HOT: Blackbird Summer Market, The Workers Club, corner of Brunswick St and Gertrude St, Fitzroy

Blackbird Markets workers club corner gertrude brunswick street fitzroy

For a while now Sydney has been running pub markets and now the trend is catching on in Melbourne. It’s a great idea – pubs are usually dead spaces during the day, so why not run up a few stalls inside and encourage people to shop, chat, have a beer and eat some pub grub.

The inaugural Blackbird Market opened to a large, enthusiastic crowd of browsers inside The Workers Club last Saturday (markets will be held monthly). The rabbit-warren of colourful rooms contained a surprisingly impressive number of stalls given that it was the first time the market was held. The bulk of the stalls sold second hand clothing and shoes or independent jewellery and accessories, interspersed with homewares, zines and art.

Blackbird Markets workers club corner gertrude brunswick street fitzroy

Blackbird Markets workers club corner gertrude brunswick street fitzroy

Blackbird Markets workers club corner gertrude brunswick street fitzroy

Blackbird Markets workers club corner gertrude brunswick street fitzroy

While not as high spec as the Rose Street Artists Markets, I liked the quirkly ambience and the mix of small vendors, plus the market seemed to attract a range of shoppers, not just the hipsters of Fitzroy.

DSC07028v1

Out the back in the courtyard I was the first person to volunteer to have my picture taken in The Photo Booth. Abby Storey‘s art project is about exploring the communication of private expression in a public realm. By taking a photograph of someone who is looking directly at their reflection and hiding the photographer behind the mirror, Abby is able to capture a portrait of a person which is truly open and honest, whether that person is feeling comfortable, uncomfortable, silly or guarded. You can see my cheesy mug here, with my bike helmet still on! I realised afterwards that when faced with the mirror I had unconsciously focused my gaze not at myself, but about 5 cm forward from the reflection so I wouldn’t have to look at myself directly in the eye. Hmmm….

HOT: A Very Eco Christmas, insert name here, Shop 5, Georges on Collins, 195 Collins St, Melbourne

A Very Eco Christmas, insert name here, shop 5 195 collins st georges melbourne

A Very Eco Christmas, insert name here, shop 5 195 collins st georges melbourne

This year, instead of wishing for a White Christmas, how about making it a Green Christmas?

For one night only, online fashion retailer Eco Fashionista, jewellery designer Joolz and designer and speaker PK Walker collaborated on a fashion event ‘A Very Eco Christmas‘ in the pop-up store .  Joining them were current residents of , Eva Q and T-Shirt Garage.

A Very Eco Christmas, insert name here, shop 5 195 collins st georges melbourne

A Very Eco Christmas, insert name here, shop 5 195 collins st georges melbourne

A Very Eco Christmas, insert name here, shop 5 195 collins st georges melbourne

A Very Eco Christmas, insert name here, shop 5 195 collins st georges melbourne

Fabulous fashionistas mingled in amongst the racks of delectable clothing and jewellery while taste-testing various moreish treats from event sponsors Cocolo Chocolate (fairtrade organic Swiss chocolate), Link Organic candies (naturally sweetened, gluten free, flavour infused candies) and Slim Secrets cookies and well as imbibing the miraculous non-hangover-inducing vodka from , makers of organic vodka. The removal of the solvents via evaporation means no dryness and headaches the morning after! The range also include JINN dry gin, Tequila Blu, Kinky Lux premium white rum and Kinkly Nero premium white rum.

A Very Eco Christmas, insert name here, shop 5 195 collins st georges melbourne

A Very Eco Christmas, insert name here, shop 5 195 collins st georges melbourne

A Very Eco Christmas, insert name here, shop 5 195 collins st georges melbourne

On the night I had a long chat with Eva Huynh of Eva Q, the young designer of handmade clothing. A recent graduate of RMIT’s Bachelor of Arts in Textile Design, she launched her range in May 2009 after winning the Student Designs section of the National Retail Association’s Fashion Awards in 2009. Her current range is a collection of pastel pink, cream and white garments garlanded with individually hand-sewn flowers. The fabric is sourced from a wholesaler of fabric ends and the intricate sewing takes a painstaking amount of time to complete. However, her work isn’t all sugar and roses. Her next collection will contain all-black designs, and she’ll be collaborating with dancers at the next L’Oreal Melbourne Fashion Festival to present the clothes.

