A Piece of History

My son Josh came with me last night to the Goodwill to drop off an old television set. As long as we were there why not do a little browsing? Josh knows I collect old silverware and he immediately spied a bag with a dozen spoons in it for only $3. Later at home while inspecting our loot I noticed that several pieces were monogrammed with a "C". This has happened to me several times this past year, finding things with my last initial on them.

This spoon in particular I though quite charming but definitely in need of a bit of polish!

I realized the initial wasn't really engraved but more like relief, or actually cast into the piece. That seemed unusual.

Flipping it over I saw that this was a piece of Hotel silver from the Commodore Hotel in New York City dating 1926. 

What fun!

The Commodore Hotel was opened in 1919 and was right next to Grand Central Station. It was owned by a division of the New York Central Railroad, which in turn was partly owned by 

Cornelius Vanderbilt -  aka. The Commodore.

The Commodore Hotel was purchased in the 1970's by Donald Trump who completely rebuilt it and turned it into a Hyatt property. 

Somehow my little spoon made it's way through the decades and across the country to wind up in Mesa, Arizona  where I will treasure it because I share an initial with 

"The Commodore".

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Atlanta Thrifting

Last week I shared with you one of my new favorite antique stores in Marietta Georgia, The Queen of Hearts. I had such fun browsing there and bought a couple of things. But as many of you know, the real bargains can be found at thrift shops. Last year on my visit to Atlanta I found an amazing store called My Favorite Place located in Chamblee. They call themselves a flea market, but they are kind of a combination antique, thrift and junk shop. Of course, I was anxious to make a return visit and see if I could score again. If you are looking for inspiring displays and stylish booths don't come here. Instead if you are willing to paw through piles of dusty cast offs, you may come away with a real treasure! 

As soon as I walked in I found several pieces of Quimper to add to my growing collection. Each piece was less than $4.

I 'm always drawn to vintage silver and pewter and came away with  a couple of new baby cups, gravy boats and candle holders. You can see what I do with my silver baby cups HERE.

Plus this lovely silver sauce boat engraved with my monogram! 

And I found some very inexpensive silver trays (less than $2) so I felt I could have a little fun with some chalkboard paint. 

This is a baby blue tole tray, very large!

A little French enamel wall pocket is perfect for the kitchen. 

I also have a small collection of Dedham pottery which I plan to blog about someday. Aren't these matching placemats with it's bunny border charming? 

So here it all is, yes I made it fit in my suitcase, and I only spent $49 for everything! 

Some of these treasures I'll keep, the rest will be making their way to my antique store 

Merchant Square. Come see me!

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Atlanta Antiquing

I've recently returned from a fabulous vacation in charming Georgia. My daughter moved to Atlanta two years ago and fell in love with the city and a fabulous guy! They were married one year later and just celebrated their first anniversary. So it was time for a return trip to Atlanta to see their new home-and do a little shopping! 

Megan and Brian now live in Marietta and it was fun to explore their neighborhood and see what treasures I could find on afternoon outings. My favorite antique store in Marietta was the Queen of Hearts. It's a large antique mall with many fabulous vendors. So often multi-dealer shops can look cluttered, cramped and messy. This place had beautiful displays and vignettes throughout.

I really wanted to put this Country French sideboard in my suitcase. 

Loved the lace ribbon garland!  

So clever, I wonder if I have enough small pots to duplicate this whimsical wreath... 

This was just part of a Fiesta ware display. 

I bought this Italian serving platter for Megan and it is now hanging in her dining room along with several others.

I do love Frenchy pillows! 

I had such a  great time browsing and bought a few small things to tuck into the suitcase. If you're looking for something unique I highly recommend Queen of Hearts on Sandy Plains Road in Marietta! I also spent a great evening shopping at the Cobb Antique Mall in Marietta. Put them both on your list!

Next post I'll share with you what I bought...

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Cream Cheese Brownies

Brownies are one of my favorite desserts. They're sort of a cross between a cookie and cake, chocolaty, rich and gooey. What's not to love?  I always keep some mixes on hand to make up in a hurry. This version takes a mix and adds a little cream cheese to make them extra moist and creamy.

 I like Betty Crocker's  Triple Chunk brownie mix - it has chocolate chunks in the mix, but you can use your own favorite brand.

Mix according to package directions.

In a separate bowl stir 8 oz. softened cream cheese, 1/3 cup sugar, 1 egg, 1 tablespoon flour and 1 teaspoon vanilla until smooth.

Pour brownie batter into greased 9x9 pan, reserving about 1 cup of batter. Then pour cream cheese mixture on top and spread.

 Drop the remaining batter by spoonfuls onto cream cheese.

 Draw a knife through the batters to make swirls.

 Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Cool completely!

I was able to release the entire baked brownie onto a cutting board. Cut into 16 squares.

Yum! Super easy and super delicious.

Cream Cheese Brownies 

1 brownie mix 

8 oz. cream cheese

1/3 cup sugar

1 egg

1 tablespoon flour

1 teaspoon vanilla

Prepare mix according to package directions.

In a separate bowl stir 8 oz. softened cream cheese, 1/3 cup sugar, 1 egg, 1 tablespoon flour and 1 teaspoon vanilla until smooth. Pour brownie batter into greased 9x9 pan, reserving about 1 cup of batter. Then pour cream cheese mixture on top and spread. Drop the remaining batter by spoonfuls onto cream cheese. Draw a knife through the batters to make swirls. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Cool completely! Makes 16 brownies.

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Spring in Utah

While in Utah this week I spent a lovely day visiting 

Red Butte Gardens ( www.redbuttegarden.org ) with my mom. I've been to the gardens before, but not in springtime. What a treat! The hillsides and pathways were a sea of daffodils. All kinds of early spring bulbs and perrenials were in bloom. The weather was perfect, mild and sunny.

But Spring in Utah can be fickle- this morning it snowed.

Happy May Day!

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