November 2009

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November 20, 2009

Scavenger Hunt Items: Nov. 21+22

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We bid a bittersweet ciao to ze outdoor Fleas this weekend, so come and Scavenge one last time. (Don't worry, the Hunt will roll on at the DUMBO indoor winter market, maybe even at Gifted too.) Mille grazie!

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.

From left:
1. Art Deco 1930s-40's Bakelite chain with mother-of-pearl shells. Vintage (Fort Greene/Saturday)

2. English pottery jug, still functional. Vintage (Brooklyn Bridge/Sunday)


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VOTW - Osborn Design Studios

This week we caught up with folks behind Osborn Design Studios to talk about their art and design products. We love the intricate prints handmade by Carla and the fair-trade shoes are perfect for your inner hipster. Check 'em out!

What are your names?
Aaron: My name is Aaron Osborn.
Carla: Carla Venticinque-Osborn.
A: Our business name is Osborn Design Studios.
C: We're married.

Where are you guys from?
A: Philadelphia.
C: Teaneck, New Jersey. Now we live in Greenpoint.

What do you sell?
A: We sell handcrafted shoes and art prints, but our inventory is always changing as we come up with new design ideas. But shoes and prints are the staple. We do bootie slippers, a bunch of puzzles, things for kids, scarves.

And how long have you been selling it for?
C: We have been doing it at the Flea for two years. We were here on the first day. And our business has been branching out ever since.

What's your specialty?
C: Art.
A: Design.

What keeps you coming back to the Flea?
A: It's a great market and community. They do amazing promotion, just great opportunities have come out like magazine features.
C: And being here, everyone who is everyone comes through the Flea so you get people who are scouting major stores and smaller boutiques so there is opportunities for growth. And it's just really well-curated.
A: I really like the community of the Flea. All the vendors are great.

What do you do for fun?
A: Make shoes.
C: Think about our business.

Where can people find you online?
C: We have a website, Osborndesign.com

What else do you want the good people to know about you guys?
A: I am most excited about the business because we employ 28 people full-time who otherwise wouldn't have any work in Guatemala, that's where my family lives. Twenty-one of them are single moms. It gives it a lot more meaning than just selling something "cool."
C: Our shoes are fair-trade and it's a microeconomic project, and it really works!
We'll also be at Gifted with a lot of new prints, more art, more shoes. We are really growing.

I-15 under the Bridge on Sunday.

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November 19, 2009

BFF of the Week: Martina + Eric

Go Seek Antiques probably intended for their candelabra to become a nice interior highlight, but Martina and Eric have other ideas. Oh, and let's hope someone else gets a chance at the lobster rolls before these two come again. Meet our BFFs of the week, Martina and Eric!

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What do you have here?
Eric: Protection! For walking down the street!
Martina: No! We bought a a candelabra.
E: Yeah, because we are trying to save on energy. Electricity is very expensive. So this is us becoming greener and greener.

Is that true?
M: No. Ha. We need something tall for the table that really sticks out. So it's perfect.
E: But we both like a lot of candlelight.
M: We'll put candles in here—this is not something for just decor.
E: And use it for holiday parties.
M: Yeah, holiday parties.

When's your next holiday party?
M: I'm from Italy so we always have friends coming over in December and January.
E: We are also going to have 120 people over for a Brooklyn Youth Chorus Parent Party.

That's a lot!
M: Yes, we have a lot of people all the time, very informal though.

Do you live in the area?
M: Yes, we live up the hill over there [ed.: the Heights].

Do you come to the Flea often?
M: This is his first time, but I have come several times. I have been to the Fort Greene one too, and when it was inside in DUMBO.
E: We are also friends with the lobster roll people.

Red Hook Lobster Pound?
E: Yes, I had a lobster roll today! They are fabulous. It's all lobster, hardly any mayonnaise, the bread is very light. So you can eat like 3 or 4 of them!
M: I already had 2 today!

Thanks guys!


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Finders/Keepers Nov. 14+15

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For the first time last week another vendor won the Hunt. Insanity. We had to check the rules and regs, but found no clause barring such Scavenging.

The lucky winner was none other than Monkey (center), of WrecordsByMonkey—the record-vinyl-recycled bracelet/clock guy and all-around excellent chap—who apparently is really into Haitian art. Who knew?

Monkey scoured the Flea all Saturday morning, only to stumble across the beautiful painted wooden bowl in his neighbors Lionel and Constant's booth. Again, insanity. Upon victory, Monkey proclaimed, "I now have a beautiful place to hide my personal green planet." Exactly!

