By Sam Skopp
Since January, the Santa Monica Pier has been host to a monthly Odd Market, which brings together local vendors of food, art and artisanal goods into a pop up market located on the pier itself. This is one of five monthly Odd Market events that occur throughout Los Angeles. On Saturday, March 4, the Odd Market was host to a number of Westside and Greater L.A.-based vendors and musicians.
Suncatchers and More, who were participating in the Odd Market for the first time, were selling both lanterns and globes made out of mason jars.
Their lanterns featured a solar-paneled lid, which powered a light that would illuminate a crystal inside. The globes, which were purely decorative, contained scenes with gnomes and mermaids.
“This is my first time here at the Odd Market, a very exciting place,” said Mary Ellen from Suncatchers and More. “It’s like a booming mall.”
Hepp’s Salt Co. was one of the food vendors exhibiting at the market, selling sea salts imported from different parts of the world, separated into hot salts, truffle salts, artisanal blends, and more.
The business is local to the Westside, having started in Venice, selling at local farmer’s markets.
Another of the many food vendors at the Odd Market was Coldwater Canyon Provisions, selling pickles, jams and spicy jellies, and allowing passersby to sample their products.
“All the produce comes from Southern California family farmers. We make everything ourselves. A lot of the recipes are my grandmothers,” said Rondo Mieczkowski, proprietor of Coldwater Canyon Provisions. “We love doing the Odd Market. Nice vendors, nice interesting crowds of people, and you will find things here that you didn’t realize that you needed.”
In addition to these vendors, Made Made Time was one of multiple Los Angeles-based musical acts performing throughout the event, which lasted from 11 in the morning until 6 at night, and drew a large crowd. For more information about upcoming Odd Market events as well as their other locations, visit theoddmarket.com.
