Montana 2.0

 (Yes, signs like this do make me very nervous!) 

We were lucky enough to get to travel back to Montana over the past week. Man I love that place. We had such a fabulous time. Catching up with old friends, making new friends and getting to spend more time up in Glacier National Park (of which I have share some of my favourite photos above).

The reason we were in Montana was for the wedding of our good friends. Let me just say, it was probably (definitely) the most amazing wedding I've ever been to. You know the kind of wedding you see in Vogue magazine, or the kind of wedding that you might see in a movie. Well that was this wedding. It was beautiful; the setting, the decor, the people, everything. I am so glad that we got married last year because this wedding will be one hard act to follow!

Nantucket

A very photo heavy post for your Monday. Consider it a photo diary of sorts from our amazing trip to Nantucket...

Madaket Beach, the scene of many swims and lots of sunning.

Change of scenery at Surfside Beach for an afternoon swim.

The amazing heritage listed streets in town.

I've started saving up for my yacht, now I just have to decide which one (in my dreams).

Sankaty Head Lighthouse.

The view from Sankaty Head, looking out over the cliffs.

The crew outside our amazing house.

The most amazing sunset I have ever seen. It's just a shame my camera died right 

after this photo because it got even better than this!

Until next time Nantucket, and there will be a next time.

The Weekend, Two Weeks Ago

Images by Kate Maguire

Due to my absence, this post is a couple of weeks old, but for the Memorial long weekend (which also happened to be my birthday weekend), Michael and I headed out to Greenport on the North Fork of Long Island. This trip was so lovely and definitely worthy of a post.

Greenport is a small little harbour town near the very tip of Long Island. It is such a picturesque little town and we thoroughly enjoyed strolling the streets, eating fresh seafood and enjoying the festivities of the Memorial Day holiday weekend. There were also several tall ships in the marina that people could board and explore, although we opted to look from afar as the large crowds were a big deterrent. We stayed at the Greenporter Hotel, which was pretty basic but all we needed for a weekend getaway. Plus an afternoon lazing by the pool was just what the doctor ordered.

Our favourite discovery of the weekend was Shelter Island. We travelled over on a car ferry and spent an afternoon driving around this gorgeous little island. It is so beautiful and some of the homes there are amazing. We loved it so much, we are planning on staying on Shelter Island next time we head out to the end of Long Island. I am really enjoying that we don't have to go far to discover beautiful places that give us a well deserved break from the craziness that is New York City.

The Getty Museum

While in Los Angeles this past week I spent an afternoon at the Getty Museum perched up in the hills above LA. It wasn't the clearest of days so the view was a little hazy but I could still appreciate the beautifully designed architecture, the landscape and the vast breathtaking views. These were more of a highlight to me than the art itself, which is saying a lot as I love a good art museum. I would love to go back one day on a perfectly clear day. The lady taxi driver that dropped us off to the airport yesterday said that on a clear day you can see all the way to the mountains and out to Catalina Island. Just another reason to get back to LA again soon.

Santa Monica Before Breakfast

{Images from my phone, edited with Pixlr}

I love waking up so close to the Pacific Ocean. Knowing that Australia is just an ocean between us, and smelling the familiar fresh salty air is part of what makes me love being on the West Coast so much. We woke up early this morning and went for a walk along the beach in Santa Monica, past the pier and palm trees. It was so nice to be up early on this cool spring morning. There were plenty of fit people (much fitter than us, but we aspire to be that fit soon!) taking advantage of such a nice morning on the beach. What a way to start the day!

Back in Town

Images taken from the Highline Park in Chelsea.

Well I am back from two weeks in Australia and I am very sorry for the complete lack of posting in my absence. I went away with the best intentions of posting at least a couple of times each week, but alas, I had too much fun catching up with my friends and family so my blog was left by the wayside!

We were welcomed back into the city yesterday by the most beautiful sunny weather to help lift us out of our jet-lag fog. We had no sleep on the flight back home and I am seriously considering writing a firm letter to Qantas regarding why they think it is okay to serve the equivalent of a least 10 drinks to a woman who was clearly drunk before she even boarded the plane. Not happy.

Anyway, a lovely walk on the Highline helped to bring us back from the brink and it is great to be back in New York City. There are exciting times ahead!

Hudson Valley, NY

Given that we had a public holiday on Monday (for President's Day), this weekend we took a tour of the Hudson Valley region of New York. We spent Sunday driving slowly up to our accommodation in Rhinebeck (yes, the very town that Chelsea Clinton was married in); stopping at various towns and historical sites in Hyde Park, including Franklin D. Roosevelt's home and the "modest" mansion of Frederick Vanderbilt.

Yesterday we spent another slow drive detouring through other historical sites such as Montgomery Place and Olana (my favourite for its out-of-place yet amazing Middle Eastern design), to the town of Hudson where we stopped for lunch before continuing back to the city in the afternoon. It is such a pretty place, and we are already planning a trip back to see many of the things we missed out on due to the off-season. I also want to go back in Spring and Autumn to see how much the landscape changes. In Spring everything looks green and the gardens are full of colour, and in Autumn you have the amazing reds, oranges and yellows of the fall foliage.

While the weather was clear and sunny the entire time, don't be fooled, it was freezing. The crisp country air made me appreciate that we haven't really had much of a winter this year (and that the city is kept much warmer thanks to the underground steam system). While winter isn't over yet I can not imagine that there will be any more snow other than the small amount we've already had. At least I hope not!

Step & Repeat

Zara Coat and Fur Gilet; DV by Dolce Vita Boots; Ralph Sunglasses

In London I pretty much lived in some variation of the same outfit everyday. Sweater, fur gilet, coat, jeans and ankle boots. It kept me warm, but not overheated, whatever we were doing. I especially loved the days when I had to pull out the sunglasses - because that meant the sun was out!

The only error I made was choosing fashion over comfort (and failing to pack anything in the way of a comfortable alternative). While my boots are exceptionally comfortable running errands in New York, I will say that by day three of walking all day, my feet were feeling a little worse for wear. Maybe some more practical shoes next time!