Graywings wrote: I think we all sort of knew that the home-town stores like Marshall Fields in Chicago, Hechts in Washington, DC, Kaufmann's (or was it Hornes?) in Pittsburgh were owned by conglomerates. But speaking as a shopper, I think it was a mistake to homogenize them as Macy's. It felt like we were losing part of the city's identity. I'm pretty sure most people don't know and it's evident if you listen and read to what they say and write. Who cares what a store is named? So, basically it would be okay to shop at Field's even though it's a 100% Macy's store? Where was all of this clamor when the discount mass merchandiser, one small step above WalMart, Target owned Field's for over 10 years? Why weren't people crying then? Oh wait, they left the name alone. So, even though you were shopping in a glorified Target/Dayton-Hudson store that wasn't anything close to the original Marshall Field's, it was okay because they *called* it Marshall Field's? Got it. People with handouts about bringing Marshall Field's back in front on the State St. store are laughable and silly at best. How exactly are they going to accomplish that? I'd love to meet some of these retail geniuses. From their website: Our group continues to work hard to restore this icon's distinctively Chicago quality, service and culture, as well as the name "Marshall Field's." What? There has not been a Marshall Field's culture in Chicago for at least 30 years - where have all of these brilliant business people been?

I went to the San Jose Macy's yesterday (The Wed. after Thanksgiving). Lots of pre-Christmas sales. You might expect the store to be fully staffed, at least with some extra seasonal help. I found a jacket I wanted to try on, but all the doors in the closest fitting room were locked and NO employee anywhere in that section of the store. They were all, apparently manning the cash registers elsewhere. I found a mirror on a support post and had to put down my packages and try it on right there. Interestingly, there was a woman on the other side of the post doing the same thing. We had nowhere to put our existing coats, so we both laid ours on top of the rack of clothes nearby. Tacky. Now, that is something I might expect to do in a Target or Walmart, but not in what is supposed to be an upscale store. Where is the sales staff?? They have people there to take your money, but no one to help you find a certain size or color or anything like that. They used to remove the wrinkles on the clothes before they hung them on the racks, but now you can see all the fold marks from where they pulled them out of a box and just hung them up. It makes even some of the nicer items look cheap. I bought a new jacket, and had to press it at home before I could wear it. Then, after standing in line to make my purchase in yet another department, the clerk didn't want to honor my 15%coupon because when I tore it out of the newspaper ad, the last line of the bar code was missing. She fumbled through a drawer of newspaper coupons and came up empty. Luck for me, I had the rest of the two page ad stuffed in my purse, so we were able to scotch tape the torn part to the original. I guess I was the first person to use the coupon that appeared everywhere in their sale ads... I could've used my Macy's card, but then they like to send you a bill in the mail that is due in less than a week and subject to a BIG service charge if it is late. I've had a Macy's card sine 1976 and I only use it if there is no other way to get the extra discount. I have watched the quality of their stores and customer service decline over the years, especially the last 5 years or so. -Babka

I have a synthetic rub in my DR. We bought it because it was the right colors, we liked the design, it was inexpensive adn we needed something on the new hardwood floors. We figured we could replace it down the road, but we haven't. It has been there for years adn is still perfect, but it get less wear than you would on stairs. I used to have synthetics at my entry door and under the pet food bowls. The entry didn't get as much wear as the pne in the hall where the pet food bowls were -- that was is the back entry into my kitchen and the path to the laundry room. It got a lot more wear. I replaced them both to change the colors when I got a new LR rug. I still have a small one that coordinated with those at the powder room sink. That is our most used bathroom, so it sees a fair amount of foot traffic too and still looks great. Your traffic on stairs will likely be different, but my concern would be less about wear and more about the texxture. Some synthetics can be on the slicker side and that might not be a great choice for stairs -- but that varies (and the nature of your foot traffic might too -- I have guys who gallumph down stairs). I wouldn't rule it out, but I wouldn't give it an unconditional green light either.

I'm so glad that you're using what you've bought, and the crocheted bedspread looks just right in your guest room. The blue in the quilt lights up the room; it's perfect in that spot. What an interesting ceiling treatment. I almost always want to see a large rug in a bedroom, but your room is one of the very rare ones where there is such warmth in the colors and patterns of everything in it that it doesn't seem necessary. The bookcase filled with books is wonderful here. Everything is so perfectly balanced in color, pattern and scale. I would love to see the other rooms in your home.