What I Brought Home With Me

Glad to be home!  We certainly had a wonderful time seeing a part of the country that we have wanted to visit for a long time. But we seem to have also added onto our "places to visit" list as well. I always hope to find great shops wherever I travel, but our recent road trip to the south didn't have that focus. Despite that, we did find just a few places to check out along the way. After Oklahoma I never did find a market that had much of what I was looking for. And coming back home through Texas we did not shop at all. But I did manage to end up with a few fun things along the way.

One of my favorites is this little display shelf/rack made from an antique chair seat. It has that chippy perfection that I adore. The old bent metal knobs give it even more character!  I have it hung on an old door for now. (I found the little glass birdcage waterer and the adorable little baby shirt on the trip too.) 

This old hamper with the hinged lid was a happy find. I'm a little bit crazy for chippy painted wicker.

I found little in the way of vintage linens. I find I must agree with some of you that have told me that you think that Albuquerque is a good market for linen. I found three of these beautiful lacy doilies together for a steal, though.

The soft design of Roseville pottery is all so appealing, but I have never made the move to buy any until now. These colors made me melt! 

Shutters fly out of the shop as fast as I put them in, and I was lucky to find several in different sizes. I also never pass up an old white vintage frame with pretty details. The chippy peg rack with blue glass knobs made me giddy!

A pretty rose print already in the perfect white frame. . .

The softest pink crochet on this pair of vintage pillowcases. Barely used.

A nice long crocheted runner. Gorgeous. Not a bargain.

Another nice big white basket.

A  very long and beautiful net lace runner. Steal.

A lovely antique pulled thread tablecloth at a reasonable price. Irresistible.

A hefty old ironstone serving dish. Bargain.

A sweet brown transferware soup bowl. There were two. One didn't survive the trip. (sad face)

I love white pottery, and this squarish design with the flowers made me pay more than I usually would. But it was a fairish price.

Three little ironstone soap dishes found together at a bargain price! (happy face) The monogrammed dresser cloth is my souvenir from the Whistle Stop Cafe trip.  In all, not really what you call a haul, but far from coming home empty handed. (Ask me if I had fun!)

Thank you so much for cheering me on while I was away! So nice to have you follow along with me and giving me such good feedback. I am looking forward to getting back to business and catching up with all of you.

Jacqueline

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Savvy Southern Style~Wow Us Wednesday

Fried Green Tomatoes At The Whistle Stop Cafe

I've always thought it would be fun to visit this site from the movie filmed in Juliette, Georgia. And there is still a lively sweet presence to the place. The film set was a restoration of a real town and grocery situated at a train stop which was no longer in use. I learned that we see the place in its true condition at the start of the film "Fried Green Tomatoes." 

The movie set was then opened as a real cafe, which is in full swing today, and is a popular spot for the movie fans like me.

The place has much of the same character as that in the movie.

Groups of families, tourists, and ladies like these settle down to the tasty fare and happy atmosphere.

Folks still gather on the porch to talk.

The old buildings remain. Some are now very modest shops trying to make the most of the stream of regular visitors here. A captive audience, so to speak. But the movie tie-ins and souvenirs that I expected to see are not around except for the DVD of the film and a few drawings. I wanted pictures of Ruth and Idgie! A book about the making of the movie. Or at least a postcard from the Whistle Stop Cafe! (There are Cafe t-Shirts for sale...) Am I just being a curmudgeon?

I hope not, because I really did enjoy the spirit of the place itself. And the cafe is very well run and lives up to the reputation. The train still runs thrillingly close by, and whistles as it comes barreling through.

I was charmed by the jars for drinks.

The furnishings from the movie are still here, including the benches and counter. (Made for the movie set.)

The lighting and interiors are mostly original to the old building from before the film crew came in.

The set was more spare and simple and reminiscent of the thirties than it now is. 

Bars now cover the windows, but the old cafe signage is there.

A few framed photos of the beloved characters from the filming hang on the walls.

The place was full and busy the entire length of our visit.

We tried everything on the menu! (Well almost.) Really.

The appetizer has sweet potato "twigs" that are more like sticks, and we could only eat a few tasty bites. The chicken bits are moist and delicious. Exceptional onion rings with a distinctive flavor. (Our favorite.)

And of course the fried green tomatoes! I expect that the tomatoes are deep fried as a practical matter because of the large crowds to feed. They were served hot! But I think we want to try the pan fried variety with bacon drippings from a recipe we spied in one of the shops.

The salad with chicken was excellent.

The barbecue was wonderful! And the okra was as good as I have ever had. YUM!!!

Homemade ice cream with warm pecan pie! Fantastic!!!

We spent time wandering at will. This is one of the perspectives from the film. Picture it with vintage cars and covered over with muddy streets.

Big George made barbecue at this grill in the story,

And this is where Ruth brings Smokey Lonesome a blanket for the night.

We had the quiet back lot to ourselves for a long while. We wandered in the cool shade for a time appreciating our own thoughts. My husband confessed to me later that he felt an emotional twinge when he remembered the line where Smokey had a single possession when he died. A picture of Ruth. So I guess it's true (as is stated in the movie) that everyone loved her! But it's quite alright. I felt a few warm fuzzies myself recalling favorite scenes and characters portrayed here. The whole of the story actually. The friendships, kindness, the humor, Evelyn, Idgie, Mrs. Threadgoode, the simpler time, the sound of a train, near or far, day or night, the cozy cafe, and yes, of course, Ruth. . . .

A visit to the Whistle Stop Cafe now gets a big and satisfying check mark placed next to it, and marks the furthest point of our travels to the south.

Thanks so much for traveling with me!

Jacqueline

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Coastal Charm~Show & Share