It may be over a century old, but the flowers at this pitch in the heart of the city centre are as…read morefresh as fresh can be. The blooms and bouquets from here are radiant and fragrant and always bring a smile to my face on even the gloomiest of Brummie days. This is an ideas stall. This place invents lovely combinations of flowers to give as gifts, and seems to change the bouquets designs daily - just to keep things as fresh as its flowers. However, it also does the classics perfectly. How many Brummies have heard the words 'I love you' accompanied by a Sutton Flower's single red rose? At certain times of the year things become a little different. Easter sees blooms that reflect the festivities, and at Christmas it's also possible to get gifts, cards and wrapping paper. I like to visit just after work, when Birmingham is winding down after a long day. This is when there are bargains to be had, as Sutton Flowers sells off the day's stock ready to start afresh the next day. Put simply, Sutton Flowers is a little ray of sunshine in a busy corner of Brum.

A great little florist in the Piccadilly Arcade, the aptly-named Petals of Piccadilly is the…read moreperfect stop for anyone looking to find that perfect token for that special someone or to decorate a larger scale event. Both my brother and I have treated mom to a pretty bouquet of posies for her birthday and Mother's Day, but that's small-scale. As well as elaborate, decorative bouquets for those times you really want to splash out, I'd recommend this cute independent to bridezillas planning their special day as one friend was really pleased with the lilies she requested for her post-nuptial reception. Turnaround is quick and the staff are really pleasant and helpful, offering advice and suggestions to someone like me who hasn't got a clue where flowers are concerned. The only drawback is you might forget it's there if you don't often walk down the Arcade - so hopefully this review has pointed it out to you!

Petals of Piccadilly is Birmingham's little secret, and a great hidden gem in our city…read more It's the first time I have been in here and the shop is just brilliant, the displays in the window are dazzling. Both wonderfully decorated and well cared for, many florists should take note. They cover any occasion that you may have requiring flowers. They offer bridal and wedding services, contracts for flower arrangements, handmade bespoke flower arrangements, gifts, toys and teddies to accessorise, and even have a licence to sell champagne and wine! A perfect little shop with friendly and enthusiastic customer service.

You would really expect to see more crystal in a shop claiming to specialise in crystals! I would…read morehave thought 'Jubilee' to be a more appropriate name for this market stall, given the amount of tacky, union jack souvenir ware and Royal junk they sell. The only crystals I noticed were the bizarre 3D photo cubes, of which many were on display. If you fancy a crystal incarnation of your beloved dog, family member or celebrity on your mantelpiece then surely this is the place to be! I found myself to be strangely drawn to these hideous things and started imagining up a nice image of my boyfriend that could forever grace one of these chunky, see through blocks. Delightful. If you're ever in the need for a dog ornament or keying, cat tea towel or a nice footballer mug then Eon Crystals is the shop for you!

When you think that there isnt more things that can be made with the Union Jack on them, Eon…read moreCrystal comes along to prove to you wrong. They have all possible kinds of souveniers with the British flag: tea towels, mugs (of course), pencil cases, pen shaped like royal guards. Personally I have a soft spot for this kind of tat but I can see how it could make some people turn up their noses. The crystal part of Eon Crystal? I'm not sure... maybe the cubes with photos in? Take a photo of your loved one and forever immortalise them in a... crystal cube. Alternatively, if you don't want a crystallised version of your photo you can get it printed on a canvas, t-shirt or mug, necklace, mouse mat, jigsaw... It's based inside the Indoor Market so it's nice and cheap. Basically, I would only really recommend the store if you are a non English tourist and you wanna take some tacky souvenirs to some of your relatives (the wife loves buying this stuff for all of her relatives in Brazil).

Smithsonia is an exceptional jewellers and gift shop based in Birmingham's Piccadilly Arcade. They…read moresell many things from gorgeous silver jewellery to Japanese Kokeshi Dolls and amazing sculpted pieces in ceramics and glass. There is something for most budgets in this shop and it's a great place to browse. I bought some cute button earrings for just £10 but there are plenty more extravagant gifts, believe me! You could spend forever just gazing in their windows as you walk past; there is so much to see - it must take them forever to clean! They do beautiful and unique silver rings by up and coming jewellery designers as well as pieces by established brands such as Pilgrim. Every time I walk by I can find at least 15 or so items in their window that I want to buy; I'm sure everyone else can too which is why they are so successful. Smithsonia are the longest running business in Piccadilly Arcade, they've been there for around 30 years. If you are looking for a gift then definitely check them out first and impress your loved one with something a little different.

