A Day Trip

I played hookie again Wednesday and was lucky to catch a beautiful day

between all the rainy ones we've had this week. 

One of the greatest things about living in New England is you

can hop into your car and in two shakes of a lambs tail

you can be in city, country, mountains or ocean.

First-class museums, quaint antique shops or beautiful farms.

I headed the car north and ended up in Maine.  I'm sure it's no surprise.

 

Here are some of my favorite haunts:

I'm not sure this sea life in indigenous to Maine but

it sure looked great in a tray at Withington Antiques in York, Maine.

 

I love old portraits and it's hard to find really good ones.

 

Here's your great, great uncle Charles.  An instant heirloom.

 

 

From York, travel north on Route 1 and just north of Ogunquit, Maine is

R. Jorgensen Antiques.  Look at the stunning three-pear espaliers covering their building.

This shop is like a museum comprised of two large building filled with a nice mix of

formal and rustic antiques.  If you ever need a farm table, this is your place.

 

 

Paula Marshall, here's a plate for you.

 

 

This is one of the most amazing pieces I've ever seen...a 1785 Hepplewhite

 working chest.  The details on this were amazing.  The marquetry, the hand carved

ivory pulls, everything original and perfect.  And they chose a mahogany

Empire armoire as the perfect backdrop.

 

But bring your checkbook.  They don't take any credit cards!

 

I stopped by the Fisherman's Catch in Wells...

 

...for a quick lunch to go.

 

 

One of my favorite places is Smith-Zukas Antiques in Wells, Maine.

 

I often walk around an antique or salvage shop and find pieces of old things that

I'd like to turn into something else.  Proprietor Art Smith is backed up by a team of

artists and craftsman that turn your ideas in reality.

 

I love these column capitals.  Great end tables or bedside stands. 

 

Perhaps plaster ornaments from an old theater?

 

I fell in love with this brass nautical light fixture.   I'm not sure where this

will go right now but I couldn't leave it behind.

 

I also picked up a pair of nickel-plated Brasscrafter mirrors.  Just the perfect

size for my bathrooms!  They just need a little cleaning and they're a

perfect match for my Thomas O'Brien Bryant sconces.

 

And to find a perfect pair...I almost wish I had double sinks somewhere!

 

 

Just a few doors down from Smith-Zukas is Peggy Carboni Antiques.  Peggy's

shop wins the prize for "best look."  I could just move right in.

 

I want to do a collection of tiny "heads" in my downstairs bathroom and I thought

this was perfect thing to start my collection.  The entire thing is about three inches square.

 I first thought she was Madonna but now I'm not sure.  Do you know who she is? 

I love the frame and she appeals to my inner nun.

 

Continuing north on Route 1, I stopped at Corey Daniels Gallery but

I'll be doing an entire post on the gallery soon.  I love that place!

 

 

 

Continue north on Route 1 and turn right on Route 9.

 

I always need to get a little dose of country from Snug Harbor Farm.

They've incorporated part of the barn into their shop up by the road

and it just oozes charm.  It's another place I could just move right in to.

 

 

There's always lots to explore here from terracotta pots...

 

 

...to ponies...

 

 

...to peacocks showing off for their girlfriends...

 

 

 

...to plants, topiaries and beautiful gardens.

 

I picked up some Goat's Beard for my garden.

 

The doves were being shy and wouldn't come out of their dovecote

so I had to visit them. 

 

 

Before heading back home, I thought I'd stop at Parson's Beach.

The rosa rugosa was in full bloom.  I would have expected them to have such a

powerful scent but en masse, the walk over the dune was pure heaven.

 

 

I love visiting the ocean.  It looks different every single time.  The low tide can

reveal all kinds of tempest-tossed treasures.  This days' high tide and gray skies

with distant showers left me feeling quite icy.  Perhaps it was my wet feet.

 

Visiting Maine for a day always feels like two days off.