Road Trip-Connecticut, Take Two: Memorial Day Weekend-Sunday

During my trip, I came across a place to eat called Skooter’s.  The name alone made me want to try it.  Although spelled differently, it conjured up visions of Springsteen’s “Tenth Avenue Freeze Out”
(“…when Scooter and the Big Man bust this city in half…”).SONY DSC
I stopped in Saturday night for a quick snack (I am a sucker for pie) and instantly fell in love with the 50’s feel of the place (including the gorgeous juke box).
IMAG0347

 

The friendly waitress told me their breakfast was really good, so I decided to forgo the dry piece of toast offered as a continental breakfast at my hotel and treated myself to a hearty start to my day.

Never mind how delicious the eggs, bacon and home fries were (and they were scrumptious!!!).......how could anyone NOT enjoy a meal with Sam Cooke ("Bring It On Home To Me") and Elvis ("Jailhouse Rock") playing in the background???

Never mind how delicious the eggs, bacon and home fries were (and they were scrumptious!!!)…….how could anyone NOT enjoy a meal with Sam Cooke (“Bring It On Home To Me” and Elvis (“Jailhouse Rock”) playing in the background???

After breakfast, I drove to Old Lyme. On my way, I stopped for a picture of the water:

SONY DSC

Next stop: Treasures (http://www.treasuresoldlyme.com/).

SONY DSC

Treasures is a little bit of everything: old, new, furniture, housewares, clothes and accessories.

This hutch is new, but I love the color and its aged look.

This hutch is new, but I love the color and its aged look.

Love the robin's egg blue color of this dish set!!!

Love the robin’s egg blue color of this dish set!!!

I think these chairs would look great inside in a living room or outside on a porch or deck!!!

I think these chairs would look great inside in a living room or outside on a porch or deck!!!

I thought this set of demitasse cups was sooo pretty!!!

I thought this set of demitasse cups was sooo pretty!!!

My finds at Treasures:  Six Ironstone dessert plates.  They were 20% off so they cost me less than $15.00!!!

My finds at Treasures: Six Ironstone dessert plates. They were 20% off so they cost me less than $15.00!!!

After shopping, I did some exploring in Old Lyme. The town has its own cemetery, and I must admit I think cemeteries are beautiful, especially old ones. The detail of the headstones, the trees and surrounding landscape plus the serenity are what I find quite stunning.

SONY DSC

SONY DSC

I loved the old fashioned water pump in the cemetery.

SONY DSC

Old Lyme is on the water, so I could not miss the opportunity to get another picture of it on such a pretty day!!!

SONY DSC

And everywhere I went, from the cemetery to the water, I was greeted by my favorite flowers: lilacs.

SONY DSC

SONY DSC

I could not help but pick one to put in my car.

SONY DSC

After that, I saw a sign for a barn sale. It did not actually take place in a barn, but I stopped anyway.

IMAG0361

Here’s a word I don’t see at too many sales in NY: FREE!!! (lol)

IMAG0359

My finds from the sale: Three stainless steel cabinet door storage bins for $8.00!!!

IMAG0370

After the sale & the sightseeing I was a little hungry, so I stopped for some homemade ice cream
(http://www.oldlymeicecreamshoppe.com/).

IMAG0362

The toasted coconut was so yummy!!!

IMAG0364

Then it was on to the Florence Griswold Museum (http://www.flogris.org/).

SONY DSC

There is a separate building used as a gallery behind the Griswold house which had beautiful art, but my favorite piece was in the historic house. I never saw an oil painting in black and white. Simply stunning!!! Thank you, Robert C. Minor!!!

SONY DSC

SONY DSC

I also adored the look of Ms. Griswold’s bedroom. Someday I want a house with a fireplace in my bedroom!!!

SONY DSC

Happy digging fellow vixens!!!

Advertisement

Road Trip-Connecticut, Take Two: Memorial Day Weekend-Saturday

My weekend in CT for the Springsteen concert reminded me how much I love that state. I spent many of my childhood summers on vacation visiting family in Kensington, and two of my most memorable field trips in school were spent in CT-one at Mystic Seaport and the other in Hartford.

So, I decided to go back to CT for Memorial Day weekend for some sightseeing, some culture and, of course, some shopping!!!
 
I started my day on Saturday by visiting the homes of two literary icons: Harriet Beecher Stowe and Mark Twain. I never knew that they were neighbors!!!
 
This house behind this sign is the Mark Twain House. The Stowe house is across from it.

SONY DSC

The back of Harriet Beecher Stowe’s house faces the Mark Twain House.

SONY DSC

The Mark Twain House.

SONY DSC

This figure of Mark Twain is made out of Legos!!!

SONY DSC

After a day of literary history, I was ready to do some shopping. The Past Antiques Market in Oakdale, CT was just the place to do it!!!

SONY DSC

Even though I was a tomboy, I had one of these when I was a little girl!!! Who did not love Barbie (although I must admit Skipper was my favorite!!!). Remember all the cool outfits you could fit in this case???

IMAG0330

This vintage television with its black metal legs would make a great side table for a sofa or a bed!!!

IMAG0333

Got gumballs???

