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Best Vintage LPs

Sound Exchange

"Back in the day -- 1977 -- Houston was a sleepy cow-town, known mostly for petroleum-related businesses, serial killers with "Wayne' in their name, and the Astrodome..." So begins the epic saga of Sound Exchange, as told on its extremely entertaining Web site. But here's a spoiler alert: The saga ends with a few dudes running a great new-and-used record store out of a cool two-story Montrose home. If you want the new Avril Lavigne-Clay Aiken duet CD of Celine Dion covers, it's probably not your place, but if you get goose bumps digging through hard-to-find new and classic vinyl, or want to check out a good selection of indie, punk, blues, jazz and rock on a newer technology known as the compact disc, then this little brick house is your home, too.

Best Wine Class

Wine Fundamentals

So, you have a subscription to Wine Enthusiast, own a wine encyclopedia and special corkscrews, and conduct blind tastings at home with vintages from your cellar. Still feel like that's not enough? If you really want to impress your friends and be the ultimate wine geek, fork out $1,500 and take the Wine Fundamentals course offered by the International Sommelier Guild at UH's Hilton School. You'll soon find out there's more to life than just sniffing and swigging. Once and for all, you'll be able to decipher wine labels and know the correct way to store and serve it. And all the tastings are sure to heighten your sense of aroma and flavor, helping make you an expert at food and wine pairings. Now, if you can just fake that French accent.

Best Wine Tools/Accessories

The Wine Bucket

We counted 20 varieties of wine bags alone at this chic boutique located in the Upper Kirby District. To say the least, it's an oenophile's wet dream. Wait, make that a person-buying-an-oenophile-a-gift's wet dream. Wine charms, wine stoppers and books about wine abound. Need a bottle opener? But of course. They even sell cheese accessories and tasty varieties of wine vinaigrette. The best part, though, is the extras. There are weekly wine classes, and the bar (conveniently located next door) is available for private tastings.

Best Car Wash

CARisma Wash

Ever paid someone to wash your car by hand, only to spend another hour at home erasing pesky droplet spots? Sometimes a task isn't worth doing unless you do it yourself. We found a place that allows you, the driver, to dry and polish your car. It's the best of both worlds: a top-notch automated car wash that gives you the satisfaction of erasing every last speck of bird poop and grime yourself. Turn on the stereo, and you've just invented the latest workout craze. Just make sure to bring an extra towel for yourself. In the immortal words of Mr. Miyagi: Wax on.

Best Comic Book Store

Bedrock City Comic Company

Whether you're in the market for a collectible silver-age comic, an old Kurtzman Mad or the most recent "Vertigo noir" titles, Bedrock never disappoints. Not only is Bedrock City itself full to bursting with every imaginable example of the sequentialist's art, but its Web site has a searchable database and allows you to place special orders without leaving the comfort of your personal Batcave.
Readers' choice: Nan's Games & Comics Too

Best Greeting Cards

Events

The back room of greeting cards in Events is like an art gallery. You won't find any run-of-the-mill images with sappy cliched limericks here. Most of the cards seem hand-made, using miniature cutouts and appliques. You might even pass them off as being homemade...we won't tell. There are also plenty of clever mass-produced cards, most with laugh-out-loud photographs and messages. You might pay a bit more for these little works of art, but we guarantee they won't be thrown away or tossed in a shoebox. At least not until next year.

Best Place to Buy Stemware

Pier 1 Imports

We'll begin by defining the term "stemware" as wine-and-cheese-by-the-pool casual, not Thanksgiving-dinner-with-the-in-laws crystal goblets. This said, you just can't beat Pier 1 for whimsical design at an astoundingly affordable price. Obnoxious drunk guy drops his glass? No problem. The same design is probably now available for half-price, or even cheaper at the clearance store. And you can't go wrong there with gifting. Just make sure the recipient hasn't already stocked up on your selection. The best part? We've collected many eclectic lines over the years, and they all seem to go together.

Best Plants

Buchanan's Native Plants

The ecosystem as we know it is in crisis. Invasive species like popcorn trees are decimating our East Texas forests, and water hyacinths are clogging our streams. Bravely battling this trend one backyard at a time are the native-plant guardians at Buchanan's Native Plants, gardeners fighting to ensure Texas will always be Texas, no matter what Chinese or South American shipping companies release at the Port of Houston. To join the biotic resistance, head to Buchanan's Native Plants in the Heights, grab some "soil soup," some green cloud sage, some weeping yaupon holly and start planting. While you're there, you might as well pick up those stylish rubber garden shoes and some Kid's Herbal Armor. After all, it's a native jungle out there.
Readers' choice: Teas Nursey

Best Art Supply Store

Texas Art Supply

They win again. Texas Art Supply won last year, and there's simply no reason they shouldn't kick butt in 2005 as well. Established in 1948, this company offers it all: paint, clay, pencils, acrylics, markers, easels, desks -- and we even heard they have paper. Of course, most art supply stores are going to have that stuff -- but visit one of the brick-and-mortars or the Web site to see all the extras, like specialty gift items, kid stuff, books and videos (including a three-hour Bob Ross tutorial -- yes!) and art classes. Whether you're da Vinci or Da Beginner, this is your store.

Best Camera Store

Houston Camera Exchange

Houston Camera Exchange boasts a 7,000-square-foot showroom of new and used cameras and equipment, including lenses, flashes, cases, tripods and more. As for cameras, you got your Canon, Contax, Fuji, Leica, Nikon, Olympus -- you name it. They also offer digital and film processing, and their Web site has a forum where you can swap tricks of the trade and talk to photo enthusiasts about camera-specific topics such as digital vs. film.

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