The Daily Prep

A Wicked Clever Yankee

2012-05-26T19:48:00.008-04:00

Of the great many photographs my father took throughout his life, this one may be my favorite. He took this picture just off the Connecticut shore in the late 1950s.

It is of Bill Fullerton, a great friend of both my father and my grandfather.

For decades the three of them would go duck shooting together. They would have carved all of their own decoys (some seen here). My grandfather, father, and Bill would leave before dawn, usually rowing out in the icy water to the rocky islands. (My grandfather taught my father the proper way to row, feathering the oars, and all were fanatical about getting it right.) They would set the decoys by lantern, mindful to avoid the tangling of lines.

Then they would sit on the lee side of the rocks and, with their pipes and a thermos of coffee, wait for the sun to come up. Even on the coldest mornings, they never wore gloves.

Often they would be out all day. They even had a particular groove in the rocks where they would place the pipes when they shot. And they always returned with ducks for my grandmother or mother to cook.

Bill Fullerton was one of those "wicked clever" men to whom everyone went when they couldn't figure something out. (The Fullertons were an old New England family, emigrating from Scotland in the 1600s, and he reminded me of the character Golly, the ghillie on Monarch of the Glen (mentioned here).) I still have and use every day his mother's 1850 farmhouse kitchen drop-leaf table with its ash top and maple legs.

We live in a culture that focuses a lot on youth. But sometimes, I really miss more adults.

Judson Hale's Summer People vs. Townspeople

2012-05-24T08:20:00.029-04:00

Photo by my father

“Summer people favor maintaining their town roads as narrow, dirt roads. Townspeople would like to widen and hard-top them for ease of plowing.

As former Vermont Life editor Brian Vachon pointed out to me, summer people cut their kids hair at home. Townspeople's kids go to a barber.

Summer people are against growth. Townspeople are in favor of growth. Both are against 'progress'.”

- Judson Hale, Inside New England

Narragansett Bay and Just Madras

2012-05-22T16:17:00.012-04:00

As predicted, May has been, and continues to be, a whirlwind month. And once again, I have been in all six New England states (and well beyond) this month. But between our visits to Narragansett Bay, I was able to enjoy lunch with the very congenial ladies who own Just Madras, Kim and Kimberly.

Kimberly and I wave a Hello to the arriving Kim.

It was interesting to learn more about the ever-growing business of Just Madras especially the geographic clusters of customers. And all of their products are made US made.

This is my kind of lunch!

Their Men's offerings are quite popular. Here is their Seersucker with Crab.

A Good Tote

They kindly sent me off to Rhode Island with one of their new, very durable, Rugby Stripe Totes.

The Narragansett Bay area is one of my favorite spots in New England. For me, it is a perfect synergy of an aesthetic zenith of both humans and nature. Many boats and crews are spectacular. The weather, wind, and water are perennially invigorating. And like a great club, it is interesting to see who shows up on any given day or season.

This may be the very first item in orange I have owned. Happily, this bag holds a lot.

Dock-to-Boat Parallel Communications

It was a spectacular day, which we were able to enjoy on Narragansett Bay .

And as always, the quality and variety of boats here is hard to beat. Here, Lady B.

Park Avenue Boom

A Sunday Wedding at Castle Hill Inn (and yes, we passed this picture onto the wedding party, and Castle Hill Inn used the picture (with our permission) on their Facebook)

Northern Light

Leather Man Ltd Belt

A Spirit 46

Rosa Rugosa and Clingstone

I always welcome a wet dog.

Nonquitt, Massachusetts

2012-05-19T18:45:00.005-04:00

Nonquitt, technically part of Dartmouth, was established as a private, 455 acre summer colony in 1872. It has remained close to that to this day.

As with so many of these summer colonies, however, more and more of these homes are occupied year round.

Still a Working Post Office

"At the time I couldn't believe a place like Nonquitt still existed, the cars going ten miles an hour, four-year-olds in tennis whites running in packs..."
- John Davis Spooner, in Nonquitt A Summer Album, 1872-1985.

"It was a lovely piece of shoreside property with fields and sheep pastures abutting on Buzzards Bay - Sheep folds enclosed by high stone walls....," as quoted by Sally Morse Aldrich, in Nonquitt A Summer Album, 1872-1985.

"Nonquitt, as always, is repetitive and conservative. It reflects and cares about nature."
- William Julian Underwood, in Nonquitt A Summer Album, 1872-1985.

