Travel: The North Fork of Long Island

I've been in and around New York since the 15th of July. It feels good to be home, except that I miss Ginger terribly. I even had a dream that Christopher surprised me and flew her in from England to visit all her favorite New York places with us. Wishful dreaming. Anyway, I was in the city for two weeks taking care of business, and then we spent a heavenly ten days in Southold, on the North Fork of Long Island. We have a beach house there and we are always debating selling it, because we don't get to use it enough to justify the expenses involved. When we left for England, some friends asked if they could rent it year round, except for the 10 days they go to Maine, when we could have the house back. Pretty good deal, right? So we happily agreed and now get to be there for a good long dose right at the height of the summer, no doubt the house's peak season.

I have always loved my time spent in Southold. The North Fork of Long Island is beautiful and real and unpretentious. It is family oriented. It is so very American. It is also surrounded by water. Being a Florida girl myself, I feel most at home in the water. And not just bobbing around in the water, but actually under the water, completely submerged. I like to grab hold of a big breath, dive down deep and just swim as far as I can until the need to exhale pulls me back up. I can do this a dozen times before getting enough of it. But unlike a Florida girl, I also really thrive in cold water, and the Long Island Sound is never too warm. Even in August, the temperature steals your breath for a few seconds as you first enter until you move around enough to get used to it.

We also have our routines in Southold that have now become tradition. Our morning run up and down the 125 lighthouse steps (our record was 14 laps this time), followed by a swim in the sound, then in the pool, then a rinse in the outdoor shower. We like a late afternoon trip to Greenport where we visit Beall and Bell, our favorite antiques shop, followed by an iced coffee or an ice cream at D'Latte, and then a ride on the carousel for the kids. And well, me too. The prospect of catching the gold ring keeps us all feeling competitive. On particularly beautiful days we might take our inner tubes down to Goldsmith's inlet to ride down the "lazy river," have a picnic, and buy an ice cream from the Good Humor truck. And on rainy days, we visit the Tanger Outlets and the Target store in Riverhead to stock up on clothes and school supplies, that are much less expensive here than they are in England. But probably my favorite part is gathering our friends and their children around the outdoor table for long lunches and dinners. We love our Long Island friends, and our children have known their children nearly since birth. I love a full family friendship, and there is no better time or place to hang out as such than in the summer, by the beach.

This is our beach house. It was built in 1949 by the Sardi family (yes, like the restaurant). It's pretty rare to have a mid century, flat roof house in this area of Long Island and when we first saw it, our broker told us it was a tear down. To the contrary, we couldn't believe our luck in finding it.

Because the house is mid-century modern, my husband completely replanted the whole garden to reflect the style of the house. We have lots of bamboo, succulents, grasses, but I insisted we keep this purple hydrangea that lives next to the pool. I love the unusual color. 

I have all sorts of childhood hangovers when it comes to summer food. They are all pretty disgusting and not things I would feed my own children in normal circumstances apart from our week in Southold. Marshmallow fluff and peanut butter sandwiches, Crystal Light iced tea, Cape Cod potato chips and Duncan Hines brownies (bowl licking is mandatory, as you can see above) all bring back happy summer memories.

Our most prized beach finds from this trip. I think the shell of the baby horse shoe crab might be our best one of all time.

I like to keep everyone out of the kitchen while I'm cooking dinner, so they usually end up at the ping pong table. You can see Christopher's competitive nature is relentless, even when playing against a 5 year old.

This is where the moms and girls hang out. The boys are way too active in the garden, on the trampoline and in the pool to sit down even for 5 minutes, but the ladies can read magazines and gab away the afternoon for hours here (especially when a bottle of rosé is involved).

I love how you can only see the sun in its reflection on the water.

A two-suit day is always a good one.

The view from the top of the lighthouse steps is the reward for the hard work in getting there.

Coco and Christopher heading back down after lap 14. 

