Episode 38: Queen Vic Market
Welcome to the final Postcards for 2011. In the last nine months, we've met so many wonderful people and travelled all around Victoria, but we're ending the Postcards year close to home with some great Christmas and holiday treats, gifts, decorations and guests from the Queen Victoria Market.
What's new at the market
The Queen Victoria Market is a shopaholic's dream come true and, if you haven't been for a while, there are new stalls and shops to explore. One new comer is Polymer Clay Creations, where you can choose colourful gifts made by artist Leora Abraham. Polymer clay is a modelling material that stays pliable until it's baked. Leora uses it to make original jewellery and to cover everything from mobile phone cases to gorgeous little pill boxes.
Open since June, Riverclay is an Aladdin's cave of gifts, furniture, lamps, jewellery and unique and interesting home wares from all over the world.
Another new shop is Airllywood, which specialises in summer fashions with a retro flair.
And after all that shopping, it's time for a delicious meal or snack at Sushi Kissaten on Peel Street with a selection handrolls, sushi and sashimi, and cooked rice and noodle dishes.
Polymer Clay Creations
marketlife.com.au
Riverclay
111 Victoria St, West Melbourne
Ph 03 9326 8881
www.riverclay.com.au
Airllywood
Aisle C, shop 80
www.airllywood.com.au
Sushi Kissaten
Shop 26-27, F shed
Ph 03 9328 8809
Queen Victoria Market
qvm.com.au
Market cafes and food hall
If you're dying for a decent coffee before hitting the market, Market Espresso is in the car park and offers trolley hire. Their excellent coffee is roasted locally and coffee and a trolley is only $5.
If you'd rather sit down, there's awesome coffee and fresh healthy vegetarian food at Invita Food for Life.
Meanwhile, over at Coffea on Elizabeth Street, the artisan coffee is hand roasted daily using a traditional drum roaster and you can buy beans for home. There's also tempting panini, Italian cakes and delicious dishes made daily from fresh market ingredients.
For your small goods and sausages, the Polish Deli lets you choose exactly what your want or they're happy to make you a platter.
And for dessert, you can't go past the home made rocky road at M and G Caiafa.
Market Espresso
L Shed and Queens Street, Melbourne
marketlife.com.au
Invita
76 Therry Street, Melbourne
Ph 03 9329 1267
www.invita.com.au
Coffea
519–521 Elizabeth Street, Melbourne
Ph 03 9326 7388
www.coffeacoffee.com.au
The Polish Deli
Shop 5–6, dairy produce hall
Ph 03 9348 9211
M and G Caiafa
Shop 66–70, dairy produce hall
Ph 03 9329 9770
Christmas baubles
The beautiful shops on the Elizabeth Street side of the market were built in 1884 and it's here you'll find Ambiance with its exquisite and unusual gifts from all over the world. If you're looking to deck your halls with boughs of holly, Ambience has the largest range of Christmas ornaments and decorations. And to make things even easier, they're colour coded.
Parlour on Victoria Street is a boutique for luxurious body products. With many perfect gifts, there's creams, fragrances, candles and soaps from the Melbourne made brand So-hum.
For a unique Melbourne gift, Intone Photography showcases the work of Tony Pierrakos, who has been at the market for over ten years.
Or head to the Candle Corner to light up your life with Lumiere candles, sparkling tea light holders, scented candles or their special Chrismas range.
Ambiance
509–511Elizabeth Street, Melbourne
Ph 03 9326 3044
Parlour
139 Victoria Street, Melbourne
Ph 03 9329 1170
Intone Photography
L shed, rear
Candle Corner
K shed
www.candlecorner.com.au
Christmas food
The Queen Vic Market is the best place to find the best produce for an amazing holiday feast. First stop is The French Shop, renowned for its outstanding range of fresh and imported cheeses, terrines and local pâté and terrines. You can also find a diverse range of jams, rice, pasta, oils, truffle products and vinaigrettes.
Broads Poultry will have your favourite bird or an unusual roast, which can feed up to 22, is the Guillotine. The Guillotine is two de-boned quails stuffed into a spatchcock, stuffed into a de-boned chicken, stuffed into a de-boned duck, stuffed into a de-boned turkey.
For dessert, head to Sauced Fine Preserves for the best plum puddings in the city.
And to complete your feast, there's Rewine, where you can refill your bottles.
The French Shop
Shop 1–2, deli hall
Ph 03 9328 1786
Broads Poultry
Shop 7 , meat hall
Sauced Fine Preserves
Stall 91, I shed
Rewine
rewine.com.au
Shop and cook with Ian Curley
About 27, 000 people visit the Suzuki Night Market each week for its unique craft stalls, live entertainment, top quality food and well-being area. Renowned chef Ian Curley gives Giaan a person tour, starting at Fresh Generation, which sells the very best of regional produce.
Next is the deli hall, where Chicken Pantry sells free range and organic birds and the Seafood and Oyster Spot will shuck your oysters while you wait and choose from crustaceans to deep-sea fish.
Finally, it's off to the Electrolux Cooking School to whip a storm with all the fresh produce. The school is open year round and offers lessons from experts in their field.
Electrolux Cooking School
Queen Victoria Market
69 Victoria Street, Melbourne
Ph 03 9320 5822
qvm.com.au
Postcards diary
2011 Great Victorian Bike Ride
The annual ride is a sell out this year, so support the riders as they peddle through the Murray and Goldfields regions.
Where: Yarrawonga to Marysville
When: 26 November – 4 December 2011
More: 1800 616 600 or greatvic.com.au
The Suzuki Night Market
The popular night market is open on Wednesdays all through summer.
Where: Queen Victoria Market
When: until 29 February 2012
More: qvm.com.au
Myer Christmas Windows
It's the 56th year that the Myer Christmas windows have delighted families in the Bourke Street Mall.
Where: Bourke Street Mall
More: myer.com.au