Driveways of Crushed Shells

This was built in 1908 to hold a water tank, and to house a chauffeur/mechanic and two vintage cars.

There are plenty of very large and very old Copper Beech trees. With their long tap roots, they remain undaunted by hurricanes.

Originally Gosnold's Hope (after Bartholomew Gosnold), then Monument Bay and finally, Buzzards Bay.

On this day, the gate was not working, and ever vigilant about keeping outsiders out, a guard was brought in.

"As a child, I always believed Winter Nonquitt began when the summer people left. They would drive away in their station wagons full of Golden Retrievers and golf clubs leaving the best place on earth to us."
- Waring Marshall Strebeigh, in Nonquitt A Summer Album, 1872-1985.

The Tiny Village of Padanaram

This is one of the best harbors in New England

New Bedford Yacht Club

Barbour Westmorland Waistcoat at the Farm

2012-05-17T20:54:00.013-04:00

I watched a cow being inseminated the other day. ** Warning - a picture of the activity is coming up, so please don't read any further if this is going to be a problem for you. ** This got me thinking about value chains and our current culture around both skills and goods.

The Barbour Westmorland Waistcoat I was wearing, not too long ago, had a substantial tear in it (which was why it was priced so reasonably at the Barbour Outlet). And for less than thirty dollars at their Milford, New Hampshire repair facility, they performed what I think is a clever repair, making it appear as though there was a double hand-warmer pocket.

Where else these days can one get this kind of expert work done at such reasonable prices? This is just one of the reasons I am so very fond of the classic (read that, waxed) Barbour items.

Of course I have been wearing it everywhere, including at two new bovine deliveries (of sorts). The first was of a heifer, Betsey, who arrived down at our friends' saltwater farm to keep their other heifer, Mabel, company.

The other "delivery" was some of the raw material needed for a third cow.

An expert at breeding, she always wins Grand Champion at dairy shows for her Jersey Cow herd which, in turn, produces the highest quality raw milk.

Water temperature is critical.

We were able to help out in smaller ways, by delivering some of her fresh yogurt to a local store...

...and to be there at the set-up of a farmer's market.

Being close to the manufacturing process has many advantages...

...including some of the company one meets.

"Moo", the new Old English Sheepdog puppy.

I really do not like box stores. I do not believe I have been in any in over five years. In my life I have been to Target perhaps twice. I have spent in total less than ten minutes in Best Buy, and I have not visited most at all, including Ikea.

(And I am far from pure. Some may call me hypocritical, and they would not be inaccurate in too many instances. I do shop regularly at chain supermarkets, including Hannaford's and Shaw's, some "almost box" clothing companies like L.L. Bean and Ralph Lauren, as well as the boxless box store Amazon.)

It is an increasingly challenging activity to not accept the assumptions and products of the ever-more influential corporations' managers and sourcing, marketing, and logistics departments. And it is also increasingly worthwhile.

Newport Harbor Opens Up

2012-05-13T10:44:00.031-04:00

We opened our sailing season in Newport and Jamestown yesterday, and enjoyed spectacular weather.

We dropped off our gear at the Jamestown Boat Yard.

We then headed into town to pick up some lunch at East Ferry Deli. As we were waiting for our order, we ran into Sarah Vickers.

We said a quick hello and planned to touch base later.

Back at the yard, we made the preparations.

Transferring from powerboat to sailboat.

A sudden gust of wind gave us an opportunity to test our "dog overboard" drill.

Yes, Cashmere Sweaters Float

Our Captain (Clark's college roommate and our best man) to the rescue.

We headed out into Narragansett Bay, where there are always beautiful boats to see...

Madeleine

...and then into Newport Harbor.

Newport Shipyard Again

The 295 foot Athena

New KJP and vintage L.L. Bean

The wind was wonderful.

Later in the afternoon we switched over to the powerboat.

We first headed under the Newport Bridge...

...to get a water view of the Naval War College, where we had visited a couple of weeks back.

A higher tide meant our Captain needed to duck while going under the bridge to Goat Island.

"My Trust Fund"

Arabella

We saw the Ida Lewis Yacht Club's 2012 Commissioning...

...in front of New York Yacht Club's Harbour Court.

Dress Ship

After a full day of intense sun and wind we arrived back at the Jamestown Boat Yard...

Another boat enjoyed the views.

My husband grabs the mooring line.

...gathered our belongings, and called for the launch.

