Brooklyn Flea

Fort Greene yard we've missed you so! At long last the Flea returns to Lafayette Ave. this Saturday, April 10, in its acreful of vintage/furniture/design/art/food glory. And for once opening day has a little sunny icon in the forecast—a Flea first!

In case you missed it, the outdoor Fort Greene market is back every Saturday, through November. And the Flea at One Hanson moves to Sundays only starting this weekend, which we're really excited about. (No DUMBO/Brooklyn Bridge market this year.)

Map and directions (like you need 'em). And here are the Fort Greene and One Hanson vendor layouts for this weekend.

Also, now at One Hanson all the food vendors (and more) will be located in the building's back parking lot—which runs between Ashland Pl. and St. Felix St.—along with outdoor seating and nice music (Brownstoner's mix actually). In addition to the 25 vendors in the parking lot, the awesome 75 vendors you know and love will still be inside the majestic bank space on the main floor and mezzanine. We won't be using the lower/vault level for the market anymore.

Stay tuned for updates on this season's exciting new vendors and more later this week...

Photos by Kate Glicksberg.

April 6, 2010

Finders/Keepers: April 3+4

Such a great crowd and vibe this past weekend, thanks for makin' it great. This week's winners were happy.

From left (click to enlarge):

Sheri (left) comes to Brooklyn from Westchester regularly to hit the Flea, which is sweet. She went to Pratt and likes to visit the old neighborhood. She's with her daughter Chelsea (center), but her son will be the recipient of the #2 custom shirt from Charlie + Sarah. (Is the little guy 2 years old? We're dying to know why 2!) Charlie (right) and wife Sarah (and 2 little ones) have a super-popular kids (and big kids) clothing booth at the Flea every weekend, stocked with "chopper," "lorry," and "wellies" Anglicism onesies, T's, and hoodies, plus the "superhero" monogram line and all sorts of other fun. Find them at C13 in Fort Greene and #16 at One Hanson, weekly.

Aaron (left) was raised in our fine borough, lives in Midwood. First time at the Flea, his pal saw our Facebook page and noticed the Hunt. Aaron was really into the Flea, especially after finding the vintage zodiac chain—he chose Virgo for a friend. Here he is with David from Loyalty + Blood, who make the coolest t-shirts, jewelry, and tote bags. They're a Flea standby, and the nicest folks. B3 in Fort Greene, #43 at One Hanson, weekly.

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

April 2, 2010

Scavenger Hunt Items: April 3+4

Following your Easter egg hunt, why not engage in a bit of Fleaster Sunday Scavenging? (Sorry.) Hunt and peck like a good bunny. Note the customization theme this weekend...

Note: The Flea is still at One Hanson this Saturday and Sunday. The Fort Greene outdoor market reopens next Saturday, April 10; One Hanson continues on Sundays only starting April 11.

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 (click to enlarge):
1. Saturday: Superhero shirt custom monogrammed with letter or number of your choice. Fun! New/handmade

2. Sunday: Vintage zodiac necklace, stainless steel on sterling silver chain. Winner gets the sign of their choice. Also fun! Vintage

April 1, 2010

Asia Dog—#1 in America!

Asia Dog's #1! An MSN Local Edition story today subjectively names the 10 best hot dogs, and guess who's top dog in America? Go Mel and Steve!

"Asia Dog updates NYC's foremost street food with a fresh, flavorful trek through a pan-Asian market," writes Bret Stetka. He gushes over the Sidney and Wangding, but saves his highest praise the vaunted "Vinh" banh mi dog. (This wisdom, combined with naming Bergen St.'s Bark as #2 in America, reveals that Bret is both smart and possibly from Brooklyn.)

Lucky for you, Asia Dog calls the Flea home every darn weekend year-round (they never miss a day!), and are one of the stable of vendors you'll find at SummerStage starting in May. Woof!

March 30, 2010

Flea Blogosphere

Behold! The Flea Market Finder iPhone app, how did we survive 'til now without ye? We haven't a clue.

The folks at the Tag Sell It garage-sale/flea-market site have created an app for that: type an address and find the market or sale closest to you. Junk junkies and flea fanatics won't hesitate to drop the $.99. Shout out to Tag Sell It for choosing the Flea as the promo-page flagship (above).

A new print magazine hits shelves this spring called Flea Market Style, and we figured it was worth a preview, since we're, like, a flea market. The style part is debatable.

Hey, did you know this blog gets 100K+ hits per month? Try making a comment—thousands are waiting...

March 29, 2010

Finders/Keepers: March 27+28

Another flock of Fleasters at One Hanson this weekend, thanks for keepin' on comin'. (We're there Saturday and Sunday again this weekend FYI.)

From left (click to enlarge):

Winner Rachel (second from left) was visiting pal Elise (to her right) with fellow Bostonian Kate (left), and came upon the tres chic French shoe "lasts." Rachel might try her hand at making some shoes, or maybe just display the hot high-heel molds in her pad. Lovely Rebecca (right) was hiding them in her always-stunning Windsor Place Antiques booth, which is packed with glass domes, product tins, windup clocks, vintage school maps (note Eurasia in the background), and of course hunting targets. She's in #39 most every weekend, the bomb.

Kate (center) and Jeff (left) have been to the Flea, but not at One Hanson until Sunday. They live in Carroll Gardens and were wise enough to spot the patchwork ellie from Laos in David and David's Artisan Emporia booth. The Davids' Emporia is a sort of market within a market at the Flea, featuring handcrafted designs culled from a global network of cooperatives. We like AE's approach a lot—fully Fair Trade, friendly—and find them distinct from the mountain of imported schlock passing for quality goods everywhere. They're in #12 every weekend.

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

March 26, 2010

Scavenger Hunt Items: March 27+28

Two typically distinctive Flea items to Hunt for this weekend, one vintage, one handmade in Laos. Spring Scavenge!

When you find one of the items above (click to enlarge), 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. Pair of vintage '50s shoe lasts for molding shoes. These high-heel models were called "Frenchy." Vintage (Saturday)

2. Batik-print stuffed elephant made using traditional Laotian fabrics and embroidery. New/handmade (Sunday)

BFFs of the Week—Michael and Olivier

Gary (booth #24) finds loads of distinctive vintage goodies every weekend, including a fair share of mounted deer heads and severed mannequin heads, which are surprisingly alluring! We spotted these two hotties at his spot, as they finally settled on this old ammo box.

What are your names?
Michael (right). And I'm Olivier.

Michael, what did you buy here?
This is a box that probably had been used in a war. We are going to have it in our apartment. Maybe we'll put some things in it—CDs or something.

Is this your first time to the Flea?
This is my first time.

Where are you from?
I am from Paris but I now live on Dekalb. I moved here last Sunday.

What made you make the move?
I am here working at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, working on the production of The Fairy Queen.

Right in the hood! We hear that's a good one. Thanks Michael and Olivier!

March 25, 2010

Jess Bites Flea—Crop To Cup Iced Coffee

Spring has sprung, and we have the iced coffee at the Flea to prove it.

What: Crop to Cup's Iced Coffee, brewed Japanese-style to lock in that sweet and bold flava. C2C works directly with coffee farmer cooperatives and pays above-market prices for their beans. Good stuff!

Where: Crop to Cup is in the vault brewin' fresh strong coffee all weekend at One Hanson, and will be back outdoors in Fort Greene every Saturday too.

Where else: Crop To Cup just popped open a new coffee shop at 139 Atlantic Avenue (btw. Clinton + Henry) in collaboration with a few other longtime Fleasters. Take a gander, and grab yourself some pickles, cupcakes, or any of the vintage furniture in the shop, 'cause it's all for sale.

Vendor of the Week: Heirloom Rugs

You can take the flea out of the rug but you can't take the rug out of the Flea.

Catch Zach on Twitter @heirloomrugs and every Sunday downstairs at ze Flea.

March 24, 2010

Flea Food+SummerStage=Yay!

Picture all those people with pupusas in their hands.

After almost a year of somehow keeping it secret, the word is out that the Flea and 6 of our finest food vendors are taking over the concessions at Central Park SummerStage this year. Deelish food + good tunes + Central Park summer sun + Flea vibes = No-Brainer!

Below is a list of all the yumminess you'll find at SummerStage throughout the season. (Or just read the story in today's Times.) The full schedule is announced sometime in April, but so far we know there are shows with Pavement, Flaming Lips, Black Keys, and Hot Chip. Not bad!

Not to fear! All these folks will also be at their normal Fort Greene and One Hanson Flea stations on the weekends (except Marlow, which isn't a Flea vendor at this point).

Asia Dog
Blue Marble Ice Cream (how did the Times leave them out?!)
Marlow & Daughters
Pizza Moto
Red Hook Lobster Pound
Soler Pupusas

Photo by David Atlas, courtesy of Central Park SummerStage.

Ken Jackson Historical Talk This Saturday

The Ken Jackson talk has at last been rescheduled for this Saturday at One Hanson. Here's the info again...

Preeminent New York City and Brooklyn historian Prof. Ken Jackson (Columbia Univ.; The Encyclopedia of New York City, ed.; The Neighborhoods of Brooklyn, co-author) will join Stuart Blumin at the Flea at One Hanson to provide a freeform public talk on the history of the Williamsburgh Savings Bank Building and its relationship to Brooklyn as a borough, and formerly as a city unto itself.

The approximately 45-minute talk will take place at the kiosk at the main entryway to the Flea/bank, starting at 1:00pm this Saturday, March 27. It's free and open to the public.

The market has been attracting thousands of visitors every weekend, and we want to give Fleasters a chance to learn more about the special significance of the space, beyond the "oohs" and "aahs" and "amazing"s.

Professors Jackson and Blumin will delve into the building's architectural details—from the giant golden mosaic map of Brooklyn on the bank's back wall to the wrought-iron depictions of artisans and skilled workers in the stained-glass windows—while linking them to the broad narrative of Brooklyn as a longtime capital of the American working class. They will also answer questions from the public.

Watch and learn (and shop)!

March 23, 2010

Where We're At

Postcard%20FRONT%2019mar10%20FINAL.jpg

If you could hang out at a landmark like One Hanson every weekend, wouldn't you? So would we—that's why the Flea is staying there (Sundays only) for the rest of the year! When we said "12 Weekends Only!" back in January, we had no idea the 80-year-old landmark bank would be such a perfect fit for the Flea. Now, thousands of awed visitors and hundreds of happy vendors later, it's obvious. (Even the New York Times is psyched.)

And starting April 10, we'll finally be back outdoors in Fort Greene every Saturday at our Bishop Loughlin H.S. homebase/flagship, can't wait. From April 11 on, we'll be at One Hanson every Sunday.

We love our new friends at Skylight One Hanson—you too can do events at the bank, just contact them!—and thank them for making our extended stay possible.

And we're truly saddened that the Flea won't be in Dumbo in 2010. We tried our best to make a market there happen, but it just didn't work out. We hope to be back by the water again soon.

In case you got confused, here's the cheat sheet:
The Flea will be at One Hanson Saturday and Sunday this weekend and next (April 3+4).

Starting April 10, we go back outside in Fort Greene every Saturday (yay!). Starting April 11, we'll be at One Hanson every Sunday. Both markets will be open 10am to 5pm.

Finders/Keepers: March 20+21

Looks like that New Yorker article is having an effect: two Manhattanites won the Scavenger Hunt this weekend. Where Brooklyn at?!

(Click to enlarge):

It was bearded Charles' (left) first time at the Flea, which he learned about from reading, yes, The New Yorker. He's from the big island, and was evidently excited to find the miniature metal piggy and horsey, which are super-cute. Katie of Rain Lily says they're made in India using the ancient "lost wax" metal casting technique. She's deeply dedicated to selling handmade items made by folks with less all over the world, especially women, and her eye for interesting stuff is awesome: Cambodian scarves, Northern India prosperity hens, jewelry, all kinds of pretty things. She's in #51 at One Hanson every weekend.

Lee is also from Manhattan, but he wouldn't tell us much beyond that. That's cool man. He found the Jacques + Julia cookbook in Mario's Avalon Books booth, which is always jampacked with interesting used books as well as Mario's artist pals graffiti-style small prints, which are in the background. Grafadelic!

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

Big in Taiwan!

The big Taiwan magazine La Vie has a nice feature on the Flea this month—and the editor in chief back in Taipei liked it so much they sent a crew to photograph and interview our vendors over the weekend. We bow in appreciation.

March 19, 2010

Scavenger Hunt Items: March 20+21

Did someone say 70s? Temps, not the decade. See you at the Flea on the Hunt.

