A CHANGE OF SCENERY AND THE ARTISTIC PROCESS
Earlier this spring Melanie, the owner of the Salty Air Cottage in Ventnor, NJ asked me if I would like to spend a few days at her place to get away and recharge my creativity. Ummm let me think for a sec… YES, yes I would!
The Salty Air Cottage logo I designed last year, don’t you feel the breeze?!
My daughter made the fabulous suggestion that we make it a girls trip and I am so glad she did. We had a heavenly weekend seeing the shore before all of the summer crowds arrived.
The Salty Air Cottage porch and living room area
Last year I worked with Melanie to create the Salty Air Cottage logo so I knew the cottage was cute, but all of her thoughtful touches made it extra special. The house has a delightful selection of beachy books (including ones for kids), movies and a ton of games for evenings and rainy days.
The perfectly beachy touches make the Salty Air Cottage so special
The cottage is in Ventnor which is one of the few towns that is a year-round kind of place with restaurants and shops open all year. There is SO much to walk to, here are some of my favorite stops:: Ventnor no. 7311 has the most expansive and delicious pastry selection, my mouth is watering just thinking about their lemon bars. Plus they have La Colombe coffee which is my fave. Should you decide that a smoothie is more your speed, I point you to Greens and Grains. Their delicious menu of bowls and drinks will fuel you up for the big day ahead The Water Dog Smokehouse is a relatively new spot and a much needed antidote to the copious Italian options. The bacon! The burnt ends! The whitefish salad!
Next, we walked the couple of blocks to the beach! There is nothing better than the shore in the offseason, it is so peaceful and empty. We spent a good chunk of time just walking, watching birds and finding shells.
Visiting the Wetlands Institute in Stone Harbor, NJ
Then we were off to Stone Harbor. The NJ shore is made of barrier islands which means that they are bordered by tons of beautiful wetlands. Turtles, birds and many types of crabs call this area home. The Wetlands Institute is a great way to see the this interesting ecosystem up close. This place is an inspiration goldmine full of winding waterways, nesting egrets and lots of cool plant life.
The curving waterways and swaying reeds were so dreamy
We had never been to Stone Harbor before and it was so lovely! We had lunch at the Watering Hull which has a cool surf/sail vibe and a bomb poké bowl. My daughter gives the wings 10/10 and she is connoisseur.
The coolest wallpaper, the coolest gifts at People People
I have been insta-stalking People People for a while and it did not disappoint! So many colorful dressed and accessories, perfectly curated. Love. Down the street is Gypsy Lane Home is full of coastal casual art, home decor and gifts. They also offer design services if you need to enlist the help of an expert.
I don’t have a dog. I had no idea dogs needed ice cream, but apparently they do! We sat outside of Salty Paws and watched dogs eat ice cream out of cups for at least 45 minutes. I swear, the local dogs all pulled their owners into the store like they had been there before and needed their fix, it was seriously amazing.
a satisfied customer from the Salty Paws website
The next day, after a mandatory stop at no. 7311 for yet another pasty and coffee we headed back to the beach to sketch and watercolor.
Watercoloring on the beach is one of those things I always say I am going to do on vacation but never actually follow through. This time I brought this set with a water-fillable brush so it couldn’t be easier. I was able to fill a bunch of sketchbook pages with new ideas from our time at the Wetlands Institute.
I highly recommend visiting the shore in the off-season to relax and recharge, it was such a great experience for both me and my daughter. You can find really good rates on accommodations outside of the summer months and the Salty Air Cottage is the perfect jumping off point for all of your adventures.
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