High Hopes

Early this morning we headed west to Ontario for a wee roadtrip.

We needed a change of scenery.

We were heading to Cornwall, Ontario for some thrifting, sightseeing and lunch.

And I had a big bag of clothes and bed sheets to donate.

Our first stop was Value Village...

 I saw this lonely and sad 441 Pyrex bowl.

I could not see if it had a pattern!

 This Pyrex look a like casserole was in fact a Corning Ware casserole.

Seeing a huge throw made out of Phentex really brought me back to the 70's.

What a strange fiber. It was rough, heavy yet warm and melted really well in the oven!

How do I know?

When I was 5 or 6, the building next to our apartment was demolished,

leaving a thinner wall and the wind would freeze it right up.

My Mom would turn on the oven and leave the door open and we would sit

in front of it. She would put her feet up in her Phentex slippers and she melted quite a few pairs....

Blast from the past!

Do you have Phentex anecdotes?

Out Thrifting

We had a wee roadtrip yesterday...

We drove to Cornwall, donated a bunch of stuff to Value Village, then crossed the scary bridge to Massena NY.

Turns out they finally woke up (the goverment) and built a new low bridge. Quite a delight, but they still (the goverment again) still charge $3.25 to cross the bridge.

Well Massena is still Massena; it is a village, a poor village but it has a Riteaid, a Wallgreens and a Kinney drugs.

If there was a tier system, I would say that Riteaid is tops, next comes Wallgreens and for some reason Kinney drugs is the weird ghetto one....

It might be their geographic location...or just my perception

We bought our usual supplies...cough drops, lipsticks, solar yard lights...

Then hit an antique market, very clean but nothing for us.

And we went to Price Chopper, again it seems the sad one; but not really cheaper than Hannaford (my usual grocery in the U.S).

It was there that I realized that powdered Coffee Mate in my fave flavors was a seasonal thing and so was turkey broth in a box, SEASONAL!!!

Things we learn.

We crossed the bridge again to have lunch at the Cornwall BBQ, yum!

Rotisserie chicken and pork souvlaki brochettes....and homemade soup....a classic

There were only 2 Pyrex at the Cornwall VV

 

This, not too bad and this

                                             This was sad even for .99cents

                                              I bet next time I go it will be gone

It was a small roadtrip but quite fulfilling never the less, sometimes I just need a change of scenery.

We might cross the lines moe often from now on since Rachael Ray has introduced Nutrish cat food....Bob is cray about it!

 

I Fell in LOVE!

While on our road trip to Ontario, I saw a Bulk Barn store and wanted to go there but Dan didn't see the point! I said : It's full of bulk stuff like the almonds yo like sooo much (that did it! Next thing I knew the flasher was on and we were looking for a parking spot).

Last time I was in a Bulk Barn was in....let me see 1989? Yes that sounds about right and in Moncton NB of all places! I was on vacation and buying colored popcorn (doesn't pop colored, bummer).

We were like kids in Disneyland! We bought Goji  berrries, mulberries, pisctacchioes, oolong tea with orange peel, flaked dried onions, israely couscous and Sugar Twin. Everything is fresh and delicious!

I was already plotting my next trip when I realized that we have one nearby in Vaudreuil! Hellooooo! It just opened and I hope it catches on!

We Quebecers don't particularly like anglo brands (must be a language thing). Ponderosa, Pizza Pizza, Montana's, Red Lobster are just a few franchises that tried to make it and couldn't cut it....They thrive in the rest of Canada.....How strange!

Once in a while we head to Ottawa and go pig out @ Red Lobster (there's a cool Value Village in the same strip mall and a Sally Ann across the street).

Here's some of my finds from that lovely roadtrip.

A nearly new (in great condition) Brita water filtration pitcher with a brand new filter (sealed in bag) and a bagel cutter (Brand new). That set us back 5$ for both; basically the price of a new water filter.

