Antiques, Anniversaries, and Eddie!

So where even to begin?? I thought the last post was heavy on the pictures - think again! Our anniversary just happens to coincide with the famous Round Top Antique Fair, and let me tell you we have our anniversaries booked for the next decade because this place is our favorite.

It's equal parts kitsch and character, and along with all the junk you're always bound to find some treasure. I can't even begin to do it justice, because I'm such a novice. There are antique dealers and design bloggers who've been going for years and literally have maps of where to go and who to see, etc...I'm still working on my map. We had SO much fun this time, last time we went we just drove in for the day, but this time we stretched it out over a whole weekend. Which really is just absolutely necessary given the sheer expanse of all there is to see.

So let's get started...nothing says JuliAnna more than an old historic house draped in a sign that says Antiques!

Tents and little houses are filled with trinkets and I just loved this tent. A ton of old metal/copper pieces in all these galvanized bins, it was just a feast for the senses:)

I can't even begin to tell you how much walking we did, so there was also plenty of opportunity for this (and no need to feel bad for those calories either!)...plus have you had Texas beer? We KNOW our beer. Apart from Oregon, Texas is up there for me in this department. Note the crazy wire dress forms in the background, so fun!

As you get into Marburger Farm, you really get into the GOOD stuff. Now, while some of this is still definitely out of our league, it's just so much fun to look around and you still can find good deals on some really great antiques.The pictures just don't do it justice because you can't see all the little vignettes everywhere, you may need to make the pictures bigger;) OR better yet, you can all just fly out here and come see it for yourself with me!

Oh, lookie here - who's that cute guy with the chandelier? Really though, we were both dying over this piece, OBVIOUSLY not coming home with us for many years...and those old door/window things in the background..L.O.V.E.

I wanted to marry this section.

Oh, and these gilded candlesticks? Yes, please!

And then...then...in a moment of fate, I met THE Eddie Ross. Google him people. He's a regular feature in my Southern Living and lo' and behold he was there to write a feature on Round Top for an upcoming issue. I spotted him in his little pink polo about a mile away. Me and a bunch of crazy middle-aged women;) So I had to get my obligatory picture. I have excited face, so it's not the best, but it's a good memory!

When we weren't out hanging out with interior design's elite (just kidding!), we managed a lot of R and R here - at our little cabin in the woods. This place was SO beautiful. It's bed and breakfast on a working ranch in the middle of nowhere and we opted for their ultra-private cabin, no one's even allowed to come back there except for the guests staying there. It was just what we needed. I had just wrapped up my old job and this was my only real weekend before starting the next, so it was perfection.

See...PRIVATE. Nevermind that it looks like Captain Hook or one of the Lost Boy's made the sign...we were going for off the grid, not four star here.

There she is...it was the tiniest little cabin but it did manage to squeeze in a full kitchen so after lunch of fair food (which in all honesty, is really good at Round Top), we got to come "home" and make dinners every night and sit on the porch with some great wine. It was heavenly!

 This was one of the roads we saw on our way back from Round Top to our cabin. This sealed the deal, one day we will have a home out here to retreat to - who can argue with this sort of view?

Another gorgeous view on one of our drives, really I just can't get enough!

And lastly, but certainly not least, my favorite image from our whole trip. This was our view on our last afternoon at "the ranch." Doesn't get much better than that.

Hopefully this post convinced a few readers to come and visit me and take the trip with me next time. Every year - October and March:) Which might I add, is just PERFECT weather here...what are you waiting for?