I am the kind of parent that childless people hate. I take my kids to hip restaurants and am not deterred by the complete lack of booster seats, high chairs, or chicken fingers on the menu. I am simply not content to while away my weekends at home or limit our outings to places that have designated stroller parking. I wheel our mammoth double wide into petite boutiques and carry my cooing baby into austere galleries. We boldly go where no family unit has gone before.

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5th November 2011

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Flea Frenzy: Antiquing In The West Bottoms.

I love flea markets, junk shops, and thrift stores the way that a stereotypical woman is supposed to adore shoe shopping.  Even two cranky kids can’t keep me away from browsing antiques in The West Bottoms on a First Friday weekend.

Taking little ones antiquing is no picnic.  My husband’s idea of shopping with the kids is rolling into Costco and confining them both to a double wide cart. 

Old industrial buildings have a lot of stairs and few functioning elevators.  Strollers in The Bottoms can be more trouble than they are worth.

So, I usually just strap our 18 month old into the Ergobaby and stuff her fat little fingers full of Goldfish crackers. 

And a 5 year old is easily bribed by the promise of a Coke from one of the food vendors. 

My son was so good today that I bought him a strawberry/banana smoothie from the CoffeeCake KC truck.  They must have thought I was an appallingly bad Mom, handing my kids an iced drink when scarves and gloves were in order and the wind was blustering down alleys and rattling reedy windows in every warehouse.

The smoothie was my only purchase today.  I kept my wallet safely closed, but oh the things I wanted to buy: a rustic chandelier adorned with vintage flatware, a felted scarf from a local crafter, patchwork letters made of aged tin, and a pair of sleek end tables crafted in an onsite woodshop (I sent my husband a photo of these tables & he hated them; there’s no accounting for taste!). 

The kids were wowed by taxidermied beasts and holiday ornaments.

There are new vintage peddlers popping up in The Bottoms every month.  I can’t wait to see what fab finds December will bring!

Tagged: Kansas CityKCMissouriBottomsantiquestravel blogmommy blogfamily lifekidsMidwestlocaltraveldesign

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