OLE' ! CHIQUITA BONITA

        Slicing and dicing, chopping and mincing: Tavo, owner and chef of CHIQUITA BONITA, begins his day. Food prep of the freshest ingredients is of primary importance at this "off the grid" Mexican restaurant that has been delighting locals and patrons from afar for thirty years.  Tavo has a following. He treats customers as though they were guests at his own dinner table. "This glass of Sangria is for you."
 "Try this potato taco." ( A bit of Spanish seeps into the more traditional Mexican fare.)
      Serving breakfast, lunch and dinner seven days a week, every meal begins with chips and homemade salsa. "For Breakfast!" I was dipping without thinking.
A huge platter of Huevos Rancheros con Chile Verde arrived. Heaped with richly flavored rice, homemade beans(made with salt pork,) three eggs (cooked in butter,) pork and Verde sauce, this was enough to feed three followed by a run around the Rose Bowl.  As a friend likes to remind me, this wouldn't be allowed in Beverly Hills!  But an indulgence into this freshly made food with no preservatives, is actually healthy...in moderation. Shared by two, there was left overs. Tavo is very generous with his portions.
        Late afternoon or dinner is my favorite time to dine with Tavo.  Ask for a half a guacamole as soon as the chips and salsa are placed on the table.  It easily feeds 3-4. "OMG! It's the best guacamole I've ever had!" a friend exclaimed on her first taste. Even better then her famed Nigella Lawson recipe. Big chunks of perfectly ripened avocado in the sublimely seasoned spread. Save some to eat with your entree.

      The most popular dish is Chile Verde. Big chunks of tender, roasted pork in a fresh, homemade ranchera sauce. Served with rice and beans. Pork, chicken and beef are staples in Mexican cuisine. You can't go wrong with any combination. Because my palate tends towards seafood, my favorites are the crab meat enchilada, shrimp taco, and fish taco.  The seafood is always fresh: crab meat very mild and shrimp are sweet. The sauces are delicate as not to overpower the seafood. Recently I tried the Carnitas (pork) salad substituted with shrimp. Perfection and again, enough for two.
       The menu is exhaustive. If you want a substitution or something A La Carte, Tavo is usually eager to oblige. Because he's on the grill, almost anything is possible. As I said, you're his guest and he wants you to be happy. This is superb Mexican/Spanish dining with no attitude.

       The decor is a bit retro, hole in the wall. The parrot vinyl booths are memorable and fun. If there was music, people would linger forever.
        CHIQUITA BONITA has a good beer selection, not so good vino. Bring your own wine, cork screw and glasses. No corkage fee.

         CHIQUITA BONITA is a jewel in the midst of almost 400 Pasadena restaurants. Most customers find it by referral although with YELP it may become better known.
        CHIQUITA BONITA is located at 3565 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA. 626.796.5592. Open 7 days a week; 8am-9pm. Catering & Take Out. Cash, MC,V.

OLE'

                                                                   

ROSE BOWL SWAP MEET

It's the Granddaddy of them all!  THE ROSE BOWL Swap Meet held the second Sunday of each month.  East, West, North & South; "hunters" know of it and imagine a visit to the Mecca! Yes. It's true. It's unlike any other.  So....come along. Be part of the "BIG SHOW!" We're going to The Rose Bowl!!!!
VIP BUYERS: 5-7, $20. EARLY, EARLY BUYERS: 7-8, $15.

EARLY BUYERS: 8-9, $10. REGULAR ADMISSION: 9-3, $8. Parking is free except for the up close area.  Outdoor port-a-pots. Mediocre food vendors. Suggest bringing lots of water for hydration. Save your entrance ticket so it can be stamped for re-entrance if necessary.

THE ROSE BOWL is big business.  First and foremost...always! Vendors sell the most,  hunters find the unusual, and sometimes at the best price. As always, it's best to attend with an open mind. Don't limit your looking. Be open to buy! Listen to your "gut!" I go with an open mind and celebrate the treasures at the end of the day. Be prepared for intense people and product overload? Expect the unexpected.

