Whenever my long runs are on a Sunday, I always end up going past the Fremont Sunday Market. Every single time I wish I could stop and walk around, but I’m either constrained by time or so sore that I know I wouldn’t be able to run again if I stopped.
By happy chance, I happened to be free most of Sunday this week and too injured to run long (that’s another, less exciting story).
I bussed the three miles from my apartment to Fremont on Easter morning, which I normally would have run or walked but… again, I’m injured. Ugh.
I crossed the bridge and hopped off the bus right after, into one of my favorite areas in the city- the edge of Fremont. It’s a very serene area, lined by verdant pathways and stuffed with fun shops and eateries. I love stopping for samples at the Theo Chocolate factory, grabbing hot chili from the lunch bar at PCC, or snacking on something I can be sure I’m not allergic to at Flying Apron, a gluten free and vegan bakery.
But there’s more than just food! The Burke-Gilman trail runs along the water, connecting you to the path that circles Lake Union, and it offers a stunning view of sparkling water and verdant greenery. On one side you can run to Gasworks Park and look across the water at the city, and on the other you can follow the trail all the way to the Ballard Locks.
I’m getting off track here. What were we talking about? The Fremont Sunday Market!
Despite my frequent trips to the area, I hadn’t been to the market since maybe last summer, and didn’t quite remember what to expect.
I was welcomed to the market by a table selling all sort of crystals and fossilized shells! This was such a delight. Though in what is a very New-Age-y part of Seattle, I wasn’t too surprised. I went home with a beautiful hunk of rich purple amethyst, which is supposed to be good for creativity.
After I pulled myself away from the tables of crystals, I meandered through the rest of the market. I was expecting more vegetables, actually, but it’s more of a craft fair than a farmer’s market (I think the correct term is flea market). I saw people selling clothes, lamps, shoes, artwork, tools, furniture, designed-to-order T-shirts, cookware, handmade mugs… The list was endless!
There were also a ton of food vendors and food trucks, because of course. This is Seattle.
One woman was selling succulents, and although I see these every day at work I couldn’t help but be drawn to her unique potting methods. It looked as though she had basically gone to Goodwill and picked out every container she could find, then arranged beautiful collections of plants and stones inside! They were so creative, deliciously lovely in a quirky way.
She’d also planted a bunch of mini ones in wine corks, which I also thought was a fabulous idea
My favorite was this little guy exploding out of what was once a milk steaming jug, which I ended up taking home and is now sitting on my desk in a sheaf of sunlight as I type.
Now that spring is finally here, there were a million flowers bursting out from under one tent- mostly tulips but some other varieties as well. Right next to them was this tiny table covered with candles. but not just any candles…
Inspired by Alice in Wonderland, these candles were made from hot wax poured into vintage tea cups!
It seems Fremont and I might share an affection for things placed in unusual containers.
In addition to the length of street I walked down, there’s a whole giant vintage/antique garage sale thing that happens in a parking garage off the side of the street. I only popped in for a second, but there was such an array of items! Ornate, gilded antique mirrors; records; your grandpa’s unfortunate mustard sweater in 20 different styles; great deals on Smartwool socks- unfortunately they’d already sold out of the small women’s running socks… There were paintings and light bulbs and wacky shoes, handbags and more crystals/fossilized things, jewelry and bizarre hats, old wardrobes and goodness-knows what else.
Overall, it was exactly as one would expect a market in Fremont to be. Wonderful, weird, artistic and tons of fun!
Kenaia Neumann 