Looking for affordable, creative, one-of-a-kind style this holiday season? Or maybe it’s eco-friendly, one-of-a-kind stocking stuffers you’re after? Or crafting materials and fabrics you can’t find anywhere else?

Well, with Goodwill, you’re in luck — and if you’re in Brooklyn, here’s where to find us. Just click below for The Guide to GoodwillNyNj, Brooklyn:

DOWNTOWN BROOKLYN/BROOKLYN HEIGHTS/DUMBO

Goodwill Livingston Street Store: 258 Livingston Street, Brooklyn, NY, 11201

PROSPECT HEIGHTS/PARK SLOPE/FORT GREENE

Goodwill Fulton Street Store: 1100-1104 Fulton Street, Brooklyn, NY, 11238

BROWNSVILLE/OCEAN HILL/NORTHEAST FLATBUSH

Goodwill Kings Highway Store: 229 Tapscott Street, Brooklyn, NY, 11212

Today marks the end of our general manager Darcy Le Fleming’s waddling through work days.  A few months without her is making everyone around here pretty sad.  (Possibly panicked?  Nah, it’ll be cool.  She made binders and lists and things…)

But then there’s the flipside that’s making everyone as happy as that photo shows – because that also means today marks the any day now beginning of her I’ve-got-a-daughter days!  Will she be a Christmas baby?  Baby New Year?  Who knows… All we do know is she better like corn.

No need to really miss Darcy, though – check this segue – because there just *may* be a 2010 Habana Girls calendar hot off the presses (also any day now) so you can at least catch her in there…!

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT, yesterday’s New York Times had an article in the Real Estate section about rare wood-frame houses in New York City. Living in one of these often-freestanding relics can feel very much like living in the country, the article points out, with a porch, perhaps; a backyard; and often a garage or other outbuilding.

Of course, I relish the few wood-frame houses remaining in Manhattan and Brooklyn whenever I see them, but I was interested to read a lot of things I didn’t know:

• In Brooklyn, where groups of wood-frame houses were built by developers in the mid-19th century, they’re somewhat less rare than in Manhattan, where they are serendipitous one-off survivors of a semirural past.
• Wood frame houses were banned for fire-safety reasons as the 19th century progressed.

• There’s one on the market now, on East 53rd Street in Manhattan, for $3.54 million (it’s the yellow one, above – tiny!)
• Another sold recently on Adelphi Street and Lafayette Avenue in Clinton Hill, after its asking price was knocked down to $795K (it needs a lot of work, but so what?)

If you want to see lots more pictures of DK Holland’s darling wood-frame house, below, in Fort Greene (she’s interviewed in the Times piece), you’ll find them right here.

Take a look below…
Back in 1987 Eric B & Rakim’s classic debut album Paid In Full featured this picture of them posing with Fort Greene Brooklyn’s infamous Supreme Magnetic (above left) and Kelvin “50 Cent” Martin (below right)

Eric B. & Rakim’s “Paid in Full” album was release in July 7, 1987.
Kelvin “50 Cent” Martin passed away three months later.
Here’s Infamous Times: The Original 50 Cent, The Documentary.

Writer Amy Linden’s plan for world media domination.

November 2009 – Episode 8.

Running time 21:28

On this episode of “Not For Nothin’ Amy makes friends with Kool-Aid and rapper Vic D. The pride of Southside – Vic’s CD “Money Talks” is on its way but his single “Drink it Out the Bottle” – ft Juelz Santana is available on iTunes!

Listen in amazement as Vic teaches Amy how to freestyle and confuses her with damn near every other skinny white bitch.

Using iTunes: Launch your copy of iTunes. Select “Advanced” (on top menu bar) and then “Subscribe to Podcast.” Copy and paste the following URL: http://www.amylinden.com/NFN_podcasts.xml

Vår New Yorkvistelse börjar närma sig sitt slut. Jag tänker inte försöka beskriva i ord hur trist det är. Tror att man kan se på mitt ansikte i videon nedan – som får vara det avslutande tipset från New York, sorgen och tomheten som ryms i att säga farväl.

Buhu stackars. Nu har jag sagt det. Det avslutande tipset handlar i alla fall om att gå på marknad.

Tycker du att marknader låter som en trivsam idé att fördriva tiden med under din New Yorkvistelse, så har du några tips här:

Vad: Hells Kitchen Flea Market
Var: West 39 St mellan 9th & 10th Ave
När: Lör-Sön
Varför: som ovan nämnt, fyllt med det mesta, med huvudfokus på vintagekläder. Mycket, mycket smycken. Blandade priser från några dollar upp till dyrare vintagesmycken. Öppet lör-sön.