We've been using Brita products for 15 years now and our current pitcher is not user friendly. The handle is hollow and it is pretty easy to fill it with water by accident and drip all over. This is a familiar sight @ Vonlipi's. 

 I found a milk glass mug and a cool plaid bag. I got the bedbugs speech Dan really scared of those suckers! but I feel the bag was not comfortable for those critters.

I haven't been able to take pics, the weather is real crappy (rain all the time!)

And I have another throat infection/flu/sinusitis/pain in the butt sickness that is dragging me down; but I won't give up!

Have a great night! :) 

 

No Thrifting Joy for me

Well it was bound to happens sooner or later....A road trip without any thrifting bliss.
I was so convinced that on saturday all my Ontario friends would've spread all their unwanted wares on gingham tablecloths in the sweet breeze for me to grab.

Well didn't turn out that way! Tim coffee in hand we had sun in our hearts and change in pockets...I was so primmed!

I saw a big garale sale in Cornwall and Dan graciously stopped the car. There was a lot of cool stuff (No Pyrex) and the prices were steep! Come on people 28$ for an old set of kitchen canisters! Granted they were nice, but this is definitely the prices of people who don't want to get rid of their stuff.

Further south, still in Cornwall, another sale. Hosted by 2 aloof gentlemen who didn't even say hi....You all know what I think of sour puss sellers. These 2 were probably ex-sellers. Nothing had prices, everything was a collectable (YES PYREX!) and everything had a pedigree. The Pyrex I already had. It happens....

West we went and stopped in Morrisburg, where we had seen a nice old guy last year sitting in his garage full of lamps,He was nowhwere to be found and all we saw were signs for a BIG MOVING SALE. Believe it or not the lady had rented a commercial local for her sale....Nothing really interesting and SUPER expensive.

By then were we starving, I was beginning to nibble on the car's upholstery, so we backtracked to Corwall to eat at this funky vintage place.

   
Next time we go, I should ask when this place opened. probably in the 70's. It's always packed and the decor is so dated that it's in again!

The pic doesn't do justice to all that orange funkiness! It's always akward trying to ask permission to take pics, so I did a covert op...

The food is very good and most of it is homemade. Nothing fancy but real honest with fresh ingredients. Don't get confused this is not a BBQ place in the Kansas city sense, it's a rotisserie chicken kinds place, The kind most of us Quebecers and Ontarians grew up with before St-Hubert BBQ.

 

That chicken is a hoot and you can see some more inside. I'm already craving that out of this world gravy!

See you tomorrow! Remember it's Retro Tuesday!

Fantabulous Thrifting Road Trip (Part 2)

As promised, here's the following part of that wonderful road trip. After lunch ,eaten at Cornwall BBQ (Ontario), we were still thirsty for thrift....

So we decided to push west to wards Morrisburg (20-30 min from Cornwall) on the Heritage Highway (rte 2) and then like in a dream....We saw a garage sale on the other side of the road and I asked to stop. I don't stop to all sales, I passover the ones that seem to only have kid stuff...
So we had to turn and drive back...and then maybe 50 to 100 feet from it I yelled: Hey! There's a Pyrex Carafe! And yes there was one and better there were 2 Pyrex carafes!

Here are the 2 carafes from the garage sale. In front 2 jadeite Fireking berry bowls I found in a barn for a song and the 401 Pyrex Opal bowl I found here...

This wonderful haven of antiques and collectables is on Heritage Highway (Rte 2) west of Morrisburg. I don't know how far, but not that far.Okay,okay I loose all track of time when I'm on the thrifting war path!

I had everything a glass collector could want! Rooms and rooms and rooms of glass and pottery. It was packed from floor to ceiling. And there was Pyrex in every room! No lies!

Hum! Delphite! and Pyrex!

Oooh out of focus but you can still see the PYREX!

Look at all that blue! And there was one room full of MILKGLASS! That's when I thought of you Douce France! All the milky glass goodness...so white,so pure! Why I didn't take a pic, I don't know!

 

Look at that light on the Shenandoah Pyrex bowl....

