We went brunching this weekend. This is the place we went to eat. It's a rustic kind of tavern with a daily special and not much else. If you look at my kids who seem to be superheroes in this shot, the tavern has a moose head on the wall.Whatever this place is, it's real. Nothing much studied or designed about it. But I liked it.
Who knows how long this battered table has had patrons sitting down for a beer, a plate of beef and a game of cards? I like the checkerboard linoleum, too.
And on our walk on this cold sunny day, I spotted this sign. I don't do a lot of picture taking of architectural details or signage or vintage design, but this old Pontiac sign struck my fancy. Particularly against the bright sky.
And here, the bright pot of begonias in the window of the gift shop. My kids made me stop and take a picture of this one.
This door opened up about 5 feet above the ground. No stairs. Actually, I don't think the door did open. There's a shelf behind it, holding what looks like salt.
And this is the first time I've managed to take a satisfactory picture of this. The bright sun helped I think. It is the white towers... or is it silos... of the Jiffy mix factory. Jiffy, the cornbread people. A railroad pulls right up to these things. You can hear the whistles blow at all times. I like the sound of the train blowing. It seems like something from another era.
this is another thing I did this weekend. I sewed up a tiny potted plant out of felt and thread. I'm not doing any gardening this Spring, at least, not right now, but I made this seedling. I'm still thinking I might try painting this pot a bit, so I can make it look all beaten up, with some lichen or some of that white powder terracotta pots get sometimes after being used for a while. I almost went with a brown pot, but it really is true that those suckers are orange. So I just went for it. Brighter rather than duller was the mood.
Well, it is Spring.
It's time for things to brighten up a bit, don't you think?
Couldn't resist mentioning... my family and I used to live in Ann Arbor, and we would often go to Chelsea to eat at The Common Grill. I remember walking past the towers of the Jiffy mix factory...
ReplyDeleteThanks for the memory. I hope you're settling well into those parts. Spring does come late. I have some mixed memories of my time in that area, to be frank, but I thought Chelsea and many of the little towns there rather adorable.
Seitz's tavern is rustic and a true local joint. As a child my grandfather took me there. I stood mesmerized by the jars with pink pickled eggs as the local farmers talked of weather and crops.
ReplyDeleteThe Pontiac sign is at the former location of Harper Pontiac. The building is still owned by the Oesterle family who ran the dealership. But building actually is home to Westside Gym.
Chelsea is still rare example of a community that grew with the times and still maintained a small town atmosphere.
Thanks, Anon for the Chelsea tidbits. It really is a lovely little town and I'm enjoying exploring it. I took some more photos of the Jiffy towers, and just need a time to share.
ReplyDeleteAnd Seitz's seems to be a one of a kind treasure.