This independently owned gift store is worth a look for buying gift for him or her. I was intrigued…read moreby the tasteful battery powered, flameless candles made from real wax (set of three for $70). They have quite a bit of jewellery, a lot of which were pieces I'd not seen before. So many boutique gift shops stock the same ranges - I guess because they sell. But it's nice to come across a store that takes the risk of stocking something unique - it makes me go back for original gifts. There are also eco shopping bags, hand made woven bags, scarves, beautiful kaftans, bright kitchen wares, vases, journals and retro cards. For him there are funky cuff links and a pretend pencil size match to select phone or IPad applications. Friendly staff.

Rapture Living is one of those stores you shouldn't visit if you're feeling weak-willed. The…read moregorgeous array of accessories, homewares and keepsakes are just too tempting for words. Just this week I ventured in - fortunately with a mind to buy a birthday gift - and within 30 seconds I had found the perfect present. Of course I then spent the next 10 minutes wandering around trying to justifying buying the rest of the store for myself! Luckily the lovely lady in the store offered to giftwrap my pressie, which provided enough of a distraction to keep me away from buying up all the jewellery!

Looking for beautiful handmade candles. Then the perfect place to go to is shine candles on…read morePresident Avenue in Kogarah. The shop oozes personality and you have to go in and smell the different candles. They smell divine. All their candles are hand made to perfection and are made out of Soy instead of paraffin. So they are chemical free and environment friendly. Not only that they also last longer than paraffin candles. There are lots of different products like candle melts, mini jars, travel tins, votive and other accessories. They do custom made candles for special occasions like christenings and weddings. Shine candles also do candle parties which are really famous these days. The staff is friendly and are not pushy about what you should buy.

Super friendly and helpful. Was looking for new material for my shows, and he was able to share…read moremany new tricks with me. Walked away with some good new stuff!!! Nice to see a brick and mortar shop doing magic!

Have you ever found yourself in need of a present for a nephew and didn't know what to get him?…read moreThis was my predicament not too long ago. As I searched the city for something different and fun I spotted a magic shop sign leading me up an alley. Kinda strange place for a shop but it works... In any case, looking back on my love of magic at his age I figured that every young boy needs a marked deck of cards. Card tricks are awesome (or is that just me....). :-) This place had a range of cards for me to choose from as well as costumes and other fun gifts. So if you are lost for what to get, ask at the desk to your right, and you will be sorted out. If unsure you can often get a demonstration of the trick in the store.

It's hard to escape this establishment without caning the credit card, or growing a wishlist as…read morelong as your arm. An array of leather goods that would make any tannery proud spoils ladies for choice. In fact, if you're after a handbag or wallet, this place has it covered. They've got every style and colour under the rainbow and they must come from some seriously special cows because this leather is as soft as it gets. If you're in a hurry to find a gift, get here. This is also jewellery central. Not to mention, one of those places you can just spend forever in perusing nik naks like picture frames, homewares, cushions and general décor bits and bobs... but prepare to be faced with an agonizing purchase decision... unless there's enough room on your creddy card to get one in every colour. Better yet, bring your sugar daddy and get every style in every colour. One for each outfit. ... a girl can dream can't she?

I love Exhibit. It's the perfect store in many ways. It's air-conditioned, it's next door to…read morePatisse (best cake shop ever), the store assistant is super lovely and most importantly it is filled to the brim with gorgeous and original pieces for your home. They do furniture, rugs, masks, lighting, ceramics, art, glassware, mirrors - a whole range of stuff which listing it seems to take something away from the beauty and exclusivity of them. I also like the fact that they stock a lot of local designers but also collect from overseas so the range in variety of product and taste is wide. The textiles from Africa, Australian artifacts, Egyptian crystal chandeliers and European ceramic pieces - it takes you to far away places without paying for the plane ticket out of here. Apart from filling your home with beautiful furnishings I find Exhibit is a good place to shop for wedding presents.

I know I'm going to sound like a girl when I say this, but...I love pretty little, shiny things!…read moreThat's why I can never stroll past Abode without a cheeky browse at whatever they have in there. It's hard to define what this store is about, it has home-wares but it also has plenty of awesome novelty gifts. I'll admit I am guilty of walking in there, buying a present for a friend and then falling so in love with it that I keep it. I'm a horrible person, I know, but you try it! You'll go bonkers for all the gorgeous, funny and random things in there. Whether you feel like adding something quirky to your home, buying a card for a loved one or getting a present for someone, you'll find it in Abode. Just make sure to give yourself at least half an hour in there, I guarantee you'll keep getting side tracked.

Abode is the home of pretty things! This is the sort of shop you could browse in for hours trying…read moreto decide on the right card or gift for someone. The wooden floors, non in-your-face staff and quirky Things make this a really welcoming place to hang out in. Much like a place called Abode should be really. I don't see the point of greetings cards that aren't tailored to the person being greeted, and Adobe has a great selection of fun/arty/beautiful cards on top of the wide array of unique gifts for another person (or yourself of course). If you're looking for the likes of a unicorn lamp to a Dali-esque "melting clock" or just have no idea what to get your funky friend for their birthday, Adobe is a damn good place to start.

Visiting a souvenir shop usually means seeing some tacky statues and shirts that only tourists will…read morelike. But for a one-of-a-kind experience, most tourists and even a lot of locals go to Souvenir World to get souvenirs and gifts for all occasions. Aside from the usual products like boomerangs and mugs, Souvenir world has the widest variety of products that will rival any department store in Sydney. From cute Koala bags to stylish kangaroo fur shoulder bags, they have something great for everyone. They even sell some health & beauty products that might catch your eye! So if you're in just visiting or looking for that special gift for someone, Souvenir world is the best place to go to.

Good place to buy souvenirs at some of the best prices in Sydney despite being so close to the…read morerocks and the opera house

At Newtown's Modern Times bookshop, you can purchase an interesting range of books with particular…read morefocus on art, their have a selection of Art books you may not find in other book shops, the pop culture focus really appeals to me. Also on offer is an extensive collection of cult comics and graphic novels (I saw a Tank Girl art book there) they also have really odd toys for sale and they have wrapping paper, which has a fun pop culture style, they had Thunder Birds paper! Also they have a Doctor Who section with all kinds of books DVDs and a great collection of collectibles for sale. I must resist. If you are looking for children's books or a gift for kids, their children's section is truly excellent. The shop has an excellent set up as it is directly connected to Art on King (there is no diving wall) although they are two lots of businesses, so it is an artist's dream shop.

This Newtown store is actually two stores in one, the arts craft supply store, Art on King and the…read moreBookshop/stationary store. They don't have a large stock and mostly carry new and popular titles, but their comic book and graphic novel section is quite nice. They also offer 15% discount off new releases. Since the shop isn't too large it is easy to browse quickly through the titles. I bought The Decision Book by Mikael Krogerus on a whim since it was displayed ever so valiantly next to the cashier (I used the Swiss Cheese model and SWOT to make this decision). The stationary portion of the shop is well stocked with all sorts of creative tools and Art on King is one of the best art supply shops in Sydney.