Places - Seeing Design

Published April 26, 2010 by Anne Collins Howard

We Picked a Wedding Venue!

It’s official. We are having our winter wedding at the Mountaintop Inn! We looked at number of fancy and fabulous places around Vermont but this Chittenden resort just said Mike and Anne. Set on 350 acres of forest overlooking a massive reservoir, this venue feeds our love for the Green Mountains and all the activities they have to offer: snowshoeing, cross country skiing, sledding, lounging by the fireplace, and stargazing from the hot tub.

To us, Vermont is prettiest under a blanket of snow so when it came to choosing our ceremony spot, the mountain-facing patio was the only choice. This outdoor location may sound crazy for a wedding in early March (especially to my Southern Californian family members) but it’s that little bit of insanity mixed with extreme beauty that will make this wedding memorable and uniquely ours.

The Ceremony
This photo was one of the few examples the Mountaintop Inn had of an outdoor winter ceremony (go figure), but seeing these huge smiles set against snow-covered mountains was the only example we needed.

The Reception
I’d take a tent over a ballroom any day. Never doubling as a conference room or a tradeshow floor, tents only go up on special occasions. And this one is particularly lovely with its draped-fabric ceilings, arched windows, parquet floors, and winter-ready heat system.

The Accommodations
For weddings over 100 people, the entire property automatically closes to the public and becomes reserved for our family and friends. Guests can choose to stay in one of the quaint rooms at the inn or for something a bit more secluded, they can rent one of the chalet homes. These houses sleep anywhere from 4-18 people so it’s conducive to a couples retreat or a slumber party with old friends.

Next on the wedding to-do list: pick a photographer.

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Vermont wedding

Published March 4, 2010 by Anne Collins Howard

My New Favorite Flea Market

I grew up being dragged to flea markets around greater Los Angeles–and though I have fond memories of the Rose Bowl and Long Beach fleas, I think I remember them best for the soft pretzels and license to drink soda before noon. Last weekend I flew home and in my quick three-day trip, I was determined to give the L.A. flea market scene another shot. Because it was the fourth Sunday of the month, it was Santa Monica Airport’s turn in the monthly market cycle, and I couldn’t have been happier about the timing. Smaller and much better curated than the average show, it was the best way imaginable to spend the two hours before a flight.

An airport parking lot doesn’t sound like a particularly scenic venue for a day of shopping, but the 175 vendors took the time to set up professional-looking displays (and the sea of prop planes in the background actually added to the appeal). Under white tents, vignettes of living areas and dining scenes made each set-up feel more like a boutique than a one-day booth. Part of the reason the displays worked so well is that a crop of contemporary vendors are also allowed to show there each month. Though new wares generally send a flea market into swap-meet territory, these stalls with their shabby chic furniture, vintage accents and their slashed prices, actually blended nicely.

vintage pillows — The Euro-Linen booth is the perfect example of the blend of old and new at this flea market. These pillows are made from vintage curtains and the rest of textiles in his booth are constructed from antique French ticking, grain sacks and cloth books.

home design--vintage chair — How Patricia Urquiola are these vintage chairs? If I had a patio in L.A., I would have purchased all six!

vintage home design — The Santa Monica Airport flea is much more about furniture and decor than clothing, but this dress was a knockout.

fluffy dogs — And I couldn't resist these fluffy five-pound dogs protecting their owner's jewelry.

teal table lamps — I fell in love with Cindy Ciskowski's lamps about four years ago, so when I saw a booth of her discounted items, I was ecstatic. My sister bought these two lamps for a mere $200. Love the Lucite bases.

antique bronze trays — I got this oval art-deco tray as a backing for my next sconce project.

Though I may feel different about the flea markets of my youth now, I am going to rank the Santa Monica Airport as one of the best–even the food was good!

Santa Monica Airport Outdoor Antique and Collectible Market is open on the first Sunday from 8:00 A.M. to 3:00 P.M. and the fourth Sunday of the month from 6:00 A.M. to 3:00 P.M. (the fourth Sunday, the one I attended, is the bigger of the two and I highly recommend it!).

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antiques flea market los angeles

Published February 1, 2010 by Anne Collins Howard

Finding the Ultimate Reception Venue

First off, I promise not to turn this into a wedding blog but since I’ve just started planning a wedding, I can’t resist telling you about the beginnings of my venue hunt. Mike and I have decided to have a winter wedding in central Vermont: the area where we first joined a ski house together four years ago. Between the mountains, rivers, covered bridges, and maple syrup farms, there is really no place cuter.

