Have you heard? The District Flea – the latest place to see and be seen on Saturday mornings while strolling coffee in one hand, leash with your dog close by in the other – is open and here to stay. For a few more weeks at least.
The creative minds behind the Brooklyn Flea and Philadelphia’s Market at the Piazza in Northern Liberties have brought their eclectic and funky flea market experience to DC. The District Flea is not your typical flea market. The first thing you’ll notice that everything seems to fit just so in a beautifully curated chaos. Sequins and shoulder pads next to lime green repurposed furniture next to huge steel architectural elements next to old records and plastic frame glasses.
I went one overcast Saturday not too long ago to explore and see what all the hype was about. My friend Ashley, my cousin Amy, and I were not to be bothered with shopping until we checked out…the food (you guessed it).
I made a bee-line for Red Apron. One thing I rarely eat is a hot dog. It’s sacrilege to say at any summer outing, but the fact of the matter is, I just don’t get that excited about them. Put me in front of Red Apron’s stand with three mouth-watering selections and delectably fresh homemade potato rolls and we have another story. I opted for the Curried Away – a curry hot dog topped with whipped feta and a cucumber tomato relish. Amy and I agreed that the whipped feta was the kicker. Its delicate flavor settled the curry down to really allow the palate to absorb the fresh flavors of the fatoush-inspired relish.
Soon after we downed the hot dogs, we began exploring the soul food (bourbon bread pudding!), tacos, fresh yogurt, Gordy’s Pickles, cookies, macarons, gelato, and more that surrounded us. What a feast!
Since we all realized our eyes were hungrier than our stomachs, we decided to explore some of the other vendors. Some of my favorite highlights:
Cherry Blossom Creative (not pictured)
This small boutique creative group makes some of the coolest maps of DC neighborhoods I’ve come across. The colors are bright and bold and can all be paired with one another to remind us of past neighborhoods we’ve called home or serve as mementos when we leave this ever-transient city.
I fell in love with the couple running this small etsy-based business even more than the furniture offerings surrounding them. Their shabby-chic pieces are reasonably priced, but each has a touch more of a unique look than most of us could ever pull off ourselves with a can of white paint. They paired their display with antique tennis racquets turned chalkboard with the founding fathers sketched on them. Adorable.
Speaking of adorable, Eleanor Madison was a pleasure to chat with. She’s just getting started, but clearly has an eye for beauty. Her collection of old furniture felt as though you had stepped into a random market in the south of France – dried hydrangea and natural branches, rustic green and off-white pieces with ornate gold detailing – only the best part is, you can take it home!
After purchasing some jewelry, artwork, and pieces that we just “had” to have, Ashley, Amy, and I made our way to our last stop before home: Vigilante Coffee. Our just-ground pour-over coffee left nothing else to be desired.
District Flea will be open every Saturday from 10am-4pm through November 30th at 945 Florida Avenue NW.
morceaux 
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