Have you ever wanted to walk through a Gilded Age dream? I know I have, the moment I first "met" Jay Gatsby and Daisy Buchanan out in Fitzgerald's glittering East and West Egg — fictional towns on the very real and very prestigious North Shore of Long Island. Once nicknamed the Gold Coast, the area was a haven for captains of industry (primarily steel and transportation) and their lavish mansions and lifestyles. Over 500 estates in total peppered the coastline by the early 20th century, among them were the homes of Vanderbilts, Astors, Whitneys — names that perhaps Fitzgerald pictured Gatsby entertaining until the early hours of the morning, searching for Daisy's eyes around the room every chance he got.Over the years, many of these Gold Coast Mansions were sold off, demolished or burnt down, but a small handful still remain — Old Westbury Gardens chief among them — and as we walked around the estate the other day, I couldn't shake the feeling of a party long ago ringing through the air still. Music waltzing along on a summer evening breeze. The clinking of champagne glasses and mid-Atlantic accents intertwined in conversation. The breathless excitement of lovers running just out of sight from the dance floor to steal a forbidden kiss.
While I may have stood there on a quiet, summer afternoon, seemingly exploring what is now a public garden and museum, my imagination joined an evening I'd only read about — where Daisy's perfume still lingered and the green light at the end of the dock still flashed. A party that even time couldn't disband — an immortal Gilded Age dream.
If you find yourself in the New York area this summer itching for a day trip, I can't recommend visiting Old Westbury Gardens enough. It's a true step back in time.
Here's a fun random fact I learned the last time I was at the Guggenheim museum: While we might attribute cottagecore to something of a recent internet aesthetic craze — idealizing a bucolic, rural lifestyle where linen dresses and wildflowers are bountiful — its roots are much older. Marie Antoinette, on a whim to emulate all the naturalistic paintings of the late 18th century, commissioned the construction of a rustic retreat in the greenery outside the Palace of Versailles, known as the Hamlet. The string of cottages gave her the feeling of escapism not far from palace grounds, where she would indulge in a "simpler" but far from rigorous way of life (because let's be honest, she wasn't actually tending to any of the farm chores herself). But perhaps, much like my dear friend Serena and I indulged last week while we were upstate, she'd daydream instead about a nostalgia just out of reach of her lived experience, a painting in her mind of rolling green hills, gauzy clouds peppering a soft blue sky and the hazy promise of spring making her think, "perhaps this life is for me."
As some of you might have seen on Instagram, Serena and I spent the better part of last week in the dreamiest renovated barn in the heart of Germantown, a quaint hamlet in the Hudson Valley, nestled amongst the Catskill Mountains, just two hours outside NYC. The property itself spans 14 acres, with its own pond, dock and wooded forest, sure to keep the "Marie Antoinette city girl yearning for nature" in all of us happy and content. While we saw very little reason to leave our cottage oasis, we did venture out once or twice to explore the area — I've listed some of my favorite upstate haunts below, in case you're planning a trip soon.
Highlights in the area
Main Street in Germantown: Only a 5 minute drive from the barn, you'll find yourself in the center of town. Highly recommend checking out Otto's Market (where we got all our groceries for the week), Gaskin's Restaurant (James Beard nominated) and a handful of independently owned artisan shops, sure to keep you busy for the afternoon.
The town of Kingston: We didn't spent much time here, but did happen to grab pizza one night at Lola with a friend who lives in the area. As with most upstate towns, it's very charming.
The town of Rhinebeck: Before heading back into the city, we decided to stop in Rhinebeck for a little window shopping and lunch — highly recommend The Amsterdam if you can snag an inside booth near the bar. Very cozy!
As for the rest of these photos — I think they do the property more justice than my words ever could! Enjoy!
If you're just joining my Australia series now, a few months back I hopped down under with the Destination New South Wales tourism board to explore the state of New South Wales. Sydney was our obvious (and highly anticipated!) starting point (you can catch my recaps here and here), but it was the subsequent parts of our journey that I was really looking forward to -- starting with a short hop and a skip over to Coffs Harbour (less than a two hour flight from Sydney).
