tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8968803817110676732.post5397036638103632775..comments2024-01-02T02:32:33.534-05:00Comments on The Magpie's Fancy: I is for IndieGigi Thibodeauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15326335927273800932noreply@blogger.comBlogger21125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8968803817110676732.post-73881668135363086532010-04-02T10:03:51.801-04:002010-04-02T10:03:51.801-04:00oh i agree and love everyword... and you are so b...oh i agree and love everyword... and you are so brilliant... using INDIE for your i....<br />and then the images!! flippity flip girl... <br /><br />amazing... sooo good!!<br /><br />xxo, kimKim Klassenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07923125979779096069noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8968803817110676732.post-4429249087157024802010-03-30T13:42:04.178-04:002010-03-30T13:42:04.178-04:00Oh, well put Gigi! Strip malls are the ugliest thi...Oh, well put Gigi! Strip malls are the ugliest things to sprout up in towns and cities everywhere. I love to support local as well, whenever I can. Just the other day I went to a market to get me some veggies, and they had these amazing purple carrots, locally grown..at this time of year! They were wonderful. Did you know carrots were originally purple? But they engineered them to look orange because they thought that it would be more pleasing to the consumer? This is what I was recently told, anyways. I much prefer the purple...and the local.Jaimehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04803308252202460126noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8968803817110676732.post-88301315945588742112010-03-17T20:26:08.781-04:002010-03-17T20:26:08.781-04:00Oh, Christina, you are so right! I feel the same ...Oh, Christina, you are so right! I feel the same way about kids in my neighborhood. I want them to get their little hands on books, no matter what!! And I want them to have their own library cards so they don't have to pay a cent for 'em!<br /><br />And you reminded me that among my favorite indie stores are the junk shops and resellers in my town. That's where I find my treasures on the cheap!! I never buy new when I can buy cheap but beautiful used!<br /><br />Big hugs,<br />GigiGigi Thibodeauhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15326335927273800932noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8968803817110676732.post-12150584588535105642010-03-17T18:28:14.446-04:002010-03-17T18:28:14.446-04:00this is such a beautiful post. i try to shop, at i...this is such a beautiful post. i try to shop, at indie stores as much as i can. i really do. but most people in my neighborhood, just can't afford it. i say this gently and with love~ i want the kids in my neighborhood, to go wal-mart, to get a book to read, if they can't afford it, full price at the indie book store. <br />again, i adore indie. i go to a cafe almost every week for coffee, and little gifts. i know many are not able to do this, but it's something i save my pennies for during the week. i also love local farmers. swoon! jellies, fruit veggies, canning goods... pickles. <br />i love ya!christinahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15541888793748453425noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8968803817110676732.post-12975538614619813692010-03-16T11:12:54.033-04:002010-03-16T11:12:54.033-04:00im in! frontier is my kinda place too. rock on.
...im in! frontier is my kinda place too. rock on.<br /><br />cheers<br />~lauraPooch Purple Reignhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02460865405701466468noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8968803817110676732.post-5724493356716549432010-03-16T09:37:08.649-04:002010-03-16T09:37:08.649-04:00There is nothing like an Indie. Indie films, indi...There is nothing like an Indie. Indie films, indie bookstores, indie cafes... I just love independent businesses. I try to support them as much as possible. The way independent bookstores are dying so quickly really distresses me. I felt like crying when Jackson Books in Salem, Oregon died. My town is not great for the indies. I guess because it's more expensive to shop at the indies. Or, maybe because it's a small mid-western city. Who knows?Relyn Lawsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01389583730002062714noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8968803817110676732.post-50292996912001431412010-03-15T22:43:37.156-04:002010-03-15T22:43:37.156-04:00Brilliantly put. This should be talked about more...Brilliantly put. This should be talked about more and blogged about often. <br />We all need to go back in time and remember the value in small shops, homemade bread, and community spirit.