Sunday, June 29, 2014

A visit to Lili’s place in Sorrento

I’ve returned home from my trip to Maine and still have several photos to share with you. I went to visit my friend, Lili, while I was there.

I met Lili Vansluys in 2011 after talking with her for over a year online. At the time, she was writing about her life in Sorrento, Maine via her blog, Fearless Nesting, and I loved seeing her part of the world year-round. A couple of years ago, she and her husband, Henri, bought a piece of property that was for sale across the street from their home and Lili is now the proud owner of Frenchmans Bay Tea Co. which sits on the property.

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She sells antiques, unique treasures and gifts, works of art, shabby chic accessories, and several lovely blends of tea. She also has a reading room in the back where people come to do research on the area. My sisters and I visited her twice while we were in Maine and I could have spent the entire day there reading, perusing the eclectic collection she offers for sale, and especially walking through the cemetery she and her husband are restoring on the property. Yes – a cemetery! (More on this later because I don’t have all the facts surrounding it). Lili, if you’re reading this, you should really do a post on it!

Here are a few photos taken during both of our visits. Some are with the Nikon but most were taken with my cell phone.

 

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We were offered tea, which was delicious, along with little licorice candies that went surprisingly well with the hot beverage.

 

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Outside were many garden accouterments . . .

 

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. . . as well as hand-made pottery fired by Lili and Henri.

 

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My friend, Lili, with two of her grandchildren – delightful little ones who were completely at ease talking with adults and being helpful around the shop. They were both very keen to meet George the dog but I think I’ve mentioned before that George has a fear of children. This is sad because he’s so beautiful and friendly-looking that all children want to pet him. But he is completely spooked by them.

We did spend quite a bit of time at the shop, however, and he eventually warmed to Lili’s grandchildren. They were so good and gentle with him and my sisters and I were very impressed with these two young ladies.

 

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Lili snapped this photo of me with my ankle up the day after I injured it.

 

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I could have stayed there for the entire day . . .

 

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She snapped this one of my sisters and I on the day we returned.

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Thanks, Lili, for being such a gracious host.

For anyone planning on visiting the Sorrento area, a stop at Frenchmans Bay Tea Co. is so worth a visit. Take Rte. 185 S off of Rte. 1 and travel about 3/4 mile to the little shop on the right hand side of the road. And please tell Lili I sent you!

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27 comments:

Thistle Cove Farm said...

Surely hope you recover quickly from the injury. I don't have many fears but injury is one; on the farm, it could be horrible.
Such a lovely trip and the shop is delightful!

Deb said...

What a fun post. Your friend is such a talented lady and I love her shop. The pottery shed is wonderful. Our dog, Kane, is also leery of children and I have never let him too close to them if he does not know them well. I always felt the same way as you do about George. Both dogs are so beautiful and children naturally want to pet them...what a shame. Hope the ankle is better by now. And btw...licorice goes with anything. ;-) Deb

Tracey Grumbach said...

Glad your trip was safe and fun! What a lovely shop your friend has! I'd love to visit next time I am in the area!

Slamdunk said...

Looks like a wonderful place to visit and certainly details on restoring an old cemetery would be interesting. We have so many of them around here--the history has always fascinated me.

Sabrina Steyling said...

Looks heavenly! I hope I can get there someday to see it for myself. <3

Cloudia said...

Such a pleasure to see you and George both looking so beautiful



ALOHA from Honolulu
ComfortSpiral
=^..^= <3

Cait O'Connor said...

My kind of shop, lovely pics.

Michelle said...

You had the perfect excuse; you SHOULD have stayed all day!

Thanks for sharing your trip, as I doubt I will ever get to Maine. It's a looooooong way from NW Oregon....

Mersad said...

I love stores like these, there is always something to find in them. And even thought not everything goes together, everyone can find something for themselves (I like those plant pots).

Mersad
Mersad Donko Photography

Karen thisoldhouse2.com said...

I would love to come across a shop like this, love your pics too...

The JR said...

What a great little shop.

Love the pictures. She sounds like a terrific lady.

Daryl said...

delightful!

hope by now the ankle is feeling better xo

Linda Kay said...

Thanks for sharing those pictures. I've taken down the address and hope to visit there next year when we return to Maine. Sorry about your injury, hope it is good now.
Linda

Gayle said...

Thank you SO much for taking us with you. Wonderful pix. Hope your ankle is mending well.

linmil said...

Your posts lately make me miss sibblings more than ever. My husband and I were both only children. How blessed you are to have such a great trip with your lovely sisters and George. It's good to see your smile. LOVE your photos!

jo said...

I'm so happy you had this wonderful vacation. Maine is a state I really want to go to. It seems like everything there would be beautiful. So sorry about your ankle. You look terrific, by the way. I know that no matter how great the vacation - there's no place like home. I just got back from almost 3 wks in Hawaii, and while I knew I was heading back to a flooded basement that I had to pump several times a day until just two days ago, but the weeds and the mosquitos - horrendous on both counts. But still, it feels good to be home. Have a great week.

The Weaver of Grass said...

I might live thousands of miles away but I so want to go into that shop and have a good look round.

Carolynn Anctil said...

I LOVE stores like that and could spend days in them, too. It's always so great to connect in person with people we've come to know through blogging. Hope your ankle is feeing better soon!

Carolynn
A Glowing Ember

(GBS) NewsFromTheHill said...

Your friend has created a magical spot! So fun to see!

Grace

Lili said...

Oh Kate you are the sweetest. Thank you so much for this beautiful post, you flatter me so! I am missing you girl! xoxo

Chesapeake Bay Woman said...

She looks so young, I thought those were her daughters! Glad George warmed up to them. Lovely place.

Gail said...

What a wonderful place to visit.

Hope your ankle is healing well.

GailO said...

We will be up in Maine in
August and will surely make an effort to visit Lili and her delightful looking shop! Sorrento is such a beautiful town to visit in any event!

Licorice and tea does surprise me though lol!

Low Tide High Style said...

I wondered to myself the other day if you would stop by Lili's shop while you were in Maine. Her shop is lovely, just like her, and I loved seeing the pictures of you, your sisters, and Lili and her beautiful granddaughters...and of course George!!!

xo Kat

Reena said...

After looking at your rockport pictures I had to come by and catch up with your week in Maine. The place looks lovely where you stayed as well as all the surrounding areas. Hope your ankle is doing better and George is enjoying his scary bird! Xo

Brynwood Needleworks said...

Hope your ankle is feeling better, Kate. I love the photos of you with George (and of course, you with your sisters, too!)
xo
Donna

Country Gal said...

For some reason I have missed a lot of your posts seems my silly side bar isn't showing new posts from you so I am fixing that now and just catching up with ya ! Also all lovely to . If I may copy the photo of you on the couch with George there on the floor for my blogger portrait folder I like to keep photos of my blogger friends , It is nice to put your pretty face to your blog ? Thanks for sharing , have a good weekend !