Coffs Harbour is relatively off the beaten path when it comes to main destinations throughout the state and Angie and I were excited to explore once we got into town, ready to stretch our road trip legs. The area itself is on the north coast of New South Wales and is primarily known for its beaches, a Big Banana Monument (yep!) and Russel Crowe (who owns a ranch house in town). But after a few short days in the area, Angie and I realized it's a lot more than that. Sweeping coastlines, rolling green hills, tucked away rain forests with waterfalls and some of the most incredible sunrises I've ever seen. I loved how remote the area felt, like a great long summer weekend getaway spot, that is returned to year after year, and for good reason: It's beautifully charming.
I've rounded up our itinerary below -- hope you enjoy this photo diary!
Hiking: Hands down, this was definitely my highlight of exploring Coffs Harbour. We had basically one full day to explore and hike, so we got an extra early start after breakfast at Cafe Aqua. We first headed out toward Bellingen along Waterfall Way, a scenic drive, about an hour from our hotel. Highlights of Bellingen include Old Butter Factory, Hammond and Wheatley Emporium and Bellingen Gelato. We continued on from Bellingen toward Dorrigo plateau and Dangar Falls, where there's a beautiful vista point to look out over the waterfall.
We then made our way over to Dorrigo National Park, where we hiked for several hours through the rainforest no less to the Crystal Shower Falls (the waterfall spot you see in some of these photos here). It was incredible -- hardly anyone was out on the trail that day. I felt like we had the park to ourselves.
Precision Helicopter Ride: This was actually my first helicopter ride and I'm so glad I got to enjoy it over some of the most beautiful Australian beaches of Coffs Harbour. The Precision team knew how much we wanted to take photos during our flight, so they removed the doors entirely (yep, crazy!) and took us for an extra long tour of the coastline before heading inland right over Russel Crowe's house.
Beaches: We spent a majority of our time on Digger Beach (situated right in front of our hotel), but there are plenty to choose from in the area. Opt for coastal drives as well, which is what we did as we drove to Byron Bay.
WHREE TO STAY:
Breakfree Aanouka Beach Resort: My favorite part of staying here for several days? These beach photos you see here, where I'm in the pink Sachin & Babi gown? Right on property! We woke up each morning, grabbed a cup of coffee and walked right out here to enjoy the sunrise (or what was left of it). The water was surprisingly warm for the time of year, making it great for a midday dip and once the sun set behind the nearby hills, we enjoyed a glass of wine at the property's bonfire pits. Rustic and charming -- a perfect holiday resort for families and honeymooning couples alike.
WHERE TO EAT AND DRINK:
Casay on the Beach: Our first meal in town was at our hotel and it was a welcome sight for sore eyes! After a long day of traveling (flying and eating and fighting jetlag), we enjoyed fresh seafood overlooking the beach and a crisp bottle of wine, before settling in for the night.
Cafe Aqua: I always love discovering local favorites and it's easy to see why Cafe Aqua quickly filled up once we sat down for breakfast. What I wouldn't give for another round of their avocado toast and house granola!
Canopy Cafe: Situated in the middle of Dorrigo National Park, Canopy Cafe is the perfect spot for a post-hike lunch. Angie and I hopped here after trekking to Crystal Shower Falls, indulging in a light lunch of salads out on their patio, which sits right above the treetops down below.
Horizons Restaurant: Our last night in town, we headed to Opal Cove Resort, for a fitting swan song dinner before we were to leave for Byron Bay the following morning. After having my fill of seafood throughout the trip, I opted for lamb this particular evening while Angie went with prawns.
Huge thanks to the Destination NSW tourism board for inviting us on such a lovely trip and to Qantas for flying us over! Stay tuned for more Australia posts this week!
Just a few things I packed up (or wished I packed up) for our trip this weekend. We're leaving California state lines today to make our way east over to Arizona. About 10 hours of driving ahead of us. I'm expecting our juice supply to come in handy, which will help offset the road side diners I'm sure we'll pop into.
