Vintage Chicks' Mid-Century Road Trip, aka A Day Out on a Day Off

 

Who drives 2.5 hrs away just for lunch and a spot of shopping?? Umm, us. That is, me & my friend Sue . We both buy and sell vintage stuff, and while we're not actually business partners, we do work very closely together and often spend Fridays together, as it is pretty much our day off. Sue is the absolute queen of Art Deco on Australian ebay, so where better to go than a peaceful little Art Deco seaside town with fabulous food and mid-century shopping?

 

 Brunswick Heads, NSW, was the main destination. Oh you want to know what I wore?? 

Another 70s poly. number from my personal collection. I've got some awesome 50s sunnies on the way, and I can't wait to treat myself to a pair when they arrive.

The bangles, you've met already. The dress is hard to see, I know. Sue took these pics of me in front of this insanely huge tree. She kept muttering something about getting run over. As if I made stand in the middle of the road or something. He he

  

Ok so I've cheated on the beach shot here, because we don't do beach. This is from a true-to-life postcard.

 

The very Deco building which is currently a pharmacy.

 

We popped in to see our lovely new friend Louise, who owns the fab mid-century shop, resould. As you can see below, the shop is tucked neatly underneath an original 1950s beach house.

 

Louise and her hubby restore all the furniture stock themselves, and their craftmanship is superb. Just take a look at this set of 50s nesting tables in solid silky oak.

 

 

These 50s armchairs are something else! They have their original fabric which is a rare thing to find in this tropical climate (where the sun is lethal). The arms have been restored, the black buttons replaced and the piping repaired.

 

Top quality mid-century commands dollars here, but I've never seen better. And I'm very fussy.

 

Louise also has a special range of vintage textiles-check the cushion covers in the background and the wall hanging further below. And who doesn't love these rounded Kartell tables? I think their versatility and freshness is underrated.

  

Lots of Danish modern teak and 60s glass.

 

More textiles and 60s/70s glass, and look at the fab shape of the coffee table below.

  

Stopped at the pub for lunch, which has superb food. One of the things we love about this pub is that there's no brewery advertising at all. Aside from the 'Hotel Brunswick' sign, you'd never realise it was a pub.

  

The next 2 pics are of the hotel's main foyer, which dates to the 1930s. I want a staircase like this. It conjures up images of slowly walking down the stairs dressed in one's finest, doesn't it?

 

  

And the food? Char grilled marinated octopus, freshly caught of course, as Brunswick is a fishing place.

  

After heaving ourselves from our very comfortable seats, we did a little more scenic touring (thats the ocean you can barely see in the distance) and visited the nearby town of Bangalow.

  

Naturally we're always on the lookout for bargains, but like most collectors we just like a good poke around. I saw this 50s table which I really liked, but at $95 in this condition, I passed. Big time.