Zannee’s Blog at BargainsLA.com

Last Friday was a full 12-hour day of bargain snooping, a KNX radio interviews, family business and computer writing, leaving my body achy and tired. Lunch & dinner were missed and I ate very late …donuts and a glass of milk. Oh so healthy…not.

As I dragged my sorry butt out of bed Saturday morning I realized I had to go the Von Dutch Warehouse sale. Hmm hubby wanted to go, daughter wanted to go, I said on air I was going… guess I was. A packet of Emergen-C and cup of coffee perked me up.

The sale was packed! There were hoards of people milling through the boxes, racks and bins. First one person stopped me to say they’d found out about the sale on BargainsLA.com and then another person and then 4 guys came by and said they heard me talk about it on KNX. What a delight, everyone was digging the sale! I mentioned that the J and Company Sale wasn’t far away and gave out the address to everyone for that.

But one couple really surprised me. They drove all the way down from Bakersfield to go to the Von Dutch sale after hearing me talk about it on KNX Friday.

OMG! That’s a 2-hour drive! Apparently, their boys love the line. So they bought their two sons a bunch of jeans and tees. They spent about $300, but easily saved $1000 and couldn’t have been happier. Those are the stories I totally dig.

While I was busy cavorting with fellow bargain hunters, my family was shopping up a storm. Both bought Von Dutch high top sneaks for $25 each (retail $90), 3 tees at $10 each (retail $42-$50). By the time I got around to shopping they were finished and checking out. So I quickly grabbed a Von Dutch handbag for my girlfriend for $35 (retail $110-$130). But didn’t get anything for moi…. That’s okay! I am still enjoying the shopping high from last weeks secretary hutch purchase.

To make up on my poor eating habits we went out to Kabuki Sushi in Pasadena for lunch.
Yum! Good sushi at about half what it would normally cost.
To listen to radio broadcast click here. MP3 format 26 minutes long

Sunday morning our neighbor calls to tell us it won’t fit into her new place and we can have it. But we are still stuck on a decision.

First, both hubby and I adore the piece and can put it to good and practical use. But we don’t need it. Secondly, it would be a financial strain to get it in the next couple of weeks. If we wait though, chances are it would be sold to someone else.

We go over our rules of thumb when buying furniture:
Do we love it? Is it useful? Is it well priced? Would it go with what we already have? Can we afford it?

Yes, Yes, Yes, Yes and maybe!

Most importantly on “one of a kind” pieces… would we regret not getting it?

Yes.

So we bought it. Bob came down on the price 10%.
(A good rule when antique shopping is to expect a 10% reduction.)

We had it delivered that day and spent the rest of the day polishing it up with Howard’s Restore a Finish, Feed and Oil and polishing formulas.

Howard’s products are the best for making a piece looks its absolute best without stripping or refinishing.

We are thrilled with our new piece! Our nice 11-old entertainment armoire (Originally purchased at Designers Bloopers) was donated to Burbank Discovery Shop. I knew they would take it even though they are really picky. It’s a nice piece… we got it at a great price …but our new antique secretary hutch was much better. Eventually, we can put a wide screen TV above it, which we couldn’t do with our old armoire.

Sometimes it’s worth going overboard. Now on to taxes….

Our little darling went away for spring break and all we really did was hang out and work. Our first week of parenting freedom and we didn’t go for a romantic weekend away, our plans for a day long hike got thwarted, we didn’t go dancing or hit a hot bar or nightclub… how dull!

We did do a couple of wine tastings, a few dinners out and most importantly went antiquing. A long time favorite, we love antique shopping, discovering unusual pieces even when we don’t need our want anything. As a couple we hadn’t gone antiquing in eons. We were well overdue, so even though there was nothing we needed, we went just for fun.

We headed over to the Pasadena Antique Center on Fair Oaks knowing that the pricing there tends to be high. This was a calculated move so we wouldn’t be tempted to buy anything.

Wouldn’t ya know it! Smack dab at the front of the store was a fabulous mahogany American Empire secretary desk from the 1880’s. We ooh’d and ahh’d over the piece… investigated every knook, cubby and cranny, remarked on the superior construction and authentic American Mahogany. It was perfect for a multitude of uses and perfect for our home. The dealer, Bob Anderson ended up being the most reasonably priced dealer in the entire place.

Basically, we fell in love with it. But, being prudent we left empty handed.

The next day we took our neighbor over to look at it. Someone we knew had to have this great piece. She fell in love with it and since she was moving, she thought she could use it at her new place. I wished I hadn’t shown it to her ‘cause I fell even more in love with it after a second viewing.

Now I was pitted against my neighbor for something I really really wanted, but didn’t need and really couldn’t afford…. We pay taxes every year and this is tax week! YIKES!

We decided to wait a day or two, make a measured decision and see if our neighbor wants it.

Should we get it? Could we swing it financially without using credit? It weren’t cheap but well priced for what it was. How would we fit it into our small abode?

If we don’t get it …will we regret it?

If we do get it…will we feel guilty? How would we recoup financially?

Will my friend be ticked off at me for showing it to her and then deciding I wanted it? Wouldn’t that make me a shitty friend?

The answer will be posted next week.