Brooklyn Flea

We're psyched to welcome what's sure to be a lively interlude at this Sunday's Flea, when The Rising Star Fife and Drum Band march through the market making their joyful sound unto the lord. They'll be coming through around 4pm for about 20 minutes if you want to check it out.

They'll also be performing across the street at the Masonic Temple with local Brooklyn gal Toshi Reagon at a 7pm show put on by our pals at boomBOOM Presents. The show is part of 651 Fulton Arts' Mississippi Delta Heritage Project, which rolls on through June 7 in the 'hood.

The Fife and Drum Band is led by 18-year-old Sharde Thomas, whose grandfather Otha Turner was a pioneer of hill country blues and helped spread the mix of marching-band music and West African rhythm beyond the Delta. This is Sharde and the band's first NYC appearance since the 2003 passing of legendary Otha. (Check out this "Ode to Otha" video clip for a sampling.)

Come one come all!

Calling all collectors!

As the Flea earns its rep as treasure-trove central, we're trying out a lil' something new this week. Anyone who wants to get first dibs on our vendors' fab wares can pay $5 to enter from 8am until 10am, when the doors open to the public. We've noticed folks snooping around from fancy shops on Atlantic Ave., the LES, and the like, and we want more, since a healthy buying crowd is the lifeblood of a successful market.

So if you're from "the trade" or just want to make sure you get the good stuff, come on by, grab a coffee and scone from Choice, snag some lamps, and then head back to bed. It's a small price to pay for being first.

If you liked our Flea T's, you're gonna love the brand-new Flea Bag. Designed by weekly vendors Loyalty + Blood, in what we hope to be the first in a series of limited-edition Flea merch, the Flea Bag (right) features L+B's old-fashioned lettering on a handy canvas tote suitable for guys and dolls. (Senor Flea is no stranger to the man-satchel himself.)

We'll be selling them at the Lafayette entrance every Sunday for 5 bucks. Grab one on the way in to hold your records or "ephemera," or snag one on the way out for your granola and chocolates. Either way, get one before they're gone!

Entering Week 8, the community vibe at ze Flea is being joined by a collegiality among vendors that's spilling over into the business realm.

How cool was it, for example, when two Sundays ago the owner of Matta (far right), the groovy Soho boutique whose Lafayette fence booth is a weekly frenzy of fashionistas, sauntered by Nightwood, Nadia and Myriah's re-purposed wood furniture upstart (right), and bought every piece in their booth to furnish the Matta shop. Answer: muy cool.

Or when, that same Sunday, Sue from LaCrosta Pie Co. up in Johnsonville, NY, happened to be positioned next to our pals from Blue Marble Ice Cream by the bleachers, and then on his way home from ze Flea the following Sunday Senor Flea grabbed a strawberry cone and saw LaCrosta Pies on offer at--it's true--Blue Marble. Coincidence? No way Jose! Twas the subtle power (force?) of the Flea in evidence, a partnership a la mode if you will.

All four vendors will be back this Sunday. Who's gonna be the next match?

The New York Times fawns over ze Flea again today, this time with a slurping sampler of our scrumptious food vendors in the Wednesday Dining section. (The dad in the pic is licking a Blue Marble cone btw.)

As Fleagoers know, the market is a place to both shop and eat, and in coming weeks we'll be making it a weekly stop on your grocery shop, with fresh baked bread, fancy pickles, kimchi and readymade "japchae" Korean soups, and of course the granola and sweet stuff we already know and love.

As Times scribe Peter Meehan notes, at long last this Sunday we welcome Rafael and Fernando's renowned huaraches and pupusas, which join the delicious grilled corn and fruit from the Vaqueros from last week.

Come, graze with us.

Photo: Hiroko Masuike for the New York Times

Several Fleasters who took part in another excellent BKLYN Designs expo last week return to homebase in the yard this Sunday. (Lotta Jansdotter, who blessed the Flea in April, will hopefully be back with us in August or September.)

We're especially happy to welcome for the first time this Sunday Jill Malek, whose wow wallpaper designs are really innovative and practical. "Maidenhair" (right) is abstract enough to be decorative, but also detailed enough to feel like wall art. "Elephant Walk" in a kid's room pretty much guarantees a hipster spawn. Serious stuff for ze Flea to be sure, and we think Jill will be a great find Sunday. L5, Lafayette fence, Clermont side.

Jewelry designer Gabriela de la Vega showed her classy line at BD, and Senor Flea was mighty impressed. She's back in E44, like every week, selling gorgeous handwrought jewelry we can all appreciate.

Porcelain potter Lois Aronow is back for her monthly Flea stint, showing off her beaded-texture glazes on elegant mugs, plates, servers, and more (right). Lois is also, of course, a hoot. S10 by the school.

Nadia from Brooklyn Junior is making a real name herself with her upstart kids' clothing line, and we're happy to have her as a weekly vendor. B5 by the Clermont handball wall.

The Flea ain't just tchotchkes, chocolate and chairs. With spring upon us (in theory), it's the perfect time to pick up a new set of wheels--the human-powered kind of course. Senor and Mr. B. generally pedal to Flea Central, and we think you should too. (We have an onsite delivery service if you buy anything big.)

Over by the Clermont entrance (near the school), Mr. Shane (right) has been holding it down with a stunning selection of quality bicyclettes the last few weeks. First week he did all pastel bikes; second week only French models; last week was all black ones. Coming up Sunday: red, white, and blue! Shane is a character, and he's got the goods to back it up.

