Coles in Ocean Grove is located right in the heart of the main street, known as "The Terrace" in Ocean Grove.

With ample free parking right next door, plus surrounded by many varying shops Coles is located perfectly for locals and tourists alike.

Coles has expanded many times during recent years, in particular in the past few months when the bakery section was expanded.

Coles in Ocean Grove is now quite a large size, with a lot of stock and the prices are reasonable.

The brand-name products are priced quite competitively, with a lot of store-brand products going for quite cheap prices.

There are a mixture of serviced check-outs and self-serve ones in the store.

Coles are always having specials on various products and it's quite rare that products aren't in stock.

Coles in Ocean Grove is a good store that services the local township well.

OCR FM began its life in 1991 as Colac's (a small town in western Victoria, about an hour from Geelong) first community radio station, albeit under a different name.

After a couple of name changes, OCR FM (Otway Colac Radio FM) has been settled on for the past few years.

OCR FM has been growing all the time in recent years, having community fundraisers that have generated a lot of money and goodwill in the local community.

A lot of vibrant, diverse shows have built a strong following on OCR FM over the past few years.

OCR FM broadcasts on 98.3FM in the Colac region, and 88.7FM in Apollo Bay (a regional town not too far away).

Probably my favourite show on OCR FM is "Team Friday", a new drive-time show airing from 4-6pm that is mainly sports-focued.

Their Saturday afternoon coverage of the Colac and District Football League during winter has also been a big hit.

OCR FM continues to provide a viable alternative to commercial radio stations such as Mixx FM in Colac and Melbourne/Geelong-based stations.

Built in 2000, Etihad Stadium, or "Docklands Stadium" has been seen as the new age in sporting stadium technology.

With a retractable roof, stadium "club" seating on the second level (where each seat has a cushion and a private small video screen attached) and many amenities, Etihad Stadium has become one of the premier spots to watch professional sport in the city of Melbourne.

There are three seating levels at Etihad Stadium. The lower level, level 1, is usually able to be accessed on event days (unless the game is a sell-out) and so is level 3.

Level 2 is strictly for ticket holders of such clubs as the exclusive "Medallion Club" run by the stadium. You won't be able to sit on level 2 if you are a walk-up to a sporting game.

Etihad Stadium is the home ground of AFL clubs Essendon, Carlton, North Melbourne, the Western Bulldogs and St. Kilda, though Carlton will move their home base to the Melbourne Cricket Ground in 2015.

Etihad Stadium also houses the Melbourne Renegades "Big Bash League" franchise, plus some of the bigger games for the Melbourne Victory "A-League" team.

Etihad Stadium has also proven to be popular as a major concert venue, with acts such as Robbie Williams, Mariah Carey and AC/DC all playing there.

One-off events such as rugby league State of Origin, rugby union Wallabies games and professional wrestling have been staged there in the past, and will likely be staged there again in future.

Ticket prices for Etihad Stadium are genuinely quite expensive for an Australian sporting stadium, but not having to worry about sitting in the rain is something you probably could expect to have to pay for.

There are food vendors, merchandise outlets, bars, clubs, toilets, restaurants and betting agencies dotted right around the stadium, offering a number of different options for patrons. Most of it is priced quite high compared to the standard, and particularly when it comes to the food, you probably don't get great value for money.

When it comes to watching professional sport in Australia, Etihad Stadium offers a rich array for a sporting enthusiast's pleasure.

The stadium is hosting events basically 12 months a year, and with the Southern Cross station located right outside the door, it's very easy to get to via public transport.

There is a massive carpark underneath the playing field, but it can run out quite expensive to park there on game day's.

There is a bunch of shops and food stalls outside the stadium if you want cheaper food.

Smoking is not allowed inside the stadium, but there is a designated smokers area.

"The Sporting Globe" bar and restaurant is located in the heart of the Geelong CBD, just a few doors down from the offices of the "Geelong Advertiser" newspaper and directly across the street from the Village cinema complex.

"The Sporting Globe" is probably most famous for its range of pizzas. There are all types and sizes, vegetarian, meat lovers, international pizzas, all different types. I had the Aussie pizza there and it was very tasty and quite a decent size as well, good for sharing.