A wonderful independent gift, card and jewellery shop. If you are looking for a birthday or…read moregreeting card that is a little different to what you might find in one of the chains this is a good place to start. Their collection is not huge but you will definitely find something a little different. They also stock fabulous gift wraps and papers. To entice you into the shop the window displays are made up of some beautiful and unique silver jewellery. Again, here you will find pieces you can't find anywhere else. If you are looking for special pieces of silver jewellery at fairly reasonable prices start with this shop. Inside the staff are welcoming and very helpful.

Scribbler is a gift, card and novelty shop located on the top level of the Bullring (on the…read moreentrance from the Bull). It's brightly coloured and inviting exterior never fails to draw my eye when I'm taking a shortcut to the Birmingham Markets to grab the weekly shop. Yesterday I thought I would pop in and actually have a look. It's not a large unit, but the walls and floors are totally packed with fun bits and pieces and cards of a good quality. The greetings cards are probably on par with someone like Paperchase in terms of cost, but I spotted some designs I hadn't seen before (and will be back to check regularly to stock up for friends and family). They sell a small range of gift books (including things like Grumpy Cat, Cyanide and happiness as well as other internet webcomics) and items from the likes of "Fred & Friends" for those awesome kind of kitchen gadgets that you don't need, but you definitely want. I spotted some 75% off items on their far wall, left over from the Christmas sales. I ended up purchasing 7 different things that WOULD have been over £40 pre-sale, but I paid £11. The member of staff at the counter was chipper, helpful and welcoming and we had a good old chat about some of the items they stock in the shop. A lot of the gear in here is expensive, but it's unusual and fun and would make brilliant presents for those "hard to buy for" people in your life. Definitely pop on down and give it a look next time you're in the Bullring.

All things American all in the name of 'candy' on the middle mall Debenhams end :-)…read moreOnly a small stall but a nice selection of candy to make you smile. Its always nice to have a treat and this stall has plenty with a few not seen before yummies too. Today at last I got a packet of Peanut Butter M&Ms as recommended by Desta H and I'm looking forward to trying them (^_^). Noticed a few things I need to try esspecially #TAB (brings back memories from the 70's) I brought my son a Million Dollar Bar Chocolate - I would recommend this, I only had 2 squares and it was luxuriously creamy - scrummy. At £2.50 a bar, as a treat I'd say go for it :-)

It's the pun that got me here, but it's the sweets that keep me coming back…read more As the name suggests this place's sole agenda is to sell us Brummies the finest confectionary from the US of A. Whilst Birmingham has done so much for English chocolate already, it's hard not to feel like rationing is still on when you look at all the exotic and gawdy wrappings and packaging from the American brands. Our British sweeties feel a bit bland in comparison. As Yankees is also essentially a little cart, the shop further taps into a neat sense of by-gone Americana. It feels like a tornado has picked this place up from the Magic Kingdom and dropped it here. I fully expect to hear a barbershop quartet start up as I nibble, suck and chew. Just a reminder that Yankees also does American crisps and pop - just in case you want to give your sweet tooth a day off. So, all in all, this is the place that makes us jealous of America consumerism again, I wouldn't be surprised if they also stock the nylons and tobacco I can't find.

This lovely and beautiful florist is sooo good. I could spend a fortune here…read more The flowers are of very high quality, and the bunches are just delightful. Several colours and varieties on display. The assistant is very chatty and also friendly. They offer hand tied arrangements for weddings, funerals and other tributes that you may have such as events or ceremonies. What i liked was that they offer a service where you can post these and have them delivered via Interflora. So if you do ever forget to buy your girlfriend anything or something special for Valentines day/Mothers day, best to call in here.

This florists oozes sophistication, which may surprise you given the, ahem, less than chic wares…read morefor sale at some of Margaret Tregoing's Pinfold Street neighbours! The shop floor itself is really compact, but they use the demure stature to their advantage. I just love the way all the flowers and plants seem to spill down on the front step and onto the pavement outside. As soon as you approach you know you'll be greeted by a wonderful bay tree or festive holly tree all potted up on the pavement and waiting to be taken home. Inside, the décor is all deep brown woods and fabulous wallpapers. However, don't be fooled by all the meticulous efforts and long hours that clearly go in to getting this attention to detail so right. The highly trained staff can work fast if they have to, and will even do same day deliveries once you've discussed your order with them - handy for the city men-folk that may have been a bit absent minded about a birthday or anniversary!