Vad: GreenFlea Market – NYC:s största marknad
Var: Columbus Avenue mellan 76th & 77th Street
När: Söndagar (sedan några dagar tillbaka även öppet lördagar fram till julafton)
Varför: Manhattans största marknad med typ allt. Varning för just detta och möjlighet till mycket skit. Har en avdelning – Farmers market – med massa grönt och fint.

Vad: Brooklyn Flea
Var/När: Lör – Fort Greene – 176 Lafayette Ave.
Sön – Brooklyn bridge – 22 Water St.
Varför: enormt utbud av kläder, hantverk, smycken och mat. Dessutom får du hänga i mysBrooklyn. Bara det.

Vad: The Market NYC
Var: 268 Mulberry Street, mellan Houston & Prince Street
När: Lör-Sön
Varför: unga designers säljer sina grejer. Unikt, fint och hippt.

We took CB’s Mom to see Wicked at the Gershwin theatre on Saturday. I’m not a big Broadway musical fan, so I was surprised to find it quite entertaining. It’s not common to find a Broadway play with two female leads, and the two ladies who played Glinda and Elphaba were delightful and very talented in their own ways. After the show, we had a light dinner at Bouchon in the Time Warner Center. We had tomato soup and grilled cheese (fontina and gruyere) with a simple mesclun salad. To top off the night, we headed over to the bakery counter for TKO (which tastes like a grown up version of an Oreo) and Linzer Tart cookies.

The culinary highlight of my weekend was going to the Brooklyn Flea on Sunday. Brooklyn Flea is a mishmash of a craft fair and garage sale, and takes place every weekend in two locations (Fort Greene and Dumbo, under the Brooklyn Bridge). It has the usual grandma tchotchkes, wobbly side tables, vintage clothing and sour-smelling melamine jewelry. Not to disparage them because I love an old flea bargain as much as any Park Slope hipster.

But what’s unexpected and delightful were the food vendors! I think I died a lard-induced heart-attack and went to diabetic heaven!!

There was Pizza Moto, a mobile wood-burning oven pizzeria where I wolfed down a Margherita pizza with spicy pepperoni. Then it was onto Choncho’s Tacos for fish tacos of deep-fried cod in a light batter with all the fixings: green onions and cream sauce, tomatillo salsa, red onions and cabbage with a twist of lime. Then there were the pickle duos–Rick’s Picks and McClure’s Pickles. I’ve been a long time fan of Rick’s Picks. My favorites are his Caul of the Wild (Cauliflower pickled in a golden curry brine) and Smokra (Okra smothered in paprika with a kick of cayanne pepper).

CB scored a 2 lb. jar of Garlic and Dill Spears from McClure’s Pickles. We were informed that you can make more pickles by adding fresh cukes to the brine, or if booze is your inclination, add the brine to kick up your Bloody Mary.

So what else was there that was good to eat? There were two chocolate vendors (Nunu Chocolates which had delicious caramel truffles and a vegan, non-diary chocolatier, Fine + Raw Chocolate). There were beautiful and tasty apple turnovers, plum tarts, and cookies the size of flying saucers. I couldn’t resist getting one of the huge chocolate chip cookies that a perfect ratio of walnuts and semi-sweet and dark chocolates in every nibble. Also there were lobster rolls, pappusas which were corn tortillas stuffed with meat and cheese, and kimchi hot dogs from Asia Dog.

It wasn’t all about food though. I scored a framed 1950’s Baby Ruth ad for five buckaroos: “Candy enriched with Dextrose!”

Wallabout is either a dressed-up name for the gritty area abutting the Brooklyn Navy Yard and sliced by the BQE. Or it’s a true neighborhood with a vibe distinct from Fort Greene and Clinton Hill to the south.

Whatever your take, Wallabout is a stronghold of Brooklyn history that’s worth a look. The name comes from the Dutch word Waal-bogt, which means a bend in the river. This bend is Wallabout Bay. Here, the British docked 12 prison ships holding captured Revolutionary War soldiers.

More than 11,000 men died on ships like the one in the engraving above. Some of their remains are entombed in the haunting Prison Ship Martyrs Monument in nearby Fort Greene Park.

Wallabout grew into a residential district in the mid-19th century, housing workers who toiled along Brooklyn’s thriving waterfront. These workers lived in wood frame houses, some of which still stand.

