Camberwell Market, Your Bargain Best Friend

Whether you're a soccer mum who drives an Audi in Toorak, or eat Two Minute Noodles every night in a tiny college dorm, everybody loves a good market bargain. I myself have strolled many a market aisles, rummaged through countless racks of second hand clothes and perused a ridiculous number of vintage stalls in search of the best bargains Melbourne has to offer. One of my personal faves remains trusty old Camberwell Market, filled to the brim with more bargains than your local Salvos store.

Every Sunday, rain or shine, crowds flock to Camberwell Market, which sits unsuspectingly in a carpark at the rear of Burke and Riversdale roads. This popular trash and treasure flea market is positively brimming with second-hand and hand-crafted goods, including everything from vintage fashion finds and quirky jewellery to silverware and Hello Kitty backpacks...that's right, I said Hello Kitty backpacks.

You never know what you'll unearth at this bustling bargain hotspot, but chances are you'll walk away with your arms loaded with piles of clothes (you never knew you needed but definitely couldn't do without) that cost less than a coffee! It might  take a bit of dedication to work your way through the somewhat staggering amount of stalls, but vans supplying hot jam donuts and coffee should provide you with ample energy to see you through the treck. 

If you're in need of a wardrobe re-vamp (and you should be as Spring's just around the corner), look no further then bagging a bargain at the Camberwell Market. Turn up early to avoid being crushed by the enormous crowds and bring plenty of empy bags for all your market goodies. Excuse me, I have to go  pour boiling water over my dehydrated noodles now...

Samson Girl in Sydney: Caramel Milkshakes and Damn Fine Coffee at Reuben Hills

Some call it a gift and others call it a caffeinated curse, but somehow, no matter where I am, I always happen to stumble across the best cafes in a city - not that it's particularly difficult to find yourself a good brew of black stuff when wandering around Sydney's Surrey Hills. In this suburb coffee reins supreme, cafes seem to outnumber residence and the hipster beard is almost a prerequisite uniform. While wandering through this beautifully leafy suburb on my first day in Sydney, I felt my caffeine senses tingling (this usually only happens closer to a full moon) as I approached Reuben Hills, a Sydney cafe that's like the barista equivalent of Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory. Except on Steroids.

Reuben Hills' long and narrow interior, with a roller door out back and an unassuming shopfront, is full to bursting with extraordinary apparatuses that envelope you in a world of brew ratios, filtration methods and specialty coffee. Sitting proudly atop the long stone counter is the customised three group mistral, behind which dedicated apron-clad baristas work their magic on the specially sourced coffee. Owners Nathan Borg and Russell Beard are committed to making specialty coffee as appealing and accessible as possible, and by providing customers with a wonderfully balanced cup of coffee, they do just that. Make sure you try out the rotating espresso of the day as well as the deliciously drinkable house blend, which has proven to be a keen crowd pleaser. Borg and Beard now roast their beans on site, which are carefully sourced from their travels to countries such as Honduras, Colombia and Panama.

The menu also draws inspiration from their culinary exploits throughout Honduras and El Salvador, resulting in super-chilled food with a mexicano vibe. Think baleada honduran tortilla with egg, queso fresco and black beans, or a Charquican chillean beef stew with soft fried egg, tomato rice and fermented pebre. For something a little more lunchy than brunchy when you've got the munchies, go for 'the NOT reuben sandwich': two thick slices of rye filled with wagyu brisket, manchego, pickled slaw and horseradish cream. If you can handle it, follow up your meal with the salted caramel milkshake. Trust me, you won't regret it.

I know I'm supposed to turn my nose up Sydney coffee, but when it tastes this good how could I possibly resist the urge to congratulate this extremely awesome cafe on being, well, extremely awesome! With its unpretentious coffee-geekery, wonderfully modern space and a menu that induces unconscious drooling, I think Iv'e found the Sydney cafe that would make even the most smug Melbourne coffee lover swoon.