P i g t o w n * D e s i g n

Red Poppy Sunday

mfairfaxf@juno.com (Pigtown-Design) — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 18:08:00 +0000

In the UK, today is Remembrance Sunday. This date was established after the “Great War”, which was World War I. But then WWII came along, and then several other conflicts, including the current ones. As I mentioned in my post last year, paper poppies are sold everywhere to raise money for veterans of the numerous wars and conflicts. Everyone wears them, from punks to pensioners to posh tots. They are sold in Tube stations and in grocery stores. They unite the country in a very visible way… in a way like nothing here in the US does. British forces all over the world, from those currently serving, to the aging Chelsea Pensioners, stop to remember their fallen comrades spanning the generations.Please take a moment to remember those who have lost their lives to ensure our freedom and safety, both here in the US and all over the world.

Some Housekeeping

mfairfaxf@juno.com (Pigtown-Design) — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 18:17:00 +0000

Sorry for no post yesterday. I was laid low with a vicious migraine. Never had one like this before and hope not to have another. But thank god for illegally imported paracetemol and codeine. It did the trick.

As I mentioned a few weeks ago, I am preparing to move, as the house where I am living is being sold. I am de-accessioning some of my possessions in order to make the move as simple as possible. I figured that if Eddie Ross can sell off his collections on Etsy, then so can I! Check the site frequently, since I am adding new things every day, including a collection of antique quilts from New Mexico and Tennessee. I am still getting a lot of requests for the Turgot Plan de Paris, and people are having a problem printing it if they don’t have photo editing software. Because of this, I have uploaded PDF versions on 20 pages, so that you can print each page separately. Click here for the various versions. If you upload the map, please e-mail me and let me know. I’d also love to know what you do with the map. I am heading to the Book Thing this afternoon with my new friend Christopher, and then down to Housewerks. Can’t wait to see what treasures I find.

Hope your weekend is great.

Remember, Remember…

mfairfaxf@juno.com (Pigtown-Design) — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 02:18:00 +0000

Remember, remember the fifth of November,

The gunpowder treason and plot,

I know of no reason

Why the gunpowder treason

Should ever be forgot.

November 5th is Guy Fawkes Day in the UK. It’s the day that the plot to blow up the Parliament Buildings in London, along with the King was thawrted. To celebrate, bonfires were lit across the country.

The tradition continues to this day, with the lighting of bonfires to celebrate, and to burn the Guy in effigy, and fireworks to acknowledge the role of gunpowder in the plot.

I’ve gone to two Guy Fawkes bonfire parties. The first was with my former housemate, and we knew that the Princess Royal (Anne) was going to be lighting the fire in our area, and so we spent about an hour trying to find some old ship where the fire was being lit. Of course, never saw the bonfire, but we did see the Princess Royal as she was leaving.The second bonfire I went to was with my cousins, and we watched the neighbouring school shooting off fireworks and then we went to a dinner where they had a massive bonfire in the garden! It was a little strange seeing the fire, because there has been a ban on open burning where I live, since I was a child. People have big parties, and even wear Guy masks, which are all pretty identical.

Happy Guy Fawkes Day, and don’t go blowing anything up!

Moon River

mfairfaxf@juno.com (Pigtown-Design) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 02:17:00 +0000

The moon is full this week and when I saw it last night, shining over the Middle Branch of the Patapsco River, it reminded me of the wonderful song, Moon River, sung by Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany’s.

Moon River, wider than a mile,
I'm crossing you in style some day.
Oh, dream maker, you heart breaker,
Wherever you're going I'm going your way.
Two drifters off to see the world.
There's such a lot of world to see.
We're after the same rainbow's end--
Waiting 'round the bend,
My huckleberry friend,
Moon River and me.

Although the Patapsco River doesn’t quite have the same romance as Tiffany’s, a moon like this is always gorgeous, no matter where you see it shining.

