Monday, May 02, 2011

I Wore Paunts In Staunton

Note: Staunton, Virginia, is pronounced how a northerner-by-birth (like me) pronounces "aunt" -- as "ant" and not as "awnt" like the Southerners who I grew up with in Virginia Beach pronounced it. As such, I already approved of the place before we got there.

We were in Staunton this weekend for no good reason. Other than the fact that this is the home of the Statler Brothers and we are Statler Brothers groupies. (That is not true. Although, my father did love the Statler Brothers and I could probably name more Statler Brothers songs and albums than I would ever care to admit. Same with my mom and Neil Sedaka. With this kind of musical influence, there was really never any danger of me joining a rock band.)

Staunton is three hours from Northern Virginia on Amtrak and we read that once we got there we would not need a car -- which is something we love. We also love to go away for the weekend often. I do not know why...as we live in a very exciting area. Probably so I can immediately decide that I want to move anywhere we visit and that is not at all annoying for Canetto.


This is us at the Amtrak station in Manassas. Our photo was taken by a man who looked
like a child molester and whose hands were shaking so badly that he immediately dropped the camera after
taking this photo. I have no idea what is going on with my boobs here.

Canetto found a place for us to stay that was a huge loft apartment on top of a couple of shops. It was decorated beautifully and is the type of place I envision myself living. I forget sometimes continually that I am not young, urban and fabulous.

Seriously, check this out:




The owner of the loft left a huge bunch of fresh flowers in the pottery vase on the table and a cake plate in the fridge stocked with fresh baked goods:

Immediately asked if we could come back here. We had been in town about 25 minutes.
We did a bunch of fun stuff in this sleepy little artsy town: walked to a park and fed ducks, watched a glass-blowing demonstration at a glass studio, went to a farmer's market, toured the Mary Baldwin campus, rode the trolley, went to dinner at restaurants that served locally-grown foods, shopped at funky little stores...

Today, I'm back to reality. Living in my decidedly suburban '70s split level house, working at my corporate job and missing Staunton.

Staunton -- I'm entraunced,
Brutalism

16 comments:

YinMetYang said...

Perhaps you go away so often because (pronounce 'becaaas') you hate your neighbors? Maybe they tant you or flant their wealth?

Stacey said...

I grew up in the suburban south and said Aunt like ant while my friends in the rural areas said it like aint and my friends in the urban areas pronounced it un-tee.
No wonder there was a civil war!

Brutalism said...

YMY - True. They do both tant me and flant their wealth. And they never let me borrow their calk.

Trucking T - No kidding. It is totally "ant". Not even up for debate.

dilettante07 said...

Uh-oh Stucco Maunsion has some comp-o-tition!

Brutalism said...

Tante - Avery just wanted to go back for a weekend. Not for 10 days and nine nights. The Stucco Maunsion is still her favorite getaway...

Moooooog35 said...

Apparently, Staunton's angular-yet-sideways gravitational pull has an adverse affect on boobies in yellow shorts.

Thought you knew that.

Unknown said...

A pillow pet on a train? Best idea I've seen in a long time.

Brutalism said...

Moooooog - I do now!

Marilyn - Also a good idea on a train? Flip flops with a bottle opener in the sole. Tim has these and the young guy sitting ahead of us needed a beer bottle opened. Tim came to his assist. He's a little like MacGyver in that way.

Stacy Parker Strauser said...

you went to staunton and you DIDN'T tour the american shakespeare center and the globe, founded by jmu's own dr ralph cohen and jim warren? what, are you MAD, woman? whatever you do, don't tell joyce...

Sarah said...

Your daghter is gorgeous! Now I want to go to Staunton just for their baked goods.

Brutalism said...

Stacy - Is Blackfriars Theatre the one that Ralph Cohen founded? I thought that sounded familiar, but remember...college is all a blur to me. Who are you, again? But hey, I'll go back to Staunton again. Oh, yes -- I will go back.

Sarah - Go for their baked goods, stay for their quirkiness.

Christian at Point Counter-Point Point Point said...

What the? My daughter has that exact same unicorn pillow pet. The teenager salesperson at the major chain toy store guaranteed me that the one I bought was a hand crafted one of a kind original! You can't trust anyone anymore.

Brutalism said...

Christian - What is the world coming to? Additionally, why didn't I invent the pillow pet?

Gay Guy said...

You are always young and fabulous to me.

Brutalism said...

Gay Guy - You forgot "hilariously funny blogger." (I'm kidding, I'm kidding.) You are always young and fabulous to me, too. (As well as a hilariously funny blogger, actually..)

Sarah said...

Since I read this post I can't tell you how many times I have run across references to Staunton, VA. I never even heard of it before, but now I can correct people when they say it wrong, and that gives me immense pleasure.