Nantucket Day 2

Hello, dear friends.  If you missed my first post covering our weekend in Nantucket, you can find it here.

The sun woke us up in our beautiful room.  We enjoyed a delicious breakfast and walked to town.  We had a mission in mind.

When Sista was in college, she decided to head to Nantucket to find a summer job.  When we talk about it now, we can't believe our parents actually let her do it.  She did not know a soul on the island.  When she arrived, she got a waitress job at a hotel called The Harbor House.  She didn't last long.  On her first day, she slipped on a wet floor with a tray full of pancakes, waffles, and syrup and the job was history.

Sista bounced back, though.  She not only got a job at a gift store, but the lady that owned it rented her a room.  She enjoyed a wonderful summer.

So this day was designated to finding all of Sista's old haunts.  We found the gift shop in which she worked her fingers to the bone and it is now a scrimshaw shop.  The infamous hotel that lost the best employee they ever had moved, but most of the bars restaurants that were her hangouts were still alive and thriving.   

Although a lot of the shops were closed for the season, we found incredible buys in the ones that were open.  When we walked into a shop, the shopkeeper would often ask, "Are you here with Elin?"   Hmmm.. I thought we looked like natives.

Sista and I agreed that we both enjoyed being on the island off-season.  

The stores that were opened had incredible deals.  Fifty percent off and more!  As you can see, Sista hit the jackpot!

We worked up quite an appetite shopping.  We stopped into one of Sista's old watering holes for lunch.

Sista's thinking... if walls could talk...

We met this lovely group of Sistas in town..  We all agreed that The Blue Bistro was our favorite book.

We also met our new bff's, Amy and Cathy with a "C."  They had just gotten back from a tour of The Brewery in which they discovered a new love for beer.

Our bus tour with Elin started at 3.  She is a ball of energy in size double zero jeans.  She took us on a full tour of the island and pointed out many places that she referred to in her books.  We all ooohed and aaahed because of course, we all read all of her books.  We saw the restaurant that was her inspiration for The Blue Bistro, beaches, restaurants, and The Brewery that were frequently referred to in her books.

She encouraged us to ask her questions, which we took full advantage of.  Elin opened up and let us in on what it's like to lead the life of a famous writer living on one of the most romantic islands in the States.

Elin shared with us that she is divorced from her husband who is the GM of the Cliffside Beach Club Hotel.  It was there that The Blue Bistro was born.  I was kind of sad because she dedicated a couple of her books to him.  But I was happy to hear that they are good friends.

When working on a new novel, Elin writes seven to eight hours a day -- longhand on legal pads.   She then edits it while typing it on the computer.  She spends 6 weeks in February and March on a writing retreat in St. John.  Her ex takes care of her children.

I got this pic off of her FB page.

Her latest book, Winter Street is the first book in a trilogy.  The other two books will be released at Christmas time for the next two years.  I was delighted to hear that because I really enjoyed Winter Street and the family that it centers around.

   Elin's favorite book that she has written is The Blue Bistro and her favorite character is Margaret, who plays a CBS anchorwoman in Winter Street. 

Elin mentioned briefly that she had just gotten out of the hospital four days prior.  We learned more about that during the speech she made that evening at the dinner.

The bus tour and meeting Elin was another fabulous highlight of the weekend.

Along with everything else at Nantucket Hotel and Resort, the ballroom did not disappoint.  I loved the beams, lighting fixtures, and casual elegance of the room.  

The tables were set with a stack of Elin's books as the centerpiece and votives and seashells encircling them.  

Elin was so gracious with all of the guests.  
But between you and me, I think she liked Sista and me the best.  Just don't tell anyone.

"I think she really liked us.  I could tell she totally wanted to hang out with us."

Elin made an incredible speech.  She spoke of her recent battle with breast cancer.  She found a lump last February, during her annual writing retreat in St. John.  The irony is that her most recent best seller, The Matchmaker, centered around a woman who battled breast cancer.  

Elin ended up having a double mastectomy.  Soon after that, they discovered that she developed MRSA in her left breast.  Again, she was hospitalized and had surgery.  She joked that she was probably the only woman that has lost three breasts.  Four days before we arrived, Elin was released from the hospital from having reconstructive surgery.  You would never know it, she looked great and seemed to be full of energy.

Sista and I had fun talking with Wendy Hudson.  She is not only one of Elin's bestees, but she owns both bookstores on the island and co-owns The Brewery. 

Wendy is a Smith grad and loads of fun. 

Our table of new bffs.

The next day, Sista and I bid our beautiful home-away-from-home adieu.  

As Arnold would say... We'll be back...

Our line for the ferry.  That guy in his jammie bottoms had the right idea.  Why didn't I think of that?

Until next time, beautiful Nantucket.

Hotel.....    a few bucks

Shopping.....  a few more

   Sista Time.........  Priceless

Hope your Thursday feels like a Friday!