Palm Springs was always a place that existed more in my mind than reality. It made me think of Bob Hope and Frank Sinatra, but it was never a place I planned to visit. Even though it’s less than eleven hours by car from Albuquerque, it never felt like it was on the way to any place I was headed.
However, Greg and I traveled there for the day on one of our LA trips (before the pandemic) and attended an estate sale before lunch and taking photos. I received quite a few compliments on the dress I was wearing (not the one in this photo– this one was taken last spring) and I knew that somehow I’d have to figure out how to get us back there although I had no idea how that would happen. We made one more trip there, but it was the La Quinta Triathlon in early December 2023 that would change everything for me.
Greg had signed up for the second time (I didn’t accompany him the first time because I had an event in Albuquerque) and I had promised I would make this trip. But I also didn’t want to stand around all day waiting for him to finish. On a whim, I signed up for the Palm Springs Vintage Market, hoping I’d be accepted, but reminding myself that the world wouldn’t end if I didn’t get in.
I did!
Greg wasn’t happy at first, worried that there was no way we could transport his bicycle and gear along with all my Chelle Summer items in the car. I had already figured that out– instead of bins, I would use bags and we could place the bicycle on top of everything Chelle Summer.
Last year was a rough year for Chelle Summer. I was doing events left and right, but none of them were going well. Time was running out for me to continuing doing it. I always made back the fees, but not much more. I wasn’t selling much online and my vintage items especially weren’t selling at all. I had packed away all my cool vintage fabrics because very few people were interested in them.I had no idea how to reach the right people or if I ever would.
Those endless prayers paid off that day at the Palm Springs Vintage Market when I found my people. To say I my work felt appreciated on a large scale was an understatement. The ball began to roll, the dominos to fall, and here we are a year later heading into the third market of the season, what was my first market last year.
They say this market is special and I get it. As we celebrate Thanksgiving this week, I’m also saying thanks to Palm Springs for all the Chelle Summer love. I’m grateful the road finally took me there.