Saturday, August 16, 2008

The Garage, Something for Everyone




Welcome to The Garage.  Let me try and describe this quirky place for you.   It's a  cross between a European Flea Market and Sanford and Son.  In fact, a lot of  folks say the owner and Fred Samford have similar personalities!   It's a jumble of statuary, concrete planters, rusty, peeling iron work of every description and who knows what else.  There are several inside rooms that I have never darkened,  but from what I could see, there's another world of discoveries to be had in there as well.    Stay with me, it gets more interesting. There is a bar attached that by night has live music and by day serves great sandwiches that can be eaten al fresco amongst the merchandise in the courtyard hence today's photo.  Note the enormous wisteria vine/tree that has wound itself all over the place and provides photographers and patrons with lovely dappled shade.   In chatting with the bar owner, he shared that he often refers to himself as Lamont ( to the owner's Fred Sanford !!!)   I'll share an interesting photo from his place on another day.  The Garage is really a one of a kind place.  Where else can you have cold beer, a tasty sandwich,  and leave with an old gate or a headless statue? 

Previous Garage post: June 23, 2008


21 comments:

Janet said...

Quite interesting. I'd love to ramble around this place. Garages harbor great relics.

PJ said...

Good morning, Virginia. Greetings from Lafayette, Louisiana. That's right, we're road tripping. Woohoo! You and Selma are zinnia girls today, one of my favorite flowers. Love that. Hope you have a wonderful weekend.

Eki said...

This cafe does look and feel very cozy with that vine shade and antique furniture.

And YES, please do show us what they've got. I love garage/yard sales and often visited them when I was in the States. They often have something surprising, insteresting....

PS. Thank you for the kind words you left for my today's post, V.

angela said...

This is exactly my kind of place. We have junk shops here but they are sadly lacking in charm and coffee. Could this be a business opportunity?

Virginia said...

Angela,
Hard to believe anything in Nice doesn't have charm! I hope my photos gave you all a taste of the plethora of stuff in this place. It's a trip for sure!

Unknown said...

That really looks like a very interesting place to go more than once!
Greetings

alice said...

I'd love to rummage in this place but, Virginia, how could I do to bring back home all the treasures I'd buy...
Beautiful zinnias!

Laurie Allee said...

Virginia, this is marvelous! Have you had a beer or a sandwich there? I would love this place.

And another gorgeous shot, my friend!

Laurie Allee said...

BTW, I adore the lovely new photo at the top of your page!

Bob Crowe said...

The top picture just looks Southern. It has a charming, seedy gentility. The southern city I know the best is New Orleans and the image has that kind of feeling.

By the way, the snakes in my post tomorrow are not very threatening. In fact, they are kind of chilling out.

Virginia said...

S.T., you hit the nail on the head. Seedy gentility. Why didn't I think of that?! About your snakes tomorrow. I don't believe a word of it.

D said...

Love the new header and these garage photos. Thanks for the link. I need to go ramble around there. I just know they have something I can't live without!

Anonymous said...

WOW! I love this photo.. what a fun place! I would love to do some macro photography there! Have a great day

Rob said...

What a place! A treasure trove for the beer loving photographer! I could spend days in a cafe like this. And the Wisteria, nice shot of this setting. They may have to purchase it for their website...or, at least a free meal. ;)

storyteller said...

This looks like a fascinating place to walk around with my camera, but I’d leave my wallet at home because I’m afraid I’d come home with things I wouldn’t know what to do with. LOL
Hugs and blessings,

Tash said...

Virginia, what a wonderful shop...I could spend hours in there. Your photos really pull the viewer into and give a great sense of the place.
I'm back from the NW & have been catching up on your posts. Very interesting angle on your favorite building - I looked the WIKI site.
RE Mac Store - I went into one a the local mall at Christmas and was so impressed by the styling fo the macs and the displays. We were originally Mac users (the 1st box) & went to the dark side when my son got into "Need 4 Speed" video game. Maybe it's time to switch again... BTW your photo is perfect for the Window/Shop 2 things challenge.

Katie said...

I so want to come hang out here! I bet that after a nice sandwich and a few cold beers I would walk out of there with a headless statue. You know how much I like headless statues! Great photos; you really work that dappled shade!

Ming the Merciless said...

That is a beautiful garden bar.

Now, what kind of sandwich do they serve? :-) It's always about food with me, isn't it?

Tom said...

I'd spend hours looking around here... I would collect anything at one time... :O) When the kids came along I had to have a massive clear out... my garden resembled this place..

Clay Perry said...

lovely place, quite serene

Diederick Wijmans said...

Hello Virginia!!
That would be an ideal place for me to hang around!!
I have a few like these close to Arona, which I visit regularly. It is unbelievable what people get rid of and which I then buy for next to nothing. The places I visit are usually closed on monday, when the owners do the inventory of what people brought in. I usually stand on their doorstep on tuesday morning when they open, to find what I was (not)looking for.
My wife told me that she will divorce me if I bring more things home. I have found a lot of interesting objects dating between the end of the 19th century and the nineteen thirties. Small things purchased for small amounts, and which are nice to give as a present to the lady of the house when we are invited for dinner instead of the usual flowers. It always turns out that my wife starts grumbling when she sees them but in most cases she keeps them for herself!
Enjoy your day!