From left:
1. Piggy and horsey small metal statues, made in India using the ancient "lost wax" casting technique. Approx. 3". Handmade (Saturday)

2. Julia and Jacques Cooking at Home, by Julia Child and Jacques Pepin. Vintage (Sunday)

March 18, 2010

Everything You Want, Everything You Need

We're doing something special: Photographer Jordana Zeldin is transforming a room at the bank into a pop-up photo gallery for the next two weekends, presenting a series of images inspired by and shot at the Flea, titled "everything you want, everything you need." Jordana has been working on this project for a couple of years, and we're over the moon to finally host her excellent work—inside the Flea no less! Good times.

In addition to the limited-edition framed and signed prints on view (and for sale) in her temporary "installation space," Miss J has created custom View-Master reels of photos from the project, which you can look at in vintage View-Masters she's found all over the country—how Flea! Throw in puzzles, T-shirts, customized Keds, and naughty playing cards all made from the series and it's a Flea tour de force.

Jordana lives in Fort Greene, and this is her third solo show. We hope you'll stop by and check out her work. The "gallery" is in a room to the right of the main entrance, next to Choice Market's pastries, behind some former teller windows—#8 on our vendor layout.

Jess Bites Flea—Whimsy & Spice

Sugar and spice, and everything nice.

What: Whimsy & Spice Cinnamon Chocolate Malt Biscotti.

Tasty with: Coffee, milk, or Earl Grey Infused Hot Chocolate, found warm and ready at the Whimsy & Spice booth! Or if you prefer, naked—unlike regular thick-cut biscotti, their biscotti is moist enough not to do a dip.

How much: $8 for 8 biscotti.

What else: Chocolate Chili Cashew Biscotti, Hazelnut Whiskey sandwich cookies, Earl Grey sandwich cookies, homemade marshmallows including vanilla-rosewater-cardamom, and plenty of seductive treats that live up to their cute name.

Where: Mark and/or Jenna are downstairs in the vault on a rotating schedule (check the weekly layout), including this Saturday. Or online at www.whimsyandspice.com.

Vendor of the Week—Adele Amore

This week we chat up vintage jewelry and antique dealer Adele Amore, selecting this Flea doyenne to launch the Vendor of the Week feature on video. Check out the moving pics, and check out Adele most weeks at One Hanson—her booth moves around, so check the vendor map each week to find her. That's Amore!

What's New?

Sokosh%20Watch.jpg

This weekend achieves a pinnacle of sorts in terms of quality vendors at the Flea at One Hanson. With temps in the 60s, ain't no excuse to miss it.

Longtime mustachioed vendor David Sokosh (he of the turn-of-the-century getup, refurbished antique Brooklyn-made Ansonia Co. clocks, and Williamsburg Bank paintings) has more time on his hands. He's launched a new series of "Brooklyn Watches," (above) which he makes himself and are powered by vintage gear movements. They have a classic/retro look, and of course say Brooklyn on their face. Maybe you'll wind up with one! #28/Sat+Sun

ModHaus is the 4000sf showroom that Shannon and Sue run up in Boston (go Sox!), and it looks as spectacular as Don Draper's office. Their online shop boasts some tiptop stuff: Danish teak galore (chairs, tables, lamps, and more), mid-century pottery (the cool kind with geometric patterns like in Don's office), and every other refined incarnation of '50s and '60s design you can imagine. They're taking 2 spots this weekend to really come correct, so be there and be square (which is cool now btw). #3+4/Sat+Sun

Friendly Chuck's Atlantic Ave. plant shop Dig has been setting up, er, digs at the bottom of the lower-level stairs at One Hanson, to much Fleaster approval. Houseplants, herb starters, and a few bells and whistles brighten up this corner of the bank, just in time for spring's looooong-awaited return. Lower-level stairs/Sat+Sun

Zach and his ZZ Imports family carpet biz are a big hit this winter, with their rugs finding their way into many a shoppers' home. We've wanted a solid rug vendor for a long time, and Zach and ZZ are finally the ones. Go ahead, walk all over 'em. #75/Sun only (lower level)

Nathan Ursch's parents are antiques dealers, and now he's got the bug. He collects mid-century modern furniture and architectural pieces, and we can't wait to see what he brings for his Flea debut this (gorgeous) weekend. He works for Design Within Reach by day, so look out for the serious stuff. #35/Sat+Sun

You might remember Maurice from his days in the Lafayette/Clermont corner last fall, and now after a health hiatus he's back on his game. Maurice is eminently proud of bringing "really nice stuff" (antiques, furniture, art) to the Flea, and we hope you'll prove him right. #39/Sat+Sun

Alphaville was a great vintage toy shop on Houston St. across from Film Forum for many years, but alas it is no more. Steve and Gary have pulled a Geppetto and resuscitated Alphaville at the Flea, bringing their awesome robots, TV characters, space icons, board games, Potato People (Mr. + Mrs. P'Head), and a trove of other nostalgic goodies. Stroll down Memory Lane or teach the tykes about real fun! #78/Sat+Sun (lower level)

Bubbly MerrieDee sells a tried-and-true mix of vintage postcards, clothing, bric-a-brac, hi-fi's, small 50's modern furniture, and more at her good-times booth Woody's Cabin, up on the mezzanine. #69/Sat+Sun (mezzanine)

Handmadens

A trio of handmade artists new to the Flea are upping the ante at One Hanson, and they're all onboard this weekend:

Stephanie of Coral + Tusk sells at John Derian and Acorn Toy Shop—and the Flea when she's in town. Baby Flea loves her stuff, which features intricately hand-stitched pillows, framed canvases, kids clothes, and the like (above left). So good! #25/Sat only

Kate Durkin joined the Flea circus at Gifted, and now her knitted owl, whale, dachsund, and sailboat pillows (above center) are really catching on at the bank. Kate's small-scale paintings are also adorable, featuring innovative stitching patterns and child-like but very mature imagery. There's a reason why she's already shown up on Design*Sponge, Flavorpill, Apartment Therapy, and even Project Runway! #62/Sat+Sun

SKT Ceramics is Susannah's classy but cute porcelain mugs, necklaces, and beer steins featuring her hand-drawn bears, squirrels, baby penguins, and more (above right). Handmade in Brooklyn, food-safe, naturally. Up-and-coming, to be sure. #64/Sat+Sun

March 17, 2010

BFFs of the Week—Sadio + Seranie

We caught up with Sadio and Seranie at Joe Sipo's Estate of Art Vintage Lifestyle (#40), checking out a bounty of dresses. The settled-on 20-dollar beauty will look perfect on Sadio, but perhaps Seranie will have to find himself a different outfit.

What are your names?
I am Sadio, and this is Seranie.

How old is Seranie?
He's 17 months.

Is this your first time to the Flea?
This is my first time in a long while at any flea market.

Do you live around here?
No, we live in Queens. My father has a friend here so we came with him.

So, where are you going to wear this dress?
I just bought it 'cause it's nice, nowhere specific. That's just me. If I see something that I like and I can afford it, I'm going to buy it.

What are you going to do on this cold rainy day?
Go home, maybe to the movies, but probably just relax, and stay dry.

Sounds nice. Thanks S+S!

March 12, 2010

Scavenger Hunt Items: March 13+14

Some serious Scavenger items this weekend, both born in the '60s, likely gone by noon each day. Brave the weather, be rewarded with treasure.

From left:
1. Glass cameo from the '60s, unusual round design, 1-1/4" diameter. Vintage (Saturday)

2. Set of 6 Danish Modern solid rosewood coasters and caddy, '60s. Vintage (Sunday)

March 11, 2010

Jess Bites Flea—Soler Platter

Rafael Soler is known—OK, renowned—for his pupusas, as Martha Stewart, everyone who's been to the Red Hook Ballfields, and every Fleaster knows. But ze pupusa is not all Rafael brings to the table.

What: Chorizo Sausage Platter with fluffy white rice and creamy and tangy beans.

Tasty with: A mound of crunchy pickled cabbage, homemade tomato "sauce," Salvadoran crema, and a dash of hot sauce.

Cost: $5 for a platter with 1 pork sausage. Yes, $5.

What else: After a full day of shopping, you're probably hungry for more than a snack. Rafael has all sorts of sampler platters featuring daily pupusa and tamale specials.

Find Rafael downstairs at One Hanson every weekend.

March 9, 2010

BFF of the Week - Tetsuhi

Who doesn't love a good ol' orange hanging lamp? Check out bro and sis Joe Heidecker (Jaybird Antiques) and Pat Kearns' booth (#7) every weekend for great 20th C. homewares: In addition to lamps, they also curate truly eclectic furniture, art, knick-knacks galore and an extensive set of sciencey beakers and other glass items that will bring you straight back to 11th Grade Chemistry. Tetsuhi knew where the action's at.

Do you live around here?
Yep. One block.

Do you come to the Flea often?
Yeah. Almost every week.

What are you going to do with your lamp?
This is for the store. We have a flower and vintage and art store just one block away on Hanson Place. It's called Saffron. [Ed: This place is super-cute btw.]

Are you going to use it or sell it?
No, we are going to use the lamp. We do sell lamps but we sold our other ones so had to come and buy this one.

What are you doing on this lovely spring day?
Oh we have to go right back to the store.

Are you going to watch the Oscars tonight.
No.

Alright then. Thanks Tetsuhi!

March 5, 2010

Scavenger Hunt Items: March 6+7

Sunny skies, balmy temps, git out and Scavenge. Hunt 'em down!

From left:
1. Army duffel filled with cool vintage clothing for men and women. Vintage (Saturday)

2. Solid teak vase. Vintage (Sunday)

March 4, 2010

Jess Bites Flea: Kors d'Oeuvres

Dippity-do-da-snack.

What: Eight seasonal dips in all, with the Roasted Pumpkin, Butternut Squash and Goat Cheese Spread in the lead. But out-of-this-world, Spinach and Artichoke Dip isn't far behind.

Tasty with: Kory generously provides pretzels and corn chips for your sampling needs, but try it on toasty bruschetta, or fresh carrots.

How else: The White Bean and Roasted Olive Spread is the perfect savory layer in a lasagna. The Pumpkin is a natural ravioli stuffing (with Brown Butter Sage sauce? You know it). Try mixing the Southern Blue Cheese & Herb Dip with a bit of red wine vinegar and pour over an iceberg wedge, or a swath of Cheddar Beer is a decadent treat atop a burger.

Cost: One for $8, 2 for $14, or 6 dips, flatbread, crackers, and crudité for a $100 Party in a Bag.

Find Kors D'Oeuvres at Booth #92 downstairs in the vault every Saturday (except this weekend darnit!).

March 3, 2010

Vendor of the Week: VintageSteph

Stephanie and John, the lovely Massachusetts couple behind VintageSteph, really do it up special and different every week in their own room on the mezzanine, which features stained-glass windows and a little closet perfect for a collection of old black and white photos. Check them out every Saturday and Sunday in #74 upstairs.

What's your name and company's name?
S: I'm Stephanie Pernice.
J: And I'm John Warren.
S: We go by the name VintageSteph.

And what's your hometown?
S: I'm from Newton, Massachusetts, the Boston area.
J: I'm from New Hampshire. We both live in Linfield, Mass., now. It's about a 5 hour drive to Brooklyn if there are no hassles on the road.

What do you sell and how long have you been selling it for?
S: An eclectic mix of designer furnishings, and John makes one-of-a-kind folk art furnishings like vanities, hutches, and islands, using vintage findings. I love old suitcases, architecturals, old textiles, jewelry, mid-century modern, industrial. So we mix it all up and decorate with it.
J: And the goal of my furniture is to use as much reclaimed materials like old metals and stained glass, screws, everything possible that doesn't compromise the integrity of the structure.

What is your specialty?
J: Cool stuff we both like, so when we sell to people, we are really into what we're selling.
S: I specialize in textiles, garden antiques, French and Italian antiques, and forms that please my eye. Could be utilitarian or decorative, just things I deem cool.

What's your most memorable sale?
J: These two industrial-size fan grate covers that we sold as sculpture. Each one was 5 feet in diameter. I think they were from an old paper mill in New Hampshire. Someone bought them immediately.
S: Oh, and John's favorite sale happened under the [Brooklyn] Bridge this summer. He had built a cool cabinet and debuted it at the Flea. This woman walked right up to it, fell in love with it and went home with it. John was so flattered. He really appreciates when people get his work and love it.