A Very Eco Christmas, insert name here, shop 5 195 collins st georges melbourne

We then listened to Pauline Walker espouse how we could  be more eco-conscious with our purchasing choices while each of the retailers explained how their products subscribed to local, artisan, organic or ethically produced design principles.

A Very Eco Christmas, insert name here, shop 5 195 collins st georges melbourne

Recently I vowed not to buy any more shoes (my shoe rack keeps collapsing!) but I couldn’t say no to these  Sharidelie ballet flats with an ankle wrap from Eco Fashionista (who are currently having a 25% off everything sale). These sweet-yet-rock-chick shoes are handmade with butter-soft eco-friendly processed leather by artisans in India under fair and ethical conditions. Just shows that you can by stylish and eco-conscious.

Eco Fashionista

HOT Alert: Week of 7 December 2009

You know those crazy spinning Frankenstein heads? That’s what I feel like right now. It’s definitely the silly season! In the diary this week:

  • Preview of new French hit film ‘French Kissers’ at Palace Como on Tuesday 8 December;
  • Aesop shopping night at their QV store on Wednesday 9 December. Join them for some wine and receive a small gift plus 10% off all purchases. Just email to RSVP;
  • Made in Thornbury markets are happening 10-3pm on Saturday 12 December;
  • Fair fair-trade + ethical festival 2009 at Federation Square on Sunday 13 December; and
  • Opening week for Luke Mangan’s new Melbourne gastropub, The Palace. I’ll be the dorky girl taking pictures of every dish.

Somewhere in there I’m also (1) taste tasting a whole lotta mince pies in the name of research and (2) getting my wedding dress fitted. Even a once-in-a-lifetime event can’t make me stop eating!

Finally, a little blast from the past. This was one of my favourite ever Laneway Commissions from 2003 – Safe Between Us by Endra Che-Kahn and Marco Mattucci in Stevenson Lane. The picture of the jammed safe and the Road Runner-esque target on the concrete makes me laugh every time it comes up on my screensaver. Have a great week!

Safe Alley

HOT: Marche Rouge Christmas Shopping Event, Salon 205, Level 2, Nicholas Building, 37 Swanston St, Melbourne

Marche Rouge, Christmas Shopping Event, Salon 205, Level 2, Nicholas Building, 37 Swanston St, Melbourne

With Christmas only 22 days away, Melbourne is ramping up to a frenetic hive of shopping activity. With sales and markets sprouting up almost daily, it’s getting difficult for me to keep up!

One of the most aesthetically pleasing shopping experiences that I’ve attended recently has been Marche Rouge, a small pop-up market in the Nicholas Building which is being held for three days only.

Marche Rouge Nicholas Building Melbourne

, a visual merchandiser who works on Kleins Perfumery’s store windows (amongst others) has organised the event in her light-filled art deco studio. On entry, what caught my eye were the colourful crocheted branches (by ) and the tiny nests cupping each stallholder’s business cards. How adorable is that!

Marche Rouge, Christmas Shopping Event, Salon 205, Level 2, Nicholas Building, 37 Swanston St, Melbourne

has set up her visually inviting stall with a deliciously scented array of pretty items, from fabrics sourced from the South of France, vintage haberdashery (I loved the colourful rolls of antique French ribbons), pot pourri possets, fragrant seed pillows and other hand-crafted items.

Marche Rouge Nicholas Building Melbourne

Marche Rouge Nicholas Building Melbourne

Marche Rouge, Christmas Shopping Event, Salon 205, Level 2, Nicholas Building, 37 Swanston St, Melbourne

Marche Rouge Nicholas Building Melbourne

For my goddaughter and her new brother, I bought two Christmas stockings for their Santa pressies.