These 2- and 3-story houses, with lovely porches, are modest and charming—especially compared to the mansions up the hill closer to the Pratt campus.

In fact, historic Wallabout, which the Historic District Council defines as eight blocks roughly between Myrtle and Park Avenues, has the largest concentration of pre-Civil War wood frame homes in the city.

Wallabout has literary cred as well. Walt Whitman is believed to have lived in the nabe; his former home is supposedly 99 Ryerson Street (not pictured, since it’s covered in cheap siding).

I met someone earlier this week who told me that he only buys books from his local bookstore. It’s not such a novel concept, but I think hearing it this time appealed to me more so probably because the Greenlight Bookstore in Fort Greene (Jonathan Lethem will be there tonight, reading from his new novel Chronic City!) just opened and it’s exciting to see the arts make a comeback. For this reason, I wanted to shine a spotlight on sites and “stores” like Etsy that feature a lot of handmade works from individuals. The online shop can get overwhelming, but that just makes finding something you do like all the more rewarding!

Anyway, in honor of the autumn I’m missing back home, I’ve selected a few “autumny” pieces I liked while browsing the site.

Riona hand knitted cardigan coat, $145

tiger lily jersey scarf, $25

I love scarves that can go round and round and round. Despite other disadvantages of my unfortunately short neck (how am I to see the parade marching by??), it’s great to hide behind layers of soft cotton, especially against the blistering winds.

Life is Good emoticon mittens, $26

Ok, I had to. They’re so cute.

barquentine skirt, $128

ACCESSORIES! Although, I’m thinking about making these myself… Is that like plagiarism or flattery?

iPod case made of wool felt and leather, $19

13" laptop sleeve made of wool felt and black/brown leather, $70

10/31/09

The Long Count – a multimedia piece by Aaron & Bryce Dessner (of The National) and artist Matthew Ritchie at BAM (Brooklyn Academy of Music) in Fort Greene, Brooklyn.

Oddly enough – a preview for the movie 2012 came up on my television. Ironic in the sense that its based on this premise that the Mayan calendar ends at 2012 and theres a lot of speculation what will happen at the end of the world.

And this is part of the idea behind The Long Count. The Long Count is based on a narrative poem titled the Popol Vuh about the hero twins and how the Long Count began. Its hard to explain, and I remember learning about this when studying Latin American Studies in college. It was long ago but this still makes sense in its own way.

This combines the World Series of baseball (1975/1976 – the year the Dessners were born) when the Reds vs Yankees were playing in the playoffs. Interestingly, the Yankees are playing again right now. The Mayan ball game was also a huge part of life although the losing team played a far higher price (beheadings were all too common). The beheading is also how the twins were born.

All of this leads to the idea of time and space and the way they believed in time and the power of the Sun/Moon and the earth and the way cycles work. And the idea of twins play heavily into this – they were very revered.

In this case, one set of twins, the Dessners, inspired another more famous set of twins (the Deals) to all come together and to work on this performance piece. What transpires has to be the most innovative show Ive seen in a long time. Easily my favorite show of this year. The art is massive and dark and invokes feelings of blood and earth and cycles. Things come, go, and move onward. Then you add the lovely Shara Worden whose voice was made for this and she invokes the goddess Venus as she sings about the sun and the moon. Her voice is powerful and strong and in the headdress youre moved into another world.

The Deal sisters add a whole nother pow to the show. Kim Deal’s voice is incredible and raw and add the violin pounding of Kelley and kabam! Its intense and the screeching of it hits you hard.

The real treat is the orchestra. Each person is beyond talented and if you read the bios have played with artists like the Arcade Fire. The violins are powerful, the saxophone is intense and the guy in front of me hitting the keys hard of the piano helps take you to this other world.

The music and lyrics are mostly written by the Dessners and its hard not to argue that they might be the most talented guys out there. I was fortunate to get to see them talking with Matthew Ritchie of the making of this art performance. It was interesting the way they came up with the idea and where it was going to go. They are talented guys who have transcended far beyond The National.

All I can really add – if this ever does a worldwide tour, it’d behoove you not to see it. The National are great to see (and Matt does perform one song – and his low voice might have been one of the best voices of the night) but this takes everything to a far greater place. Besides who wouldnt want to see the Deal sisters along with the Dessners together. It was insanely awesome!

