You couldn’t possibly have read every crush, could you?
The 2014 Fall Show starts this weekend and it seems like the perfect moment to rerun some of my favorites from the 2014 Spring Show. I must have at least thirty posts in my “Shopping: Antiques Week” category, so this is a shorty-short list of mostly early crushes that are hidden quite deep down the blogroll now. Skip ’em if you’ve seen ’em, click on the link if you missed ’em. As always I hope they’ll inspire you to get out to the show for a day or a weekend, and if you just can’t make it happen, perhaps they can serve as a somewhat satisfying substitute.
Eneby’s is at Blue Hills, right in the middle of the old part. I’ll be leading a few small group/individual tours during this show and Eneby’s will probably be our first stop. It’s high end and authentic and special and swanky and rustic and a great intro to what Round Top has to offer.
Next up is my post on Texas Rose, which is kinda right across from the Marburger tents. I’m not sure I love this field so much more than any others, but it’s right up there, and the photos surprised me and made me an even bigger fan than I had been. How is that, that photos you take yourself can reveal so much to you?
During my recent trip to NYC I had tons of fun discovering my dear Higgins Glass all over ABC Carpet and Home’s “Las Venus” mid-century glam set up. I’ve been saving pennies since the last show and my collection of vintage Higgins will begin next week!
I think this was my most rewarding post. Maria truly appreciated my words and spread the link to her huge fan base. Oh, I hope her star just keeps rising and rising.
In this one I tried to capture the sheer exhaustion that comes from a good day in the fields. Somewhere along the way I decided that Nomadic Trading and I were going to become friends, and I think they’re too hospitable to tell me that they’re just a booth, not my personal show lounge. But they do always seem to have a beer handy for anyone who asks, so can you blame me?
And if you have a bit more time, here’s the link to all of my Shopping: Antiques Week category posts to date. So many dear hearts!
Interior design is full of controversy (form v. function… floral v. floral never… a celebration of color v. for heaven’s sake show a little taste and stick to neutrals… Kelly Wearstler v. oh no). Taxidermy, with its love it or get freaked by it tendencies, certainly lives up near the top of drama mountain. But through clever utilization of resin and papier mâché and sculpey clay, the design industry has made it possible in recent years for you to have your dead impala and your PETA membership too. Everyone can agree to love Stray Dog’s pagan goat, right?
What do I think of dead mounted animals? Well… I’m a big fan when it comes to a huge sailfish or even a well-done striped bass. But I’m going to say no to family pet preservation. And when it comes to Round Top Antiques Week, it’s hard to be a taxidermy hater; all those old faces seem right at home somehow. So with all due respect for whatever your opinion on the subject may be, I offer an assortment of photogenic beasts available for purchase at the last show.
Have you noticed the plethora of bobcats? Or at least that’s what they look like to me. Except for the puma looking one up there. I’m not sure why so many bobcats turn up booth after booth. Are they a less desirable inheritance for some shameful reason? Or do they offer exceptional resale value? “Hey Granny passed last week… let’s hurry and cash in her bobcats!”
Obviously this trapped beaver is carved out of wood, not skinned and stuffed. But he looks awfully authentic with those lil’ round ears and super scary fingernails and ever-growing teeth.
Nothing says Round Top antiquing like overloaded carts!
OK y’all. I’m schlepping my own way through NYC this week, so I’ll let the pictures tell the story this time. Don’t they make you want to get out in those fields right now?? And my thanks to all of the folks shown here for helping me share the joys of Round Top. Roll on!
Warrenton Day is a big day (sometimes two or three) for me, so my motto is prioritize! Over the years I’ve finely tuned my W’ton routine, and it starts like this: First stop, Kettle Corn cart. Next stop, Tony McCray’s Rust in Peace booth over in the Zapp Hall area next to Dead People’s Stuff. I think everyone likes Tony so much because, as they say on Project Runway, he has a “unique point of view.” He’s also a super interesting guy to chat with and we all know that dealer charm goes a long way when you’re shopping the show.
Looking at that giant “EAT” word, I’m wondering, “Does anyone I know have a casual commercial design project going on?” An organic comfort food cafe maybe, or a bespoke denim studio? Tony’s booth is just perfect for something down-home-modern: Metallic letters for signage… fun lighting options… mirrors for the entryway or behind the cashwrap… all in multiples and on a nice large scale. If it were my project, I’d probably mix my Rust in Peace with a little Ken Bizell and then keep my eye out for an amazing statement piece or two. What would you do?
Tasty brisket can sometimes lead to the World of Warcraft.
This is not going the way I thought it would. I expected to be writing about the down home family yumminess of this much loved small town Texas BBQ spot. Like The Brisketman has done. And the genius Michael Corcoran. But things have taken a twisty turn, and all because I decided way back in middle school to get contrary and take German instead of French or Spanish.
Huh?
It’s the Zimmerhanzel name. I’m aware of Hans Zimmer, the man who’s composed the music for almost every film you ever saw. But Zimmerhanzel’s a unique word and I wondered what it means in English. The Zimmer part was easy; it’s a common German word meaning “room”. There are all kinds of German Zimmers. Wohnzimmers for living, Hinterzimmers in the back, Arbeitzimmers for working, etc. Zimmer’s also a nice word to say because you pronounce it Tsimmer which is easy and makes you sound oh so German. (Unlike the “ch” in German which is hard and just makes you sound pretentious if you can do it and lame if you can’t.)
But Hanzel was a mystery. Turns out that the primary definition of Hanzel is a little Hans, as in Christian Andersen, or perhaps one of Hans Zimmer’s four children. However… digging a bit deeper down the Google page, I found that, according to exactly one guy in the Urban Dictionary, Hanzel also means someone who has “amassed a large number of groupies in World of Warcraft.” Wow. That’s interesting.
I’m not sure how World of Warcraft works, but judging by the decor at Zimmerhanzel’s it might involve a goodly amount of hunting. Taxidermy and more taxidermy is the decor theme, which makes the place feel busy and full of faces even on a quiet Thursday afternoon. Weekends, when the line stretches from counter to door, the crowds on the walls serve as much appreciated models of patience.
The good news? You've discovered The Crush List. The not so good? I haven't been actively posting here for a few years now, which means the never terribly reliable details about my crushes are even more unreliable. Antique vendors have switched venues, shops in town have moved or passed on, donkeys may or may not be in the same front yards... In spite of the risks of massive misdirection I've left the site up in hopes that it still achieves its goal - to inspire you to visit Round Top for the Antiques Show or any time you have the time.
With that said, I leave you to explore this random list of my very favorite things about my very favorite place. I’ve tried to capture the area’s special pieces and parts. Some are big deal, some are small gestures, some are legendary and some are just tiny pip and squeak.
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