From the minute you spot this shop there is little doubt in your mind that it is one of the…read moregirliest shoe stores you'll ever step your peep toes in. The store name is splashed across a banner above the doorway, with a pink and white background emphasising the painted giant, black stiletto heeled shoe adorning the sign. Out the front were a bargain 'bin' and a rack of sale items, almost all of which were high heels. Inside you'll find racks of shoes, again mainly high heels. I get the feeling the shop is owned and run by Carrie Bradshaw's cousin, who shares the passion for height boosting footwear but at more affordable prices. Most of the shoes I saw were office-type shoes with a twist, it's not a place I would go to find something to complement my latest Saturday night outfit.

Outwardly this store appears to be some sort of bizarro version of General Pants Co. Skinny jeans,…read moresheer dresses bearing expensive brand names and t-shirts made of the thinnest material imaginable hang from coat hangers, screaming out for the youth strolling by to come and have a look. I found the shop to contain an odd assortment of clothing. The men's stuff was mainly casual; lots of t-shirts and jeans, while most of the women's clothes were more formal, a lot of dresses and tops ideal for nights out at a cocktail bar. The store claims to specialise in street wear which I'm not sure I agree with. Despite the confusion and the mish mosh of dress standards, they had great stuff.

When I came across a rather dismal looking shopping arcade with a sign suggesting stores were…read morehidden within, I didn't expect much. However the very first shop I came across surprised me pleasantly. It's only a tiny jewellery store, there's no way Brangelina and their brood could fit in here. But their jewellery appealed precisely to my taste; a lot of dainty silver and colourful glass beads. They do have a website but it does the store absolutely no justice. You really need to visit the shop to see what this place is all about. So next time you're in Paddington and happen to stumble across a mysterious arcade, venture down and pay this shop a visit.

Absolutely love this place. Loads and loads of cheap pantry, fridge and freezer items. Stock…read morechanges often so if you find something in here you want then buy it because next time you go it might not be there. Great place to go for lunch box snacks. We once got a 24 serve pavlova for $5 that wasn't anywhere near its used by date and was absolutely delicious. Some of the stock is getting close to the best before date but that just means you are going to get an even better special. Think Sarah lea cheesecakes 2 for $5. Peters ice creams were 3 for $5 when I was there last. So many different things every time I've been. Btw it's not just golden circle products. One of The best parts of this place is the fact they put bulk prices as well as individual and most times buying the whole box is slightly cheaper than individual price. Win win in my books, if you know you like the product you can get a great deal on a whole carton.

First things first.. this is not a place that you can rely on having your favourite product all the…read moretime. You can't always find the shampoo you got last time. This is like the DFO of all food places. Golden Circle products are always in, most of the time Cadbury is in stock as well. As for everything else, do not count on it. This is the place you should come before you go to Coles/ Woolies to grab some cheap bargains, then fill in the gaps with what you couldn't snatch up at Golden Circle. This place is crazy good. Today I snagged a 'Marvellous Creations' block of Cadbury chocolate for $2.. usually you'd pay $6-8 per slab!! How great. You can get deli style meats, cake mix, drinks, pasta, rice, frozen foods, house cleaning products and i literally mean hundreds more items. DO NOT GIVE THIS PLACE A MISS FOR THAT REASON THOUGH. I am yelling because it is SO GOOD. If you want to save $$ (Students i'm talking to you) it is so worth the drive. NB. you need some gold coinage for a trolley and you need to spend over $10 to use eftpos. Also. A man with muscles should come with you to carry the slabs of ridiculously cheap drinks. (I got 24 cans of sparkling cranberry juice for $6) W.O.W

McCarthy Jewellers is a fantastic place to day dream about all the wonderful jewellery. I have…read morequite a few pieces in mind that I plan on purchasing at some unknown date. The service is friendly and helpful if you need it. The range is really good and the prices vary from affordable to high end, depending on what you are after.

As third generation jewellers, McCarthy's is an excellent place to go for custom designed pieces…read more Of course you pay for it, but the craftsmanship and service is really good. Being a bit of a rockhead, I've had a couple of rings designed around stones that we've bought at the gem shows and overseas. One in particular is a work of art. That's fairly high end stuff, but I've also bought reasonably priced jewellery and watches here as gifts and had my own repaired more than once. It's a great, friendly family run business.

If you like lace and I do, you'll love to browse through Dolls and Doilies. This little unassuming…read moreshop at the slightly quieter end of Bay Terrace is tucked between another couple of specialty shops and will catch the eye of any crafty passerby, the window filled as it is with exquisite lace products and doilie art (if that's what you call it). I wandered in there looking for a present for a neice and came away with a very cool goblin-ish doll at a price that wasn't a steal but which I was willing to pay for good old fashioned handcrafting. Dolls and Doilies are wholesalers and retailers of doilies and lace and if you're really keen, you can also sign up for a craft class. I tell myself if I did this, I could make my presents instead of paying lots of money to other people for them... sure, one day I'll give it a whirl, as soon as I get that bit of free time...

I go in every fortnight and the young man that serves me each time is so very polite and with a…read morelovely smile and even have a laugh with him. Great little store

I'm not sure this store is exactly what I would call 'convenient'; unless you've been hit by…read morecravings for some junk food or that's all your diet consists of, they won't be able to help you too much. It's a tiny little place so I suppose they've had to make some decisions as to what sells best, and they have decided to fill their shelves with mainly chips and chocolate, with a few toiletries shunned to one side on a shelf of their own. Yes, it's convenient for certain things, but not if you're in need of some last minute ingredients for dinner or don't fancy the idea of heart disease. When I called to check the opening times, the guy on the other end of the line informed me when they open quite decisively. As to when they close he didn't sound too sure - their closing time depends on trade, so be warned that what is listed is not set in stone by any means.

The Collective is a little gem of a store, with beautiful treasures for those looking for a unique…read moreor hand made gift. It definitely has a style of it's own and possibly will not appeal to anyone looking for new and modern, although there is some merit in combining vintage with modern. They have clothing, toys, vinyl, knitted items and much more. Definitely worth a look. I noticed a gorgeous hand made wooden fawn yesterday, so precious!

The Collective is all things good about people power. I love that this fairly altruistic venture…read moreprovides an outlet for lots of talented, crafty people to showcase their creations and maybe make a dollar or two. A stroll through this shop has me wanting; the prices aren't always cheap but there's a lot of work in handcrafted goods. From dolls to clothes, and woodwork to toys, there are treasures here. It's the kind of place that's always good for finding a gift for someone near and dear, though not so much for the guys.