The food at tesco is okay... could be better. The sushi's very bland but the coconuts there are…read moredelicious. The service is mid too with the workers being very moody, (fair enough, they're at work) and the cashiers sometimes being too fast and aggresive. The ambiance is pretty good to be fair with decent music playing and the whole thing kinda feels like a chill vibe.

It's super and it's a store. What's handy about this Tesco is actually, although the shop is huge,…read morethe food bit is comparatively small. So you can trolley round in a fairly efficiently short time. But what I like about it is the in-store optician. You can get a pair of prescription glasses for £10!!! Ok, you have to choose style from the seventies, but for a tenner who cares? There's also all the gubbins you'd expect, pharmacy, electronics, home goods, home bads, clothes.... But this Tesco is where all the student's go as the accomdation is very near here. So can be busy at beginnings of terms. It's also often pretty hectic at the weekend with queues coming in and out of the car park.

I'm sure that the name of this business has more to do with clothing fastenings than it does the…read morelegal intoxicant that was broadly used, particularly in gay nightclubs, across the UK back in the 80's! Ah, the heady smell of Amyl Nitrate! Nasty! There's something I'm less sure about... Does Beverley, the owner, know about this other meaning? I guess not, but I can imagine that she'd find it amusing, like myself. Beverley Soar is as laid back as any of the business owners on Pontcanna Street., and she's got a sense of humour. When I called in recently she was inspecting the damage done to the huge plate glass window that fronts the shop. The phantom tagger had paid her, (and everyone else down the street), a visit, leaving their tag, or signature mark, etched in the glass. The damage to all was going to cost the insurers a small fortune. Beverley was taking it in her stride, and seemed surprisingly up-beat, considering the disruption and mess that the repair would cause. She owns a particularly beautiful shop with some pretty expensive stock.... clothes by Grea, Annette Gortz, Hebbeding, Indies, Krines, Ischiko, Sonja Marohn and Oska... and I haven't met a tradesman yet that doesn't move everything so that you can't find it, and leave dusty footprints in the carpet! I guess she just reconciles herself with the knowledge that if it needs to be done, it needs to be done, and that's that! I like Beverley as much as I like her shop. The street wouldn't be the same without them both. With customers ranging from their mid thirties, up into their nineties, (her oldest customer is a very well dressed 96 year old, who has lost none of her sophistication and sartorial taste with the passage of time), Poppers is responsible for some of the best dressed women in Cardiff!

I ventured into poppers rather hesitantly as I thought the prices would be way out of my league!…read moreAlthough not exactly cheap, the prices weren't to bad, I saw a stunning black dress for £125 (it could have been worse)! Poppers is probably more suitable for 45+ (I won't be falling into that category for a long while yet), but it did have some very stylish numbers and on the sales rack I spotted a rather nice urban style top reduced to £20 (not bad)! Poppers also stocks a small range of jewellery and bags but at £54 for a necklace, it certainly isn't cheap!

Pontcanna Flea Market is the real deal. You are guaranteed to find a really good selection of…read morequality Kitsch, both for the home and garden, as well as loads of classic and retro clothing, antiques, electrical goods, records, books, and furniture... essentially all the kind of stuff that you'd expect at a flea market, but with the added bonus of this one being a particularly good one. I don't know where the traders get their stock from, but some of them must have an incredible address book! A lot of them seemingly have endless access to the most incredibly desirable objects. Their lives must be heavenly! I considered becoming a trader myself a few years back, but decided that it would be an overtly dangerous career choice. I'd be great at scouting out my stock, and have fairly well tuned haggling skills. So far, so good! But, the problems would arise when it came to selling any of it on. I know I'd want to keep everything! Those confounded attachment issues! They also hold regular auctions at the King's Road site. I've not been to one, but I hear that they are as much fun as the flea markets, and just as well stocked with eminently buyable stuff.

I was meandering down Pontcanna Street, one of my favourite little areas of Cardiff, the other day,…read morewith time to browse and soak up the ambiance... a rare treat these days... I love its chilled out vibe, and its independent shops, some of which sell curios that you won't find anywhere else, like the brass lined magnifying glass that I bought from Electric Designs the other day. The owner was out on the pavement talking to the owner of the neighbouring shop, enjoying the sunshine, and discussing how everyone has had their glass fronts tagged with a diamond cutter in recent times... how rubbish is that? Being a dignified area, neither of them looked anything other than gentile and composed, (if it were me and my window, I would look a lot more scandalised, and would be spitting expletives as though on a conveyor belt). I'd asked Jeremy Sage if he was the owner of the shop as I went in... he was. I also asked him what kind of electricals he sold, because I couldn't for the life of me recall there being an electrical shop on Pontcanna Street. Clearly, in my haste I'd misread the sign... "Washing machines" he replied glibly, without a hint of sarcasm. About ten minutes later I emerged with my brass bound spyglass, that somehow would look very much at home on a tall ship, or some other aged wooden boat. The circular band of brass creates a lip about one and half inches in depth, allowing the magnifying glass to glide over newsprint in a fluid motion, doubling the size of the lettering as it goes. "How much is this washing machine?" I asked as I held it up for him to see. "I don't know", he replied flatly, and then came into the shop to try and find his purchase document so that he could calculate the retail price. He couldn't find it, and so instead picked a figure out of the air. I then presented my credit card, which he declined... "the minimum transaction charge was absolutely killing us" he explained. So, replacing it in my purse, I pulled out a twenty pound note. Rather gleefully he took and put it in his pocket, and then started jangling around in there in an attempt to find me some change. He was unsuccessful. Without explanation he then headed off out the door and down the street, returning about five minutes later triumphantly handing me £2.50. The whole thing was utterly gorgeous!

