I went on line to purchase a watch as a thank you gift for a manager who hired me back in the day…read moreat Lumley General Insurance. Then recently I received an invitation to a soirée showcasing their product. isn't that wonderful Excellent customer Service

Does anyone actually handwrite anymore?…read more Ok, we may all live our lives online, but it's worth going oldschool for Montblanc. The pens may come with a hefty price tag, but they're also so beautiful to write with that they'll make you want to pen the great Australian novel - longhand. Scrawling aside, Montblanc also has an enviably well crafted range of jewellery and leather-goods. They're the perfect go-to for landmark birthday or anniversary gifts. Because everyone wants a piece of a Meisterstück.

I always start out using cheap IKEA frames and then when they start to fall apart, I take them to…read moreSydney Picture Frames to have them re-framed. Honestly I don't know why I don't just go there first. They do custom framing that costs not much more than any pre-fabbed frames you can buy, but much better quality, and their service is outstanding. They gave me really good advice on different qualities of glass for different settings and lighting situations. Highly recommended. I've had about 20 things framed there and have never been disappointed.

We love our TV Mirror. The picture is crisp and there is no reflection except in the normal way. We…read morefound Mark and the team very professional, very quick to offer support and advice and their communication was outstanding. From ordering to having it on our wall in SA was little more than a week. The recommended transport company and the tech people were also extremely professional. I have already recommended this product to interior designers and would not hesitate to recommend them to anyone who is looking for a less obtrusive way to include a TV into their decore. The tradesmen who fitted it had no experience in doing so, had never seen one before and had absolutely no problems. We are delighted to give Sydney Picture Frames full marks!

A complicated series of referrals led me to The Framing Workshop, strange not least for the fact…read morethat the path roamed all over Sydney but brought me to a framer right round the corner. Three things you want from a framer: a good range of materials, some creative advice about how to put a piece together, and an efficient delivery framework. The Framing Workshop came up trumps on all these, even though I was actually after mirrors and not art! This is a business that the proprietor sinks his heart into. It's also in a fab location - in amongst the re-purposed Georges Heights Harbour Trust development, with the added advantage of parking right outside the door, so when you collect up your prized framed pieces, its a cinch to get them into the car.

I first used the Framing Workshop in 2000. I was looking for a framer for a donated signed…read moreWallabies' rugby jersey as a prize for the local public school's Quiz Night fundraiser. I walked in off the street, never before having used The Framing Workshop's services. The generosity of community spirit shown by the proprietor, blew me away. I have used Framing Workshop for all of my framing needs since that time. I am delighted to report that, in my experience, Richard's work is of excellent quality. As an added bonus, he is pleasant, prompt and diligent. He also has a keen eye for aesthetics, but is far too polite to judge the customer's taste. He will also recommend less extravagant/expensive options for the customer's consideration. The location of the shop is such that it is always a pleasant diversion to go there. It is so nice to avoid the hassles of finding somewhere to park the car and so peaceful.... Ginta Viliunas

Pros: Open until 6:30pm on a Sunday, often decent sales racks, speedy service, sometimes…read moreinteresting articles for a bargain shop. Cons: Often overcharge for sale items: check your receipts, check articles for okay stitching (generally better quality than other similar shops), their website won't open in Safari on an iPhone.

This is where I've bought my last two digital cameras from…read more The first one, when I was 16.. and it served me extremely well up until 3 weeks ago (ie; 6 years of perfect functionality, probably more if I hadn't messed up the lens. it was a Canon, if you're interested). The other week, I bought a red Lumix (Panasonic), and it seems to be in top condition. More than the quality of their cameras, it's the friendliness of the staff that impresses me. They are quite frank and upfront, and almost apologetic about their sometimes ridiculous prices. For instance, I had wanted to get my previous camera fixed, and was told apologetically that it would cost me up to $250, and that it would probably be cheaper to buy a new camera altogether. Which I promptly did!

Could have had a sale today and a potential repeat customer...if only they had bothered!…read more 3pm on Sat, no customers around. I walked in carrying $2500 worth of camera and lens around my neck looking for a tripod. One assistant tried to sell me the cheapest unit even when I insisted that I wanted a sturdy carbon fibre tripod & ballhead. She wanted to help, but didn't ask about my needs and budget, or know much about the products they sell. The store 'expert' stood aloof and only gave monosyllabic answers when the lady chased him down to relay my questions. Perhaps they made a lot of assumptions about me - I don't know - but if they had only bothered to speak to me and helped me they would have soon figured out that was ready spend $6-700 and very likely to have come back as a loyal customer. The Paxtons nearby was more helpful, knew my gear and their products, but didn't have the range to show me. I'm off to the web to buy.

Yay!! You know when you have been thinking about something for ages and then you finally do it! The…read moresatisfaction is all mine today as I picked up my pictures from the framing shop. I took one photo in Amsterdam in 2006 so yeah, it's been a while! I got it blown up as big as you can and framed in a dark thick wooden frame with a white boarder around the photo. The other was a photo taken in Bali that a photographer friend of mine gave me as a pressie. He won a competition with it so it is a pretty sweet black and white. Crisply framed and high quality. The glass is almost matte but makes the photo really pop. It is a humble little joint in Randwick that has fulfilled my long awaited plan. The lovely little lady was kind and gave me a discount so, don't forget to ask for one. I got the two of them for $300. *They also stock a lot of frames of local beach photos from Coogee and Maroubra

Portrait or caricature?…read more I'm still asking myself that question. I've been to John Chen Gallery and I am truly amazed at how quick the artist is in capturing the beauty of a person. The artist is very creative and I've seen the display portraits and some are marvellous. I had a friendly chat with the artist inside the store and found that it takes anywhere between 3-10 minutes for a caricature and more for a portrait and you can choose between colour and black and white. Three times now, I've walked past the store, pausing, wondering if I should get it done today and then walked on... So why is it I have walked away without getting a portrait of me? I'm not sure.. It could be, because I always assume I will find a local artist in some market nearby, who will draw a caricature for half the price... Hoping to read other reviews to nudge me in the right direction..