On the Road: Snapshots from Rhode Island

In keeping with our beach vibe we've established on the blog recently, today we're sharing some photos from my dad's recent trip to Rhode Island. We personally love the quirky details (and colors) mixed with the classic New England nautical designs. While we haven't visited Rhode Island, we can tell the smallest state in the Union has plenty of personality all of its own and is well worth a visit! We're envisioning a long weekend spent peddling around quaint villages on Schwinn bicycles, searching for classic Americana pieces at dusty antique stores, indulging in freshly caught fish dinners and turning in at some sweet bed and breakfast.

Sounds like a pretty fun trip.

To plan your "On the Road" experience to Rhode Island, click here.

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Our Obsession with All Things California

Oh, California. As the temperatures start to rise in our hometown of Memphis, we wish we could fly West for a visit. Here are a few of the reasons why California is always in our hearts: [gallery type="rectangular" ids="1291,1292,1293,1294,1295,1296,1297,1298,1299,1300,1301,1303,1304,1305,1306,1307"]

Where is your special place?

Collections: Bauer Pottery

[gallery type="square" ids="1218,1224,1219,1221,1222,1223,1220"] In keeping with the colorful vintage vibe we have going this week, today we're sharing our collection of vintage Bauer coffee carafes. You might be wondering if a collection is really a collection if you only have two...Well, if you knew how hard it was for us to get our hands on these two, you would definitely say yes!

For two years, I stalked Stars Antique Market's amazing collection of Bauer Pottery every single time we were in Hermosa Beach (we were in Hermosa a lot back then - sigh!). It wasn't a terrible thing to do, as Stars is my favorite antique mall in the entire world. After drooling over the brightly colored coffee carafes for so long, we asked if the prices were firm. They called the seller, and they were willing to work with us! I brought home the orange carafe on that trip. They had several others, including the turquoise one, but the orange carafe was my favorite. I'm sure I was quite a sight, carrying it on the plane like a small child. I secretly hoped to bring home the turquoise carafe on our next trip, but it was gone. A year later, Jonathan and I were back in California at the Santa Monica flea market, and there was my turquoise carafe at a really good price! Apparently it was meant to be after all! Success!

If you're wondering why I found both of my carafes in California, then you might be interested in the history of the company. Originally, it was a Kentucky company known for its hand-thrown, brown-glazed crocks and jugs. It was purchased by J.A. Bauer in 1885, and he relocated his family and the company to Los Angeles in 1909. After J.A. retired in 1922, his daughter and his husband bought a third of the company, and the remaining two-thirds were sold to the Bernheim family. The owners switched roles for several years before J.A.'s son-in-law bought the entire company in 1929 and hired ceramic engineer Victor Houser to create new glazes. California Colored Pottery was introduced by the Bauer Company the following year, just as the Great Depression was beginning. Despite the hard times, the colorful pieces were a huge hit with the public. The company would expand its operations in 1938, when they bought an old winery in Atlanta and converted it to a new pottery plant. Unfortunately, the work produced at the Atlanta plant was not successful, and after a labor strike in the early 1960s, Bauer closed its doors.

While Bauer wasn't the only company to create brightly colored pottery, its work was and continues to be coveted by collectors. In 2000, Bauer reopened in a small Los Angeles studio, and it has introduced a new line based on the original colorful pieces from the 1930s and 1940s. I especially love their Monterey pitcher and dog bowls.

To this day, all of their work is produced in California. You can support their efforts by checking out their website and liking them on Facebook!

On the road to Water Valley, Mississippi

Just down the road from Oxford, Mississippi is Water Valley, a quaint railroad town that takes visitors back to simpler times. Water Valley's heyday was from the late 1800s to the 1920s, and most of the homes and buildings are from that period. When the railroad stopped running through Water Valley, the area became somewhat of a ghost town, but it has seen a revival in recent years thanks to a mix of resourceful locals and transplants. You can read a little more about that in this recent New York Times article. In addition to two quirky art galleries, Yalo Studio and Bozart's Gallery, downtown Water Valley offers gems such as Turnage Drug Store, which has been serving customers since 1905 and still whips up  delicious sandwiches, ice cream and milkshakes from its soda fountain. Sartain's Hardware Store is another old-timey favorite where locals can pick up tools and supplies as well as the type of genuine customer service that can be hard to find in today's world.

A new addition that feels as though it has been there for decades is the B.T.C. Grocery, which offers "small-town food with a big-city feel." The store carries everything from local produce to hoop cheese to quinoa (hard to find in most small Mississippi towns). It also boasts a cafe that serves some really yummy sandwiches, soups and desserts. To see their mouthwatering daily menus, like them on Facebook.

Downtown Water Valley is an inspiring place that reminds visitors of the potential in small-town America and why we should invest in our history and our heritage.

It is definitely worth a visit, perhaps during the first weekend of August for the Watermelon Carnival?

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