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October 2009« September 2009 - November 2009 »October 30, 2009What's New?
Welles + Graham Workshop is a new sister-duo biz who make cool clocks (above) and flasks from vintage materials out of their Red Hook studio. Brittany and sis also make and refurbish furniture and lamps which they'll be rolling out if the Flea goes well. I-24, Bridge/Sun We believe there can never be enough records at the Flea, or any flea. Steve has a retail shop called Iris Records in Jersey City and does fairs all over, now runs his own, the Record Riot, which happens at Warsaw. He's got mostly vinyl, some CDs, no bootlegs, and comes from the comprehensive school, which means heaven for diggers. (For a few boxes of expertly chosen "out" stuff, head to Nick Kass-Johnson's booth, both days.) I-54+56, Bridge/Sun
David Makowski and his lady love auctions and The Hunt, not quite pros though. They like the mid-century, '60s/'70s furniture/lighting (who doesn't really?), Buddhist icons, and handwoven rugs from the Stans. They have a shop called Twice Upon A Time in cute Brattleboro, VT, making their debut trek to ze Flea tomorrow. Welcome them warmly! L13, FG/Sat More antiques. Randy has been in the game for 15, own shop in CT for 12, daughter lives on Washington Ave., so she knows the Flea. Her biz Stockintrade runs the gamut—vintage jewelry, clothing, housewares, pottery, furniture, and on and on. V16, FG/Sat
Kallie is in town for one weekend only, so she'll be hawking the jewelry from her 31 Bits non-profit Saturday and Sunday. The snazzy pieces are made from recycled paper by women in Uganda, and the proceeds provide income/jobs and community-building opportunities. Do right. E14, FG/Sat; I-41, Bridge/Sun Couple new furniture designers in the mix under the Bridge this Sunday: Bret Cavanaugh builds modern furniture out of recycled and new materials, looking for new venues to sell, especially for the lower-priced line he's rolling out. He's also moving studios and has some floor models to part with, so you should find good deals on serious pieces like the gorgeous bed (right, below) and some nice coat racks. F-9, Bridge/Sun
Scavenger Hunt Items: Oct. 31+Nov. 1
Fun, useful, pretty things this week. Don't be so scared you don't Scavenge—you can trick, treat, and Hunt! 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. 1. Bicycle screenprint, matted, 9"x12". New/handmade (Fort Greene/Saturday) 2. Vintage brass shark pendant on 18" chain. New/Handmade (Brooklyn Bridge/Sunday)
Spooklyn Flea
Flea vendors know they're a no-brainer source for unique costumes and accessories, so they'll be bringing out the dead (stock) to wow the life out of you. And trick-or-treaters should totally make the rounds of food vendors—Liddabit, for example, is concocting baby caramel apples among other special sweets for the day. We're dying to see the scene unfold!
October 29, 2009BFF of the Week: Alice HsiungLast Sunday the Flea's snazzy Design Co-op switched to Sunday to impress Miss M with their craft-tastic wares. We caught up with one lass purchasing some notecards from Maptote. Welcome Alice.
Where are you from? And you're here visiting? Are you staying in Brooklyn? Did you not know that Brooklyn was the place to be before you booked? So how did you find out about the Flea? What did you buy here? What are you going to do with them? Did you know that Martha Stewart is here today? What was the last crafty thing you did, the last thing that would make Martha Stewart proud? Do you think you'll be coming back to Brooklyn anytime soon? Then we'll see you again! Thanks Alice!
Vendor of the Week: JarontiquesJaron was a sales and marketing executive at a major record label for years. Over the last 10 he started collecting antiques on the side, slowly filling his garage in Kensington (which he likes to call "South Slope"). When it started to burst at the seams, he knew what he had to do. He had to sell. And sell he did. Dubbing himself "Jarontiques" (where everything is "Jaronteed!"), Jaron's first public foray into "the business" was Day One of the Flea, and it was nothing less than inspiring. For the next he year plotted his transition from Executive to Dealer, closing the deal this spring and going full Flea. When Jaron was a wee tween, he scoured with his grandparents—they collected antiques, he baseball cards. Now fully bearded, Jaron specializes in mid-century modern Blenko Glass—brightly colored, clean lines, highly sought-after pieces—decorative arts, table clocks, and other perfectly unique pieces for the home. J-Rock always comes correct at the Flea: constantly switching up his booth, giving 110% on his display (all yellow one day, all wood another, grouping random things together), and dedicating himself to the art of collecting in a way that makes him a leader of sorts among the Flea's next-gen coterie. (He's even got a super-snazzy new website now, too.) And owls. Part of marketing and selling is paying attention to the market—and in this one, owls dominate, says J. He's gone deep into research on the habits and variations of owls, and the quality and quantity of owl items in his booth never ceases to amaze. Check out Jarontiques in Fort Greene (V5) and under the Bridge (F-12) pretty much every durned weekend. He's a hoot!
