Meet ‘Piwi’. Our resident fantail piwakawaka. Piwi visits us in our sunroom every morning. She chases flies and helps herself to the bug buffet dangling on our cobwebs. This is a good excuse for me not to do more housework and sweep away these entanglements . Such a delight for these creatures to feel so comfortable around us.

Waitresses garbed in 1950s diner attire ushered us to our table, walking us past shelves lined with vintage trinkets and jars filled with pickles and sauerkraut. If you’re a fan of authentic American fusion cuisine, this deli on Federal Street should be on your “eat list”. And with current limits set on world travel, it’s probably the closest you’ll get to visit the Big Apple.

A couple of weeks ago, my mum and I visited one of Nostalgem’s stockists at Botany Downs Town Centre. While walking through the covered outdoor area, you can’t help but notice an elegant boutique gift shop that is RAPT. We were very lucky to meet and interview Anj, RAPT’s owner. This working mum had so many great insights about striking a work-life balance that we wanted to share her thoughts with our blog readers. And as the name suggests, you’ll feel rapt admiring the classy and minimalistic aesthetic of the store! Stuck with birthday, anniversary, Mother’s Day, or Christmas gift ideas? There’s something for everyone at RAPT, with a friendly team with a great eye for design.