On the southwest edge of the city and a 40-minute Métro ride from the central Hotel de Ville stop, the Puces de Vanves is a smaller, open air market of anywhere from 150 to 250 vendors that resembles more the laid back Saturday brocantes in the small villages of Provence. With tables set up on each side of the sidewalks, convivial vendors sell a little of everything here from lone dishes to paintings, signed movie posters, vintage jewelry, African art, old records and antique kitchen tools. Note to newcomers: this market runs from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. every weekend. By 2 p.m., an entirely different kind of market of everyday items like shoes, dishtowels, T-shirts and CDs, springs up in its place. read more

Nikki Dalrymple’s background as a television producer and set designer for HBO, National Geographic, PBS, and the Discovery Channel prepared this thirty-something tastemaker for her second career as antique scavenger, shop owner, and designer. When Dalrymple moved to Boston with her husband five years ago, she realized she was ready for a change and quickly snagged a job managing Good in Beacon Hill, one of the city’s most impeccably stocked shops (think vintage bowls, John Derian plates, and Mizu jewelry). Soon, Dalyrymple signed a lease on a space in Boston’s North End and Acquire was born. September marks the shops two-year anniversary, and what is surely just the beginning of a thriving design career for Dalrymple. read more

Though Anya Hindmarch's luxury handbags have been a favorite of editors and a-listers for years, she became a household name when she started the reusable carryall craze with the launch of her “I’m Not a Plastic Bag” tote in the summer of 2007. She told us about collecting butterfly boxes and vintage men’s Rolex watches, and shared how she shopped on eBay for one-of-a-kind items to decorate her new bespoke boutique. read more

Inspired by the eclectic tree of legendary photographer Mary Ellen Mark, we decided to round up a collection of antique animal ornaments. read more