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Vintage wooden handbag found in incinerator room trash pile in New York apartment building. Image courtesy of Denise Stoughton.
This article was originally published on the Bainbridge Island Review on Friday Oct 29
No one is above dumpster diving. I recall an elegant upper east side socialite rummaging unapologetically through her neighbor’s trash. A single well-manicured hand dove deftly in for the “kill,” seconds later, she was the triumphant new owner of a pristine Givenchy handbag from the previous season.
An impressive maneuver that left me more than a little envious. In her wake, I glanced at the hodgepodge gaggle of garbage bins but all that remained was the usual fare; a broken chair, chipped saucers, dirty sneakers and a well-loved teddy bear whose crestfallen expression mirrored my own. Better luck next time.
New Yorkers are nothing if not savvy, resourceful creatures who love fabulous finds. If you think bargain hunting is an irresistible thrill, “free” is exhilarating beyond compare. From scoring apparel and sporting equipment to home décor and furniture, I learned the art of dumpster diving on the city streets as a college student.
OTHER ARTICLES BY DENISE:
Air Time: Talking Tillandsia with Sam Rader of Valley Nursery
Suggested Reading List for April Poetry Month
Neither Snow nor Rain nor Heat nor Gloom of Night (…but mostly snow)
History, Community and Art Converge at Pleasant Beach Village
New Sculptures in Familiar Places: Public Art Installations on Bainbridge Island
Green Light Garage: The Motherboard
Denise’s Favorite Virtual Gallery Tour: The National Cowboy Western & Heritage Museum
ABOUT DENISE STOUGHTON. Inspired by globe-trotting, art, fashion,
technology and nature, Denise has spent a lifetime in the creative realm
first as a home products industry design executive in New York City and
more recently as an interior designer on Bainbridge Island. Her line of wall planter décor called Modern Airhead is made locally and sold at the Bainbridge Island Museum of Art (BIMA) gift shop. Writing has been a life-long passion and she’s authored blogs, articles and essays for mo-minski.com as well as for bainbridgecurrents.com. Denise serves on the Public Art Committee and is a board member of Arts & Humanities Bainbridge. Her chihuahuas Tula and Milo are constant companions and often accompany Denise around town riding shotgun in her VW Beetle. Visit denisebidesign.com to learn more about her work.