48 The Queens Courier • september 12, 2013 for breaking news visit www.queenscourier.com LICFLEA&FOOD Almost a ‘Flea’ sweep at the Vendy Awards JAM JAR BAKERY www.JamJarNY.com Abby Lavin and Alex Lee will be bringing their combined eight years of culinary experience to the LIC Flea & Food Market this year with Jam Jar Bakery. Jam Jar was founded seven months ago by the duo, and the LIC Flea is their first ever market. Described by Lavin as “not your mama’s pie,” Jam Jar specializes in single serving pie in a jar, and their best seller so far has been their Hot Fudge Toffee Crunch, along with their newest flavor, Black and White Java. Jam Jar Bakery ships nationwide through their website, and can also provide customized labels, stands and signs fashioned for events. ABSTRACT BEAUTIES www.etsy.com /shop/abstractbeauties / @rachelolivianyc Rachel Carbonell has been creating art all of her life, and began selling that art a year ago. Through Abstract Beauties, she will be selling some of her artwork at the LIC Flea & Food Market, including her collages, oil paintings, very popular greeting cards, and more. As the name implies, Carbonell creates mostly abstract artwork, and incorporates New York elements into them. “All of my work is pretty whimsical,” she said. “For that reason, children are especially drawn to it. I like to use really bright colors.” Abstract Beauties will be at the LIC Flea every Saturday in September. LA POUBELLE VINTAGE www.LaPoubelleVintage.com La Poubelle Vintage will be bringing its vintage men’s and women’s accessories to the LIC Flea and & Food market this year. According to its owner and founder, Laura Lanz-Frolio, La Poubelle Vintage carries mostly items from the 1950s through the 70s, and they also feature Victorian items as well. Lanz-Frolio has been collecting vintage items as a hobby her entire life, began selling vintage items in 2009, and launched her mobile store in July. La Poubelle offers accessories such as cufflinks, tie bars, jewelry, sunglasses, Bohemian dresses, and much more, and will be at the LIC Flea every Saturday in September and October. POP IT BABY www.PopItBaby.com / @PopItBaby Jackie Walsh and Christophere Twele had both worked in advertising and marketing for their entire careers, and knew they could come up with a cool idea and do something on their own. Soon thereafter, they launched Pop It Baby on the first day of summer, a local food truck that sells specially-flavored popsicles. Instead of the traditional flavors found everywhere else, Pop It Baby offers unique flavors such as hibiscus lime, mojito, sangria, iced coffee, and their best-selling watermelon-mint. And though they will be at the LIC Flea every Saturday until the market ends, towards the end of October they will be switching from popsicles to popcorn, so the time to get your Pop It Baby popsicles is now! LITTLE WRINKLES www.littlewrinkles.com When Stephanie Venetsky and Jose Alba founded Little Wrinkles about a year ago, they were determined to provide their customers with the freshest dried fruit they could possibly offer. To that end, they have been working with local farmers to bring New Yorkers the best raisins, apricots, peaches, blueberries, and more, and will be sharing them with LIC Flea-goers this year. Little Wrinkles will be at the LIC Flea & Food Market every Sunday until the market ends, with the occasional Saturday. All of their fruits are hand-selected every week, and they also provide delivery through their website. Best Dessert went to Elmhurst-based Itizy Ice Cream Truck and their delicious homemade concoctions in refreshingly creative, yet simple flavors. At the 9th Annual NYC Vendy Awards, Luke’s Lobster’s classic Maine-style lobster rolls and lobster-and-cheese sandwiches won the People’s Taste Award. Best Market Vendor went to Khao Man Gai NY Pop It Baby was also at the event. for their exhaustively researched and carefully prepared authentic Thai chicken-and-rice dish. BY HEATHER CHIN Thousands ate their way through Industry City on Saturday, September 7 for the 9th Annual NYC Vendy Awards—the Oscars of the food vendor world—which was held this year in Brooklyn for the very first time. The big winner of the day was Brooklyn/Red Hook’s El Olomega and owners Janet and Marcos Lainez, whose traditional, homemade pupusas took home the Vendy Cup—keeping it in the Red Hook Food Vendor family after Piaztlan Authentic Mexican Food won it last year. Luke’s Lobster’s classic Maine-style lobster rolls and lobster-and-cheese sandwiches won over the crowd, garnering them the People’s Taste Award. Best Dessert went to Elmhurstbased Itizy Ice Cream Truck and their delicious homemade concoctions in refreshingly creative, yet simple flavors such as Blueberry Mojito, Mint Stracciatella and Coffee Brownie—all of which goes to promote founders Kenneth Chen and Ann Yu’s social mission of feeding those in need through supporting Scoop For Meals. Best Market Vendor went to Queens-based Khao Man Gai NY for their exhaustively researched and carefully prepared authentic Thai chicken-and-rice dish that owners Eric and Emorn Henshaw said is their way of sharing their favorite dish with New Yorkers. Best of New Jersey went to local/ organic-focused Home By The Range, which also won the Messy But Tasty Award. Rookie of the Year went to Midtown-based Nuchas, whose Argentinian-style savory and sweet empanadas and homemade sauces impressed eaters and judges alike. Judges included Clarkson Potter editor-at-large Francis Lam, Brooklyn Brewery brewmaster Garrett Oliver, Food Network Star (Season 8) Justin Warner, meat guru Pat LaFrieda and Every Day with Rachael Ray editor-in-chief Lauren Purcell. If you haven’t already hit up the kitchens of these Vendy Award winners, don’t worry: several winners— as well as many of the finalists— can be found on weekends through October at the LIC Flea & Food. Luke’s Lobster, Itizy Ice Cream and Khao Man Gai are all popular vendors, as are other Queens stalwarts Cholita Cuencana, Pop It Baby and King Souvlaki. “LIC Flea has been an amazing experience and we are lucky enough to be a part of it,” enthused Khao Man Gai’s Eric Henshaw. PopItBaby’s Jackie Walsh agreed, noting that the market has enabled her to “get our brand out to sweet people every weekend.”
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