On the Walls at Charlie's Place

The decor at Charlie's Place is as good as the food!

Housed in The Harmony Club on Water Avenue, the exposed interior brick

 displays old signs form current and former businesses, historic photos

 and documents plus a splash of colorful art by local artist Julian Helms. 

Linking to Our World Tuesday

March Theme Day, Cafe Chairs

It's March Theme Day over at City Daily Photo Blogs, and we're

 posting pictures of cafe chairs from around the world!

I thought these chairs at The Vineyard fit the theme perfectly!

The Vineyard is an Italian restaurant located on the first floor

 of The Harmony Club building on Water Avenue. 

See more chairs at CDPB March Theme Day

Toys of Yesteryear

John Deere tractors, steam shovels, a covered wagon, horse and buggies...

I wanted to play with all these toys of yesteryear!

They are arranged on a table inside The Harmony Club 

where an antique shop will be opening soon!

Linking to City Daily Photo Blogs

Good Grapes!

You know you're at Selma's Italian restaurant when you look up

 and see a bunch of grapes hanging from the ceiling! 

The grapes are just part of the charm at The Vineyard, located

 on the first floor of The Harmony Club on Water Avenue.  

Linking to City Daily Photo Blogs

The Vineyard

Selma has a new restaurant, and it features authentic Italian cuisine plus a big helping

 of old-world atmosphere. Located in the historic Harmony Club on Water Avenue,

 The Vineyard offers entrees including manicotti, chicken or shrimp alfredo,

 chicken or eggplant parmesan and yummy spaghetti and meatballs. There's tiramisu

 and oreo delight for dessert, plus a whole lot more!

 Arrive early to get ahead of the noon crowd!  

Linking to Our World Tuesday

Harmony Club on Tour

The Harmony Club is hosting tours this weekend during StreetFest! 

For just $5, you can tour the former Jewish social club that is now a private home.

 It's located on Water Avenue not far from the Edmund Pettus Bridge. In fact, there's

 a great view of the bridge from upstairs. The century-old building has been

 under renovation for the past decade and includes a grand ballroom.

Skywatch Friday, Blue Skies Smilin' at Me

It's Friday, so Skywatch is on, and it sure seems that this blue sky is smiling at me. 

This sky shot is framed by one of the the arches of The Harmony Club.

Visit more skies at Skywatch Friday.

ABC Wednesday, Q for Quaint

The original phone booth at The Harmony Club remains as part of the building's 10-year renovation as a three-story residence, and I think it's truly QUAINT!

Q is the letter of the week at ABC Wednesday, so head on over there for more Q pictures. 

I Could have Danced (or watched a movie) All Night

My camera's on the floor, its lens packing in the great expanse of the third-floor ballroom/movie theater of The Harmony Club. Under renovation for the past decade, the century-old building on Water Avenue once served as a Jewish social club but now is owned by architectural consultant David Hurlbut who calls it home. The building was on tour during StreetFest last week, so I'll share more photos of this historic treasure later! 

Meanwhile, head on over to The New York Times to read an article about this house in its Dec. 8, 2010 Home and Garden section. 

July 2010 Theme Day (Reflections)

This month's City Daily Photo Blogs theme is "Reflections," so I searched my archives and retrieved this photo of a power pole and power lines reflected in a window at The Harmony Club on Water Avenue.

Want to see more reflections from the CDPB?
Click here to view thumbnails for all participants

An Evening with the Jester

The Harmony Club will host "An Evening with the Jester" Thursday night to benefit the Selma-Dallas County Museum of History and Archives at the Old Depot.

Guests will see photographs of Selma's past from the Rosenburg Collection, and this painting of "The Jester," one of Billy Rosenburg's subjects, will be auctioned. The Harmony Club was built in 1909 as a Jewish social club. It is privately owned today, and part of the downstairs section is often used for social events.

Arts Revive Spring Show

Bold, bright colors seem to be the trend this year in many entries of the Arts Revive Spring Art Show. The show opened Friday night at The Harmony Club on Water Avenue and exhibits more than 100 works of art by 39 Alabama artists, 18 from Selma.

Categories are oil and acrylic, mixed media, folk art, photography, enhanced photography, sculpture, watercolor and drawing.

The show, which is free to the public, is open tonight (Saturday) from 7-10 p.m. and during Pilgrimage next weekend from 11 a.m. til 4 p.m. March 20-22.

High-Wheel Bicycle (August Theme Day - Metal)

METAL is the theme for August's City Daily Photo Blogs, and bicycles became all-metal machines in 1870. Prior to then, metallurgy did not produce metal that was strong enough for small, light parts.

This appears to be a rusty high-wheel bike anchored in front of The Harmony Club residence on Water Avenue, although it's missing some parts.

The two-wheelers became quite popular during the 1880s but were very expensive and owned primarily by young men with financial means. The average worker could expect to save six months salary to afford such a luxury. However, he could also expect to have several head-first accidents since the rider sat so high.

Be sure and visit the other heavy and/or light metal photos from around the world!

Click here to view thumbnails for all participants

Gargoyles? (Camera Critters Sunday)

Imagine looking up and seeing a real live "gargoyle" staring down!

I was taking pictures of the interesting gargoyle-like face (bottom right) when the feeling that whispers "You are not alone!" became urgent. I assume this is the resident dog at The Harmony Club (a private residence) downtown on Water Avenue. Of course, this was the perfect "Camera Critters" opportunity, if only he would hold that pose. He did, and I didn't get pounced upon. Then, he retreated back into his abode.

Needless to say, this photo was taken with haste, hence the lack of sharpness.

Check out the other fantastic Camera Critters HERE.

Window Dressing (Skywatch Friday)

This "window dressing" is a reflection of the July sky and a building across Water Avenue from The Harmony Club.

A Jewish social organization, The Harmony Club building was constructed in 1909. It housed a ballroom, restaurant and lounge and was the site of many parties and dances. Later, the building hosted the Elks Club but was vacant from 1960 until 1999 when David Hurlbut purchased it and began the current renovation as a private residence and retail spaces.

Click the Harmony Club link for fantastic photos of its interior.

Now, head on over HERE for more Skywatch Friday photos, now hosted by Tom, Sandy and Imac. Thanks, y'all!

On Tour (Skywatch Friday)

A motorcoach tour bus from this company in Baltimore, Md., stopped at Bienville Park on Water Avenue Wednesday while its occupants visited the National Voting Rights Museum. Selma attracts numerous tour bus groups to its Civil Rights sites. In the background at far right is the Harmony Club, formerly a Jewish social club, now a private residence.
May is a good month to visit the Deep South. It typically is our driest month of Spring with daytime temperatures in the 80s.
There are plenty more Skywatch shots out there! Visit them at Wiggers World.

The Harmony Club

The Harmony Club downtown on Water Avenue was built in 1909 as a Jewish social center. It originally contained first-floor businesses, a second-floor restaurant and lounge and third-floor ballroom. Later, it served the Elks Club, then closed in 1960 until it was purchased in 1999 for a private residence. It has been under restoration since then and was featured on HGTV. ArtsRevive, a local arts group, uses the first floor for exhibits.