Cooroora Woodworkers Club has a range of timber for sale for the hobby woodworker at very reasonable prices. They have slabs of various species, including camphor laurel, mango, silky oak and jacaranda, together with turning blanks and other assorted pieces. They also have a range of small pieces of exotic timbers available, including sandalwood, cedarella, Burdekin plum, and Mackay cedar. They regularly mill slabs with their Lucas Mill and will mill to order if you have specific requirements. Contact Ron Johanson on 07 5447 6124 for your timber requirements. Memberships to the Club are also available at an annual cost of $45.00, which entitles you to half price camphor laurel and access to various woodworking classes, including turning, pyrography, scrollsaw, joinery and carving.

I've had my work framed at various framers in Melbourne and Brisbane, but Highly Strung is easily the best of them. Gavin and Julie and their team get work from all around the country and do framing work for many of the five star resorts. Consequently, they are always very busy and if you don't need your work urgently, it could take quite some time to get it back. That said, if you are in a rush, you can have your stuff back within a week. I get mostly tapestries framed, a job many framers loathe and few can do well, but Highly Strung always do a magnificent job. They take the time to look at the various matting and framing options with you and will suggest what they think will be the most effective. I have on occasion left work with them without even looking at mats or frames, just asking them to do something nice, and they've always given me back a piece that's perfectly framed, with mats and a frame that set the piece off perfectly. They're not cheap by any stretch of the imagination, but when it comes to artwork, it's just so important to get it framed right, as the wrong colour mats or the wrong frame can ruin a beautiful piece of work.

Well, Gavin and Julie have sold the business, the staff they had have left for greener pastures, and Highly Strung has now become one of the most expensive framers on the Coast. Unfortunately the current owners and staff just don't have the flair for the work that Gav and Julie had, and I'm now on the hunt for someone new.

I bought my new Corolla at Ken Mills back in 2004 and have had it serviced there every six months since. Although no it is no longer required to have it serviced by a dealer, I find Ken Mills' prices very competitive and their service is second to none. They offer a free wash and vacuum at the time of service and will drop you off at the shops and collect you again when the car is ready. When I purchased the car, they were fabulous. They gave me a very generous trade-in on my old car and took care of all the paperwork involved with the purchase. I wanted several modifications and they saw to it that these were all dealt with before I took delivery.

The vets at this surgery are such gentle and caring people, my dogs are not even slightly nervous about a visit. My little girl has had numerous problems, all of which have been treated sensitively and gently, and she still greets her vet with exuberant licking and cuddles. I've also had to use their after hours service a few times when Pebbles has had run-ins with cane toads. The vet takes her home for the night so he can keep a close eye on her and she's always come home the next day a happy and healthy little dog.

Evolution have recently refurbished their shop and it's now a fashionably trendy place to get your hair styled. A pensioner cut is just $22.00 and they can always be relied on to be on time. I go every six weeks and they do a fabulous job every time. They have a number of stylists on staff and all of them can be relied on to do a good job, although you'll probably finish up with your own personal favourite after a while.

Approximate cost: $22.00

Whenever I'm in the area I make a beeline for Vanilla Cafe Bar. Don't let the name fool you; this is no cafe, it's a fully licensed, top quality restaurant, yet very reasonably priced. The staff are very friendly and welcoming, always greeting us by name, and the food is plentiful and delicious, and is served quickly. There is seating both outside on the terrace, or inside if it's a bit cool or wet but, be warned, this place is very popular at lunchtime, getting a lot of passing trade, so it's a good idea to book ahead.

Approximate cost: $25.00

The Majestic Theatre is the only silent movie theatre still operating anywhere in the world, and it really does have to be seen to be believed. It has recently been restored and it truly is a work of art in itself. Ron West accompanies the old favourites featuring the likes of Charlie Chaplin, Rudolf Valentino and Buster Keaton on the magnificent pipe organ and the audience is encouraged to boo and hiss the villain and cheer and clap the hero, just like in the old days. It costs just $10.00 for a movie and you can take your coffee or your drinks from the bar in with you while you enjoy the show. Valentino's Restaurant adjoins the theatre and usually offers a meal and theatre package at a very reasonable price. If you join their mailing list, you'll get a monthly program of events emailed to you in advance.

Approximate cost: $10.00

French chef Patrick Landelle could get a job in the best restaurant in the country without being even slightly out of place, but he chooses to grace Pomona with his presence. He is brilliant! The food is always top notch, the service impeccable, and the prices very reasonable. Even the fussiest connoisseur will be satisfied with what Valentino's has to offer. A word to the wise - if you have a hankering for creme brulee, order it at the same time as ordering your entree and main meal, as they invariably sell out and they are truly to die for! This is a tiny restaurant and is always full, so booking ahead is a must.

Approximate cost: $25

I've had Kim prepare my tax returns for the past few years now, and she's absolutely fabulous. She's quick, accurate and very reasonably priced. When she calculated that I'd have quite a substantial bill to pay, she suggested that lodgement of the return be left until the last possible moment - after all, the money's better off in my pocket than the tax man's!

The range, quality and service at Daisy Chain is unbeatable, but unfortunately they're far from the cheapest on the coast, although they do offer a loyalty scheme which gives you back 5% of the value of your purchases over six visits off your bill on your seventh purchase. Prices aside, the ladies at Daisy Chain are really friendly and helpful and the urn's always hot if you want to join them for a cuppa. They hold regular classes for both scrappers and cardmakers, offering different projects every fortnight. The cardmaking classes are very economically priced, at $12.00 for three cards. I'm not sure how much the scrapbooking classes are. They also offer specialty cardmaking classes featuring the latest techniques and tools. These are generally in the $20.00 range.