[Windswept]

Well, I was trying to clean up (read/delete/save) emails from various sources, and I finally took the time to click on and actually read the emails I get from amazon.

Of course, they send you mail based on stuff you've already bought, and boy, do they have a repeat customer in 'me'. I love books, travel, cooking, etc., and when I see titles that appeal to me, I basically have very little resistance to buying them.

So, today, I put a few items in my 'wish list' that I will buy later.

- 366 Delicious Ways to Cook Rice, Beans, and Grains by Andrea Chesman

- The New Vegetarian Grill, Rev. Edition: 250 Flame-kissed Recipes for Fresh, Inspired Meals by Andrea Chesman

- The Sky Above, the Kingdom Below: In the Footsteps of Thomas Coryate (Armchair Traveler)

Book Description The wellspring of The Sky Above, the Kingdom Below is the remarkable 17th-century Thomas Coryate, unofficial jester to the royal court, associate of John Donne, Ben Jonson and Inigo Jones and a Jacobean Grumpy Old Man. Long forgotten by history at large, he is now regaining well-deserved public recognition as an eccentric wit, an idiosyncratic writer and, above all, a pioneering traveller. Coryate was the first European traveller in the modern sense of the word, travelling not for commerce, warfare or pilgrimage - why else would a man leave home? - But for the thrill of it, drawn ever further by the lure of the unknown. He traveled through Europe in 1608, effectively inventing the Grand Tour (in the process, introducing the fork to England), and wrote a well-received memoir, always a pleasing adjunct to the act of travelling. But in 1612 he ventured beyond mainland Europe - he dared to go East. In the last great adventure of his life, Coryate travelled from Damascus to Surat, in India, taking in the Holy Land, Ottoman Turkey, Persia and Afghanistan: a journey of some 4,000 miles, nearly all of it, astonishingly, on foot. Now, for the first time, Coryate's mammoth eastern odyssey - the sights, sounds and smells, the perils and pleasures of peregrination - is brought back to life by a 21st-century kindred spirit. Daniel Allen has set himself the challenge of recreating his journey, though on two wheels.

- Praetorius: Dances from Terpsichore Michael Praetorius

I think this is the one LudwigVan recommended to me in the old music thread. If so, you can really hear the old instruments, and the music sounds *very* different from that which is produced on the sorts of instruments we use today. I *really* love the music as played on those old instruments. It takes me back in time to those past centuries. So, *thanks*, LudwigVan.

Anyway, I'm looking forward to ordering these items, and amazon makes it all possible, with its timely emails based on things I've previously bought. I probably would never track down these titles on my own, or remember them if I read reviews on them elsewhere; but amazon makes it so easy.

I love amazon. (I also love Costco, but I won't elaborate on that store today. )

Anyway, I thought I'd ask for any stores, companies, sites that *you* love, that provide you with products you enjoy and make your life easier, the way amazon does for me.

Thanks for any replies.

[709]

Bell's and Sandeman. Without them my life would have no meaning whatsoever.

Now that the Emperor's Club is gone, that is.

[Windswept]

Originally Posted by 709 Bell's and Sandeman. Without them my life would have no meaning whatsoever. Now that the Emperor's Club is gone, that is.

I clicked on the Bell's menu, and thought the turkey and cranberry sandwich sounded pretty good.

Do you ever go to their cafe?

[Chinney]

I've always liked Bear Stearns, great and safe place for all your investment needs.


Actually, on a serious note, that 'Sky Above' book sounds right up my alley. I love travel books, cycling books, and history. That book seems to combine all three. Thanks for the tip.

[Brad]

Originally Posted by Windswept - 366 Delicious Ways to Cook Rice, Beans, and Grains by Andrea Chesman - The New Vegetarian Grill, Rev. Edition: 250 Flame-kissed Recipes for Fresh, Inspired Meals by Andrea Chesman

If you're into the veggie thing, be sure to check out Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World: 75 Dairy-Free Recipes for Cupcakes that Rule. My wife got it a while ago and, well, vegan cupcakes are quite alright.

