This shop has to be one of the funnest I've been to. Ever…read more Popshop's entire purpose is to sell fun things. Things that are fun and funny and make us laugh. Whilst some of them may hint at practical purposes (like spaceship shaped ice trays), mainly they're just there to be fun. And fun they are. There is moustache themed paraphernalia aplenty at Popshop, with fingerstache tattoos, moustache chocolate lollypops, moustache straws and fuzzy stick on 'staches. A few of the other items that stood out on my last trip to Popshop included bobbly-head flamingoes, witty flipbooks, bacon flavoured toothpaste and many other things designed to lift the corners of your mouth, such as an audible fart book. I made the mistake of testing one of the buttons of said book, which was followed by an extremely awkward 10 seconds in which the book blurted out an extended and, might I say, varied fart. I then attempted to put as much distance as possible between me and the farting book (not an easy task in this tiny shop) whilst fellow shoppers avoided my eye contact. As I left the store, the man working in the shop picked up a handful of stock, setting off a chorus of squeaking rubber chickens and decapitated limbs. The man smiled to himself and I smiled too, knowing for certain that he had the best job in the world. Ever.

Popshop: my go-to store for quirky, fun gifts both for myself and others…read more They've got an array of knick knacks from heart shaped individual sized pans to make pretty pancakes and eggs, to moustache everything to dinosaur bubble guns, books that will make your eye pop out of your head from the high level of amusement, cards for every occasion and much more. My inner kid always comes out a bit more after a visit to this shop!

This place has really cute things for little ones or a kid at heart adult. They had these really…read morecute animal tea sets - frog, bird, and can't remember the third one, but super duper cute. I am not sure how their prices compares to other stores or these are standard sizes, but I don't think anything was exclusive to this merchant. Though it's small, I saw more interesting items compared to Kids Stuff.

This shop has some of the cutest things you can buy for gifts. I was able to buy a pin for my…read morelittle brother as a souvenir. They really do have some adorable things here. The price is a bit steep for their things, but if you're looking for gift ideas then this is the place to visit. They have an assortment of things from home decor, stationery items, shirts, plushies, and other little trinkets. I was able to find a really cute koala candle for a gift. Overall, a cute shop to buy things for people.

After a kangaroo balls bottle opener? Nope, didn't think so... Maybe a kangaroo paw back scratcher?…read moreOkay, still weird... But if you are after some less-creepy Australian souvenirs and knick-knacks, you should check out Downtown Souvenirs & Gifts. The George Street store is packed full of amusing goods your visitors, homesick ex-pat pals or overseas rellies will get a kick out of. Embarrassing T-shirts, Akubras, fridge magnets, shot glasses, stuffed toys, pencils, postcards and glasses - pretty much anything that can feature an Australian flag, slang word or stereotype will be here. Perfect for any Aussie Day dress-ups...

I saw Sydney Souvenirs on IG, and said we should check it out. I also saw Seeshots (Chester See)…read moreon IG, and this Chinese/Malaysia guy, who lives in Australia recommended the food court. Positives: Truly international clientele. I heard Canto, Korean, Mandarin, Portuguese, Spanish, Tagalog and Vietnamese amongst other languages; Food court had Aussie food, as well as Chinese, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Malaysian, Mexican and Vietnamese food to name a few; Negatives: Hot AF in the flea market section. No A/C but big fans were not enuf; Sensory overload, and it was not busy in the early evening; Hard to tell if you are getting a good deal for a "I Heart Sydney" t-shirt; Restrooms are far away; Despite the negatives, I would return here for the food and drink. In addition, as we were leaving a trio of Filipino performers were singing and playing easily recognizable music.

Inside there's some nice food court and tea room. Also Vanders store-stalls sells all kinds of…read moresouvenir and some knock off American clothing brand.

This is a pretty awesome gift store; on one end, everything is fluffy and fun including cuddly…read morebears and the like, and even a pirate costume. On the other end is a variety of trinkets and cool little objects or devices. Inbetween are scented soaps and candles. Theres something new to see in every part of shop, including a variety of rubicks cube styled mugs, thermometers and similar. I guess we all have a rubicks cube friend. I do. Also, everywhere you look, in addition to nifty little gift ideas, are little signs with various warnings. "Do not touch", "pay for all breakages", "bags checked on exit" "theieves will be prosecuted" "STOP, do not open cabinet" and such. When I say everywhere you look, I mean each product is labelled with a "dont touch" sign, pretty much. These made me a little uneasy at first, but then I was saddened by the fact that the middle aged man who seems to run show had to put to so many up to make his point. I suppose if people had paid for their breakages, there wouldnt be a need for so many signs. As I left I offered to show the contents of my backpack, to which the shopkeep responded: "that's ok, I watched you walking around." Oh good. That saves time. *Frown*. Anyways, I'd return if I needed to buy a gift, so I'd recommend the place. But please don't break any thing. There's a sign.

