Saturday, April 4, 2009

Beach Houses and Shopping

Lunch

When you’re traveling with girls, you can be sure there will be plenty of good food. Most of our hubbies will not eat like this, so it’s nice to eat girlie food on a trip to the beach. Tricia brought her oh-so-yummy Southern Living Cha-Cha chicken salad, which she made for us and if you need a good chicken salad recipe, it’s listed on this post. This is about the BEST chicken salad I’ve ever had, so give it a try. I’m definitely going to make it myself. You use rotisserie chicken and it has cream cheese in it, nuff said! We brought fruit, plenty of crackers, bagels, I made my banana bread, and we ate very well. We polished off the rest of the chicken salad and fruit for breakfast the last day and headed home.

Banana Bread

I snapped some of the colorful beach houses on the way out of town. You can see the sky was dark and cloudy, but that didn’t stop the shoppers. The array of color on the Gulf coast with these beach cottages can’t be beat.

Beach house

Beach house2

IMG_4656

IMG_4657

IMG_4658

I imagine the folks below don’t have any problem telling their visitors where to go…it’s the PINK house….

IMG_4659

Pink seems to be a popular color down here for beach cottages.
IMG_4660

Our first stop on the way out in Foley was Fran’s garden center.


Frans Nursery


We got countless laughs over their sign since we saw it driving in. Sandy is an avid gardener and really wanted to take some of this home with her, so we stopped to take a look. She decided it smelled a little too much for us to put it in the SUV and have to ride home with it. The lady at Fran’s said they had quite a lot of comments over the turkey poop sign. I bet they have! :)

IMG_4661

I did enjoy the garden paths around this nursery and got some ideas for my backyard. It was a fun place to browse.

IMG_4662

A bottle tree.

IMG_4664

And the Wisteria was blooming over this arbor. Next stop was Trees N Trends, another fun store. Sort of a cross between Old Time Pottery and Grand Harbor Imports in Atlanta.

Trees N Trends

Lots of floral arrangements, as well as dried and silk florals galore.

Cushions

A whole wall full of outdoor cushions.

Lamps

Tons ‘o lamps.

Luggage

Luggage that you couldn’t miss a mile away. This is what you need at the airport carousel to stand out in the crowd.

Moss roll

A couple of us bought this moss on a roll, thought it was pretty fun.

Ottomans

A couple of cute ottomans.

Outdoor urns

Lots of outdoor pots.

Purses

Trendy and inexpensive purses.

Vignette

And plenty of furniture pieces too. A total fun place to browse and look around, so if you get to Foley, check out Trees N Trends.

There still more to come and the next shops are even better!

Birmingham girls, today the yardsales are plentiful, so you might want to get out there and find a few. I'm hitting at least 3 big sales this a.m. and I also met up on Friday with a reader in Indian Springs who is having a big sale today. Great stuff! She is at 788 Indian Crest Drive if anyone wants to stop by. She and I worked out a trade and I brought home some beautiful brown and white transferware Staffordshire English ironstone dishes and I'm going back next week for a decorating consultation. I love that! And I bought some other goodies from her too that I'll show you later on. I've got lots to share!

Stumble Upon Toolbar

23 friends stopped by:

susan said...

I swear I think the house on the right is where I have gone several times with a friend. Looks like a fun trip. Did not know there was a Trees n Trends!

Kathi said...

Love the beach "cottages!" Wouldn't it be nice to wake up to that view every morning?!
I'm hitting the yard sales too this morning! Signs are already up! My friend at work had a gorgeous tablecloth AND a birdhouse that I bought "pre-sale!"
Wonder what else I'll find today?

Love Being A Nonny said...

Love all the painted beach cottages. We have those at Holden Beach here in NC too!! My favorites!!!

Thanks for sharing the chicken salad recipe. I have received S.L. for years and somehow I missed that recipe. can't wait to try it!!

Kimberly said...

Oh my GOSH...this is one of those posts where I could, enthusiastically, comment on each picture...but that would be a post, in itself! You ladies know how to have lunch...right down to the diet Dr. Pepper! LOVE the beach cottages, the turkey poop sign. Forget it, I loved everything :-)
~Kimberly~

phillips phamily said...

