Living In Australia

Grab a Bargain

liau — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 11:17:29 +0000

I recently subscribed to a couple of interesting web forum here in Australia. The theme is essentially a central point where people an know about the ongoing store offers across the country. So instead of flicking through massive paper catalogues to find say, deals on Toronto hotels, or perhaps a computer equipment, one can simply do a search. Or better yet, one can also just get alerts and be at the forefront of the blazing speed of information. You probably don’t need to be a shopaholic to be interested as items can be as simple as your weekly grocery items.

That’s Better

liau — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 11:09:39 +0000

I am always amazed with the projects shown in the television show Better Homes and Gardens. From simple materials (some of which may almost be overlooked or considered as rubbish), beautiful home ornaments are created. It surely is amazing how simple simple garden or pond light equipment can transform an ordinary lawn to a majestic courtyard. There is no doubt that there is a lot of talent in the team that make up the show. It goes beyond just entertaining.

No Stickies

liau — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 10:23:52 +0000

One thing I like about shopping merchandise here in Sydney is that most shops do not use stickies. I’m sure many have had an experience on buying something which is has the notorious sticky price tag. It takes some effort, not to mention some special sticker remover products, to take it out completely. Here, most pricing labels are placed on the shelves. In cases where the labels are not visible, customers can normally use a price checker barcode scanner which is located in several parts of the store. Of course, in the absence of these devices, you can still approach one of the store people to answer inquiries.

Just Around the Corner

liau — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 11:02:20 +0000

We live in a suburb which has a golf club not too far from where we live. Yes, it’s perhaps just a five minute drive. But as neither myself nor my husband is into this sport, we have not really been taken advantage of this facility. Perhaps it’s the typical idea that it is an expensive sport. But some would argue that used golf balls are plentiful. I’ve seen one of those in one sports shop in Sydney. Despite this, I still made the decision to tee off using my Wii console controller.

Fitness Clubs

liau — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 10:30:13 +0000

If you live in Sydney and are after a fitness club, there are just heaps of options. Well, it could well be a worldwide thing. Anyway, I guess what’s interesting is that there are ’specialist’ clubs. For instance there are those which apparently focus on moves that are better fat burner for women. Others offer fitness by providing healthy eating options that would take out the calorie guesswork for many.

Talents Galore

liau — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 10:20:12 +0000

It is quite likely that reality television is here to stay. Well, at least for the next few years. There is a wide variety of themes including competitive cooking, losing weight without the weight loss products, exchanging experiences and so on. But I guess what is really entertaining are the talent shows. Up right now is So You Think You Can Dance (Australia). While I am not exactly a dancer, I still find this worth the watch.

I’ll Be Back

liau — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 11:03:03 +0000

I have now become used to people knocking on the door to leave a catalogue with a note that he or she will be back to collect it. These are product catalogues of a variety of goods like best eye cream, household cleaning items, etc. In some cases, the person just leave this booklet on the door front with a small piece of paper to indicate when they’ll come back to pick it up (and hopefully with some orders!). It is a somewhat unique door-to-door selling. I think what’s good about it is it takes away the pressure of convincing and rejecting face-to-face.

Chemist

liau — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 10:55:31 +0000

Whenever the word chemist is mentioned, I have always kept in my mind a picture of a person in white lab gown fiddling with colored liquid (with matching smoke and lights) in a variety of odd shaped tubes. Here in Australia, chemists are actually your neighborhood pharmacist. While most still wear the white clothing, the business itself goes beyond just meds. It can include baby milk/formula, adult acne creams, medical aides, and so on. Some may even have more diverse items in their shelves and can include some grocery-type goods.

Name Game

liau — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 10:21:02 +0000

For some products, the name in itself makes a whole lot of difference. Perhaps a classic is Australia’s famous spread made from yeast products which caught the attention of many when the decision to name a variant was given to the people. And perhaps they’re not the only one. Through the years, more and more brand names have slowly become what you can call household names. Some product names get enough attention by being descriptive while others like no xplode side effects might go further solicit the curiosity. Well, no doubt there’s a lot in the name.

Backup Channel

liau — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 10:10:14 +0000

The local TV channels in Sydney has increased in the recent months. Thanks to digital television. That obviously increased the options when selecting what program to watch. But just like how most things work, there are just some boring time slots. This is when we switch to what we call our ‘backup channel’ where we watch showcase of products from the best weight loss product, exercise machines, cooking tools and so on. Have we picked up the phone to order? No. It may be strange but sometimes, it is entertaining.