Love Freo

I went down to the Bazaar at the Fremantle Arts Center first thing today and was surprised how many people had the same idea. I guess we all wanted to be there in the cooler morning hours, though it wasn’t cool at 9am either. Thankful for the shade of the old trees I wandered around marveling at the beautiful things on sale and enjoying the colourful and arty surrounding. I did end up getting nearly all of my presents, which made my visit not only pleasurable, but also convenient – I much rather do my shopping in the gardens of the Arts Centre than in crowded city malls.

Christmas Shopping at the Fremantle Arts Centre Bazaar

When down there, you should also check out the galleries, where you can escape the heat and admire some amazing pieces. My favourite of the current artists on show is Andrew Nicholls. His detailed drawings are just stunning.

Get Andrew Nicholls' book at the Arts Centre shop

Fremantle Arts Centre
1 Finnerty Street,
Fremantle,
WA 6162.

Ph: (08) 9432 9555‎

I know where I’ll be getting my Christmas presies:

Bazaar 09
5 and 6 December (this Saturday and Sunday)
from 9am to 5pm
at the Fremantle Arts Center

Today saw the first of the new Wednesday Farmer’s Market in the old yard at the Fremantle Markets. Now, there’s one thing I want to quickly clarify: this is in no sense a Farmer’s Markets. Animal meat, dairy produce, raw vegetables and fruit come from farms. Fudge, fresh flowers, fancy bread and fresh pasta do not. This is a Lifestyle market; if you go here looking for piles of cheap farm fresh produce, you will be disappointed.

New Wednesday Farmer's Market, Lots of Nice Produce, Not Many Farmers

Don’t get me wrong, I like to potter around these places as much as the next person, but I did make a beeline for the one fruit stall which had some great looking bananas (not those giant foot long things you get in Woolies) and half a dozen pears. They haven’t ripened yet so I can’t say how they taste. I sampled cheese from the cheese stall (excellent feta, bland Parmesan), some ‘gourmet’ fudge, considered an oyster but thought better of it, then a quick spin past the artisan olive oil and designer bread.

Fancy Bread, Artisan Oil

I didn’t really buy very much, and that makes me worry for this little enterprise. This produce is largely the sort of thing you buy on a Sunday afternoon, when you have time to browse, sample and try. This is not normally the shopping you try to squeeze into your lunch break. That said, there is a great looking fresh pizza stand on the way in, which I think will be a hit once people know about it (they looked great) and the stalls which sell coffee and cakes, or (very reasonably priced) fruit and meat will probably also do well. The others I think might struggle, at least until summer rolls round and the tourists return. Eventually someone will open a stand selling lamb burgers, and they will also clean up.

The market is on every Wednesday from 8am to 2pm at Fremantle Market’s Old Yard. They have a web page that’s worth a look. Check it out, support it, and hope it grows into a farmer’s market that is one day full of farm produce. Cheers.

Fresh Flowers; Organic Meat Van Lurks Behind

Where: The Yard
When: Every Wednesday 8am to 2pm

Another visit to the growers markets. They’ve been getting pretty busy lately, which is great, as buying locally is a good thing and the products are all very tasty. If you’re not a fan of crowds I recommend going early (definitely earlier than us today – 10am – the place was packed). It also seems as there are more stands every time we go and today there were some guys playing the violin and a boy playing the guitar. Especially on a sunny day it’s a really nice atmosphere and it’s enjoyable spending some time there checking out the various products on offer.

Fern Community Garden on the corner of High Street & Montreal Street, Fremantle. Every Sunday morning, 7.30am to 12.30pm.

This is probably the coolest looking shop in Freo Markets (in my opinion). Unfortunately I’ve never shopped there and I don’t think I ever will. I’m a complete convert to digital music I haven’t bought a CD in about two years and most of my friends are the same. This makes me wonder whether shops like this will survive in the long term.

Rio Records

Flea Market Fun this weekend Saturday the 6th of June at Fremantle Primary School between 10am and 3pm. I love the poster, she’s channeling Toulouse Lautrec having a whale of a time, can-caning out of the place bags in hand.

You can buy a spot there to flog your wares for just $20.

Phone: 0404591288
Email: kylie@redtentevents.com.au

I checked the weather, it’s going to be sunny.

Busy morning

Shopping and having a chat with the neighbours

Sunshine makes the visit pleasant

One of our weekend activities is a visit to Western Farmers Market on Sunday morning, where we stock up on fresh fruit and veggies, honey and organic crusty sourdough rye bread (yummmm…). If the lady with ‘Witherspoon’s Skincare’ products is there, give her hand treatment a go. Made from mineral crystals, fruit and nut oils and plant extracts, this stuff has done miracles to my hands. If we hadn’t had breakfast, we’d have gone straight for the fresh coffee and croissants stall – it’s been the busiest on the whole market so I guess it must be good.

Here some facts I’ve copied from the market’s website:

Western Farmers Market is a genuine growers market, bringing fresh food direct from the farm gate to the community. We guarantee the person who grew, bred, caught, pickled, smoked or baked the product is the person you meet at their stall.

Where? Fern Community Garden on the corner of High Street & Montreal Street, Fremantle.
When? Every Sunday morning, 7.30am to 12.30pm.
What? Farm fresh fruit and vegetables, meat, seafood, honey, olive oil, pickles, preserves, organic bread, pastries, breakfast burgers, juice, coffee and much more…
Remember: Cash only and BYO shopping bags.