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07773662097889702362noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8968803817110676732.post-29727304213248104812010-03-15T22:08:12.263-04:002010-03-15T22:08:12.263-04:00This is such a wonderful post, Gigi....I love it! ...This is such a wonderful post, Gigi....I love it! I purposely go out and look for small independent shops, bookstores and cafes to support and enjoy...I just love the character of them and it's so important to preserve the mom and pop shops, the american dream for alot of us....Have a wonderful evening, lovely Gigi! xxoo :)Cathihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13514685526355525209noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8968803817110676732.post-64989815660058768182010-03-15T20:21:34.005-04:002010-03-15T20:21:34.005-04:00Gigi, you're a superstar!! This is one of the...Gigi, you're a superstar!! This is one of the best posts I've read in a long time. Tell it like it is! Big box stores and chain coffee shops make me sad. I live in a great neighbourhood, in Vancouver, with lots of independent shops and restaurants. Love it! Frontier Cafe looks fantastic. If I'm ever in that 'hood I'll check it out.Pinecone Camphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05936393023716568141noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8968803817110676732.post-72569512274623459772010-03-15T19:10:35.663-04:002010-03-15T19:10:35.663-04:00I agree with you. When we travel, we love to find ...I agree with you. When we travel, we love to find towns that have little shops, cafes and coffee bars. We don't have much of that here. We live in a small town, but 2 interstates meet here...so we get many of the chain restaurants etc. I really loved it when we lived places where the owner knew my name.Suehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03190096917851087676noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8968803817110676732.post-5547375663380821372010-03-15T16:39:28.921-04:002010-03-15T16:39:28.921-04:00Well said... love the part about out-of-control sp...Well said... love the part about out-of-control spending. It's been much easier to control spending for myself since the economy got out of whack. Makes you rethink old habits. I constantly ask myself... do I need this? Usually the answer is no.. and wow has my savings increased. I've enjoyed your alphabet series. Hope you are blissfully enjoying your time now spent at home! xoxoSimply Colettehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06286704276318895868noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8968803817110676732.post-74617982663105186912010-03-15T16:35:07.973-04:002010-03-15T16:35:07.973-04:00Amen, Sister Gigi! I could echo your sentiments e...Amen, Sister Gigi! I could echo your sentiments exactly. I can't stand malls and all the rampant chains popping up everywhere, and that once-independent shops attach themselves to a chain to survive. That's exactly what's happening in the town I live in, at least three stores in the past 2-3 years, once self-owned, have hooked up with a chain to keep going. It is soooo sad. Empty consumerism--that is such a great way of putting it all. Having a tiny shop in cyberspace this is still struggling to keep going I am humbled every time someone makes a purchase--for choosing my handmade creation over a cheap bauble from the mall that won't last the week. Supporting small and local business is the only way they will still be there to enjoy. Bravo for this post, Gigi! Happy Week, my friend :o) ((HUGS))Tracyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09179096002434748927noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8968803817110676732.post-23933557691969050782010-03-15T14:29:59.295-04:002010-03-15T14:29:59.295-04:00Dear Gigi, I feel that I must echo all of the sent...Dear Gigi, I feel that I must echo all of the sentiments you express in this posting. It is certainly the case in Britain where increasingly every High Street in every town looks, and is, the same.<br /><br />I divide my time between London and Budapest where there is a noticeable difference in that the café society, which used to be so prevalent in the UK, flourishes still in Hungary. It is good to see places where people from all walks of life continue to meet and mix.<br /><br />I discovered your weblog via Pamela Terry whose postings I also enjoy.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8968803817110676732.post-14185946019408206802010-03-15T11:16:48.123-04:002010-03-15T11:16:48.123-04:00said well! i always try to support local business...said well! i always try to support local businesses. i avoid the big box stores, i favour the local cafe over starbucks. important to keep your small bit of economy in your town or city thriving.margiehttp://soeursdujour.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8968803817110676732.post-54161316668752623152010-03-15T10:30:45.970-04:002010-03-15T10:30:45.970-04:00Dear Gigi,