DIY gal KT is on the move at the Flea again Sunday. She's done some re-branding--she's "Velo Brooklyn" now--and her selection is always truly eclectic: little kids' trikes, banana seaters, BMX, you name it. She also transports her bikes on a homestyle tri-wheel rickshaw/pickup, which is what Senor Flea terms dedication. B12, near the Lafayette entrance.

In a nice bit of Flea synergy, KT will be sharing space with City Streamers, a local gal named Liz who turns gently used yarns and fabrics into groovy handlebar adornments (right). Ride on!

After a couple of aborted attempts, Mr. Malcolm Tent of Trash American Style will join us at the Flea for the first time Sunday. Malcolm's got great records, CDs, cassettes, patches, and all kinds of rock ephemera, and he also played in a DEVO tribute band at Southpaw last weekend. He trucks in from Connecticut, where he got booted from his two-decade storefront last year, and musically he covers the Can/Wire/Sonic Youth/Don Cherry/Pelican/indie rock realm with gusto. E42.

From a sort of similar galaxy of the musical universe, the incense-burning kids from Dope Jams return for what we hope to be a weekly residency at the Flea. A secret arsenal of vinyl ammo for house and techno DJs on Myrtle and Classon, Dope Jams is heavy on the Detroit/Berlin axis as well as all the latest cuts. Bob your head over to B20, or just follow the trail of patchouli.

And don't miss Devin and Maria of Salon Vintage's perfectly picked mix of clothes and hip-hop/rare groove records--they're holding it down. C12, Clermont fence.

If you hear music at the Flea, you're right! Hermano Flea y Small Change are powered up in the backstop to provide aural pleasures of all kinds every Sunday--subtly and tastefully of course. Enjoy.

As noted on New York magazine's Grub Street food blog today, the legendary Latino food vendors from the Red Hook ballfields will be setting up a satellite location at ze Flea. There simply aren't enough exclamation points or emoticons of euphoria to express our elation at this development, which Senor Flea has been cultivating over the last few months. Suffice it to say we're simultaneously smiling and salivating.

This Sunday (May 18), the first stand will open with grilled corn and fruits, and May 25 a larger stand with the storied huaraches and pupusas--made with love (and pounds of toppings) by Fernando and Rafael--will make its Flea debut. Senor Flea can hardly contain his culinary enthusiasm.

We are grateful to Cesar and the Red Hook vendors for sharing their papusa prowess with our little mercado. And make sure to visit the full crew in Red Hook in full splendor starting in June!

On an unrelated note, props to Cool Hunting for doing a day-long feature on some of our hippest vendors. Super-cool!

Look for our first Flea Flickr sometime tomorrow.

The Flea approaches full throttle this Sunday, with a packed yard of our best mix of vendors yet. And expect to hear more from Senor Flea here on ze blog in coming weeks. We miss you too!

Truly too many new vendors onboard this week to list them all. Here are some highlights.

Adele Amore is back with her ogle-friendly mix of vintage jewelry, knick-knacks, and handbags. Adele is a Brooklyn Fleaster in the classic style, which is obvious after about 2 seconds of yapping with her. That's Amore! Clermont fence.

Pamela Haft makes her first Flea trip down from Sharon, CT, to bestow treasures like the antique sewing machine (right, top) upon Fleagoers. Pam also just opened a new shop called Artisan Gallery Antiques in Amenia, NY. Handball wall, Vanderbilt side.

Clyde Gatlin, also from CT, will be spread out in the middle of the yard with his mish-mash of '40s whisky boxes, watering cans, garden tools, and antique silver and porcelain. We have a good feeling about Clyde--as a vendor and a man.

Gary Ford, a Fort Greener and veteran of the 25th St. Garage, debuts his collection, which includes fossilized whale bones, Persian prayer rugs, and lots of picture frames. Clermont fence.

Bayo Ogunsanya debuts his rare books this week, looking forward to having him as a regular hopefully. Handball wall, Vanderbilt side.

Reyna from Jef Rey Cambodian Crafts is bringing her beautiful pieces from Southeast Asia, like this Cambodian buddha head (right, middle.) 8x8 section.

Susan from the La Crosta Pie Co. upstate brings her delicious pies to the Flea for the first time. Fresh, local, no preservatives, etc. School-side booths.

Leke and Rob have a great couple of racks of vintage clothes, and they're always dressed for excess. Rob is an especially fine devotee of the art of conversation, perpetual pipe in hand (right, bottom.) 8x8 section.

Longtime Motique Gallery-owners Monifa and Bashiri hop over from Prospect Heights for the first time with their tip-top trove of African-inspired art, everything from glass and paintings to textiles and photos. Vanderbilt fence.

Vanity, a Crown Heights antiques shop on Kingston Ave., makes its debut at the Flea on Sunday. We're eager to see what Yahia pulls from their older-era collection of furniture, teapots, and porcelain. Vanderbilt fence.

Bed-Stuy (Franklin Ave. at Clifton Pl.) clothing boutique Collecther launched its Flea outpost last Sunday, and Shana's back for more. Collecther does super-nice vintage, as well as Shana's subtly elegant house line. Vanderbilt fence.

And finally, a few other newcomers of note for this Mama's Day Flea:

Orchard Floral will have fresh bouquets of flowers.

Fine and Raw chocolates--literally raw chocolate--are ready just in time for yo mama.

And one of our faves, the gals who ran the Chop Delancey art intervention/shop/restaurant last fall will begin their weekly presence (residence?) at the Flea on Sunday, under the guise "Chop Summers." We're not quite sure what to expect, but hear rumblings about Hungarian roadside gypsy traditions, bartering food and art for seeds and soil, and this week at least, lots and lots of RED. Apparently, these gals also need ladders--if you got one to spare, let's make a deal! Look for the red art gypsies.