Esperanza Farms had their usual beautiful selection of fruits and vegetables – Garland MarketPlace – August 19, 2017 – Garland Texas
Each MarketPlace Is Unique
The Garland MarketPlace is like a river or a garden: You can never step into the same Garland MarketPlace twice, which is one of several reasons why I go there every first and third Saturday. It’s a different experience every time. Many of the same vendors are there and I enjoy chatting with them. And there are always new folks to talk with too. No two markets are ever exactly the same--even the ones held in the same city.
If you think the American Dream is dead, you need to visit the Garland MarketPlace. It is alive with the energy of people who are “out there” with their talent and dreams on display in real time, local time. Their entrepreneurial spirit, hope and courage are the raw material of our nation’s backbone. You can see it all even if your eyes are half-shut at the Garland MarketPlace.
Get inspired! Visit the Garland MarketPlace the first and third Saturday of the month and see entrepreneurs of all ages, shapes, colors, religions, and ethnic backgrounds taking action to make their dreams come true. Learn first-hand from the people who are doing it.
WANT TO BE ONE OF THE VALUED MARKETPLACE VENDORS AND START TAKING ACTION TO MAKE YOUR DREAM COME TRUE?
E-MAIL: Kirk.Eventive@Live.Com
PHONE: Tel: 469-275-9616
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On Texas Day of Giving, please support Loving Garland Green
Speaking of LOCAL, allow me to take a little space here to promote my favorite local nonprofit in Garland Texas: Loving Garland Green. I am the past president and currently serve on its board as President Emeritus. We are the official stewards of the Garland Community Garden at 4022 Naaman School Road. Visit the garden any time. It’s open to the public and children love it. Take your picture and their photo in the Monarch face board when you are there. Then send a copy of the photo to Mayor Doug Athas.
We do a lot of work for the local community of Garland—especially for our local students in Garland ISD, Home Schoolers and those in our charter schools.
Visit our website at www.lovinggarlandgreen.org
And our Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/LGGurbangardens
Beginning September 7, simply go to Loving Garland Green's information site at North Texas Day of Giving and you can schedule your donation for Loving Garland Green.
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Triniti Fisher and Kayli Denney provided the live music at the August 19, 2017 Garland MarketPlace event.
Like most of Kirk’s great Eventive Live productions, the Garland MarketPlace had live music. We were entertained by the voices of Triniti Fisher and Kayli Denney—both talented musicians and singers who hail from Rockwall, Texas. To get them to perform at your venue, please contact Kirk and I’m sure he will forward your request to the girls. Take it from me: these two young girls are great entertainers who very likely will make it to Nashville or Hollywood soon. Hire them now for your club or party while you can still afford them. Then you can say: “I knew them when.” Remember, you heard it here first on Eat Green DFW.
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Coming Attraction to the MarketPlace in September: Michael Burk - Artist and Woodcarver and Garland resident – Garland MarketPlace – Garland Texas – August 19, 2017 [You can’t see it well in the photo but the cane he is holding has a black lab’s head for the handle. Mr. Burk carved it out of wood.]
We could all take a few tips from Mr. Burk when it comes to Promotion!
Mike was leaning on a car as Charlie and I walked by. “Excuse me a minute,” he said, “are you the lady who wrote the article a couple of weeks ago about the Garland MarketPlace?”
“Yes,” I answered, as always surprised (and a little edgy) when a total stranger knows who I am because you can never know what or how much they know about you and/or even worse if they are perhaps basing their knowledge of you on the opinion of some one else who happens to hate your guts. In other words, these kinds of acknowledgments always have the potential to go south in a few seconds.
“Well that was a good article and I enjoyed reading it.” He said.
Well that was it. If you ever want to hook a writer, just tell them that you read what they wrote and liked it. Sometimes it’s not even necessary to tell them that you liked it. More often than not it’s enough to just mention that you read it.