October 28, 2009The Incredible Brooklyn Flea Market!
We're just quoting Martha, not being cocky! OK, maybe we're milking this a little, so sue us. In advance of her Nov. 10 TV show on Brooklyn, Martha blogged her Sunday visit to the Flea, complete with a 40-photo slideshow, including this snapshot with Pizza Moto Dave. Photo Credit: The Martha Blog
Teamwork!
More cross-pollinating among Flea vendor-pals, as Flux Productions has designed the latest fabric for Osborn Design Studio's groovy shoe line (above). Many Fleasters have introduced a Flux T or hoodie into their wardrobe, whether it be designer Ryan's tree-silhouette, undulating-wave, intertwined-leaves, or other abstract-cool pattern—his stuff is practically de rigueur around Flea HQ. In fact, Senor sported a Flux tree T pre-Flea that he bought from Ryan's (still) regular Prince St. spot in Soho. His shoe design is printed on Japanese denim btw. Carla and Aaron started out as Heartisans last year—their felt squirrels were and are well-loved—and have since evolved into the more sophisticated Osborn Design Studio. In addition to the line of shoes now featuring Flux, Carla produces intricate, magic-tinged drawings that are very "Brooklyn apartment," and also often has these giant fungi that look like driftwood and/or elephant ears, which she scavenges down in her native Guatemala. She and Aaron have all their crafts—shoes included—manufactured by a small women's cooperative there, which thrives on their sales up north here. Looks good, feels good. Both vendors will also be at Gifted, naturally.
October 27, 2009Finders/Keepers Oct. 25
In the midst of the Sunday hoopla, the Hunt was almost overlooked—almost. Donna Jo's lamp lit the way to Scavenge heaven.
Jessica Fish (left) lives in Boerum Hill, has been to the Fort Greene Flea a bunch, decided to bring her mom (from Brooklyn suburb Maplewood, NJ) to the Bridge Flea on this gorgeous Sunday. Jessica had perused the blog on Friday, wasn't necessarily looking for the item, then happened upon it around 1pm—score! Donna Jo Brady of Re-Surface Design takes photos of dilapidated Brooklyn buildings and structures and transforms them into edgy lamps, which are always a hit at the Flea. She'll be at Gifted too.
Check back at noon Friday for this weekend's items.
October 26, 2009Hangin' with Martha
Martha was shooting part of her TV show's upcoming hour-long special on Brooklyn, which focuses especially on the food scene Fleasters know and love so well. It's scheduled to air Tuesday, November 10—don't worry, we'll remind you. Here's Mr. B and Senor bantering with Miss M before our interview. She was talking about being stuck in bridge traffic, and how she hadn't eat all day in anticipation of the Flea, except for some carrot puree she's working on for Thanksgiving. Then she ate like 4 lunches including Pizza Moto, pupusas, lobster rolls, Asia Dog and more!
Gifted, Big City Style!
The Flea is doing its "Gifted" holiday market again this year--in the big ole borough o' Manhattan. Yes, it's true, and yes it's gonna rule. Remember the old Tower Records Annex, at E. 4th St. and Lafayette? We're doing it there. (There's a halloween store there now.) We'll have room for about 50 vendors, and we'll be open 5 days a week (Wed-Sun) until Christmas, after launching the Friday after Thanksgiving, Nov. 27. We're working with Lucky magazine on Gifted: Their editors will do a rotating Curated Corner all month featuring their favorite cool designers and makers, and the mag will help us get the word out in that foreign land across the river, and beyond.... So what to expect as we step it up? An alternative to big-box stores for one. An affordable option to high-priced boutiques for another. Way better stuff than blah gift markets--for sure. So far we've got everything from Lotta Jansdotter to Brooklyn Brew Shop home beermaking kits to 19th Century nature prints to Lacroix vintage jewelry to awesome design objects to super-cute letterpress stationery to hipster T-shirts to pretty terrariums to a full range of maker-made jewelry. And we've only just begun. We've left a few spots open to welcome new vendors into the Flea fold, so if you've got what it takes and want to sell at Gifted, drop us a line. We'd love to hear from you. Finally, we're planning a cool window display/installation, likely featuring the digital reindeer on the right as Gifted's mascot. What do you think of this cute creature?