What keeps you coming back to the Flea?
S: We love the customers here, the energy, the vibe.
J: Everyone is amazing. The dealers we've met down here have really taken us in. It's like a family.
S: And our eye has really been validated. We feel like we've found a home.

What do you do for fun?
J: I like motorcycles. And collecting black and white photography.
S: And going out finding stuff together at places like yard sales, antique stores, thrift stores, estate sales, whatever.

Do you have a website?
S: Yes! It's vintagesteph.com. And we would love for people to read our blog. You'll find more pieces John made, a couple of which will be available this week at the Flea. I also participate in Vintage and Modern, a site for designers to source objects, textiles, art, jewelry, under the name Designer Dolce. We sell things that are a bit more high end there. And John is represented by a few galleries that he met through the Flea and other markets.

Thanks Stephanie and John!

March 2, 2010

BFF of the Week: Natasha

In anticipation of warmer climes ahead, Jellyroll Vintage brought out the sun dresses last weekend. Find them, along with vintage textiles and craft materials, every weekend at #41.

What did you buy here?
A really pretty summer dress.

Where are you going to wear it?
Probably to the park, or to a picnic.

And what would you bring to a picnic?
I would bring strawberries. Those would go well with the dress.

Is this your first time at the Flea?
No, this is my second time.

Do you live around here or close to a park? How did you end up here today?
I've lived in Williamsburg for about two years now. My friend Fara comes here every weekend and she told me about it. I brought some friends today for their first time.

What do you do?
I'm a student. I study sociology at the City University of New York. I'll probably be a professor.

Thanks Natasha!

Finders/Keepers: Feb. 27+28

Snow don't stop the Scavenging, surprise surprise. Here are this week's Hunter-Winners!

From left:
Intrepid Merrill (right) was hanging around at 10:00am sharp eyeing the Blue Meanie, having braved the snow from Windsor Terrace to find the Beatles cartoon icon. He asked Grace, "Am I allowed to find it this early?" Yup. Merril's a regular Fleaster, comes for the "stuff." Grace Napoleon has been a regular vendor for going on a year now, cruising in from Connecticut with her fabulous Flea finds as well as cute upcycled clothes and homewares she makes herself. She's also got the warmest little heart this side of the East River, find her in booth #62 at One Hanson most weekends.

Kevin (right) and his wife were checking the website Sunday morning and he spotted the awesome vintage Polaroid later in the day. Not surprising, since he's a former FBI man! Dennis was manning Susan Blank's vintage-frames booth ("Blank Frames," naturally), which is one of the Flea's most popular—and most awesome, too. Booth #54 weekly.

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

February 26, 2010

The Flea is Open!

We never close, so we'll be open as always Saturday and Sunday this weekend, 10am to 5pm. See you at the Flea!

Scavenger Hunt Items: Feb. 27+28

The Hunt just gets better. Scavengers will likely abound; come quick.

From left:
1. Yellow Submarine Blue Meanie collector doll: plastic, movable, and of course, lovable. Designed by cartoonist Todd McFarlane. Vintage (Saturday)

2. Polaroid 900 "Electric Eye" camera, circa 1960's. Vintage (Sunday)

What's New?

As One Hanson cruises on, quite a few new vendors have climbed aboard the good ship Flea, in addition to the regulars you know and love. Many of them are serious vintage/antiques dealers, and we're proud to have 'em. (Booth numbers refer to the vendor layout + map we post every Friday. Know it, learn it.)

Sunday Love is Greer's Grand St. Williamsburg vintage shop, with a focus on repurposed furniture. (Their most popular item is an anatomy table created from a repro print of an old biology poster.) Cool stuff. #3/Sun

Rhianna sells Fleaster Nina Z.'s awesome Swedish clogs, cute plants and flowers from Fort Greene's Stem, and Rhianna's own tightly curated selection of vintage homewares. Great booth! #63/Sun

Maurice is an old-school antiques dealer who returns to the Flea fold this weekend after a hiatus. Expect big to small, furniture to knick-knacks, and tall tales from Monsieur Maurice. #4/Sat+Sun

Elizabeth Benjamin has done the Pier Show for years, and she debuts at the Flea this weekend. Full case of sterling flatware, unusual smalls, vintage kitchen items, embroidered sheets and pillowcases, art glass, cashmere sweaters, all kinds of funky-fun stuff. Primo! #35/Sat+Sun

We get a lot of applicants in the realm of Chika's Mercato biz—head scarves, totes—so we really liked her style and professionalism and love having her at One Hanson. (She started up at Gifted and kicked ass.) Nice as can be too. #49/Sat+Sun

Woody's Cabin is Merrie's vintage biz: postcards, bric-a-brac, hi-fi's, small '50s furniture, and the like. Yum. #80 (vault level)/Sat+Sun

Andy and Chery are Mix Gallery, dealers of Mid-Century and Deco lamps, furniture, and art par excellence (above). Their little nook on the vault/lower level to the right has been a haven for serious collectors and shoppers. Check 'em. #83 (vault level)/Sat+Sun

Is Five is Keith and Sonal's young collectors' biz, with a focus on rare and antique decorative books. They brought some stunning Danish Modern furniture to the Flea in 2008, then reassessed and are honed in on the beautiful book thing. They have a great eye together. #40/Sun

February 25, 2010

Jess Bites Flea - Choncho's Tamales

And you thought tacos were always the answer...

What: By now, you know you can find the best mahi mahi tacos at Choncho's, but the tamales are babies not to be put in the corner. Above are the smoked jalapeno pork tamales, with shredded spicy pork and corn meal, wrapped in corn husk, steamed, and topped with sour cream, cilantro, red cabbage, lime, and spicy chipotle hot sauce (optional, but recommended). Also try the verde (mild pork), mole (Chicken), and raja (poblano pepper and cheese).

Tasty with: Lime or grapefruit Jarritos for 2 bucks a bottle.

Where else: Choncho's tamales and tacos can also be found at The Loading Dock on Tillary Street in Brooklyn for lunch and dinner.

Cost: $5 well-worth bucks.

City Owl Woot Hoot!

City%20Owl%20DS.jpg

City Owl, Ashley and Jim's phenomenal vintage and repurposed-goods biz, got the vaunted Design*Sponge treatment today, to which we say kudos! City Owl teamed up with interior designer Christine Dalsass on the offices of the open planning project (topp), a cool mapping and geography nonprofit, and the results are kind of astoundingly gorgeous in a minimal/modern/industrial/green way.

Railroad-cart coffee table? Yup (above). Plant walls? Yeah. Framed vintage subway scrolls (a City Owl Flea staple)? Uh huh. Check the pics yo!

And find the City Owls in booth #26 every weekend at One Hanson (except this weekend actually, on vacation).

February 23, 2010

Vendor of the Week: Regan + Smith

Check out Kevin's deals on funky furniture and homewares a the Flea, or take a day trip up to the Hudson Valley for some higher-end pieces. Either way, you'll be supporting his beloved pastime of shopping just for you. (Booth #21 at One Hanson.)

What's your name and company's name?
Kevin Regan, and it's Regan + Smith Antiques.

And what's your hometown?
I'm originally from Providence, Rhode Island, and I live in Hudson, NY, now. It's a destination place with like 60 antique shops on one street, an old fishing town. It takes about 2 hours to get there.

What do you sell and how long have you been selling it for?
We have a shop in Hudson where we sell more designer furniture and decorative. What I bring here is hip, cool, less expensive furniture, quirky home accessories, glassware. Anything that appeals to me that seems fairly priced, I buy it— it also allows me to feed my addiction. I'm just addicted to buying, so I need to keep selling.

What's your most memorable sale?
Does it have to be a sale? There was the lady that fell asleep in our chair in the heat of the summer last year in Fort Greene. That was funny! [Last photo of that week's slideshow.]

What keeps you coming back to the Flea?
I'm getting old, and it keeps you young. It's fun! And it's a really good place to shop.

What do you do for fun, besides shopping?
That's it. Shopping.

And do you have a website?
Yes! It's reganandsmith.com.

Thanks Kevin!

Ponderous Pics

Ponder has a gorgeous closeup look at some of the vintage beauty on offer at the Flea at One Hanson, in the kickoff gallery for its new "Visual Inspiration" series. Ponder as you gander!

Photos by Yang-Yi Goh.

February 22, 2010

Finders/Keepers Feb. 20+21

Saturday was a super-early winner (first hour), Sunday's happened later, despite a feverish Hunt. Both Scavengers were seemingly euphoric at their find. The Hunt was as it should be.

From left:
Sommer found the vintage bulldog framed photo within moments of the market opening—and it was well-hidden under a table on a side aisle. Kudos to Sommer the Scavenger! The providing vendor goes only by Sea Hair @ AOKNY and prefers to remain anonymous. You can find him in #15 every weekend, or here.

Abbey became a Flea Facebook fan over the weekend, saw the Pyrex dining set, and as a plate collector she was on the Hunt. Abbey entered the room on the mezzanine (booth #67), stopped, took a deep breath, and, stunned for a moment, asked Carmella "Is that it?" Carm said yes, but Abbey had to ask again since it was so late in the day. She was very excited!

Carmella is Mama Can't Sing, and she's got a great mish-mash of clothing, jewelry, housewares, and everything in between—vintage and self-designed—up on the mezzanine every weekend. A sweetie too!

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

February 19, 2010

Scavenger Hunt Items: Feb. 20+21

A coupla doozies at the Hunt this week: A dog in honor of Westminster, and a classic American tabletop set. Exscavenganza!

From left:
1. Signed vintage 8"x10" photo of a French Bulldog. Framed: 16"x20". Vintage (Saturday)

2. Set of Pyrex cups and saucers. Vintage (Sunday)

February 18, 2010

BFFs of the Week: Eileen + Jeanne

You'll see why below.

What's your names?
Eileen (left) and Jeanne.

Is this your first time at the Flea?
J: Yep. I've heard about it for awhile. We're sisters, and Eileen never heard about it, so I said, "I think I want to check out the Brooklyn Flea. It's indoors, it's in this cool building," and my sister is always game. Then I mentioned we are leaving at 8:30am to get here. Haha. We live in Westchester County.

What did you buy here?
J: We bought this lovely—
E: We think it's a log holder. Want to know what else we got? We got some fun things!
J: We got some Bloody Mary Mix [from McClure's—did you see the Times article, by the way?], it has pickle juice in it, so good.
E: Yeah we tasted it, it's phenomenal.
J: We have this map from 1891 of the region where we live, it's hand-engraved. They [Intaglio Prints + Maps; booths 10+20] have some amazing stuff back there.
J: We bought an old tennis ball holder; my husband is a tennis player.
E: Ooh! I got a vintage Colgate or Crest postcard. [It was Colgate, from Bleecker St. Antiques, booth #76.] Our nephew just got into dental school so we thought that would be perfect for him.
J: And we ate too.

What did you eat?
J: Oh, so good. We ate the fish tacos [Choncho's Tacos]. Amazing amazing amazing.
E: I got the spinach pie and salad [Anthi's]. And we are going to buy some sweets on the way out.

Do it! And so what are you going to do with your wood holder?
J: We were both instantly in love with it. Eileen has a little more room in her house right now, so I'm going to buy it but she's going to housesit it.
E: Which is fine because it's going to look so cute next to my fireplace.
J: We bought it from a super nice guy named Kevin [Regan & Smith; booth #21].

Do you have a working fireplace?
E: Yeah. I have a fire every night.

Lucky!
J: What a fun thing to do today...

Thanks Eileen and Jeanne!

February 17, 2010

Finders/Keepers Feb. 13+14

Heartwarming Hunt this week, thanks for keeping it pumping strong.

From left:
Nick (left) treated finding the chalice like it was the Holy Grail from Raiders of the Lost Ark, and promptly bought a bottle of vino to fill it properly. It was his first Flea, he's from the Slope, and much wine was drunk from it that day. Cheers Nick! Rick (right) works with Dina and Rob, who are new to the Flea as of One Hanson, but they've been killing it with their Mid-Century finds of every flavor: furniture, lamps, household items, art, all great modern stuff. They also have a spot at the Center 44 Midtown showroom, where they're known as Satyricon. Which basically means they're really serious vendors and can get you stuff if they don't have it at the Flea.

Irina has been to the Flea a bunch, but in her first time at the bank over Valentine's weekend she got lucky—and found the pretty heart-shaped locket. She lives in Park Slope and works at home for Intel, likes movies and cooking. Sweet! Friendly vendor Joseph of Estate of Art Vintage Lifestyle had the perfect Hunt item for the weekend, and generally has the perfect vintage outfit or jewelry for every occasion as well. He's as solid as they come, every weekend at every Flea. Joe's a star!

