If the desire to dress like a wood elf becomes overpowering, this is the place for you…read more I braved the stairway past the pixie pictures, and found a dark showroom with workshop behind. It was quiet, and there's a couple of big changerooms to wrangle the odd and very pointy bits of clothing together into acceptable layers. What's a laplap when it's at home? I'm all for local businesses making good, and on a braver day I'll try on some of the very comfy looking cottony pants, but the target market's a bit younger than me. Or possibly popping over from the Other Side on the way to a fae rave or changeling substitution.

The Hippy Shop in Springwood is right opposite the train station, and takes up almost the entire…read moresidewalk! But I like it, it has a very marketplace-y feel. And, true to their name, all the products are hippy-like! Tie-dye tops, dresses and baggy pants, hemp totes, Buddha statues, antique-looking artefacts like an old chest of drawers, a small cabinet, what looks to be an armoire, plush, ornate pouffes.. and that's just on the outside! If you venture inside (where it's dark and only lit with lamps), you'll see more intricately designed artefacts, like little stone figurines, ornamental lanterns, windchimes which are constantly making soothing tinkling sounds in the background as you browse... it's really quite a lovely atmosphere. There's even all kinds of incense, including one that is made to smell like marijuana. Why one would want incense that smells that marijuana, I'm not quite sure. You also get a nice mix of cheap items, and expensive items, so there will always be something to fit your budget.

Brace yourselves! I…read morepass through Springwood only once or twice a year and this store keeps expanding and for good reason. This place is packed with so much stock, and I mean SO MUCH! This is the perfect place to go if you need a easy gift or if your tastes are off the beaten track. I would otherwise give this store a lower rating for the mobility issues around the store but I love it too much. Please be careful if you need space to move around. The aisles are quite narrow (so much stock!) and it is difficult to pass other customers. Bring a VERY small bag if you don't want to knock the stock over and break things. Go here, I dare you!

A lovely shop with all the stuff I normally hope to find at a metaphysical shop and a few surprises…read moretoo like fantasy t-shirts and fantasy artwork. Will definitely come here again.

It's Sunday night and you're still feeling dodgy. You were hoping it would just go away - perhaps…read morethe remnants of a big Saturday night - but no, the sickness has set in for the long haul. And you've got work tomorrow. This is why you need to know about Turramurra Pharmacy. Open late and 7 days a week - that's nothing short of a godsend. It may be a bit tired-looking and modestly fitted out, but facing down a fever or the like on an unfortunate Sunday night, this pharmacy will start looking very attractive indeed.

It's great this place is open in the evenings but the prices are high and sometimes the staff are a…read morerushed and not very nice. They have a lot of different pharmactists there and some are helpful, others just rude.

This is a smallish salon, which appeals to me caus you get individual attention & don't feel like…read moreyou're part of a production line. The girls at Clara Bow listen to their clients and work with clients to create 'the look' for each client.... male or female. The salon itself looks gorgeous... light & airy, comfortable & relaxed. I love the cuckoo clock that chirps away through my appointment. Open late on Wednesdays. I like to hear that the team are constantly learning new techniques, working at Fashion Week parades ..... In other words keeping edgy & ahead in their game. Oops, that wasn't meant to be a pun!

Although I hate the Americanisation of the name - It's called a drug store as opposed to a chemist…read moreor pharmacy, I have to admit it's quite good and offering lots of competition to the numerous other chemists in Castle Hill. At the moment everyone seems to be a discount chemist of some sort but this ones seems to have an edge on the others. Selling more than just pharmaceutical drugs, it has a full range of beauty products and other odds and ends that chemists carry.

An absolute must when visiting the mountains. The gallery is a little pricey, but the proceeds…read moresupport the upkeep of the estate so just pretend you're donating to a cause. Take a cliff top stroll around the property and visit the pool. It's so hot today, I wish there was water in it... Also a lovely cafe on site for a bite to eat.

Norman Lindsay's a bit of a love him or hate him kind of figure. Try and guess where I fall…read more You can't hit an antique store in the Mountains without being presented with some gravity-defying breasts courtesy of Mr Lindsay. Leading proponent of Art as An Excuse to Paint Lots of Naked Women and Satyrs, Lindsay's better known these days for 'The Magic Pudding', the somewhat anarchic children's classic. This museum is located in his house and is run by the National Trust. Tickets are a little pricey at $12 for adults, $10 concessions, $6 kids and families for $30. And if rampant boobs and lecherous mythological figures are your thing (and really, it's so weird it is worth seeing) this makes for in interesting stopover. My favourite spot is the painting studio in the gardens, set up as he might have left it (sans nude models), bringing an interestingly personal touch. He built model ships in his spare time. Who knew? I've heard rumours about Lindsay's behaviour amongst oldtimers up here that'd make a reality tv star with one of THOSE tapes blush. It's an odd feeling to see kids getting their faces painted in the same grounds where all those artistically-licensed shenanigans went on. There's an annual children's literature festival held here, and the odd concert in the grounds too. And lots of boobs. Did I mention that?

Considering they are several hundred metres away from the shopping centre as well as being on the…read morewrong side of the road for fashion, Monna Lisa Children's Wear has survived for several years. It is full of lovely children's clothes and communion dresses. The brands you find here you won't find in K-Mart or Target. They specialise in the Monna Lisa brand from Italy, very good quality and lovely designs. From babies up to about 14 years, they have quite a range. I have visited several times for my granddaughter and have purchased some lovely items. My granddaughter is getting too old now so maybe I will return to buy my grandson something.