Wanderlust Wednesday: Wynwood Walls in Miami, Florida

Last weekend, I was in Miami for our end-of-the-school-year teacher party rave, and had the opportunity to explore the Wynwood Walls and I'm so glad I did. I love street art and this did not disappoint. 

The Wynwood Art District is considered one of the country's hippest neighborhoods because of its large open-air street art installation, the Wynwood Walls. In addition to the Walls, the once-manufacturing and warehouse district of Miami contains over 80,000 square feet of rotating art space, art galleries, boutiques, antique shops, bars and restaurants.

The Wynwood Walls were the brainchild of Miami-developer, Tony Goldman, who wanted to boost the area's pedestrian potential. Goldman worked to renovate and rehabilitate unused and neglected warehouses and factories and transform them into art complexes for the area's creatives. 

Since they opened, the Wynwood Walls have hosted over 50 artists representing 16 countries, evolving into a "Museum of the Streets." Wynwood Walls have been operated by the Wynwood Arts District Association since 2009. 

Every month, a city-sponsored Second Saturday Art Walk draws art lovers and tourists alike, and visitors to the iconic Art Basel Miami make their way to the Wynwood Art District to support emerging muralists and graffiti artists.

If you go, don't forget to look up and down and all around; there are messages everywhere. 

The Walls are located on 2520 NW 2nd Avenue, between Joey's Italian Cafe on 25th Street and the Latin-influenced tapas-style Wynwood Kitchen and Bar on 26th Street. This is a fun spot for a bite to eat and a drink before or after wandering among the Walls. 

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Street parking in the Wynwood Art District is tight; download the Miami parking app for easier parking. You can set your stay and add time, if necessary. Bikes are available as well for meandering throughout the district. 

If you're in Miami, Wynwood Walls is a must-see and a perfect afternoon excursion away from the beach. Enjoy!


Wynwood Walls
2520 NW 2nd Avenue
Miami, FL 33127
305-531-4411

Lovely Places: Pilgrim's Inn on Deer Isle, Maine

Overlooking a serene mill pond in Down East Maine, Pilgrim's Inn on Deer Isle in Penobscot Bay, was the perfect place for the Señor and I to celebrate our fourth wedding anniversary. 

Built in 1793, this beautifully restored post and beam inn is on the National Register of Historic Places. Innkeepers, Tony Lawless and Tina Oddleifson, purchased the inn in 2005. Their hospitality philosophy is "to anticipate the needs of our guests and provide excellent service, while at the same time giving people the space to create their own experience." And they did, indeed. 

Pilgrim's Inn is a member of Select Registry, a portfolio of more than 300 quality assured, premier bed and breakfasts, inns, and select hotels. Each property is held to a 200 point inspection, insuring that guests are treated to the highest quality experience. Tony and Tina provided that, and so much more. 

From the middle of May through the middle of October, Pilgrim's Inn offers twelve rooms in the main inn, as well as three cottages for a more secluded experience. All rooms have private baths, lush linens, air conditioning, bathrobes and hairdryers. 

Guests have access to free, on-site parking, wireless internet throughout the inn, a guest computer, and a guest phone line, which offers free calls throughout the US and Canada. The main room has a library filled with books and a game room with board games and cable television, the only television in the inn.

Outside, the property has Adirondack chairs for relaxing beside the pond. 

And lovely grounds to stroll. 

The Señor and I stayed in Room 2, featuring a beautiful king-sized bed that overlooks the mill pond, lawn and gardens. 

The experience of an inn like Pilgrim's Inn and many Select Registry properties, is found in the details. 

BeeKind is a line of products with all-natural ingredients. A portion of their sales goes to honeybee research. 

Such a lovely touch. 

We had dinner in the Whale's Rib Tavern, and what a treat it was!

Fun lobster trap chairs. 

We began with drinks in the bar. The Señor enjoyed a local brew, and I asked the bartender to create something fruity. Using fresh Maine blueberries, that's exactly what she did, and it was delicious. 

In the dining room of the restaurant, the Señor and I toasted to our anniversary over a bottle of  full-bodied cabernet. He enjoyed a perfectly cooked grilled beef tenderloin and I chose a grilled duck breast. 

