This island draws one back again and again. Its fine, pink sand beach is considered one of the best in the Bahamas and the warm, incredibly buoyant turquoise waters are what photographers photo shop. Doll-like houses, wearing pale shades and charming names like Dilly, Hibiscus and Conch Pearl, date back to the 18th and early 19th centuries. Residents, aka Brilanders, beetle around in golf carts; life is sweeter than sweet.
And one of the really lovely sights in Harbour Island is the cloud formations that light up over the bay with the setting sun.
Best places to stay: Pink Sands Hotel on the ocean and The Landing on the bay.
Best restaurant: The Landing
Best Shop: Miss Maes
Best Outing: Bone fishing in the flats with Bonefish Stuart
Best Sunset Drink: Fresh strawberry mojito at Valentines
Best Bar: Daddy D’s
John Derian is a treasure. It's not that there aren't many with talent and vision because there are, the world over. But Derian has other attributes that make him so beloved. His eye is unerring, his sense of scale is perfect, he layers cultures and eras seamlessly in a room. And he is accessible in brick and mortar. His two shops on East Second Street have been haunts for years. One carries the decoupage he designs and constructs locally (and that make the best gifts ever) along with the coveted ceramics of Astier de Villatte. The second Dry Goods store next door showcases quirky antiques, an assortment of vintage furniture, stacks of heavy french linen, Moroccan rugs and soft cotton Indian clothing. Both are small, but intriguing and interesting enough to seduce you on a journey of the senses.
And now, Derian has opened on Christopher Street in a double-windowed storefront of a two-story 18th century house. It's like walking in to another world. Traditional Astier, and the later Derian/Astier collaborative pieces, line the walls from roof to floor of the front room. The back room, wallpapered in his new cabbage rose design and lit by beautiful Balthus-designed standing lamps with parchment shades, offers a living room in which to settle in, thumb through books and albums, and rest the soul.
So, go to shop, or simply go to travel in spirit to another place and time.
https://www.johnderian.com/pages/our-locations"
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