It's less than a month until the 7th annual Holiday Handmade Cavalcade, held this year at Chelsea Market, on December 13 and 14th, from 10 AM to 8 PM both days.

I've lived in Chelsea for more than a decade, and one of my favorite things about the neighborhood is Chelsea Market - it's a fantastic indoor one-stop-shop for a myriad of delicious and unique gourmet foods and ingredients. I'm so excited that the Holiday Handmade Cavalcade is at this venue - it will be easy to make an entire day out of shopping for handmade, local goods at the Cavalcade, followed by eating, food shopping, and exploring the market.

There are so many great food and drink destinations in Chelsea Market, it might be hard to decide where to start! Here's a sample of my favorite spots in the market:

At Lucy's Whey, they have an amazing selection of artisanal cheeses, as well as a selection of crackers, honey, charcuterie, and other cheese accompaniments. They focus on American-made cheeses - one of my favorites is a particularly stinky and creamy cheese called Ameribella - it's delicious!

If you're looking for a beverage to pair with your cheese picks, stop at the Chelsea Wine Vault. They have a great selection of wines and spirits, including a group of "top ten" wines that are discounted each month. They also frequently have wine tastings - I love stopping in here because the staff is always friendly and helpful.

Directly across the corridor from the event space where the Cavalcade will be is Amy's Bread, a long-time fixture in Chelsea Market. This is the perfect spot to stop in for a brie and tomato sandwich, a fresh baguette, a chocolate sourdough twist, or a slice of their delicious coconut cake. I especially love their signature semolina bread that's studded with fennel seeds and golden raisins - it pairs perfectly with that stinky cheese you might pick up at Lucy's Whey!

Some other can't-miss Chelsea Market spots are Beyond Sushi, where you can get beautiful vegetarian and vegan sushi rolls, Los Tacos No 1 (their Adobada taco, with marinated pork and pineapple is especially delicious), and the Fat Witch Bakery, where you can score a fresh-baked brownie for half-price after 5 PM!

There are so many tempting choices it can be difficult to decide what to buy and what to try - you may have to come back both Saturday and Sunday to fit all of your shopping and snacking into one weekend! See you at the Holiday Handmade Cavalcade on December 13th and 14th at Chelsea Market!

For more info on Etsy New York's Holiday Handmade Cavalcade, visit www.handmadecavalcade.com.