Mid Century Bar Cart - Hollywood Regency

SOLD.

I always liked the idea of the bar cart: a localized station in one's home where one could make herself a drink (or several). The thing is, bar carts only look good when they're stuffed with a variety of items at various different heights. I simply don't drink enough to warrant a bar cart. It'd be like buying a large shoe rack but only having two pairs of shoes, and one of those shoes is already on my feet.

These carts are stuffed to the brim with liquor and/or San Pellegrino and they look fabulous. I think I buy two bottles of liquor per year, one bottle of Bombay gin and one bottle of bourbon/whiskey. I pretty much hate everything else, including San Pellegrino, which always looks great on carts.

And even bar trays, smaller in scale, don't work for me. There's still too much floof.

More San Pellegrino!

I used to have a bar tray in my old apartment when I lived with someone who drank more types of liquor. It was in the living area far removed from the tiny kitchen and although it looked good where it was, it never made sense. Making a drink was a pain in the ass because you'd get the cute vintage tumbler from the bar tray, walk all the way to the freezer to get ice and then go back to the tray to pour the gin, go back to the fridge to get a cold can of tonic water and cut a lime wedge, and then go back to the couch. 

I realized, now when drinking is involved, whether it's a gin and tonic or the occasional whiskey on the rocks, or Somersby ciders (which are always refrigerated), the fridge, particularly ice, is always involved because I like everything cold. So what's the point in a bar cart if I'm never going to have all my resources in one place? 

Which is why when I stumbled upon this mid century Hollywood Regency style bar cart, I decided immediately that I'd sell it. With every liquor bottle in my home, look how paltry it is.

4 bottles of liquor over a 2 year period. And that baiju is never getting open or drunk, it's just around for decorative purposes because it's 110-proof Chinese moonshine that tastes like rubbing alcohol and smells even worse.

But it'd be a really nice piece for someone who did enjoy cocktails and aperitifs. I love the gold-toned frame and the black trim. 

-J

National Thrift Store Day

Who needs more excuses to go thrifting or to shop? I certainly don't. But 50% off at Value Village on National Thrift Store Day is a good incentive to borrow a car and get my ass out of the house. 

It was a pretty exhausting excursion. Sale thrifters are rude and ruthless. If your cart's in the way, rather than say "excuse me" they see it as an opportune moment to play bumper cars and then when I apologize, they shake their heads and roll their eyes. Or, you know that critical moment when you and another shopper are going through the racks from opposite ends and you eventually meet at a detente, so you swap positions and continue on your merry way? Not on a sale day. On sale days, the other party will keep browsing and when they feel me approaching, they'll take the position that basketball players do when they're playing zone defense, huddling and being super possessive with merchandise as if they're protecting a ball. I'll walk around them and they'll start to aggressively move hangers over into my section, all while giving me the stink eye. Ok Gollum. Your precious. I get it.

On to the bounty! We'll start with my giant denim haul.

Current Elliott Stiletto jean in Bleached leopard. Size 25.

Blixa also helped out today (and by helped, mean hindered). She was extra needy while I did work today and she followed me around everywhere and sat on everything. Best assistant a girl could ask for.

Gray pair are my own.

Citizens of Humanity Mandy in floral. Size 27

Paige Skyline Peg maternity jeans in Carson. Size 28.

"Pay attention to meeee!!!"

Paige Laurel Canyon bootcut. Size 28.

7 for All Mankind Ginger flare. Size 25.

If Blixa had legs.

7 for All Mankind Dojo flare. Size 28

7 for All Mankind Jagger bootcut. Size 30.

7 for All Mankind bootcut jeans. Size 27.

Michael Kors Petite zipper skinny jeans. Size 4.

And onto other sundries! With help from Blixa, of course.

Marc by Marc Jacobs navy patent slingbacks w/ striped heels. 

I have bad luck when it comes to thrifting shoes. I have very specific size 5.5 feet. Not 5, not 6; 5.5 and I'm a bit of a shoe snob. I buy almost exclusively all-leather footwear unless a special material is involved, e.g. rubber Hunter rain boots, mesh Chloe flats, Maison Martin Margiela booties w/ lucite wedges, Lanvin silk tulle ballet flats, or satin Jimmy Choo d'Orsays, so this rules out most non-designer brands. But I thrift everything in my everyday life so that I can afford to buy nice shoes that properly fit my feet. So I was very surprised to come across a pair of Marc by Marc Jacobs slingback pumps in 5.5. 

I love the slingback and the striped heel but I'm not a fan of rounded square toes so these will be going up for sale on Ebay. Construction is all leather except for the heels. 

BCBG silk metallic maxi dress. Size 4.

BCBG silk metallic halter dress. Size 4

For Love & Lemons cropped "Cherry Pop" top. Size XS

Karen Millen silk blouse w/ velvet tie. Size 6

Catherine Malandrino silk blouse w/ leather trim and studded waist. Size 4

Banana Republic silk tank. Size XS

Temperley cotton knit dress. Size 6

This dress retailed for over $1000 on net-a-porter.

Theory linen top. Size M

Free People embroidered top. Size XS

J Crew linen top. Size 6

TNA boyfriend shirt. Size XS

And finally, housewares.

Combo art piece of a Sioux chief. 

Some of the yarn's come undone but it's easily fixable.

Light blanket

Bed cover

And these are just two outliers I picked up the other day.

Cinema Paradiso wall mount. I used to love this movie.

This interesting little wicker stool w/ leather top.

The patina of the leather is great and it looks like some Greco-Roman embossed art.

-J