Sad news! Grand Harbor Imports is GOING OUT OF BUSINESS! I'm not sure why, but my friend got a new couch on the cheap this week.

Bonita said...

Aren't beach houses just the cutest with all those colors? If I ever own one I'm going all out and painting it purple with aqua trim.

Those gardens are so pretty too and gave me some ideas.

I really appreciate you sharing the pictures from the places you visit. It makes me feel as though I've been there and gives me great ideas. Thanks!

My parents are in Atlanta. Is this place anywhere near there?

Unknown said...

Great photos Rhoda! Frans on 59 has always been one of my favorite places to stop!

Darlene said...

Those are beach cottages??? They look more like beach mansions to me...lol. They are absolutely gorgeous!!!

That store looks so neat! I LOVE browsing through stores like that. Good luck on your yard sale shopping.

Lazy Mom Leslie said...

Rhoda, Can you ship me some of that banana bread please?! Yum! Looks like you girls had a fabulous time!

Joanna said...

Damask and zebra print, oh my! My favorites. Turkey poop, I wondered what in the world until I read what it was, haha.

Chicken salad, I will have to check this recipe out. My grandmother used to make one with cream cheese, when she passed away I have no idea where all her recipes went.

southerninspiration said...

...I'm off to find that Chicken Salad recipe.....maybe I'll make Banana bread, today, too. It all looks good and is making me hungry!
The beach houses look so relaxing....what a fun trip and fun shopping!

Suzanne

Herbgirl said...

We vacation in the Gulf Shores/Orange Beach area yearly. Isn't it the best beach ever? We also go to Foley to shop so I will have to find these garden places. Thanks for sharing!
Herbal Blessings...Mandy

Lori E said...

Beautiful homes. We don't have many on our coast that can be that close to the water. The ones that are usually are built on rock. The tides here would take them out. You must be so much warmer down there. We are just getting the daffodils and tulips up.

Rue said...

Hi Rhoda :)

My goodness, it looks like all of you had such a great time!! Girly food, shopping and laughing... oh and turkey poop LOL That is too funny!! You can tell you girls had so much fun :)

Thank you for your sweet wishes for Alex. It's not easy, but I'm so proud of him.

Have a wonderful weekend!!
hugs,
rue

Made In The South said...

I love Gulf Shores...We go just about every summer. I have even gotten Susie to come a time or two. Next time we go on a girls trip there I have to let ya know.
Turkey Poop...Don't think I would want to ride home with that either.

Glenda/MidSouth said...

Thanks for sharing your trip. There use to be a Trees & Trends not far from here, but it closed years ago - only went once.
Glenda

Darlene - Our Creative Life said...

I'll be watching to see what you do with that moss on a roll.

Misti of Studio M Designs said...

I think I have stayed at the pink house before! Really! Thanks for taking me to the beach with you. I really need a beach trip right now...
~Misti

Rose said...

Oh my goodness, I am so past ready for a trip to Gulf Shores!!! I told hubby just the other day that we needed to take a drive over there.
Also wanted you to see my teapot fountain. Remember me asking you about the air dry clay to fix the handle of the little teapot. I've got it paint it but wanted to make sure it was really dry before doing so. I put the link in the url box so you could see it fixed. I sure do appreciate your telling us about this stuff to!!!

jessiev said...

Dear Rhoda,
I will take any one of those beach cottages. they're all just lovely....
oh, they weren't part of a giveawy....I'm crushed! (LOL)
Looks like your week has been magnificent! Thanks for sharing your special times with us.

Beki - TheRustedChain said...

I want to live in that lime and aqua beach house!! That looks so happy.

Deb said...

I've never seen anyone sell turkey poop, what is this world coming too? LOL love the photos of the beach houses, love the bottle tree

Unknown said...

We just traveled down to Gulf Shores/Pensacola for my cousin's wedding and saw the "turkey pop" sign too! I wanted them to stop and let me take picture but they wouldn't. I laughed until I cried.

So glad you enjoyed your trip!