October 25, 2009Slideshow Oct. 25Yes, the nutcrackers ARE for sale. Maybe Martha had some crafty ideas for them during her 3-hour tour of the Bridge Flea on Sunday (postponed from Saturday for weather). One of the Flea's finest hours yesterday, thanks to all for coming out. Relive it here.
October 23, 2009This Weekend at the Flea
We're a bit overwhelmed here at Flea HQ this week. We'll get the Scavenger Hunt and vendor layouts up soon, but in the meantime we just want to let you know that the special guest you may have read about coming to the Flea this weekend--she's coming on Sunday instead of Saturday. Yep. For this reason, coupled with the millionth crappy Saturday forecast this season, Sunday is packed to the gills with the best mix of vendors the Bridge Flea has seen in its brief tenure. The Flea Design Co-op is hopping over to Sunday from Saturday, as are loads of regulars and newcomers--too many to list here. And we've carved out extra space to squeeze in virtually every food vendor in the Flea family on Sunday as well, many of them shacking up together for a sort of one-day stand. So come, fly into the mystery, and we'll see you on the other side.
Scavenger Hunt Item: Oct. 25
Pretty special item this week--special enough in fact to compensate for Saturday's non-item. Happy Hunting! When you find the item 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. 1. "A-Light" accent lamp, with shade inspired by dilapidated NYC building facades and Japanese wabisabi. New/handmade (Brooklyn Bridge/Sunday)
October 22, 2009BFF of the Week: Jamie + JeffDon't call me a third wheel. Who wouldn't approach a hot pair, looking all in love, to be their bestie? Welcome Jamie and Jeff!
So, what did you buy here? Did you also get that from My Little India? What are you going to do with it? Cool, where are you getting your table from, somewhere at the Flea? I hear Long Island Eddie makes a mean table. Have you been to the Flea before? So you guys are making that big step together? Did you move in the neighborhood? How are you getting your dresser home? Think I'll get invited to the housewarming? I would totally bring something awesome like a grapevine from Groundworks or maybe a clock made out of vinyl from Wecords By Monkey (hint hint). Thanks Jamie and Jeff!
Project for Public Spaces @ Ze Flea
Saturday is a big day for the Flea, with special guests galore. Among them will be a troop of about 40 budding marketeers from across the country attending the "How to Create Successful Markets" conference put on by the excellent non-profit Project for Public Spaces. The marketeers tour New York's "great markets" in addition to attending seminars and the like, and the Flea is apparently one of those now. We're pretty sure folks just wanna eat lunch at our yummy vendors and peruse the antiques and clothes, which is fine, so if you see Senor holding court with a bunch of huarache-juice-spilling out-of-towners by the bleachers around noon, tell 'em how much you love the Flea!
October 21, 2009Finders/Keepers Oct. 17+18
The weather, um, could have been more awesome this past weekend, but somehow Saturday held up enough for the Flea to flourish, if modestly. Hunters persevered nonetheless, naturally. We only have info on one winner, awaiting the other... Kate (left) just moved from Indiana to Brooklyn Heights, where she works as a nanny. She's never won anything before, so she was pretty psyched to find the cute earth-mover onesie in Brooklyn Junior's booth. She's gonna send it to a good friend back home in Richmond, Indiana, who just had a baby. Nice. She's with BK Junior's Nadia, she of the fire-red hair, who churns out stylish, versatile kids clothing over in B1 every darn week. Nadia also just launched a new shop of her own, after 2 years of success at the Flea, over on the corner of Myrtle + Clinton Ave. Do check it out! Check back at noon Friday for this weekend's items.
October 19, 2009Slideshow October 17It might have been a bit rainy in the morning, but the sun, shoppers and happy vendors took over the afternoon. If you missed it on Saturday, check the slideshow.
