Sights from the Hester Street Fair

While Manhattan isn't quite hipster enough to have anything like the Brooklyn Flea, the Hester Street Fair, does a great job of giving Manhattanites an opportunity to shop for vintage goods and eat some great food without having to make that dreaded crossing into Brooklyn.  Founded by MTV correspondent Su-Chin Pak, the fair takes place on the Lower East Side every Saturday and Sunday from 10am to 6pm.  It will remain open through December, and there will be a constant rotation of vendors, so keep coming back to see what's new.  A sampling of the Hester Street Fair's offerings follows.

 The fair takes place at the north end of Seward Park in the Lower East Side:

 

The menu at outside of the An Choi booth, serving shrimp spring rolls and several varieties of banh mi:

 The An Choi shrimp spring rolls:

The An Choi basil meatball banh mi, which was superb:

A Mexican spice blend from the spice vendor:

Cool down with the Mexican popsicles (paletas) from New Yorkina:

A hibiscus raspberry paleta from New Yorkina (I swear I know the person enjoying it!):

Baked goods from Pain D'Avignon bakery, which recently opened a stall in the Essex Market:

Boots from one of the many vintage clothiers: