In February, my son wanted to visit his recently relocated friends in the deep Southwest so he asked if I would be heading that way soon. (Ha, he knows me well!) It was all the nudge needed to hop in the car and cruise it all the way to Arizona as his personal chauffeur. Nothing is like the freedom of an open road; it is just a matter of time and a reliable auto.
We traveled with a purpose but stopped for overnight stays in Wichita, Kansas and Flagstaff, Arizona before the final descent into the Valley of the Sun. And it was all lovely. Ryan hung out with his buddies, I with my brother’s family, and all the while, basking under the clear blue of desert sky.
But it didn’t end in Phoenix. After three nights there, Ryan wanted to visit another friend, this one attending college in Irvine, California. No problem; we would just pick him up and head towards LA to visit Ryan’s eldest sister, Michelle, now encamped in bohemian digs of Echo Park.
We happened to be in LA during the weekend of the Rose Bowl flea market which is HUGE and held only once a month in the parking lot of the Rose Bowl (hence, the name). Michelle and her boyfriend thought it would be fun for us to go just to meander around. This is an insane event. And if you are into flea markets, welcome to heaven. Obviously, this flea market has serious fans and even more serious vendors. Maybe even more than football, unless, of course, the mighty Wisconsin Badgers and USC are facing off.
There is so much stuff that it tends to look like, well, stuff. For me, after wandering up and down so many aisles, peering through all the booths and displays, everything just began to take on different shades of brown. And if it hadn’t been for one item that caught my eye on our way out, I would have been convinced that I was reduced to seeing in sepia-vision only. Anyway, it is a fun story and I will have to save it for next time. It was a jewel of a find.
But for now, I share an art piece we snagged for Michelle. Michelle desperately wanted it but the seller would not negotiate. We are talking serious budget restraints here and I was proud that Michelle was able to walk away, albeit, with sad regret. Well, moms love to make their kids happy and here was an opportunity. I decided to approach the vendor when Michelle was out of earshot and try my own bargaining. No luck. She would not take $3. After much deliberation, I caved and handed over the $5 tag price. Here it is.
Madonna in an old ’50s plastic frame. A nice piece for her apartment. I just wasn’t so sure about her choice on where it would hang. My first impression; irreverent.
Well, admittedly, there is a sense of serenity about it. Even on that wall.
Coming up: A memorable find.
Coming up sooner: Vietnam. Be back in 2 weeks.
That’s a great find there. The southwest has many great flea markets where gems can be found.
What a great trip you had! I’m sure Ryan appreciated having you as his chauffeur, and Michelle loved having you drop by.
Why is it that some people get the “freedom of the open road” concept, and some people just see mile after mile of pavement?