New York City Thrift Shopping

Since I've moved to Brooklyn, I've dabbled in a little thrift shopping, but nothing too serious. I love Beacon's Closet here in Park Slope... Loved it even more when it was located between the grocery store and my house (now it's almost to Atlantic...) My wardrobe has been needing an update... You know the feeling when you get restless and nothing quite fits right anymore. Plus, I brought a lot of my clothes from the Midwest.

Our budget being tight (thanks to the extremely High cost of living) and my true hate for real shopping, I've put off buying or even looking for much. In the back of my mind, I've been wanting to go thrift shopping. I usually end up feeling guilty buying clothes from regular stores (plus the torture of shopping in NYC stresses me out), but somehow, I feel good about thrift shopping. I'm reusing, and it's quite relaxing and enjoyable to search the racks and find clothing treasures. NYC has to have some kick ass thrift shops, right? I mean, you have a ton of people... which equals a lot of clothes... Someone (or a lot of someones) has to be donating clothes I want.

With my stepmom visiting this last week, I knew if I mentioned thrift shops, she'd be all about it! She's a very thrifty person, finding awesome things all the time... either at the second hand stores near their home in Texas or auctions... or on the way to auctions... or craigslist. So, after her big YES, I began doing some research and mapped out our second hand store locations, which originally included 18 thrift shops. We ended up visiting 8 and finding out that one of those on the list doesn't actually exist! Click here for the map of the New York City thrift shops we found in Manhattan and Brooklyn.

Here are pictures of (almost) all of my finds. I'd say half of the items were under $5. The other part were under $10 each. One pair of pants was $12. One gray pea coat for the coming Spring weather was under $20. I also found some clothes for a few of my siblings.

Funky sweater. Debated on getting it. Green buttons made it a must.

LOVE these green corduroy pants. They are the most comfortable things ever! Plus, I looked at the AG website and other pants on there go for over $150 at retail. I got them for under $10!!

Soft and comfy gray v-neck. Teal sweater with big buttons.

I got a few pairs of jeans, which means all my old jeans can be made into shorts for the summer or donated :)

Can't wait for summer.

Light green Spring sweater.

This shirt makes me think Weekend.

Another warm weather shirt. I'm getting Spring Fever sooo bad!

Skirt. :)

Summer dress. It's so cute on! My favorite brown sweater goes over it perfectly!

A fun find.

Another pair of AG brand jeans. Found these at the East Village Thrift Shop right off the corner of 2nd Ave and 12th St in the East Village. This shop made me happy. I also found some cool scarves (below). It's way too close to Seth's work... I'm sure I'll frequent that shop from now on!

A few tee shirts. Most of mine have shrunk and there's nothing more annoying than a short shirt.

Skirt. Love the pattern and colors. Now I need warmer weather!

Another pair of jeans.

It's a little wrinkled, but I love this shirt! It looks really good with my dark pair of jean-like slacks!

Dress pants for work.

Skirt for work.

Dressier jeans. I can justify wearing "jeans" to work in the middle of the week now!

Did I mention I'm ready for summer. JULY. JULY. JULY. JULY.

Loved the pattern. Turns out it fit. Again. Summer. COME. SOON.

Seth was weirded out by me wearing earrings. I don't often, but maybe I will now.

This wasn't from a second hand store, but it's new this week. Got it on Canal Street while we were down there getting souvenirs. Ended up getting a Great deal on tee shirts and other New York things. I talked a lady at a different place, where we didn't buy from, into $1 shirts. He he! It was kind of fun, even if we didn't take advantage of the deal. I've never done that kind of dealing before... I'm usually scared to! I was sad that I didn't get a woman to sale me a hat for $5. I found this cute one price for $13. I got her down to $10, but tried to go lower. The guy across the street was selling them for $5... she offered $9 and then told me to go across the street. It wasn't quite the color I wanted anyway.

Scarves. One winter, the rest all seasons. Love the striped one!

[name] needs

Found this fun activity on a facebook note. Laughed when I saw what all my needs were according to google.com... You can join in the fun too! Just go to Google. Type your name followed by "needs" and make a list of the first 10 things you need. Here are mine:

1. Alicia needs more funky beats and innovative tunes in her music.

2. Alicia needs #! ... I gots me a new phone! wooot wooot.. i need everyones # cuz my old phone retired on me. ...

3. Alicia’s missing some of her toes and she may need corrective surgery.

4. Alicia needs to know if there are scissors.

5. Alicia needs...to sponsor a cat.

6. Alicia needs to apologize for conceited comment.

7. Alicia needs a freshman class president slogan?!?!?

8. Soon to be college graduate Alicia, needs to find money to pay for her last semester. Dwight suggests she marries Roberto...

