Blog - Page 448 of 771 - Hither & Thither

Alameda Flea and the 15 best flea markets in the country

Best Antiques and Flea Markets in America

I don’t always make it, but I have a standing appointment in my date book for the first Sunday of every month at the Alameda Point Antiques Faire. If you’re in (or near) the Bay Area, it’s worth checking out. The food trucks and view of the San Francisco skyline would be enough to tempt me, but I usually have a few other goals in mind. One month, it was chairs. This month, it was art and textiles.

Just be sure to dress in layers: I was excited to break out a new Old Navy Color-Blocked sweater for the cool morning. But once the fog lifts and the sun comes out, one remembers that fall is the Bay Area’s summer!

Hudson discovered the joy of a tape measure and wanted to stop at every rug which, fortunately, was pretty convenient. Otherwise, I must admit, it’s gotten harder to truly scower the market, with a curious toddler in tow. He usually makes out best of all. (Remember the fire truck? There’s a new-old bulldozer in our midst now.)

In the mood to go on a treasure hunt yourself?
Here are the 15 flea and antique markets that are routinely named best in the country:

California
Long Beach Outdoor Antique & Collectible Market
Rose Bowl Flea (Pasadena)
Alameda Point Antiques Faire (pictured)

Georgia
Scott Antique Markets (Atlanta)

Illinois
All Night Flea Market (Wheaton)
Chicago Antique Market

Indiana
Shipshewana Auction & Flea Market

Massachusetts
Brimfield Antique Show

New York
Brooklyn Flea (location varies by season)

North Carolina
Raleigh Flea Market

Ohio
Springfield Antique Show & Flea Market

Oregon
Portland Expo Antique and Collectible Show

Tennessee
Nashville Flea Market

Texas
Austin County Flea Market
Canton First Monday Trade Days

Several States
127 Corridor Sale (654 miles along the highway, from Jamestown, TN, to Gadsden, AL)

How many of these have you been to? Any other favorites?

Aron and I furnished our first apartment almost exclusively with Rose Bowl Flea finds, and have loved visiting the Brooklyn Flea (indoors and out).

On me: Old Navy Color-blocked Crew-neck Sweater, Gap infinity scarf, Ray Ban Wayfarers, Vintage men’s jeans, and Brogues by Skin & Threads.
On Hudson: Old Navy Uniform Zip-Front Sweater, American Apparel sailor shirt, Zara jeans, and Converse classic Chucks.
This post was sponsored by Old Navy. Check out Old Navy’s latest fashion lineup in store or online at oldnavy.com.

October 10, 2013

In Style

The easiest, most-indulgent pumpkin dessert

Something my mom calls “Pumpkin Delight.”

And it is a delight. An oh-so-easy, box-mix involving, guilt-inducing delight. It’s so easy, in fact, that two-year-old Hudson practically made it himself. But my does it give plain ol’ Pumpkin Pie a run for its money.

One note: There’s a whole lot of butter involved, and the cake topping (a cheat on the classic crumble) is decadently sweet; you could really cut down on either. But I generally don’t. It is dessert, after all.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and then begin mixing the pumpkin base. Combine all of the ingredients below in a large mixing bowl. (No fancy beater or mixer required!)

1 large can (29 oz.) of pumpkin puree

1 12 oz can of evaporated milk

1 c sugar

2 t cinnamon

1 t nutmeg

1/2 t ginger

3 eggs

Distribute the mixture: typically, one serves this in a 9×13 baking pan. I chose to make a portion of the mix in single-serving ramekins. Either is fine; just be sure to grease your pan or ramekins first and adjust your cooking time depending. (See below.)

Next, add the topping:

1 box of yellow cake mix

1 c chopped nuts

3/4 c melted butter

Cover the top of the pumpkin mix with cake mix (you can use the whole box, or less if you like desserts less sweet) and liberally sprinkle up to 1 cup of nuts (I used pecans). Drizzle melted butter over everything. A 9×13 pan should be baked at 350 degrees for approximately an hour; if you’re using ramekins, I’d suggest setting a timer for 45 minutes. You should smell the Pumpkin Delight when it’s ready; the tops should be just browned.

Set it aside to cool at least 10 minutes before serving (ideally with whipped cream). It’s delicious fresh, or reheated—but I also like it straight out of the fridge, when the cake crust tastes a bit like a crunchy candy bar. Yum.

Thanks to the ladies at BlahBlahBirds for inviting me to share this as part of their Fall Recipe Swap—they will be sharing this along with other bloggers’ seasonal favorites. Check it out!