my kind of birthday

This past thursday was my birthday ... not hard for me to remember what day I was born on because it is also the oh so glamorous and memorable Ground Hog's Day.  

According to Wikipedia ... The groundhog (Marmota monax), also known as a woodchuck, whistle-pig, or in some areas as a land-beaver, is a rodent of the family Sciuridae, belonging to the group of large ground squirrels known as marmots.

I've always had mixed feelings about sharing my special day with a rodent ... but hey, it is what it is.  Just another way to keep myself humble... sharing a birthday with a whistle-pig.  

My sweet husband and I have long opted to skip on gifts for Christmas and birthdays.  I must admit that if I see something I love as the year progresses I usually get it if I feel like I deserve it.  My must haves usually involve art or vintage items and they just come along when they come along.  Hard to plan them around holidays.  So it works for us.  Instead of gifts I always hope for a day of shopping and putzing with the mister.  It is just what I love to do.  If he takes a day of vacation to spend out roaming around with me ... that is the best present ever. 

This year we decided to roam around Rockford for the day.  I googled "best breakfast in rockford" and hands down the Stockholm Inn was rated the highest.  Breakfast is my very favorite meal to eat out.  I don't cook a hot breakfast so going out for one is a treat.  We each ordered our standard egg and hash brown meal that we love and on a whim I ordered some Swedish pancakes for us to share as it was listed in the reviews as the must have item.  I did not expect them to be so crepe like.  Mostly because I had no idea what they would be like at all.  They were tasty but I still like traditional buttermilk fluffy pancakes better.  The service was good and quick which is always nice when you want to get out and do some shopping.  The restaurant is huge inside.  Much bigger than it looks from the outside.  It is in a shopping strip mall.  Had I not read about it I would not notice it at all as it looks pretty basic from the outside.  I heard that the place is packed on the weekends.  I would go back again for the tastiness of the breakfast but not for any sort of special ambience.  The Stockholm is located at the intersection of Charles St and 20th.

Right across the street was our next stop.  Continental antiques.  This is a place that I like to visit every time I'm in Rockford.  The owner goes to Europe 4 times a year and brings home a container full of furniture.  Not a place I go to buy and resell but go to see if there is something I just can't live without. 

The turquoise chest of drawers is one of my favorite things purchased from Continental a couple of years ago.  The shop is in a huge old brick warehouse and is 3 floors.  Lots of great stuff (mostly furniture but some smaller items too).  

This creamy French style credenza would have gone home with me if I had a place for it.  I love it but just could not figure out where I could use it.  It is marked 750.00.  I think that is a really fair price for something so big and lovely.  Had a bit of paint chippage on the top decorative piece but other than that it was in great shape.

I was going to purchase these brackets but changed my mind at the last minute.  They are repros... and that is ok because they have a great look.  But in the end I decided I really did not need them and they would probably end up sitting in my basement with a lot of other parts I've accumulated over the years.  They were not priced but the owner told me I could have them for 60 dollars.  10 a pc is a good deal I think.  Someone will snatch them up soon I'm sure. 

I will say that I am loving the gift I bought myself before Christmas .... the iphone 4s.  It sure is fabulous to see something I want to take a picture of and be able to snap it off easily.  The new 4s has 8 megapixels and it takes a great on the go photo. I'm hoping to do more of that while I'm out shopping in the future.  

Continental antiques is owned by the nicest man named Robert.  He is always very friendly.  I found a story about his shop online.  You can read it here.

We also popped by the Antiques on State Mall and a few other places but did not come home with any treasures for ourselves.  We had a really great day just leisurely wandering around shopping and eating.  It is the kind of day I love.  Nothing fancy.  Nothing fancy at all. 

 

Comments

[Eartha Kitsch]

That sounds like the perfect day! And you're way cooler than a groundhog so I'm pretty sure that it's all about your day anyway. That's what the mister and I always do - skip gifts on holidays and just do things throughout the year and have special birthday outings. The best. Happy Birthday (late)!

[megan]

Eartha ... I'm sure we would be fast and furious junkin buddies if we lived closer to one another. You're my kind of gal!

[Lisa]

So glad you had a nice birthday! I have been to Continental Antiques! I love it there! Such beautiful things, Pec and I were so tempted by the row of armoires! Stuff we don't normally have the chance to see.

[Megan Morrison]

Lisa ... yes he has so many nice pieces of furniture. I'm tempted every time I go but I need a bigger house!