We have had Holland blinds installed in three of our rooms. We were able to arrange a measure and quote with sample materials quite quickly and at a time that suited us. There was a waiting time of about 4 weeks while the blinds were made. Once they were ready, they fitted them within a few days. There were no problems and the blinds are fine. Shades also supplied and installed timber venetians for me about 15 years ago so the business seems to be in for the long haul.

Approximate cost: $800

Fortunately Greg sent a reminder that our piano had not been tuned for 5 years, so we were jolted into action and left a message. He returned our call and organised a visit for the following day but didn't show up (most unusual as he was always very reliable). He rang later and apologised profusely saying that he didn't know how he had got the days mixed up and organised a time two days later. He did a great job and gave us a free bottle of snazzy polish as a further apology.

Approximate cost: $143

We booked a table in the dining room for 7.45pm on a Monday night, rang to say we were running late and arrived about 8.15pm. It was not a busy night and the meals arrived in good time. The wine list is good but pricey and there was one very popular dessert that had disappeared by the time we got to dessert. We had a very pleasant evening and were not rushed out even though we were well and truly the last table. An extra and vital bit of service was our waiter tracking us down at the car in Cardigan St to return my bag with wallet and phone that I had left, yet again, on the back of a chair. Apparently the solution to this problem is that I should always pay because then I'd always notice if my bag was missing!

Approximate cost: $23 - 32

This is eBay with a shopfront and great for offloading those items clutterring up the house. We had good quality but superceded CD player and stereo equipment that we thought some-one would want but we just didn't know where to find them. I saw an ad for Simply Sold which was conveniently close to home. They checked out the stuff and said that there was a market for such 'vintage' equipment so we left it there. They photographed everything and put it on eBay. Payment went in to our account a few weeks later. Web site gives all the necessary info.

Approximate cost: $no cost if no sale

This needs a bit of explanation so here goes. We bought two IXL Tastic light/fan/heaters for our bathrooms from Chalmers in Hawthorn and had them installed by a qualified electrician. After 12 months, one failed completely. The warranty was for 5 years so we started tracking down what to do next. An internet search brought us to an IXL appliances site which gave details of the procedure and a toll-free number (1800 032 558) which I rang. They took details and said they would book a service call through Tom's Element Shop, the closest service shop and ring me back which they did within a few minutes with a booking for the following afternoon. The serviceman rang when he was about 20 minutes away and just as well because I had thought he was coming the day after and had only just arrived home. Phew! Anyway, he pulled the unit out, made a couple of adjustments and had it all tested and up and running within half an hour. So, although it took a while to find out just what to do, it all went very smoothly from then on and I would be inclined to check them out next time we are looking for something with elements!

Approximate cost: $free under warranty

Freshly baked sourdough bread from a wood-fired oven. Yum! This little gem is tucked away behind a gravel carpark near the intersection of the Hurstbridge-Kinglake Rd and the Kangaroo Ground-St Andrews Rd. It is a tiny place but has lovely bread as well as pastries and pies. I think it also sells Fairtrade coffee but I haven't bought coffee there. It can be very busy on a Saturday morning when the St Andrews market is on and doesn't open on Sunday. I thought it must have been the original one but it was built around 1980 and the original owner sold up after about 10 years and is a baker in the UK. If you feel like a drive up to Kinglake, stop off for supplies to nibble in the National Park.

Approximate cost: $3-6

This place might not have that 'wow' factor but if you've pedalled out from the suburbs, ridden up to Kinglake, had an exhilarating descent to St Andrews and then made it up the seemingly unnecessary hill to the store, it feels like a 5 star. Stopping here is pure animal magnetism, you might resist on the first pass but never on the way home. The owners are very friendly and have come to realise that cyclists are reliable consumers of muffins, which they cook on the premises, and coffee which tastes pretty good by then. Then there are all the things that you would expect to find in a country store. They have a few tables on a narrow verandah and toilets around the back where you can fill water bottles (from the handbasin.......) or they are happy to fill bottles in the shop. This is very much a local country store so most people are coming in to pick up the paper or milk and bread and you can often tune in to some local gossip as a bonus. But beware, it is easy to while away time when you know the ride is more than halfway over and the passing traffic can keep you entertained but it's best not to sit for too long if tackling the Kangaroo Ground undulations afterwards.

Approximate cost: $~$ each for coffee and mu

This is a one vet practice that has been around for years. I've taken our pets plus a couple of stray cats for treatment and always found the treatments to fix the problems. Sometimes that has been to put down a disease-ridden stray (no charge) to yearly vaccinations checkups and microchip inserts for our pets. They send out reminders for vaccinations and keep good records which is just as well because while I know I've tucked away that information somewhere, I can never find it and it always seems no time before it time for another round of immunnisations. This as not a wizzbang, hightech practice but that is part of its appeal and doesn;t detract from the quality of treatment. I really like it.

Having a delayed mid-life crisis, I decided that turning 50 was the impetus for fulfilling my long-held desire for, no not an MG or a new partner, but a snazzy Vespa scooter. After checking around Melbourne and Ebay for prices on new and secondhand scooters, I ended up at Vespa House discussing options with Frank (who confessed to buying a Mercedes for his 50th birthday!). His business has certainly taken off since the first time I checked it out in the early 1980s but it is still the same in terms of selling and servicing almost exclusively Vespas. After a lot of procrastination, I went in one day and asked what he had that I could ride off on that day. I chose a scooter that wasn't quite the demure colour I had anticipated but that's impatience for you and I have learnt to love my dragon red wheels. It's been back a couple of times for servicing, a trouble-free procedure with the use of a battered 50cc scooter for the day thrown in. There are always a few classics in the workshop and while it's fun to look at them, my fully automatic LX150 with electronic ignition and security is far more practical for me.

This is a really interesting place for seeing live theatre, musical performances and exhibitions. You never know quite what to expect and if you feel like taking a punt on an evening's entertainment, you could be surprised, confronted, delighted or simply entertained. It's a small venue in Flinders Lane tucked away down a flight of creaky wooden stairs in what was an old warehouse. The performance space is intimate, probably only holds about 60-80 people. I was intrigued by the broad range of events listed, some of which seemed quite experimental, so I looked up the website to find out more about the place. It is described as a "home for innovative, original performance in music, dance, drama and physical theatre" and is set up as a not-for-profit organisation that provides space for performers unable to pay for the hire of more commercial places. That explains why the things on there are not quite run-of-the-mill. I really enjoyed looking through the small exhibition space and also a performance given by an amateur choir. I think my next foray will be to one of the theatre performances.

Approximate cost: $around $12 - 20