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It may rain the other 360 days of the year when I'm not here, but when the Pacific NW is like it's been for me the last few days, it's heaven on earth. Clear blue skies, crisp warm weather, fabulous food and wine, and gorgeous natural terrain. I'm here as a portfolio reviewer at the Photo Lucida photo festival. More on that another time. But since I got here a day early, I decided to poke around a few flea markets and galleries.

My first stop was Ampersand Vintage. What a cool place this is. I don't think I've ever been anywhere quite like it. Owner Myles Haselhorst has combined a small, quirky gallery, a very specialized photo book store, and a curated collection of vernacular photos and photo ephemera. It's a great mix. Imagine Strettel Books meets Winter Works on Paper. It's small and intimate, but there's plenty to look at. I easily whiled away 2 hours looking at everything I could put my paws on. I don't think there are many places in the world where you can buy a 50 cent 50's snapshot at the same place you buy a limited edition of a British private erotica collection. Sweet.

Check him out online and read his blog for updates and mini curated online shows of found work.