Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with Shopping

Where (in Toronto) can I find a warm winter hat suitable for myself: a big-headed person?

cranberrymonger — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 08:24:15 -0800

Where (in Toronto) can I find a warm winter hat suitable for myself: a big-headed person? Please tell me where in Toronto I can find a warm hat that will fit me. Bonus points if it fully covers my ears.

To give you an idea of the size of my head: I can force normal (e.g. from Roots) hats on but they are tight and pull my eyebrows up, making me look perpetually surprised. While good for a chuckle, it does nothing to keep me warm.

I would love to know specific stores and locations where I can shop. I am female but "unisex" styles are fine.

I am very concerned about size/warmth, medium-level concerned about fashion and low-level concern about price.

Happy Feet slippers around Austin?

sentient — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 10:21:42 -0800

Where can I buy Happy Feet slippers in or near Austin, TX? Alternatively, where can I buy other fun/novelty slippers for kids in or near Austin? Hoping to luck out on this one. Is anyone aware of where Happy Feet slippers are for sale in Texas, ideally within an hour by car of Austin, TX?

The slippers look like cartoonish oversized sneakers, and I've seen them in other states in mall kiosks.

The website doesn't list locations, although an article [pdf] about the company says that there are 190 locations in forty states.

I tried the 800 number and got voicemail (large volume of holiday calls, etc.), and I emailed them to ask. No response so far. The website's "Live Chat" feature is offline as of this post.

Has anyone seen them? Any tips? I'd like to get them today!

As a backup, what places in Austin definitely sell fun/novelty slippers in big kid sizes? (Animals, paws/claws, giant-and-fluffy, look like other stuff, that kind of thing.) Thanks!

Can I get the newly released "Belkin Bluetooth Music Receiver" anywhere online or in Boston by Wednesday?

Perplexity — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 19:40:43 -0800

Can I get the newly released "Belkin Bluetooth Music Receiver" anywhere online or in Boston by Wednesday? Thanks! I would like to buy this "Belkin Bluetooth Music Receiver". It's out of stock at both apple.com and belkin.com. Can I get one of these anywhere online or in Boston by Wednesday?

Where can I buy beard care products in New York?

235w103 — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 07:54:58 -0800

Where can I buy beard care products in New York City? I'm growing a winter beard, and would like to get some beard care products, as seen on this site. But I hate online shopping (I'm an instant gratification guy) and was hoping I could just swing by some store in the New York City area and pick up some stuff. Do any hairy New Yorkers have a good source for beard conditioners, etc?

Boots, boots, who's gonna find my boots?

allymusiqua — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 06:10:43 -0800

I'm in love with a boot...help me find them! So, I recently found these boots on a website found Mod Cloth and I fell in love, ordered them, then got an email saying they were all out of stock and there's no way Mod Cloth would get another shipping. Also, they're made by small companies so once they're sold out, they're sold out.

I don't believe them. So Mefis, where can I find them? If not the exact pair, do you know of any stores/websites that would sell something similar (that aren't outrageously expensive?)

What are your favorite online retailers that sell artisanal or handcrafted products?

hazyspring — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 16:48:25 -0800

What are your favorite online retailers that sell artisanal or handcrafted products? I'm in the midst of Christmas shopping right now, and I'm buying a lot of stuff on Etsy and from a few other independent retailers.

This has got me interested in finding some other suggestions for some great products. Here are some that I have come across through various sources over the past few weeks:

Homegrown Herb & Tea: Different herbal tea mixes.

Valerie Confections: Gourmet chocolates.

Lola Granola: Small batch granola.

Other suggestions? Individual Etsy shops are also welcomed.

SHOOOOOOOES

otherwordlyglow — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 10:35:17 -0800

What's the secret to finding affordable toddler shoes? I'm weary of spending $30-40 every 3 months for a pair of sneakers for my 18-month old. I can sometimes score at the local consignment shop but that's pretty hit-or-miss and I run up on this issue all the time now.

Are there some resources I'm unaware of? I'm looking at kidsurplus.com, Sierra Trading Post, Zappos, Endless, REI Outlet, Penney's, the deal-a-day sites, Target. I'm looking for a girl, prefer less glitter and butterflies, and no Dora/Disney/etc. Online or in-person (I'm in the SF Bay Area).

