THE SPIRIT OF PLACE The first time I stepped onto the dock of Nantucket Harbor, I knew I had arrived at a place with spirit. You can’t miss it. It is laid in the cobblestones, etched in the scrimshaw, sung from the sea captains’ homes, and whispered through the widow’s walks.It was there that I launched the business that continues to evolve to this day. It was also there, at my inn Fair Gardens, that I held the first learning vacations. In a place where Quaker wives of centuries past were often on their own, their husbands out to sea, it seemed appropriate to host workshops for modern women who seemed never to be away from their families. They would check in on Sunday and spend the week learning to hook, quilt, stencil, and create themed herb gardens, each skill having a kinship with those practiced by women of times past. Today, there are learning vacations for every interest—cooking, painting, surfing, home building! We hope our new Life Lessons section will inspire you to take time to find a new passion or immerse yourself in one you already have. Every city, town, and village has a prevailing spirit, but in some cases, it is so strong, it infuses everything within its boundaries. Key West is one of those places. Its spirit is carried through the island on tropical breezes. The balmy climate not only encourages exotic flowers to flourish, it also favors zesty colors, rattan furniture, and cool cottons. Homes in the mountains, like those at Eagles Nest in North Carolina, draw on different elements. These high altitude retreats respond to the cues of morning mists, rugged rocks, murmuring waterfalls, and towering trees. Subscribe to La Vie Claire Return to Claire Murray Home Page

Meet Claire On Mackworth Island in Maine, trees have ears, magic rules, and fairies are afoot, and just like the children who scout Mackworth seeking materials for the fairies’ homes, Sarah Grant and her team of artisans roam the woods outside Sticks Inc.’s Iowa-based workshop, searching for that ideal twig or perfect prompt for a colorful clock, wisdom-inlaid table, or sentiment-imbued mirror. Sarah finds inspiration everywhere. We can too; we just have to attune to our surroundings and cast our fear aside. During a Bev Sanders’ Artista safari, Carmel-by-the-Sea sets the scene for intrepid exploration of the inner artistic landscape. Joining Mari le Glatin Keis for a sketching vacation means discovering that there is no right or wrong way to render an experienced place. A swath of color, a few drawn lines, an earth fragment will do. Suzann and Jon Partridge have made their farmland their canvas, and each summer, they host the Artful Garden, a beguiling tour of flower-filld grounds planted with works of art fit for their site. Finally, renowned cookbook author Patricia Wells has long channeled the French passion for locally grown produce, regional wines, and artisanal cheeses through her cooking classes in Paris and Provence. Food and France go together, born of the spirit of place. This spring, discover the spirit of your place and find your own unique way to give it expression, for this is how it lives.   P. S. We’d love to hear your thoughts about La Vie Claire. Please send a note to Claire.