$250-$500K Range: FORT GREENE
155 Lafayette Avenue, #3D; Price=$382,500 GMAP
A 723-sf, 1-bedroom co-op, says StreetEasy. Maintenance=$737/month. Closed on 10/13/09; deed recorded on 10/22/09. Read more…
(www.brownstoner.com 10/29/09)

A former Fort Greene pup contestant

Fort Greene Park in Brooklyn might be Halloween central this year with its spooky rendition of the Fort Greene Flea Market, the 10th Annual Halloween Festival, and the Gret PUPkin Dog Costume Contest. Flea market vendors are bringing out all of their vintage and costume pieces, and the usual food vendors will be providing sweet treats for Trick or Treaters, like Liddabit, who is serving baby caramel apples.

This year’s Halloween Festival will offer hayrides, games, sack races, face painting, stilt-walkers, and even free pumpkins to decorate. On top of that is a costume parade (for those of you avoiding the Village Parade) and a scary cemetery. All for free!

The festival will start at 12pm with the “Great PUPkin Constest,” where participants can bring their costumed dogs to compete against their pet peers. Registration is at 11:30, and is $5 per dog. Your pup could even win a prize donated by Brooklyn Veternary Hospital, Bittersweet, Who’s Your Doggy, and others. Three winners and three runner ups will be recognized. The Fort Greene Halloween fest will end at 3pm, so make sure to enjoy it while it lasts.

-Caitlin

Halloween at Habana Outpost

This Saturday is our last day of the 2009 season at Habana Outpost and we’ll be celebrating all day with 2 rounds of Haloween parties.

The first party for the 12 and under crowd starts at 12 and goes till 5pm. There will be games, arts and crafts, a dance party , costume contest and of course plenty of candy. It’s all free, so bring your little ghouls and goblins down this Saturday.

The Adult party starts off at 9pm and will continue until 4am – don’t worry about the weather because we’re throwing the party downstairs in the Lowpost where we will have a full bar and Habana’s own DJ Juice E.  Awards for the best costume will be given out at Midnight.

We hope we’ll see you there – if not, thanks making it  another great season at Habana Outpost !!

Halloween Party at Habana Outpost

OLD TOWNHOUSES usually come with big ‘buts,’ points out Ingrid Abramovitch in the intro to her new book, Restoring a House in the City: A Comprehensive Owner’s Guide to Renovating Town Houses, Brownstones and Row Houses With Great Style (Artisan). They may have “charmingly anachronistic grace notes, from imposing classical entrances to parlors straight out of Edith Wharton novels,” she writes, BUT, less charmingly, they also tend to have roof leaks, slanty floors, and ominous cracks in the wall.

Never mind. IMO, as readers of this blog know, those are mere annoyances, no contest at all compared to the many pluses of living in a house built in the 19th century, when houses really were built. This book offers abundant proof that antique houses are worth the effort.

Below: Parlor, Fort Greene

It features 21 exceptional dwellings, from a Boston Brahmin to a double-wide brownstone in Troy, N.Y., a Greek Revival in Charleston, and a San Francisco Edwardian that survived the 1906 earthquake. The projects closest to my heart, of course, are those in Brooklyn, which is well-represented with six envy-inducing houses.

Below: Mantel, Fort Greene

Some are restored, some extensively remodeled. Some are furnished with antiques, others done up in a modern mix. There’s nothing cookie-cutter about any of them. A couple are a bit over-the-top for my taste: too much clutter, too much color. But most ooze warmth and livability.

It’s no surprise that the book’s interiors are impeccably styled and photographed. The author, a resident of Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn, is a veteran design journalist and former editor at House & Garden and Martha Stewart Living.

Below: Parlor, Park Slope

Luscious as it is, Restoring a House is not just a look book. Along with the inspiration, there’s a hearty dose of practical information on such topics as wood floors, brickwork and ornamental plaster. How can an old-house lover resist?

Below: Entry Hall, Brooklyn Heights

All photos from RESTORING A HOUSE IN THE CITY by Ingrid Abramovitch (Artisan).
Copyright 2009. Brian Park photographer.

Last week, after reading the problematic opinion piece “Us Against Ourselves” by Henrik Krogius at the Brooklyn Daily Eagle, I couldn’t just let false statements lie and shot off a reply.  I fully expected that Mr. Krogius would not reply publicly or privately, but to my surprise, I’m happy(?) to see that he responded in today’s online edition: Letter to the Editor: Challenges Views On Atlantic Yards.