Lionel and Constant, as you may recall from their Vendor of the Week, collect all kinds of cool vintage stuff on trips to their Haiti homeland. When their mother passed away in Haiti, they returned to where they were born to find that she left the care of six orphans to her two sons. They were also modest underground hip-hop stars in the 80s, it's true. They're at both Fleas, and will be at 81 Front St. in DUMBO for the winter pop-up, which starts Dec. 5+6.

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


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Wholey Deserving

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Australian Scent just started selling their natural skin-care line at the Tribeca Whole Foods, a deal that came about through a Flea interaction. They're also in the cool new Dumbo shop Trunk, also from a chance Flea encounter. We still get misty-eyed when this kind of stuff happens, and like to share it with you.

Especially since AS' Megan and Eddie are some of the sweetest folks at the Flea, and we're not just talking about how they smell, which is lovely and, well, organic. Their balms, lotions, and potions are free of chemicals, parabens, and pretty much anything that's not straight from a seed or plant. Their Balm of Gilead (above) is a big seller.

Look for Megan and Eddie at the final outdoor Flea this weekend, and every week of Gifted.


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November 16, 2009

Slideshow Nov. 15: Take A Seat

Stools, benches, lounges, and chairs—we got em'. After hours of shoppin' in the gorgeous fall weather, sometimes you just need to take a seat—from the Flea!


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November 13, 2009

Community Site Launches

Wondering what the new "Community" tab on the site is all about? (We know you didn't notice.) Starting this week, dozens of Flea vendors have started writing their own posts, on everything from what they're bringing to market this weekend (a Steampunk doghouse, e.g.) to their latest pumpkin pie recipe (thanks Whimsy + Spice).

The best part: you can post there too! Just join the Community and then you can ask the vendors to find you, say, a George Nelson coffee table, or an old Brooklyn map, or a new flavor of pickle. What other flea is so virtually advanced?

It's new, it's hip, and we have no idea what to expect—always the best recipe for fun. Check it out, and let the fireworks begin.


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Scavenger Hunt Items: Nov. 14+15

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We're gearing up for full Fleas this post-Martha weekend, so you'll have to be quick on the draw to Scavenge these items, which are artisan and art, respectively. Prepare to 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.

From left:
1. Handcrafted and -painted wooden bowl from Haiti. New/handmade (Fort Greene/Saturday)

2. "Quail": 8"x10" limited-edition print, signed and numbered. New/handmade (Brooklyn Bridge/Sunday)


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Sokosh So Good!

Sokosh%20NYT.jpgOur man with the mustache David Sokosh has some wonderful tintype photographs in the Times this week, in a Thursday Styles section story about tweed and 1890s fashion looks. Great stuff, very Flea.

David can always be found in ye olde L9 in Fort Greene (although not this Saturday) and F-5 under the Bridge, with his pal Lon Black and his postcards. David is always changing up his old-fashioned-feeling booth: vintage Brooklyn clocks most of the time,
great old books, housewares, photographs, all sorts of funky stuff. Can't miss David either—he rocks a handlebar moustache and, well, an 1890s-style tweed look!


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November 12, 2009

Vendor of the Week: Joseph Sipos

We caught up with Joe Sipos over the weekend, a primetime vintage dealer whose milkshake brings all the boys and girls to the yard: his shoes, dresses, sweaters, jackets, and jewelry are fit for co-eds and co-stars alike. Joe also can also spin tales of celebrity gossip til the cows come home. We learned some interesting stuff about what he does on the record, but off the record found out that he recently sold 5 bags to a certain celeb at the Flea—we're surprised the "paparazzi" weren't following her around!

Name?
My name is Joseph Sipos and my company is Estate of Art Vintage Lifestyle.

Hometown?
New York City. Bay Ridge Brooklyn to be exact.

What do you sell and how long have you been selling it for?
I sell vintage clothing and accessories and I have been selling for about 20 years.

What's your specialty?
Vintage accessories.

What's your most memorable sale?
Selling shoes to Debbie Harry.

What keeps you coming back to the Flea?
The image and vibe is really good and high.

What do you do with your time while not Fleaing?
I'm a prop stylist for TV and movies during the week. For fun, I cook and eat.

How can accessory-driven people contact you?
Anyone can find me at the Flea. [Every weekend: B15/Fort Greene; F-11/Bridge.]

Anything else we can expect from Estate of Art Vintage soon?
I'm starting to sell a lot of World War II army surplus—I'l be doing that over the winter [at 81 Front St.]. And vintage accessories for women, shoes especially.