This was taken in the basement. Look at the view of the St-Lawrence river! WOW!

I was really excited to find this place opened because we had drived in front quite a few times but it was always closed. The prices are not cheap but not crazy either. I know for a fact that you can bargain a bit 'coz I was able to just that for my bowl. I have been looking for that little guy for quite a while. Opal is hard to come by, they didn't make a lot of items. 

    
They are open 7 days a week, 10 to 5 until October; at least that's what the lady said!

Oh and I found this at Value Village...
                  

        

This paper towel/aluminum/waxed papaer dispenser is so shiny you can see my whole kitchen in there!

I hope you enjoyed this installement of Fantabulous Road Trip! So if you're not that far, pack a picnic and jump in the car and head out west or east depends and take the old road west or Cornwall and you just might be surprised!

                                                                           
Today I'm linking to Vintage Thingy Thrusday hosted by Suzanne from Colorado Lady . Get over there! Don't be shy! I know you want to! LOL

Thrifty Goodness

Last Saturday we hoped in the car and a thrifting we went! To Cornwall, Ontario land of plenty!

First stop Value Village...Dan spotted those FAB vintage highballs...I just had to get them! Still on the fence about keeping them, I love them but it's a space issue....

Ahhh! The decanter...I've been aching for one for a long time and I got this one at 50% off that is 2.50$ ! And it's all clean too! No pesky white ring that you can never remove...I got this at my favorite thrift store full of toothless old ladies reeking of cigarette smoke. Stinky but beautiful finds!

I got this vase/ice tea glass at the same place for .50 cents. I love the blue green color. I looked in my reference book and it might be a Diamond Point from the Idiana Glass Co, but nothing for sure!

Got the sea shells at Value Village too for 1.99$. I love the sea,shells and the beach. My bathroom is beach themed and so is one of my bedrroms so I just had to grab them!

We had an amazing lunch at Cornwall BBQ. That place was full 70's decor wise. Everything red and orange with roosters all over. the food was really good even the BBQ sauce was homemade. It's really rotisserie chicken and not bbq. It was amazing!

Well gotta go! I have some church basement to investigate! later Gators!

Roadtrip!

Saturday we went to Cornwall, Ont (again). We really like the vintage vibes of this place.



All the old buildings, the thrift shops, flea market, different food. Even the liquor store (LCBO) is cool!

Here in Quebec the liquor store (goverment run) seems to have problems to sell local products, but in Ontario it's a plethora of local stuff!!!



I had found a new thrift store while surfing the web, the Agape centre thrift store. It was one of our first stop. Very clean, lotsa stuff, and will be on our regular list of Cornwall must see. We also tried a new restaurant: The Gemini Cafe. We had a crab bisque (delicious) and a greek chicken sandwich (marinated chicken breast,tzatziki sauce with dill, ripe tomatoes, onions on a grilled pita) Super fresh and amazing! No room for dessert! :(



I found some intersting stuff at a thrift store: A Mirro dial a cookie cookie press, Spice of life S&P, vintage napkings and a cute cinderella butterfly gold bowl at Value Village. All will make an appearance in the Etsy shop as soon as I can post pictures again (translation: as soon as I get a new computer.....)

Speaking of Value Village the Big Brothers and Big Sisters were having a celebration to thank the community for their support and we got free cake (SCORE).

This was one of the best days EVER, we were in a cocoon of fun and synchronicity, nothing could pee on our parade!

On the way back we found a really quirky "garage/conveniance store/auto parts place/flea market" in the middle of nowhere. The owner was real nice, the stuff interesting (where else can you buy a pound of nails, 4 tires, a summer dress, a coffee make,a helmet and a teddy bear??? tell me!)

If we can find the place again we will go for sure! I think it's west of St-Zotique!

All in all a fabulous day!

Quick update

Last post I wrote about the HUGE quantity of Chinese restaurants in Cornwall, Ont. It seems I was exaggerating....Really you say? You ? Vonlipi ,exaggerating??? How could it be???

