Do you have a guilty pleasure? Something you love to do that you just can't tell people about because they would give you a funny look? Or, would think "you like to do THAT?" Well, let me tell you...who cares what others think...just do your thing. As the song goes "life is just a bowl of cherries, don't take it serious, life's too mysterious".

Ok..I will reveal my guilty pleasure. I think people who know me think I am a high maintainence girl, and I am the first to admit I like nice things. I like to spend money, and go to fancy places to eat.

But, I have a dark side: I love JUNKING! I love thrift stores, and I love diner food. I love dive bars, and I LOVE deep fried food and gin martinis. That is it...my secret is out.

I LOVE the Goodwill in Bellevue/Redmond.
Goodwill Industries
14515 Ne 20th Street
Bellevue, WA 98007
Bellevue Goodwill This place is more than a Goodwill, it's like a garage sale for people who didn't like their Pottery Barn wedding gifts and dumped them off there. I have also found designer clothing, like BeBe, Michael Stars, SEVEN jeans, Abercrombie and Fitch, and brand new Ann Taylor with tags.

I've dug around in the bins and found 14K gold jewelry, bottles of expensive perfumes, and brand new Kerastase (normally 25.00 per bottle) shampoo. (my price? 2.99)
I love the treasure hunt, the thrill of finding some great piece of clothing at a steal of a price, or a one of a kind cocktail dress.
And, the money benefits those less fortunate.

Then, there is the Children's Hospital Thrift store behind Sears in Redmond:
Children's HOSP Thrift Store
15137 Ne 24th Street
Redmond, WA 98052
I found some vintage etched glass wine goblets and martini glasses...crystal of course.
Also found a really cool print of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers dancing in a sequence of ballroom moves. It was framed and ready to be put in my hair salon. 15.99! Two other customers were trying to wrestle it away from me at the counter.
Don't get me started on the brand new with tags Crate and Barrel jumbo love seat and sofa with neutral sage green upholstery I missed out on. They had SOLD tags on them. Some lucky soul snagged those for 75.00 each.
There's the Value Village in Kirkland
Value Village
12515 116th Avenue Northeast
Kirkland, WA 98034
This place is hit or miss. Some good clothing items, but the furniture dept. is sadly lacking. Not much in the way of electronics either.

Have you tried St. Margaret's Thrift store in Factoria?
St Margaret's Thrift Shop
4228 Factoria Boulevard Southeast
Bellevue, WA 98006
It has limited hours and days, but I have found the occasional "just what I was looking for" in there too. It's small but jam packed so you can hunt and peck to your heart's content.

The Grande Dame of them all, the Overlake Service League Thrift store in Bellevue Square is more like a haute couture fashion house.
Overlake Service League - Thrift Shop
167 Bellevue Square
Bellevue, WA 98004
This place is packed with throwaways from Medina women. I feel they price things a bit high sometimes, but if it's something you REALLY want, go for it and pay it. It will be gone if you don't.

And, if you love garage/estate sales as much as I do, check out this site for local listings.
Happy hunting!
Oh, and after all that shopping, I like to finish the day with a martini, and plate of deep fried jumbo prawns at Lil Jon's in Eastgate.
3080 148th Ave Se Ste 201, Bellevue, WA
This place has the stiffest drinks, fast service, and a menu of the guiltiest pleasure food you would ever want.
And, they don't serve "spring mix"! They have real lettuce!
BF Mel and I were weeding the backyard and I mentioned to him that the pile of weeds looked that weird designer lettuce they serve in fancy places nowadays. The stuff with bitter spikey pieces of greenery?
Anyway, feeling guilty is a waste of time.