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

Good Fork @ The Flea

Good%20Fork%20Dumplings.jpg

We're basically overjoyed that our pals at The Good Fork will start serving their delicious dumplings at the Flea this weekend. Whether you're the New York Times, New York, Time Out, the Voice, Chowhound, or just a dumpling-lover, you're psyched.

Ben and Sohui from the Fork will be rocking the pork-and-chive dumplings that are a staple on the Red Hook resto's menu, as well as a Flea-friendly vegetable version, which we're excited to sample. They're also debuting a chicken-and-sausage gumbo over rice—special for the Flea—so get on down to the vault and bring an empty belly and your friends' bellies too. It's all Good!

While you're down there, scan the vault for another new foodie, SCRATCHbread, which is Brooklynite Matthew's burgeoning baking biz, supplying local spots like Cafe Grumpy, Gorilla Coffee, Blue Apron Foods, and the Larder with his insanely good scones (chocolate=death by love), shortbread, and brownies, along with a popover of the week. He'll be rolling out SCRATCH's excellent loaves of bread in the weeks to come. Saturdays only for now.

Photo: Joe Tannis Photography

February 16, 2010

Slideshow February 14

Valentine's Day, Flea-style....

Sam Sifton Beware

Nic, the 10-year-old foodie behind the Eat It Up blog, deigned to visit the Flea last weekend and filed this informed report.

Nic samples two cheese pupusas (smart man), a lobster roll (archetypal Flea), a sweet Maine shrimp roll (going deeper than the obvious), and a fish taco. He also scored some lemon meringue pie (news to Senor Flea), and some Kumquat cupcakes (no-brainer). Check out the post for Nic's pics (action shots=journalism), research (sign of a good writer), and his list of vendor links (better than most bloggers do).

Well done Nic. Await the email from Grub Street....

February 15, 2010

What'd Ya Get?

Every Monday morning we ask what you bought at the Flea on our fab Facebook page (4000 fans and counting!). We like to know what you love at the market—that way we can make sure there's more of it every weekend. It's like direct capitalism, with a little socialism thrown in for fun. Thanks for playing!

February 12, 2010

Scavenger Hunt Items: Feb. 13+14

The chalice returns after its vendor had an emergency root canal last weekend. And for Sunday a Valentine's Day special—Scavenge (but don't steal) this heart!

From left:
1. Mid-Century studio-pottery chalice in organic colors and textures, circa 1960s. Vintage (Saturday)

2. Brass heart locket on silk cord, approx. 2" wide. Vintage (Sunday)

February 11, 2010

Kumquat + Liddabit Pop-Up

We don't usually pimp offsite Flea stuff, but Kumquat Cupcakery and Liddabit Sweets are hardcore OF (Original Fleaster), and their new confection connection is pure sugah.

Keavy Kumquat and Liz and Jenn Liddabit are doing a real pop-up Sweet Shop (starts tonight, closes Sunday) at the awesome Greenpoint antiques and curio shop Kill Devil Hill. (In a pleasing twist, Kill Devil also happens to be doing the Flea later this month, stay tuned.) Mini-cupcakes, PB+Mallow bars, slurtles, beer-and-pretzel caramels, heart lollipops—yeah, all that stuff.

There's an opening with free wine tonight, 6-9pm. (Of course, you can also find them both at the Flea at One Hanson this weekend.)

Go gals!

The Sweet Shop
Thur-Sun, Feb. 11-14
10am-7pm
170 Franklin St. (btw. Java + Kent)
Greenpoint, Brooklyn

Jess Bites Flea: Anthi's Spinach Pie

For the rare times when pork or cheese aren't the answer...

What: Anthi's Greek spinach pie, served warm in soft and crispy phyllo with savory cheese and egg.
Meal/Snack/Drink: A substantial snack, but couple it with a Greek country salad or Mediterranean corn salad and you got yourself a full-on meal. The $5 dollar salads are handy too, in large cups for eating and perusing!
Vegetarian/vegan/meat/fish: The delish spinach pie is vegetarian but if you want vegan, try the baba ganoush vegan wrap, and if you want some meat, try the chicken tzatziki wrap, each rolling for 4 bucks.
How much: 5 bucks for a big ol' square.
What Else: Greek yogurt by the cup. Returning this weekend!

Fashion Flea

Even though our catwalk is a center bank aisle crowded with deer heads, knitting kits, antique cameras and photos, and boxes of buttons, the Flea is no less a must-see for the serious observer during Fashion Week than the tents. (Check out the photo above and you'll see we're no ordinary flea.)

Unique patterns by the boatload? Everywhere. Designer duds for a song? All the finest. Boots, shoes, clogs? Yup. Outstanding jewelry sold by the maker? Bonanza. Actual Brooklyn/NYC "street" looks? Uh, yeah.

In short, if you're wondering where the other (better?) half of StyleLand resides, hop on the B/D/Q from Bryant Park (or just take a cab) and in a half-hour you're there. See you at the Flea!

February 10, 2010

Lub Dub

The Flea gets all mushy this weekend for Valentine's Day, with a trio of special guest vendors. If you've visited recently you've already seen the range of vintage Valentine's on order on the center aisle (above), very snazzy.

Local gal Ria's Tiny Park Flowers will be hawking special flowers and plants that say "Let's grow together" to your loved one (below left). Look for her in a spot we carved out, at the bottom of the stairs to the vault near the whisper wall. Ria will be there Saturday and Sunday.

On Sunday Alex Brown is setting up a onetime photo booth on the main floor for Valentine's Day portraits: $5, or $8 with props. He'll be in a room on the right (#8 on the vendor map), next to Choice and their pastries. Alex also has a show of photos from the photo booth he operated at Fort Greene in 2009, coming up later this month at a Manhattan boutique. More info soon.

And fancy vintage lingerie specialist Cora Pearl Underpinnings show off their gorgeous girlie items (below right) this weekend only, on the ground floor for all to see (booth #45). Named for the 19th century French courtesan infamous for her royal clientele as well as her extravagant lingerie purchases, Cora Pearl's high-quality items range from the early 1900's to the late '50s, including a number of museum-quality pieces. Meow.

BFF of the Week: Michael

Honestly, you gotta ask a grown man why he bought a book about pirates. Apparently, it was in part because it was such an excellent deal from Sea Hair @ A.O.K.N.Y. (Yep, that's the real name; booth #16.)

What's your name?
Michael [pronounced with an Icelandic accent].

What did ya buy there?
A book. Pirates, by David Michel.

Why?
Because I often go to the Caribbean and I think about pirates when I'm there. So I'm going to take this book with me next time.

You unzipped your coat for the picture. Is that because the book matches your outfit?
No, I just thought that maybe I look better that way.

What do you do?
I have a business. I build studio recording equipment.

Have you been to the Flea before?
This is my first time. I heard about it from my wife.

Do you have plans to get to the Caribbean anytime soon and get out of this cold weather?
Yeah, in April. I'm probably going to St. Maarten and then sail on a sailboat to Puerto Rico.

That sounds awesome. I hope you don't run into any pirates while you are there.
Me too.

Thanks Michael!

Vendor(s) of the Week: Species by the Thousands + A.S.I.S

Two girls, one booth. (Two vendors sharing booth #14, that is. Every weekend.)

What's your name and company's name?
My name is Erica and my business is Species By The Thousands.

And what's your hometown?
Tiverton, Rhode Island.

Where do you live now?
Now I live in Brooklyn, in Greenpoint, for about 8 years.

What do you sell and how long have you been selling it for?
I do T-shirts and sweatshirts that are eco-friendly with my drawing on them. I also do a line of jewelry, some of which is cast pieces and others are recycled/vintage. I have been doing this about 3 or 4 years.

What are they cast in?
They are cast in recycled sterling silver and different eco metals and alloys. Eco means it's not bought from miners but scrap metal that is melted down.

What's your specialty?
I do a lot of different things. I am a painter by trade, and I started by handpainting on shirts, but now I use screen prints. But I think the "Bearded Man" is my most popular design. [see slideshow]

What's your most memorable sale?
I don't know. It was fun selling to Jason Schwartzman when he was here last year. He bought two different designs and was really nice.

What keeps you coming back to the Flea?
It's really great to have an audience every week because I'm always making new things and it's an immediate place to show it and see how it goes over. It gives me firsthand experience about how to change the design, if necessary, for when I'm going to wholesale it. Plus everyone is so nice here.

What do you do for fun?
For fun I play in a band called Long Distance Poison. It's like analog, synthesizers, horror movie soundtrack stuff. I play the synthesizer and digital drums.

Do you have a website?
www.speciesbythethousands.com.

Thanks Erica!

What's your name and company's name?
My name is Angela and my business is A.S.I.S. which stands for Angela Spencer's Irresistible Stuff.

And what's your hometown?
Nottingham, England.

Where do you live now?
I live in Williamsburg now for about the last 10 years.

What do you sell and how long have you been selling it for?
I sell hand-knitted goods, crocheted hats, and jewelry. I've been doing it for about 6 years.

What's your specialty?
Knitted stuff, I would say. I use material from a small family-run farm in Nebraska and it's 85% wool, 15% mohair.

What's your most memorable sale?
Oh yeah! What's his name... Michael Stipe. He bought one of my chains at Gifted. I was totally freaking out. I was trying to keep it together. It's stupid 'cause I really wanted to tell him how amazing he was but I wanted him to buy something and not get scared away. Haha.

What keeps you coming back to the Flea?
Being able to have a marketplace for your stuff right away. The wholesale stuff can get a little bit boring and nondescript. It's like a little community, or family, with neighbors and all.

Is this your full-time job? What do you do for fun?
For fun, oh my god. I have no life. I have no social life whatsoever. I think...my fun merges into what I do with design work and knitting. While I knit I like using books on tape, like listening to Jane Austen—I know that's really cheesy. And I love East Village Radio.

Do you have a website?
www.luvasis.com.

Thanks Angela!

February 8, 2010

Finders/Keepers Feb. 6+7

A happy gal on Saturday; a vendor root canal on Sunday. The chalice shall return at a later date...

Amy (center) lives in the Slope, had been to one Flea last summer. She brunches every couple weeks with her gal pals (Rachel, left, and Gennie) and decided to make the Flea the food destination this time. When they were trying on gloves at the vendor next door, Amy spotted the pretty earrings in the Guru booth (#1 for those playing at home). (She's wearing them today fyi.)

Lovely Zein (not pictured; she snapped the pic!) has been pleasing customers with her stunning Indian jewelry and tunics for a couple years at the Flea, and her sparkly stand is reason enough to venture into the back right corner in your One Hanson spelunking.

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

A Real Flea Scavenger Hunt

Amanda%20SH.jpg

Last weekend, lucky gal Amanda's creative husband created a scavenger hunt for her birthday, where friends were challenged to find specific items relating to the b'day gal. So sweet we had to share.

Some of the clues included: "Find a pin that's cute as sin"; "Find something that starts and ends with 'A'" (in honor of Amanda)—this became the "Alvara" label above; and "Find something that shows an owl"—as any Fleaster knows, this was exceedingly easy.

Anyway, we love the idea, think you should do it too, maybe even this weekend for Valentine's Day.

In terms of our own Hunt, we'll have this week's Flea winner soon, once we learn her name and info. (The Sunday vendor had an emergency root canal so just that one item this week.)

February 5, 2010

Scavenger Hunt Items: Feb. 6+7

The weather outside could possibly be frightful, but the Hunt will surely be delightful. Scavenge in the snow!

From left:
1. "Evil Eye" earrings are a modern twist on an ancient symbol of protection. New/handmade (Saturday)

2. Mid-Century studio-pottery chalice in organic colors and textures, circa 1960s. Vintage (Sunday)

Blown Away by UrbanGlass

Urban%20Glass.jpg

World-renowned glass-blowing studio and school UrbanGlass will make a special appearance at the Flea at One Hanson this weekend, and we're honored.

They'll have artists selling handmade glass objects, beads, and jewelry at the Flea, and on Saturday you can also stop by the open house at the studio, which is a block away on Fulton St. Now, this is no ordinary craft sale; UrbanGlass is one of the preeminent glass studios in America, if not the world—the real deal. And it's right under your nose.

So come to the Flea, Seymour Glass.

Help for Haiti

Thanks to all the Fleasters who helped us raise more than $500 ($569 to be exact) for the Red Cross relief effort in Haiti through our collection box at One Hanson last weekend. We delivered the cash to their offices last week.

