Little Cabin In the Woods

Since we've had houseguests this past week, I took advantage of the extra hands to help take baby Ike out and about in the world. He was such a champ for hours while lunching at Enoteca, shopping at Uncommon Objects on South Congress, and picking out toys at big box babytown, but actually transporting him was only slightly less painful than having your appendix removed sans anesthesia. Just buckling him into the carseat brings on apoplectic fits, and once the car starts the situation does not improve in the least. So, guess what? We're supposed to bring le bebe to our annual family Thanksgiving hoedown at the farm in less than a month, which is a SIX HOUR CAR RIDE AWAY. The very idea brings on nightmares at 3 am. Already. To go back to sleep, I am forced to retreat to my happy place:

Ah, holidays at the cabin. Ok, so this is not our cabin -- this little farmhouse in the Catskills belongs to painter Sean Scherer and his partner Mark Mayer.

But that's not stopping me from imagining that our cabin looks more like this one (no offense, Dad... ps, call me about interior design services).

Seriously, how amazing are those kitchen cabinets made from recycled vintage school lockers? Ok, so I wish I had them in my citified kitchen, too.

I am not hating the bat, either.

Or this Andres Serrano photograph surrounded by vintage anatomical models. Actually, I'm not hating a lot of things about this souped up quirky cabin.

Vintage Pompeii postcards flanked by mercury glass lamps and backed by a punchy wall color? Sure.

Clawfoot tub in a bathroom papered with vintage newsprint and AGITPROP posters??? Hellz yes.

I think I saw an ancient Trading Spaces episode where Vern Yipped a room by papering the walls with old book pages -- not nearly as cool as this room papered with blank pages in a geometric pattern.

Do these vintage bird prints as wallpaper pass muster?

These dudes really have a thing for maps and anatomical diagrams, and that's ok by me. I see they are also afflicted by a pottery collecting obsession, which I can empathize with. It's a tough disease to cure.

What do we think of the yellow walls, anyway?

This cozy little nook is calling to me. During my 3 am panic attacks, this shall be my new happy place.

Somehow I don't think I should end with this picture, but it's the only one I have left, and did I mention that I am frequently awake at 3 am? But do you know what? I'm feeling better. There's nothing like a little cozy countrification to instill a sense of calm and comfort in an anxious heart.

At least until tonight.

Round Top Round Up Part 2

I'm still rubbing aloe vera into my sunburned chest and calves after Saturday's marathon trip to Round Top with Karly, but it was worth it despite the hellish heat. I scored some goodies, saw some expensive shit that made me appreciate what I already have, and got a day away from the tasmanian devil that is masquerading as my baby boy. I'll give the baby report at the end of the post for anyone who cares, but for all the rest of you good people, it's on to the special awesomeness that is the Round Top experience.

Some vendors have a very odd sense of humor.

Too bad there weren't six of these sexy chrome and leather cantilevered chairs, or they may have come home with me.

A pair of unaffordable blanc de chine lamps.

A monumental lucite chandelier for a jaw dropping $4500. No one ever said that Round Top necessarily equals cheap. if you like this, wait until you see what I bought for my dining room on Ebay (for much, much less)...

Awesome hooded wicker chair with groovy upholstery.

Big brass Polly.

Sweet little Asian credenza. The white is fly.

Brass cylinder lamp that Karly spied on Friday. I was considering it for my dining room, but ultimately passed. Hope I don't regret it...

Three of six Milo Baughman chrome cantilevered chairs.

I really liked these barstools but didn't even ask the price because homedude thought his junque should fetch a higher price per ounce than gold.

For unknown reasons, Round Top is very baby head friendly.

If baby heads can be friendly, that is. Somehow the packing tape makes the whole mise en scene much more ominous.

Hot pink poles make everything better.

Enormous 60s abstract that was about $4,400 over my budget.

At some point I realized that almost everything we spied with our gimlet eyes was made of brass. Chalk it up to magpie vision.

If you've got some spare change, you can add these trunks to your Louis Vuitton themed house.

I have a trestle table crush.

I reallllllly liked this long, sexy $900 table for my dining room, but A) it's way too narrow and B) it's 900 freaking dollars. That's not how momma rolls.

Round Top is a haven for dead things -- most of which are garden variety -- but these birds are pretty fabulous.

Ok, on to the stuff that managed to find a way home with me:

60's Italian hot air balloon chandelier for Ike's room. The dealer had it marked at $135 and I took it home for $65. Boo ya!

Initially I thought I would paint it black, but now I'm wondering if I should do white with black accents or black with white accents? Will the details get lost if everything is black?

Crazy deco tripod lamp that may or may not live in my dining room. I am considering painting the shade black or gold... what do you think? Or are you a purist like The Hunny, who wonders why every purchase must be spray painted? Does that question even deserve an answer?

Lest you think that Karly and I only purchased lights, Look! I bought a lucite towel set to match a lucite towel stand I already have. The toilet paper holder alone is worth the $15 I paid for the whole kit 'n' kaboodle.

