I know it’s going to sound bizarre, but one of the things I always have to take back to England for my mother when I return from America are pale green washing-up gloves from the classic American kitchen shop Williams Sonoma. She swears point blank that these are nigh on indestructible, the platinum standard of said gloves.
So as a dutiful daughter, I always buy her a pair. This time I also bought myself a set of pretty drying up cloths for my new kitchen in their new blue & white pattern, as all mine look like they’ve been chewed by P Bad. I have to make a quick dash to the Flatiron tomorrow before I leave to pick up some stuff from my stationery suppliers, and I am sorely tempted to pick up the Bundt tins I was drooling over yesterday, when I foolishly arranged to meet Judy in the Columbus Circle branch.
I can’t pretend WS is inexpensive, but it is mighty comprehensive. I have never not found anything I need there, and it’s particularly good on cake baking supplies. There are branches all over America, and in Manhattan the Columbus Circle branch is convenient for Central Park and midtown shoppers, whilst the more downtown-minded can head to 7th and 18th for their fix. (Handily situated opposite my other favourite store, discounter Loehmann’s.) There is also a catalogue which competes with the UK’s Lakeland for covetable household wares.
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They are meant to be opening a location in the UK next year – have appointed a property agent according to press reports, anyway.
I can hardly shop there when I go back to the US because I get angry that there isn’t anything similar in London (Peter Jones/Gill Wing don’t count).
I love that store and likewise always pay a visit when I am in the US… we have several of their dishtowels too, but I love those new blue ones.
If you’re ever near one of their outlet stores, be sure to stop in. Its crazy how much they mark down things. These are *true* outlets, not like some retailers who merely make a cheaper line of things to sell in an outlet. Almost everything found in the regular store can be found in one of the outlets, at half, sometime even less, the regular price. They don’t have that many locations but there’s a big one near DC and there are 2 on Long Island.
http://www.williams-sonoma.com/customer-service/outlet-store-list.html
Ahhhh, I really miss Williams Sonoma. We have them 15 years ago in Japan, and me& my mother adored them lot. It is a very good news if they really come to UK.
I got a Nordic Ware Bundt cake tin as an early Christmas gift, I cannot wait to use it. So pretty!
I love WS! I always buy their lemongrass ginger dish soap and it makes the drudgery of doing hand wash dishes rather a pleasure!
Love that store. Always stop in to the nearest one when travelling in the US.
Are those green washing up gloves just straight gloves or the vegetable cleaner ones? I looked on the website and they have interesting looking vegetable and potato cleaner ones which you just rub with the gloves and the dirt comes off. What a great idea!
Hah! I bought the SAME tea towels at WS! Will have to take a photo once I get back from Thanksgiving and post it.
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