Brooklyn Flea

This past weekend, as New Yorkers returned from over the river and through the woods, Flea vendors settled back into their winter home at Skylight One Hanson. And although the weather outside has been unseasonally delightful, the holiday rush is on. But there's no need to panic! There are great gifts all around the market.

Those broken ornaments of Christmases past are easily—and sustainably—replaced with one quick trip to Frank Fazio Design, where you can pick up pristine sets from the '60s still in their original boxes. And for those of other faiths who light candles this time of year, gorgeous mercury glass candlesticks at Un Jour Georges were one of many bright ideas for observant shoppers—including those looking to shed just the right light on their holiday cocktails!

Come see for yourself this Saturday and Sunday, where a robust collection of remarkable designer clothing and accessories, jewelry and distinctive treasures will make shopping a breeze for those on your list who have everything.

With the holiday season gearing up, from now till the 25th we'll be passing along our best Flea finds, presents that we're excited to give and receive. But first, here are some gift-giving guides from various publications online and otherwise:

Turns out that Tyra Banks loves vintage shopping, and she gives a great shoutout to jewelry-dealers Estate Jewels by George & Raf in an article on her website, TypeF. They're named as "her personal favorite"! George and Raf were also deemed one of NYC's coolest secret shops by Time Out New York.

In case you missed it, TONY's 2011 Food & Drink Gift Guide includes numerous past and present Flea & Smorgasburg vendors, including newcomer Leckerlee's Lebkuchen holiday treats, Butter & Love's jam-sandwich cookies, Brooklyn Cured's rilletes and pate, Madecasse chocolate bars, Salty Road taffy, Sweet Loren's ready-to-bake cookie dough, Salud's Mexican hot chocolate mix and Tin Mustard's caviar of condiments.

New York Magazine's EPIC gift guide includes some Flea vendors among the big-box heavy hitters—among others, they recommend Brooklyn Junior's cute kid tees, Maptotes' handy wine bag, Kings Country Jerky's gift packs and a collection of Raaka Chocolate as perfect presents.

The Design Muse blog creates its own mini gift guide, mentioning Claudia Pearson, Kate Durkin and Alyssa Ettinger.

The Experimental Gourmand came to our opening weekend at One Hanson and lovingly photographed many of the food vendors set up in the vault. Any and all of these edibles would make great gifts (or just lunch).

If you smelled something fresh around the Fort Greene Flea, it was probably Chrissy Fichtl’s Apotheke candles and soaps. Three years ago, Chrissy bought a soap-making kit online because “it seemed like a fun thing to do on a Saturday,” and soon she was selling her wares at farmers markets in the Hamptons. These days, soap-making is a full-time gig for the former chef, who also whips up private-label signature scents for spas and salons from a makeshift studio in her Clinton Hill apartment.

Fichtl crafts candles from soy wax and essential oils. Since they don’t contain perfumes, the candles burn cleanly and slowly for about 65 hours, without black smoke or soot. She concocts festive autumnal varieties like orange cinnamon, throwback summer scents like lemongrass and cozy, wintry cedar.

The thick, 5 oz. bars of soap are chock-full of natural ingredients, and don’t include any coloring, parabens or fillers. The bars are made from coconut, palm and essential oils, and come in super-moisturizing cocoa butter, gentle Japanese charcoal soap for sensitive skin, and refreshing, tangy scents like grapefruit and tangerine. Since ladies aren’t the only ones who like to get clean, Chrissy also sells bars tailored to dudes and dogs. The cedarwood-scented shaving soap made from bensonite clay works a guy’s stubble into a bubbly lather. The Pipa soap for dogs—named after Chrissy’s dauchsund, the company’s unofficial mascot—contains eucalyptus for a smooth coat and rosemary to soothe hot spots.

We asked Chrissy to show us how to make our own soap using materials we can find at the grocery store. Click here to read the how-to.

(And though Apotheke is done for the Flea season, the full selection of soaps is available through their Etsy store.)

Wow, our first week back in Skylight One Hanson was a great one with some happy fleasters walking away with some great vintage prizes. If you haven't seen our snazzy indoor locale yet, come on down any time this winter for that same Flea vibe you've grown to love (and who knows, you might run into our scavenger hunt item of the week!).

As always, check back on Friday for this weekend’s items.

From left, click images to enlarge.

Saturday, Nov. 26: These wooly fall accessories were found by first time flea-goers Sara Taylor from New Jersey (in the scarf) and Anne Marie from long Island (in the hat), friends who decided to split to prizes.

Our Saturday items come from Neanna Bodycomb at Bogart & Moore Vintage. A Texas transplant, Neanna pined for for her favorite affordable vintage spots in Texas after moving to Bushwick in 2004 and set out to bring great vintage items to New York without the New York price tag. From pretty to punk, Neanna offers classic looks and items of highest quality. Besides the Flea, you can find her in her studio at 56 Bogart St. in Brooklyn from 12-8pm.

