May » 2011 » Markets of New York

It’s Fleet Week: Market Picks for May 28-29

It’s Fleet Week!

So in honor of our sailors and marines visiting the city, we New Yorkers have arranged for splendid weather and some wonderful market events. This weekend already feels like summer through and through!

Two very special events this weekend:

The Washington Square Outdoor Art Exhibit (Pictured Above): Back for its 81st year, this market was originally founded by Jackson Pollack and Willem DeKooning in 1931. Both were strapped for cash, and they brought a few paintings down to the street to sell to passers by. Today, the exhibit features fine artists and artisans from around the world, all showing their work on the sidewalks of Greenwich Village. This is an event not to be missed! It runs this weekend (Sat – Mon) and next weekend (Sat- Sun).
Better Than Jam Pop-Up Shop on Governor’s Island: While not exactly a market, this pop-up shop is an extension of Better Than Jam Co-Op in Bushwick, which features fine, fun, high quality handmade items from The {NewNew} Etsy Artisan Group, who sell at the markets all over the city. Better Than Jam is sponsoring these artisans in the Pop-Up on Governor’s Island. Grab a free ferry ride to Governor’s Island and visit this very special shop in Historic Home 6B, Nolan Park, on Governors Island. The shop opens today and runs every Friday, Saturday and Sunday through September 25.

Other picks for the weekend:

Hester Street Fair: Hester Street is hosting members of the Japanese Folk Dance Institute, who will be selling kimonos, obis, fans, cards and more to raise funds to help the people of Japan who struggle to rebuild their homes, communities and cities after the earthquake and tsunami. Our awesome friends from the Big Gay Ice Cream Truck will be there too, providing Salty Pimps and Bea Arthur in a cone to hot, hungry people. Last week the BGICT helped raise over $2000 for Doctors Without Borders with Ottavia and Anthony Bourdain. Good karma, good eats, and good fun all around this weekend!
The Market NYC/Young Designers Market in the Meatpacking District: Find the latest trends in clothing, jewelry, and accessories at this market. Its regular location is on Mulberry Street, but this weekend they will be opening up shop on 328 West 14th St. between 8th & 9th Ave. There is no doubt that you will find something to impress your friends with at this market.
Madison Square Market Eats: This food extravaganza is running every day from 11AM – 9PM through June 3rd. It is a great place to grab lunch in the shadow of the Flatiron Building. At night, it is a charming spot to grab dinner and a beer with friends under the festive twinkly lights. Check out some of my favorites, including Bar Suzette, serving delicious crepes, P&H Soda Co. for refreshing artisanal sodas, Cookie Panache (try the almond curry cookie – seriously delicious!), and NuNu for handmade chocolates and craft beer.

It is also the second weekend for Smorgasburg on Saturday, so maybe, just maybe it will be a little less crazy crowded. And show some love to the Essex Street Market, which is in peril from developers. Pick up some delicious cheeses, seafood, handmade chocolates, any kind of international ingredient, and please sign this petition!

On a personal note this Memorial Day weekend, my dad, aka Captain Marvo, enlisted in the Army at the tail end of WWII as a tender teenager. He later transferred to the Navy to attend Annapolis. At local Memorial Day celebrations, he would stand for both the Army and the Navy anthems, which is such a great memory for me and my sisters. He was as crafty as my mom, making his own fly rods and flies, brewing his own beer, and even making wine from exotic things like artichokes and watercress. No gourmand was he though. In college, I’d meet him for lunch in his biology lab, where he’d cook us up some hot dogs in a dented pan from the Salvation Army over a Bunsen burner, washed down with day-old coffee from an old thermos. Lunch never tasted better.

Have a great weekend! Don’t forget your sunblock outside and sobriety behind the wheel!

The Market at the End of the World – BKCC’s Shop the Arch

If the world ended today, I figured a) I might as well go strolling through a lovely market with James, and b) if I’m underneath a huge concrete archway tucked in a corner of Brooklyn, maybe all the fuss would simply pass us by. Fortunately, at least in my book, the world is still here. And happily, Brooklyn Craft Central’s Shop the Arch was a wonderful market in a groovy, airy, rain-proof location under the Manhattan Bridge.

