I love the people you meet shopping

Luscious Cargo has an awesome lineup of perfumes and bath and body and home fragrances, including Lorenzo Villoresi, who is an Italian perfumer who does some out of the norm things (think Laura Tonatto out of the way, another Italian). I had ordered some things a while back. Not a hugely long while back, but like two-three weeks, and no word yet on when I’d get it.

I called up and spoke to the wonderful person there, and didn’t get her name, but it was the owner, and she couldn’t have been lovelier to chat with.

This just seems to be my experience with most on-line shops (they may have a brick and mortar as well), they’re great to deal with. She’s going to make some welcome substitutions in what I originally ordered since the other things hadn’t come in, and I’ve got a better set of things I’m getting than I had before.

Another company that I would nominate to run the world if we want it efficient and fast — Paper Mart If it’s paper, they’ve got it and at a great price. Small orders, big orders, padded mailing bags, goodie bags, shopping backs, tape, wrapping paper. And it is just the best quality. And it shows up almost as soon as you think about ordering it (well, minus the couple of days for shipping — they must be near a mailing distribution center to move things this fast).

If you’re having a party, need balloons, favor bags or boxes, go there. I try and figure out stuff I need just so I can have the pleasure of ordering from them and getting stuff that’s even better than I thought I was getting.

Another favorite — Beautyhabit. Lots of great stuff, always running a great special, quick service, you get the tracking notices when it ships (I love when on-line shops do this) and also get a confirming e-mail when it is delivered, just so you know it’s on your front porch.

Where to go to burn up time, if you are a girly-girl and love talking about perfume and makeup and don’t mind that you’ll wind up wanting things you never knew existed, Makeup Alley Board. Sections for Makeup, Bath and Body, Fragrance, Fashion, Skincare, Hair, Health and Fitness and Nails.

If it is just fragrance you want to talk about, then Perfume of Life and Basenotes is where you want to go.