Did You Think I Had Dropped Off the Face of the Earth?

I did not, of course, but have been out of town with my daughter for five days.  It's probably just me, but being gone for five days involves five days of catching up at home - unpacking and arranging those little treasures that could not be resisted (I tried to buy nothing and really was pretty good), returning phone calls, dealing with the mail, watering plants (it has been drier than the proverbial bone in  upstate New York), washing clothes -- you know the drill.  Hence, my lack of posts.

So, today, I'd like to share our trip with you.  I will be on Nantucket again next post, but Seattle is such a beautiful and exciting city that I have to show you some of our favorite spots.  When my daughter decided to do her residency in Seattle, I was devastated.  We are quite close and Seattle is not.  Her absence required many trips home for her and at least one trip a year to Seattle for me.  During my visits  there over the four years, what I discoverd is Northwest design, a design aesthetic I knew nothing about, the beauty of a new, vibrant city and the landscape which surrounds it.

We stayed in Willows Lodge, a hotel in Woodinville outside of Seattle.  It has a very Asian feel as you will see.

The room below is identical to ours, but ours was on the second floor.  Cool, eh?  I loved the lighting.

Now, our tub did not have rose petals dancing atop, but it was the biggest tub I have ever been in.  I could have spent all five days in that very tub viewing the Food Network (which I cannot watch in western New York because my oak trees block reception.)  What a treat this one was.

Images above from Google Images

View from our balcony.

Another view of the Willows Lodge garden.

Whenever I visited Brooke, I had a list of gardens and garden tours I hoped to visit.  She was a really a good sport and acted like she loved them as much as I did.  The following garden in Portland is about a five hour drive from Seattle, but we love its beauty so spent one of our days here.   (As a side note, Brooke now has a very beautiful Japanese garden of her own which is going to be on a tour in August.  Some gene must have been passed on during all our tours.)

I kept trying to wait till there were no people in my photos but gave up.

Finally, got one sans people.

Moss loves moisture and the Northwest has it.  A drizzly day when we visited, but great for pictures and the moss.

Love just the right amount of drip sound from these bamboo fountains.

I had such a difficult time choosing where to take a picture.  Everywhere I looked was a picture.

I thought I was quite "artistic" below.   Not too difficult to be artistic when art abounds everywhere in this garden.  It is thought to be the most beautiful Japanese garden outside of Japan and was designed by Takuma Tono.

Couldn't avoid the visitors here.  We were all enthralled by these huge irises, not as big as the tub, but huge for irises.  Brooke and I lost each other here but what a place to wander and get lost.

I have even more photos of the garden, but thought you might be tiring of it so am sparing you the entire 40 photos.  After finally catching up with one another, Brooke spied this neat little grocery store right near a Starbuck's.  Zupan's is beautiful to look at and the lunch we chose from here was delicious as well.  I was almost afraid to disturb the fruit and vegetable vignettes.

This was as attractive as we could make our tablescape far from home.  The chicken soup and brie were delish.

Barking Frog is the restaurant that adjoins Willows Lodge.  After our long ride from Portland, we decided to just have a salad and glass of wine close by.

Like the Lodge the restaurant had lots of Northwestern charm.  We sat here near the fire.  The table is a huge rock.  They must have installed the restaurant around it.

Larsen's needs a little explanation.  The second time I visited Brooke in Seattle, she told me we had to go to this wonderful bakery.  While driving there, I asked, "This is really quite a way from the University.  How'd you ever find it here, Brooke?"
"I was just exploring the city out this way," she replied, "and I smelled it.  I followed my nose."  That was the beginning of a great tradition - we must go here whenever in Seattle, but they deliver world wide, and their Danishes taste even better than they look.

Many locals come here for breakfast, some even in their pajamas.  We were definitely not local, but ventured to Larsen's two mornings all the way from Woodinville.  It's that good.

After breakfast, a little retail therapy was on our agenda.

Pike Street Market was packed with tourists, so we left there and again went to a few shops the locals might frequent.  We love cooking equipment so City Kitchens was a must.

Fran's is a shop devoted to chocolate and caramel.  For the first time, I had a chocolate covered caramel sprinkled with a touch of sea salt.  As delicious as they are pretty.

Stumbled upon Watson Kennedy and were charmed - many items reminiscent of French antiques.

That ends our trip, but since writing about the Northwest, this would be an opportune moment to view a Seattle home I've always admired.  Almost makes me want a fantasy house here.  It has the spareness of a Jacobsen house on Nantucket, but the colors are warmer.  Do you think it is because the weather is cooler here?

Architect, George Suyama built this house for himself and his wife.  "It as hospitable to the landscape as it is to the couple's guests."  Very Seattle.

Front of the house "a starting point for a series of parallel journeys."

So serene.