Finally, we swung by to say hi to Kiel, Sarah and the crew, who were just down the road.

Ever the gracious hosts, they were kind enough to share their Del's...

Del's and KJP - Two Rhode Island Classics!

...and then give us a group shot.

We couldn't help but admire the Frank Clegg bags. (And I also got to appreciate the car from the inside - Thanks Garrett!)

Neil!

The Red Lion Inn and Stockbridge, Massachusetts

2012-05-11T20:57:00.010-04:00

Clearly I am not doing as well with the May break as I had intended. A business trip brought us out this way (where Clark also did an interview on WAMC Northeast Public Radio, available here), and we took some pictures today while we were here. Then, since we had the pictures....

Tiffany lamp and Steinway baby grand piano are tucked into the stairwell.

A Corner of the Side Parlor

The Plumb Room - one of several private rooms for meetings or family dinners (with old switchboard in the back).

The lobby stairway has the original old elevator from 1897.

The feel of the lovely Red Lion Inn has changed so little since my first visit 40 years ago.

The First Congregational Church. Jonathan Edwards preached to this congregation in the 1700s.

We went to Berkshire Botanical Garden's Annual Plant Sale.

Then we popped into the Normal Rockwell Museum.

Linwood House, boyhood home of astronaut Story Musgrave and currently part of the Norman Rockwell Museum, Stockbridge, Massachusetts.

And we were able to enjoy more of the beautiful Berkshires.

A Few L.L. Bean Small Boat and Totes

2012-05-07T21:24:00.002-04:00

Someone noted that the Stacks category needed a Boat and Tote entry.

(And this doesn't really count as posting either, because it is just a few pictures!)

Early May Produce

2012-05-06T09:32:00.002-04:00

Produce from the farmers' market on Portmeirion Botanic Garden Dishes

Here is some of the local produce available (in some cases via cold frames or greenhouses) in early May, and how we prepare it (simply):

Carrots: grated in salads; steamed as side dish; chopped in stews
Broccoli: steamed as side dish; sauteed in broccoli/pasta dish
Rhubarb: stewed and served over ice cream
Beets: steamed whole with skins on (to preserves nutrients) then peeled, sliced, and lightly buttered
Strawberries: eaten raw (and, in this case, mostly eaten before we took this photograph!)
Cucumbers: raw and sliced in salads or just used for grazing
Asparagus: steamed and lightly buttered as side dish
Lettuce: raw in salads
Spinach (not shown): steamed and lightly buttered as side dish

I know I am supposed to be taking May off from posting, but this short entry seemed rather timely for those who are interested, and I just wrote out this list anyway for a friend who asked for it. Also, everything is about a month early this year due to the clement winter.

I'll See You in June...

2012-04-27T11:00:00.002-04:00

May is looking to be a very busy (good busy!) month so I will be taking a break from posting. I will see you in June.

In the interim, please feel free to suggest other blogs that readers may enjoy in the comment section.

U.S. Naval War College, Newport, Rhode Island

2012-04-24T19:18:00.013-04:00

One of the best views in Newport is from the Naval War College. The weather was so spectacular today that we arrived for a meeting early to walk around and get some lunch.

We started, indoors, on the classified side (no photos!), and then to the unclassified.

The USS Belknap, Built at BIW! (Bath Iron Works)

Then we headed out into the extraordinary wind.

Finally, we arrived at the O'club for lunch. Where else can one talk about favorite naval battles?

The meeting was productive, and I even had time to drop by The Royal Male before heading back.

Earth Day, 2012 (and a reader's personal letter from E.B. White)

2012-04-22T08:31:00.013-04:00

Earth Day, 2012

Note: This entry received this comment, including the reader's personal letter from E.B. White, that is worth highlighting.

This piece on E.B. White in today's Sunday Book Review seems just right for 'Earth Day': http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/22/books/review/celebrating-60-years-of-charlottes-web.html?_r=1&ref=books

It reminded me of this letter that White sent to my grandfather. By the way, I don't know if, "Sorry to hear that you are a dropout..." refers to a dog owner event or the fact that my grandfather graduated from Yale. Maybe it was just a dig from a Cornell man.

-

E.B. White
North Brooklin, Maine 04661

March 20, 1974

Dear Mr. ________:

Sorry to hear that you are a dropout but am grateful for your letter and glad you can still read. Wish I could still write.

