Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with recommendations

straight from the source.

the NATURAL — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 02:13:57 -0800

Just curious: What DVD commentaries absolutely enhance the movie they're attached to? Thanks for your concern, but I've already seen these two previouslys.

As an aspiring screenwriter (maybe, one day, filmmaker? -- but then, who isn't?), I'm particularly interested in the craft of storytelling and the art of filming (how shots are composed, chosen, etc.). So, while I can't lie that it's funny that X and Y tell hilarious jokes in Z's commentary, I'm more curious from a technical standpoint.

Since this was last done in 2004, maybe skewing this towards DVDs released since then would make this a more timely question, as well.

Thanks, MeFi <4

What are your lesser-known or weird ways of looking for new music?

querty — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 00:05:21 -0800

What are your lesser-known or weird ways of looking for new music? Besides friends' recommendations, mix tapes, last.fm, review sites/blogs, TV/film song features, and late night talk show musical guests, what are some of your lesser-known or weird ways of searching for new music that others may not know about?

A few of mine:

- Sometimes I search for "recent favourite band + cover" on Youtube and sort them by views to find other new artists who very few people know. Those artists will usually have some of their own original songs available

- Search by lyrics to look for other bands/artists who have written similar words/lines/phrases, example

- Talk to touring bands after their shows and ask some of the band members what they're listening to on the road

Are there any NYC photographers who will do family portraits for a reasonable price?

eggplantia5 — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 18:39:23 -0800

I don't know why photographers' websites are all so terrible, but I am having difficulty looking for a good photographer in New York City who will display a general idea of rates. I want to get some family portraits done (6 adults, one baby), and I want something better than Sears, but something less than $1,000. Google and yelp.com aren't providing me too many options - it seems most want to do just headshots or weddings. I give up on websites that make me click through several pages without letting me easily find contact info or rates.

I would love any specific recommendations for photographers who will do family portraits in New York?

Thanks!

Please help me avoid big slabs of meat and iceberg lettuce.

jeffamaphone — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 11:49:13 -0800

What is the best place fora foodie to eat in STL? I grew up in STL. Haven't lived there for close to 10 years, but I'm going back soon for a family event. In the time I've been gone, I have to believe that some wonderful, modern restaurants have opened. I would like to eat at one.

Some guidelines:
* I am looking for new, creative, modern, etc.
* Local/fresh/organic and vegetarian options a huge bonus. I pray to the alter of Micheal Pollan and Alice Waters. I'm a card-carrying member of Slow Food.
* No regional cuisine, unless it's really new. This means no BBQ and no thin-crust pizza joints.
* No Italian. I've been everywhere on the hill. I've been to Tony's. I've been to Cafe Napoli.
* Good locations are anywhere along the central corridor: Washington, the Hill, UCity Loop, CWE, Clayton, etc. West county and Bridgeton is acceptable, since I'll be there too.
* Bad locations: Fenton, Ellisville, Wentzville, North Florrisent, Alton, etc.
* Please don't mention Ted Drewes.

E.g. something like Nopa.

Thanks!

Recs for easygoing pediatricians near Ridgefield CT

mccn — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 13:20:02 -0800

[kidsfilter] Recommendations for easygoing, vegetarian-friendly pediatricians near Ridgefield, CT? Good friends of mine are moving, rather suddenly, to Ridgefield, CT next week. They have two sons, under two years old - one is about 20 months, and the other was born a few weeks ago.

They've asked, since I live in the NY Metro Area, if I could find recommendations for pediatricians within a half hour of the area, who are "ok with vegetarians and cosleeping, not prone to panic, and not married to charts." Neither of the kids has any medical conditions that require specialty care, and both are healthy to my knowledge.

Any suggestions you have to offer would be greatly appreciated!

What is a good book to read about late 60s early 70s England?

AbsoluteDestiny — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 09:59:19 -0800

What is a good book to read about late 60s early 70s England? Non-fiction preferred but well-researched fiction is fine too. Extra points for anything that also includes:

- growing up in the working class
- the music scene
- the north

What is the gift/token of appreciation etiquette for teacher recommendations?

