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Weekend Market Picks October 29-30, 2011 + Lovely Day Designs

Louise Lasson is the artisan behind Lovely Day Designs. I saw first her work at the Brooklyn Flea Gifted Market in 2009, and she keeps on adding more creative designs and products to her line.

She is known for her extremely wide array of switch plate covers! Everything from Buddhas and Mermaids, to Flowers, Cats, Pinup Girls and beyond to dress up your walls in a fun, unexpected way! She also sells delightful magnet sets. Her lovely soy wax candles are hand-poured into Depression Glass pieces and vintage teacups, and they are beautifully scented. What I love about Louise’s work is that it is creative, lovely, and practical, the essence of fine craft.

Louise is a member of the {NewNew} Etsy Artisans Street Team. Check LovelyDayDesigns.com for all her Holiday Market events. Her pieces are perfect for hostesses and for anyone who has light switches in their home.

Here are this week’s Market Picks! Meh to snow in October!!!

Saturday and Sunday

Artists and Fleas: Artists & Fleas is an excellent choice for this ridiculously snowy weekend! It features amazing vintage clothing and craft vendors, and it is indoors! Plus it’s a great place to get a groovy Halloween costume that you might actually wear again in real life!

Antiques Garage: This large indoor flea market has not one but TWO floors of antique and vintage treasures, including clothing, jewelry, home decor, artifacts, rare antique books and prints, and many more things that cannot even be categorized!

Saturday

Grand Army Plaza Greenmarket: Halloween comes to the Greenmarket! Bring the kids for Pumpkin Painting, the Pumpkin Carving Contest (bring your already carved pumpkins, winner gets a prize!), and an Apple Cider Donut Eating Contest!

Hester Street Fair: CANCELED due to impending weather! Double booooo!!! Thanks for another great season!

Smorgasburg: For true food lovers, it doesn’t matter if it’s snowing outside. They will still flock to Smorgasburg for some of the tastiest, most innovative food in the city. Serious delciousness going on here, with around 75 food vendors, plus the Williamsburg Waterfront Greenmarket!

Sunday

Fulton Stall Market: Another great place to bring the kids, the closest thing I’ve seen to matching Boston’s SOWA Market of the Living Dead for Halloween fun is at the Fulton Stall Market! In addition to their great lineup of food, craft, and farmer vendors, the market will have pumpkin painting, appearances by Berenstain Bears, Curious George and Maisy with readings of their favorite spooky stories, trick or treating, and a dance party with DJ Jonathan “Scary” Toubin (2pm). Kids kids kids!

Grab your tote bag, pull on your boots, and head to the Markets!

Meet Me At The Markets This Weekend!

Everyone is working feverishly to get ready for the holiday markets that will be opening very soon, and I’ll be keeping you posted about all these events. For this weekend, though, I thought I’d share my plans, and maybe you can meet me there!

TONIGHT, Friday, November 6, 2010

First Friday at The Loom: It’s a Zombie Fashion Show! That’s right – the Better than Jam Co-Op, featuring many talented designers and artists from the artisan markets around New York, is hosting a fashion show at The Loom in Bushwick. Plus complimentary wine, snacks, discounts at the shops, nail and hair services, and an on-site tattoo artist! (Hold me back.) And did I mention zombies? 7:00-10:00PM, 1087 Flushing Avenue.

Saturday, November 6, 2010

Abingdon Square Market: I’m finally doing a book signing for Markets of New York City at my market! I’ve been shopping here for a decade, and it’s the perfect Far West Village neighborhood experience. Fruits, veggies, breads, cookies, cheeses, flowers, kids, doggies – everything you want on a Saturday morning in New York City. Location: Hudson & 8th Ave between West 12th & Bethune Streets. I’ll be there 9AM – 12PM

Grand Army Plaza Greenmarket: Just browsing, munching and shopping in Brooklyn for the afternoon. Hoping for some delicious hot cider, apple cider donuts, and maybe some Crispin apples to take home. Hey – it’s fall and the apples are beckoning! Also looking forward to seeing the artisans near the entrance to the Prospect Park again.

