Tuesday, November 24, 2015

Trailer Trad Living: I Graduated from MWC, Which Stands for "Many White Columns"

I went up to VA with Lil' Bean for my nephew's wedding. While there, I went by the alma mater to check it out. They have more new buildings than useful majors. The newest, the student center, is a palace. Shown below, it's clear that no expense was spared. To their credit, it's a beautiful building that fits in seamlessly with the other older, 1930s-era academic and dormitory buildings joining it on Ball Circle.
An old academic building (I can't remember which department was even housed in it) was leveled to make way for a new structure. They may have also wanted to take down the architecturally significant Seacobeck building located in a beautiful glade next door. Seacobeck, the student dining option spanning back to the 1930s, currently has a 1990s era renovation job that is so-so but back when I was in school, the dining hall was very elegant and every table had a linen tablecloth, china and silverware, as well as a fresh floral arrangement each day. Unfortunately, the food was also kind of old school Southern cafeteria and not quite as elegant although the fried chicken, shrimp, and steak nights were great!
The old campus is a quiet, almost monastic, enclave that really is the picture of Old Virginia--ancient hardwoods, weathered Georgian brick structures and rolling lawns.



Monday, November 16, 2015

Monday, November 9, 2015

Trailer Trad Collecting: Practical Picking--Stuff for the Abode

This house in my old Five Points neighborhood is actually cooler than it looks in the picture. The garage on the right is an actual carriage house original to the historic property. The owners held a tag sale a few weekends back. Most of the contents were from their house at the beach (this IS Raleigh, where everyone seemingly has a place at the beach).
I had fun picking that weekend because there was a good deal of action going on given the beautiful fall weather. I'll probably post on random picks later but I thought that I'd just point out a few finds that found their way into the house right away.
I may have mentioned the Bargain Box before in a previous post. It is the Raleigh Junior League (venerable institution) thrift store that has been in the same spot since the 1950s. I spotted the high quality couch and love seat pictured below a week or two ago and jumped on them. Some frat boys from NC State were eyeing them too. I yanked the price tag with the idea that an old, crotchety man like myself needed goose down pillows more than their frat house. They were disappointed. Oh well. I'll comp them a suitcase of PBR.
I picked up the pillows and the striped runners from the above-mentioned tag sale. These items had barely been used and I am enjoying them very much.