Turned out that Mr. Burk had quite a story to tell and it was an interesting one to listen to. I’ll try to do it justice by sharing some of it with you. Seventeen years ago he was diagnosed with cancer that had metastasized. As part of his healing process, he began to carve toys for children. He would take them to the hospital and give them away to the children there. He had never carved before. Gradually he graduated to carving large pieces as you can see on his Facebook at
https://www.facebook.com/pg/toydocmike/photos/?ref=page_internal .
The weather is too hot for his health at the moment, but Mr. Burk will be there with his woodcarvings at the Garland MarketPlace in September. In the meantime visit him at his Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/toydocmike
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Salsa Texan had a booth at the Garland MarketPlace – August 19, 2017 – Garland, Texas
Salsa Texan
Local has gone uptown. These chips are sold to classy establishments like the Four Seasons and the Carlton Ritz. No wonder! They are good and they are healthy.
CONTACT
https://www.facebook.com/thesalsatexan/
wendi@thesalsatexan.com
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Anthony Nguyen and Hoan Vuong from The Dapper Doughnut – Garland MarketPlace August 19, 2017 – Garland, Texas
Just what the World Needs! Great Gourmet Quality Donuts made Fresh All Day Long and catered to your doorstep.
http://thedapperdoughnut.com/frisco-tx
THE DAPPER DOUGHNUT
Anthony and Hoan are high school buddies that reconnected in the DFW area after many years. They both were raised in the New Orleans area and graduated from John Ehret High School in Marrero, LA. Hoan graduated from Loyola University in New Orleans with a B.S. in Computer Science. He is currently an IT Professional in the DFW Metroplex.
Anthony is a proud graduate of the University of Texas at Dallas with a B.S in Accounting and Information Management and is currently an Accountant in Dallas, TX. They both enjoy food and fun. The Dapper Doughnut is the perfect combination of both. They look forward to sharing delicious mini-doughnuts with the community they now call home.
They can cater their mini donuts for your special event! They can provide specialized color and flavor themes for weddings, birthdays, showers and promotional events. They also deliver to corporate offices, hotels and local businesses!
CONTACT INFORMATION:
Anthony Nguyen
anguyen@thedapperdoughnut.com
214-218-4224
Hoan Vuong
Hvuong@thedapperdoughnut.com
214-207-8507
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$8 custom handmade and cut 3x8 inch classroom door sign from Dripping Rhinestones Garland MarketPlace – August 19, 2017 Garland, Texas
Dripping Rhinestones
We stopped by but Jimmy was busy talking to paying customers so we didn’t interrupt. Visit their Facebook for more information. This little dad/daughter operation turn out lots of wall art AND they will custom make signs and wall art according to your specifications.
CONTACT:
Krystal Aguado 214-934-6019
Jimmy Clark 303-332-3195
drippinrhinestones@yahoo.com
https://www.facebook.com/DrippinRhinestones1111
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Stacey Smith of Zen Tala is one of the few people I know with a third eye – Garland MarketPlace – August 19, 2017 – Garland Texas
Zen Tala
We stopped for a moment at Zen Tala’s booth, but owner and creator of all the beautiful jewelry and other charms, Stacey Smith, was busy talking to customers.
CONTACT
www.facebook.com/ZentalabyStacey
Call Stacey at 214-502-5673
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Roger and Mary Grider – Owners of Grider’s Specialty Gifts – Garland MarketPlace August 19, 2017 – Garland, Texas
Grider’s Specialty Gifts
Like several of the people I talked with today, the Grider’s have some challenges in dealing in managing health care expenses. Roger recently got out of the hospital and needs to use a walker to get around. Mary who is a school bus driver is looking forward to school starting soon so she can get to work and start bringing in some income. In the meantime they have depended on their business to help tide them over.
They have a website that is coming soon.
Their gifts include various scented products such as air fresheners for the car and home. They also sell Bath salt. I purchased a tub of Grider’s Specialty Gifts Tranquility Bath salt. I can’t testify as to whether It will make me tranquil or not. You’ll have to ask my friends after I have a few showers. However, I can tell you that I used a little on my hands and they feel and smell great. And the price is right at $5.00 for a pound and a quarter of bath salts.
