Q. My boyfriend and I often take day trips to get out of the city, and want to do some thrifting to decorate our Brooklyn apartment. I thought I would ask for some outside-the-city thrift store recommendations, as you seem to have such amazing luck when it comes to well-priced finds! 

Andrea

A. Before we even talk getting out of the city: you have to stop into the Salvation Army on 46th between 10th and 11th (where Kendrick and I picked up our first joint purchase ever). It's the rare city thrift store that charges for-real thrift-store prices - sure, the pieces will be more expensive than at, say, a rural tag sale, but they'll still be within the realm of reason. Another plus: the Salvation Army charges a flat delivery fee (last time I checked it was $50), so make sure to pick up as many items as you can in a single trip.

I don't sign up for e-mail lists.

I mean really: who does? You get so much junk mail anyway, there's no need to add more.

I do make one exception, though, and that is when I visit charming orchard-type places within an hour's drive of our home; of all the email lists that exist in the world, that's the one I definitely want to be on.

So when Harvest Moon Farm & Orchard - the North Salem, N.Y. farm that we visited for pumpkin-picking last fall - sent out an email blast saying "Come check out our Apple Blossom Hayride this weekend!" it got opened...