Essex continued

Essex is mostly known for it's nautical ties,

old New England charm, shipyards dating back to the Revolutionary War

and it's shops.

Essex was once originally part of the colony of Old Saybrook as well as other towns.

If you'd like to read more about the history of

Essex go HERE

I love the history of our area but I don't want to assume it holds

any interest to anyone else so I'll keep the history lesson to a minimum.

I'll keep it light and breezy!!!!!

The Griswold Inn
or the "Gris" as the locals call it has been in operation since

1776 and is the oldest contiguous running Inn in Connecticut.

As a youngen I worked at the Gris and have fond memories

of the place. It was one of the most fun places I've ever worked.

People I run into, that I worked with all say the same thing.

It just had that kind of atmosphere that just brought out the fun in all of us.

Maybe it's the ghosts of sailors past.

I recall a few people saying they saw ghosts....

more likely it was from a few too many pints of beer

that made their eyes play tricks on them.

I'm not sure I believe in ghosts.

Do you???

( picture from internet)

This is the Covered Bridge room named for the fact that the walls and ceiling are

made from a covered bridge.

The room looks exactly like it did when I worked there

in 1776.

Just seeing if you're paying attention.

Shop across the street that is owned by the Gris

and serves coffee and pastries

The new Griswold Inn Gift Shop that just opened this Spring.

I didn't get a chance to go in since they were closed by the time we got here.

Before that a wonderful clothing shop was there for almost 20yrs.

Paula's favorite shop

The Red Pepper which is now in

Old Saybrook.

From some of your comments about Paula's outfits well

this is the shop she finds them in.

Most of them from Designer Cynthia Ashby which seems to have

been made just for her.

oh right back to Essex!!
we're still across the street from the Gris.

The Christmas Barn tucked away in the back.
It's been there for years.

Fun shop with every kind of Christmas decoration you can think of.

The window display of the Griswold Inn shop

You know me by now I can't go anywhere without photographing

COLEUS

I started buying these glass spheres a few years ago from various

places and they now don't really

go in my house anymore

but I'm still drawn to them. I love watching the light

hit them and bounce onto the walls.

I played with the photo a little to change the color.

I wish I could Photoshop my life??

Tired of the color of my shoes...Photoshop it.

If only it were that easy.

I always look forward to seeing what this house plants in their urn.

I think it's the best I've ever seen it.

It's this clever.

This is the French Hen. It reminds me a little of the kind of window display

you'd see at Anthropology.

Just unexpected and makes you want to see more inside.

This bench was in front of a new antique store.

It was a "fancy" antique store from what I could see from the window.

No chippy paint there I imagine.

The bench was a little chippy though.

The Essex Book store at the top of Main Street

The front of this place was a riot of color and they really did a great job

with the colors they chose. The black potato vine played off the

black and white awnings so well.

Every preppy town has to have a Talbots!!!

It's really not as preppy anymore. I looked at the website and it's more business wear.

There used to be a Lilly Pulitzer in town too.

Yes Renee!

Preppy Central!!!!

I shouldn't judge........... I wore that kind of thing in my 20's.

My boyfriend at the time was an Essex prep and somehow I thought I needed to

play the part....at least with my clothes.

A Pocket Full of Posies

Isn't that a cute name?

The front facade is adorable and so well kept up.

You know me I had to take pictures of the flowers that were

spilling out over the stonewalls.

****

I hope you enjoyed the Essex tour.

Sorry it took me so long to show you this last post.

Time just seems to be escaping me lately.

I always think that after the Spring rush that things will all fall into place

and I'll have all this free time but that never seems to happen.

We have been trying to catch up with friends that we've been neglecting for months.

We have some pretty patient friends that know we have limited time....

well, like most of us I'm sure.

Hope you've all been enjoying the Summer!!!!

More RIVER

Let me start by saying I really love the entrance of

RIVER.
...and if I had thought of it I would have taken a more current picture.

This one is from last year and only of the door.

You can see some autumn clematis starting to grow up to the birdhouse

and this year it had really made a big jump in size.

