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Shop for the Next Design Trends at SUPER!market

SUPER!market opened late last fall, and it has proven to be a wonderful design destination. I feel like I’m the first to know about the most amazing new trends in jewelry, fashion and design in general when I visit this market. They also feature artisanal food purveyors (food needs to be designed too!), and other unique lines, including travel accessories and all-natural cleaning supplies.

I love that the designers are right there, ready to help you find what you’re looking for and offer the story behind each item in their displays. On Friday afternoons, SUPER!market posts the list of designers who will be at the market on Saturday. So you can find who you’re looking for in advance, or just come to the market, explore, and enjoy.

The photo galleries above and below feature some of my favorite designers from SUPER!market:

Gallery 1:

Box 185 – Fantastic feathered accessories and sexy, rock-n-roll fashion designs.
Jessy’s Pastries - Traditional and not-so-traditional Peruvian Aljafores, buttery and mouthwatering.
GoLLy NYC – T-shirts with appliques of your favorite pop-culture images. I pity the fool who doesn’t go get a Mr. T shirt today.
Cheryl Johnston – Cheryl’s draping, handmade dresses and tops are incredibly flattering.
Virginie Millefiori - I just can’t pick a favorite from Virginie’s sweet, whimsical, breezy jewelry designs, but my mom loves hot air balloons, and the pendant in the photo reminds me of her.

Gallery 2:

New York Couture – Yup, it’s a hamburger dress! You have to see these awesome designs for yourself. Katy Perry has worn a lot of New York Couture dresses on stage! And I can’t wait to see the 2012 collection, which comes out on March 20th!!
Liane By Design Jewelry – Liane’s crocheted jewelry just blows me away with its fine stitches, pearls and sparkly, colorful crystals. Absolutely lovely.
Solé Arts - Solé Arts has a collection of jewelry made from watch parts, like this Cicada Watch Face Ring, and another collection made with pieces of New York City stop light lenses. So unique!
Hudson+Bleecker – If you travel, you will understand just how awesome these travel accessories are. Can you imagine your suitcase still being fully organized after even one day? Now you can with these beautiful pieces.

I even love the venue, which is a well-used gymnasium in the Old St. Patrick’s Cathedral on Mulberry Street. The dinginess of the space is actually a perfect backdrop for the designers’ products, the beauty against the grit.

The market is set up to feel airy and breathable, not cramped or in straight aisles. So you can circulate and wander amongst all the different mini-boutiques. I encourage you to spend some time doing just that and looking carefully at the products to appreciate them more. As I always say, every person and every product in this market has a story.

Weekend Market Picks for March 10 & 11 + Spring Flowers from Lyndee Designs at SUPER!market

Delicate Floral Gemstone Jewelry by Linda Falco of Lyndee Designs at SUPER!market

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.

Weekend Market Picks: February 25 & 26 + Raaka Virgin Chocolate

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.

Weekend Market Picks + Draugsvold Jewelry!

Fabulous Statement Necklace Made with Vintage Elements by Melissa Draugsvold at SUPER!market

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!

Saving A Home One Delicious Cake At A Time

I was in Park Slope, Brooklyn on Saturday last weekend and visited the farmers market sponsored by Community Markets on 5th Avenue and 4th Street. The Community Markets organization provides access to locally grown fresh fruits and vegetables and locally produced food products to communities within the city and also in Rockland and Westchester Counties. They manage 18 markets, and the one in Park Slope runs year-round.

I was delighted to see Mortgage Apple Cakes at the market. I’ll be honest and say that I haven’t actually tried the original apple cake because I keep getting seduced by the glazed wonder known as Apple Rum Upside Down Cake. Back to that in a minute.

Mortgage Apple Cakes is a baked goods company with an inspiring story. Several years ago, founder and owner Angela Logan had been unable to find work, and her house went into foreclosure. Rather than sit idly by and let her home and investment disappear, she took back control of the situation and did a few calculations. If she could sell 100 of her luscious apple cakes in 10 days, she could earn enough money to save her house.

And that’s what she did. Almost.

What actually happened is that her story made the national news. Friends and supporters from all over the country bought cakes, and she saved her house. And she had a brand over night. That was several years ago. Now she has a commercial venture, selling her apple cakes and cupcakes, apple pound cake, caramel apple cake, and apple rum upside down cake online and in the markets. She has plans to establish a storefront with a community focus. She plans to host a good old fashioned bake sale each month to help someone else in need.

