We snuck off to the beach over Memorial Day weekend to spend some time with John’s family (at their amazing beach house near Bethany Beach, Delaware) so we thought we’d share our house-related adventures. A while back a reader (thanks Ann!) recommended checking out The Old Screen Door in Lewes (about 30 mins from Bethany), so we took a drive out there and it was the cutest little town (which boasts that it was the first town in the first state). Here’s the front of the shop:
It’s not very big inside, but there’s a collection of really fun old stuff going on (mixed with some new stuff to keep things interesting).
And Clara loves bikes. Well she loves lots of things (birdies, duckies, doggies, kitties, cars, blocks, her stuffed giraffe that she affectionately named Gee, etc) so it was no surprise to us that she honed in on this cool metal tricycle as soon as she saw it.
So like typical parents with no willpower we bought it for our office (since it’s really not meant for riding, but it’s fun to look at and we’re all in there all the time). At thirty beans it wasn’t exactly free but we like to pick up one or two “house things” whenever we travel (that way they have a vacation memory attached to them, which seems to make them more special). Here are some better shots that we snapped of it back in Richmond yesterday:
We don’t have a specific spot for it in the office yet, but we figure once we add more storage and cabinetry it’ll look pretty sweet in there. Of course, no sooner had we put our purchase in the car did we look at each other and simultaneously realize that it kinda reminded us of the creepy tricycle from the Saw movies:
So even though it should give us the heebie-jeebies it somehow makes us laugh (and thereby love it a little bit more). Ah random quirkiness – gotta have some of that to make a house a home.
But back to our visit to The Old Screen Door. I was also head over heels in love with this tiny outdoor chair (it was the best weathered gray color) but at $65 (which isn’t bad, we’re just cheap) we decided to leave it there for the next baby to enjoy.
Then we drove over to downtown Lewes which is a gorgeous tree-lined street full of shops and goodies (like a store called Cake Bar). Clara had a ball in Kids Ketch (a toy store packed with fun stuff). Here she is perusing the monster collection that hung from a clothesline across the entryway:
She especially liked a small green doll called Groody. Let’s just say that Groody’s tag cracked us up (if you can’t read it, it says: Groody is a pretty relaxed, easy going, energetic, stressed out, moody broody mess! Aaaaaahhhhh! Did I just close that door? It was a ghost! Did I send that e-mail to the wrong person!!??? You get the picture. If you are willing to help him on his quest for inner peace he will help you on your quest for whatever dealio you got going. His first though).
Hilarious. Oh and remember snap bracelets? I wore one as a scrunchy in grade school. Oh yeah, I was that cool. Anyway, they had snap bracelet watches that brought me back.
But we left without Groody or the snap bracelet watch (sometimes it’s just fun to window shop and spend a few bucks on ice cream as you walk around). Oh and speaking of window shopping, I spied this cute little pig planter through the window of a flower store. Totally my idea of a good time. In the words of A.C. Slater, “oink, oink babe.” <– audio clip here
One of the most fun places that we popped into was this little alley marked “Antique Mall”:
Inside were some of the most amazing collections of cool stuff that I’ve seen in a while. Like these pretty oversized mercury glass finial-like accents and the fun antique bronze porthole mirror:
And this insane to the membrane (well, to mine at least) wood horse. He was $250 firm, so I hugged him and then moved on. Not without telling him I loved him first (see, he made me go crazy).
I also fell in love with this amazing print about Kalamari (at over $200 I had to pass it up, but I still daydream about it for at least twenty minutes a day):
And this tin whale thingie was, in the words of my girl Bethenny Frakel, amazeballs. It’s hard to explain but you could rock the whale back and forth and the mouth would open and close and the eye would move from left to right. In short, he was cooler than my snap bracelet scrunchy.
And then there were these baskets. I loved how tightly they were nested (the whole set was muy expensive, but they also sold them individually).
