Market Warriors at The DC Big Flea

Hello, My Friends!~~~

I went to the DC Big Flea today with dear Hubby. I had heard that an episode of the PBS show Market Warriors was being filmed there today. We saw the first episode of this new show and, to be honest, I am not sold on it. But more about that later.

As we waited to get into the Dulles Expo Center on a very drizzly morning, I saw a cameraman filming what I can only guess to be an establishing shot.

Look at the poor fellow holding the umbrella. He looks quite miserable.

At 9 a.m. we walked on in to browse the rows and rows of vintage goodies for sale. As you may know from previous posts, I am a frequent Big Flea shopper. Here is a little idea at the size of this place:

You may be able to see that this building goes on and on. I am standing at the halfway point here. It is advertised as having over 600 vendors.

I am standing halfway down one of the rows here.

The delightful Truffle Pigs ladies were there. Golly gosh, they have the cutest booth at the entire Big Flea!

But back to the "Market Warriors"...sigh. I had really hoped that I would like this show. It is based on an English show and the premise is letting four "pickers" loose at a flea market with cash to buy things which will later be auctioned. Whoever makes the most profit at the auction wins bragging rights. However, on the first episode these "experts" really didn't do that well as far as profits go, some even lost money. Are the producers of the show expecting us to root for one of these pickers or are they trying to teach us about buying (and selling) at an flea market? The only remotely useful pieces of information during the show are the flea market shopping hints done by the voice over from actor Fred Willard (who I understand will be replaced by Mark Walberg from "Antiques Roadshow").

Through the gauntlet of cameramen and boom mike wielders, you may be able to spy the pickers standing at a table getting thier "assignment" on what to shop for at the Big Flea. At least I think that's what this scenario is supposed to be. We did see some of the shows producers walking around talking to various vendors about some of their wares, so I suspect that the pickers don't really randomly look for objects but are directed to them. Just a guess. I know that many of these "picker" shows are staged but for once I'd like to see one that is more reality than production--I know, I know, a show like that just wouldn't be a commercial success and would be considered more of a documentary.

OK, now I need to pick on one of these pickers. She is this lady behind the blue table. Her name is Miller Gaffney and she is pretty and blonde and looks good on camera, but REALLY? Not since the thankfully defunct Picker Sisters has a female picker completely made the rest of us look like carefully coiffed, designer clothes wearing, high heel strolling Barbie dolls who have no trouble flirting til they drop. In episode one of Market Warriors, Gaffney stood in front of a dealer for a long time while fondling her i-pad doing market research of a certain piece of vintage Tiffany glass. She even told the dealer that she had $1000 to spend and his asking price on the piece was $1000. She finally decided to buy it and not surprisingly the dealer wouldn't budge on the price no matter how much she batted her eyelashes at him. She lost quite a lot of money at the subsequent auction. No duh. I really hate to come across as mean and I'm sure she's a lovely person, but she was terribly mis-cast. My only impression of her is from the show which touts her an an expert. The show didn't display her talents an an expert (on what, I'd like to know) in a favorable light. And I don't believe for one minute that she has spent any time getting dirty at estate or barn sales or even junk yards searching for vintage treasures. And the rest of the cast, an assortment of males, spent a lot of time talking over each other and muddling any information we, the audience, were supposed to learn. You may, however, disagree. Please watch the show and form your own opinion :)

If I was on "Market Warriors" (which you may, in the DC Big Flea episode, see me walking by in the background not by intention, the cameras were everywhere!) I would have shopped at these booths and bought the following (of course I would be spending the show's money!)...

This fun and huge tropical couch, and...

This Liddle Kiddles Klub to replace the one I had as a child, and...

This knee hugger elf with a HUGE head, so cool but not for $22, and...

All four of these groovy mod Beatles posters, and...

This trio of cute German elf boys, and...

ALL of these tin circus pieces, and...

Pretty much everything in this booth, but I'm thinking I may go way above the $1000 spending limit! Instead, here is a photo of what I purchased today:

Not too much, but a nice assortment of goods to repurpose into future projects. So, I'm hoping that "Market Warriors" and any show of that ilk will get better and be a success. I think shopping flea markets is a great thrill, but that comes as no surprise to anyone who regularly reads this blog. Have fun, my friends, in whatever you do!~~~XXOO, Beth