The Hallway: Part VIII

mfairfaxf@juno.com (Pigtown-Design) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 20:01:00 +0000

In my never-ending quest for the perfect colour for the hallway, I am still hunting. My dear new friend Christopher, gave me a copy of the Farrow & Ball colour brochure, which is incredible. As wonderful as the variety of shades are, their names and descriptions are even better. Who wouldn’t want a hallway painted Elephant’s Breath, or a dresser painted Mouse’s Back? I am sure that people would say that I can be Churlish Green, but really, I think that Dead Salmon. The shades of String, Cord and Matchstick are so evocative of an old English Country House, while French Gray and Vert de Terre call to mind the French countryside. As much as I’d love to use F&B paint, I don’t think our Estate Manager would be able to deal with paying that kind of money for a gallon of paint. Too bad.

What’s your favourite F&B paint name?

***UPDATE: As much as I love the yellows, there are psychological studies that show that people fight more in yellow rooms than in any other colour. Because the children here have mental and behavioural issues, yellow has been taken out of the running. Too bad, because there are so many great shades.***

National Trust (US) Walking Tour

mfairfaxf@juno.com (Pigtown-Design) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 20:03:00 +0000

The National Trust for Historic Preservation in the US has just announced a walking tour of once-endangered buildings in Washington, DC on Saturday, November 21.

“Begin with a stop at 1785 Massachusetts Ave., N.W., the Beaux Arts headquarters of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Uncover the stories of Decatur House -- designed by architect Benjamin Henry Latrobe, whose prior work includes a wing of the Capitol -- on an insiders' tour. Lunch on your own at Barracks Row, a thriving, revitalized community in the Capitol Hill Historic District and the oldest commercial area in Washington, D.C. An architectural walking tour through the Embassy Row neighborhood features grand 19th-century mansions. Stop at the Georgian revival home of Woodrow Wilson -- now a house museum -- that showcases a collection including gifts of state from around the world. Attend an elegant tea at the Mayflower Hotel, considered the grande dame of luxury hotels by Washington's elite when it opened more than 80 years ago. Conclude with an exterior look at the Smithsonian Institution's Arts and Industries Building, currently closed for renovations.”Architectural historian, author and National Trust employee Dwight Young will lead the tour and tickets can be booked here.

Housewerks on Daily Candy

mfairfaxf@juno.com (Pigtown-Design) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 14:04:00 +0000

Congratulations to my dear friends Tracey and Ben and their business, Housewerks, for the great piece in DC Daily Candy today. I write about Housewerks frequently, because Tracey and Ben have such a great eye for unusual pieces and they put them all together in such a striking way. I am so pleased to see Housewerks getting the recognition it deserves!

Happy Halloween!

mfairfaxf@juno.com (Pigtown-Design) — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 20:40:00 +0000

Hope you have a fun day full of lots of treats and no bad tricks!

Jeopardy!

mfairfaxf@juno.com (Pigtown-Design) — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 16:44:00 +0000

I often say how lucky I am to have the family that I do, the experiences I have and the friends who surround me. One of those is a woman whom I am fortunate enough to call a friend. Her name is Roopa Kalyanaraman Marcello.

She is charming, stunningly beautiful and extremely smart (Yale and JHU Bloomberg School of Public Health). In addition, she’s a great cook, having had one of her recipes mentioned by Mark Bittman in the New York Times.Roopa is going to be one of the contestants on JEOPARDY! tonight and we wish her all the luck in the world!

GOOOO ROOPA!!!!

A Ghostly Tale

mfairfaxf@juno.com (Pigtown-Design) — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 14:00:00 +0000

It was about this time of year, maybe a little later. I was driving with a friend from the horse races at Chepstow in the Welsh Borders, back to our house in Cardiff. We decided to take a detour to look at White Castle which dates to the13th century, although there is evidence of a fortification there before that time.It was just before sunset, so we were the only people there. We parked and walked through the outer ward, through a 13th century gate and headed toward the bridge over the wet moat. From there, we would enter the inner ring of the fortifications through the inner gatehouse. As I broke the plane of the gatehouse, it felt like I was walking through a curtain. I felt a bite of chilly air and had a flash of the scene before me: lots of people milling around, cooking fires, activity and light and some noise. Then it was gone. We walked around the inner ward until it got too dark, and then we headed home. I didn’t say anything about what had happened to my friend, thinking that he’d say I was nuts.

A few weeks later, I was back in the States and sending my Christmas letter to friends around the world. I mentioned what had happened at White Castle in one sentence. Several days later, I got a call from my friend back in Wales. He was shocked! He had had the exact same experience as I had but didn’t mention it to me for the same reason I gave.