[ronmexico]

It just popped into my head, but I like Nordstroms. Good quality, great return policies, pleasant environment to shop (unless its holiday season).

[ronmexico]

A great company: Ritz Carlton! They are able to provide a consistent message of impeccable customer service internationally amongst 40,000 employees. I went to a lecture about how they implement their ideas and it was fascinating.

[SKMDC]

LL Bean, My kids hate that I bought their Backpacks (that they take to school) from LL Bean because they never wear out. 3 years of service on one and 2 years on the other. Everything you buy from them is like that.

KIng Arthur Flour, I go through a pound of yeast about every 4 weeks, the flour itself is kind of prohibitive to buy mail order, but I found a source here in my neighborhood for it.
I buy yeast from them, '00' flour from them and the occasional gadget. they are cool because they always have a freebie giveaway when you do an order, something that I would never try and I always look forward to it.
If you bake bread or any dough work you have to get one of these from them.

Steve & Barry's, they carry the Starbury shoes, SJP's Bitten line, Venus Williams line, That girl who played Amanda on Nick has a line and everything in the store is under 20 bucks, I can only vouch for the Starbury's but they are built as well as any other 100 dollar basketball shoe.
Back to school time these guys let you spend 1/2 the money and get three times the gear.
No mail order, so if you have one in driving distance,you are fortunate, and it's worth the trip.

[atomicbartbeans]

Originally Posted by SKMDC LL Bean, My kids hate that I bought their Backpacks (that they take to school) from LL Bean because they never wear out. 3 years of service on one and 2 years on the other. Everything you buy from them is like that.

Seconded. I've had my LL Bean bookbag since 9th grade (almost 5 years) and it has a few scuffs, but structurally it's like new - unlike the probably 3 other bookbags I've used it in conjunction with (all of which have ripped or worn out). I got the other bags over the years, just out of wanting something new, but (with varying degrees of severity) I rendered all of them essentially unusable within a few months. LL Bean's lifetime warranty certainly doesn't hurt either - I wonder what would happen if I brought it in for repair 10+ years from now?

Columbia makes great coats & boots (I own both), also great quality.

Also (in the baggage department) is InCase - their laptop cases are hot shit (and IMO equal to LL Bean in quality). I've had mine for the past 3+ years, and I've never since seen anything that I like better.

Zippo lighters, even though I don't smoke... pretty much a dream come true for anyone who likes to play with fire. The design is old but clever, the different designs are sweet (well, some of them), and the lifetime warranty is an added bonus.

Nokia - my 1100 has been running like a champ for the last 4 years, and I don't plan to give it up any time soon. With over a week between charges (on the original battery too) and fast, super responsive firmware, it is *the* most usable phone I've ever seen... nothing recent can touch the 1100 in this respect. Specifically, nowhere in the UI do you experience any delay - and the menu system is consistent enough that you soon memorize the key pressing order to access most functions as fast as you think - no waiting for the phone to "catch up" (yeah Motorola, I'm looking at you).

Some cool facts:

• "It has been specifically designed for developing countries: its keypad and front face have been designed to be as dustproof as possible, and its sides are non-slip for humid weather." (from Wikipedia)
• 96 x 65 pixels
• built-in LED flashlight on top
• display is readable in direct sunlight, and not obnoxiously bright in a dark room
• fastest, most intuitive text input on any standard-keypad phone that I've ever used (and I've used dozens)
• comes with Snake
• 2+ weeks of battery life (with a new battery of course)
• write your own ringtones on the phone if you're musically inclined
• most popular cell phone, ever. Over 200 million sold. That's nearly twice the amount of iPods sold (ever), and over twice the amount of the next most popular phone (incidentally, the Motorola RAZR - which I consider the antithesis of the 1100).