The architect's wife, Kim, in the kitchen.  (Wish the article had shown more of it.)  I love the art work.

Living room furniture all designed by Suyama. 

View from the living room is almost like viewing a Japanese garden.   (Sorry again for the center tear.  Try to ignore it.)

I'm making the image below extra large so you can read the description which is so much better than mine would be.

This is another bath I might never leave.  Sooo beautiful.

More details.

In many ways, don't you see this home in Seattle being as serene as a Jacobsen house in Nantucket - the spareness, the sea and water, the ships?

Good bye again, Seattle, you beautiful city.

Hope my "vacation pictures" were not too cliche-like and boring, but you had to know where I was.  Seattle and Portland are beautiful places just as Pennsylvania and New England are.  If my daughter had not been there for four years, I may never have known this beauty or Larsen's.

Next time, dear reader, back to the Northeast.
b

A Quick Detour to DC and Back to Nantucket

Several readers have commented on how serenely pleasing they find Jacobsen's interiors, and how much they love Nantucket.  Me too.  But before continuing with Nantucket, I thought it would be interesting to see the architect's own home in Georgetown (at least it was his home in 1988) and also his son's home there.  Simon and his father are now partners in Jacobsen Architecture, the website where my images of Simon's house can be found.  Let's take a look and see if you love these homes as much as the Voorhees home in Nantucket.

The images of Hugh Jacobsen's home are from Hugh Newell Jacobsen, designed and edited by Massimo Vignelli with photos by Robert Lautman (who seems to be the photographer for all his houses).  The book is a retrospective of Jacobsen houses published in 1988.  On a tree-lined street in Georgetown, this house was originally red brick. Today, its seemingly front door is to the kitchen.  The present main entryway is accessible only through the gate to the left.  Notice the interior white shutters seen through the windows reminiscent of the Voorhees home - actually that would probably be the other way round.  The Nantucket home mirrors the Jacobsen style seen here.  Both homes have more contemporary interiors encased in earlier exteriors, a look I love.

The Jacobsen library with his signature egg crate book shelves.  View out the windows is ivy filled and private.  (Are those hanging lights in the windows or are they shade pulls?)

The living room with a view toward the library.  Sofas here are reminiscent of the Voohees home...or the other way around.  Sadly, these are the only images I found of Hugh's own house.  Would love to have seen more of the kitchen and the garden.

Now onto Simon's home also in Georgetown, a home also containing contemporary rooms within the framework of a much earlier exterior.  Again a tree-lined street. This house, however, is designed by Simon Jacobsen, not his father.   These exterior shutters are a first.  Typically, with the father, shutters are only on inside windows.  The house, originally two houses, is now joined to make one beautiful whole.  (For any other upstate New York readers, doesn't this street remind you of the row houses in Geneva,  NY?)

From the outside, would you have expected this very uncluttered interior?  You would if you know the Jacobsen touch.  Again, note the egg crate bookcases.

Same room, different view of this large "gallery space."  Windows here are similar to those in the father's library and are omnipresent in Jacobsen Architecture's new houses.  The floor lamps here are Jacobsen style and were also in the Voorhees home in Nantucket.  Note the white floors (getting inspired, Phyllis?)

Stairs leading up to and down to different living areas.

Piano at other end of the gallery room with both up and down stairs still visible.  Great space for entertaining.

View from gallery room toward library.  Love the plant here.  Seems to be thriving in the light-filled space and the sweet dog does too.

The library with beautiful fireplace and mantel and, of course, egg crate book shelves.

Another library view.

Dining room with view through to kitchen.  (Baby buggy in alcove is a mystery.)

Love fireplaces in dining rooms.  (All my fantasy houses will have them.)  Mantel looks as though it might be original.

Such a serene space in Georgetown, congested DC!

Private outdoor space full of dappled shade.

View from patio toward the rear of the house.  The combination of two houses into one is more evident here.

Now back to Nantucket.  The following images are taken from Nantucket, by Virginia Scott Heard with photos by Taylor Lewis.  Below is the windmill on Nantucket, familiar to residents and visitors alike.

Here, at the end of Maxcy's Pond, we see a new house - Shear Penn Hill cottage.  A truly beautiful setting.  While this home is very different from those designed by Jacobsen Architecture, it is very Nantucket.  Take a look at it with me and decide which style you like best.  Which would be your fantasy house?

Large living room is divided into dining and sitting area with fireplaces at both ends.  Here we see the dining area.

And here the sitting area with its fireplace.

Here the library.

Lovely collection of antiques.

A kitchen perfect for entertaining.

Great corner cupboard, and inside red ware I loved in Pennsylvania.