Do you believe in ghosts and other-worldly experiences like this?

Why the Post Office is in Big Trouble

mfairfaxf@juno.com (Pigtown-Design) — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 19:07:00 +0000

I went to the post office to mail a package, and got there about 20 minutes before closing. There were about three people in front of me, and after a few minutes, about six people behind me.

There was only one clerk.

It was slow going, and soon the post office was closing, but everyone in line could stay. Another clerk came out and asked for people picking up mail, and helped them. One person jumped the line to buy stamps, and everyone objected because we’d all been waiting longer. My package was a flat-rate package and I had exact change, but that didn’t hold any sway.

The women in front of me was probably homeless and was putting tiny bits of packing tape on to her package. She also needed numerous money orders in very random amounts.

At one point, the manager came out and I asked if he could take some of the people in line. He said no, because he couldn’t handle money. I thought that was the stupidest thing I’d heard, and said so… in a nice way. As a manager, I am expected to do whatever is needed of me, regardless of whether it’s my job or not!

I finally got to the counter and completed my transaction, after apologizing to the clerk, who was nothing but pleasant in a bad situation. As I turned to leave, she said I’d left something on the counter. What?? I was sure I hadn’t. But it was this: As I went to leave, the doors were locked, so the other clerk who had let the woman jump the line, had to open the doors for me.

I told her that I thought she was wrong to let the woman buy her stamps when there were so many people ahead of her, and I just had a flat-rate package. She told me that she couldn’t have served me because she had to weigh my package. When I asked why, she said she had to be sure that it wasn’t over the 70 lb. weight limit! This was an 8x8x8 package, that I was holding in one hand.

What is your Post Office horror story?

The Hallway: Part VII

mfairfaxf@juno.com (Pigtown-Design) — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 00:35:00 +0000

Well, there’s one more colour in the mix. I think we’re coming close, but we’re not quite there. About a year ago, we changed our corporate colours from teal and green (soooo mid-1990’s) to a pumpkin and dark brown. I thought a shade that was a little warmer than the Spice Bounty that I showed the other day, here, might be a good choice. Luckily, there’s a Duron store about a mile from the office and the guys are getting to know me pretty well. I looked for the exact shade I was thinking of, and came up with Tassel. Next to the Spice Bounty, which looks very green, the Tassel looks very warm and rich. Sort of like a nice butterscotch pudding. Maybe just a shade lighter…Right now, we’ve got seven different paints on the wall, but I feel like we’re coming down to the home stretch. I think that if we choose Tassel, we can cut it by 50% with white for the staircase.

I told the CEO that you had weighed in on the colours and had been a terrific help, so… Thoughts???

Royal Copenhagen Sale

mfairfaxf@juno.com (Pigtown-Design) — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 03:20:00 +0000

You KNOW that I love my Royal Copenhagen Blue Fluted Half Lace china and my White Half Lace pieces that I was given last year. So I was thrilled to see that Royal Copenhagen is having a “friends and family” sale in New York next month. I may just have to Bolt up there and see what they have.It’s a pretty amazing sale with up to 70% off of their samples, discontinued pieces and unboxed merchandise. If you’ve ever priced Royal Copenhagen, this brings it down to a somewhat reasonable cost. Here’s something pretty amazing: The brushes used by the Royal Copenhagen porcelain painters are made from the hairs at the tip of a cow’s ears or alternatively the hairs from a reindeer’s stomach. The sale is November 2nd to 6th, from 8:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. at 41 Madison Avenue, Third Floor, New York City. 212.532.5051. Cash and cheques only. They ask that you be green and bring your own shopping bag.

I’ll Take This: The House on St. Mary’s Lane

mfairfaxf@juno.com (Pigtown-Design) — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 01:49:00 +0000

About ten years ago, my parents took my siblings, their children and me to England for much of the summer. We rented two knitter’s cottages in the small Cotswold town of Tewkesbury. The houses were beautifully sited, just around the corner from the incredible Tewkesbury Abbey (which you can see in the background to the left of the house) and just a short three-minute walk to the Severn River. Two of the three adjacent cottages were owned by the Landmark Trust, and the third (on the right) was privately owned, although it was also restored by the Landmark Trust.Imagine my surprise when I was looking through the Guardian’s real estate pictures today and I saw one of the knitter’s cottages for sale for the somewhat reasonable price of £275,000. Inside are three bedrooms, a sitting room, a dining room, a study and a kitchen. Outside the garden is a mere courtyard. It also has a garage, which is both a rarity and a convenience. The view from the back of the house looks over the Severn River, the Ham and across to the Wye River and the hills beyond.Since I already know this house and the town, I will take it!

