trip east - part one, nantucket

When given the chance, Ryan and I head East. The American East coast, the Canadian East coast - it doesn't really matter. Just East. We've tried the West coast, and while beautiful, it's just not our thing. We love being by the water. It's soothing to our souls. But we also love the small town feel and the rich history of the East. We love the architecture of the homes with their classic, timeless style. The way of life there seems to be much slower, and more relaxed. It's just where we love to be.

For the first time in our many trips to the coast, we decided to bring our children with us. We wanted to show them all the things we love. And while our boys are used to a fairly long drive to the cottage in the summer, the 21 hour drive to Nova Scotia was going to be a new adventure (for everyone).

The plan was to take two and a half days to get out to Nova Scotia, via the US. If you drove straight East from us, you'd end up near Boston. We'd then head North East through Vermont and Maine, and then back into Canada and through New Brunswick to Nova Scotia. At the last minute, we made a huge decision to spend one night on Nantucket. It seemed ridiculous at first, but honestly, I couldn't say no. Even for just one night. I'm going to highlight our time on the island first, as honestly, that's where I took the most photos (mainly because I had more time to wander about). Then I'll highlight the rest of our trip in another post.

Packing for a road trip for a family of six was a challenge! There were a couple things that made it easier. First, my husband invested in a rooftop carrier. This was huge as I wasn't limited to space, like when flying. Second, we made use of the hotel laundry machines halfway through. And third, we kept a large suitcase, but packed smaller weekend bags (one for us, one for the kids) with everything we needed for that night and next day. This was especially helpful for Nantucket as we wouldn't have our car and would need to carry our luggage on and off the ferry.

So, to optimize our time on the island, we drove to Sturbridge, MA the first evening. We literally arrived at 1:30 am and were checked out by 6:30 am the next morning. We booked an early departure on the high speed ferry. which meant we arrived on the island late morning. I find this to be a great time to go as a couple weeks later, and students arrive back home from school, and busy season starts which basically doubles the population. Sure, you miss the quintessential Hydrangeas and Roses in bloom, but it's still beautiful (and less expensive).

It was a perfectly grey ferry ride in - warm enough to sit outside, but cool enough to be thankful you threw in a sweatshirt and blanket. Our hair was windblown and our skin tasted salty by the time we docked, but the fog was lifting and the only evidence of the morning's down pour were the puddles in the cobblestone streets.

We made our way to the rental shop, where the boys rented a Jeep for the day - the perfect vehicle for making the most of the sandy back roads and beach drives. We didn't all fit in the Jeep, so George and I took the transit and we met them out in Sconset. They brought the luggage to the hotel (the scenic way, no doubt) while George and I walked about town.

We met for lunch at The Brotherhood of Thieves, where Ryan got to enjoy his favourite sandwich in the world - their Reuben.

I spent my time in town window shopping and admiring the well-kept homes.

I then grabbed an iced coffee from Handlebar Cafe, which is conveniently across from the transit waiting area, and waited for the bus to Sconset.

I got off at the rotary by Sconset Market, and found the boys waiting. They headed to the beach and the playground across from it and I walked up and down the lanes, looking at the cottages.

It's such an interesting place. These cottages are so old, some of them dating back to the mid-18th century, and yet, they're so meticulously kept. They are so charming. 

  

It has it's own smell - it's a mix of fresh ocean and sweet, floral from the beach roses.

We spent the remainder of the afternoon chasing waves and spotting seals.

We stayed by Surfside Beach, which isn't far from Sconset or town. We had takeout Lola Burger by the fire and walked the beach at sunset.

In the morning, I went back down to the beach and caught the end of the sunrise. The beaches are so beautiful. Our ferry would be leaving before noon as we had a long drive to the next destination, so I headed back into town for one more early walk around while the boys went back out in the Jeep.

It was so quiet in town, I felt like I had it all to myself. I picked up another iced coffee and morning bun and did some more window shopping as nothing was open. The brick sidewalks lulled George back to sleep.

Then I made my way down to the Wharf, quickly popping into the grocer to pick up some lunch supplies for the ferry ride home - namely buns and cold meet, some kettle chips, a pint of strawberries and chocolate chip cookies.

The old wharf is charming as well. It smells like the ocean with beautiful boats docked outside of tiny cottages for rent. And a few little shops to browse with souvenirs and gifts.

The boys met me here with a little time before we departed. We walked the docks, checking out the boats and watched a tall ship leave. This photo made me smile.

We knew that it might not be what we were hoping, given all that could go wrong traveling as a family. But with some planning ahead, it worked. And surprisingly, despite how short of a stay it was, we were relaxed and enjoyed ourselves! And what's more, our kids fell in love with a place that we love. Next time though, we're renting a cottage and staying for a week.

a stay in the city - toronto, day three

 

As the saying goes, all good things must come to an end. And oh, was this ever a good thing. I really can't say enough about this hotel. It truly was a luxury. But I think that's just it - it was such a special treat. It was a little getaway in the truest of senses. A getaway from the piles of laundry and countless snacks, and endless tidying that is the norm. It was being able to go here and there as I pleased. It was time to hear my own thoughts, or chat with Ryan and not feel like I'm competing with four little ones who want his attention just as much as I do.

But not a getaway in the sense that I needed to get away from everything. More a getaway to remind me how much I do love all of it, and how much I miss what is my life when I'm gone.

