I am constantly asked, “What is it like to live on Nantucket year-round?”  Well, I decided to answer this question in a series of blog posts called, “The Nantucket Girl.”  Every few weeks, I will feature a friend who calls this beautiful island home.  She will share with you some of her favorite things about Nantucket and also her favorite picks at Milly & Grace!  I hope this will give everyone a glimpse of what it’s like to be a girl living 30 miles out to sea.

So, I present to you..

Meet Nantucket Girl:  Julia Kuratek

 

Tell us a little about yourself: I have had the pleasure of spending my summers working at Milly & Grace since my best friend Emily opened the store four years ago. Since I am always surrounded by lovely things, it is hard to ever bring home a paycheck! In the off-season I am lucky enough to work with children as a preschool teacher. Although the winters on Nantucket can be quiet, I love that I get to see dozens of smiling little faces every day. This past year has been the busiest of my life. I recently adopted a dog, accepted a new teaching position, and got engaged.

How long have you called Nantucket home?: I am an island native.

What do you do in Nantucket?:  I am a preschool teacher at Children’s House and a Milly & Grace girl in the summers.

Relationship Status: Engaged to be married to fellow island native Stephen Maury. We are planning a June 21, 2014 wedding at Sankaty Head Golf Club.

Hobbies:  I absolutely love to read. I can’t go to sleep at night without reading at least a chapter or two.

Guilty Pleasure:  Bravo TV.

Favorite Blogger: Style Me Pretty has been my go-to blog since becoming engaged.

Favorite Quote:  “When I was 5 years old, my mother always told me that happiness was the key to life. When I went to school, they asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I wrote down ‘happy’. They told me I didn’t understand the assignment, and I told them they didn’t understand life.” – John Lennon

Tell us about your life on Nantucket:  I recently moved to an apartment downtown. I walk to work, to the movies, to restaurants… everywhere. Convenient apartment aside, my life on Nantucket is about my friends and family. I try to combine my love for the natural beauty of the island while spending time with the people I care about most. One of the great things about Nantucket is that your friends are always willing to visit!

Favorite time of year:  I prefer the fall and winter. The slower pace suits me.

What’s your perfect day on Nantucket?:  In the summer my ideal day would be spent on Quidnet beach with my dog, my fiancé, a good book and sandwiches from Something Natural. On crisp days in the fall I like to take walks on conservation land like Sanford Farm.

Favorite: 

Shops: Parchment, Flock, Mitchell’s Book Store, Vis-à-vis, and Milly&Grace (of course!)

Restaurants:  Black Eyed Susan’s, Pi Pizzeria, Company of the Cauldron

Beach:  Quidnet

Nantucket Event:  The day after Thanksgiving is the Tree Lighting Ceremony on Main Street. It is a truly special way to ring in the holiday season.

Tell us an interesting fact about living on Nantucket: More than half of the island is forever conserved from development. It’s wonderful to know that the island will remain largely unchanged for future generations.

What’s the hardest part about living on Nantucket?:  I think everyone could use a PinkBerry within driving distance but truthfully I don’t find it hard to live on Nantucket. I wouldn’t trade my life here for anything!

Tell us something others may not know about this little island: I lived in New York for 6 years and I’ve always found it hard to believe that Nantucket is actually twice the size of the island of Manhattan.

Top Picks at Milly & Grace:

Day Look:

This V-neck Contrast Frock by Tracy Reese is Julia’s top pick for a casual, yet flirty day look!

Night Look:

Little Black Dresses are a staple for every girl and this Kate Spade Black Dress with its signature gold collar looks smashing on Julia!

The teacher in her loves this square art which features the perfect red apple and the cutest saying! Perfect for the apple of your eye! ;)

And she couldn’t resist loving something from our online boutique, specifically all the new DanniJo jewelry!

Thanks Julia for being our third Nantucket Girl!