Bleecker Street » Markets of New York

Weekend Market Picks – October 1-2, 2011 + Over the Moon Jewel

We are headed into a wonderful weekend full of fantastic market events! Several annual events are going on this weekend and some into next week. Hopefully we’ll get some crisp autumn air this weekend and less hair-frizzing humidity!

I am very happy to feature a wonderful jewelry designer, Barbara Wilkinson of Over the Moon Jewel! Barbara has a true eye for color and composition, and her background in art is evident in her designs. She creates pieces for a diverse array of styles and tastes, using brightly colored semi-precious stones and delicate pearls, happy hoop earrings and yoga-inspired charms, sterling silver and gold tones. She also makes sexy jewelry for men. Barbara will be at the week-long ID Pop Shop III, which runs Monday, October 3 – Sunday, October 10th inside Chelsea Market. Definitely go meet her in person and check out her beautiful designs!

Saturday and Sunday

URGENT – GrowNYC Hurricane Donation Collection: GrowNYC is working in all boroughs with City Harvest, Regional Food Bank, and Move for Hunger this weekend and next to collect basic food and products for communities affected by Hurricane Irene. 10% of the Greenmarket system’s farmers have lost all of their crops for the seasaon, and they and their communities need our help. Go to GrowNYC.org to see which markets have collection sites and the basic food and personal products needed.

Crafts on Columbus: This is the second weekend of Crafts on Columbus, which takes place next to the Natural History Museum. The this semi-annual craft market is a great way to get a jump start on your holiday market shopping because there is such a rich variety of handmade crafts here. The market skips next weekend and then runs for one more weekend on October 15th and 16th. (Columbus Avenue between 77th and 81st Street)

Madison Square Eats: This pop-up food market is filled with delicious local food purveyors and Flatiron neighborhood restaurants serving up pizza, tacos, crepes, chocolate, cupcakes, beers, and more! Madison Square Eats runs through October 21. Bring your friends! (West side of Madison Square Park between Fifth Avenue and Broadway, and 24th and 25th Streets)

Pompeii Flea and Craft Market on Bleecker Street: This market started right after 9/11 as a tribute by local artists and neighbors in the Village to the spirit of New York City. Now it is a staple of Bleecker Street on the weekends. Stop and browse through vintage bakelite jewelry, dichroic glass and crocheted metal jewelry, and much more! (Bleecker Street between Carmine and Leroy next to Our Lady of Pompeii Church).

Sunday:

Atlantic Antic - This New York Street Fair sets the gold standard for New York street fairs. Far from the affairs that block traffic and annoy the natives, the Atlantic Antic incorporates the local businesses in four Brooklyn Neighborhoods and provides literally blocks and blocks of food, music, and shopping from unique local crafters and designers, and lots of things for kids (pony rides!!!). Bring your appetite, your friends, and your walking shoes to this annual event.

Starting Monday through Sunday, October 10:

ID Pop Shop III: This is the third event for this new group of independent designers. This week-long market features some of New York’s most innovative and talented designers in fashion and lingerie, jewelry and accessories, body products, and more. It is located inside Chelsea Market, so go do your shopping at the ID Pop Shop and then grab a delicious bite to eat from the shops throughout the food market. (Chelsea Market on 9th Ave and 15th Street)

YOU ARE INVITED! Please come to Chelsea Market Baskets on Saturday afternoon from 3-7PM! I will be doing a book signing and enjoying the Food Network’s Food and Wine Festival in the neighborhood!

And to my friends in Washington, DC: Do not miss Crafty Bastards on Saturday! And let me know what treasures you find!

Weekend Market Picks for July 2-3, 2011!

I love staying in town when everyone else leaves because it feels like I have it all to myself. But I’ll share New York City with you this weekend if you happened to stay in town or come for a visit!

Here are my Artisan, Farmer, Food and Flea Market Picks for this Fourth of July holiday weekend:

Saturday and Sunday, July 2 – 3, 2011

Antiques Garage: It’s supposed to be a beautiful weekend, but if you’re just too darn hot, go stroll around the Antiques Garage. It has two full floors of antique and vintage dealers, selling clothing, memorabilia, furniture, jewelry, and many many more treasures. On the second floor, look through the amazing collection on the tables of Hobbit Rare Books and Prints.

Bleecker Street/Pompeii Artisan Market: To be honest, I walked by this market a thousand times on my way to or from Murray’s Cheese and Faicco’s on Bleecker Street for a prosciutto ball. But when I actually stopped to look, I was amazed by the wonderful handmade and vintage wares, as well as the sheer variety of styles. You can find Bakelite jewelry, handmade soaps, and sweet vintage hats here. Check out Monica Jean Davidson’s jewelry designs! (Bleecker Street between Carmine and Leroy)

Nolita Market: I bet you’ve walked right by this market on your way to or from Soho. I encourage you to stop and really check out all the amazing artisans there. Shaya hand-hammered jewelry, Grey 56 fine leather goods, funny tee-shirts and a whole lot more fill the tables along the beautiful brick wall that surrounds the Old St. Patrick’s Cathedral.

Saturday, July 2, 2011

Smorgasburg: I know I’ve been going on about how great Smorgasburg is, and I’ll keep doing it! Go hungry and bring a totebag. You will find an incredibly array of prepared foods to eat then and there, and you will want to bring home fantastic artisanal products to cook with and eat later. Look for SchoolHouse Kitchen’s jams, mustards and Chutneys!