I could tell you lots of stories of wonderful people we met, the beautiful birthday gifts we found for our sisters, and the delicious taco from Hermelinda Tacos that I had for lunch. However, this market was so visually unique, and the light was so remarkable, that I thought I’d just show you what it was like in this BKCC Shop the Arch Slide Show:

The talented artisans featured in this slideshow are, in order of appearance:

Astor Knot - Appliqued Totebags
Chop Shop – T-Shirt Designs
Metropolis Soaps – Soaps, Creams, and More
Annabuilt – Jewelry and Sculpture from Recycled Tins
Sourpus Pickles – Pickled Vegetables of All Kinds
The Chocolate Swirl – Mini-Cupcakes, Truffles, and Brownie Pops
McFlashpants – Jewelry Made from Vintage Cutlery
Rocks & Salt – Handmade Hats, Skirts, and Bags
Twitch & Whiskers – Jewelry Made from Vintage Obects Including Thimbles and Wooden Nickels
Grace Napoleon’s Folk Couture – Clothes Made from Clothes and Now Furniture Too
Lauren Blais Jewelry Design – Jewelry Design
Filomena DeMarco Jewelry – Jewelry Design
Vaya Bags – Messenger Bags and Accessories Made from Upcycled Bike Tire Tubes and Sails

Shop The Archway In DUMBO On Saturday!

Come to BKCC's Shop the Archway Market on Sat May 21!

SHOP THE ARCHWAY IN DUMBO THIS SATURDAY, MAY 21st!

This weekend, many wonderful, whimsical, and witty artisans and food vendors will gather in the archway beneath the Manhattan Bridge for Shop The Archway, a Spring Market from Brooklyn Craft Central. No matter what’s going on with the weather or the heavens, come out for some great shopping, socializing, eating, and winning fantastic raffle prizes!

Over the past year, I have interviewed and written about many of the unique designers who will be under the Archway on Saturday. So I thought I would post links to these more in-depth pieces. Read about these amazing people and products here, and them come see them in person this weekend!

Here’s to a sunny beautiful weekend at the Markets!

Markets Picks This Weekend – May 21-22: So Many Markets, So Little Time!

WOW! This Saturday is chock full of market openings and events! I’m posting the Market Picks mid-week so you can prepare and plan your busy, hungry weekend. We’re hoping it turns out sunny and apocalypse-free.

Saturday, May 21, 2011

Brooklyn Craft Central’s Shop the Archway: Markets of New York City is a proud sponsor of this wonderful artisan and food market! The location is worth seeing too. The photo above is a tote bag from Astor Knot, one of the clever artisan entrepreneurs you’ll meet under the Archway! (Brooklyn)

Agora Long Island City Market: The Agora Market in Long Island City is the second artisan and food market to open in Queens! This Saturday is their second event. I didn’t make it to the opening, but the photos look great! Where you there? (Queens)

Bedford Barrow Commerce (BBC) Block Association’s Ye Olde Village Fair: This neighborhood street fair is back for it’s 18th year! And for the first time, it is featuring only juried crafters and artists. (Manhattan)

Christopher Street Block & Merchant Association Affair: Lucky for us, this neighborhood fair coincides with the BBC event. Nothing better than strolling through the lovely streets of Greenwich Village this weekend! On Christopher St. between Seventh Ave. and Hudson St. (Manhattan)

Bust Craftacular: There’s no denying that the Bust Craftaculars are huge handmade shopping events! They are always wildly popular and loaded with fantastic artisans. This spring’s events will be no different, except for its new location at 82 Mercer Street between Broome and Spring! (Manhattan)

Smorgasburg – A Brooklyn Flea Food Market: The Brooklyn Flea is about to become an even bigger international foodie mecca! Smorgasburg launches on Saturday in the Williamsburg waterfront location between North 6th and North 7th St., at the East River. There will be over 100 food and food-related vendors, including a Greenmarket. Smorgasburg will be a weekly event. (Brooklyn)

Sunday, May 22, 2011:

Astoria Market: The Astoria artisan market is back for its second year at Bohemian Hall! Artisans, craft shopping, and beer – if that’s not the trifecta for a good afternoon, I don’t know what is! (Queens)

Fine Art and Designer Craft Fair on Bleeeker Street: This festival to raise funds for the Greenwich Village Youth Council is in its 16 year! The quality of the artwork and crafts will be very high, so definitely take a stroll through this market in the heart of the Village.

