Do You Know Where Santee Alley Is?

I don't know how many times I asked this question on Monday. A LOT! Just try finding an alleyway that's 10 feet wide and maybe the length of one city block in all of downtown L.A. It's not so easy my friends. But that's just what me and my deal-crazed sister, Becky did.

I BLAME Courtney. If she didn't have a mother who knows all the ins and outs of bargain shopping I would have never driven a half an hour lost in the bowels of ghetto L.A. I felt so insecure that instead of using my diaper bag or pocket to hold my cell phone, I used my bra purse. That way, if anyone robbed me and forced me to empty my bulging pocket, I would still have my phone to call for help. Then again, I was lost and therefore, unable to tell anyone how to get to me to save me. What? I'm from a small town. I didn't bring my camera either, for the same reason. All of these pictures are nabbed from people on the Internet who weren't afraid of being mugged.

The craziest part about it, was that we knew we were somewhat close and no one seemed to know what we were talking about. How do you live that close to the fashion district and NOT know what middle aged white tourist women are looking for? Enter, the guy from the BF Goodrich Tire Store. Seriously, the tire guy knew where we were trying to go. Bless him for listening to his wife when she was ranting on and on about the killer deal she got on a fake Prada handbag.

When we got to Santee Ave., it wasn't what we were expecting. It was a full blown market mini mall. Courtney had told us it was literally (not litrally-inside Miles joke) an alley. Still, there were good deals to be seen, just not the mass amounts of purses we were promised. There were mass amounts of fabric. Three blocks of bolts and bolts and bolts and bolts of every kind of fabric. You can't fathom how many fabric stores there were. We were flabbergasted that so many stores could stay in business when they were surrounded by the exact same store on every side. The fabric turned in to clothing stores. Some of these even had purses. But we still weren't impressed. This went on and on for a few blocks when we turned a corner.

~Bolts of Fabric and a picture I found of the bag Courtney wanted. I swear I didn't see it there though~

Low and behold, there was a teeny tiny alley with a banner over it declaring "Santee Alley". Bingo bango sister. We found the jack pot. So. Many. Purses. Fake Chanel. Fake Valentino. Fake Gucci. Fake Dolce and Gabanna. Fake Jimmy Choo. Fake Coach. Fake anything.

~Santee Alley, Monday wasn't this crowded~

It only took me 4 little shops to make a decision.

~My cute, but huge, fake Jimmy Choo bag.~

Becky wanted to see every purse there. She dang near did. But then time was closing in on 5pm and they shut down at 5 PM! The pressure was on and she started to panic. "Do you like this on better than the one I liked 6 shops ago?" she would ask. "Becky, I have no idea which purse you are referring to" I would reply. "I don't remember it either, I just remembered I liked it" she would counter. There was a purse overload in her brain that was permanently erasing all previous purse perusing out of her mind. Luckily, she remembered which shop carried the mystery purse that she remembered liking. We found the said purse with seconds to spare.

~Purse overload. I never did get a picture of Beck's foncy, silver Gucci number. It rocks, though.~

Then we had to high tail it back to the car before dark. For sure that's when the bad guys come out, at 5:30pm.

My only regret is not finding the purse Courtney was looking for. We have her to THANK for our killer purses, after all! I promise I'll go back soon and look more closely for you!