Now back to that apple rum upside down cake. It is everything you want in a cake. It is sweet, beautiful, rich, and has a wonderful texture. And then there is the marriage of yellow cake and apple, and ample sugary glaze. I can confidently say that it is truly one of the best cakes I’ve ever had. And I’ve had a lot of cakes.

So last weekend, I was so glad to see Angela and her cakes doing so well at the Park Slope market. I meant to try the apple cake. But I ended up with two big pieces of the apple rum upside down cake again. While I look forward to actually trying the original, I do not regret my purchase. When I got home, I made a pot of tea for my husband and myself, and we ate the cake in big bites, savoring every one.

I also want to share this great interview of Angela so that you can see for yourself the dynamic spirit behind the wonderful Mortgage Apple Cakes.

Reflections on the Chocolate Show in Time for Valentine’s Day

Yes, I’m a bit late with this posting of the Chocolate Show that took place in New York last November. But since it’s almost Valentine’s Day, I thought I’d post about it now and give you some wonderful chocolate inspiration.

Honestly, I had the impression that the Chocolate Shows were for tourists. Even the one in Paris, with its gigantic subway ads and enticing images. But then I looked into it a bit more, and I thought maybe I should give it a chance. So this year, I went. And I’m here, as a massive chocoholic, to tell you that it was an incredible experience.

I arrived at a peak hour on Saturday, and the crowd was pretty big. But that just made me focus and scout out the chocolate companies I really wanted to see. I was pleased and thrilled to see some of the finest chocolatiers in the world all under one roof.

Through my friend and chocolate maker Matt, I met the incredibly talented French chocolate maker from Roanne, François Pralus. I’ve tried is wonderful Pyramide des Tropiques collection of dark chocolates from around the world at Murray’s Cheese. The packaging is so lovely that you hardly want to break into the chocolate, but definitely do! I took home two hefty bars of dark and milk chocolate filled with hazelnuts and praline that were out completely of this world.

Lyonnais chocolatier Bernachon was there too with their perfectly shiny and wonderful bars, as well as their signature gold-flecked bonbons. Lucy Vanel, an American living in Lyon and author behind the wonderful blog, Lucy’s Kitchen Notebook, graciously introduced us to Bernachon while we were visiting Lyon a few years ago. Again, the chocolates are almost too beautiful to eat. Almost.

It was also wonderful to see New York market based companies at the chocolate show, including Roni-Sue’s Chocolates. Chocolatier Rhonda Kave of the Essex Street Market was happily providing samples of her famous BeerCrunch and even more famous Pig Candy. Spices & Tease, from their new home in the Grand Central Market, featured a chocolate-related tea collection and other spices that go with sweet and savory chocolate dishes.

The tiny golden-bellied chocolate Buddha pictured came to us from Indiana, handmade by Chocolate for the Spirit in Shelbyville. Des Lis Chocolat creates gorgeous and unique bonbons flavored with poppy flower petals. Their poppy flower petal jelly also caught my eye at the Chocolate Show. Rounding out my experience were the rich and exotic almond paste-filled Babouche au Chocolat from La Gazelle D’Or in Paris and Casablanca. And finally, I washed it all down with my old friends, the huge, decadent, scrumptious chocolate chip cookies from Jacques Torres.

These are just a few of the 65+ exhibitors at the Chocolate Show in New York. Is it for tourists? Sure! Is it for New Yorkers with a passion for rich, sweet, melt-in-your-mouth chocolate and lots of it? Definitely! I was impressed, I was happy, and I spent a lot of extra time at the gym afterwards.

Will I go back next time? Absolutely!

Four Beautiful Words: Crispy Purple Potato Chips

I’ve had a bad cold for the last three weeks, drifting in and out of mild misery. But I’m feeling better every day now, thanks for asking.

Saturday I was feeling particularly low energy as I was walking through Union Square. The Greenmarkets always make me feel better, and so I was strolling along amongst the tents, despite the brisk cold, on my way to the 6 train. And then something bright purple caught my eye. (It has happened before – purple food makes me happy.)

The bright purple this time turned out to be a sample bowl of beautiful and delicious potato chips from Mountain Sweet Berry Farm. The Andean Mix includes the true purple chips made from purple Peruvian potato, mixed with rich yellow chips made from ruby crescent potatoes. This farm has three other flavors of chips made from other potatoes. The Crunchy Indian chips are made from Ozette Indian potatoes. The other two varieties are Brown Butter and Pure Pleasure.