Greenflea and 79th Street/Columbus Avenue Greenmarket: This weekend, the Greenmarket is back on Columbus Avenue after three weekends of being hosted by the Greenflea during Crafts on Columbus, which ended last weekend. I just have to mention my good friend Carolyn of Wacky Magnets, whose funny magnets will crack you right up! Look for her bright yellow tent just inside the Columbus Avenue Entrance! (Manhattan)

All the ongoing weekend Markets are running full Swing! This week’s picks:

Artists & Fleas: The oldest Market 2.0 in the city, Artists & Fleas’ new location is spacious and filled with great talent and products! (Brooklyn)
Arthur Avenue Retail Market: It is Bronx Week! Go celebrate with some incredible Italian delicacies and a hand rolled cigar from La Casa Grande at this market! (Bronx)

I will definitely see you at Shop the Archway, and I’m figuring out how I can make it to the other great events as well! Let me know what markets you’ll be visiting! And welcome to the lovely Italian journalist who contacted me for market recommendations for her visit to our fair city.

Pop Chart Lab: Bringing Order to Our Cultural Chaos

Pop Chart Lab's Visual Compendium of Notable Haircuts in Popular Music (Image courtesy of Pop Chart Lab)

BK Craft Central’s Shop The Archway Sponsored Vendor!

I first heard about Pop Chart Lab in December at the BK Craft Central Holiday Market. Literally. People in the crowd were talking about an awesome vendor selling clever, funny and incredibly detailed posters and tees. So I went to look for myself and became an instant fan. I also made a mental note to buy their Very Many Varieties of Beer Tee for my nephew’s birthday. He is an aspiring brewmaster, and he’s awesome. I try to keep him supplied with NYC market tees.

Pop Chart Lab recently released A Visual Compendium of Notable Haircuts in Popular Music. Highly complex and completely hysterical, the silhouette hair styles are readily recognizable: E. Presley (circa Jailhouse Rock and Hunka Hunka Burnin’ Love), J. Garcia, S. Dogg, V. Ice, K. Cobain and dozens more. I noticed an omission and sent an inquiry: “Where’s the Bieber?” (I reluctantly admit two things: this is a shameless ploy to add a “Justin Bieber” tag to the website, and I have two of his songs on my iPod. Don’t judge.) In a recent blog posting, they announced the release of a new jumbo version of this chart that will include at least 5 new haircuts, including J. Bieber. And W.A. Yankovic.

I recently ordered the beer tee for my nephew’s birthday from their online shop. Pop Chart Lab’s customer service was great! Super helpful and nice. One of the most wonderful aspects of shopping at the markets is the chance to communicate directly with the people who make the things we buy. I can happily report that Pop Chart Lab carries over this same quality to their online shop.

Come see their witty, beautiful and intelligent designs in person at Shop the Archway on May 21st! If you’re a recovering economics major like me, still dizzy from charts and graphs, you’ll appreciate them even more!

This Weekend’s Market Picks: May 14-15, 2011

Wowza! This has been one busy week for me! I’m planning to do a lot of strolling with my camera in tow on Saturday. Here’s where I’ll be:

Saturday:

9th Avenue International Food Festival: I love that they feature local shops and merchants in this street fair, and proceeds go to support neighborhood programs.
West 25th Street Flea: I owe this market some love. I’ll stop by the Antiques Garage also to say hello.

This is also the final weekend of Crafts on Columbus. I went last weekend, and the selection is beautiful and super high quality. And if you are there on Sunday, definitely also cross the street and visit the Greenflea, which is hosting the 79th Street Greenmarket while Crafts on Columbus is running. It’s asparagus season!

I am taking Sunday off to get caught up on all the wonderful market things I want to write about, and to make the Plum Crumb Cake from Beth’s Farm Kitchen’s new cookbook, Cooking with Jams and Chutneys. Book review and photos coming next week! I also need to rest up for the following weekend, which is LOADED with fantastic market events!! I’ll give you lots of advance notice so that you can map out your market excursions.

Note: Beloved Gus’s Pickles is making their triumphant return to the Lower East Side this Saturday at the Hester Street Fair. It’s kind of a big deal.

And thank you to the Meeker Avenue Flea for being open for us 7 days a week! My friend needed a kitchen table urgently, and she found the perfect one here!

Happy Marketing!

100 Images: A Year in the Markets of New York City

A year ago this week, Markets of New York City hit the the bookstores! I am so thankful for all the friendships, adventures, vintage and handmade treasures and mouthwatering edibles that have come into my life because of this project.

