The Map Of Mysterious And Magical Places, At Last

Hello!

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As you may know, I’ve been on a many-months-long project to improve a desolate corner of my house — a Vibe Improvement Journey that has taken me to mysterious and magical Hudson Valley houses and places.

And as you may also know, I’ve taken photos of these places and cryptically posted them on Instagram without much additional information.

It was all leading to this: my first-ever Jiffy Jaunting Map of Mysterious and Magical Places!

Think of it as a field guide to my series “This Old Vibe,” and I’ll probably keep adding to it as I go along. I’m hoping to make more maps like these — guides for exploring and shopping and enjoying and living in the Hudson Valley/Catskills/Berkshires/Capital Region.

So let me know what you think!

Because it’s a living map, it will change as I keep learning about more places. So bookmark it, consult it, use it as your Personal Legend. And if you ever find yourself with an empty corner of your house like I did, I hope this map guides you where you need to go.

Battle Brown (#1 on the map)

I had so much fun riding along with Warren Battle of Battle Brown, watching him gush over and ogle some of the best-looking slightly run-down houses of the Hudson Valley. His shop, on Warren Street, is just perfect, in my opinion: the right amount and mix of folk art and painted furniture, with modern art and ceramics made by local neighbors and friends. He's really funny, too. Just a great guy with a great shop, "living the dream," as he says.

Kabinett and Kammer (#2)

My time with Sean Scherer, owner of Kabinett & Kammer, can be described as: me, ignorantly asking the most basic questions to a living legend, and Sean, answering every question with utmost patience and wisdom.

His shop in Franklin, New York, is just like his Instagram feed, but somehow in person?? Like, I was starstruck by a pair of shelves?? He describes it as a "contemporary curiosity shop of antiques, natural wonders, and art that serves as a visual medical, botanical, and zoological design resource."

Sean’s about to close for the winter (his last in-season weekend is Nov. 29), but in the meantime, you can pick up his two books on interior design and collecting: "Kabinett and Kammer: Creating Authentic Interiors," and "Sean Scherer's Vignettes.”

You can also visit his booth at The Galleries at Knollwood Antiques, in Lee, Massachusetts (#10 on the map).

Schoolhouse Mercantile (#8)

When I posted my cryptic carousel with pictures of Schoolhouse Mercantile, in Chatham, New York, a few people who recognized it said the same thing: “When is it open?”

Owner Tracy Delsignore doesn’t keep regular hours, but she announces when it will be open on her Instagram page: @schoolhousemercantile. It’s a fun place, and Tracy has a great eye for what she calls "vignette-enhancing smalls, made up of an eclectic mix of turn-of-the-century to midcentury." There's a special "secret" room in the back with vintage clothing that her granddaughter Clementine helps source. Just ask to see Clementine's Vintage Emporium.

When it’s open, it’s usually on the weekends, but you can DM her or call (413) 822-4868 to ask. She told me she currently plans to stay open through the New Year holiday shopping season.

Bottle Shop Antiques (#11)

The story of how one of the best, most treasure-filled places on the map begins is at the precise moment a 12-year-old kid named Kevin DeMartine found two boxes worth of old bottles in the ground near an old foundation at his grandmother’s house and sold them to his aunt for $25.

Decades later, he's filled his place near Millbrook with anything from framed oil paintings and Yellowware to lamps, books, enamelware, and cast iron door hinges. There's still a room full of antique bottles, too (some arranged by the region where they were made).

I always pick up hobnail milkglass here, and we've stocked our cabinets with antique ceramics (plates, bowls, serving platters) that we love to bring out when hosting friends. People compliment them all the more when they find out we got them from Kevin.

That’s it for this issue of The Jiffy! If you like it, please consider subscribing to my premium level: The J’Fay Supreme. For just $5 a month (or $50/year), you can help support the type of documentary storytelling you find on the James Cave Instagram Feed.

Thank you for reading and for following along!