FMS at Oronoco: Behind the Scenes!

One of the peculiarities of magazine publishing is that we write

about things we're doing as long as it doesn't give away what we're working on! That's why our Behind the Scenes posts frequently appear after the issue in which they appeared!

Case in point: This one, of Ki with Dean Riggott of Dean Riggott Photography in Rochester, Minn., during the Oronoco Gold Rush Days in August 2011!

You saw their work on Page 11 of the Spring/Summer issue of Flea

Market Style, "Where There's Smoke, There are Pancakes and Antiques." It noted how the Oronoco fire department is one of the many causes the Gold Rush helps underwrite!

Ki, Dean and Emily, event manager for the Junk Bonanza, one of Ki's other vintage enterprises, surveyed all from their motorized golf cart! (Also at Oronoco, Dean shot the spread on pages 8 and 9, "7 Secrets of the Fleas: Six Dealers Share Their Tips for Snagging the Best Deals and Finding Cool Stuff White Enjoying the Thrill of the Hunt).

Emily noted it's been years since she had driven a golf cart. "First it wouldn't go and then it would go very fast," she said. "But no pedestrians were harmed!"

They set out after meeting Dean for the first time. "It was a beautiful morning, 8 a.m., and we drove around and scouted for a spot to shoot an overall shot for the magazine," he said. "We found various spots, looked for good light and good views, for tents with unique items."

Said Emily: "We did move around quite a bit but he was able to keep up. Dean stood on the back and didn't fall off."

Said Dean: "Emily was a terrible golf cart driver! And someone tied orange banners to our cart while we were at a shoot and we didn't realize it, so when we took off, they broke."

The weather was wilting-hot at Oronoco, about 90 degrees, and it took a long time to set up and shoot the three firefighters for the aforementioned Shopping article.

"We picked three we thought would be photogenic and they went and put on all their gear," Dean said. "This is kind of funny. Once we asked them to put on their gear we thought we would have about 15 minutes or so to set up, but of course they were back in two minutes, fully dressed, because they are firefighters."

You know no FMS post is complete without a rundown of the chow list. Dinner Friday night was pork tenderloin and corn fritters from Chester's. There were cheeseburgers with onions on toasted buns from a stand off the main drag two days in a row. And for dinner Saturday night?

"I had a filet," Ki said. "Nummy. I always seem to crave protein after a long flea market day!"

As a trained observer, I wanted to know how Ki likes her filets done, and she obliged:

"Medium rare. My beef-eating has slowed with the influence of my vegetarian daughter, and with living in California, but I haven't given it up quite yet. Maybe next year."

And, as intrepid reporters always do with a bit of digging, more information followed:

"Emily likes her meat cooked till it is hard and juiceless," Ki confided. "Chefs hate her kind!"

The culinary talent of Oronoco and Rochester will get another chance to duck when they see Emily coming! FMS will be back at Oronoco Aug. 17-19, promoting the Junk Bonanza and, with, it is hoped, copies of the latest mag for signing! See you there!

Kim