Vintage Shopping at Melrose

Let's take "ukay-shopping" to the next level: Melrose Ave., California. When you hear the word "Melrose," first thing that comes to mind is the hit 90's show, Melrose Place. That was actually more than a decade ago. Nowadays, Melrose has regained its reputation for being one of the trendy and outlandish pedestrian neighborhoods in Los Angeles. Although one cannot compare it to Rodeo Drive (who shops there anyway?), Melrose offers its own nostalgia shops as well as a trendy street crowd.

One of your traveling flip-flops correspondents, made her way to the other side of the world to find these exciting secret nooks... and ended up in Melrose Ave. 7200. Through some minor research on the net, I found that some interesting stores were found between blocks 7200 and 7600 - among others I suppose.

The traveling flip-flops find neat places by foot. Indeed a car was needed to get to the place, but to truly appreciate Melrose and find what it is you're looking for, one has to travel by walking. So I walked for 5 blocks, both sides of the street (so technically that makes it 10 blocks) to find some vintage stores.

Here are the 4 cool vintage stores I found:

1) Aaardvark's Odd Ark (No. 7579)
This store sells different clothes from as early as the 50's... or 60's to the 80's. Their style is more funky, retro, and.. odd. They have wigs, accessories, and bags too. I didn't find that much interesting wardrobe... unless I was looking for a Halloween costume. But I did find a pretty vintage white shoulder bag for only $12. =) I couldn't take much photos because it wasn't allowed. This store doesn't carry much designer items, but they do carry authentic vintage wear. Prices range from $4 to around $25.



2) Crossroads Trading Co. (No. 7409)
This store is less rad than Aaardvark, although their items look more second hand than vintage. Apparently, it really is a trading store - of the rich who often change wardrobe, that is. So the items are most likely still in good condition. They have interesting designer clothes though, shoes and bags as well. I apologize - I only looked at the shoes!!! (Obviously I collect more of them than clothes.) I saw a pair of Coach shoes with the same suede waves design as the Coach tote I was eyeing a few years back - unfortunately, when I decided to get the tote, it was out of stock... shucks! I didn't get the shoes though. They were a size 9. I had to steal some photos in this store too. They have DVF (Diane Von Furstenberg), Banana Republic, Diesel, Marc Jacobs, Prada, etc. Prices are down to about 25% of the original retail price, years back. Prices range from $10 to $50... to a few hundreds (but still very much a bargain price).



3) Slow (No. 7474)
This is my second favorite store in the strip I visited. They don't smell like your typical "ukay" store with clothes disastrously arranged. They are instead very organized and have a nice and cozy atmosphere. They sell really unique vintage items that are very fashionable - beats shopping in your typical ANF (Abercrombie) or F21 (Forever 21) type of mall. I couldn't take photos on the clothes section because it was right in front of the cashier (hehe). So I was only able to steal shots on the second floor filled with shoes and bags, again. Another thing I like about this store, is that it doesn't brag much of its designer brands. Rather it shows off more its unique vintage styles - which is what most of us are really after. Prices range from $20 and above. I found this $24 pair of Bandolino yellow flats - simply FAB!!!



4) Wasteland (No. 7428)
And last but not the least - my favorite of them all. I almost missed the Wasteland store. It is actually the biggest among the four, but its door entrance is almost hidden. The glass windows as well were covered with paper that I actually passed by it and thought it was some abandoned warehouse. But the number of people coming in made me think that it probably wasn't just some public restroom. So I went in and saw -- wasteland. One man's garbage, is indeed another man's treasure! No worries, no smell here and there, and the items are very neatly arranged. There were racks and racks of designer vintage clothes both for men and women, and shelves of designer shoes and bags - all FABULOUS! I spent hours on this store, unfortunately I couldn't take photos as well. I did steal some shots - on shoes and bags again (I'm sorry! :D Traveling without the other 3 didn't help me focus on the other things..). I did find stylish vintage clothes starting at around $30 - definitely a bargain for brands like Prada, Gucci, Comme des Garçons, DVF, John Galliano, among others. They have shoes from Ungaro, Burberry, Marc Jacobs, Blahnik, Gucci, Prada, etc. and are a real steal starting at $15. Bags go from unknown brands (but uber stylish) to Gucci, YSL, Dior, etc. starting at $20. Take note, "starting." These items can go as high as $100, but just for a few special items.



This trip was indeed tiring - digging into gazillion racks of clothes and shelves of shoes. But that is something one has to do, enjoyingly, to find that perfect unique piece. And when you do find one, who cares if your feet hurt. Walking 10 blocks is definitely worth it if you find hidden treasures along the way.
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Al Fresco Dining, Ermita Style

Sizzling squid stuffed with melted cheese, onions and tomatoes.. hmmm sounds like seafood salsa heaven. Well, we're not your typical food bloggers, but we know good food when we taste them.. and taste them we did in the streets of ghetto-fab Ermita.