If you're a tourist visiting Sydney or a local in need of some Sydney souvenirs, a great place to…read moreshop at would be Market City Souvenirs. They have a wide selection of Australian souvenirs that are of the highest quality. From Sydney t-shirts to boxing Kangaroo items, you name the souvenir and they've got it. Aside from their excellent collection of souvenirs, they have reasonable prices that will not make a hole in your pocket nor make you feel dumb for buying a Koala stuffed animal. It's a fun place to go to even for locals who are visiting Sydney for the weekend. A great place to visit!

Three levels of contemporary art. More museum than gallery and admission price, free! During my…read morevisit, a focus on Asian artists. Some political and satirical work. Li Wei's work, I've seen the same piece, but it's definitely more relevant during our current state of affairs. Just exchange Obama for the current presiding leader.

White Rabbit Gallery, located in the Chippendale, is a multi-level art gallery showcasing…read morecontemporary Chinese art. There is also a gift shop telling unique items and a teahouse on the main floor. Admission is free and they have free daily tours which may highlight several artworks and the artists behind them. We had stumbled upon White Rabbit Gallery while trying to find things to do in Sydney. We stopped by White Rabbit Gallery on a Sat morning. We ended up doing the free tour (about 30 min long) once we arrived as staff had mentioned this to us when we arrived. Staff explained to us the gallery and the types of artwork that they had on display, noting that the exhibits change every few months. She took us around several artworks and told us about the story behind the works and the artists, which was pretty interesting. The art itself was pretty cool - quite unique. Each artist we saw had a statement and a story behind why they decided to create such works. We definitely enjoyed our time at White Rabbit Gallery and would highly recommend if it you are in Sydney!

Find the joy and distract yourself this weekend at Octopus Designs, you don't really need an excuse…read moreto wander around this store. The colourful deco is really inspiring and if you are a Kimi Doll fan you have just found your Alladin's Cave. There is a treasure cove of lovely stationary, diary's, notebooks, pens and pencils, all with an ornamental effect. I love the lap top cases available up the back, they are such useful items but here they are quite pricy $70. Wrapping paper is available and I know you will find that special someone something to make them smile from this store it's gleaming with happiness. Fix those Monday blues with a small present for your boss or friend at work and stand on the threshold of a brighter future.

I want a Dancing Sock Monkey and at Octopus Design in Newtown I can get one?…read moreWhat is a Dancing Sock Monkey? You may ask. Well, it is a cute red, white and pink monkey with pom poms and you squeeze his hand and he dances, now you want one too don't you? Octopus Designs has all kind of cool and unusual inventions like those awesome voodoo knife blocks where you stab the knives through a man, so you can vent frustration and keep your kitchen tidy, they have Nasty Note pads, if you have to take phone messages, you can add an aggressive touch (perfect for the office), they have really funky city magnet collections featuring the Eiffel Tower, The Leaning Tower of Pisa and a Windmill and they have bookends which are hands. They have less cool stuff, like mugs, heat bags and phone cases, but people want that stuff too, but the more useful items like The King of Disco washing up sponge are definitely more why you go to this shop.

I think this makes my top 5 of good bookstores in Sydney…read more Its selection is limited, so if you're after a specific book you may not get lucky. However, the alternatives Oscar and Friends provides you with may very well be better than your original search item. They stock a fantastic range of creative non-fiction including travel books and guides, biographies and autobiographies, a top choice of beautiful cook books and shelves of coffee table art books including a few fantastic graffiti and tattoo lookbooks. Oscar and Friends obviously opt for quality over quantity, with their slightly smaller fiction section made up of a strong choice of new releases and classics. The kids selection is even smaller, but once again it is made up of a few choice picks, including my favourite, "Possum Magic". Their 'staff picks' shelves always seem to correlate with my own choice of reading materials and so when I'm at a loss as to what to read I know I can always trust Oscar's recommendations.

Oscar & Friends stocks a wide ranging collection of classic and contemporary novels, large glossy…read morecoffee table books, children's books, arts and design books, autobiographies... there's quite a lot squeezed into this little store. It's probably more gift shop than bookshop, Oscar & Friends boasts an eclectic range of books to match its eclectic clientele. This is the shop that you could do ALL your Christmas shopping in and pick up some great cards as well.

Another of those great little stores tucked away in this street…read more Lot's lots of quality items and unique gifts. The owner is quite knowledgeable and loves his merchandise. Even though it can seem pricey I do think he is offering value for money in its quality and uniqueness..

From the owner: Japanese designer homewares and artisan craftsread more