What did we get? Well, right as we were about to leave we noticed a little stand of iron birds and sea turtles for $6 a pop. And you might remember that I have a thing for sea turtles thanks to our moving-day experience and a certain necklace from Cougartown (more on that here). So we decided to take this little guy home with us.
So our total spent for the day was around $40 (including our $30 bike, our $6 sea turtle, and some ice cream to enjoy while strolling around Lewes). It was a good day. Oh and there were such cute houses too. Like this one with not one but two giant concrete dogs out front (we were driving so I only caught one):
And this inviting little beach palace with crisp white trim and a picket fence:
And this guy complete with gargoyles guarding the hydrangeas:
Of course we also had our fair share of family time and beach hijinks. Here’s a little slice of that for all you Clara-loving folks (hi mom):
Oh and I read a lot of Bossypants aloud to John (he’s the driver for our road trips, so I’m in charge of entertainment while Clara and Burger are in charge of sleeping) and we both thought it was hilarious. So I guess I’ll fill in where Oprah’s Book Club left off and recommend it.
That’s all she wrote. What did you guys do for Memorial Day? Any other beach trips or window shopping excursions? Anyone else who wore repurposed a snap bracelet as a scrunchy?
Psst- Creepy saw tricycle image from here.
Psssst- We announced this week’s giveaway winner. Click here to see if it’s you.
Leslie Ann says
Speaking of recommendations for places to visit, I was having lunch at John Jacques Bakery in Carytown recently and thought of Sherry- they have a white ceramic chicken living in there! :)
YoungHouseLove says
I love it there! We get a Yule log cake every Christmas there!
xo,
s
Elisa says
I love the close-ups of Clara in her beach hat!
Babs says
so jealous of your trike! i have been looking for one ever since i saw a plant stand (plant went on the seat) at kohls that looked like a bike. would love to diy one as soon as i find a trike of my own!
Rita says
I know it isn’t the same, but here is something I saw that is similar in theory to the picture you loved, but at a much more wallet-friendly price:
http://vintagemetalart.com/shop/index.php?cPath=13
YoungHouseLove says
Cute!
xo,
s
Jess says
We drove by The Old Screendoor one evening a few weeks ago and the “OPEN” sign that’s in your first photo had the “N” moved to the front so it said “NOPE.” I had never seen that before and thought it was an adorable idea.
YoungHouseLove says
Hilarious! I love it.
xo,
s
Jen @ The Decor Scene says
Love all that you bought. Great pics of Clara too. We are thinking about going on vacation over the next couple of weeks and this might be a great place to drive to. How long do you think it might take from NY to get to the DE area? I need some relaxation on a vacation for once. ;)
YoungHouseLove says
John’s sister comes from Manhattan and it’s about 4-5 hours. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Jen @ The Decor Scene says
Thanks Sherry! I guess it might take us 5-6 because we are out on Long Island. Thank you for the estimate though. I think we can do that.
Do you have favorite places you visit when you go to DE? Nice Beaches to check out? Thanks!
YoungHouseLove says
We love Bethany Beach! And there are lots of fun places in downtown Bethany along with taking a drive out to Lewes.
xo,
s
Joscelynne says
When I was pregnant we went into a little toy store in Seattle with the same Monsters (they are UGLY DOLLS started by a Vietnamese couple, I think. Who wanted to make dolls that we not cute but with cute personalities so that kids would learn not to judge a book by it’s cover)
We bought our daughter one name GATO DELUXE with this written inside:
Gato Deluxe is all that! He’s got it going on big time! Just look at him! He’s got a nose, some hands and enough confidence to make you think he’s up to something fantastic! Or at least that’s Gato Deluxe on the outside.
On the inside, Gato Deluxe is a real sweetheart who knows he’s all that, big time. Wait, that’s the same. That’s right baby! Gato Deluxe is walking down the street! Like I had to tell you! Try not to stare! Meow!”
YoungHouseLove says
Hilarious. And I love the concept behind them!
xo,
s
Kate says
Thanks for giving DE props! We never get the respect we deserve.
