Shopping & Services

If you're not really into the hands-on throttling of a place like the Anger Room, DFW Gun Range's Tuesday night is the perfect place to take your lady, or have a ladies night. It's open to any experience level, and the firearm and range fees are waived on Tuesdays, so you can totally take your best friend who's about to get married and let her get in some target practice, and squeeze off a few rounds yourself.

Look, we know what you're thinking. Jos. A. Bank's a pretty square choice for the Dallas Observer, right? Yeah, well, listen up, sunshine. You want a T-shirt with the logo of your favorite band or some retro consignment-shop duds, keep reading. We got plenty of those. But in the current reality, the name of the game is dress for success — or, if not success, at least a J-O-B. And for that, J-O-S has a wide selection of good quality men's clothing at reasonable prices. Suits, sport coats, polos, business casual and slacks (that's grown-up speak for "pants") make it possible for you to put together a set of work clothes that don't necessarily leave you looking like your dad (though if Dad's a pastel-loving golfer, he'd be right at home here). We know you don't want to put on a damn tie, but ask yourself this: Would you really rather move back in with Dad?

Stepping foot in this retail shop-meets-workspace is instantly calming. It soothes that ache in your brain, that tiny region in the back that fears everything's already been done. The designs range from organic-inspired and architectural shapes to highly detailed visual stories, and all are refreshingly inventive. You see the pride of ownership that is taken at each step of frank's process. The unique identity created for every piece is one you want to spend time with, preferably at home, in front of your mirror, draped in the stuff until you feel like a damn modern princess. Of course, in this fantasy you would own it all: the pendant cast from a scavenged animal tooth; the earring featuring reappropriated figures from toy train sets, and more giant gold rings than your phalanges can physically support. Until that glorious day comes, grow your collection one gorgeous piece at a time.

For as long as we can remember, it's been just too damn difficult for a girl (or boy) to find quality nipple pasties, fascinators, corsets, garters and enormous flowered hair ornaments in this town. All that changed with the opening last fall of Dallas PinUp, a Deep Ellum spot catering to the burlesque-oriented and the people who love them. In addition to lingerie worth wearing onstage, they have an ever-changing variety of beautiful, vintage-inspired dresses and cosmetics. The proprietresses also run portraiture company Through the Looking Glass Studio from the shop, which specializes in pin-up-style photography (they'll even do your hair and makeup first). For littler shoppers, they now carry adorable (non-sexy) dresses and rompers from Three Yellow Starfish. Even men don't have to feel left out — the shop carries Lucky 13 hair products, all the better for creating a slick rockabilly pompadour. It'll look great with your new pasties, guys, we promise.

All the discussion in the news of face-eating earlier this year had us giving some thought to disaster preparedness, namely how we can prepare ourselves to kill the ever-living shit out of some zombies. After some intensive intra-staff discussion, we've determined that Dick's is the finest anti-zombie outfitter there is. "Just go to a gun store, idiot!" you say, to which we'll politely have to tell you that you, sir or madam, are the real idiot here. Sure, Dick's has guns and ammo, and you can stock up on some of those. But you'll also want yourself a good baseball bat for when the bullets run out, plus maybe a nice heavy golf club. Sturdy running shoes are also a must, naturally. Mark our words: The undead hordes will inevitably turn up in Texas. Don't get caught empty-handed.

So you need a leather jock strap. Or maybe it's a nice, well-made harness you're after, or possibly a collar for the special submissive in your life. Leather Masters has all things leather and latex for the discerning BDSM-er, plus all the rings, stretchers, straps, sheaths and toys your love life has been crying out for. The Deep Ellum shop (they also have a location in San Jose, California) can also custom-make an outfit, if your imagination is ranging even further than what they have in stock.

You can go to a 7-Eleven, we guess, if you like harsh lighting and stale, corporate snack cakes. Or you can hit Oak Cliff's 6-Twelve, which has exactly the same stuff (beer, gum, dodgy-looking packets of caffeine pills). We're not going to lie to you: We're basing this one entirely on the name. Plus, the neighborhood is a little low on stores, convenience or otherwise, meaning if you're on your way to a party and get a call to bring snacks, you have limited options. Stock up on some Takis (Mexico's finest rolled chip, preferably in "Fuego" flavor) and a box of wine and you'll be good to go.

