Lessons Learned while vintage shopping....

If you read my blog or know me from facebook you know that one of my most favorite things to do in the world is shop for vintage "treasure".  Most often the items go straight into my shop, however, if they pluck my heart strings and I just can't part with them....then home they come.

 

Recently, I had the opportunity to go on a shopping trip with my pal and partner in crime, Kelly from Madison & Mabel. Insert side note...you have to check out her website, Kelly designs the most amazing custom furniture.  Ok back to the story.... I have a 6' by 12' trailer hitched to my Chevy, so I am always the driver.  She's navigation and comic relief so our shopping trips are always a blast.

A little peak inside the trailer......

 

Now I must say that I pride myself on being fearless when it comes to pulling the trailer.  (Much to my husband's dismay and just plain horror!!!) So...the idea of driving through NYC from rural MD to get to Long Island, NY didn't faze me at all.  "How hard could it be??  You just stay in your lane, Kelly", where my famous last words.  Our first stop was in PA at 7:00am, let the shopping games begin.  Oh, let me back up...when we met at 5am Kelly informed me that the left blicker light on the trailer was out.  In my early morning daze this didn't bother me, keep this info. in mind as you read on.  Onward ho!!  We picked up some great deals in PA and pointed the train toward NJ.

 

This is where is starts to get crazy.  NO place to park in a quaint little NJ town.  30 min later I jack knife parked, my specialty I might add, in the library parking lot.  It had flipping parking meters in the lot!!!  What free library does that??  Actually found some fab shops for inspiration, no buying here too much $$$. 

 

 

LESSON 1:  If it's too pretty, it's too pricey.

 

There was a nearby town in PA that had the reputation of being creative and cutting edge.  What's a trip of the bridge, we're already here, right.....

 

 

 

LESSON 2: Creative and cutting edge is code for HIPPY DIPPY!

 

Well it's getting late and we still had about 3 hours to drive, or so we thought.  I turned on my Garmin, named Penelope and set to speak in a British accent, plugged in the hotel locations and we-re off.  Kelly and I decide to hold off on dinner on the road since Penelope said we would arrive at 7pm.  No worries until until NYC.

 

Heading into the toll booth before the Holland Tunnel I see a sign. 3 AXLE LIMIT, whew, I only have 3 axles, so I'm good.  Having an Easy Pass I roll through the toll booth as the attendant nearly throws her body in front of my truck to stop me.  "You can't take that trailer in the tunnel" she says.  "I only have 3 axles, I counted" was my reply.  "You need a police escort to take you out of here"...her reply.  "Oh crap" says I.

 

LESSON 3: Just because you SEE the tunnel, doesn't mean you can go IN the tunnel.

 

 Over comes an officer on foot, what no car, giving us directions to the Lincoln Tunnel.

 

 

 

"Left, Left, then Right and just follow the 1 & 9 Truck RT. North", ok, got it!  Hey Kelly, do you remember what he said???? Remember now, all these left turns and lane changes are made without a left turn signal.  I've now been flipped off, cursed out and mean mugged in NYC...well deserved I admit. "We'll just follow the trucks, Kelly" following, pot hole, following, barely fitting in construction lane, following as Penelope keeps trying to get us back to the Holland Tunnel, ugh!  "AHHHH...where did all the trucks go????" We are now heading SOUTH on the 1 & 9 Truck RT.  How'd that happen, we were following the trucks AND the signs. 

 

 LESSON 4:  Don't trust ANY of the road signs in NY, EVER!!!

 

Kelly's light bulb moment....I'll use my iphone's navigation to get us there, meanwhile, my Penelope is still belting out directions to the Holland Tunnel.  Kelly's iphone, aka Siri, took us through drug filled slums and actually directed into the Meadowlands Arena parking lot...and duh, we did it.  After circling twice we abandoned the course.  Now driving with 2 automated voices dueling with different directions.  We crossed the same bridge twice and managed to visit Brooklyn, Queens, The Bronx, Staten Island, and finally, sigh... Long Island during this escapade. All while trying to find the Truck RT as NY doesn't like to mix cars and trucks on the road.  It's a Trailblazer with a trailer for gosh sake, not a truck!!!! Sad to say...curse words, hysterical laughing and tears brought us to our hotel 2.5 hours later than expected.  We were in need of food, a bathroom and serious wine! 

 

LESSON 5:  Segregation live on in NYC...between cars and trucks that is!

 

LESSON 6: Sometimes you laugh til you cry...just remember to go pee first!!

 

All said and done, it was an amazing trip!  The trailer was nearly full to exploding and I'm really looking forward to bringing in a ton of new merchandise.

 

Enjoy you day!!!

 

Have a good one,

Robin