Double Feature: Road Warriors followed by Thelma and Louise

I’m on the homeward stretch from Brimfield and lounging on the bit of floor not packed with antiques in the back of Brandon’s van. I’m down to about 2 dollars and completely worn out. I won't be in bed until 3am. My husband's a saint to drive an hour to come get my sorry ass. This life is scarily like that of a carnie or a drug dealer cross bred with truck drivers. The people drawn to this business are some of the smartest and craziest people I've ever met. Oh the stories I could tell, the book I should write! We are all road warriors. In fact I quite literally built my business buying stuff on the side of a highway and I am compelled to tell you about the best friend and sidekick I made in the process. I found Lisa McQueen 16 years ago at the Ann Arbor show selling this outrageous architectural stuff, a baby at her breast. She lives in Indiana 7 1/2 hours from me and agreed to meet halfway on I-69 whenever there were goods to be had. For years we’d meet at some exit or other, park at a random lot and proceed to unload her packed truck of wares. I figured any woman that no nonsense that thinks nothing of unloading 10 times her weight in iron is my kinda woman. We’ve been best friends ever since. Despite our many similarities, it’s our differences that crack us up. I’m the shop girl who hates to do shows, she’s the show girl who won't have a shop. And yet I’m the one who talks like a truck driver and she’s the one with hair and makeup done. She shakes her head at the dirty industrial stuff I lug in, I roll my eyes at the crystals and bows. The tie that binds is our unrelenting energy and drive, a raunchy sense of humor and the ability and desire to stir up dangerous trouble. Dealing in antiques is a physical business. Doin' a show can mean 14 hour days starting before sunrise and schlepping heavy stuff until sunset, selling to people all the while. You gotta be on your game, ready to wheel and deal in a fast gambler's game involving a lot of cash. We do it because we think being adrenalin junkies in love with stuff is a good way to make a living (hmmmmmm). Well it sure can be a lot of fun. It's easy to have fun when you do what you love, but there's fun and then there's Lisa and Marisa's idea of fun... We think we're Thelma and Louise. We think we are hilariously funny. (It get's worse)We think we're 25...(ok now that we are collectively 50, make that 30ish). Got the picture? Start cringing; it's been known to draw a crowd. I know you know what this crowd looks like. Any sensible adult knows to step away. Sooo not how we roll. All it takes for us is a pocket full of money and a decent night's sleep and we are ready to start the party. Take that one night in Atlanta, a town Lisa knows well, well sort of. We step out dress to kill and to hear this healthy lookin' African American woman belt out some seriously get down and dirty blues. Can we help it if the 25 year old cuties want to dance with the two shameless middle-aged broads? Hell no! Here's where you should really look away. Now it's 2am and we've been asked nicely to leave. This round I'm Louise and I gotta pull Brad PItt off Thelma. We dump the drunk baby Brad and his car at his house and now we gotta find our hotel, "I know exactly where we are..." Thelma can't find her you know what with both hands and guess what? We are out of gas and I got the surprise "visitor" and no provisions. Naturally it's 3am and of course our trusty navigator has managed to find the only gas station open with 2 squad cars at the pump. While, we're no liquor boxes, we're sure not looking like angels. Is Lisa worried? Heck no! She's laughing her head off cause I'm the one who has to stare down the cops all standing inside at the counter. Are the unmentionables on the shelf like any other convenience store? Nooooooo...they've got 'em like playboys behind the bullet proof glass and I get to ask for them... I swear to God, you can't make this shit up. No we did not drive over a cliff, like a couple of movie stars. No, this is the movie where we'd wish you'd leave now. These stars are gonna have to get up in 3 hours and face another day of selling and as usual, neither one of them can find their sunglasses...

