The Rose Bowl Flea Market, which I had wanted to see for a long time.

 

Arrived at 5 AM.

I had heard that it would be packed with serious buyers as early as 4 AM,

but in reality, at 5 AM, many stores were still setting up, and there were only a few buyers around...

So, we decided to wait with coffee until it got brighter.

 

The temperature difference between day and night in LA this time of year is drastic, and it's quite cold.

 

Even so, there were serious buyers diligently searching with penlights in the dark.

Most of them were, as expected, Japanese.

 

I had the impression that there were many men's vintage clothes,

but in reality, women's items seemed to stand out.

 

Is it a treasure trove or a pile of junk?

You can't touch anything without a discerning eye.

There weren't as many vintage Levi's as I expected... Is it running out?

 

Shoes like these are sold at quite high prices in Japan.

They are unbelievably cheap locally.

Items made in the US are designed for comfort and durability,

so they must retain their value even when old.

 

A tent specializing in military items.

Some items seemed like they could be worth many times their price.

However, you can't touch these without specialized knowledge.

 

My main goal this time was vintage Native American rugs, but

in reality, there were many items from Turkey, Pakistan, and India, and the shopkeepers were from those countries.

 

While I skipped over those items, thinking I didn't need them all the way in America,

the Native American items I occasionally found were few in number and incredibly expensive!

More expensive than select shops in places like NY!

 

Even small sizes started at $800.

I tried negotiating several times, but the sellers were better.

Was I being taken advantage of because I'm Japanese?

I thought I was good at negotiating, but I couldn't make any progress.

The best I could get was about a 5% discount, no matter how hard I tried.

Personally, I think these kinds of items were the most interesting.

Their value is easy to understand, and the prices are reasonable.

If I had a shop, there were many things I would have wanted.

 

While serious Japanese buyers had an air of desperation about their purchases,

the locals seemed to simply be enjoying the monthly event.

They were cheerfully browsing items, wondering, "What would you even use that for?"

If everyone was just making serious purchases, this atmosphere wouldn't exist.

I think this culture of enjoying old and interesting items for their own worth is why it has continued for so long.

 

 

After buying only the bare necessities, I left the market around noon for lunch.

I really wanted to go to "Philippe,"

located on the outskirts of DOWNTOWN, near Dodger Stadium.

Founded in 1908 and moved to this location in 1951, it remains

a very popular French dip sandwich restaurant among locals.

 

No matter how popular this place becomes, it has never expanded, staying in this location and being loved by locals.

As a result, many LA residents don't even know about it, and it's not listed in guidebooks.

 

When you order at the counter, a girl in an old-style uniform

carefully makes your sandwich right in front of you, putting ingredients in the bread.

It makes it look even more delicious.

People who like vintage and used clothing would definitely love this atmosphere.

 

By the way, they also sell novelty goods like this.

The mugs, for example, have thick, heavy bottoms, truly an old style.

 

 

That concludes the Rose Bowl chapter.

 

posted by K. Ichikawa