Twice a year in Round Top, Texas, just an hour outside of Austin, the design world descends on one of the biggest antiques fairs in the country, stretched along 17 miles of highway. To those who attend, it’s a boon for weathered wood tables and seriously good mid-century and pristine ’70s-era furniture. In other words, for a newbie like me, shopping the Round Top Antiques Fair can be overwhelming.

Thankfully, for my first-ever trip, I was lucky enough to accompany Sheila Youngblood, the owner of the nearby Rancho Pillow, who’s been going to the fair since high school, when her grandmother started bringing her there. At her property, she presides over Feasts in the Field, an epic outdoor dinner party. Here, Youngblood, who graciously hosted me and Domino cover stars Jonathon Burford and Jesse Rudolph for a few days in March, shares all her secrets for shopping Round Top, along with her little black book of can’t-miss vendors.

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The most important thing you can do before you go, especially for the first time, is prepare. Scan Instagram or Pinterest, or create your own mood board and find things that you like. Look at the pages of designers whom you admire and see if they talk about Round Top or vintage.

Then, once you’re there, move swiftly and make laps, taking photos along the way. [Once you’ve finished browsing their area], show your pics to the respective dealers so you only have one interaction where you’re telling them what you’re interested in. Ask for pricing from there. It’s nice to be respectful of their time and yours. You can make the decisions to buy or not buy based on what you find out in those conversations.