The Grand Daddy Show, Not for Wimps

With the burst of Spring energy in the shop, I finally have some money in my pocket. The grand daddy of all shows is on the horizon, I wanna go. That's slave not master, I don't have enough money to take my own rig or fly in and send for the goods. Last minute as usual, I start working the phones. First my pal Lisa for the hotel room. I'm scrappy, but sleeping in the back of a truck when it's 30 at night? (you'd be surprised how many people actually do it) Every room within 50 miles is booked; Lisa graciously invites me to bunk.. in the tiny double bed...we're like sisters, we think nothing of this. Then there's hauling the bootie. Rick Klass, my dealer buddy from Saginaw is driving the big truck. Big truck, big gas tank, he's only too happy to haul my things plus those of my clients, I'm lookin' like a hero. Now the hard part, the ride in. I talk to everybody in a 100 mile radius, everyone is travelling with someone. I shamelessly beg to ride in the back of Brandon Nelson's van coming in from West Michigan Of course he travels an hour south of me, so I gotta meet him at I-75 and 80-90. He's like the nicest, easiest going guy, just don't be late. We roll into Tim Horton's like it's a professional heist. Slave yes, martyr no, that's me in a folding chair for a 12 hour ride. As soon we arrive and I return to a fully upright position, I book a massage for when I get home. I wake Lisa up at 9:30pm. We gotta 4am call, we can't shut up. It's gonna be a long day. The first group of shows opens at 6am, then over to the 9am shows, then the 11am and finally the 1pm. It's fast and furious and you are on foot. 5,000+ dealers on acres of field, all on a two lane country road. A million people on the shoulders, semis and cars, bikes and carts. It's a zoo. Rick loans me his bike...bonus!! I cover twice the ground. The shopping is killer, a million objects. I gotta good load by 2:30pm. I call in for reinforcements (honey, can you put more money in my account?) Then the pick up...NIGHTMARE...I got stuff in 10 locations, everything is giant and heavy...3 hours later.... feelin' the glamour? It's like an iron man event, I'm spent but on high. Despite all that hard work, I laugh and kibbitz all day. Ran into dealers I haven't seen in ages, everybody helps each other out...and oh the merchandise here...after 18 years it still blows my mind....gotta crash wait til I get pics of the goods uploaded!

Back to School

For my 46th birthday bought myself a mac laptop. For a woman who has driven used vans for decades, it's like I bought myself a Maserati. Man she's fast!! Just had my guru Jim over (I promised him anonymity for now, but the entrepreneur in me couldn't resist pitching an idea of having in-home project sessions with all my friends who use macs and need help launching their business/personal projects). I'm going to the Apple store (FYI: before it opens, miss A.D.D. cannot do the zoo in there) to have lessons because at this age, let's face it, I'm obsolete (but of course with an in-home guru, that having to go to the store nuisance, embarrassment of ignorance and sharing with strangers ick will be eliminated...I know you are saying sign me up, who doesn't want this? Help me badger him) Once we get www.heritageco2@gmail.com, www.heritageco2.com , www.facebook.com/heritagecoii , www.twitter.com/salvageslave and this blog all jiving together, it's just a matter of time before you can actually shop on www.heritageco2.com . With all this linking, syncing and time saving, it's just quite possible that the fledgling "Found in Detroit" kind of "American Pickers" show I envisioned 5 years ago could be a reality. Now aren't you ready to watch the salvage slaves of Detroit, diggin' into some really outrageous finds? I mean that show, enough with the good 'ole boys and the farmers already. You wanna see some weird urban locales and gorilla action...

Salvage Slave Agin', Keeps on ragin'

Can't deny I'm seriously middle-aged now, but rather than face it. I just tried to outrun it(mixed results). Started the week out playing/shopping in NYC, then it was home to work on a new design project with all those fresh ideas brimming, my regular Detroit scavenger hunts, opening show at TANK and gala fundraiser for Waldorf School/Gleaners, run the shop. I need an assistant and a nap. Anyhoo, it's movies, movies, movies in Michigan. They're getting ready to roll film on Sucker, Salvation Boulevard and SWAT. Love this group of set decorators and buyers, Taryn, Danika, Nancy and my bff Selina...I thought I worked hard! Thanks to the Michigan Film Office for that nice bit of press, the film people manage to find my offbeat place http://www.michiganfilmoffice.org/The-Film-Office/Success-Stories/Testimonials/Detail.aspx?id=2824.