October 16, 2009In the News
Plenty o' news bites to go around of late, figured we'd do a little gray-day roundup. Not least among them is Lonely Planet, whose homepage splashes (above) on the Flea with an informative Q+A with Senor. Hopefully lots of global backpackers and adventure travelers will take heed! Some other cool hits: Stylecaster peruses the Fort Greene Flea, tries on a fur stole, ogles a turtle-shell purse, plays with a Stormtrooper action figure, visits Charlie the Child Swami. The Daily Obsession drools over Kumquat Cupcakery, like so many before them. Sweet. Heart Fish's Hijiri cruises the Flea, also extols the virtues of our new Design Co-op. NBC NY also digs the Design Co-op. The Voice's Robert Sietsema returns to the Flea food fold and discovers (relative) newcomers like Liddabit and Asia Dog. Also acknowledges the Salvatore ricotta "toasts" as out of this friggin' world. Senor is quoted in the Times Styles section as helping redefine the word "curate." Silliness. Longtime vendor Brooklyn Junior has opened a new shop of their own at Myrtle and Clinton. Congrats! NYU Local, the big U's unofficial news site, hearts the Flea. The Daily News gets hip to Boiled in Brooklyn's Goober Peas. Boiled peanuts, yum. (Unfortunately, Katherine and crew are done for the season we just learned! :-()
Scavenger Hunt Items: Oct. 17+18
Supposedly it may rain this weekend--if you believe weatherpeople we've got a bridge in Brooklyn.... Anyhoo, two quite nice handmade items of a very different sort on offer this weekend for hearty Scavengers. Happy Hunting! 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. Clockwise from top left: 2. Two tri-pod candle holders, made of three metal rods hand-tied with wire rope. New/handmade (Brooklyn Bridge/Sunday)
Vendor of the Week: Fringe + FeatherThere's nothing finer than the intra-Flea connections that spring up around the markets. A ricotta-and-granola combo here, a handmade sweater photo shoot with a jewelry vendor there, and a Blue Marble sundae with Nunu caramel everywhere. Lillian Crowe (left) and Darlene Estremera, together known as Fringe + Feather, met at the Fort Greene Flea last summer (2008) and decided they liked each other so much, they would just share a booth from then on, pairing original jewelry and vintage clothes. Nice. Lillian's two cast-jewelry lines are Shipwreck and Anatomical. The former features items like driftwood and squid pendants; the latter's signature piece is a human rib cage that Lillian fashions into gold, silver, and brass necklaces, and she's got other body parts too. They're a big hit at the Flea. About half her stuff is made from salvaged goods and dead stock, because not creating new waste is important to Lillian. So are her cats, Buffy and Cuthbert Cut Throat. Darlene, originally from Long Island and doing the fashion thing for a few years now, has the vintage. She sells boots, belts and bags, scarves, skirts and dresses, and even one or two ponchettes (Ed. note: term coined at the Flea, check the images below, you'll see what we mean). Her picks are very cute young sophisticated stylish gal in her 20s--not unlike Miss D. And if you see Darlene in the morning, don't be surprised if she's rocking a new outfit that afternoon. She's got it like that. In addition to Flea biz partners, Lillian and Darlene are also friends. They try to match their outfits (until the plan is black and white, and Lillian shows up in bright yellow) and give each other feedback on their wares. Aside from the business, they chill, and at their first sleepover, Darlene found a cuddle buddy in Cuthbert Cut Throat while sleeping on the floor. Hence, another shared interest found in Lillian's cats. Fringe + Feather can be found at both the Fort Greene and Bridge Fleas most Saturdays and Sundays. Pop in, and ask about the ponchettes.
October 15, 2009BFF of the Week: MikeyWho doesn't like some good political discourse with a BFF? When I saw dude checking out a book at Nick Kass-Johnson's table, holding a camera and what seemed like an awesome motorcycle switch knife (no, he wasn't holding up the place, he had just bought it, too), I thought, He looks fun: book, camera, knife, and all! Welcome Mikey.