9. Alicia Needs New Bike.

10. Alicia needs a loan of $375 USD to purchase rice, sugar, milk, and soft drinks.

So now that we all know what I need, let's go ahead and start fulfilling my needs. Feel free to start with #10... or maybe #3 is more important? And because I had so much fun with my "needs" I'm including my husband's as well!

1. Seth needs to stop being such a little b!tch. I’m not quite sure what to say to this one. Seth, is there something you need to tell us?

2. As an aside, if you are one of Seth's friends, he really needs you right now.

3. Seth needs more sleep.

4. Seth Needs of Windows Print Management's information, including email, business address and phone, bio, title, job history, colleagues, ...

5. Seth needs money.

6. Seth needs to read... U all need to read...

7. Seth needs you. The city needs you. Plus Dan is a lot nicer when he is drunk.

8. Seth Needs is on Facebook. Facebook gives people the power to share and makes the world more open and connected.

9. Seth needs a double macchiato!

10. Seth needs a hobby. The only thing he has been talking about for the past few days is building his own WallE and Eve. He is driving me NUTS!

Flare in the Greenhouse

Yesterday was Botanical Garden day. I've been craving spring and knew that a trip to the Brooklyn Botanical Garden would appease me for a month or so longer. Even better, visiting on weekdays gets you FREE admission!! :)

This photo was the one I chose for Flare Fridays on Flickr.

Friday Fill-In: The First

This is the first time I'm participating in the Friday Fill-In. You can find it here. I found the Friday Fill-In from a new blog I've recently found called Random Pieces of Me.

And...here we go!

1. Give me few dollars and I'll find something great at the thrift store.

2. Whenever the flowers start blooming, I'm going back to the Brooklyn Botanical Garden.

3. I wish I didn't have to go back to work on Monday.

4. Monkey Bread was the last thing I ate that was utterly delicious.

5. To live in this world without blue/gray fingernail polish would make my life seem incomplete :).

6. Other than this one, Inspire Me Thursday is the last blog I commented on.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to spending the last evening with my stepmum before she heads home, tomorrow my plans include a book sale and Sunday, I want to hang out with my husband all day!

Inspire Me Thursday: Silver

Silver picture frames.
No pictures.
Rusted backdrop.
Street art.

Picture taken yesterday in Dumbo while visiting the Brooklyn Bridge. This week's them for Inspire Me Thursday.

Bridge of my Heart

Despite the forecast of cold, rainy, snowy weather, we ventured out into Brooklyn, no particular plan in mind. We had two bags of clothes I needed to donate (a deal between S and I -- When I get new clothes, I must find some old clothes to get rid of... I guess he doesn't really want an apartment filled with my clothes!) We also had the address to a fabric thrift store in Brooklyn Heights that we wanted to visit as well. When we arrived, the fabric store wasn't open yet. To pass the time and take advantage of no rain/snow and our location, we headed for the Brooklyn Promenade, Brooklyn Bridge Park, and eventually across the bridge.

Me. Mom. City.

From the Brooklyn Promenade.

Street art.

Love this street art. The pink flower is my favorite.

Took so many pictures of all the art left behind on the walls of a Dumbo building.

The creator of this piece wanted others to add to the art. I tagged it in green in the upper right hand corner.

Red rocks in a row.

Bridge behind the winter plant.

Collecting Brooklyn Bridge Park rocks and other treasures.

Boardwalk and Bridge

I love NY. I think I tell myself this daily... and more when I'm able to hang out and take it all in!

Brooklyn Bridge Park table.

The bridge from below.

Getting a closer look.

Bright orange door. Tagged a time or two.

Love on the bridge. Sadly, this was the last picture of the day... as my camera battery ran dead.

Betty Bakery in Boerum Hill

While wondering the streets of Boerum Hill, Brooklyn, we found ourselves peering into the window of a charming bakery called Betty Bakery. My stepmom, who dreams of opening her own bakery shop (of the sorts) someday marveled at the cakes in the windows. As I was taking pictures, one of the people working in the bakery came out and invited us in to take pictures from within the bakery. She was so kind and willing to let me click my little heart out as we admired all the beautiful cakes and yearned for all the sweet treats.

This cake was so fun with the strips and flower details! We absolutely loved the "I do" that ran around the layers!

Mastering roses is on the list for cake decorating.

These beautiful cakes made me wish I'd put a little more into our wedding cake...

I really liked this one, but maybe a few less cake petals.

Loved the coffee stop!

The little birds were too cute. Of course I didn't leave without one... a little blue one... and of course, I haven't eaten him. :)

This bakery isn't too far from our place... I might have to find my way back there for a sweet treat!

