Shelter Vintage has come to Sparta to provide an exceptional assortment of vintage, new, and retro home furnishings, jewelry, art, accessories, and gifts for all occasions. As many of our products are one-of-a-kind, we can only share a small sample on this site of what we offer.
Summer edition of NJ Monthly Magazine features our very hip pool ball bottle stoppers. Great for wine, bourbon, craft beer, even olive oils!! Also available in other styles & colors!
Call us to reserve yours today!!
Thanks to the editors at NJ Monthly for noticing our little store and publishing this amazing article and pic in the Jan 2014 issue. We're so proud!!
Hello Shelter Followers!
Dare I say that another summer is winding down...To lift the spirits of our loyal followers, we have some summer sales throughout the store!
Check out our scarves and select Turkish-T's on sale!
Tons of variety with our trendy bracelets!
Bags, bags and bags that can easily hold everything into the next season :)
Comfy, must-have tie-dyed hairbands and bracelets!
With Labor Day approaching, come check out some of our newest Beekman 1802 products to inspire some BBQ recipes as we bring in another Autumn! From Manhattan to the country, their story is an uplifting one. You'll notice on their label, it says "mortgage lifter," this is because 25% of their profits goes into helping small, American farms! Again, their story is worth reading and we have signed copies of their memoir right at Shelter!
From city mice to country men, the two who started it all!
Some of the collection right at Shelter.
Signed copies available!
Just a bonus picture of our beautiful plaza :)
Bucatini and mussels with white wine in Campo de' Fiori, Rome. Our Italian challenge: never repeat a pasta.
La Roma! This city is saturated with history and culture. No matter what alley or direction you wander, these cobblestone roads are filled with laughter and animation. Each street seems to funnel into an adorable piazza lined with restaurants, live music and shops. Nights were spent over 3 hour dinners, long walks home with gelato and a night cap on the Spanish steps. One of my favorite nights followed just that pattern, but instead of going to the Spanish steps, I ventured to the Colosseum. There were so many people out, sipping drinks, laughing with friends with this majestic piece of history as their backdrop. It was nothing I'd ever experienced before. The heaviness of this piece of architecture's history was illuminated by yellow lights and served as a popular meeting spot on a Friday night. By far the best place I had a drink this whole trip.
Assisi was a picturesque, Tuscan village. Atop a mountain, Assisi exploded with Italian character. Rustic shudders, cobblestone alleyways and a view of Tuscany that could take your breath away. Unfortunately, we only had a few hours in this adorable spot, but the time there was spent absorbing the amazing views and Tuscan style that's native to the area.
Colosseum in the middle of the night. By far one of the most spectacular sights and an incredible place to enjoy a drink and gelato.
Trevi Fountain, Rome. Legend says throw a coin for a wish, but make sure you throw a second coin to ensure your return to this majestic city. I nearly emptied my wallet...
Campo de' Fiori, my favorite place to spend my time la Roma. "When in Rome" eat much, drink plenty and just enjoy being because this atmosphere is hard to come by.
The view from the bottom of Assisi overlooking the Tuscan region.
Admiring the simplicity of the Tuscan style. Shutters, flower boxes and stone architecture: perfection.
I wish this was the view on my daily commute...
One of the dozens of stairways winding around the inclined village of Assisi.
Love locks in Juliet's garden.
Welcome to Italia! Our first stop was to the legendary town of Verona. This little village is known for the setting of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. Contrary to Hollywood's depiction, there really is a wall in Juliet's courtyard however, there are no letters to be found from hopless romantics. This garden is completed with Juliet's infamous balcony, another love lock collection and a statue of said Capulet. Legend says that if you touch the right breast of the statue, you are granted a lifetime of true love. Needless to say that area was extremely crowded and I made sure I got my turn!
Venice was more stunning than any photo you've seen and hotter than you could probably imagine. There are over 400 bridges connecting the little islands of Venice. This city's perfection made it feel like a theme park. I spent my time in this city on an authentic gondola ride through the peaceful canals and got lost down one of the hundreds of alleys in search of the famous 'spritz' cocktail. A friend and I were told we have to try a spritz in Venice. So we went down countless alleys, got lost and made local friends who directed us to a tiny, little nook of a bar where the bartender made us his special passion fruit spritz. Delicioso! He asked us where we were from, when I told him "New Jersey", he responded with excitement. In a heavy Italian accent with hand gestures to match he said, "Ah! New Jersey, Buddy!" After seeing my inability to connect he struggled a moment and said "cake boss!" Definitely a noteworthy moment!
