Cousin Tag | Paulie Antiques Show

I'm so happy that I could film a video with my first cousin Jaki... I love having my family come on the Paulie Antiques Show! I love having guests in general. Happy Wednesday! XO

love, polly

Baltimore & D.C. Travels

Visiting Baltimore last week was literally a breath of fresh air. I stayed with my first cousins Jaki and Luke for a long weekend. Baltimore was filled with colorful row houses and the feeling of the East coast which I love so much. One night, Jaki took me to a "lolita karaoke night" where everyone was dressed in lolita fashion (a Japanese street fashion). The birthday girl was fluent in Japanese so I stared at her in awe as she sang karaoke in Japanese in her cute little Angelic Pretty dress and matching purse. I have never actually SEEN someone wearing Angelic Pretty in real life- I've only read about it and watched videos! The sweet lolita in myself was secretly jealous.

As for the vintage, antiques and oddities in Baltimore, we found plenty downtown! It was actually exhausting how many neat antique & vintage shops there are in Baltimore.

 I also wanted to visit Divine's grave and put some flowers there but it turned out to be in another town 25 minutes outside of Baltimore and it was raining the day I wanted to go. I settled for visiting Hampden Junque, Atomic Books and Cafe Hon (which are local John Waters watering holes). Of course I didn't leave Baltimore without purchasing some amazing Divine and John Waters post cards at Atomic Books where John Waters receives his fan mail!

My first cousin Jaki and Me.

The best strong black east coast coffee and homemade coconut cake at Cafe Hon, a famous John Waters attraction in Baltimore.

Atomic Books and John Waters' Christmas Cards he sends to the book store every year. There's also a neat cafe inside this book store!

 Downtown Baltimore & Baltimore Harbor area.

Hampden Junque where Divine & John Waters art was abundant. There were also posters everywhere for an upcoming Divine Monument that is to be erected. This place has so many oddities that will make you giggle.

 Papermoon Diner is a must-see when in Baltimore, too! You can stare at this little diner for hours on end! The french toast is wonderful, too! We wanted the lavender milkshake but they sold out!

Downtown Baltimore after vintage shopping all day.

On the last day of the trip, I went to Washington D.C. with my first cousin Luke and my Uncle Clark. The Magnolia trees were blooming and we ate at a local Indian food truck parked next to the monument. I finally got to see the Lincoln Memorial and the famous reflection pool before it started to rain heavily. I can't wait to go back to DC, again! Do you have any recommendations for Baltimore or DC next time I visit? XO!

love, polly

Happy Birthday, Mom!

Dear Mom,

Thank you for raising me with manners and couth. Thank you for raising me at all. Thank you for making my Halloween costumes and inspiring me to be creative myself. Your kind and sensitive heart has also rubbed off on me and your fashion sense has, too. Not only are you beautiful on the inside.... but your beauty shines through in all places. I love you. Happy Birthday! I'm excited to spend it with you.

love, polly

#throwback

I've always loved photos from my childhood because of course no one remembers much from a very young age. It's a way to jog your memory or at least see what you used to be like and how you used to act. I can definitely see some of my personality traits in these photos that make me the person I am today. Thank you for taking so much time to get me dressed in the morning, Mom. I'd like to think that it's beginning to pay off. Thank you for acting as my costume designer on Halloween, as well. That's another reason why Halloween is my favorite time of year! What childhood memories stick out most to you? XO!

love, polly

My Uncle Jim Boy's Antique Shop in 1971

When I asked my Uncle Jim Boy for photos from his antique shop called, "Lindsey's Antiques" he took a couple of weeks searching for them and I heard nothing from him about it. I became more and more intent on hearing his story over the next couple of weeks. I pried more intensely into the subject of his antique store (which I had only just learned about) and asked him what he sold in the store and where it was located. I was thrilled to have permission to dig into his very large tub of our old family photos including some of these amazing black and white photos from February 1971 of his  antique shop. I learned that he opened up shop in 1970, the year after leaving the Military. I am so inicredibly proud of him and I really enjoyed the time spent with my Aunt Kathy and Uncle Jim Boy in their living room talking about our family and genealogy and sorting through our old family photos. My ancestors are such a huge part of who I am and what influences me! Lindsey's Antiques was open for a 3-4 years in my home town, Taylorville, Illinois in the early 1970's. My Uncle Jim Boy Lindsey collected and sold old bottles, old books, victorian dresser pulls, depression glass, scales and more! He didn't sell clothing- and he says that if he ever did sell clothing that it would have been vintage army uniforms. He called himself an "Antique Shop Newbie" back then when he opened his shop- but his father and mother (my Great Grandfather Paul James PJ Lindsey and Great Grandmother "Polly" Pauline Whitmer Lindsey) had also previously owned an antique store called "Swap Shop" in Taylorville from which he learned the business. My Great Grandparents PJ & Polly also learned the business from a relative of mine visiting from California before I was even thought of!

 My Uncle Jim behind the counter of his antique store February, 1971.

 The view of his shop, "Lindsey's Antiques" from the street.

He continued on to tell me that the reason why he sold Victorian dresser and chest drawer pulls was due to the fact that the dressers were in poor condition. He would take off the pulls (or handles) and sell them- and burn the dressers for warmpth. Back then, Victorian (circa 1890) dressers in poor condition were not worth a lot of money. 

I really admire the entrepreneur he is.... he opened his own bait shop after this and recently opened his own bar- The County Seat. My family always goes to his bar to celebrate and we even taped an episode of my Aunt Kate's reality television show on Nickelodeon there. I love you, Uncle Jim and Aunt Kathy! Thanks for letting me borrow these photos and telling me more about your story. This antique store is actually where they first got to know each other well! They were only dating at the time. I would love to date a handsome man who owned his own antique store................... 

love, polly

Happy 4th of July!

The fourth of July has always been a big holiday in my family- and it's my Great Grandma Polly's 98th birthday today. She looked so put together and happy when we went to visit her at the nursing home... I want to surround her with love and let her know that I am there for her, even though she doesn't remember me. These feelings are contrasted with the new lives of my cousins who I got to know a little better at the parade today... no matter what- life goes on. Here's to freedom and new life. Cherish everything you have today. I'm off to watch the fireworks at my cousin Lindsey's house. 

love, polly