This is a review for Adore Tea's online shop only.

I have been buying fancy teas online from them ever since their shops at Woden and Belconnen closed down. They offer a great range of teas at very competitive prices, with frequent sales, and quick shipping. Orders over $70 are shipped free of charge.

Highly recommended for tea lovers!

A tea-loving colleague put me on to McIver's a few years ago, and I have been ordering tea from them online ever since. They offer a good range of high quality teas - including five different types of Earl Grey. (McIver's French Earl Grey is the best I have ever tasted.) They also offer several kinds of green tea, including an Australian Sencha which is grown in Victoria.

McIver's offer a 15% discount when you buy 1kg of tea, and now offer free shipping for orders over $75.00. They are a must for tea-lovers!

In addition to their online business, McIvers run a very popular stall at Victoria Markets.

My husband and I had a late lunch at Doubleshot recently. I was impressed with the menu, which included a range of super-healthy vegan salads. I was very hungry and enjoyed my delicious and filling slow-roasted cauliflower and chickpea salad, which I thought was excellent value at $15.00. It's a pity we don't get to Deakin very often, because I would definitely eat there again.

I notice they have a loyalty program, in which you get your 10th coffee free.

I have been going to Club Lime's large gym in Belconnen for many years. They have just about everything you could ever want - a pool and spa; free weights, pin-loaded machines and kettlebells; cardio machines; TRXs, med balls and punching bags - you name it!

You can do your own routine, work in one of the small group bootcamp, boxing or women's-only classes, or join one of the popular Les Mills group classes.

A full membership is expensive, but Club Lime offers frequent special membership deals through http://justinlime.com.au/

Professional Whey is the *only* place to buy supplements! I have been buying egg white protein powder, dextrose, BCAA and creatine from them for years. Their products are the real deal, with no fillers or unnecessary ingredients, and are excellent quality.

Professional Whey also sell a range of superfoods, such as powdered Acai berries. They ship promptly, and you can read reviews of their products online.

I have been buying Paula's Choice products for over 10 years, and have saved $$$ and my skin has never looked better. Paula's Choice products contain no perfume or other irritants which is important to me as my skin has become more sensitive as I age. Their products really do work - I can't recommend them highly enough!

I should point out that the Paula's Choice Australian website was shut down in early 2014, and has now reopened under the management of the parent company in the United States. The new website is far easier to use, so the negative reviews here may relate to the old site.

I discovered Booktopia recently and have made a few purchases. My books always arrive very promptly and in perfect condition, thanks to Booktopia's careful packaging.

Beyond Q is a funky second-hand bookshop tucked away in a basement in Curtin Shops. The stock is of higher quality than the usual offerings in second-hand bookshops, with a collection of beautiful Folio Society editions, and lots of hardcover and out-of-print titles. Nearly all of the books are in very good-to-excellent condition, and there was none of the dusty smell common to second-hand bookshops.

My husband and I had an excellent lunch at the cafe, which cost $30 for a soup, a panini, a pot of tea and a coffee.

The only downsides were that there didn't seem to be any heating on a wintry Canberra day, and the cafe service was very slow. Nevertheless, we'll be back!

Approximate cost: $30

Independent bookstores are a dying breed, so it's great that Paperchain is still going strong. The store has a great atmosphere and a very wide selection; you're bound to find something new here. It's the ideal destination for booklovers.

I have been ordering hard-to-find items such as whole grains, organic dried coconut and imported dried fruit from Aussie Health Products for many years.

Unfortunately, my latest order didn't arrive, so I contacted Aussie Health Products via Paypal's dispute resolution centre. That afternoon, I received a very upsetting phone call from Aussie Health Products saying that they were a small company, didn't carry insurance, and therefore would not be refunding my money. The person I dealt with was highly unprofessional.

This incident has soured my relationship with Aussie Health Products, so I will order these goods from other providers in future.