Hearts from all over the world come here to Juliet's garden to leave their mark in hopes of finding and keeping true love.
Everyone out under the hot Italian sun buzzing about shopping and eating!
Doing as the Italians do!
Hiding from the heat under the big canopy umbrellas!
Authentic gondola ride through the canals in Venice.
Only in Venice can you taste test your own cherry tomatoes, and yes they were delicious!
Infinite shops off the Rialto Bridge across the Grand Canal.
Hello shelter followers!
Amber here, Shelter Vintage's official abroad blogger. I've been documenting all the art, living and quirks of the different cities I have been traveling through for 30 days! So far I've been to London, Paris, Brussels, Amsterdam, Heidelberg and Lucerne. Regardless of their boarders, these cities manage to have individualism while maintaining many similarities. These commonalities include their street markets, street art and street performers. Art isn't just in the historical museums throughout these countries, it's living and breathing around you as soon as you step outside your door. I'm just over half way through my journey and more city specific blogs can be found at www.sheltervintage.com! For now here's a mini recap of these observations embodied in some candid pictures, enjoy!
Heidelberg, Germany! Right at the end of this picturesque street was a live band and packed biergarten along the river!
Breath-taking Bath, one of the coolest villages ever!
The view from our room. Just showing our quaint, village street in Switzerland!
A little neighborhood nook within the big city of London.
Lunch stop in Brussels, Belgium. A side street filled with options!
Along the Seine River in Paris, artwork for sale.
One of the many outdoor markets in Amsterdam! You can see the iconic canal homes in the background!
Sunset view from our snuggly room in Switzerland!
Switzerland is nothing short of breathtaking. We were thrown right into the heart of its beauty when we went white water rafting down the Rhine River over the Swiss border, cruising down Mt. Pilatus on the world's longest toboggan and reaching the same mountain's summit making us higher than the clouds. Up until this point, I've been going from city to city witnessing the meeting of old world and new. This stop was a chance for us to get out of the city and get in touch with the natural beauty of Europe. It was surreal to be above the clouds atop Mt.Pilatus, a sheer rush bumping off the white caps on the Rhine River and so enjoyable to laugh and cheer as we cruised at top speeds on our toboggans. Even though Switzerland has a landscape that conflicts with typical city life, they still share the outdoor market style, flower markets, farmers markets, and retail like the other cities. Pictures cannot do this neutral ground justice, so I made a modest attempt to share with you all the beauty of Switzerland in the photos below!
One of the stunning, scenic views on the way to our hotel.
Lucerne, Switzerland's iconic wooden bridge.
Fresh market where we bought cartons of blueberries and strawberries for a summer snack!
Morning coffee before we take on the day!
Cozied up on our balcony in Switzerland!
Reaching the summit of Mount Pilatus, above the clouds.
Going down the mountain on the world's steepest train!
Guten tag Heidelberg! A historic spot in Germany, the group and I visited the infamous castle built there in the 1300s. Afterward, luck was on our side because it was Sunday, and usually towns like Heidelberg will close their shops for the day. On this particular Sunday though, they were having a live band with beer and bratwurst right on the water. A genuine biergarten in Germany, sign me up! Below are some of the sights and fun we had at our short stop in Heidelberg.
My last day in Amsterdam was solo and I let my feet lead the way. I knew there was a great flea market on Waterlooplein Straat (street), so I got up and headed that way. I took the tram from my hostel to Waterlooplein. The tram is one form of transport in the streets of Amsterdam. Traffic simultaneously operates with cars, millions of bikes, pedestrians, scooters, motor bikes...and then to throw more chaos into the mix, sidewalks are apparently not off limits. More often than not a car, bike or motorcycle would pop right onto the sidewalks. Best way to describe it is organized chaos, and every native got it and it worked. It was fascinating just like the rest of this city, but back to the flea market. It was buzzing and eclectic. From there I got breakfast and walked up and down what felt like every canal. It was a gorgeous Saturday afternoon, so there were a ton of boats with music, drinks and food that were overflowing with friends and family. Passerby's on the sidewalks and in other boat were waving, greeting and in some cases serenading one another. After a few hours I moseyed to Vondelpark, the refuge spot for locals. Sunbathers, picnics, frisbees, live music; the energy was bursting out of this sanctuary. I walked the stretch of it, got lunch and sat by one of the ponds. I observed and listened to what seemed a dozen different languages and dialects. That night I met up with my two roommates at the hostel and we made our way to Rembrant Square for our last dinner. We got take away and sat in the grass. Again, the energy even there at 11 pm was palpable. This city had its own spirit I had yet to recognize in any other city thus far. But it's still only the beginning of this adventure! I took some pictures to show you what my words may lack regarding this one-of-a-kind city.
