Vignettes
4828 Newport Ave. San Diego, CA 92107
(619) 922-9244
Site: VignettesAntiques.com
Facebook: Vignettes
On Ocean Beach, everyone is half-naked, baked and riding a skateboard or beach cruiser down palm tree-lined sidewalks. Most seemed to be blissfully lingering around the streets chatting with friends or heading out to surf. Other than tourists, the population were Australians staying at the nearby rainbow-painted hostel, locals and homeless who had a Burning Man-worthy wardrobes of colorful tattered rags and dreadlocks. The food was delightfully fresh and affordable, even the cerveza, like $4 affordable…for both. The beach is in walking distance of all the major boutiques, coffee shops, restaurants and bars and just south of that is wonderful place to be in solitude and sit on the vacant, Sunset Cliffs and watch the ocean violently crash against the rocks, sending a confetti explosion of water droplets into the air with a backdrop of the setting California sun.
Ocean Beach is also known for it’s antique row on Newport Avenue, I was eager to grab my camera and expected to find plenty to blog about but truthfully, I was less than dazzled by the obvious “antique mall” feeling from most of the stores but, was taken aback when I walked into Vignettes, a french-inspired warehouse filled with light, romance and all things shabby chic. I spoke with owner Lori, also known as “Laurette” to her late mother, to whom she pays gratitude for encouraging her at a young age to take French lessons when all her other classmates were taking Spanish. Thankfully, her mother also pushed her to study abroad in Paris during high school, helping mold her style and love for the Parisian. Vignettes is home to 24 dealers who travel the country, even the world, to bring back the best of the best in antiquitous treasures.
Wishing I could be there this Saturday, September 28th, Vignettes will be hosting a party to celebrate their 18th Anniversary with special guest Claudia Strasser of The Paris Apartment, to sign her new book: Paris Flea Market Style from 1 – 4pm
American Drifter 