We had researched fleamarkets before we left the UK, and had a list of six different ones, but in the end we just went to this one as raking through piles of old stuff is not really the kids' idea of fun. (Wish we'd gone to the Hell's Kitchen one, apparently the best.)
I was thrilled with the things I bought. A colour chart to add to my collection. I love colour charts SO much!
A children's picture. I like the animals on the frame.
And some little toy watches.
Having just googled the Antiques Garage, I discover that it's venerable and also under threat. Apparently it was the first fleamarket to spring up in Chelsea and was then followed by hundreds more, filling four blocks (four blocks!) with tat-vendors. Imagine that. According to this article, Andy Warhol, Susan Sontag and Greta Garbo once paced the stalls! But soon the Garage will make way for a hotel, which is a great shame.
There's a show on American TV, of which I've only seen a short clip, called Oddities. It's a reality show set in a real-life New York fleamarket, Obscura Antiques and Oddities, in the East Village. What I wouldn't give to be able to watch this show!
Oddities window |
Well, that was me pretty much done, in terms of buying things in New York. I wasn't so interested in the fancy new stuff.
George Tilyou, who built the Steeplechase at Coney Island, also made the iconic Funny Face |
My little screenprint of the Drop |
The Google car seems to have visited Coney Island on a particularly grim day |
I'm here, I'm actually here! |
We saw the wooden Cyclone rollercoaster. Did Danny say this was the first rollercoaster in the world?
We saw this beautiful old restaurant where the diners ate under the stars on the roof terrace. For a while the building was resurrected as a rollerskating rink by local entrepreneur Lola Star, but it's closed now. We met Lola Star in her souvenir shop!
lovely Lola |
Details of the interior of Lola's shop |
We walked along the boardwalk, past the shuttered food outlets.
Then we got the best view ever of the Parachute Drop, shining in the sun.
We went down onto the beach and I picked up a piece of driftwood that I'm going to paint on.
We saw the corner where Scarface got his scar. We went on the pier and saw the fishermen. We saw the place where the Polar Bear Club members run into the sea on icy winters' days. It was all wonderful. I love the happy-sad feeling of rundown pleasure grounds.
Come back tomorrow for candy, pickles and the Empire State Building...
2 comments:
Another great day. All that pre-planning has produced some great memories. Roll on day three.
Loving visiting New York by proxy! Fantastic little toy watches, and how wonderful to get to see The Drop in real life after falling for the charm of the structure.
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