Help me find a non-wool, non-scratchy winter hat for skiing

charmedimsure — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 19:14:27 -0800

Can you help me find the perfect non-wool, in-no-way-scratchy winter hat for moderateish activity (male recipient)? Hello!

I am looking for suggestions for a winter hat for the boyfriend, who is a special redheaded snowflake and thus has ridiculously sensitive skin. This would be used for x-country skiing/running in quite cold temperatures (0F-20F) and activities like snowshoeing in more moderate temperatures (15F-40F).

These are the type of temperature/activity combinations that normal people, including myself, would just use a nice Smartwool beanie for. I have failed miserably at this project so far for oh-my-god-really?-THAT-itches?-HOW? reasons so far.

Assume that I do not sew/knit/craft, and that no one I know well enough to ask for a favor does either.

Relevant desired qualities:

-non-cotton or other soggy material, since said activities can get fairly sweaty/snowy

-includes no wool, not even Smartwool/the finest merino wool from tiny fleecy perfect soft newborn lambs lovingly fed organic grain by hand, not even if lined with another material

-includes no materials that could even remotely be categorized as "scratchy"

-stretchy material, or hat available in larger sizes, so it doesn't feel claustrophobic or cling to the head too much

-very basic pattern or solid colors in some manly variation, nothing too crazy or bright or pink

-easy and hopefully non-exorbitant shipping to the US, specifically Alaska

-bonus points for ear coverage of some kind, but not totally necessary since he can always supplement with ear bags

Thanks for any suggestions!

Whatever happened to Duty-Free shops in Australia?

AmbroseChapel — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 20:44:01 -0800

Whatever happened to Duty-Free shops in Sydney? I live in Sydney and I haven't been overseas for quite a while. When it came time to think about duty-free shopping, it seemed that the concept had disappeared from the city centre. Most of the shops, particularly the big Downtown in Pitt Street, were gone, and it seemed like the only place you could buy duty-free stuff was at the airport.

Is this something to do with the GST? Some plot by Macquarie Airports?

One day in Fresno, let's have fun!

cabingirl — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 08:49:46 -0800

How should I spend my afternoon in/near Fresno next weekend? I'll be in Fresno for about 7 hours next Saturday and I'm looking for something to occupy myself. My usual fallback activity is browsing yarn shops and drinking coffee, but I'm open to other types of stuff, including a driving tour or something. Is Sequoia National Park too far away? What else would you suggest?

Where would I find quality, curved, wooden hangers?

decrescendo — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 18:38:26 -0800

Where would I find quality, curved, wooden hangers? I was just at Nordstrom and I bought some dress shirts that were hanging on some really nice, curved, wooden hangers in the store.

Where would I find something similar?

I see a lot of wooden hangers online but I'm afraid they're probably pretty junky.

Target
Target
Walmart

Help me find this t-shirt!

oh really — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 11:43:36 -0800

[LongShotFilter] Help me find this t-shirt! My husband had a Seattle t-shirt when he was younger that said, "Queen of the Faeries" with a picture of a fairy riding a dragonfly. (Pictured here.) It vanished around the time he & his high school girlfriend broke up, but he still talks about how much he liked that shirt & I'd like to replace it if possible. I've been looking all over for it, but my Google-fu is failing & I'm beginning to think it can't be done.

Wrinkle: we live in the Midwest & he's never been to Seattle, so he has no idea where the shirt came from. It was a Value Village/Goodwill find.

What Bay Area stores carry the Dell Adamo?

