Love Notes

"The cure for anything is salt water:
sweat, tears or the sea.”
                                   Isak Dinesen

Given a choice, I’ll take the sea, please.  I’ve just arrived on the Florida gulf coast for a work trip (yes, lucky me - my trunk show at the Gasparilla Inn opens today).  And I did indeed dip my whole pale self into the sea within hours of my flight's arrival.   Old Isak would be pleased to hear that there's also been a fair amount of sweat in getting to today.  Clever readers know that life isn't all Instagram stories, preparation for such a trip isn't limited to booking a mani pedi and shopping for caftans.  READ MORE

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One of my favorite summer memories is from a late afternoon in July, about five years back.  It was a blue bird sky day, and I was sitting on a beach on Martha's Vineyard, with my dear friend Beth and her husband.  My flight back to Washington was taking off around 7:00 that evening, and I was dreading leaving what might go down as one of the best beach days of the summer.    Worse still would be dragging my favorites hosts off the beach early, in order for me to take a shower before heading to the airport.    Gazing out towards the few remaining swimmers, a little voice popped into my head, inadvertently channelling my ten year old self, "So what if you don't take a shower before your flight?  What would be so bad that would happen then?"     READ MORE

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Today's note features the cool blue hues of water.  If you're like me, you know that magic feeling that rushes over you from simply slowing down and gazing at breaking waves.    Or sunlight glistening on water.   How is it these scenes instinctively bring on a feeling of calm and restoration?    Did you ever notice how almost every spa has a signature water feature?   READ MORE

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Tomorrow's solstice brings the summer in earnest.   Woo hoo!   To celebrate, we're heading to Nantucket and I'll be taking next Monday off from writing the Love Notes.   Last week, I wrapped up my binge watch of HBO's light docudrama/comedy series "Julia", based on my beloved hero Julia Child.   Her program, "The French Chef", basically invented food TV - to say nothing about breaking the gender barrier and the stereotype for leading ladies of the day.  Read more

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I've been holding onto this idea for a love note for awhile, sort of like holding an ace of spades in your hand.   Penny Ashford is a nature photographer, specializing in the light and movement of water, and she captures its nuanced beauty like nobody's business.   Above is a detail from her "Splash Series".   Can't you almost feel the sea spray hitting your brow?

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