Sunday, Nov. 27: Our Sunday hunter was David Fiss from Portland, Maine, who said he planned to use the rooster as a doorstop in his 1807 (talk about vintage) home or would put it on his mantle.

This fine cast iron rooster comes from Marion Hart, our resident fashion blogger at large, and owner of Camel Girl Vintage. Not only does she offer a vast selection of some of the most wearable items offered at the Flea, but she also picks out the best looks from other vendors and posts them here at her Fashion Redux column. A great vendor who always gives back to the Flea community.

You’ll need:

• 11 oz olive oil
• 6 oz safflower oil
• 6 oz peanut oil
• 2.83 oz Rooto lye (100% pure lye; find it at the hardware store)
• 10 oz bottled distilled water
• 1.5 oz essential oil (stop by a health food store for scents like lavender, grapefruit, or basil)
• Plastic gloves
• Goggles
• Scale
• Plastic container with a lid (try a take-out container or a mason jar with lid)
• Plastic pitcher or glass bowl
• Thermometer
• Whisk
• Immersion hand blender
• Stainless steel pot
• Milk quart carton (clean)

Here’s what you do:

1.) Put the plastic pitcher on the scale and set it to zero. Weigh out the 10 oz. of water and put to the side. Next, weigh out the 2.83 oz. of lye. Remove from the scale and cover.

2.) In a highly-ventilated area (ideally, outdoors), pour the lye into the water. (Safety note: always wear gloves and goggles while working with lye. If you splash yourself, immediately wash the exposed area with soap and water to stop the burn.)

3.) Slowly whisk the water-lye mixture to dissolve the lye.

4.) Monitor the temperature—the mixture needs to reach 100 degrees.

5.) Cool the mixture in a place that is out of the reach of children and animals.

6.) Use the scale tomeasure out quantities of olive, safflower, and peanut oils. Heat on the stove in the stainless steel pot until the mixture reaches 100 degrees.

7.) Add the lye-water mixture to the oils in the pot. Using the immersion blender, blend the mixture together in five-second spurts (keep the blender on the bottom of the pot to minimize splashing). Blend until the mixture has a gravy-like texture.

8.) Add the essential oil and blend using the whisk.

9.) Pour the mixture into a milk carton and staple it closed. You want the carton to stay hot, so wrap a towel around it to keep the heat in. Set aside for 36 hours.

10.) Wearing your goggles and gloves, wash your utensils with lots of hot, soapy water.

11.) After the mixture has set for 36 hours, rip the milk carton and cut the soap into bars. (Wear your gloves!) The soap will need to continue to cure for about three weeks.

Welcome back to the most photogenic building in all of Brooklyn!

Follow us on Instagram and Twitter (@bkflea) and send along your great images—we'd love to show them off here.

Many thanks to the takers of the photos above: ecava, olivia_nusz, sheenamurph, heatherlovesit, solarinthecity and lizzyedwards.

Although we will be moving into Skylight One Hanson this weekend, the scavenger hunt continues on! 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 Tuesday. You can only win once per calendar month. Items posted every Friday.

From left (click to enlarge):

Saturday, November 26: Navy wool felt hat and Scottish wool plaid scarf combo.  Vintage

Sunday, November 27: Mid-century cast iron rooster. Vintage

Note: The Flea happens indoors every Saturday and Sunday in Skylight One Hanson in Fort Greene. The markets are open every weekend, 10am–5pm. For maps/directions, click here. If you are a vendor and would like to participate in the weekly Scavenger Hunt, email Evan.

Happy Thanksgiving! On this day, we are thankful for all the Brooklyn Flea vendors and shoppers, and we are especially excited to announce the lineup of the market at One Hanson, which starts this Saturday and Sunday and continues through the spring. There you'll find many of your favorites, plus a few new folks who will have great holiday gifts and delicious treats. Away we go!

There are two vendors this week who are entirely new to the Flea:

Fiyel Levent - An architect, artist and designer, Fiyel Levent makes gorgeous objects for the home. Some of her lamp designs are pictured above.

Leckerlee - In the spirit of the classic Lebkuchen, a German Christmas treat, baker Sandy Lee has created Leckerlee, a new cookie company that is making its debut at the Flea. Served in specially designed holiday tins, Lee's gingerbread-like confections make for perfect gifts (and excellent snacking).

In other news, the Flea is the best place in town to take care of all your holiday shopping. You should know that all of our vendors have been preparing for weeks to bring out their finest stuff! By the entrance, stop by Brooklyn Slate, who makes cutting boards and cheese platters (pictured at right) made of slate straight from an upstate quarry. Bike man Shane da Bikejack will be selling not just cool old bikes but his personal selection of antiques and collectibles. And everyone loves the tiny green worlds as created by Twig Terrariums.

