. I just like the way they look. Who would ever think to combine these 2 “ingredients”!!!!

I would not mind if the back of my house looked like this! But actually, wouldn’t you know, this little cottage is on the grounds of a “castle” located in Kiesen, Switzerland. I just love how Marc’s mother Marianne, quite the accomplished photographer herself, will pack a bag, throw her camera into the car and head off for a weekend adventure! This time she went not to far from where she lives to nearby the Lake of Thun, the village of Kiesen to see one of her favorite artists named Chantal Michel’s collection displayed in the castle.

THE CASTLE – No one is actually living in the castle, The nobility was very old and died a few years ago and the new owner is a business man. All the precious things including artifacts and furniture were sold at auction.

THE INTERIOR – Artists have been able to display at the castle for only about 2 or 3 years now.

CHANTAL MICHEL – REALLY UNUSUAL INTERESTING STUFF!

SWITZERLAND’S ANSWER TO DIANE ARBUS?

NOW WE KNOW WHAT HAPPENED TO THE SHINING TWINS! (taken from the movie)

So as not to be disappointed with my tomato garden for the 3rd year in a row I have decided to grow a Geranium garden in my lower garden area. Mainly because I somehow have 3 very successful large flowering plants down there. So, when in Rome… But I don’t really have a flower budget these days but did know that if you break off a piece of Geranium and put it into the ground it will take root and grow…well you can probably figure out where this story is going especially in relationship to the picture above…!

A close up of their amazing Roses and Geraniums!

Normally you think of Geramiums in that orangy-red color but the ones here were this gorgeous color of deep fuschia and just growing like crazy! This is what I hope to accomplish but I am doing mine is chunks of color – this fuschia, the red, a lilac and some pink. Two rows with stepping stones in between. Maybe some wild mint and one or two lavenders. Heavenly! Can you imagine the smell!

I found this house in a very average neighborhood in Eagle Rock. Definitely a hidden gem! Kudos to whoever owns this house and turned an average bungalow into something really special! You not only have a real green thumb but quite a sense of style as well!

Looking for that dream house? Well this is your lucky day! Richard Gere’s Long Island farmhouse is on the market for a “cozy” 8.8 million. A grand total of 7 bedrooms and 10.5 baths. Guest house and Artist’s Studio. Beautiful!

Love how overgrown and natural the garden looks

The Artist’s Studio – what a dream!

Nice size bedroom and love the windows!

At heart I guess I’m just an East Coast girl trying to have Christmas in Southern California and I need to look at pictures like this!!!! I’m inspired!!!!