Rock, Whiskey, and Organic Produce?

Yep… that’s right. A farmer’s market of our very own, right on the Sunset Strip.

It has been a whirlwind and I haven’t posted in awhile. I’m so sorry! We went to Thailand (more on that later!) and I’ve been crazy busy with Vanity Girl Hollywood and launching an event called Making Strides Against Breast Cancer West Hollywood. As part of the community outreach on that, we had the pleasure of setting up an info booth at the Sunset Strip Farmers’ Market—and what a gem that is! A farmers’ market right on the Sunset Strip? Yes, yes, oh yes!

It launched on June 14 and takes place every Thursday night from 5 to 9 pm. It is a certified farmers’ market and I love that it takes place at night, and not on the weekend. It just really speaks to our community. We like to sleep in, and don’t necessarily want to spend our weekend shopping for market-fresh veggies, although we really, really do appreciate high-quality produce. Well, this market offers locally-grown produce, artisan food, and a beer garden. And live music. I’m in.

It’s located smack-dab in the “heart” of The Strip at 8755 Sunset Blvd. It features live acoustic entertainment, pop-up art events, bocce, and a “pairing pavilion” that allows patrons to pair their market choices with local wine and beer selections. It feels like a club in the beer garden, complete with an ID check and wristbands.

I loved the “veggie valet” which allows you to check in your produce bags while you explore the Strip’s many nearby hotspots. After all, do you really want to lug market-fresh peaches and asparagus into The Eveleigh while you eat dinner?

But speaking of dinner, what not eat right there? My friends and I were hungry, so we opted for a ham and cheese crepe (Yes, crepes like the kind you get on the street corners in Paris), empanadas (I love the mushrooms ones, the beef ones not so much), organic zucchini “spaghetti” with a tangy basic avocado sauce (so yummy) and a fresh baguette shmeared with jalapeno habanero goat cheese. I told you we were hungry.

While I was walking around with Chris (one of the organizers of The Market and the reason that MSABC WeHo was there), we ran into reality star Bobby Trendy who was so excited by an amazing artisan skincare booth called “Refyll” that I made a mental note to get myself over there and check it out. I loved the concept. Gorgeous, aromatic body lotions pumped into bell jars and other cool, recyclable containers. And they are local!

Okay, I can guess what you are saying. “That’s awesome Maxine, but I’m not paying $20 to buy produce and deal with traffic.” Well guess what, they’ve negotiated great rates and below, please find a listing of $5 and under options:

Validated $5 self-parking lots
9000 Sunset Blvd. (Sunset and Hammond Street)
8570 Sunset Blvd. (Sunset and Alta Loma)
9040 Sunset Blvd. (Sunset and Doheny)
9026 Sunset Blvd. (Sunset and Wetherly Drive)

Validated $5 valet parking at nearby businesses
BLT Steak (8720 Sunset Blvd.)
Mirabelle Restaurant (8768 Sunset Blvd.)

Additionally, City of West Hollywood public parking lots are within walking distance of the Market and are available for $1 per hour (9056 Sunset Blvd. at Doheny) and $2 per hour (8459 Sunset Blvd. at Queens Road).

I opted for a $6 solution at the Eveleigh because the crosswalk was right there. I found that super-convenient and I wanted the option of popping over to the Eveleigh for a nightcap.

For more information about the Sunset Strip Market, please visit their website, Facebook, or Twitter.