Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Bohemian Soiree is like smelly crock pot dinner and makes me cranky like a Disney baby.



Okay, so LAST CHANCE to enter for the purse. I'll draw a name this evening!

In the meantime, I'll tell you about a Bohemian Bliss Soiree & Vagabond Flea Market that I attended last Friday evening with mi hermanita, Jen. (Who will not blog.)

Domestic Bliss (downtown Mesa store) billed it as a party, including food (bohemian light fare) and libations, plus a tour of 2 renovated 1920s bungalows.

Admission was $30, or $15 if you dressed 'Bohemian.' 15 bones is a lot of money, so we gave some serious thought to our attire. We were pretty sure Bohemia was somewhere near Germany, but we didn't have any dirndls. (Okay, I do have that one dirndl, from when my Mom worked in that art shop in Rothenburg ob der Tauber, in like, 1969. But I didn't feel like ironing it.) But also, 'soiree' is obviously frenchy, so it seemed like going German seemed sorta off-track. And anyway, Jen said I should fer shur wear my Nanette Lepore sequined flapper dress. I can't remember why, but she was dead certain. She isn't normally wrong about fashion.


So we got decked out, (Jen wore a taffeta wrap dress, a headband that looked like a hat, complete with netting and plumage, and a necklace she purchased on Etsy, made of coral fabric  rosettes, and showed up at the soiree around 7:30. I was sweating mightily, and we had to walk three blocks, so my feet hurt. (Jen also told me I couldn't wear gladiator sandals with a sequined flapper dress, even if they are copper like the sequins.)

So the soiree was quite an event. And not just marketing genius, which it obviously was, since there I stood, dressed up like it was Halloween, and paying money to shop in somebody's hot backyard. There were little booths filling two yards, front and back, packed with stuff. Most of it was decor, for booth ambiance, and not for sale. It was, at first, exhilarating. There was perhaps 30 minutes of oooohing and eye-feasting that went on.

During this time, we realized we were fairly over-dressed. 'Bohemian' had meant more funky, less 'Roaring 20s Prom'. Oh well. Jen's  headgear and Etsy necklace were going over big. We were having some trouble getting around because people wanted to stop and chat her up about them.

After the 30 minute honeymoon period, our eyes started to cross. We were like babies after a whole day at Disney: overstimulated and hungry. I was a little cranky, too, cause I'd forgotten to eat anything (but an entire can of loaded baked potato Pringles) all day. We saw some people with food, heard snatches of conversation that included "Pita Jungle," which, as you ought to know, if you live here, is good news. But we couldn't SEE any food. All we saw was a tent full of booziness.

So we struggled on, because there was so much to see. We listened to the girl playing guitar and singing like an angel. I purchased some burp cloths for a baby gift, one made of sock monkey fabric. I mean, who can turn down sock monkeys? We found a peach bellini that we hoped was virgin, and went through the bungalows. Still no food.

After 2 hours, we drug ourselves into the front yard and starting hiking back to the car. I'd spent $10. I was starving and mentally exhausted.

Why are craft boutiques dolled up to look like bohemian soirees so taxing? Why don't I buy anything? At first, it was a mystery. But after some careful thought and soul-searching, I came up with this: 

Boutiques are like crock pot cooking. When you first stick everything in and turn it on at 10 am, it smells so good. You salivate and dream about eating its contents. By 2 pm, you are still hungry, but the smell is getting strong, and your stomach starts to turn. By 6 pm, you serve it to your family, but you can't force yourself to eat a bite, after sniffing it for 8 hours. You scarf some cookie dough ice cream and call it good.

So if you really want to spend money at any sort craft show/boutique/soiree, you need to do it in the first 30 minutes. After that, you will be craft-satiated, paralyzed, and will be capable of nothing, save imbibing peach bellinis and searching in vain for the Pita Jungle. Be warned.

Anyhow, I'd totally go again. Disney might make babies cranky, but they always want to go back, right? Domestic Bliss said they will do another event, maybe in October. See you there?

20 comments:

Unknown said...

i would love to have the purse! <3<3<3 thanks! abigail

Shelane said...

i almost amen-ed the crockpot opinion, but then I remembered that it's a rare thing when I cook a meal that could even vaguely be considered tempting, and when I do i'm just glad that it doesn't smell like burning grease.

maybe if i started planning dinner now, i could come up with something tantalizing. or tempting. heck, i'm good with edible. in my next life i'm so going to be a culinary genius.