KWittman — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 15:15:01 -0800

My oldest, a HS senior, is applying to college and we are asking teachers to complete recommendations. Would it be permissible to include a note and small token of appreciation for each teacher in advance of the recommendation? We were thinking of including for each teacher a note of thanks in advance for their time, and an area business discount card that is being sold by one of the school district's sports teams as their fundraiser. The cards cost us $10 each, which we are happy to donate to the sports league. There is no cash value to the user of the card unless or until it's used.

We would obviously follow up with another token of appreciation at a more appropriate point later in the year, but we wondered about the ethics of this. Personally I feel they have enough demands on their time, and a token like this would be appropriate. But, the thought "in advance" of the recommendation brings pause. The "B" word, to wit.

Of course, we never do see the recommendations. What does everyone else think?

I'm too old for this $#!&

the NATURAL — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 05:30:47 -0800

My bedroom creeps me the #%^* out. What can I do to alleviate my (somewhat) irrational fears? (hacks, consumer products, etc.) I'm 9 months into living in an old, ollllld house -- one with lots of creaks and cracks. Add that to my incessantly hyperactive and paranoid imagination, and I have a lot of trouble sleeping.

For a while at first, I was sleeping with the light on. Then, I ended up taking care of my cousin's dog, and things got a lot better. However, I still have a flagrantly hyperactive imagination. After I saw The Ring and The Grudge in fits of self-masochism, I had trouble sleeping for weeks. Even now, I don't even need to see the previews of movies like Paranormal Activity for me to start getting creeped out. Right now, the dog is sound asleep on the bed, but here I am typing (and jumpy)...

As such, it's not really burglars/criminals/etc. that I worry about (humans, I can deal with), but the imaginary (and not-so imaginary) hibbidyjibby creepers. When I used to live in urban Philly, the ambient street noise at night was an excellent lullaby. Now, in suburban Honolulu, the quiet just accentuates the bumps.

I've read a little into the previous MeFi posts on this topic, and while they're somewhat useful I still can't seem to dispel the feelings of vulnerability and fear that I feel when I turn the lights out. For me, that period between lights out and sleep is one of the most stressful times of my day.

What can I do/buy/try to make me feel better?

Where should we go on our roadtrip?

slowcat — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 08:40:34 -0800

My friends and I want to take a weekend roadtrip from Oberlin (close to Cleveland, OH). Where should we go? What should we see along the way? None of us are from Ohio, so we have no ideas! Thanks!

What are the canonical "cocksman" blues performances?

Joe Beese — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 10:42:44 -0800

What are the canonical "cocksman" blues performances? i.e. Howlin' Wolf - "Back Door Man". I'm planning a "mixtape". That's what we called 'em. And we wore onions on our belts... which was the style at the time...

Looking for the ideal hangout in South Bay/Long Beach...

Katemonkey — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 15:34:45 -0800

Looking for a good bar/coffee/food place in the South Bay/Long Beach, CA that works for an unknown number of people with a wide variety of tastes... I want to get a bunch of my old high school friends together when I go visit Long Beach again in October, and I want to find a place that:

A) Won't require reservations for big groups (because I don't know if there will be a big group)
B) Isn't a sit-down type of restaurant, but will serve food
C) Serves a variety of drinks (non-alcoholic, coffee, cocktails, etc.)
D) Is not a sports bar or a meat market or anything like that
E) Veers a bit on the eccentric without trying too hard to be "wacky"
F) Cheerfully caters to a jeans-and-t-shirt clientèle.

Bonus points if it panders shamelessly to nerds.

For an example of what I'm thinking, if the situation was reversed, and I had a bunch of people coming to Nottingham who wanted to go out and have a few drinks, I would take them to the Malt Cross. There, I know I can get an excellent rum and coke or cup of coffee, a good burger, and I'm in an old Victorian vaudeville hall of awesomeness. Or, if I was feeling a bit more kitschy, I'd take them to the Pit & the Pendulum (the website looks like it was hacked, alas), where I know I can get a weird cocktail, some decent food, and it's decked out like a Vincent Price movie.

