Flea Market Favorites

With summer coming to a close and the temperature slowly creeping downward, it's the perfect time to take advantage of one of my favorite favorite hobbies: flea market digging! There's nothing more rewarding than tunneling through a bin of old forgotten knick-knacks that somebody felt should be brought back to life, and coming up to find the perfect jacket, a rare copy of your favorite book, or even the perfect little vintage painting for that empty spot on your wall.

I'll never forget the time I went to the flea market and snatched up a beautiful, yet disheveled victorian settee for an unbelievable steal; after getting it reupholstered I felt like San Francisco's Marie Antoinette! What have been some of your favorite flea market finds?

Maybe it's all the nostalgia, but I'm going to make this very easy for you; below is a list of when and where you can find some of my favorite flea markets in the bay area...

CONCORD: Solano Flea Market, 6:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday and 5:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday. Solano Way and Highway 4; Admission 25 cents Saturday, $1 Sunday. Up to 200 vendors on Saturday and 600 on Sunday.

SAN FRANCISCO: Alemany Flea Market 8 a.m.-3 p.m. Wednesday and Sunday. 100 Alemany Blvd. Up to 200 dealers on Sunday, 25 or so on Wednesday.

FREMONT: Niles Antique Fair and Flea Market. On Niles Blvd, Fremont, Ca. Anually last Sunday in August (Sunday August 28, 2011)

CUPERTINO: DeAnza College Flea Market 8 a.m.-4 p.m. first Saturday each month. In campus parking lots B & C, 21250 Stevens Creek Blvd. Parking $3. About 700 vendors. Benefits student programs.

LOS ALTOS HILLS: Foothill College Flea Market, 8 a.m.-3 p.m. third Saturday each month. 12345 El Monte Road;Parking $2. More than 200 vendors. Benefits Foothill College Theatre Guild.

SAN JOSE: Flea Market, 7 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Wednesday-Sunday. 1590 Berryessa Road; Parking $1 weekdays, $5 weekends. From 2,200 to 2,400 vendors.

CAPITOL FLEA MARKET: San Jose from 6 a.m. (7 a.m. Sat.) to 5:30 p.m. Thursday-Sunday year-round. Capitol Expressway at Snell Avenue; Admission ranges from free to $1.50. From 500 to 900 vendors.