I really need to get back there before the whole place is picked over.

Work always gets in the way of my fun:)

but without work I wouldn't be

able to have fun.

What can ya do?

Yummy urns and old pots all clustered together

just asking to be taken home and filled.

It was really nice of Bobbie to let me in so I was really quick at taking these pictures.

So no real beauty shots or seeing what the light was doing.

Just snap and dash.

As a matter of fact I told her not to bother turning on the lights.

I love sheep ANYTHING!!!!

except eating them....

The great thing about these succulents is they need so little water or attention.

My kind of plant.

I've been meaning to show you more succulents this year.

My latest love!

I just planted a big pot of them tonight for a customer.

Forgot I had to have it done for tomorrow

and was finishing it up in the dark with a headlight clipped to my hat.

Will I ever learn to time manage better?:))

We'll see what it looks like in the morning.

Urns look so much better with a little rust on them.

These glass balls are so cool but the wooden carved bowl

 is even cooler.

I was running around so fast I never looked at the prices.

DIDO

I have one of these guys

That wasn't the time btw.

The color of this chair which you can't really tell from here

was the prettiest blue green.

I did manage to check the price of this little drawer underneath a table.

I would have liked it painted but it would be great for my craft room.

I still call it a craft room.......I always hear everyone else call theirs studios

....mines not at that level believe me.

George calls it my "junk room".

I still have more of Essex to show you unless

you're bored.

I can make 10 posts from one little 2 hour excursion

if given half a chance...

so it'll only be one more, I promise.

Now if you are in the area stop down to River before

they close their doors for good.

I know from some of your comments on my last post

you know how much small retail shops are stuggling to keep their

doors open so remember that when you're shopping in your area.

They need your support

more then ever!!!

White Wednesday in Essex

What a beautiful day it was today.

Yes it was hot and humid

but we were closed today!

Tuesdays we are closed in the month of August.

YAY!!!

So after we worked the afternoon we headed to Essex.

Actually we were going to an antique store along the border of

Old Saybrook and Essex and with 15 minutes to spare

I managed to make it in the door before they closed.

wwhhhooooo!

and I still had enough time to pick up a couple of things.
I'll share what I bought in the next post.

Meanwhile I want to show you just a little of Essex.

This is the Ct. River Museum
What a beautiful spot.

They have events that you can check out on their site.

We went to a great wine tasting there a few years ago.

Discovered a great wine from Chili that was only $7 that night.

We bought a couple of cases thru the years.

I think they don't make it anymore.

Darn!

This is one of my favorite houses along Main Street.

This house always get photographed a lot by tourists

And now by me. I did feel like a tourist taking these but I've always wanted to.

One lady asked me what the date was on the house.

I couldn't read it either but I magnified it on my camera.

1733

This birdhouse looks much too clean to be occupied and maybe

too many prying eyes for some birds. The landscaping is formal

with the rows of trimmed boxwood.

Around the pole is what looks like barberry with thorny branches

maybe to keep anything from crawling up the pole....

or maybe not.

One thing I know is that this birdhouse really makes this front yard special.

This is "River" a shop up on the other end of Main Street.

It was closed today but I got this picture by pressing my lense against the door!

Isn't it gorgeous?

Well, I drew so much attention to myself that the lady (Bobbie) who

works there and had come in to water the plants came to the door.

How embarrassing!

She was lovely and really didn't seem to mind.

I told her who I was and that I knew Joe(the owner).

She told me the sad news that they were closing!

He is now busy with doing Weddings for clients in the area and

has decided he didn't need the shop anymore.

Check out his incredible work

HERE

Bobbie was nice enough to let me take some pictures inside so I'll

post those in the next post!

I'm joining my friend Kathleen at Faded Charm

for White Wednesday.

Happy Wednesday everyone!

xxx

Carole

Essex Shops

Last week my friend Paula called me to remind me about the free concert on the green in Essex, Ct.
It sounded like the perfect way to break up the week.

