Flea Market Finds #77: Tequila & Kate

Something has got to change.  Somehow... someway... I've lost that loving feeling.  There was a time when I'd wake up on Sunday mornings looking forward to my weekly trip to the flea market.  It was a systematic ritual.  Wake up.  Brush teeth and shower.  Get dressed.  Prep my backpack.  Hit the road.  Stop at Starbucks.  Visit the ATM.  And there at the end waiting for me was the Capitol Flea Market and 90 minutes of fresh air and sifting through peoples' trash.

But lately I cherish the peace and relaxation of home over the opportunity of discovering hidden treasures.

Maybe it's the weather.  Maybe it's the overwhelming stress at work.  Or maybe it's the absence of quality flea market finds in the past year or so.  Whatever the reason, up until this past Thursday I had been to only five flea markets since November 1st.  Take out the three from my cardboard road trip and that's two local flea markets over fifteen weeks.

Well earlier in the week, I decided to take Michael Jackson's advice and make a change for once in my life.  I targeted Thursday morning on my calendar, set my alarm the night before, and despite having second thoughts... I actually followed through with my plan.

Was it worth it?  I guess I'll let you be the judge.

When:  Thursday, February 19th

Where:  Capitol Flea Market

What:  Pistachios and Magazines

How much?:  $5.50 + $1 Admission

Now before I get into my purchases, it's important you know some background history of the Capitol Flea Market.  When it comes to finding sports memorabilia... Saturdays are pretty bad.  Sundays are pretty good.  And Thursdays are awesome.

Well... maybe not this particular Thursday.

Purchase #1:  Tequila Flavored Pistachios  $4.50

They might leave your fingers sticky, but they're delicious.

Purchase #2:  Kate Upton SI Swimsuit Editions $1

These also leave your fingers sticky, but they're...  oh never mind.  I've gotta remember to keep these posts Rated PG.  Simply put... this was one of those "caught up in the moment" types of purchases.  My buddy recently purchased a collection of magazines including a bunch of SI Swimsuit Editions dating back to the 80's.

Obviously Kate quickly got my attention.

And so did Alex Morgan.  Then my friend pointed out that he also had her "rookie" issue.

Okay... maybe there's no such thing as a "rookie" issue.  But the 2011 issue was Upton's first appearance as a SI swimsuit model and at the time I figured it was worth the 50¢ asking price.

The question is... now what?  Do I really need copies of Kate Upton's swimsuit issues?

If I had purchased these off of the newsstand I'd definitely add them to my sports magazine collection.  But the fact that there's a stranger's name on the address label makes them "forever unclean".

The answer/solution?  I'll flip them the next time I set up at the flea market.  The fact is these actually sell on eBay, so I shouldn't have a problem getting rid of them.

The better question is... do you think the pistachios and Ms. Upton were worth my trip to the flea market?

Personally... I'm glad I went.  The tequila flavored pistachios were delicious and the exercise and fresh air didn't hurt.  Hopefully I can keep the ball rolling and get out of bed tomorrow morning.

Happy Saturday and sayonara!