Shopping in Pacific
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Shoes 2000
The biggest of the lot, Shoes 2000 offloads truckloads of men’s, women’s and kids’ branded footwear, including iconic Aussie boot brands Blundstone, Redback and Mack – along with some big-name imports. Discount linen, perfume and blaring commercial FM add to the experience.
reviewed
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Corner Shop
This treasure trove of a boutique is stocked with unique and original foreign goodies like stylish jeans, cosy turtlenecks and wispy things that go 'slink' in the night. There's a healthy mix of casual and high end, with some jewellery for good measure.
reviewed
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C’s Flashback
Looking for a secondhand Hawaiian shirt, some beat-up cowboy boots or a little sequinned 1940s hat like the Queen wears? We’re not sure exactly what C was on, but her flashback men’s and women’s threads are pretty trippy. There’s another branch in Newtown.
reviewed
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Mountain Designs
If you're in need of top-quality outdoor goods, this is a fine place to come. Australian- and US-made backpacks, rock-climbing equipment, camping gear, sleeping bags, hiking shoes and travel books are on offer, and the friendly staff can help you with info about excursions or day trips out of Sydney.
reviewed
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Handicrafts Market
Boroko's dusty central square is the best place to buy bilums, Highland hats, carvings, kina-shell breast plates, shell jewellery and the like. Moresby's sellers are used to the ways of tourists and will happily engage in some friendly negotiation, but protracted haggling is considered rude.
reviewed
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E
Australia's Outback Gallery
Part of the Outback Centre, this excellent gallery features a mix of collectible and emerging Aboriginal artists, meaning you might find a small canvas for around A$140 or a large piece by a well-known artist for up to around A$130. For a cheaper memento you can always grab a fluffy koala next door.
reviewed
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Au Jardin des Îsles
For fruit and veggies stop at this roadside stall which has a selection of imported fruit like apples (around 580 CFP per kilo) and some other produce from around French Polynesia and Rangiroa. They’re not exactly giving the food away but prices are only marginally more expensive than in Pape’ete.
reviewed
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Better Read Than Dead
This just might be our favourite Sydney bookshop, and not just because of the pithy name and the great selection of Lonely Planet titles. Nobody seems to mind if you waste hours perusing the beautifully presented aisles, stacked with high-, middle- and deliciously low-brow reading materials.
reviewed
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Grandma Takes a Trip
We don’t know where Granny’s gone, but she sure left a crazy wardrobe behind. And so did Grandpa. Sourced mostly in the UK and overseas, this is mint-condition vintage, plus retro swimwear and the odd flouncy negligee.
reviewed
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Tim Olsen Gallery
Tim Olsen runs one of Sydney's most important galleries. The airy space holds works by Tim's father, John Olsen (winner of the 2005 Archibald prize), and some dazzlingly beautiful landscapes by Ian Grant and Philip Hunter; also present are abstract paintings by Melinda Harper and Matthew Johnson.
reviewed
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Shag
This shop is jam-packed with super stylist-ordained vintage pieces, including shoes, furs and bags (and often jam-packed with the girls that love them). Those in the know also snap up the well-priced collection of frighteningly fashion-forward new dresses, jackets and tops shipped from Hong Kong.
reviewed
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Shag
This shop is jam-packed with super stylist-ordained vintage pieces, including shoes, furs and bags (and often jam-packed with the girls that love them). Those in the know also snap up the well-priced collection of frighteningly fashion-forward new dresses, jackets and tops shipped from Hong Kong.
reviewed
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Atelier Despert
Even if you can’t afford to purchase the original paintings, it’s worth stopping by this lovely little studio to chat with the charming artist and check out his latest work. Alain Despert only does originals (no prints), and his work has gained worldwide acclaim for its bold and bright patterns.
reviewed
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Records Records
This near-legend of a shop, with records stacked all about, seems constantly on the verge of closing down, but clings to life by the skin of its teeth. Do us a favour – hunt it out and buy a record. Places like this need to be kept alive, especially here in the homeland of NZ indie music.
reviewed
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Berkelouw Books
Six generations of Berkelouws have specialised in secondhand books and printed rarities since setting up shop in Holland in 1812, but its contemporary stores are just as good for new releases and coffee sipping. There are also branches in Paddington and Newtown.
reviewed
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Artery
Step into a world of mesmerising dots and swirls at this small gallery devoted to Aboriginal art. Artery's motto is 'ethical, contemporary, affordable', and while large canvases by more established artists cost in the thousands, small, unstretched canvases start at around $35.
reviewed
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Balmain Market
This small market is set in the shady grounds of St Andrews Congregational Church. Stalls sell arts, crafts, books, clothing, jewellery, plants, and fruit and veg. From the Balmain ferry wharf, head up Thames St to Darling St and turn left.
reviewed
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Route 66
Route 66 has been dressing Melbourne cowboys and girls in American vintage for years. Find top-quality bowling shirts, va-va-voom pencil skirts, seamed stockings and baseball jackets, as well as its own range of custom clothing. The Garage also has in-store gigs; check the website for details.
reviewed
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Suva Curio & Handicraft Centre
This crafts market has endless stalls and is an interesting place to wander through. It can offer some fantastic buys but be prepared to bargain! Not all artefacts are as genuine as the vendor would like you to believe; if you aren't an antique expert, only pay what the object is worth to you.
reviewed
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Collette Dinnigan
Hollywood’s Aussie gals head here whenever they need a new slinky beaded, sequinned or lacy number for a red carpet (Nicole or Naomi might be in the next change room). The queen of Aussie couture delivers fabulously feminine frocks with exquisite trimming.
reviewed
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Collected Works Bookshop
Melbourne’s only dedicated poetry bookshop is hidden away in the suitably bookish Nicholas Building. It specialises in the work of Australian poets but also has a large stock of international writers and poetry in translation. Staff will happily order in the most obscure of titles for you too.
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RPM
Carlton girls don’t mind being the smartest in the room, and RPM stocks the labels that aren’t going to call anyone’s IQ into question. There’s elegant, edgy Zambesi, Kirrily Johnston and Marnie Skillings, as well as great jeans and cult T-shirts from Jac&Jack.
reviewed
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About Life
This warehouse-like ‘natural marketplace’ on the main drag in Rozelle sells organic and chemical-free meats, cereals, dairy products, fruit and veg, and cosmetics, plus gluten-free breads. There’s also a cafe, and an in-store naturopath for those feeling a bit off colour.
reviewed
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Kookaburra Kiosk
This small, long-running second-hand clothing store has some fab finds from the fashion archives. It concentrates on unique vintage pieces and manages to avoid that fabric-explosion atmosphere that plagues so many of these vintage shops. Sort through the sale racks out the front for bargains.
reviewed
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Red Eye Records
New music is at Red-Eye's city centre branch. Rock on! For collectables, go to the red-walled rock refuge in Pitt St. The shelves there are stocked with a rampaging collection of classic, rare and collectable records, CDs, crass rock T-shirts, books, posters and music DVDs.
reviewed