Marche Rouge, Christmas Shopping Event, Salon 205, Level 2, Nicholas Building, 37 Swanston St, Melbourne

The market also includes these artists:

Three Blind Mice, a sisterly team crafting one-off accessories using found items and some vintage kimono fabrics from Kimono House (Level 2, Room 207, Nicholas Building). They’re just starting out and I fell in love with this particular neckpiece.

Marche Rouge, Christmas Shopping Event, Salon 205, Level 2, Nicholas Building, 37 Swanston St, Melbourne

Buttonmania, the one-stop shop for all your button needs (Room 201, Level 2 Nicholas Building).

Melbourne own small-run publishers of small-sized books, Arcade Publications. Their most recent launches are Our Girls, Aussie Pin-ups of the 40s and 50s (Madeleine Hamilton) and Hoax Nation, Australian Fakes and Frauds, from Plato to  Norma Khouri (Simon Caterson).

Marche Rouge, Christmas Shopping Event, Salon 205, Level 2, Nicholas Building, 37 Swanston St, Melbourne

Milliner Serena Lindeman (Room 602, Nicholas Building), who has been featured in the most recent edition of the book Handmade in Melbourne.

(Room 4, Level 7, Nicholas Building). This elegant sculptural hat was a finalist for the Myer Fashions on the Field Millinery Award at Flemington in 2009.

Marche Rouge, Christmas Shopping Event, Salon 205, Level 2, Nicholas Building, 37 Swanston St, Melbourne

An eye-catching stand brimming with a cornucopia of Christmas decorations and floral and fruit arrangements. Unfortunately I didn’t catch the name of the florist but will find out.

Marche Rouge Nicholas Building Melbourne

Marche Rouge, Christmas Shopping Event, Salon 205, Level 2, Nicholas Building, 37 Swanston St, Melbourne

Marche Rouge is a lovely little jewel of a market in one of the most beautiful buildings in the Melbourne CBD. Take some time to drop in – the market is open Thursday 3 December 12-8pm, Friday 4 December 12-8pm and Saturday 5 December 10-4pm.

HOT: Markets in the Garden, Royal Botanical Gardens, Birdwood Avenue, South Yarraf

The Garden Markets is a small market held over summer which is held near the Observatory of the Royal Botanical Gardens. The grassy spot is lovely for a stroll amongst the 100 or so stallholders, none of whom I’d seen before (and I go to a lot of markets). The products ranged from jewellery, fashion, artwork, photography, skincare to plants. To replace my sunburnt plants, I bought some ed chard, silverbeet, chillies and  some purple basil organic seedlings from Marie’s Natural Herbs ‘n’ Stuff. These other stalls caught my eye:

Bright and colourful pinafore dresses from Pinikity.

markets in the gardens royal botanical gardens pinikity

Photogenic cakes, cookies and sweets from Christina Blaby at 3 Wishes.

markets in the gardens royal botanical gardens 3 wishes

markets in the gardens royal botanical gardens 3 wishes

markets in the gardens royal botanical gardens 3 wishes

markets in the gardens royal botanical gardens 3 wishes

markets in the gardens royal botanical gardens 3 wishes

markets in the gardens royal botanical gardens 3 wishes

The next markets are 12 December, just in time for Christmas.

HOT: Thread Den Market, Lithuanian Club, 44 Errol St, North Melbourne

Thread Den Market Lithuanian Club Errol Street North Melbourne

I LOVE markets. I will even travel across town for an hour on public transport on a Sunday morning to get to a market if it’s being organised by the lovely ladies of Thread Den.

I’ve written about sewing lounge Thread Den before, and they’ve now have expanded their little empire to encompass an occasional craft and vintage market. They recently organised their second market and it looked like such a roaring success that I suspect that there will be more coming.

