Trip Pics
Mid-century Modern at the Jersey Shore
We pulled into the town about 7 or 8
And I yelled to the Ryan “Yo lets stop here later”
I looked at the town I was finally there
To find my throne as the Prince[ss] of
Oops! Got a bit distracted by that sign!
No, this isn’t about a posh neighborhood in LA, but the vintage seaside town of Wildwood, NJ. We spent one afternoon on Ryan’s 30th Birthday trip admiring all the beautifully renovated mid-century modern motels. This town is seriously like a time capsule!
We spent the time driving around, with Ryan stopping patiently about 100 times so I could hop out of the car and into the freezing cold, windy weather, to take photos. ‘Cause I was so in love, I had to get some shots to share with y’all . . .
The Attache Motel is more Art Deco than Mid-Mod, but it’s cool nonetheless.
I think this one was my most favorite of them all, at least from an architectural standpoint. Unfortunately the sea of concrete surrounding it made it hard to show off all its gorgeous lines in the photos.
I have hundreds of photos, but thought you only needed a sampling.
I can only imagine what it will be like when we make our way to visit Palm Springs some day!
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Jane & Katie Take Nashville
Following the conclusion of the Blissdom Conference, my blog friend-turned-roommate Katie and I stayed in Nashville for the weekend, so that we could explore the famous mecca of all things country music. It was a great decision, because Katie was so much fun, and I was so glad to have extra time to hang out with her.
But before we could hit the streets of Nashville, Katie and I had to find a place to recycle all the garbage we’d been hoarding in our hotel room. (Our hotel didn’t offer any type of recycling, can you believe that?) Thank goodness I’d had a roommate who didn’t think I was crazy for saving the recyclable trash!
So once we’d made a feeble attempt to save the planet, we headed downtown. Wowzers. Downtown Nashville was definitely different from any other city I’ve explored! Right in the middle of all the downtown businesses you have Broadway and 2nd Avenue, both of which are very country-music-themed streets.
We wandered down 2nd Avenue, past the Coyote Ugly and other “saloons”
Then headed up Broadway, the main street lined with Honky Tonks where most of the not-quite-famous musicians play:
I loved the architecture along this street, along with all the colors, and the variety of signs:
Our only real stop on Broadway was Hatch Show Print, an awesome print shop where they’re still working the old-fashioned printing press, hand-cranking new prints while you shop. If you’re curious, their website has a ton of detailed info on the printing process. (It’s really cool!)
Every where you looked in the print shop, there were rows and rows of old stamps that they still use to assemble the poster designs.
We bypassed all the boot stores and the touristy junk shops, choosing instead to wander down to the river. Did I mention that the weather was a sunny and beautiful 60+ degrees?
Of course it wouldn’t be a proper city adventure for me if I didn’t drag Katie to a coffee shop. We left the touristy area behind, and headed up a hill along the river into a more “normal” part of town. There, nestled between a nondescript building and a gas station/convenience store, was one of the best-rated coffee shops in town: CREMA.
The coffee shop rocked. Both the cappuccino and the espresso macchiato were delish, the staff was friendly and knowledgeable, and the repurposed items in the decor were fab. But that’s a topic for another post.
Coming to Nashville from blizzard central, aka Montana, I think Katie enjoyed the warm weather even more than I did. But after sitting outside at CREMA for an hour, our feet hit the pavement again – this time heading towards the State Capitol.
The view from the top was ok, but not nearly as breathtaking as I’d expected. Of course, it was January, so the trees flanking the nearby hills weren’t lush and green.
At the foot of the Capitol, Katie and I remembered to get a few photos for posterity. I balanced the camera on a post across the street, set the timer, then raced across the street to quickly pose with her. We repeated this process several times, and surely confused the passers-by.
We continued to wander, past some more fabulous architecture. I wish I could remember what this building was:
While I was getting the above shot, Katie was busy snapping some photos of her own – like this one:
In the courtyard of the building there was a great statue commemorating WWI:
Finally, as the sun began to set on the city, we wandered back to our hotel. We’d seen all that could be seen on foot downtown, and we were pretty exhausted – not from the walk, but from the conference in general. So we made it an early night. And that concludes this episode of Jane and Katie Take Nashville!