So for a population of 46,000 there are only 9 Chinese restaurants in Cornwall....Well it seems a lot because on Ile Perrot we are 40,000-50,000 with only 2 Chinese restaurants.....

It might be because of the locations, I don't know! anyways here's another pic of a different place where they serve canadian foods...Now what is canadian foods? I have no idea!!! Beans? Steaks? What exactly qualifies as a canadian food? If you know please leave a comment!!!

On a totally different subject: Fox has decided to produce another show with the Osbournes. You got that right Ozzy and the whole circus....I decided to give it a try and I could only watch it for 10 minutes. It was horrible and lame and like having acid thrown in my eyes!!!

I'm finishing season 6 of Buffy the vampire slayer- very hard season for the Buffy, very depressing...In my opinion she should have stayed with Spike! But I digress! I'm still hunting for Angel seasons 4 and 5 and I'm certainly not loosing hope!

Later faithful readers :)

Cornwall re-loaded

I was lucky enough to go to Cornwall this week.

We first stopped at Rob Mcintosh in Lancaster (gift shop extraordinaire). I very seldom buy stuff there (because of the price and besides I'm in the whole vintage thing...) But if you want to see tons of dishes,glasses,gifts,jewelry and other knick-knacks, by all means go! After back on the 401 until exit 789 and a quick stop at Value Village. There was nothing interesting for us....Then a pit stop at Dollarama for some gum and Scharffen Berger chocolate- yes a buck a bar!!! That is a GOOD deal considering that I see that brand for 4.99$ at regular stores.

We were famished so it was time for Pat's home cooking on Pitt street. You can't miss it the decor is froggy country and of course yellow and green...But Pat has some of the best homemade fresh never frozen french fries...and the coconut cream pie is to DIE for...sigh!

To burn calories, we took a troll on Pitt St, and stopped at Riley's bakery for some Almond tarts and 7 grain bread. Then we thrifted in a couple of secret spots....hehehe! I can't reveal all my sources! LOL

Also everytime I go I'm fascinated by the number of chinese restaurants....I googled the population of Cornwall and it's around 46,000 (a lot more than I thought!) but there's a lot of chinese restaurants nevertheless. I will have to count them someday.

Regarding the pictures: First picture is of a Pyrex 443 Friendship bowl that I found in Cornwall,in a closed flea market (the door was opened) the owner was nice enough to let us browse.

The second picture id of one of my all time favorite restaurant signs: The Jade Garden. It is sooooo retro! I love the colors. I have never been to that place, but we never know...I might try it on another visit....

Ahhhhhh! Cornwall!

Yesterday I left you just after the Canadian customs ( Did I mention that we had to pay 3$ U.S each way to cross a very tired bridge???) We were back in Cornwall and famished the soup was long gone!!! I'm not really a fast food person but once in a while a Harvey's burger tickles my fancy!!! I included a picture of their (now retro!) red and yellow decor.....Then a quick stop the the Value Village to find a cute Pyrex Woodlands casserole no 471 (my favorite size...) and monday was a 50% off day so that little beauty was a true find for 1.49$. My favorite street in Cornwall is Pitt st. A street that time forgot but still with some life: A couple of diners, a couple of bars, some nice gift stores, a bakery. And it has a real retro feel. On a cross street I spotted a thrift store where I found some treasures for my Etsy boutique....The blue and green ashtray, the Pyrex sygarbowl and the nice decanter will make nice additions to my existing inventory.

Or last stop was Riley's bakery (I took a picture of their window but it didn't turned out nice). I had never been there because it closes at 1 PM saturdays so I threw myself in and ordered a bread and 2 little individual tarts: Almond and Butter Pecan.....Both were inhaled after supper and one thing is for sure.....I will come earlier on saturdays to buy more of those Almond tarts....OMG!

So as you can see the day finished on a high note and maybe Dorothy had it right when she said " There's no place like home...."