The Ocean House & Watch Hill Inn

Life is a beach

I've never spent time in Watch Hill—this may have to do with the fact that I grew up in Narragansett and attended university in Newport, two places in Rhode Island that are sought out destinations themselves. 

I stayed one night with family at the waterfront condo my cousin had rented at Watch Hill Inn, then we went to the Ocean House the following afternoon.

No matter how long or short your stay is, it's easy to understand Watch Hill's elegant allure—it can be found in quiet mornings walking by the harbor, relaxing afternoons basking on the beach and impregnable moments of solitude sipping a glass of chardonnay on the veranda, waiting for sun down.

Watch Hill Inn and the Ocean House are part of Ocean House Management, which also includes Weekapaug Inn in Weekapaug, Rhode Island and Spicer Mansion in Mystic, Connecticut. For guests staying at the Watch Hill Inn, they also have access to use amenities up the street at the Ocean House, including the private beach, the bocce court and the spa. 

If you want to keep your afternoon simple, order light lunch fare before hitting the beach and grab a cone of gelato Below Deck to cool off afterwards.

California Central Coast | Big Sur

A first trip to the West Coast seems incomplete without seeing the Pacific Ocean.

We met up with a few more friends in Monterey before making the hour and fifteen minute drive down to Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park.

My friend Steph, who is also from the East Coast, told me to pay attention to the grandeur of the landscape—nothing I had ever seen in New England came close to the scale of the mountains, hills and dunes in the NoCal and Central Coast area.

It's hard to capture the surreal feeling of seeing the golden, jagged coastline along Highway 1 for the first time—you're not sure if you should be paying attention to the steep, sprawling hills or the infinite ocean. 

Then, when you think you're awed enough by nature, you see fantastic manmade structures like the Bixby Bridge or private multi-million dollar glass homes in the cliffs emerge from the landscape and your mind is blown.

McWay Falls at Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park is an iconic natural landmark along Big Sur. It's one of two waterfalls that falls into the Pacific Ocean, the second being Alamere Falls.

Although many people only know Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park for McWay Falls, there's also a beautiful redwood forest where you can follow the creek up the mountain. 

Each one of us explored the trail in different ways at their own pace, which made the hike more of an adventurous stroll than an arduous workout.

Then again, getting down the mountain after walking up did require more attention...

Reasons to Love September

It's pretty simple.

Labor Day weekend, aka the best long weekend to laze by the beach

New York Fashion Week, aka the start of Fashion Month

London Fashion Week

Milan Fashion Week

Paris Fashion Week

All of the other Fashion Weeks and festivals happening during Fashion Month

Poring through the September issues because you were too busy sitting by the beach when you first received them in mid-August

Having Earth, Wind & Fire's "September" on repeat becomes more acceptable than usual
Denim

Your work focus starts to come back after a long summer of parties and prosecco

Wearing cozy sweaters early in the morning and late at night

Season for apple picking, fresh cut flowers and pumpkins

Fall solstice

It's still warm weather, which means you can still comfortably the great outdoors in Bryant Park without a sweater in the afternoon...