CONTACT INFORMATION:
Grindersspecialtygifts@yahoo.com
972-391-7978
972-854-3964
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Paul Himmelreich—writer, archeologist, bouquiniste - Garland Texas MarketPlace – August 19, 2017
PAUL HIMMELREICH
I stopped in and chatted with Paul for a few moments. You may remember I wrote a piece about him in my last post on the MarketPlace. He didn’t read it. LOL. Of course that earned him a black mark with me.
He did mention that he was busy working on a new book about all the ghost towns of Dallas County. Apparently over time more than 200 towns/villages have been sucked into the black hole of history, but Paul is pulling them all back into the light of day due to his diligent research.
Here is another fact I learned about our main Garland Post Office when talking with Paul. The post office was built on the site of the first pickle factory in Garland that was built in the 1930’s and lasted until the early 1960’s when Joe Craddock, owner, sold it to the government. Over the years, the plumbing pipes on that site have been replaced many times due to all the brine in the soil. It simply eats through the pipes. Paul also reported that when it rains, birds descend on the place to drink the brine water. Read more about Joe Craddock and the pickle industry in Garland, Texas at the Landmark museum site: Pickles spiced city’s economy.
I swear, the next time I visit his booth that I’m going to break down and buy a copy of his book, IMAGES OF AMERICA GARLAND. (Among other things it includes the story of Roy Rodgers’ visit to Garland.)
CONTACT INFORMATION: PAUL HIMMELREICH
PO BOX 494373 – Garland, Texas 75049
himmeltx@gmail.com
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Margaret Chapa holds down her Spicy Pretzel booth – Garland MarketPlace August 19, 2017 – Garland, Texas
Miss Margie’s Spicy Pretzels
I was very happy to see Margaret Chapa. Her business, as you may recall if you read my last Garland MarketPlace report, was only a few weeks old. Apparently it is surviving and thriving. It will do even better if more folks get down to the Garland MarketPlace and purchase some of her spicy pretzels.
CONTACT INFORMAITON
Margaret Chapa
missmargies@outlook.com
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Julia Pitts, owner and creator of Velma Mae Vintage Designs – Garland MarketPlace August 19, 2017 – Garland Texas
Velma Mae Vintage Designs
It was interesting and fun to chat with Julia. Not only is she local, but she is our neighbor who lives in our same Coomer Creek neighborhood. We got to hear the story that here home was the one in our neighborhood that was recently struck by lightening. She reported that it knocked a big hole in her roof, but thankfully no one in her family was hurt.
Julia is the perfect example of that that old cliché: If you want something done, ask a busy person. As I looked around her booth with hundreds of handmade items, I asked her if she made all of them and she said that she did.
I was even more amazed to learn that Julia has two school age children and one two year old!
CONTACT:
https://www.instagram.com/velmamaevd
214-998-1415
velma_mae_vintage_designs@aol.com
https://www.facebook.com/velmamaevintagedesigns
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Stephanie Cole with her two grandsons at the Garland MarketPlace August 19, 2017 – Garland, Texas
Pinson & Cole’s Gourmet Pickles
It was nice to stop and chat a few minutes with Stephanie. She has been featuring her marvelous pickles at the Garland Market Place for several years now and I’ve been stopping in at her booth for just about as long. At the Garland MarketPlace a couple of weeks ago Charlie bought a jar of her Mexican Habanero and Chilies pickles that he is still working on as a little goes a long way.
CONTACT
http://www.pic-licious.com
214-670- 2042
stephaniepcole@yahoo.com
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Christy and Michael Funke, owners of Bubba Funke Jelly – Garland MarketPlace August 19, 2017 – Garland, Texas
Bubba Funke Spicy Jelly
I enjoyed saying howdy for the third time this summer to this delightful and talented couple. Michael is a full-time fifth grade teacher and Christy is a Safari Classics production manager. Their jellies are great. Come to the next MarketPlace and buy some. Then you’ll know from experience what I mean.