Endurance. That's what comes to mind when I think of The Rose Bowl: miles of walking on blacktop in churning heat, people bumping, people watching, carts colliding, tempers fraying.  It is not for the faint of heart. Forget Africa. This is a safari for special stuff that was manufactured long before our imagination could have imagined.

As you enter it looks like a carnival: New products being hawked. I've never bothered until I saw David from STORAGE WARS selling bumper stickers,"YUUP!" What a perfect gift for my son's birthday.
 KEEP GOING.
The areas to the right and left of the arena entrance are filled with "new product" vendors. Don't be dismayed. Many of these items are custom made from new and re-claimed products. There are vendors I've been shopping for years at the Fairfax Market that show here once a month. Suzy and her beaded products have fans on the east coast because I was always buying them and taking back. OMG! Do you know how many Frieda mobile cases I could have sold???  Suzy shares a space with a lady who               creates products from kimono fabric. I carry one of her computer bags. It's powerful in the most positive ZEN way.

ENTER THE CENTER!!  GENERAL MERCHANDISE.
      This can be overwhelming if you don't like crowds. Let me just say that the crowd has an ebb and flow. People congregate at the entrances . Don't turn back. Something has your name on it! (You know, the famous "It!") This area runs north-south. Vendors have their same locations, year after year.  I walk the aisles east - west. Sometimes I just have to get out of the fray and I head for the far end, then I work my way back. If I spot something I like, I talk price with the dealer. If we can't find a common ground, and I can let it go, I move on. I may come back later.
       The center section is probably the most popular.  This is people watching area. On one of my very first visits I say Tory & Dean shopping the furniture area at the southern end. A red wagon, filled to the brim, was in tow. NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC was filming that same day.

        Furniture and furnishings are in abundance. I've purchased one black bamboo accent chair here. The seat fabric provided the palate for my living room decor. For $75 it was well worth every penny. I've seen an $8000 armorie going for $500 cash. Dishes of every period, pillows, purses, china, California pottery....you name it, it's here. The thing to remember is that most of the items come from west of the Rockies so New England items are rare.
VINTAGE CLOTHING & ACCESSORIES.
       The bridge across the LA River (stream)  takes you to the western side. This is the area for fans of vintage clothes and jewelry. One hot day in September, I purchased a new pair of hand made deerskin & rabbit fur boots. Original price: $380. I paid $60. It's a beautiful thing when the "spoils" are your size! ( I wore them to an Academy Award party in the Hollywood Hills.  Went as Sonia Heine.) This is where LA shops for cut off jeans, Pendelton, t- shirts, crinolines, and just about anything deemed vintage. Jewelry is more costume then fine estate. A recent purchase of three pieces, including a Jessica Kagan Cushman bracelet, for $20 was a late mid-afternoon find. My friend has a Pendelton closet and snagged a full length cape for $15.

FOREIGN BUYERS.
       It's only natural that an event as well known as The Rose Bowl Swap Meet would attract a world wide audience. To accommodate their transport needs, international shippers are on the premises to arrange for container shipping.
MANAGING THE MEET
       I believe in doing a fast walk in a systematic manner. It helps to get a lay of the land. Sometimes a booth just calls to me. Others, I glance and keep going. This is a process that comes with practice and trusting one's instincts. If you stop and shop everything, you won't make a dent into what's awaiting.
The important thing is to have fun while you hunt for that treasure. The Rose Bowl Swap Meet offers plenty for everyone.
       The Rose Bowl Swap Meet is sponsored by R.G. Canning Attractions.
     

