For Sale: Overpriced Silver Rings, Incense, Drinks and Feeling Like You're Cool

I had some version of the following conversation at least four times today:

"Do you think we should go?" my husband asks.

I immediately reply, "Hell no! I'm not paying $12 to get in there!"

"Yeah, you're right," he says. "It's just that we go every year. It seems a shame to miss it."

He's right. It does seem like a shame that I'm missing Sunset Junction Street Fair this year. Instead, I'm making a conscious decision to avoid mingling with the thousands of aspiring cool people that make the trek to get smashed while checking out the booths of overpriced silver jewelry and ethnic-looking clothing and art.

Why the self-imposed boycott?

Well, I've been in this neighborhood long enough that I remember when getting into Sunset Junction Street Fair was a two or three dollar donation. This wasn't a lifetime ago. This was only eight years ago. I know, rising prices are a reality in life. It wasn't too much of a shocker a few years ago when a five-spot was demanded at the door.

Last year though, the same inflation that's afflicting home prices in L.A. had clearly come to the street fair. Ten dollars was the suggested donation. I paid and walked away feeling like the fair wasn't worth ten bucks. I mean, I never paid to get into Taste of Chicago. Sure I coughed up the cash for an overpriced slice of Giordano's pizza. --It was always well worth it. It's the best pizza in the city!

This year, twelve is the magic number of dollars we're all expected to cough up in order to stroll down Sunset Blvd. And that's if we get there before four in the afternoon. After 4 p.m. it's $15. Then I'd still have to pay for a bunch of stuff I don't need: the pricy drinks, eats, incense and ethnic trinkets. Plus, I live here so I can feel cool and check out the bondage-gear store with the butt-baring chaps-wearing mannequin anytime I want. For free!

I guess it's all for the best that I won't go broke trying to buy lemonade for my two sons this year. Come to think of it, I don't know how anybody is going to feel hip and cool this year when the fair isn't even making an attempt at being down-to-earth. Sunset Junction will have it's first-ever VIP lounge at Cliff's Edge Restaurant...because the point of coming to an overpriced STREET FAIR is to hang out at an overpriced restaurant.

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