New York Times: Staging a Home

mfairfaxf@juno.com (Pigtown-Design) — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 15:11:00 +0000

There’s a very interesting article in the New York Times’ magazine today about the business of home staging. It says that now more than ever, it’s very difficult to sell a home, especially one priced in the millions, so it’s well worth the time and effort to stage a home. Prospective buyers get a home with a story and a family, so it’s easier to imagine themselves living there. There’s even a short video with Meridith Baer, one of the premier home-stagers, with a staff of 170 to help her get a home in perfect condition.She charges between $10,000 and $150,000 to stage a house, but if you’re talking millions in selling price, who’s is going to quibble?

A Lecture: When Buildings Try Too Hard

mfairfaxf@juno.com (Pigtown-Design) — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 15:33:00 +0000

Icon (n) An important and enduring symbol.

I attended a lecture sponsored by the Baltimore Architecture Foundation, entitled “Buildings That Try Too Hard”. The speaker was Witold Rybczynski, the architecture critic for Slate magazine, author of more than fifty articles and papers on the subject of housing, architecture, and technology in the Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, and the New York Review of Books. So, he’s got some credentials!The main take-away point is that the public chooses what’s an icon, not the architect or the client. They are buildings which have a meaning beyond their original purpose, a symbolism. Today, so many clients are asking for an iconic building, but many fail miserably. Generally, a new apartment building is not an icon.

The lecture was divided into four parts: Icons, Instant Icons, Failed Icons and Anti-Icons.

Some of the icons were the Eiffel Tower which was built as a temporary structure, the Empire State Building, long the tallest building in the US, and the Washington Monument. Often these structures were not successful when first built, but gained a stature over the years. One question to ask about an icon is “Can you get the building in salt & pepper shaker form?”.Instant icons are buildings that are purpose built to become an icon. Many times, there is a competition for the building and the most outrageous is selected. Think about the Sydney Opera House, the Guggenheim in Bilbao and the recent Beijing Olympic Stadium. For both Sydney and Bilbao, the buildings basically put these cities on the map. Failed Icons are buildings that really illustrate the point of trying too hard. The client figures that the Bilbao Guggenheim attracts millions of visitors, so if we do a titanium-skinned building, with all sorts of swoops and angles, then the visitors will come flocking to the space. Some of the examples of failures are the Millennium Dome in London, the Denver Art Museum, with all of it’s angled walls which are bad for hanging art! Anti-icons are buildings that are simple, classic and fully serving the purpose for which they were built. They function as they should, they are not full of jarring elements and pretensions and will continue to look timeless through the ages. Some of these include Seiji Ozawa Hall in Tanglewood, Massachusetts, The Sainsbury Center in Norwich, England and The Museum of Modern Art in Fort Worth, Texas.What are your iconic buildings, and what are the ones that you consider failed icons?

Guest Posting @ The Blushing Hostess

mfairfaxf@juno.com (Pigtown-Design) — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 14:30:00 +0000

The Blushing Hostess was kind enough to ask me to share some Christmas memories with her readers. I hope you will check out my story over at The Blushing Hostess, which is, by the way, a brilliant blog!

The Hallway: Part VI

mfairfaxf@juno.com (Pigtown-Design) — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 15:03:00 +0000

My office is now looking like an outpost of the local paint store and I am collecting paint samples from far and wide. I understand that everyone wants to give their input, but some of the comments I’ve heard have not been pleasant. And, as always, I am getting new suggestions all of the time, the latest of which was burgundy.

We’ve decided that since we’re painting, we will paint the stairway, all the way to the top of the house. There is some light on parts of the stairway, but not on others, so there will be very dark spots.

