Cool plate, eh?!?

It’s one of 8 we bought today, along with 8 salad plates of a complimentary but different design, 8 soup bowls, also of a different design, 8 tall all-purpose glasses, 8 highball glasses, a cast iron pot, soaps, candles, food items, Christmas stuff…

We went a little crazy.

And where did we go crazy, you ask?!? At Cost Plus, of course! Cost Plus, which rebranded itself as Cost Plus World Market, was one of my most favorite stores as a poor young lad. They had a huge cavernous warehouse on Taylor Street down at Fisherman’s Wharf that was utterly amazing! Walking through the store was a complete adventure… It was like a maze – you’d turn a corner and instantly be transported to India with beaten metal pans and miles of silken fabrics. Next was Africa with masks and carved animals… the South Pacific and a hundred things made of coconuts. A body could wander for hours. The original concept was that they sold things for their cost, plus 10%. That has changed over the years, but they still have good prices on a lot of unique things.

The plate above comes from Cost Plus. The napkin is Cost Plus. Even the table they’re sitting on is from Cost Plus. We have been faithful shoppers for years. And years. When we moved east, we had to settle with packing large suitcases whenever we flew home. Then, for a short period of time, there was a store in Wilmington, DE. They closed, and we were left with shopping online.

And then they opened in North Jersey in August!

We started planning the trek north a few weeks ago, deciding we wanted new dinnerware. We had 4 sets of different dinner plates, salad plates, and bowls, along with three different sets of glassware. It was past time to send them all off to Goodwill and buy anew. We like to cook and we like to eat at home. It just makes sense to have fun new dinnerware now and again. Besides, we’re doing our part to keep the economy moving. You’re welcome. No sacrifice is too big…

So no-holds shopping we went. We had a bit of a windfall with a guy who hit my truck in the parking lot at work. His insurance company just cut me a check. I don’t often go shopping with such total abandon, but, it was free money. I have to admit it was tons of fun. I still looked at prices, I still looked at where things were made, and I still read ingredient lists – but a lot of stuff made it into our carts. Yes, carts. Plural. It really was fun.

So we now have lots of soaps to keep us smelling fresh, little 1-pot bags of ground Italian Roast coffee for when the power goes out – along with a lot of candles – and more jams, sauces, candies, and Christmas goodies to keep our tummies smiling. And more Christmas decorations – because one can never have too many Christmas decorations.

I really did like having a local store where I could just run in and grab a few things when I needed them and I don’t plan on making this sort of trip a regular event, but it was a good time. And free, for all intents and purposes.