Store Ramping Up

Work is really ramping up and it's made for some really long days and nights. The hardest part is not having internet access at work. I have to try and get all my computer work done at home in the morning for heading to the store and then handle things after a 12 hour day when I get back home.  Also not have an office desk set up or even a desk is also an issue that I will try tackle today. There is an office space but it's a windowless room with really bad lighting so for now I work out in the prep area. For the most part we are getting some cool stuff but there are those who try to donate basics trash, tee shirts so wore they can only be made into rags. 

We did get some very interesting vintage clothing in, which I'm not sure will sell but does add a lot of color to the store. The fixtures finally arrived after months of delays which has added to my long hours. So today we will see what the cat drags in

Garlic Noodles

I never knew garlic noodles was a thing. I've had them before but it seems like every restaurant here in Alameda has their version of it. You would think it would be a very simple dish to make but we've had some really greasy ones.

What I find interesting is that Mees at 10 months really likes garlic noodles. If I would let him, he would eat a whole order by himself!  He does like anything with a lot of fresh garlic. 

When his parents pick him up on Mondays, they like to try a new restaurant. So far it's been very hit and miss in finding our go to one. For me I like the Japanese one, because it's simple and not over priced. 

In the past I cooked a lot but since moving here, I just haven't gotten into the grove of wanting to cook. Not sure if it's the kitchen or the fact I don't have to worry about making my lunch for work anymore. It's the same thing with my craft room, haven't done anything creative since my move. Not sure if the space isn't right or I know in the back of my mind I will be moving again. 

The search continues for that special light

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These lights are up for auction this weekend but of course will sell way over my budget. Still it was fun to walk through the preview and see some beautiful things and some very quirky art and I mean just plain weird. :)

In my search for something unique, I've  visited some interesting stores, all of which have been in some very scary parts of town. But I understand the rents are low and if you want to find the cool stuff you have to take the risk. 

Day in a life 2021

I wish could say I like living here in Alameda but I don't, at least so close to down town. The fear of walking around alone now without Annie makes it even harder. I know if I was in Carmel, I wouldn't have the same fears and feel comfortable going for an evening walk.

I totally get how depression can make one want to just stay in their PJ's all day and do nothing. One day just blends into another especially not having Annie here making me go outside.  I'm battling through it as I know there's a light at the end of the tunnel - one day at a time. 

I like to do all my computer work in my very old bathrobe until I have to get on my zoom calls. :). It has been a little challenging working from home and trying to get the store open. The wifi isn't set up yet there so I can't really work in my office. I'm hoping to get my office space set up now that lights have been installed. The previous tenants (a hair salon) took everything that wasn't nailed down in the store.  All the light fixtures, light bulbs, switch plates etc...  I think they even took the sink and toilet because those look new.  I've always made my office space my own but it will be a challenge with this space as it has no windows.  Looking back I always had windows in my offices so this will be interesting! I've been slacking on getting a home office set up but I have to bite the bullet and get it done. 

One of Mees favorites

Mees really likes looking out the front window at all the passing cars and people. Of course when he's checking everything out, I have to keep a tight grip on his shirt! His blinky has gone over a couple times already! He loves the action but I'm not a fan of the noise. Having the fire station just down the street, the trucks goes down my street at least a dozen times each day. It's faster for them than going down the Main Street since there's less traffic. It's a good thing I don't have to sleep during the day!

When Uncle Chad Rolls into Town

Mees is a big kid and at 10 months is already in 18 months clothing, which is sometimes too small. His other grandmother sent him this 12 months tee shirt and my daughter really wanted him to wear it at least once. Let's just say getting it over his head wasn't easy! So I made the comment of it being too small while my son was holding him. In support, Chad pulled up his shirt so they could be twins. Can't say it's a beer gut as neither of them drink beer but everyone got a good chuckle out of the photo. :)

Michaan"s Auction House 2021

This is my first visit to the Michaan's auction house in Alameda.

