Where every other op shop now seems to be modelling itself on high street fashion stores, good old…read moreDon is still serving it up the way it is meant to be. I'm obviously happy to support charities by shopping at op shops, but the real appeal for me is finding a great little item that no one else will have and that will cost me only a few bucks. That's what you get at the Don. None of this, "it's a flowery 90s Laura Ashley number and we know how the 90s is back in fashion so we'll up the price tag", it's still, "It's a secondhand dress that smells a bit and has yellowing patches at the underarm region so lets get rid of it for less than $10". That's how it should be. I don't want to rummage through an overstuffed clothes rack where none of the hangers match and most of the items are total rubbish, only to find the one thing of any value to me and have to pay full whack for it. No. Is Don, is good.

Don Bosco is a favourite for relatively cheap furniture, with is regularly turned over for new…read morestock thanks to its' occasional half off sale. Aside from that, it's got your typical array of clothes, knick knacks, bits and pieces and other general stuff that other people have thrown out but you just might find useful. Given the highly convenient location of Don Bosco, it tends to get picked over pretty heavily, so the really great finds are less frequent than at some of the more out of the way joints. Nonetheless, the prices tend to be slightly lower than at Savers down the road (though not always), and it's good for the suits, ties and ladies' nightwear from bygone eras. The odd board game also tends to surface every now and then.

It's hard to judge how to best review a pawn shop. I'll be fair and comment on my experience…read morerelating to this shop, and not the misery and despair that drives people to need to use such shops in the first place. I was just browsing as I was looking at guitars a year or so back. A mate had mentioned he'd seen some very nice acoustic guitars in the shop, and I thought I'd have a quick look. While I wasn't really interested in what they had as far as instruments are concerned (and yes, there were a good number, but not what I wanted), I did spot a couple of items that I thought I might as well pick up. Now, considering that it's a pawn shop, a lot of the stuff in there is kinda on the expensive side. I'd rather have a look in the Trading Post, to be honest. I did manage to find a decent car jack, though, and it was cheap, so I bought it. The service was alright. Typical Knox retail standard. No complaints. Just that it's expensive for a shop that sells second hand stuff.

I've never had a problem with CC. purchased several things there and the price was negotiable, the…read morestaff friendly, on one occasion I got a wrong lead for a sewing machine but it was promptly replaced when I rang them they put the right one aside for me. electrical items are cheap and have been checked out, I think give them a go if you are looking for something and cant afford, or don't want to pay new price.

Food at Chef David's was great - but the decor was something else. A bit overwhelming on the visual…read moresenses but intriguing enough to be interesting. For us, the skewers were the highlights - delicious with that authentic mala flavor. It's somewhat on the pricey end but you pay for the experience.

Cute little nail salon in Carnegie Central. I'm a fan of shellac manicures myself. Can get busy and…read moreservice random but end result is good for a couple of weeks.

Entertainment Store is a licensee for childrens entertainment brands and a booking agency for a…read morehuge array of live entertainment from Mc's to cabaret to bands and to circus skilled roaming characters! I would strongly recommend booking through Entertainment Store as they catered to our every need for entertainment but above all the entertainment was of an exceptionally high standard.

This is a great venue for a function be is professional ie meeting, conference, lecture, workshop…read moreor perhaps personal like a wedding, dinner, birthday or celebration. Central location, beautiful old building, and in a lovely part of town, just across from the Exhibition Gardens.

This venue is great for functions. They have a lecture theatre upstairs, full kitchen and function…read moreroom downstairs. We held about 100 people both up and downstairs comfortably. The venue is very economical and they can help you organise a caterer if need be or you can choose your own. The only downside is that you will need to bring your own AV equipment or source if from somewhere. Sure the decor particularly upstairs looks like it's out of the 70s but if functionality and comfort are more important than looks then this isn't an issue. The layout is great with a little nook near the front door where you can set up a table for registrations and greeting guests. I really liked this venue as it is central and provides low cost options for not for profit organisations. The staff were also great and let us hang around longer than planned as our event was going quite strongly despite them having to wait to lock up the venue.

You Scent Me at the Pines definitely has the name right. You most certainly will smell it. The…read moreshop, which sits in the middle of the walkway in the centre is an abundance of smells, fragrances and perfumes just waiting to grace the wrists and necks of men and women. The prices are standard for a shop of this type although they do tend to choose a few different perfumes to mark down each day. These are often popular fragrances so you can nab a bargain here. The shop itself is more a cubic glass shelf with a customer service assistant inside the cube. Perfumes line the shelves and the shelves are very crowded. If you are after something specific I would recommend asking the service girl for help rather than painstakingly crouch low to the floor to cover the bottom shelves. I find the location of the store quite irritating. Trying to have a look at what is on the shelves is difficult when a mother with a pram and three kids under five pass by and the pram rolls over your foot. The walkway in the centre is also very noisy and it is hard to concentrate.

If you're new to Melbourne, only in town for the weekend or a holiday, or just want to experience…read moresomething diff that you may not even know about, check this place out for new ideas and exciting escapades in and around Melbourne. Conveniently located at Fed Square just opposite Flinders st station, the Visitor and Tourism Centre has all the goss and knowledge of what's on, what's hot and what you need to do and experience in this weird and wonderful city. With free maps, travel advice, as well as booking services for travel and accommodation providers in Melbourne, and in fact right across the state. The staff are really pleasant, bubbly and seem genuinely happy to be promoting the city and its events. They're also great at guessing what you might be interested in and have tons ideas of how you can spend your weekend. I love it because what you'd be paying for elsewhere, is all free here! Particularly great for bookings for travel and accommodation, or for picking up a memento to take home from your hols.

Melborne's a city with a lot to offer, many of it not apparent…read more In comparison to other big cities of the world, it doesn't have many iconic buildings or fancy schmancy shit. You have... Federation Square, voted the ugliest building in the world. Flinders Street, a cool looking yet dirty railway station, and I guess Eureka Tower? This makes placing a visitor centre in the midle of these a great decision. Almost like a declaration of "well, you've already gone to our most famous spots, but that's not all!" Customer Service: The employees here are very helpful and they know their stuff. You can get recommendations for pretty much anything. Obviously, this is pre-Yelp-Down-Under. My friends came to ask about dessert recommendations and the staff were happy to oblige. Whether you're asking about famous landmarks or something a bit more subtle, this spot at Federation Square will have the answers you seek, delivered with a smile.