Imagine this: You have a Mexican restaurant in Garland, Texas. You have some Bubba Funke Jelly on your table along with a small sign. “This restaurant supports LOCAL Garland. Try some of our locally made Bubba Funke jalapeno jelly and then buy some at the counter on your way out—but this is only if you are able to hold onto your sombrero because it is spicy.” People like the big guy who supports the little guy especially when the little guy is local.
Here is a video that was likely created by Christy.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JE9WRt5HZDg
CONTACT:
Mfunke76@yahoo.com
http://bubbafunkejelly.com/contact-us
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Abigail Courtney sits amongst her and Holly Brewer’s wonderful bakery goods in her booth at the Garland MarketPlace – August 19, 2017 – Garland, Texas
Baking Buns
I was happy to see Abigail again. Like Miss Margie who sells spiced pretzels, Baking Buns is also just out of the incubator and little more than a month old. It’s great to have new local business startups in the Garland area. We need to support them as best we can because what’s good for one local is good for all locals.
CONTACT
Cheerfulbaker1722@gmail.com
https://www.facebook.com/bakingbuns03
http://www.imgrum.org/user/baking_buns_03/3447462288
Abigail Courtney 213-535-2146
Holly Brewer 504-638-3078
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Ruby Costanza and her funnel cakes at the Garland MarketPlace – August 19, 2017 – Garland Texas
Ruby’s Funnel Cakes
One of our first stops was at Ruby’s booth to see how well she has been doing with the sale of her new product offering of funnel cakes. It turns out that business is booming and we can see why. Although we didn’t taste one on Saturday, we did at the last Garland MarketPlace and the experience is unforgettably yummy. Order some for your next party!
CONTACT
214-801-1017
Rubyanncostanza58@gmail.com
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Laurie Lanehart’s Swedish Cinnamon Buns – Garland MarketPlace
Swedish Cinnamon Buns
We stopped by Laurie’s booth momentarily. As I may have mentioned Charlie and I are counting calories these days and Laurie has a new shaped cinnamon bun for sale. We knew if we stuck around too long that we would succumb to the temptation and besides, Lauri’s booth was crowded with customers.
Laurie makes special orders for parties.
Call her at 972-816-3698
Or write to her at
cinnamonbunsbyLaurie@gmail.com
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Katie Hornsby owner of family-run KH2 Bakery right here in Garland, Texas at the Garland MarketPlace August 19, 2017
KH2 Bakery
We stopped by to see how one of our great local bakeries, KH2 Bakery was doing. Since Charlie and I are trying a little harder these days to watch our calories, with the exception of some honey, we purchased mostly non-food items from the vendors. However we could not resist a sample taste of Kh2 Bakery’s latest creation—an Elvis cupcake. Like all of their baked goods that we’ve tasted—it was delicious.
“The Elvis” -
a banana cupcake with peanut butter honey icing and maple syrup drizzle. According to information on their Facebook last night, it had many people go bananas for them. Even had someone order a dozen of them on the spot.
CONTACT
KATIE HORNSBY
469-951-6064
4621 Paradise Cove
Garland, TX 75043
https:///.facebook.com/KHsquaredBakery/
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It pays off to be a vendor at the Garland MarketPlace! Call Kirk today at 469-275-9616 to reserve your spot for September!
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Ama in her booth at the Garland MarketPlace – August 19, 2017 – Garland Texas
Ama’s Kitchen
We stopped in to see Ama again. At the last Garland MarketPlace we purchased a jar of her wonderful Lemon/Lavender jelly. On Saturday we tasted a sample of her latest product—lemon basil jelly. It was delicious too. Here is a hint to the local restaurants around the square: Why don’t you call up Ama and buy some of her jelly for your restaurant. You could even put a small sign in the middle of each table that reads “We support Local and that’s why offer you local jelly.” You could even keep a few jars up on your counter to sell for Ama. Customers like merchants who support local—that’s a proven marketing fact.
CONTACT
Ama’s Kitchen
923 W. Yellow Jacket Lane
Rockwall, TX 75087
770-378-5510
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Bob Michel Beekeeper – Garland MarketPlace August 19, 2017 Garland Texas
Charis Honey Farms
Bob sells local honey that is raw, unfiltered and 100% pure. I didn’t realize this until Charlie told me yesterday and Bob confirmed it: Honey lasts forever as a food.
