Brooklyn Flea

House hottie Olivia Wilde digs the Flea, according to her "25 Things You Don't Know About Me" feature in the new US Weekly. In addition to fleas, she's also obsessed with miniature horses (we're sure Flea vendors have these around), loves Kurt Vonnegut, and had a childhood crush on Slash. Sounds like a cool chick to us. Thanks Olivia!

Also thanks to reader Diana for hipping us to the clip--and even highlighting #21 where the Flea shows up.

There will be a casting tent for the new Jerry Seinfeld-produced reality show The Marriage Ref at the Fort Greene Flea this Saturday. We know, wacky.

On the upcoming NBC show, various celebs will act as refereees for real-life disputes between spouses, deciding who's right and who's wrong. Cute idea.

Basically you and your partner can go to the tent on Saturday and "pitch" your favorite/classic marital argument or point of contention--parenting, pets, fashion, money, in-laws, housework, friends, sex, etc.--and if they like you who knows!?

The Flea is only a host for the casting call--we ain't got nothin' else to do with it.

Have fun!

Hunt didn't take long this weekend, what with the sun and breeze. We heard Orlando Bloom was in Fort Greene Saturday, can anyone confirm? That would be cool.

From left:

Pretty Nancy, a self-proclaimed "vintagista," found the enamel brooch in the Happy Hill Vintage booth, where daughter-mom duo Daphra and Ann have been having a ball for the last month or so. They do the high/low-brow clothing and accessories thang, and live nearby so they love to hang--they're even making videos of the Flea now. Daphra works by day at DonorsChoose.org, an e-commerce website that connects public schools in need of resources with donors, which we figured deserves a plug. They're in E35 on Saturdays.

Sunday's winner was a doozy. Monkey (left, he of WrecordsByMonkey) decided to hide his recycled-record-vinyl bracelet in Lionel and Constant's booth nearby, since all Monkey makes is record bracelets. Cassidy, new to New York via Montreal and attending Senor alma mater The New School, was at the Flea for the second time and was scouring the Bridge market for the Hunt item. For hours apparently. She found it, she was really happy, we were happy too. Monkey plays in W28 Saturdays and I-25 Sundays.

Check back at noon Friday for this weekend's items.

The Brooklyn Brew Shop kids, Stephen and Erica (above), have been a huge hit at the Flea since their late-spring launch, and we're proud papas. They've been showing up in the press pretty much once a week since then, and this week they made the Times so we figured we'd share the very cute piece. Love the town halls closer!

The Flea shows up on the much-loved Neighborhood Map in New York mag this week, for being featured on Japanese TV twice now. Random but cool!

We also popped up on the Times' The Moment blog yet again today, this time in a blurb on the cool Le Fooding Paris-New York foodie happening at P.S. 1 that our pal Alex is putting on this weekend.

Folks love Flea food, ain't no doubt. Sweet, savory, Asian, Latino, baked, grilled. Yum.

Our new pals at Gourmet noticed, and invited the Flea to take part in the annual Gourmet Institute's Marketplace, where foodies from all over come to taste what's good and what's next. Fort Greene mainstays Whimsy + Spice, Liddabit Sweets, Hot Blondies Bakery, and Miss Amy's Preserves are all taking part, and we hope they get discovered by top tasters far and wide--they deserve it.

The Gourmet Institute takes place Friday to Sunday, Oct. 23 to 25, and the Marketplace happens Oct. 24 and 25 at the Altman Building in Chelsea. In addition to the Flea food pod, they've got locavore yummies, artisanal tastings, wine and booze pourings, celebrity chef signings and all that kinda stuff. It's $20.

We just noticed that Gourmet http://www.gourmet.com/restaurants/2009/09/new-york-street-food rounded up its favorite NYC street-food vendors, with the wise inclusion of 3 Fleasters: Pizza Moto, Red Hook Lobster Pound, and the Red Hook Food Vendors. Grazie!

We were hoping for the best and we got it this weekend, as both Fleas emerged from their summer cocoons as full-fledged beauties packed with just insanely cool merch and thousands of ogling shoppers. A sampling of the joy below...

If there were such a thing as perfect weather for the Flea, this weekend is it. Let's usher Miss Fall in properly, with a nice combo of vintage and unique/handmade items at the Hunt Saturday and Sunday. Hunt, peck, rejoice.

When you find one of the items above, which can be hidden in any vendor booth, it's yours, absolutely free! Then we post your photo with the generous vendor here on the blog on Monday. Only one winner per calendar month. Items posted every Friday around Noon.

