Treasure Island Flea Market

As soon as the new month starts, I start looking forward to my two favorite weekends of the month - the first and the last weekends! Today I am covering the treasure island flea market which happens on the last weekend of every month.

There is also the Alameda flea market, which is on the first weekend. I'll cover that soon too :).

                                                                                   Treasure Island Flea Market[/caption]

Now that you know me a little, you also know that I cannot pass an opportunity to wander around a flea market. So, when the last weekend of February was around the corner, I knew I had to go. I was prepared to emotionally blackmail my husband, Nakul, to spend his Saturday afternoon there, clicking pictures and enjoying the sun while I do some treasure hunting.

Treasure Island flea market is a perfect mix of art, music and shopping. There are over 200 stalls from which you can buy anything - turkish kilims, vintage tins, dolls, antiques clocks, cameras, funky jewelry, embroidered boots, beautiful succulents, gorgeous glass lamps... the list is endless. They also have a bunch of food trucks and a mini-bar there, and often there is live music throughout the day. They even host a DIY workshop. This place is unbelievable :).

The entry to the flea is $3 per person. Some times, they give away discount coupons available for your next month's visit. I picked up 2 the last time, giving a subtle hint to Nakul about our next TI visit :). The market opens to the general public from 10 Am to 4 PM on the last Saturday and Sunday of every month.

We arrived around noon, when the crowd had already swarmed in, but that did not stop me from capturing some of the flea spirit for all you beautiful readers. This flea is full of vintage finds, gorgeous texture everywhere - its a treat to my bohemian soul.

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="1636.0"]                                                                                     Gorgeous rich textures[/caption]

There is just so much to choose from: beautiful Kilim rugs, colorful hand painted wooden stools, mid century wooden furniture, old style rocking chairs, one of a kind bottles, colorful dresses, old cameras and telescope, quirky lampshades, vintage bags, embroidered boots, hats, garden ornaments, brass figurines, tarot card reading, great art pieces by upcoming local artisans and many more handmade items etc.

Flea market is a place for experienced shoppers. Its like a treasure hunt for the curious soul. You never know what you're going to find. So here are some of my tips on how to shop smart at a flea market:

• Get there early: arriving early will give you an opportunity to look around, think, compare prices, pick and then choose, instead of arriving with the crowd and trying to grab what's left.
• Carry cash: Though most of the stalls do accept card, cash forces you to stick to your budget thereby avoiding the urge of overspending and buying impulsively.

• Take a tour before you start buying: It is highly frustrating to realize that you have paid double for an item which is available on the other side of the market for half the cost.

• Buy what you really LOVE: If your heart is set on something, BUY IT! Timing is everything here. If the bargain feels right, don't wait too long as someone else may pick it up on your set price.

Well... that's how I shop at flea markets! Share your tips... And don't forget to check out this month's Treasure Island flea market on 29th and 30th March!

See you all there!!

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