A gorgeous retro caravan, Autumn Splendour and the Beach Hop

A couple of weeks ago my friends Annie and Simon Dawn took their lovely caravan  Louisa Ann - built by Annie's dad in 1962 - to the Whangamata Beach Hop.  Annie and her niece Julie Jones served up high tea on my Crown Lynn Autumn Splendour.  And this is what the table looked like:

Lots of people just love Autumn Splendour but I am not such a fan, it was too much of a cliché during my 'formative years'.  But my daughter is young enough to appreciate it so she has first dibs on my set.
Anyway, I digress. Here are Annie and Julie with the Louisa Ann, in their matching retro dresses they made from an authentic 1960s pattern.

The Louisa Ann is one of only about 12 distinctive Everson's Deluxe Caravans, Annie's dad Ern really only made them for family and friends. Several are still on the road, including one at the beach hop which belongs to another branch of the family. Inside the Louisa Ann is bit less plush than modern caravans - there are lots of rivets and the sturdy aircraft aluminium is exposed, but it's very cosy and Annie and Simon have been all over NZ in her for months at a time. The original Formica is still in great shape - here is the all-important swan and my books on display.

From all reports the girls had an excellent day, and I am so happy and proud that my Crown Lynn was used in such a great way.  Go Annie and Julie!

I do love to see Crown Lynn being used and enjoyed, and for that reason I can't resist adding this pic of my Book Club supper setting - I didn't have time to dig out matching trios so we had mix 'n match, which worked just as well if not better.

More soon

Keep warm

ValM