Boy action in the pool. We inherited this pool from the previous owner - it was built in the early 80's, and we are very grateful for it because today you would never be allowed to build a pool so close to the beach. It's a liner pool, as opposed to a gunite one, and we've never gotten around to rebuilding it despite our intentions. We did recently replace the liner though and the grey one we searched and searched for - and finally found! -  made the water such a beautifully subtle grey/blue color, as opposed to the bright, tacky turquoise the former (and more standard) blue liner created. Just wanted to pass along my discovery, in case you have a liner pool.

Greenport is a wonderful town. It's not at all fancy or uber tasteful, like the Hamptons, but its very authentic. Starbucks opened there and closed down within two years because everyone refused to give up the local coffee shops. It has great history, fantastic restaurants, a few good shops and lots of fun for every age.

I love to sit on the deck at Scrimhaw's and watch boats sail around Shelter Island while having dinner.

The new taqueria in Greenport - good Margherita's.

Summer fruit at Briermere Farm.

When we went to Long Island more regularly, we used to rush out from the city to make it to Briermere before closing so we could stock up on fruits, vegetables, and most importantly,  pies for the weekend on the way out. If you get there at a popular time, you may have to wait on line for a pie, but it's worth it. I promise you its the only place you'll wait on line on the whole North Fork.

This is the prize possession of the whole summer - a peach/blueberry cream pie from Briermere. We spend the winter dreaming about these things.

Sometimes before starting dinner prep, I sneak down to the sound on my own for one last swim. I often get lucky at this time of day and have the whole beach to myself.

There is no kitchen I love cooking in more than in Southold. It's pretty much a beach shack kitchen (although we finally replaced the 1970's GE stove this year with a new Viking one), but the view of the sunsets makes cooking pleasurable no matter how many people you have to feed.

The unspoiled view on the way into Orient, a nearby town.

Orient is no doubt the prettiest town on the North Fork, and it's also the most remote. We have lots of friends in Orient, and on this night some friends invited us to join them for dinner in the town hall, where the former chef of Prune in New York, was cooking dinner on the occasional Saturday during the summer in advance of opening his own restaurant in the city this fall.

Our town hall dinner served by pop-up restaurant Houseman's. It was fantastic.

With my girlfriend Amy at dinner in Orient. We have lots in common - we are avid North Forkers, we work in fashion, we are devoted moms of two children, and we both have husbands named Chris. We can chat for hours and hours on end, and often do.

Visiting Goldsmith's Inlet is a win/win for the me and for the kids. They run around independently making new friends and eating ice cream, and I chill out. Sometimes it's nice to have a break from being at home. Our house is like a commune, and I love having lots of people over, but occasionally its great to not be looking after anyone but myself.

Coco, enjoying the chance to wear something other than a school uniform and riding clothes.

The sunset on our last night in Southold was the most insane of all, and it reminded the kids of the Lion King poster.

Life on the Farm: Sunset

As the days have been so long in the last few months, I've gotten in the habit of taking Ginger out for a walk after dinner. Just the two of us. It's a lovely way to clear my head, digest my dinner, and enjoy the last of the evening light before settling in for the evening.

This field is called Middle Fairgreen, and it's just next to our cottage. This was in May when the dandelions were everywhere, and the grass was still relatively short.

The view from my bedroom window, just after I arrived home from a walk. Sometimes when the sun is just setting I am drawn to the window by the warm, pink light shining into the cottage. Often it seeps through the drawn curtains while I am putting one of the kids to bed, and we feel compelled to peek through them to see the last of the sun. 

A moodier end-of-day in Middle Fairgreen.

Middle Fairgreen, a month later in June, with longer grass and hogweed everywhere.

Often Gingy and I walk up to Lord Moreton's seat, an old stone bench on top of the hill above the gallops, where the race horses get their exercise (and Gingy gets hers too). Here Ginger is making her way home after a good romp up there.

Another walk Ginger and I take is down the bridal path and into the woods. Sometimes it's a welcome change of scenery to have a more narrrow, cozy view through the trees and over the hedges.

