...and a new look blog!
Juat click on the date - to view the whole blog!
Hopefully you can now easily look back at any of your favourite blogs ...or if you are new to Retro-On-Sea you can catch up with some of the old ones and get a feel for what is happening here at the shop and when I am out and about at the seaside. Often being on a mission to find new and exciting stock for you all to buy!
Visit the website : http://www.retro-on-sea.com/
I have had a great couple of days - I will start with today and work backwards to yesterday!
I am 5 minutes from the sea where I live and yet enjoy the rural landscape of the Somerset levels all around me, including some very pretty Somerset villages.
Today, just 2 villages along from where I live we celebrated the Wedmore Street Fair. Wedmore is a very pretty village - boasting some gorgeous independent shops and has an annual summer fair which is quite a highlight.
The main street running throught the village is closed off for the event and there is a distinctly 'continental' feel to the day. Shops pile their goodies out of their doors onto the street as well as traders and crafts people coming in from the surrounding area.
After coffee, a spot of lunch and a few spots of rain I was soon loaded up with what seems like 'alot of goodies'. Mainly of a wicker variety - no surprises for Retro-On-Sea! A bottle basket, a hamper and even a retro wicker dog bed for 'Badger' our Jack Russell - the star of the show at the top of this page!
If you live in the Somerset area and haven't been before then it is a lovely day out for all the family - Retro-On-Sea are planning to have a stall there next July - so come back and see us!
...and now for yesterday.
I was lucky enough to have a day down on The Quantocks with my hubbie. The beauty of which is not only stunning hills and countryside for walking etc. inland - but a fabulous Somerset coast road which takes you from Watchet along to Porlock, If you can brave the infamous Porlock Hill you are 10 miles from Lynton and Lynmouth and plenty of open sea.
Porlock was looking gorgeous - a pretty gem in a Somerset old-fashioned world of it's own. Charming cottages, tea shops and a wonderful 'weir' a perfect area for walking and looking out to sea from stacks of large pebbles thrown up on the shore.
This gorgeous 'abandoned looking boat' added to the atmosphere of a truly magical place. It was so great to get to the coast and although the sun was only coming through occasionally, even the odd rain spots looked amazing spotting the big coloured pebbles.
So....Porlock was just lovely - but I am going to finish with what I consider to be the real gem - overlooked I think by the beautiful Porlock (lovely as it is!) and under-rated I am sure by many.
I visited the tiny village of Watchet about 16 years ago - and when I say visit - I drove down to this tiny harbour village on the way back from Cornwall - looked very quickly and drove on home.
There is is the smallest of stations which has an old steam train running daily.
We arrive in the rain - but this did not deter the traders at the small harbourside market - selling fresh produce and home-made items.
There is a small harbour and it boasts it's very own stritking lighthouse. It's narrow streets are filled with cottages bearing sea-fairing names - each one you can see would tell a story.
The locals are extremely friendly and the there are interesting and crafty shops to look at.
The sound of water was not far away - the old mill race still rushes down the hill and through the streets - at quite a pace!
Here you could see a small community working together and doing it cheerfully.
I wish I could have......
bottled the feel that was there and brought it back....
It has something quite different from the tourist filled towns and villages that are much better known on that same piece of coast...lovely as they are!
For me... the lesser known Watchet won the day... now firmly on my list of lesser known coastal gems.
and as for the shop.....
Retro-On-Sea is very much alive and well...not much time for the seaside this week. We have gathered some fabulous stock over the last few weeks which needs to be put up for sale - keep checking the site!
http://stores.ebay.co.uk/Retro-On-Sea
We are also getting ready to do a stall in Bristol next Saturday 7th July (1pm-5pm) at the Vintage and Hand-Made Market in Henleaze. If you are local to that - we would love to see you there!
Have a good week wherever you are....
Hello to all our friends around the world who read this blog - it can only be sunnier where you are - our British summer is still raining - but our great retro goodies bring cheerfulness to the dullest of days!
Speak to you all soon.
Ros.
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