Several vendors have been helping out individually, including Flux Productions (on the mezzanine), who's been donating $5 from every sale to the Red Cross in Haiti. And definitely stop by to visit Lionel and Constant, who returned safely from Port-au-Prince the weekend after the earthquake and jumped right back on the horse, vending in booth #2 in the back every weekend. Much love!

February 2, 2010

Vendor of the Week: Totally Bruce

Check out Chris Goodman and his totally cool stuff. Bruuuuuce.

What's your name and company's name?
My name is Chris Goodman and my business is Totally Bruce.

What's the story behind that name?
My father and I for years and years would go to garage sales. 7 AM, coffee, breakfast, map it all out, ready to go. And one time we went to a sale, and I bought a belt buckle that said, "Bruce." The guy made it himself—it was hand-pounded, all leather, and I started wearing it all the time, and then started referring to myself as Bruce. It kinda went from there.

And what's your hometown?
Niagara Falls, New York, USA.

Where do you live now?
I live in Red Hook—the center of the universe.

How do you get to and fro?
Smitty. My '92 Ford Ranger pickup.

What do you sell and how long have you been selling it for?
The best shit [ed.: It's true]. All the coolest stuff. But I really just sell what I like. I think that's the best policy. It's like a no-brainer pretty much.

What's your most memorable sale?
I make jewelry out of old watch chains and fobs and lockets, older stuff I find, take apart, and put back together. The first thing I made was a gold-filled pocket knife and I attached an intaglio, or a drop chain to it. So when it went, it was really hard to let it go.

Do you make anything else aside from the stuff you find and sell?
I have been making some pretty cool lights which I will debut here in the future.

What keeps you coming back to the Flea?
For me it's more about going out and finding the stuff, the hunt. And then it's great to be able to make a living doing what I love. When you're out there, you kind of see something that would look really good with this or that. So, I go with what I like and it ends up looking good together.

Is this your full-time job? What do you do for fun?
This is my full-time job and I like finding my stuff to sell, but what I also like to do is hang out with my English bulldog, Otis—he's awesome [see last pic of slideshow]. And hang out with my friends, take drives out to new undiscovered lands.

Do you have a website?
www.totallybruce.net

February 1, 2010

Finders/Keepers Jan. 30+31

Another coupla happy Hunters at the Flea at One Hanson this weekend, scavenging for Superman and Mickey.

From left:
It was Jenny's (center) second Flea, first at One Hanson, and she came all the way from Princeton, NJ, on that frigid Saturday. Word up Jenny! She's a crafter herself, makes totes, and she was crafty in finding the Superman #1 reprint downstairs in Aline (left) and Gio's Bleecker St. Antiques, a staple on the lower level in #76, where you can everything from records to folk-art stools to Art Deco cat pitchers and on and on. A hunter's paradise.

On Sunday Otis (right) ventured upstairs to the mezzanine and stumbled upon Mr. Mickey in Hide and Hiro's shared booth. Apparently Otis creates color-themed areas and dioramas around his apartment, and Mickey will fit perfectly into the red zone he's currently fashioning. Otis=110% Flea! Hideya Sagawa normally shares with his pal Kenji of Amoskeag XX, the LES denim boutique and big-time supplier, and features Americana vintage clothing and jewelry, some with a Southwestern focus (his turquoise jewelry and belt buckles are not to be missed!), all of it expertly picked. Look for him upstairs in #72 with Hiro.

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

January 29, 2010

Scavenger Hunt Items: Jan. 30 + 31

Classic American iconography abounds at the Hunt this weekend.

From left:
1. Reprint of Action Comics Superman No. 1 comic book. Vintage (Saturday)

2. Walt Disney Co. 1970s Mickey Mouse figurine, approx. 5" tall. Vintage (Sunday)

We're Jammin'

Anarchy%20in%20a%20Jar.jpg Sigmund%20Pretzel.jpg

A couple of new foodies to share with you: Anarchy in a Jar, the local renegade jam-makers, and Sigmund, the tasty new East Village pretzel shop, both enter the vault this Saturday, so bring your (extra) appetite.

Laena and Liv's innovative jams first appeared at the Flea last year, paired with Salvatore Bklyn's perfect ricotta mini-sandwiches, and now they've gotten production going to a point where they can Flea solo. A sampling of the Anarchy this weekend: ginger-pear, strawberry-balsamic, and blueberry-maple syrup jams, and clementine and lime-and-pandan marmalades. Spread the word, and the jam.

(Flea veteran Miss Amy's Preserves is back in the vault this Sunday as well, and she's always a huge hit with her jams, tapenades, and yummy mustard (made with Blue Point Oatmeal Stout). She comes in from Suffolk County, sweet as can be.)

Lina opened her cute Sigmund shop at Ave. B + E. 3rd St. a couple months ago with a secret (vegan) recipe for German-style pretzels to much fanfare. We sampled almost all her flavors the other day—everything from classic to seven-chili to gruyere + smoked paprika to garlic-parsley—and aside from the tummy doughache, we thought they'd make a perfect snack for adult and mini-Fleasters alike. In addition to a splendid mustard, Sigmund does nice homemade (and free) toppings like beet-horseradish mayo and herb goat cheese. Yum.

We got some more new foodies coming onboard soon, stay tuned!

January 28, 2010

BFF of the Week

We got a regular Sam Adams on our hands....

What's your name and what did you buy here?
My name is Gary. I bought a mix to brew beer at home [from Brooklyn Brew Shop]. I have the kit already, which I bought a couple months ago at the Flea under the bridge.

So you're a regular?
Yeah, I've been a few times.

Do you live around here?
Park Slope.

What do you do?
I'm a doctor.

Are you a regular brewmaster as well?
Well, this is my third batch. I've been buying about one a month. I'm thinking about buying the home kombucha kit to make fermented tea.

When you brew, do you share with friends and family?
If they're daring.

Does it turn out great?
The first batch wasn't, but the second batch was great.

Thanks Gary. And enjoy your homebrewin'!

January 27, 2010

Citybitz of One Hanson

Joan of Citybitz transforms snips and clips of photos of NYC landmarks into pendants, card cases, mirrors, money clips, and other handy items. She's a good egg.

She was inspired by the bank at One Hanson (who isn't?) to launch a few new items that reflect some of the space's myriad gorgeous details. Two card cases (left and right) show the relief concrete lions and that insane blue tile-mosaic ceiling in the lobby (sacre bleu!); and a mirror incorporates pics of the vaulted ceilings, chandelier, and other eye candy.

Joan's in #65 on the lefthand wall behind the teller windows every weekend at One Hanson. Get the picture!

January 26, 2010

Vendor of The Week: Intaglio Prints + Maps

Anatomical diagrams, detailed floral prints, world maps, Brooklyn street maps from the '70s, and fruit innards are just some of the illustrious prints you can find at Intaglio Antiques every weekend for the duration of The Flea at One Hanson. Meet the folks (the cutest couple ever) behind it all, discover the source of their cheap thrills, and even meet a shopper.

What is your name and company's name?
Tunde Bodnar, and my company is Intaglio Antiques.

And what's your hometown?
We live in Southbridge, Mass. But I was born and raised in New Jersey.

What do you sell and how long have you been selling it for?
We sell antique prints and maps—all original. I have been in the antique business for 10 years and [my partner] Ralph has been in it for almost 30 years.

What's your specialty?
The gist is that these are all pre-offset prints, which means they are all engravings made from steelplate or copperplate. Off-set means mass-produced and photo mechanical, so these are all pre-photo mechanical.

What is your most memorable sale?
It's not spectacular, it's just when people buy something and they get so excited about it. Take the [City-use] Sanborn Maps, for example. The shoppers get very excited when they find their home or street.

What keeps you coming back to the Flea?
The shoppers are great, all the venues have been great. Eric and Rob do an excellent, excellent job promoting and organizing. Years ago I lived in New York, and now that I live in Massachusetts, I don't mind spending time in New York at all.

Is this your full-time job?
This is my full-time. Finding these prints and maps consumes about 80% of my time during the week. They are hard to come by and they are expensive. I get a lot of them out of Europe and it just takes a lot of time.

What do you do for fun?
This! This is my fun. I really enjoy this. [Addressing a buyer] Tell us, why did you buy these?

Buyer: They're gifts for my wife. She is a crafter and a writer and she has some old typewriters. I have bought her a few old Singers off eBay and I think she will really appreciate these. Plus, her grandfather was a typewriter repair man, so....

See? This is my cheap thrill!

Thanks Tunde and Ralph!

January 25, 2010

Finders/Keepers Jan. 23+24

The Hunt must have been missed, as Scavengers struck early both days this weekend.

From left:
Rickey (right) rode his Vespa all the way down from Washington Heights on Saturday morning to find the Indian print block in—where else?—the My Little India booth. Rickey loves the Flea, first time at the bank, works for a church, braved chilly winds on his Vespa. Well done! Here he is with lovely Avian of MLI, which is upstairs on the mezzanine in #73 every weekend, under the insane giant stained-glass windows. They bring everything from hand-dyed soft cotton comforters and pillows to Avian's handmade leather bags to unique wooden furniture and unique items like Rickey's new print block.

First-time Fleaster Alisha (right) ventured to Brooklyn from the East Village Sunday and stumbled upon the glow in the dark undies—for men. She said she's gonna wear 'em herself; we'll leave that one alone. Jamie Xmas of Antique Wardrobe was harboring the vintage Day-Glo thong in booth #1, where he holds court with the coolest old-time vintage clothes and tchotchkes, displayed with a sense of whimsy. Not your run of the mill duds with Jamie, he's a total pro.

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

Slideshow January 24: Lights!

Winter lack of sun got ya down? Let the Flea light your way to happiness with lamps galore, from '40s antiques to newfangled microphone lamps. Stone cold lampin'.

January 22, 2010

Ken Jackson Talk Postponed

Ken Jackson is super-sick and can't do his Brooklyn history talk tomorrow. So we're rescheduling the event, will have the new date soon.

Sorry, folks.

Scavenger Hunt Items: Jan. 23+24

The Scavenger Hunt is back, long live the Hunt!

Two very different items this weekend at One Hanson. Nuff said.

From left:
1. Sheesham wooden stamp from India. Originally used for block printing, handy for home craft projects. Vintage (Saturday)

2. "Sexy Glow in the Dark Underwear" (mens). Circa 1980s—unused! Vintage (Sunday)

Americana at the Flea

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Since we're getting all historical, and since this is "Americana Week" in NYC, we want to highlight some of the antique awesomeness going on at the Flea.

You may have noticed a display of beautiful paintings of the Williamsburgh Savings Bank in booth #28 right when you walk into the bank. That's David Sokosh's always entertaining spot, where he sells self-repaired Brooklyn-made antique clocks and shares space with Lon Black and his incredible vintage postcard collection (including some of the bank building).

David is one of the only sources for Robert Goldstrom's long-running series of paintings of the bank tower (above), which combine a timeless feel with a truly American style. They're a treat to look at (and chat with David about), and would be right at home in any Brooklyn/NYC living room. (Peep the video on his work below.)

Every floor of One Hanson will be packed with treasures this weekend, so if you're in town for the trade shows in Mannahatta, make sure to schedule a jaunt to the most beautiful interior space in Brooklyn too.

January 21, 2010

Jess Bites Flea: Milk Truck NYC

Mmm...cheese.

What: Milk Truck Classic: Gruyere and cheddar on levain bread.
Meal/snack/drink: Kind of all of 'em! It's a great snack, perfect for sharing. Or, are you marvin? Don't share and add soup to your order.
Tasty with: Who doesn't love dipping a gooey and crunchy grilled cheese sammie in warm, thick tomato soup—just like ma made. Get a Tomato 4, made with San Marzano tomatoes pureed into unadulterated comforting goodness.
Where else: Soon to be truck-traveling (thus the name), but until then exclusively at ze Flea down in the vault.
How much: $5.50.
Locally derived or imported influence: The Classic is made with Wisconsin Cheddar: not exactly locavore, but come on—Wisconsin cheddar is the bester!

Ken Jackson Does One Hanson

Note: This event has postponed because Ken Jackson is sick. We'll post the new date soon.

A little treat for ya coming up this Saturday. Preeminent New York City and Brooklyn historian Prof. Ken Jackson (Columbia Univ.; The Encyclopedia of New York City, ed.; The Neighborhoods of Brooklyn, co-author) will join Stuart Blumin at the Flea at One Hanson to provide a freeform public talk on the history of the Williamsburgh Savings Bank Building and its relationship to Brooklyn as a borough, and formerly as a city unto itself.