Taking a break along the canal after getting lost in Amsterdam!
The flea market on Waterlooplein Straat.
Vondelpark for lunch.
One of my flea market purchases that I'm obsessed with! My "I Amsterdam" necklace/clock.
Of course I had to strut around in wooden clogs in the Netherlands!
Rembrant Square in the middle of the night.
Some of the unique finds at the flea market.
Leaving Paris, we took a pit stop for a few hours in Brussels, Belgium, where of course ate copious amounts of Belgian chocolate and Belgian waffles. From there we ended in the Netherlands. Everything you've heard about Amsterdam is true. Having walked almost all of the city by day and the red light district by night...it's an understatement to say that this place is...unique. Leaving the R rated photos out of it, here are some pictures to capture the outdoor views of these two beautiful cities!
A street in Brussels
Handmade jewelry in Amsterdam
Canals at sunset in Amsterdam
Street art in Brussels.
Nightlife in Amsterdam...not the red light district so don't get excited. Still, the bikes capture Amsterdam traffic at it's best...this place is FILLED with bikes.
Street performers and their pup in Brussels.
Outdoor market in Amsterdam.
Besides hating Americans, Paris is an infamous city for love, glamour and history (by the way...that myth was proven false. I only met helpful and lovely Parisians!) These city streets were buzzing with culture and tradition. Here are some photos to capture the beauty of this remarkable city.
...Nothing beats the first peak
One of the oldest bookstores, Shakespeare & Co. Having a collection of reference books centuries old, mixtures of modern and classical literature with an authentic energy... I could have easily spent an entire day there.
Late night in a downtown Paris neighborhood. This area was taboo back in the day and when the revolution was happening, bohemians flocked to this area making it one of the trendiest and hottest spots in Paris, not to mention it's home to the infamous photo below.
No caption necessary.
Of course I got escargot in Paris! Even though the table setting for it was incredibly intimidating, the snails were magnifique!
Do as the Parisians do, right? Espresso at an outdoor cafe, steps away from the Eiffel Tower.
The most romantic spot in the city, Love Lock bridge. Having a lock of my own, I debated putting it here...but I think it's resting spot with be at the original bridge in Florence so stay tuned! The tradition with these "love locks" here is that couples from all over the world will attach a lock to the bridge and throw the key into the Seine to solidify their eternal love. They can be found all over western Europe, this is the first one discovered so far!
European Bohemia and art are native to these thriving cities. Down every nook and cranny there are expressions of all mediums and depictions. You don't know when these pieces of art were created, who the artist is or why they chose that piece. You're surrounded by inspiration when you open your eyes to the art around you. London is an incredible hybrid city combining historical with modern. You can see the contrast with their old architecture as the back drop for original art. As for Paris, most of the images I took were from the more taboo parts of the city, places where nighttime is when the occupant souls thrive and is home to the infamous moulin rouge. Take a look at some of the images I have captured on the go this past week and maybe open your minds and eyes to the art around your neighborhoods.
Amber here! First stop on the abroad blog is London. I was in downtown London for their gay pride parade, managed to venture outside the city to Stonehenge and Bath, and then let my wanderlust take control of my feet from there. Covent garden, SoHo and Piccadilly Circus were authentic native spots that words can't do justice for. I'll be doing my best to throw you all in the mix with pictures!
So many companies have so many scents for body lotions, body washes, hand lotions and hand washes it can be an overwhelming mix-and-match game where you’re left hoping the smells combine nicely. More often than not, I end up smelling like a musky flower or a tangy vanilla…avoid my problem and take this quiz! Thymes Fragrance has multiple collections of lotions and soaps to reinvent your everyday and we have all those featured here at Shelter! Shelter Vintage in Sparta carries the following scents in candles, body and hand lotions, body and hand washes, and hand creams. Below are 7 simple questions for us to help guide you toward which scent fits you best!