For dessert, we chose a chocolate pot de creme and Maine blueberry crisp. It was easily, one of the best meals of our lives.  

Reservations are highly suggested at this destination restaurant. The staff is knowledgeable, helpful with recommendations, and do everything to make your experience one to remember. Tony, a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America with over 25 years of industry experience, oversees the kitchen and insures the highest quality of flavor, presentation, and service. 

A full breakfast for two people is included in your stay at Pilgrim's Inn, and homemade cookies, fresh fruit, and beverages are available throughout the day. Breakfast is served in the inn's restaurant, the Whale's Rib Tavern, and, at this time, is open to guests of the inn only. 

Pilgrim's Inn was featured in the The Boston Globe and Maine Magazine, and was an Editor's Choice in Yankee Magazine. It was also featured in A Thousand Places to See Before You Die: North America Edition. In addition, Pilgrim's Inn has received Certificate of Excellence awards from Trip Advisor, and they are members of the Diamond Collection with BedAndBreakfast.com. 

Deer Isle, Maine, is close to Acadia National Park, Stonington, and Isle au Haut. It is rich with activities related to hiking, kayaking, bird-watching, art galleries, and farmers' markets.  

Anyone can stay at a chain hotel that offers an impersonal front-end experience; but if you're looking for more...a place where you are welcomed as if you were coming home, then choose a Select Registry property like the Pilgrim's Inn and experience Down East Maine like a local. It is a lovely place, indeed. 

We are grateful to Tony and Tina, who hosted our stay and anniversary celebration, in partnership with Select Registry. 

For booking information, call 888-778-7505. Pilgrim's Inn is located at 20 Main Street, Deer Isle, Maine. They can be contacted at innkeeper@pilgrimsinn.com. 

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A Lovely Romantic Getaway: Stonecroft Country Inn, a Select Registry Property

Tucked within the rolling, bucolic country roads of southeastern Connecticut lies an old country inn, dating back to 1807. If you're looking for a romantic place to get away and feel welcomed and pampered, the Stonecroft Country Inn is a New England gem that meets every expectation. 

Located only five miles from the historic Mystic Seaport, the Stonecroft Country Inn, once the estate of sea captain, Shubel Smith, sits on six and a half acres of gardens and outdoor space, featuring a lovely terrace, fire pit and koi pond. 

The family owned and operated bed and breakfast is kept by Jim and Marcie Townsend, who pay close attention to insure that each guest of the inn is treated like a family member who has come home for a long-awaited visit. The inn was named Best of New England: Country Comfort by Yankee Magazine in 2012.

The 1807 House

The Georgian Colonial main house, the 1807 House, with original historic features, offers four guest rooms with private baths, six working fireplaces and three wood-burning fireplaces. The home is on the National Register of Historic Places. 

Our room was located in the Yellow Barn. Formerly called The Grange, the Yellow Barn is an 8,000 square foot converted post and beam barn, which houses six suites, including two master suites that offer privacy from all other rooms, perfect for honeymoons or special occasions. 

The Yellow Barn

The Señor and I stayed in the Orlando Suite, named for Smith's youngest son, who, with his mother, Sarah, was responsible for the area's granite industry that provided building stone and monuments, including national monuments sent to Washington, DC and Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. 

The Orlando Suite features a queen-size, walnut sleigh bed, a gas-lit fireplace, leather love seat, a dark wood armoire with two soft, plush, monogrammed robes, and a small writing desk with captain's chair. French double doors open onto a deck and sitting area.  

The spacious bathroom, the size of some standard hotel rooms itself, features a heated towel rack with plush Turkish towels, a coffee service, a jacuzzi tub for two and a separate, walk-in shower. 

All rooms in the barn are air-conditioned, have wifi, and have wide-screen TVs with DVD players. A library of movies and books are available in the main lobby for guests to peruse and borrow for their enjoyment. 

Guests love the Stonecroft Country Inn. An endearing feature of our room was a journal left for guests to write notes about their stay. From romantic weekends away to weekend getaways for an event at the nearby Foxwoods casino, every note expressed the highest level of gratitude for the experience at Stonecroft. Here is one example. 

