Rose Bowl, episode 1. In which we return to California.

There's a story, of course.

This photo was years in the making. The monthly Rose Bowl fleamarket landed with a huge wonderful blip on our radar long ago when we first started getting serious about fleamarketing. It was probably some show or other on HGTV or the Travel Channel and it probably had something to do with Lara Spencer, that creatively crafty temptress.

Mari and I were particularly tempted by the Rose Bowl flea last year when I was planning my 50th-birthday-California-here-we-come-weekend that included a taping of The Price is Right and a visit to the monthly Long Beach Antique Market. If you recall (California, here we come, episode 1), we did not visit the top-of-the-list Rose Bowl flea because my mother scheduled her Caesarean (me) a week too late back in 1966, but we had an amazingly overwhelming first fleamarket experience at Long Beach nevertheless.

It was Mari's turn to turn fifty-and-fabulous this year, and we made sure the trip calendar worked to our advantage (even if it was two months after the big day). 

When I turned thirty, I celebrated by "treating" myself to a long-fantasized convertible (which, if you recall from last year's California series, lasted 19 and a half years and was unfortunately not replaced by winning a brand new car on The Price is Right).

When I turned forty, it was a long-dreamed-of visit to London (and amazingly mystical Stonehenge) that scratched my Anglophilic itch that had its origins with Lady Diana's 1981 wedding.

Most recently, last year's (losing) bid to be a pool table winner on The Price is Right served as the marker of my 50th birthday milestone. It was also the first time I had traveled to California, but I knew it wouldn't be the last.

Here's a photo of Mari a few weeks shy of forty.

We were in Las Vegas for the first time and I couldn't think of a better location for her to scratch her own adventurous itch and celebrate a birthday milestone so I arranged a tandem skydive.

No, silly reader, had I been the other half of the tandem it is doubtful anyone would still be alive to write these fiercely finessed words.

A trained professional joined Mari on her first (so far) sky dive and a very proud (nervous) husband waited dutifully (sanely) on the ground with camera at the ready to snap this photo.

While Mari thought about revisiting her 40th birthday daredevilry as she turned fifty, our visit to Los Angeles/Santa Monica/Malibu last September for my big 5-0 inspired Mari's own 50th birthday California celebration.

Planned precisely (I wouldn't have it any other way) to coincide with our long-dreamed-of, top-of-the-list, and highly-hyphenated-and-anticipated Rose Bowl fleamarket, our second California 50th birthday weekend celebration included a few revisits and a few new adventures as well as a mojo-blast from our foodie potato past.

Before my gobbledygook gets too far-flung, here's a quick view from the flea.

We've been waiting a very long time to enjoy that spectacular SoCal view!

Here's another view which includes our birthday girl doing her best to fill up her favorite market tote.

More next time from the enormously expansive and ever-overflowing flea that is the second Sunday of every month Rose Bowl Flea Market and Market Place.

In the meantime, visit the official site for a quick browse.

rgcshows.com/RoseBowl.aspx