On offer in the labyrinth rooms of the Lithuanian Club was a community of crafters and vintage collectors selling all sorts of desirable things. My picks:

Handmade toys and vintage children’s clothes from Nettle and Brier. I absolutely fell in love with this adorable sailor’s dress ($20) and Red Riding Hood coat ($30) that I HAD to have them – now I have to find a 3 year old girl to give them to. (Don’t worry, I’m not that crazy – my god-daughter is three).

Thread Den Market Lithuanian Club Errol Street North Melbourne

Thread Den Market Lithuanian Club Errol Street North Melbourne

Colourful swirls and patterns from the crazy retro lamps at .

Thread Den Market Lithuanian Club Errol Street North Melbourne

If only my Dad hadn’t cleared out his youthful wardrobe – I could have been selling his polyester flares for $5 each.

Thread Den Market Lithuanian Club Errol Street North Melbourne

Madonna-esque ‘Desperately Seeking Susan’ 80s shoe/sandal/boots. Originally from Hunter Gatherer in Fitzroy.

Thread Den Market Lithuanian Club Errol Street North Melbourne

Update 20 January 2010: The Thread Den Market has now turned into the bi-monthly North Melbourne Market, with the first market happening on Sunday 28 February from 10am with $2 entry.

HOT Alert: Week of 23 November 2009

This coming week is filled with travel, rock, films, shopping, food and parties!

  • Tony Wheeler, the co-founder of Lonely Planet, is speaking at The Hive at The Order of Melbourne on Tuesday 24 November. Read my review of a previous The Hive event here;
  • The Rockwiz Christmas special is coming to The Palais, St Kilda, on Wednesday 25 November;
  • Preview screening of Steven Soderbergh’s political comedy The Informant! on Thursday 26 November;
  • Going shopping from Williamstown through to Footscray with Melbourne Op Shop Tours on Saturday 28 November. Read an interview with Jessica from Melbourne Op Shop Tours here; and
  • I’m going ‘In Search of the Perfect Gelati’ with Lin Tan from Trespass Mag on Sunday 29 November….
  • …before popping into a street party to close the Bicycle Film Festival on the corner of Peel Street and Cambridge Street, Collingwood on Sunday 29 November 12-5pm.

Unfortunately there’s only one of me, which means I’ll be missing these other great events on this week:

Less than a month till Christmas!

HOT: MTC Garage Sale, 129 Ferrars St, Southbank

MTC Garage sale 129 Ferrars Street Southbank

I’m an early-bird but there’s not many events that would have me bounding out of bed, grabbing a stupendous strawberry, white chocolate and coconut muffin from Proud Mary and lining up with hundreds of other people at 8:45am at Southbank.

But this was one very special garage sale. The Melbourne Theatre Company were moving, and everything had to go for one day only. I wanted to be part of the fake food buying frenzy!

MTC Garage sale 129 Ferrars Street Southbank

The main area in the large warehouse was taken up by furniture and props, but I (and a million other people) made a beeline for the clothing section. Oh. My. God. It was like walking into one giant dress up box explosion. We’re talking racks and racks of super-cheap period costumes, contemporary clothing, shoes, handbags, scarves, gloves, stockings and fabric. I was trailing a woman behind me who I think must have been a vintage store owner, because she was putting literally every second item into her voluminous bags without looking twice. In a panic, I thought I’d miss out if I stayed behind bowerbird woman so I too started shoving stuff into my plastic bin bag.

Amongst the more unusual and interesting items on sale:

This man lined up at 7am and scored this Naboo turban. Later I saw him with a big black cape as well. Cool.

MTC Garage sale 129 Ferrars Street Southbank

I like this enterprising girl’s approach. Wear the giant hooped skirt you’ve picked up while sifting through the other clothing. Then you can knock any other contenders out of the way.

MTC Garage sale 129 Ferrars Street Southbank

A rack of Robyn Nevin’s pyjamas (presumably from August: Osage County)

MTC Garage sale 129 Ferrars Street Southbank

Horses hooves! Great with skinny jeans.

