SOWA Open Market and Awards

Check out the goodies I got at SOWA from The Fashion Truck

This weekend, I headed over to SOWA Open Market in South Boston.  If you live anywhere near Boston I suggest you guys go.  It only happens on Sunday so plan accordingly.  I've been hearing about SOWA on twitter, and I swear to you guys...I fell in love with the place.  The place is so lively!  In the sunny months, they have vendors with lots of unique items and food trucks set up outside.

Here's how their website describes the event:
"At the SoWa Open Market you’ll find original art of all mediums, gourmet food trucks, indie designer clothing and accessories, ceramics, glass, photography, jewelry, handbags, house wares, baked goods, local farmer’s produce and much more every week!"

As I was walking in the first thing I saw was The Fashion Truck.  How perfect!  They have cute clothes and accessories...on wheels.  I think it would be perfect for a girls night in!  If you guys don't live in the Boston area, click here to shop online.

The SOWA Vintage Market is a part of the SOWA Open Market, although the Vintage Market is open year round since it is housed indoors.  They have everything from vintage furniture, vintage Louis Vuitton, artwork, and my husband and I even found an old WWII knife.  I could have spent hours vintage shopping, but my son was not into being inside at all.

I was arguably most excited about the food trucks.  I'm not talking about your run-of-the-mill taco truck.  I am talking gourmet.  I am talking fresh.  I am talking creative.  I am talking de-freakin-licious.  I have been meaning to try Roxy's Grilled Cheese ever since I saw them on Food Network's "Great Food Truck Race".  Everything they made looked tasty on TV, and I'm telling you they did not disappoint me one bit.  I think it was the best damn grilled cheese I've ever had.

Those may look like regular french fries to you, but they are no plain jane fry.  Trust..they are more than that.  The french fries were hand cut, rosemary truffle fries.  I die.  My husband bought the C.L.B.T. made of provolone, arugula, chicken confit, tomato, house made ranch, and bacon.  Seriously.  Are you drooling yet?  My coconut and I both bought the Green Muenster which obviously had Muenster, applewood smoked bacon, and homemade guacamole.  I need to make a homemade version...STAT!  The lemonade of the day was blueberry mint, and I regret not getting it.  Everyone that bought it looked so happy and refreshed!

I took this picture from the SOWA Open Market website.  There were tons of people there!

My hubby and I were able to take a quick picture together.  I'm always so busy talking pictures of my son (and food) that I need to take more picture of my hubs and I.  We used to have photo sessions together all the time, and now one of us is always the cameraman.  Thank you iPhone for saving the day.

It's never a complete day without taking silly pictures with my coconut!  By the way, I realize I look 12 in this picture.  Everyone thinks I'm 18 when they meet me.  I'll take it because guess what?  I have youthful genes in my family.  Emily from The Bachelorette and I are the same age, yet I look way younger.  I wish I looked my age, but I know I will appreciate it in ten years.

Award:

I am so happy and thankful to be apart of the blogging community.  Everyone is so supportive of each other!  I want to give a shout out and "thank you" to Emma from Food, Fork & Good for nominating me for the "One Lovely Blog Award".  I would love if everyone checked out her blog.  It's perfect for any food lover!

The rules of this are as follows:

1. Link back to whomever nominated you.

2. Write 11 random facts about yourself.

3. Nominate 11 bloggers

11 Random Facts:

1. My elbows are double jointed.  I freak people out all the time pretending I broke my arm.  I'm a sick sick person sometimes.
2. I like to collect elephants.  My Grammy has an elephant collection I am so envious of.  I can only have elephants with the trunks up because I'm superstitious, and turned up trunks are good luck.
3. I read cookbooks like novels. 
4. I probably enjoy watching Disney movies and cartoons more than my son.  Just to give you an idea he could watch Cars and Beauty and the Beast on repeat all day long.  Game on.
5. I am a mutt.  I don't think a day goes by without someone asking me "What are you?"  "Where are you from?"  "Habla espanol?" Whenever I tell people my nationality I usually hear a "huh", "weird", "that's lovely", or ""I can kind of see it", or "you don't look like any of those races."  
6. I wish it was still the 90s.  Am I the only one who feels like 1999 was only 5 years ago?  I miss the music, the awesome kids shows, and cheesy teen movies.  10 Things I Hate About You just arrived from Netflix, and I'm not ashamed.
7. I have the most random taste of music.  I will listen anything from Frank Sinatra to Nirvana to Brand New to Tupac to Damian Marley to Tiesto to B.B. King.  My iPod and Pandora stations have major A.D.D. issues.
8. I used to speak Japanese, but pretty much forgot everything since I haven't spoken it over 10 years.  One of my biggest regrets ever.
9. I played the lead as Mozart in an elementary school play.  Yes, I realize we had different parts, but I was obsessed with Mozart as a kid.  I know I was a weird kid.
10. When I was young, I used to write book reports about different countries or create menus for my future restaurants with prices..in the summer...just for fun.  I was a freak.
11. The only time I was ever upset at an animal was when my dogs decided to eat my Louis Vuitton.

Nominations:

• Abpetite
• A Kitchen Addiction
• Bargain Bites
• Carolina Girl Cooks
• Feeding My Temple
• Gal Meets Glam
• Great Fun 4 Kids
• Macarons and McQueen
• Laurie's Cravings
• Love The Grows
• Skinny and Delicious

I was also lucky enough to be awarded the "Illuminating Blogger Award" from the lovely Lauren of Girls Gone Food.  You guys have to check her out!  Her blog is beautiful, and she has some really fun recipes.  The award is given to a blog based on its illuminating, informative blog content.

Part of the award is saying something random about yourself.  I already told you 11 random things, but I guess you're going to learn 12.  I have huge crushes on the leading men of classic Hollywood.  I am talking Paul Newman, Robert Redford, Cary Grant, Humphrey Bogart, James Dean, and Frank Sinatra.  They were all so dapper and handsome.  Swoon.

Here are my nominations for the Illuminating Blogger Award:

• The Healthy Wife
• We and Serendipity
• The Martha From Malta Diary
• The Journey
• Ellen B Cookery
• Shannon Hearts
• Go Bake Yourself