The approximately 45-minute talk will take place at the kiosk at the main entryway to the Flea/bank, starting at 3:00pm this Saturday, January 23. It's free and open to the public.

The market has attracted nearly 10,000 visitors (!) each of the first two weekends at One Hanson, and we want to give Fleasters a chance to learn more about the special significance of the space, beyond the "oohs" and "aahs" and "amazing"s.

Watch and learn (and shop)!

Note: We found this awesome composite photo but can't find the source now. If you know who made it let us know and we'll add the credit. Great shots!

It's by Ryan Lewandowski, who has lots of other gorgeous photos on his photo blog.

BFF of the Week: Athena Calderone

This week we found our BFF taking stock of her booty (snowshoe, catcher's mask, wicker basket) on her way out the door, but she was nice enough to give us a little tour of her treasures' sources—too bad for her because she was tempted into buying a deer head her second time around. Our mini walkabout led us to Gary (booth #24 every Saturday and Sunday—by the deer heads and the discoball) and Susan at Sage Antiques, where Athena found most of her stuff.

What's your name?
Athena Calderone.

Do you live around here?
I live in DUMBO. My husband and I recently bought a house in Amagansett we're renovating, so I'm just kinda of finding some nice treats!

What do ya do?
I'm an interior designer, and my eye just scans this place, it's so great. This is my first time at this location but I sort of follow you guys around to the different spaces.

What's your design company?
I have a partner, we are Rawlins Calderone Design.

Great, we'll look you up!

Thanks Athena!

January 20, 2010

Vendor of the Week: City Owl Vintage

This week we caught up with the couple behind City Owl Vintage, and learned about the "primitives" they sell, among other design-inspired antiques. You can catch City Owl each Saturday and Sunday for the duration of the Flea at One Hanson, in booth #26.

What's your name?
I'm Ashley and my husband is Jim, and and our business is City Owl.

And what's your hometown?
Brooklyn, pretty much. Same for my husband.

Where do you live now?
We live between Sunset Park and Park Slope.

What do you sell and how long have you been selling it for?
We sell primitives and industrial furniture decorative items. We've been doing it since April. Primitives sort of have a range, but basically, we sell handmade stuff that wasn't mass-produced. And we like to sell stuff that is really worn-out, and that was obviously not made by a professional or a factory.

What is your most memorable sale?
We sold a cabinet to someone from the band that was both of our favorite growing up—Galaxie 500. That was great!

What keeps you coming back to the Flea?
We really love the vendors here. Everyone is incredibly nice. And so are the shoppers. It's really just a pleasant experience while you're working.

Is this your full-time gig?
This is my husband's full-time job. I work during the week and do this on the weekends. During the week, I do interior design for a non-profit. I also do a lot of project management and office management for the non-profit. It's called The Open Planning Project. We develop tech tools and do a lot of advocacy work related to mass transit, bicycles, pedestrians, etc.

Do you have a website?
People can find us at cityowlvintage.com. You can also see us at cityowlvintage on Etsy.

People should know we also offer design services and source things for designers, and for people doing film sets and things like that.

Thanks guys!

January 15, 2010

Flea for Haiti

All weekend we'll have a Red Cross collection box at the front kiosk at One Hanson for anyone who wants to donate funds to the relief effort in Haiti. You can't miss it when you walk in.

Many of you know longtime vendors Lionel and Constant, two brothers from Haiti who call themselves Nenenn155 at the Flea and who are among our most-loved characters within the market community, the sweetest guys. They're Brooklynites with families now, and last Monday they returned home to Haiti to see their ailing mother, who they visit regularly.

We're hoping that the lack of communication in general to Haiti is why we haven't heard back from them this week, and we speak for everyone at the Flea in saying that we're concerned and thinking of them pretty, well, constantly.

Update: We got word late last night that Lionel and Constant are OK! More news as we get it.

So Cheesy!

Some new folks are joining the Flea food fleet this weekend at One Hanson. You got your Milk Truck NYC—grilled cheese sammies (above) of local/yummy origin—and you got your Kors d'Oeuvres, homemade dips in 6 deelish varieties.

Keith did a tasting at Flea HQ last month, lulling us into a prolonged food/cheese coma with his Breakfast Sandwich (Wisconsin gruyere, egg, caramelized onions, rye), Ham + Cheese (country ham, vermont cheddar, Coleman's mustard, rosemary pullman), and a dessert sammy with bittersweet chocolate and orange marmalade on sourdough pullman. Incapacitated via bread and cheese, we limply signed off on his participation, confident that Fleasters would shell out $5.50-$7.50 for a grilled cheese with heart, soul, and well-selected ingredients. Right? New York mag likes him. See you on line.

Korey took an hour off from his Isaac Mizrahi day job to drop off his 6 dips at Gifted last month, and we spent the rest of the afternoon savoring the mix of Kors d'Oeuvres' (genius name) flavors and textures, which are straight-ahead but really well-done—a Flea foodie principle of sorts. The Blue Cheese dip? Outstanding. Onion dip? Awesome. Spinach and Artichoke? Totally good.

We're not crazy dip people even, but for whatever reason we have a good feeling about Korey and his devotion to dips and spreads, and feel like the on-the-spot or party-pack-to-go options are good for Fleasters. So we enkourage you to sample, savor, and spread.

Kors d'Oeuvres are inside the vault (downstairs) on Saturday only, and Milk Truck are in back (through the vault, with the other foodies now) both days. (Here's this weekend's full vendor layout.)

January 14, 2010

Jean-Paul's Duds for Dudes

What is it about a French accent that makes everything sound a bit more chic? Even a sweater vest feels sexier when you buy it from a man called "Jean-Paul." Visit him at the Flea at One Hanson every weekend in booth #27.

What is your name and your company's name?
My name is Jean-Paul and my company is Rue St. Denis Clothier.

And what's your hometown?
I am from Paris.

Where do you live now?
I live in the East Village.

How come you came here from Paris?
Well, I actually came to travel and I was going to go to this country and then South America, and I came here and started working and never made it to South America!

What do you sell and how long have you been selling it for?
Two things: I specialize in old stuff, meaning I get clothes from stores that weren't sold back then, and then I also bring stuff from Europe. I have been doing it for exactly 20 years this year.
Congratulations!
Thank you.

What's your specialty?
My specialty is European stuff and men's clothes. I sell more men's clothes than most dealers in the market.

What keeps you coming back to the Flea?
It's well-organized, Eric is a very good promoter, and I like the vibe, especially compared to the Manhattan markets. I think it is more fun here and more New Yorker, actually.

What do you do for fun?
I go to the counrty and I do woodwork.
Would you ever want to sell your woodwork?
Oh no, I only do it for fun.

Do you have a website?
I do. And I also have a store in the East Village on Avenue B and 11th St. Find me at vintagenyc.com.

Anything else you want our fine readers to know?
My stuff is in mint condition. I clean or dry clean everything I sell. I cannot do it any other way because I'm a bit of a neat freak. Not a missing button, ripped lining, nor a stain. It is also really important I sell the right thing to the right person. I want everything to look and feel the right way. If it doesn't fit or look good, I usually mention it. People say, if you want to know the truth, ask Jean-Paul!

January 13, 2010

BFF of the Week: Lucia + Mateo

The vintage electric guitar might have stolen all the thunda at Phil Lanigan's Addicted to Vintage booth (teller window #1), because this vintage porn almost went unnoticed. Thank goodness Mateo and Lucia were hanging around the Flea to educate us on what Phil brings to the table!

Flea: What did you guys buy here?
Mateo: We bought pornographic novels.
Lucia: Mine is called "Rape of the Virgin."
M: Mine is called "Gang Banged Innocence."

For a mere 15 bucks? That's a steal. Are you going to read these together?
L: Yeah, actually. We will set up a group reading.

A book club if you will?
M: Yes. Sundays.
L: I'm also going to catch up on my reading on the subway.
M: Coffee shop for me.

Have you been to the Flea before?
M: First time.
L: Same.

Y'all from around here?
L: Yep. Two blocks away.
M: Yes, I'm near.

What do you guys do when your not schooling people on very inappropriate behavior?
L: I go to the University of Pennsylvania.
M: I go to Cal Arts.

Smarties. Enjoy your books!

Thanks guys!

January 12, 2010

Slideshow January 9

If you weren't one of the thousands who braved the cold to shop at the Flea at One Hanson's big debut weekend in the bank, check out some snapshots here.

December 28, 2009

The Flea at One Hanson!

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Holy crap. The Flea is taking over the insanely gorgeous former bank at One Hanson for the rest of the winter, starting Jan. 9+10. The clocktower Art Deco building at Flatbush Ave., across from the Target mall, will be our fancy new home every Saturday and Sunday through March, for 12 weekends only. (The bank is now home to Skylight One Hanson for event rentals.)

10am-5pm, 100 vendors, all your favorite foodies, 3 floors (stunning mezzanine, over-the-top bank, awesome vault), past, present, future. We're humbled.

More details soon, but we can't wait to see you at the Flea!

Note: There is no Brooklyn Flea Jan. 2+3, and we will no longer be located at the DUMBO/81 Front St. indoor location. One Hanson will be the only Flea location starting Jan. 9+10, through March 27/28.

December 23, 2009

The Last Minute

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For the busy and the belated, Gifted is open 11am to 8pm today, and 10am to 2pm tomorrow. Still lots of great stuff to grab!

December 21, 2009

Gift(ed) #39: Loyalty + Blood

What: Bearded-guy tote.
Who: Loyalty + Blood.
 How much: $28.
What else: Totes featuring calligraphy alphabet letters, T's and sweatshirts with David's awesome abstract designs (great for guys), necklaces and earrings featuring vintage pendants, more.
When+Where: Weeks 3+4+5 (through Dec. 24). Booth #42.

Here's the full schedule. See all Gift(ed) items here.

Gift(ed) #38: Very Cool Jewels

What: Handmade lariats.
Who: Very Cool Jewels (Maya).
 How much: $30-40.
What else: Gold and silver necklaces, bracelets, and earrings, with rubies, tanzanite, topaz, tourmaline, and other very cool jewels, all handmade by Maya!
When+Where: All weeks. Booth #32.

Here's the full schedule. See all Gift(ed) items here.

Gift(ed) #37: Adornaments

What: Handmade Christmas stockings.
Who: Adornaments (Jen).
 How much: $20-45.
What else: All sorts of funky vintage items, adorned with accents by Jen's artistic hand; Blaxploitation film posters; ornaments; tons of cool stuff!
When+Where: All weeks. Booth #9.

Here's the full schedule. See all Gift(ed) items here.

December 20, 2009

Gift(ed) #36: Ruthie's Antiques and Collectibles

What: Antique trump indicators, including 1920's brass and copper doodads—even one with an enameled front and a brush on the back, perfect for bridge enthusiasts!
Who: Ruthie's Antiques and Collectibles.
 How much: $100-125.
What else: Gently used Christmas ornaments ranging from a buck to $5, vintage framed lithographs, cute antique tchotchkes.
When+Where: All weeks. Booth #29.

Here's the full schedule. See all Gift(ed) items here.

Gift(ed) #35: Christina Stankard Jewelry

What: Ruby, peridot, appetite, and amethyst earrings.
Who: Christina Stankard Jewelry.
 How much: $50.
What else: Sparkly and colorful, jeweled necklaces, earrings, and rings.
When+Where: All weeks. Booth #27.

Here's the full schedule. See all Gift(ed) items here.

Gift(ed) #34: My Little India

What: Red leather clutch, handmade with antique decorative hardware found at the Flea. The "Esteem" line, all made with Italian leather.
Who: My Little India.
 How much: $115.
What else: More gorgeous bags, gold and silver jewelry, belts, duvets, pillow cases, bed sheets and quilts, all designed in Brooklyn.
When+Where: All weeks. Booth #19.

Here's the full schedule. See all Gift(ed) items here.

December 19, 2009

DUMBO!

The DUMBO Pop-Up Market is in full swing again this weekend, for those in the traditional Flea frame of mind. Vintage clothes, antiques, furniture, mirrors—for you or your loved one. 40+ dealers at 81 Front St., 11am to 6pm Saturday and Sunday.

Happy Holidays!

