the bazaar

oh yes, i went to a bazaar.  no, not in turkey or some great place like that, but in lovely little ashfield.  for those of you not of the sydney persuasion, ashfield is in the inner west.  it's about 20 min from the cbd on the train, so it's pretty handy.  about one third of the people who live in ashfield were not born in australia.  and from my observations, i'd say they were mostly born in china.  i say this because ashfield is home to about 1,000 chinese restaurants.  and, if you know me well, you'll know this makes me happy.

so ashfield is not what you'd call a 'cool' suburb.  it's no annandale.  nope.  it's no newton.  it's right on the edge of the more western suburbs, if you catch my drift.  which means, basically, that we can afford to live in a gorgeous art deco building on a really cute street with two bedrooms AND a study and a kitchen that's actually quite a decent size.

so ashfield doesn't have much street cred.  but oh my word, i do so love it.  i love living in close quarters to other people.  for some reason, it works.  the thing i never in a million years expected to find in sydney is quietness.  my street is so quiet.  no traffic sounds, no loud music, no noise really of any kind.  except birthday parties.  and i hear people walking down the street.  and birds, my word they are noisy.  so i live in the midst of a great big city but have found more quiet and peace than i've ever experienced.  I walk home down the middle of my street.  okay, this is because it's light there and so i can avoid cockroaches, but still.

i love how you get to peak into peoples lives all the time - i see people making dinner through the window, dads rocking their babies on the veranda, shoes lined up outside the doors, glimpses of parties, i see in the door when church is on at all the bowed heads. 

i chat to my neighbours about the washing and the weather.  we smile.  after the earthquake they stopped me to ask if things were okay at home (how did they know i was from christchurch?).

there's a lady on the corner who waits for her husband holding her cute little baby.  we smile and wave and her baby stares at me.

i pick flowers when i walk the streets.  ashfield is full of art deco buildings and federation homes (think bay villa).  full to the brim of beautiful architecture and old streets with tall leafy trees.  i honestly don't know why it doesn't have the street cred, but i so hope it continues.

anyway, goodness me, the bazaar.  there is an op shop i love but it only opens on thursdays.  they practically give things away.  today they had a bazaar.  this is all run by the local baptist church, so far as i can tell.  there was devonshire tea.  i had the best scone in the world with jam and real cream.  it was delicious but made me slightly depressed about my own scone efforts.

i also bought some really great bargins.  some things didn't make the photo list.  a cute little jug.  an amazing early 1900s plate.  a beautiful basket.  two vintage scarves.  All for the princely sum of $12.

And then there's the things that did make the photograph list.

 

only a bright yellow typewriter.  the yellowest type writer in the land.  in perfect condition.  and i mean perfect.

and then just an old school desk to sit it on.  it's so freaking beautiful.

look at it.  oh my word.

and what, you ask, did these things cost me?  $6.  yes, for both.

so this is why i love ashfield.  because it really is just so beautiful, but it really has no idea what it's worth.  and i am taking full advantage.