Pittsburgh Dish

Weed wackers and Ouija Boards

Some call them yard sales. Others call them garage sales. Back East we called them tag sales. Tomato, tomato, folks. They all mean the same thing: other people's crap at low, low prices. 

(Read on for a selected list of area yard/garage sales this weekend.)

'Tis the season for sipping cool lemonades under shady elm trees. For mowing lawns and trimming hedges. 'Tis the season for belly flops, flip-flops, sno cones and sweaty body parts.

Summer is also the time to find really good loot. And you don't have to be an archeologist or deep sea diver to discover it. Your treasure maps can be found on telephone poles, street signs and in newspapers.

Sure you have to sift through a surplus of weed wackers, hubcaps, Beenie Babies and toaster ovens before you get to the good stuff (perhaps you might be in the market for such practical items). But if you have the time, a full gas tank or a bus pass and pocket full of singles, you can find that pink bonnet hair dryer you just can't live without.

One summer afternoon I purchased a 50s cocktail dress with tags intact, a tailored suit from the same era, never been worn ladies bowling shoes, linen hankies made in France (in photo), a box of 60s Life magazines and a box of old records. I spent $20 for the lot.

Remember there is no such thing as a return policy so be sure to check for stains, missing buttons, record scratches and nicks on your knacks. Ask if electronic items are in working order. And remember: the early bird catches the loot so set your alarm.

Here's a list of garage/tag/estate sales happening this weekend that we think might be potential gold mines:

Sq. Hill:

Huge garage sale: 5700 Bartlett St., . Sat. 9 a.m.-1 p.m.

Polish Hill:

Lupec's Annual Hipster Yard Sale: Sat./Sun. 10 a.m.-2 p.m. (Sounds way cool.)

Oakland:

Estate Sale: 1067 Devon Dr., Oakland Sat./Sun. 7:30 a.m.-3 p.m. www.pittsburghestatesales.com

Reg. Square:

Church Sale: Sat. 9 a.m.-2 p.m., Presbyterian Church (Forbes & Braddock); 1223 La Clair Sat. 9 a.m.- 2 p.m. (vintage jewelry)

Shadyside:

Moving Sale: Fri./Sat./Sun., 8 a.m. - 3 p.m. 1201 Shady Ave.

Friendship:

Neighborhood Giant Yard Sale: Sun. 8 a.m. - 2 p.m. Between Penn, Negley, Baum, Liberty & Mathilda.

Tips from Bargain Betty

"Bargain Betty" is the Queen of sniffing out cool loot for pennies. She's been yard sailing for years. Take her advice on how to shop the classifieds. She's good. (She's also very real--Betty' a friend from Connecticut):

• Read the fine print in classified ads: Tag sales, estate sales, look for phrases like "years of accumulation" or "multi-family."

You are bound to get a wider range of stuff, because even though you will get your fill of fondue pots and beer mugs from Cheers that say "Norm" and outside jumbo play villages for toddlers that are faded from the sun, all these homeowners have mothers and grandmothers who also contribute their stuff to the sale. I love the words "everything must go." I also look for older houses.

• If you want to avoid crowds get there early.

Something I refuse to do is fight over a rhinestone bracelet with a Mrs. Cravitz.

(But if you wait till it gets later the stuff is cheaper. You can always do a drive by after the sale is over and they curb the stuff and then it is FREE.)

• Check the local papers for large clean-ups in your area (you know town garbage clean-ups).

People throw out all sorts of stuff. I took the legs off a vintage stereo up the street because they were the Eames era look I was looking for my coffee table. My husband cut a piece of wood in a kidney shape and added the legs. Ta-dah! And our very retro TV stand was FREE from the curb. It was a radio that we gutted and now it holds the VCR/DVD and tapes. Our side board was $4 at Salvation Army that we totally revamped.

Actually it is funny, just yesterday I took pictures of all the stuff in my house because everything in it is from a Salvation Army tag sale or curb. I also took pics of the tiki room, after all my tiki bar was only $300! Out of the local newspaper!