There is more to life than lager and kebabs, or so I've been told. So how does one fill the time between 3.00am (Nass closing) and 11.00 (opening time)? There are several ways to blow your hard-earned dosh, and I hope to give a few pointers here...

Arthur Thurlow and Sons Ltd

Arthur Thurlow and Sons. I've always used this place on the rare occasions that I've been required to dress like a penguin. They surpassed their own high standards of customer service on New Year's Eve last year when I went to collect my suit from them, quite forgetting that they had told me they would be closed and had asked me to pop in on Dec 30th. Not only was there a phone number in the window for me to contact, but the owner of this place interrupted his game of golf with his grandson to open the place up especially for me! Nice one! I highly recommend that you use this place - they are at 46 Station Road (just by the BR station, obviously). Their phone no is 020 8570 1519.

Osterley Farm Shop:

This little shop is located on the long drive that leads to Osterley Park. I suspect like the majority of this site's readers, the phrase "organic veg" means nothing to me. However I have been assured by those "in the know" that they are a very good thing, and far cheaper here than in the huge Tesco down the road. Perhaps of more interest is the fact that they sell free range eggs. This means you can enjoy your Sunday morning eggy bread without a twinge of guilt. If you peer over the fence you can see the happy chickens running around. Their owner seems to take good care of them. He certainly does his best to keep me away from them anyway...

Osterley Bookshop:

For the trainspotters amongst you, this shop is located in what used to be Osterley Park underground station. It is now a peculiar shop - even the owner describes it as "a bit odd". Anyone with a passing interest in books could easily spend an afternoon happily rummaging in here. They have heaps of strange second hand and new books as well as local postcards, old maps, weird old tin toys (with sharp edges and lead paint - the perfect Christmas gift!), and mad German postcards. It's located just outside the park's main entrance and is well worth a visit

Sanna Travel:

A few years ago it was my turn to book "the boys'" annual holiday to Tenerife. I visited almost every travel agent in the High Street. I would have saved a lot of time if I'd come here first. The staff make a real effort to dig out good deals and give plenty of alternative ideas. Don't be put off by the general look of the place or the fact that everyone seems to be doing 3 things at once. There used to be a Thomas Cook just next door. They relocated. Funny that...

Madhouse:

I got all excited when these purveyors of tat closed down a few months ago. However they are back with a vengence. And I note the old Curry's is now another "everything for a £" shop. Honestly how much demand can there really be for laminated Homer Simpson posters and mobile phone covers? The High Street lacks a decent bookshop (that one in the Treaty Centre is a joke) and a "Next" and yet these bloody places spring up all the time. It really does my head in. Rant over

CEX

CEX sells second hand computer equipment and imported consoles and games. Got my first glimpse of the Playstation 2 and Gamecube here. This shop is handy for those whose computer monitors die within the guarantee period, which the manufacturers refuse to honour. Ditto for hard discs.

Musical Images:

If you're after new stereo you can either trek to Tottenham Court Road and get patronised by a smart-alec spiv in a Mr Byrite suit, or pay these chaps a visit. I bought most of my separates here a few years ago, and found them very helpful. Letting me play my Rick Wakeman CDs on a system I was considering buying is service beyond the call of duty. They also threw in a few metres of speaker cable for nothing, though that may just have been desperation to get me out of their shop...

99p Shop, £ shop:

Having given tat shops a well-deserved and may I say eloquent slagging off about three paragraphs ago, I now find myself in the slightly awkward position of recommending a couple of them. I don't think this is inconsistent because these shops are actually quite good. These places look reasonably presentable and sell useful stuff. The £ Shop that used to be Curry's sells 3 halogen light bulbs for £1 - Woolies flogs them for over £7 each. And the ones from the £ Shop work fine. The 99p shop flogs, amongst other things, brand name batteries (Duracell), food (Kellogs, Knorr), and toiletries (Gillette, Organics). The only (very minor) disadvantage is that the packaging is in foreign. Does anyone know the Portuguese for "Anti-dandruff shampoo for extra-greasy hair"? A friend of mine needs to know...

 Wheelhouse

A Hounslow institution. If you own a house, flat, garden or pet and live in Hounslow, you're almost certainly familiar with this place. For the uninitiated it is sufficient to say you won't find cheaper household goods, tools or hardware anywhere - just check the adverts in the Informer. (And for those with more infantile tastes they have regular special offers such as half price Austin Powers figures...) The quality of their goods is far better than the prices would lead you to believe. Friends of mine who live in Richmond shop here. 'Nuff said...

Aldi

Well all I can say is what took them so long?! Aldi is one of those supermarket chains that "charge more for their carrier bags than their baked beans" (© Peter Kay). It's a Danish chain which must help the staff at TV Danmark 1 Ltd just next door (hvordan går det?!) feel at home. In a nutshell it's best for good quality reasonably priced essentials - and what you can't get here you can no doubt pick up in the biggish Safeways just round the corner. What is dangerous is the middle aisle full of gadgets and the like. It's far too easy to get carried away having saved a few pence on a pint of milk only to go and blow the best part of a grand on a new PC with LCD screen...

Sandai Electronics:

Sandai sadly have popped their clogs, and last time I checked were a tat shop. Old review is here