     
     

PCC: SWAP THE BEST

     Pasadena is home to two of the countries best swap meets: The Rose Bowl, as famous and legendary as its location, and the lesser one,  The PCC ( Pasadena City College) Swap Meet.  Smaller and less intense than the Rose Bowl, PCC is preferred by locals and those in the know.
     Held on the first Sunday of each month on the Pasadena City College campus, the swap meet encompasses three parking lots and three floors of a large parking structure. Comfortable shoes and the ability to walk are essential. There is a complimentary shuttle that travels between parking stations and the various vendor lots. Clean, campus facility restrooms are readily available throughout.  Now that you have an introductory lay of the land are you ready to swap?
     Naturally, I have my favorite vendors.  In the two lots between Del Mar and Colorado bordering Bonnie Avenue you will find stalls with lots of costume jewelry, California pottery, mid-century furniture, kitchenware,  greeting cards, Shabby Chic everything, Asian artifacts, eclectic art and photography. There is also plenty of the unusual that is meant to spur the imagination. My favorite vendors are in this area. Selection is always interesting and the price is generally quite wonderful.

• Greeting Cards !!!! Museum quality and all imported from England. Supply is endless. Each month I take a list of cards I need for birthdays, anniversaries, holidays or just a special note and always find the perfect expression from the card lady. Almost everything is $1 or 2/$1 or 4/$1. As long as the post office is in business, I'll continue to write and send expressions of caring. 
• Everything Half Price!  Steve is supposedly selling off an estate and just wants to turn the product. LOTS OF PRODUCT.  Some very good. My first venture into this stall yielded great semi-precious jewelry and two, signed Bekon of Cowes photographs marked 1/45. The Bekon photographs were a steal. My next great purchase from Steve was a carved wooden panel from a mission in Belize. Every month he has more and more coming out of that old VW van. Keep it coming Steve, I'll keep stopping by.... so should you.
• Furniture is hit or miss. But what is one person's pass is another's treasure. Take this industrial shelf appealing to the Silver Lake crowd.  I have found some "over-the-top" lucite pieces ( swivel TV stand and a desk) that found their way to friend's home in Hollywood. 
• Costume Jewelry. Have found a vendor that replenishes and replenishes and I always buy.  Earrings and pins are usually $6 and necklaces $12! Ranging from the '50's to the present, this is like putting a kid in the candy store. Recent treasures; a '70's snakeskin clutch in perfect condition, an '80's necklace with turquoise & lapis stones, and large, spiral gold earrings. Total Tab: $36. I always say I have enough and then find more. HELP!
• Kitchen wares & more.  In the left corner facing Colorado, are dealers with hard to find '50's & '60's food prep items.  You know, the ones with the green painted wooden handles. Love my pastry mixer for chopping eggs. Also purchased a 1970's set of Bennington pottery for $15. They often have good California pottery at the best market prices. 

• Garden Pots, Containers, etc.  Always check this area.  I've found many fun USA made pots and funky containers.

The garage has an entirely different feel.  Although I prefer the outdoors, there are some great textile and vintage cookware vendors.  Look for Abigail. She specializes in early Le Cruset and Belgian enameled cast iron.  Downstairs are the record dealers. 

In the parking lot bordering Hill Street are many of the vendors with the longest PCC legacy.

• JUDY. Anyone who has been "swapping" in the San Gabriel Valley knows Judy. She has a great "eye."  I first saw Judy at the Glendale Swap, fell in love with a designer, costume jewelry necklace. Her asking price was very reasonable but I was feeling cheap. Let it go and have been regretting it since!  Learned that lesson and have since made the purchase when it resonated. Always check in with Judy.
• MITCH.  aka.  The Pink Plum.  The same great, eclectic choices you'll have in his shop, but edited for the meet. Always the best prices. While you're in the area, the store is open on Sunday and worth the visit. (see posting: Love of the Hunt.)
• Vintage Clothes.  Good choices in this lot. Old and new looking old. 

PCC is a bit more civilized then The Rose Bowl. It feels small and intimate. Fun people watching and great treasures. Remember to bring two $1 bills for the parking garage! Or come a bit later and as you enter, someone on there way out may just pass- on their paid slip! Lucky day.

