Best Services

Best Accountant: ITP Accounting

When you do your taxes at the Glebe branch of ITP Accounting, you’re not getting a faceless corporation. You’re receiving the advice from a friendly, owner/operator who is more than happy to sit down and have a chat with you about your needs. ITP are geared towards the average taxpayer with uncomplicated claims, and they’ll only charge you if there’s something they need to do for you. Trevor and his team will shuffle your paper with such a high level of professionalism and competence that you will leave confident you got the most out of your tax. (Jason Marshall) 131-145 Glebe Point Rd, Glebe, 96602138

Best Barber: The Naked Barber

Are looking a touch Chewbacca-ish? Richard Savvy, The Naked Barber and his straight razor are ready to liberate your mind and your hair. In need of a little titillation or kink with your wax? Well Richard performs his art in as little or as much clothing as you desire.  And my, oh my, is he skilled. A hairdresser since 15 he has perfected the art of “manscaping” and hair styling. Operating out of a private studio just off Oxford Street for over a year, he maintains a roaring trade of happy customers. So if you are in the mood for an amazing buzz cut, Brazilian or shave with a healthy lashing of buff eye candy in a nudist friendly studio, call The Naked Barber! (Jason Marshall) 0406777048, thenakedbarber.com.au

Best Chiropractor: Harbourlife Health wellness clinic

Harbourlife Health is a boutique health and wellness clinic that focuses on spinal pain, headaches and poor posture. They also have treatment and programs available for treating stress, anxiety disorders, helping with weight loss and aiding you with quitting smoking.  The clinic can provide a level of care aided by sophisticated technology that is unparalleled. Their practitioners get to the source of your health problems and pain, and tailor a solution to help you get your health back on track. (Drew Manley) 65 York St, Sydney 9299 0134

Best Dentist: Pyrmont Dental Health

For most people, the dentist conjures up images of linoleum floors, fluorescent lights and scalpels hacking away at bloody gums. Quash the misconception and step inside Pyrmont Dental Health, a dental clinic more akin to the inside of a Vogue Living magazine than a house of evil deeds. It’s clear that these guys have savoir-faire, using plush lounges and a waiting room aquarium to lure you into a false sense of safety before repudiating your claim that you don’t have much of a sweet tooth. Oh well, at least you’ll be one step closer to having that much sought after Hollywood grin. (Richard Barry) Suite 3, 19 Harris St Pyrmont,  9191 8386

 

Best Electrician: David Jones Electricians

Finding a dependable electrician in Sydney can be a shocking experience!  If you’ve ever waited for a sparky to show up on time, you know how frustrating the entire experience can be. Just getting a quote for a job out of your standard Sydney electrician would be enough to test the patience of the Dalai Lama. After years of tripping over extension cords and after countless trips to flip the circuit switch, I finally found an electrician who was reliable, affordable and charming to boot. And with a name like David Jones, you would be right to expect quality and service as well. Over the years other electricians have wanted to rip up our gyprock walls just to wire the house, potentially adding tens of thousands of dollars to the cost of wiring our rickety old terrace house. Enter David Jones whose team of electricians rewired our house in less than a week. Now we have lights and dimmers and outlets galore. Quite simply: when it comes to finding an outstanding electrician in Sydney, there’s no other sparky like David Jones.  (Lawrence Gibbons) 1300 35 35 32 (24 hours call David direct)

Best Graphic Design: Stella Design

Stella Design’s core philosophy “there’s no excuse for bad design” shines through everything they touch. Whether you’re looking for a professional website or a larger branding campaign, Stella Design is definitely the company you want behind the effort. Their websites avoid some of the most common pitfalls by creating beautiful and easy to navigate pages that don’t skimp on content. The clean aesthetic that drives most of the graphic design looks particularly effective in their corporate packages but has also been successfully evoked in other, less formal, projects. (Tom Hellier) Suite 1, Level 4, 2 – 12 Foveaux St, Surry Hills, 8217 0000 www.stelladesign.com.au