Have you been to the Flea before? Is that 'cause you're always home reading? And where is home? You live that close to the Flea and this is your first time? Wow. Damn right. So, what'cha got there? So are you going to go home and read then? Sounds delish! Can I come over? After I eat the fish taco, I mean. I never actually made it over for din, but felt like I created a solid bond with my BFF anyway. Thanks Mikey! October 14, 2009Brooklyn Based in the Curated Corner
Our friendly pals at fun-loving blog/email Brooklyn Based are taking over the Curated Corner at both markets this weekend, and they've done a bang-up job--perhaps our most dedicated and cohesive effort yet. The potential of the Curated Corner is being realized less than a year after it was launched at the Winter Pop-Up Market in DUMBO, which is nice. Nicole and Chrysanthe of BB have compiled a full breakdown of the 12 snazzy vendors they've lassoed this weekend, everything from muffins on a bike to hula hoops to a vintage-portrait photobooth. Curated Corner crammed with quality and cool. Cosmic. In what's now a Corner tradition, a percentage of sales proceeds will go to the St. John's Bread and Life soup kitchen and food pantry in Bed-Stuy. Nice! Here's some of the fun stuff the gals have procured for your perusal:
Saturday Maid Marian Muffins: Marian is making 3 kinds of muffins--apple-chocolate-pear, cranberry-orange, and cranberry-orange-corn, which she'll be selling off her bike. (She's usually in Prospect Park.) Jezebel Letterpress: Flea veteran Leigh Batnick's line of stationery and 14 karat "ant" necklaces and rings. Mama O's Kimchee + The Meat Hook: Meat main man Tom Mylan brings a taste of his soon-to-open butcher shop with some homemade chili. Yummy kimchee. Miss Ellie Jewelry + Brooklyn Based totes: They'll be joined by BB contributor Alicia Kachmar’s super-cute crocheted creatures, including the mother-and-daughter pumpkin set above. Tiburon: Anne O'Neil's Red Hook shop will be selling her shirt dresses made of flannel and corduroy men's shirts, as well as ties made from men's dress shirts. (Her label is Archibald Leach.) Sunday Circle Candy Custom Hula Hoops: Made by Elaine Tian makes custom hoops for indie rockers like Sufjan Stevens, and for regular folks too. Jen Bleier will give a "hoopilates" demo at 12:30 pm. (Sign up and head to the park for the demo.) Kenspeckle Designs: Nerdy Brooklyn-inspired t-shirts for men, women, and kids. Anarchy in a Jar + bundt: Are mini bundt cakes the new cupcake? Decide for yourself with bundter Andrew Sessa's pumpkin, Guinness-ginger, chocolate-chile, and other flavors. Anarchy jammers are preservationists of the highest order. Bundt for a hit! The Meat Hook + Brooklyn Kitchen:: Tom Mylan's back, joined by Flea vets Brooklyn Kitchen, who will be hawking cool vintage kitchenware. Shootbooth: Get your shot snapped with a large-format camera inside an updated century-old photobooth. Really fun!
Design Co-op SlideshowThe Flea's Design Co-op, curated by Lena Corwin and managed by Moontree Letterpress' Rebecca Kutys, was a big success in its Saturday debut, and we took some pics to give you a slideshow snapshot. The tent was full all day with curious shoppers, most of them pleasantly surprised by the cool art, design, and home objects on offer. The Co-op is back this Saturday and every week from here on out, head on over if you haven't yet.
October 13, 2009Charlie the 7-1/2 y.o. Swami
Charlie, the 7-year-old wunderkind who basically rules the Flea, struck out on her own Saturday with a fortune-telling booth (in her parents' Anodyne booth, near the lobster rolls) that did a brisk business all day. With the recession-proof price of a quarter, Charlie displayed a mastery of economics that spilled over into the realm of soothsaying. Quite possibly the cutest girl in the world, Charlie was dead serious in both her channeling of the higher planes of consciousness--and her swami style sense. (Leopard hat!) It goes without saying that this addition to the Flea has a bright future.
Finders/Keepers Oct. 10+11
Fleas in full effect this past weekend, pretty much the way we dreamt 'em up way back in November '07. Thanks to all for coming out! Hunts were over quick, as the items were awesome. From left: Jessica (left) lives in Bushwick, she's a photographer from Houston. Jess has been looking for a Hunt item since the beginning of the summer, finally scored it. Not sure the Bearded Man baby T will fit her perfectly, but certainly a toddler in her life will be made happy sometime soon. She's with Erica of Species by the Thousands, whose groovy designs feel Brooklyn hippie and yet simply chic, from her T's and sweatshirts to her jewelry and accessories. She's at both markets most weekends, discover her for yourself. Check back at noon Friday for this weekend's items.
Slideshow Oct. 13As Mr. Rogers said, it was a beautiful day in the neighborhood. In case you missed it, watch it on FleaVo.
October 12, 2009Open ThreadWhat did you find at the Fleas? Or, anything you were looking for but didn't find? We love to know. October 9, 2009What's New?Co-headliners this week, and another gaggle of new vintage/antique dealers. We're approaching some sort of Golden Age here it seems....
