I've been using the Textbook Exchange website to sell my university textbooks for years. I've found the process of listing and selling my books to be simple and - better yet - it's completely free! The website makes it really easy to find the texts you need and then helps you get in touch with the seller via email or SMS so that you can organise to buy the textbook face-to-face on campus or through the mail. The website has gotten a lot better over the years in terms of its layout, navigation and ease-of-use. You can put a lot of detail in about the condition of the book, the edition number, ISBN, etc. I would definitely recommend it if you are a university student wanting to buy or sell used textbooks.

I had dinner with a friend at Vegie Bar recently. It was my first time eating there. I've read a lot of good things about the place, so I was excited to give it a go.

Firstly, the place is big but it's also REALLY busy. I expected there to be a queue on a Saturday night and there certainly was one. We were really lucky and got a spot on a communal table so we didn't have to wait too long. This was probably because there was only two of us. Larger parties were told to go and come back.

My friend and I shared a serving of rice balls as a starter. There were two rice balls in the serving with some satay sauce. I found them to be a little dry and stodgy and the satay sauce just made them bland. It was a little disappointing because I normally looove rice balls.

For mains, I had the much-lauded lentil burger and a fresh juice and my friend had the bean burrito and a ginger tonic. My lentil burger was nice but, again, really stodgy and a little bland thanks to even more satay sauce (apparently you can get the lentil burger with tomato chutney, but the waitress didn't offer me the choice, so I found out too late. I think it would taste better with the chutney.) The juice was yum though, very cleansing. My friend's bean burrito looked AMAZING and I regretted not ordering it as soon as I saw it. She said it was delicious too, so I'm still kicking myself. She didn't like the ginger tonic though.

Even though we were both stuffed by the time we finished our mains, we still shared a slice of flourless chocolate cake because it looked pretty delicious. It came with soy ice cream and it was really gooood! Definitely worth making yourself eat until you explode!

Unfortunately, I did order an earl grey tea with my dessert and it never arrived. When we asked the gentleman at the cash register he checked and said it had never gone on the order. This was disappointing as I always have tea after dinner and it's something I look forward to. The gentleman at the cash register was by far the friendliest of the staff that we encountered that night, however, so I didn't leave too cranky.

Overall I found that the service was a little lacking, and that's probably because they are so busy. It wouldn't hurt them to hire a few more waiters during peak periods. The food did arrive in a reasonable time, however, so that's impressive. I thought the prices for the mains were reasonable but the starters were pretty pricey.

We did observe quite a few people sharing 3-4 starters between them, and we were thinking we would probably do something similar next time we went there.

I stumbled upon this online store when I was searching for ingredients to make party favours for my sister-in-law's baby shower. I had no idea where to find specialty baking goods such as piping gel and food colouring pens, but Baking Pleasures had everything I required.

The store stocks a large variety of products imported from the USA. The layout of the online store is very clean and easy to navigate. I had no trouble finding what I wanted and processing my order.

The service was absolutely fantastic as well. I placed my order late on a Wednesday night, it was dispatched Thursday morning and I received it by express post the following day. The items were securely packaged so everything arrived in good condition. I also received timely emails throughout the ordering process so I knew the status of my order at all times.

When an online store makes it so easy to buy what you want without any hassles, it's no wonder people are turning away from bricks and mortar stores. I got to spend a lot more time making marshmallow baby party favours and a lot less time agonising over where my order was. I would definitely order from Baking Pleasures again!

I've been to Cuppa Cottage a few times to grab a takeaway coffee, but it was only recently that I finally had the chance to have an eat-in lunch there. The cafe's decor is absolutely gorgeous; it's very shabby chic with vintage crockery, bookshelves filled with books and other nick-knacks and an old fashioned lolly bar as well. On display in the shop windows you'll find freshly baked breads and cakes and slices galore. Everything looks absolutely delicious (I've purchased specialty breads and some cakes from there in the past and they taste pretty good too!)