Park Slope Flea Market: I owe this market a little love – it’s been too long. It’s one of the longest running markets in the city, and I love wandering around and looking at everything in detail. I’ve seen great furniture, beautiful miniatures, classic books, and even bonsai trees.

Sunday, November 7, 2010

NYC Marathon!!! Last year, as we ate a bowl of cereal at the crack of eleven and watched the New York Marathon on NY1, we promised we’d get up and out this year to watch it in person. We’ll be somewhere up on the Upper East Side in the morning to cheer on the runners. Are you running?!

New Amsterdam Market: It feel so luxurious to be able to go to this market every Sunday now. Hopefully Jimmy’s No. 43 will have their melt-in-your-mouth brisket sandwiches, or maybe well try Porchetta for lunch. Probably both (it gets tiring watching the Marathon!). Hopefully we’ll get there before Basis sells out of their honey, and we always grab a sack of chewy, buttery, amazing salt caramels from Liddabit Sweets.

Which markets will you be visiting this weekend? I’ll be checking in on Facebook, Twitter, or Foursquare! Hope to see you there!

Photo of the Day – August 31, 2010: Sock Monkeys from Brooklyn Craft

Seriously Cool Skeleton Sock Monkey and Friends by Brooklyn Craft

I seriously love sock monkeys. I have never see a cooler sock monkey than this black skeleton bad boy by Brooklyn Craft. Tamara Stoddard, the crafter, stitcher and designer behind the sock monkeys, also creates other great soft toys, including terrycloth elephants, catnip mice, and many more. Her appliqued onesies sell like hotcakes at the Hester Street Fair, with tyrannosaurs, goldfish, and other creatures. Brooklyn Craft has an Etsy shop as well, where you can purchase baby bibs with appliqued hamburgers and whales on them. Tamara’s dream is to open a Brooklyn Craft store, “a store that’s like a craft fair every day.” I for one, would be first in line on Opening Day. Especially if she calls her store, “Sock Monkeys R Us.”

You can find Brookyn Craft and Tamara stitching away at the Hester Street Fair and Artists and Fleas. Check her very fun blog for locations and details.

5 Fun Things To Do At The Markets This Weekend – July 17 & 18, 2010

Life actually IS a bowl of cherries at the Markets of New York City

It’s going to be a scorcher this weekend! So grab your nalgene water bottle, your sunblock, and your market tote, and head straight out to these market events:

Kidding Around: The Brooklyn Indie Market and The {NewNew} are teaming up for “Kidding Around,” another Sustainable Living event this Saturday. Bring your kids or come out and pick up some wonderful handmade clothing and toys for them, as well as some pretty baubles for yourself! Saturday, July 17, 11AM – 7PM under the red and white striped tent on Smith and Union Street, Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn
Ft. Greene Artisan Market and Greenmarket: Spend Saturday in Ft. Greene Park, designed by Olmsted and Vaux and one of New York City’s fairly unsung green glories. Start off by strolling through the delightful Ft. Greene Artisan Market, featuring talented local artisans and designers, and then onto the Greenmarket right up the sidewalk. Pick up some cheese, bread, and a couple of perfect peaches, and head into the park for a picnic. (NB: Once you’re finished napping in the shade of a black walnut tree, the beloved Brooklyn Flea is a short walk from the park.)
Summer Camp Craft Session with Etsy and The {NewNew} on Governor’s Island: Who says kids have all the fun? Join in on Governor’s Island this weekend for Summer Camp Craft Session and learn some crafty techniques from the experts of Etsy and The {NewNew} Artisan Group. After you’ve made something endearing for your mom at camp, swing by The {NewNew}’s pop-up shop on the island for something really great for yourself. With over 200 amazing and diverse artisan members, The {NewNew} is everywhere we want to be this summer! Craft Camp – Saturday, July 17, 2 – 5PM, Parade Grounds on Governor’s Island
Go see the “New Lenses” Art Exhibit at the Fulton Stall Market: The weekly Fulton Stall Market at the Seaport commissioned six talented artists to create works specifically for the market. The works are hung each weekend behind the market vendors, making this already picturesque produce, food and craft market even more so. Saturday and Sunday, 11AM – 6PM on South Street between Fulton and Beekman
Cold Summer Soups at Grand Army Plaza Greenmarket and the Park Slope Flea Market: The Grand Army Plaza Greenmarket holds delicious food demonstrations, as do many of the the greenmarkets around town. This weekend is no exception when Ronna from Park Slope’s Purple Kale will teach how to make delicious cold summer soups. Free samples for all! After you’ve filled your tote with produce, it’s a short walk over to the Park Slope Flea Market for some additional treasures to bring home. Food Demo – Saturday, 10am – noon. Flea Market – Saturdays and Sundays on 7th Avenue between 1st & 2nd Street at PS 321 in Brooklyn.

