Tue. 06/01/2010 - Shop

I didn't really buy anything at the Chelsea Market today. But once I stepped on the broken bottle and lost my mind seeing pumping blood from my sole, I started to run like crazy to look for Duane Reade. After I re-found myself, it was already out of Meatpacking area, and I found myself wandering around 19th street.

I passed by this little vintage jewelry store, and did very very impulse buying. Actually, I was embarrassed to take pictures, so I bought one small pin circa 1930 paying $12 and asked for the permission to take pictures. The store was quite pretty. I liked that they had different sizes of Persian antique rugs and antique mirrors. 

The store had a sister antique store next to it. Not so much of merchandise there, but the prices were great. 4 wooden, Gothic style dining chairs set was under $300. I don't have dining table, so I just looked at them and amazed by prices. Also, there were a couple of very well reserved floor lamps only costing a little bit more than $100. But they were too short...I guess people were smaller old times so the lamps could be shorter.

{Pippin The Vintage Jewelry Shop}

 {Pippin The Antique Shop}

I happened to find "Les Toiles Du Soleil", the French fabric store, that I once read about it from Elle Decor. The company is originally from France (of course!) and has over 150 years of history. It is a store full of fabrics made in France, all striped all colorful as the name implies. They can customize anything from awnings, table clothes, upholstery furniture, teddy bears, drapes, shower curtains, totes, to espadrilles. Actually they don't customize espadrilles, but they only sells ready-made ones. Since I had that accident today, I thought I would need closed shoes from tomorrow, and also I would need to walk a lot so I needed comfy shoes. Again, it was all self reasoning to buy something from that store and plus to get permission to take pictures. Anyway, the kid's espadrilles were sooooo~ cute. 

Also, I found people were nice and liked to talk about their store and merchandise. I just had to ask questions...I never knew this before, because I was always too intimidated to talk to a stranger or shop keepers...but I know now, and it will help me to be a tourist taking picture of anything and everything.

{Les Toiles Du Soleil}

I took the picture from the same angle as Elle Decor. 

{Assortment of Fabrics}

{Pillows, Hand Towels, Totes and Table Clothes}

{Aprons, Espadrilles, and Bolsters}

{Adorable Kid's Espadrilles}

{My New Authentic French Espadrilles}

BTW, the French shop keeper (who was super nice, not like Parisian, ahem) taught me that original espadrilles don't have right and left side. The pair comes with two identical shoes and you can wear them on any side. Also, since they are made of fabrics (only when they are fabrics), you have to buy very tightly fitted ones assuming they will stretch later.