When your laptop starts emitting black smoke and making agonized dying-cat noises, people like to helpfully chirp, "Just go to the Genius Bar!" like they've just solved world hunger or something. When you have a PC, the temptation to punch those people in the eyeball is rather fierce. Luckily, Micro Center's there for you, located in Richardson's outer edges, just a short drive up U.S. 75. You'll drop your machine off at their help desk, then watch as they whisk it off to a just-visible workroom area, one that's always crowded with sad, broken machines waiting to be made whole again. In a few hours or days your electronic baby generally comes back good as new. Feel free to take it home and hug it to your chest muttering "precious, my precious," with a situationally inappropriate amount of intensity. We know. We've been there.

The women of Neiman Marcus are here to help with your face. They know that some of it's dry and the rest of it's greasy. They know you need a red lipstick that doesn't make your teeth pop out like yellow Chiclets. They know all of that in the kindest way, and they will happily — and patiently — show you 15 different eyebrow pencils until you find one that's exactly the right shade of medium/light ash (whatever that means). Best of all, you don't have to go to the mall every time you need a refill on foundation. Just slip in Neiman's side door, get your beauty fix and be on your way. Don't worry about that extra $70 you just inadvertently spent on all those products you didn't know you needed until one of those helpful ladies came along. Happens to the best of us.

Yes, you can try to pierce your nose yourself, if you want to end up with an extra nostril. And you can use crappy, nickel-plated jewelry from the mall if you enjoy unsightly rashes, green tinges and possible infections. Or you can do the grown-up thing and get yourself over to Obscurities for the high-quality stuff: implant grade stainless steel, real gold, plus any number of gorgeous glass and wood spirals and plugs. If you're getting pierced there or just buying replacement jewelry, they'll still gladly sit you down in a chair, put on sterile non-latex gloves (don't have those in your disgusting bathroom at home either, do you?) and pop in your shiny new appendage. The jewelry's not cheap, but that's because it's top-notch. Do it right and spare all of us the sight of your crusty, infected lower lip.

Whether in Deep Ellum for brunch, lunch, an early dinner or just a round of drinks, Lula B's is always a great place for some primo tipsy treasure hunting. After entering the two-story secondhand store, no matter which way you stumble you'll discover every nook and cranny is filled with amazing out-of-date finds, from old books and vinyl records to vintage apparel and shoes to ornate furniture, jewelry and knickknacks. With more than 75 vendors and thousands of square feet of space, there's bound to be something for every buzzed browser. And better yet, frequent visits unearth new treasures.

While it's been frequented by East Dallas hipsters and Lake Highland grandmas for years, Garland Road Thrift has managed to stay out of the thrift-store limelight (which is why we're so hesitant to tell you about it). The enormous florescent-lit warehouse is filled with bargains, and has everything from furniture and electronics to shoes and clothes, puzzles, games, baby items, curtains and glassware you'd find for at least four times as much in antique shops around town. It's a thrifty person's haven, as long as you're willing to dig for the good stuff.

Since 1975, Dallas photographers have had a reliable place to get their film developed, printed, scanned or mounted. BWC covers digital and analog photographers from pros to hobbyists, whether the film the photographer shoots is 35mm, 120mm, 220mm or 4-by-5, or whether the film needs to be processed in C-41, E-6 or traditional black and white chemistry — don't even think about taking that old roll of black and white film to Walmart or a drug store. BWC has long been the go-to place for the photography industry. Where else can you get your photos printed on 4-by-6 or 8-by-10 for Grandma, as well as photos printed on oversized canvases, banners, fancy desk calendars or flip-flops?

This trendy boutique, located on Henderson just a few doors down from The Pearl Cup and chic knickknack shop We Are 1976, exclusively carries women's clothing, shoes, jewelry and accessories. The store's aesthetic is charming and warm; it has a similar vibe to Anthropologie, but without the corporate feel. The merchandise is fresh and true to current trends without costing a fortune, and discounted treasures can always be found in the shop's bountiful sale section.

Need an affordable vintage camera strap to replace the awful stock strap that came with your first D-SLR? Or maybe that old 35mm camera that someone found in the attic needs a lens cap? Still need 35mm film or some photo paper to develop in the darkroom? Don's Photo Equipment started selling new and used photographic equipment to Dallas professionals and hobbyists about 15 years ago, and as the analog industry went digital, the shop has managed to keep its feet firmly planted in both worlds. Accessibly located in the heart of Dallas' Design District near downtown, Don's employees will happily talk shop with you all day even if you never spend a dime (whereas the competitor nearby would rather cut the conversation short and end the transaction). Don's covers all a photographer's basic needs from camera bodies and lenses to studio lighting and darkroom equipment to photo albums and killer vintage camera straps. And Don's buys used photo gear from individuals and estates. So, before tossing that old 35mm camera out, please, take it by Don's.