                                                      HAPPY HUNTING

THRIFTING in PASADENA

     Thrifting and swap meets, it's a way of life in Southern California. Exactly what is "thrifting?" It's the activity of frequenting thrift stores in search of useful and sometimes rare items... at very-very low prices. Thrifting is for the person who must or desires to exercise frugality. Thrifting is another level of "the hunt," which on occasion could yield an antique.
      In my case, thrifting became the activity which allowed me to furnish a west coast apartment while my life's possessions remained in storage back east. It allowed me to avoid the big box stores and have a Saturday adventure in my newly claimed homeland.  Of equal importance, my thrifting supports worthwhile organizations. What began as necessity became a passion.
      Pasadena abounds with thrift stores. Following are my four favorites because of the treasures I've found.
     1.  SALVATION ARMY Thrift Store, 56 W. Del Mar Blvd., Pasadena, CA (626.795.8075.)

 
 Good works, great items, best prices.  Let's just call it the Bloomingdale's of thrift stores: furniture, appliances, kitchen wares, tabletop china & glasses, sports equipment, garden & basket items, books, shoes, clothing and all the details in between. They had a commercial Hobart refrigerator priced at $300, but on 50% Friday, sold for $150!  As for my purchases, some of my best finds include:  Two, NWT, Brown Jordan chaise lounge chairs purchased for $14.95 - TOTAL..no tax!  My first piece of California Bauer pottery, an eight inch orange bowl, was found on a cluttered dish shelf and priced at $2.45. Shelves for my office were movie props from "The Adjustment Bureau," and cost $14.95 for three assembled sets. Golf clubs come and go . There are thirfters who search 2-3 times a week for both vintage and new drivers and irons.  Clothes, clothes and more clothes are in new or near new condition. New wedding gowns have been donated from an established Pasadena store. As for books, this is the new Borders! If you want to get out and enjoy "the hunt," this is the number one place in Pasadena.
       KEEP IN MIND: Tuesday is Senior Day with 30% off.  Friday and Saturday rotate between 40% & 50% off every other week. Store Hours: 10 to 8, M-Sat.....NEVER ON SUNDAY. Cash, MC, VISA.
NO TAX.
        VERY POLITE  and helpful store associates. This store is a shining example of the good work performed by The Salvation Army.

     2.  SALVATION ARMY ANTIQUE STORE, 35 Waverly Street, Pasadena, CA. (626.795.0274)

Just around the corner from the main store is a smaller location with what is considered "better" quality. This consideration is highly subjective as it's mostly filled with newly manufactured goods from China. More designer type clothes can be found in this boutique. Furniture may be a better quality and some truly unusual pieces can be found. A good example, the over sized chair with cowboy image imprinted into the leather. It was originally part of a cowboy-cowgirl set but the female chair had been sold by the time I spotted this truly western treasure. It tugged at my heart!  Didn't go with anything I have, but it ended up in the back of "Mae West," my Prius. Final cost at 40% off: $65. So now I have this cowboy chair seeking the right ranch. I wonder who purchased the curved, scalloped Hollywood Regency sofa that was in perfect condition. Tried to get an in-town friend to go-or-it, but she couldn't get past the inappropriate 1990's floral tapestry fabric. Yes, it needed a gold, crushed velvet.
      If you can't handle quantity, this may be the place for you to thrift.
      Same terms as the main store but discounts are less. Maximum is 40% off.

      Associates not as personable and checkout can be a bottle neck.
















    3.  ACTS Thrift Store, 1382 Locust Street, Pasadena, CA. (626.577.4477)                                         Take the Hill Street exit off
the 210 eastbound and it's two blocks to the south on the right hand side of the street. The parking lot is always full so you may want to look for a space on a side street.  As for goods, much less then the quantity donated and sold at The Salvation Army. Most of the furniture looks institutional. Thrifting here is hit or miss....but thirfters do have there favorite locations. Benefits at-risk kids, disadvantaged families and homeless.
     M-Sat., 10-8.  Cash, MC/V.
     


