Thursday 11 April 2013

Rye-Things I Didn't Buy and Places I'll Never Live

Rye, home of the great little selection of antiquey junk shops, or vice versa. More expensive in some cases than Hastings, but often cheaper than Greenwich. My favourite shops in the little group that my friend and I like, are one with two floors and lots of different traders-you never know what you will find, and a 'kitchenalia' (I don't like that word) shop that specializes in enamel ware, baskets, cooking equipment and little modern handmade things that are pretty and sweet. It is museum like in the range of things it stocks, and the interest in looking round, and the colours in the shop are lovely pastels, whites and the natural tones of wood, wicker and metal. Also the woman who runs it is very nice-not always the case with antique dealers I have found!
Loads of pictures today as there was so much to look at. We wandered up a bit from our normal haunts and the older part of the town is just beautiful. We discovered that Henry James lived there for a while. We found a pink vicarage and a friendly black cat with a stumpy tail. 
 Weird thing to decorate but pretty.
 Love it, but sensibly realised I have far too many things like this hanging around my house and filling its limited space.
 The rope was actually quite a bargain, compared to new rope from B and Q.
 As was this piece of coral, compared to the two pieces we saw in a far more pretentious shop, where similar pieces were £45!
 Incredible wisteria on Mermaid Street.
 Proving that the olden days had a sense of humour-the house with two front doors ha ha! Only one letter box though. But two knockers.
 Pretty Easter wreath still up. 
 False flowers-if I lived on this street-or any street-I would not put false flowers in a hanging basket. They did that at the school we borrowed rooms from for a while. Bright orange pansies that will bloom garishly all year.
 What a whimsical name this street has. I can't believe I have not walked up there before. We discovered The Mermaid Inn-a 15th century inn that is the perfect place to have a cosy lunch. Big inglenook fire, delicious haddock and chips, and a half of shandy-yum!
 Looking down Mermaid Street. The Mermaid is on the right.
 This chapel is on the edge of the church square and is converted into a house.
 This handsome cat was waiting on the windowsill of a black and white Tudor building, and was most friendly. He escorted us along the street until what I suppose is the edge of his (very lovely) territory.
 This is an 18th century water tower.
 The pink vicarage. It is more salmon pink than it looks in the photo.
 This is the house for me. Perfect for the cats as they can use the front door, or nip up and down the tree and in and out of the upstairs window.
 Moss has made the hair and crown of this stone face soft and green. Magic moss.
 We popped into this shop-I wanted to look at the perspex pretend lamp light. We popped out again when I saw it costs over a thousand pounds!
 My attention was taken by this display. Unusual is a kind way of putting it. Weird is a less kind way-and normally I like weird, but for me this goes too far. A rugby playing ballerina drummer with a scary sheep mask face? No!!!!!
 Sweet shop-I like the old sign and a traditional sweet shop is always a good thing. Though I didn't buy any sweets, what with all the flapjacks, cookies and cakes this week I have already had more than my quota of sugar.
Sweet house in a courtyard. Not quite as good for the cats but not bad.

9 comments:

Rattling On said...

Great post. Rye looks like my kind of place!

Janine said...

Oh I love this...thank you for taking us along with you! Beautiful photos!

Anonymous said...

What a lovely tour! It looks like a place where kitties get cream and salmon.

Linda Sue said...

Oh MAN! One would have to travel all day or longer to get to anything remotely interesting and cool here in the States. You are so fortunate! Rye is so tiny - such a lovely little gem- LOVE all of your photos- yearning! Everything right in your own back yard- so many cool places! Love your choices of dream homes. 10 quid sounds a lot to spend on a bit of coral...that is nearly 20 bucks! Crazy!

Carole Reid said...

So much to look at! It's so pretty there with all the quaint shops and cobble stone streets. Another place to add to my must visit!
Had to laugh at the plastic flowers. We were once tricked while walking through a gallery garden in the middle of a cold, wet winter, when we came upon a tree in full bloom! So excited we squealed "oh look, I wonder what type of tree that is?" Still makes me laugh at how silly it all was. xo Carole

Tracy said...

http://pranalight.typepad.com/prana_light/2013/04/being-here-now-refreshing.html

Sam said...

Wow! How amazing it looks! So old and pretty! Hope you're well! :0)

Relyn Lawson said...

That water tower makes my heart go pitty pat.

Shell said...

Rye looks perfectly charming. Reminds me a bit of a place close to me called City Island that has sweet little shops like that.