My Norwich Terrier will be seven in May. His Club name is Jaysgreen Rusty (United Kingdom), and he was sired (it says here) by a dog named Hunston Horseradish. He is known in this house as Jones and is seldom found more than six feet from where I am. He is neurotic---scarred as a puppy by being shoved into a crate for a plane trip from England, then another plane trip from Boston to Maine. I think somebody along the way must have hit him with a stick, because even after all these years with me, I can’t pick up a fly swatter without his cringing. I got him from Sylvia Warren, and he almost never made it up out of his bed of neuroses. But he and I are enough alike that we get on well, and I can’t help being touched by his loyalty---which I think in his case is simply insecurity. He would never take a prize at a show. Neither would I, come to think of it.

I have another terrier---a West Highland White, or Off-White, named Susy. She is as open and outgiving as Jones is closed and reserved. Everybody loves Susy. Everybody tries to like Jones. But Jones takes his guard duties seriously and has made several attempts to kill people he thought were intruding. He particularly distrusts women in trousers, drivers of panel trucks, small children, and stray dogs. He has hunted squirrels for six years without bagging one. Susy is quicker than he is and once nabbed a barn swallow on the wing. Sometimes I dream of owning another Norwich---one that looks like a Norwich and behaves like one. But I am known for my outsize dreams. Meantime, I am grateful for small favors, like the little brown one over there on the sofa.

Sincerely,
E.B. White

Portsmouth, New Hampshire

2012-04-21T19:26:00.006-04:00

North Church

Portsmouth, New Hampshire is one of my favorite places. Marvelously, it both is historic and at the same time has a youthful and creative flavor.

One of the most significant shaping influences on the city is, of course, its port. Portsmouth Harbor is one of the deepest harbors and the waters of the Piscataqua are fast flowing.

Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, the nation's first federal shipyard, was established in 1800. It services our country's submarines and produced over seventy of them during World War II. (Maine and New Hampshire have been sparring seemingly forever over its jurisdiction and The Supreme Court heard the case in 2002.)

There is an active Coast Guard presence...

...for this "official port of entry and foreign trade zone".

Memorial Bridge, one of the three bridges that connect to Kittery, is undergoing replacement.

For us, Portsmouth is a good place to meet up with family, and we also just spend time here when we can.

John Paul Jones House, Portsmouth Historical Society

I like firehouses and this one is especially handsome.

In case anyone needs some gourmet salts, there is The Salt Cellar.

The city is small, almost intimate (only about 3,000 people larger than Concord Massachusetts), which is part of its charm.

After the famous fires at the beginning of the nineteenth century, which destroyed so many wooden structures, the rebuilding was of brick and slate for roofs.

Reminders are everywhere of the antiquity of the small city.

A mindfulness of the environment (if gently hypocritical) is nonetheless a good indicator of the culture.

At Celtic Crossing....

...I purchased another Blackthorn walking stick.

Post Civil War, Portsmouth began earning its reputation for its ale making. In fact, it has been said that the original New Englanders did not drink water, but - adults and children - preferred beer instead. (And the first regional toast was made by Captain Thomas Wannerton in 1639.) Cambridge attorney, Andy Crouch, an expert on New England breweries, tellingly used the Portsmouth brewery Smuttynose for the cover of his book "The Good Beer Guide to New England."

And here is where I will lose some of any "prep cred" I might have. I don't drink. This is not for any particular reason, but it serves as yet another place for the amusement of friends. One New Englander (whose name would be familiar to all of those here), after reading my blog account of a Christmas party in the City, included this in an email:

But the "Coca-Cola/I didn't inhale" argument. I don't think so. Ms Aldrich was working on some kind of stout. Probably doing some serious napping on her way back to swamp yankee land.

There are all kinds of attractive transportation modes....

...including this, shown with the Portsmouth Athenaeum in the background.

One of my favorite sites here is of the Moran Tugboats. In fact, I check on them daily with the Tugboat Cam.

There are many sightseeing cruises available, including...

...this boat, from Portsmouth Harbor Cruises.

Busy Barges and Cranes

Due to its youthful population, one can find an active nightlife.

Breaking New Grounds - A Wonderful Bakery

Portsmouth remains a charming small city, and I always look forward to my next visits.

** Genealogy Alert! ***

For those who find the topic of genealogy insufferable or simply boring, I have collected it all at the end of this entry in this handy, easy-to-skip section.

