Monday, July 23, 2012

Fight for your right...


I have received a few great pieces of antique furniture from my parents. One of my favourites is this sideboard. There's just something about furniture with feet.

When I was growing up, this was in our basement, in the "Blue Room." We called it that because the carpet was blue, as was the sectional couch. The walls were panelled in grey.

My parents stored numerous seemingly random items inside the sideboard. The top was used primarily as a bar. They even had a sign above it that said "Peter's Private Bar." My parents and their friends knew how to party, and a fully stocked bar was a given. Here's my dad 25 years ago at his 60th birthday party, rocking his kilt and playing the vacuum as a guitar (or maybe a fiddle). You can see the sideboard on the right, topped with all kinds of drinks.


The sideboard is in my basement now, and it houses all kinds of dishes, many of them given to me by my parents. This summer we have embarked on a big basement clean-up and I have come across a number of drinkware items that my mom and dad have given me.

I shared some other favourite vintage drinkware before in my Drinking Buddies post.

Here are the "new" items I have unearthed in storage.










Heather kindly pointed out that a cocktail mixer just like this one is pictured in an issue of Martha Stewart Living. It sits on top of a bar at Camp Wandawega, which is a very cool place. Check out the pic on the Martha Stewart website. Good eye, Heather!

Also, check out this feature on Camp Wandawega. It will make you want to move to the woods.

Did your family have a fully stocked bar growing up? What about you? Do you keep a fully stocked bar now?



21 comments:

  1. Fully stocked and several decanters ....love barware

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    1. Oh, I know we can count on you Carmen! I believe you might just know how to party too! :)

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  2. nope--we had beer--lame I know and maybe a bottle of whiskey--I love your sideboard!!

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    1. That's okay Laura, they were minimalist. ;)

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  3. the sidebar is beautiful. What a lovely family piece of furniture.

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  4. Oh those glasses bring back memories! Yes my dad had a fully stocked bar - it was an actual bar from some hotel that he reinstalled in our basement. I can remember my parents drinking "Pink Ladies" and "Grasshoppers" and many different kinds of mixed drinks. Myself, I rarely drink but I don't mind that others do. The sideboard is beautiful. I'm a sucker for furniture with feet too!

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    1. The hotel bar sounds cool! The drinks sound interesting too! I am not a big drinker, but I like a nice mixed drink now and then.

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  5. Great bar wares! We never had a full bar and now we still pretty much just drink beer and wine. I always feel very fancy with a real cocktail though :)

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    1. I just don't like beer or wine. I wish I did. I have a real sweet tooth, and it applies to drinks too!

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  6. My parents and Husband have the liquor cabinet stocked. No separate bar though. I love your 'new' old finds, things like that are made greater because of the memories :)

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    1. I agree. I love items that are passed down through families. I'm not sure my kids would want the Old Spaghetti Factory glass though. ;)

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  7. I love your sideboard Jo! I would love to have a sideboard in my dining room, but the room is too small. My parents were mostly tee-totalers when I was growing up and mainly only had liquor in the house at Christmas. I love the green decanter you have...great colour and cool funky shape! Angie xo

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    1. I am still looking for a giant armoire type thing for my dining room to house all my dishes once and for all! I don't want to spend $5,000 though on some of the nice ones I've seen.

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  8. I love your father. Just from that picture alone. It gives a glimpse into my own future with my kilt wearing, party animal husband! My parents always had a fully stocked bar, and so we like to carry on with the tradition :)

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    1. That's so funny, Ruthie. My dad is very quiet, but he was always the last one to leave a party!

      And, I think you MUST carry on the tradition of a full bar. It's only right. ;)

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  9. Your Dad looks like quite a character!!

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    1. He is. Now, at 85, he mostly does crossword puzzles and reads the dictionary though. :)

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  10. What a gorgeous piece! And I JUST saw that pheasant cocktail mixer yesterday in an issue of Martha Stewart Living...June or July, I think...in an article about a couple who have renovated an old camp lodge in Wisconsin. They use it on their vintage bar. :)

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    1. What a coincidence Heather! I will have to see if I can get the magazine.

      Was it Camp Wandawega? That place is incredible. I first saw it here http://theletteredcottage.net/camping-in-wisconsin/

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  11. Oh that sideboard is GORGEOUS!!! Love it. Great collection of fun barware. the shaker is awesome. Thank you for sharing this with us last week at TTF. I hope you are having a terrific week!

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    1. Thanks Diann. Thanks for hosting again too!

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