In my post last week on the Big Design Market, I mentioned that there are markets galore in Melbourne. I do not get tired of them.
I’m more of a looker than a buyer. I enjoy browsing and the feeling that I might find something really awesome that I can’t live without. It’s also a good opportunity to find interesting and unique gifts for others.
The Queen Victoria Market is Melbourne’s most famous market. Although it has some goodies and great food, it’s also a tourist trap. While it’s a great place for Australian souvenirs, I don’t recommend it if you’re looking for arts and crafts and great design. The Suzuki Night Market, however, is another story.
Now in its 15th year, the Suzuki Night Market is a summer event at the Queen Victoria Market featuring over 200 stalls of local designer threads, hand made jewellery, home decor, delicious food from all over the world, and live entertainment.
I went to the Suzuki Night Market last week. It was crowded, really crowded. In fact, aside from a footy match I attended in April, it was the most crowded event I’ve been to in Australia yet. Going to this market may require some patience. The trams were packed, the lines for food and drink were long and sometimes slow, and finding a place to sit at a table was a challenge. Still, I enjoyed it.
Having only lived in Melbourne a few months, I don’t have a lot of friends yet. I went to the Suzuki Night Market with a group of women from an arts and crafts Meetup. It was nice to hang out with other women close to my age and with similar interests. We had great food together and walked around admiring the goodies. I don’t know if I’m getting used to how expensive everything is in Australia, but I found the prices at this market reasonable, much more so than some shops and other markets. I enjoyed Spanish paella, which I haven’t eaten in a long time, a refreshing lemonade – the kind made with water, lemon juice, and sugar – and purchased a few gifts.
The Suzuki Night Market is on now every Wednesday through February 27 (except December 26) from 5pm to 10pm. For more information, please visit the Suzuki Night Market website.
Have you visited the night market at the Vic Market?
Very nice post! I’m so excited — I’m going there tonight!
Awesome! Let me know what you think.
I agree with your sentiments about the market. It was a fun outing for the evening, but it was so crowded that I’d not want to go again for a while… I saw the paella booth, but the line was way too long! I prefer the market during the day just for it’s cheap, fresh produce aspect. I hear the market in South Melbourne does the night market thing on Thursdays, so maybe worth checking out for a fun evening outing.
Coburg has a twilight market too now on Fridays, but I think I’m all shopped out until January. The holidays are exhausting!
You would wear the hat to: Melbourne Cup Day – but you’d have to wait until next year! 😉 You are young, and you will make friends, sometimes Australian’s invitations are very vague. I still have trouble understanding that when someone says that they are having friends around for dinner that I am invited. I personally was brought up to wait for proper invitation, and sometimes that does happen, but I have also been rung up the following day wondering why I did not attend! At this point, I wait for a personal invite, but listen carefully, and if I think that I am being invited, it is then that I will admit that I am confused, or continue to draw them out with the time, etc. and then ask how many they are having around. They will then say something like: ‘…with you and John there will be 10…’. I then breathe a sigh of relief and ask what I can bring! Just keep trying and don’t be afraid to invite people over to your place, if nothing more than for ‘nibbles’. Also, Cosette, if you don’t mind me giving you more advice, and perhaps you have looked into it – I am certain you will find a group of other Latin people from all over the world. I know you are an American, but likely speak Spanish. If you look around, you will find where and when they get together, just Google: Latin friendship Clubs, etc. – you will have a built in friendship base. They will be a mixed group, but may be closer to what you expect from the culture. ~ Feliz Navidad
There are definitely some subtle communication differences between Americans and Aussies to work out. And, yes, I have found a couple of Hispanic groups and consider joining. Thanks for the great comment, Sharon. Happy holidays!