Amazon

The snow started around 8am and now it's falling like a constant trickle. I doubted that it would hit us as we missed the last two storms that blew this way.  Winter's back!  I love watching it.  At least with the snow falling, the squirrels will stay in their holes and Maya will be all the more manageable for it all.

Debating going out in the falling snow to deliver a parcel to the US postal service.  My Amazon book selling business is going quite well considering I'm making about four or five times more than what I would earn selling the books to a used book seller! 

Steph's off to Albany to give a talk and left me home alone with the pooch-who-sleeps-all-day. 

*Deep breath out*

The amount of hassle buying a simple set of everyday use casual dinnerware warrants a blog entry.  Yes, I'm talking about plates. 

I have a long history of renting properties and using old dishes from home, whatever dishes were in the apartment, and finally buying pieces here and there because I couldn't stand the dishes in the apartment (yes, we all know who you are - mugs that say 'cappucchino/latte/coffee' as if not being able to drink coffee isn't enough!).  Then there are the 'god-awful' christmas mugs and Austrian ornamental mugs that commemorate something that happened in 2003 that end up in the Salvation army but let's face it - no one wants them.

So for the first time EVER I got to choose my own dinner set.  Well, not me alone - Steph/Scor is just as finicky/picky as I am - though we generally agree in the end.  For those of you wondering why we didn't have a gift registry - this is it!

How do you select something that isn't white, isn't black & white, isn't black, that goes with your current kitchen and hopefully your next kitchen - and well, if they're not all broken by then - the permanant kitchen that lives in your dream home.  Color is important.  We like browns (I like greens and blues).  We want something interesting but not something SO interesting that it doesn't go with the rest of our collection of kitchenware. 

Then there's the price - I balk at spending $20 or something like that for a plate - I'll probably be the first to break it!  On a recent visit my mother chipped one of the temporary bowls I'd bought from a charity shop ($0.25, Salvation Army, Davis Square, Somerville).  "If you REALLY don't like it, just say so! You don't have to go breaking things!" Actually, stone counters make breaking dishes exceptionally easy and she didn't mean to do it.

I was also surprised by the finds I made while charity shopping in my first week - we found some H-B Henriot cider cups (2) valued at $0.25 each (original price €40 from Quimper, Brittany, France).  I've somehow made a tiny chip in one - which reiterates why I don't buy expensive dinnerware!

We've used the salvation army plates and glasses for the meantime (2 plates from pier 1 imports, 2 glasses from Ikea, 1 sango nova brown plate, etc...).  We started hunting for the real thing when the parents were over.  Our search of Macy's, Sears, Kohl's, Walmart (yes), and every other plate store known to man yielded me and Steph finally agreeing on the Sango Nova Brown designs.

Then came the incredibly base experience of applying for a US Macy's card and being rejected on all fronts!  LOL - go figure considering we just moved to the country!  But, in our frustration we gave up on trying to buy dinnerware at great rates from the department stores.

Commence online shopping.  To make a long story short - everyone has deals - we eventually added a set from Mikasa and looked at a million of other sets.  In my hopeless search I went to every shop I could think of - online - to look at what they have to offer.  It's amazing how many places sell WHITE plates.  As much as I like white plates for restaurant and perhaps as my generic plate when serving 30+ people - I don't want to eat on white plates for every meal! 

What did we end up settling with after several weeks and hours and hours of time burnt like tinder?  Sango Nova Brown it is... and the choice seller?  None other than my beloved Amazon.com!

Not only am I getting everything for essentially the same or lower price offered by Macy's (requiring their credit card) - but I'm also getting free shipping and a bundle of matching kitchen items!  All for less than it would cost to buy a 32 piece set from anywhere else (incl. shipping and taxes)!