"The Sporting Globe" also specialises in wings.

The set-up of the place is quite unique in some ways. The bar area has a lot of stools and tables, surrounded by quite a few TVs equipped with Foxtel.

Then there are the private booths which have their own TV for customers to view personally. Those booths must be pre-booked, but are a good investment if you want to be in a more private atmosphere for a meal.

There is a public bar out the back which is a bit more outdoors, it's partially covered but partially outdoors. It has a couple of TVs running as well.

I guess you'd call "The Sporting Globe" a real sports bar/restaurant.

On Saturday nights they often have live performers, and on various nights, such as Monday nights, they have special deals such as half-price pizzas and wings.

On days where there's special sporting events, such as the NFL Super Bowl, they even have free wings during the TV broadcast of the game, so those special days are great days to get to "The Sporting Globe" and try what they have to offer.

The service is good, although if you order a meal outside of regular meal times you can expect a fair wait.

Located at the iconic former home of the Essendon Football Club, the Windy Hill Fitness Centre is a terrific gymnasium for people in the local area and visitors.

The trainers at the gym are first-class, and the equipment is kept in good condition and regularly updated.

The memberships do run out to be a little expensive, but most gyms are. It's another case of if you use the gym often enough, a membership can, in the end, run out at quite good value. Especially when compared with how much it costs to buy gym equipment for your home.

Windy Hill Fitness Centre is located in suburban Essendon, quite close to a tram stop. Parking isn't massive around the area, but there is a bit across the street from the Windy Hill football ground.

It's been a pretty tough time for book stores in the Geelong CBD, particularly at Westfield's Geelong shopping mall, where two major book retailers have shut up shop in recent times - "Angus and Robertson" and "Borders".

However, there is a relatively new book store that has opened on the second level of Westfield in recent times which is called "All Books 4 Less".

This is a different kind of book store in that all books are $5, but they are mostly books that are a number of years old, generally around the 5-year old mark.

It's a pretty bare basics store, nothing flashy, but if you are looking for a bargain book that isn't sold in general book stores, this is the place for you.

The service was quite good and they do stock other book-related things such as calendars and diaries, though they usually are diaries/calendars for the current year after the year has started, thus they can sell them at a cheaper price.

I think they stock some interesting books that, whilst they may be a few years old, I really think are good quality and for the price of $5 it's worth a visit.

Approximate cost: $5

Owned by locals Roy and Melissa Tan, "Ming Terrace" has been a staple in the main street of Ocean Grove for many years now. Located on the corner of the street, upstairs above a hairdressing salon, "Ming Terrace" offers picturesque views of the beach at Ocean Grove and across to the bluff at Barwon Heads.

The menu is very traditional Westernised Chinese fare. Whilst dishes such as honey chicken aren't actually eaten in China, Roy's sweet recipe makes for a delicious treat. Couple that with other dishes such as fried rice, lemon chicken, steak in black bean sauce, etc., and you are on a winner.

Prices can be slightly high when compared to other Chinese restaurants around, but I feel the quality of food you get is worth it.

Be aware that corkage is charged, sometimes even when someone isn't drinking wine.

Approximate cost: $25

"Nott and Drew" are located in the heart of the Geelong CBD, but service all suburbs and the Surf Coast. They are qualified, thorough professionals in the plumbing industry who will come anywhere as quick as possible to fix any plumbing-related problem. Their prices are quite reasonable and their service is always top notch.

Servicing the entire Geelong and Surf Coast area, "Jim's Tree and Stump Removal" is the place to go when you need a tree removed fast and cost-efficiently. Particularly along the Surf Coast, a lot of bigger properties have trees fall down in awkward places during times of high winds - "Jim's" will come and fix the problem as soon as possible for a very reasonable price. Their ability to remove stumps - always tricky to do when trying yourself, is also very handy.

Located in the Ocean Grove manufacturing district, "Surfside Tyre Centre" is the place to go locally for all your tyre problems. Offering great deals and comprehensive work, if you need new tyres or a realignment they are the place to go in the Ocean Grove area.