Happy Mother’s Day!
Thank you, Mom, for taking me traveling and for being smart, righteous and and stylish.
Here’s a picture of Mom with me and my sisters on the Tropic of Cancer in Mexico. (I’m the short one with the dirty knees.)
Love Love Love you!
[Here's a link to a tribute to my mom for being my Career Hero!]
We went to visit Mad. Sq. Eats this afternoon to get some more macarons for the weekend from Macaron Parlour. Lo and behold, Macaron Parlour Co-Founder Christina Ha handed us this miraculous gem – an Ice Cream Macaron! This one is filled with lemon ice cream with blueberry jam swirls, and it is absolutely delicious. In fact, it tastes just like summer. Madison Square Eats features great artisanal food vendors, and it is open in Worth Square (just north of the Flatiron Building) through June 1, 11AM – 9PM. Congratulations to the newlyweds Christina and her groom Simon Tung!
Here are my Market Picks for Mom:
Saturday & Sunday, May 12 – 13, 2012
Crafts on Columbus: This is the last weekend for the Spring Crafts On Columbus event. This traditional craft market is brimming with handmade clothing designs, accessories, jewelry, and other high quality creations that your mom would love to choose from. The venerable Greenflea is right across the street for more strolling and shopping, and on Sunday the 77th Street Greenmarket is hosted inside the schoolyard with the Greenflea. (Manhattan, Columbus Avenue between 77th & 81st St.)
Dekalb Market: Spend the afternoon with Mom strolling through the artisanal boutiques and handmade crafts at the the Dekalb Market in Downtown Brooklyn. Food, drinks, shopping and music — all amidst the cleverly repurposed shipping containers. And how about some special Mother’s Day Offers? Happy Mother’s Day indeed! (Brooklyn, 138 Willoughby Street at Flatbush Avenue)
Fulton Stall Market: I really love this market for its energy and the diversity of vendors there. They have farm produce, delicious prepared foods, crafts, and even a wonderful fine artist each weekend. The setting in the Seaport is a great destination for exploring a different part of the city with Mom this weekend! (Manhattan, 94 South Street)
Hell’s Kitchen Flea: The Hell’s Kitchen Flea is a fantastic place to take your mom if she likes a good treasure hunt! And Sunday is the Food Truck Bazaar, featuring The New Shorty’s On Wheels, Red Hook Lobster Truck, Coolhaus, Big D’s Grub Truck, Kelvin Natural Slush, Palenque Colombian Food Truck, Valducci’s Original Pizza, Milk Truck Grilled Cheese! Are Food Trucks the new Sunday Brunch? (Manhattan, 39th Street & 9th Avenue)
Pompeii Flea and Artisan Market on Bleecker Street: This sweet market is in full swing on the sidewalks of Bleecker Street in Greenwich Village. Take some time to stop and visit with all the market sellers, as they have some real treasures on their table. This year they are welcoming several new and exciting vendors into their midst! (Manhattan, Bleecker between Carmine & Leroy)
St. Anthony’s Market: If location is everything, this market has it all. Situated under colorful umbrellas along the fence of the Shrine Church of St. Anthony of Padua on Houston Street’s wide sidewalks, the market features a nice variety of craft artisans, world crafts, and awesome look-alike sunglasses. Spend the day with Mom in Soho, and make sure you hit this market along your travels. (Manhattan, West Houston and Sullivan Street)
And a shout out for the Big Fat Flea on Sunday! I hadn’t heard of it before, but it looks like fun! (Manhattan, 208 West 13th Street)
You know your mom just wants to spend time with you this weekend. So take her by the hand and go explore the city together by visiting the markets that are, coincidentally, also chock full of awesome gifts for moms!
I received an email from the person who purchased this earring and necklace set at the Union Square Holiday Market in December. She has lost one of the earrings, and she would love to contact the jewelry designer who made them so that she can replace the missing earring. But she doesn’t have the name of the designer, and the holiday market team does not recognize these particular pieces. I don’t recognize them either.
So I thought I’d post this image here to see if any of you know the name of the designer or company who made them!
If you recognize these earrings or the style, or if you are the person who made or sold them at the holiday market, please send me an email at Karen@MarketsOfNewYork.com!
Here’s hoping we can solve this mystery. Thank you for your help!
Our first Guest Market is the Gouba Sunday Bazaar in Budapest, Hungary!
Recently, three of our very dear friends moved from New York’s West Village, their home for many years, to seek adventure in Budapest, Hungary. Ami and George Kroon, and their perfect puppy Asta have submitted these photographs of the Gouba Sunday Bazaar.
