Martha Stewart: American Made Market

On Tuesday, I was eating lunch outside of the New York Public Library, when I overheard a woman tell her friend "we're headed over to Grand Central to see the Martha event." I wasn't completely sure what she was talking about, but I knew she had to be referring to the only Martha that matters (Stewart), which was enough to pique my interest. I also kind of really wanted a lemon bar, so I walked the one block over to Grand Central. What I discovered, post-lemon bar, was that they were setting up for the Martha Stewart American Made Market, opening the following day.

So yesterday, again at lunch, I headed back to check it out in action. Vanderbilt Hall had been transformed into a bustling marketplace, with tons of vendors, craft stations and food tastings. I didn't have time on my lunch break to try everything (the line was particularly long for the screen-printed-in-front-of-you tote bags), so I stuck to the most important thing to me: the free food.

There's something about a free sample that just makes the food taste so much better to me than if I had paid for a full-size portion. I immediately turn into a ravenous, embarrassing hoarder, grabbing every scrap that I see and I end up trying things that I would never normally eat just because they're free. At lunch I tried a ricotta cheese from Brooklyn (kind of bland), Yumbutter almond butter (the best I've ever had), potato chips (they tasted like, potato chips), Red Jacket Orchards apple cider (delicious, but their tart cherry juice is even better), half of a Berley bar from Shane Confectionery (um, this was ah-mazing) and a nut/flax seed crisp thing (meh).

I picked up a schedule of events before I left, and noticed that they swap out the food tastings three times a day (morning, afternoon, evening). I made plans to stop back after work to try the new round, and maybe catch a glimpse of Martha herself, who was scheduled to speak from 5-6pm. When I got back a little after 5, there was another speaker talking about travel tips, but she was soon ushered off the stage to make room for the queen of all queens, Martha. I couldn't believe that I had just walked in, and secured a spot so close to the stage so easily.

Like most celebrities I've seen, Martha is much tinier in person than I imagined, and she's a total babe! I can only hope to look half as good as her when I'm 72 (!). The talk was travel-themed, so she "packed" a suitcase, narrating what she was doing and offering some helpful hints. At one point a woman, who I can only assume is her assistant, came out specifically to hold her microphone while she used both hands to pack and if anyone knows where I can submit my resume for the job of Martha Stewart Microphone Holder, I'd be eternally grateful.

Martha was much funnier than I expected, and surprisingly personable and relaxed. She was self-depracating, and actually had some good tips for packing, which I was initially skeptical about needing (covering your clothes in plastic bags prevents wrinkles—who knew?). I took approximately one million photos, 80% of which are a blurry mess because my hands were shaking so much because Martha effing Stewart. I have idolized and devoured every single thing she has ever done for as long as I can remember, and there she was standing a few feet away. I'm pretty sure we even shared some moments of eye contact, although without photographic evidence I might have thought I was just dreaming the entire thing.

There are times when my face is smushed in some dude's armpit on my morning commute, or I get on the one train car without air-conditioning yet again that I get annoyed with New York, but then a day like yesterday happens and I'm reminded instantly why I love it here so much. I'm going back today for three more rounds of samples, and to catch a few more glimpses of the Queen (she's doing a book signing and a live broadcast of her radio show). The market is only up until 7pm tonight, so head over there if you're close — I'll be the one stuffing free food into my pockets with hands that are guaranteed to be a little shaky if Martha is anywhere nearby.