This 3,800-square-foot warehouse space located on one-way Haskell is home to some of Dallas' most uncommon clothing items. Owner Gretchen Bell opened the space in 2005 and has since hand-selected a large collection of women's and men's clothes ranging from the 1940s through the 1980s. From mid-century prom dresses to Western wear, fur coats, costume jewelry and a massive boot selection, Dolly Python is the best place to go for unusual vintage finds. There are also more than 20 antique dealers who rent out space in the warehouse and sell antique treasures like old cameras, dishware and furniture, so the friend you brought along with you on your shopping excursion should be able to amuse themselves while you try on an enormous stack of sequined '80s sweaters.

Walk into any drugstore and sure, you'll find a dozen or so gift bags. And while they'll sufficiently wrap whatever it is that needs wrapping, chances are they're overpriced and look downright drab, cliché or otherwise tacky. A quick trip to World Market will open your eyes to a whole new world of gift-wrapping possibilities. The store is heaping with over-the-top and wow!-worthy bags, boxes, wrapping paper, bows and stuffing of all shapes, colors and sizes, and for less than your average drugstore.

Forget the prepackaged grocery store cuts of meat. The best steaks in town are cut right in front of you by the expert butchers at Rudolph's Market. When you walk in the door, you're likely to see one of the butchers shaving the top layer off of a massive century-old cutting board, where your steak will be carved. The long, refrigerated case that spans the room contains huge cuts of top-quality prime beef, pork and just about anything else that once breathed air and can now be eaten. And if your wallet isn't as thick as that rib-eye, Rudolph's makes its own hot dogs, which are also much better than anything found in a grocery store.

Driving a motorcycle is a freeing experience. Connecting with the elements at 60 mph is certainly a thrill. But it also comes with many dangers, the greatest of which is not being seen by other motorists. Motorcycle Training Center Texas, which offers a two-day course held in various locations around the area, does a fantastic job teaching future bikers how to not die on the road. It's divided into two parts: classroom and riding exercises, where basic motorcycle maneuvers are taught. Taking and passing this class exempts students from taking the on-cycle test at the Department of Public Safety. All classes get the same amount of riding time, but weekday classes might have a better student-to-teacher ratio. You can find the best time for you by calling 972-242-0300 or visiting texasmtc.com

There's a reason Deep Ellum is teeming with mopeds and Vespas. It's because of Blitz Moped, the scooter shop located on Main Street near Malcolm X Boulevard. It's hard to miss the shop. Every day five or six new scooters for sale are out front, and inside there's a good mix of Italian Vespas and their less expensive Chinese counterparts. The prices on bikes and accessories are reasonable, and so is the cost of repair work. Blitz has expert mechanics available almost everyday. One trip to Blitz Moped and it's easy to see why people are trading in their gas guzzlers for these fuel-efficient two-wheelers.

At Good Records' many events, namely its massive annual Record Store Day celebration, you know the party has reached its apex when the Good Records Chicken starts making the rounds and posing for photographs. "Basically, we've had the chicken suit for 12 years in various incarnations," says Good Records part-owner Chris Penn. According to Penn, the store's original chicken suit belonged to The Polyphonic Spree's Tim DeLaughter, but was somehow destroyed at a Guided By Voices concert. Penn still considers the mascot important enough to rent a chicken suit for Good Records' special occasions.

The most important product an auto shop can offer is honesty. At North Texas Performance in far West Dallas, that's the way they do business. You'll never be sold something that your car doesn't need. In fact, owner Tony Huerta will even let you look under the hood as he and his mechanics work, something most other auto shops wouldn't dream of. From small things like oil changes to huge undertakings like engine and transmission rebuilds, North Texas Performance can take care of it. And if you don't know what's wrong with your car, they do free diagnostic checks.

There's something whimsical about Oak Cliff's Bishop Arts District, and at the center of it all is Dirt, a flower shop that shares the artistic atmosphere of the neighborhood. The smell of seasonal flowers and the dark colors of the rustic walls and distressed wooden tables have a calming effect. They have the basics covered: roses, peonies and succulents, and there are usually a few exotic flowers to mix in. They take a European style approach to flower design, but by using wildflowers, they create a countryside-inspired design of their own.

