Our home in Invercargill this year is on a portion of Bourke Street that goes between Queen's Park and the upscale Windsor shopping area. I love this location as I am independent as long as my feet stay happy. I can even walk as far as centre city from here, but who needs to? I can get most things I want in Windsor. Take a tour of Windsor with me starting at "Sally's" on the upper end.
Even upscale shoppers like to shop at "Sally's". The Salvation Army has
thrift stores throughout the city and this is the Windsor Sally.
Instead of government owned post offices, it appears independents take on the job of "postie". At this site, we can post letters and parcels, but also buy periodicals, books, greeting cards, and stationary supplies.
Directly across the street is the ubiquitous corner dairy store which carries the things one runs out of at the last minute as well as fish and chips and ice cream. I buy the daily Southland Times here.
We visited both churches in Windsor last year. The Anglicans are struggling with diminished attendance, but this church voted to go their own way rather than become a joint church with the "big" church in centre city. Such is the sentiment about losing the community focus. Liz, one of the priests here, is a most delightful and welcoming person.
The Presbyterians have the church one block down Windsor Street. We found the congregants a bit dour, but they are probably Scots, what can I say? (I can say that; I have Scot ancestry and I can do dour too).There must be more to it than that as they have a good outreach and community spirit. They sponsor a little shop where all proceeds go to Save the Children. Recently they removed the old manse and created a lovely little community park in its place.
Several businesses are lovely gift shops. Woodstock on Windsor is only one of them but it is distinguished by the beautiful garden of white tree roses and tall white snapdragons in front.
I must admit that the Windsor Wine Shop is a frequent stop for me. You may think it is just for the wine but there is an additional attraction. A lovely French man with the cutest accent and encyclopedic wine knowledge sometimes tends the store.
Beyond the wine shop are three occasionally visited places, though you may have trouble spotting them in this photo. First, Organica where I find organic, dietetic, and specialty foods; next a food import shop with imported coffee, chocolate, and much, much more; then The Village Green, one of three restaurants in Windsor, all worthy of a meal. I buy Belgian chocolates at the import shop as a hostess gift when we are invited out to someone's home, which happens rather frequently. I asked the quite portly store owner of the shop if she had sampled her chocolates. "Well ...... yes", she replied with an amused, guilty smile. I buy the ones she recommends.
D'Coy is just one of the dress shops. It looks pretty extravagant; I have never been there.
Our good friend, Dr. Kim Nestor, has her Catherine Street Clinic in Windsor. Concerned about what to do if I should need medical care, I asked Kim if she would take me on as a patient should that be needed. "Well, we are one of the oversubscribed practices in the city, but yes, I would." I felt relieved and hoped our relationship would stay strictly social.
Three blocks down Windsor is the New World grocery where I do most of our food shopping. Directly across the street is Ian Wallace's pharmacy. Ian has been helpful in the past accessing needed personal medication and recommending effective over the counter remedies (Rheumon topical gel) unknown to us in the US. The stores seem to have some kind of agreement on who carries what. You won't find toothbrushes in the pharmacy nor dental floss in the grocery here.
Directly across the street is the ubiquitous corner dairy store which carries the things one runs out of at the last minute as well as fish and chips and ice cream. I buy the daily Southland Times here. 
Three blocks down Windsor is the New World grocery where I do most of our food shopping. Directly across the street is Ian Wallace's pharmacy. Ian has been helpful in the past accessing needed personal medication and recommending effective over the counter remedies (Rheumon topical gel) unknown to us in the US. The stores seem to have some kind of agreement on who carries what. You won't find toothbrushes in the pharmacy nor dental floss in the grocery here. 
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