Antique adventures on Gumtree

Finding home furnishings has been somewhat frustrating thus far because we just have no idea where to look. A few trips through the upscale antique dealers in our area was a reminder of how expensive convenience can be. Also, there are a lot of really terribly made things. I've seen pot metal claimed to be brass, mason jar lids spray painted and used as a cap on a chandelier... the list goes on.  You really have to know your stuff, which I don't really but I know a mason jar lid when I see one.

The best finds I've had are online with Gumtree or Craigslist. People sell second hand furniture for pittance as they repatriate often with a close deadline looming which sweetens deals. Earlier this week I saw an ad on Gumtree for a table that caught my eye.

 

 We checked it out in person yesterday. Its story is, someone had it made from a bunch of different reclaimed pieces of old teak from Indonesia. It is certainly pitted and worn and yet delightfully warm and eclectic. My pilates teacher would probably classify it as "Shop House Style" which I am learning is a furniture style or at least to some people here. 

Anyway, we bought the table and it arrives next Tuesday! Woohoo!

Orchid shopping at the Far East Flora Garden Centre

Chinatown & temple tours

We are completely exhausted after a long full day on our feet. The afternoon we hit the pavement and headed down into the Orchard road shopping district (which is just high end mega-malls and has nothing to do with former orchards). We both successfully found running shoes though we woefully realized that we should have purchased them before we left California. Even our friendly shopkeeper informed us that he shops for his running shoes when he travels to to US.

In the evening we met up with our friends for a beer and then a walk around Chinatown where we visited two temples and then had fantastic Tai food at a busy food stall. The first temple we found appeared to be hindu (though I'm not an expert on this and would welcome any other ideas) and we happened upon it right as they were starting a ceremony and a feast.

The next temple was Taoist and in stark contrast to the former temple it was clean, orderly and had mysterious locked chambers where we could hear monks within chanting. In all, a feast for the eyes, amazing day and the most spicy Som Tum salad we have had to date.

Click on the photos above or click here to see the album of pictures we took tonight