MTC Garage sale 129 Ferrars Street Southbank

Toilet fittings for Marcel Duchamp inspired interior decoration.

MTC Garage sale 129 Ferrars Street Southbank

Crucifix and coffins. Perfect for your next Halloween party.

MTC Garage sale 129 Ferrars Street Southbank

This big pink hippo was going to be re-gifted.

MTC Garage sale 129 Ferrars Street Southbank

Fake food! I’ve found our perfect wedding cake. Noice.

MTC Garage sale 129 Ferrars Street Southbank

Styrofoam map of Australia. They even remembered Tassie.

MTC Garage sale 129 Ferrars Street Southbank

Magical angel’s wings.

MTC Garage sale 129 Ferrars Street Southbank

One dusty ride-on mower.

MTC garage sale 129 ferrars street southbank

Beautiful light fittings. If only I owned a restaurant.

MTC Garage sale 129 Ferrars Street Southbank

MTC Garage sale 129 Ferrars Street Southbank

MTC Garage sale 129 Ferrars Street Southbank

A tired shopper taking a break from the mayhem. She was up for sale too. Along with the chair. And the stuffed bird, the helmet and the crutches.

MTC Garage sale 129 Ferrars Street Southbank

My haul was very sedate by comparison and consisted of various wollen scarves, delicate leather gloves, a cummerbund, a Ted Baker replica of the Audrey Hepburn little black dress from Breakfast at Tiffany’s, an ivory chain-mail Oroton handbag with a deliciously bright purple lining and a massive frilly collar/neckpiece. The best thing – it cost $5.  It was definitely worth getting out of bed.

HOT Alert: Week of 9 November 2009

Jetsetting Joyce’s diary for this week.

Mon – blank

Tuesday – blank

Wednesday – blank

Thursday – blank

Friday – blank

Of course not! This week I’m searching for Beethoven, time travelling with Eric Bana, discussing acoustic folk pop with Anita George, going on a blind date with my new blog crush Miss Kish, listening to some stimulating and interesting talks at TEDx Melbourne and saying hi to the lovely Thread Den ladies at the Thread Den Market.

This week’s little slice of Melbourne is this amusing graffiti that I spotted recently. Any idea where it’s located?

P1020715

And finally, for those heading up north, you can now find out what’s HOT or NOT in Brisbane with BNE: HOT OR NOT. You’ll find some of the content from MEL: HOT OR NOT there, as well as all new Brisbane-based content from the funky CazM, along with a rotation of guest bloggers. Check it out and let us know what you think!

HOT: T2 Tea Too, 340 Brunswick St, Fitzroy

As my regular readers will know, I’m getting married soon – and as a Chinese bride it is traditional to have a Chinese tea ceremony.

So, another thing to tick off the wedding to-do list was to find a tea set. I wanted something that was vaguely Oriental, without any gaudy gold leaf or dragon/phoenix motifs. Fortunately Jetsetting Mum found just the right set for me at the funky tea store, T2. Ivy is a blue and white tea set with a curlicued design which is reminiscent of typical Chinese porcelain. Unfortunately I can’t show you what it looks like at the moment as the cute teapot ($20) and handle-less tea cups ($4 each) are packed away in T2‘s distinctive Asian newspaper gift-wrapping. (If you want to stickybeak at what else we’re doing for our wedding, check out Telegramstop).

hand hook yarn

On a completely different note, I got talking to the friendly shop assistant at T2 who told me that she’s actually a crafter. Berri Drum designs a collection of crochet accessories under the label Hand.Hook.Yarn. The photo above shows her winter collection and for summer she’ll be selling collars made from cotton rather than wool and in more vibrant colours. You can check out Berri’s work at the following upcoming markets: Rose Street Artists Market (1 and 22 Nov), Thread Den’s market (15 Nov), the Shirt and Skirt market (29 Nov), the new Blackbird Market in Fitzroy (5 Dec) and Craft Hatch (19 Dec).

  • T2, (and other locations) ‎