Let's Dish

 

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Rose M.

Mill Valley, CA

I spend alot of time on rainy days walking from store to store in this oddball South Lamar strip mall. I start at the Salvation Army (see earlier review), and work my way around. When I hit Let's Dish, I slow down and take my sweet time.

When I lived in Dallas, eons ago, there was a cute little vintage store that was owned by two husbands. They always had Marlena Deitrich playing, or Marilyn Monroe, or Judy, Cole, or some such thing.

I felt at home back then among the feather boas and glamorous gowns, and I wished I were a drag queen. On good days, the best that I get is a comparison to Liza Minelli. Unfortunate, but reconizably true. I wanted to wear powdery complicated perfumes, and to smoke cigarettes from long ebony holders.

Let's Dish in Austin gives me the same feeling. It has strange hours. So many times, I google through the glass as my date holds the line for whatever I am seeing at the Alamo, across the street. The other day it was a set of Fiesta dishware, in my favorite color. Four glasses and a pitcher....I fogged up the glass.

Today before my bland but friendly Mexican lunch across the lot, I went into this store. There are beaded dresses, feather boas, rhinestone broaches, fancy vintage shoes, and beautiful '50's linens for days. There are punch bowls, and a set of dishes that hold the image of a brown classic guitar, (they bring to mind for some reason The Girl Fronm Ipanema and the very best era of jazz).

I want the rhinestone necklace that has swords and stars and moon crescents. I want the long glamorous dress with the slit on the leg. I want to pour watermelon daqouris from that blue pitcher into the glasses of waiting friends. I will have them, one paycheck by one.

This place is smoky...don't get me wrong. I smoke, but I "air-out". If you are at all allergic to cigarette smoke, don't even venture inside these doors. I think the owner chainsmokes and dreams of a more glamourous time.

'Used to be, two men of the same indirect age smoked in pairs and looked dignified behind the counter. I used to wonder if they were a couple...and I hoped so. I am ever the cheesy romantic.

These days, there is only one man behind the counter. His cat leaps up and purrs as it rubs against your arms and face.
There are dark chocolates behind the counter, and the inside of the wrapper tells you a fortune.

Today mine said, "Love and be loved and tell noone."

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Alexandra L.

Austin, TX

So many vintage shops are a hodge-podge of too many different things, but the owner of Let's Dish seems to have carefully been refining his collection...at least since 1998, which is when I moved to Austin and first visited the shop.  But I have a feeling the shop's been around much longer.

I also get the feeling that the owner used to be a stage actor.  There are several clues.  The shop leans toward dress-up clothing - lots of fur coats, extravagant hats, and generally classy 1960s and 1970s wear.  There is an entire bookshelf dedicated to old publications of classic plays - Albee, Mamet, Miller...  A small, adorable tabby cat roams the shop - her name is Carlotta, and she "demands attention" according to the owner.  (In fact, since 1998, I do wonder if the owner has ever left the seat behind the register.)

My only problems with the store are that the prices are not so thrifty, a stale cigarette smell permeates throughout, and I'm allergic to cat dander.

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