vacation rental

Off to the Shore!

beach

I’m so happyВ that it’s summer. And I’m even more thrilled that I’ll be spending a week at the beach!

My friends and I rented a house on Long Beach Island, on the Jersey shore. (No, it’s definitely not like THAT Jersey Shore.)

I used to vacation on the island when I was a kid. I remember it being sleepy and quaint—no chain stores, lots of mom and pop restaurants, tons of mini golf courses. My sister and I loved Fantasy Island (the island’s little amusement park) so much, that we even rode and named the same carousel horses year after year. (Mine was “Galaxy.”)

I haven’t been back to LBI in almost 20 years, so I’m excited to see what it’s like now. Either way, I’m expecting to have a very nice, relaxing time. It’s hard to beat long days at the beach.

I may or may not be posting next week, so in the meantime, a few quick links from around the web:

There’s a tech edition of Cards Against Humanity. Yessssssss.

An awesome DIY IKEA cat bed.

Some cool photos and video of the Oakland Ballet working with street dancers. (I’m a big fan of Storehouse, the platform on which that was built. So awesome for telling stories. Can we get that functionality on WordPress, please?)

Have a warm and sunny weekend!

A Whimsical Treehouse in Atlanta

Speaking of wooden houses—aВ few months ago, while browsing Airbnb, I came across a listing that I haven’t been able to get out of my head:В In Atlanta, a couple createdВ a suite of three treehouses, connected by wooden bridges.

I know. Treehouses sound likeВ a travel cliche. How many top 10 stories have you read listing quirky places to stay? (Treehouses! Castles! Old railroad cars!) And I’ll be the first to admit, I’ve written about plenty of said places, both hereВ and elsewhere! 😉

But this place looks so amazing that it won me over at first glance.

treehouse4

I love how the lights createВ such a whimsical feel.

treehouse2

Plus, how awesome that the bed is halfway outdoors! After trudging through this longest of long slogs, I’d give anything to sleep comfortably in open air—in a comfy bed, not just a sleeping bag.

treehouse1

One of myВ favorite features is how the couple incorporated the trees into the space—it really melds the outdoors and indoors.

treehouse3

No joke, I’m seriously considering a weekend trip down to Atlanta, just to stay there! Check out more pics of the place here.

(Images via Airbnb)