     4.  THE HUNTINGTON COLLECTION, 766 South Fair Oaks Avenue, Pasadena, CA. (626.535.2468)  This is not really thrifting as it's a consignment store benefiting The Huntington Hospital Senior Care Network. In days past, it would have been a function of a predominately female hospital auxiliary.( Kind of still feels that way.) The atmosphere is very "clubby."
       There are two separate establishments in the same building: The Collection and then the Annex.  The Collection is light, spacious and products are carefully selected and very nicely displayed. The clothes definitely appeal to an elderly population and are significantly over priced. Vintage, beaded evening bags that are in abundance were priced in the $90 to $100 dollar range!
      I have found some books and recently a rather rare piece of Native American pottery, a turtle as the fabled storyteller. Books are usually $2 more then other establishments, but the pottery was a find at a great price.
      The Annex presents furniture, appliances and other displaced stuff that didn't make the "cut" for the main store.  All of my visits have produced the same impression: Pricey with attitude. I always wonder, "Who buys this stuff!." You decide. Has a good website: http://thehuntingtoncollection.com
       SALE DATE: Last Saturday of every month, 50% off, 9 to noon.
       M,T,W,F, 10-4. THURS: noon - 6. CLOSED SATURDAY EXCEPT FOR SALE DAY.
       Cash, MC/V.

      Thrifting has always been a way of life for many, but since August 2008, it has become really big business. The Salvation Army and Goodwill are purchasing million dollar properties, filling them with contributions, making a substantial profit that gives back by providing recovery and good work for many.
Perfect examples of sustainability and "green" jobs!
      As containers of Chinese products flood our marketplace, maybe it's time to participate in thrifting: recycle, reclaim, renew.
                                                        Happy Hunting  

 

LOVE OF THE HUNT

     Within weeks of settling into my scantly furnished apartment in Pasadena, CA, it was suggested I visit PINK PLUM ANTIQUES for good furnishings at great prices.  Located on the tree lined section of East Colorado Blvd. (2580) at the corner of Virginia, brothers Mitch and Craig, owners and curators, have been filling this 5000 sq. ft. emporium for ten years.  They give new meaning to the term, "love of the hunt."
     A knight in shining armor stands guard at the front door. Step in and back in time: Victorian, Edwardian, Arts and Crafts, 20's, 30's, 50's, 60's, 70's, 80's, 90's and yes, the millennium ! Last but not least: mid-century, the staple of California. It's all coexisting together.  Because there's so much, it's best to find a focus.

    Glassed door cases line both walls in the first room. Filled with a jewelry collection spanning a century, small decorative items, vintage eye glass frames, and a nice selection of authentic Native American silver/turquoise items, examining these displays can be all absorbing. Same can be said of the clothing room. What's your style: MAD MEN, MAMA MIA, BENNIE AND THE JETS, PREPPY or the forever timely, PENDLETON, it's all here... en mass!  Shop 'til you drop!
     The segmented book area invites you to sit and stay a while. 
     The Tiki-Hawaiian corner, with the area's best selection of vintage Hawaiian shirts, "Parrot Head" paraphernalia, and bar furnishings, is a HAWAII 5-0 or Jimmy Buffet venue come true. You may just hear the sounds of "One Particular Harbor," or "Tiny Bubbles." You may just never want to leave...and then you see more.
      California pottery, the garden room, bamboo and rattan furniture, china....it's endless and every changing. Here today, gone tomorrow. 
      PINK PLUM ANTIQUES is Pasadena's version of CHEERS, the Boston pub where everyone knows your name. Mitch and Craig are in during the week, Bobby on Wednesday and Saturday and Judy on Sunday. There's a reason the knight greets visitors at the front door. Chivalry is alive, well and waiting to serve at PINK PLUM ANTIQUES. 
      Find your way to PINK PLUM ANTIQUES and indulge in "the love of the hunt" and a friendly hello.
              2580 East Colorado Blvd, Pasadena, CA 91107        626.584.0046
              Open: 11-6              Never on Tuesday               CASH ONLY