wacky tacky: The Grove

One of my very favorite places in Los Angeles is the original Farmers Market. Founded in 1934, Farmers Market has become a Southern California institution and a major tourist destination. Truly, it deserves an entire post of its own as it is such a beautiful landmark. On any given day, visitors can buy fresh produce, sample foods from all over the world, and visit Shine Gallery!

I guess I am a bit of a junking/treasure hunting/thrifting snob. I don't really feel like I have found a treasure unless I have unearthed it from among a pile dirty clothes, chipped ceramics, and broken electronics. There is something about sleuthing in a thrift store, bargaining at an estate sale, or broiling under the California sun at a swap meet/flea market that makes me feel like I have earned the artifact - a less-handsome, less-rugged, less-adventurous, trash-digging Indian Jones. For that reason, I resent stores where cool things are abundant and out in the open for everyone to see. Shine Gallery is really no exception to my nutty neuroticism, but I can't help but love it. Shine is a wonderland of dead stock novelties and collectibles and every time I go to Farmers Market, I come away with something awesome from Shine. This post is just a bunch a photos that hopefully, will have you making your way to Farmers Market for some food, fun, and treasure hunting!

Mary (Mary-Go-Round) & Jessie (Jessica Stopnik Photography)
at Shine Gallery

An interior view of the store.
Don't let the giant $1.50 sign fool you; not everything at Shine
comes at dime store prices. I go there for inspiration but usually
find a few things that fit my miniscule budget.

Vintage Fold-Away shopping baskets
make loading up a heck-of-a-lot easier.

I love the way the store is designed/merchandised. It is very clean and but far from sterile as the goods are so colorful. They even use those Fold-Away shopping baskets to stage items for sale.

They're doing nothing to quell my fixation with pennants!

Pennants and the circus!!!!

For reasons that will be forthcoming shortly, my most recent obsession is vintage circus/carnival memorabilia. I realize I am either very late to jump on the bandwagon or very early for the next

go-round.

The oversized, novelty, name buttons are a hit with me; I have two already. Unfortunately, they don't have any that say "Mr. Tiny." One day I hope to achieve "Picture Patch" status. Sadly, I think I've passed my teen idol years. Dick Clark, Ricky Nelson, and Fabian have nothing to worry about.

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