Ugh, Medicare. It's a term synonymous with 'nightmare'. Nobody likes a trip to Medicare even though…read morethe outcome is usually money back in your pocket. Medicare typically means long waits, noisy crowds and abrupt staff. So I am going to let you in on a secret... Medicare North Sydney. No long waits, maximum three or four people waiting and very friendly, helpful staff. Enough said!

I'm a huge fan of libraries - they're like black holes to me, where I can go in and possibly never…read moreemerge. Unlike a bookshop where you know that any book that takes your fancy will hit pretty hard on your wallet, in a library you can sneak into just about anything knowing that if it turns out you really didn't want to know any more about the lifespan of a dung beetle or the moral values of 19th century American presidents, you're really no less well off. Mosman Library is A-OK. It has a reasonable collection of books, though I would like to see them a little more up-to-date, and I just can't help feeling a little miffed that I know in Victoria is it possible to put a request in for a book and have them order it for specially for you - not just from another branch of the library, but new from the publisher. Can we get that happening here?

Isn't it amazing that we have resources such as this. That we can just walk into a library and…read morepick-up hundreds of dollars worth of books and then just walk out. With books in Australia so ridiculously expensive and with an eye to conserving energy whilst still supporting the writing community, it should be mandatory to have a library card. It's perhaps no surprise then that my family and I are big fans of this space. It's an essential all weather venue for kids. Great when it's raining but crisply air-conditioned when it's baking hot. The children's section is brightly decorated and bubbles with an appropriate amount of energy and discipline for the surrounding. The children's library run great story sessions for babies and pre-schoolers, as well as activities during school holidays. Check out the website for specific times: http://www.mosman.nsw.gov.au/library/children The adults are well catered for too with a wide selection of texts and accommodating staff to help with enquires. They often have authors come to showcase their publications and it's well worth popping in to see what is up-coming. A new self, service check-out system is very easy to use and you can even renew online. So no late fees. Perfect.