What could possibly get your hung-over, sleep-deprived, grumpy ass out of bed
at 7 a.m. on a Saturday?
Only the glorious wholesale flower market downtown. Who can resist a
pocket full of posies for less than $10? Never been?
Let us guess: The early-bird thing
isn’t your style. Some DailyCandy tips on navigating the stalls might be just
the thing to motivate you:
It opens at 6 a.m. on Saturdays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays, but come on. That’s just brutal. Do be there by 8 a.m., though, or all the good stuff will be gone.
Pay for parking. Trust us. You don’t want to hike ten blocks to your
car with armfuls of floral booty. Cough up seven bucks, and park as close as
humanly possible to the entrance, which is halfway between 7th and 8th
Streets.
Once you’ve paid your two-dollar entrance fee, head over to the market on the west
side (755 South Wall Street). It’s has a great selection of cut flowers and
potted plants, and houses our favorite vendor, Mr. Yamaguchi of
Yamaguchi Greenhouse (stall 5A). His Casablanca lilies last longer than
most relationships.
Pay in cash. Many of the vendors take credit cards, but you’ll need the
cash for parking anyway, and it makes flower buying easier and quicker.
Choose a color scheme, especially if you’re buying more than a couple of
bunches. Sounds like weird advice, but it’s easy to get overwhelmed and
compulsively shop your way into a train wreck of shades and textures.
Pick up a couple of potted plants for the week’s parties — they make great
host/hostess gifts. We like white Phalaenopsis orchids. The Orchid Man (on
the west side of the street) is a
solid vendor and happens to carry a gorgeous selection of pots and planters.
Take a friend or two. You can split the cost of parking and take comfort
in the knowledge that you’re not the only person you know who’s up at that
ungodly hour.
So go on and set that alarm. What’s a good night’s sleep compared to a
stunning bouquet of Gerber daisies? You can nap later.
The Los Angeles Flower District, 754 Wall Street, between 7th and 8th Streets (213-627-3696) . 6 a.m. - noon Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday;
8 a.m. - noon Monday, Wednesday, Friday.
Yamaguchi Greenhouse, stall 5A (213-623-7531).
The Orchid Man (213-622-4994).
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