I have to say that it's the same he...Dear Gigi,<br />I have to say that it's the same here in the U.K. We have all been saying for years that every high street is the same. They all have the same shops, so you could be anywhere. When I was young, we had individual shops everywhere and we could all be individual but now, everyone looks the same.<br />I guess that it's not all doom and gloom and that we have to move forward and not live in the past. We still have individual bakers, delicatessans, clothes and coffee shops existing in many places. Craft shops with potters, jewellers, glass makers etc. etc so we have to be positive. As long as we don't buy into the chain stores we can try and keep some of these individual shops alive. <br />'i' was a great post, Gigi. Well said. XXXXJacqueline @ HOMEhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06154045482594773377noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8968803817110676732.post-88177660460298633982010-03-15T07:12:00.227-04:002010-03-15T07:12:00.227-04:00Hear hear!! Gigi, you have struck a cord with me, ...Hear hear!! Gigi, you have struck a cord with me, and I'm guessing lots of others too. I'm lucky enough to have as my nearest town a place that has managed to hang on to it's identity, albeit a rather upmarket one, but at least it is tasteful!<br />The whole multi-national, strip mall effect has crept into towns in Ireland over the last decade, but thankfully we Irish are a fairly independent minded people and for the most part are pretty fierce about our identity. <br /><br />The dreams I have for promoting Indie businesses!!Ciara Brehonyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10583812950426579762noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8968803817110676732.post-60698841526659063052010-03-15T04:08:39.197-04:002010-03-15T04:08:39.197-04:00I agree too. I don't think I've bought an...I agree too. I don't think I've bought anything Starbucks or chain store (other than clothes and shoes) in the last four years. It helps, of course, that I live within steps from a local market and bakery.Angie Muresanhttp://www.angiemuresan.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8968803817110676732.post-32778891036353195452010-03-15T03:10:12.383-04:002010-03-15T03:10:12.383-04:00Hear Hear Gigi! And that is probably one of the en...Hear Hear Gigi! And that is probably one of the enduring benefits of this country called France that keeps me here. Yes - it does have its big super stores. But, depsite ridiculously high set up costs and heavy taxes and social security charges, the myriad of little stores and communities still exists and is thriving. France is very slow to change - but sometimes that can be a good thing. Traditional values have something to be said for them. As usual a very thought provoking post and one that has quite made my sunny day as I begin to take out my quills. Bisous to youxxx<br />Hail the local coffee shop and renegade cinema I say ;-)Angehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02255310309447767848noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8968803817110676732.post-88089159789895345262010-03-15T02:37:13.146-04:002010-03-15T02:37:13.146-04:00Ohhhh YES! YES! YES! How wonderful to see this in ...Ohhhh YES! YES! YES! How wonderful to see this in writing. I hate big chains. Here, we go from state to state and everything is the same I just love discovering the local fresh food, the small boutique, the local bookshop What joy in the world when you find one you wish to return to day after day! Thank you for this postJuleshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12951295463270151861noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8968803817110676732.post-25355568860836048642010-03-15T01:58:11.364-04:002010-03-15T01:58:11.364-04:00Gigi!
HELL YEAH! AMEN Sista! I want to take thos...Gigi!<br />HELL YEAH! AMEN Sista! I want to take those words you just wrote, print them, and place in every mailbox around this country! Shopping and supporting small businesses and/or local is one of my biggest endeavors in life...and for the most part, we do this every single day of our lives. Happily, I can say I haven't stepped foot inside a Wal-Mart or fast-food/chain restaurant in at least 3 years. When we made this decision to ban big-box retail, etc., it was difficult at first because you become accustomed to the 'convenience', but after a few weeks, it became a fun challenge/game to meet our needs through small markets, locally owned businesses, etsy, and other creative artisans from around the world. Thank you for being you and for this post!<br />Indie ROCKS!<br />~MelissaSimply Mel {Reverie}https://www.blogger.com/profile/15881462293605864150noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8968803817110676732.post-57298845070951425692010-03-15T00:17:08.889-04:002010-03-15T00:17:08.889-04:00well said lovely!
very true & I hope more peop...well said lovely!<br />very true & I hope more people in this disposable world that is being created realise that.<br />nothing beats a good market, a friendly cafe & some community spirit around.<br />hugs to you & a happy week<br />♥Cathiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13907149329120730070noreply@blogger.com