I would like what ever colour we use to continue all though the stairway and the hallway. I put two new colours up at the suggestion of our property director – New England Green and Signature Blue.

I think that we need clear colours to help warm the north-facing space, not muted colours.

I applied a swatch of original favourite, Silver Sage, and really like the way it looks. I also put a coat of the Cowslip #4 on next to the Pale Cowslip.I am leaning towards either the Silver Sage or the taupey Spice Bounty, which you can see on the wall and also at the end of the hallway.But in the end, the decision is not up to me, it’s up to the CEO. However, your input is more than welcome and has been a huge help in looking at colours.

The Hallway: Part V

mfairfaxf@juno.com (Pigtown-Design) — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 01:09:00 +0000

You know that part of the job description that says “and other duties as specified”? Well, today, my other duties included painting some swatches of paint on the walls of our center hallway.

We had narrowed the colours to the Laura Ashley Pale Cowslip and a new entry, Duron’s Spice Island. The CEO had suggested I look at a taupe, and I whipped out my PMS colour book to see if there was a shade he had in mind. Once we settled on a PMS colour, I showed him some paints that matched and got a quart of the one he liked best.

He liked it on the sample board but was not at all wild about it on the wall. After I painted the Pale Cowslip, it was deemed too bright, and the Spice Island was too boring. So, tomorrow, I will be getting a dark blue and a hunter green. The issues with those colours are that we are painting the stairway all the way to the third floor and if we do it all in the same shade, it will be very dark.

What Fresh Hell Is This???

mfairfaxf@juno.com (Pigtown-Design) — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 02:22:00 +0000

Just when you think that things are going along swimmingly, a shark arises from the water and begins nibbling at your feet. Prior to moving to Wales, I lived in my house for ten years. And now, I’ve lived in my wee house since I moved back from Wales. Between these two houses, I moved five times, so was glad to settle down.I just got word that the house where I am living is being sold. This is pretty much bad news, but as ever, I am determined to see the good side of things. Quite possibly, it will take a long time to sell. I can stay until it’s sold, but I haven’t decided yet. Regardless of what happens, the earliest I will have to move is the first of the year. I am going to launch my Etsy shop and start selling things to begin clearing out items that I’ve accumulated since I came back from Wales. Overall, this will be a good thing for a number of reasons. I will keep you posted.

P.S. Thanks to everyone who nominated me for a Kreativ Blogger award. I really appreciate it, Corinthian Column, Soodie Beasley and Victoria Art!

Cruising

mfairfaxf@juno.com (Pigtown-Design) — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 23:57:00 +0000

Last week, I had an image of a ship that makes port in Baltimore once a week. This afternoon, as I was leaving the “Wal*Mart-on-the-Water” (don’t hate me!), I saw the cruise ship leaving its dock on the way to another week long cruise. It’s really hard to believe that it’s less than one mile as the crow flies into downtown Baltimore. When I first saw this ship, it was docked at the foot of my street. My first thought was where did that apartment house come from??? Making the turn to head out to the Chesapeake Bay and out to the Atlantic Ocean and points south. They’ll be back in port next week.

Tour de Baltimore: The Good, the Bad & the Ugly

mfairfaxf@juno.com (Pigtown-Design) — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 02:01:00 +0000

The good was the people who were on the tour. The bad was some of the furniture we saw at one of the places we visited. The ugly was the weather – pouring rain all day and temperatures never getting above 45F.

We started out at Housewerks where there are always fascinating things to be seen and good stories to be told about the goods there. The good story today was about the couple who had their wedding at Housewerks. What a great place for a party! We then headed up to Gore Dean Antiques, where we found loads of amazing lamps, chandeliers, china, glassware and much more. Here are some treasures we saw at Gore Dean.

Beautiful hallmarked silver from Tiffany and Cartier

Brilliantly-coloured two-foot long candles.Sometimes, I think it would be easier to have a dog like this, instead of Connor. Especially this week with the vet bills he’s racking up. And he won’t eat his pills, even coated in peanut butter! This lamp was made from a pattern roller. I am sure that this just represented one colour of many.I loved this Chinoiserie chic etched goblet. Virginia Creeper covering the outside of Gore Dean’s shop.We drove through the streets of my old neighbourhood on the way to lunch. This is the same neighbourhood where decorator Billy Baldwin grew up, and I’ve written about it here and here. Isn’t this house gorgeous? After lunch, we headed to Book Thing, where we scored a magazine with pictures of porches from the neighbourhood where we’d just driven through. How lucky!