Susan PG — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 09:32:58 -0800

Where can I see a Dell Adamo (not the new XPS, but the one that was released last year) in person, in the San Francisco Bay Area? Frys doesn't seem to carry it, and I don't know who else would. I'm considering buying one, and want to handle it and check out the keyboard, weight, etc., in person, before making a decision. Thanks for any help you can provide :-)

Hotel recommendations for Capitol Hill in Denver?

jroybal — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 09:49:50 -0800

Can anyone recommend a decent hotel in Denver, somewhere in or around the Capitol Hill area? Up to maybe +/-$125 a night. Clean, good location to do shopping/sights/etc, but otherwise no major restrictions. My partner and I will be there for a long weekend in December and plan on doing some stuff northwest of Capitol Hill (Buell Theater for Spring Awakening, Denver Art Museum) and southeast of Capitol Hill (Room & Board, Nordstrom). A hotel in any of those areas would be great. I was looking at The Burnsley Hotel on Grant St.--any experiences there? Finally, any recommendations for good stuff for us (two mid-twenties guys) to do in the areas near your recommended hotel? Theater, shops, restaurants--we're pretty open. Thanks in advance.

Failing this, does anyone know a good cobbler in 19104?

SansPoint — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 21:06:40 -0800

Help me find a pair of decent, grown-up shoes to wear to work, that will last me more than six months. Preferably for less than $100 a pair. Maybe it's just my feet. A few months ago, I picked up a nice looking pair of brown leather Steve Madden shoes from a nearby shoe store. They were on sale for $65. They looked good and were comfortable, and figured they'd be a great option to replace my previous shoes (Rockports), wherein the soles had been worn down to the point where parts of the heel were even with the front sole. *Those* replaced a pair of shoes (Bill Blass) that had detached from the sole.

Anyway, those nice Steve Maddens? They've fallen apart. The leather on the outside edge of BOTH shoes has detached from the sole--looking like it's been ripped, not just popped.

So, in eighteen months, I've gone through three pairs of not-cheap shoes. I just want a pair that won't fall apart that fast. I really don't know where to go here.

Am I underpricing my shoes? I really don't have the ability to drop $2-300 on shoes. I need to eat, after all. What can I do?

(Pertinent Info: I'm a size 11, and normal-ish width. I manage to wear Chuck Taylors, which run narrow, with no discomfort or falling-apart issues. I've had my two pairs of Chucks for over a year.)

Help me be a better videophile/shopper

blueshammer — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 08:23:08 -0800

Help me be a better videophile: We're shopping for our first HDTV, and (like most folks, I guess) I'm cheap but want to hold a firm line on quality. But I went to Best Buy and looked at their Wall o' TVs -- all playing the same promo reel, each displaying a different shade of green when a perfect green color field appeared -- and realized I need to be able to rely on something other than my eyes. We'll probably be getting a TV in the 40"-46" regime. We'll be getting a Blu-Ray player in short order, and so I want a monitor that will show Blu-Rays as well as possible. But the majority of its use will be cable (standard def as well as HD), standard-def DVDs (through an existing player of indeterminate progressive scan quality for now, eventually upconverted via whatever Blu-Ray player we get), and Wii, and everyday use will occur in a somewhat sun-lit room. My gut tells me 1080p and LCD, but that's one of a number of things I'm happy to have debunked if someone wants to.

Here are examples of the kind of wisdom that I'm looking for, that I've culled from previous AskMe threads:

> Make sure that you're getting an exact resolution (1920x1080 for 1080p, or 1280x720 for 720p).
> For LCD/LED sets, look for sets whose refresh rate is a multiple of 24Hz to get perfect pulldown from film sources (but even then it has to be the right set, cf. http://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread.php?t=5155).

So, when I look at the Black Friday ads on bfads.net, I see that Target has a 40" Apex LCD unit for $450 (1920x1080, 18k:1 contrast ratio, no reference to refresh rates). I'm not crazy about going off-brand ... but then again, I'm not sure why that is. Best Buy has a 40" Samsung LCD unit for $600 (LN40B500, 1920x1800, 40k:1 contrast ratio, 60 Hz), but also a 42" Insignia LCD unit that's 120 Hz for $700, and a Dynex 40" 60Hz unit for $500. Or I can drop $1000 and get a 50" Panasonic Viera plasma and get a Panasonic Blu-Ray player thrown in. &c., &c., &c.

But I've been to the showroom, which I understand are under specific lighting conditions, and: All the blacks (plasma, LCD, LED) looked very black. None seemed to feature a greater level of digital artifacting or pixelation. I intend on going back and trying to employ more control of the process (trying to see how a given set shows a standard-def source, or a black-and-white movie), but at the end of the day I'm not sure I'm going to be able to use by videophile skillz to tell what I need to tell in a showroom scenario.