One of the originals settlers was our 10th great grandfather Edward Hilton, often called the Father of New Hampshire.

The amount of our family's personal history (mostly on my husband's side) here is non trivial. Literally dozens of direct ancestors came here in the first half of the 1600s, founding Portsmouth and its neighboring towns and establishing its fishing, lumber and shipbuilding industries. To name just a few: Captain John Locke framed the first meeting house; Major William Vaughn was the Chief Justice of the Superior Court; Andrew Healy was "The King of Shoals" as he ruled the rich fishing waters of the Isle of Shoals; Cutts Island was named for the Cutt brothers.

And of course the most colorful one of all was the Cambridge educated Reverend Stephen Bachilor/Batchelder. He had quite the reputation, marrying a third wife who was sixty years younger than he. She then carried on with the young fellow next door, for which she was sentenced to be flogged and branded.

To this Aldrich, although we share a progenitor, we are only indirectly related.

Portsmouth was originally named Strawbery Banke by direct ancestor Captain Walter Neale in 1630, who was sent by Georges and Mason to be the Governor of the Piscataqua. Neale is credited for discovering the White Mountains and Lake Winnipesaukee as well. And we cannot forget Daniel Webster, only indirect, but four different ways (via Eastmans as well as Websters) who, while born in Franklin, practiced law here.

This makes us laugh as it has two of my names (neither of which being Thomas nor Bailey).

The Strawbery Banke Historic District and museum (organized in the 1950s) features roughly 50 restored historic structures on about twelve acres. Along with the museum owned buildings that are always open (in season), some of these structures are privately owned and used, but still occasionally opened to the public.

Early morning and off-season is a pretty good time to be here.

My Father's Block Island, 1963

2012-04-17T08:51:00.005-04:00

I just love these sweaters.

Here are some pictures my father took of Block Island (Rhode Island) in 1963 on one of our family treks.

Southeast Light

A Self Portrait on BI

Three Questions from and for Readers: Literature; Gowns, and Creases

2012-04-17T08:50:00.001-04:00

I received these three questions for the community:

1. Muffy, Do you have any reading list suggestions? I know some of the obvious ones, A Separate Peace, Catcher In The Rye, from The OPH, but I recently began reading The Great Gatsby, and I love it. If you have some must-reads for a young preppie, please let me know.Thanks.

2. Dear Muffy, I live in Litchfield County, CT and will be attending a formal evening wedding in late July. A posh French-American family from NY and CT is giving the wedding. There will be a church service followed by a dinner dance outdoors under a tent. The stepmother of the bride, who is a close friend, is wearing a black designer evening gown. I've always been told not to wear black to a wedding, but I gather times have changed based on a wedding we attended earlier this month. Here is a dress I found on line at Nieman Marcus. I feel comfortable with the style and color (navy) but am wondering if you think this might be too much for late July in Northwest CT. For the record, Connecticut can be quite hot and humid by late July. Also for the record, we live over an hour from any store which might sell anything remotely suitable. [If this link does not work for you, the dress is a pleated navy tulle gown by Tadashi Shoji on the Neiman Marcus website listed in evening gowns under $450.]Because it is tulle, I'm thinking it might not be too heavy. Advice on shoes for an outdoor dance floor and walking in the grass would also be very much appreciated. Thank you so much, Muffy!

3. Hi there Muffy: Here’s a simple question that you might consider (and that should garner a response or two from the likes of Yankee Whisky Papa). I iron my own shirts and slacks and as I struggle yet again to get the crease just so on a pair of khakis it occurred to me to ask – creases or no creases on khakis? I’m guessing the answer is “it depends” . . . . Its 60+ degrees this week here and I heard and then saw a robin last week. Cheers!

randc added this question in the thread: What is your favorite style of boat shoes from Sperry's? I've recently glanced at their website and wow! There are some crazy bright suedes, animal skin patterns, even a gray camouflage style. Some are obviously a "no", but there are others (olive plaid madras, blue seersucker stripe) that seem to be a "maybe". Do you have a favorite color/style?

Kionon left this comment in response to randc's question:

It's funny, I've been working on a post about how much I dislike the billfish/bluefish models. I don't like the look of them, and I don't like how they grip (or more accurately, DON'T grip) on a wet deck the way the A/Os do. It's all about the water-siping, and I am REALLY picky about how the siping feels when I'm on a wet deck, or even wet concrete, flooring, etc.
I only wear A/Os. I'll buy them in a spread of colors, but they have to be A/Os.
I also find that most of the LL Bean shoes have the proper A/O like water-siping. My blucher mocs and my camp mocs both have the same level of water-siping as my Sperry A/Os. So maybe randc should consider LL Bean's classic boat shoes?

