<p style="text-align: center;"><img class="aligncenter" style="border: 0pt none;" src="http://www.remain-silent.com/cm/kewlstuff/greenmarket-vintage-1986.jpg" alt="union square green market in 1986" width="450" height="320" /></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><img class="aligncenter" style="border: 0pt none;" src="http://www.remain-silent.com/cm/kewlstuff/greenmarket-vintage-chefs-1986.jpg" alt="union sq market 1986" width=450 /></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> <a href="http://www.bonappetit.com/magazine/2011/08/union-square-greenmarket-photos">union square green market</a> in 1986</span></p>
I took a little accidental blog-hiatus there. Sorry about that. Between family visiting and holidaying friends stuck in town I've been here, there and everywhere - sleeping in, eating in, eating out and all that goes in between. But it's been fun and will soon be over.

One thing I was glad I got to do, pre-Irene, was visit the farmer's market with my mum. It is my mother whose cooking and food shopping habits that influence me til today. Growing up, our diet was always rich, fresh, incredibly diverse and full of market produce.
<p style="text-align: center;"><img class="aligncenter" style="border: 0pt none;" src="http://www.remain-silent.com/cm/kewlstuff/modern-day-greenmarket_2.jpg" alt="union sq market today" width="450" height="355" />
<img class="aligncenter" style="border: 0pt none;" src="http://www.remain-silent.com/cm/kewlstuff/modern-day-union-square-greenmarket.jpg" alt="union sq green market today" width="450" height="351" /></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="http://www.bonappetit.com/magazine/2011/08/union-square-greenmarket-photos">union square green market</a> today</span></p>
After visiting my local green market I came across these amazing pictures of the Union Square Farmer's market in 1986 and today. It's amazing what a difference a few decades make. Nowadays, the hustle and bustle of the Union Square Market is navigated only with the most utmost of skill and a healthy dose of patience. A plethora of vendors sell everything from fresh flowers to honey to meats to veg to dairy - who needs a supermarket when you can ask the grower about the intricacies of the food your buying? The pictures, shot by Jean-Georges Vongerichten, depict the contrast between green markets then and now - I tell my friends all the time that the current 'trend' of shopping local is here to stay and grow. Let's hope when Jean-George shoots the same scene in 20 years time the market has evolved to something better than we could ever have imagined in 2011.