We ended the day at Second Chance, where we saw some truly bad furniture and fixtures, including this monstrous chandelier with “passionate purple” drops. It measures 53” x 53”! Hideous and huge! I tried to count the number of different layers of paint on this foot from a claw-foot tub. Saw one of the tackiest chairs ever. Apparently, they deconstructed a garish mansion in Washington, DC full of things like this. All amazing woods and fabrics, but utterly taste-free.This is from the same house… As was this satinwood bed, with attached side tables, and the olivewood book cases behind them. All in all, a fun day with new friends! I hope that you will be able to join me on the next Tour de Baltimore, sometime in the spring of 2010!

Maharaja: Splendour of India’s Royal Courts @ The V&A

mfairfaxf@juno.com (Pigtown-Design) — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 17:20:00 +0000

I can’t tell you how much I wish I was in London to see this exhibition! I’ve always loved Indian jewelry and textiles, and had the chance to see some last month in New York.I’ve been getting e-mails the past few weeks from the Victoria & Albert Museum announcing their new exhibition, Marahaja: Splendour of India’s Royal Courts, which looks like it is going to be amazing. The exhibit is open until January 10, 2010. Many of the 250 pieces are on loan to the V&A from India’s royal courts and this is the first time they’ve ever been lent. The pieces date from the 18th through the 20th century. If you have some time, take a look at the V&A’s micro-site specially created for the Maharaja exhibition. It’s very informative, and filled with beautiful images.

I Love This Door

mfairfaxf@juno.com (Pigtown-Design) — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 19:35:00 +0000

What is it about doors in the UK and around Europe that makes them look so brilliant? I think it’s a combination of the architecture, the rich paint colours and the patina on the hardware.

I saw this door on a house in the Guardian and it reminded me of a few other favourites. I love the robin’s egg blue, the classical columns and the pediment. It’s really perfect in my book.

This one is on a building in Baltimore that I’ve always loved. It’s such a strong door, but it’s very elegant in its lines. I have always been very curious about what this building houses. I saw this door in London’s Chelsea neighbourhood last year and just adored the bright lemony-yellow. Another thing that I love about European doors is that many of them have the doorknob in the center of the door, not below or above the locks. I find that when I travel, I take pictures of doors. If you send me a picture of your favourite door, I will post along with the ones above.

Megan who works for a local preservation organization sent me this door which is perfect for the season. BOO! Mandy from AngloFiles sent this door from a church in Edinburgh, Scotland.

Tour de Baltimore FINAL DETAILS

mfairfaxf@juno.com (Pigtown-Design) — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 16:51:00 +0000

After months of planning, the big day for the Tour de Baltimore is almost here! On Saturday, October 17th, I will be hosting the first tour and I hope to do this again in the spring of 2010.

The schedule is as follows, and all times are approximate:

10:00 – Meet at Housewerks for coffee and a look around this fascinating architectural salvage company. Click here for directions. There is plenty of parking on-site.
11:00 – Head up to Gore-Dean Antiques in Mount Washington Mill. I just got an e-mail from Deborah Dean saying that they’re now carrying Dempsey & Carroll stationery.
12:30 – Go to the Hampden neighbourhood of Baltimore. Its main street is full of small independent shops and galleries.
1:30 – Meet for lunch at Cafe Hon, a funky restaurant with classic Baltimore food on the menu.
2:45 – BOOK THING! I know that there will be a mad dash for the decorating section of the books, but hopefully we’ll all find something fun.
3:30 – Back downtown to Second Chance, a massive architectural salvage and furniture consignment store, just a few blocks from Housewerks.

Please e-mail me here and let me know if you will be attending. I would like to get a count so I can give everyone that we’re visiting a heads up that a group will be coming, especially Cafe Hon.

We will probably have to carpool or drive separately, so I will have a map with directions, phone numbers, etc. for everyone on Saturday morning or I can e-mail it to you ahead of time so that you can program all stops into your GPS.

I am really looking forward to this tour and can’t wait to meet everyone!