Shop As Profiling Experiment, Number Two. (see my review for Inner Space)…read more Ideal customer for Gifts-n-Things: - Female. Of a certain age. Necessary to think 'n-things' is amusing. - Female, of a certain age, doing all the Christmas shopping for everyone. First name meanings bookmarks. Somewhat Anglo-oriented. - Female, Anglo, put upon. Greets menopause humour cards with a loud bark of laughter. Tries on voluminous cotton dresses inside. If I have to do ALL the shopping for everybody else, I should get something too, goddammit, she thinks. - Female, Anglo, Menopausal, with cash. *@%& everybody else, I'm stocking up on Crabtree & Evelyn and Cats in the Country Calendars from nice staff girls. Everybody else can go hang. I'm off for some ice tea. She walks off, unaccustomed purchases FOR HERSELF in hand. Yay.

I have been into this shop on a few occasions and on each occasion the owner has been so helpful,…read morewith out being pushy or intrusive. The owner has been happy to call her suppliers to check on stock and other colour options for dresses that were lovely, but not quite right. She really is an example of excellent customer service. Outstanding experience!!

No cats visible, but there is a wall of faux fur rugs identified by species. Who knew faux came in…read moreotter and Russian bear? As you walk in the door and try not to collapse on the cushy couches, you can spy a table of wonderfully stabby-looking bonsai scissors, a set of 'hear no evil' bunnies (bunnies?!) and then head out back. There's extra rooms down the wooden stairs stocking more furniture and home dec items. They vary in style and quality and are a mix of old and new. Given my druthers, I would have stumbled away with a Mongolian buffet and a gloriously battered leather wing chair perfect for taking up pipe smoking. Staff are friendly and cheerful and experts at shipping stuff anywhere. I wonder if a pair of those scissors in the handbag would be considered carrying a concealed weapon? Bonsai roots and malefactors beware...

A bit oh hum. Same sought of product line you see in most gift shops. There is a lot of stuff…read morethough and staff are friendly and helpful. Still a pleasant shop to browse through.

Etsy on your doorstep in the Blue Mountains, part two…read more The Nook is an artist-run co-op set up for local talented folk to showcase and sell their wares direct to you. The entryway doesn't look like much, but upstairs you'll find rooms of handmade items at great prices. It's like visiting a market that's grown up, settled down and got serious. Stock is varied, as you'd expect, from kid's clothes made from vintage materials, soaps and lotions, pottery, gorgeous felt scarves, 'Striking Strawberry Jam' made in Blackheath and 'Lemon Sublime Tea' made right in Leura. Especially worth checking out, I do declare, are the silver jewellery by Suzanna Coombes (a friend bought me a pair of earrings that I wear to death, they're shaped like flower blossoms set in scuplture) and the amazing wood boxes by Marina Brown and Andrew Taylor. They look like little townscapes and have a fantastic level of detail and craftsmanship. And they're made with recycled computer screws too. Buying local's hardly a chore when the choice is this good.