vintage Archives - Jest Cafe

Let’s talk about vintage obsession today – not about politics, ok?

When I say my house was 70% built at the Rose Bowl, I mean it.

My house is filled with old scores I have been collecting throughout the years. Thrift stores, estate sales, flea markets…they are all part of my hunting routine, because I am a hunter and a hoarder… but don’t tell that to George because in our relationship HE is labeled as the hoarder.

In LA, the Rose Bowl Flea Market is my usual vintage destination because it is one of the ultimate flea markets in the country. Famous beyond boundaries, filled with amazing pieces, and heaven for vintage collectors.

As good as the Rose Bowl is, there is one problem and that is $$$. You don’t go to the Rose Bowl Flea Market to score a great deal. You go to the Rose Bowl to find beautiful things that others scored at a great deal. Scoring a great deal is hard work, folks. It takes time and effort and a LOT of trips to estate sales, so, if you don’t want to spend that time and effort to find beautiful things for your household, you can go to the Rose Bowl where it is all layout for you in a beautiful, easy, and pricey way.

I take my trips to the Rose Bowl very seriously. I get there early morning – 7am -. I start from the top. Focus. Go vendor to vendor (I already have my favorites). Get out of there by 10am.

Early bird is my middle name and I recommend it is yours, too. After 10am it gets SO crowded and hot! It is hard to walk, bargain, and appreciate the beautiful pieces. On the other hand, if you want to get a good discount, it is better to be the last one standing, so it is up to you.

Here are some tips if you are planning to visit the Rose Bowl:

Get there early. 7 am is the time I like to get there. It costs $15 to get in (after 9am it only costs $9). Vendors are setting up, the place is not crowded, and there is plenty of parking.
Finding parking is easy early morning. I have my favorite parking place right in front of the Exit doors. If you park on the grass, make sure you memorize some kind of landmark near your car. I have seen too many people get completely lost trying to find their cars on that grass. Beware!
Bring cash! Withdrawing money from an ATM on site costs $5, so there you go. Don’t do it.
Asking for a 10% discount when bargaining is the reasonable amount. Always ask for that discount, not much more than that.
Take a cart. This is major for me. It is hard to go around the market with a bunch of stuff in your hands. Another option is to ask vendors to keep your purchases with them until you decide to leave later, but this is such a big flea market that finding the same vendor again is not your easiest choice.
Do not be discouraged if it is raining. Rainy days are the BEST days to go to the Rose Bowl. There are not as many vendors, true, but what you see gets sold CHEAP! Best deals I have ever had at the RBFM happened during rainy days.

Rose Bowl General Information

Opens the 2^nd Sunday of each month

Schedule: 5am-4:30pm – Ticket office closes at 3pm – most vendors start leaving at this time too.

Regular admission starts at 9am: $9.00 per person. Children under 12 are admitted free with an adult.

Express admission from 8:00am – 9:00am at $12.00 per person

Early admission from 7:00am – 8:00am: $15.00 per person.

Special preview VIP admission from 5:00am – 7:00am: $20.00 per person.

Free parking.

No pets allowed

Food and beverages available on site.

Let me know if you have any questions or need any tips. I am happy to answer anything you want!

Let Us Connect:

Vintage hunting is my passion and that of another million people in cyberspace. To connect with other fans of thrifting, I have been using the hashtag #thriftscorethursday on Instagram. That feed lets me look through cool treasures others have found. It also makes me feel bad about not scoring that cool stuff myself, but that is more related to my horrible personality (and the nature of social media) than the hashtag.

This week, I shared a photo of some of my best scores ever: two Jason Monet drawings.

The first time I saw them I had to contain myself. I didn’t want anybody else around me to see the excitement I was feeling at finding these two amazing art pieces. They are not your average painting. They are big, beautiful-ugly, and very cool. Then I looked at the price tag and I flipped: too expensive for my budget, but I didn’t give up.

I kept going back to that thrift store every day. Nothing. They wouldn’t budge.

A month went by and the drawings didn’t sell, then, the thrift store had a 40% discount on all art pieces. I run to the store and killed them with kindness until they gave me the drawings for ¼ of the original price. I cried, paid, and proceeded to hung them in my previously soulless room.

This, my friends, is how the life of a serious thrift score finder looks like. Get excited. Cry in agony. Drown in happiness. Repeat.

Thrift Score Thursday Features

This week, I am cohosting the #thriftscorethursday hashtag event. I went through everybody’s scores on Instagram and chose my favorite pieces. I enjoyed this process so much that I am looking into a new career as a curator. While that is in the works, let me show you my favorite finds of the week.

Obviously, these chairs from biggerthanthethreeofus made the cut. Years of vintage hunting have shown me that it is not easy to come by these kind of chairs at a thrift store (or anywhere else). They didn’t even need to be reupholstered, and the brass…well, I love brass, don’t you?
This chair with the cane back is so simple and beautiful. Thegildedpanda scored it. I wonder if she reupholstered it, too. This wicker collection from the bohemianfleamarket is gorgeous and proves that perseverance is the key to success. A collection like this doesn’t happen over night, but when it is done, it is well worth it. Beautiful wall decor. This bird brass box is such a score! I wish I would have found this. A unique piece that makes a beautiful statement. I really like it. Via rosie.case

OK. Brass pineapples are very trendy right now, and have been for a while. If you see one at a thrift store, you better get it ASAP. If not, it will be gone within the hour. Via danamoss

Cohosting this week’s #thriftscorethursday was so fun!

Check out my cohosts’ finds and features. You can find links to their posts below. Thanks for stopping by!