I went to the chemist and was a bit concerned as I have just had surgery to repair a damaged tendon on my leg.

I expected that when I found an assistant they probably wouldn't have any idea on what I am talking about however was pleasantly surprised.

The lady there pretty much bent over backwards to find the right things for me and help me locate the right type of bandages, made suggestions on how I could reduce the risk of infection and when it came time to matching prices, checked every item that I purchased so that she got the lowest prices possible for my bandages, protective materials etc etc. My Chemist and Chemist Warehouse are the same, so ask them to check the prices as My Chemist is normally a bit higher but they will check for you if you ask them to compare to Chemist Warehouse.

The fact that she knew what I was talking about when I discussed the injury and the suggestions to help keep everything clean and bacteria free so that my leg can heal properly was great.

There are two My Chemists in Doncaster Shoppingtown and the one I went to see was the store on the Ground floor near the ANZ Bank.

If you ever need help or get stuck on a question they are more than happy to help. Just ask for Francesca!

Approximate cost: $30

This place used to be a Shark Fin Yum Cha/Chinese Restaurant and when it was that, the quality was good and competitive.

However we visited this place recently and found that the standard has dropped considerably when compared to other venues such as Tai Pan or even the newer places such as Secret Kitchen.

The waiters had to be constantly flagged down to refill the tea pots and when some of the dim sum came out it was cold and we had to send it back to be reheated. The options available - it was a Wednesday also appeared limited compared to other yum cha places and the poor trolley ladies were coming back again and again with the same items that did not sell. Maybe because it was a weekday they were not able to provide such variety?

From the perspective of quality and value it was nothing exciting and the taste was just ok to good. Overall we were disappointed because there is another Gold leaf in Springvale which is the sister restaurant and it is always busy and has a great range and good service.

Approximate cost: $6

I went to this place with low expectations as I am not really a fan of buffets in hotels that are predominately drinking places offering buffets. The first time I went there, my expectations were low and they were met. It really wasn't exciting and the quality just didn't cut the mustard. The offerings were what you'd get elsewhere - four bean mix that seemed to be from a can, salads that were plain and basic - do you call shreded carrot and lettuce salad? garlic bread, french fries that were soggy, roasts that were a bit dry and desserts that I'm sure even Sara Lee could do better.

When another friend asked me to go on a Friday night I thought oh no, here we go again. But much to their pushing I went along. And I was pleasantly surprised!

Friday nights are their seafood special night and for the price of $27 you have a choice of prawns, salmon, calamari, other shellfish, mussels and on the night we went, chilli crab!

This turned out to be one of the bargains of the month because the salmon was fresh and tasty as were the other seafood items and the regular salads seemed to be replaced with more palatable ones such as rocket and parmesan with pine nuts, caesar style salads and desserts that included profiteroles and mini eclairs and other better quality cakes. Included with your meal is limitless coffee, tea or hot chocolate from a machine.

All in all, well worth the $27! And we all left satisfied! From a value for money perspective if you're a seafood lover it is great value and the quality ain't half bad! But just remember to go on a Friday...

Approximate cost: $27

When I visit Healsville I always stop by this bakery because the owner is obsessed with quality and taste.

There are several things I pick up here which are signature items such as the bee stings (a cake with custard and honey topped with almonds) and their pies - pick any one and it's sure to be a delight. My favorites are the spinach and fetta rolls and the chicken and leek pies. Prices here are not expensive - around $4 for a pie and remember it's fresh baked, not some frozen thing from the supermarket. I also end up buying lots of cakes to go home including florentines, custard tarts and apple cakes.

Great quality, great service and good value for money make this a great place to visit if you want a medium run country drive (around an hour and a half from Melbourne).

Approximate cost: $6

If you're travelling overseas, one of the things you can't get away from is foreign currency and the need to have some with you. Even in this day and age with credit cards and electronic payment systems, there are times when you need cash.

When I need to exchange money I go to Travel Money Oz in Doncaster because they don't charge any commissions and their starting rates for currency exchange are generally better than the others in the centre. If you have a large amount, you can get a better rate although I only change a couple of hundred just to get me past the first day or two overseas.

The people there are always friendly and with competitive rates and no commissions that makes this place a winner!

This store specialises in snow sports and also skateboarding and other board related sports.

However the fact that they sell stuff doesn't stop there because they also provide lots of other services for those of you who love the snow.

The services include
- ski/board repairs, waxing, tuning
- training in how to wax and prepare your ski/board for the season
- ski/board hire for the snow

I went there and the people there were helpful as I originally saw an item on the internet and then checked out their store and they were able to beat the internet price - not by much but still a good deal. (I later found it even cheaper on the internet a week later - d'oh!)