Melissa says
That video of Clara is so cute! She’ll tell those waves what’s-what! Thank you for sharing her adorableness with us!
Suggestion for your road trips if you ever get tired of reading out loud. I’m totally obsessed with NPR podcasts on my iphone and actually look forward to drives of more than an hour (never thought that would happen, having just moved from NYC to Oregon). My husband and I love This American Life, RadioLab and Fresh AIr.
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks for the tip! We’ll have to check it out!
xo,
s
Lane Tynan says
We so enjoy your blog. We love that it stems from a ranch style house – which so many of us here grew up in. The classic style is one that we are very familiar with and one that can be daunting creatively sometimes…but we love that it is the base with which you are highly creative from!
Keep up the great work and blog posts!
Stephen Saint-Onge our Designer Dad here loves your attainable approach to home and design.
Great work!
YoungHouseLove says
Aw thanks so much for the sweet note Lane! We’re big Stephen Saint-Onge fans!
xo,
s
Holly says
My husband and I have discussed visiting Dewey beach lately but I may have to convince him to go to Bethany Beach! I want to go to these shops!
Wom-mom Ethne says
I thought of you for just a second as I put my flower pots out on my deck. It’s a small gesture, but it’s about the only home improvement I’m doing these days on our condo. Waiting for the next house. Still, the flowers make me happy. Aside from that, we had a super visit down to my Dad’s in Omaha, which is a lovely town if you’re ever that direction. I only had a regular snap bracelet, not one that could be a scrunchie – you are LUCK-Y!
Suzanne says
LOVE Lewes and the beach there. We actually drove from Annapolis to Lewes to have our engagement portraits done!
If ever interested check out the photographer-he’s amazing!
http://www.englers.com/mp_includes/body.asp
YoungHouseLove says
He’s great!
xo,
s
Lindsay says
My Memorial weekend wasn’t quite as relaxing. We installed new flours in the entire house…I’m still recovering
YoungHouseLove says
Wow that’s insane. Enjoy them (after you recover)!
xo,
s
Heather @ REOlisticRenovation says
That little grey teak chair is so adorable! Looks like a fun trip.
Lauren says
Hi Sherry, John and Clara,
I love your blog! I just did a Memorial Day weekend drive from Michigan to Virginia and “Bossypants” on audio book was my saving grace! I laughed all through Ohio and then some!
My favorite part was the “Prayer to my Daughter” and the line: “May she play the Drums to the fiery rhythm of her Own Heart with the sinewy strength of her Own Arms, so she need Not Lie With Drummers.”
Love it. :)
Thanks so much for your blog! It is my morning highlight to check in and see what you all have been up too!
YoungHouseLove says
I loved that part too. I died over the Hollister mention.
xo,
s
Michele says
Aaaaw, Clara, cutest bathing suit ever!
LARY says
Love the bicycle! I actually saw a mini one at the flea market this past weekend, didn’t buy it because the lady wanted $8 for it, it was so tiny and cute but I just couldn’t pay that haha. Then when I got home and saw the pictures I took of it I was regretting it all day!
Jen says
Awww slap bracelets, those are HUGE in my house right now! For all you slap bracelet lovers, my husband’s company is bringing slap bracelets back with an updated twist! Check out their website http://www.slaplet.com you can purchase the bracelets online or at Michael’s stores for 5.99. They are wrapped in hypoallergenic silicon and come with fun links and in many colors. :)
YoungHouseLove says
No way. They’re baaaack!
xo,
s
blaire says
I, too, beached it up for Memorial Day – but I’m guessing that Corpus Christi is muy diferente from DE – much hotter, much more humid, and much more “oh no she diiiint”‘s running through my mind when observing beach attire.
YoungHouseLove says
There were a few of those going on in DE. Haha.
xo,
s
Laura says
We are in Corolla, NC this week and bought Groody for my 20-year-old “baby!” Also, wasn’t Bossypants hilarious? Loved it and loved the beachy pics of Clara… what a cutie!