Best Hairdresser in Eastern Suburbs: One Room

Daniel McLennan decided to create One Room in Bronte in response to his growing popularity as a hairstylist and make-up artist in Sydney. His 28 years of experience has culminated in a highly sought after style as he applies his magic on us ‘regular’ people and those catwalk-ing immortals. At One Room, McLennan trains emerging hair and make-up stylists to beautify the world under the tutelage of his mantra: “your look has to make you feel good and suit your lifestyle.” So whether you’re a glamour queen, a trend setter or a workaholic, McLennan has your locks covered. (Kristie Beattie) Shop 1/ 414 Bronte Rd Bronte 9387 6545

Best Massage: Fusion Health & Wellbeing

Massage is a necessity, not a luxury, according to masseuse Emma Schibrowski. For more than a decade, this miracle worker has poked and prodded everyone from homeless people to executives. Her studio, nestled within Fifty Four Park Street Health Club, is a salubrious temple frequented by ABC presenter Andrew Denton, various cycling teams and the rough-and-tumbly blokes on the NRL Roosters. First-timers should give her at least an hour to chart every square centimetre of their bodies. Before launching an assault on bodily umbrages, she will assess and correct your posture to make sure you’re standing tall.  Prices range from $60 to $145. (Deb Erwin) 170 Castlereagh St, Sydney 9282 8999 / 0419 623 668 www.fusionwellbeing.com.au

Best movie star experience: Colin Bond Personal Hairdresser

Like the other Bond, Colin Bond also leaves beautiful women in his wake – those whose locks he’s cut, styled and blow-dried in the comfort of their own home. A personal hairdresser, Bond will travel all over Sydney and bring Frangelico or Bailey’s for you to sip while he gets to work. He puts down a plastic sheet to collect the mess and whisks it away at the end, leaving nothing but a fabulous new hairdo. Men’s haircuts from $60; and women’s cuts from $70. Colours, blowdries and stying also available. (Nerissa Penfold) 0415 141 980 www.colinbond.net

Best new sole: Roger Shoe Repairs

Are you a high heels man? Do you prefer a shiny patent leather shoe? Maybe you’re a gal in a pair of Docs, or a fellow in loafers? Whatever you choose to house your feet in, we all know those much-loved boots need a man of integrity and skill to keep them going in this disposable world. Roger is a local legend; he has been in this shop for more years than most of us have graced the earth and can fix anything you can wear out (notwithstanding cheap plastic Chinese stuff you never should have bought). Add to that the fact he helps out many locals with freebies if they can’t pay, and you have a great soul. (Chris Peken) 88 Redfern St, Redfern, 9319 5420

Best Pet Shop: Bowhouse

Do you love your furry four-legged friend? No really, do you cry every time you think of them in a bowed basket? You’re going to want to take a trip to Bowhouse then. You’ll find what you’re after, whether it’s dog dress-ups for Halloween or keeping your cat warm in a Copenhagen condo. Don’t feel like dining in? Did someone order take-away? You can fetch your product in a drive-by. All you have to do is call ahead, bark twice, and they’ll have your order ready in a spot. Don’t even feel like getting out of bed? Well lucky you have the Internet and they have ebay for catdogs – and a super impressive website with petting advice to boot.  Visit them in Bondi or at their newly-opened store in Parramatta. (Andy Fraser) Shop 4, 2a Jaques Ave, Bondi Beach 9300 9390

 

Best place to cleanse chakra: Iskon

Iskcon, based in North Sydney, believes the yoga system that is popular in the western world hasn’t grasped the perfection of yoga. The Bhakti Yoga they practice is part of Hindu philosophy and the spiritual practice of fostering devotion to a personal form of god. Entering the Iskcon temple you will be mesmerised by the sound of “karatal,” “pakhawaj” and “kirtan”(meditative chanting)that can lead to another state of mind. You can find aerobic yoga in Govinda’s (branch of Iskcon) at Darlinghurst. They connect the Hatha yoga to Bhakti yoga. (Momi Zabeen)

Best place to get developed: Blanco Negro

Negative is not a dirty word to paraphrase Skyhooks, particularly when you are talking black and white film. Lovers of silver gelatine, liquid emulsions and lith printing rejoice for there is one man left in Sydney who develops film by hand and who is schooled in the wonderful and ancient (dark) arts of black and white printing. Chris Reid may have a dubious sense of humour but those in the know describe his work developing and printing black and white film as nothing short of poetic and as long as you don’t tell him, then I’d have to agree. (Chris Peken) 4/44-54 Botany Rd, Alexandria, 9698 4552, blanconegro.com.au.