Hubby unfortunately didn't want to go ......but that was ok we got enough people together to make a good fun loving group. Essex is only one town away from Old Saybrook where we live/work.

I have to tell you George still tells people we live in Old Saybrook. I've given up correcting him a long time ago. If you tell people we live in Westbrook they sometimes think you mean Westport which is known for being a very affluent town made famous by the one and only Martha Stewart. She sold her home a few years ago. Can't remember what she sold it for.? big$$$$ I'm sure.

Anyways here I was in Essex in the Summer!!!! I'd forgotten how pretty it is here. I'd worked in this town in my 20's. It's better known as a tourist location then some of the towns around. It has quaint shops and the main street is lined with beautiful historic homes. One complaint you hear is that the town has too many real estate offices but with housing down you never know if that'll change. There have been a few shops that have been there for years but there are always old ones going out and new ones eager to replace them. Thank goodness. There so many store vacancies in Old Saybrook that it's getting kind of scary. Many of our gift shops have gone in the last year but then our town has more box stores (Yuck) then others. On my sidebar you'll see a button on the 3/50 project which is all about helping to keep your small businesses in your community from going OUT of business. It's a great concept so please take a look at it. I'd explain it all to you but they do a better job. Communication is not my strong suit....neither are a lot of things but I won't bore you with that now.

I'm more of a visual girl!!!

So on with the pics please!!!!

This is the window of the Seaflower Florist........

Aren't these rusty metal flowers fabulous.... and the best part... they don't need watering!

I could see them in the garden even just to hold up droopy blossoms.

Perfect thing to put in a hot window......succulents. They can take the heat of being in the sun all day. Not a good look to have a wilted plant in your display window so these do well here.

This is "Weekend Kitchen" owned by Nancy Smith. That's not exactly her whole last name .....it has a hyphen in there somewhere with another name but no matter! her shop is lovely and that's all you really care about right?

Just some lovely doorways.....

This is the office of a well known architect and his wife who is a landscape architect. I just love their planters....very sculptural. I had a customer tell me they had her come for a consultation just to give them ideas on their garden and it was $150 an hour. Wow.... but she is a licensed Landscape Architect.....there is big difference.

This is "The French Hen" owned by Laurie.....very cute shop full of pretty girl things and of course french inspired.

Can someone tell me how to eliminate the reflection of the buildings on the opposite side of the street in the window???

please!!!!

"RIVER" owned by Joe and JohnThey moved here last year from their location down the street. It's a much bigger shop

and in the back they have a beautiful display garden to show off their antique planters and accessories. This was just the view from the street. They have a wonderful website that shows off all their talents. The last 3 photos are off their website....so worth taking a look at. They've been featured in many magazines and Joe's done work for Martha Stewart ( boy her name comes up a lot) .

Johns a photographer and hence why his photos are so much better then mine.

( photos from River website )

These were planters that belong to the homeowners who live right along the street. Nice home but I don't think I'd like living that close to the walkway.....plus it's right next to a tavern. Must get pretty noisy at night. They must be very patient people or hard of hearing.

Not sure why they did them differently but their both magificent. They look so good in black wrought iron urns. I took the picture after it had gotten dark out so they came out a bit blurry.

One of the antique shops on the side road with furniture that was not really my style but I really liked the chandelier. I just realized in the 1st pic the lights were on and on the second they're off. You might not have noticed but I couldn't figure out what seemed off about it. I thought it was that awful flash in the window....sorry

I took the 2nd pic on our walk back to the car. The price for the chandelier was $1100. It seemed reasonable by Essex standards.

..........Now I just have to convince my husband!!!

Oh by the way the concert was a blast.....lots of people showed up with their families and friends. We drank wine and eat brownies and watched Paula and Bill dance. I'd shown them dancing before so I thought I'd better not push it and save it for another time but I will show you the children that were running around and dancing to the music.

It was fun watching them have such a good time just running and laughing.

............Don't we wish we all had that much energy!!!!! lol

Hope you all have a fanastic weekend!!!

keep smiling!

Carole