A day at the market
Come to Gilles at the Grounds with me.
I’ve been studying a lot these past few weeks to prepare for finals. As a result of that, my brain is starting to melt so before it fully turns into mush, I thought I’d call up my friend and hit the famous Gilles at the Grounds market in Goodwood. Besides, Sundays are meant for markets, right?
So, I put away my laptop and got on the bus to the Ã×À¼µç×Ó Showgrounds. It was lowkey triggering to see the ‘examination venue’ sign (yes, that’s where we’ll be having our exams too) plastered outside one of the buildings but like horses wearing blinkers, I simply pretended I did not see it. Out of sight, out of mind, they say.
When I arrived, I was immediately overwhelmed with the racks upon racks of vintage and preloved clothing – in other words, I made it to heaven. I was a little bit early and didn’t want to start browsing without my friend, so I ordered an iced chai latte to stop myself from getting a head start. It didn’t help. I managed to try on 4 dresses inside a very tiny (and questionable) tent before she arrived.
First score – a midi black dress and satin slip skirt.
My friend finally made it, so we wasted no time and got to work looking for some good finds. I mean, it was a really big warehouse filled with 6 long rows of preloved/vintage clothes and local artisanal goods. You’re going to be spending a lot of time there if you’re a shopper like me who will sift through every single hanger and stop by every vendor.
My goal for today was to get some summer clothes, though, so I didn’t really spend that much time going over the stalls selling handmade goods, but they definitely looked amazing! If you’re looking for a gift or something to spice up your house or you simply want to just support local sellers, you can find them all under one roof at this market!
A couple of rounds around the market later, I settled on a shirt and a t-shirt. That was after many attempts by my friend to stop me from buying a cowboy boot that was too big for my feet, approximately 3 faux fur jackets, vests that looked like they belonged to someone’s grandpa, and a track jacket. If you’re an impulsive shopper, bring along a very reasonable friend who can talk you out of unnecessary purchases.
Oh, you thought it was just clothes and handmade goods. Nah, they had a spacious green lawn decorated with picnic cloths, tables, and tents for you to sit around and eat while a singer serenades you with his soothing voice. Food trucks lined the perimeter so you wouldn’t have any issues choosing what to eat after a long morning of shopping.
I’ve been craving sugar lately, so I had a pandan doughnut, chocolate chip cookie, and a mini biscoff cupcake. I also took a bite from my friend’s mac and cheese sando which was so crispy and cheesy – omg, I’m salivating just thinking about it!
What a way to end the morning! I highly recommend you check this market out if you haven’t already. They’ll be having one over the break so that’s the perfect time to go.