Bar Harbor, Maine
Mrs. Brown's, Northeast Harbor (No website, as she's just opening up - but if you're in Northeast Harbor you'll find it!)
Spruce & Gussy, Bar Harbor
Blum Gallery, College of the Atlantic, Bar Harbor
A slightly impromptu whirlwind of a wonderful trip was had last week, as Meredith and I hopped in the car and headed north. On perhaps the biggest tourist day of the year to perhaps the biggest Maine tourist destination there is. No matter, we managed just fine. More than fine - it was just perfect, and absolutely the right thing to have done. On our agenda was stopping into some of the Taproot stockists in the area - both Spruce & Gussy and Mrs. Brown's were a delight to visit and another reminder of of the feeling of I have every time I step into a shop that carries our magazine (or things like it) - there is more than connects us all than divides us, and we really do share so much in common, that we can find 'home' no matter where we are. Do you know what I mean? It's a hard feeling to convey, but in the relatively limited traveling I've done of late, that's the overwhelming feeling I have. It's a good feeling, a hopeful one. And enormously comforting about the state of the world. Anyway - do check out each of those shops should you be in the area anytime on your own Maine summer vacation travels (and look for full a full feature and more photos of each of those lovely shops in the coming weeks on the Taproot blog, Ramblings).
But our real reason for being there was to attend the opening of Jennifer Judd-McGee's solo show at the Blum Gallery at the College of the Atlantic. And friends, if you do happen to be in the area this summer, please do yourself the favor of stopping by. I am so glad we made the journey to see it - Jen used the space in such a beautiful way and I was blown away by each and every piece. I'm so proud of her, and so in love with this collection of art. As Meredith and I explored the island (it's been so long since I'd been), we saw Jen's art everywhere - in the ocean waves, in the boats in the harbor, in the wild flowers of the island. What a delight (so much that I have more to share with you tomorrow that inspired us!).
So there was good shopping, amazing food, beautiful art, a great travel companion, a gorgeous ocean, and did I mention I had a bed all to myself for the night and no three year old alarm clock in the morning? It's the little things. They're really so big (if only for a night, and really that's all I need - once in a while, anyway).