So: What questions should I ask? What features should I investigate? What rules of thumb should I employ? What should I know about off-brand sets? I realize that any SDTV to HDTV upgrade is going to be so sharp that I'll appreciate whatever I get, but, as was mentioned in a previous post, I want to make sure I'm picking a set to grow into, not out of ... while spending as little as possible.

Help me find these grey boots elsewhere. Or other disressed leather boots!

barnone — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 13:57:18 -0800

I've fallen head-over-heels in love with these gray boots from the Sundance catalogue. I love the color, the heel, the shape, and the overall style. They feel very me. But they're almost $300 when you include their exorbitant shipping fees. Ouch. Any suggestions on other similar boots or how to find these elsewhere? I'm totally willing to pay for great shoes. But these just feel overpriced with some kind of "Sundance Premium" when similar boots on Zappos and Endless go for $150-$200. And the Sundance shipping policies are really bothersome - the shipping for these boots is $21.95. If the sizing is wrong, I'll be out quite a bit of money.

Apparently they're not exclusive to Sundance. Have you ever seen these boots elsewhere? Or can you recommend really similar boots? Not just Blundstone pull-ons, but similar in material and shape? So many options seem to have the pointy-toed cowboy shape or the more formal squared-off toe. I like that these look somewhat distressed but also a bit stylish.
- I've tried these Frye Jaden Chelsea -- they are also my style, but a bit more heft/presence than I'm used to. The toe is also much pointier than it looks in those photos.
- The Engineer style of boots that seem to be ubiquitous right now are also another option, but these grey boots seem to fit into my aesthetic a bit more.
- I'm a (dykey/boyish) woman so I'm into both women's and men's shoes, but a very masculine shoe profile looks a bit out of place when paired with my everyday attire.

Any suggestions for similar boots under $150 or $200? Or do you know how to find these non-exclusive boots?

Admittedly I am kind of picky and if this is my only option, I'll probably wait for a sale or bite the bullet. But if you have any other leads, I would be incredibly grateful.

Affordable Luxuries

Miko — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 12:45:30 -0800

What are some great gifts for Holiday Season that convey a sense of luxury, yet cost between about $25-75? Everyone's had a hard time for the last couple years, and nobody's got a lot of money in my family. In the past when in this position I would sometimes go for quantity in my gift-giving, and get a bunch of littler, less costly, sometimes kinda jokey gifts to really stretch my budget.

But this year I was thinking that the last thing most of us need is more piles of middling-to-cheap stuff, and that rather, it might be nice to get people some gifts that are true luxuries. By "luxuries" I mean things that are a level of quality up from the everyday/discount item - things you might look at, and consider for yourself, but then reject in favor of the cheaper and more ubiquitous version. Things you wouldn't splurge on yourself but would love if someone did it for you. An example might be a really nice pair of leather driving gloves as opposed to drugstore stretch knits.

Specific suggestions of things you love welcome. A variety is fine, given that I have men and women of varying ages to think about.

But even with this philosophy in play, I won't have a ton of $ to spend, so I'm willing to spend what I have on fewer items that feel like they contain a lot of value. I'm just wondering what might be out there that I can afford but will still make the recipient go "OOoooooh!"

Only Six More Weeks?! [redux]

carpyful — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 21:56:41 -0800

It's that time again.. What are some good online stores to buy cool, unique Christmas gifts? This old post is one of my favorite askmes and has been really useful in my holiday/birthday/other special occasion shopping. Basically, everyone linked to their favorite store that sells fun, funky, artsy, crafty, unique, cool things.

However, since it's 3 years old, I would imagine that there are some new great stores and new great members that have good ideas. For example, I really, really like my local 826 chapter's (826 Seattle) Travel Supply Store and I just found out about it a few months back.

Other sites that I really like include: the MoMA store, Mxplyzyk, Etsy,ThinkGeek, and Urban Outfitters.

What else can you add that is in a similar vein?

