Smorgasburg Shenanigans

Nothing says summer like outdoor markets and local produce. If there's anything I miss the most about GA, it's the plethora of farmers markets you can find almost anywhere. Baskets brimming with fresh peaches and corn, rows of tomatoes and squash, piles of watermelon...it just screams summer and I love it. Here in NY, we definitely have our share of terrific markets with staples like Chelsea and Union Square Market or the rise of specialty shops like Eataly, but nothing beats the down home feel of a little makeshift farmers market stand.

As Brooklyn continues to skyrocket in popularity, it gets me excited when an idea such as Smorgasburg is born. Playing off the Brooklyn Flea Market on Sundays, Smorgasburg is an outdoor "market" in Williamsburg on Saturdays showcasing local purveyors of just about everything. I'd read all about it and was anxious for it to open in May so I was psyched to finally check it out. My sweet friend, Rachel, lives in Greenpoint so we decided to meet there and get a group to check it out a couple of weeks ago. What a great day we had!

The concept is a bit different than I'd originally thought in that it's more like a "taste of Brooklyn" kinda thing than it is a farmers market. We used to have those little fairs with "tastes" of different cities back home every year and I always loved it. What's cool is that so many of these folks have come up with the most simple idea yet they've made it remarkable. For example, one guy was selling his homemade ginger ale and tonic water. When do you ever think I HAVE to have a ginger ale? Probably never, right? Well, you would after tasting his incredible stuff. On a different front, this gal had homemade jams that were a mix of interesting and traditional combos like spiced beer or strawberry balsamic. We spent the entire day out there tasting things and meeting people. You don't find me much more in my element than that. It was super hot so before leaving, we all had to try People's Pops. They do fresh, local fruit pops and shaved ice which was exactly what we needed in the heat. What's so cool is that they literally shave the ice by hand. Check this dude out:

I had the strawberry rhubarb which was excellent. The guys were pretty darn cute too which never hurts a small business' cause. ;) It's also quite neat to see the city from a different perspective:

After being out in the sun all day, we were ready to sit and have a beer so we walked over to Spritzenhaus. I freaking love it. It might be one of my new favorite spots. It really was a fun, relaxing day with awesome friends.