I love everything about NANTUCKET!

The architecture of Nantucket reflects such a historic time…it always seems so special and beautiful. It has become a very chic destination with unique shops and restaurants, and it has the most fabulous beaches. What I really love about Nantucket is being on the water and it’s a place where you really feel away…it’s also such a special family place where we’ve created so many great memories.

We recently were in Nantucket photographing a house for my new book. In between shots we did manage to escape for some shopping and walking around town. I was so excited for this Saturday adventure because Nantucket really is the perfect place to spend the summer!

Flowers on CHESTNUT

Since we were getting ready for a photo shoot, our first stop was at the flower shop. This was the only one we could find and they had the most beautiful things. What is great about it is, it’s right off the main street and they have both an outdoor garden shop and interior flower shop. They had an amazing collection of vases and accessories, but what we really appreciated about it was that it was all in keeping with the natural look of Nantucket!

POLO RALPH LAUREN

Since the flower shop was right in town, we decided to walk around town and stop by some of the shops. The Polo Ralph Lauren shop in Nantucket is one of my very favorite Polo shops because it is so edited and tailored for the island. We loved their windows because they were all done in white and incorporated lots of maps and sailboats.

FOUR WINDS Craft Guild

We enjoyed this shop, Four Winds Craft Guild, because it carried antiques as well as items from local artisans. My favorite pieces were the Nantucket Baskets. Basket weaving is a historical craft and very traditional to Nantucket. It is so interesting how each weaver has their own individual approach to basket weaving, using different materials, proportions and weaves. The baskets end up becoming like little art objects!

NANTUCKET PHARMACY

We decided to stop by the local pharmacy for a soda. What’s so cute about the pharmacy is how authentic it is. It’s a classic pharmacy, but it has the soda fountain counter where you can stop and get a grilled cheese and a soda or a float. Keith opted for a milkshake!

ERICA WILSON

One of my favorite things to do is just go in and out of all of the boutiques on Main Street. This one is so unique because it was started by the late Erica Wilson, who has published numerous books and was featured on various TV series for her needlework and embroidery skills. Her shop not only sells needlework but also jewelry, clothing and other accessories.

I loved these blue and white Nantucket Medallions, each one is hand crafted which makes them all slightly different. I bought one in each color!

NANTUCKET LOOMS

When we first walked into this store, at first I thought it was just a shop. They had the most fabulous handwoven sweaters, in oatmeal, navy and a stripe. They were the most classic boatneck sweaters that are so timeless and chic! They also have beautiful handwoven blankets. When I asked about them, they told me they weave everything in house. The studio was just right upstairs, so of course I immediately had to run upstairs and see for myself!

Seeing the looms and weavers brought back so many memories for me because when I was in design school I actually had a loom just like theirs, and used to love weaving and creating textiles.

Look at all these spools of yarn! The colors are amazing! What designers are really wanting right now is to go back to the artisans and appreciating all of the detail they put into their work. All of the history and tradition involved is just wonderful…

MURRAY’S Toggery Shop

Murray’s Toggery Shop is known for its Nantucket Reds, pants and clothing made of red canvas fabric that was meant to fade over time, resembling the colors of the sails so often seen on the coast. It has become the iconic Nantucket color! It is all about Nantucket red!

MITCHELL’S Book Corner

Mitchell’s Book Corner is the most adorable book store! It opened back in 1968 and I love how you can tell as soon as you walk in there is a story to be told. They also have a whole section dedicated just to books about the island.

CRU OYSTER BAR

We ended the day stopping by Cru Oyster Bar. They weren’t open for the season yet, but it is one of my favorite spots because you can watch everyone coming in off their boats or the ferry. There is always a lot of activity! It’s built on the dock so you feel like you’re right on the water, especially in the summer season when they open all the windows.