If you are in Atlanta, close to Atlanta, or coming to Atlanta for any reason – make this your go-to, absolutely cannot miss event.

The Peachtree Road Farmers Market (at the Cathedral of St. Phillips)

Dragon Con was the reason we were downtown.  No, we’re not fans – but the eldest, fresh out of college and home for the job search, had never seen the spectacle that is the annual Dracon Con parade.  So after viewing the parade (and trust me, it’s something to see), we began the meander up Peachtree (which extends across the entire state of Georgia, I believe).  Along about Buckhead, the daughter sees a sign. “Hey!  Market Open!”  U-turn generated with amazing speed (in Buckhead traffic, no less), we land in the parking lot of  The Peachtree Road Farmers Market.

Yes, I know.  Middle of Atlanta, eons of time and miles from anything remotely agricultural – you’d expect goofies, odd stuff and weirdos.  This market is as far from that as the difference between a delicate piece of Belgian chocolate enjoyed on a St. Martin beach and a Hershey Bar from the machine in the warehouse at work (sorry ’bout that Hershey – but you understand).

My highlights (frustrating, because it’s a challenge for me to narrow things down to simple highlights here):

Fresh goat cheese – the sampler pack – from Coles Lake Dairy. No words would work here.  You’ve just got to try it.

Canned HEIRLOOM tomatoes and a completely nothing-other-than-organic-muscadine-and-grape-blueberry- juice that I can’t quite describe either.  Wait!  Joy.  Yep, the taste of joy – pure, natural, smooth joy.  Learn more about the fine peeps who produce it here.

Soap. Fresh, healthy, homemade soap of mind-altering fragrance.  Indigo Bath & Body.

And then there is “Our Lady of the Homemade Pasta and Italian Dinners.” I named her that because, for a little under 20 bucks, I don’t have to cook two dinners for 3 people next week.  I should have offered to wash her feet.  Costa’s Pasta.

I would be totally remiss, rude and personally unacceptable if I did not mention the gentleman, who could sell sand to the Saudis btw, from Sweet Auburn Bakery.  He talked me into paying $5.00 for a cheesecake the size of my palm.  This is not an easy thing to do – but he did it with a smile and I now will offer to wash his feet, too.  Sweet Potato Cheesecake from Sweet Auburn Bakery.  Put that on your shopping list.  Enjoy the guilt – eat the cheesecake – and thank me later.

Now mind you, in my haste to soak it all in, I didn’t get a card from the bakery people – but their incredible pastries (picture croissant – perfectly toasty and delicately flaky ALL THE WAY THROUGH) and the fresh loaf of multi-grain bread I brought home (the pastries mysteriously disappeared in the car.  hmm…) will live on as a happy spot in my mind forever.  I also didn’t get to taste the slow roast coffee, the fresh, organic salsas, and so much more.  But no worries – the market opens at 9 every Saturday until December.  And I’ll be there with bells on (and jeans, of course – clean t-shirt, the birkies, as usual).

The website (with pictures, videos, and a BLOG!  Wahoo!) Click the pic

Celebrating the geniuses who thought this up today (and eating goat cheese while I think).  Remember to Celebrate Something Everyday!