This is one of those rare occasions too that the service was also friendly and helpful because I had run one of my skis over a rock (luckily an old pair!) and they discussed base repair with me. It actually wasn't too bad and really only needed some wax because it wasn't too deep.

During the year they also run training sessions on how to look after your board/skis which is useful for those who have the patience and time to wax and tune the board/skis so that you can enhance your enjoyment of the snow.

So if you are looking for some ski gear or need to hire skis or boards then head down to Collingwood and check out their items. They also have hire available at Mt Hotham.

This place I went to because from the entertainment book I had a voucher for buy one get one free. So I thought hey, half the risk if it's not good!

Well, that was the theory. However I am very pleased to report that this place is on par with other favorites such as Lux Bite and Brunettis.

The ingredients appear to be second to none and the range of cakes available changes depending I guess on what the chef feels like doing?? Or maybe I just got there late (afternoon) and the really good stuff had gone??

Anyway, I purchased my two cakes, and found both to be of a very high quality and taste sensations. Who needs Adriano Zumbo in Sydney when we have Le Petit Gateau and Lux Bite??!! Well, perhaps that's a bit over rated because Zumbos is great too!!

The brownie and passionfruit cake was smooth and just the right hint of passion fruit and the lemon cake was also of the same caliber. Both done well and full of flavor - hard to get simple things right like a lemon tart but this must be one of the blueprints.

Overall, prices are moderate/high - around $9 - $10 a piece but given the quality and taste, a trip that your taste buds will enjoy!

Approximate cost: $10

This place was recommended to me by some friends who know I like Korean food but it has to be properly done and authentic otherwise it really just tastes like something from your local Chinese takeaway.

I went to Oriental spoon with high hopes and when we got there it was a Saturday evening and it was crazy busy with the queue going out the door. They don't take bookings before 8pm so even at that late time for dinner we still had to wait and it was about 15 minutes before we sat down.

I ordered bim bim bap which is rice with beef and some veggies and egg in a stone bowl. Done properly this dish is heaven with crispy rice from the volcano hot bowl and smooth and delicious pieces of beef and veggies shredded so that it mixes with the egg and creates a nice gravy. Unfortunately with this place things seemed a little rushed and the stone bowl was not hot enough meaning that the rice did not form a crispy coating to enable the right texture to blend with the other ingredients. So it turned out to be more like a stew on rice or a form of curry on rice without the curry flavor. The kimchi pancakes were good if a little spicy and the agedashi tofu was also good.

Service was slow perhaps due to how busy the place was, however given it was a Saturday night I would have expected more staff to be on duty.

Because we had such a large table (12 people), our order was also mixed up a bit and some people got the wrong items and had to wait for it to be redone or they just couldn't bother and had whatever arrived! They feared that they would have to wait too long.

From a food and value perspective the prices are okay at around $13 for a main and the entrees are good at around $7 but they are not exceptional. As mentioned the cooking was perhaps a bit rushed however it is fair to good value for money.

Approximate cost: $13

Tucked away on one end of the city square is one of the institutions of Melbourne's cafe society. Brunetti's original cafe is in Carlton and has recently moved back to its original location. But from time to time I will stop by the one in this location (or at Myer - depends how far away I am!) and enjoy a hot chocolate and a piece of cake and spend some time chatting with friends watching the world go by.

The place is more al fresco which means that there's really not much seating indoors and it fills quickly. So most of the time we end up outdoors which is fine so long as the weather's not too cold or hot.

The menu again like Myer is limited however is just enough to allow you to find your favorites which for me include cheesecake/pear crumble, sacher torte, and opera cake along with a mug of hot chocolate just hits the spot. On a Summer day and Ice chocolate with the cake makes a better option.

The prices are not the cheapest, then again not the most expensive for what you pay, however as mentioned before, there's really no change from $12 but the quality of what's on offer is well worth it and the location is great to watch the world go by.

Approximate cost: $12

This branch of Brunetti's is tucked away inside Myer Department store and is great for a quick coffee or cake or even hot chocolate when you don't have time to visit Brunetti's in Carlton. It offers a limited range of cakes (full range is only from Carlton) but has the coffees, teas and hot chocolates you have all come to know and like. The place does get very crowded on weekends and we found it a bit of a battle trying to find a table to sit 8, but eventually some people were nice enough to move and allow us to sit together and spend the afternoon casually chatting and watching people rushing by with their shopping.

The prices are pretty similar to elsewhere what you'd pay in the city meaning that there's really no change from$12 for a cake and coffee but the quality of what they offer is worth it.

A great place to wile away the afternoon with friends.

Approximate cost: $12