Each morning, guests of the inn are treated to a homemade, full country breakfast. Intimate tables in front of a grand stone fireplace fill the dining room, located on the first floor of the barn, overlooking a terrace, gardens, a koi pond and a grapevine-shaded pergola. Treats, like homemade brownies and snacks accentuate the welcoming feel to this home-away-from home. 

The Stonecroft Country Inn is a member of Select Registry, a portfolio of more than 300 quality assured, premier bed and breakfasts, inns, and select hotels. Each property is held to a 200 point inspection, insuring that guests are treated to the highest quality experience, and Jim and Marcie provided that and more. 

Anyone can stay at a chain hotel that offers an impersonal front-end experience; but if you're looking for more...a place where you are welcomed as if you were coming home, then choose a Select Registry property like the Stonecroft Country Inn. It's well located, accessible from anywhere in the Northeast. Visit for a weekend away or as a halfway point for a girls' weekend away. 

We are grateful to Jim and Marcie, who hosted our stay, in partnership with Select Registry. For booking information, call 800-772-0774. Stonecroft Country Inn is located at 515 Pumpkin Hill Road, Ledyard, Connecticut. They can be contacted at innkeeper@stonecroft.com. 

The Bridge of Flowers in Shelburne Falls Massachusetts: A New England Gem

Located in the small, quiet western Massachusetts town of Shelburne Falls, the Bridge of Flowers is the place for a lovely stroll on a weekend afternoon. 

Bought in 1908 and once used as a way to transport freight and people to the nearby mills, the former trolley bridge, which crosses the Deerfield River, sat in decay after the automobile boom provided transport that exceeded the small railway company's capacity to compete. 

In 1929, the bridge was covered with weeds, but could not be demolished because it contained an important water main, so it was rescued and transformed into a garden by the town's Women's Club. And thus began The Bridge of Flowers. 

There is much to see along the arched footbridge. 

The flowers are identified and provide wonderful inspiration for at home landscapes. 

If you stroll the downtown, you will learn that the film, Labor Day, was filmed here. 

As well as The Judge. 

On the afternoon we were there, we stopped in for a coffee at Mocha Maya's, a coffee shop, pub, and live music venue. 

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And peeked at the glacial potholes of the Deerfield River. 

Shelburne Falls and the Bridge of Flowers provided a perfect place to explore on a Sunday afternoon. If you are ever in the area, consider this downtown stroll. The Bridge is open from April to October. 

At the junction of penny candy and the Grateful Dead: The Fantastic Umbrella Factory

At the junction of penny candy and the Grateful Dead lies the the Fantastic Umbrella Factory in Charlestown, Rhode Island. It's not a factory and there aren't many umbrellas, but despite what may be lacking in its curious name, it is abundant in magic and bohemian whimsy. 

Robert Bankel started The Fantastic Umbrella Factory in 1968 on an old country farmstead with one building built in the 1800s, known as Temperance Hall. What started as an old fashioned gift shop and penny candy emporium has grown to a property for local artists, collectors, and anyone who wants to slow down for a bit, wander the gardens, and embrace their bohemian spirit. 

The one on the left is my new favorite mug. 

The tag attached to the handle of the mug. 

The business has since changed hands, now owned by David and Linda Turano, and has expanded to include six other businesses, greenhouses, and a seasonal cafe serving organic and vegetarian friendly local fare. 

Listen to the wind in the bamboo...

but don't take it. 

Explore the gardens and meet some of the locals. The Fantastic Umbrella Factory is home to emus, ducks, hens, and goats. 

Sit and think, or enjoy a conversation with friends. 

Or find the perfect tree for a photo op. 

Find peace and inspiration in the vibes of the property. 

And explore the ever changing treasures around each corner. 

The Fantastic Umbrella Factory is located at 4820 Old Post Road in Charlestown, Rhode Island, about a 90 minute drive from central Massachusetts. It is close to the beach town of Narragansett and a short drive from the iconic summer playground of Newport, Rhode Island. 

Have you ever been to The Fantastic Umbrella Factory? Do you have a similar place where you live?