Best Post Office: Tamarama

It has a street view of the ocean and any day of the week you can get a car park and walk in and out quickly without battling long queues. Local Cliff, 70, talks fondly of it being open when he was a young lad. He knew the first owner Mrs Atwood, when milk was delivered by wheel-drawn carts. What locals love about their post office is the efficient no fuss service. This quaint little shop is tucked away from the busy main drag, a hill roll down to local surf haunt, glamorous Tama beach. (Jenn Sedman)

Best Public Pool: Ian Thorpe Aquatic Centre

Sydney is a city of bronzed, buff and beautiful bodies and has no shortage of facilities for residents to stay in shape. Splattered throughout the city are several pools but the Ian Thorpe Aquatic centre is ahead of the rest. The facilities here are amazing –like its champion namesake – and several Australian Olympic swimmers train here every afternoon. A 50 metre 8-lane Olympic pool is kept to a constant temperature. There is also a kids’ pool and a hydro pool, a sauna and steam room. Pump those muscles in the enormous gym downstairs and obtain that even tan on the sundeck, which faces the city skyline. (Simon Anderson) 458 Harris St, Ultimo. 9518 7220, www.itac.org.au

Best Real Estate Agent: Deans Property

In business now for almost 20 years, Deans Property has 15 permanent staff, with plans to grow. The agency specialises in commercial, industrial and retail properties and provides highly developed expertise and development solutions for Sydney’s rapidly changing urban business landscape. Over the years  this agency has been integral in converting old warehouses into residential or commercial developments and in breaking up old buildings into business hubs; for example Fusion in Mountain St Ultimo or the Jones Bay Wharf development. Deans Property has also developed its own patented information system to allow its agents to efficiently manage the enormous database of clients collected over the last two decades. “We care about the service we provide to those who want to lease or sell and are constantly trying to improve,” CEO Robert Deans said. “We work hard to find solutions and are committed to developing a better real estate system.” (Pam Walker) 255 Broadway, Broadway 9282 6777.

Best Social Networking Class: Patio de Tango

You don’t need to go to Argentina to do the tango. Long time tango enthusiasts and beginners alike join forces through Patio de Tango, which since 2001 has been organising Milongas (tango parties) and dance classes right here in Sydney. Argentinean instructor Pedro Alvarez and wife Sophia focus on social, improvised tango and carefully coordinate the balance between leaders and followers in each class so you receive the support you need to learn this multi-layered dance. Beginner classes start every six weeks and you may find yourself dancing in a Milonga sooner than you think and making some friends along the way. (Rafael Garcia) 9386 4289 www.patiodetango.com.au

Best trapeze class: Aerialize

In a flash of stripy socks, someone is falling- and my heart skips a beat. Then they catch themselves in a ludicrous handhold several metres above the ground and I breathe a sigh of relief. I am preparing for some aerial shenanigans of my own, except mere fractions of the height compared to the advanced trapeze class I am watching. The teachers and students are adrenaline junkies, friendly and willing to share experiences. This is an amazing place to pick up new skills and make friends. (A L Kretzschmar) 16/142 Addison Rd, Marrickville www.aerialize.com.au

Best Vet: Animal Doctors

Animal Doctors Vet, Waverley, open since 1992, caters for every kind of dog, cat, rabbit, rat and exotic pet – and occasionally a rescued fairy penguin, broken-nosed echidna or a wing-snapped swan. They’ve an incredible list of services such as dentistry, pregnancy ultrasound, puppy and kitten socialisation and training classes, routine and advanced surgical procedures, even stem-cell therapy for joint repair. Alternative therapies, acupuncture, and physiotherapy have become increasingly popular. Their website offers helpful tips for caring for your pet and it’s obvious they really know their stuff and care for their clients’ loveable, furry “child substitutes”. (Jenn Sedman) 300 Bronte Rd Waverley, 9389 6336