To recap, the general gist of his “argument” was that Atlantic Yards opponents are fearful of outsiders, and that we cloak our opposition to this development with “a variety of more respectable arguments, including traffic…eminent domain…impact of scale on brownstone neighborhoods…and financing arrangements.”  I called him out on two of his statements: “…eminent domain (which affects a small handful of people for a 22-acre project)” and “..impact of scale on brownstone neighborhoods (which in fact don’t abut the site).”

His rebuttal to my points (in italics) is confused and/or evasive:

Editor’s Note:

1) On eminent domain, we’ll see how the Court of Appeals rules.

Yes, we will see. However, he completely ignores my point, which was: if eminent domain were to be exercised for Atlantic Yards, although technically only a relatively small number of people would be directly affected, it would have far-reaching ramifications for all New Yorkers and possibly Americans.  Eminent domain used for economic benefit, as well as for the transfer of private property from one private owner to another private owner, reinforces a precedent that I and many believe puts all private property in jeopardy.  If the state can be convinced that someone else might make better “use” of your property than you, you better start packing your bags.  Your property won’t be yours for long.

2) Yes, there is even a little group of former townhouses on Dean Street indicated for preservation within the Atlantic Yards footprint. However, on the south side of Dean Street, which would not be affected by shadows, there are a firehouse, open yard area and commercial establishments. The point is that the project’s impact on residential areas has been greatly exaggerated, and neighborhoods like Fort Greene, Boerum Hill, Park Slope and Cobble Hill (all of which have raised alarms) are separated from Atlantic Yards by commercial blocks and distance.

I have no idea what he’s talking about, and neither does he. I never made any reference to shadows.  ”[T]here is even a little group of former townhouses on Dean Street indicated for preservation within the Atlantic Yards footprint.”  What???  Where???  Again, he’s completely WRONG.  Maybe his eyesight is failing?  Maybe this will help:

NO STRUCTURES WITHIN THE ATLANTIC YARDS FOOTPRINT WOULD BE PRESERVED.

Also, even though there is a firehouse, a playground (open yard area?), and several small business on the south side of Dean Street on the project’s southern border, the rest of this stretch of Dean Street is all low-rise residential.

He continues lying typing while off his meds when he states that “Fort Greene, Boerum Hill, Park Slope and Cobble Hill are separated from Atlantic Yards by commercial blocks and distance.”  Has he ever visited the area?  Can he read a map?  Bad eyesight the culprit, again?  Granted, Cobble Hill is some blocks away from the site’s western boundary, but:

FORT GREENE, BOERUM HILL AND PARK SLOPE DIRECTLY ABUT THE ATLANTIC YARDS FOOTPRINT.

Maybe a visual aid would help:

Atlantic Yards photo map

I don’t know why I bother.

Our Local Council Woman, Letitia James will be sponsoring a neighborhood Food Conference this Saturday. You know we’ll be there, and we’re bringing the smoothie bike! Come on down to learn the benefits of Urban Gardening (yes, it exists!), supporting local Farmers Markets, and healthy eating in general. Plus, any event with the words FREE and BBQ in the description is worth crashing.  

Heres how it should be going down:

12:30-1:00pm – Registration
1:00 – 1:50pm – Introduction by Council Member Letitia James, followed by guest speaker Yonette Fleming of the Hattie Carthan Community Garden and the Bed-Stuy farmer’s market, and performance by Professor Louie, the Poet of the Streets.
2:00 – 2:50pm – Workshop period
3:00 – 3:50pm – Workshop period
4:00 – 6:00pm – closing activities with food, entertainment, & meeting your elected officials.
 
Current workshops (titles subject to change, participants still being confirmed):
 
Where to Food Shop Now: Food Coops, Community Supported Agriculture & Farmers Markets, w/ …
Envisioning a New Neighborhood Food System: Improving food options for the future.
Growing Our Own Food:  Backyard & Community Gardens, and Urban Farms.
You Are What You Eat:  Eating healthy for life, beauty, health, and intelligence – with Erin Kaplin of Greene Hill Food Co-op and Nancy Romer,
Healthy Eating with EBT at the Farmers Market: Alexis Stevens of Greenmarket; Kim Bylander, DOH Stellar Markets Program; Maureen Bowen and Cynthia Chukwueze, nutritionists from The Brooklyn Hospital Center

Community members, politicians and even a celebrity or two turned out on a chilly October day to protest Forrest City Ratner’s Atlantic Yards development today. Dozens gathered at Borough Hall where they  City Councilwoman Leticia James and actor John Turturro, among others addressed the crowd.

