November 20, 2009

Scavenger Hunt Items: Nov. 21+22

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

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

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

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

Posted in brooklynflea by demby at 12:00 PM | Comments (0)

November 19, 2009

Finders/Keepers Nov. 14+15

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.

Posted in brooklynflea by demby at 2:30 PM | Comments (0)

Wholey Deserving

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.

Posted in brooklynflea by demby at 12:13 PM | Comments (0)

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.

Posted in brooklynflea by demby at 3:20 PM | Comments (0)

Scavenger Hunt Items: Nov. 14+15

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

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

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

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

Posted in brooklynflea by demby at 12:00 PM | Comments (0)

Sokosh So Good!

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!

Posted in brooklynflea by demby at 10:16 AM | Comments (0)

November 10, 2009

Gifted + Winter Flea

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!

Posted in brooklynflea by demby at 12:43 PM | Comments (0)

Martha TV!

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.

Posted in brooklynflea by demby at 6:00 AM | Comments (0)

November 9, 2009

Finders/Keepers Nov. 7+8

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.

Posted in brooklynflea by demby at 10:50 PM | Comments (0)

November 6, 2009

Scavenger Hunt Items: Nov. 7+8

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

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

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

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

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

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

Posted in brooklynflea by demby at 12:00 PM | Comments (0)