Friday, May 6, 2011

blog tour: Markets of New England- author's sharing and giveaway!

Cover
Good morning! I am so happy to be stop #4 on the blog tour of  Markets of New England. Author, Christine Chitnis, and I first met (virtually) at the beginning of my blogging days, and then became real life friends when we met at Squam Art Workshops in 2009. I know just how lovely and talented she is, so I'm not one bit surprised that her first book is phenomenal. Christine has combined her amazing writing skills (as a freelance journalist), her gift for capturing fresh beautiful images, and the ability to ask good questions to create the definitive guide to summer (and fall) in New England. She explored 50 vibrant farmers' and artisan markets to discover the delicacies and specialties of 6 different states: Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut. This would be the perfect handbook to pack on any summer road trip on the east coast. Considering that we have family and friends all over the northeast, I'm so excited to put it to good use and had so much fun seeing familiar places peeking out from many of the pages. You can click on any picture to see where it's from.
Portland Farmers' Market


Favorite-Carrots
Favorite- The Painted Tulip flowers
Favorite- Lucinda Rooney
Favorite- Natalie Blake Studios
Favorite- Lulu FichterCommon Grounds
Favorite- spinners
Can you imagine the traveling, eating, and research that would go into writing such a guide? It sounds heavenly... I remember talking to Christine last June while she was in the midst of it all, and I thought you might enjoy a little background on the makings of Markets of New England. Take it away Christine!

The very same week I found out I was pregnant, I signed my first book contract.  I was to write a travel guide that explored the very best markets- both farmers' and artisan markets- in all of New England.  A daunting task under normal circumstances, and even more so with my quickly expanding waistline!  Add to the equation a faulty car air conditioner, and you have a summer-long road trip worth remembering!

I would often arrive at the markets, frazzled and sweating, only to feel instantly refreshed by the boisterous atmosphere that always seems to occur when artisans of any kind gather.  It was such a privledge to meet the many talented New Englanders who make their living creating, crafting, and tending the land.  During my travels, I came to have a much greater admiration for this region of the country that I call home.  Not only is the scenery strikingly beautiful- from the White Mountains of New Hampshire, to the rocky coastline of Maine- but its craftsmen (and women) are some of the most inventive, and resourceful, I have come across in all of my travels.

I truly believe this book couldn't have come at a better time.  There is a growing appreciation for buying local, but now, more than ever, we need to support our artisans.  They make our communities interesting, thriving, unique places to live and shop...they provide us with farm fresh nourishment...and perhaps most importantly, they remind us to slow down, and savor the simpler things in life.  I hope this book serves as a reminder of that, as well. 

Here's to a summer of juicy peaches, bustling art fairs, country road meanders, naps in shady hammocks and priceless moments spent with family and friends (including my baby boy, who I welcomed into the world a mere week after turning in my manuscript!).

Thanks so much, Christine... summer feels that much closer now! And guess what? She has a copy for one of you!  Do you have a favorite craft fair or farmer's market nearby? Please leave a comment in this post before 5pm on Sunday. I'll announce the random winner on Monday morning. Good luck!
And if you'd like to follow along on the blog tour here are all of the stops:
May 3: Apartment Therapy
May 5: WhipUp
May 6: Maya*Made
May 10: UPPERCASE
May 11: Matthew Mead
May 12: Restyled Home

p.s. Did I mention how much I love that it fits in the palm of my hand... a just-right size for travel!
markets of new england blog tour 1
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37 comments:

  1. I love going to the Farmer's Market at Blackstone Blvd. in Providence! The Winter Farmer's Market in Walpole, MA is low key and fun, too :)

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  2. The Ithaca Farmer's Market. It's not New England, but it's the Finger Lakes at their best!

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  3. oh how i miss new england! we hope to be back next summer. what a great book!

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  4. I would LOVE a copy of this! We just bought our first (and last) house and we're going for a very locally sourced look throughout; with food, art, etc. I would love to have this guide so i can search and find local artisans! (We live in MA)

    Thanks for the great blog.

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  5. this looks like such a wonderful book! as a new englander i would be interested to see which of the wonderful markets are in the book! good luck to everyone!!!
    xo

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  6. I live a LOOOONNNG way from new england! Birmingham, Alabama is my home and we have an awesome little market called pepper place but it is a bit expensive. Still i love the sites and smells... a precious part of summer.

