Thrifting

I've been craving a good thrift store where I can lose hours riffling through racks of vintage clothes or surveying endless rows of mid-century furnishings.  My all time favorite haunt, the 111 Antique Mall in Palm Springs, closed suddenly several years ago amidst scandalous gossip.  I still dream about the  large warehouse filled with vintage treasures.  A mere eight hundred feet from my house, I often visited the mall, alone or with weekend guests in tow, enticed by the promise of  an affordable souvenir and the persnickety owner's R-rated shtick that was better than most comedy acts. The exceptional prices made it easy to take decorative risks.  It was not uncommon to take a break in one of the many living room settings while plotting potential purchases.  Inspiration for my burning man installation occurred when I stumbled upon a 1970s pool slide in the back of the store.  One November I finally gave in and purchased an original Evergleam aluminum Christmas tree, the quintessential Palm Springs holiday ornamentation.  During another visit I became obsessed with a listed Californian artist, Hendrik Grise, and purchased two of his watercolors.   Although I continue to search, I've never encountered another store  that comes close to the 111 in scope, merchandise and entertainment, but the optimist in me keeps looking.