Here are some words of advice about market shopping in this week’s Time Out New York! Have a great weekend and don’t forget to put sunblock on your ears!

This Just In:

Volley Ball Tournament and Mist Tent at the Hester Street Fair
Scavenger Hunt at the Brooklyn Flea (I already know one of the hunt items, but I’m not telling!)

The Brooklyn Indie Market and The {NewNew} Present “Kidding Around” This Saturdayl

Matryoshka Doll Tee and Colorful Balls by Felt It

The Brooklyn Indie Market and The {NewNew} Etsy Artisans Group have teamed up this summer to bring us several special events focusing on sustainable living. The first one was “Handmade Hearth and Home” in June, featuring gorgeous handmade home decor items.

This weekend’s event is Kidding Around, focusing on handmade items for children. The participating artisans create a collection of handmade treasures that you just won’t find in a store. Here is a sampling of the kinds of wonderful things you will find this Saturday, from colorful soft toys and organic crib bedding, to all kinds of fun clothing and things to decorate your kid’s room:

Felt It – Eco-Felt Hand-Applique Items. The photo above is Felt It’s Matryoshka Doll tee and handmade soft felt balls.
Rosirouge - Handmade Children’s Clothes and Blankets
Over All Baby – Handmade Overalls for Infants and Toddlers
WoollyBoo – Handmade Organic Crib Bedding, Crib Sets, and Sleep Sacks
Purty Bird – Art and Decor Featuring Mostly Flowers and Several Monsters
Playground Rockstar – Great T-Shirts for Kids

They are also holding a book swap for children’s books! So bring the one’s you and your kids have already memorized, and take home some new ones.

Kidding Around – Saturday, July 17, 11AM – 7PM at the Brooklyn Indie Market on Smith and Union Streets in Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn

A Day In The Heights With GrowNYC

GrowNYC invited me to come to their Greenmarkets this summer for Markets of New York City book signings. I was thrilled to go to Washington Heights today for our first event.

This market is held on Thursdays at 175th Street and Broadway, and it is one of my favorite markets in the city. Why do I like it so much? In addition to the smell of cilantro, which brings back childhood memories of markets in Mexico, and a great selection of produce – and it’s a straight shot on the A train – the real draw for me is the kids. In the summertime, the neighborhood kids come out, mostly with their moms. They come in all ages and sizes, and they’re just fun to see. A whole bunch of them stopped by to say hello today, and they drew some great pictures for me of their favorite things at the market, mostly watermelons, peaches, and grapes. There were not a lot of veggies on the kids’ lists of favorites; some things are universal.

It is my personal aim with the guidebook and the blog is to entice New Yorkers to visit markets outside of their own neighborhoods and to invite visitors to pick a market and see a neighborhood they might not normally think to visit. Washington Heights has the wonderful Greenmarket that caters to the Caribbean culture and flavors of the neighborhood, with piles of cilantro, berdolaga, peppers and more. There are some excellent restaurants right across the street from the market. The food is delicious: juicy roasted chicken, sweet and fried plantains, fried yuca, rice and beans, and much more. We have leftovers for two days whenever we eat at any of these places.

My “Summer at the Markets” book tour started today, and I’ll be a different markets almost every weekend into September. This Saturday I’ll be at the Antiques Garage, and Sunday at the Fulton Stall Market! Check the Book Signings Around Town page for regular updates!