Rose Bowl Flea Market

Every second Sunday of the month, the Rose Bowl in Pasadena hosts a giant flea market, one of the most famous in the world, according to its website. I went to it today and, besides some sore feet, it did not disappoint. The market circled the perimeter of the stadium and extended well into the parking lots. Vendors sold everything from socks to hand-made furniture and evertyin in-between. Artisans pedaled their wares. Dealers tried to unload toys I remembered from my childhood as antiques. Clothing designers offered their designs in effort to become recognized. There was enough bric-a-brac to appeal to those who love kistch and to those whose taste is far more pretentious.

It's a huge market and one can be easily overwhelmed by the tons of stuff available. I had a few things in mind I hoped to find -- mainly, I wanted to find a small and cheap piece of furniture, perhaps a bookcase, to hold my CDs and DVDs. After I paid my admission price of $8 and entered through the main gate, the first section, and the most central, to greet me was the food court. It sold mainly the same fare onewould find at a street fair. I walked through the food court to check out the football field. No one was allowed on the football field but one could see what they called "a bird's eye view of the field." Well, it was a football field all right. I used the opportunity to sit down, read the map and plan my course of action.

The faint remnants of the 2008 Rose Bowl still remain. One can still read USC and Illinois on the end zones, even though the names have been spray painted over by green paint.

I walked the perimeter of the stadium . At first, there didn't seem to be a lot of organization to the market. The clothing vendor tents were right next to the tents which belonged to the furniture vendors. The jewerly makers were placed next to them. Also, truthfully, I was a bit disappointed because most of the stuff was same things I could find at a street fair or farmers' market.

A vintage prom dress

After I walked around the stadium in 45 minutes, I ventured into the parking lot area and this was where the real market was. I realized that the perimeter was the "new" section and the parking lot was the "old" section. This is where I could find antiques, costume jewelry, vintage clothing, old movie posters, mid-century modern furniture and Mexican ceramics amongst other things. It was a huge estate sale over acres of black asphalt. I did not find anything that could be made into a nice CD holder but did manage to buy socks (3 pairs for $5), a Madeleine t-shirt ($10), an antiquie Mexican candleholder ($15), and a handmade throw pillow made of blueish teal raw silk ($35).

All-in-all, it's a must do again. This market is perfect for someone who is decorating a new apartment or house, likes to collect specific items, such as depression-era glass, or likes to wear vintage clothing. I'm about $85 poorer, a bit sun-burned and have tired feet but it was a fun way to spend a sunny and warm Sunday.

A rose at the Rose Bowl.