It doesn't necessarily need to be South Bay/Long Beach - it just seems easier to me, since we all grew up around Long Beach, Carson, Torrance, etc. I'll also caging rides from people rather than driving myself, and I'd much rather talk someone into driving an extra 10 minutes than an extra 45...

(I just don't want to end up hanging out at Del Amo Mall, like I did when I was 17...)

First Pandora, now what?

NotMyselfRightNow — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 10:21:16 -0800

What technology (websites, webservices, or handheld devices) would you recommend to a non-techy person? My boss asked me this the other day and I totally drew a blank. He's a mid-30s guy, married with three young kids. Very demanding day job, and a fairly senior position as a military reservist. He's great with technology, but he's not a gadget guy and isn't typically on the cutting edge of new technology. Not a television watcher. Carries a BlackBerry for work, and won't be getting an iPhone. Was recently turned on to Pandora and Jott and loves both of them (which is how this conversation started).

Recommendations that he would probably look into would be either passive (like Pandora, running in the background) or active but would improve performance or productivity or something like that. I think he's more likely to engage with online services or sites than with a handheld device, but that's just my guess.

What would you suggest someone in that position look at?

There are no gay people in the future. (Or are there?)

mumble — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 15:55:41 -0800

Looking for book recs about sci-fi, specifically about gender issues and jetpack-related physics. Slowly easing my way into science fiction (classic Star Trek as of right now, with some Blade Runner/Electric Sheep-related thoughts and plans to branch out some more), interested in two aspects of discussion right now. I did some quick Amazon and Google searches (not very helpful) and poked around a bit at AskMe, and was hoping for specific recommendations about these things:

1) Sci-fi as a white, male space </allegation>: Essay collections prefered over single-topic tomes. I'm referring specifically to sci-fi movies and novels and the way women, sexuality and/or race are handled in the narrative and, to a lesser extent, the history and culture of the genre as a whole.

2) Why transwarp teleportation will never be possible </opinion>: Books on the science behind the fiction, preferably written for the layperson without being overly cutesy about it. This sounded pretty ideal, until I read the last paragraph of this review. See 1).

Not looking for actual novel recs, just the meta. Will also take specific essays that can be found online, if you feel like sharing a link. Thanks very much in advance!

You've GOT the see this movie!

grumblebee — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 09:05:06 -0800

Is there an web app via which people can recommend things (movies, music, books, etc.) to me? I feel a bit stupid asking this, because something this obvious must exist, and I should know about it. But I don't.

What I want is this:

A friend of mine goes to (say) recommend.to/grumblebee. He fills out a simple form indicating that he thinks I'd like a book called "The Great Gatsby" by F. Scott Fitzgerald. If he wants, he can write why thinks I'd like it, and he can (optionally) post a link to the book on Amazon.

I can check the page for recommendations, or I can opt to get an email whenever anyone recommends things to me.

IMPORTANT: I would like a low-bar-of-entry. I don't want friends of mine to have to sign up. They just go to the page, fill out the form, press POST, and they're done.

Also, I don't want this to be part of a social-networking site. Not everyone is on Facebook (really!).

I want this, because lovely people are always recommending things to me. They make these recommendations through a bewildering number of channels: email, Facebook, Twitter, IM... Inevitably, I lose track of them and can't find them when I need them.

I'd like to "train" my friends to shoot stuff to recommend.to/grumblebee. If it's something they have to join, many of them will not do it. But if it's a simple form, it shouldn't be a problem.

Basically, it would be like a delicious page for me -- but one created by friends of mine.

Lunch in Hartford?

haveanicesummer — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 07:46:16 -0800

Best places to grab lunch within walking distance of Constitution Plaza in Hartford, CT? My company has me in downtown Hartford for at least a month and I'd love suggestions for good lunch spots. I'm interested in all varieties/nationalities of food, with an eye towards a bargain (but I might splurge if someplace pricey was considered worth it.)

