RATE IT! Bed, Bath and Beyond

Money may be tight but I did my bit for the local economy by splashing down some hard-earned cash at Bed, Bath & Beyond this weekend. 

To many folk, this American big-box store of household delights is old news.... but to Canadians, it's a breath of fresh air! BB & B just opened in our home & native land a few months back. Most shops are in the outskirts of major cities - yep, it's true, Toronto does not have a Bed, Bath & Beyond - but let me tell you, from all the shopping bags I dragged back to the city I can honestly say it's worth the suburban trek. 

What's so special about this place? Well, we've always had our fair share of house ware peddlers. Home Outfitters, Sears Home Stores, Home Sense, plus the old stand-bys, the Bay, Sears, even Zellers or Wal-mart, but Bed, Bath & Beyond is all that, AND much more! They have an amazing array of kitchen gadgets, small appliances, storage solutions, linens for kitchen, bath, bedroom, cleaning supplies, pet gear - you name it, they pretty much have it there for your home. Want a hand-free soap dispenser? I didn't, but someone near & dear to me did. And for a guy to be so wow-ed by a house wares product is unheard of. My BB & B crush? It's reserved for the mini ironing board I picked up. So wee, so cute and really bloody fantastic!! Why drag around a heavy, full-sized board, when a mini one that sits on your table or counter can do the trick while saving a whack of space, storage wise. Such a find, what a store! I did have to steer clear of the overwhelming smelly candle section -- so *not* me -- but one dept that I would avoid like the plague didn't ruin my excursion one bit.

If I wasn't starving, I would have stayed for another hour to browse and max out my bank account. Food rules - always. But there will be another day to blissfully traipse the aisles of BB & B and find some more gems that will make life easier and more enjoyable at home. Can't wait.