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Weekend Market Picks — And Yona’s Gourmet Delights!

Yona's Gourmet Delights Provides the Perfect Snacks for Market Shoppers

I’ve been munching on Yona’s Gourmet Delights for several years now. It never ceases to delight me to find Yona’s delicious borekas and mini-quiches at a market. You can purchase a bag of three, and they make for the perfect snack. Her tables are always my first stop at the Greenflea, and recently saw Yona herself at the 9th Avenue Food Festival with Oreo Cookie Cake, Strawberry Shortcake, and Carrot Cakes. Gigantic and sweet – just the way I like my cakes!

Here are my Market Picks for this weekend – June 11-12, 2011:

Saturday and Sunday

Renegade Craft Fair: The Renegade is like heaven on earth for hand made craft lovers. From the most whimsical to the finest design, every artisan at this event is seriously dedicated and talented. This is a juried event, and it is highly competitive to get accepted into. So trust me when I tell you to set a budget for the day, even though I know you will exceed it with no regrets.

Crafts at Lincoln Center: This wonderful outdoor American crafts show runs this weekend and next. 400 juried craftspeople from around the country bring their handmade treasures to Lincoln Center. The event features continuous entertainment, craft demonstrations, exotic and natural foods. And if you’re driving into the city, you can get a $2 discount coupon for parking in the nearby indoor garage.

Saturday Only

Artisan Market at Fort Greene Park: This sweet market features local artisans who are there in the shade of the black walnut trees outside Fort Greene Park, bringing their work directly to you. It is in its 7th year, and it continues to provide a venue for some remarkable designers, from ceramics, fine clothing designs and hats to handmade soaps and children’s toys. I’ve seen some remarkable products in this sweet market.

Fort Green Greenmarket: I always tune into the happy vibe at this farmers market. It is a distinct and unique feeling based on the great relationships between the market vendors and the community, who find true value and pleasure underneath the market tents. Neighbors stop by for fresh juice and a muffin after a run in the park, or they’ll bring their kids to pick up produce for the week. So go to the Artisan Market and pick up some delicious fresh treats at the Greenmarket just up the hill.

Sunday Only

Hell’s Kitchen Flea Food Truck Bazaar: Don’t have time to chase your favorite trucks around the city? Then come to this one-stop food truck shop for all your favorite treats! Kimchi Taco Truck, Rickshaw Dumpling Truck, Kelvin Natural Slush Truck, and The Cavity Shoppe, as well as the HKFM debuts of Coolhaus, Red Hook Lobster Pound Truck and Two Pitas in a Pod!

Hester Street Fair’s Sunday Summer Picnic: The Hester Street Fair is devoting Sundays to special food events, and this weekend is the first one! They invited over 20 food purveyors because of their picnicky food. How awesome is that? The idea is to come, grab a bite of something delicious, grab a seat, and chat with your neighbors. You can play ping pong and enjoy live music too. Can’t think of a nicer way to spend a Sunday!

Enjoy the weekend! And don’t forget your sunscreen!

The {NewNew}’s Third Annual Spring Handmade Cavalcade Is Almost Here!

I received this press release from The {NewNew} Etsy Artisans Group, and so I’m spreading the news about their amazing Handmade Cavalcade! Great shopping, great energy, great fun!

WHAT: The Third Annual Spring Handmade Cavalcade
WHO: Over 40 local artists and crafters from Etsy’s The {NewNew} Team
WHEN: Saturday, May 7, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
WHERE: Slate – 54 West 21st Street, New York, NY 10010

New York, N.Y. April 2011 – Lovers of all things local and handmade are in for a treat on Saturday May 7th when the local Etsy Group, The {NewNew}, brings its third annual Spring Handmade Cavalcade to the posh gaming parlor Slate in the Flatiron District. From 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. shoppers will be able to browse handmade clothing, jewelry, accessories, paper goods, bath and body treasures, toys, housewares and more from some of the most innovative and creative local artisans and crafters working today.

“The first 100 shoppers to arrive will receive free goodie bags packed with a unique sampling of wares from the {NewNew},” said Felicity Stiverson, who is running this year’s event. “Slate’s D.J. will add to the party atmosphere, and anyone who makes a purchase from one of the vendors will get a free round of pool courtesy of Slate.” Shoppers will also be able to enjoy food and drink specials throughout the day.