This divine dish we found in a chicken house just around the corner of M.H. del Pilar and Pedro Gil. It's a place where one can dine al fresco amidst the luxurious Hyatt Hotel and Diamond Hotel. They mainly serve bacolod chicken inasal, but the chicken is not what we came for... (this part is where you hear tires screeching to a halt). Hehe.. Manukan sa Ermita, is your large-scale karinderia, uhuh.. al fresco indeed. Look for the large red gate with the old pub-type of signage (the one with flourescent backlight and photo of San Miguel Pale Pilsen) and you have found the right place. It looks like a huge garage-like cafeteria, open air, with ceiling electric fans and a TV showing WoWoWee on lunch breaks.. and not to mention live crowing cocks. Hmmm.



Anyway, as soon as we got there, we each ordered a different part of the chicken: breast, leg and wings, garlic rice.. and yes, the much-awaited SIZZLING PUSIT!!! Yeah so it's sizzling pusit.. but heck this ain't no ordinary sizzling pusit.. this is Manukan Sizzling Pusit!! It's so good you have to taste it! It's stuffed with onions, tomatoes, and lots of cheese... melted cheese. You can tell the manong to stuff a lof of cheese into it, which we did. And once you take a spoonful of that soft squid and melted cheese... hmmm YUUU-MMMMY! The chicken's great too! It's not like THE best inasal, but for a place like this they serve pretty good inasal. Big servings too, unlike some commercial inasal places. Let the photos speak for themselves.



Service wise, cooking isn't as quick, but it's worth the wait. Price, leg, breast and 3pcs. of wings cost P73. Not bad! Sizzling pusit is P140 - not bad either! The place itself, well you just can't complain... well there aren't that much flies. Parking, well you can park on the side streets at your own risk or park right in front - Hyatt Hotel and Casino for a P100 flat rate. Ha! Commuting isn't difficult either, it's within the vicinity of tourist driven spots including Roxas Blvd. If you're near the area, it's definitely a must-check out. Their sizzling pusit, it's absolutely a must-try.

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Ukay Paradiso

Ukay-ukay shopping was something we planned to do together for the longest time, pre-ukay-ukay era, when it was still taboo. The thrill of discovering that one unique designer piece amidst of what seemed to be worn-out pambahay clothes was simply exhilarating in itself, especially if you stumbled upon a vintage Anna Sui or a DVF (Diane Von Furstenberg), or let me just please add this - an original, vintage Willy Wonka shirt, along the way. However, procrastinators we were, one of us always had a petty excuse.. and so, we never got around to do it, until today.

To further “immerse” ourselves in the ukay-ukay experience, we decided to take the LRTII train. So armed with a couple of bucks (Tip#1: bring loose change) we trudged our way to “UK” in the smoldering heat of the afternoon (Tip#2: wear comfortable, breathable clothes). As soon as we descended from the train stop, we were greeted by our first ukay store (behind the Samurai kiosk), a preview of what was yet to come, which we nonchalantly skipped, as there was bigger fish to fry...



Our ukay-ukay haven was nestled somewhere between Anson’s Supermarket and St. Joseph’s church, a three-meter entrance camouflaged with vendors selling pre-paid cards and all sorts of accessories (Tip#3: it’s the entrance after the ATM teller — how convenient for the frequent shopper!). And then we were welcomed by the familiar 7-storey building filled with all sorts of ukay-ukay — clothes, bags, shoes, toys, waiting to be unearthed and “saved” (Tip#4: patience is a much needed virtue; with the right pace and a keen eye, you just might come across a hidden treasure).



Our Recommendations:

First Floor:
Janco Surplus – Trendy tops (long-sleeves, night-out), casual dresses, pants, funky scarves, Lucky Star: Palacio d’ Fashion – Bags and shoes (ballet flats and platform shoes!)

Third Floor:
Shatin Thrift Shop – Trendy long-sleeved tops, studded/braided belts
Bethel Dry Goods Center – Trendy long-sleeved tops, knit sweaters, casual blazers, skirts, cocktail dresses
*Christmas decors (export overruns) can also be found on this floor

Fifth Floor:
Store – Pre-selected designer tops and dresses (Banana Republic, Max & Co., Anna Sui)
New arrivals are on first Saturdays of the month.

*Stores open daily, from 8:30 am to 8:30 pm.



Prices (New Arrival)

Tops – P120-150
Skirts – P120
Dresses – P150
Bags – P250
Shoes – P360
Belts – P80
*Best time to go for New Arrivals are on the 15th and 30th of the month
*Prices drop every week, and can go for as low as 3 pieces for P100.00!

Tired and sticky but somewhat satisfied, we headed back to the Anonas Station, with our treasures disguised in cheap plastic bags. (Tip#5: don't forget to buy Lysol on your way back - for that heavy-duty-ukay-washing ;-) )
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