It’s the weekend. Time to go shopping. But the weather is too perfect to be inside. What’s a girl to do? Take the party outside!

It’s unusually warm this Minnesota Fall day, and I unusually have the day off (no pressing business and no harvest farm work yet). Ahhhhh. I took the party to the streets of Minneapolis for a late morning of food, fashion and fun.

We’ll begin with my favorite: vintage, thrifty fashion.

Grumpy’s Downtown hosts a little known seasonal treasure in their back parking lot once a month. The Flea Bag Flea Market is nearing a close for the 2015 season.

When my fiance and I parked, I told him “I’ll be here 10 minutes” (for the street meter). As I walked into the lot and my eyes feasted upon the fashion booths, I hollered back “ummm, maybe 15!” Note: I definitely kept us there far beyond my 15 minute initial estimate.

Most my time was spent at Angela’s booth. A former buyer for a vintage store for over a decade, she shared my love of old, quirky fashion. Best find: vintage Frye cowboy boots for $5. Her boyfriend’s PBR even made an appearance in my “dressing room” picture above. You can’t get this experience at the mall!

Thank you to my friend, Jessy (pictured above), for introducing me to this little slice of heaven previously unknown to me.

Finally dragging me out of the Grumpy’s lot, my fiance and I were off to enjoy his type of shopping: food and drink.

Near the Mill City Museum, we made a stop at this espresso and coffee bar on wheels.

You know business is going well when your customers are doing the advertising for you. As we walked up to the truck, a couple started gushing about Misfit Coffee to us. They were regulars.

We were greeted by barista (and owner) Marcus, who made everyone feel like a regular when they stopped by his shop on wheels. He was vibrant and youthful, and he treated his customers like old friends he hadn’t seen in a while. Maybe it’s because he does work with old friends; his business partners are his brother (Mitchell) and childhood friend (Alex).

The coffee truck was creatively outfitted with Marcus’s own money. I was obsessed with his gym lockers (I’ve wanted a set of gym lockers for years) and how he built the countertop into the lockers.

See his upcycled pay counter (lined with penny’s) for yourself when you swing by to order a chilled chata’lata (my drink of choice).

The Mill City Museum hosted their weekly farmer’s market, plus a bonus Oktoberfest festival.

Babies, dogs, Germans and Minnesotans-alike were all welcome at the free Mill City Oktoberfest-ival. German folk music filled the air by the downtown river.

After visiting Germany a number of times the last few years, I can certainly appreciate their cuisine. But today, Indian food won out at the farmer’s market.

Food, fashion AND fun on this warm Fall day! Check. Check. Check. Time to take my treasures home, and take a nap.

*All photos by Native Gypsies

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