Orderly. That's Stockland Balgowlah. The sort of place that is particularly appealing on a 42…read moredegree day when the humidity hits 85 percent and you just want to be somewhere clean, cool and organised. Oh - and you can shop there. It has the basics. A big Coles, a bottle shop, a fruit and veg market, a bakery, a few clothes shops, a dry cleaner, a newsagent, somewhere to buy a phone top-up card and maybe a few small gifts. Mostly chains, not very much to distinguish is from any other shopping mall. It's easy to park, you can have coffee without risk of losing a small child in the traffic, and with a premier Fitness First upstairs its just the job for doing your groceries and your workout in a single stop. Just don't go here looking for character or quirk.

I like to call stockland balgowlah 'rich housewives heaven'. It's a great shopping centre if you…read morehave a lot of time and money on your hands! With loads of women's clothing stores and gourmet food outlets it's a great place to pop in and grab something for dinner or go have a coffee. The Coles here is AMAZING! It even has a self serve olive bar- how is that real life? There aren't many stores but they have pretty much everything you would need ie. chemist, travel agent, supermarket, butchers, fish monger, gourmet take away, florist, kids clothing, women's clothing etc.

It's a generous sized store so most probably it will have what you are looking for…read more They open at 8am most days and close at 6pm so you can either get there early or after work if you need a gifts, electronics, shoes, clothing or kitchenware?! I feel Big W has a nicer clothing selection if you are looking for everyday pieces. They have the Peter Morrissey range which is great for ladies work/office attire and only have recently launched Lee Cooper a casual brand for ladies, mens and kids - great new addition!

The Top Ryde Shopping Centre is well spaced out and is easy to get around if you are assisting…read moresomeone in a wheelchair or pram. If you need assistance to get around there is the courtesy go mobiles...thought about putting mother in one as she was taking too long to shop. Honesty they are great for anyone who can't walk too far. This shopping centre is spread out and to get from one floor to the other is a walk. The lifts are very slow and a wait. There are many restaurants on the outside of the centre and are open quite late. This shopping centre has it all, restaurants, cafes, good shops, supermarkets and movie theatres. Parking can be an issue....my suggestion is drive to the top and make your way down.

This is a giant mall! At the pace I walk, it would take all day for me to see everything. It looks…read morelike it was built in phases over time because there are so many different design themes. It has more than 350 stores and services including grocers, bookshops, lots of coffee shops, clothing stores, home stores, shoe stores and much, much more. There are children's play areas, food courts, bakeries, and at least one dentist. Numerous public art installations and water features are found throughout. As entertainment, it's great for people watching. If you're shopping and can't find it here, it probably does not exist.

Fantastic mall for the Northern Beaches. It has everything you need from high end to dollar stores…read more Hairdressers, cinema, travel agents, multiple food courts, kids play areas, plus Coles and Woolies. Good amount of outdoor and undercover parking. Very accessible by bus and on a major corridor to and fro servicing the Northern beaches suburbs.

This place has upstairs secrets. I was allowed up there to check out the dining chairs, and that's…read morewhere they keep their works in progress: wooden frames awaiting re-upholstery. It looks a bit creepy up there, like lots of wooden naked furniture limbs, all entangled up and dust coated. The downstairs has fancy re-upholstered lounges and armchairs, while the upstairs has dining chairs. Despite the name, A Pair Of Chairs do sell chairs singly, and they also have coffee tables and cabinets, but the emphasis is undoubtedly on the chairs. This is not a store where you will be left alone, the owners will definitely approach you and gently push sales. There's a lot of teak, a lot of Parker, and a lot of 50s style going on.... It's not everyone's taste, but if you're into mid-twentieth century design (specifically that straight-backed 50s look), then you've found the right strip of shops on Regent street to keep you busy. Here, you can buy the items unrestored or nice and fixed up - depends how much you want to pay. Last time I was here the woman owner told me to supervise the shop while she went upstairs, which was trusting and I took the responsibility seriously (ahem), of course .... nobody came in .... They also reupholster your old stuff, which is nice to file away in the back of your head ("when I am old and have money maybe I will get that chair fixed up....")