As with everything new there's a lot to learn. A volunteer at the shelter has offered to pay for some display cases up for auction so I went to check them out. This auction house is a huge operation with multiple type of auctions going on. This one is their annex auction, which is basically their junk lots, things with not a lot of value. The super high end stuff goes to fine arts sale and I would guess is in a nicer building. It's hard to find a diamond in the rough here because this auction house has the space to separate out each item and have a separate sale. Still you can find some cool stuff!

I really did like this very old table with a top that is made from one solid piece of wood, which is very hard to find now days. It was dirty and still had cobwebs all over it. I was hoping no one else saw it's unique character but someone did and it went a little to high for me, $50. I think they would have kept going if I kept bidding so I stopped. 

$$$$ wine and their boxes

I'm a bubble thinker/designer, at least that's a term I use to describe how I come up with ideas. During one of my first meeting here in Alameda, I was told a lot of the meetings with volunteers would be done during happy hour and involve wine. FAAS uses a lot of volunteers, so they like to unwind after work in a more relaxed setting.

 So fast forward to why I even looked at these wine crates at HH. I know nothing about wine and if you asked me to pick out a bottle, I would look for the most creative label as my only criteria. :) But knowing there are a lot of people in this town that know their wine I had to check it out.

Seeing that some of these crates had very interesting art work burned into the tops, I knew the wine that was shipped in them had to be $$$. I did pick the crates based on design and not the label. After everything was dropped off at the store (big thank-you to Van who volunteered his truck and time) I researched some of the labels. I found that some of the crates held wine costing over $1,500 a bottle! Seriously who spends that much money on wine? The original plan was to use the boxes as display pieces but now finding out they're worth more just as is, that's the way they be sold. Hopefully we'll get some young wine aficionados into the store! I plan to display them as end tables with the retro chairs which I also picked up at HH. 

First big score in Alameda 2021

I realized that it's been a loooong time since I posted anything on my blog! After Annie passed away in January, my life has been one stressful thing after another. I always knew things would change after I lost Annie but never imagined in the way that it did. I knew I would move out of our little studio in Cupertino because I no longer needed that much open space which made Annie so happy.  I also knew I would be selling the last of my investment properties in Texas in March 2021 because it was now costing more than it was making, which wasn't a whole lot anyways. During the sale of the house that big freak snow hit Texas which caused a water pipes to break and roads to shut down. I had to keep telling myself all this will pass and take one day at a time.

So at the same time I was offered a job here in Alameda to open a boutique/thrift store for the Friends of the Alameda Animal Rescue, a non profit group that runs the shelter for the city. I made the move to a place I knew nothing about and leaving behind my hometown. More on that later.

What made me take that leap of faith and leave my comfort zone was hoping for a day like today. I visited the Habitat for Humanity Re-Store in Oakland for the first time this week and I was amazed I had never visited it before. They have a lot of locations but I never thought they would have anything I would pick and flip. As I was search for a free chandelier for the store, a friend told to check out HH, which also shares the parking lot with the Salvation Army scrap yard - another interesting place. Both places get new stuff in everyday, so as a pickers you really should check it often.  I went in today just to take pictures to post to show people all the cool stuff, not thinking I would find anything. I walked passes two pallets of used wine boxes still shrinked-wrapped. Not being a wine drinker (really I don't drink at all) I could tell the boxes were well made and must have held some $$$$ wine. More on that later too. 

Two hours later of going through every box and a call to a volunteer driver, I came back with a pallet of crates to make a custom shoe display wall for the store. Crazy I know but I was hired to be creative and do something different.

I also couldn't pass up these orange leather chairs for the store - just too cool and fits the theme for the store. I know the employees there thought I was crazy as I took off my shoes to see if I could get it work (needed a visual) and spending so much time digging through the pallet. It's still a work in progress but I think it will be a very interesting feature in the store and making our place a little bit different than anyplace else!