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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 Adelaide 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.