Andy and Chery are veterans of 26th St. and longtime antique show exhibitors. Andy co-founded Lin Weinberg Gallery which was in Soho 1994-2004 and now he and Chery run Mix Gallery in Chelsea, and they'll be transporting their Mid-Century Modern/Industrial Design/Folk Art/Deco/Machine Age furnishings, art, and housewares (above) to the Bridge for a try out this Sunday. Fleasters beg us for this kind of stuff--show us you mean it and get in the Mix. I-48, Bridge/Sun
Chad Dziewior is a furniture designer who collects same on the side. Nakashima, Knoll, Kartell, Heller, 1984 Macintosh--you know the names, come see the real deal. (Check out his sales webpage, mighty impressive.) Chad's also got plenty of knick-knacks for the casual Fleaster, he's no dummy. W15, FG/Sat; I-16, Bridge/Sun Susanna Moore is an accomplished woman of letters (In the Cut, One Last Look, I Myself Have Seen It) and a writing professor at Princeton. She also collects clothing and textiles, much of it in the antique realm from China, and of course she has an enormous trove of books. Please help her dispense with these material items on Sunday--and meet a great writer while you're at it. F-39, Bridge/Sun Stylist Sale Alert: Nikia Nelson is a costume designer and production designer; her friend is a magazine editor. They're one-timers with clothes/home stuff/jewelry/shoes. Go git 'em! E17, FG/Sat Bill is a friend of Maurice's, from the old school (26th St., etc.). He just called us last-minute for a spot, coming in from the East End to try out Fort Greene, which he's heard a lot about out there. His biz is Worldwide Auction Catalogs, with a focus on vintage auction catalogs (everything under the sun), collectible books, and reference books of all kinds. Serious collector stuff! C7, FG/Sat Gary is another 17th St. longtimer, has all kinds of crazy antiques. Last week he had an amazing rocket-ship coatrack, bizarro vintage toys, wood cuttings--like, real flea market stuff. Serious character as well. W27, FG/Sat; F-25, Bridge/Sun
Magasin Totale is Michele's DUMBO showroom (below) where she reps product designers, jewelry makers, artists, and more. She also has a cool side biz called Clutter for Cash, which means she has nice, well, stuff of all kinds as well. I-11, Bridge/Sun
Three Potato Four's Back
Everyone loves Stu and Janet's modern take on vintage housewares at Three Potato Four, so whenever they make the trek up from Virginia (!) we try to let folks know. Lots of letters, numbers, symbols, bright colors, and impeccable taste. (That's a Russian girl doll, above.) They'll be in V2 in Fort Greene on Saturday, and might grab a spot at the Bridge on Sunday too.
Scavenger Hunt Items: Oct. 10+11
Thar's gold in that thar yard! Shiny stuff Saturday, soft stuff Sunday (from a previous rain-out for those playing at home). Should be perfect weather for Fleaing, and Scavenging, of course. To the Hunt! Note: two items this Saturday. 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! Clockwise from top left: 2. '50s industrial laundry/dry cleaning bag from "Manhattan Cleaners." Vintage (Fort Greene/Saturday) 3. Organic cotton "Bearded Man" baby tee. New/handmade (Brooklyn Bridge/Sunday)
Vendor of the Week: John MurphyJohn Murphy is "that really cool artist guy" you've seen at the Flea since Day One, with the super-saturated ornate frames surrounding vibrantly colored, intimately detailed photographs of miniature sets he constructs in his Philadelphia studio, usually featuring small birds and flowers. They feel like 2-D dioramas of Candy Land or some other fantastical technicolor world. John is a longtime art curator who now focuses solely on his own work. His pieces aren't what you'd call typical "flea art" in any way, and ever since he started out with the Design*Sponge section in April '08 we've seen scores of Fleasters ooh and ahh over his gorgeous work, deservedly so. For a unique edition like what he brings to market, it's right up Affordable Lane, especially when you think of the frame and print as two pieces combined. John also sells unframed photo collages that are sourced from 19th Century etchings, then combined with his own photographs and printed on archival paper in limited editions. (Check the slideshow below.) Although his photos and frames are of a single piece, John will soon start selling the frames separately. He's also launching a new stationery collection that's pretty and cool. And don't miss his ostrich drawings, which will be finding their way onto Baby Flea's wall very soon. John does the Saturday and Sunday Fleas, but he's been focusing on the Bridge market lately, including this Sunday, Oct. 11. He's usually in F-41 along the back fence near the pupusas, chillin' and chattin'.
October 7, 2009
MUGgin' for the Flea
Manhattan User's Guide (aka "MUG"), a top shopping blog, crosses the bridge for its latest "21 Under $21" feature, finding a range of items at the Flea as diverse as the market itself. To wit: maple marshmallows ($6, Whimsy + Spice), a vintage GE travel iron ($15, Reclaimed Home), Itty-Bitty Mieko Bowls ($19, Alyssa Ettinger), Gramercy Rail Pendant ($20, Citybitz), and, well, 17 more great things. Check it out.