The protesters marched down Court St. and on to Atlantic Ave., led Turturro and James who encouraged onlookers to say “Brooklyn if you love Brooklyn!” The crowed was buoyed by the whimsical outfits and tunes of the Magic Circus Band, who followed closely behind. The group  stopped to protest in front of Michael Bloomburg’s Brooklyn campaign office, where they broke into a chant of “Brooklyn’s not for sale!”

The crowd then marched through the intersection of Atlantic and Flatbush. There, Councilwoman James, bullhorn in hand, proclaimed to gridlocked motorists: “if you think traffic is bad today, just imagine it with an arena!”

The group then circled the Atlantic Yards site, crossed into Fort Greene, and ended with a party at Habana Outpost. Stay turned for more pics and video soon.

For those of you Brooklynites who enjoy seeing the sky when you look out the window as opposed to high-rises, this is the event for you! Develop Don’t Destroy Brooklyn’s walk-a-thon will feature hundreds of walkers starting at Borough Hall and finishing with a community party at Habana Outpost.

The luxury high-rise building epidemic has crossed over to Fort Greene and the Atlantic Yards project is a perfect example of the problem at hand.  Even if you can’t make to the walk, come through Saturday to mingle and learn more. Check out the website to learn how to register and/or sponsor the Walkathon.

See full article from The Brooklyn Eagle which appeared October 1, 1894

Below: 131 Fort Greene Place

On Dekalb Avenue in the Fort Greene section of Brooklyn – lots of live music!  We’ve contacted them – hopefully they will be featuring some of OUR featured artists!  They seem to have few groups that play there on a regular basis – when we walked by this evening, sounded like a New Orleans-flavored tune, being thoroughly appreciated by a good sized crowd.  We’ll certainly be back to check out some more music – if anyone is in the area, send us a note!

http://www.chezoskar.com/

This top-floor garrett at 25 South Oxford Street in Fort Greene hit the market last month asking $599,000 but was just reduced to $550,000. The 900-square-foot two-bedroom has some cute elements, namely the skylights and windows, but doesn’t appear to have much in the way of original details. The maintenance of $750 is neither here nor there. We bet this goes in the low $500,000s.
25 South Oxford Street

The selection in Fort Greene just gets better ‘n better. Here’s some of my favorite shops in the neighborhood, fresh selection of vintage and local designers.

Dossier, has a marvelous, handpicked selection of designers (local and vintage), jewelry, and gift items. Brought to the Fort Greene neighborhood by Dossier Journal’s Skye Parrott, Katherine Krause, and Molly McIver. The Dossier Journal is a biannual art-and-fashion magazine, with a striking layout and underground verve.

The trio opened the Dossier Shop in April 2009 on the bottom floor of a small apartment building, aiming to reflect the journal’s creativity and wide-ranging appeal in its wares.

Hours: Tuesday-Sunday, 12 Noon-7PM, CLOSED                                                                                             Mondays

Subway: C to Lafayette Ave;  G to Clinton                                                                                            Washington

431 Dekalb @ Classon

Truly reasonable prices with occasional mint condition Members Only jackets, vintage belts and handbags. I found my winter jacket here in great condition–a vintage ‘80 nylon jam in bright ceruluean:

Brownstoner Smurfette

Hours: Tuesday-Sunday 12 Noon-7 PM; Monday 1 PM-8 PM

Train: G to Classon Ave.

COLLECTHER

306 Franklin Avenue @ Lafayette

Located in Bed Stuy, Brooklyn, COLLECTHER is a vintage clothing store specializing in women’s fashions from and inspired by the 1960s to the 1980s. I found a wonderfully preserved pair of vintage Brazilian red leather pumps–for only $30~!

Collecther(s) checking out the fly goods

Hours: Thursday-Saturday 12 Noon-8 PM; Sunday 12 Noon-6 PM (Recessionista Sunday & Denim Dropoff!)

Train: G to Classon Ave

221 DeKalb Avenue info@thistleclover.com Store

You feel calm the second you walk down into this store, away from the light hubbub of Dekalb Ave. The price points at this store a  higher than the aforementioned locations–but from the range of silk dresses, featuring designers like Eskell (think sexy secretary) or Dace (Vancouver, BC based designer)–it’s not the usual fare.

Hours: Thistle & Clover is open 7 days a week: Monday-Friday 12PM-8PM Saturday & Sunday 11AM-7PM

Train: C to Lafayette Ave; G to Clinton Washington