Cold Comfort

Lovely Rita...no, not the Beatles song (Sgt. Pepper, Side Two, Cut Three), Rita's Ices! For me a harbinger of spring is the reopening of Rita's shops (Bridgewater, Flemington and Somerville locations come quickest to mind. What are some other Central Jersey locations?) Rita's Misto, a magical blend of custard and ice, provides the perfection solution when you're forced to choose between ices and ice cream. And how could you not like a shop that gives out free ices on the first day of Spring?!
When it's more substance that I crave (and my freezer is bereft of its usual Chunky Monkey container) I am lucky enough to be within walking distance of the most heavenly homemade ice cream this side of 78: Gabriel's Fountain in Martinsville has combinations like Banana Oreo, Rum Raisin, Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup, and for the purists at heart, vanilla, chocolate and strawberry au natural (and their ice cream stand is open once again on Sundays).

Pet Topic

I am admittedly (and not without a little pride) a total pushover when it comes to animals (a case of genetics at work: my cousins and I "blame" my aunt who brought home strays regularly and when my uncle noticed,would innocently reply, "what cat?") I channel this impulse into donations to various animal causes and rescues, of which there are many in our region, from St Hubert's to NJ Save A Pet, the Randolph Animal Pound (staffed by the delightful and compassionate Norma Jacobs) and Somerset Regional Shelter to MetroFerret and Kim's Ark Rodent Rescue. For every kind of animal there is a dedicated group. Now before I really start sounding like Bob Barker (I wonder if his replacement will keep up Barker's trademark close of "help control the pet population, have your pet spayed or neutered"?)... I am the holder of both Top Dog and Pet Perks tags (PetCo in Raritan and PetSmart in Bridgewater respectively), which means I make regular use of the Route 28 and 202 corridor.
Chain pet stores are often maligned; as in any place of business it all comes down to the personnel. I can only say that my experience at either location has been positive: the staffs are knowledgeable, the animals well cared-for and both places encourage adoption, holding frequent adoption events.
There are smaller pet shops around--which do you recommend? Who should be commended for the condition of their store and, more so, the animals in their charge? Let me know please.

Circular Logic

The Sunday ritual in my house: listen to Jonathan Schwartz as we carefully disengage circulars from the 'papers. Bed Bath & Beyond, Linens 'n Things and Tar-jay for me, Circuit City, Staples and Electronics Expo for he. And the one we both grab at: Best Buy.
The ritual continues: when the papers have been read and circular contents scrutinized, time for a quick bite at Stewart's (any Stewarts, tho' our favorite was the late lamented location on 22 in Lebanon--wait! A hopeful sign is the one proclaiming a reopening sometime soon) and our local Best Buy in Bridgewater.
My house is a shrine to that store--from our washer/dryer to all the kitchen appliances to electronic gadgetry (Herb finally got tired of me pressing the button on the Yamaha Digital Sound Projector demo every week so we got one--a single speaker that simulates full surround sound audio and it is incredible!) The staff is genuinely helpful (they don't work on commission by the way) and the cherry on top is that wonderful Reward Zone program where for every dollar you spend you accumulate Best Buy's version of Monopoly money (and who can resist a store that proudly proclaims its geekiness--Lewis from Revenge of the Nerds would approve)

Cocoa Channel

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways. No, this isn't a letter expressing devotion for my husband. It's my declaration of steadfast love (and, truth be known, lust) for...chocolate (I'm sorry, gentlemen, this one is very much a "girl" thing; I do rhapsodize just as passionately about guy things like golf. And remote controls. Just not this time).
I cannot walk past Lindt Chocolate, whether it's in the candy aisle at Wegmans, Kings or its own fragrant niche at Bridgewater Commons (cheek to jowl with Dale & Thomas Popcorn--but that's another column...) Intense Orange. Extra Dark Truffles. The 85 or even 99% (this one decidedly not for sissies). But, alas, I am a fickle lover; one level away in the mall I will not turn down a fresh-dipped strawberry from Godiva. A dense wedge of homemade fudge at Flemington's Penn Dutch market. The bittersweet bite of my favorite-from-childhood Droste pastilles (my grandfather used to slip rolls of them into my pocket without my mother seeing) in Minette's of Frenchtown.
As far as I'm concerned, all roads lead to chocolate; what road do you take? Tell me. I will travel almost anywhere for sublime chocolate! As my 2007 Lindt calendar says, "Life is too short for ordinary chocolate."

