Round Top Round Up

Last Friday, on my way from Houston to Austin, I made a detour through Round Top, Texas, a town with a population of 77 located smack dab in the middle of my points A and B. I didn't go for the pie at Royers, but for the antiquities which draw in the masses from all over the country during the area's bi-annual antiques fair.

While many people lean toward new home decor items that are crisp and clean, I tend toward those with a little history. Our house, to begin with, was built in 1920, which is about as old of a home you will find in this country. As a child, I always loved going to my grandmother's house and seeing all the things from the olden days, like the butter churn and wooden wall phone. Reminders of a simpler time, I guess.

I can effectively call myself an avid antiques market goer, having regularly visited them in the places I have lived, including the monthly Alameda Point Antiques and Collectibles Faire outside of San Francisco. (Best buys are just as the day breaks there. My friend Kirsten used to remind me to bring a flashlight!) In New York City, I loved to hit the West 25th Street Market, open every Saturday and Sunday. But Round Top takes antiques markets to a new level. However, I have never been to the markets in London or Paris, but hear they are the best. One day...

While it is fun to peruse the markets in a carefree manner, it's better to have in mind what you are looking for. This lets your eyes and mind work coherently, as these markets can be quite overwhelming. A few tips before you go: take measurements of the space you have to fill, bring a tape measure with you and don't forget your checkbook or wads of cash.

So, last Friday, I knew the general lay of the land, having been to Round Top once before for the fair and another time for the pie! But, on this day I only had two hours to kill before I was needed in Austin. Two hours is not nearly enough time to cover but a small fraction of the approximately 300 acres of tents and tables.

My goal was to find a container for an herb garden. I had watched this video on YouTube earlier in the week, so was looking for something that was 1. "pretty" and 2. had "good drainage." I happened upon a Hungarian baby bath early in my two hours. I wasn't convinced on the initial price I was quoted, so decided to move on down the road.

I spent most of my time at Marburger Farm looking inside the tents. I loved this circus tent, but knew I needed nothing from there.

The clock was ticking. I was beginning to kick myself for not having purchased it at the first place because I didn't want to back-track and be late. So, I narrowed in on the garden items, which are mostly kept just outside of the tents for a garden-like effect.

And then, lo and behold, at literally the last booth, 10 minutes past my departure time, I came across another Hungarian baby bath! But, uh-oh, the price was higher. I explained my situation to the dealer, my time crunch and the fact that there was an exact item up the road for less. As it turned out, that booth up the road happened to be his son's. He knew I wasn't making up the price, and he honored it. (He said he had just raised the price to compensate for the fact that they only had two left.)

So there she is, my Hungarian baby bath, formerly used in an orphanage or hospital to wash babies and now the future home of my herb garden. I will save my attempt at following Rita's how-to steps for a later post, but instead will put in a plug for one of my John Daugherty, Realtors colleague's listings. This farm in Round Top would be a serene second home for any flea market junkie. If interested, please feel free to contact me for more information.

Perhaps the simpler times are just an hour and a half outside of Houston.