It makes total sense that as soon as I finally get my bike tires fixed, it starts raining...and raining.
Still, we had fun visiting Kim in Brantome yesterday. She's a rarity in this part of SW France - an American, and has opened a lovely shop that will expand next summer to include a cafe. It was inspiring to see what she and her business partner Jean-Yves are doing to her old French house, keeping the charm and the patina. And her garden gave me hope!
We had a bite to eat in a cafe and, as much as I loved Roger Cohen's ode to eating in France in the NY Times the other day, it was more telling about the general direction food's going in this country too that both Kim and I were surprised when the omelettes we ordered were actually good. Expecting the worst in restaurants becomes a sad habit, even here.
Then she showed us the Perigueux (shhh, don't tell anyone) Emmaus. It's hard to find any kind of thrift shop-style bargains in France- even some of the most unsightly crap is prohibitively expensive but this store has the stuff and the low prices. Too bad I'm out of money right now cause I saw these 70's panels (one pictured above) that I'd love to have for something. But you know you're broke when it's too much of a risk to even inquire how much an (admittedly useless) item costs!
It gave me some ideas though - I'm looking around for a flea market in the next weekend or two so I can unload some of my old stuff, thus enabling me to buy some new old stuff.
11 comments:
As always, you are a girl after my own heart. I don't know if you saw on my blog but the other day when Owen met a new friend that he loved right away he told me, "it was just like Amy Rigby Mom,we met and we were friends right away." I like the fact that you have now become a standard of comparison for the family's social relationships!!!
HI Amy
Check this out.
http://vide-greniers.org/
Up here in Normandy there is an annual guide to all the brocantes and vide-greniers for the whole year. Useful for getting rid of junk and acquiring some more.....
Regards
A
That is very sweet Cynthia! I'm honored Owen felt that. PS maybe you guys have some tips for selling at flea markets?
Thanks A, that's a good resource - it feels like there's probably only a few more weekends til the vide grenier season is over. But then there's always next year.
now, there's the spirit! thanks for making the trek down, it was a fun time. I'm kicking myself for not buying the wood table in back though. and the mod print curtains. hmmm, maybe a run back on Sat.? ...
smile...
my only tip would be to sell stuff cheaply enough that someone else can still make some money on it......lots more chance of buyers that way....you gotta find your place in the food chain..... Good luck!
French second hand stuff always seems to be very expensive...You should be able to shift anything if you ask a reasonable price. EMAUS is good for some things, but it too can charge a lot. Still, it is for a good cause so I dont mind. i try to keep Mysweet away from there since he is a born collector of rubbish...
Hope you went back and got that table Kim!
Thanks Cynthia - I guess it helps decide what you really don't mind parting with vs things you're not sure about.
PS thought of you guys this morning cause there's a big article about Lego in the NY Times.
Yes, I think the equivalent in the US is Goodwill or Salvation Army Rosie - but still not cheap (there's always the dump, sounds more chic as dechetterie! we've found some good chairs etc...) I'm looking forward to unloading clothes I no longer wear for low low prices, including some of my ebay failures from earlier this summer.
If you're in Newcastle early the day you're playing (or staying overnight), go to Tynemouth Market ~ it's a large flea/car boot/ antiques market on the platform of a gorgeous Victorian cast iron and glass train station: it's actually the stop for the Metro. It's about 5mins ride from the centre of Newcastle... it runs from about 7.00 am and starts packing up at about one or two.
http://www.tynemouthmarket.co.uk/
Oh, and by the way, it's under cover!!
I went back to buy the "mod" curtains yesterday and they were GONE! boo hoo! but then, on the other hand, the 4th panel of the big red ones I bought magically appeared and the lady holding court over the tissus generously gave it to me for free! and the table was still there so I bought it ... for 10 euros instead of 15! but I still regret the curtains... sniff.
That sounds fun Mike - one of these days!
Oh Kim, so sorry about those curtains. I should have insisted you get them. The less good old stuff there is, the more we're almost obligated to get anything worth having (as long as it's under 10 dollars/euros/pounds). But obviously the table was meant to be.
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