I woke up at about 9:30am, but Eric was still sleeping, so I went into the living room and sat at the computer for a while. Then, my phone rang. It was my sister-in-law, Susan, calling to see how we were doing. After I spoke to her, Eric and I had breakfast and he started working on the shelves again. He finished sanding them all (outside), then started staining them.
While he was doing that, I used something called RESTOR-A-FINISH to clean and polish the frames on four beautiful watercolors of fruit that I brought from NY. They were in my shop on consignment for a long time and no one bought them. I always loved them, and didn’t understand why no one wanted them. When the woman came to pick them up, I offered her a small amount and told her I would buy them, if she didn’t want them back. I told her I was going to bring them to San Diego and hang them in my kitchen. She happily sold them to me. They’re really interesting, because they have fabric mats and are framed in old dark pine wood. They depict pears, plums, apples and peaches. We’re going to hang two in the kitchen and two in the dinette (which is right next to the kitchen) on the wall with the four shelves. It should look really beautiful! The artist, Kupur, is a watercolorist from the 1940s-50s.
Each frame had nicks, scratches and was marred by dirt and age. The RESTOR-A-FINISH really did the trick! It cleaned the wood, polished the frames and hid all the nicks, scratches and other flaws. They almost look like new, but better because they’re vintage! I considered painting them, but Eric said it would be much better to just polish them up, so they were kept in their original state. He was right. They look fabulous! I can’t wait for him to hang them.
When I was done, I decided to take a ride to Pacific Beach. I had been in a store called BUFFALO EXCHANGE, where they buy and sell used and vintage clothing. I thought I’d bring a bunch of clothes and shoes I’m no longer wearing and see what I could get. The clothes were mostly newer items, with some from the 1980s. There were also designer items – Betsy Johnson, Adrienne Vittadini and Cynthia Rowley. I brought two big bags into the store. Another woman right in front of me had three shopping bags. One girl took her stuff and another girl took my stuff. They were both under 25, heavily tattooed and not very friendly. The one girl looked through ALL my stuff, was only interested in 3 or 4 things and, after hearing what she was offering, I ended up selling ONE blouse (which I bought last year). She said she would sell it for $9.50 and I get one-third, so I got a little over $3.00. WOW! My big haul!
I had brought in some fabulous vintage shoes – 1940s and 1950s, and I couldn’t believe they didn’t want them! There was a sign that said they were looking for “unique vintage items.” I mentioned this to the girl and she said I should try WEAR IT AGAIN SAM, which is in Hillcrest. I told her I had been there before, and it was a fabulous shop. I left there feeling like an idiot, mostly because of the way they treated me. I would NEVER do that to any of my consignors. If I didn’t like something, I would explain that it just wouldn’t sell in my shop, because it wasn’t the right era, or the condition wasn’t good enough, but I never made them feel bad. They made me feel rejected, and I didn’t like it one bit!
I headed right to WEAR IT AGAIN SAM in HILLCREST. I first visited them the day Eric and I arrived in San Diego in October (before we headed to Las Vegas). It was the most gorgeous shop, filled with the most amazing vintage clothing, accessories, jewelry, purses, and shoes. I was drooling!
I got a spot right in front of the shop, and went inside with my shoes. A beautifully-dressed woman came out of the back. She was wearing a white top with a black cardigan, a black skirt and had a leopard belt and matching leopard shoes. She looked SO stylish. She had black hair and red lipstick. She was fabulous!
I asked her if she bought vintage items, and she said they were only looking for pre-1950s. I showed her three pairs of shoes I had and she loved them all. She asked if I wanted a credit or cash. Unlike at BUFFALO EXCHANGE, I knew there would be HUNDREDS of things I’d like to buy, so I told her I would take the credit. She said she’d give me $25 – EACH! I got a $75 credit. I proceeded to try on some great dresses, but I’m SO fat that nothing fit. If this isn’t motivation to lose weight, I just don’t know what is. They had at least 5 or 6 dresses I would DIE to have, but I can’t fit into ANY of them! I decided to leave with my $75 credit, since she said it was good forever!
I struck up a conversation with the woman, who introduced herself as Barbara. There was also a handsome young man working there named Travis. We talked for a while. I told them I had a shop in NY, but didn’t sell clothing. I told them how much I loved their shop, how fabulous everything was, and how beautifully it was all displayed. They definitely know how to show things so they look their best. They also have everything organized so well – all the sterling jewelry in one case; the rhinestones in another; the colored stones in another. The velvet coats were all on one rack; the leopard and other fake-fur coats on another. It was a pleasure to browse.
The shop is just about as large as mine was, but they don’t sell furniture. They DO have some things displayed in the most fabulous art deco curios. I know a lot of my girls would just love this place and I’m glad it wasn’t in Long Island while I was there! It would have given me stiff competition. The only difference is – the prices! This place is expensive, but it’s not like the stuff is over-priced; it’s just that my stuff was SO CHEAP! I really sold things at such a reasonable price. My prices couldn’t be beat! All my customers knew that and that’s why I had such a loyal following!
Anyway, they were so nice and friendly and I promised to come back and bring some more stuff. In the meantime, I’m on a strict diet, as I really want to buy some of those dresses, before they disappear!
After I left Hillcrest, I drove to Pacific Beach again, because I wanted to pick up some stain brushes at ACE HARDWARE for Eric. I got the brushes, and headed to our apartment, but first stopped at RITE AID to get tissues. I’m so used to buying a six or eight-pack at BJs, and I told Eric we have to join one of the clubs here, because I can’t stand buying tissues one box at a time! I actually picked up six boxes, but it’s probably twice as much as it would be at BJs!
When I got home, all 8 shelves were outside drying. They looked SO great. Eric stained them with a Pecan finish and they look wonderful. He was still working hard, cleaning and organizing his tools.
I made dinner for us. Chicken for Eric; scallops for me. We both had stuffed mushrooms and a side of four-cheese rice. The mushrooms were purchased ready-made (believe me, I’m not up to stuffed mushrooms) and the rice is UNCLE BEN’S READY RICE. I swear by this stuff. It comes in a bag. All you have to do is squeeze the bag, to break up the rice so it’s not lumpy, tear the top and put it in the microwave on high for 90 seconds. It comes out steamy hot and delicious. I’m asking you, why do more? Eric and I agreed that the mushrooms were good, but not fantastic. I figured I’d try them, to see how they were.
I seasoned the chicken cutlets and scallops with garlic, breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese and what Eric and I call “fake butter.” It’s really that SMART BALANCE butter substitute that comes in a tub, but Eric and I love it and use it in place of real butter all the time. We haven’t purchased real butter in at least a year.
I had bought a big wedge of watermelon and that’s what we were going to have for dessert. Unfortunately, it was mealy and tasteless and we ended up throwing the whole thing out. What a rip! Eric made a comment about them sending all the good fruit to NY (can you tell he hates San Diego?). I guess maybe watermelon is out of season, so I should have known better than to buy it. Anyway, I tried!
After dinner, we kept working. The shelves were dry enough to put on the brackets and Eric screwed them down. They look so great! We continued working – unpacking boxes, Eric cutting up boxes, me organizing stuff I’d unpacked. Busy, busy, busy! We both didn’t stop until 10:00pm. That’s quiet time in the complex, so it’s not good to make any noise after then. We do have neighbors below us (2 single guys) and to our left (a woman), so we don’t want to be rude. We’re lucky, because we have a corner unit, and we’re on the second floor, so there’s no one above us, and no one on three sides of us. We just have a neighbor to the left.
Tomorrow, I will start unpacking collectibles to put on the four shelves, and Eric will hang the fruit watercolors. That should be fun!