This prompted me to take a closer look, as my experience has been a bit different. I have found the soles on the L.L. Bean Blucher and Camp Mocs to be quite slippery and the soles on the Sperry Bluefish to be the least slippery of the group.

Here are my boat shoe/moc soles to compare. (And I apologize for the dirt.)

Left to Right: Sperry Bluefish 2-Eye; Sperry Bluefish Tassel; Sperry Authentic Originals; L.L. Bean Camp Moc; L.L. Bean Blucher Moc

Pilgrims in Mayne

2012-04-14T11:39:00.008-04:00

“We might have had ye Pilgrims in Mayne, but we didn't want them.”

- Sir Ferdinando Gorges (1565-1647) as quoted in Inside New England

Spring Dishes

2012-04-14T11:35:00.002-04:00

With the exception of a set of Limoges from one grandmother, all of my china comes from England, including Wedgwood, Portmeirion and Spode.

A pleasurable ritual of spring is putting away my "fall" cups and saucers and bringing out my "spring" versions. It is a time to appreciate not only the different patterns (and of the accompanying tea pots, sugar bowls, creamers, plates and bowls) but the different shapes as well.

I have found that my fall china patterns tend to be older - handed down to us from several grandmothers, some of which arrived with this corner cupboard years back. The lighter, more spring-like patterns tend to be newer, gifts from our wedding as well as from my husband.

For God, For Country, For Yale, and For the Hell of It

2012-04-09T19:49:00.007-04:00

Many friends have commented that this picture should make an appearance here. It has always captured a certain spirit that I appreciated, and I also always liked the coat and hat my father was wearing (bottom, right).

The Museum at FIT will present "Ivy Style"

2012-04-05T21:01:00.026-04:00

The Museum at FIT (Fashion Institute of Technology) in New York City will be hosting an exhibition called Ivy Style that will run from September 14, 2012-January 5, 2013. Given the dream team assembled, including the substantive involvement of both Richard Press and G. Bruce Boyer, the presentation and study of classic menswear should be pitch perfect.

Funnily enough, this may also be the last ever, original collection curated by first-hand, non derivative authorities of the golden age of this style. This moment in time, far enough for perspective yet close enough to draw real accounts, makes this event (and this word is seldom used seriously on this blog) important.

I was asked to loan a few of my father's items for the exhibition and the accompanying book. I headed over to drop them off today.

We were met by Patricia Mears, Deputy Director of The Museum at FIT (on the left), and Colleen Hill, Assistant Curator of Accessories (on the right) .

They graciously took us upstairs to have a look at some of what will be on display this fall as well as in the book.

Patricia will be writing the main essay for the book (also called Ivy Style) which will be published by Yale University Press.

I am excited about both the exhibition and the book and was thrilled to see a sampling at this stage in the process.

We walked past some cars arranged Borg-style...

...before arriving at our destination.

We took a quick detour to Ralph Lauren on Madison Avenue...

I went up to the third floor...

...to get some Men's polo shirts...

.... and look at sweaters.

...and, next stop, picked up some sails...

Another Sail Loft

...for the trip north.

Newburyport, Massachusetts

2012-04-02T20:30:00.010-04:00

Some business took us near Newburyport, Massachusetts and we arrived with a bit of time to kill.

Newburyport can be described by some general terms that fit at least a dozen other regional spots. The architecture is beautiful; there is a maritime history and the town is in great shape. But the downtown area is shaped by and for tourists. Buildings are obscured by the throngs of humanity. Parking is a blood sport. My advice to anyone who wanted to go would be to arrive far off season or to stroll the streets between 5 am and 7. It is more more resort than village. In short, Newburyport is a "Black Dog" town.

(I should say that we have had both Black Dog mugs and hats around the house from its earlier days, and have enjoyed many breakfasts at their Tavern in Vineyard Haven. But I now often find the towns that host a Black Dog store (and Portland either is an exception or at least contains the effect) are increasingly interchangeable. And, while decades ago finding someone wearing a Black Dog shirt in some far flung country brought a smile, now it brings the same reaction as spotting Micky Mouse ears.)

Still, it is a good place to walk.

