I had business today in South Miami some 40 miles from home at the subdivision/city of Pinecrest. It's a small area South of the Coral Gables Cultural Center, The University of Miami and The city of Kendall.
The purpose for my visit... to measure for cabinets and woodwork for a job we just received a deposit on. I'm delighted. We bid this project many months ago and the contractor negotiated a lower price from us to eliminate our competition. The designer on the project requested we do the work, but our prices were way over the client's budget. We were able to reduce costs on a few items and change our bid to meet their needs and the contractor complied with a 'Letter of Intent' saying we were getting the job, but we waited a long time and things seemed uncertain.
Like a few other projects, we are finding our clients are having longer wait and more restrictions for project funding. Anyone who is following the economy knows, this is going to get worse before it gets better. Hopefully, people can adapt to this new lifestyle while banks make it next to impossible to get loans.
I took Interstate 95 on the way to this project. That allowed me to bypass some rough areas near Downtown Miami. Brownsville, Overtown and Liberty City to be exact. But, I decided to change course and go to "Flea Market USA" looking for a new wallet!
Usually, I go to "The Festival Flea Market" the largest flea market in the State of Florida, about 30 miles North where most of the customers in that neighborhood are retired. This year, most of my business has been South so I decided to shop elsewhere.
Ten years ago I was working for a company who made many of the glass display cabinets there and we became friends with some of the vendors. So I know the layout of the place and years later some of the same vendors are still there.
Today's travel was different.
This flea market is nestled in the middle of Liberty City, an area that burned when the jury acquitted four police officers accused in the Rodney King investigation. I went to Flea Market USA when they first opened. It's been years since I visited this place and I knew I was going to see some unusual sights...
The lot was 3/4 full and finding a parking spot was easy. When I walked through the main entrance the music at the barbershop was pounding. Truly a distraction that any store manager would have stopped... yes, but this is not a normal circumstance... at this point, I would NOT recommend this place to anyone.
There were booths selling car speakers... big ones that make your neighbors hate you. hair salons that do braids, acrylic nail salons, places to get tattoos.. in the open for passersby to see the whole thing! Clothing shops and someone selling shoes every 50 feet or so. Gold jewelry and other 'bling'* sold by the inch and 'fake' watches in every third store! I saw some silver watches so big, they looked like diamond studded frisbees!
Let's talk about food... every 100 feet someone was selling food. The smell from the Jamaican restaurant was terrific, but I had to refrain simply because I don't trust the sanitary conditions of the flea market.
If I had to vote for the funniest/oddest booth in the place, it has to be GOLD TEETH USA... If you have ever seen someone smile and ALL their front teeth are gold, it's probably just a dental appliance the street people call a 'grille' just like the fancy grills people put on their cars... you can get a grill for your mouth !! Only in da hood, dey be called grillz. Some of the photos in the booth had diamond studded gold teeth.
I phoned a 'street-wise' friend and asked him about 'grills' his response was "Bro, if U a DJ or Rapper, you've got to have your grillz on when you be on stage."
OK... I'll take that as gospel.
Here's a link that sells ready-made 'grillz' (and lots of other bling) http://www.myhiphopbling.com/
Photo from their website...
*bling: Noun. flashy, ostentatious jewelry.
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| Flea markets and the sub-culture |
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missliss78
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Feb 8 @ 8:24PM
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How 'bout that.
I'm watching the Grammy's on TV tonite.
Earlier I had on E! Television live on the red carpet for the Grammy's.
I don't know who the "hip-hop" artist was they were interviewing, but they inquired about his "grille" and he told it cost him $14,000!
What WILL they come up with next?
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bardnsage
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Feb 8 @ 9:30PM
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Last fall, I saw one on a vallet,,, it had the letters,,,,
BOBAMA,,,
so,, I had to ask,,, "did your brother go to Alabama?"
Blank looks from the vallet,,,,
Host shot champaign out of his nose.
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luneib
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Feb 8 @ 10:08PM
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I need to get some of those lol, bet my bf would keel over laughing if I was wearing them.
Around here there are Asian nail salons, all kinds of fake glue on nails, flowers on the nails of all types and colors etc. I've never been to a nail salon and probably won't. I guess they are fun for some people, I can't see wasting the money.
It does sound like you had a VERY interesting day 'though.
Yeah Jamaican food does smell good, I love Jamaican patties, I can just tasted them now, hmmmm, note to self, must buy some at the supermarket lol.
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