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BFF of the Week: Aaron Carambula

Who knows where you'll find inspiration for your art or your coffee table—either way, ze Flea got the goods, as our new BFF Aaron knows.

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What do you have there?
It's an old children's block set and you can use these modules to make your own letters. They call it "victory" colors which I guess means faded yellow, blue and grey. The vendor has a whole bunch of antique blocks for kids. [Ed. note: She sure does: Blue Jet Toys has all kinds.]

What are you going to do with your new purchase?
I'm going to use them for some projects. I have a website called Friends of Type where I do a lot of lettering and this is going to become work instead of fun. Haha.

What's the website all about?
It's a blog my friends and I have where we just challenge each other with different lettering and type design, sketches, you know.

So do you come to the Flea to find stuff for your projects?
Sometimes that. Sometimes just to see what's going on. As an alternative to a bar or something.

Are you a local Brooklynite?
Yeah, we aren't too far from here. We've been in Prospect Heights for the last 5 years.
Michigan before that. We are graphic designers and there are more opportunities for us in New York.

Thanks Aaron!


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November 10, 2009

Gifted + Winter Flea

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Thanks to everyone who watched the Flea on Martha TV today, we thought the market looked fab.

Since we're getting a lot of emails asking, here's a quick refresher on the Flea's winter plans.

Our Gifted Holiday Market kicks off Friday, Nov. 27, and runs through Dec. 24, at 20 E. 4 St. (at Lafayette St.), with 50 vendors selling design objects, small antique items, cool clothes, pretty jewelry, yummy food, interesting art, handmade housewares, and all kinds of unique affordable stuff. (Do you like Digi the Reindeer, Gifted's mascot?) The complete dates are as follows: Fri-Sun, Nov. 27-29; Wed-Sun, Dec. 2-6; 9-13; every day, Dec. 16-24. Hours will vary from day to day, but will mostly be in the noon to 7pm range. Will there be food? We're workin' on it.

Also, with the outdoor Fleas' last weekend Nov. 21+22, we're moving back indoors to 81 Front St. in DUMBO for the winter, starting Dec. 5+6 through March. 11am to 6pm there, with about 50 vendors all winter, same mix of classic Fleasters. We're also nailing down an additional indoor winter location to open in January, more on that soon.

Just keepin' ya posted!


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Martha TV!

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That whole Martha at the Flea thing? It's airing this morning at 11am on NBC on her TV show. We hear she's cooking pupusas with the Red Hook Food Vendors on-air (insanity) and that there's a whole segment on ze Flea. Will Senor and Mr. B make a cameo? Stay tuned....

Check here for your local listings.

Update: You can view the entire show on Martha's website now.


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November 9, 2009

Finders/Keepers Nov. 7+8

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Not much boo! in the Hunt this weekend, but it was a treat for the winners.

Clockwise from top left:
Kara (left) and Konrad (not pictured) had been meaning to Flea from Harlem for months, finally made the trek. They checked the blog before leaving, caught a glimpse of the Hunt items, happened upon the funky hematite chicken-leg tongs in the morning and we're happy to win. Konrad told Amy (right) that his grandma once gave him a nutcracker in the shape of ladies' legs, "So now we have a pair." Stunning. Amy and Alen's Birdhouse Jewelry remains one of the most popular booths at the Flea, and they never miss a date. C7 in Fort Greene, I-2 under the Bridge, Gifted too.

At 11:02 am Deb (right) heard someone say, "Please tell me no one found it yet. Oh man is that the Hunt shirt, I would die for that." Scavengers! Needless to say, Riley was psyched to find the Beach Boys/Black Flag mash-up T (so cool!) in the Miss Wit booth, before scurrying back to work. Deb churns out timely and funny political ("Witty"), pretty ("Fancy"), and youngster ("Kiddies") T's that fun people of all ages love.

Vendor Nick Kass-Johnson (left) transcribed the Sunday Hunt thusly: "Robert (right) lives near South St. Seaport and is a retired medical-records administrator. Nowadays, he seeks out original animation cells and has a superb collection of Walt Disney's Fantasia, though he is on the lookout for cells of the dancing Chinese mushrooms. He originally heard about the Flea in Fort Greene in a newspaper."

Robert found The Beatles' The Beatles Again/Hey Jude LP among Nick's crazy-awesome records—everything from early U2 to rare Sonic Youth to a split John Cage-Steve Reich LP from 1970 that Senor has on repeat at home. Such good stuff! Nick's also in a far-out band called Acorn Chainsaw when he's not in E31 in Fort Greene and I-56 under the Bridge.

