My friend took me to Europa for some paczki (traditional Polish doughnuts) - they were delicious, but my gosh, some of the cakes in the window looked TO DIE FOR. The service was pretty good, and it was lovely to sit outside and watch St Kilda pass by. I'll definitely be going back for some of the incredible looking cakes.

Approximate cost: $4

This is my go-to restaurant for authentic and cheap Chinese in the city. Simple, authentic meals served on rice are only $7.50, and very tasty. It's only a small restaurant, so in peak times you may have to wait for a table, and the service is a bit average, but the meals are brought out very quickly. I've never actually tried the dumplings here though... that's next on my to-do list!

Approximate cost: $7.50

This is my favourite Japanese restaurant. I love everything about it - the interior, the service, the food (oh, the food!). My friends who regularly travel to Japan tell me it's just like the food back in Japan. For starters, try the takoyaki, and for mains I cannot go past the tempura set. So delish. I should also add that this restaurant is over an hour's drive from where I live, but it's worth it.

Approximate cost: $16-$21

We eat here every year while on a shopping trip in the upstairs function room. The food is really nice, however their presentation and service this past week was very average. The wait staff were either abrupt or quite smelly (truly!), and the chap pouring drinks was pouring moscato from a sav blanc bottle. The meal presentation was a little off too - my tartare sauce was hidden underneath a pile of chips, so I didn't discover it until the end of the meal.

Approximate cost: $16

We went here on an fundraising shopping trip, and I wasn't that impressed. The prices were definitely cheap, but the quality and range wasn't great - I struggled to find any bras in my size, and the store was CHOCK full of old lady nighties!

Approximate cost: $10

Dined 21/9/12 using an OurDeal voucher - $49 for two entrees, two mains, two desserts and two glasses of wine. The restaurant was fairly full when we arrived. Orders taken promptly, entrees arrived really quickly and were delicious. Then it went downhill. It took another hour for our mains to arrive, during which time the waitstaff started packing up for the night. The steak was very average, and was honestly something I could cook better myself at home. The mushroom side dish was divine however. It was another long wait for our desserts to arrive, and when they did, the icecream had half melted and the chocolate pudding was very dry. We were also given soup spoons instead of dessert spoons as they had run out. I can now understand why they offered the deal in the first place, and I would have been very annoyed if we had paid full price for our meals.

Approximate cost: $30

I had two appointments at Bridal House trying on bridal gowns, each with the same assistant. At the second appointment just a week later, she did not remember me and I had to run through my whole spiel again. I was limited to trying on 5 dresses in each appointment, but I was not allowed to try on a few dresses I really liked because the sample size was a size 8, and I am a size 12, and the size difference was too great (at other stores it was no problem). The layout of the room isn't ideal - there is no privacy, and I felt like the other brides and family members were eavesdropping (particularly when I was by myself for one appointment and had no moral support!). The feeling in the store is very formal - not much chit-chat, all business. I probably wouldn't recommend the store to a friend, but they do stock some great labels that you'd normally find in the capital cities.

After looking at many Geelong and Melbourne bridal stores, in desperation I tried Bridal World in Ballarat. We were served by Jenni, who was lovely and attentive. No appointment was needed, so i didn't feel rushed or limited to trying on only a handful of gowns. Taking photos of the dresses was fine with them (it's not allowed at most bridal stores). Their laybuy process was really simple - you just need to make monthly repayments. They were also great on keeping me updated with what was happening. I cannot recommend this store highly enough!

The new owners of this cafe have really improved the menu, and it is DELICIOUS! Geelong has always struggled to offer authentic Japanese food, but Yin is doing that now. The kaarage bento was amazing, and only $10. The kimchi beef (the only Korean dish on the menu) was out of this world too. A new favorite cafe in town.

Approximate cost: $10

The service and attention to detail at Eulung is amazing - it is such a relaxing experience. You receive a foot soak before your session, and a lovely cup of herbal tea and a biscuit afterward. The vichy cocoon treatments are to die for. A bit expensive, but sign up to their emails - they occasionally send out discounts.

Approximate cost: $90