Baby Diaper Service

I used Baby Diaper Service for almost four years, through two children. Overall, the service was reliable -- rain or shine, and even in snowstorms, my nasty poopy diapers were taken away, and fresh, clean, beautiful organic cotton diapers were delivered in their place. It's hard to overestimate how wonderful that is!

The diapers make great cleaning rags, too -- lint-free, perfect for cleaning glass, and absorbent. I bought some old diapers of theirs to keep when I discontinued the weekly service.

I only have one complaint about Baby Diaper Service: Calling to make changes in my service seemed to be completely hit or miss. At least three times I called to make some sort of change, and it simply didn't happen. My checks would go uncashed, and then I would get a late notice, and when I called, they would magically find my check there. I think there may have been someone working in the office who wasn't really paying attention to what she was doing consistently.

Still, only 3 or 4 errors in almost 4 years is pretty good. And did I mention -- beautiful clean diaper delivered to my door!!!

Turkish Delight

Mmmm, authentic Turkish Delight, made with rose water and a variety of subtle flavors. I got 18 pieces, and was so pleased to carry out my little container of a rainbow of bite-sized, refreshingly scented treats. The shop has savory treats, too, but don't try to pay unless you have cash or a LOCAL check -- no plastic.

Ravishing Radish Catering

I was recently at a wedding catered by Ravishing Radish, and I could not get enough of the food! Big, gorgeous platters of simply roasted vegetables, including sweet pink beets that were so mild my beet-hating friends were all asking what those yummy vegetables were. Although they could have just consulted one of the menus that were posted, which clearly said what everything was -- another touch I really appreciated.

My absolute favorite treat were skewers of salmon on wooden sticks, covered with savory seeds like caraway. I could have eaten those like candy all evening long! The wedding cake was also quite good, and the people staffing the bars were friendly and did a good job contributing to the good cheer of the event.

Cloud City Coffee

cloud City Coffee is a wonderful little neighborhood coffee shop, with a garage door style side that opens up in the hot weather. They have an extensive, carpeted toy and book area, which was a big hit with my two kids -- and also with me, since it meant I could sit at the big wooden table and chat with my friend in (relative) peace.

Their pastry case was stocked with delights, from lemon cream cheese muffins to Italian coffee cake and more. They also offer protein-rich food like turkey and swiss sandwiches, BLTs, roasted red pepper soup, and what I ended up getting: the BBQ pulled pork sandwich (with free bag of chips). I didn't actually try any coffee, so I can't comment on the quality, but I'm sure any place with "Coffee" right in the name must be able to get it right. :-)

The music is a bit on the loud side for me, and was decidedly not classical, and the square footage was a bit on the small side, but overall I would recommend Cloud City Coffee over other places I've tried.

Caffe Keffa

Located on a major arterial next to a car repair shop, Cafe Keffa may not get the benefit of much foot traffic. I stopped by on a hot afternoon because my kids were clamoring for ice cream. The shop was deserted except for the very friendly -- almost obsequious -- barista, who served us our ice cream and an almond Italian soda for myself.

The coffeeshop is large and well decorated in rich reds and golds, with huge sweeping curtains, dark woods, Ethiopian art, cute little side tables, and a gorgeous bar that must have been custom-installed for the site. They are playing the local classical music station, which is a big plus in my eyes. There are some couches in the back. Overall, it looks like a cozy place to hang out with your coffee. The bathroom was small yet clean and well decorated.

I was surprised there weren't more people there, especially since they also have a sign that says "free wi-fi." The blackboards behind the bar advertised many goodies, but I didn't see many pastries, and they were out of the one I tried to order (feta and spinach croissant).

Considering that it is not the easiest place to walk to unless you live right in that neighborhood, Cafe Keffa may not be around for long, unless it finds a way to get its business volume up. Maybe ensuring that the pastries are in stock?

New Roots Organics

I subscribed to New Roots Organics' "standard" bin for 6 months or so, through the dark parts of winter. You choose the size of bin and the frequency of delivery, and get fresh, organic, gorgeous produce from small farms. Best of all for those crunched on time -- no driving somewhere awkward to pick up your bin in a narrow time window. New Roots delivers right to your door!

In the 6 months or so I subscribed, New Roots never missed a delivery. Every bin was packed with delights, including fresh fruits and vegetables I'd never seen before. Every bin also includes a recipe sheet to help you use up some offerings that may not be part of your usual repertoire! The website lists out everything that will be in that week's bin, so you know ahead of time if there's anything you should call about. I never asked them to keep something out of my bin, but they do offer substitutions if you give them enough notice or tell them right at the beginning.

I wish my budget would extend to starting this service back up. Maybe next year!

The Fiber Gallery

With a wide variety of yarns, books, magazines, accessories, and examples of finished work, The Fiber Gallery is a sweet little neighborhood knitting spot. Don't be shy -- gather around the big wooden table in a comfy chair and cast on. Regular classes and workshops are offered, the employees are friendly and willing to answer questions, and there's a kids' table with a basket of Legos on it to help keep little fingers busy while Mom shops.

The only thing that could possibly make this better would be (1) a tea shop next door -- get on that, Fiber Gallery! -- (2) more separation between the kids' table and the buttons / accessories. My kids thought the for-sale accessories were also toys. :-O

Wild At Heart

Wild at Heart is a woman-friendly, non-skeezy store for adult toys and materials. It's fun to shop here, especially the wide array of clothing that takes up the center of the floor. The dressing room is posh and pretty -- I feel pampered just walking in. There is a selection of DVDs and a somewhat smaller section for books, and some erotic art on the wall, as well as the typical adult toy store goods. They sometimes offer classes in things like sexy yoga.

I love Wild at Heart, and go out of my way to shop there. This local, woman-owned company provides a safe, welcoming environment, a wide selection of goods, and a helpful and respectful approach towards customers. I can't say enough good things about Wild at Heart. Check it out!

Paratex

I e-mailed someone at Paratex on Monday afternoon, and they called back the next morning. I had to wait until the following day for the expert to come out, but that's actually not too bad.

Steve was pleasant and professional. He was full of information about the Things In Our Walls. He had a ladder and tons of traps, and he laid out the options clearly for me and made sure he understood what sorts of traps I wanted and where I wanted them. He was very clear about types of behavior that we could do to help minimize the problem. He could have patched a small entry hole in the siding himself, at a minimum charge of $130, but instead he told me exactly how and when to do it myself in order to save me the money. He was very thorough in his write-up, which listed out the exact location of each trap and bait station, and he was very clear about when we should call him back.

So far I have nothing but praise for Paratex. Now, to hope all those traps do their job...

St Vincent De Paul Society

I've been to the St. Vincent on Aurora Avenue literally dozens of times over the years, since my father is a champion thrift-store shopper. Every time I go in, I end up coming out with something.

Pros: Friendly staff, lots of STUFF, discount days, will take your old stuff off your hands.

Cons: Far too many clothes crammed onto the racks to be able to sort through them, much less actually take them off the rack to try on. Also, very limited dressing room space. Limited selections for children, especially in toys and shoes.