Ocean Grove Flea Market.  Saturday, May 31, 2014. By Moe Demby, Blogfinger staff ©  Click all photos to enlarge.

By Paul Goldfinger, Editor @Blogfinger

I’ve usually been able to find a parking space within 20 minutes of looking on the busiest days in the Grove.  But today, a beautiful sunny and cool last day in May, the parking situation was above and beyond.  I came back into town around 11 a.m. and found the Grove to be in lock-down.  There were no parking spaces. Cars kept circling looking for a spot.  Finally I saw a person pulling out of a space at the far reaches of the western frontier. So I circled around in order to approach the spot without going down a wrong way street. As I came about, two women were standing at the edge of the spot, talking into cell phones. I simply pulled around them, parked my car and walked away.  They said nothing.

At the flea market there was controlled mayhem. Despite the fact that it looked like a festival on the shore of the Ganges, everyone seemed to be having a great time, crowds or not.  The verdict seemed to be uniform for sellers and buyers—it was an exceptional day for one of New Jersey’s most famous flea markets.

Stokes looked around and said, “Aargh!” Paul Goldfinger photo ©

Toy story by Moe Demby. © Blogfinger staff

This way for the tofu. By Moe Demby.©

When in the course of human events you find a treasure at the flea market. By Paul Goldfinger ©

A distracting moment.   May 31, 2014. Paul Goldfinger photo ©

Faces at the flea market. May 31, 2014. Paul Goldfinger photo ©  Click to enlarge

A redwood coffee table finds a new home in Ocean Grove.

THE SECRET SISTERS