Timeless is a celebration of Mackinac Island and its cottage architecture. The book includes historical context and gorgeous exterior and interior design photography — perfect for fine coffee tables everywhere!
That said, I must also tell you that this post is much more about an experience than a book. Recently Steve and I returned to Mackinac Island with friends for cycling, hiking, and tea. (On my Flickr page you’ll find a small photo album.) This was my third trip to Mackinac, and my second afternoon tea at the Grand Hotel. (See photos/details of our previous tea here.) Once again, the setting was elegant and comfortable, the service attentive, and the food was . . . well, take a look for yourself:
It was DECADENT! And so very delicious.
Alas, I tend more toward gluten-intolerance with each passing year so I did pay for this delightful treat with a fearsome belly ache. What saved me was our long walk along the West Bluff, which turned rather magical as we left the hustle and bustle of Main Street to stroll by the grand houses overlooking the lake. We continued along the narrow, wooded Pontiac Trail to a quieter residential area, where we enjoyed the flowers and trees whilst sidestepping the manure from the carriage horses. We returned to Main Street feeling much lighter, and so decided to bike the 8 mile ring road for a second time that day. With most of the tourist traffic gone we had a glorious time working off the residual bloat from our afternoon tea debauchery.
I left the island knowing I wanted to write a story set there. Not a summer time-travel romance like Somewhere in Time** (which I need to watch again because it’s been DECADES), but a dark mystery set in winter. Apparently, it’s a whole different world during that season, and I imagine things could get creepy pretty quickly during those long, dark nights. Mackinac does have its ghost stories, apparently, but so far I haven’t found anything terribly compelling on this subject. Please let me know if you have a suggestion!
In closing, I wish to recommend the tea featured with the book at the top of this post. This organic offering is “a fragrant and refreshing blend with its base in delicious, herbaceous organic Darjeeling black tea from India, blended with pure organic peppermint leaves and organic rose buds for a light and slightly citrusy cup.” Tea Palace is based in London, but they do have an online store for US customers. I’ve always been highly satisfied with their offerings and customer service!
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**FYI — Somewhere in Time was adapted from a novel by the incredibly prolific and critically acclaimed Richard Matheson, who set his story in California rather than Mackinac.