IMAG0336

Remember using one of these??? Cell phones may be more convenient, but phone booths are just TOO COOL!!!

IMAG0324

This looks like it belongs on the set of “Mad Men”. You can almost picture Betty Draper’s maid using this around the house!!!

 

Classic Peanuts game.

IMAG0328

My finds from The Past Antiques: An old baking tin for $10.00 and a CT license plate for $4.00.

IMAG0368

The nice man behind the register at the antiques store gave me a great recommendation for dinner.

IMAG0345

My choice from the fabulous menu at the fish market? The hot lobster roll on ciabatta bread. Delectable!!!

IMAG0341

After dinner, I took a ride along the water. I love to listen to the sound of the waves hitting the boats. And the sky was so pretty!!!

SONY DSC

The evening air was so refreshing, I decided to drive to Groton to take some more pictures of the water.

SONY DSC

SONY DSC

SONY DSC

Road Trip: Connecticut

Because of the Springsteen concert, I spent last weekend in Connecticut. While Saturday was all about Bruce, Sunday was all about shopping. And what better place to shop than a flea market? This stop: The Elephant’s Trunk Country Flea Market in New Milford, CT.

First stop on my road trip......breakfast!!!

First stop on my road trip……breakfast!!!

About 90 minutes after leaving my hotel, I arrived at the flea market.

About 90 minutes after leaving my hotel, I arrived at the flea market.

This is just one of at least 50 aisles for shoppers to walk down at the ET Flea.

This is just one of at least 50 aisles for shoppers to walk down at the ET Flea.

I love the look of vintage metal signs.

I love the look of vintage metal signs.

Love these buckets!!!

Love these buckets!!!

My weakness.....vinyl!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My weakness…..vinyl!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What a blast from the past!!!  This would look totally cool in a vintage kitchen!!!

What a blast from the past!!! This would look totally cool in a vintage kitchen!!!

Isn't this adorable???  It would work inside or outside to hold books, plants, a bucket of flowers or as an extra seat!!!  Too cute!!!

Isn’t this adorable??? It would work inside or outside to hold books, plants, a bucket of flowers or as an extra seat!!! Too cute!!!

Some of the new items you can purchase at the ET Flea include plants.

Some of the new items you can purchase at the ET Flea include plants.

And more plants with pretty flowers!!!

And more plants with pretty flowers!!!

Don't just take my word for it about how great the ET Flea is.....local cable shows were there to see what all the fuss is about, too!!!

Don’t just take my word for it about how great the ET Flea is…..local cable shows were there to see what all the fuss is about, too!!!

My scores from the ET Flea:  an old gym locker for $20.00 and a blue floral sugar bowl for $3.00.  Add that to the $2.00 admission fee and all I spent at the sale was $25.00!!!  I love thrifty days like this!!!

My scores from the ET Flea: an old gym locker basket for $20.00 and a blue & white floral sugar bowl for $3.00. Add that to the $2.00 admission fee and all I spent at the sale was $25.00!!! I love thrifty days like this!!!

<

“You can’t start a fire without a spark…….”

One month after seeing him induct the E Street Band into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, I was lucky enough to see Bruce Springsteen and company in concert at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, CT (please forgive the poor picture quality…..I was in the last row and the lighting was fighting me!!!).

Bruce and the band were in their usual exquisite form, performing classics like “The Promised Land”, “Born to Run” and “Dancing in the Dark” to sublime covers of Gary U.S. Bonds’ “Quarter to Three” and the Isley Brothers’ “Shout”. But my favorite moment of the night? A beautiful acoustic version of “Thunder Road” by Bruce, his guitar and his harmonica-with accompanying vocals by the audience. Sublime. Special thanks to the Rhode Island guy sitting next to me for making the night extra fun.

A Springsteen concert is like a family reunion. You get together with people you did not know you were related to, but once you discover you are family, you party. And dance. And sing. To some of the best music ever made!!!

B-R-U-C-E!!!

The luck continues….

The luck continues....

On my first day doing the estate sale thing this season, after I hit the motherload of sales, I was driving to a second sale when I spotted signs for yet another sale. This one did not have any White Ironstone, but it had everything else.

I picked up a Lazy Susan, a tarnished silver footed bowl (not sterling silver…..I wasn’t THAT lucky LOL), four old Mason jars with their lids and three books-all for $10.00!!!

The season has just begun-go get your bargains!!!

Why oh why didn’t I play the Lotto after such a lucky day??? I could be posting this from my new home in Paris!!! LOL

Motherload…….

Motherload.......

My first estate sale of the season was a rousing success!!! Ten pieces of B-E-A-U-T-I-F-U-L White Ironstone (that’s right-10!!!) were just sitting in a box waiting for me!!! What a find!!!

Now for you purists out there-no, the pieces are not flawless. But then again, I am not a flawless kind of girl. I consider my collection “the island of misfit Ironstone”. I LOVE when there are visible brown crackled spots and other obvious signs of age. I adore the fact that these pieces had a life before me, one that did not consist of them sitting in a cupboard for display only. Items like these are too beautiful not to be used every day!!!

If this haul does not make you stop at the next yard sale/garage sale/ estate sale you see, YOU ARE CRAZY!!! LOL