Do you live in a 'famous' neighbourhood? What gives your home that claim to fame? Depending on circumstances, neighbourhoods can gain fame or infamy.
Maybe a celebrity grew up on a street or a significant event happened in the area. So possibly, a few people will stop and take a photo of your street - if it has a claim to fame. Yet how many people can say that their neighborhood is preserved in wall hangings, or paintings, or has a business called after it – or better yet – has a wine created in its name.
If you live on Jelly Bean Row in St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada, you have that distinction. Living on Jelly Bean Row is a sweet deal. This charming street is home to Victorian row houses with each one painted a different vibrant color. Put the street in the middle of historic St. John's with its 'Old World' look and you have a hit on your hands.
Geoff Meeker, director of Jelly Bean Row, thought,"Why not create highly detailed art work, print it on a press, and then plaque mount it so that the houses can be hung in a row, just like the real thing!"
In fact, a St. John's business, called "Jelly Bean Row," that makes wall hangings of the colourful homes, has been featured in 'Citizen of the Month' in New York and placed in the top 20 during November 2008 in the 'Mommy Blips' ranking in the U.S. Of course, the 'Jelly Bean Row' wall hangings are meant to hang in a row.
The 'Jelly Bean Row' business has a smart idea for collectibles. Who wants to own 'half' a street? Not even in Monopoly!
Of course, the fame of Jelly Bean Row – the street – doesn't just hang around on the wall. Auk Island Winery in Notre Dame Bay, Newfoundland, makes a 'Jelly Bean Row' wine. Local berries – sweet strawberries and tart partridgeberries (lingonberries) – form the base of this subtle but sweet wine. Together, the Newfoundland berries create a light-bodied wine with a vivid color – similar to the Victorian row.
A 'Jelly Bean Row' wine makes an impression just like the street itself. Visitors to St. John's always like to see this area of the city. It is unlikely that you will miss seeing this street. The brightly-colored Victorian homes don't tend to blend into the background.
What do people think of painted houses in every imaginable bright shade? Usually people answer – charming, cute, makes me smile – and 'garish' is well in the minority. Maybe the houses appeal to our inherent need to express our individuality. More than one resident of St. John's, Newfoundland, is fond of unique style.
Actually, the truth is that jelly bean houses are scattered all over St. John's. Indeed, jelly bean houses come with their own history. St. John's is a city with its roots in the fishery. According to legend, captains painted their homes bright colors so that they could see them from the harbour when they returned from sea.
Fact or fiction, aren't you glad that we shared our row of jelly beans with you today – or at least – Jelly Bean Row?
See more vibrant homes in Bo-Kaap Quarter: Cape Town, South Africa. Is flashy fuchsia or neon green your color?
Would You Like To Live On Jelly Bean Row?
Jelly Bean Row image - design-ties.blogspot.com