My friend Deborah, from Massachusetts, came to visit the weekend of this trip. I’d been to the market before, however, this was the first time with company I knew. We did a lot of browsing, I imagine given the vending prices, most college students do. I do want to confirm, however, that there are cost-friendly ways to enjoy the Farmer’s Market, especially when you can split costs with a friend. Both of us bought from the Cuban vendor and shared cotton candy, so that we could buy more later. Deborah bought a necklace and donuts for us both, and so I can say definitively that coming with a friend is a better experience than being solo. Especially since a few hours, moreover, a weekend of uninterrupted of quality time is not usual here or otherwise, so it was appreciated. I’m looking forward to trying the market’s maple cookies and grabbing some food from the Ethiopian food vendor in my next three years, as well as getting a job so I can leave with some snacks for home. After leaving, I was well-fed, a little more broke, but I also had a good roll of photos, some of my best. I’ve shared three below:

Although urban areas offer a lot of things to do, my friend and I both agreed that our markets—maybe—don’t compare to the one here. Boston markets are great, in fact, they host my favorite donut place and are in the middle of some of my favorite squares, but they don’t necessarily offer the diversity in crafts that this one does. A bit different from other markets I’m used to, Ithaca Market isn’t crowded with other shops or some hole in the “hustle and bustle” of the city. It’s a nice place to get away from college life, which I really needed to do, and to spend money well and healthily. So five star grapes out of five star grapes.