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  7. We have a wonderful craft market called Start on the Street right here in my city! I love it!!! It's coming up soon, too!!!! What a wonderful little guide! And being that I live here, it would be SUPER USEFUL!

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  8. what a lovely book! i really enjoy the ashlawn farmer's market in lyme, ct.

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  9. Just went to our first Tuesday Farmers Market in Northampton this week - yeah for farmers markets!

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  10. Though I live much too far from it now, the Portland Farmer's Market in Portland, ME is fantastic!

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  11. My favorite urban market is the Copley Plaza market in Boston. Summer can't come soon enough!

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  12. beautiful photos.. I love farmer's markets

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  13. We like the Coastal Growers Farmers' Market at Casey Farm in Saunderstown, RI. (I wonder if it's in the book?) Their wintertime version (inside a repurposed mill building) is also nice. The problem with the summer one, though, is that we can't go and then come right home without sitting in LOADS of beach traffic, since we live south of Casey Farm. So we usually hop over the Jamestown Bridge and spend the rest of the day at Beavertail, but then we can't buy meat or eggs at the farmers' market. Oh, the trials of living in one of the BEST places to spend summer!!

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  14. Those pictures are sooo beautiful! I go to the Walla Walla, WA Farmer's Market- opening day was this last Sunday, and it was so great!

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  16. As a Rhode Islander, this would be perfect! I love that the size allows for easy take-a-long! One of the farmer's markets I go to is in Pawtuxet Village in Warwick. Cute cute cute village with yummies aplenty!

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  17. This is an incredible post...the carrots are beautiful....why can't we get those in the US?

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  18. The Burlington, Vermont farmers market is full of amazing farmers and vendors!

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  19. I would love to win! We are stationed in Newport, RI for the next 8 months and I would love to have a handy little guide to tell me where to go this summer. Love, love, love markets. I haven't been to any up here yet, but the ones in Austin, TX are fun!

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  20. An absolutely lovely looking book!!

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  21. We have a farmer's market in Thornleigh, but it also has some boutique style vendors. That's what you get - living in a city! They do have some WONDERFUL fresh produce though!

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  22. Last summer we had the good fortune to go to the farmer's market in Burlington VT. What fun. Thanks for the chance.

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  23. I live in Australia (but my sister has just moved to the New York area, so this would be perfect for her!) There are heaps of art/craft and farmers markets in Melbourne (Australia) if you ever visited!

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  24. Would love to spend the summer touring these fairs...

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  25. Boy would I love to have such a guide to kick off a Maine summer!
    Thanks so much!

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  26. This would be a wonderful guide to share with my family when I visit them this summer. I'm originally from Boston and I try to get home as often as I can. I would love a copy of this book to scout out local markets while I'm there.

    I am a huge fan of farmers markets. My favorite weekly go to market is Larchmont in Los Angeles. I load up every Sunday with fresh produce, bread and flowers. Everything is organic and fresh. I love the deals! I often get at least two canvas bags full of food for $20! The food often lasts more than a week.

    I love shopping local while feeding my family healthy food.

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  27. I love Christine's photographs and would love the chance to use her book to guide a trip in the NE. We have a local farmer's market that is growing in vibrancy. It's neat to see.

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  28. What a great book! I'd love to own it! These photos are awesome. :)

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  29. Forget about the yarn, look at those carrots. I could just knit with them, the color is to die (or dye) for. Thank you.

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  30. I have had this in my wish list on amazon for over a month already! My favorite local market, and IMHO second only to the Brattleboro market, is the Coventry Regional Farmers Market on the Nathan Hale Homestead. So worth the 40 minute drive, it's got to be one the best in all of NE!

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  31. Our Market isn't all that great and it only runs about 9 weeks/year. But this year I think I may try for a table to sell me hand spun yarns! I don't live on the East coast, but I would love this book for the hell of it. I would read it like a novel.

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  32. Oh nice - we have North Market which is year round in Columbus - love going there for the fresh veges, flowers and food

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  33. I would love to win this book for my mother. She goes crazy for farm fresh eggs. She is known for it!

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  34. I am now wishing I lived in New England. It looks so beautiful and lovely. Thanks for sharing such amazing photos. I am going to go daydream about New England now!

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  35. Wow what a lovely book! i really enjoy the ashlawn farmer's market.

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  36. Incredible photos! great way to find your way in New England--I have fallen in love with Woodstock, New Hampshire and more. Would love to have this beside me!

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