it's been too long

I've been delinquent in updating the blog, mostly because I can't load pictures from my new camera onto this laptop, and so I haven't been updating anything. I have decided to at least try to remember to put in the typing parts, and get around to the pictures when I can use Darren computer (we are shooting raw images on our new digital, and organizing them on Darren's computer).

On Saturday (august 18), Darren and I spent part of the day in the L.A. Fashion District. I had talked to a number of people that said this was a great place to buy clothes, that there were designers and sample sales. I went online to the website and ordered a map, as there are 90 blocks of shopping, divided into categories - women's apparel, men's apparel, sportswear, accessories, etc. I thought this was going to be heaven (and a place to buy the 2-1 sketchers my sister has tasked me with finding). You can imagine my disappointment when we arrived to find the area more like a Tijuana flea market than a outlet store on steroids. Great place to get cheap clothes, not cheap place to get great clothes. Knock off designer handbags and sunglasses were everywhere (and yes, I was tempted to get an over size pair of white plastic and rhinestone studded Dolce and Gabbana sunglasses like Paris wears, or a "real" Coach purse for $49.95, but I didn't. I always have a problem when there are no prices on things, and the sales guy says things like "Well, for you, today, I have special price, only..." I know they inflate the price when they see me coming. I really have to learn spanish to find out what the price is for the woman shopping ahead of me.

There was a sample sale going on, which we checked out as well. For those of you who don't professionally shop, a sample sale is when the designers sell the clothes and accessories they have had on models to show to wholesalers or other buyers. It usually means there is only 1 of each item, usually in small model-like sizes. My friend Agnes has bought dresses, purses and belts at sample sales, but since she is a model, she often gets to go to the ones right after the shows, and then can buy the stuff she wore on the runway. I wanted to check it out, and Darren was good enough to humor me . We paid the $1 admission fee to get into the auditorium, but saw really nothing that appealed to us. Okay, that's a lie. I saw one purse when I walked in the door, a nice white leather hobo bag, I think it was Channel. This one I would have paid $49.95 for, no problem. Oh, I'm sorry, you said $490. Right. I can only imagine what the retail was on it.

Did I mention it was also stinking hot? This was our first extended tip into downtown LA. After living on the beach for a few months, you forget how hot and sticky the rest of LA is. This area has few trees, no open spaces for air to circulate, and was packed with weekend shopping families all out to get the best bargain on their 3-for$9.99 T-shirts. We had some water with us, thankfully, and found a great place that made fresh fruit smoothies when we stopped for lunch, but it was uncomfortably hot. I made a comment about bringing Rhonda here to shop (since she'll fit the small sizes, she might find some great deals), and Darren just laughed, saying he could imagine Mike here too -- with weaponry maybe. Remembering how much he hated the heat in Vegas in March, I'm sure he wouldn't have liked the Fashion District at all. Best moment - getting back to the parking lot and taking a swig of water from the bottle we had left in the car, only to find it was as warm as a cup of coffee.

Anyway, we left there about 2:30. Not yet ready to head home for the day, and having bought nothing except lunch, we decided to try the Farmers' Market at The Grove
I thought it would be a nice, open air place after the hot and sticky downtown. It was certainly more civilized, and after checking out all the sites we even found a place to sit and have a nice cold beer. Much better! Not much for fruit and produce in the farmer's market, but a great place to spend a Saturday afternoon. Once I check out the outlet malls, I'll know all the best places to shop.