Randolph Street's Holiday Market: Get ready for stress-free holiday shopping [EXCERPT]

"If you’re on the hunt for unique gifts this upcoming holiday season or one-of-a-kind home decor to spice up your holiday gatherings,  look no further than Randolph Street’s Holiday Market!

With the team behind the popular Randolph Street Market and Modern Vintage Chicago events as the hosts, the Holiday Market is bound to be yet another great shopping adventure. Under one roof, you can expect to find a wide range of items at various price points. Vendors offering up gift options such as artwork and vintage clothing will neighbor those selling home goods, antique dishes and serveware."

Click HERE to read my entire post on Chicago Like A Local and find out exactly where you need to be this upcoming weekend for some good pre-Black Friday shopping!

GIVEAWAY: Modern Vintage Chicago is coming!

I will bypass the formalities of explaining why you should attend Modern Vintage Chicago this weekend* and get straight to the GIVEAWAY!

*Simply click HERE to see what I spotted at the last one.

I have a pair of tickets for one lucky winner to attend Modern Vintage Chicago. That's right! You and a guest get to attend the event, ogle over the Hermes and Chanel bags and encounter some of Chicago's best indie designers...FOR. FREE.

To enter, post a comment below describing one of your favorite vintage items (include your name and email address).

The giveaway ends this Thursday, October 20th, at 11:59PM (CST) and I will randomly select the winner the following morning.

GOOD LUCK TO YOU ALL!!

---

UPDATE:

And the winner is...

KESHA!

Congratulations and enjoy Modern Vintage Chicago!

Shop my Randolph Street Market "Editor's Choice" picks for charity this weekend!

Since there have been numerous posts on this site about the Randolph Street Market (Exhibit A, Exhibit B), I'm not going to bore you with the million reasons why I love it.

This time around, I want to extend a personal invitation to all of you for this weekend's market.

Not only is it the regular season finale (which means it's the last time you'll see vendors outside until May 2012), but the Randolph Street Market will also be hosting its first annual Editor's and Designer's Choice for Charity. And I'm happy to announce that I was selected to participate!

Here's how it will work:

Before the market begins, the handpicked media participants will peruse the venue and select their favorite items. These items will be labeled "Editor's Choice". Additionally, prominent interior designers will pick their favorite booth setups, which will then be marked as "Designers Choice". When "Editor's Choice" items are sold, a portion of the sales will go to the editor's charity of choice. The booths deemed as "Designers Choice", will receive free booth rent for one show next season while the designer will score 2012 season passes for themselves and their charities of choice.

As an avid fan of the Randolph Street Market, I consider it an honor to be selected for the "Editor's Choice". I can't wait to get out there and designate my top picks for charity!

Wondering which charity I selected?

Whitney Young Dolphins Making A Difference (WYDMAD): It is a mentoring program started by some of my fellow Whitney M. Young Magnet High School alumni to provide 6th, 7th and 8th graders in the West Pullman area with academic support and character development. The program has expanded and now assists with the social and academic growth of existing Whitney Young students. I am a mentor within the program and have witnessed the benefits it has bestowed upon the mentees.

So, find some time to get to the Randolph Street Market this weekend! I'll be tweeting my "Editor's Choice" picks so that you know exactly what to buy. *wink, wink*

I hope to see you there!

Randolph Street Market

1340 W. Washington

Saturday, September 24 - 10am to 5pm

Sunday, September 25 - 10am to 4pm

($10 at the gate / $8 in advance)


Visit RandolphStreetMarket.com for more details and to purchase advance tickets.

Randolph Street Market: Things I Saw

This past Saturday, I had the wonderful opportunity to accompany Nikia Jefferson, the mind behind ChiTown Fashionista, her husband and her friend to the Chicago’s World Famous Randolph Street Market for my first official outing as a ChiTown Fashionista contributor. It was also my first encounter with America’s biggest urban market.

I would be lying to you and myself if I didn’t admit that I had a few reservations about attending the event. All I heard was “street” and “market” in the same sentence, which was enough to turn me off, and if that wasn’t enough, Mother Nature turned the temperature up to a scorching 1,000 degrees!

As I arose from the blissfulness of my bed to travel towards the “street market,” I thought to myself, “This is crazy! Turn around.” However, I guess I’m not always right. There’s indeed a first time for everything.

The Randolph Street Market was both refreshing and adventurous. Over 200 indoor and outdoor vendors and boutiques were packed like sardines to showcase their eclectic finds. You could spot everything, from vintage treasures and collector’s items to indie fashion designs and decorative home furnishings. The event also offered many food and drink options.

I see why the “market” is being compared to New York City’s SoHo - but honestly, I’ve been to SoHo and it has nothing on this! Sally Schwartz, the Founder and Executive Producer of the Randolph Street Market, is both fashion forward and kind. If you ever find yourself at the event, make sure you find her.

I’ll definitely be returning until I can’t return anymore. Maybe you can join me and the entire ChiTown Fashionista crew next time.

Check out the price details, location and event dates below:

Admission

(Children 12 and under are always free)

Online - $8.00 for general public, $3.00 for students and seniors with ID

At Door - $10.00 for general public, $5.00 for students and seniors with ID

Location
1350 West Randolph Street
Chicago, Illinois 60607

Dates
(Remaining in 2011)
(Saturdays from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m., Sundays from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m.)

September 24 - 25
October 22 - 23 (indoor fashion only)
November 19 - 20 (indoor only)

Things I Saw at Randolph Street Market

Black Lady, Vintage Painting circa 1960s/1970s, By Charles

Chocolate Boy, The Picaninny Caricatures, Antique Propaganda

Pin-Up Girls, Vintage Propaganda circa 1950s

Army Memorabilia, Vintage Army Gear and Findings