eat. shop. drink. play.

"eat. shop. drink. play", that's the motto of the new Dekalb Market, located in downtown Brooklyn.  From their website, "Dekalb Market is a new community destination in Downtown Brooklyn. ... housed in a collection of salvaged shipping containers, that bring together Brooklyn’s creative entrepreneurs in a community setting that include an incubator farm, events and performance venue, and a collection of eateries and work-sell spaces." 

This past weekend was the opening weekend and it did not disappoint!  Because it was the opening weekend, there were lots of press there, like Fox News. 

I was immediately impressed with the entire outdoor space.  It is beautifully designed complete with picnic tables to sit, eat and relax! Even though there were lots of people there, it didn't seem overly crowded. There were plenty of seating and places to mingle.

 

I absolutely love that they are using recycled shipping containers as store fronts.  What an absolutely novel idea! I really quite loved that they cut out and put in windows into the shipping containers. I was actually thinking that these would make awesome garden sheds or greenhouses! Don't you think?  How amazing would that be? I so want one too!

One of the main focuses of this market are the food vendors.  This one in particular sources all their ingredients using local organic resources.

The fact that they source their ingredients from local farms is amazing and totally worth supporting! And don't they just look so happy to be preparing our local grown and made food?

Speaking of locally grown, the Dekalb Market features an experimental "farm" where they have raised beds and a greenhouse growing edibles.

Isn't this just awesome?  A great way to show Brooklynites how to grow locally and organically. How wonderful would it be if we made every empty lot in the city into a bustling growing edible garden!  What a wonderful way to get access to locally grown and teach city kids where food comes from!

 

I love the greenhouse! It's currently empty, but by summer's end, I'm sure it's going to be growing lots in there.

During this opening weekend, they also brought in some farm animals.  I must say it's a bit bizarre to see this in the middle of downtown Brooklyn. However, so many city kids and ADULTS have never seen farm animals this close and personal before. So I think it's cool to bring that experience to us city folk. 

The goal of the Dekalb Market is " To provide an economic opportunity for (and connect the community with) independent entrepreneurs and creative people in four broad categories: Makers, Artists, Farmers, Chefs."  I absolutely loved how they setup the shops.  What an amazing opportunity for local artisans and crafts people to show off their talents!

 

In a city where real estate is at a premium, these shops gives local artisans an economical way to set up shop.  It's such a cool idea.

And doesn't it just look cool?  I love that they are totally thinking outside of the box.  Literally.

There is also an Etsy Marketplace, which features a rotating list of Etsy artisans.  Every 3 months they will feature local Etsy craftspeople. 

 

The work at the Etsy store was amazing and so creative!  I loved Jason's lamps made out of recycled plumbing and antique mason jars! I took his business card and will definitely go back to buy a lamp.  I just loved how rustic and industrial it looked, and the fact that he's using reclaimed and re-used materials is just awesome.  Check out his website. http://merrimackandmonitor.com/

He also does lighting fixtures.  One of his pieces was installed into the ceiling to light the Etsy shipping container store.

 

In the same space was another vendor who was selling Tillandsia air plants in these beautiful glass terrariums.  I loved how she hung these on an old window frame.

Here's another one with the same look except it's just the Tillandsia suspended from the window frame.

There were also lots of activities to encourage and inspire creativity.  Here is a printmaking station to teach kids about the print process.  Maybe when these kids grow up they will become Etsy artists and sell here too!

If you are visiting New York this year, definitely check out Dekalb Market, it will be open all year long.

I promise you, you'll like it! And will be totally inspired!

The Beauty of Downtown Manhattan

The beauty of Manhattan is never lost on me.  It's hard for me to ever see myself living in another city.  I've been working in downtown Manhattan, near Wall Street with a new web client for the last 3 weeks and I have really enjoyed exploring this part of the city.  Even though I've lived in the immediate NYC area since 1997, there are just some neighborhoods that I don't visit as often as I should or would like.  Today, the guys at work wanted to hit up Shake Shack for lunch.  It's a bit of a trek from our office, but "it's worth it" they said.  Here's the promenade we walked passed on our way to the burger joint.  This is on the West Side of downtown NYC.  The skyline in the background is Jersey City, NJ.

As if the beauty of the skyline wasn't pretty enough, check out the plantings!

How about a better view?  This seriously stopped me in mid-step!  How incredible is this tulip display?  Thousands upon thousands of tulips!  And I thought yesterday's post was outstanding, this one is stunning!  This photo really doesn't even do it justice.  I had that song, "Tiptoe Through the Tulips" singing in my head as I walked passed this gorgeous display.  Now I understand what that song really means!

It was a 30 minute walk to Shake Shack from our office.  I recently made a lifestyle change to become a pescetarian / vegetarian as part of my commitment to Going Greener in 2012.  There is only one vegetarian option on Shake Shack's menu.  It's what they call a mushroom burger, a portabello mushroom stuffed with cheese.  Since I didn't eat a "real" burger, I allowed myself to eat it  with a side of fries and a cremesicle shake! hahahahaa!  Delicious! 

A Circle of Tulips

I've been doing a freelance web design position in Battery Park and in the Bowling Green park there is this gorgeous display of tulips planted in a round circle around the fountain.  There's got to be thousands of tulips blooming and it is gorgeous.  I absolutely love that they are all red, it brings a flush of color into this grey space.

The building behind the tulips is the National Museum of the American Indian.  I've never been to this museum but I should check it out one day since the office is within walking distance to it.  It has free admission. Maybe I should run in there during my lunch break one day.

I wonder what is planted in this space when the tulips stop blooming.  We'll have to wait and see next month!

If I Win This....

Just about everyone I know is talking about the Mega Millions record high jackpot. Over a half a billion dollars.... Can you imagine winning this much money?  All I keep thinking about is how I would spend it on my dream garden!!

If I win, I am so buying this house. At $5 million dollars, seems like a steal when you have half a billion burning a hole in your wallet! I originally read about this Chelsea apartment on Brooklyn Roof Garden.  Isn't this the most gorgeous roof top garden you have ever seen?  It's almost hard to believe that this is in Manhattan!

While I'm at it, I also want this Victorian Greenhouse!  A girl can dream right?  These gorgeous greenhouses are made by a UK based company called Hartley Botanic.  Except mine would be quadruple the size.  LOL.  It's fun to think about spending a jackpot on all the gardening things I've always wanted!