Nice pairs of shoes get worn out. City sidewalks can chew up the soles of boots and shoes long before they've taken their last step. In that case, hidden in the downtown Dallas tunnels, Shoe Pro has set up shop. Whether your entire shoe collection needs repair or you just need a shine, they do a good job for a low price, and, most important, they get the job done quickly, in most cases on the same day.

How many children's clothes, toys and ephemera can you can squeeze into the first floor of a renovated Victorian house? If you've been to The Cozy Cottage Boutique, you'll know that it's a surprising amount. The shop, on 8th Street in the Bishop Arts District, is cozy, as its name implies, but without being cluttered. The selection of clothing, which ranges from newborn to about 6, is varied without being overwhelming. Help's available if you need it, but no one's breathing down your neck. Also, if your toddler pees himself because he won't put down his Hunky's hot dog to go to the bathroom and you realize you don't have any spare pants, The Cozy Cottage has you covered.

Stan "No, Not That Stan Getz" Getz is approaching the 30th anniversary of his employment at the record plant, a business he liked so much he bought the company. Yet he still exudes a youthful enthusiasm for vinyl, the format that seemed to be facing an all but certain death just a few years ago. We're glad he stuck with it and that the old-school platters are making a comeback, as it's an honor to have in our city the company that top acts such as the Flaming Lips come to have their discs pressed. A&R is staying on top of the game, offering colored and color-swirled albums to a new generation of musicians who insist on the nostalgia and audible warmth of vinyl.

The stylists at Sweet 200, which moved from Deep Ellum to the Bishop Arts area in 2008, have cut and colored for some of the city's prettiest of pretty people for modeling shoots and fashion shoots. Some of them, including owner Annette Jensen, have salon education and training that make our own schooling pale by comparison. We also think it's pretty cool that it donated hair to help soak up oil from the British Petroleum Gulf oil spill. But our favorite part of the experience just might be the wait. Rather than a handful of ancient issues of Time, there's a hip selection of music and fashion magazines and, best of all, a pool table that's in better shape than those at some of our favorite bars.

Eyebrows can make or break a person's face. Too thick and you look like Groucho Max, too thin and your forehead will transform into a fivehead. That's why it's important to see an aesthetician who knows what she's doing. And when it comes to eyebrow knowledge, nobody knows how to shape, groom and color brows quite like the Avalon Salon and Spa at the West Village. On top of excellent service, the spa is soothing, separate from the bustle of the salon. The combination of fountains and soft music is enough to put a person to sleep (that is, until the waxing begins). And sure, parking in the multilevel parking garage at West Village can be extremely stressful, but if you arrive early, Avalon will happily help you calm those nerves with a complimentary glass of wine.

We're generally happy with a barber-shop experience as long as the tonsorial artist is semi-competent with the scissors and clippers and the haircut is cheap. Both are the case in our experiences at Floyd's 99. The extras are nice, too, as any cut includes a straight-razor neck shave and a quick neck and shoulder massage. Buzz cuts are less than $20, most of the music playing in the shop at high volume is good or at least tolerable, and attractive barbers of both sexes ensure we're repeat customers.

As an extension of Napkin Art's poster pop confections, Rigor Mortis has taken on the more musical elements of the scene, efficiently wiping down album art for the likes of the Polyphonic Spree, and even getting into the skateboard and T-shirt biz. More good poster art is good for the city and its many nooks and crannies.

Earlier in the summer, Studio 410 hosted a Cinco de Mayo afterparty in its back parking lot. It was one of those nights where everything converged just so: good hip-hop, people dancing and the chance to roam around in Studio 410's salon/art space. During the day, Miriam Ortega and her team of stylists let the good vibes of that space influence the haircut and color you get. She also knows how to flip a wig like a pro.

The Anger Room is just that: a space where you (or you and a friend) pay a fee and are set loose in a room to smash someone else's property with a bat — or use your hands, if you're more tactile. This alternative to therapy (or prison) offers everything from a 15-minute Office Space package to 25-minute extended jams for the more thoughtful patron. (The rooms are designed to imitate an office, kitchen or living space.) You can basically do everything short of Angela Bassett lighting her ex-husband's car on fire in Waiting To Exhale.