This is a good sized Oxfam Shop, and just happens to be my favourite charity shop in the area. I…read moreregularly shop at charity shops for two very good reasons. These are that I like to support the cause, and I also like finding the weird and wonderful things that you often find there! Plus, I'm passionate about books... If I were to buy all of my books new, I would be bankrupt in no time! This branch of Oxfam, is pretty well stocked on all fronts! As with all the other Oxfam shops, it is well manned, and professionally put together. I like the fact that they stock new fair trade items as well as the secondhand goods, and it has often proven to be a lifesaver where the coffee is concerned! I have to admit to preferring the Pdsa for books, as they always have a good selection and the prices are half what they charge at Oxfam. Nevertheless, I buy a fair amount f books from here, and I'm grateful that they put them in alphabetical order! (Unlike the Pdsa).

Barker is one of the oldest independent fashion shops in Cardiff, and it stocks a combination of…read morevintage-style clothing and casual on-trend stuff from brands such as Two Stoned and G Star jeans. In fact it's jeans that Barker are probably best known for - with more for men than for women. They have a wide range, with different labels, denims and styles, then alongside that they have quite a few t-shirts, hoodies, and so on. The shop front itself is fairly plain and simple from the outside, and then inside it's quite relaxed and informal, with friendly, helpful staff.

Barker isn't exactly your average clothes shop and i'll tell you exactly why…read more 1) The vibe is incredibly laid back, despite the fact that it's a small shop you never feel like your being rushed or trapped in between clothes racks, you have the freedom to browse. 2) The staff don't act like they hate their jobs, which on a busy Saturday, is a triumph. They're helpful and well informed, not to mention incredibly good looking. 3) The clothes they stock are a mix of independent labels and vintage gems and the quality is fantastic. 4) Massive selection of jeans. I bought a pair here (yes, I like boys jeans) that I wore until they literally fell apart. It took over two days of almost daily wear and abuse to kill them and I mourn the loss like that of a child. To conclude. There's nowhere quite like Barkers.

Thank you Cowbridge Road East, for your plethora of feel-good shopping haunts. Not only can I…read moresecure a bargain that supplies a buyer's high for the rest of my day, but I can help a charity in the process. Everyone wins. Mind is a bright and spacious charity shop, carrying your normal range of clothing, shoes, books and bric a brac. The beauty of these shopping experiences is the amount of luck that's involved, which is where the thrill of the hunt comes in. There aren't so many books or bric a brac at this branch, but the clothing on stock here more than makes up for it. Mind carries an abundance of adult attire, on offer now for only £1 an item, with kids' clothes priced as low as 3 for £1. It's also worth noting that Mind carries a fairly good selection of belts, pillows and hats, if you're interested.

If you're a student, charity shops are as crucial to your continued survival as Pro-plus and…read moretakeaway pizza. Not only do they offer cheap books so you can save your loan money for precious, life-giving Strongbow, they are also havens of style; places where you can spend thirty minutes and £5 throwing together an outfit that's uniquely you. For people away from home for the first time, that luxury can be a vital part of discovering and creating (or recreating) who you are. However, luckily for us no-longer-student folk, all those unwashed tax-dodgers (ha. That really is fun to say) tend to stay down in the Cathays/Roath area. This leaves all the wonderful Canton shops to us real people who are awake before 4pm on normal days (yeah! Take that, students!). And out of these shops, MIND is one of the better ones. Offering the usual charity shop fare; clothes, books, DVDs, random cutlery, MIND couples this with bargains and deals that shame other charity shops. And also, the customers. There's something indecent about buying a shirt for £1 in a charity shop; it feels vaguely like stealing.

I love a bargain, so naturally I flock to stores like Canton Discounts. It's the ugly stepsister of…read morebigger high-street chains like Poundland, but worth a visit if you're in the Cowbridge Road East area and in need of cheap-and-cheerful house wares. Carrying your usual selection of pet supplies, cooking utensils, and gardening tools, Canton Discounts is an ideal shop to gather essentials that would cost double the price in grocery stores like Tesco or even Asda. I was surprised to see items like fake flowers and vinyl flooring stacked alongside its makeup and greeting cards ranges. Don't stop by expecting a spacious and sparkling shop, but Canton Discounts is perfect if you're tired of paying top dollar (or pound) for everyday items you know can be sourced cheaper.

I really didn't know what to do when Woolworths shut down. Where else would I go for all those…read morefunny little nick nacks you need in a house? Clothes pegs? Washing up bowls? Those little plastic baskets that no one really seems to know where they came from? Well, I was saved by Canton Discounts. It amazed me how many times I ended up popping in on my way home to just 'pick something up' and nearly always came out with something extra I hadn't realised I needed. It is a full little shop, with bits of everything including hardware, plastics and even a few toys and novelties. It is reasonably priced and the staff were always very friendly!

North Road Pharmacy offers a convenient conventional service to patients at UHW Hospital, (the…read moreCardiff student hospital), which is situated a little further up the road. It is also well placed to dispense to the patients attending The Balfour Clinic in the same district. Currently only stocking orthodox medicines, it is meeting the demands of this Primary Care area. However, there are plans to develop services beyond the present allopathic remit at some point in the future. Well known for all the right reasons by the indigenous local and student population, North Road Pharmacy has become pretty infamous amongst the emergency services as well, for much more curious reasons. Possessing a telephone number that terminates in 999 has prompted some of the more elderly patients, that use the pharmacy, to cause panic along the wire, believing that they are simply enquiring about repeat prescriptions, but instead have launched a fleet of patrol cars and fire engines! It doesn't happen so often these days, but it was a regular occurrence before they changed the area codes.