Early July, when the fields are drying out and the grass is nearly too long to walk through.

Wildflowers along the gallops. 

You can see I'm kind of obsessed with the hogweed. 

This was the sunset on the evening my cousin died. It was an impossibly sad day, and this was a suitably dramatic end to it.

I ♥ Your Style: Audrey and her Animals

Audrey Hepburn consistently surprises me. Just when I think I've seen every chic photo of her there is to see, more arise. I first found the amazing picture of her on the horse, and as I widened my search I found the ones with her pet fawn Pippin, with her beloved puppy Mr Famous, and many more. Being on the farm, I sometimes feel that I live in a zoo - I'll be doing dishes at the kitchen sink with one of the kittens on the counter next to me, the dog laying at my feet, the chickens staring at me from the outdoor dining table, my daughter riding by on a horse and the donkeys braying from the stables across the driveway. So these pictures of Audrey have special meaning to me as they contain two of the things I love most: style and animals.

Stately Rides: Part 2

So at the end of our first full day of riding, we arrived ready for a rest and a cup of tea at the home of Christopher and Marian Houghton near Broadway. To me, this quintessentially British couple and their home epitomised the best of English country life. Christopher has been the secretary and then chairman of the North Cotswold hunt for 25 years, and his family's affection for the sport is evidenced as soon as you walk in their door with an impressive and worn collection of hunting coats, boots, hats and whips in the front hall. The house itself was cozy. stylish and authentic, much like the Houghton's themselves, and I was amazed by the graciousness with which they welcomed strangers so intimately into their home. We all felt grateful to meet such lovely people and to be so well looked after. Mr. Houghton encouraged a swim in the pool, and as none of us had brought along swimsuits, we snuck in a skinny dip just before dinner - a hilarious and exhilarating highlight of the weekend.

The next morning, Mrs Houghton encouraged her husband to take us for a ride around the village in his grandfather's 1935 Bentley. You would die if you saw this car. I nearly did. It had been immaculately restored without disrupting any of the essential character - the leather seats were well worn, the European rally medallions still fixed to the wooden dashboard and even the leather driving hats still rested on the back seat (of course I wore one!).

Late morning we set off for another full day of riding, the highlight being the hills above Snowshill and the breathtaking view down into a long valley. We passed through farmyards, pastures, villages, meadows and woods getting an intimate view of the best of the English countryside on a warm and sunny day. A three day holiday never felt so good!

Giving a pat to Star, on arrival at the Houghton's, for taking such good care of me for the day.

The entrance hall at the Houghton's. Could it be any more English?

Our room for the night. When I admired the William Morris wallpaper, Mrs Houghton told me she chose it because that guest room overlooks Broadway Tower, where William Morris once lived.

The house was filled with hunting mementos and memorabilia.  

It seems to be a requirement for English countryside folk to have an old Land Rover. This is a particularly good one. 

Mr Houghton, giving Star a slurp before bedtime.

The 1935 Bentley that belonged to Mr Houghton's grandfather.

Mr Houghton told us that he and his wife drove the Bentley to Ireland last year in the spirit of his grandfather who drove and raced it all over Europe. There is not one seatbelt in the car!

All the souvenirs and medallions from the former Mr Houghton's travels. 

Chanelling the 30's in a leather driving cap.

Setting off into the hills for our last day or riding.

One of my favorite things about England is the variety of unexpected people, animals and things you see on the side of the road. These two people had stopped their pony and trap to let a huge truck pass right before we arrived.

Graphic farming.

What a handsome boy!

Just after I snapped this pic we cantered up the long hill. 

Coco is always the first person to make friends with animals. She's especially a sucker for a Shetland pony, the tinier the better.

Passing a pretty gate on our way out of Snowshill, where we got papp'd by Japanese tourists! 

The stables where we left our horses at lunchtime. Love the hand painted sign.

The last furry hills we passed through.

Arriving back where we started at Wormington Grange just in time for tea.