Rick Triplett was close to a Ph.D. in cell biology when he decided cabinet-making would be a happier path. Now he's proprietor of a family-run business combining fine craftsmanship with high-tech production methods to produce quality cabinets at reasonable costs. Triplett Construction comes at the challenge from both ends, with highly skilled woodworkers on the job and sophisticated joinery equipment back at the shop. They take on jobs from tiny to huge and bring the same level of commitment to all of them. Before you opt to go full-bore IKEA on cabinets, you should give these guys a call. They may or may not come back with a bid in your ballpark, but if they do and you take it, you're going to have solid wood cabinets expertly fitted to your space.

What's unique about Unique Tailor? They're cheap. They're fast. They do great work. And they don't talk to you with pins in their teeth. A lot of people have very difficult childhood associations with tailors because when their parents were getting them fitted for their first communions, they never thought to explain why the man with his sleeves rolled up was speaking gibberish with pins in his teeth. The people at Unique Tailor can do everything from complicated evening gowns to blue jeans, and they do it all with the same good cheer and efficiency and lack of pin-chewing. No appointments: Just show up with an armload of stuff and they'll get on it.

Don't let Spec's attempted takeover of the fine spirits world distract you from this gem in Addison. Aside from a great selection of booze, wine and whatever else you need to wet your whistle, the deli in the back has a great variety of cheeses, house-made duck pot pies and gourmet sandwiches. Irish lass and cheesemonger Theresa Magee rarely forgets a face and will help you with pairings or possibly even set you up with a full roast duck. Plus, Sigel's various tastings and events make exploring new liquors easier then a rummage through Grandma's liquor cabinet.

The Davek Solo, built with the patented "WindFibre" nine-rib frame, solid steel shaft, zinc alloy clip and genuine leather hand strap, protects you beneath a canopy 43 inches in diameter made of 190 thread-count micro-weave fabric, yet folds to an elegant 11.75 inches length at just more than a pound in weight. It is the North Texas urban man's ultimate weapon against our regional rainstorms that can seem like something out of the Bible. Who knows? Beneath a Davek Solo, you might make a safe dash to your car even after the hail starts, although obviously, when the hail gets to a certain size, you, your umbrella and your automobile are all toast anyway. At least when they find you, you'll have the remains of one very handsome umbrella clutched in your hand. At about $100, it's a small price for going out in style.

Let's agree, first off, that you're going to pay between five and 10 bucks for one pair of socks. That is the price spectrum within which anything is possible, probably anywhere on earth but especially at the two main Nordstrom locations at NorthPark Center and the Galleria. Just for instance: Our own favorite Nordstrom sock for men is the Calvin Klein "No Show" totally invisible sock, which comes in a three-pack selling anywhere between 12 and 20 bucks depending on sales and special pricing. It's completely invisible, for the man who wants to be a too-cool-for-school sockless loafer guy but doesn't want to have to throw his loafers away every three days because of sock-less foot-odor issues (enough said). Invisible socks sound a little too much to you like a Hans Christian Andersen fable? No, no, they're tiny little foot bikinis buried down so deep in your loafers nobody can see them. That's just one example of the wonderful world of socks at Nordstrom.

So the truth is there are lots and lots of good, honest, competent plumbers in Dallas who will get the job done and not take you to the cleaners. But then there's the other kind. So at least you can use Eric Chapman as a benchmark for what to look for. Chapman advertises that he is a "licensed master plumber." Is he? Google "Texas licensing system," and you will get to a page that lets you make a "public license search by name." He's there, fully accredited as a master plumber. His ad also tells you that he's insured — another good thing — and that he gives free estimates and doesn't charge travel time. You can talk to his company ahead of time on the phone, and they will tell you exactly how the charges will work. On top of all that, he's a great plumber and has good plumbers working for him.

Ever get the feeling plumbers have secret sources they can go to and get way better plumbing stuff than what we regular people are allowed to purchase at the big-box stores? It's true. The good news is that Teter's also makes a point of dealing with us mere retail schlubs as well as the professionals. The name is a little misleading: Teter's doesn't just sell faucets. To the pros, the name conveys that they only sell true plumbing parts, not heating and air conditioning fixtures, and they also sell mainly replacement parts, not new construction installations. Why is that important? Because it makes them specialists. First thing you notice when you go in, you have to wait in line like at the library. There's even a certain quiet tone about the place like it's the library. That's because behind the counter you have these highly trained people who do nothing but replacement plumbing parts. You show them your crusty whatever it is from your toilet. They hold it up to the light. They say, "Ah, that's a Kimble Glastite, late '20s or early '30s, I think." You never knew toilet parts could be this cool.