Timberrrrrr!

jeffamaphone — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 11:29:05 -0800

What should I look for in a tree trimming company? Anyone have good / bad experiences with specific Seattle-area companies? I've got some very large trees, 100ft fir trees, 40ft maples, etc, that need to be trimmed to reduce the amount of debris that falls into the yard and onto the roof, as well as some dead or dying Madronas that need to go. I've gotten two quotes from two different companies, both around the same price.

My father-in-law put himself through college as a lumberjack up in the cascades doing some pretty serious logging, and he'll be on-site while the work is being done, and he knows more about trees than your average person has any business knowing. But I'd like to pick the right company in advance, rather than tell them how to do it right once they show up.

What questions should I be asking? What red flags should I watch out for?

Unchaotic art

bigmusic — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 08:41:12 -0800

I've always been a fan of chaotic and unordered "messy" art. I'd like to appreciate art that goes the other direction. Who are some excellent artists (dead artists are good, but living people are better) that practice an ordered, symmetrical, or organized quality? Photos, paintings, drawings, any art is fine - even examples of music, or poetry and plays are desirable.

Classy, non-amateur erotic literature?

Lush — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 09:03:53 -0800

Having recently discovered Anais Nin's Delta of Venus and Little Birds, I'm looking for classy, somewhat highbrow, non-amateur, published erotic literature along the same lines. I appreciate the languid, lingering, sensual atmosphere of the stories, and that they provoke thought about bedroom politics.

I tried looking on my own, but it seems I have unearthed a whole new underworld of fiction and the selection is overwhelming! There seems to be a lot of amateur erotic stories designed to quickly and deliberately assist the reader in getting off, sorted by taboo subject, and usually told in crude language. I do not wish to get off on these stories. I'm also not interested in romance novels, fan fiction, or deceptively highbrow-sounding florid prose featuring non-humans. (NOTE: I searched previous AskMe questions about erotica, but the askers' tastes differ from mine.)

I'd like to read more stories like Anais Nin's. Bonus points if they're literary and thought-provoking. Extra bonus points of they're classic, and published, as I will likely be reading them in waiting areas or on the train. Extra extra bonus points if they outdo Nin.

Any recommendations?

"Oooh, look, an exotic native woman!" "Buzz off."

divabat — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 10:55:09 -0800

What are some good travel guide websites that aren't so Western-centric and don't treat other countries like exotic sights to gawk at? I just rediscovered Matador after randomly signing up for it years ago, and while it looks really promising, it does have a really strong colonial "we are American tourists off to see the exotic isles and be really awesome Americans saving the world" vibe around it. It's something I've noticed with travel companies in Australia too - I was at STA Travel's promo for gap years and to me it felt like the rest of the world was there for their entertainment, or that they were humble foreigners trying to civilize the savages with their volunteer jobs, or something.

Being Malaysian, and being used to being made exotic, that sort of vibe never really sat right with me. I've been travelling since I was a baby, I _love_ to travel, and I love volunteering wherever I can (I was on a world tour that was part performance part community work - best time ever). But I don't click with the party-hard, white-kid-saving-the-world-by-teaching-English, befriend-other-backpackers type lifestyle that groups like Matador and STA Travel tend to espouse.

Are there any other good websites and resources for travel that have a different view on things? I'm after more how-to sort of stuff, like the best organisations doing X or the most interesting things about Y in Z country, or how to pack for a trip (as opposed to personal stories of travel). I'm 23, so something geared for youth is great, but again I'm not much of a club-hopper type. Anything that can take account of currencies that don't really translate well overseas (Europe for Really Cheap!) would be great.

Thanks!

