Mena: "Hey do you want to go with me to the Alameda antique fair on Sunday?"
Me: "Nope."
Mena: "Oh, come on, please?"
Me: "Hmm, well...no."
The thought of going to an antiques fair didn't sound interesting to me in the slightest, especially not to stay for hours on end. When I think of "antiquing" I picture rich couples driving their SUVs to quaint New England towns and browsing through giant armoirs that all cost at least $7,000. None for me, thanks.
But reading through a few design magazines and blogs this past week made me change my mind. I'm interested in getting some small arty and decorative stuff for my apartment, so I decided to give this Alameda market a chance.
Mena warned me that she spent four hours there the last time she went, so I was a bit scared, but once we arrived I realized quickly how you could lose half a day there. Rows and rows of booths and sellers stretched as far as the eye could see, and each stall warranted perusal with a careful eye if you wanted to find something interesting.
Mena: "So what are you looking for? What's your thing?"
Me: "Um, I don't think I have a thing."
Mena: "We need to find you a thing."
After I saw this little guy, it looked for a while like my thing might be bulls, being a Taurus and a Texan and all. But he was $30, which seemed excessive to me.
Mena: "You have to haggle."
Me: "I don't know how to haggle."
Mena: (Exasperated) "I'll do it."
Even $25 ended up being too much for him, but I still think he was cute.
Soon enough, I realized I was drawn to natural forms and shapes. I picked up a few horns and antlers admiring their beauty, but couldn't bring myself to buy them because they seemed too morbid. I finally settled on some sea life, with this purple starfish and dark red coral. I didn't realize that seashells were considered antiques, but they were everywhere.
I saw this sign, which is about as tall as I am, and had to have it. It's a bit of a stretch considering I've only left the country twice this lifetime, but maybe it'll bring me some better traveling luck. I'm not sure where I'll hang it yet. Maybe in my kitchen, where my girlfriends and I celebrate the moments of our lives with General Foods International Coffees.
Then I happened upon this beauty. I came close to buying her, especially after Mena haggled the price way down, and the seller kept sweetening the deal, you know, because he said I was cute and have a great smile and he really wanted me to have it. What a salesman! Ultimately, I couldn't go through with it on the spot. I will own a gramophone some time real soon, though.
When Mena showed me these ladies, I caved. This is the fourth pair of cowboy boots I've bought in the past year. Cowboy boots are definitely one of my things. I may need some sort of intervention.
We ended up spending all day at the market, and we came away with a good haul and a substantial sunburn. I'd definitely go back.