Shop Update – Page 5 – Adored Vintage Blog

On Sunday I had gone to an estate sale in SW Portland, way up in the hills. I had gone on the last day of the estate sale knowing that most of the really amazing things would be gone, but I just wasn’t in the mood to get up really early and hoist myself up to the sale at 8 in the morning on Friday.

And besides, I decided to go on a wee little vintage hunting expedition on Friday instead!

Which was WONDERFUL.

antique 1910s Edwardian cream silk crepe lace blouse

The vintage finds on this trip… pretty great although slim pickings, not gonna lie. (If you follow Adored Vintage on Instagram, there are some peeks there!) I drove many, many hours to net the catch I got and every piece was worth it!

vintage 1930s black silk velvet ruched evening dress

vintage 1930s mint green black print day dress

vintage 1930s yellow rayon belted dress with leaves

The drive…oh I felt as if I were driving through a picture book of some sort! To me there is something so exciting about exploring new territories on your own accord. To just have a general idea of where you’re going to go then just drive and go with the flow. I re-listened to some of my favorite The History Chicks podcasts, sang along to my “Sing IT Girl” playlist (catchy pop songs up the wazoo!), and drove like a grandma so I could enjoy the green green green all around me.

One of the shops I stopped I remember walking in and feeling a sense of magic all around. Have you ever done that? You walk in somewhere and just inherently know “Yes…yessss. You GET me.” It was in an old building with large front windows and an arched window above the doors. And all the walls were painted white even the brick. And large pieces of antique dark wood furniture about and marble top tables and perfectly worn in velvet chairs. And this ONE tufted floral chair that I would have happily paid top dollar for but the shop owner gave me that little smile and I knew what that smile said.

“Isn’t it lovely? And she’s miiiine. Not for sale dearie.”

vintage 1940s black sheer silk chiffon dress

vintage 1940s hunter green sheer beaded party dress

I remember being in this shop and just feeling like it was MY shop. I mean, I KNOW it wasn’t MINE, but that someday I would have a shop just like it. Lots and lots of light, a beautiful sparseness about it, antiques and vintage paired off together that looks inviting and beckons you to “come, sit a spell, try me on, let’s talk awhile.” There was a messiness and a neatness I liked about it. It just felt like home.

I had every intention of stopping at one of the local small town eateries. There definitely were plenty of mom and pop cafes I encountered, but I kept thinking… there IS treasure out there and I MUST get to it before someone else does!

So I shushed my hungry stomach, drank more coffee, and forged on. It wasn’t until 6:30 PM that I realized I hadn’t had anything to eat but toast and two cups of coffee so I was famished and well, I succumbed to eating McDonalds because it was convenient and I was starting to get lightheaded.

vintage 1960s pastel lace mini dress

vintage 1970s vivid floral cotton summer skirt

vintage 1980s cream cardigan with tulip detail

Dammit! When I think of those pressed paninis and fresh baked pies I passed up! I’m stuffing my face with salty french fries (oh WHY Whyyy do you have to be so good french fries?) and head on back to Portland, the trunk of my car happily filled with lots of antique and vintage goodies which will be unveiled to all soon enough!

antique Victorian white lace high collar blouse

vintage 1920s yellow sheer crepe lace flapper dress

I’ve been in Portland for almost a whole week! And may I just say, I am in LOVE with her. This morning I walked to Bipartisan Cafe and spent a good long while admiring the tree lined streets, the abundance and variety of flowers in my neighbors’ yards, how blue the sky was. I snapped photos to send to some of my friends back in California and I really wanted to write “Aren’t you so super jealous that I am walking around here?!”

Last night I tried to go see Mood Indigo in downtown Portland. I am talented at very many things, but using my iPhone to navigate is not one of my best skills. In fact I’m still old school and look up directions to places before I go so I have some sort of idea as to where I am going. I don’t know WHAT was happening downtown, but it was MADNESS and I missed the movie because I spent 25 minutes driving around trying to find a parking spot.

But I didn’t even get annoyed! I was just like OH WELL, I guess I’ll drive around and get lost a bit and maybe will discover new places to try. See what I mean? I wasn’t even mad at Portland for not having any parking to go see a movie at the dinner theater. If this were in Los Angeles a stream of obscenities would have flowed out of my mouth as I shook my fist at the sky shrieking “DAMN YOU LA! Damn you!!”

I warmed myself up a biscuit from Bob’s Red Mill, set out some butter and honey, and read a couple chapters of Louisa May Alcott’s “Eight Cousins.” The curtains were lightly dancing with the morning breeze, Redford was curled up by my feet…life is good.

This is one of the things I absolutely looked forward to the most about getting out of California… a slower paced life, taking time to enjoy the little things. After breakfast I did a bit of unpacking then started the work day. Then did more unpacking… this will probably be what my days will be like for the next few weeks.