Because the {NewNew} is commited to charity partnerships, representatives from The Creative Center: Arts in Healthcare- a nonprofit organization dedicated to bringing the creative arts to people with cancer, chronic illnesses- will be onhand with information for anyone looking to get involved with the important work they do.

For more information on this event, visit www.handmadecavalcade.com, or follow @Cavalcade_NY on Twitter.

Artisans, Food Trucks and Fleas – Oh My!

The Hell’s Kitchen Flea Market has been doing some exciting things up in Midtown. Known for its classic flea market vendors selling vintage clothing, antique furniture, and other fascinating objects, the flea market is now home to the periodic Food Truck Bazaar. The food is delicious, and who doesn’t love to eat food from a truck? And now you don’t have to track down your favorite trucks all over town. You can go the Bazaar and find many of them in one spot. The food trucks that participated in the most recent event included:

And now the Hell’s Kitchen Flea Market also features fantastic local handmade Etsy artisans! The {NewNew} Artisans Group opened up their tents at the flea market in early April. Frankly, I was a curious as to how well the handmade products would mesh with the vintage and antique products at this well-established market. I’m happy to report that the artisans add a lovely new dimension to the shopping experience. Some fine examples of the variety of handmade products on their debut weekend included:

Saskia Devries, handmade Jewelry
Hanky Blanky, delicate baby blankets, clothing and toys made from vintage handkerchiefs
New York Clocks, featuring clocks made from any variety of nostalgic tins and boxes.
Lovely Day Designs by LuCraft, selling handmade light switch plates, glass paperweights, magnets, and more

So head over to the Hell’s Kitchen Flea Market on West 39 St. between 10th & 11th Avenue Saturdays and Sundays to check out all the amazing treasures there. The next Food Truck Bazaar is scheduled for Sunday, May 8th! Do we really have to wait that long?

Prospect Heights Craft Fair: A Great Collection of Local Artisan for a Good Cause

This year’s third annual Prospect Heights Craft Fair featured an impressive collection of local and regional artisans. Proceeds from this fair go to support the arts at P.S. 9, “so every kid from our neighborhood public elementary school can take art and dance every week and participate in amazing programs like Brooklyn’s own Lava Acrobatic Program, Studio in a School and the Guggenheim Museum Learning Through Art,” according to their website. The arts are a critical part of a child’s education, and with budgets being cut all around, we cannot take art programs in schools for granted. So I was thrilled to support the efforts of the school and the parents to provide these experiences to their children.

Many of the participating vendors were parents of students, including Brooklyn Kernel, making delicious flavored popcorn. Other vendors that caught my eye included:

Twitch and Whiskers – Lovely, whimsical jewelry made from found and recycled objects. She will also be at the Brooklyn Craft Central’s Shop the Arch on May 21!
Bright Lights Little City – Fun and flowery accessories, lamps – and the beautiful bowl of origami stars (pictured)!
Hecho en Brooklyn – Delicate and lovely handmade jewelry. Their swirl earring design is one of my favorites.
DanaMade - Clever and fun jewelry designer making colorful, unique pieces from vintage findings, buttons and much me.
Metropolis Soaps - Fantastic handmade soaps and scents with great pulp fiction branding. I got a refill of Aroma Obscura, and my husband loves her unusual charcoal soap that draws out the toxins.
Empressive Cakes - Wow! Their orange creamsicle cupcake was out of this world. The cake was dense and rich, and the frosting was the perfect texture. Really really delicious.
Hazel Village – These handmade stuffed birdies, racoons, frogs and more are lovely and sweet and have a style all their own. You can even get different outfits for them.
Rain Lily – Proprietor Katy Mahoney is dedicated to supporting artisans around the world via fair trade. She imports beautiful, fine jewelry, scarves, dolls, and more made from wonderful materials. The shwe shwe dolls in the photo below are handmade in South Africa based on children’s drawings.

The Prospect Heights Craft Fair is an annual event, so if you missed it this year, you’ll have to wait until next spring to enjoy it! But don’t worry – I’ll remind you next time!

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.

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

Photo of the Day: March 17, 2010

When I was a kid, paper dolls had paper clothes with paper tabs, and nothing ever stayed put. Well, thanks to Wacky Magnets at the Greenflea, this problem is solved – with handmade magnetic dolls and clothes! They are brilliant! And very easy to store once the paper dolls’ runway shows and tea parties are over. Wacky Magnets also sells funny refrigerator magnets (”Beauty is in the eye of the beerholder” tickles me every time). Look for the bright yellow Wacky Magnets signs at the market.