Williamsburg Waterfront Greenmarket: As if Smorgasburg wasn’t great enough, there is a big, wonderful Greenmarket on the site too with almost 20 farmers doing food demos and other family activities. So many delicious foods are in season right now!

Sunday, July 3, 2011

Fulton Stall Market: There are loads of edible and artisanal treasures at the Fulton Stall Market this weekend down at the Seaport. Sweets and savories to eat while you shop, as well as produce, fresh fish, dairy, cheese, and baked goods. This weekend is the debut of Wooly’s Ice, selling shave ice flavored with special syrups and fresh fruits. Sounds perfect for a holiday weekend!

Have a wonderful Independence Day!

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.

Photo of the Day – August 5, 2010: Fool’s Gold Bakelite and Vintage Jewelry

Bright Pink Bakelite Bangles from Fool's Gold at the Pompeii Market

Looking Bakelite jewelry? Look no further than Fool’s Gold on the the sidewalk of Bleecker Street at the Our Lady of Pompeii Crafts Market. Nestled in the heart of the Greenwich Village, this compact market is brimming with lovely handmade and vintage items. Fool’s Gold proprietor Sheila Strong has a significant collection of Bakelite jewelry in all the traditional aged colors, including cream corn and butterscotch. She has many pieces in remarkable condition, from the pink bangles in the photo, which normally would have turned orange with age, as well as Victorian mourning cameos. Spend some time browsing the collection. And if you are looking for something in particular, Strong may just have it for you the following week.

You can find Fool’s Gold on Bleecker Street between Leroy and Carmine Streets most Saturdays and Sundays. This weekend, however, she will be in Easthampton at the Mulford Farm Antique Show on Saturday, August 7 from 10AM – 5PM. Earlybirds are from 8AM – 10AM. This is her only show out in the Hamptons this summer, so don’t miss out!

Photo of the Day – May 12, 2010: Le Primitive

Glass Necklace from Le Primitive at the Pompeii Craft Market on Bleecker street

Two sisters from Italy create Le Primitive’s delicate and colorful jewelry from fused glass and suede cording. You can meet them at the Pompeii Craft Market on Bleecker Street, right beside Our Lady of Pompeii Church.

Last Minute Market Shopping

I wish us all great courage as we face the final weekend of holiday shopping! In addition to the big, traditional holiday markets at Union Square, Columbus Circle, Bryant Park, and Grand Central, there are multiple indie markets that are in full swing this weekend.

The Makers Market at the Old American Can Factory

The Makers Market is has artisans and fine artists selling high quality handmade items. Meow Meow Tweet sells great smelling natural handmade soaps. ANgeLRoX Apparel has design for comfort, versatility and style, and I love the signature wings that emblazon the back pockets of their jeans and undies. May Luk Ceramics will be there with fine, fun, useful and quirky ceramic plates, cups, vases and more. I’ll bet the man who has everything doesn’t have a hand-stitched leather briefcase from MOS Atelier – and he definitely needs one. If you missed getting a beautiful graphic T-shirt from Parable Ink at the Grand Central Holiday Market, you can catch up with them here.
The Makers Market: Old American Can Factory, 232 3^rd Street, Gowanus, Brooklyn, in the garage. Open this weekend Saturday and Sunday 11AM – 6PM.

Brooklyn Lyceum Holiday Craft Market

The Brooklyn Lyceum is hosting their two-day holiday craft market this weekend with almost 70 exhibitors. Many of them will be there for just one of the days, so if you are tempted to visit this market on both days, go right ahead because you will find different things on both days. There will be a DJ and plenty of “crafty” food to keep you energized. The event organizers have created wider aisles this year to make it more comfortable to wander and browse on the last shopping day of the weekend. You can make it a day for the whole family with lunch at the Lyceum Café, now serving Inteligentsia Coffee, and a show at the Children’s Theater.

Brooklyn Lyceum: Saturday and Sunday, December 19 – 20, 11A – 7 P

Our Lady of Pompeii Market on Bleecker Street

This is the last weekend for the flea market/artisan market on Bleecker Street sidewalk next to Our Lady of Pompeii Church in the Village (between Carmine and Leroy Streets). You can find some great vintage hats and jewelry, as well as hand-knit hats and scarves, vintage Bakelite pieces, and much more. The market will reopen in April when the weather warms up a bit.

Jingle Xmas Xtravaganza at Chelsea Market

Chelsea Market has a pretty much everything you will need for your holiday feasts, and it also hosts the Jingle Xmas Xtravaganza! This market has 17 nice-sized boutiques, all selling unique designs and many beautiful gifts. It is a happy market where you can chat with the designers about their work and the kinds of things you are seeking. I am hoping for two farmers market posters by Yeehaw Industries, and maybe, if I’m lucky, their sign that says, “Carve That Possum.” Elements/Jill Schwarz designs gorgeous “vintage groove” jewelry, picture frames and more. For modern jewelry designs, stop by and see sterling silver and recycled coconut shell jewelry with semi-precious stones from Ayala Jewelry. There is a full list of the vendors with photos and links on Facebook.

Jingle Xmas Xtravaganza: Mon – Fri 10:30A – 7P, Saturday 10A – 7P, Sunday 10:30 A – 6P