To commemorate this anniversary, I made this slideshow, 100 Images: A Year in the Markets of New York City. It’s a visual love letter to all the people, places and things that make the markets in this city so wonderful!

Openings and Special Events This Weekend at the Markets (May 7-8)

Another beautiful weekend is in store for us regardless of the fickle spring weather, full of great market events and openings! Here’s what’s going on:

Spring Handmade Cavalcade: So much crafty talent in one place! Don’t miss this event from The {NewNew} Etsy Artisans Group! (This Saturday Only) ♦

Hester Street: Opening Day Saturday May 7! Can’t wait to see what’s new this year! I’ve heard there’s going to be even more food! (Saturday & Sunday) ♦

Madison Square Market Eats: Urban Space NYC is putting on a great food market featuring our favorite restaurants, food purveyors, food trucks, and handmade products. Went there Friday for lunch – amazing selection, beautiful location! (Open daily through June 3)

Crafts on Columbus: This is one of the longest running street craft markets in the city! Great place to stroll with Mom after brunch on Sunday, and it’s right across the street from the ever treasure-filled Greenflea on Sunday. (Saturday and Sunday, May 7, 8, 14, 15. ♦

Hell’s Kitchen Flea – New York Food Truck Bazaar: Another Sunday filled with fabulous fleas, beautiful handmade crafts, and food trucks! Word has it that Luke’s Lobster is launching their truck at the Bazaar this weekend! (Sunday)

Of course I’ll try to make it everywhere, and the little diamond ♦ indicates where I’m definitely showing up! Follow me on Twitter, Facebook, and Foursquare and let me know where you are, what you found, and what you’re eating!

The Chocolate Swirl Melts In Your Mouth

The Chocolate Swirl is a featured vendor at Brooklyn Craft Central’s Shop the Archway on Saturday May 21!

I was gabbing away at the Spring Lyceum Market last Sunday when I felt a tap on my shoulder. I turned around to say, “Wha..?” Before I could finish the “t,” my husband popped a sweet, moist and lightly crunchy caramel toffee mini cupcake into my cakehole. Now that’s what I call love.

Lisa Bracigliano is the pastry chef and owner of The Chocolate Swirl. She is a graduate of the Institute for Culinary Education’s Pastry and Baking Program, with a previous background as a theatrical stage manager. Her creativity and enthusiasm for her confections are obvious not only in the variety of products she creates, including handmade truffles, mini-cupcakes, and brownie pops, but in their fine flavors and textures. She also makes beautiful custom cakes and cupcakes, such as these incredible yoga cupcakes and this tie dye cake, which I read about on her blog. My birthday is 10 months from now, which is why they invented the Half-Birthday, only 4 short months away.

We tried several of the truffles and the red velvet mini-cupcake too. Each one was perfectly delicious, balanced, and carefully concocted. I appreciated the choice of flavors and combinations, like the brownie pop covered with crushed pretzels and the multiple ingredients and textures on that caramel toffee cupcake. Lisa clearly knows a good thing when she tastes it. And then she takes things to the next level, as you’ll see in Spring 2011 Collection – chocolate pretzel nests, truffle topiaries, and more. The Chocolate Swirl’s motto is, “Better living through chocolate.” Indeed.

The Chocolate Swirl will be at the Brooklyn Craft Central’s Shop the Archway in Dumbo on Saturday, May 21! Come by and try a mint chocolate brownie pop!

Video Blog: ANGeLRoX: 1001 Ways to Style and Comfort

Roxi Suger of ANGeLRoX is an incredibly talented clothing designer, and she is bursting with creative energy. What I love about her designs is that each one has literally 1001 different uses, as you’ll see in this video blog! Roxi has thought of most of the techniques, but her customers are always surprising her with new ways to wrap or scrunch or stretch ANGeLRoX garments. Roxi uses eco-friendly fabrics, and she is a Riverkeeper Business Partner too! See? I told you she was awesome.

You can find ANGeLRoX products at fine boutiques around the country, plus the Netherlands, Canada and Norway. Here in New York we have the true luxury of meeting Roxi in person at the markets! She is often out on the corner of Houston and Sullivan Streets, at the St. Anthony’s Market in Soho.

Follow ANGeLRoX on Facebook!