The Custom House Maritime Museum is definitely worth visiting, very striking and interesting, but does not allow photos to be taken that will be published.

Boats were being readied. (Nearby Plum Island was a frequent birding destination for me as a child.)

The best part of Newburyport is the architecture, both on some of the side streets, and especially on Rt. 1A (High Road) going toward Newbury, where there is a seemingly endless line of truly beautiful, historic houses.

The array of doors is wonderful.

We had a bit more time, so we stopped to find some gravestones.

Before heading off, we stopped at Lower Green in Newbury.

At least fifteen of the first settlers listed here are my husband's or my direct ancestors. (There is no inbreeding like New England inbreeding!)

And yes, one of us shares a slew of ancestors with a certain Vice President.

Royal Male and The Black Pearl, Newport, Rhode Island

2012-03-29T13:54:00.015-04:00

Chuck Ramsay, in a guest post last year, put forth a list of great pairs of places to shop and then places to eat afterwards. This is a Newport addition.

First, Royal Male is an absolute "don't miss" store. It is difficult to say which is more impressive, the sheer density of high quality clothing (mostly European) or the extraordinary depth of knowledge of the family that owns the store.

Housed in a beautifully restored 18th century house (and, as legend goes, was once a brothel), Royal Male is overwhelming in the best possible way.

Happily, owners Etienne and his mother Lynn are there to expertly guide one through the store.

I always have to try on another Barbour.

A Little Saint James and Dubarry

That we arrived en masse did not throw them one bit. Lynn was right down on the floor outfitting our tiniest pack member.

This is a little (a lot) over the top, in the "cloying" category.

They also carry Mackintosh.

A Good Drawer of Socks

Finding the KJP

I am always on the lookout for high quality navy knitwear and with the exception of my Guernsey, never seem to find any. And here was an entire line-up. My queue just got a little longer and I will have to pace myself.

They have been doing this for thirty years and it shows.

Some of my favorites were this FLY3 seamless reversible sweater...

...and this Slocum.

By this point, Etienne's sweater had come off to help contrast garments with seams and without.

For me it is a store that requires several visits to fully appreciate how much there is. Fortunately I will be back in a couple of weeks, but for those who will not be making it to Newport, they have a website and ship.

We left, wonderfully overstimulated, and walked down for lunch, passing two different facets of Newport.

The second half of this Ramsay pair is The Black Pearl. Their chowder was beckoning, so in we went.

One in our group, having been banned for life by Clarke Cooke House in 1980 during America's Cup, of course preferred to dine there.

The 12 Metre Yacht Club - Newport Station

After a very full day, we loaded up once again for a long ride.

New England Boatworks, Portsmouth, Rhode Island

2012-03-28T17:59:00.005-04:00

Spring unofficially arrives when boats are prepped for launch. And there are few better places to see this than New England Boatworks in Portsmouth, Rhode Island. There was a busy and focused hum yesterday and a visit gave us the opportunity to see some new boats.

Portsmouth is a world-class boat hub. Similarly to when many of the supporting businesses for the Broadway industry relocated to Long Island City as Manhattan became too expensive, Portsmouth has centralized many of the boating support services for the Newport area.

The new Shannon 52...

...was built in nearby Bristol.

My favorite,was the exceptional Tigris, a Swan 76.

Guernsey and Guernsey

Some WW II Artifacts

We went into The Ship's Store.

The Store Dog (and every store should have a store dog)

The consignment room upstairs....

...was...

...comprehensive.

Another UK Visitor

New arrivals were being trucked in.

What one really wants to see after a bit of time away.

We completed our business at New England Boatworks and headed out.

Seemingly "everyone" is here.

Finally, we stopped by the offices of North Sails.

While the majority of sail making at North Sails happens in Nevada (sail making and humidity don't mix) this is the place for repairs.

They can handle a 120 foot sail, longer if they lay the sail diagonally.

I picked up a couple of hats...

...and in our capacity as Shore Crew, we loaded up and headed into Newport.

Large Companies Copying Designs From Small American Designers, Outsourcing Production to China

2012-03-27T12:42:00.019-04:00

L.L. Bean's "Made in China" Knock-Off of a "Made in New England" Product

Ivy Style ran a great story called Below The Belt?: Lands’ End Clones Kiel James Patrick. Christian wrote on the latest example of large clothing corporations brazenly copying designs from small, US designers and manufacturers, and outsourcing the production work to China in the process. KJP and I had talked about this example just a few days earlier.

