Alton, IL

Man, I've got a lot of catching up to do.  I keep coming up with ideas for posts, but trying to spread them out so I don't run out of content.  Then I end up forgetting about them.

So here's the belated pictures from my trip to Alton, IL.  Mr. Modtomic, Dave, and I all decided to meet up and have a look through Alton's renowned antique malls a couple weeks back.

I arrived first, so I spent a few minutes wandering the side streets and looking at the gorgeous victorian homes.  Like many old, rural river towns, Alton has gotten a little rough around the edges.  White flight, the loss of industrial jobs, and the migration of young people to the suburbs of larger cities have all taken their toll.  However, it still maintains that small-town charm.

Once everyone pulled up, we stopped off a Fast Eddies Bon Air, which is famous for it's cheap eats, cold beer, and huge patio.  99 cent 1/2 pound burgers?  Yeah, that's my kind of place.
 

 Now stuffed to the gills, we headed to the antique shops.

 Something makes me think that those doll heads aren't original.

This set of "Bertoia Wire Chairs" are knockoffs, but I really want them for my kitchen.  Unfortunately they weren't priced accordingly ($200 each!).

I've been looking for some mid-century art, so it's always good to learn new artist names.  Now I can keep my eye out for similar pieces.

It was love at first sight between me and this kilim rug, but the price tag drove us apart.  I still find myself pining for it.

At that point, the clouds started looking ominous, so we made our way down towards East St. Louis and stopped at an antique mall/classic car showroom.

There was a "no photography" sign in the car showroom, which the proprietors graciously let us see free of charge.  However, you can check out Dave's blog for a few surreptitious snaps.  They had some real beauties there.

I don't think that anyone picked up anything that day, but a good time was had by all.  I know that my calves certainly got a good workout too.