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


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Jess Bites Flea: Nunu Chocolates

This week we sampled the Hand Dipped Salt Caramels over at Nunu Chocolates, which called out our name, but we'll be back for the Organic Raspberry, Espresso Brandy, Prosecco Ganache, and the Chocolate Covered Grahams. Yum!

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What's it like? Smoky and smooth soft caramel, covered in rich dark chocolate, lightly flecked with sea salt. The taste is layered and complex and oh so decadent.
Meal/snack/drink: Snack.
Tasty with: A cold glass of milk or a frothy coffee.
Where else can this be found: Nunu has a shop at 529 Atlantic Avenue (btw. 3+4 Ave.) in Brooklyn where all the chocolate is made! (Fellow Fleasters Nightwood are tricking out the interior of the space, which will also have a groovy wine bar—ganache with panache!)
Eat now/eat later: Grab for a quick snack or buy a box for a gift.
Cost: $7 for 4, $15 for 9, $20 for 12.


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November 6, 2009

Scavenger Hunt Items: Nov. 7+8

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At long last, some classic fall Flea weather is on tap for this weekend. In its honor, we're doubling down on the Hunt this weekend, with four items (we screwed up and there are 3 for Saturday and 1 for Sunday). All are nice and worth Scavenging for. Can you tell we want to see you this weekend?

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:
1. Ice/sugar tongs: 5" long, 1" wide, shiny hematite plating over brass. New/handmade (Fort Greene/Saturday)

2. Surfin' Safari meets hardcore-punk mash-up T. New/handmade (Fort Greene/Saturday)

3. "The Lost Keys": This keychain is host to a family of key charms. What mysterious doors might they unlock? Vintage + Handmade (Fort Greene/Saturday)

4. The Beatles' Hey Jude LP: Original 1969 pressing on Apple Records SW385. (The title is The Beatles Again on the green apple sticker on the record.) Vintage (Brooklyn Bridge/Sunday)


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Flea as Pick-Up Spot

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Central Park, the Wonder Wheel, even Pianos—all time-honored NYC pick-up spots. Now add the Flea to that list.

Time Out is correct in scoping out the Flea as a swingin' singles scene: the bleachers are basically a brothel, and half the vendors sell every week so they can check on the "foot traffic." And that's totally cool with us—it's all love yo.

We're #17 in TONY's list/slideshow (above), but if someone knows why People's Pops is relevant to this feature, pls explain.

Ever hook up at ze Flea? Let us know.


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What's New This Weekend?

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Beatrice ran the esoteric antiques and furniture shop Atlantis (above) on Van Brunt St. in Red Hook, which was a great place to get lost among the ephemera after brunch at Hope + Anchor. She's now doing a lot of prop styling too, and wants to start Fleaing. (We always thought they'd be a perfect fit.) So here she'll be, under the Bridge this Sunday, with "'50s lighting, sets of Pyrex, some furniture, great stuff." Check it. F-29, Bridge/Sun

Kelly describers her online shop Hiberna Curios as a "cabinet of curiosities, specializing in objects of mystery and wonder." She planned to debut her jewelry and art featuring stuff like taxidermy, doll eyes, and antique keys on Halloween, but something came up. So she's starting Sunday, go say a belated boo. E36, FG/Sat

As we mentioned yesterday, Yolanda Ceron of the Red Hook Food Vendors crew and her arepas and chuzos debut in Fort Greene on Saturday. F4, FG/Sat

You've met Doug of Record Grouch at both our Superstar DJ Record Fairs and possibly when he sells vinyl on a Union St. stoop in Carroll Gardens. He was also part of EAT Records in Greenpoint until it began morphing recently. He's got great stuff at good prices, goin' solo Saturday, and is one of a plethora of dope record vendors this weekend. E14, FG/Sat

Paul Vano did the Flea a bunch two summers ago, and once randomly paraded around the market in a tattered tuxedo with a young blonde in a vintage wedding dress for no apparent reason. He's an old (antiques) Garage head, has furniture, smalls, art, all kinds of crazy stuff he collects down in Pennsylvania. He's back Saturday. V15, FG/Sat


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November 5, 2009

BFF of the Week: Rebecca Bliss

Amidst the ghouls and goblins at the Flea on Halloween, a scarved lass by the name of Rebecca appeared prancing through Rue St. Denis, rummaging through a huge bin of pretty things.

