The Flea Markets of 25th Street
SUNDAY, AUGUST 2ND 2009
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For a change of scenery from our beloved Brooklyn Flea, Justin and I decided to check out the other flea markets that NYC had to offer. This was a tad disappointing. Along 25th Street between 5th and 7th Avenues are a few indoor and outdoor flea markets. These are what I would call "typical" flea markets - aka mostly junk. Electronics, door knobs, costume jewelry, etc. One of the flea markets is inside an old parking garage whilst the others are in empty parking lots squeezed between buildings. One could find a few diamonds in the rough, but it would be a time consuming and somewhat aggravating search. All well, it was worth a shot.

The Brooklyn Flea, under the Brooklyn Bridge
SUNDAY, JULY 19TH 2009
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This morning I made a delicious peach and raspberry slump that tasted like a warm summer afternoon. Sadly, it was not very photogenic and thus did not make the cut.

Once again, we visited the Brooklyn Flea in search of hidden treasures and mild amusement. I find that frequenting the market every other week is helping my photography skills. The cluttered booths are at first overwhelming, but after a while the compositions surface and I begin to understand form and color relationships. Well, at least I think so!

We only had $10 (again), a regular curse of being poor and living in NYC. I had my eye on a few of these jars, priced at $12 each, but Justin said I could find them cheaper online - bah! I totally regret listening to him.

An Afternoon in SoHo
SATURDAY, JULY 11TH 2009
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Above is the most amazing curried chicken salad I've ever eaten, from Bistro Les Amis in SoHo. Justin had an ahi tuna sandwich that was also delectable, though my meal surprisingly surpassed it in flavor and awesomeness. We spent the day wandering around design stores and showrooms, like Clio, Alessi, DWR Tools For Living, Blu Dot, Ligne Roset, Cassina, Cappellini, Moss, Moroso and Room & Board. It was a brilliant afternoon full of stores we could never afford and imagining what our future home could look like.

The bestest best part of the day? Getting this Koin wood bank from DWR Tools For Living, a $120 value for only $18! I am a master of frugality. The bank is gorgeous; the ash wood has a spectrum of tones to it. I actually went through about six boxes in the store until I found the one with the prettiest wood... it was the clerk's idea, and he helped me pry open all the boxes! The staff at the store is truly delightful, a trait that is unfortunately rare in retail these days.

The Fort Greene Flea
SATURDAY, JUNE 27TH 2009
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The Fort Green Flea takes place every Saturday in the playground lot of Bishop Loughlin Memorial High School in Fort Green. It was less eventful (in product) than the Brooklyn Flea that we attended the weekend prior. We were told that this location would have more furniture than home accessories, but we were sadly disappointed.

It was still a pleasure to walk around and look all the odds and ends, but I do not think we will return to Fort Greene again. The area has little to offer for post-thrifting entertainment, whilst the Brooklyn Flea is adjacent to the Brooklyn Bridge and the waterfront, giving access to Governor's Island and lower Manhattan.

P.S. If you did not really look at the photographs above, take another glance - and look at that amazing wooden wheelchair! Rustic and totally badass.

Shopping In Williamsburg, Brooklyn
THURSDAY, JUNE 25TH 2009
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After brunch I embarked on a walking tour of Williamsburg with a short list of stores to visit and no set route. I generally only enter design stores, mainly because I cannot afford clothing and at least window shopping for decor is entertaining.

A&G Merch is an urban home furnishing store that has a nice balance of handmade and local products as well as mass produced items. I admired the little merchandise vignettes that allowed customers to pause and explore clusters of products rather than looking at items on linear shelves.

The Future Perfect (not shown) is a little shop full of design objects that I will never be able to afford. In their basement they sometimes have clearance and sample sales that are still mostly out of my price range.

Voos is a collective of local furniture designers and the showroom is full of eclectic pieces. It feels more like walking through a contemporary gallery than a retail store. This store is also way, way out of my price range - like most design stores!

Mast Brothers is a chocolate factory adjacent to Voos, and on this warm afternoon I could smell the chocolate wafting down the block - cacao shells were strewn about the floor when I walked in. The owners/creators - the Mast brothers - both rock amazing beards. Their chocolate is handmade in delicate batches.

Sprout is a sweet little modern garden store that has a beautiful collection of plants, accessories and gifts. I fell in love as soon as I saw the huge terrariums in the center of the room! They have a feature wall covered in tillandsias, too. Tassy spent a good deal of time with me explaining what I possibly did wrong with my terrarium and even printed out a guide for me to take home.

I could best describe Moon River Chattel as rustic chic. It offers reclaimed and vintage furniture and decor as well as contemporary accessories. I could easily decorate an entire cozy bed and breakfast in their merchandise.

Two Jakes (not shown) specializes in classic 20th century modern office furniture. If I recall correctly this store was stacked with furniture.

Portmanteau sells pricey vintage furniture and accessories. These glass vessels caught my eye and all I could think of was terrariums on the walk back to the subway.

Exploring Brooklyn
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 17TH 2009
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After going to the market I took the subway to Borough Hall Station in Brooklyn, armed with a list of design stores. I wandered above and below Atlantic Avenue, stopping at planned destinations and discovering unexpected places.You can make out my path here.

As with stores all over NYC, the best shops were inconspicuous and easy to pass if you did not have a keen eye and took the time to search for them. When we first arrived here I was (foolishly) quick to dismiss storefronts that did not meet my "expectations" - nice signage, inviting displays, etc. - and I know now to give everyone a chance.

Abitare is a home decor store that is modern but with a soft, feminine touch.

I almost passed Sterling Place, and I am so thankful that I did not! It was filled with contemporary and vintage treasures, like the antique bowling set and the artfully crafted decanters.

Acorn has a marvelous collection of children' toys and decor items. The products are beautifully designed and are attractive to both kids and adults - which I think is ideal since they will most likely be strewn about the house, right?

Darr was one of my favorite unexpected shops. It was cluttered with some of the most interesting found objects, and I could equate it to a "grim" retail version of the outdoor Brooklyn Flea Market. Mounted animal heads and apothecary bottles were just some of their stock.

I went to both Greenhouse and Opalia, but I do not have photographs from the former. Opalia is a flower shop that has a nice collection of glass vases and dried botanicals, which I was contemplating for my terrariums.

Dig was packed to the brim with gardening supplies. They had terrariums sporadically placed throughout the shop. I liked their suitcase displays outside showcasing products.

Grdn was clean, modern gardening shop with a small but beautiful collection of housewares and gardening supplies. I bought a nice plant but I've forgotten what it is called.

Flight 001 has a great line of modern and vintage-inspired travel accessories. I bought a few items from them for my trip to Japan, like these luggage tags (the swearing one). Their store looked like the interior cabin of an airplane - loved it!

Blue Ribbon General Store is a great store for gifts and well-designed home accessories, like teapots, recycling bags and soaps. If you cruise the design blogs occasionally you might recognize some of their goods, such as the Stitch Postcard.