This weekend only, check out the top-notch collectibles from Un Jour Georges, handbags and accessories from Mix Gallery, cute cards and gifty goodness from Foxy & Winston and awesome antiques from Exquisite Rubbish.

Foodwise, look for some rearrangement in the edibles department downstairs in the vault (which has been remodeled and repainted!). We are pleased to feature a handful of our old favorites (Red Hook Lobster Pound, Choncho's Tacos, Porchetta, Asia Dog, Solber Pupusas, Lonestar Empire, The Stand NY, Fine and Raw) and a number of Smorgasburg stars who will rotate through the market over the course of the season. This week we have soups from Sea Bean Goods, vegan deliciousness from Electric Blue Baking Company, coconut craziness from Danny Macaroons, crisp cookies from Biscotti di Vecchio, incredible charcuterie from Charlito's Cocina, and the world's best donuts from Dough. And on Sunday only, grab killer BBQ from Mighty Quinn's.

For drinks, warm up with hot sips from Tipsy Kettle, the new hot-drink venture from Brooklyn Soda Works. Plus we are pleased to welcome Blue Bottle Coffee into the One Hanson fold, who will be set up on the ground floor with their killer coffee (espresso and pour overs) and house made pastries.

Enjoy your holiday, and see you this weekend at One Hanson!

On Saturday, the Brooklyn Flea relocates to the majestic confines of Skylight One Hanson, where we will remain for the winter months. After an awesome outdoor season—both at the Fort Greene schoolyard and along the Williamsburg waterfront—the Flea and its vendors are looking forward to warm weekends inside the landmark building. Look for all of your favorite vendors, plus a handful of new additions, on Saturdays and Sundays all winter long.

* * *

One of the first things you see when you enter One Hanson is the bright and bold display from Jaron Cupak of Jarontiques. You'll notice a sea of oranges and yellows, funky patterns and stylish shapes—it's an impeccable selection of mid-century modern furniture, quirky and cool smalls, groovy games and teak kitchenware.

Brooklyn-based owner Jaron is a Nebraska boy, born and raised in Omaha. "My parents were touring musicians," he says, "and as a result, most of my time was spent with my grandparents. They had a passion for collecting. I began selling my collection of baseball cards, then bargain hunting for more once my stock was depleted." Jaron's passion for collecting evolved with his age and interests: in his teens, he became a music fan and scavenged for records and memorabilia.

This naturally led to a career in the music industry, where for many years he held down a big-deal job as a sales director for a major record label. In 2008 he began to seriously dedicate himself to the world of antiques, setting up at the Flea during its first season. Soon, furniture edged out cds: "While most nine-to-fivers were counting down the days until the weekend so they could sleep in or get away for a couple of days, I was looking forward to setting up at the Flea!" he says. "The decision to give up my executive career in music was simple; I live for antiques."

He frequents auctions and makes trips back to the midwest to visit family and scope out the local antique malls. But Jaron explains that since the popularity of treasure hunting is at an all-time high, thanks to shows like American Pickers and Pawn Stars, good deals (even far outside of New York City) are getting harder and harder to come by.

Jaron is especially passionate about mid-century and Danish modern furniture, art and decorative items from the 1950s through the 1970s, as well as folk/primitive art dating from the 1800s to the early 20th century. "I find that many shoppers who purchase my Scandinavian pieces are actually from places like Copenhagen and Stockholm," he says. "It's fascinating to think that these tourists travel to New York to acquire things that were originally manufactured in their home countries. The life of these items truly comes full circle; they end up returning to where they originated. I love the fact that the Flea brings together so many people from so many different countries all with the common collecting thread."

Now there are even more ways to encounter Jaron's collection, since he just opened a shop on Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn Heights (117 Atlantic Avenue, 718-288-1050). It's a mix of high-end modern furniture and decorative items, and some relatively inexpensive stuff such as desk lamps and radios, he says. "I try to have something for everyone."

For Jaron, it's all about "the connections between my fellow dealers and the customers who have a mutual appreciation of wonderful, old things. I love exchanging stories about acquiring unusual pieces and sharing the beautiful things I cherish. There's no better feeling than seeing the excitement in customers' faces when they discover something so unique. The story of each piece continues through each change of hand." History in the making right here at the Flea.

The folks at Yelp are big Flea fans, and we're fans of how they promote shopping at small and local businesses, including their national holiday-season pledge. They'll have a table this Sunday at our indoor return/debut at Skylight One Hanson to spread the word about that and the Brooklyn businesses they love, so check it out and have a chat. (Here's the Flea's One Hanson Yelp page if you want to have a gander at what they do, or write a review.)

We're all about keeping it in the neighborhood—although these days the economy needs help anywhere and everywhere, so we don't discriminate—and we're grateful to folks like Yelp for shining a light on businesses like our vendors', which are so small they're often just one dedicated human, but with the potential to grow into strong, sustainable entities as so many Fleasters have. If nothing else, thanks for thinking about how you shop!