Each Sunday from spring through fall, the Gouba Bazaar opens in downtown Budapest. It features a wide array of handmade and antiques sellers, as well as a food market with fresh breads, coffee, and and even truffles. The market is proud of its traditional crafters, including wood workers, jewelry makers, fiber and felt artists.
The Gouba Market takes place in the Gozsdu Courtyard in the city center and historic Jewish Quarter, “a few minutes’ walk from the Great Synagogue, Deak Square, and Liszt Ferenc Square.” So it definitely makes for a great place to visit and spend the day wandering through Old Budapest. For Opening Day, the Gouba Market took place place in Szimpla Courtyard (1075 Budapest, Kazinczy u.14.), which is a cultural and community center. The center offers art workshops, movies, music events and a cafe where you can relax with friends over a cup of coffee or a drink.
We miss Ami, George and Asta so much, but we are happy to see them strolling down these European streets, meeting friends (especially Asta), and finding new places to show us when we come for a visit very soon.
My Hungarian is limited to two phrases, “Magyar Posta,” from my international stamp collecting days, and “Harapos Kutya,” which means “Beware of Dog.” So when I get to Budapest, I’ll be able to warn people about dogs (not Asta – she’s a love bug) and send you all postcards.
Many thanks to Ami and George Kroon for the photographs and information for this article, and to Asta for being so fluffy and nice.
The spring season and the markets are in full swing this weekend, and the weather is heading up into the 70s just for the occasion. Get your market bag and join me at these markets this weekend:
Saturday, April 14, 2012
East 67th Street Market: This venerable flea market has been on the inside and outside of PS 183 since the 1970s and features antiques, farm fresh produce and flea market vendors. (East 67th Street between 1st and York Avenues, Manhattan)
Arthur Avenue Retail Market: Located in the Belmont section of the Bronx, Arthur Avenue has for decades been a hub of Italian food and culture. Go to the market for meats and sausages, baked goods, seafood and other Italian specialities. (Arthur Avenue at East 187th Street, Bronx)
BUST Craftacular: The Spring 2012 Craftacular sponsored by BUST Magazine takes place Saturday with 100 talented craft and artisanal food companies. Admission is $3, and the early birds get a free goodie bag. (82 Mercer Street between Broome and Spring, Manhattan)
Saturday and Sunday, April 14 & 15, 2012
Dekalb Flea Market: NEW! This flea market is launching this weekend and will run Saturdays and Sundays on the sidewalk in front of the Brooklyn Technical High School. (29 Fort Greene Place, Brooklyn)
Artists and Fleas: This great artisan and designer market continues in two locations throughout the spring, both at its home in Williamsburg and its 30 vendor pop-up in the Chelsea Market. Make it a trendsetting day and visit both locations! (70 North 7th Street, Williamsburg, Brooklyn and Chelsea Market, 15th Street and 10th Avenue, Manhattan)
Sunday, April 15, 2012
Vegan Shop Up: An all-vegan, one day pop-up shop featuring an array of foods, treats and other goods, including my friends from Meow Meow Tweet with their wonderful body products. (Pine Box Rock Shop, 12 Grattan Street, Bushwick, Brooklyn)
Greenflea: Another great, longtime flea and artisan market across the park from East 67th on the Upper West Side, Greenflea features dozens of vendors inside and outside of MS 44 Junior High School (Columbus Avenue between 76th and 77th Streets, Manhattan)
Don’t forget to stop by your local farmers market (GrowNYC and Community Markets) as well to pick up fresh produce, eggs, honey and spring flowers!
(Thanks to my husband James for the picture of opening day at the Dekalb Market last weekend.)
This entry is a departure from my usual market enthusiasm, but it’s a very important subject to me and probably to many others who experienced the events of September 11, 2001 in one way or another. I know that at least one important market, the Pompeii Artisan and Flea Market on Bleecker Street, began as a direct response to the attacks, as a way to give back to the city. So maybe it isn’t so much of a departure after all. (Cross Posted to SireneMediaWorks.com
I am pleased to sing the praises of The Woman Who Wasn’t There (Touchstone 2012), a new non-fiction book by Robin Gaby Fisher and Angelo Guglielmo, as well as a documentary film directed by Angelo (Meredith Vieira Productions).
It is the story of Tania Head, a woman who survived the attacks on 9/11 in the South Tower while her husband lost his life in the North Tower. Tania became a leader of the 9/11 Survivors Network. She was was good friends with Angelo and a friend and inspiration to many others. I met her several times through the network, although I did not know her personally.