View Larger Map

Gift(ed) #33: Charlie + Sarah

What: Football sweatshirts for kiddies.
Who: Charlie and Sarah.
 How much: $26.
What else: Other Britishism T's, onesies, and hoodies: "lorry," "wellies," "lolly," "chopper," etc. Watch Charlie sewing them on the spot!
When+Where: Last week! Through Dec. 20. Booth #31.

Here's the full schedule. See all Gift(ed) items here.

December 18, 2009

Get Lucky Week 4: Curated Corner

Week 4 of Lucky's spin in the Gifted Curated Corner features the awesome new Greenpoint antiques boutique Le Grenier, who has all sorts of gifty vintage housewares, wooden boxes, and the like, as well as the second week for Jules Smith's gorgeous jewelry.

From left:
Le Grenier (Fri-Sun)
Jules Smith (Sat+Sun)

Gift(ed) #32: Treasures + Pleasures

What: Rare gilded-wire '70s Maltese cross.
Who: Treasures + Pleasures (George + Raf).
 How much: $175.
What else: A nonstop cavalcade of vintage jewelry, from bangles to brooches, costume to cocktail, pennies to pounds. Just look for the golden booth...
When+Where: All weeks. Booth #8.

Here's the full schedule. See all Gift(ed) items here.

Gift(ed) #31: Liddabit Sweets

What: Artisanal small-batch candy bars, in innovative flavors such as pecan pie, pumpkin pie, PB+J, Lime-in-the-Coconut, the Snacker (their version of a Snickers), and The King: soft peanut butter nougat between a brown sugar-brown butter cookie and a layer of fresh banana ganache, dipped in milk chocolate—holy moley!
Who: Liddabit Sweets.
 How much: $6/bar.
What else: Caramels galore! Chocolate stout-gingerbread, ricotta-orange-honey, chocolate-black truffle, hard apple cider, sea salt-beer- pretzel. Honeycomb candy (insanity), Slurtles (drunken turtles), yummy nut brittles, and more. Gift baskets too.
When+Where: All weeks. Booth #33.

Here's the full schedule. See all Gift(ed) items here.

December 17, 2009

Gift(ed) #30: kg+ab

What: Porcelain mixed-nuts set, cast from vintage molds.
Who: kg+ab (Katherine).
 How much: $45.
What else: Bears in love (under glass dome), owls, miniature forest animals, all hand-cast in porcelain.
When+Where: Week #4 only (through Dec. 20). Booth #17.

Here's the full schedule. See all Gift(ed) items here.

Pupusas Are Back!

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Quick but critical note: Pupusas are back! For this weekend at the DUMBO Winter Flea, Rafael will be slingin' his famous corn patties, for the people.

Make sure you get to DUMBO this weekend, as this is the final weekend of 2009 at 81 Front St. for the indoor Flea.

In case you missed it, check out the pupusa recipe and a video tutorial from Rafael himself with Miss Martha Stewart.

December 16, 2009

Shopping Party #3 Tonight

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The third Gifted after-work shopping party with Other Music DJs and free Brooklyn Brew Shop beer is tonight from 6 to 9pm. Last week's was really fun—this week it's your last chance to beat the holiday crowd rush.

Come after work (or play or parenting or procrastination) from 6 to 9pm, grab a cup of the Brew Shop's home-brewed suds (they had eggnog stout last week), sway to the sonic stylings of Other Music staffer extraordinaire Mikey IQ Jones on the hi-fi, and, well, shop.

We've got an awesome crew of new vendors this week—check out our Gifted items of the day for a sampling—and plenty of cute faces to mingle with.

See ya there.

Gift(ed) #29: Melody's Addiction + Page Sargisson

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What: Three designers and a wide range of unique handmade jewelry.
Who: From left: Melody's Addiction, Page Sargisson, By Natalia.
 How much: $30-$110
What else: Sterling silver, gold, 1920's casino chips, leather, lace, fabric, and brass jewelry.
When+Where: Weeks 3+4 (Dec 16-20). Booth #47.

Here's the full schedule. See all Gift(ed) items here.

Gift(ed) #24: Citybitz

What: Functional and wearable photographic creations of NYC's marvelous details.
Who: Citybitz (Joan).
 How much: $20 and up for various shapes and sizes.
What else: Pendants, card cases, money clips, mirrors, custom work..
When+Where: All weeks. Booth #21.

Here's the full schedule. See all Gift(ed) items here.

Re-running this one since we screwed up the photo the first time around.

Gift(ed) #28: Flux Productions

What: Felt, steel, and leather messenger/tote bag.
Who: Flux Productions (Ryan + Michelle).
 How much: $180.
What else: Hand-printed t-shirts and sweatshirts with ethereal imagery. And now, shoes, in collaboration with fellow Fleasters Osborn Design Studios.
When+Where: All weeks. Booth #14.

Here's the full schedule. See all Gift(ed) items here.

December 14, 2009

Gift(ed) #26: Rick's Picks

What: Pickle paperweight, handcrafted by decoupage maestro John Derian.
Who: Rick's Picks.
 How much: $30.
What else: Smokra (pickled paprika okra), Mean Beans (spicy green bean pickles), Spears of Influence (cumin-lime dill spears), and many more veggies to satisfy your pickle cravings.
When+Where: Til the end. Booth #41.

Here's the full schedule. See all Gift(ed) items here.

Slideshow December 12

December 12, 2009

DUMBO Double Dip

Happy Hanukkah!

View Larger Map

Gift(ed) #25: WrecordsByMonkey

What: Wrecord bracelets, made from reclaimed vinyl records.
Who: WrecordsByMonkey (Monkey).
 How much: $15-25.
What else: Necklaces, earrings, rings, T-shirts, in a gazillion patterns and designs.
When+Where: Weeks 1+2+3+4 (through Dec. 20). Booth #13 (this week).

Here's the full schedule. See all Gift(ed) items here.

December 11, 2009

In the News

Couple nice writeups on the DUMBO Winter Pop-Up Flea this week, including the Times' Frugal Traveler piece "Going Deep on the Cheap in New York."

NYC & Co., the City's excellent tourism and marketing agency, also gave us a shout-out in their DUMBO shopping roundup, featuring a cool pic of Jarontiques myriad owls.

See you at the (indoor) Flea!

Lucky in the Curated Corner Week 3

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Week 3 of Lucky's spin in the Gifted Curated Corner is a doozy, with 3 major up-and-comers. Get Lucky!

Thistle & Clover will be unveiling their new private-label jewelry collection at Gifted, created by Max Steiner, featuring three 14K rose gold and vermeil necklaces with four-leaf clover, frangipani, and fleur-de-lis pendants. T&C will also be joined by their pal jewelry-maker Lauren Wimmer.

Note that the Lucky vendors are at Gifted Friday to Sunday only.

Clockwise from top left:
Thayer (Fri-Sun)
Thistle & Clover (Sat+Sun)
Jules Smith (Fri-Sun)
Lauren Wimmer Jewelry (Fri-Sun, w/Thistle & Clover)

Gift(ed) #23: Book City Jackets

What: Artist-edition recycled-paper book covers, by local artists like Nishat Akhtar (above), Jing Wei, and more.
Who: Book City Jackets (Jeremy).
 How much: $15 per 3-jacket packet; 3 series available.
What else: "Bookshelf Sets" and "Reading List," featuring classic titles.
When+Where: All weeks. Booth #28.

Here's the full schedule. See all Gift(ed) items here.

December 10, 2009

Gift(ed) #22: Blue Canary Vintage

What: "Money clips featuring antique coins or wildlife."
Who: Blue Canary Vintage (Val).
 How much: $25.
What else: Dead-stock vintage earrings, Michael Jackson/Alf/New Kids trading cards, vintage keychains—tchotchkes and stocking stuffers galore! 
When+Where: All weeks. Booth #3/4.

Here's the full schedule. See all Gift(ed) items here.

Gift(ed) #21: Reclaimed Home

What: Diorama made from architectural-salvage objects.
Who: Reclaimed Home (Phyllis).
 How much: $50.
What else: Unique handmade ornaments, decorative objects, jewelry, all culled from old Brooklyn and upstate homes. 
When+Where: All weeks. Booth #26.

Here's the full schedule. See all Gift(ed) items here.

Gift(ed) #20: Paste

What: "Hang in There" T-shirt, hand-screened in Brooklyn.
Who: Paste (Jason).
 How much: $30; 2 for $50.
What else: "NYC Knife," T within a T, Lincoln with eyepatch, Elvis mug shot, more. 
When+Where: Weeks 2+3+4. (Dec. 2-6 + 9-13 + 16-20). Booth #12.

Here's the full schedule. See all Gift(ed) items here.

December 9, 2009

Shopping Party #2 Tonight!

The second Gifted after-work shopping party with Other Music DJs and free Brooklyn Brew Shop beer is tomorrow night, Wed. Dec. 9. Folks fought the rain last Wednesday and had fun—you may have to do the same.

Come after work (or play or parenting or procrastination) from 6 to 9pm, grab a cup of the Brew Shop's home-brewed suds (they had eggnog stout last week), sway to the sonic stylings of Other Music staffers on the hi-fi, and, well, shop. We've got a fresh round of vendors this week—check out our Gifted items of the day for a sampling—and plenty of cute faces to mingle with.

This is the second of our 4 Wednesday-night after-work shopping parties: Dec. 9, 16, 23.

See ya there.

Gift(ed) #19: Spring

What: Digital Harinezumi 2: a 2GB digital camera that also takes 2-hour digital movies. Gifted is the only place in the city where you can buy this handy-dandy item. And if you swing by the Spring booth today, they'll be giving a demonstration of the camera's movie capabilities. (Perhaps at tonight's shopping party?)
Who: Spring.
 How much: $170, or $200 with sim card, bag, card reader.
What else: Monoculars, wooden gorillas, wine glasses, flower holders and other too cool design items.
When+Where: All weeks. Booth #25.

Here's the full schedule. See all Gift(ed) items here.

Gift(ed) #18: A.S.I.S.

What: Cashmere and stainless steel necklace.
Who: A.S.I.S. (Angie).
 How much: $45.
What else: Necklaces and cuffs by Hardcore Softy, lots of handknit cozy hats and scarves. 
When+Where: Weeks 1+3+4+5. (Nov. 27-29 + Dec. 9-13 + 16-20 + 21-24). Booth #34.

Here's the full schedule. See all Gift(ed) items here.

December 8, 2009

Nunu: It Takes a Flea

Nunu Chocolates, purveyors of deeelish chocolate at the Flea since Day One, now have their own shop on Atlantic Ave., and it's a Flea-for-all intravendor collaboration. Andy and Justine's little wonderland features a chocolate factory, a beer and wine bar, and of course chocolate up the wazoo.

The Nightwood gals built the furniture (from reclaimed wood) and decorated; Crop to Cup is supplying the coffee; and Rachel from Salvatore Bklyn Ricotta chose the wines (she works for an importer). Quality folks to be sure—and Fleasters all. We couldn't be more proud.

Swing by Nunu, grab a drink, and watch the chocolate Smurfs dipping caramels, filling truffle molds, and gathering nibs.

Quelle coincidence: Nunu will be at Gifted weeks 4+5 (Dec. 16-24)!

529 Atlantic Ave. (btw. 3+4 Ave.), open 9a-9p daily.

Gift(ed) #17: Jellyroll Vintage

What: 1950s/'60s enamel fondue set, for the retro foodie in your life.
Who: Jellyroll Vintage (Amy).
 How much: $25!
What else: Vintage Woolrich winter coats, cute frocks, perfectly picked holiday tchotchkes. 
When+Where: Wed+Thu, Dec. 9+10 (booth #6); Thu, Dec. 17. (#5).

Here's the full schedule. See all Gift(ed) items here.

Gift(ed) #16: Brooklyn Junior

What: Geemo, the flexible magnetic building toy. Designed in Brooklyn, made in Japan.
Who: Brooklyn Junior, the exclusive U.S. Geemo retailer.
 How much: $42 for 5 pieces.
What else: Cute applique baby and kids T's and clothes; paper-airplane kits; origami sets; loads of awesome unique toys. 
When+Where: All weeks. Booth #20.

Here's the full schedule. See all Gift(ed) items here.

Gift(ed) #15: Father Panik

What: Fingerless gloves, with an attitude.
Who: Father Panik
 How much: $24 + $26.
What else: Short shorts, long shorts, T-shirts, and some bad-ass jewelry. 
When+Where: Weeks 1+2+3 (Nov. 27-29 + Dec. 2-6 + Dec. 9-13). Booth #46.

Here's the full schedule. See all Gift(ed) items here.

