Little St. Simons Island

Good Monday Morning!  I am back in the studio after spending the past week on vacation.  It was WONDERFUL!  The first part of my vacation was spent relaxing, rejuvenating, and getting inspired on Little St. Simons Island.  The second part was spent taking an incredible group of high school students on a retreat to Panama City Beach.  I wanted to share some pictures and a little more about Little St. Simons Island with you all.  You will more than likely see some of these images reflected in my paintings soon! The island is privately owned and as such has been left relatively untouched save for the few resort houses, the main lodge, and staff accommodations.  We arrived on Little St. Simons Island by boat and mostly used bicycles to get around the island, including traveling the two mile trail to visit the beach.  It was pristine, quiet, and dreamy with moss hanging from trees and wildlife all around.  On our first bike ride to the beach my husband and I imaged we were in a romantic comedy montage biking down a quaint trail with baskets on our bicycles and shade covering most of our path.  To enhance the atmosphere, my husband Aaron sang a few lyrics of "In the Summertime" as any good rom com would play.

We went kayaking the following day where the guide (an incredibly knowledgable naturalist) encouraged us to put the bank mud on our face because it was good for our skin.  She may have been wanting to have some fun with the Atlanta tourists, but we trusted her and found we looked quite awesome with our mud facials. : )

Every meal on Little St. Simons Island was served family style among the limited number of guests on the island each day and night.  While the island itself was rustic in nature, the food reflected the culinary expertise you may find in the best restaurants in downtown Atlanta, with items like homemade "Maple Banana Pecan Ice Cream" served after dinner.  And though they serve "family style" they accommodate all guests needs from gluten free to vegan--since I can't have ice cream I got fresh watermelon sorbet instead. : )

It was a vacation unlike any other and one we will never forget!  I have hundreds of pictures, but here are a few of my favorites from Little St. Simons Island.

Read the Atlanta Journal Constitution (AJC) review of Little St. Simons Island by Charles Seabrook here.