We left about 10:00 am. It's not a long drive. Pleasant to be on the open road, even if I'm not driving. I miss the little road trips. I know of a place which has piles of 'rusty old stuff' at the back, and we stopped there first. I am getting to know the gentleman who owns the place and I was greeted warmly when I stepped from the car. Hola, Buenes Dias, Donnita, he said, taking my hand in a warm handshake. I attempted to explain I wanted to head straight for his junque pile. He looked at me oddly, but took me there. I began to pick out a few pieces. I would pick a piece, then he would rummage through the pile trying to find the other pieces to 'make it complete'. Try and explain to someone you don't want it complete ... you just want bits and pieces. He finally gave up trying to find all the pieces to the door lock I picked up, and the sad iron I had in my hand. I came away with a great little selection of 'who knows what I will do with it stuff', and was happy as a little clam. Xaviar and I said our goodbyes as he walked me to the car. I will be back I promised him. He does have some lovely old furniture.
Our next stop was to be the telavera shop JMB. My driver got lost and we found ourselves almost out in the country. I suggested he call the shop for directions. As he was doing that I got out of the car and took a little walk. About half a block down was a small, jam packed furniture shop ... some old pieces and some new hand carved pieces. Of course, I dove straight in. There was a king size head board there .. all hand carved. Massive and exquisite. I admired and sailed on by. My Chacita Casita ... ha ha. I wouldn't be able to get it in the door. When I reached the dark back corner my heart took a little leap. There was a lovely old bathroom mirror hanging on the wall. Hand carved, with remnants of paint left on it, I immediately fell in love. I asked Senora the price. She quoted me. I offered less. She called her husband. He came over. We joked and laughed and bartered (thank you Papa for teaching me those great bartering skills). I brought the mirror home for about $40.00. I'm in love. I think it's too big for the bano. I will take it upstairs tomorrow and try it. Not sure where it's going to end up.
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| We found JMB, I replaced my dishes and chose this sink. |
We drove around town looking for a large pot, but couldn't find one I liked. Half the fun is the hunt, lets face it. On the way home I was starving. I asked Ruben if he could find a gordito stand ... we did. They are sooooo good. The dough is made with corn. It's rolled into a ball, patted back and forth in the hands, and put on a griddle to cook. When it's done, it's like a pita bread ... it splits open and you can fill it up with all the good things in the pots. I asked Senora if I could take photographs and she said yes. She took one of the gordita balls and put it into an old wooden tortilla maker. Wham ... a flat, thin tortilla. She filled that up with different things so I could taste the difference. YUM. And ... what a lovely experience.
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| Senora asked me why I was taking the photographs. I told her, because I thought she was beautiful. She smiled. I think the entire process is beautiful. The sound of the dough being patted back and forth between her hands .... so basic ... so primitive ... so meditative ... so far away from MacDonalds! |
On the highway back to SMA there is a place called San Gabriel ... a shop ... but huge. The Costco Talavera shop. I saw some candle holders there a long time ago, and have looked at them since. I have not been able to find them anywhere else. I wanted on for the middle of the coffee table. When you remove the candle and take the hurricane part out, you can use it for flowers. It's a lovely item to have because it's low, and very versatile.
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| In a pinch I could use it for Sangria! lol |
"I just took the energy it would take to pout and wrote some blues." ~ Duke Ellington
Love this Quote. Made me think: Am I pouting about anything? Wasting all that good energy?
2 comments:
Donna, i am just in awe at the things you come up with down there - comes from living in a place that has so much history I guess. Here, there is very little of anything that goes further back than 100 years - maybe the missions. That's about it. Just about everything is new - not much character! Your shopping excursions are so fabulous. Oh, and the gorditos.... nothing like the ones from Taco Bell... 8)
You are right, Patty. It's the history. When you think I'm living in a town which was settled before 1550 it's amazing. Then all that European history, layer upon layer - Spain which was so influenced by the Arab Empire, France, the Americans, then the original indigenous people ... it's quite a blend. Very fertile shopping ground I must say. As you might have already guessed, I love it!
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