I met my sister-in-law for lunch there a couple of weeks ago. The place always seems busy (and this was on a Monday and it was still quite full) but we were able to get a table quite easily. She had a toasted sandwich and a coffee and I had the pumpkin frittata with salad and some tea. It was pretty tasty! We were both happy with the meals and the portion sizes were quite reasonable.

The one thing that I have found every time I've been there, however, is that the service is a little lacking. The staff always strike me as a little grumpy and not as friendly and relaxed as you would hope them to be. It could be because they are always busy but it's disappointing because the whole place is so bright and cheerful, and you just expect the staff to be too.

Regardless of this, it's definitely worth giving the place a go, especially because there is just so much to look at and so many yummy cakes to try!

I first read about Arch Enemy here on WOMO and I had my first appointment with Afnaan yesterday. I must say, the previous reviewers were not exaggerating and I am so impressed with the results!

I've never been to a proper eyebrow artist before, so I really didn't know what to expect. Afnaan was extremely friendly and explained everything she was going to do, the reasons why, and the products she was using on my skin. I felt completely relaxed and at ease. She also instructed me on how to maintain my brows inbetween visits, which is helpful because I'm hopeless at that kind of stuff!

It did take me a long time to get my first appointment, but it was certainly worth the wait. Now that I've had my brows done by a professional, I don't think I could ever go back! The cost of the service is also reflective of the quality and expertise of the job overall.

I'm so looking forward to my next appointment in a few weeks!

Approximate cost: $90 for the first appointment, $65 for each appointment thereafter

I used to go to Salon Izzardi years ago when they were based in Brighton-Le-Sands. I found the staff to be really friendly and the quality of their work was fantastic. I didn't know that they had moved to Dolls Point, so when their salon disappeared from Bay Street I had to make do and looked for another salon to go to.

In March this year I was visiting Sydney and was really in need of a haircut but hadn't found the time to get around to it back home. I figured that it would be a great opportunity to do it while I was on holiday in Sydney with plenty of time on my hands. I don't know what made me do an online search for Salon Izzardi but when I discovered that they were still open I headed straight to the salon where they were nice enough to fit me in without an appointment.

The salon is located in a beautiful little spot on Russell Avenue in Dolls Point. It's located opposite a major bus stop so it's easy to get there with public transport. The decor of the salon is really stylish and the atmosphere is very relaxed.

I can't remember the name of the male hairdresser who did my hair, but I believe he is the owner (I remember him doing my hair when I used to go to their salon in Brighton and he's very good!) He listened to what I wanted and did a great job of trimming and reshaping my hair in a style that would be easy to wash and wear. He was also very friendly and chatty. Overall, the whole experience was very relaxed and enjoyable.

I'm glad to know that Salon Izzardi is still trading and going strong! I would definitely come back here again should I be in Sydney and require a haircut or blow wave. Recommended!

We stayed at the Bally Vista & Dalfruin B&B last year for two nights during the Melbourne Cup holiday long weekend. We drove to Bairnsdale from Melbourne on the Friday night and there was a massive storm which slowed our approach significantly. This meant that we didn't arrive until around 11pm that night (we originally planned to arrive at around 8-9pm!) Andrea & Keith were very understanding of our circumstances and waited up for us to arrive so that we could check in and get access to our room.

We stayed in the gorgeous Garden Suite which looks out over the beautiful English-style garden on the property. The suite is a self-contained apartment with a kitchenette. The room is absolutely gorgeous, decorated in a French provincial style. The bedroom was very comfortable. Continental breakfast is provided in the kitchenette, with servings of bread, cereals, jams, milk, juice, etc topped up each day.

Unfortunately, it rained during most of our stay so we couldn't spend any time in the garden, but it was very romantic watching the rain through the glass doors. The lawns did get a bit muddy due to the rain and it was a bit messy walking to and from our room as a result.

Andrea and Keith were both helpful with suggestions about places to eat and things to do around Bairnsdale.

The only negative was that the guests staying in the room directly above our apartment were very loud and clomped around a lot (perhaps they had kids with them). This is hardly the fault of the business but it did mean that we were woken early on the Sunday morning when we wanted to have a sleep-in; it took away from the serenity of the experience that morning and I remember being quite irate about it at the time.

