Loafing Blog for Week 8

For this weekend's intentional loaf, I decided to visit a new-to-me flea market in Sebastopol, CA.

Once entering the market, my pace of walking slowed down and my senses took in an unfamiliar space. I began to use my peripheral vision, like an owl might, to take in the entirety and discern where to walk next. The colors of each table were vibrant and interesting items emerged from heaps of the not-so-interesting in an organic way. The sun warmed and seared my skin and made the occasional canopies of tarp and plywood welcome refuges.

Cultures emerged and overlapped at this market. The scrappy flea market culture where dealers pawn to bargain hunters, collectors, and leisurely browsers like myself, and hispanic culture, where wares from Mexíco like leather belts, ballcaps, and Mexican clothing brands could be found. The food was all Mexícan as well, ranging from seared carne asada tacos to michealada-style beverages. 

I tried to offer $25 for a leather tool belt and, with a glance, his price went from $30 to $40. I found a perfectly good canvas version three tables down for $3. Score. I also bought a tiny brown-glazed ceramic vase with an opening for exactly one flower stem from a sweet older Japanese man (for $4). Score. 

This loaf could be, in reflection, likened to a walking meditation in a forest with a botanical identification element. For me, it was more fun and there were more smells too. I'm not sure I'll go back unless I need a cordless drill (which I do...), but it was a great vision into cultures I'm not usually a part of.