October 6, 2009Flea Design Co-op Starts Oct. 10
This Saturday, Oct. 10, we're launching a new "Design Co-op" of top local artists and designers, curated by textile designer and illustrator Lena Corwin, under a single big tent every week in Fort Greene. It's a big step for us in terms of logistics and quality, but we figured that if so many folks love the Flea's local food, we should capture that same spirit with Brooklyn and NYC's excellent craft/design scene. You'll find the Co-op in its own double-booth up front every Saturday (B19+20 on the vendor map), featuring top Brooklyn artists in design, painting and printing, ceramics, letterpress, and more. (We'll have a webpage with all the vendors later this week.) Confirmed Co-op vendors for October include Lotta Jansdotter, Laura Normandin, Marcie McGoldrick, Moontree Letterpress, Sesame Letterpress, MAPTOTE, Wayne Pate/Good Shape Design, and Lena Corwin. Additional vendors will be added for November, and for the Flea’s upcoming Gifted holiday market, starting November 27. Individual vendors will make appearances at the Co-op on a rotating basis, and special events and guests will be scheduled as well, such as a limited-edition poster designed by Wayne Pate (above) available for $15 at the October 10 launch. Check it out!
Slideshow Oct. 3+4Sun showers on Saturday attracted the savvy collectors, knowing they'd have the run of the place, while Sunday's picture-perfect day brought out the masses. Either find yourself Where's Waldo-style here or check what you missed in this week's slideshow.
Finders/Keepers Oct. 3+4
Saturday was going great until the R word showed up and drenched us. Sal chipped his tooth that morning but still managed to come through for the Hunt. Respect! From left: Nicole (left) lives in Hoboken and she and her sister had "Wendy" dolls as girls in the early '80s. She fondly remembered playing with her mullet for hours on end, so cute. She found the tracksuited doll in Sal's Tincan Trading Post booth before noon. Sal is new to the Flea but already feels like a regular, trekking down from Sullivan County with all kinds of antique goodies. He's got stories in spades too. He noted how Wendy's mullet and soft perm hair was extra-enhanced and fluffy from all the humidity Saturday. Ha. He's around L15 on Saturdays. Debra (right) saw the psychedelic Woodstock poster --more far-out than groovy--on sunny Sunday, and moments later it was hers. Lovely Cara had trucked it in from Detroit for the debut of her Dolly Rocker's Detroit Vintage booth last weekend, where she had a blast and got right into the spirit of the Flea. Her dad is Carl Lundgren, whose rock posters (including this one) are legendary and gorgeous. Cara sells digital prints of those, plus cool rocker vintage clothing, and her friend's great architectural salvage. Nice mix! Check back at noon Friday for this weekend's items.
October 5, 2009BFF of the WeekAs is customary on Saturday and Sunday afternoons, I was thinking about what was going to fill the belly when I saw two words I didn't understand together: Goober and Pea. I thought this nice chick could help me out. Meet Adriana.
Where ya from, Adriana? What do you do? Have you been to the Flea before? No?! I would think as an interior designer that this would be your thing! So, have you heard of Goober Peas before? People might not know that a Goober Pea is a boiled peanut and think it's something weird or gross. What is the weirdest or grossest thing you ever ate? And what is your favorite food? Pasta? I thought you were going to say some awesome BBQ or something. Good point. Guess we need a pasta vendor. There ya have it, the culinary surprises of a southern transplant. Thanks Adriana!
How Cute is This
Fleaster Steven sent us this pic of his darling daughter Sophia in the wicker chair they bought in Fort Greene on Saturday avant le deluge. It was $30 from Phyllis at Reclaimed Home, who by the way has awesome new stuff for fall. Send us your Flea pics, we'll post 'em here and on our Facebook page.
October 2, 2009What's New?