Sunday mornings are best spent…
a.) Taking a long run
b.) In bed being lazy with your significant other
c.) A relaxing walk by the ocean side
d.) Quiet porch swing with a coffee
e.) Hiking to your favorite peak
It’s Monday morning, you get yourself ready to take on the day by…
a.) A heart pumping aerobics class
b.) Calming bubble bath to prepare for the week
c.) Kayaking along the shoreline
d.) Yoga in the dry sun
e.) Meditating in your favorite space
f.) Enjoying the smells of the outdoors on your deck having breakfast
Tuesday comes around, and you’re a bit overwhelmed with your workload. You calm your mind by…
a.) Hitting the gym to sweat it out
b.) Getting a massage
c.) Playing in the waves of the ocean
d.) Laying out in a lawn chair and let the warm sun relax you
e.) A 90 in bikram yoga class
f.) Venturing into the great outdoors to take in all the smells and sounds
It’s finally Wednesday, the middle of the week; you’re in need of a mental break. You get it by…
a.) Trying a new workout class at your gym
b.) A night out with your significant other
c.) A run on the beach
d.) Talking a walk with your friends through town
e.) Having a glass of wine, putting on classical music and cooking a nice dinner
f.) Mountain biking a local trail
Thursday comes around and the weekend is almost here, you can taste it…you make yourself ________ for lunch.
a.) A citrus smoothie
b.) A salad with fresh strawberries and Clementines
c.) Sushi
d.) Pad Thai
e.) Cucumber soup
f.) Pesto filled mushrooms
TGIF! Friday is here! Time to loosen up and go out. You go to the bar and order…
a.) A Lemon Drop
b.) A glass of red wine
c.) A margarita
d.) Firefly vodka with iced tea
e.) A White Russian
f.) A microbrew
Saturday morning you wake up a little under the weather from the night before, but you and the crew have tons to do…
a.) A group spin-a-thon fundraiser
b.) Starting your rose garden
c.) Games on the beach with your friends and family
d.) BBQ with your loved ones
e.) Meet with your book club
f.) Hit the slopes
ANSWER KEY:
(Descriptions from http://www.thymes.com/)
Mostly A’s- You’re a energizing person, Eucalyptus is for you!
Mostly B’s- You’re a romantic and playful person, Kimona Rose is for you!
Mostly C’s- You’re a beach bum, Azur is for you!
Most D’s-You’re a resilient person, Agave Nectar is for you!
Mostly E’s-You’re a calm and focused person, Lotus Santal is for you!
Mostly F’s-You’re a rejuvenating, outdoorsy person, Naia is for you!
Hello Shelter followers, Amber here. In a little less than two weeks, I’ll be jet setting over the Atlantic to explore all over Europe. Some stops include London, Paris, Amsterdam, Rome and Barcelona just to name a few. As I explore the landmark cities, I’ll be blogging about vintage discoveries and inspiring sights along the way! I’ll be reporting about all the European markets, every hole in the wall shop I plan on stumbling upon and everything in between. Keep your eye out in the next upcoming weeks for Shelter’s Blog Abroad!
Still looking for something for dad this father’s day? Shelter
has just what you’re looking for! Chic cocktail glasses, rustic bottle openers,
sleek flasks and more! No more neck ties, no more socks, get creative this
Sunday and stop in to see what we have! Our Fishs Eddy glasses have the
cocktail recipes right on the back! The flasks and rustic openers have
unmatched character and individuality. Come on in and check out our collection.
We also have a wide array of heartfelt, hilarious and creative cards that you
can’t find anywhere around! Looking forward to seeing you soon!
A true tale of an abandoned treasure found in another man’s trash. A discovery that can be contributed to the simple American pastime of getting lost, and this tale began on the back roads of upstate New York. Stumbling upon a hamlet known uniquely as “Fishs Eddy” 25 years ago, the founders of this brand found a barn, that had once suffered a fire, filled with this dishware unharmed! The owner of the barn wanted the stored dishes off his hands and told them to just take them all if they were interested. Thus, the Fishs Eddy line was born. With a smart and simple design, Fishs Eddy has a nostalgic NJ/NYC style that any east-coaster can appreciate. With everything you need to cool down in the summer, from glasses to coasters to dishware, we have it all right at Shelter Vintage! With locations in Manhattan and Staten Island, you can get the vintage styles of Fishs Eddy right here in Sparta. Come check out the collection!
Whether you're a long time fan of this NYC curator of dinerstyle dinnerware or a new convert, you'll just love the whimsical, colorful designs of Fishs Eddy for your home.
“I must be a mermaid...I have no fear of depths and a great fear of shallow living.”
@ the Atlanta Gift Show