And speaking of Katie, be sure to come back again tomorrow for a fabulous giveaway from her shop!
Cheers,
~Jane~
(who wishes she had a cute signature to insert here.)
PS: If you actually want to read about the stuff I learned at Blissdom, click here.
Where have I been?
Oops! I’ve missed a few days of blogging, but I’ve got a great reason. My best friends and I spent a long belated birthday weekend visiting my parents in Delaware. We had a blast! I want to tell you more about it later – especially the amazing Pennsylvania vineyard we discovered – but for now here’s a quick glimpse.
From matching PJs to game nights to DIY’ed haircuts and vineyard visits, it was perfect. We met almost 8 years ago while working at Ambassador Animal Hospital in Richmond, VA. Hence, we call ourselves the “A-Team.” Aside from me, the A-Team consists of an animal control officer & photographer, a veterinarian, and a nurse. Along with my family and my college roommate Melissa, they are the most important people in my life.
My brother asked my mom “They’re 35. Aren’t they a little old for a sleepover?” Our answer? Heck no! First off, our average age is 32.75, and second, we believe you’re never too old to connect with your inner girl.
My dad earned points for surviving the ratio of 5 women to 1 man for the 3 nights we took over the house.
So that’s where I’ve been. Best birthday weekend ever.
Trip Pics: More vacation stories
I’ve finally gotten a chance to post a few more days of our fall vacation on my personal blog. On day 4 we drove from Maine to New Hampshire, discovering more than just the awesome vintage gas station . . .
And on Day 5, we saw a few covered bridges on a gorgeous hike in the White Mountains.
Trip Pics: A glimpse to the past
When Ryan and I passed this old abandoned gas station in the wilds of New Hampshire last week, we had to stop and shoot some photos of it.
The faded, peeling colors of the old gas pumps were so pretty in the afternoon sunlight.
I don’t know where, or how, but I’d love to use some of these photos in my home.
When I spied the “contains lead” warning through my camera lens, I started thinking about how long ago these pumps were used, and how.
They sat in front of a sturdy old wooden building. Why was the building abandoned? Who used to own it? Why was this back road, in a seemingly out of the way location, once a convenient place to place a gas station?
It’s the little things, like this, that make me wish I could peek back in time.
I never in a million years thought I’d want to hang photos of gas stations in my home. But maybe that’s because with gas pumps, just like with most other things in life, they just don’t make ‘em like they used to.
Perhaps a faux sketch is in order?
Trip Pics: The perfect log cabin
After our extremely disappointing stay at the Moorings Inn near Bar Harbor, Maine, Ryan and I were thrilled when we arrived at the Rustic Log Cabins in Littleton, NH to find that they were just as rustic, cozy, and charming as we’d hoped.
Our small cabin had absolutely no cell phone reception or WiFi, and certainly no TV. But what it did have was a fireplace directly across from the comfortable king-sized bed:
As well as a kitchenette (not pictured) and a sitting area.
Along with the owner’s house, the cabins all backed up to a rushing brook whose soothing sounds lulled us to sleep at night.
We were very, very happy there. I cooked up a stew and we did puzzles and enjoyed the fire every night. We plan to return – if not this Christmas, then the next. It’s just the kind of place you want to hide in when it snows in New Hampshire.
Just L: Mid-mod heaven in the White Mountains
Who would have thought that the small town of Littleton, NH would have a top-rate mid-century modern furniture store? Certainly not me. But Monday morning Ryan and I discovered just that, in the form of Just L, a “modern antique” store. We never would have thought to look for such a shop in the town, but we were thrilled when we stumbled into it after getting our morning cappuccino and WiFi hook-up at Miller’s Cafe & Bakery.
The kickass selection of vintage glassware had me swooning:
I was easily able to check one much-wanted item off my shopping list: a set of 8 vintage highball/water glasses to replace the mismatched mess in our kitchen cabinets. I also scored a beautiful vintage ice bucket and an awesome coffee carafe that I think I can use as a wine decanter as well. Ryan got a lamp which you will see when Ryan lets me share a photo of his office (I guess it’s no longer going to be a blog-free zone)!
