Some Neat Places to Shop

A Friday Hodgepodge

1. In spring and fall, I like to wear a certain style of flat cap that is hard to find in regular stores. If I need to replace one, or get asked for a gift idea, it's the New York Hat Company to the rescue.

I have noticed over the years that, despite their big selection, it can be hard to find the right color, at least in the style ("1900"/"driving cap") I like. I suspect they rotate offerings, because, for example, I own a black one of these, but that color doesn't come up today.

But blue does, and I had wanted to replace a blue cap I lost some time back, so I might do that this weekend...

2. I like the type of dill pickle that requires refrigeration, and Claussen had been my go-to for a long time.

But one day back in Florida, while shopping at Target and wanting a jar, they were out of stock. Intrigued by the mom-and-pop-looking packaging of Grillo's, I bought a container of those and was very impressed.

I no longer recall how I learned that the company has a web site, but it does, and they sell merch, of course.

Curious as to what a pickle enthusiast might buy, I looked, and found a cookbook, which I bought and now look forward to using whenever it reappears from a moving box.

I'm not big on tee shirts or ball caps, so my main reason for including this site is because the pickles are outstanding and it has a where to buy feature. I was happy to learn that they're available in Louisiana.

The company apparently started out as a guy selling these heirloom Italian recipe dills out of a cart in Boston around the time I was strolling our baby daughter around there.

I never saw that cart, so I'm glad the company took off enough to catch up with me later.

Product Chart has a really nice interface. (Image by the author. I believe this exemplary screenshot from Product Chart to be protected as Fair Use under U.S. copyright law.)

3. I haven't used either of these, but plan to look at them the next time I need electronics: Low Cost Mini PCs is an aesthetically-challenged, but functional site that lives up to its name. (Current entry on the unfiltered list is a used desktop for $38, but filters exist for New/Used, brand, storage type, RAM, and amount of storage, among others.)

Shoppers who are more visually-inclined or want something other than a computer can avail themselves of Product Chart, which adjusts a display of products along a cost/feature axis (e.g., GB/dollar for thumb drives, resolution/dollar for cameras).

4. This last is a reminder to myself of the existence of Licorice.com. My wife likes licorice, and this site looks like a good one to consult ahead of the holidays.

-- CAV

P.S.: Honorable mention goes to Cajun Grocer. I don't need them so much now that I live in Louisiana, but it was great to be able to use them back when I lived up North. Thanks to them, I was able to fly in crawfish tail meat for my delicious crawfish etouffee, which I developed while I lived there.