In designing the 1100's firmware, it seems like Nokia eliminated all the nasty carrier-specific crap that we're usually force fed, and concentrated on the two main functions, calling and texting (along with lots of productivity tools) - absolutely perfecting every feature with the impatient user in mind. Very reminiscent of Apple software design back in the classic days, where each pixel was put to most efficient use. Everything is consistent, nothing is sloppy.



Sub Pop Records, a pseudo-indie label that has brought us magical things such as The Shins, The Postal Service, and CSS. Lots of stuff that they produce is released on sexy vinyl, easily ordered from their web site.

Target, for sucking less than Wal-Mart. Better atmosphere and selection, same ridiculously cheap imported everything. Last week I paid only $15 USD for a very nice 4 by 6 foot rug.

Sad thing is, I'd like to mention Apple, and they would have been at the top of my list a few years back - but now they've in many ways become just a greedy content provider that sees their potentially top-notch computers and iPods as mere vehicles for distributing movies and shit through iTunes. Compare a recent keynote to one from a few years back - how much time does Steve now spend on iTunes content-related discussion versus actual technology announcements? It wasn't always that way - some see it as evidence that Apple's business priorities are shifting in a way that will benefit shareholders, movie/record labels, and of course, AT&T more than users in the end.

[SKMDC]

If you are ever in New England their store is worth the trip, it never closes, 24/365, it's truly an amazing place. I was there once about 20 years ago at 2 in the morning.

I could plan a whole trip to Maine & Vermont and visit King Arthur's store as well, and then head to Ben & Jerry's which is not Steve & Barry's but far more delicious.

[colivigan]

Plant Delights Nursery. You just have to love a garden catalog with a sense of humor. Their hate mail is priceless. Gardeners sure can be a stuffy lot.

Be sure to check out their cover archives.

Oh yeah, they have some pretty nice plants too.

[atomicbartbeans]

Originally Posted by SKMDC If you are ever in New England their store is worth the trip, it never closes, 24/365, it's truly an amazing place. I was there once about 20 years ago at 2 in the morning. I could plan a whole trip to Maine & Vermont and visit King Arthur's store as well, and then head to Ben & Jerry's which is not Steve & Barry's but far more delicious.

Been to both Ben & Jerry's in Vermont and the LL Bean store in Portland... both are definitely worth your time.

[psmith2.0]

I've got an LL Bean backpack that I've had since 1992 (maybe even 1991?). Actually, my ex has it and travels with it constantly. It's forest green with black/silver trim, nylon with just a few pockets and zippers. Very basic, but very sturdy with comfortable, strong straps. It has a little yellow and black Batman logo button that I put on it years ago that she never took off (a running joke at this point), plus a couple more than she's added. It's been to Korea, Japan, Hawaii, Tunisia, Europe, California, DC, New Orleans and now Kansas City. And going to Iceland in May, I'm sure. It's not even frayed or has any holes! Great product. Going on 18 years, dragged all over the world...

[FFL]

Originally Posted by ronmexico A great company: Ritz Carlton! They are able to provide a consistent message of impeccable customer service internationally amongst 40,000 employees. I went to a lecture about how they implement their ideas and it was fascinating.

You do realize that their concepts were at the root of Apple Retail Store customer service, right?

[709]

Originally Posted by Windswept I clicked on the Bell's menu, and thought the turkey and cranberry sandwich sounded pretty good. Do you ever go to their cafe?

Of course.

They have certain specialty beers on tap that you'd otherwise not be able to taste, so I try to get down there a few times a year. They have a great outdoor area that's nice and grassy, so you can bring a lawnchair, towel or whatnot and lay out in the sun and walk barefoot through the grass while drinking a delicious beer. Very relaxing.

[murbot]

You LL Bean supporters are racists.

African-American Boycott of L.L. Bean Enters 80th Year

[psmith2.0]

Funny. The resources at the Onion are pretty impressive. They've got TV graphics and the whole bit now, huh?

