The Antiques Garage in Chelsea

As if my sister hadn't had enough at Hell's Kitchen, I insisted we go to the Antiques Garage in Chelsea. I've been there a number of times and in the past, have bought a dozen old-fashioned cut-glass liqueur glasses for $40.  My sister also bids for sterling silver on eBay so I knew she'd enjoy this better than Hell's Kitchen.

I read somewhere that there was a $1 shuttle that went from Hell's Kitchen to the Antiques Garage and vice-versa, but when I asked a dealer at Hell's Kitchen about it, she didn't know about it and told me to just take a cab.  Nine dollars later we were at the Antiques Garage. It was a relief to be out of the sun.

The Antiques Garage is a regular parking garage during weekdays. It converts into a flea market venue on weekends.

I didn't have a burning desire for anything in particular. In fact, I find that photographing things I like and having an image is almost like owning it. The practice reduces clutter at home and was an epiphany I had after having my own garage sale at home a couple of months back.

After going aroundt the flea market twice and just biding my time, my sister came to me and whispered enthusiastically "I think I just saw Lucy Liu!"  It was her turn to drag me to a stall, where we pretended to look at old crocheted doilies, but were really trying to get a better look at a woman wearing a rose-gold Rolex (my jewelry-loving sister was admiring the watch and then realized it was attached to the wrist of Lucy Liu)

"Lucy" was being low-key under a hat, but those unusual almond eyes and freckles were just  too...Lucy Liu-ish.  It definitely was her! She was looking at miniature musical instruments inside a glass case. The vendor looked like a friend of hers. My niece, who was probably bored by now, got into the action and started stalking her too, trying to build up the courage to ask for a snapshot.

We left without buying anything, and without a Lucy Liu snapshot. I was happy and content having "window-shopped" the flea market. My sister and niece were happy with their celebrity sighting. It was a good Sunday.

 

The one that got away...

Antiques Garage
112 West 25th Street between 6th and 7th Avenues
Saturday and Sunday 6:30 am to 5:00 pm

Gourmet Food Trucks at Hell's Kitchen Flea Market

A flea market and casual gourmet food--all in one place. It may be called Hell's Kitchen, but it sounded like heaven to me.

I dragged my sister to the flea market--my sister who doesn't like antiques because she's scared of ghosts. Not that she's has a sixth sense or anything like that, but she just doesn't like old things unless they are heirlooms of our family ("at least we know the ghosts...")

It's hard to go around a flea market with non-flea market people. It's a good thing the food trucks were there. We headed to straight to the Red Hook lobster truck.

We ordered three kinds of  rolls from the lobster truck: Lobster with lemon butter, Lobster and bacon (this sounds soo unhealthy), and a shrimp sandwich.

G would've loved this lobster roll, and C would've loved the dill pickle

 

I got suckered into buy a mandarin orange soda for $3.50 because of the hip artisan label. Tasted exactly like Royal Tru Orange.

Sam went to get a slice of pizza from the Valducci truck. It had a fresh tomato flavor and was perfectly crisp.

Our rolls were good. The best one was still the lobster with lemon butter. There was no place to sit though and we had to eat standing up. It didn't help that it was a very hot and sunny day with no shade anywhere except for a small shaded area right by the food truck.

We would have had a better experience if there were a few tables and chairs. We might have even tried more things.

This truck below only sells ice cream sandwiches. You choose your cookie, then your flavor. It even comes with an edible wrapper if you like.

 

It looked too deadly to order--like a million calories--so it was a good thing Sam got one. I had a bite. This was really good!

It was just too hot for them to explore the flea market further. I stole a few moments to look at some interesting booths. But it a really hot day--we opened our umbrellas to shield us from the heat.

We called it a day at Hell's Kitchen Flea Market. Then I dragged them over to the Antique Garage at Chelsea where I thought it would be cooler for all of us.


Hell's Kitchen Flea Market

W. 39th St. , New York, NY 10011  nr. Ninth Ave.  See Map | Subway Directions  

212-243-5343 Send to Phone

Lisbon's Flea Market

We were able to catch the Feira da Ladra, or Thieves' Market, on our last day in Lisbon. Just like in any other flea market, there's lots of junk, cheap souvenirs and clothes. But there are also wonderful antiques, old books, prints and ceramics. In Lisbon's flea market, the most exciting thing for me are the azulejos (pronounced azoo-leh-zhos)-- the handpainted tiles that are used extensively in Portuguese buildings and interiors.

Chandeliers at Porta Portese

Our flight home was on a Sunday evening so what better way to spend the morning than at the Porta Portese flea market? Among stalls selling clothes and factory-overruns of shoes (size 6 only, so no luck for me), there were some nice hardware stalls and this chandelier guy.

I should've bought some of the loose crystals to upgrade my wall fixtures that I bought online from an American site.

The crystal pieces I come across in the flea markets in Europe are not cheap. From 3 to 5 euros each! But European crystals are much heavier than the American or Chinese ones. Apparently, to be called "crystal" in the States, the glass has to have only 1% of lead in it. In the EU, it is regulated and has to be between 10 to 30% to be called "crystal".

Of course the heavier ones are thought to be more superior crystals, but for me, I don't really like the rainbow reflection of the "very crystal" crystals. I like glass to sparkle and shine, but not to reflect any color. So maybe I'm okay with the low end of the lead content.

So I have my dining chandelier and some sconces on the wall. I'm still thinking of where I can hang something--I still have my foyer and my bathroom! I want something from a flea market in Paris!