Listed in the official store directory of New Street Station for quite some time now, Moleskine's…read morefirst fully fledged Birmingham store has quietly opened on the station's concourse. I'll start out by saying that I've been a fan of the brand and their simple notebooks since the early noughties, when they were still relatively unknown by the general public and surprisingly hard to find outside of very large cities. Now, Moleskine has grown significantly as a very successful company that places their product in virtually any store that sells paper products or travel accessories. Until this week, your best bet was to stop in a Paperchase or Waterstones to pick up a journal, but now their full line of products and accessories is conveniently located in a prime retail spot in New Street Station. The story starts out simple, where a small Milanese paper products company reads about old-world style notebooks that were produced and sold on the streets of Paris but becoming increasingly rare in the late twentieth century. Seeing a market for the literati, they start reproducing the high-quality notebooks in the 90's and spinning a questionable historical narrative connected to Picasso. By 2006 they were bought out by a private equity firm and turned into the corporate monolith you see today. What started out as a simple notebook and journal company has now exploded into dozens of product lines. At this official Moleskine store you can not only find the original style notebooks, but branded journals as well, including their limited edition line (Toy Story, Game of Thrones, etc), and many accessories not limited to pens, bags, and more. I enjoy using the Moleskine products for several reasons, foremost is the quality of the paper used. Not only is the paper sustainable in its sourcing, but all of their paper is acid free, meaning any random doodles or masterpieces you create will last a long time. The now iconic original style notebooks feature a hard cardboard cover wrapped in synthetic fabric. A black fabric band holds the cover in place, a sewn spine allows the notebook to lie flat, and an expandable rear pocket in the back is available for storage. These notebooks have even entered the digital age, with partnered Evernote notebooks available that provide an easy method to upload your notebook into the app. The cheapest notebooks on offer are great for quickly writing notes, although you'll pay a bit more for a more archival quality notebook. Currently in their first week there are special offers for certain spend amounts. If you've never given thought to taking your writing habits back to analog, I suggest giving Moleskine a try for a quality but affordable notebook, journal, or diary.

This small shop on the Grand Central concourse has a good little selection of Moleskine goodies. I…read morelike to stop by from time to time to browse the stationery in the rather satisfying neat rows. I like a Moleskine notebook as they are good quality. This store doesn't let me down as you can find the classic notebooks as well as pens, bags, accessories and some of the limited edition releases. There are display notebooks and pens so you can try things out and see how they feel. This includes the Smart Writing Set and the other digital-able books that Moleskine sell. All rather pricey but that is what I have come to expect from Moleskine. A few offers do pop up from time to time though so worth a glance here if you're after something anyway.

Now, Birmingham... Let's talk Health. I have reviewed my Dentist and my Doctor, but there are a…read morehost of other places in Birmingham which are striving to keep us fighting fit. For my services which are not teeth related, I use the multiple places in Boots. Boots (as you will already know) is a chain pharmacy and beauty store - available in train stations, city centres and most places where you may need to grab a pack of paracetamol or some plasters. This boots, however, offers a whole host of other services you may need for a range of health needs. Upstairs are your beauty counters, hygiene products and gifts (the discount on gifts after christmas is particularly good - offering 50% - 70% off), but on the lower floor are it's other services. If you pop on the escalators and head downstairs you'll find an optician, an NHS walk-in, a doctors surgery, Birmingham Uni dentists and a sexual health clinic. With the doctors surgery and dentist, you will need an appointment. The optician will see walk-ins (depending on how busy they are) and the sexual health clinic and NHS centre are totally walk-in led. This, obviously, can lead to long waiting times - but if you desperately need a doctor and can't get an appointment at your local clinic, this place is a lifesaver (probably quite literally). As well as the various medical services I have mentioned, Boots offers a "stop smoking" clinic and other health led initiatives. When I first moved into Birmingham City Centre I had no idea where my local health services would be (I was dreading having to catch a bus out of town), so for all of those who work or live in the City - this place is your one stop shop for when you're feeling off or need some supplies.

This is a great little Boots situated in the centre of town. It's got all you need from a general…read moreBoots store; cosmetics, perfume, toiletries. food and it has a pharmacy. There's also the more seasonal items. Currently there are sunglasses and lotions located towards the back of the store. It's never been overly busy when i've been there even at 5pm on a weekday which is perfect if you want to spend a bit more time browsing. The meal deal is a good price (£3.49 at last check) and it includes a sandwich/wrap, a drink and a snack (up to the value of £1.25 so go for the larger ones!). The service is always quick as there's never really a queue which is great if you're in a rush.