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.

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.

The Brooklyn Flea, under the Brooklyn Bridge
SUNDAY, JUNE 14TH 2009
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The Brooklyn Flea is a once-weekly market that takes place in the Dumbo area of Brooklyn, directly beneath the Brooklyn Bridge every Sunday. It features both vintage and antique items, like clothing, home accessories and furniture, and newly crafted items like organic soaps and silkscreened tees. The prices are upscale by comparison to suburban garage sales, but the aesthetic of the products remains pretty consistent, whereas garage sales are very hit-or-miss.

I was thrilled to visit the flea market, and I think Justin was just happy to get out of the house. Before the thrifting commenced, we stopped by Almondine Bakery and noshed on apricot and chocolate croissants and fresh orange juice. Yum!

We attended the flea on "opening day" - the Brooklyn Bridge location is actually the second of two locations, the other being Fort Greene - and it had so much to offer that my brain could not focus. We came ill-prepared, having only $2 in our pockets (we spent $8 at the bakery) and no vendors accepting checks or credit cards. Thus, I walked away with nothing more than a 6" cylindrical glass vase - but it was a steal! You can buy one here for $10, and mine cost only $2!