Thursday, April 20, 2006

springtime



this morning i left the house clutching a folded piece of paper - a treasure map! - a full list of garage and estate sale addresses. it's finally spring, and my favorite lazy weekday activity is back, signaling the end to snow tires and tightly-buttoned coats.

thrifting here is mostly a seasonal treat; we have a handful of goodwills and salvation army shops, but the real treasure is found among the church rummage sales and spread across sprawling suburban lawns. it's open season, and it's going to be a good one. how do i know? on today's first real outing i came across a copy of fannie farmer's baking book - i've been hoping to find one; the peanut butter cookies are divine - complete with tucked-in notes in shaky handwriting from the previous owner. things like, 'very good - use 1 1/2 bananas instead'.
what's better than baking advice from the great beyond? having also found a retro snack set upon which to serve it all.

do you thrift in seasons? where do you have the best luck?

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

Fantastic!
Since I live in CA, I can thrift and go garage sale-ing almost anytime, but I don't anymore. I've found that most of the stuff out there isn't "old" and I like old stuff! :)

Lara said...

Two of the best places I thrifted was Hawaii and Norfolk, Va. In Hawaii they have "lani" or porch sales. There is a theory that "stuff" just moves around all the islands! Best things there were vintage Hawaiian shirts and dresses. In Virginia, there are a lot of retired military and the vintage stuff is devine. I've taken a trip back there just to thrift!

j. vorwaller said...

oh lara! i live just across the bridge from norfolk! ;) and you're right, the thrifting here is *excellent* :>

i thrift allll year round!! though yard sales are finally beginning now! ;)

Anonymous said...

I have garage sailing, though it is discouraging the days you go out and find absolutely nothing worth buying. I try to remain positive and go again next weekend to see what turns up.

I wish there was more of those big roadside long flea markets where people sell lovely antiques and what not.

Anonymous said...

Here where I live in Nor Cal the best garage sales are whent he weather is nice and its been raining for months. I look forward to the city wide garage sales that go on in the fall. The small town I live close to has a city wide garage sales on one saturday in October and can you find good stuff!!! You park on the street and walk to 5 or more sales all in the same area. The only problem is running out on room in your car!!

Unknown said...

Because of the climate where I live (Denver), the garage sale season is just getting started. I haven't gone out yet, as I live *totally* in the suburbs, and the people around here are just selling the same old junk that I have!

I like OLD stuff, and I find that unless you get really lucky, you have to go to the OLD parts of town, where people have lived in their homes since they got married 40 years ago! They have the best garage/estate/church rummage sales. One of the best sales I ever hit was at a senior citizens' center in a small town--SO many treasures!

The thrifting is great all year round here, so that's where I spend most of my time. I've got to get the baby bathed so we can go hit my favorite store--there's an old peach-colored chenille bedspread with ball fringe on the edges that has been calling my name the last few times I've been there--I'm taking my tape measure this time, and maybe I'll be lucky and it will still be there!

Anonymous said...

I have no idea where to find honest to goodness yard sales in NYC. I'm trapped like a rat in Manhattan all weekend (everyweekend). Anyone with ideas please share! I go usually to the standard fleamarkets. But there are seldom "deals" as much as there are real purchases.

Kat said...

I love, love, love garage sales. I hit them during soccer season - dd has to be at games 45 minutes early down in town, so that gives me plenty of time to hit two or three before the game starts. I live out in the country where people don't really have garages, so this is a treat. Anyway, last Saturday I scored a white iron bistro patio set - round table and four chairs - for $20. Awesome! And a good reason to drive an SUV I think.

Erin Lang Norris said...

by me it will be starting soooon! i didnt get to go last summer because ALL of my money was going towards bills! but this summer, thanks to ETSY, i will be able to go! i cant wait!

Parisienne Farmgirl said...

Hoping to find some good sales in my area...lots of sweet old ladies with old houses. Love you site. You might like mine too!

Anonymous said...

Rummage season makes me happy as well. I'm in the Boston area and we've just entered the church sales and even a few yard sales last weekend. I'm about to give birth but I'm still waddling around looking for those treasures!