Laissez Les Bons Temps Rouler!

Or, “Let the good times roll” as they say at the world-famous New Orleans Mardi Gras! The Farmers Market might be 1,900 miles away from Bourbon Street, but for years we’ve hosted the best family-friendly Mardi Gras festivities right here in Los Angeles and we’re ready to party again this month. If you’re reading this in time for Saturday, March 1, you won’t want to miss our adorable annual Mutti Gras Pet Parade and Costume Contest from noon to 1 p.m. on the Plaza. Then, stay for live musical entertainment all afternoon including the Bear Brass Band strolling our grounds from noon to 3 p.m., Torrénce Brannon & His Everything with Soul Band performing 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. on the West Patio, and the Nervis Bros jamming from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. also on the West Patio. We’re once again excited to have our merchant The Gumbo Pot host a beignet pop-up on the Plaza from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. (follow your nose to the delicious scent of warm fried pastries with powdered sugar). To round out the day, we have wagging tails from furry friends as LA Love & Leashes hosts a dog adoption on the Plaza from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m.

The celebration continues on Sunday, March 2 with even more live tunes: the Allumnus Brass Band strolling around the Market from noon to 2:30 p.m., Brass Brothers Show Band performing on the West Patio from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., and Alligator Beach taking over the Patio from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Kids can play with their creativity and decorate crowns (à la King Rex from Mardi Gras) from noon to 3 p.m. on the Plaza. The fun culminates on Tuesday, March 4 with the Nervis Bros performing on our West Patio from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. – just steps away from The Gumbo Pot where classic Cajun dishes such as jambalaya and fried alligator tail will undoubtedly be ordered by many happy diners. Don’t miss the celebration!

We’re All Irish on St. Patty’s Day
Annnnnd there’s more celebrating two weeks later when the Farmers Market whoops up St. Patrick’s Day in our traditional family-friendly style! On Monday, March 17, we keep up a decades-old tradition at which the beloved Magee’s Kitchen serves countless plates of its famous corned beef, cabbage and parsley potatoes using recipes that remain unchanged since the 1940s. Why is corned beef and cabbage so closely associated with Irish culture, you ask? Actually, BACON and cabbage is the original combination historically enjoyed by folks on the Emerald Isle, but Irish-American immigrants in the 1800s found beef more readily available and adapted the dish into what we know today in the United States. If you feel like hosting your own feast, Huntington Meats and Marconda’s Meats offer ready-brined corned beef to take home, and cabbages and potatoes abound at Farm Boy Produce and Farm Fresh Produce. Green beer and Irish brews will also be flowing at Bar 326 and EB’s Beer & Wine, Local Ice brings back limited-time boozy and/or minty ice cream flavors for the holiday, and Glen the Bagpiper strolls the Market playing folk tunes from 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. Come for some shamrocks and shenanigans!

Women’s History Month
Ever since Magee’s Kitchen matriarch Blanche Magee filled a picnic hamper and started feeding the farmers who parked their produce trucks at Third & Fairfax in 1934, women have had major roles in shaping the culture and history of the Farmers Market. During the national observance of Women’s History Month in March, we salute our past and present female merchants who help make the Market the amazing place that it is! A few of our hard-working ladies include Kamila Sudnicka from our new merchant Stara (more details below), April Tayrien who came aboard last summer with Figure 8 Tea Project, and Jasmine Chatallian who co-opened Mediterranean Market last year. Hats off to these and all our wonderful women. Read our Women's History Month blog to learn more! 

New Restaurants to Check Out!
As noted above, family-owned and operated Stara Pierogi and Sausage recently opened at stall #212 near Du-par’s – welcome! They are the Market’s only Polish restaurant and bring some mouthwatering new flavors to the mix. Have you had a pierogi before? It’s a fried dumpling filled with your choice of potato and cheese, sauerkraut and mushrooms, spinach and feta, meat or fruit. The menu also includes kielbasa sausage, potato pancakes, crepes, Oranżada (Polish lemonade) and more.

Meanwhile, at the prominent dining space at the corner of Third & Fairfax, the duo restaurants SORA and SAVTA have officially opened with their full food and bar menus. In the upstairs area, SORA brings an elevated temaki experience, offering open-faced hand rolls made with fresh fish flown in daily from Japan. In the spacious ground level area, SAVTA is a sit-down restaurant blending Californian comfort with French sophistication (think sublime wood-fired pizzas, vegetable-forward dishes and more), including live musical entertainment during Sunday brunch service.

While Ettore Vino e Cucina has been open already for several months, there’s a recently added Happy Hour menu to enjoy, Monday through Friday from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., featuring 50% off glasses of wine and 20% off appetizers. Furthermore, the restaurant is enlivening its Thursday evening dining experience this month with guitarist Luca Pino performing lounge-style music from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on March 6 and 20. Buon appetito!

North is Nifty
Did you know that the Farmers Market includes more than the stalls underneath the green roofs on the Third Street side of the property? On the other side of the Plaza, continuing out past the parking lot are the collection of merchants we refer to as the North Market, and they add plenty of allure to our shopping experience! Korean-style fried chicken is enjoying a major moment in dining culture these days, and BHC Chicken has the goods to satisfy your craving. Next door, Chipotle Mexican Grill serves the custom burritos and bowls many folks know well. For your basic life necessity services, we’ve even got banking with Pacific Premier Bank and telecom with Verizon Wireless. For big brand-name shopping, we are excited to note the upcoming addition of Pottery Barn (in the former Container Store space). So don’t forget to venture a bit “north” when you visit the Market because we’re all part of the same big happy family!