Birmingham Rouge - Feeling Cranky??

If you are my age, you knew immediately what this is. For the younger set, it's a hand crank ice crusher. My grandmother had one and always crushed the ice for our Cokes ( Coca Colas from a bottle). For memorabilia and much more, shop What's on Second that has relocated to First Avenue. You can't make that up. Who's on First? You know the rest.

It's Hard To Get Good Help These Days

They are always whining for a scratch behind the ears.  These two "guard" dogs, and I use that term loosely, are eager employees at What's On 2nd?

No. 1 Kodak Jr.

They don't make 'em like they use to!

What's on Second?

View From The Second Floor....

What's On Second.  One of the most eclectic shops in downtown Birmingham.  I always find cool collectibles and things to photograph here.

Days Gone By

 

 This uniform, worn most likely by a bell hop at the Thomas Jefferson Hotel, can be found....where else.... What's On Second?

VIew of Second Avenue

Some of my Paris loving friends will do a double take and think this is the view from the Musée d'Orsay clock, but no, it's one of my favorite places in downtown Birmingham....What's on Second.

On The Sixth Day of Christmas...

What's On Second?

my true love gave to me SIX PLASTIC SANTAS!

Camera Porn!

I took Bob and Carolyn Crowe to What's On Second last Monday. I"ve been there many times but this place is so full of memorabilia you would NEVER see it all. I always head to the old camera section and swoon. This time they had them displayed with these cool pink lights.  BAM!

BTW, Bob featured some of his photos yesterday on his Saint Louis Daily Photo blog.

Reverend Mickey...

preaching to the faithful at the Church of Disney?  No, just a fanciful arrangement I found upstairs at What's On Second? in downtown Birmingham.  You just never know what you'll find, that's why I go so often!

Vintage Camera....

vintage photographer!  I love What's on Second.  It has a plethora of collectibles and memorabilia. I love  Steve Gilmer and the nice ladies that work there. They just let me prowl around, take tags off, move things around, just about anything to satisfy my bossy photographer self!  I thought a vintage self portrait was in order!

Love Pat

Steve Gilmer, the owner of the wild, wacky and eclectic What's on Second, has two shop pups.  They were just so darn cute peering over the counter at me I spent half the time I was there trying to catch them without motion blur!  I did catch Steve's dear assistant as she was getting ready to take one for a walk. I think her love pat says it all.

This post is for my dear dog loving friend in Gorbio, France......Jilly.  She blogs from Menton FR here, and Monte Carlo here, and features Riviera dogs here.  She and I always have lovely long phone chats while I"m in Paris and we SKYPE now and then.   One day I hope to meet her in person.  I can't wait to visit her  home and meet all of her chers chiens, and the ones she boards ( and loves)  while their owners are away.  Pension Milou must be a very wonderful place... for dogs and friends as well.

No. 1 Kodak Jr.

What's On 2nd?

I love old cameras.  I am really grateful that I discovered my passion for photography at this time in my life, but when I see old cameras like this, I wish I'd found it long ago.  I dabbled in film photography by taking really, really bad photographs of my girls as they grew up,  and I got a little better when the first 2 grandbabies came along.  Now digital works for this "immediate gratification" photographer, but I still wouldn't mind getting my hands on one of these fine old boys.

Go Ahead, Write Your Own Title !

Found at What's On 2nd? 

Downtown Birmingham

I've been saving this photo for Halloween week.  When David McMahon turned me on to his delightful contests on Red Bubble, I knew this was going to be one for my blog!   Go ahead, enter as many clever titles as you wish.  The winner/winners will be announced on Friday.  One of my "independent" judges has decided he wants to enter the contests,  so I'm soliciting another one.  Stay tuned for the results on Friday.  Bring it on!!!

Through the Spokes

I took this one from the second floor at What's on Second?.

( Yes, I fiddled with it.)

Oh Marilyn My Dear!!

Don't you just love this? I wish I'd bought it, but where on earth would I put it?? I'm telling you, if you can't find it at What's on 2nd?, you didn't need it!

Let's Twist Again....

like we did last summer. I found this box full of wonderful old 45's at What's On 2nd? recently. The first thing I thought of was this song by Chubby Checker. ( Well I was way up on the third floor where it was very warm, so Chubby's song just sprang to mind!)

By the way, these 45's were selling for $1 a piece. I wish I had a turntable, oh I wish I still had a turntable.

This photo goes out to my two dear music buddies, JB and Jay Gilbert. They know more about the music we all love than any two people I know.

I've Got a Crush on You....

Those of you from a certain era ( I know who you are!) will remember the Ice O Mat. My grandmother ( Nanny) in North Little Rock, Arkansas had one. I loved me some crushed ice with a Coca Cola poured over it. Still do. This vintage ice crusher "turned my crank" as Wayne would say. I thought $18 was a little steep, but now I see that you can pay as much as $46 for one on Etsy! If you live in the Birmingham area, visit What's On 2nd? ( on Second Ave. of course) and plan to spend an hour or more poking around their 3 floors of memorabilia and "nostalgia items". It is well worth the trip.

Well here you go...... a tune for you today :)

I will be starting another 5 week series of photography classes, here in Birmingham, on

Monday, July 26 from 1-3pm.

These classes are designed for amateur photographers that want to take better family and vacation photos. Contact me if you are interested.

I LOVE Your Boot!

Sometimes a girl just can't make up her mind. In that case, just wear one of each! I spotted this cutie while I was in What's On 2nd? yesterday afternoon. I told her I liked her boot and we struck up a conversation. Before I knew it, she was pretty much calling the shots.....literally. After I took numerous shoe shots, she told me she'd like some of her face, and then decided maybe she'd like one of the top of her head so I could see her hair! Oh and of course she wanted to see all the photos on my camera as well. I was happy to do just that. I guess I was so enamored, I forgot to ask her name!

Red Chair

I'll just bet you thought I'd forgotten all about my (multiple) festishes for RED and CHAIRS.......NOPE! Snapped this one at What's On 2nd? in downtown Birmingham. I'll go back.