The Oracle of Sassafras is a mystical shop of all things magical and fleeting. It is filled with…read morethe pleasant aromas of candles and incense and the rooms are dim and almost musty. In any other shop this would likely be reason to leave however in The Oracle it only betters the mood. Expect to find gemstones, charms and decorative scarves amongst all manner of bizarre statues and gorgeous accessories. The staff conduct tarot readings in a small room in the back - by appointment only- as well as occasional story telling. There are books on magic and psalm reading and interesting little trinkets fill every surface, bench space and shelf in the store. With a dark shop front and little square glass panes it reminds me of the buildings in Gringotts Lane in Harry Potter and it is hard not to feel as though you haven't just stepped into another realm when you step inside. It is open seven days per week: Monday-Friday 11.30am -4.30pm and Saturday-Sunday 10-30am-5pm. Conveniently located in the heart of Sassafras Main Street it is easy to find.

I went here many years ago, when I was living in the area for a tarot reading with one of the…read morebeautiful French women who work there. It was the best reading I've ever had and she really helped me through some things along with predicting that I would move overseas in the next couple of years. As it were, I moved to NYC and have been happy here since. These guys are spot on and do everything from a really gentle, positive place. They're irreplaceable and one of the best things about the Dandenong Ranges

This is one of those shops that basically sells random stuff for your house. I basically came here…read morebecause I was looking for a place that sold picture frames, and while they do, they tend to be standard sizes, and the ones that I ended up with didn't really fit any of the pictures that I wanted to frame (they are namely for photographs, not Monet prints brought all the way over from France). However the frames are only a small part of what this place has to offer namely because they have heaps of things that easily fall into the category of decorations, especially statues. Mind you the things they sell aren't exactly what you would consider useful items, rather things that are designed to add a bit of life to one's abode. Still, they have some pretty cool things here, and if you are in to fantasy statues then this is definitely a place to check out.

Sticky is an artist-run and focused initiative that facilitates and promotes zine culture in this…read morecity. It's an amazing concept: you can go in, use their resources, pick their brains and be blown away by the wealth of incredible artists and artisans working in the zine realm. Sticky have a lucid idea of who they are as a collective. Their mission statement says: "By bypassing the conventional gallery system, Sticky redefines the notion of a retail environment as a non profit arts space dedicated to Australian and international zine culture." And in doing these things, the institute allow the proliferation of this otherwise underground and often off-kilter art practise -- a great thing for any city. Any gripe with the place would be that it is cramped and can feel a bit exclusive at times. I've had slightly mixed experiences with staff, but they're mostly volunteers, so there's no shortage of passion.

Zines, the DIY behemoth that excites photocopiers, writers and artists alike has a home in…read moreMelbourne. Situated beneath Flinders st as one enters the train station, one will find every surface adorned with self-made paraphernalia, complete with badge machine, stapler and photocopier for the budding Zinester in all of us, Sticky is an institution.

I wanted to buy a wooden chest, not a chest of drawers, just a chest, a wooden rectangular box with…read morea lid to put at the foot of my bed to store winter doona and blankets in. I was searching furniture stores armed with measurements of how long, tall and wide, but I couldn't find anything suitable. I was on my way home when I noticed Coburg Pine Furniture. Inside the dusty old factory spaces there were some pine bookshelves and a few other bits of pine furniture but no chests. I was about to walk out when one of the staff approached me and asked what I was looking for. I explained and he told me that they would make one for me. The place is more of a pine furniture carpentry shop. The few bits of furniture in the shop are examples of their work or completed work waiting for collection. That accounted for all the dust everywhere. As I had the dimensions that I wanted he drew a rough sketch plan for my chest. I left a deposit and a few weeks later he called me up to tell me that my chest was ready. It looks good and now all I need to do is stain and varnish it.

There are a couple of things that I have noticed about 2nd Hand bookshops. Firstly if we are…read moredealing with popular books (or authors) then the chances of you finding any of their works in a second hand book shop are going to be slim at best. On the other hand they can be pretty hit or miss, depending one when you go, and also depending on the tastes of the owner - they don't necessarily buy every book that comes their way, not are they prescient enough to know that you want a particular book. This particular one was okay, and as I have mentioned before, there is always something hidden away that is going to catch my attention. While not huge as some are, it still is rather quaint.

This little bookstore is a fantastic place to waste time and pick up a bargain…read more Almost like stepping into a fairy tale the small space is exaggerated by the piles and shelves packed full with books. As you walk between the valleys of winding piles of paperbacks keep your eyes out for some bargains or collectables. Sections have been roughly organised, but the store plan is a bit hard to decipher. Just ask the owner or one of the members of staff to point you in the right direction. They are always friendly and up for a chat. The Merchant of Fairness can also help you track down a book that you haven't been able to locate. This is a service that is free of charge, and that the owner Rod is particularly proud of. The only section that is clearly separated from the rest is the children's. This is a brilliant little corner out the back where you can reminisce and look at copies of books that you may not have seen for 20 or so years. Stocking second hand books and rare first additions from various warehouses there is always a chance to find a copy of a childhood novel you treasured, or to purchase some large anthologies at a fraction of the price as new.

Top chap. He mostly only does Omega watches these days. He gives very straightforward advice…read more Doesn't charge an absolute fortune though you are obviously still paying for a highly specialised service.

Want a little more love, luck or money in your life? Then how about giving the ancient art of Feng…read moreshui a go. And there's nowhere better than Feng Shui Cures & Crystals where one of the owners is actually a Feng Shui Master. They hold consultations, workshops, seminars and Feng Shui Tours, as well as stock gemstones, coins, Buddhas, water fountains, incense, lanterns, mirrors and contains all the bells and whistles, plus much more.

I have a rule for myself to always have photos of important events - big birthdays, anniversaries…read moreand all overseas trips - and not just uploaded and tagged on facebook, I want mine printed out. This rule came as I was looking through my parents photo albums from when they were my age and I decided I wanted the same for my kids one day! Photo Q is my photo-printing destination, but they can do so much more including having your best shot put on a: * Canvas * Mug * Hat * DVD They also sell a wide variety of frames, including those fancy digital ones! But Photo Q also do the boring stuff too like Visa and Passport photos (don't we all look pretty in them?) image recovery and photo restoration and they always do it with a smile on their face and in a speedy time.

We had several video (VCR) copies made to DVD and the service and product we received was so poor…read morethat I am strongly recommending that people consider using this service. After almost 4 weeks being transferred (and not returning calls) when i finally received and checked the DVD copies made the video quality was so poor and in blue colour throughout. We were told this is typical and would not offer any refund or any explanation other than it's our fault. As such we were given a sub-standard product, without any issue of refund, or explanation other than it was our fault providing a low quality VCR tape. The whole process was dealt with so rudely that we will not be returning. This was quite concerning given that these tapes were old family videos that we were having transferred for a family birthday present. As such we went to another competitors store and had the VCR tapes checked, new DVD copies made and found that the copies were in fact perfect. Trust me, shop around and I would be very reluctant to use such a service from PhotoQ in the future