View with a Room

Just got back from a short road trip with my husband.  We wanted to break in our new car – and maybe soak up a bit of spring.

I was excited to travel through several small cities and towns further south that I’d always heard about and never visited.  We literally did drive-throughs and maybe a few side trips if a neighborhood caught our eye.  And of course, I immediately got impressions of how people live and how they feel about their environments by observing porches and window treatments and landscapes.  I could start to fantasize a life, living in ____________.

Too bad there’s not a name like “Foodies” for people who obsess about interiors (Spaceballs?)  But I tend to picture interiors anywhere I find myself.  So I started playing a little game of designing a room that described the impression of some of the towns we drove through.  It’s a very personal impression I’m picturing – you can write and tell me if you agree.  Anyway, here goes:

INDIANAPOLS, IN

Home of Angie’s List, of course!

What a lovely downtown – very elegant.  Almost old world.  The streets are wide and grand.

I think folks have updated a bit here, but probably keep that traditional grandness alive and comfortable.

LOUISVILLE, KY (“Luvul”)

Surprising that I didn’t see more Kentucky Derby influences.  Nice old place. Thriving downtown, and a fun looking old town with good restaurants and bars.

 

 

But until we went past Churchill Downs, I didn’t see anything related to horses or jockeys.

Finally, we ate lunch in a little café that had some antique Derby posters on the wall.  I’m feeling the rustic casual vibe here, in spite of those fancy hats on race day.

BOWLING GREEN, KY

Charming!  Old-fashioned town square with a beautiful little park.

NASHVILLE, TN

As we toured one of our main destinations, I realized I was not resonating. Honky tonks, crazy busy streets, shorts and cowgirl boots, country/western through and through.  And downtown they have a weird Batman building that made no sense.  Not my scene.

But we had bought tickets to the Grand Ole Opry, and that turned out to be one of our all-time favorite things!

A Nashville interior undoubtedly reflects all sorts of crazy country/western, mountain, rustic, industrial kitsch influences.

PIDGEON FORGE/GATLINBURG, TN

Horrible traffic.  Ridiculous amusement attractions.  Wouldn’t want to live here…

ASHEVILLE, NC

Ah, North Carolina.  The air in the mountains here is quite pure.  And even though it doesn’t feel like the deep south, it has a charm that permeates everything.

Asheville is very arty – galleries, hippies, street musicians, interesting little boutiques, and bed-and-breakfast accommodations right off the plantation.

I loved the faded beauty mood.  And love the friendliness in people and animals.  Sue, the little black dog, Chicken Pie, the big orange cat, Old Mo, the rooster…

The Asheville room makes no excuses.  Craft it, live it, share it.  It’s the south…

Except at the Biltmore…George Vanderbilt had something else in mind!

LEXINGTON, KY

OK, this is more like it.  This says thoroughbred everywhere!  Interesting aside: the white fences and farms are frequent.  But then there’s an occasional farm with black fences and barns.  They are very tailored, a little “Thomas O’Brien.”

The grass looked very green, not blue to my eye!  Opulent stretches of land and a lot of upscale communities.  The horse-racing industry is obviously thriving.  Wish we could have stayed for awhile to visit the many cute restaurants, grills and taverns in the old section.

 

On our way out of town, we swept past many grand boulevards of quaint houses that I’m sure harbored rooms full of antiques, memorabilia and elegant appointments.

It was such fun to discover some new American vistas.  It’s always enriching to see how other people live and adapt to their environments.

(Hope you’ve enjoyed the ride.)