Sarah says
My husband and I went to Richmond over Memorial Day! It’s a quick trip for us from Alexandria. We had dinner at Sticky Rice per your recommendation & really liked it! Thanks!
YoungHouseLove says
So glad! Mmm, it’s so good.
xo,
s
Jamie Rae says
Ok…I have to know where you got Clara’s swim suit! It is THE CUTEST darn thing I have seen in a long time.
YoungHouseLove says
That was a hand me down from her cousin Elsa but I think it’s originally from Gymboree.
xo,
s
Melody says
I’m glad you liked Bossypants. I’ve been debating whether or not to get it!
Brittany says
Listened to ‘Bossy Pants’ on the way home from our first anniversary vacation last weekend in the ‘Northern Neck’ of VA. That book was hilarious, especially with Tina reading it–we didn’t event notice the 2hr + drive home!
Donna says
We are road tripping back to NY after 12 days at the beach in SC. We are blessed to have a second row oceanfront cottage on Fripp Island. Our family reunion took place over the long holiday weekend and it was a total BLAST!!! BTW…Clara looks more like you Sherry everyday and I even see a little of Nonna in her as well! I really enjoyed your post today….and the dining room looks great!
Only 550 miles to go!
Donna says
Love the tricycle!!! I’m envious (although I have nowhere to put it!
Jordan says
I grew up 4 miles from Bethany Beach and spent lots of time in Lewes (had a best friend who lived RIGHT NEXT TO that gargoyle house you snapped a picture of!) so it’s fun to see your pictures! My family still lives there, although I live in California now. Next time you’re there, check out my grandmother’s antiques/gift store, Hudson’s General Store! =)
angela says
Ahhhhh Clara is growing some pretty blonde hair! =) She is just too cute! Love the pics of her! =) I have a handsome 8 month old that she would love to meet! Haha!!! =)
Shari @ Chicago Cuisine Critique says
That town looks amazing! All of the little shops you went to are so cute. I love that you guys always pick something up when you travel. Such a great idea. And little Ms. Clara is looking cute as ever. Glad ya’ll had a great Memorial Day.
Alanna says
We spent our long weekend installing new bamboo wood floors in our kitchen/family room. Not quite a fun, relaxing weekend, but it paid off in the end!
http://www.alanna-wendt-to-tennessee.blogspot.com
YoungHouseLove says
What a project! You’re lucky to have that done!
xo,
s
Melissa@Julia's Bookbag says
CUTEST BABY EVER!!! Oh that made my day! I love her yelling at the beach video! First time Julia saw a Hawaiian beach (where I’m from) she cried. The noise of the surf was too loud for her, and she didnt want her feet to touch sand OR grass. That was at age 1. At age 2, she was all over it!! ~Melissa
Rachel @ We Heart Minnesota says
Clara’s swimsuit is to die for. So adorable. And that’s so funny that you found a slap bracelet watch. Slap bracelets were banned at my catholic grade school for being “dangerous,” which was totally ridiculous, but they were pretty innocent times 20 years ago if slap bracelets were on the list of weapons.
Sadly, we certainly did not have “beach” weather over Memorial Day in Minnesota, but we also enjoyed some family time. Thanks for sharing.
Diana says
I LOVE YOUR SITE!! It’s so helpful and I love to watch both you work together! I don’t know how you both work together and not get tired of each other. Also did you know that there is another blog that has the same name? I thought it was Sherry and John but nope it was a whole another couple and same blog theme.
Here is the site if you want to take a look at them:
younghouselove.blogspot.com
YoungHouseLove says
Yeah isn’t that crazy? We’ve tried to contact them but it seems like they abandoned the blog.
xo,
s
katie says
funny — i was at that same antique store over the holiday weekend too! there were some other antique stores i wanted to check out in lewes but the 2-year-old was getting frisky.
DanielleR says
First of all, Clara is looking just like you Sherry, she has such a happy Sherry like smile and big pretty eyes! (Sorry John lol, you have lovely eyes too).