And the epitome of VT quaintness? The town of Woodstock.

Woodstock was the first stop on our list of potential locations. We have always loved this village. The 18th-century architecture, the stream that passes under the main street, the antique lamp posts, cheese shops, and boutiques all combine to make it one of my favorite places in the whole country (and I’ve driven across the U.S. twice). The town is full of charming bed-and-breakfasts, but to accommodate 150 guests for the ceremony well need something bigger than a quaint courtyard. The Woodstock Inn is definitely the largest and grandest hotel in town, so we had to check it out.

Though the Woodstock Inn is quintessentially small-town Vermont, the suites feel fresh and sophisticated (i.e., no wooden ducks and twig wreaths); if I could choose any rooms for our guests to stay in, it would be these. While I could definitely imagine a gorgeous wedding in the inn’s ballroom, we realized that if we were going to have a wedding in the Green Mountains, we needed to embrace what Vermont does best: the great outdoors.

On to the Mountaintop Inn (pictured here and top)! Set on 350 acres of forest and perched above a massive reservoir, this Chittenden property was recommended by my dear friend Erin (who actually introduced Mike and me–good omen). Offering ice skating, cross-country skiing, dog sledding, snowshoeing, and horse-drawn sleigh rides, this hotel definitely appeals to Mike and my former-camp-counselor sensibilities. The inn’s decor is bit rustic for this L.A. girl, but the space is supremely cozy, with lodging options that just couldn’t be better. Couples can stay in the lake-view suites, while groups of friends can rent three-to-five-bedroom chalet homes on the property for as little as $55 a person.

Though we are leaning heavily toward the Mountaintop Inn for a winter wedding, the experience of hunting for venues is too good to rush. Looking for reception sites is probably the best excuse to sample all the hotels you’ve ever dreamed of visiting, and I’m going to soak up every moment.

Do you know any great hotels, farms, barns, mountain peaks in Vermont that you think could work well for a wedding? If so, wed love to hear them!

Places

Vermont wedding

Published December 11, 2009 by Anne Collins Howard

The Most Romantic Hotel

I’ve stayed in some fancy hotels in the past, but I don’t think I’ve ever found one quite so luxurious (or romantic) as the Rockhouse in Negril, Jamaica. Mike and I spent last weekend there, and it wasn’t the full-treatment spa, the award-winning restaurant, or the thousand-thread-count sheets that won us over—those things are standard in the luxury realm. So what makes the Rockhouse the real créme de la créme? Privacy. And I don’t mean the kind that requires a “Do Not Disturb” sign.

Along the low-lying cliffs of Pristine Cove are 20 thatched-roof villas—all single story, all freestanding. Either perched on the edge or nestled into the cove, each has a private terrace with two Adirondack chairs, the shade of sea grape trees, and a view of the turquoise Caribbean. Mike and I stayed in a studio the first two nights and a premium villa the last two—both complete with a four-poster bed and outdoor shower—only to realize that there is no such thing as a bad room. The upgrade just goes from amazing to unreal.

The staggered landscape always seems to keep neighbors out of sight and makes it feel like the grounds are yours alone. Two-person patios jut out on the ledge or drop down into a cove for secluded sunbathing. Craggy natural rock separates each spot, making encroachment near impossible.

For couples, it couldn’t be a more amazing place. If you don’t feel like leaving your room for a meal, room service is free of charge. If you don’t feel like being apart at the spa, there is no markup for a side-by-side massage. If you are feeling social, they have happy hour by the pool each sunset.

The setting was actually so romantic, it pushed Mike to propose. Yes, I got engaged at the Rockhouse (and I’m incredibly excited about it) so I may be biased but with their rank as one of Travel + Leisure’s Top 25 Caribbean resorts and Patricia Schult’s book 1000 Places to See Before You Die, the Rockhouse has more fans than just a smitten bride-to-be.

For more information on the Rockhouse visit RockhouseHotel.com

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Carribean hotels rockhouse

Category: <span>Places</span>

We Picked a Wedding Venue!

My New Favorite Flea Market

Finding the Ultimate Reception Venue

The Most Romantic Hotel