found another great dive this morning

We gave our home away from home a breather this morning, and branched out and found another wonderful dive for breakfast this morning, Plaza Cafe.  Interesting that (I think) it's another greek run restaurant.  Just a block from our show space at the Antique & Design Center.  Perfect egg sandwich and coffee.

Did you see Furniture Today - yesterday

Frank, our modern antique heart pine and walnut low table, was featured in yesterday's Furniture Today. Feels great for our debut to be so well received.

love this modern Showplace

This modern building here at the HP Market is sooo cool.  The glass and curves feel just right.

quite appropriately - turn onto green street in High Point

To find us in the beautiful, new Antique and Design Center, from Main Street turn on Green Street and you'll be quite close to our hand crafted, locally sourced very "green" furniture.

Forwarding a complaint to Mr. Ekornes

Yesteray I walked the IHFC interhall and a few other floors of the building.  Linda sent specific complaint for Mr. Ekornes should I be able to speak with him personally.  Unfortunately he wasn't available, so I left word with the very pleasant receptionest at the Stressless booth.  The complaint;  Linda is unable to stay awake after reclining each night in her Stressless.  Mr. Ekornes, we look forward to receiving a remedy here.

Lacey speaking yesterday

Our friend and (originally) an Alabama gal, was speaking to a packed conference room of designers and press yesterday.  Unfortunately, I arrived late, just in time for the very informative q&a session.

First impressions of our debut in High Point

We are debuting our modern, sustainable hardwood furniture at the High Point Market and these three gentlemen got a sneak peak this morning.  Here' their assesment:

found a great dive for lunch in high point

We were driving down main street a high noon in high point wondering what to do for lunch.  Linda spotted a PACKED parking lot.  Since a packed parking lot is my number one key to finding a great restaurant when we're a newby to the area, we swung in.  And man did we find the right place today.  Have no idea about the history of this place, but this isn't their first day on the job.  Just guessing, probably several decades +.  It was packed.  The waitresses were flying.  Farah knew this was our first time, and she practically ordered for us.  We had fried pork chops, fried squash, mashed potatoes, spaghetti, cobler - what else.  It was awesome.  I rarely eat fried, but this was the time to make an exception.  We'll be back, maybe for breakfast!

The new Antique & Design Center

Found our home for the next 10 days, the new High Point Antique & Design Center.  And is it looking good.  This was previously the Maitland-Smith building.  It's been updated and and is showing some really, really good stuff.  Spent the day setting up the booth.  It was just a bit chaotic (as setup day's tend to be) but everyone was pleasant and fun to work with.  Can't wait to get going.

Swimming the Ashley with Pat Conroy, Leo and Sheba yesterday

Possibly the most enjoyable all day drive yet.  Linda and I started early yesterday, driving to High Point pulling a 12 foot trailer full of furniture.  I don't think anyone tells a Southern tale better than Pat Conroy, and after living in the low country for a few years, we have a particular appreciation for the area.  Linda purchased the books on tape v. of Pat's long overdue "South of Broad" at 5:30am and the next thing I know we are pulling into the DoubleTree in Greensboro at 5:30pm.  -  Wonderful story.  But the odd thing is there were sooo many similarities between his main charactor - Leo King.  We're only half way thru.  Can't wait for the 12 hour drive back home next weekend.

Robert Trent Jones Wedding

Sunday morning I drove out to the local Robert Trent Jones clubhouse to check on a table that's on display in the entry.  It was another beautiful day, and someone was setting up for a wedding. 

This is a truely beautiful setting and clubhouse.  I hear the golf course is exceptional as well (I wouldn't know).  The few times I've driven through the courses to the clubhouse I get a distinct Hilton Head feeling - in a good way.  Another wonderful jewel in the Shoals.

Robert Trent Jones Wedding

You are a redneck if .. .. ..

Ok, this is the one that cranked up this YAARI blog post.  Paddling the creek, I usually end up with a little trash someone else threw out on a recent paddle.  But, lately, I've been finding more and more GLASS beer bottles.  I don't really want to think about what this will do to someone (or some thing) walking the creek.

I don't understand enjoying a beautiful natural resource like this - and TRASHING it at the same time.  And I really don't get tossing glass in the creek.  So, this qualifies as a REDNECK in my book.

Hopefully that's it, but I'm guessing there are more to come. 

by the way, above pic was Sunday's haul (2 glass bottles in the bottom.

Maggie's not taking it for granted

There probably aren't many locals who haven't met Maggie and Jason Chen.  They own the areas (and my personal fav) hottest (as in always PACKED) restaurant in the area - The Rice Box.  But what Maggie was glowing about last night, is that she (as of Thursday) has become the areas most recent U.S. citizen.  Congratulations Maggie!!  You, your family, and your restaurant add a wonderful diversity (not to mention the home-made pot stickers) to the Shoals.

You are an Redneck if:

Let me start out by saying, if you can't tell already, I love my home-town, love and am proud of my Southern roots.  But from time to time, I see things around here that really get to me.  So, I'll be adding to this "Your are an Redneck if" post from time to time.  But, I think it's only fair that we start - well - close to home.

1)  You are an Redneck if:  You will be exhibiting at the High Point Market next week and think your 23 year old sport coats (2) are perfect for this quite dressy occasion.  Even though one is Brooks Brothers silk with more than a bit of dragging pocket syndrome, and the other is Burberry all cashmere.  I really do think these two sport coats will be fine for the occastion. But, designers, be sure to stop by, look me over, and help me plan my wardrobe for the April Market.

Imagine what John Lennon would say

Wondering what John would have to say.  Let it be???  I don't know.  Thinking about john Lennon on what would have been his 70th birthday.

Received the AppleTV yesterday?

Just received this second generation AppleTV yesterday.  It's TINY!  Approx 4"x4"x1" thick.  It arrived just in time to complete my planned slide show presentation of the RWF story.  I'll be working on organizing the slideshow pics and final touches over the weekend, and more than likely in the DoubleTree Greensboro next week.  If you'll be attending the High Point Market next week, be sure to stop by!

Enjoying the day

After the hottest summer I've encountered, seems like every day has been - perfect!  Blue skies with temps varrying from 50's each morning to mid 70's each afternoon.  Unfortunately "this too shall pass".  We're getting just a little frantic around here, getting everything ready to leave for High Point Tuesday.  While running an errand yesterday, I was at a red light on North Wood, and got this shot of this lady and her dog enjoying the day on the bench in front of Magnolia Cafe.  If Ken allows dogs in the terrace, I might have to bring my family before the weather breaks for winter.

cutting a dado in this walnut bench

Here we are in the process of cutting this 2" wide, 2" thick dado through this natural edge walnut bench.  After we've made these repititious cuts, we just chisel the thin slices out, sand it smooth, and insert the 2" thick walnut shorty leg into place.

Linda's sushi lunch yesterday

We jointed friends at what seems to have become our favorite lunch spot (the Rice Box) around town yesterday.  We both had sushi, but Linda's was looking particularly scrumptious.

planing walnut beam

One of the best features of this type of sawmill is that the cutting head moves across the lumber, leaving this oversized lumber stationary.  Here, we've replaced the 60" wide blade with a small carbide planer head.  After 1 to 5 years of drying these slabs can't help but move a bit.  So, once the moisture content has dropped to appropriate levels, we plan them back off here.  The pic to the left is of a really thick walnut slab.  I'm hoping to complete one more piece (a heavy bench) to take with us to High Point next week.