The Artifacts of Life

My current craving is for outdoor decor. Are there any salvage yards or the like that anyone knows of to get great garden and yard decor? My first post comment! (thank you, Shoppingizlife...and I love your user name!). We're two weeks away from Earth Day but this query is the perfect tie-in for the recycling-conscious. Made some calls and clicked away at my keyboard. Here are two places within shouting distance that offer outdoor artifacts to go with the flora and fauna:
Recycling the Past (recyclingthepast.com) is a family-owned and operated business that wants to meet the needs of everyone, from "the do-it-yourself inclined, to contractors, renovators, designers, daydream believers and homecoming queens" (cheer up Sleepy Jeanne--couldn't resist a bit of Monkeeing around...) Decorative garden urns, statuary, fountains, iron gates, furniture, sundials, planters, trellises, benches and fencing are just some of the items to choose from in a variety of mediums such as cast iron, carved limestone, marble, terra cotta and cast Portland.
And located in Titusville (not far from Lambertville) is Baxter's Architectural Antiques (609-737-1801). As Bill Baxter puts it, "we carry (as our backs permit) architectural antiques, garden ornaments, ornate ironwork, vintage building material...we also can custom design pieces utilizing salvaged or reclaimed materials."
Anybody out there with other suggestions for local salvage yards and/or reclaimed architectural artifacts emporiums please write in.
P.S. --thank you, Ruthie, for answering my query about Target Greatland; she explains that a Target Greatland is typically a "150,000 square feet store that carries a larger selection of general merchandise than a basic Target store."

Target Practice

"Don't tell anyone where you got that dress!," gently admonished a very lovely person whom I met last night at a musical gala. One minute earlier she had complimented me on my favorite version of The Little Black Dress: a simple spaghetti-strap A-line just grazing my knees. "Isaac Mizrahi...22 dollars at Tar-JAY (Target for the uninitiated)," I couldn't resist blurting out. See first sentence for her response.

Yes, Target (OK, I'll spell it right). They really do have their marketing finger on the pulse of the shopping public. The selection is an interesting mix of staples, fashion-forward seasonal clothing and furnishings, name brand grocery and sundry items as well as their own Archer Farms edibles (this is what all store brands strive to but rarely taste like, with such deliciously different treats as Key Lime White Chocolate Chip Cookies and Peanut Butter Dipped Pretzel Rods). They just have a knack for making the upscale affordable, attainable, attracting boldface design talents like Mizrahi, Michael Graves and Cynthia Rowley. And I like their logo canine (he reminds me of Petie, the Little Rascals' mascot).

Now can anyone tell me the significance of the word Greatlands in some of the locations?

Happy shopping!

A little known fact about Pompeii: Among the finds of the archeologists who unearthed this once-thriving metropolis buried in the fury of Mt. Vesuvius' ashes were the frozen-in-time denizens still waiting patiently on line for the big annual sale at The Shops at Caesar's Palace, hence the origin of the phrase, "shop til you drop." No, I didn't think you'd buy this story either, but it does illustrate how seriously all, well, some of us take our shopping!

I am an inveterate shopper (note I did not say wildly successful at ferreting out bargains -- sadly this gene which I should have inherited from my shopping maven grandmother skipped me entirely and went directly to my daughter).

Having exhausted (slight exaggeration) the stores on Long Island (my original home turf) and relocated several years ago to Central Jersey (truly the shopping capital of the world!), I am still in my honeymoon period of exploring locations that are new, different, quirky, reliable, unusual, "mom 'n pop", historic and so on. Places that are almost hidden right under my nose and if it weren't for a conveniently-placed red light I would never notice (like the Courtyards at Pluckemin or The Shops at Bedminster).

In all seriousness, while I do shop the big box stores, I am a big proponent of our downtowns--this is where the real finds are often unearthed. Enough out of me in this maiden effort; please post suggestions of where you enjoy shopping around here, which places merit a mention and etc. I see this blog as a great opportunity to unearth brick & mortar as well as web-based shopping destinations in this region (and it will further expand my driving directional skills in the Garden State for which my husband will give his grateful thanks.) Happy Shopping!