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Is this your first time at the Flea?
No, it is not.
Do you come often?
Yeah, I live in the neighborhood so I try to check it out when I can.

What did you buy today?
I bought many scarves.
For?
I use them when I dance. I'm in a dance company and I use them to tie my hair back.
What kind of dance do you do?
Ballet and modern.

So you you're not going to use them in your Halloween costume tonight?
Unfortunately, I have to work for Halloween—so no costume.
Where are you working?
I also wait tables because I dance in a dance company. Haha.
You can't dress up while you wait tables? Not even as a dancer? I bet your customers would love that.
I wish!

Alright, thanks for talking to us, Rebecca! Happy Halloween.


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Flea Design Co-op v.2

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The Design Co-op is in full swing every week at the Flea, and Lena Corwin has lined up another top roster of top talent for the November go-round. It's never too soon to think gift, and always easy on the eyes in the Co-op tent. Such good stuff! Double-booth B20+23, near the handballs to the left when you come in.

Here's who's on tap starting this Saturday:
Lena Corwin: Lines + Shapes journal, pillows, prints (Weekly)
Deadly Squire: Textiles, housewares (below right) (Weekly)
Hikaru Furuhashi: Knits, stationery (below left) (Nov. 21)
Maptote: Totes with maps (Weekly)
Moontreee Letterpress: Stationery, letterpress, journals (Weekly)
Odette NY: Jewelry (below center) (Nov. 21)
Wayne Pate: Prints (including the awesome Design Co-op poster, above left) (Weekly)
Claudia Pearson: Prints, calendars (above right), illustrations (Nov. 7)
Christopher David Ryan: Prints (Weekly)
Simply Photo: Photographs (Nov. 14)

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Food Finishes Strong

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Like Meb the Marvelous Marathoner, the Flea food contingent is finishing strong as we head down this season's stretch. (Which reminds us: The last outdoor markets of 2009 will be Nov. 21+22, before we head indoors to 81 Front St. in DUMBO again for the winter, starting Dec. 5+6. And of course the Gifted holiday market kicks off Nov. 27 in Manhattan.)

Anyhoo, this Saturday in Fort Greene Yolanda Ceron (above) of the fabled Red Hook Food Vendors takes a turn by the bleachers for the final three weekends, taking the place of the Vaquero elote (grilled corn) stand, which has packed up for the season. Yolanda, the longest-running Red Hook stand (35 years young!), brings her Colombian specialties like arepas (cheese-filled corn patties), chuzos (grilled skewers of marinated meat, yum), fried pork with cassava, and more to the Flea. Arriba!

We love how Forrest and crew at Choncho's Tacos do fish tacos and fish tacos only. Until now. He's been ladling out a new Mexican chicken tortilla soup flavored with lime and kissed with those hand-ground tortillas for a couple weeks now, and it is mid-fall bliss. Check it. Choncho's is rocking Saturday and Sunday now fyi.

Similarly, the Asia Dog folks are testing out the Sunday waters in addition to Saturdays starting this weekend under the Bridge, so you can double your dog with kimchi/pork belly/sesame slaw/Japanese curry action.

Score Flea-style hot chocolate from Whimsy + Spice (Earl Grey-flavored and perfect) and Nunu Chocolates (spicy style) now that the leaves have turned.

And a quick shout-out to the Red Hook Lobster Pound for its recent mention in the Times Dining section.


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November 4, 2009

Vendor of the Week: Carter Anderson

Carter Anderson is always full of tall tales—the way you want a Flea vendor to be. Jess learned about the time he sold baby bottles filled with lead paint to 90 cynical, design-hungry New Yorkers, among other tidbits. Dig the new VOTW format?

Name
My name is Carter Wilson Anderson. Goodness gracious, business names. I have gone under Anderson's Audacious Antiques, Big Time Antiques, Demolicious Antiques when I was in L.A., West of Eden, now I'm going under Artifactual. I just got in bed with some friends and we're doing a new website and a new enterprise together and we're here to clock it deep.

Hometown?
Washington, D.C., the city that kills people.

Where do you live?
I live in Alexandria, which is just outside of D.C. and I have a showroom and warehouse in D.C. as well.

How long does it take to get here?
It's about 3 and a half hours if no one wants to go to the bathroom. Three hours 40 minutes maybe, that's doing 75/80 miles per hour.

What do you sell and how long have you been selling it for?
I have been selling for 22 years. Anything from trash to decorative arts. We like to call the good stuff "eye candy." We like to call the stuff that pays for the good stuff "clutter." We try to bring a mix of both up here, make it accessible and bring a little power—you know, get their attention, rock their world.

