Nautical Luxuries Blog | Mid-January Newsletter

MID-JANUARY NEWSLETTER:

The Beach Cottage in Winter

My little island beach cottage transforms itself in winter.  The nights are longer, the surf is louder, and the windows are closed against the wind and rain, but inside it’s as warm and cozy as can be; transformed from it’s easy summer persona, when the doors and windows are open wide and the sea breeze and sun embrace every corner.

January is the perfect time to get inspired with new ideas for the coming spring and summer months – when the fireplace will, once again, lie dormant – and the windows will crack in startled protest as I re-open each one to greet the new season.

Need a little mid-winter inspiration yourself? There are about 100 Items On Sale now at Nautical Luxuries, that might just help you get through the gray days of winter, and thinking instead about the warmer, sunnier days to come!

SCROLL DOWN FOR THESE UPDATES :

Year-Round Coastal Home Decor Inspirations

Luxury Winter Escape: Caribbean Superyacht Charter

Best Sailor’s Bar On The Planet

Key West Heats-Up… Hopefully

Bespoke Beach Calligraphy

Fine China’s Wacky Neighbor

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      New Luxuries                         On Sale

Year-Round Coastal Home Decor Inspirations:

If you find yourself inspired to consider the possibilities for your own beach cottage in 2010, here’s a great year-round online resource: Coastal Living Magazine’s website has an endless supply of great decorating ideas… with beautiful images.

I highly recommend you have at least 30 minutes, (preferably more), to spare, and a cup of coffee, or glass of wine, while you browse through some truly inspiring homes.

Luxury Winter Escape: Caribbean Charter     

Picture yourself – and 11 of your ocean-loving friends – lounging in umbrella-cocktail bliss aboard the 177-ft. charter yacht MARAYA this winter in the Caribbean, and saving almost $135,000 off the weekly rate!

It’s a wonderful vision!

MARAYA’s more striking features include a master stateroom balcony terrace which can be lowered while at anchor to provide a completely private external relaxation area for the principle guests.

The luxury yacht provides 5 separate deck areas, each with its own on-demand entertainment centers. MARAYA also offers an array of water sports equipment on board and a great selection of toys.

If you’re ready to take the plunge, visit CharterWorld.com for more details.

Best Sailor’s Bar On The Planet                               

Scuttlebutt Europe and Wight Vodka recently conducted a global contest for the best sailor’s bar. The winner? Peter Café Sport, located at 38° 35N 28° 42W on the mythical ‘Blue Island’ of Faial in the Azores.

According to Scuttlebutt: ‘The Peter’ won due to the faithful voting of the thousands of yachters who have experienced the warm hospitality, great food and excellent cocktails there. Yachtsman Bill Stone wrote a rather passionate description of Café Sport when he cast his vote:

“To a sailor, the ‘best sailor’s bar’ is quite obvious – she has no peer in the Atlantic, or, it can be argued, any place else on earth. It has history and tradition, it is not easy to get to, and once within its walls there is a rare camaraderie that permeates this hallowed berth. The memory of a seat is a sirens song to passaging itself, imbuing memories impossible to forget. This is Peter *Café Sport*. Those fortunate enough to have laughed with their mates at Pete’s carry with them their own Shangri-La.”

Here’s the complete list of the top ten voted Sailor’s Bars:

1. The Peter Café Sport
2. The Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club
3. IYAC in Newport, RI
4. Maddie’s Sail Loft in Marblehead, MA
5. The Candy Store in Newport, RI
6. Le Select in St. Barts
7. The Bitter End in British Virgin Islands
8. The Royal Bermuda Yacht Club
9. Foxy’s in the British Virgin Islands
10. The Willy T in the British Virgin Islands

                        The Candy Store, Newport, RI

The Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club

Key West Heats-Up…Hopefully                              

We sailors always look forward to the fabulous green-water pictures from Key West Race Week each January. They brighten up the gray winter months like nothing else!

This year, with temps so low the oranges were shivering on their branches, it wasn’t looking like the bliss-fully warm sailing weather I’d dreamed about. Today, though, the iphone is reporting 79-degrees in Miami under mostly-sunny skies, and more sun and mid-70’s temperatures during the week!      Photo: Tim Wilkes    

Stay tuned, January 18-22 for plenty of enviable warm-weather sailing shots, and the full report from Key West as 134 yachts and crew from around the globe hit the starting line.     

Bespoke Beach Calligraphy

Talented South African calligraphy artist, Andrew van der Merwe creates custom photographic images of names hand-carved in sand.

For $75, Andrew will carve the name of your choice and provide you with a signed hi-res image suitable for making large format prints – or truly unique invitations for your next beach party.

Add a second name, and I think they’d make extraordinary beach wedding invitations!

Fine China’s Wacky Neighbor

We love working with great artisans like the folks at Rolf Glass. Their “Schooling Fish” barware is not only beautifully engraved and dishwasher-safe, it’s downright fun to use, or set a table with! 

Look closely, and you’ll find a single fish among the school swimming in the opposite direction. Is he lost? Or, as the folks at Rolf like to joke, maybe he just knows something the others don’t.

Cheers!