Help me drag my uncle out of the literary dark ages!

badmoonrising — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 16:04:13 -0800

My uncle recently mentioned to me that he's never read any book written by a woman. Apparently this is because he doesn't think they'll be any good - he seems to think women can only write romance novels. I find this both horrific and hard to believe, but he seemed serious. So, Hive Mind, I need your help in drafting a list of the very best books written by female authors. Help me teach him the error of his ways! I've checked out a few previous questions, but I am somewhat hampered in my list-making by the fact that many of the obvious classics (and most of the books that sprang to my mind) are books that I think he will not enjoy, e.g. the works of the Brontë sisters or Jane Austen, or even Toni Morrison.

Specifically, he likes crime novels and thrillers, and fast-paced storylines without too many descriptive passages. (Or, as he put it, books "where it doesn't take the author three pages to describe a table.") So suggestions vaguely along those lines would be especially appreciated. I immediately suggested Agatha Christie and Patricia Cornwall to him, but crime is not generally my preferred genre so I'm having trouble coming up with much else.

The books do not have to be thrillers, but I suspect he will abandon anything too romance/family-orientated. So no Pride and Prejudice or The Thorn Birds, please. We're coming up with a list for a rather conservative, old-fashioned, golf- and rugby-loving Englishman in his late sixties. (So no Tipping the Velvet either!)

So, AskMeFites, please fire away!

(Also, I'm well aware of how sexist and misogynistic my uncle may seem, and I'm not interested in hearing any commentary on that, thank you. I myself want to batter him over the head with something heavy until he sees the error of his ways, but he IS family and I love the guy. So if I can rein in my violent urges, then I hope AskMeFi can too.)

Buying CDs online

woodway — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 07:37:38 -0800

What online music retailers would you recommend? I'm interested in CDs, new and used, preferably from an independent outfit. Does your favorite bricks & mortar store have an online site? Is there an AbeBooks type of clearinghouse for smaller sellers? I don't have a lot of options in town; Best Buy isn't doing it for me, and I want an alternative to Amazon.

Reader's Advisory Resources

tamarack — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 11:06:12 -0800

[LibraryFilter] What are your best resources for (fiction) reader's advisory (children, YA, adult)?? Right now I need the most help for the YA (teens and preteens) reader's advisory. My scope of knowledge doesn't seem to extend far enough, and (who knew) teens are a little shy. I'm new on the (public library) ref desk, and in general feel I need better tools for getting beyond Twilight ('cause surprise-surprise, all the copies are out).

My library has NoveList. If I can get an author, I sometimes use Fantastic Fiction's links. There is Amazon, but c'mon...it's pretty lame.

Bring on the private dancers

Felicity Rilke — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 12:59:46 -0800

Where are the classiest and dirtiest (female) strip clubs in Toronto? Help a lady help a fellow out.

A set designer friend needs to research the interiors of strip clubs for work. I am to be his research assistant. We have been recommended a couple places (Brass Rail/For Your Eyes Only for class, Jilly's/Fillmore's for dirtiness) but really don't know how classy/dirty any of these places are, or if there are other places that should be on our radar.

Toronto strip-club aficionados, where should we go and why?

More podcasts like Ill Doctrine?

callmejay — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 10:22:55 -0800

I want more podcasts/vidcasts like Ill Doctrine. I find Jay Smooth entertaining, thoughtful, and emotionally and intellectually intelligent at the same time. Who else would I like?

Need not be related to hip-hop, although it certainly could be.

Entertain my Dad: Suggest Puzzletastic TV on DVD

julen — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 20:48:49 -0800

Help me entertain my father! I need TV-on-DVD recommendations, preferably built around solving things - crime, mysteries, puzzles, world crises, etc. We've just finished up six of the seven seasons of Mission: Impossible, and I'd like to get more tv series that involve puzzles/heists/conning/mysteries or other fun plot-driving play-along-at-home tv series. I just netflixed Hu$tle for him, but I'm going to run out of options soon!

Current TV he likes in this arena: Leverage, Monk, Psych
Past TV he liked: Due South, Get Smart, Perry Mason, M:I, Twin Peaks (the first season), Police Squad!
TV I loved and he thought was too silly: Pushing Daisies

Technology, con jobs, humor, spies, wittiness are all pluses!

Help me hive mind!