This summer, I'm "forcing" my boys to hit the road each weekend to explore New England's summer towns. Although we've been living outside of Boston for four years now, our time has been consumed by babies (and let's face it, our "Covid" era). So now that everyone is on the same nap schedule and can stand car rides longer than 30 minutes, it's time to finally see where we live. As a Midwesterner at heart I've been told that living here long enough and you will transition from a lake person to an ocean person. While I'm still skeptical (there's nothing like a lake in Northern Michigan to me!), I'm warming up to the unique charms of small beach towns in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, and Maine. Before this year, we've only spend a few weekends on Martha's Vineyard (my husband's father built a summer home there in the 70's!) and on his family's lake in New Hampshire. While each have their own unique appeal, I still haven't found "my" place here - and I do want to feel at home/relaxed/refreshed during the summer months (as opposed to melting in our hometown).

So Saturday was the beginning of our new adventure, and we spent the day in Watch Hill, Rhode Island (aka, Taylor's beach). I was pleasantly surprised by how wonderful this small summer village was, and how the modest town itself was not in opposition to (but complimented) the grandeur of the Ocean House.

Whenever I'm somewhere new, I'm always looking for event venues (the curse of the event planner). Needless to say, if I were to host an event in Rhode Island, it would be here. This property is a statement - and landmark. If I had to compare it to anything, I'd say the Grand Hotel on Mackinaw Island (sorry I can't resist the Michigan comparisons). AKA - a dress code and an experience (not just a stay). You host events at locations like these because you care about your guest - you want them to feel special and celebrated as they celebrate you. You're not on a trip, you're on a vacation. As you can see in my list of favors I'd give to guests, I'd aim to combine the nautical feel of the hotel with the whimsy and childlike joy of the town itself. It's a beach-side festival for adults! I'd want to be able to make people laugh, and not take themselves too seriously, in such a formal setting. The goal is to make it memorable, and for the favor to evoke strong memories every time they see or use it moving forward. I want to smell the sea and feel the sun (if even in my head during our next New England winter). Favors are, like most other things in life, not about the thing itself, but the emotions it elicits. What do you think would make a perfect party favor for a fete in Watch Hill?