Opening Our Nantucket Beach House

In climates where there is a real winter, Memorial Day Weekend is the unofficial start of summer, and easily one of the best weekends of the year! I was actually a bit underwhelmed by MDW when I lived in Southern California. The downside of living in a climate with great weather year-round is that the summer season just doesn’t hit you with the same magic as it does when you have to suffer through winter.

When you endure a long, harsh Northeast winter, there is this magnetic energy that hits between Memorial Day and Labor Day. It’s a joie de vivre, let’s barbecue, hit the beach, and celebrate-every-moment mentality. And honestly, until the weather really turns at the end of October, we’ll soak it up as long as we can! Even in non-coastal areas, like when I lived in NYC and all the restaurants packed their outdoor seating, there’s just a magical, feel-good energy in the air. Let’s just say I am happily willing to suffer through winter (which I really dislike) just for these four months of summer magic!

This is our second summer in our Nantucket beach house. The first year was really about settling in, so arriving this season felt significantly less chaotic this year. It’s amazing to come back to a place that is relatively stocked and be able to pack light.

Our first stop after arriving was ROASTD, because I am absolutely obsessed with their lattes. I normally don’t even drink lattes, but theirs are just that good. When I'm not on the island, I actually long for their homemade almond milk and cinnamon powder. And their pumpkin spice in the fall…it is next level! Then we went to Bartlett’s Farms to stock the fridge. The first two summers we visited Nantucket, we rented in Town and had no idea Bartlett’s existed. If you cook when you visit island and you care about organic and clean ingredients, this is your grocery store. We eat healthy and care a lot about ingredients. The Stop & Shop on island doesn’t carry a lot of the brands we like (ie: Primal Kitchen, Siete, Chosen Foods etc.). A lot of the produce from Bartlett comes from the vase farmland surrounding the store. It’s so fresh. You definitely pay a premium to shop here, but the produce really can’t be beat on island!

This weekend was a soggy one, but it was actually nice to have some forced downtime. There is something so quintessential about a puzzle at the beach…why is that? We absolutely love Liberty Puzzles. Every time I share them, I get so many messages asking for the details, so I am linking their beautiful Nantucket puzzles for you here!

I spent time working on a gallery wall that is forever a work in progress, primarily made up of found vintage pieces. Over the year, I collected a few more additions and finally got them hung. We also brought some great new art and lamps into our pool house. I am really leaning into yellow in this space. One of my goals is to start incorporating more color into our home beyond just blue and white, which is a challenge for me and one of the many reasons I could not be a designer.

I also upgraded our eat-in kitchen dining table and chairs. It’s an awkward space, but I think these new pieces (launching in 2 weeks on Cailini Coastal!) fit perfectly.

Despite the weather, we did venture into town for dinners and some shopping. My girls always love visiting Barnaby’s Toy Shop. They have amazing classes and always find the best treasures. Wendy, the owner, really has her finger on the pulse of the hottest trends, so the kids were completely psyched to find Dumplingsl in stock (IYKYK!).

Since my first visit to Nantucket six years ago, one of my all-time favorite stores on island has been Centre Point. They have a great mix of unique entertaining pieces, home decor, jewelry and apparel. It’s a beautiful store I always love to explore, especially now that our Cailini Coastal designed products are sold there (pinch me!). Centre Point is the only physical store you can shop an assortment of Cailini Coastal in person, so you must visit! Linking this Nantucket Hydrangea Mug I posted from Centre Point because so many of you asked.

I was also excited to check out some of the new shops on the island. A highlight for me was Via Coquina. I originally discovered this store visiting Sag Harbor a couple of years ago, later saw it in Palm Beach, and this is now their third location! Their mix is beautiful and unique, mostly home goods from abroad.

One of the things I cherish most about Nantucket is discovering unique shops with distinct perspectives. A lot of people don’t realize this, but many of the small businesses on the island are run by locals. Right now, there is a big issue with larger brands coming in, paying exorbitant rents, and pushing the small shops out. If you love Nantucket and plan on visiting, please shop and support the small businesses! A good rule of thumb: if you’ve never heard of the brand/store before, it’s likely a local gem. Most of these small businesses are run by the owner’s, many of whom are working the shop themselves. It’s so much more personal than a large brand with an owner who visits once and never again. I truly believe these independent shops are what keep the island so special. I am going to put together a round-up of my favorite small businesses on the island, coming soon!

While not a small business, Tuckernuck opened a small boutique on island and the store was truly breathtaking! It was a completely bejeweled in shells (walls and ceiling). Between being distracted by the stunning shell work, and the store being crowded, I did not even look at the merchandise, but it’s a jewel box!

We’re heading back in two days (woohoo!) for the Wine Festival with some friends, and without the kiddos. Traveling without the kids only happens about once a year for us, so it’s definitely a different experience. As much as I always miss them, it is so nice to get a couple of nights away to just recharge as a couple.

I hope you all had a wonderful long weekend, wherever you were kicking off your summer!

Warmly from the coast,

Meg

Warmly from the coast,

Meg