If you are among those who adhere to the notion that we need to store food for a long-lasting disaster, then honey should be on the top of your list. We tasted samples of Bob’s honey and the most wonderful of all to us was the Rockwall honey. It is absolutely the best honey I ever remember eating and my father was a beekeeper too so I’ve had many samples over the years. Rockwall honey is in a league by itself.
CONTACT
Bob Michel
972-412-1861 (Home)
469-233-2870 (Cell)
www.CharisHoneyFarms.com
CharisHoneyFarms@gmail.com
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Maria Lunger, owner of Toni’s Korner – Glass Fusing and Stained Glass – Garland MarketPlace – August 19, 2017 – Garland, Texas
Toni’s Korner
We stopped by Toni’s Korner to view all the amazing glassware made by Maria Lunger. Below are additional samples of her amazing work:
Handmade glass pieces from Toni’s Korner at the Garland MarketPlace August 19, 2017 – Garland, Texas
CONTACT
TonisKorner@verizon.net
972-968-8834
www.Toiskorner.com
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The Tin Lizard – Make Garland Weird – 507 W. Walnut Street – Garland Texas 75040 – Owner Billy Miller
THE TIN LIZARD
Our local shopping adventure ended at the Tin Lizard where Charlie spent about $100 and I spent $2 for a Luciano Pavarotti Mesa Di Requiem CD in perfect condition. Charlie is a knife hound and is especially addicted to Case knives. We spent about two hours in Billy’s wonderful and quite large store.
Billy rents the property, which is located at the corner of Walnut and Fifth. Prior to the Tin Lizard, an upholstery shop—another local business, occupied the building. It moved to a new location near the police station. Billy said that even after three years people stop in to ask upholstering questions. He joked and said that if his business failed he could always upholster.
Billy Miller, Owner THE TIN LIZARD – the store with everything that you didn’t realize you wanted until you saw it – August 19, 2017 – Garland, Texas
If you love the unusual, the artistic, the one-of-a-kind pieces, you’ll be hooked on the Tin Lizard!
CONTACT FOR TIN LIZARD:
972-849-9435
Billy Miller Owner
STOP BY
Corner of 5th and Walnut - 507 Walnut Street - right across from the train station in downtown Garland, Texas
Here are a few of my favorite things from the Tin Lizard:
Ceramic steer’s head and platter – Tin Lizard – Garland Texas
The steer’s head is hollow and fits exactly on the platter. Its purpose is to keep the meat warm and away from flies. I consider it as a functional art piece.
Beautiful guitar with pearl inlay at the Tin Lizard – Garland, Texas
A pair of paper mache flamingos in mint condition from the 1950’s – made in Mexico, their legs are painted rebar – The Tin Lizard – Garland, Texas
Wall hanging at the Tin Lizard – Garland Texas
I’ll have to ask Billy about this wall hanging the next time I’m in his shop and yes, there will be a next time. Phil Graves is somewhat well-known in advertising circles. He was once quoted as saying “there is no bad publicity.” Perhaps this wall hanging is a tongue-in-cheek pun to prove him wrong—but then again I may be reading way to much in this.
When you visit Tin Lizard be sure to ask Billy to direct you to the lovely painting of poppies, snakes and frogs. Better yet, buy it and send it to me. It’s only $250 and worth every cent.
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Closing note on Local entrepreneurs and local businesses
These people take their local community very seriously and they are very generous. They deserve our support in every way that we can provide it. They support other locals in many ways. For example, when it comes to things like hiring a lawyer, or an advertising agency, more often than not, they use local people. Thus, most of the money you spend at a local establishment gets re-circulated back into your local economy.
I happen to know via Loving Garland Green and the Garland Community Garden that Billy supports local artists by selling their work and they in turn share with the community. That’s how local works. A few months ago, one of the local artists associated with The Tin Lizard dropped off four children=sized chairs and a large wooden trellis for the Garden.