Boerum Hill Reflection

Yesterday was Thrift Shopping Day (more on that later) and we started in Boerum Hill, Brooklyn, a lovely little neighborhood north and west of ours. I had only been there once, quickly, last fall... but I knew it was a neighborhood I'd like to spend a little more time in walking through and enjoying. Since we arrived early, before the shops opened, we had time to walk the blocks and enjoy the other shops that were along our path (including a charming bakery and an antique store - post to come :). Here's one shot I captured of the neighborhood.

Me in 16

1. I'm pretty sure the laundry ladies are stealing my socks. From now on, I'm not sending my socks in to be cleaned... I'll force myself to do a load of laundry on my own. (The horror!)

2. I'm a Mac (young, cool, hip). Seth's a PC (old, balding, clueless). A few years ago, Seth came home with a desire to make an impulse buy of this Mac that he just had to have (ironic for a PC). I finally gave in to his idea to purchase this computer. It's one of the best things he's talked me into! If there were ever a fire, this computer may be the only thing I grab as I escape the flames... along with the external hard-drive that holds all my photos!

3. Photography has become one of my favorite hobbies (hate that word, but for lack of a better one it works). I really hope to become a better photographer, with practice. Even more, I hope to figure out all the settings on my new camera and how exactly to use them! I see life in pictures. When I'm walking through my neighborhood, hanging out with friends and family, visiting someone's place, I'm constantly seeing pictures I could capture. I just need to get better at actually getting them!

4. I don't clean the stove when I make a mess. It drives my husband CRAZY. I know I could compromise and try harder to clean it, but I haven't yet. I think it should be my choice considering I'm the one who most often cooks us dinner... and does the dishes (not that he doesn't do the dishes sometimes...)

5. Thrift shops in NYC are better than any I've ever been to. I have 18 mapped out for anyone who wants to join me in a day of thrifting, digging, searching, and finding! It's rough. I'm being taught (by the best) how to be very thorough! :) This is one way I'll contribute to the 3 Rs (REUSE!) and it also makes my bank account happy!

6. My biggest pet peeve is disrespect. Unfortunately, my job forces me to be surrounded by the world's most disrespectful. Talk about my own personal hell.

7. My favorite meal of the week is Saturday morning brunch, preferably with a group of friends in Park Slope. :) Friday evening dinner with friends is a close second!

8. I refuse to watch scary movies. The 2005 movie White Noise pretty much did me in. I got so scared that I actually cried. Seth thought it was funny, but probably doesn't anymore, now that I don't watch anything scary and keep him from watching anything scary when I'm around!

9. Everyday I miss teaching in Kansas. I miss everything about it. Lately, I feel like my memory of it has been fading. Someday, I will go back to teaching somewhere where I love and enjoy my job. Until then, I count down days and try to enjoy the few moments of classroom joy.

10. I have issues with checking out too many books from the library. There is no way possible I can read 20 chapter books in 3 weeks. Before, it was easy for me to jump in my car and return all the books, but now, I'm realizing I hate the mile walk there and mile walk back... and I really shouldn't carry books that I'm not going to get to. I think I just see all the books, get too excited, and forget the reality of my true book checking situation!

11. The day I married Seth was the best day of my life, so far. We had all of our favorite people there (well almost all of them). Everything was amazing. I have a picture of that day at work, and when I need a break, I look at it and I'm off to another time, a better time. If time travel were possible, I'd go back to that day, hands down. And on a side note, S and I honeymooned with his family on the family trip to Colorado. We are repeating it again this July, and I cannot wait! I was blessed with my own great family and blessed again with Seth's amazing family!

12. Blogging is one of my most favorite things to do, and I don't know that I'll ever live without a blog in my life. I love sharing my words and photographs. I love keeping up with other people's blogs. I love the blogging "friends" I have! My family enjoys my blog a lot too! My mom calls me to laugh about some of my stories with me and shares the link with people she knows. My dad (I heard from a little bird) gets really excited when he reads the latest entry before my stepmom!

13. I absolutely love being car-less. I haven't really driven since June. It's amazing. The subway and buses (and trains, sometimes) take me where I need to go. I have read more books since I moved here! I don't know what I'll do when I go back to driving after the city, unless I can master reading and driving at the same time... Or books on tape.

14. I love being an aunt... and lucky for me, I've been given the best nephew that has ever existed (it's a tested a proven fact).

15. Someday, I'd like to write a book. I'm working on ideas now for a memoir. (I might be going to a workshop Thursday night about writing a memoir... As long as I don't wimp out because it'll be "outside my comfort zone.")

16. I joined a book club. I've only been to one meet-up where we discussed the books, and I sat down next to an alum from my Midwest college! Small world. The book club was so much fun, and we meet again next week. Unfortunately, I don't know that I'll have the book read by then... I might be just hanging out for the social aspect of it this month!

So bloggers, if you haven't done your list of 16, you've been tagged. You must now think of a random assortment of 16 things about yourself and create your own list!