I had posted another example of this, L.L. Bean's Maine Isle Flip-Flops, knocking off Eliza B. And then there is this example: when Ralph Lauren launched their Rugby line, they "copyrighted the name of several previously existing rugby supply stores and organizations, including Barbarian Rugby and USA Rugby" (Source: Wikipedia).

We all stand on the shoulders of giants. And we have come to expect cheap, no-name knock-offs of famous brands. But when the famous brands themselves do the knocking-off so shamelessly, and then shift production away from the United States as part of the process, while spending their vast PR and marketing dollars on highlighting their own (increasingly tenuous) US-credentials ("Maine Isle Flip-Flops"), at the least consumers ought to be very aware of the choices they are making.

*** Update - This post received the following comment from Cecil Lyon. I will similarly post any comment, unedited, that L.L. Bean cares to send me. ***

"I just became aware of this article. For the record my name is Cecil Lyon. I own and operate Eliza B.

We have been making sandals for 15 years. Originally for fisherman in Florida and eventually for ladies' boutiques. We were the first ribbon sandal and for many years the only sandal with a "toe ribbon". And yes we have been successful. And, if you are successful it is likely some of your ideas will be "borrowed". So it goes.

L.L.Bean was quite brazen with their borrowing. I had been trying for a decade to get a meeting with one of their buyers. No luck. Then one day a buyer called and asked to see samples of our sandals. Could we overnight them? We were jubilant. Finally a chance to meet with L.L.Bean. I waited three days and followed up with a phone call. Couldn't get through. Called four more times. Buyer was unavailable. Four or five months later I opened an L.L.Bean catalog and there they were. Perfect little knock offs of our sandals. Right down to the millimeter.

At some level one must admire this methodology. It is ruthlessly efficient. Almost Germanic. Free samples. Free shipping and free design work. As they say in Maine, "wicked smart". I guess I am bitter. I feel like a chump. I will take solace in the fact that I have employed a goodly number of Americans and have enjoyed watching them raise their families. The Bean folks. Well they can enjoy their moo goo gai pan.

There is an exquisite irony to all of this. How does L.L. bean find out about companies like mine in the first place? Probably by reading blogs like this."

*** Update 2: Lands' End decided to discontinue KJP Knockoff. (Ivy Style Link). L.L. Bean remains unchanged. ***

York, Maine

2012-03-25T19:55:00.005-04:00

Here at York Harbor Beach, low tide is spectacular and the view provides a straight shot to the Gulf of Maine.

Just before The Piscataqua Bridge to New Hampshire is York, Maine. And I am always happy to have an excuse to go to York (the Yorks to be specific), especially off season.

Rich in history, including our own, York holds the title of the first chartered town in the country (1641).

York Town Hall

First Parish Congregational Church

York has an impressively rigorous historical society which owns and operates nine historic properties.

Old Gaol

Methodist Church

The southern Maine coast is very different from Mid-Coast and Down East Maine. While points further north have a great many peninsulas, islands, inlets, protected harbors and are just rockier in general, southern Maine has far fewer outcroppings and has instead its dramatic sandy beaches.

Vintage or kit car? I vote for kit – the wheels and tires are the wrong size, and the rear fender and tail lights are suspect.

York is also home to the very popular, 9-acre Stonewall Kitchen Headquarters/Company Store/Production/Cooking School, and the famous Nubble Lighthouse. And of course, York Harbor is known for its grand (late) 19th century Shingle Style houses.

It is incredible that a lovely town like York can be only about 6 miles away from the cacophony of the Kittery Outlets. Although I must confess, I do occasionally stop by the Barbour and Orvis outlets (although never in the summer), which fortunately are right next to each other.

However, this being Maine, here is what is right behind both stores.

Break In and Shake-Down

2012-03-24T17:41:00.003-04:00

Spring is the time for breaking in. A friend, who is restoring his new (old) boat needed to take it to Newport for some work. We were there for a leg of the shake-down voyage.

The plan is to have it ready for rafting up with the sailboat for "front row seats" at the America's Cup pre-races (AC World Series) in June, in Newport.

There are not many boats on the water this time of year.

The 1965 Pearson power boat was built in Bristol, Rhode Island.

I also broke in my new Harding Lane hat...

...and my KJP Tristram Calm Waters.

And I took my new (original) Sperry Topsiders on their own maiden voyage/ breaking in as well.