Happy hunting!

From left:

1. "Tickle Me Blue and White" '60s feather brooch. Gold-plated with enamel. Vintage (Fort Greene/Saturday)

2. Recycled record-vinyl bracelet with double Brooklyn and Manhattan cityscapes. New/handmade (Brooklyn Bridge/Sunday)

It's tricky to differentiate amongst Fleas, but let's just say that this weekend is shaping up as a doozy. For regulars, we've got a nice crop of fresh faces at both markets as well as the return of several vendors from summertime sabbatical. Never been? See what a full Flea looks like in picturesque Fort Greene or dramatic DUMBO, and get what it's all about. Frankly, we haven't figured out what it's all about yet, but suspect it involves magic.

Doris sometimes shares a booth with other vendors, but this Sunday she strikes out on her own, complete with an awesome new name: Hippie Danish (as in Denmark). Tablewares, modernist toys, textiles, an Aalto (a Finn) umbrella stand (!?), vintage American flags, a Schwinn, and more. Stuff you want (above). I-61/Bridge, Sun

Sandra and George run the lovely little shop Hudson City Antiques on Ninth Ave. in Chelsea, and they have a fine eye for 19th and early 20th Century furniture and items. They'll be bringing mostly smalls on Saturday, as well as some Brooklyn-theme paperweights and cards they've created. Some Manhattan folks going for the big time in the BK! W6/FG, Sat

Graf heads alert: Evan Browning has hundreds of photos his dad took of NYC subway graffiti in the '70s (right), mostly in Brooklyn--the golden era. He's been scanning them and also has some originals, check 'em out. Word/life. E36/FG, Sat

Randi Ehrhart is coming in from North Adams, Mass., for the first time Saturday. She's a longtime dealer with "a storage room full of Indian clothing, antique bric-a-brac, art, jewelry, tons of beaded necklaces, beads, genuine stone, handblown glass, etc." Mostly she wants to sell face-to-face instead of online. So leave some time to sort through her treasures and have a chat. E28/FG, Sat

Planted landscapes and cards made from wallpaper (right) is where Justine is headed with her Earth Crammed with Heaven business--how could we say no? A self-described "landscape architect/graphic designer/maker of beautiful things/trapeze artist," Justine is just waiting to be discovered by all you crafty/design types. E17/FG, Sat

The Mac Support Store over on 7th St. in Gowanus is doing a little clearance sale on Saturday, with stuff like a $5 mouse, a $30 real wood keyboard, and an $80 PowerBook battery. Gearheads, see you at the iFlea. W15/FG, Sat

Akanke Watu is trying to raise some extra cash by parting with her closets full of gently used clothing, shoes, artwork, hats, toys, and more. Cash for clutter! W24/FG, Sat

Bronnie ran the Gallery for Wearable Art in Manhattan for 25 years, then got out. Starting tomorrow you'll have access to her "lifetime collection of antiques, mostly embroidered textiles, laces, antique children's books, a few dolls, unusual antique and vintage clothing of a very sophisticated variety plus many collectibles in all categories." Um, sounds really good! L15/FG, Sat

Christine runs the Shawnee Gallery down in Pennsylvania where she reps a bunch of great rural woodworkers, blacksmiths, and jewelers. We especially liked Richard Weber's "Spheres of Influence" earthenware (right). I-48/Bridge, Sun

Kara Krupnick lives in the 'hood, checked out the Flea for the first time in July, told us she wanted to sell her housewares and vintage duds. Done. V13/FG, Sat

Cool thing alert. Karen and Al (above) of Antiquinaires are among our most dedicated team players, always working to make their booth more attractive and relevant to Fleasters, helping out fellow vendors, dropping hints to Senor and Rob to lift up the market as a whole. We like.

They've started a fab new service at the Fort Greene market where every Saturday between 2 and 3pm they'll appraise any vintage/antique item you bring in for the "price" of $1. Wondering if your grandma's candy tin is worth selling on eBay? Got a nice Deco lamp that seems valuable but you're just not sure? Bring it to Karen and Al in booths W19+21 (on the center aisle) and they'll let you know.

They run an auction and antiques shop out in Nassau County and have been in the "business" for decades, so they know this from that and bric from brac. Plus, Karen and Al are sweethearts of the highest order and you'll have fun while learning the flea-market ropes. Who knows, maybe you'll realize your stuff is ready for primetime at ze Flea!