Confessions of a shopaholic...

... sometimes we buy pretty things for ourselves because there's no one else who will.

(The back.)

I was meeting up with some friends in downtown today to look at wedding dresses (not for me) and stumbled upon the weekly farmers market on 5th St in front of the Central Library.

My eyes quickly stopped at a small table full of brilliant colored pendants. I learned that they were made from harvested butterfly wings. They come from butterfly farming projects and rain forest sustainable use systems. Since butterflies have short life expectancies, when they die, their wings are taken to make jewelry. Through this income generating business, income goes to the local community and the rain forest can remain intact.

I have always loved butterflies. They are so beautiful! But I am starting to really develop a taste for interesting, handmade jewelry. Yikes!

I was there for a while talking to the guy and ending up in a hilarious conversation about how fashion is whatever you make it with him and an Arabic man (he made sure that I knew his turban was made of imported fabric.) Whenever I am alone, in the city or traveling around, I love having these type of encounters with people. Where they are friendly, outgoing and interesting to talk to. The other night I was riding to Azusa and talked to a man from Ghana about the politics in Zimbabwe along with the corruption of many African governments.