We've got a chicken now, have we? Had to get in on the chicken trend? And have we named our little chicken yet? Because once our chicken has a name, we can no longer go to the feed store for help when she gets sick. The feed store will tell us to cut our chicken's head off and get a new one, and we just can't be like that with little Doris the rumpless araucana now, can we? No, when poor rumpless little Doris gets wheezy, we need to take her to A&B Animal Clinic where Jim Ahumada had already developed a respected exotic bird practice long before city people ever got into chickens, which are, after all, birds. You knew that, right? Now he's the chicken vet par excellence, and we suspect it's not a bad little gig for him. We're not telling you he's going to be as cheap as the feed-store solution. But we went and gave little Doris a name, didn't we?

Sad to say, there's sort of a running chicken-and-egg debate among vets and people who deal with orphaned animals: Does animal rescue activity attract people who are already a little off or does the stress of doing it take normal people and make them that way? The grim reality is that you, the would-be adopter of a rescue animal, can plunge in with the best intentions and find yourself working with rescue people who need to be rescued worse than the animals. Straydog is a family-run rescue farm for dogs that has been in operation for almost 20 years. Somehow the extended Arnold family manages to treat more than 120 dogs in residence at any given time as if each were a family pet. If they don't have the right dog for you, they know somebody else who will — who's not all weird about it.

Watch out! Hannah Hargrove, the owner's daughter, is home on leave from college, and she's on a mission to turn this venerable treasure yard of architectural artifacts into a whole new 21st century antique salvage yard. We would say she's going to turn Orr-Reed upside down, but, of course, the charm of the place has always been that it looks like somebody already did that. In the not-too-distant future, Orr-Reed's stacks and stacks (and stacks) of rescued lumber and house parts will be shoppable online at orr-reed.com. For now, while she's doing the necessary inventory, Hargrove is turning part of the yard over to artists as studio space. A cool place to visit, a great place to sell or buy old house innards, Orr-Reed may also be the wave of the antique future.

So you want to plant some posies in the dirt. Well, may we ask something first? What dirt? Because it makes a big difference, especially in the city, especially in this city, where you can get dirt that's way too hard, like concrete, or dirt in which previous occupants have poisoned off all the creepy-crawlies you need to make your dirt hospitable for your posies. It never hurts to improve your dirt, and the best dirt-improver we know about is Minerals Plus, made by Soil Menders and recommended by organic guru Howard Garrett. It contains three kinds of paramagnetic volcanic rock. We have no idea what that is, but it sounds awesome. It also contains lava sand, granite sand, basalt, rock phosphate, humate and montmorillonite. If you don't have any montmorillonite in your soil, we don't even know how you can show yourself in public. Good stuff. Really. Your posies will thank you.

The art of using worm doo-doo pee-pee to make your garden grow is called vermiculture, and one of the nation's best outlets for both worms and their culture happens to be right here in our midst, at Texas Worm Ranch. Heather Rinaldi is the big ranch boss, ridin' around ropin' worms all day. A farm girl from Oklahoma, Rinaldi has mastered the breeding and shipping of red wrigglers, which are kind of the Black Angus of worms. Rinaldi feeds her worms only the finest horse-barn waste and fruit and vegetable scraps and beds them down at night on mattresses made of leaves, cardboard, newspaper and rotted straw. The resulting worm poop, when mixed with fresh molasses, is an absolutely irresistible elixir for all the kinds of bacteria and other tiny creepy-crawlies that can make a garden strong and brilliant without chemicals. Health note: Be sure not to store your worm wine mixed in with the wines you keep for your own consumption. It might not hurt you, but you'd have to kill yourself anyway.

OK, a few caveats here. First, UV-protective clothing is what you do AFTER you do sunblock. Sunblock protects the skin that isn't protected by clothing, and that's where you have the greater risk for cancer. Second, all clothing helps, and people with darker skin or people who just don't burn very easily probably don't need special clothes. Just don't be naked. Last caveat, REI is not the only place where you can buy good UV clothing. But if you want a really big selection and you want to talk to sales people trained in this stuff, you will never be disappointed at REI. Plus, their stuff looks good. If all we cared about was cancer and we never even thought about how we looked, we'd all be wearing our bedsheets to work.