So, dear readers which do you prefer?  My dilemma is that there are things about all three of these houses that I like.  While the Jacobsen houses seem serene and uncluttered, they are almost too museum -like for day to day living.  While the Nantucket house above is warmer and cozier, I like less busy fabrics and simpler window treatments.  While Jacobsen houses are uncluttered, I love antiques.  Is there a compromise - besides having 7 different houses?  I think there is, but it comes much later in my journey.

To end today, I'd like to leave you with an image from The Nantucket Table, by Susan Simon, an image of things I know I love - books, food, and Nantucket baskets.

Till next time, dear reader, when we will see more Jacobsen design to help make up our minds - or at least mine.

xo-

b

Summer in Nantucket

It is beautiful weather in upstate New York today - real summer weather, and nothing says summer like time spent in Nantucket.  To me, Nantucket speaks of blue hydrangeas, shingle houses, the sea, lighthouses, dinners outside and Hugh Newell Jacobsen.  Why Jacobsen?  Because he designed so many houses on this island, and they are always deliciously cool, serene and uncluttered.  Today we will view a house/barn he again designed with Eugenie Voorhees.

The image below, as you can see is from a July Gourmet.  Again, because I tore this out, I cannot tell you the year, but it so represents summer in Nantucket - a lightship basket, hydrangeas and a shingle house - that I had to include it.

The ferry which brings most visitors and islanders to the landing near Brant Point Light.

Nantucket, Images of the Island, by John Buck

Below, an image of the architect himself - Hugh Newell Jacobsen.  It is taken from his firm's website, Jacobsen Architects (as are most of the ones that follow unless indicated otherwise.)

Above, we see the exterior of the Voorhees barn/house with its deep blue colored door and shutter.

Like so many of Jacobsen's houses, the exterior of this one is as spare as its interiors.  In the rear of the house, simply a mass of daffodils and a beautiful patio.  Again,  love the color of barn doors and the off-sided shutter to remind us of the home's origins.

For so many of us following Loi Thai, note the simple topiary - perfect.

A peak into the living room. On the wall an architectural rendering of this home.

View from the living room looking the opposite way toward the dining room.

Full view of living room with those lovely, simple shutters, and white fireplace of painted brick.

The idea of a book-lined dining room makes so much sense.  When not being used for dining, it can double as a library with a large reading table, and when acting as a dining room, it has interesting walls for guests to peruse.  Note the bookcases are all the egg carton pattern with books close to the edges.
(This is only my humble opinion, but why to people cover their books in white slipcases?  So much more interesting to see titles on the spines.)

Same dining room, different centerpiece sans apples.  Do you like the white floors?

Dining room again, this time showing the stairway to second floor.

Two iconic summer foods - pink watermelon and red tomatoes really stand out in this very white kitchen.

Top of the staircase, looking into master bedroom.  The wall reaches only partly to the ceiling revealing the peaked ceiling, again hinting at the house's barn origins.

More bookcases in the bedroom - a woman after my own heart.

Guest room with its high "barn" window.

What do you think?  Isn't this home a dream?  (I only wish when I have my fantasy house on Nantucket
I can keep it this spare and uncluttered!)

Now to a little discussion of Nantucket lightship baskets.  Most people know these baskets are indigenous to Nantucket and have very distinctive characteristics: they are made of rattan, have wooden bottoms and are made with a mold.  Today antique lightship baskets fetch enormous prices, and even new ones can be pricey.

A nest of antique lightship baskets as seen in Nantucket Lightship Baskets, by Katherine and Edgar Seeler.

From the same book, an image of two Nantucket handbags by Jose Reyes.

Knowing, my love of these baskets, my husband (author of the "chrome peanut") bought me one in 1986.  I remember him saying it would have to be a Christmas, birthday and anniversary present.  I still love it today, and carry it on special summer occasions.

I would have preferred a clam or whale on top, but he loved ships, so I kept and loved what he selected (but I would have loved a clam more.)

He even had my name and date inscribed.  Because my husband died of cancer ten years ago, this gift has taken on a huge significance today (but his gift of laughter was his greatest one.)

Another visit to Nantucket, I had to have this very large basket which now holds my clivia plant in the living room.  (Usually, the clivia goes outside for a little R&R during the summer, and all my small baskets hide away inside this one for a sparer, summer look, but have not gotten to it yet.)

My smaller basket collection (which should be in that large one) atop the highboy.  The tiny one once had a handle, but the cat jumped up here, pushed the basket off and into the mouth of our golden retriever.  I could have just cried when I saw the handle chewed off, but had to laugh when I saw the dog's proud demeanor when presenting it to me.

And lastly, an image from The Nantucket Table, by Susan Simon focusing on dinner on the beach - something we might all like to do this beautiful summer evening.

Hope I didn't get too sentimental in this post.  Onto  happier times in Nantucket next time, dear reader.  Right now, it's into the pool for this blogger.
b