I can't sleep for thinking about this cool couple's house in Grosse Pointe Park and all the possibilities. Just love the aesthetic, very serene old south of France and the house is one of those stately brick tudors, yum! Have these gorgeous 1800s doors I want to use, maybe as an unexpected window covering; a little Detroit industrial repurposed as furniture; build out a closet with salvaged lumber; keep and just refresh grandma's chair and dress up all those incredible arched windows with velvet, linen and silk coverings.

TANK opening Friday night http://www.tank425.com/ at my husband's Richard Gage Design Studio was a big success!! Lulu was the perfect artist to open the season with. Her work is so fresh and accessible. Even though I was beat, I couldn't resist jumping in with the kids to do her collage workshop this morning. Show's up for two weeks, mon-fri, check in for hours. Very affordable, and from a designer's and collector's standpoint, adaptable to modern or eclectic interiors. Even though she's living in Missouri, she's local to us (and promising to move back, thank god).

The Gleaners (http://www.gcfb.org/) and Waldorf School (http://www.detroitwaldorf.com/) fundraiser Saturday night served up the best tasting soups in the city. What a collective of the brightest, most generous and interesting Detroiters. All that energy translated to much needed funds for the institutions that keep Detroit vibrant. So proud of my husband who made this beautiful award, a spoon that wasn't (i.e. a big hole in it), to symbolize the undone work of educating children in Detroit and feeding the hungry. My gal pal Jackie Victor was on hand in that vintage Oscar de la Renta dress (worn as her designer insisted with cowboy boots and a jean jacket..I love it when they listen to me) representing sponsor Avalon Bakery. Left in time to have that all important Spanish coffee at Roast http://www.roastdetroit.com/ with artists Clinton Snider http://www.clintonsnider.com/ and Yuen Hom http://www.yuenadvertising.com/. All this talent in one town....I'm getting a little ferklempt, talk amongst yourselves....

Bitin' the Big Apple

It's pure flow when I get cruisin on a good tack and nothin but me the boat, water and wind. It can happen anytime you are doing what you love. This, my friend and client Jackie Victor tells me is what we were experiencing on our whirlwind weekend to New York City. She ruled on all things to eat, owner of Avalon Bakery and voice of food in Detroit. I took over when it came time to shop. Spring has brought in new business for the shop ( http://www.heritageco2.com/) and that's all the excuse I need to shop. We hit the Brooklyn flea. Yelp http://www.yelp.com/ was right, yummy spot for street food. We scored a few items, but my favorite is still the Chelsea garage flea market. Apparently it, or we, were infectious. I spied some decidely disturbing items in a back booth and made a beeline to them. You know I'm obssessed with creepy, and vintage negatives of crime scenes just sent me into orbit. As if we needed it, these three dealers just fueled the fire. Oh, was I smitten with Adam, Andrea and Peter. Obviously sent from central casting, Adam is a bold buyer and the ringmaster who whips up the crowd. All he needs is a sparring partner; I volunteered my services. Andrea is the laid back wife who quietly keeps the train on the rails, knows her town and graciously let us in on the secret. Peter is the sidekick, photographer and artist, who directed my eye to the tragic beauty of the 1940's crimes and their victims trapped in the images. These people need their own t.v. show. I Couldn't get enough of them, we make plans for dinner. Moving right along, Jackie and I swoop in and out of booths, snapping up things that reminded me of the Paris flea markets, elegant deco decoratives you can never find in the Midwest, sumptuous velvet runner all trimmed and tasselly, sassy prints. Made Jackie buy a slinky embroidered vintage Oscar de la Renta dress and Gaulthier tattoo blouse, because I'm the designer and I said so! We all met up at the very cool Ace Hotel www.acehotel.com/newyork (if the heritage company was a hotel it would look like this) turns out Adam and Andrea know their food and we headed uptown to Bukhara Grill. We eat like sultans. Refusing to get off the ride, we send the men to bed and Andrea takes us girls to http://www.marlowandsons/ in Brooklyn. Come on, the server is hot the mood is sultry, I can't keep out of the desserts and I sure couldn't stop drinking the cocktail. We tear ourselves away for one more stop at Otto's Shrunken Head on the lower eastside. Gritty blues is playing, I got room for one more set. Everybody looks like Keith Richard's family member, the singer is older than dirt and sounds like Wolfman Jack. I fall into bed like a three year old. This Eve has bitten the apple and she won't rest until she gets some more, gonna have to score those $9 spirit fares and head back stat.

