One of these things is not like the other
Typically when people go away on holidays they get up to all kinds of shenanigans that they'd never dream of doing when mired in their dreary day to day life at home - like anyone who's ever been to Las Vegas or that English guy who decided to go skinny-dipping in the moat of the Imperial Place in Tokyo (well, who knows; he could be doing that at home). Regardless, I am proving to not be that type of person; not because I have delusions of living in a higher moral plane to most average folk; somehow being invulnerable to the charms and vices of exotic foreign cultures, but because if recent trips to Adelaide are anything to go by... I get up to exactly the same stuff there as I do here.
So I was back there again, there was no opportunity for a marathon op-shopping spree - just enough time to poke my head into a few places.
Goodwill - Corner of Portrush Rd & The Parade, Adelaide
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This place had charm, although not necessarily of the exotic foreign variety; essentially the shop is in the hall at the back of a magnificent old church. There's some comfy couches to relax on and help yourself to some of the free tea and bread that's on offer. Which is probably the first time that I've seen a tea room and an op-shop combined, perhaps if I was a long retired little old lady I'd sit down there too and whittle away the hours discussing how terribly behaved Gladys' grandchildren are. Actually, on second thought; it would be interesting to sit in an op-shop all day and see the types that came in, the staff might think that I was a little strange, and I'd probably go through most of their tea and bread... but interesting never-the-less - anyone got a lot of free time on their hands at the moment?
Anyway, the store wasn't too badly stocked - it featured what I have dubbed, "The Great Wall of Shoes" - a title which probably removes the need for much elaboration. There was also a cool typewriter that came in its own suitcase, I did briefly consider getting it, merely as a prop it would be pretty funky... of course it would look totally out of place in the bland, bland, bland surrounds that I currently live. Perhaps it is time for that to change? Well, it weighed a ton anyway.
I'm really not sure what my only purchase from the store says about me - it's a shirt, nothing new there, it's blue and made from funky 70's polyester; described on the tag as "100% Silky Polyester" ... it's polyester ... but it's silky! None of this sounds particularly revolutionary, "Wow! A funky polyester 70's shirt... and I thought I knew you." you're probably thinking... well, the problem is that it's exactly the same as a shirt that I picked up from Hunter Gatherer about 3 years ago, minus the small authentic cigarette burn that came with the original. So now I can have a choice - "70's retro" or "70's retro grunge" ... perhaps I should attempt to branch out more before my life becomes caught in a series of largely indistinguishable sub genres.
The shirt was $5 ... not bad. On the whole, the place was pretty cheap.
Salvos - 418 Magill Rd, Adelaide
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The front carpark being full, we pulled into the cramped back carpark of the Salvos; the type of carpark that felt like it had hosted innumerable break-ins, where by the act of simply parking there would automatically void your car insurance. Stepping in through the back door around the piles of post Christmas rejected presents being sorted we found ourselves in the store proper, quite busy with activity. After a quick rummage through the guy's clothing section and picking out a few things, I found myself over at the book section. The section itself was reasonably well stocked, but what really got my attention was the number of oddly titled and generally odd books on one particular shelf; it was as though the Dewey decimal system has been expanded to include such a category.
Titles included -
"Do polar bears experience religious ecstasy?" <- the title of which leaves much room for follow on books with similarly flavoured titles.
"The joy of winning" - written by the fabled author; Beer ... making for an interesting reading cover.
"An illustrated guide to chrysanthemum flowers" and "Encyclopedia of Canarys" <- I always find highly specialised books a little disturbing.
and finally -
"Manners from heaven" <- pure biblical pun heaven!
There was also about 3 shelves of marriage and birth/post natal books. Which I can assure you is not normal.
I also managed to come across another one of those typewriters in a suitcase. It was as though it was meant to be! ... although the logical part of my brain protested so loudly that I didn't end up getting it. This part of my brain also piped up when I sighted some rather large remote control cars and dreams of hooning them around the local side streets passed through my mind.