That being said, your post brought up a whole bunch of memories for me too, we called them slap bracelets! I had a purple one with leopard spots (I was also extremely cool lol). And I have a turtle exactly like the one you bought, except mine has a hollow belly so you can use him outside as a key hiding mechanism. Fun!
karen says
Happy post..i love it!
i’m glad you guys got the bike for clara!
love her video…my little ones were also entertained!
Clara is looking so much like you Sherry! xoxo
Tatiana says
Bossypants is HILARIOUS. Everyone read it now!
Alondra says
Sort of not on topic but I was wondering how your book was coming along. I know you probably can’t discuss details but with all the you have going on, I don’t know how you have time to write a book as well.
Can’t wait to have it in my little hands!!
YoungHouseLove says
We write the book during road trips! Between Bossypants readings, haha. We charge both laptops and we brainstorm and I type away into a word doc. Of course we also write on weekends and evenings when we’re feeling particularly in the mood. It’s a lot of work but a lot of fun. The hardest part is choosing things to share immediately on the blog and other things to save for the book. Can’t wait to share more details as we go!
xo,
s
Amy @ A Little Nosh says
That is the CUTEST bathing suit on Clara! I need a girl so I can dress her all cute-like.
kelsey says
OH MY GOSH, I have the best slap bracelet story – my Dad taught me a lot about being cheap and how to do things myself. One thing he just knew he could do for us was to make our own slap bracelets. He took some old school wide metal window blinds and covered them in fabric. The only problem was, they were a tad sharp and would cut us. So Dad threw those away for fear that DSS would come and take us away for all the cuts on our wrists.
Love that beach town, what a spectacular place and the shops look so fun! And of course Clara is so, so cute – baby girls in bathing suits are the most precious thing ever!!!
YoungHouseLove says
Oh my gosh that’s too funny! So glad you didn’t get scarred for life from your DIY snap bracelets.
xo,
s
Sarah says
I love that you read BossyPants out loud to John! I did that to my fiancee and by the 30th quote I found myself saying: “last time I swear, but I have to tell you, it’s TOO funny”.
Ahh…Tina Fey.
Lori @ Richmond, BABY! says
Clara has such cute swimsuits and her dress is adorable too! So glad you guys had fun…my soon to be sister in law works for an event planning business in Lewes and really loves the town. We were there last summer and took the ferry over to Cape May, NJ…it was a lot of fun!
Andrea says
I spent my whole memorial day putting new floors in our living room. Eight hours putting in floors with the hubs. Good news: we got it done!
I think you guys had more fun. I’m jealous.
Laura says
I too spent the weekend at the beach, in Bethany at my family’s house. Love going to the shops in Lewes, but I have never been to The Old Screen Door. I’ll have to check it out he next time I am over that way.
JenWoodhouse.com says
Looks like you guys had a great Memorial Day weekend!
But I have to say, it kind of makes me sad that so many people forget what Memorial Day is really about. It would be nice to know that people appreciate the sacrifices made that allow us to enjoy our barbecues and beach trips.
YoungHouseLove says
We definitely appreciate that as well (we get together and talk about it with John’s dad who is a vet)!
xo,
s
Liz F. says
OMG raging sea turtle envy.
Stephanie W. says
Bossypants = freakin’ hilarious! I just finished reading it a week or so ago. Every night for about 20 minutes before I went to sleep I would read a few chapters to myself and DIE laughing. I drove my boyfriend crazy with it by constantly interrupting his before sleep Netflix watching to read him another hilarious paragraph while simultaneously laughing so hard he couldn’t understand anything I said. Needless to say, he was pretty happy when I finished it!
Kelly-Anne says
I am about half-way through Bossy Pants and agree that Tina Fey is TOTALLY HILARIOUS! I was reading it at the beach on Monday (here in Maine, holla!) and kept laughing out loud!
Ana Silva says
I read “Bossy Pants” too and it is funny! It’s even funnier if you hear the audio book. She reads it and emphasizes and talks funny where needed. Sounds like you all had fun.