Click here for the weekend's layout every Friday at noon. (Scroll down for the Bridge Flea.) Jes Minardi and pal Brooke have dealt in antiques for awhile, including a shop up in Cold Spring, then Jes did a stint as an artist, and now back to the 'tiques. They have housewares (like Russell Wright stuff, above) and a little furniture and seemingly quite good taste. I-15, Bridge/Sun Many rug merchants have tried to Flea and but ended up fleeing instead. If you like vintage rugs, we'd love to have a permanent vendor, and father and son duo Zia and Zach of ZZ Imports want to be those guys. They're sweet, helpful, honest, and bringing rugs you can afford that are really nice. Worth a visit. F-35, Bridge/Sun Cara is a friend of TJ's from Detroit, and she runs Garment District New and Vintage out there in Roseville, goes by the nom de vendor Dolly Rocker. Reformed New Yorker, got a hankering for the Apple, driving in for the weekend with everything from cast-iron architectural salvage to wooden casting patterns (from the D's "industrial revolution") to b+w blues photos by Leni Sinclair to amazing rock and roll posters (wink wink). Strong. L12, FG/Sat; F-5, Bridge/Sun
Maurice aka Mick just showed up last week with a truck full of antiques spanning a spectrum of styles, and he was a big hit. He'll be back in the Clermont/Lafayette corner on Saturday. C2/L2, FG/Sat Anthony Franck had a carpentry and antiques shop on E. 4 St. in the city for awhile, then on E. 10 St. that he said was open mainly at night. Hmmm. He's got tons of stuff, we're curious to know what he has too. B8, FG/Sat
Michael Davis happened upon the Bridge Flea recently and as a collector is taking turn on the Other Side. He's a retired swimming coach with lots of smalls, housewares, glass, all in great shape. F-43, Bridge/Sun Rain-out newbies from last week: Natasha Diggs is another 17th St. flea refugee, with a specialty in rare records, vintage jewelry and watches, and antique bric-a-brac. She's a longtime dealer making her Brooklyn debut, she's friendly, show her some love. V14, FG/Sat
Kiss Our (Lobster) Grits
Red Hook Lobster Pound--aka the "Lobster Roll people"--are rolling out a new lobster bisque and lobster grits on Sunday under the Bridge. We're not aware of too many other fleas with lobster bisque available--it's almost funny how classy the Flea can be and yet still maintain its salt of the earth vibe. High/low, baby. And just sayin' that if you haven't been to the Bridge Flea on Sundays yet, we have to say that it's really hit its stride over the last few weeks and has become a really high-quality market with a distinct identity from Fort Greene. This Sunday it's full to the brim with awesome vendors new and old, and the sun might even come out. You can also check out the progress on the new Brooklyn Bridge Park at Pier 6 this Sunday, which is scheduled to open in January. (The Bridge Flea is technically part of the same park btw.)
Scavenger Hunt Items: Oct. 3+4
We're really into this week's Hunt, with two stellar vintage items in the mix, each special in its own way. Scavenge away. 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: 2. Commemorative Woodstock poster by Carl Lundgren, 13"x19". Vintage (Brooklyn Bridge/Sunday)
October 1, 2009Lucky + GQ Japan + Vogue Tri-fecta
Madewell pal Lisa Schulner shouts out the Flea on Luckymag.com as one of her favorite vintage shopping haunts in New York City, which we appreciate. Not that Lisa wasn't a vendor last summer with hubby Michael (they were cutely called Morris + Tweed) and isn't 100% objective, or that the Flea and Madewell didn't team up over the summer, but still, it's nice to be in the (virtual) pages of Lucky. This Japan thing is getting weird. The Flea shows up in this month's GQ Japan (above, with Brad Pitt on the cover), in a big Brooklyn-heavy NYC feature. We bow politely toward Tokyo. And finally, commenter prezanon was correct that Alexa Chung digs the Flea in the new issue of Vogue, in a piece that only seems to exist in the print realm. Thanks Alexa!
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Sean's background is graphic design, gal Kristy's in fashion—put their heads together and (literally) tapped into Kristy's family's upstate slate quarry, bring the stuff back here, cut it themselves into cheese plates (right), trivets, and the like. Cool clean look to the blue, red (who knew?), and purple slate, which is fairly priced and (we think) poised for the bigtime. They're called 
Tanesha Smith works at Bluefly.com, right near the gal who handles the Project Runway "Bluefly.com Accessories Wall" (choose wisely!). On the side she's started making terrariums (right), which seem to be all the rage and we hope find a regular home at the Flea. As a fashionista, she'll be augmenting with a few choice vintage-clothing pieces, naturally. W15, FG/Sat
The Flea hopes to add to Fort Greene's rep as Brooklyn Halloween Central, with the Great Pupkin contest in the park (go Shuggie!), 313 Clinton's annual insanity, and just general neighborhood ghoulishness. 
Marie Nadege Paul lives in Ditmas Park, training as an architect, born in Haiti. Has all sorts of cool Haitian artifacts: clay figurines, paintings, iron work (right), all kinds of cool artifacts, old and new. W35, FG/Sat
Liz and her 
Upscale stoop sale alert! Kira Dixon and Adam have some vintage furniture (right), some construction tools, some lamps, some smalls. Adam ran a design-build firm for 10 years, has a bunch of stuff in storage they need to split with now that they're in Tucson, and their collector pal Joe is sharing the booth. Kira manages a public market there, so she's gung-ho to experience the Flea. Welcome them warmly. B7, FG/Sat