In the interest of full disclosure, I knew about this story and many of the people involved, and Angelo is a dear friend of mine. So I am writing a testimonial rather than a review. The bottom line is this: The Woman Who Wasn’t There is a remarkable story masterfully told.
I am not spoiling the story when I say that Tania Head was a complete fraud, as revealed in the New York Times in September 2007. In fact, she wasn’t even in the country on 9/11. The Woman Who Wasn’t There is not a mystery, but a retelling of a how one person created a web of lies to deceive a community of vulnerable and traumatized people, and yet in many ways also helped them to recover and reconcile their experiences on that day. Clearly, there are some complex psychological situations here, which the co-authors handle beautifully.
The story itself is riveting. I read the book cover to cover in one sitting. It is not a sensationalist presentation of a pathological liar, but rather a careful retelling of an incredibly emotional, complex and delicate story in the wake of the attacks on the World Trade Center. The film presents actual footage of Tania looking us in the eye and telling her “story.”
The Woman Who Wasn’t There is available nationwide, and the film debuts on Investigation Discovery on April 17 at 8-9:30 PM EST.
I am honored to be giving a Three Part Social Media Workshop Series with the Business Center for New Americans, a wonderful organization that aims to “fulfill the American Dream of inclusion by building wealth through business development & expansion, savings and home ownership.” BCNA provides training, mentoring and microfinancing for immigrants, refugees, women, artisans and others.
BCNA has been a key sponsor of the NY Creates and their handmade artisan markets.
Workshops: The workshops will include an overview and orientation about social media. We will focus on the fundamentals of Facebook and Twitter, and we will develop individual communications plans.
Level: Introductory. If you know you should be tweeting but have no idea how to do it, what to say, or even why it’s important, then this is the place for you!
Fees:
$25 per session, or all three sessions for $50
Register: For more information and to register, please contact Maria Paulino at BCNA
So much for winter, but HELLO SPRINGTIME! Because it’s so gorgeous out, I’m featuring the sweet, delicate flower blossom necklaces from Lyndee Designs. Together they look like an early spring garden. Individually, they are flattering and feminine, and they come in a lovely variety of gemstones and pearls. Designer Linda Falco shows her full collection of necklaces, earrings and bracelets on Saturdays at SUPER!market, the great new designers market on Mulberry Street.
I can’t wait to hit the road and see what’s going on this fine day in the markets. Today I’m grouping them by neighborhood so that you can check out several markets in the same area.
Soho/Nolita
SUPER!market: Mentioned above, this market is fast becoming a destination for design lovers. The jewelry selection is sumptuous, and I have my eye on several fashion designers in there. Why don’t you go and tell me what you discover? (Open Saturdays only – 268 Mulberry Street)
Nolita Market: Congratulations to the awesome designers at the Nolita Market on their Opening Weekend! I really love this street market, with its fun umbrellas and gorgeous brick wall backdrop. Take your time strolling through it – there are some amazing things here. And it’s right around the corner from SUPER!market! (Friday, Saturday & Sunday on Prince St. between Mulberry & Mott)
Chelsea/Meatpacking District
Chelsea Market: It’s the 100th anniversary of the Oreo Cookie, and Chelsea Market is its birthplace. If that isn’t reason enough to go visit this wonderful food market, then the fantastic food purveyors will be. Breads, cupcakes, jams, lobsters, chocolates, 35 kinds of mushrooms, kitchen supplies – you name it, they have it. (Open 7 Days a Week, on 9th Ave between 15th & 16th Street)
Artists & Fleas Pop-Up: Artists & Fleas is expanding their unique aesthetic and eclectic collection of designers and vintage purveyors to Chelsea. Located in Chelsea Market in the space on the corner of 10th Ave and 15th Street, this pop-up is bursting at the seams with character and wonderful flea market shopping as only Artists & Fleas can create. (Open 7 Days a Week)
Independent Designer Pop Shop at Chelsea Market: ID Pop Shop hosts periodic pop-up design boutiques in Chelsea Market, each one featuring a new and wonderful group of talented professional designers. They are currently in the large event space in the center of Chelsea Market with 23 designers of fashion, accessories, and decor. The space feels open and breezy, and many of the designers are featuring their new collections for spring and summer. (This Saturday and Sunday Only, inside Chelsea Market)
The Market NYC / Young Designers Market: An amazing place to go hunting for what just might be the next trend, The Market NYC features a wide variety of emerging designers. Look for the cheerful tent on 14th Street and plunge right into the aisles of tables laden with jewelry, accessories, fashion, and much more! (Open Friday – Sunday, 14th Street between 8th & 9th Avenues)
Enjoy your day and don’t forget to admire the crocuses, Mother Nature’s bravest little flower.