What's your specialty?
Industrial and Victorian Garden. I like to sell Garden because it attracts beautiful women. And I like to sell Industrial because it attracts gay men and they pay the most for everything.

What's been your most memorable sale?
That's totally easy. In my early 20s I used to sell at the Chelsea flea market on 26th Street. I would leave the nightclub around 1am and get up to Chelsea around 5am. I used to sell a lot of Architectural and pull down a lot of buildings. One time we pulled all the ceiling tin down from this old supermarket and put it on a box truck. When you buy 2-3000 square feet of ceiling tin and you pull it off, you are left with a pile of lead paint chips. That very same week I bought 94 baby bottles from the '20s. So we are sitting around smoking pot (I did that then), trying to figure out what to do with these baby bottles. And we started putting the lead paint chips in the baby bottles, and I thought, You can always sell cynicism and sarcasm in New York. We were selling those paper weights for 40 bucks each. All 90 of them.

What keeps you coming back to the Flea?
Pretty women and I love Eric and it's just a great Flea with a good vibe. We are trying to get our name out here because New York is the best marketplace in America. It's the center of the world, the only city in America.

What do you do for fun?
I skate board—42 years old and I still skate. And I have a beautiful, wonderful kid and I spend as much time with her as I can.

Got a website?
Artifactural is the website [ed.: we're working on this]. We try to come up every couple of weeks, try to keep it fresh and try not to bring up anything more than twice.


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Double Dutch (Bike Co.)

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The Dutch Bike Co. folks are back this Saturday and next in Fort Greene with their rock-solid, retro-modern bicyclettes, which everyone loved in their debut two weekends ago.

They're testing the waters to open a Brooklyn shop in the spring for the Dutch-made classic models, including the "Bakfiets" Cargo model (above), which someone bought last time! Susan and pals want you to test-ride their bikes around the block and ask them lots of questions—so go sit and spin.

Of course, if you prefer the vintage route, our man Shane Da Bikejack is holding it down by the bleachers like he does every week. (Shane's got crazy great new records too.)


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November 3, 2009

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NEW! Jess Bites Flea

A new feature here on ze blog: Jess Bites Flea, wherein Miss J samples and surmises the legends and secret stars of the Flea food scene. We launch with the lobster grits from Red Hook Lobster Pound, known of course for their deelish lobster rolls. Must be a claws in their contract about finding new products...

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What's it like? Warm and comforting grits with a parmesan bite, topped with big ole chunks of buttery lobster and a dabble of shaved scallion.
Meal, snack or drink: Snack/light meal.
Eat with: Spoon.
Goes with: Peanut butter brownies, free with purchase.
Local? Lobstahs carted down fresh from Maine every week, made in Red Hook, Brooklyn.
Now or later? Eat on the go!
Other uses: Warms and fills belly while perusing the Flea.
How much? $8.


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Finders/Keepers Oct. 31+Nov. 1

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Not much boo! in the Hunt this weekend, but it was a treat for the winners.

From left:
Margaret (right) came from the East Village in search of the bicycle print, and found it by 11:30am at—where else?—Taliah's Bicycle Paintings booth. A-doy. Taliah has been Fleaing since Day One, and we bought a T and print from her one year at the Dumbo Art Fair, pre-Flea. She's always creating new takes on her first love: finding cool/weird bikes to depict, creating a bicycle coloring book for kids, going upscale with commissions. Her rise in popularity has corresponded with the recent uptick in NYC cycling, but we credit her talent and acumen not the trend. She's a vicious cyclist! L12 in Fort Greene, F-14 at the Bridge pretty much every weekend.

Barbara's (center) lived in Brooklyn since '95 (old-school!), calls the Heights home (like many Bridge Fleasters), she's a creative services professional. Barb was overjoyed to discover the vintage brass shark pendant necklace in Loyalty + Blood's booth on Sunday. L+B's David (left) and Maggie are: a) hyperloyal Fleasters, taking the rain or shine seriously; b) megatalented designers of T's, jewelry, and totes (the ones with all the ornate letters on them, plus the legendary Flea Bag); and c) supersmart vendors who update their stock every week to keep it fresh for loyal shoppers like you. We like them. B3 in Fort Greene, I-12 at the Bridge, every week.

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


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November 2, 2009

Slideshow October 31

In case you were making mischief and didn't make it to the Flea on All Hallows Eve, check out what you missed. Trick or treat!


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