SBrooks said...

I need posts of the dress of other folks that were there, samples of all the eye cany of domestication goddesses ya know?!! Loved the story and you and Jenn do look great in spite of all that crockery!

Anonymous said...

Bohemian Soiree does not really sound like my thing. Thanks for the fore-warning.

Also, I really, really, REALLY want that purse. Pick me! Me!!! Me!!! MEEE!!!

Joe said...

Yeah, traditionally, Bohemia is found in what is now the Czech Republic. Nowadays, it's more gypsy, dreads, guitars, hash, hookas, absinthe, etc... Kinda crunchy and grungy. Think Friday night Mill Ave street performers.

The Fear Fam said...

I love your post titles... they always get me to click on over. (and then your stories keep me reading!)

Bee said...

Good analogy! You definitely have to strike before sensory overload takes over . . . and that goes for many situations.

(Are loaded baked potato Pringles a new thing?)

Eric and Breanna Graham said...

Considered going, but was not interested in dressing bohemian or droping $30 in addition to what I'd spend at such a soiree. (for some reason I believe I will NEVER see such items again and MUST purchase all that I can for fear I will be forced to live with such horrible regret of not purchasing the "one of a kind" item. I truly am a sucker!) Does Prada purse come with Pringles? Cuz I'm really wantin' both right about now.

Wonder Woman said...

Just this wekend I was rather Bohemian myself at a renaissance faire. I was going for gypsy, but one can only do so much with her g's on.

But you two do look rather spiffy.

Wendy Hansen said...

Love the outfits, you guys go on such adventures together, it makes me long for a sister.

I agree about the craft boutiques though, it is completely Disney overwhelming.

Mama-Face said...

You are dead on with the crock pot metaphor. I pretty much find any shopping experience to induce crock pot feelings, but especially crafty ones. I think it's because they make me feel so UNcrafty. Something whispers to me that I am bad cause I'm not crafty.

Would it surprise you to know that we (the hubs and I)
are part owners of a craft business? The irony is priceless.

Love the Bohemian Stylings though!

Michelle said...

crock pot cooking is left only for sundays when you are at church and therefore don't have to smell it at all until it is near ready and you're scooting the home teachers out.

as for craft fair ... i avoid them for 2 reasons. 1. being the overstimulations afore mentioned and 2. i would rather go home and make the head band for $2 that i saw priced at $32.

yep said...

just draw for the purse already!

Tammigirl said...

Hey lady, would you do me a favor and give me a way to subscribe to your blog via email? I just can't bring myself to wade through the reader but I sure love to get great blogs via email.

tammigirl at gmail dot com

Lizzie said...

i's sad you didn't find the food. that would have ruined my night. you looked super cute though. I might have to borrow your sequins. I have a party to go to this weekend a "Sequins Mocktail" birthday.

Kari said...

Roaring 20's Prom.

You make me laugh right out loud.

tarable said...

I wanted to go, but had other plans. I still would have liked to, but am not so sad I missed it now. I went to their carnival for NieNie last fall and it was great, with free admission.

jen byard said...

i love this post! i left with nothing! thanks for buying my sock monkey burp cloth :)
jen

Domestic Bliss & FOUND said...

I just found your blog & so I was enticed to read your post about the soiree. I am trying to figure out if all in all you had a good time???

I am sorry you did not get any food- we ordered for 250 people and it was gone within the first hour- we then re-ordered for 300 and it came about an hour later. We honestly did our best to accomodate!

We had the admission price solely because of the expense in putting on such an event- (not to mention the months of work involved...) but have since decided that we will not be doing tickets for the next event & may only have a small charge of say $5. to help with expenses. We will probably offer food for sale instead of offering it at the party-

What are your thoughts on that?
We would love to know- because we truly want it to be an event that is enjoyed by all (or at least as many as possible!)

I hope you were able to enjoy some of the non-alcoholic bellinis that were offered as well
-
Hope to see you next time!
DB

Domestic Bliss & FOUND said...

Oh- and I love Disneyland... so I guess that is why I like all of the hullaballoo- Very creative writing btw!