Just had my 60s sofa reupholstered, perfect style. Their items are industrial modern with a slice…read moreof retro and urban cool. Kim's an expert.

Many people may know this Chinatown shopping centre for the 12 or so restaurants it has flanking…read morethe northern section of Dixon Street Mall, offering a variety of Asian cusines, including Japanese, Malaysian, Korean, Indonesian, Taiwanese and Chinese, as well as regionalised Chinese food such as Sichuanese, Yunnan and Beijing styles. These places are very popular with Asian students, 'nuff said. The ground floor is also home to N2 Extreme Gelato, one of the latest dessert trends to hit Sydney. Venture inside though, and it's completely different. There's three floors of Asian boutiques, with a scattering of gift shops and beauty shops catering primarily to the Asian market. The former Chinatown monorail station is located on the second floor, all locked up but intact, and visible through a large glass wall, an eerie reminder of the Sydney monorail system. The second floor is also home to the New Hong Kong Cafe, a popular Hong Kong cafe style restaurant. The basement floor (ie, below Dixon Street level) has a billiard hall, an internet cafe, a karaoke bar, a couple of food places and some small shops. There is an underground carpark on site. At most times, the mall is almost deserted, apart from those heading to and from New Hong Kong Cafe. Why this shopping centre isn't more frequented, I have no idea. The boutiques seem to survive though, so there must be some customers patronising them. Who knows, maybe i've just been at the wrong times. I dare say though the lack of a food court might have something to do with it, the other shopping centres in Chinatown that have food courts always seem a lot busier.

Top Bargain in Chatswood is more than your average $2 shop. The store is very large compared to…read moreother similar stores in the market. They have plenty of stock and the variety of goods is huge, if a little overwhelming. They have everything from hat boxes to wrapping paper and gift cards. I love to stock up, especially around Christmas time. I'm not a big fan of expensive wrapping paper because it goes to waste so Top Bargain is the perfect solution. There are plenty of knick knacks including miscellaneous items and costumes. Top Bargain purchase a lot of stock which is seasonal- Christmas, Halloween and Easter to name a few. The store is easier to navigate than most pound shops and with plenty of stock, you'll most likely find what you're after. The store is very clean and the huge savings are always welcome.

If you're looking to add a few unique pieces to your house, you should definitely include That…read moreVintage Shop on your antique shopping rounds. Sitting on Enmore Road (opposite Enmore Park), you'll recognise it by the jumble of antique furniture out the front and you can pull in to the store's carpark on the right. There are heaps of great knick-knacks and collectables, like malt tins, bottles, bird cages and artwork. Last time I was in there I saw an amazing kids' table and chair set in the shape of a cartoon-style red-and-white mushroom. It took serious willpower to walk away from that... From cushions to quilts to kitchenwares and frames, you'll be tempted to buy way more than you can fit in your house. If you're renovating, you've got an even better excuse to spend up big. There are always plenty of great doorknobs, light fittings and an eclectic mix of chairs. It's not all antique, though; you'll also spy some beautiful new products like candles and teacups. The owners have used every last inch of space so be prepared to do some digging!

Lots of fru-fru antique-y bits. The first room is filled with stuff that's just a little too…read moreprecious, and ornate, for me. China and crystal and old vases and nick-knacks. The second room appeals to me a bit more. The stuff here is a bit more rustic, a bit less previous. And there's quite a bit of it; watch where you walk. But a great deal of it doesn't seem to be *actual* antiques, just stuff made to *look* like it is. If that's fine by you, then the prices seem fairly reasonable.

If you're stuck for ideas and low on cash, head to Homeline Trader in Chatswood Chase. They have…read moreplenty of stock and the prices are ridiculously cheap. Having been invited to a Halloween birthday, I required a costume that was rather cheap. Browsing through the store, I immediately came across a cute outfit with the accessories only costing me a mere $2.50. I will definitely be returning for Christmas outfits this year and any decorations required! They also sell a range of homewares and decorative items such as candles. Would definitely recommend to those who are on a budget or are simply looking for cheap costumes!