Buying odd dice in bulk

Mozai — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 12:10:05 -0800

Where would I purchase dice in bulk? Not just six-sided dice you'd find in Risk or Monopoly, but tetraherdral (4-sided, pyramid) or dodecahedral (12-sided, cries itself to sleep)? It seems the cheapest place -- indeed, the source for many places -- is Chesshex. I was hoping for a better price than $0.55 per unit since my game idea requires 32-50 of the pyramid-shaped dice.

What kinds of stores are out there?

Deathalicious — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 09:54:39 -0800

What kinds of stores are out there? I've gotten so used to buying most of my things at department stores or large chain grocery stores that if they suddenly disappeared I wouldn't know where to go to buy things. So I'm wondering where you'd get things if you didn't get your things at a large store. I already know you'd get meat at a butcher's, fish at a fishmonger's, bread at a bakery, etc. But where would you go for other household items? This occurred to me because I'd like to get a nice large bag of washing soda and I know that a fair number of grocery stores probably wouldn't carry that, but for sure there is a kind of store that would always having washing soda.

For practical purposes I'm interested in stores in the US, but out of more general interest anecdotes about store types in other parts of the world would be of purely academic interest too.
For example from personal experience I know that in Egypt there are store devoted exclusively to roasted nuts. Except for Western-style groceries catering to ex-pats, these nut roasters are pretty much the only place to get your hands on peanuts.

Living in or near Honfleur, France

whatzit — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 01:44:31 -0800

I'm moving to France (not to paint houses)! Two big questions: Where to live while working in Honfleur? What should I buy in Japan or the US before moving, to take advantage of better prices? LIVING in Honfleur should be different than being a tourist. It was great as a tourist! But will I be bored silly living there? Should I stay in Le Havre or even Rouen? For work I should be out of the office ~50% of the time anyway. I am in my 20s, single, prefer an international, urban environment, and like access to food, sports, universities, public transport. I reckon a car is unavoidable.

DESPITE your and my own advice to move with as little as possible, the employer will pay shipping, and I have an advantage on prices on some things in Japan and the US. Should I ship my bicycle (mountain bike)? Go on a clothes spree? Am I forgetting anything?? Electronics are not an option (110-220 issue).

(This is as sudden, but more definite and more exciting than the previous Qatar option...)

Help me find a winter coat in Tokyo!

Athelthral — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 17:27:36 -0800

I'll be in Tokyo in a few weeks, and I want to buy a new winter coat while I'm there. Budget: $250ish. I'm looking for something fairly simple, classic and durable. I'm not going to have too much time for shopping, so I'd like suggestions of specific shops I could visit, and if possible, links to online stores so that I can have an idea of what to expect. If it helps, I'm looking for a grey wool coat, of about knee length or shorter (on a short person): maybe something like this, though I'd prefer if it were single-breasted and had a higher wool content.

It doesn't have to be something that can only be found in Japan - I live in the tropics and there isn't much of a selection over here, so this trip is my best chance to find a replacement for my current coat.

Thanks in advance!

Jewelry shopping in Boston

Aizkolari — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 12:04:25 -0800

BostonFilter: Can you point me to a reasonably priced jewelry shop? I'm new in town and am looking to spend 40-60 bucks buying a simple gift for my girlfriend's birthday. Maybe something a little funky done in silver with semiprecious stones, either a necklace or bracelet, or perhaps earrings.

Can any Bostonian Mefites point me to some stores? I've done some walking around on Newbury and Charles with moderate success, but wanted to query the Hivemind for help.

Bonus points if the shops are in Cambridge or Somerville, but I'm willing to hoof it on the T to any cooler shops.

Further bonus points for any advice on buying jewelry in general.

Search for winter booties.

blackcatcuriouser — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 18:21:52 -0800

Have you seen this shoe? I have been looking for shoes like these and finally found them at Zara in New York City. They are pictured here:

They are comfy, leather, with a cone heel that does not exceed 2.5 inches, round toe, nice silhouette/shape, under $100. They are basically everything I want - except the color. They are only available in chocolate brown. I want a shoe/bootie like this in black or grey. I've searched the websites for Steve Madden, Zappos, Piperlime, Endless, Urban Outfitters, Anthropologie. Nothing. What are some other good fashionable shoe websites? Better yet - are there other shoes like these out there?!

Help!