UPDATE: The chips are fried in rice bran oil, which has a mild taste and is good for high heat frying. According to Dr. Andrew Weil, MD., it has additional health benefits as well.

Potato chips are one of my very favorite foods in the whole world. But I’m a purist. No ranch, no BBQ, no salt and vinegar. I like simple potatoes and salt. Each chip from Mountain Sweet Berry Farm has a pure potato taste and yet a wonderfully distinct flavor. The purple ones were my favorite because a) they’re purple, b) they taste rich and wonderful, and c) my mom is from the Andes mountains, and so I feel a personal connection to them. That said, they are all mouthwateringly delicious.

Mountain Sweet Berry Farm comes to the Union Square Greenmarket Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. Go try them for yourself and let me know which one you like best! And check out this wonderful video featuring Rick Bishop of Mountain Sweet Berry Farm on Serious Eats.

Video: Handmade in the Holiday Markets of NYC

Since I’ve been shopping for gifts in the artisanal holiday markets around the city, everyone wants me to pick them in gift exchanges. They know that whomever I pick will get the most awesome, special, unique, beautifully made gifts under the tree. And I’m not exaggerating one bit – just ask my family!

It’s more important than ever to support the small businesses in the markets. The markets enable local entrepreneurs to build their business, reach a passionate clientele, and grow. So I thought I’d go out to the holiday markets and feature some of the people and companies selling their very special products this year in the Union Square Holiday Market, the Columbus Circle Holiday Market, the Holiday Village at Bryant Park, and the Jingle Market:

Shop online or, better yet, go meet these designers, innovators, and trendsetters in person in the Holiday Markets this season!

Lauren Wimmer Jewelry at Grand Central Holiday Fair

Lauren Wimmer Hand-Dyed Silk Wrapped Jewelry

Lauren Wimmer Jewelry features lush, textured, jewelry designs. Lauren launched her design firm in 2003, and she has sold her works in New York’s best design markets, grand art museums, and fine department stores, including Bergdorf Goodman and Henri Bendel.

The pieces in her “Wrapped” Collection are unique in that she wraps brass rings in hand-dyed silk ribbon to create colorful, playful necklaces, earrings, and bracelets, like the lovely blue cuff pictured. “Cast” is a collection of sterling silver jewelry based on “textures and palettes of overgrown gardens.” Intrigued? You definitely have to see – and touch – these pieces in person.

And you can do just that this season at the Grand Central Holiday Fair, which opens today! Lauren is also selling her work in the Independent Designer Pop Shop in Chelsea Market through November 27th.

COMING SOON: 2011 Holiday Markets Guide!

You’re Invited! Brooklyn Craft Central Holiday Market!

Markets of New York City is a proud sponsor:

Brooklyn Craft Central Holiday Market

When: December 17th & 18th, 2011, 12-6PM

Where: Littlefield Art Space, 622 Degraw Street in Park Slope/Gowanus

Read on for details!

YOU’RE INVITED!

We’re kicking out another SHOW and it is better than ever! Jurying a record amount of applicants to make way for 65 of them to participate, we got the absolute best talent concentrated into this one weekend. Taking place on Saturday and Sunday, December 17 and 18th, this Market falls on the LAST SHOPPING WEEKEND BEFORE CHRISTMAS, helping shoppers who procrastinate (all of us!) find handmade values – and making it easy to keep out of the big box stores – when the clock is ticking down….

The stellar timing and careful curation is only a part of what will make this a special event not to be missed. The location is perfect: Littlefield is a warehouse-turned-club, built uber-sustainably with 6000 square feet of space and just 2 blocks from the R train on the Gowanus/Park Slope border. The latest advancement in BKCC’s holiday market: Each day will feature different vendors! The 100% turnover from Saturday to Sunday ensures total diversity, more designer participation, and a great reason for shoppers to come both days. Nate Duval delivers yet another stunning design to represent our running series. He has been with us since our very first one, and we are so lucky to have him.

BKCC will also have food trucks each day for hot food on these chilly winter gift-buying days. Littlefield will offer hot (and cold) drinks from the full bar, including weekend-long BKCC Market drink specials, and also available are artisanal sweet and savory specialty food (for gifts and for munching) from local makers Brooklyn Brine, Chocolate Swirl, Jam Stand, Sour Puss Pickles, Macaron Parlour, Granola Lab, Bum Bars, Jenni’s Cookies, The Chibi Chef and Rescue Chocolates.