John O'Donnell at Black Squirrel

Win $250--

Share a summer highlight dressed in BSQO!

As summer winds down, let's see how much fun you had.

Submit via email a picture of you, your family or a friend having fun this summer (surely wearing a BSQO item) and you will be eligible to win $250 to spend at BSQO!

All entries due Sept 7. Winner will be announced on Sept 9. Prize must be redeemed by November 1, 2011.

To get the ball rolling, here are a few highlights from my summer!







Family and friends on lax sidelines in BSQO from NC to CT!

Me and my nephew, Will and son, Quinn in NC and I am wearing my beloved Island Company board skirt.

Last but not least, our family trip on the St. Croix River which is the border between Maine and Canada. It was filled with fun rapids, splash fights, fishing, our never ending game of hearts, great views and lots of laughs! We were all well outfitted with our BSQO gear from Natives to Cloudveil to Sherpa to Ibex to Rab to Mountain Khakis to 66 North!

Nut of the Month

We were lucky enough to have John O'Donnell, founder of Johnnie-O, spend a rainy Saturday at Black Squirrel. Despite the weather we had a great day. Those who joined us enjoyed margarita slushies, lots of Johnnie-O color and fun conversation with John.

Since pictures speak louder than words...

Mother's Day

Our new silk/cotton short just introduced by TailorByrd is my "Nut of the Month." I love the feel, detailed stitching, length and color choices (light khaki and chambray). The soft hand of the fabric comes from the silk/cotton blend -- don't be afraid of the "silk." They are still machine washable and not dressy like your grandmother's silk dress. The detailed top stitching is a great touch; very classy. The length is a smidgin shorter than what we have seen in past years. Just like women's dress lengths that vary, men's short lengths vary too. Above the knee is much more stylish for a more refined look, which is where these shorts take you. The colors are simple and straight forward pairing well with anything in Black Squirrel, and most likely in your closet too!

Dress yourself or your man up a bit in a pair of these. It is almost summer!

Nut of the Month

Whoever said you can’t treat yourself on Mother’s Day? Go ahead, I did!

I just returned from a long weekend in Atlantis with my boys (Quinn & Hayne), my good friend from Colorado, Andrea, and her two boys (Ben & Ryan). While Atlantis may not have been mine or Andrea’s top pick, the vacation criteria was somewhere warm with lots of convenient activities for our boys – and it hit on all the metrics.

Here are a few of our favorite things:

• Snorkeling with Capt. Basil of the Blue Hole
• Conch salad and grouper fingers at Bro B's
• Sunsets on the beach
• Caribbean beverages for all ages
• Mayan temple slides

These things were all great, but truly my everlasting memories will be of all the smiles, laughter and idle chit chat with good friends and family. While great memories can be created anywhere, it certainly does not hurt having blue skies, warm air, green seas and laid back island attitude to put you in the right frame of mind.

I admit my early Mother’s Day treat was a bit extravagant, but I blame that on Andrea’s persuasive ways. If you can’t pop down to the islands for the weekend, let me offer you some of my favorite “island tested” Black Squirrel goods. My Island Company board skirt was a perfect complement to my bathing suit and worked well with running shoes when the boys and I walked across the bridge to the food “shacks.” My Island Company Niki shirt was super comfy and just the right length. Lastly, as I have said before my Native sunglasses were a huge hit.








































If you do treat yourself at BSQO or anywhere please share your purchases or experiences with me. Happy Mother’s Day!

My youngest son and I are crazy about the new ChappyWrap blankets. You may associate blankets with winter, but think again. Spring is time to be outside watching a game, having a picnic or listening to a concert. This cozy blanket will keep you dry and warm when you are sitting on the cold damp spring grass and double as a wrap to protect you against those not quite summer yet cool breezes. How many times have you sat on the sideline of a spring sporting event and found yourself freezing? Or, you venture out for an early summer boat ride or beach outing, the wind picks up and you are cold? Black Squirrel has you covered with the perfect spring blanket – a ChappyWrap. You will want to keep one in your car, boat and beach bag.

We discovered these comfy blankets at the NYC gift show. Here is our attraction:

1. they feel great
2. they are practical
3. they are oversized
4. they are easy to care for
5. they are way “cooler” than other stadium/beach blankets

ChappyWraps are 60% cotton to provide extra fluffiness, 33% acrylic and 7% polyester to prevent shrinkage and pilling. Reversible, machine washable, and extremely durable, ChappyWraps are sure to become your everyday blankets ($105). They certainly have for me.

So far our ChappyWraps have seen our couches, beds, hockey rinks, and sidelines. I can’t wait to use a star ChappyWrap at this year’s July 4th fireworks.

ChappyWraps make great gifts. Stay cozy.