The Midlife Fashionista: inns

Fash-inn at The Pickering House

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If you love old inns but want a luxury experience with modern conveniences, then you MUST check out The Pickering House Inn located in scenic Wolfboro, NH (just a few hour drive from Boston!).

From the moment I arrived, I felt welcome.

Michael (Concierge), made sure our bags were taken care of and that we had everything we needed for our stay

We got the royal treatment!

Find my travel outfit here: high-rise jeans, denim jacket, sneakers, similar hat, and travel bag / matching luggage tag.

After check-in and a great chat, it's time to explore the inn!

The Pickering House opened just 9 months' ago after a 2 year extensive renovation. Owners Patty and Peter Cook poured their heart and soul into this project and it shows. Every inch of the inn is meticulously decorated with attention to detail.

There are multiple rooms to relax, read a book, play a board game, or take a NAP!

Patty is an extremely talented architect and interior designer.
She did all of the design and decor.

Scrabble anyone?

There are 10 rooms at The Pickering House Inn and each floor has it's own drink station complete with coffee, tea, and lemon water. They also serve yummy cookies in the afternoon.

This adorable Lacoste terry zip up hoodie (size small) and Who What Wear bag were from Shop to Give, where your purchases support Uncommon Threads and our mission to empower women. Slides from Secret Celebrity Shoes--super comfy! This amazing shoe company also supports Uncommon Threads!

Each beautifully decorate room comes with complimentary bottled water, a candy treat (we got caramels!). remote blinds, heated bathroom floor, plush robes, and the most comfy bed ever!

After a cup of tea and a quick nap, we're off to take some fashion photos.

I'm going to show you two fabulous maxi dresses that are perfect for travel since they don't wrinkle, are light as a feather and can take you from day to night.

Shop this dress here.

Cheers!

You can find this purple print maxi here.

The inn offers cooking demonstrations in the gorgeous kitchen.

There is also a magnificent barn, perfect for weddings or events.

Breakfast was INCREDIBLE. This egg roulade was the best I've ever had and the chef was nice enough to give me the recipe! YUM!

I was sad to leave this beautiful inn, but I know I'll be back!
XO Susan

Hair by Robert Jason Salon
Photos by Hubby

The Chico's clothes and Secret Celebrity Shoes were gifted but all opinions are my own...promise! I only post what I love.

Wednesday, May 08, 2019
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The Merchant Hotel

boutique hotels

I recently saw a photo of The Merchant Hotel (Salem, MA) and knew instantly that it would be the perfect place for a Midlife Fashionista shoot.

My photographer, Emily O'Brien, and I arrived at the hotel yesterday with all our gear.

The stately brick inn was built in the 1700's and stands regally on a hill.

But once we got in the door, we were totally blown away by the spectacular decor.

The hotel is funky, modern, and has pizzaz.

Emily and I were shown to our rooms (yes we spent the night woohoo!)

The toughest part of doing a photo shoot is packing and unpacking all the clothes.

But my room was generous, giving me lots of space to spread out.

The innkeeper Jennifer gave us a tour---Emily and I were drooling. Each room is simply gorgeous and so unique!

There's the George Washington room...appropriately named since Washington himself slept there!

I love the starry ceiling.

And the Washington silouette on the bed.

I also found George hanging out in the hallway.

Here's another room--check out the striking foil wallpaper!

We were told that the interior design is the work of Rachel Reider. Such talent!

Emily and I unpacked and got right to work...we wanted to capture every ounce of daylight before the sun went down.

The inn offers so many special places to curl up and relax.

There were vibrant pops of color everywhere!

We shot several outfits then headed down to the lounge to capture some evening looks.

Emily got her lighting set up. We snapped a few photos then....

The power went out!

What could we possibly do since we couldn't shoot? The next best thing...we popped a bottle of wine of course! After the power was restored it was too late to take any more photos, so we had dinner across the street at the fabulous Adriatic Restaurant and headed back to our rooms for some shut-eye.

I threw on my cozy robe and curled up by the fire.

Can you hear my sigh of contentment? Ahhhhh......

The next morning we woke up refreshed and ready to start shooting again. We had an amazing night's sleep on the most comfortable soft and cushy bedding. All in all, we shot eight outfits which you will see over the next several weeks. Prepare for some gorgeous backgrounds!

I can't say enough nice things about this hotel and the staff. On the way out we had a chance to hang with Leah who was just the sweetest. The staff can't do enough for you...they make you feel welcome and at home. Lark Hotels manages The Merchant as well as many other boutique hotels in New England. From what Jennifer and Leah told me, they are all unique and equally amazing.

I've been trying to put into words how to describe The Merchant. It's warm and inviting...there's nothing stuffy or conservative about it. It's old but modern, sophisticated yet down to earth. I found a review online from The Boston Globe which sums it up perfectly.

"History served with a shot of spice" Boston Globe

Stay tuned for my looks at The Merchant...I can't wait to show you!

Wednesday, February 17, 2016
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