All in all, it is a beautifully decorated and well-kept bed and breakfast, with friendly hosts and in an easy-to-find location. There is lots of street parking if you're driving and the nightly rate is very competitive.

A gem of a find in country Victoria!

After hearing so many good things about Remezzo, I finally got around to dining there for the first time a few weeks ago. I went with a work colleague on a Friday after work. We didn't have a booking, which would have been a problem because they were booked solid (a good sign!!!) but they had a table available outside which was lucky (it's fairly loud and crowded inside when it's full).

The food was delicious. The portion sizes are HUGE and the pasta dishes are simple but flavoursome. I had the Linguini di Mare, which was absolutely delicious and packed full of seafood. Definitely no skimping on the prawns and mussels! I could barely finish it but I forced myself to because it was just that delicious. We shared a dessert pizza afterwards (even though we were both full, we just had to be greedy!) and it was OK (I probably didn't enjoy it as much because I was already full). However, the food was fabulous and overall we had a great time. The staff never rushed us and the weather was warm and balmy so we enjoyed sitting outside.

A couple of weeks later, when my husband asked me where I wanted to go for my family birthday dinner with the in-laws, I was still raving about Remezzo so insisted we go there. He booked a table for eight of us. Staff were very friendly and welcoming. The place was very loud and crowded (it was a Saturday night) so that took away from the atmosphere a little. The food was still amazing. Huge portions. We all had the dips platter as a starter and they gave us extra bread when we ran out. It was a little odd having actual rolls with the dips (instead of turkish or pita bread) but the dips were delish regardless. I had the duck risotto for main, which was great, the rice was cooked perfectly, beautiful flavours. I was lucky to finish half the dish, and took the rest home in a doggy bag for later. Everyone had pizza and/or pasta and there were smiles and full tummies all around.

My main advice would be BOOK IN ADVANCE!!! Every time I walk past in the evening it's always full, so book ahead lest you be disappointed when you get turned away.

Also, watch where you park. My sister-in-law got a parking ticket late on the Saturday night because she parked in a permit zone on a side street without realising it.

Logistics aside, you'll have a great time at Remezzo and you definitely WON'T leave hungry!

Being of Eastern European descent myself, as well as coming from a family filled with hospitality professionals (including owning delicatessens), I'm always looking for good quality delicatessens to purchase small goods and cheeses (I'm talking old school, not the fancy-pants, price-inflated delis that you'll find in any affluent suburb). You usually need to know someone from a South-Eastern European ethnic community to get tips on where to go to get the best and freshest small goods. So, after moving to Melbourne, I was pleased to have accidentally come across Kazachok in Bentleigh. It certainly does remind me of the delightful delis that my grandparents would shop in when they were alive.

Kazachok isn't big, but it makes up for its size with the quality and range of products. They stock lots of fresh and interesting Eastern European small goods, and a range of other specialty imported goods as well. The place is ALWAYS busy, and you'll be lucky if you can squeeze in during a Saturday morning. But if you grab a number and be patient, it will definitely be worth your wait. We love the hams (including the Gypsy Ham and the REALLY JUICY AND DELICIOUS Ukrainian Ham) and the shaved turkey as well.

The prices are very reasonable for the quality of the product. Unfortunately, I find the staff to often be a little cold and unfriendly, which is a shame because a smile and a greeting doesn't cost anything to give to your customers.

If you think that the Coles or Woolworths deli is the pinnacle of small goods suppliers (such as my husband, who I don't think had ever stepped into a proper deli before I dragged him to one, and now he is a convert for life) you will be pleasantly surprised once you go to Kazachok.

Ferg's Fish sells a range of fresh fish and other seafood. The last time I went there, I found their fish to be fresh and of good quality, but quite expensive. The staff member who served me was quite friendly and offered me a complimentary lemon myrtle seasoning for my white fish and a complimentary horseradish cream for my salmon fillets. He was quite knowledgeable and answered my questions about preparing and storing the fish. Unfortunately, despite the quality of the produce, their prices will keep me from returning regularly.