Shuffled off to Buffalo

Spring break...in Buffalo? Hey the slave goes where the salvage is and it just so happens that Buffalo is a beautiful old city (Detroit could take a page out of this book on the saving of old buildings and reusing them, so that I don't have to keep seeing the wreckage in the new york times please!!) and the weather was spectacular. We took off on Monday and hit Toronto for a quick refresher on how a really creative city pulls it together. Check out the new bohemian hotspot on west queen. The artists took over a couple of old hotels and tweaked them, each room a different artist. Kept the old as found look, added a few bits, mostly salvaged and voila. You sooo wanna stay there, all the beautiful people were there http://www.thedrakehotel.ca/. My favorite store, commute home always wows me with curated salvage, the things they make from found objects, and the healthy price tags. Then onto Buffalo, my peeps here are crusty characters uber smart, artistic and their eye is lethal. Loaded up on early letterpress, not just letters, whole words! carved wood and stained delicious, 8' theater light super mod, 3 kinds of industrial lights you will want over your kitchen island, 3 kinds letters 2 of which you've never seen I promise, an early dress form, a 50's deco dresser (I'm so flirting with the upcoming modernism show) and the piece de resistance: the giant longhorn head (flocked plaster a must have). I cannot do that commute home display cause I am packed to the rafters...threw it in and hung out back in the sun drinkin beer.

Carpe Diem

Whatta great day, I'm on my bike first thing, head over to my new pool at LA fitness, windows lookin out at the Zoo's water tower, this rocks! The weather is fantastic and it’s my junkin’ day. I set out for Hamtramck. I describe it as Detroit’s version of Brooklyn. Do you know they speak 27 different languages there? The houses are practically touching and right up on the street so people can actually have conversations with their neighbors, walk in to town for a bite, a drink, do a little shopping. I dig that old Polish sausage shop with all the plants in the windows and weird items for sale from the old country, not to mention the best sausage and prices. My friend Michele has a yoga studio on the main drag, The Yoga Suite (www.theyogasuite.com), which she shares with her partner Mark’s law office with only a curtain separating them. The space is a 100 year-old store front and she has fabulous taste, perfect chillin’ vibe for getting down into some relaxation posture. She’s got stuff to peddle and I know this will be a good junkin’ day. A HOT I mean HOT pair of matching burgundy mohair velvet settees, metal cabinets, blackboards, wire basket, planters, industrial shelves, carts, tables, chairs… I gotta make trips! We hit Maria’s up the street for some yummy Mexican food and swing by a building that she is currently designing a BBQ restaurant in. We talk about using some lab tables I have for seating, stools, lights etc. I pitch a fit cause they don’t want to expose the full 20’ ceilings with original tin. People, you gotta know it just don’t feel right eating under fluorescent lights and drop ceilings, no! Design matters to a restaurant’s success, success anywhere. I say we’ll save them money on a cool salvage look, so spring for the extra utilities already. I gotta split, I’m back downtown later for a really rockin concert. It’s the kind where you know all the words to the songs, and you and 1000 other fans are all dancing and belting out the tune together, well that’s how I roll anyway. My buddy Tim who owns Zumbas Mexican Grille www.zumbagrille.com (coupons online) down the street from me is always my date of choice. I kill two birds, have a good time and get a little gorilla marketing, Detroit style, in. I don’t have to do anything: Tim knows everybody and is introducing me while bragging on my store. The Stone Temple Pilots is a band I love live and it’s at the Fillmore, a gorgeous old theater in one of my favorite blocks. Around the corner is Cliff Bell’s, which mixes a killer martini and hosts cool events, my favorite being “The Moth” the open-mike story telling thing. We make last call at the Bosco in Ferndale to hear Crowned Heads, some swanky live duo and I fall into bed at midnight. Carpe Diem Dude!