December 7, 2009

Gift(ed) #14: Birdhouse Jewelry

What: Seaweed-branch earrings.  Brass castings, plated with your choice of matte or shiny 18k yellow gold, matte or shiny sterling, or shiny
black hematite. Your choice of faceted color drops too.
Who: Birdhouse Jewelry (Amy).
 How much: $28.
What else: Oodles of bangles—earrings, necklaces, rings—in loads of materials—gold, silver, platinum, hematite—for every taste and price range.
When+Where: All 5 weeks, through Dec. 24. Booth #23.

Here's the full schedule. See all Gift(ed) items here.

Gifted Slideshow Dec. 6

Gifted was packed this weekend. In case you missed it, here's a slideshow. We're back again on Wednesday!

Scenes from Gifted

Here are a few photos from Gifted yesterday. Click each photo to enlarge.

December 6, 2009

Gift(ed) #13: Melangerie

What: State-by-Celebrity tote features an icon from every U.S. state. 
Who: Brooklyn design firm Melangerie (Elana).
 How much: $18.
What else: Scratch n' sniff holiday cards (gingerbread!), sweater totes, more.
When+Where: Last day! Booth #1.

Here's the full schedule.

December 5, 2009

Gift(ed) #12: Australian Scent

What: Homemade olive oil soap. 
Who: Australian Scent.
 How much: $5, only at Gifted.
What else: Lip gloss, moisturizers, scrubs, shampoo and conditioner, and pretty much anything you need for natural hair and skin care. 
When+Where: All 5 weeks. Booth #38.

Here's the full schedule.

DUMBO Flea Pops Up!

Jonesin' for antiques, vintage clothing, and furniture since the outdoor Fleas went into hibernation? Fear not!

Starting this weekend our 40 best vintage dealers are under one roof in DUMBO, safe from wind and rain for the winter. 81 Front St. (at Washington St.), corner storefront, can't miss it. Saturdays and Sundays, 11am to 6pm.

See you at the Flea!

View Larger Map

Gift(ed) #11: McClure's Mustard

What: McClure's' (relatively) new mustard, made with Brooklyn Brewery Brown Ale. Nice plump seeds, perfect flavor. 
Who: McClure's Pickles.
 How much: 9oz jar, $5.
What else: Garlic-dill or spicy pickles (approaching legendary status), delish relish, curry sauerkraut (also new), and mustards made with other local brews.
When+Where: All 5 weeks, through Dec. 24. Booth #36.

Here's the full Gifted lineup.

December 4, 2009

Gift(ed) #10: Haptic Lab

What: Hand-stitched quilts based on NYC neighborhood maps, such as Fort Greene (above). 
Who: Haptic Lab (Emily).
 How much: $150-300 for custom mini-quilts, such as Fort Greene.
What else: Felt, silk, and applique pillows, twin- and queen-size quilts (gorgeous!), even quilted cuffs, all with your favorite map.
When+Where: Weeks 1+2+3 (Nov. 27-29 + Dec. 2-6 + Dec. 9-13). Booth #11.

Here's the full Gifted lineup.

Gift(ed) #9: Underground Signs

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What: Custom and replica NYC Subway signs. Aluminum and enamel, white Helvetica font. 
Who: Underground Signs.
 How much: 1', $99; 5', $310; 8', $400. (Get a discount at Gifted.)
What else: Subway signs is their thing! 
When+Where: Final Gifted week. Through Sunday, Dec. 6. Booth #13.

Here's the full Gifted lineup.

December 3, 2009

Nerve.com @ the Flea

Nerve.com took a spin around the Fort Greene Flea asking 7 random strangers about their dating habits and stuff, it's pretty funny. The photos are nice too.

Maybe they saw that Time Out called the Flea a good pickup spot, who knows. This guy Jason, 36, looks like a classic Fleaster though.

Gift(ed) #8: Poloppo

What: Design-your-own t-shirt kits for kids. 
Who: Poloppo.
 How much: $25 for short-sleeve, $29.50 for long-sleeve.
What else: IPhone wallpaper of your kids' art for free on the Poloppo website. 
When+Where: This week only! Through Sunday, Dec. 6. Booth #40.

Here's the full Gifted lineup.

December 2, 2009

Gifted Party Tonight!

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The first Gifted after-work shopping party with Other Music DJs and free Brooklyn Brew Shop beer is tonight!

Come after work (or play or parenting or procrastination) from 6 to 9pm, grab a cup of the Brew Shop's home-brewed suds (that's Brewsters Stephen and Erica above), sway to the sonic stylings of longtime Other Music staffer Amanda Chouette on the hi-fi, and, well, shop. We've got a fresh round of vendors this week—check out our Gifted items of the day for a sampling—and plenty of cute faces to mingle with.

This is the first of our 4 Wednesday-night after-work shopping parties: Dec. 2, 9, 16, 23.

See ya there.

Gift(ed) #7: Moontree Letterpress

What: Happy Holidays letterpress notecards. 
Who: Moontree Letterpress.
 How much: $10 for 6 cards with envelopes.
What else: 2010 single-sheet calendars, recipe-card boxes, New York-theme cards, all handmade by Rebecca on a Heidelberg Windmill press in DUMBO. 
When+Where: Weeks 1+2+3+4. (Nov. 27-29 + Dec. 2-6 + Dec. 9-13 + Dec. 16-20). Booth #35.

Here's the full Gifted lineup.

Lucky in the Curated Corner

Week 2 of Lucky's spin in the Gifted Curated Corner features a rad roster of Lucky ducks. Note that Tucker by Gaby Basora starts today, and the other 3 start Friday. Get Lucky!

Clockwise from top left:
NailEZEE (Fri-Sun)
Southwestern Jewelry (Fri-Sun)
Tucker by Gaby Basora (Wed-Sun)
Untamed Petals (Fri-Sun, w/NailEZEE)

December 1, 2009

DUMBO Winter Pop-Up Flea

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The Flea is back, long live the Flea! Starting this weekend, the "regular" Flea moves indoors to 81 Front St. in DUMBO, where we held court last winter. Every Saturday and Sunday, 11am to 6pm.

We'll have 40+ vendors, featuring our top antique, furniture, and vintage clothing dealers, plus Choice Market pastries, pickles, jams, brownies, granola, and more. It's the single best lineup of vintage/antiques vendors we've ever seen—at the Flea or anywhere.

Yes, the Winter Pop-Up Flea in DUMBO is in addition to the Gifted Holiday Market in Manhattan. You can never have enough Flea!

We'll post a complete lineup later this week.

View Larger Map

In the News

Some nice hits this week, including Gifted as the anchor of New York's Nolita gift guide and a WWD blurb on Lucky and the Flea as BFFs. More to come!

Gift(ed) #6: Jessica DeCarlo

What: Signature Swirl earrings. 
Who: Jessica DeCarlo Designs.
 How much: $25-$60, based on material and size.
What else: Gold, sterling silver, and beaded handcrafted jewelry. 
When+Where: All 5 weeks. Booth #19.

Here's the full schedule.

November 30, 2009

Good Day Flea

Insanely awesome Good Day NY Gifted segment ran this morning. Julie Chang chats with vendors, eats a Choice croissant, and even buys Senor's baby. Woot!

Another Shot of Gifted

Here's a photo of Gifted from yesterday evening as the first weekend was starting to wind down. Thanks to everyone who came out to support the local artisans, designers and collectors. There will be a bunch of new faces when the holiday market reopens on Wednesday again.

Gift(ed) #5: Bicycle Paintings

What: Handprinted notecard set.
Who: Bicycle Paintings.
How much: $10 for 5 cards.
What else: Bicycle coloring books, paintings, prints, and other bike-centric items.
When+Where: Weeks 1+2+5. (Nov. 27-29 + Dec. 9-13 + 21-24). Booth #10.

Here's the full schedule.

November 29, 2009

Gifted Lookin' Good

Such a great first two days at the holiday market, thanks to everyone for comin' out. We do it all again today, which is actually the final day for many vendors. (Check the full schedule to see.)

Gift(ed) #4: Re-Surface

What: Solo Pendant Light.
Who: Re-Surface.
How much: $99—today (Sunday) only! (Normally $200.) Add a mic stand for $20.
What else: "D-Light" pillar candles and other graffiti-inspired lighting.
When+Where: Weeks 1+3+4. (Nov. 27-29 + Dec. 9-13 + 16-20). Booth #51.

Here's the full schedule.

November 28, 2009

Gift(ed) #3: Lillian Crowe

What: Necklace pendant cast of a human heart.
Who: Lillian Crowe.
How much: $75.
What else: Spine/ribcages, squid, spheres inside cubes.
Vendor schedule: Weeks 1+3+5 (Nov. 27-29 + Dec. 9-13 + Dec. 21-24).

Click here for full schedule.

November 26, 2009

Gift(ed) #2: Reiter8

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What: Tote bag made from recycled boat sails.
Who: Reiter8.
How much: $75.
What else: Shoulder bags, wallets, pillows, even holiday stockings!
Vendor schedule: Weeks 1+2 (Nov. 27-29 + Dec. 2-6). Click here for full schedule.

November 25, 2009

In the News

Nice little segment on Ch. 7 Eyewitness News just now.

In case you're visiting us for the first time, the Gifted address is 20 E. 4 St. at the corner of Lafayette St. in Manhattan. You can check out all the vendors and dates here.

Gift(ed) #1: Spring

Every day (in theory) from here on out we'll highlight a single item for sale at Gifted, which starts on Friday! (Look for us on Ch. 7 Eyewitness News tonight too, 5pm.)

What: Animal ornaments made of bone china from Staffordshire, England.
Who: Spring, the awesome DUMBO design shop. Booth #17.
How much: $30
What else: Choice of dog, cat, or reindeer. Don't miss Spring's amazing bookshelf wallpaper.
When: All 5 weeks. (Full Gifted schedule here.)

VOTW: Eddy of Treewood Antiques

Long Island surfer "Lazy Eddy" talks with us about his luckiest acquisition and the special prized piece he'll be bringing to the indoor Flea in DUMBO at 81 Front St. this winter. Take the wave, Eddie!

Name?
My name is Eddy and my company is called Treewood Antiques.

And what's your hometown?
Long Beach, that's where I grew up, son of the beach.

Where do you live now?
In the same house I grew up in. I'm there with my wife and son. And a cat named Quilty.

What do you sell and how long have you been selling it for?
I have been selling antiques for coming up on 18 years. I sell all kinds of stuff. Mostly furniture and lighting. Anything interesting that crosses our path.

What's your specialty?
My specialty is furniture. It just seems to come to me.

What is your most memorable sale?
Vladimir Kagan pieces that were left on the sidewalk that went for real big on an Antiques Roadshow-type auction. Vladimir is from the late '40s, early '50s. I didn't know what it was when I first got it. I didn't find anything online and no one knew what it was. And I finally found one label on the inside, Googled it, and then boom, there is my furniture going for thousands. The auction sent some people to pick it and there it went!

What keeps you coming back to the Flea?
If you had this much stuff, you need to get rid of it cause you run out of room real fast. And just the whole feel of the place. It's a nice place to work.

Is this your full-time gig?
This is my full-time job, but we have a store as well. We do all sorts of repair, restoration, upholstery, and sales. Our store is in Oceanside on Long Island.

What do you do for fun?
I go surfin'. I walk right outside my house and in 5 minutes I'm riding a wave.

Do you have a website?
I don't have one yet but soon we will and it will be Treewood Antiques dot com.

Anything else you want our fine readers to know?
I have a real nice old wooden card catalogue from a public school that I'll have at the indoor Flea in DUMBO on Front Street. I'll be bringing a little bit more higher-end, cleaner, nicer stuff, see how that shakes out over there.

November 24, 2009

Slideshow: Nov. 21

Check out these party animals at the final Flea in Fort Greene.

Prepping for Gifted 2

The Flea crew is hard at working cleaning, decorating and setting up tables over at the Gifted space on Lafayette. Three days til launch! Check out a view of the windows from the outside here.

November 23, 2009

Prepping for Gifted

We just got back from Lafayette Street where Rob and Eric (as well as some design folks) are hard at work prepping the space for Friday's launch of the Gifted Holiday Market. We've got a full house of vendors and some nice press set to coincide with opening day so bring on the shoppers!

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!

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)

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.

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!

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!

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.

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.

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!

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.

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!

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)

Sokosh So Good!

Sokosh%20NYT.jpg Our 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!

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.

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.

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!

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!

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.

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.

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!

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.

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?

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 hardco

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