"Out with the Old, in with the New"

This cute pink bicycle represents more fun than a corral full of baby goats. It's the reason I usually plan my trips to the bay area on certain days every month. This is the antique/ vintage/ creative art store owned by Susan Goodman called ROOM WITH A PAST. They are only open 4 days a month and each month is a new adventure, with amazing bargains..., and it's just down right fun to visit.
See that green chair in the top left photo? See the color? Does it look familiar? Yes, it's exactly the same color of the little, half size, green chair I have here in my home. That's because Jan Ely(the blond in the jammies and slippers) likes to paint cute little chairs in my favorite color. I bought one here last year. THIS cute chair did not(sigh) come home with me. I practiced some restraint on this trip, but if it's still there next month I may not have the control that I did last week. Of course I could just NOT GO to this sale and make my life easier, but that's "not an option", as they say. I might miss something wonderful!..., something with my name on it..., something I can't live without. See, how easy it is to rationize this obsession.

Last Thursday, before the unexpected dinner for 8, Sis and I took a run by R.W.A.P. It was their Christmas sale and , of course, we had to take a quick look. It's only about a mile from Mom's rest home, so there was just no reason not to go before I picked up Mom for dinner. (More rationalizing). Sis got home, afterwards, and found out she was having 4 extra people coming for dinner and the panic set in..., but it was still worth the stop at our favorite store.
These are the wonderful ladies who run R.W.A.P. This is the only time you will ever see them IN PUBLIC wearing their pajamas and slippers, and I did get their permission to put this photo on my blog. They are a very nice bunch of woman, who work hard to make this store a charming place. They enjoy what they do and they all seem to get along well. This was New Years Day and we were invited to wear our jammies and slippers too, but we opted for street clothing because we didn't want someone with a camera/phone to immortalize us in Trader Joe's. All customers were invited to partake of a huge table of goodies(and I mean HUGE) to celebrate the New Year and, of course, the amazing sale. Sis found a big drop-leaf table to do crafts and sewing on. I added a beautiful vintage pressed metal tray to my kitchen collection and one of Jan's handmade ornaments.

Thank you ladies. It was fun, as always. It was nice to see you, Marcia. Glad you are doing so well. See you next month.

Room With a Past ~ 1557A Third Ave., Walnut Creek CA 94597
(925) 933-1903

Jan Ely's "Little Pink Houses" blog can be found at pinkhousepages.blogspot.com. Check it out. She loves "vintage", painting and decorating. She also makes wonderful, artful things. We grew up in the same town and her Dad and my Mom went to school together in Napa, Ca. We found each other through our blogs. Small world isn't it?