I'm looking for an everyday, tote/briefcase-type bag; smallish, around 12x9" and maybe 5 or 6" wide, made of canvas and leather, hoping to keep the price below $125. Any suggestions? I saw something on the train today that looked perfect, but I can't find it online. The brand was "Yosemite", which is tough to google. The logo on the label was a stylized sun with a face. Can anyone help me find that company or a different bag that fits the bill? [more inside]
posted by SirNovember at 3:39 PM - 5 answers

So a while back I picked up a shirt I liked a lot made by Bruno New York and have been trying to find some more along the same lines but my searching has turned up nothing. It's a short sleeved plaid shirt, with one snap button at the very bottom and the pocket flaps are asymetrical also having snap buttons. Hope you can point me to where I can find some more (the one I got was from good old TJ Maxx...)
posted by zeoslap at 12:45 PM - 1 answers

Roughly five years ago, a friend and I were browsing second-hand stores on the East side of Portland, and stumbled upon one that was weirdly memorable, mostly because we now have absolutely no idea where it was located, but have the lingering feeling that it's something that we pass by all the time and somehow aren't noticing. All available clues below the fold... [more inside]
posted by a box and a stick and a string and a bear at 10:24 AM - 5 answers

Where can I find leatherworking supplies and leather at a storefront on Long Island, preferably Suffolk County? All I've found are hat shops or defunct addresses. [more inside]
posted by lettuchi at 1:57 PM - 1 answers

_Other_ than Best Buy, how/where would one obtain a replacement car audio system near Durham, NC? I have no idea where to shop. I'm OK with installing it myself if it's not too involved, but installed is good too. [more inside]
posted by amtho at 12:18 PM - 7 answers

What can the average American consumer do right now to prevent future Rana Plaza-like tragedies? [more inside]
posted by MaddyRex at 8:12 AM - 20 answers

Can I draw names from a hat online, have each submission be unknown to the other participants in the drawing, and have the selection be emailed to all participants? [more inside]
posted by curse at 10:24 AM - 8 answers

Help me replace my mother's beloved Puerto Rican coffee cups. [more inside]
posted by Bektashi at 3:09 PM - 13 answers

What questions can I have answered over the phone that will help me significantly narrow down a 25-car field of options? [more inside]
posted by nile_red at 3:10 AM - 14 answers

I want to buy a fountain pen. A fountain pen that writes really smoothly. [more inside]
posted by skwt at 10:56 PM - 28 answers

We are moving into an apartment on top of a Whole Foods so I would like to do most of my grocery shopping there (I use Amazon Prime for stuff you can get in bulk, cleaning products, etc). Does anyone have any protips for saving money there? Their coupon weekly seems pretty anemic and it doesn't seem like they often have really compelling sales. [more inside]
posted by annekate at 7:27 PM - 37 answers

Other than Ibex and Cargabags, who is making clean, simple, nontwee, non "crafty" bags from recycled or reclaimed wool felt? [more inside]
posted by crush-onastick at 7:22 PM - 2 answers

We are making a rare trip to IKEA tomorrow in part to get a table and chairs for our one-year old. What are other IKEA items that we should look at for him? [more inside]
posted by Xalf at 11:44 AM - 26 answers

Some time in the last year (maybe two years, at most) I saw a simple, modern site that recommended a single device in multiple categories of hardware (monitors, laptops, vacuum cleaners, electric toothbrushes, etc., etc.). The home page was a grid of the categories, and then you clicked through to ~2 paragraphs explaining why the particular device was so great. I think in some categories there were "budget" and "money is no object" recommendations, but the basic idea was to do your thinking for you, and tell you exactly what model to buy. Does anyone know what site I'm thinking of?
posted by caek at 4:12 AM - 3 answers

I'm looking to outfit an apartment window garden with some kick-ass pots of various sizes and shapes. Where's the best online retailer of not-plastic, not-boring brown, pots and gardening containers? Bonus if they sell supplies like potting soil and live plants and seeds.
posted by The Whelk at 6:46 PM - 6 answers

I own this skirt from Old Navy in black and gray, and am thinking of getting the blue striped one. I LOVE these skirts. They're uber-comfortable for work in the spring and summer! They don't wrinkle! They're not made of overly-weird fabric! The problem is, Old Navy only has the two (maybe three) colors that I like. I'd love one in, say, a nice deep red, or a dark purple, maybe some prints. The problem is, I can't find them anywhere. I wear a 3X in Old Navy's clothes, so around a US womens 26. I also can't afford to spend a ton of money. But I would like a couple more skirts to add to the summer work wardrobe! Any suggestions as to where I might find my skirt-nirvana?
posted by sarcasticah at 4:49 PM - 11 answers

I want to buy some art in San Francisco. The kind in frames that you hang on the wall. [more inside]
posted by ClaudiaCenter at 9:40 AM - 10 answers

Craigslist regularly has listings for units that are almost $500 cheaper than what I would pay retail. What should I be looking out for with used air conditioners? [more inside]
posted by laptolain at 6:08 PM - 6 answers

I bought a shirt through a well-known website for my brother for Christmas. He didn't like it, and on January 13th he mailed it back, unworn, to the shirt company's warehouse. On January 15th I opened up a help desk ticket asking when I should expect a refund, and was told I'd receive an e-mail when they had gone through their returns. It has now been more than four months, and I've bumped the ticket a few times. [more inside]
posted by wintersonata9 at 9:24 AM - 9 answers

I am trying to avoid shopping at amazon.com because of the company's predatory business model. What are the best online alternatives for each product category? [more inside]
posted by alms at 7:35 PM - 33 answers