And finally, on to the baby Ike report:

So, my darling, sweet 11 week old baby stayed home with his dad and my mother in law, who did a very excellent job of keeping his antics under control. He took an uncharacteristically long nap, which was bueno, but then HE REFUSED TO TAKE A BOTTLE. FOR THE ENTIRE NINE HOURS I WAS GONE. They had to feed him with a medicine dropper. Gawd, just writing this makes me feel like the worst mother in the world, but he totally took a bottle from me days before I went to Round Top! I swear, this is the most stubborn child ever born -- a trait he obviously picked up from his father. Anyway, he's back to his normal fussball self, so I guess all is well, but I'm afraid it will be a long time before I get to leave for more than three hours again.

Ike with Grandma, doing the cute act. Don't be fooled.

Anthropologie Does Austin: Part 2

As you may remember from Erin's post last Friday, Anthropologie recently dropped into austin, rubbed it's faux flea market goo on every last street corner, then took pretty pictures of the results.  What can I say, Austin is a star, Austin shines, she deserves to have the rest of her pretty pictures shown.  Don't worry, it's easy to ignore the $300 cotton tops.

We pick up right where Erin left off:  smack dab in the middle of the catalog and in the middle of town.  I'm 90% sure this was shot at Flashback Vintage.  A shabby shack on South First with western boots and pants for days.  There's also lots of pyrex, which makes me happy.

Hot Gossip:  This shop used to be in a different location (I won't say where) they moved and the house they used to rent was torn down and a well designed local restaurant was built.  BUT, looks can be deceiving, without saying the name of the new location I will tell you that I will never ever go there again.  Last year I did some web work for the owners for free (I owed a favor to the owner's best friend).  THEN, I went to said restaurant for dinner and left with a $140 bill, they didn't even comp a glass of wine.  

So, there's your hot austin gossip:  Flashback = good, business in old location = bad

These photos were both shot on South Congress Avenue.  Left was taken from some ole shop window looking out to the street.  Right is in front of Jo's coffee, which Erin told you about Friday.  Here's some info you didn't get:  Their Chai tea is too watered down, even if you ask for extra chai.  Their BBQ pulled pork is worth driving across town for, if you don't do meat, the tofu is just as good (but lame because there's no meat in it) and if you drink regular coffee, the iced turbo is AWESOME.  Voila

I do believe that this was also shot at Flashback Vintage.  I have run out of gossip on this joint.

All of these pix were taken at Roadhouse Relics, purveyors of all things neon.  The top right image is an old sign from the Deep Eddy Cabaret that has now been reclaimed by Roadhouse and sits in their lot.  Deep Eddy Cabaret still stands and slings $2 Lone Stars like there's no tomorrow.

*Insider Tip:  If you are going to partake in the cabaret's drink specials, might I suggest that you do so after swimming in it's namesake:  the Deep Eddy pool.  It's pretty much the most perfect place in town:  it's a gigantic pool that feeds off of a cold freshwater spring.  You get all that natural water, but there's no dirt or fishies in the mix.  It's the jam.

This postcard mural is also at Roadhouse Relics - my god, what isn't at that place.  It was designed at painted by my friends, the geniuses at Blue Genie.  We sang the praises of Blue Genie once before HERE

I can promise that the model in this picture has never eaten at Fran's Hamburgers.  One bite of their greesy burgers and ice cream floats would keep her from fitting in the frame.  The place is cute, but do as I do:  get a yummy crushed-ice diet coke.

Fun Fact:  This place is sandwiched between a meat processing plant and Birds Barbershop on South Congress.

Oh! Another fun fact:  See how you can sorta make out a little yellow bungalow house in the bottom left of this picture, right by the sign post?  That house has a big hairy goat living in it's yard, the goats name is Nic (according to the sign the pet owners erected).  This house is only 1/2 a block off of one of the busiest streets in Austin.

Ok, this is where my tour-guidery gets a little shakey.  It's not for lack of Austin knowledge, but for lack of theater love that I totally fail on these next few shots.  If I had to make a bet, I would probably say this was shot at the Vortex Theater (excuse me, Vortex Repertory Company).  I was there once, it was for a wedding.

Same.  Let's talk about those South African Grazing Sheep.  Pretty cute, aye?  But for $448 a pop, I'm guessing my money will be better spent flying to Africa, taking a safari then picking those sheep up for 4 dollars U.S.

Good Lord, Anthropologie, are you still showing me the Vortex?  Ok, here's a fact:  within walking distance of the Vortex are 2 Joel Mozersky designed spaces: Red House (positive: yummy lemon-grass mojitos, stellar horse decor, negative: doors shut at midnight, boo) and el chilito a yummy taco stand (apparently the stripes on the side of the building were Joel's idea, cuz you can't step inside.) 

Oh, also, those lights are $398 each.  As in Each.  Just One.  Not a cluster.

Photo one, another theater shot, ugh.  Photo 2 - the poster close up - is actually shot in Nashville where the catalogs were designed and printed.  

Also in Nashville. 

There you go.  Now you know everything you ever wanted to know about Austin.  

Kisses!