The land where all things mid-century go to retire, and then they really retire and their things get sold at estate sales or given to thrift stores. So here is how it works:
estate sales and thrift stores sell things for dirt cheap
flea market dealers spend all week collecting these things and they mark them up 3 times at the LA flea markets.
i buy from flea markets for the show. BUT if I didn’t, then:
stores and designers buy from the flea markets to sell in their stores where they mark them up another 2 times at least. As they should, its a good business.
So much like Trader Joes, i’m getting rid of the middle man. Brian and I went to Palm Springs over the holidays and while he was imposing his strict ‘no shopping and only pay attention to me’ policy, we decided that one day he could golf, while i shopped. Unfortunately it was the day that a lot of stores were cloesd, but that didn’t stop me. I got some much needed advice from The Brick House and off I went to see for myself what shopping in the desert is like. SANS truck, which pained me because i couldn’t bring this back:
cuckoo, i know. But for $150 and in PERFECT condition and comfortable, it could make at least a great 1st look sofa (i’ve been renting sofa’s for the first look and normally they are around $200-$300)
it kills me that i coudln’t bring it back with me for that price. 
Oh and these? get ready to want to tear your fingernails out, these were $35. And many of you might know that even at the flea market these are hundreds (they are solid brass rams heads table bases), and at vintage stores they can be up to $800. Someone had already bought them days before, but the owner of the thrift store said that people were offering him $350 cash instead. uh yeah, they were.
so effing cute. There were 5 of these, at $12 a pop. But again, no truck. Also no client for them (although since then i did get one for them 3 months down the road). The seats are hot pink and overall they are just so palm springs in the 70’s. which is my new obsession.
So guess what this dedicated shopper is doing tomorrow? sright. off to the desert with a huge truck and a list of the best thrift and vintage stores. I’m panicking already that there simply won’t be enough time, but i’ll bring my inhaler to help quell my excitement.
Oh and don’t get me started on The Parker Palm Springs. MY GOD ITS AMAZING. I’ve seen pictures for years, but it goes way beyond expectations – and not in a omg there is a waterfall in the lobby, but just really beautiful collections of vintage pieces and with a sense of humor that takes all pretentiousness out of hotels. I wish I could say we stayed there, but nope. Just dined.