Gina Cucina is an Aladdin's cave for buyers of homewares. They have lovely stainless steel…read moresaucepans, beautiful ceramic dishes, cutlery and kitchen gadgets. The 130 square metre shop is chock-a-block with Saeco and La Pavoni coffee machines, Scanpan cookware, Chasseur cast iron pots and Zyliss utensils. They also have a range of pasta machines and cutters. They even have a range of olive oils. It's a great place to window shop while you're waiting, frittering away time deciding what you're going to buy next

Gina Cucina has a lot of good stuff, but it's all pretty expensive. This has not stopped me from…read moredreaming. Gina Cucina sells top-quality pots and pans and glassware, a wide range of Global and Scanpan Knives, themed cake tins (these are my favourite, with bee-hives, caterpillars and houses), $150 toasters, a bunch of other appliances and shelves of Italian stove-top espresso makers. They've got cook books, keep-cups and the leader of my coffee-cup wish list: piccolo sized porcelain 'crumpled plastic' cups. Gina Cucina also stocks a huge range of intriguing and inventive consumer products. You can imagine the delight on the faces of those who found the market - "Peeling garlic is annoying ... lets make something that makes it seem easier and fun!" Strawberry top snatchers, pasta measures and garlic peelers, these products are my favourite. As I'm laughing at the ridiculous nature of consumerism, I'm secretly thinking of ways to justify buying these necessary items for myself.

The service within the store was fine. But when I received my tap the plumber discovered there was…read morea part missing. When I spoke to cassbrothers they agreed to send the part out, but we're not at all apologetic. They sent by coroner and couldn't give me a delivery time, so I had to wait at home all day for it. Again they weren't apologetic for this inconvenience. Then of course I had to pay double for the plumber. Again they weren't at all apologetic. I've since sent a complaint and received no response. I won't be going back there again as their follow up service is non existent and their attitude is shocking.

I spent 25 minutes in the store in a Saturday walking around and didn't get acknowledged once…read more Shame really as they had some really nice bathrooms. I was mainly looking for bathroom fittings and a wash basin and the range was great.

I highly recommend this place. After the wet weather I had a dress and blazer with surface mould…read morewhich came up as new after cleaning (at a reasonable price) but the real win was a leather bomber jacket with cloth cuffs which had deep mould on the elbow and other damage. It wasn't cheap but was 100% worth it and I would do it again - the 15+ year old jacket was completely restored. The service was also very friendly, helpful and honest.

Since I moved, this is my new favorite local for practical help. Summer is winding down, which…read moremeans my work clothes are sweaty, nasty, and dry clean only: ugh. Talk about the trifecta. In steps Blue Balloon. Not only are they quite close to my home, their hours are perfect for dropping off before work and picking up after--or on weekends if I've run out of time during the week. And have I mentioned that the dry cleaning is some of the cheapest (although it is cash only) in Sydney? I recently had three items cleaned for $20 with a two business day turn around, and they've gotten out stains that I thought were for sure a new part of my wardrobe. The guy who runs the shop is really nice and always honest about his expectations for stain removal. Cross dry cleaning problems off your list, because we've got this sorted. (Also laundry, but I can't vouch for that because my washing machine hasn't broken yet (knock on wood))

Disappointed with the out of date vouchers for towels with purchase. Thought it was a good…read moreopportunity to purchase at the store. But was left hanging. Nice lady staff person, but not a place I'd come back to shop. Store was a little cramped and products seemed a little dated. Certainly doesn't merit 5 star rating but it's ok.

If you've just moved to Sydney, just moved house or your bath towels are embarrassingly…read morethread-bare, your first stop should be the Manchester Factory. With a second outlet on Botany Road in Alexandria, you'll find this one opposite the medical practice on Marrickville Road. This is one of those shops that literally has specials going ALL the time. In fact, there's a permanent sign outside that spruiks "massive discounts on sheet sets and bath towels". Pretty sure it's bolted to the wall, so that's not going to change any time soon. They've got pillows, cushions, blankets, tablecloths, bath towels and heaps more. There's a wide range of options in each category too, like sheet sets with thread counts from 250 to 2000, and pillows from polyester to duck down. If you're a sucker for labels, you'll find Tontine, Linen House, Ardor and way more.