Nearby: Oldies Marketplace in Newburyport

When my mother came to visit a few weeks ago, I chose to take her to the little town on the North Shore that has recently taken my fancy: Newburyport. I took her so she  could see the lovingly restored homes of 17th and 18th centuries and the quiet beauty of its town center, composed of wonderful shops that few Bostonians strangely never seem to mention.  

One such shop, which proudly announces itself with its wild storefront and creative facade, is located on the rear of Water Street and goes by the name of "Oldies Marketplace." 

And what a place it is!

 We did not prepare to spend the better part of an hour there, but would have had it no other way-for there was too much to see and consider - too many objects to momentarily hold in our hands while questioning their possible place in our decorative lives. 

I left with a pewter creamery; my mother with a nautical print to give as a gift. 

The best thing about Oldies Marketplace is its size and its inviting layout. Naturally, one can easily find the good and the bad in places like these. But unlike other similar stores, Oldies effortlessly creates the desire in the visitor to stay and search. One is neither overwhelmed by the array of items available nor the dust that they may carry-one is only enthralled. 

And pretty soon, you have spent an hour collecting treasures you never expected to find in the old shipping center of Newburyport. 

Nearby: The Treasures of Essex

Essex is small, Essex is quaint. Essex is the perfect picture of New England calm, a place in happy union with its natural surroundings, covered by salt marshes and saltboxes. And inside many of those remaining saltboxes are thousands of antiques, some painstakingly curated and others forcibly thrown to exist together. Essex is a quiet place with loud interiors, home to dozens upon dozens of antique shops, each bursting with its own character and the history of its showcased objects. A visitor can spend endless hours strolling from one shop to the next, entering maze upon maze of treasures and tschotskes. It is but an hour's drive-if that-from Boston, and comfortably situated between Ipswich to its north, Hamilton to the west and Gloucester to the southeast. Slowly the picture of the North Shore is becoming clearer to me, as I explore each town on its own basis, appreciating its particular offering one by one. Essex is a place I will eagerly return to, with the knowledge that each time I visit, I will find something new, in the comforting landscape that has not changed much since its beginning. 

Artifaktori Vintage

Like its collection of oddities and vintage finds, Artifaktori is a treasure. Located in Davis Square and Beacon Hill (but soon only Beacon Hill), Artifaktori is something of a vintage lover's dream. The space embraces you with its hip tunes and smartly curated offerings-it is small, but packed with tchotchkes and items that will leave you lingering. Boston is filled with thrifting spots, but this one is extra special and extra cool. 

SoWa Vintage Market

Last year when my best friend was finishing college in Boston, she left me an enthusiastic message about the SOWA Vintage Market, which I stored somewhere deep in the back of my mind. At the time, I had no thought of moving to Boston and thus had no particular reason to remember her recommendation. That is, until just recently. So this morning, when I decided to visit the market, I knew I would enjoy what I found.  

The market is located inside of a old, brick warehouse in the South End of Boston, in the SoWa arts and media section. Every Sunday, the market opens its doors to the public and invites vintage lovers to search for antiquarian treasures. 

 I went around 10 am, just as it was opening. Vendor after vendor sold rows of vintage clothing, trinkets, and accessories. I went with the hope of finding a small kitchen table, but alas was unsuccessful. That's not to say the market didn't have its share of furnishing, which it most certainly did. I just didn't find the perfect piece I had in mind. 

But for a girl with a vintage sensibility and an appreciation for lace, oxfords, and satchels, the market was a little slice of heaven. Because I had many errands to complete today, I didn't linger and peruse as I would have liked. Something to look forward to in the future! 

Since I absolutely needed a small table for the kitchen, I drove south to the mothership: Ikea. The last time I visited Ikea was two years ago, when I was studying abroad in Berlin. Perhaps it's because I visited Ikea often as a child, but there is nothing more more comforting and exciting than a return visit. I bought something very simple but utilitarian-in time, I'll be able to retrieve my beloved gateleg table still waiting for me at my mother's in Maine. 

Perhaps it's an odd juxtaposition-

spending the morning sifting through vintage goods

 and the afternoon amidst cool, Scandinavian design, 

but it was a perfect way to spend the Sunday.