Artists & Fleas
70 North 7th Street (between Wythe and Kent), Brooklyn, NY 11211, (917) 301-5765
Getting There: Take The L Train To Bedford Avenue (Alt. Take The G Train To Metropolitan )

Last week we took you to the Brooklyn Flea, which has set up shop along Williamsburg’s waterfront. It’s a great outdoor venue to purchase some cool goods, while taking in the picturesque Manhattan skyline. This week we take you to an indoor market which is a mere block from the waterfront. It’s Artists & Fleas. And it is yet another reason why you need to head to Williamsburg this weekend.

Artists & Fleas creates weekly markets where emerging artists, indie designers, vintage collectors, and handmade crafters can set up shop, meet others and get in touch directly with their customers while being a part of a weekly, dynamic community happening. Established in 2003 in Williamsburg Brooklyn, Artists & Fleas is a unique destination for the community of artisans, collectors and cool-hunters to come together in a thriving alternative-to-retail setting where buyers and sellers can meet from around the world.

As we walked through this indoor Flea we spotted several great booths selling items ranging from handcrafted jewelery to local clothing companies who produce an eclectic array of T-shirts. That day we were shopping for some much needed home goods. We made our way to the middle of the market where we saw Round Soap Records, so we had to investigate. The creators of Round Soap Records are a couple of rock and roll junkies who truly love, rock and roll and bathing. The design of their soap based products embody all things rock. Each handcrafted soap is placed in a specially made tin that resembles a record. It is then stylishly labeled and numbered.

While we were chatting with Round Soap’s proprietor, he recommended we try ‘Black Friday’ which is a part of their ‘Rockin Round Soaps’ collection. Once at home, I opened the creatively designed tin to reveal a high quality, great smelling soap. A musky masculine scent wafted from the black record shaped bar. Other products include shower gels called, ‘Shower To The People’ and an organic bar soap called the, ‘Mix Tape Collection.’ Make sure to head over to their table at Artists & Fleas or website to purchase a truly excellent locally made product, because they live and play in Brooklyn USA!

The LocalBozo crew are huge burger fans, and this shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone. That is why I was so pleased to see the great guys from, That Burger Tent situated right outside the doors of the Artists & Fleas marketplace. That Burger Tent is a pop up restaurant with an emphasis on inventive, and of course tasty hamburgers. Since it was our first visit we had to take a good look at their large menu, in order to make the best selection. The ‘Jersey Burger’ ($5) jumped out to us right away. It is a cheese burger topped with onions, and pickles. It is also cooked to order, which is always a great touch. As a Jersey boy anything carrying my state’s name needs to impress. Well, maybe not the TV show about those orange beach trolls, but you get the point. After the first bite, I knew I had picked a winner.

The ‘Jersey’ tasted like the perfectly cooked burgers I remember eating as a kid. These guys have got their burger craft down to a burger science. Yep, there’s a burger science, look it up. That Burger Tent is open every Saturday & Sunday outside of Artists & Fleas, 10am-7pm or until sold out! You can also find TBT at Idle Hands Bar located in the East Village. They will be grilling up mini burgers on Mondays, from 7-10pm. The price is $2 for a mini burger, or you can get one free with any drink order over $5. Williamsburg is a great place to shop, eat, and drink. Artists & Fleas and That Burger Tent are a perfect destination to make for a great weekend day in this bustling Brooklyn neighborhood.

- Alan Smithee