Every Sunday a fog of corn masa vapor and charcoal smoke rises above Canal Street between Taylor and 14th at the Maxwell Street Market. Don't get too distracted by the He Man action figures for sale because the highlight stands are aplenty: Manolo's roasts chicken blanketed in mole rojo, a garnet blend of roasted ancho and pasilla chilies, toasted nuts, oregano, cinnamon and a hint of chocolate. Churro's Frescos draws devotees for its cinnamon-sugar-fried heaven, served piping hot from the deep fryer and infused with your choice of artificial but tasty strawberry or vanilla goop. Green House Steaks attracts gringos for its steak tacos, but the more adventurous should try the huitlacoche (an earthy, inky-black fungus) quesadilla, studded with golden corn kernels.

Date: Sundays

Cost: Free

Organizer:

What to expect: A street filled with vendors of all kinds...tacos, t-shirts, records and more.

Why to go: It's a flea-market prowler's dream. Work on your bargaining skills and score some major deals on everything from picture frames to furniture.

Additional info: The original Maxwell Street Market closed (quite controversially and politically) in 1994 after 120 years of greatness. This second incarnation sits about a half-mile away.