It was Newflower, and then it was Sunflower, and then at some point recently their bags suddenly read "Sprouts," featuring a bucolic little outdoor scene replete with frolicking cows. The grocery store on North Henderson Avenue has apparently changed opaque corporate owners once again (Sprouts is an Arizona-based natural foods chain), but honestly, we don't much care. It remains one of the only grocery stores in town that actually feels like a place to stock up on food, rather than a wallet-gouging, crowd-dodging, emotionally taxing obstacle course filled with infuriatingly slow-moving yuppies. Sprouts is always manageable and uncrowded, with excellent selections of organic produce and meat. We'll readily admit that they don't have as many varieties of fresh bread as we'd like, but those bulk candy bins a few steps away always help to ease the pain.

Do you need something for your yard or balcony that just stops people dead in their tracks and makes their eyes go googly? The garden ornaments (and indoor ornaments, for that matter) at Big Mango Trading Company are just the right combination of drama and taste, all imported from Bali and Java, all made of natural elements. Bowls, urns and benches made of wood, lava stone and glass, basalt columns and megaliths, garden table-and-chair sets made of petrified wood and wonderful teak-root sculptures that look like petrified rays of the sun: Owner Lori Smith says you can drop five bucks here or 20 grand. It's up to you.

The building that used to house the Toys 'R' Us on Central Expressway is now a liquor store. The old tenant just moved down the street, but it's a symbol of what's happened to the specialty toy store in the age of Walmart and Target: They've disappeared. Not Toys Unique. The family owned retailer has been holding down the corner of Lovers Lane and Inwood Road for more than 30 years, and stepping inside is a bit like walking back a few decades. There's no secret to its longevity. It has a wide selection for an independent toy store and an old-fashioned commitment to customer service. Have a question? Just ask. Want something ordered? Done. Of course, being in the Park Cities doesn't hurt either.

Any upscale grocery store is bound to have a higher ratio of beautiful women than the city as a whole. And grocery stores in affluent areas also seem to draw a lot of good-looking ladies as well. So this Whole Foods location, with its pricey produce and absurd health products (we once espied gluten-free plates — plates!), tends to draw ladies (and men, we suppose) who are not only health-conscious and therefore usually in great shape, but also affluent enough to have no need for a job or, with their live-in nannies, the time-waste of parenting to keep them from spending plenty of time with personal trainers, hairdressers, nail salons, tanning booths and the makeup counter. Paying out the nose for a cut of meat is a small price to pay for a visual buffet of snug-fitting yoga pants and top-of-the-line silicone enhancements.

For some members of the human species — not that we're gender stereotyping here — the selection of footwear is a pretty simple choice: black, brown or sneakers. Others pore over the slightest variations in color, heel height and style like a diamond merchant. In other words, picking the "best" shoe store for all sexes and tastes is impossible, so we'll settle for a happy median and give DSW the nod based on the size of its selection and price. Particularly price. DSW's Dallas outlets offer rank upon rank of footwear in every fashion imaginable for men, women and kids. The styles might not always be fresh off the fashion catwalk, but with their wide selection, you're almost certain to find something that's pretty close, and to the casual observer, a cubic zirconium is just as good as a diamond, without requiring a second mortgage.

You hand the man some money and your car keys. You shop among the scented air fresheners, license-plate holders and humorous greeting cards while workers clean the accumulated crud off your car. It's a car wash. There is not, truthfully, a lot of variety in the experience. So, why this one? The staff's pretty friendly. They're pretty quick. The prices are about the same as everywhere else, and they do an exceptional job on the interior if you go for the mid-level detailing. The real reason? It's in University Park, and we just love seeing our humble domestic car get exactly the same pampering as all those fancy-shmancy imported ego-mobiles. Don't think of it as just a pretty good car wash. Think of it as an exercise in democracy.

So much furniture in the world, so many styles, prices and functions, so let's limit the scope here a bit and talk about what really matters to us when it comes to furniture: a big, soft, comfy place to plop our butts while we watch our ridiculously large flat-screen TV. Ah, Luxury of Leather, how we bless your name at the end of the working day as we settle into our customized throne of comfort crafted by your ... er ... craftsmen. Styles range from sleek and mod to our guilty favorite, the recliner, plus all points in between. Their friendly sales staff will walk you through their choice of leathers in a wide variety of colors, finish and price. The chairs and sofas are then made to your specs and delivered to your door in just a few days. Sure, some might say you also need things like dining tables, lamps, bookcases and all that other stuff. We say focus on the important things first: keeping your ass happy.