I remember my first taste of Raaka Chocolate’s blueberry lavender bar. It was at the 2010 Columbus Circle Holiday Market. And it was amazing.
Raaka Virgin Chocolate is a Brooklyn based company that uses cocoa purchased through direct and fair agreements with individual producers in the Dominican Republic and Bolivia. This year, they aim to establish agreements with cocoa producing communities in the Dominican Republic and Haiti, which is a country near and dear to my heart. And then they make delicious chocolate bars.
They use a very low heat process rather than roasting the cocoa beans, and they blend and grind them with other organic and fair trade ingredients. As a result, their chocolates have a remarkable richness and spectrum of flavors. Their packaging is wonderful too and printed on recycled paper with soy inks. Their cacao husks are donated to Edible Schoolyard NYC for use in the after school gardening program at P.S. 216. Mouthwatering, pretty, virtuous and cradle-to-cradle – that’s Raaka Chocolates. Oh – and I didn’t even mention the antioxidants!
Find Raaka Chocolates this Saturday at SUPER!market for emerging designers, 268 Mulberry Street, 11AM – 7PM.
Market Picks!
Feels a little bit like winter again, doesn’t it? So I’m featuring indoor markets this weekend because market shoppers shall not be daunted!
Saturday Only, February 25, 2012
La Marqueta in East Harlem: I can’t tell you how it warms my heart to see this market coming back to life, thanks to the focus of the NYEDC and the exciting anchor tenant and incubator kitchen managers at Hotbread Kitchen
Saturday & Sunday, February 25 & 26
Antiques Garage: I love the Garage for its classic flea finds and nostalgic connection to the great antique markets in Chelsea in the ’80’s and ’90’s. Spend some time exploring both floors!
Artists & Fleas: In Williamsburg, Brooklyn, this indoor market is filled with incredibly talented artisans and some very groovy vintage kiosks. Stay tuned for their fantastic 3-month pop up shop in Chelsea Market starting March 1!
Brooklyn Flea: I’ve called the Brooklyn Flea’s home in One Hanson Place a cathedral for market lovers. While you’re shopping, don’t forget to look up. And then head into the old bank vault for lunch.
Independent Designers Pop Shop at Chelsea Market: It’s a two-fer! Fantastic designers of fashion and accessories at the ID Pop Shop across from Posman Books, and strolling through all the shops at Chelsea Market! Breathe in as you walk by the Lobster Place. It smells like summer at the beach.
Enjoy and stay warm! And don’t even bother with umbrellas. They’ll only get eaten.
I am thrilled to feature an amazing jewelry designer, Melissa Draugsvold this weekend. I first heard the buzz about her designs at SUPER!market in January. You know you’re onto something when the other designers are wearing her jewelry themselves!
Melissa’s one-of-a-kind designs are intriguing statement pieces made from romantic, evocative, and nostalgic pieces of vintage jewelry. You might recognize an element in one of her necklaces as something your favorite fabulous auntie wore. Or maybe you saw something like it in a glamorous Old Hollywood movie. She has a spectacular necklace made from vintage crystal brooches from the collection of Rufus Wainwright. Her work has been featured in Vogue, Nylon, Women’s Wear Daily (WWD), Lucky Magazine and more. Beyonce and Kim Kardashian have been seen sporting their own original Draugsvold designs. And you can meet her in person and try on her wonderful designs in person this weekend at SUPER!market!
And now, here are the Market Picks for this coming balmy weekend!
Friday, Saturday & Sunday, February 17 – 19, 2012
Independent Designers Pop Shop at Chelsea Market, open every day through February 29th
The Market NYC on 14th Street between 8th & 9th in the Meatpacking District
Saturday Only, February 18, 2012
Inwood Flea Market at 108 Cooper Street, CUNY in the Heights Building, Manhattan *NEW!*
SUPER!market at 268 Mulberry Street in Nolita, Manhattan
Saturday and Sunday, February 18 -19, 2012
Brooklyn Flea + Smorgasbrewery (Sunday only), One Hanson Place, Brooklyn
Hell’s Kitchen Flea, West 39th St. between 9th & 10th Avenues, Manhattan
Sunday Only, February 19, 2012
Jackson Heights Greenmarket, 34th Avenue @ 77th Street, Queens (Composting and textile recycling every Sunday!)
It’s going to be a beautiful weekend, so get out there and enjoy it! And bring a totebag for all your new treasures!
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