[Freewell]

Ok... So laugh if you must, but when you have little people running around, places like these really make life easier!


Doodles Textiles (We use cloth diapers, and they have the best stuff for fabulous prices!)
Will' Beth (I love the classic look!)
Baby Bungalow.com (While communication could improve, they have high quality items for great prices, no tax and no shipping!)
Britax (Best car-seat on the planet.)

Tempur-Pedic (LOVE my pillow!!)
Craigslist... Oh Yeaa!

[709]

Originally Posted by pscates2.0 Funny. The resources at the Onion are pretty impressive. They've got TV graphics and the whole bit now, huh?

One of the few Podcasts I subscribe to.

linky

[psmith2.0]

The Alyson Hannigan one from March 3 is awesome!

BTW, I totally agree with the "FCC representative"...

[SKMDC]

Originally Posted by pscates2.0 The Alyson Hannigan one from March 3 is awesome! BTW, I totally agree with the "FCC representative"...

That one caught my eye as well. very funny.

[faust]

The ones that pay me

[Ryan]

Village Hat Shop

I have a fedora from them for my prom outfit.

[Windswept]

Originally Posted by Chinney Actually, on a serious note, that 'Sky Above' book sounds right up my alley. I love travel books, cycling books, and history. That book seems to combine all three. Thanks for the tip.

Sure. I'm looking forward to reading it. As the book description noted, he traveled for the pure thrill of it, and that's just how I feel when I think about traveling. Plus, how fascinating to read about how travel was in the early 1600s. And, on foot, too! I wonder if he was ever accosted by highwaymen and other various assorted crooks on his journeys. Surely he must have been.

I also have a great volume on the journeys of Marco Polo, in the 1200s!!! I haven't sat down to read it yet in detail, because I may want to take notes while I read; but iirc, it includes his journal entries about his travels all the way to the Far East. What's amazing is that a comment he made about encounters on the streets of Baghdad sounds just *exactly* like something someone might say in modern times, wrt Muslim attitudes toward 'the infidel'.

Originally Posted by Brad If you're into the veggie thing, be sure to check out Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World: 75 Dairy-Free Recipes for Cupcakes that Rule. My wife got it a while ago and, well, vegan cupcakes are quite alright.

Thanks, Brad. Sounds great, and delicious.

Also, I think Capella might be interested in that title too.

[Chinney]

For sports and outdoors equipment, I like Mountain Equipment Co-op. Great stores, but they have a lot online or through their catalogue as well.

[Capucina]

I love Nokia and Mac ))

[FFL]

Originally Posted by Capucina I love Nokia and Mac ))

OMG you are going to give someone an aneurism with that posting!


"Mac" is a computer, a product, an OS platoform...

"Apple" is the name of the company that makes it.

[Capella]

Originally Posted by Brad If you're into the veggie thing, be sure to check out Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World: 75 Dairy-Free Recipes for Cupcakes that Rule. My wife got it a while ago and, well, vegan cupcakes are quite alright.

Oooh...so tempting. I haven't had cupcakes in...over a year, definitely. And the Amazon description mentions a chai cupcake? That sounds amazing.

Originally Posted by Windswept Also, I think Capella might be interested in that title too.

Definitely!

Worse, payday is tomorrow, which means I'll have the money to a.) get the cookbook and b.) buy ingredients...

[Brad]

Originally Posted by Capella Oooh...so tempting. I haven't had cupcakes in...over a year, definitely. And the Amazon description mentions a chai cupcake? That sounds amazing.

We haven't tried the chai one, but do try the tiramisu one!

[turbulentfurball]

Originally Posted by atomicbartbeans Sub Pop Records, a pseudo-indie label that has brought us magical things such as The Shins, The Postal Service, and CSS. Lots of stuff that they produce is released on sexy vinyl, easily ordered from their web site.

++++++

I <3 Sub Pop. I discovered Rogue Wave thanks the free MP3s on their site.