There were several Danish modern & mid-century modern wooden pieces that would make perfect additions to our home, like this sleek upholstered chair:
Or either of these gorgeous wooden dressers – both of which were reasonably priced:
Or what about this entire “living room”? I wish I “needed” that coffee table set!
And this lamp made me wish I needed more lighting in my home:
And I think I’ve saved the best for last: this vanity has a ton of fun little drawers:
And this awesome little mirror that pulls out and props up for you to remind yourself how fabulous you look:
But even better than all the merchandise were the guys running the shop: Lance and Greg. Their friendliness and helpfulness, coupled with the awesome items at fair prices, have me plotting how on earth I can justify driving back to New Hampshire just to buy furniture this winter. New Years vacation, perhaps?
In the mean time, be sure to check them out on Facebook. If you want to swoon in person, go to 16 Mill St. Littleton, NH. And stay tuned for next week, when I’ll sure to share my new vintage glasswares as soon as I get home and unpack!
Trip Pics: Not quite as expected
My mom is notorious in my family for finding “bargains” on vacation lodging. Her most famous find was the Red Wing Motel near Pikes Peak, which was nothing like the glamorous ad we viewed in the AAA tour book. Apparently I was trained well, because the “fancy country inn” I splurged on for our stay in Acadia National Park the last few nights was nothing like we expected.
Let me just say this first: I never, ever, like to pay more than $100 a night for a hotel room. I like to save my money for food, more food, and shopping for gifts for people. But when I saw that this Inn had a breezy blue and white room offering wall-to-wall windows and a sweeping view of the bay, I thought Ryan and I could treat ourselves.
This is what was advertised on the site. Isn’t it a breezy, beautiful space? I couldn’t wait to wake up in it.
Unfortunately, when we arrived there Friday night, this is what the room really looked like:
Do you blame us for being totally disappointed?
Gone is the breezy white bedding, replaced with an uncoordinated rust and gold bedding set. The upper walls are painted white, and topped with a tacky nautical wallpaper border that edges only two of the four walls in the room. What on earth possessed them to add rust and gold to a pale blue room, complete with blue wall-to-wall carpeting??
I guess they decided to angle the bed against the corner because the room is narrow. . . but if it were me, I’d place it squarely against the wall. Angling it only makes the room feel more cramped and awkward. Does this look like an almost-$200-a-night room to you? Because it doesn’t to me. Even worse, the bed was so rickety that we slept horribly. Any time either of us moved the littlest bit in our sleep, the entire bed rocked to and fro like a ship in stormy seas.
Anyway, the common areas of the Inn were cluttered with antiques displayed in every possible space. The owner clearly loves collecting, which is cool . . . if you know how to display things well. And know when enough IS enough. When moving our luggage through these spaces, we were terrified that we were going to break something.
These photos don’t really show the extent of the clutter, but take my word for it.
There were some great pieces mixed into the space. I joked to Ryan that a team of thrifty home decor bloggers could totally flip that place around in one weekend, using only the pieces the owner had on hand. Here are some of my favorites:
Totally digging these lamps that light the front room:
I love, love, love this telescope. I’d leave the corner uncluttered to really show the piece off.
I’m not trying to be overly critical or judgmental. I know that everyone has a different style, it’s just that I don’t think the website represents the space accurately. I also respect that they’re a small business owner and I was glad to support them. I thought of a way to help them out more, but Ryan wouldn’t let me rearrange the furniture and leave a note explaining why I made the changes I did.
So what do you think? Am I being too harsh, or do you agree that if your business is that of creating a cozy home-away-from-home for travelers, wouldn’t you want to ensure your look was a bit more coordinated?
Have you ever been disappointed by the difference between how a hotel or Bed and Breakfast was marketed and what you really saw when you arrived? Or do you always stick with a brand-name hotel chain, just to avoid this sort of uncertainty?
