Another Urban Hike

Get more bang for your buck at the Rose Bowl Flea Market and I’m not just talking merchandise!

Get the same multicultural people watching experience as Disneyland for a remarkably cheaper admission.  A tall lithe hippy in a mid drift with braided dread locks down to her navel.  Giggling babies in front baby carriers.  Boots over skinny jeans mixed with basketball shorts and crocs.  A camera crew recording a flamboyant antique happy person that say things like, “My ideal budget would be limitless because I don’t want to limit myself.”  Families.  Couples.  Older people.  Young.  You get the idea.

And yes, you can grab a churro and slushy lemonade here too.   Unfortunately, I have to be honest; you get the same dodging through crowds and strollers/carts nipping at your heels as Disneyland too.  Still, the flea market is definitely worth hiking a couple hours or more through their maze of “shops.”

I wish I were a more out of box thinker where imagining a suitcase transformed into a side table, for instance, came naturally.  If such were the case, I would see more treasures than clutter.  Or if I had quirky fashion sense, or any fashion sense at all, I am certain the flea market would be a fabulous stop to fill my closet with vintage dresses and military jackets.

Despite my creative limitations, I can see why soon-to-be-brides or DIY’ers would consider the flea market a treasure trove for weddings and projects.  I especially liked looking how vendors set up their merchandise befitting  a magazine spread (I’m kicking myself for not taking better pictures!).  My favorite vendors sold soda crates, danish furniture, old suitcases, and succulents in hanging glass ornaments.

This flea market comes to the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California every second Sunday of the month, so plan accordingly!

Kitchen Gadgets, Furniture, and Puffer Fish

Nothing beats the Great Outdoors.  Gorgeous landscapes.  High rise trees.  Shady leafy canopies.  Definitely my first choice for a weekend excursion.

Still, sometimes all that is needed is to get outside.  Wherever outside may be.  Today, the rainless morning beckoned me to exercise my legs outdoors again.  This time, I found myself at the Orange County Swap Meet.

For $2.00 per adult, you gain entrance to a marketplace for local produce, clothing, cell phone accessories, furniture, and plants.  You can even get your car washed and detailed or buy a manufactured home.  There are stands with the expected $1-5 bins of knick knacks from batteries to bath cloths to kitchen tongs.  Buy yourself a college frame with custom art or window shop for framed paintings or photographs.

I soaked in the scene, got a nice walk in, and people watched.  Oh, and I scored a churro and a yellow spotted puffer fish.  See!  OC Swap Meet has anything your heart desires!