Orsolya D.
Yelp
There is a common lore involved with the much-hated day when we forward our clocks one hour and "Spring Ahead". We grumble about losing an hour of sleep and blame our scapegoat: farmers. So what more perfect day to attend a Farmers Market and see for ourselves the fruits of these farmers' labor?
The lost hour didn't seem to effect the Studio City Farmers Market attendance as I arrived to a high-activity marketplace ready for local farmers/store representatives to make some fresh transactions. Parking can be difficult although meters in the area are free on Sundays and the CBS Studio Lot also offers up parking space.
Upon entering (the market is free so you can't refuse to wake up and participate based on a lack of funds!), parents can entertain the kiddos with pony rides, a petting zoo, one of those inflatable trampolines that kids seem to love, and a train ride which takes the kids around the neighborhood in a loop. Granted, the ponies look miserable, while the petting zoo is $4.00/child (+ one free adult) and only involves some goats, hamsters, and baby chicks (I'd say this is a ripoff) but at least there is something available for the kids who aren't fascinated by produce.
In terms of adult fun, this is an unbeatable Farmers Market! Although only covering one street; the market has an overwhelming amount of vendors/offerings and yet the market is organized, neat, clean, and has more than enough room to walk with your purchases and not have toes run over by baby carriages. The offerings are quite stimulating and cover a wide variety of goods: raw juices/smoothies, desserts, cheeses, oil & vinegars, bath products, jewelry, organic and unique produce, eggs, breads, and an insane (in a good way) amount of fresh "standard" produce. One will find peppers for their salad but also raw cane juice, cheese from Germany, Girl Scout cookies, and even Blood Orange Balsamic Vinegar. The possibilities are endless.
Worried that you will work up on appetite gazing at all the delicious fruits and veggies? No problem! One of the best parts (or THE best, in my opinion) of the Farmers Market is that 90% of the stands offer free samples. I sampled (AKA ate) so many fruit samples that I think I basically had my fruit serving for the day. Plus, there are hot food vendors if craving something more filling like a sausage sandwich, empanada, or even Indian Curry.
The prices are great and negotiable and the competition is rowdy so you can find a strong economic price market which will satisfy your wallet.
Whether you simply want to sample some goodies and have a fun Sunday morning or want to fill your fridge with local products; the Studio City Farmers Market is the creme of the creme. Perhaps, we should thank the farmers that they needed an extra hour of sunlight to harvest these yummy treats.