SEPIA SATURDAY
Hello downtown! What a bustling city center this appears to be, complete with traveling bicyclist.
Alan's theme photo works wonders for a festive visit to the big city post. One of my family's greatest traditions this time of year is to drive into downtown Minneapolis and spend a few hours at Dayton's Department Store.
Please, keep this secret, but there's an imaginary secret elevator that delivers you to the North Pole as well. Seriously.
To be honest only a few of us actually still call this long time running department store Dayton's, in reality it's now become Macy's.
But you can still find the Dayton's name in places and many of their old time traditions too.
We (and it seems the family members always vary each year) our adventure begins by sharing the grandest of lunches on the 12th floor in the Oak Grill, with an old world experience. Besides the elegance, they offer a charm with so many rare and mouth watering treats. For instance, you can sip a glass of "Poinsettia" made of cranberry juice and sparkling wine (which really is divine) unless Eggnog Brandy Alexander is more to your liking. Or perhaps their Hot Chocolate surprise is more appealing.
The glowing fireplace inside the Oak Grill was over three hundred years old when it arrived to this restaurant from England.
After dining, we find our way along a magical mystery tour, to the North Pole, for a visit through the everyday lives of Elves, Santa's Workshop, Reindeer Flight School and jolly spirited Mrs. Claus has the best ever bakery, fresh cookies and fudge and we never leave without tons of Sugar Plums too!
In keeping with our theme for this week, please enjoy a few photos of yesterday (long ago) from just a few of the lovely photos they have on display outside the Oak Grill.
Now to begin, follow along as we step back in time.
Welcome
For those on the go folks lunch in the Skyroom is fast and offers quite a view over looking the city too.
Thirsty?
Below, Hand crafted in 1885
And finally
16 comments:
marshall fields was big here in dallas.
We had the Eaton's store in Winnipeg with a tea room.
Those department stores were so much fun. Do you remember when they had an X-ray machine in the shoe departments so you could check the shoe fit?
A building with a lot of history! I'm glad it still exists (albeit under a different name).
Department stores are so much nicer than big box stores.
~
I must have been brainwashed as I recognise the names if not the places - Hudson's, Marshall Fields', Macy's I have seen on bags from my wife's shopping tricks.
You photos show an era with much more attractive an appearance than today's.
We had some lovely big department stores in Australia too. My Nanna occasionally took me - such a treat!
Sadly the same level of service and 'pomp' doesn't seem to exist anymore.
I really enjoyed this virtual shopping trip Karen. Interestingly, when we visited Macy’s and tried to take a photos of the amazing displays we were very firmly told -no photography allowed!
I really enjoyed this virtual shopping trip Karen. Interestingly, when we visited Macy’s and tried to take a photos of the amazing displays we were very firmly told -no photography allowed!
Whoa, I did not know that Macy's started out as Marshall Field's!
A fun compilation. Sadly department stores have too much competition today to have the same same service and charm. Once they had the same elegance as ocean liners and train travel.
My favorite department store, when I was a young working woman, was the Emporium on Market St. in San Francisco, followed closely by the City of Paris, I.Magnins, & The White House on Union Square. I actually did a little modeling for The White House. Sadly, all are gone now. Macy's now occupies the spot where either I.Magnins, or The White House were, I think. Not sure. I haven't been to the city in years.
Little Nell, it is sad how you hear that comment a lot these days. Thank goodness people back then took pride in showing how life was.
Big department stores seem to be a think of the past, at least for us here in New Zealand. In my mind the restaurants in such places had a character quite their own.
Department Stores were a bit of a mystery to me because I grew up in the country and rarely visited the city. It looks so glamorous.
The big department store of my youth in Detroit was Hudson's. It was imploded some years ago. The drinking fountains looked like the one in your photo. They had a nice restaurant too. I don't think as posh as yours though.
Thank you for an excellent shopping trip with photographs! I too remember the old department stores. Believe me there are few now to compare.
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