It’s no secret that the East Village has become “an epicenter of Chinese and Taiwanese restaurants” in recent years, and eateries aren’t the only Asian businesses moving into what New York magazine has dubbed Chinatown North. Korean and Japanese supermarkets and department stores have also popped up on and around St. Marks Place, offering everything from cellulite rollers to $3.60 caviar. We visited one of the most recent additions, Tesolife, to find out what’s on the shelves and who’s in the aisles. 

With the return of outdoor shopping season, there are big changes in Seward Park, where the Hester Street Fair held court for over a decade. Earlier this month, after an online petition garnering over 6,000 signatures failed to convince the Fair’s landlord to let it stay, the operators of the Brooklyn Flea and Smorgasburg markets took over the lot at Hester and Essex and launched Hester Flea, a pet-friendly affair that’s open every Saturday, rain or shine. We visited the flea on its opening day to check out the antiques, handmade items, and eats. Play our video to catch the vibes.