site: lab / harris building

One of my favorite things in Grand Rapids is Site: Lab, the group that has been creating interesting art "happenings" in unique locations in the city for a couple years now.  (I've written here in the blog before about their projects at the old Grand Rapids Public Museum and at the Blandford Nature Center.)  Site: Lab's usage of old, currently unoccupied buildings to stage some of their events really speaks to the vintage lover in me. On Friday night, Andy and I went to check out the latest Site: Lab happening, at the old Harris building downtown.  This was a one night only event, and it was great to see so many people turn out--there was a line to get in.

I loved how they lit up the old Harris sign to read "Site Lab" as it changed from purple to green.

I had to take a shot of my cute new flats from Seychelles.

The Harris building used to house the Harris Furniture Company...as well as a lodge for fraternal order the Knights of Pythias on the second floor.  The space was transformed with lights, an exhibit with information on the building's history, and performances in the center of the building.

Knights of Pythias symbol in lights on the floor.

It was the kind of surreal, full sensory experience I needed after a stressful week of dealing with business and computer issues.  And there are many more cool photos from the evening on Site: Lab's Facebook page.

Even Lucy enjoyed a night out.

xo

K

finally spring

It's not really spring here, in my opinion, until it's comfortable enough to drink beer outside. Saturday--at last! I mean, it's freaking May, already--was nice enough for us to do just that. We ventured with Lucy to the dog-friendly patio at Hopcat and enjoyed a couple delicious brews while we watched the local cowboys and cowgirls headed to the Kenny Chesney concert. (Trust me, it was pretty good people-watching.)

Perfect weather. Warm enough to go bare-legged, but cool enough to require a cardigan.

While we were downtown this amazing old doorway caught my eye. It's in a spot I've walked by hundreds of times--I've no idea how it escaped my notice before now. It looks like the entry to a jazz age speakeasy. I particularly love the vines creeping across the bricks near it.

I've always loved the Noble Wood Products sign. I captured the building here in the evening sun, with the shadows of streetlights cast on it.

A crescent moon!

xo

K

i liked the hush, the gloom, the quaintness

"All these relics gave... Thornfield Hall the aspect of a home of the past: a shrine to memory. I liked the hush, the gloom, the quaintness of these retreats in the day; but I by no means coveted a night's repose on one of those wide and heavy beds: shut in, some of them, with doors of oak; shaded, others, with wrought old-English hangings crusted with thick work, portraying effigies of strange flowers, and stranger birds, and strangest human beings, — all which would have looked strange, indeed, by the pallid gleam of moonlight."

--Charlotte Bronte, Jane Eyre

Andy and I went to see Cary Fukunaga's Jane Eyre on Saturday. We both really enjoyed it. (Yes, even Andy did! Though he was a bit frustrated by how restrained everyone was.) It was beautifully filmed, and Mia Wasikowska was fantastic as Jane.

We went for cocktails afterwards, but we stopped first to take pictures in front of some of the old buildings that are across the street from the bar. I really like this part of downtown Grand Rapids. The streets are cobblestone and there are some great old buildings.

I have no idea what I'm doing here, but I wanted to show a picture of the Richmond Stamp Works sign. They are still in operation, and even have a website with the funny motto "For those with the unique creative ability to press down really hard." I think it's high time I visit them and have a stamp made.

The only thing I'm wearing that's vintage is the cardigan. But I'm carrying my beautiful plum leather bag from Jenny N Design on Etsy.

This building is boarded up, but still has the old, swinging wooden frame door on the outside. And I love the hand-painted sign on the heavy doors further down.

xo

K

random house

That's me and my dad above. Andy and I just spent a few days in St. Louis where we attended his retirement party. (Congratulations, Hoss!) He worked as a sugar salesman, and was given "vintage" bags of sugar as a gift, which was pretty funny. He was also serenaded in Italian by the owner of the restaurant where the party was held, which was pretty awesome. The people who have worked with my dad over the years universally praised his all-around niceness and excellent customer service. Any pleasant customer service you receive at the hands of Small Earth Vintage is pretty much directly attributable to my dad, so cheers and thanks to you, Hoss!

Anyway, the reason this post is full of randomness is that I'm all at sixes and sevens due partly the trip out of town and partly to the fact that Andy has begun our long-overdue home improvement project (first mentioned here). But we took a break from the scraping and painting and photographing and listing to go check out The Girl Who Played with Fire at the UICA. The UICA is moving to a new location, and I can't help but wonder what will happen to the neat sidewalk mosaics in front the building.

We had a delicious dinner at Bloom afterwards. Andy took this photo of me in front of the Civil War statue near Bloom.

And I took this photo of a cool old building across from the statue. The Kendall sign near the top made us think it must be an original location for the Kendall College art school, but having read up on the history of the school I don't think so.

I also love the yellow cornices on this old building, which sits at the corner, directly across from Bloom.

However, the neon strip mall signage of the tan and wax joint on the ground floor? Not so much.

Oh, but I do love the hiliarious tag I found this week on an old western shirt!

My plan for next week: get more focused! And as work on the house progresses, I promise to post some scary Befores and (hopefully) beautiful Afters!

xo

K

haircut 100

(I couldn't think of a title for this post, which is kind of about hair, so I just used Andy's favorite band's name.)

This dress is an example of something I probably would not have kept when I had longer hair. Thought I love the blue and green plaid print and the little bow at the neck, that drop waist isn't the most flattering on me. (Nor is my purse strap which is doing a weird thing at the bust, but that's not the fault of the dress.) But when I tried this dress on after I had my hair chopped off, it worked for me.

These photos were taken last Wednesday evening, when we headed down to our second home, the Viceroy, to enjoy some delicious cocktails made by guest bartenders from Chicago's Sable. Highlights were a Peychaud's Bitters-based drink and getting to taste some bonded whiskey.

Lucy did not get to come inside, but she did dress up.

I cannot go downtown without snapping photos of any signs of the city's past. I love the way the light is falling across the building in these photos.

xo

K