ARTIST SPOTLIGHT: Saskia de Vries Designs

Bracelets Made of Recycled Cassette Tapes from Africa
Photo Credit: Chante Ramsey/VySyn Photography

Recently, I was introduced to the intriguing jewels by Saskia de Vries Designs at the Dekalb Market (my second home).


Saskia says of her inspiration to make such art, "Four years ago, in a street market circling the Jokung Monastery in Lhasa, Tibet, the seeds of Saskia de Vries Designs were sown. In the midst of a year-long journey across Asia, I was inspired by the beauty of the crafts to learn how to make them myself. It began with a Tibetan knot in that small corner stand, which lead to a secret Turquoise market known only to locals. Soon I was trading knots with children on the beaches of Cambodia and buying stones from the traders in Katmandu. In the backstreets of Delhi I bought enough beads to fill a camping backpack." 


The artistry of each piece is quite striking and unique! From the bold colors to the creative origin of their birth, you an see why I couldn't leave her store without purchasing. Be sure to stop by her shop at the Dekalb Market this season as well as other pop up markets across the city!  


-Chante

Scenes @ Dekalb Market - Red Hook Lobster Pound Fiesta

He didn't stand a chance!
Photo Credit: Chante Ramsey/VySyn Photography

Regardless of what mother nature planned for the day, the Dekalb Market hosted their Cinco de Mayo celebration yesterday with an all-women mariachi band, lobster piñata, all day long DJ tunes blasting and the Lobster Fiesta featuring top-line nosh by the Red Hook Lobster Pound.


I stopped by the market for the Lobster Fiesta before frolicking in the city for the rest of the day. However before feasting on the crustacean, I simply had to stop by my favorite tea purveyor, Tea by Tiffany, for something spicy!

Spicy Chai
Photo Credit: Chante Ramsey/VySyn Photography 

The Red Hook Lobster Pound brought the centuries-long lobster boils tradition of Maine to the heart of Brooklyn with a south of the border twist. The crowd feasted in celebration of the return of the outdoor dining season and, most importantly, the 1862 Mexican victory over the French with a plate loaded - picante potato salad, Mexican corn on the cob, jicama coleslaw and a whole steamed Maine lobster! Needless to say it was deliciously sinful!!!! 


What a beautiful day at the Market!


-Chante

Green Soda to go with my lobster courtesy of NextDoorOrganics
Photo Credit: Chante Ramsey/VySyn Photography

The Before Shot...
Photo Credit: Chante Ramsey/VySyn Photography

HOW DID I END UP HERE? ROBICELLI'S/DEKALB MARKET (Brooklyn)

Robicelli's MaryJane cupcake - can't say enough how this peanut butter cupcake is sooo scrumptious!
Photo credit: Chante Ramsey/VySyn Photography

After an amazing R&R day in the city yesterday, I celebrated with a decadent sweet from Robicelli's at the Dekalb Market. A perfect way to end a gorgeous day!


Equipped with a fully charged battery for my cam and a spare battery for my iPhone, I started my journey to the not-so-quite unknown. I checked my RSS feed and remembered that the biopic film "Marley" was opening today and to my dismay only two theaters in our great city was showing this film - so tragic!  I headed over to the Landmark Sunshine Cinema in the East Village - this is a gem of an indie theater that I highly recommend that people will frequent more often to help bring more quality films to this area. *Okay hopping off my soapbox now* 

Photo credit: Chante Ramsey/VySyn Photography

I was extremely pleased that one, the cinema decided to hold his showing in one of their bigger theater rooms, and second that there were so many people coming out to see the noon show. The audience grew incredibly fast after the previews were shown then the room went black and all of us heard his boisterous voice and the thunderous roar from a live performance from circa 1980-something (the footage predated the birth of some of the members of the audience - how dope is that?!). This is a must see film telling the hiSTORY of the most infamous Bob Marley. Incredible! It made me remember why he was so loved and still is 'til this day. 


After the film, I headed to Chinatown for a late lunch. Prior to seeing the film, I went random and hopped off the train at Delancey Street. With some time to spare before the show, I along with my darling Nikky (Nikon D5100 - powerful machinery! lol) ran amuck throughout Chinatown, the Lower East Side then finally to the East Village taking incredible shots of the city that I love. 

All that walking worked up a serious thirst - papaya/mango smoothie it is!
Photo credit: Chante Ramsey/VySyn Photography

This is the most coolest firehouse door that I've seen in the five boroughs!
Photo credit: Chante Ramsey/VySyn Photography

Saw this in the East Village - need to find out who the artist is! #lovethis
Photo credit: Chante Ramsey/VySyn Photography

I was craving Vietnamese food especially since I've never tried it before. And Yelp! told me that Pho Grand was a great place to go to for something unforgettable so there I went. Let me tell you...I could've devoured the entire 10-page menu but I held back.  I ended up having the Cha Gio Chay (Vietnamese spring roll) and the Bo Luc Lac (marinated beef cubes with white rice over lettuce and tomato). Delicious is not the word to describe this experience. The beef was seasoned perfectly along with the sauteed onions. After a quick belly rub, I continued my stroll to walk off the food and search for dessert - there was room (I think). 


I continued my walk-it-off exercise and saw the Manhattan bridge in the distance. In an effort to get the perfect shot of the bridge, I kept walking closer and closer until I was on the promenade in DUMBO.

Photo credit: Chante Ramsey/VySyn Photography

All that walking, eating, photoging and film watching, made me pause to enjoy this serene moment as the breeze picked up and died down. The view was breathtaking. After a moment or two, I glanced over to my right and saw Pier 17 (South Street Seaport). And here I go with walking and people watching again straight into the building caverns of the financial district.


