Market Time

Okay, the long holiday season is finally over, trees are being put away, lights are un-lighting, reindeer return to being a protein source, and radio stations are again playing bad pop music after having played carols for the last two months. If you're anything like me (meaning you're male and over forty), you probably don't have the slightest desire to return to a shopping center again. But I'd like to urge you to return to your local public market, or make a city market part of your travel plans this winter.

Hey, you've gotta eat. And right now, great spots like Seattle's Pike Place Market and Portland, Oregon's Saturday Market are still open for business and flinging fish right and left, but the crowds have dwindled to nothing, the doughnuts are fresh, and the markets are still atmospheric and vibrant. From the neighborhood markets of Baltimore to the furtive, pre-dawn truffle market in Asti, Italy, I've always had great, memorable travel experiences in public markets.

They also need the business to get through the winter before the tourists return next summer. Stop by one in the city where you next find yourself, grab the local paper and a cup of coffee, and spend your market time wisely.