This past Saturday, Emily and spent a few hours hitting the vintage shops, thrift stores, and boutiques that make up Long Beach’s Retro Row on 4th Street. Our trip was ostensibly for supplies to make crafts for Em’s projects site on CrapAtCrafts.com, so we focused primarily on the vintage and thrift store places. We’ve been living not far from the area since October: Em had even scouted the area once before on a weekend I was up in L.A. for a show. However, this was my virgin trip to this area. Pretty much a treasure trove.

We were able to knock off all the items on our list in under 2 hours, I believe, but could’ve easily spent the whole day there. Here are some of the off-list items my camera happened to record as I passed quickly by, in hurried determination, most likely on the look-out for– let’s say– gold fabric (you can also read Em’s account of the trip here, if you like) . . .

Where I'm getting mine from now on - at Feed Store, 4th St

My mother had this, the original, and the photo of Betty on the back used to creep-me-the-hell out.

Because you never know when you'll need one of these . . .

Or a *genuine* space-age German flashlight, yes...

Then this was right next to it: I’m guessing two artists from the same painting class. Either that or I’m bearing witness to a new major movement in art.

Seriously...

They had so much random, old film equipment that looked like it could be in working order– at the Feed Store as well as several other shops we went into– that I really could have gone broke buying it all: Not sure what I would have done with any of it, apart from the obvious.

I so wish I'd had a valid reason to buy this ....

And this.

This Lemmy, from Motörhead, statue -- complete with endorsed beverage -- was a nice break from the Film stuff.

Okay, enough with the film equipment, guys, you I have a weakness. And lack of storage space.

At this point, I had to stop.

Not pictured: an immense amount of owl-themed everything.

I’ll have to get back to 4th Street . . . if I can remember to leave my wallet at home.

-WM