Little Fun Things to Do on a Weekend/Holiday Monday

[qtlaw]

Today, wife and I took a drive to a relatively close (10 mi) neighborhood and had lunch and walked around. Found a 4 floor used bookshop with the whole gamut of books, even a locked "rare book" case and an "art and artifact" section on top floor. I love used bookstores. I feel like I could buy a whole wagon every time. I especially love the feel of the "quality" paperback and the mysteries/thrillers they contain (the ones that a slightly smaller than the hardbacks, just so much better to hold and feel than the trad paperback).

What is your "small, quiet" fun thing to do?

 

[MisterCreosote]

We try to hit every used bookstore we can find. Found some real gems over the years. The last one we were in, however, was in Cooperstown a few blocks from the HOF, and it was so dirty I could barely breathe.

We go out of our way to hit this one every time we drive through PA:

 

[BurnsWhenIPee]

If there is a heaven, it surely is filled with used bookstores and used record stores.

And they all have dogs there.

 

[dixiehack]

Opening day of swim season was a washout here. Actually there was an afternoon window when it would have worked but the public pool nearest me didn’t bother opening given the forecast. So yesterday was just a brain rot phone scrolling day. Boo.

 

[MisterCreosote]

If there is a heaven, it surely is filled with used bookstores and used record stores.

And they all have dogs there.

The one pictured in my post above has cats. Like, five of them My kids even call it “The Cat Bookstore.”

Thing is, cats are ****ing psychos and there are warnings all over the store that at least two of them will attack if you bother them.

 

[BurnsWhenIPee]

I'm more dogs than cats, but I can respect that.

 

[Dog8Cats]

Today, wife and I took a drive to a relatively close (10 mi) neighborhood and had lunch and walked around. Found a 4 floor used bookshop with the whole gamut of books, even a locked "rare book" case and an "art and artifact" section on top floor. I love used bookstores. I feel like I could buy a whole wagon every time. I especially love the feel of the "quality" paperback and the mysteries/thrillers they contain (the ones that a slightly smaller than the hardbacks, just so much better to hold and feel than the trad paperback).

What is your "small, quiet" fun thing to do?

Did something similar Saturday -- library, used bookstore and coffee shop with family.

I've put a restrictor plate on my book buying the last few years. Given my age (I don't need more "things"), the volume of unread books I have and the growing mental list of books I "really should" read, I figure using the library is the smarter course.

The bookstore we went to is wonderful (not a Powell's, but then again there's only one Powell's). Only one floor, but shelves run floor to ceiling. All sorts of genres in the locked glass case.

I ended up buying two books. One is a book that is regarded as a definitive study on a topic of interest and that I've hunted for years, and the other is a hard-cover memoir of an author whose work I admire.

In addition to used books, used vinyl records and dogs, I'd add a craft brewery to heaven.

 

[MisterCreosote]

A good friend’s uncle used to own Capitol Hill Books next to Eastern Market in DC, a place that is literally bursting at the seams:

 

[qtlaw]

Did something similar Saturday -- library, used bookstore and coffee shop with family.

I've put a restrictor plate on my book buying the last few years. Given my age (I don't need more "things"), the volume of unread books I have and the growing mental list of books I "really should" read, I figure using the library is the smarter course.

Oh man, yeah the restrictor plate is definitely in my wallet. Wife always reminds me at home "hey when did you buy these books? When are you going to read them?" I do use the library books on Kindle a ton, vast majority of the time. However, when I walk into a cool spot, I guilt myself into making a purchase simply because I want to support the bookstore and the artists.

 

[Here me roar]

The one pictured in my post above has cats. Like, five of them My kids even call it “The Cat Bookstore.”

Thing is, cats are ****ing psychos and there are warnings all over the store that at least two of them will attack if you bother them.

Having met people in my life, I think the cats have a valid point.

 

[waterytart]

My favorite used bookstore was the Gotham Book Mart. The orange tabbies were certainly part of the charm.

 

[DanOregon]

One thing I've tried to do every holiday is reach out to people I haven't touched base with in a while. A nephew, a friend living far away, a cousin. Just a text mainly, or a Facebook message. Nothing big. I've realized too often when I post birthday greetings on FB, there are people in my circle I should be in better touch with beyond birthdays.

 

[Mr._Graybeard]

If there is a heaven, it surely is filled with used bookstores and used record stores.

And they all have dogs there.

There was a used bookstore in downtown Milwaukee that was in a 5-story building near the point of collapse. The owner was constantly fighting the city over demolition orders -- it has a Wikipedia page with a photo showing one of the front windows boarded up because pressure from the sagging brickwork blew it out. The building was eventually razed and the owner moved the business to a shop in the airport terminal. Renaissance Books - Wikipedia

The downtown store and other used bookstores I've visited generally had cats on the premises rather than dogs.

 

[I Should Coco]

There was a used bookstore in downtown Milwaukee that was in a 5-story building near the point of collapse. The owner was constantly fighting the city over demolition orders -- it has a Wikipedia page with a photo showing one of the front windows boarded up because pressure from the sagging brickwork blew it out. The building was eventually razed and the owner moved the business to a shop in the airport terminal. Renaissance Books - Wikipedia

The downtown store and other used bookstores I've visited generally had cats on the premises rather than dogs.

That Mitchell Airport bookstore was a cool surprise and enjoyable way to wait for our flight to board!

 

[Flip Wilson]

One thing I've tried to do every holiday is reach out to people I haven't touched base with in a while. A nephew, a friend living far away, a cousin. Just a text mainly, or a Facebook message. Nothing big. I've realized too often when I post birthday greetings on FB, there are people in my circle I should be in better touch with beyond birthdays.

I've been playing a word game on my phone for years. And the other night, I played the word "stooges" for the first time in that game. And then I texted some family members what I had just done because it reminded me of my cousin, a big fan of the Three Stooges who died too young. And it was a good memory because he was such a happy guy, and we enjoyed some reminiscing about him and his sense of humor and his love of the Stooges. Nyuk nyuk nyuk.

Keep in touch with your people.

 

[Brooklyn Bridge]

One thing I've tried to do every holiday is reach out to people I haven't touched base with in a while. A nephew, a friend living far away, a cousin. Just a text mainly, or a Facebook message. Nothing big. I've realized too often when I post birthday greetings on FB, there are people in my circle I should be in better touch with beyond birthdays.

I have a FB account, but never use it. I’ve posted in a group message when I was training for a half marathon, but that’s it. I see notifications from all sorts of people I went to high school with, old girlfriends, distant relatives on my wife’s side. I should reach out to some people.