Thrift Store Porn

I don't want this blog to turn into a "look what I found at the thrift store" bragging platform, but yesterday I hit the mother lode, and I need to share.

I stopped in at Alpha Thrift on Milpas to see if I could find the last item on our list to complete our new house-- the coffee table. And I saw this beauty:

It didn't have a price on it, so I asked the guy working near by.

"Oh, that one? Um, I think that was $39.99." 

I've been trying to work on my thrift store impulse-control so I don't end up on the next episode of hoarders, so I started to walk away. I got about 4 feet and the fear that someone else might swoop in and grab it overcame my body and I snapped back around. I stood in front of it staring. The guy came over again: "You could turn it over and see what it says." DUH!

I turned it over. There was a tiny little engraving... that said "Made in Denmark".

That thing was in the back of my car so fast, Usain Bolt would have been impressed.

Our new place is shaping up nicely! Thanks Alpha Thrift and you sweet, naive man that priced this table!

Oh and then I did some internetting and found out some official info about the table. Never again will I practice impulse control. Thank you Oh Mighty Gods of Thrift.

The Starr King Rummage Sale

The line at 8:30 am.

Oh. I forgot to tell you about the Starr King Rummage Sale. 

No I did, I forgot.

It's not because I'm a selfish, aggressive, hoarder of a thrifter and I wasn't going to encourage any competition at this high-stakes rummage sale, how could you think that?

I saw this, and took this picture with my phone to send to my friend Jayne, who's looking for a dresser. I love this thing!

I was thinking of you Jayne. At least for a minute.

I didn't actually send it to her however because I saw this chair and jumped philanthropic ship, sprinting across the courtyard and yelling "THAT'S MY CHAIR". 

That may have actually happened.

Do you want to know how much it was? 

$5. 

Yeppers.

It will be making another appearance on this blog as I steal practice Morgan's method for restoring wood furniture, from my favorite blog The Brick House.

Oh, and the kilim pillows? $5 for both. What a bunch of idiots! Oh come on, I kid, I kid.

Put in on your calendar for next year. It benefits the Starr King Parent Child Workshop, which  is a really rad pre-school that  encourages both child and parent development.  It is located at 1525 1/2 Santa Barbara Street, and is part of the Unitarian Church. LOVE those Unitarians. They have a lady-reverend! Hallelujah.

Magic at Alpha Thrift

The two Alpha Thrift stores on Hollister Ave in Goleta deserve their own lengthy and enthusiastic blog post, which is forthcoming, I swear. But for now, I offer just a little taste of the magic that happens when you walk through those doors.

A few weeks ago, as I was jamming to the Sheena Easton being piped in on the store's speakers and perusing the selection of 1990's Talbots jackets, when I ran smack dab into this thing:

It literally took my breath away. I wanted to launch my body onto it like a hero jumping on a grenade, only I would be yelling "MINE. BACK OFF" and being an asshole rather than saving lives. 

The price tag? $189.00. 

I threw this photo up on the Facebook, imploring someone with space to buy it and allow me visitation rights. I got at least 7 comments. It was a big deal.

So when I went back yesterday, looking to add to my growing wardrobe of preppy-older-lady wear, I wasn't surprised when it was gone. I was sure some hip young couple had snatched this thing up and taken it back to their über-Eames-y home in Eagle Rock. Until I rounded the corner, and:

Uh. Mah GOD SOMEBODY GO BUY THIS THING FOR GOD'S SAKE. 5624 Hollister Avenue. 

Thrifting: The Catholic Charities

As a rule, I normally don't enter any building with the word Catholic on it, but I checked out the Catholic Charities Thrift Store  at 609 E. Haley the other day and well, it was pretty gross. And expensive. Like $75.00 for a schlocky piece of art expensive. And gross like I thought someone was following me around and farting, but then I realized it just smells like that.

BUT I did find these oxfords that were priced at $12.99, and the man at the register rang them up for $6.99. I don't feel guilty because God must have wanted it that way, because I've been very very good.

I know Oxfords are way trendy right now and it's hard not to look like an unfeminine platypus whilst wearing them, but I couldn't pass up the deal. Or the chance to look just a little bit more like Sally Albright. 

The verdict:

Bring hand sanitizer and pray for mercy at the register.