Friday, March 27, 2015

living coastal

I grew up about an hour's drive away from the Oregon Coast. As a child I didn't understand the gift. Since my youth, I've had the good fortune of traveling and seeing some of the prettiest coastlines this world has to offer. 

The Amalfi Coast, Italy
Half Moon Bay, California
The White Cliffs of Dover, England
The Scottish Coastline
Napali Coast, Kauai, Hawaii

While I still have many miles left to see, my favorite will always be the Oregon Coast. Perhaps it's childhood memories that tug so hard on my heart strings, or the new memories I am creating with my two daughters.

Oregon Coast
My oldest has become an avid surfer - starting years ago with a lesson my mom arranged with Lexie Hallahan. Lexi is a schoolmate of mine from Lakeridge High and is the Director of Northwest Women's Surf Camps.  Renee has spent many hours in the chilly Oregon water. A favorite is Short Sands in Oswald State Park just south of Arch Cape. This is a stunning stretch of coastline that I highly recommend exploring.
Short Sands is a protected cove and a 20 minute hike from Hwy 101
Ready for some surfing

Our favorite town to stay is Cannon Beach. It's a laid back coastal town with great shops, restaurants and darling cottages to rent. We love Cannon Beach Vacation Rentals. They are always well organized, attentive and on call if you need anything. Our favorite rental so far is Quincy Cottage. It is the perfect place to kick back after a day on the beach. The kids love the location, I love its coastal vibe.











I love these salty boxy cottages with weathered shingles and chippy paint so much that I dedicated my lower level to this casual beachy decor....of course, it fits nicely with my daughter's penchant for surfing and all things ocean. When visiting Cannon Beach, I make sure to hit my favorite store - Sesame + Lilies. They have everything I could possible ever need, er, want for my home. I love it so much that I find myself thinking about driving down from Seattle just for a little shopping....but then who will pick up the kids from school? 

There are a million blogs out there dedicated to coastal decor, but I found a few tricks and will write about them on my next post!

Until then, enjoy touring this new listing of mine on the Kitsap Pennisula, between Kingston and Hansville. It is 18 acres with 1,313 feet of no-bank waterfront with two darling cottages. A gorgeous estate!



 








Until next week,

la chasse au bonheur