Wednesday, August 1, 2012

Trip to Paris

Travis and I were both off on Sunday. We were both tired after a long work week, but I knew if we gave into temptation and spent the whole day on the couch watching movies and playing on our computers we wouldn't really be spending time together. So we looked through our list of things we want to do and decided to take a little trip to Paris. Tennessee that is. 
Paris is about two hours away, and we picked a route that would keep us mostly off of the interstate and take us through part of the state that we had never been. And since I drove, I could stop whenever I wanted! Like when we passed this hotel in Clarksville!
Could that sign be any more gorgeous?
The front office is pretty cute too. Can you picture it when it was new? I bet it was even more beautiful. It is actually still open. As you can see by the rates. I love double sided sign too!
Not much further down the road we passed this sign as well. Gorgeous! You know we had to stop!
It was kind of weird. We were the only people when we first walked in, and the owner was on the phone having a LOUD mean argument with someone. He didn't stop when we came in, just avoided us. When we checked out later he was actually nice though! The store was packed, and there were lots of really thin aisles and piles of boxes with unpriced stuff. 
I loved this mint clock! There was a HUGE wall lined with clocks, and a counter in front of that piled with more. The mint one has a sold sticker on it.
I ALMOST bought this little horse shaker. But he was missing his match, and was a little expensive for just one. But how cute! I love his little flipped tail.
We finally got to our destination, the little Eiffel tower in Paris, Tn. Of course it started POURING down rain about 15 minutes before we got there. So I got Travis to get his umbrella so I could get a picture of him in front of it. The ones of him actually posing were too dark to save. Such a bummer! But now I can say I saw it. 
We drove a different way home. As we went through this county we kept seeing those quilt squares on the sides of houses and businesses. I loved them! We looked it up later and they are part of the National Civil War quilt trail.
I stopped a took a picture of this one because I thought it was pretty, and it turns out it is the centerpiece of the trail. It is called "Letitia's Quilt" and was inspired by Letitia Smith Walter, a local Civil War heroine from the town. 
We made our way down to Bon Aqua, Tennessee (I love that town name. It sounds so good in a souther accent) to go to the Beacon Light Tea Room. We found it on our favorite site, Road Food.
The biscuits were SO GOOD. They were small and fresh and just amazing. They served them with peach and strawberry preserves. I love a meal that starts with homemade biscuits.
My buddy. I am so happy we went on this little trip. We held hands and listened to a book on tape and had some good quality time together. I didn't realize how much I would miss not working at the same place as Travis. 
I love meat and three style restaurants, even though we don't eat the meat and have to ask which veggies are flavored with meat. I got whole kernel corn, mashed potatoes, and the best fried okra I have ever had, EVER. I couldn't pinpoint what was so good about it, but it was incredible.
We split a piece of coconut ice box pie to finish off. Mmmm it was good! I had never had it before, though I am a big fan of lemon ice box pie.
Here is what we bought at the antique mall. A few records.
I LOVE this glass. I love vintage glasses like this anyway, and this one is big and I love the colors. The tag said it was part of a pair, but try as I might I couldn't find the other one.
A vintage Dr. Dolittle book! I have been having a hard time finding an old copy of the first book, but I have "Doctor Dolittle's Post Office" too. I love how the orange looks like a paper-cut illustration.
And the best thing is this weather house! It is hard to tell in this picture but it is about twice as big as the ones I usually find. Do you like mad kitty in the background? Haha.
It has more details than any of my other weather houses! Mushrooms, two deer, a rabbit, a bird, a mounted deer head, and the man even has a little dachshund looking dog at his feet! I have 4 weather houses now, I want to hang them on one of my walls soon, I just need to find the perfect place!

21 comments:

  1. that looks like so much fun! i love that you guys are intentional with your time together.

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  2. Such pretty photos, looks like you had my kind of day.
    Who would have known Paris, Tennessee to be so full of little quirks or that it even had it's own Eiffel Tower, 'The Old Stuff Mall' looks the best! x

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  3. What a great day! I really enjoy Paris too. Did you see the giant catfish sign? I've never been to Bon Aqua but totally agree that the name is sweet perfection! : )

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    1. no! i didn't see the catfish sign, thought I was on the lookout for it since i saw it on roadside america!

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  4. Perfect Day! Biscuits and pie would be the icing on the cake for me.

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  5. Gosh you soooo busy..... do you ever sleep?
    love
    tweedles

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  6. That looks like a fun trip, Rae. I think I might have thrifted that same horror record, hehehe. And that pie looks pretty darn good.

    <3 Jackie @ Let's Go Thrifting!
    http://LetsGoThrifting.blogspot.com

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    1. sadly the record was missing! but he just let me have the sleeve, and i'm going to use it for a halloween decoration. i want a vintage horror record! my grandpa used to play a disney haunted house record for me when i was a little kid that i LOVED.

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  7. I always love seeing your travelling photos and vintage finds, I think we must have the exact same taste in kitsch stuff! Oh my, that horse is awesome. I have a vintage salt and pepper collection and he would look right at home there! I wish we had antique malls around here! I think I would progress to being a hoarder if we did though!

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    1. my salt and pepper collection has out grown my shelves! i need to find another little shelf to house them before i buy more!

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  8. That looks like such a fun trip! I too have a weakness for old signs and architecture, I would love to stay at that hotel. As far as the tea room goes, you had me at biscuits :)

    Adrienne
    What Lola Wants

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  9. I loooove the photos and finds. I love to document mod signs on my road trips, too. I love that first one and the one for the amazing antique mall especially.

    Mmmm...thrift finds and food porn :)

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  10. You and Travis are so cute. You also make me miss the south so much. We have Pine State Biscuits here in Portland [maybe I will instagram some brunch there soon] but that's it for Southern food. If you're in Pdx ever you should go there for brunch :)

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    1. i want to go to portland so bad! i know i would love it.

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  11. I love your blahg! Just curious, how much are you asking for the paint by numbers art that you have in your booth? I've been looking online forevvvver for a paint by numbers that I love, and yours is the only one that has stuck in my mind. I love the pink trees and everything about it. I would have emailed you but I don't see your email listed on here? If you could respond that would be awesome! Thanks!

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    1. oh man, i guess i should add some contact info on my blog. my email is rae.hartsock@gmail.com! email me and i'll get back to you!

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  12. You guys take such adorable trips. I've never been to Paris (either TN OR France! And I'm a French minor! Tant pis...), but I've driven by that Vacation Motel a dozen times visiting friends in Clarksville, each time holding my breath that they don't replace it! There used to be a motor court on Gallatin RD...well, two actually, one in Madison next to the Madison Bowl and one in Inglewood near Bates Florists that had AMAZING SIGNS...like this one...which they decided to replace with the most nondescript, cheap looking, awful signs sometime in the late 90's. BUM.MER. On the brighter side, though, lookit those biscuits! Total win.

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    1. doesn't bates florist have a cool sign? is it right by a kroger? if so, i noticed a going out of business sign on it, so who knows how long til that sign is gone! i love that the antique mall in clarksville just added their boring sign to the bottom of the awesome one, instead of tearing it down.

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  13. Hi, just found your blog. As a Brit I am always jealous of your fabulously large thrift stalls....amazing.
    I must say, I would not have been able to leave that horse on that shelf!
    Will look forward to following your blog in the future.
    Emma (Oooh Betty!) x

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