I then hopped onto the 2 train since it was "on time" and hopped off to head to the Dekalb Market for a dose of Tea By Tiffany's special iced brew and finally a cupcake from Robicelli's. *Hopping on the soapbox once more* Please add a visit to the Dekalb Market to your list of things to do this summer. With new vendors and the best of the vendors from last summer, you will shop 'til you drop, eat 'til you overstuff and dance it all off with special music events - be sure to stop by Tiffany's tea shop at the new location and tell her the Synch Ladies sent ya!

Photo credit: Chante Ramsey/VySyn Photography

-Chante

Brooklyn Tastes Damn Good

It's all about Brooklyn this week! 

Last night I attended the epic foodie event paying homage to my home-borough, the 2nd Annual Tasting Brooklyn, at the DUMBO Loft. And this weekend is the the homecoming of cream-of-crop vendors and introducing the masses to new vendors to love with the reopening of the Dekalb Market since closing last summer.


Kicking off my Brooklyn overdose in full gear was the Tasting Brooklyn event hosted by Brooklyn Exposed featuring a plethora of food and drink vendors serving up some seriously extravagant plates. Every attendee was in awe just like I was. We needed an extra pair of hands to manage it all. It was insanely delicious!!! Special nom noms go to the event sponsors (Fairway, DNAinfo.com, Yelp), Fornino Park Slope, Benchmark Restaurant, Wild Rise, Tchoup Soup, SoCo Restaurant, Sweet Loren's, The Chocolate Room, The Meatball Shop and the Sunburnt Calf.  


Sidenote: Sorry I didn't get to all of the vendors - I will have to stalk these restaurants instead! haha 

Unfortunately my hands were way too full to take any pics of what I devoured last night luckily photog, Danny Tsang, captured quite a bit - check his photos at http://newyork.seriouseats.com/2012/04/the-second-annual-tasting-brooklyn-event-roundup.html

This Saturday my favorite market, the Dekalb Market, opens up signaling the official beginning of spring! I've shopped til I dropped here several times last summer and for the holidays.  And connected with new and old vendors that I've come to love. Join me in some more shopping and noshing in Brooklyn!!!

-Chante

Fleas for the Holidays..Shopping!

Photo Credit: Chante Ramsey/VySyn Photography

Flea markets for me are the best ways to get exposed to local small businesses as well as uncover some cool finds as gifts for others (or yourself). I blogged this past summer about the Dekalb Market and checked it out today for some much needed holiday shopping (and noshing, of course). And what I loooove about NYC is that the Dekalb Market is one of many flea markets within the city limits allowing all entrepreneurs from the seasonal to store-front-less business owner to expand their followers and appease their fans at different locations throughout the city. 



Here are a few tips from an experienced flea market shopper: 

• Join the flea market's mailing list to stay on top of the schedule b/c not all flea markets run year round and seven days a week (they need a vacation too...lol)
• Bring plenty of change - not all vendors at the markets will have credit card machines and some cringe when you give them twenties. I'm often inundated with a multitude of thank you's from the vendors that I shop from when I give them exact change and throw in a few singles - that's my good deed for the year..ha!
• Bring a big empty cloth bag with you to put all of your purchases in. If you don't, you risk holding a half a dozen bags of varying sizes plus its good for the environment to consolidate and conserve waste (this is my other good deed).
• (lastly) Shop-Til-U-Drop 

And....

Start off your shopping with a cup of JOE!
Photo Credit: Chante Ramsey/VySyn Photography

NYC's most popular flea markets - the short list!! 


Dekalb Market (Park Slope, Brooklyn)
Brooklyn Flea (Fort Greene, Brooklyn)
Bryant Park - Holiday Shops (Midtown, Manhattan)
HK Flea (Hell's Kitchen, Manhattan)
GreenFlea (Upper West Side, Manhattan)
The Market NYC (Chelsea, Manhattan)




S/O to Tiffany for the banging special tea blend - chocolate, rooibos and mint - at the Dekalb Market!! And great seeing you, Charles, friend of SR!!


-Chante

Shopping Til You Drop @ DEKALB MARKET (Bklyn)

Photo Credit: Chante Ramsey/VySyn Photography

Last week the Dekalb Market opened its "doors" in Brooklyn (located where Albee Square Mall used to be). This cool shopping and eatery mecca is what downtown Brooklyn needs! Its unique in scale where each vendor has its own crate unit that they've revamped and decorated with their special touches creating a cosy mini store. As a shopper, you can find any and everything from hang bags, jewels, tees and fashionista couture. As a foodie, you can nosh on donuts, organic teas, salads, chicken/beef sandwiches and cupcakes. And as a music buff, the vinyl is spun all day long by the DJ at the BBox Radio Station (on the market's kick off day DJ Spinna and Ali Shaheed Muhammad have spun a set here) as you lounge in the tent's shade and cool breeze. Lastly you can find the miscellaneous/strange/oddities including artwork featuring little cartoon creatures to add to your wall's diverse motif by Kudulah.

SR's Chante sipped on Moroccan mint iced tea courtesy of Tea by Tiffany which was DELISH, picked up a Brooklyn tote designed by Brooklyn Rock and got a cute skirt/dress at Harriets by Hekima.

Needless to say the Synch Ladies will make another return to do more shopping since there are more vendors to come!



Tiffany serving up her yummy teas with a smile :)
Photo Credit: Chante Ramsey/VySyn Photography



Dumeha Vernice T. @ Harriets by Hekima
Photo Credit: Chante Ramsey/VySyn Photography