I decided to make the most of the last few hours of our stay, and stayed in. I had seen so much of what I wanted to see, and wanted to linger in the room a while. I put on my favourite french playlist, put together the things I had picked up for breakfast and sat and read while George fell back asleep.

I slowly packed and checked out. They graciously let me stay a little longer in the spa until Ryan had finished his meetings and then we headed home. After we stopped at Dineen for another coffee, of course.

We took our time driving home along the lakeshore, stopping at some of my favourite spots along the way.

It didn't get much more spring-like than this! Fiori Oakville had Hydrangeas outside.

Then down to Soap & Water - really my favourite shop in town.

From there, a quick stop at Centro Gardens in Burlington.

This little part of the shop is understandably my favourite part.

And then home, just in time to enjoy dinner with the boys.

Home sweet home.

a stay in the city - toronto, day two

It seems ridiculous to break up such a short trip, but I saw so many things, and popped into so many charming little places, that for the sake of not having a million photos, I'll post each day separately.

Usually, when staying at a nice hotel, I would have indulged in room service and enjoyed breakfast in bed. It's always a favourite part of a stay. However, I had so many places that I wanted to see. My first stop was coffee, of course. One of the cafes I wanted to visit was Dineen Coffee. I opted for Dineen Outpost, one that's not downtown, as I had the car and didn't want to worry about finding parking. It didn't disappoint. First, the design of the store alone is so pretty - with so much attention to detail. Pink marble-topped tables, a long sweeping counter with brass accents and brass fixtures, large built-ins and so much natural light. It's been done so well- but the best part? Not having to sacrifice a great cup of coffee to enjoy it somewhere stylish.

A perfectly-poured cappuccino and a pistachio croissant (which I had never heard of) were the perfect start to my day.

From there I headed to Cabbagetown. Toronto, like most large cities, is made up of different neighborhoods. I picked here for a few reasons - the historic homes in a variety of styles, being close to the park and historic Riverdale Farm. It was the first day of spring, and the weather couldn't have been more perfectly suited. I parked at the edge of the park and just started walking up and down the streets. One street can be lined with four story Victorian brownstones and the next street, charming workers' cottages.

I love seeing how they bring character and personality to these small spaces. Each has such a small, modest front plot. Like this charming home above - it actually had one of the larger properties, and yet it's still quite tiny. But despite it's size, it doesn't compromise on style. I loved the boxwood walk.

Across from Riverdale Farm is the Toronto Necropolis, a historic cemetery with it's Gothic Victorian architecture. In the summer, it's covered in Ivy.

This is Riverdale Farm, a working farm right in the middle of the city. You can walk around the historic buildings and see the farm animals and the herb and vegetable gardens.

George and I decided that if we needed to live in the city, this is the neighborhood we'd like to live in. Particularly, one of the charming little cottages on the street that ends at the edge of the park.

From here, I drove to the other side of the city, to Coriander Girl. I fell in love with this sweet shop when it was over on Queen St West. While it's mostly a studio space now, it was still pretty to look at.

From there, over to Little Italy, where I found the aptly deemed "World's Most Adorable Bar". During the day, they serve tea and pastries, and in the evening it's a bar. Any place that serves tea in Blue Willow china with monogrammed teaspoons, and has vintage trays piled high with a variety of croissants this delectable, may rightful call themselves that.

Of course, good quality tea and a delicious scone, with a perfectly crunchy top, are also important.

As is good company, and I had the best.

I decided to walk around for a while, being as it were that all I had eaten so far that day were pastries. I ducked in and out of a few shops, including this charming looking cheese shop.

I had taken some pastries home with me from tea, and decided to pick up some cheese to accompany them for breakfast the next morning.

From here, I made my way back downtown and decided to finish the afternoon at Allen Gardens Conservatory.

We took our time walking through the different greenhouses, enjoying the warmth.

The Jasmine was in bloom and it filled the entire space with such a heady fragrance. We stayed until they were about to close and then made our way back to the hotel. Ryan had a short break before dinner, so we caught up for a bit before we both headed out for the evening.

This time I did Yorkville again, but earlier so that I had enough time to browse the shops, and still grab dinner before everything closed.

This shop, Pink Tartan, was my favourite of the trip, solely from the exterior. It's the most beautiful old building sitting perfectly in an urban setting. I love the black accents, and the greenery growing up the side, and the lower entrance, and even the pink door!

After closing the shops, I quickly popped into Pusateri's, a true gourmet grocery that was right around the corner from the hotel. Selecting something for dinner was near impossible and only less difficult than resisting the desserts on display. I did grab some of my favourite french yogurts, the ones in the glass petit pots that I can never justify getting, as well as some fresh raspberries, also for breakfast.

Then back to the hotel to sit and enjoy dinner and golf until Ryan got back. We ended the evening in the spa for a late night swim and a soak in the hot tub.

It was such a full day, but it was so relaxing. As I was driving, I came to a realization about the city. The city stresses many people out. It's fast paced, a frenzy of overhead wires and towering buildings that never seem to sleep. But when you don't have anywhere to be, it's actually quite relaxing. You can walk for hours without realizing it, and there's never an end of things to discover. And if you look for them, there are these tranquil little spots all over, perfect for slowing down and sipping tea or window shopping or smelling the Jasmine.