Despite the potential for excitement, my purchases were eventually limited to this nice shirt -
and a bunch of ties -
Almost embarrassingly, my collection of ties is now rivalling my velvet jacket collection.
So I was back there again, there was no opportunity for a marathon op-shopping spree - just enough time to poke my head into a few places.
Goodwill - Corner of Portrush Rd & The Parade, Adelaide
View Larger Map
This place had charm, although not necessarily of the exotic foreign variety; essentially the shop is in the hall at the back of a magnificent old church. There's some comfy couches to relax on and help yourself to some of the free tea and bread that's on offer. Which is probably the first time that I've seen a tea room and an op-shop combined, perhaps if I was a long retired little old lady I'd sit down there too and whittle away the hours discussing how terribly behaved Gladys' grandchildren are. Actually, on second thought; it would be interesting to sit in an op-shop all day and see the types that came in, the staff might think that I was a little strange, and I'd probably go through most of their tea and bread... but interesting never-the-less - anyone got a lot of free time on their hands at the moment?
Anyway, the store wasn't too badly stocked - it featured what I have dubbed, "The Great Wall of Shoes" - a title which probably removes the need for much elaboration. There was also a cool typewriter that came in its own suitcase, I did briefly consider getting it, merely as a prop it would be pretty funky... of course it would look totally out of place in the bland, bland, bland surrounds that I currently live. Perhaps it is time for that to change? Well, it weighed a ton anyway.
I'm really not sure what my only purchase from the store says about me - it's a shirt, nothing new there, it's blue and made from funky 70's polyester; described on the tag as "100% Silky Polyester" ... it's polyester ... but it's silky! None of this sounds particularly revolutionary, "Wow! A funky polyester 70's shirt... and I thought I knew you." you're probably thinking... well, the problem is that it's exactly the same as a shirt that I picked up from Hunter Gatherer about 3 years ago, minus the small authentic cigarette burn that came with the original. So now I can have a choice - "70's retro" or "70's retro grunge" ... perhaps I should attempt to branch out more before my life becomes caught in a series of largely indistinguishable sub genres.
The shirt was $5 ... not bad. On the whole, the place was pretty cheap.
Salvos - 418 Magill Rd, Adelaide
View Larger Map
The front carpark being full, we pulled into the cramped back carpark of the Salvos; the type of carpark that felt like it had hosted innumerable break-ins, where by the act of simply parking there would automatically void your car insurance. Stepping in through the back door around the piles of post Christmas rejected presents being sorted we found ourselves in the store proper, quite busy with activity. After a quick rummage through the guy's clothing section and picking out a few things, I found myself over at the book section. The section itself was reasonably well stocked, but what really got my attention was the number of oddly titled and generally odd books on one particular shelf; it was as though the Dewey decimal system has been expanded to include such a category.
Titles included -
"Do polar bears experience religious ecstasy?" <- the title of which leaves much room for follow on books with similarly flavoured titles.
"The joy of winning" - written by the fabled author; Beer ... making for an interesting reading cover.
"An illustrated guide to chrysanthemum flowers" and "Encyclopedia of Canarys" <- I always find highly specialised books a little disturbing.
and finally -
"Manners from heaven" <- pure biblical pun heaven!
There was also about 3 shelves of marriage and birth/post natal books. Which I can assure you is not normal.
I also managed to come across another one of those typewriters in a suitcase. It was as though it was meant to be! ... although the logical part of my brain protested so loudly that I didn't end up getting it. This part of my brain also piped up when I sighted some rather large remote control cars and dreams of hooning them around the local side streets passed through my mind.
Despite the potential for excitement, my purchases were eventually limited to this nice shirt -
and a bunch of ties -
Almost embarrassingly, my collection of ties is now rivalling my velvet jacket collection.
posted by Peter at
3:46 PM
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