Selling Vintage

Hello dedicated readers! I am writing you today as a good blogger. Yesterday, however, I believe I was a pretty bad, non-dedicated blogger. Sorry, I was in a funk. I'm back though! The last few weeks have been amazing! I have fallen into an excellent routine, and found a new niche! In a few weeks I will attend my substitute teacher orientation, where I will hopefully make friends, and network too! For now though, I've been gaining inspiration from my vintage explorations! I have found a new love for the History channel show, "American Pickers". These guys are awesome! Everyday they drive around the country finding the most amazing antiques. I spent the entire day yesterday laying in bed living vicariously through them. You see, In my time here in NC I have seen more antiques than I have in my entire life, and I have enjoyed every minute of it!! When I was younger, mom would take me with her to all of her favorite antique spots in Jacksonville, and, until recently I have enjoyed it, but it just wasn't my thing. That has all changed! I guess you could say I have found my "style" of antiques! Other than really neat vintage cans, farm tools, and metal signs, just to name a few, I am now obsessed with vintage advertising. Specifically foreign sports posters, and American travel ad's! Here are just some of my favorites that I have seen...

Chamonix-Martigny
European train line

Mont-Blanc
Highest mountain peak in the Alps

You can see why I love them! So that is what I have been up to the last week or so! I hope that I will be able to post more of my finds in the next few weeks and maybe you'll find that you love old things as much as me! I am headed to Jacksonville for a visit on Wednesday. It will be my first road trip by myself and I am hoping for the best. I actually love driving, so I plan to put the top down & cruise to Florida! I will also be shooting one of my oldest friends engagement pictures while at home. If anyone needs any photos done, now is the time! The next time I will be in Jax will be in October so get those Christmas card pix scheduled now! Thanks again for reading!

Hubba Hubba

Ever had something to eat that made you proud of your taste buds? Well, I have. I ordered it at a walk up window in Flat Rock, North Carolina! Just a short drive down the street sits a tree shaded smokehouse called Hubba Hubba BBQ. I smelled the potent aroma weeks ago when we first drove through the area and have been craving ever since. My pulled pork sandwich with cabbage slaw & a special smokey barbecue sauce poured over the top, almost put me in a BBQ coma. The incredibly different but oh so sweet Mediterranean pasta salad made for the perfect cold addition to this barbecue bliss! Being the food maniac that I am I also had to try the potato salad that had been taunting me on a plate I saw someone dive into as I walked up. One of a kind delicious! The pure simplicity of this place is something to smile about. A small walk up window in a little building oozing smoke off of an unmistakably tasty piece of meat. A few picnic tables under the porch of a nearby building, and old fashion christmas lights strung across the courtyard between. Its perfection! If your ever in Flat Rock, don't miss Hubba Hubba BBQ! It's that good!

Illinois Dreamin

A few weeks ago I mentioned that I was taking a trip to visit >my amazing family in Fairfield, Illinois. Long story short, I love my Illinois fam and everything that visiting has to offer. It's the one place in my life that I always talk about... though I haven't visited in about 5 years, everyone knows how special Fairfield is to me. I have always described myself as an "old soul" and this is the place that I think I developed that part of me from. A place where living slow is what life is all about. I spent most days with my cousin Bill, a guy who I can truly say is someone that I can look up to for the way that he looks at life. Having an early 6:30 am breakfast at the "Barbed wire", a restaurant that he eats most every meal at, was something that brought me back. Since my move to NC I have been living pretty easy, but really getting away, out in the middle of the farms with family that I truly love seeing, now thats a vacation! The reunion at our cousin Dana & Willies lake made for a great time. With over 50 family members enjoying a beautiful day and great food, this could not go wrong! It was also great to have my Jacksonville family around. For most of them, this was the first visit to Illinois, and it was very nice to be able to show them around. I took my youngest cousin on a short photo expedition and to see my great granny's old home around the corner from the lake. Fairfield is such an amazing place! Here are a few of my favorites from the trip! Enjoy!

This is grannies old barn.

The family lake

Invitation Only

As you know last Tuesday I attended the Rascal Flatts CMT taping of its intimate concert show "Invitation Only". This was a huge surprise to be invited to because they are by far my favorite band ever. If you know me, you know that I am kind of a freak about it! It was so exciting to attend my first TV taping also. It was AWESOME! When we walked in to the Factory at Franklin in Tennessee, we were greeted by an "audience coordinator" who was in all black sporting a large headset. She acted so important! When she told us we would probably be separated we were a little let down, but it was fine.. right after she said that she pointed to my seat.. a small wooden box immediately in front of the stage!! It was like they knew I looked at that particular seat, and thought "that would be the best seat in the house" and then I sat down in it! After that the stage manager came out and we tested our different volumes of applause,and they tested the cameras and lights, then it was show time! The guys came out and it was an amazing concert. Having the whole band within 3 feet of me was by far the coolest part! Although the set list was perfectly put together! It included 2 new songs off of the upcoming album to be released in November. One of them "Never let go" is by far the best song I have ever heard. When you hear it you'll understand! It's sure to be played at weddings for years to come! All in all, I am lucky to have attended this once in a lifetime event! I'll be on TV when the concert aires on CMT on November 16th (if you have DISH you can catch it early on October 24th!)


Thats my seat.. that wood block on the right in front of the stage!!!!!

To the Market

On Sunday we took a pleasant drive on a beautifully rainy day to the Western North Carolina Farmers Market. Though farmers markets are seen on most corners here this time of year, all of which have delicious fresh veggies, we still wanted to see what this place was about. Now we know! It was truly one of the coolest places ever. It's where all of the smaller corner markets go to get the daily veggies. They just drive through and pick up crates loaded with the most amazing tomatoes, potatoes, cucumbers, you name it! Being a veggie lover this was a dream for me! While in the area we decided to take a stroll through the Biltmore area and see some of the houses... HOLY CRAP! Our journey began on Vanderbilt Rd.. thats right!!! The most amazing homes on a road that could have easily been part of the Blue Ridge Parkway! If ever in the Biltmore area, don't forget to take a drive through the neighborhood! This weekend something else happened that just adds to the unexplainable awesomeness that is my life lately. I got invited to attend the taping of CMT's "Invitation Only", Rascal Flatts (my favorite band EVER)!! The taping is in Nashville on Tuesday night & of course were going! It's actually perfect because we are heading to southern Illinois this week for our family reunion and we get to go early for a stop in Nashville!! SO EXCITED!! Im sure you'll here all about what is sure to be an amazing time!! :)

ps.. thanks for hanging in there for the past few days, blogging has been tough with so much to prepare for this week! I'll make it up to you!