Four stories of fine fabric is only the beginning of the offerings at High Fashion Fabrics. Besides the yards and yards of silk, velvet, brocade, leather, linen and every other kind of millinery marvel, there's furniture, design books, ribbon, pillows, rugs and design thingamajigs and doodads in just about every corner. The staff is very helpful and, best of all, most of it costs way less than what you'd pay at most other fabric/furniture stores in town. And since High Fashion Fabric Center is open seven days a week, you can get your design fix whenever the bug bites.

Its hard to pick a favorite. You have the Bright Day Bouquet, the Mellow Yellow, the Picture Perfect. You could spend quite a long time at Breens, searching through many beautiful bouquets, looking for the one that expresses exactly what you want to say. And no doubt Breens will have it, whether its for graduation, birthday, sympathy, wedding or just to say, You kick ass, dude. You can even join Breens e‑mail list to get a newsletter and coupons and enter contests where you can win free flowers.

Mary Catherine got her initial training at Toni & Guy when it was still chichi and exclusive — long before you could buy their hair products at, say, a bait 'n' tackle shop in Llano. Though she's worked at several salons and spas during her more than 20 years in the business, a loyal (and gorgeous) clientele follows her — even to her latest spot at Tranquility Day Spa, which, despite its soothing name, is in the heart of the Galleria's traffic hell. But we'll brave it, just for her painterly touch in mixing and applying our dazzling highlights (and lowlights). She takes meticulous care with each haircut. Get ready to be pampered and, even better, informed on the best way to care for your locks, making them look as good at home as she did in the salon.

This isn't a mega-size warehouse, and you won't find any people wearing orange aprons here. Instead, you'll find one of the oldest hardware stores in the city and a staff that can help you with the most obtuse of questions. By the time they're done answering you, you'd believe they built the city themselves if they told you so. Making your visit even more enjoyable, Southland is like a toy store for adults, a place you can browse for things you didn't even know you needed, until you saw them.

This rock yard should be a field trip for college geology students. There's a wealth of natural products, all clearly marked and organized, for all of your backyard needs (except maybe grass): limestone, flagstone, gravel, soil, mulch, boulders. They will mentor the do-it-­yourselfer, give guidelines on figuring out how much material you'll need and offer advice on how to lay your flagstone, whether you want to mortar it or fill it in with several of the beauteous types of crushed granite there. They'll even refer you to landscape companies to hire. If you see a chunk of quartz for a garden accent or a "holey rock" that resembles a steer skull — great for planting small cactus in — load them up in one of their big rice sacks, and they'll charge by the pound. Tip: Avoid Saturday mornings, when all the DIYers are out.

Tucked into a mostly residential part of Montrose, this laundromat is as good as it gets when it comes to laundry day. AM radio nonchalantly fills the place with the music of Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin, making the chore just a little more digestible. Washers and dryers always seem to be available, so the only waiting you will do here is for your clothes to dry. And you'll find that a great opportunity to strike up a conversation with one of the attractive people this place always seems to attract.

They call it Spec's Liquor Warehouse because, well, calling a liquor store the size of a large supermarket just a store wouldn't exactly do it justice. This Mecca offers it all, no matter what you're looking to down. If you need a keg for a frat party, they have over 200 different types and sizes to choose from. If for some reason you're looking for an $800 bottle of Scotch, well, they have that too, as well as a mind-boggling amount of wine that would be impossible to choose from without help from the exceptionally knowledgeable staff.

So she didn't win Project Runway like that other gal in town, but Vanessa Riley has a hot new shop next door to Grotto and across the street from Hotel Derek. If it's a swashbuckling Elizabeth Swann you want to channel, Riley's your frock-maker. With enough ruffled bodices and tight-fitting corsets to make Captain Jack's eyes pop, Riley's clothing is known for exquisite workmanship and fine fabrics. While the city's elite may have closets full of her ball gowns and horsey suits, even budget fashionistas can pick up a sheer blouse with French cuffs down to the fingertips or a darling summer dress or two from the sale rack. If money is no object, ask this Brit babe to whip up something just for you, and you'll look like the queen of the high seas.

Are you a lazy slob? Do you not like cleaning up after yourself? Well, whether you're lazy or legitimately cleaning-impaired, Maid 4 Texas is your savior. They will tackle your nasty kitchen and your disgusting bathroom. They will disinfect, mop, sweep, dust, vacuum, polish, remove, add and empty. They will undo all of your damage and make your place sparkle. They will customize a cleaning plan for you, and you can get a free quote on the phone or online. Quite simply, they offer a comprehensive range of services for a reasonable price. Hop to it, you bum. You've got company coming over tonight — do you really want them to think you live like this?

The camaraderie among the friendly staff — most of whom hail from Vietnam — is a big draw for some of the loyal clientele. But other happy customers, like Thomas Dickerson, who teaches prison inmates how to reduce their risk of catching AIDS, can vouch for something else: "They're so clean," he says. In ten years, we've had the pleasure of trying out almost everyone there: Kathy makes sure every cuticle and nail is buffed, trimmed and perfected, but why single her out? There's Mary, Helen, Linda, Tracy, Anna — and everyone provides great hand and arm massages, which are included with the bargain price of $32 for the mani-pedi combo. Lisa shines as a masseuse but, if you love overkill, there's massage chairs, too. And don't forget Tiffany, who sings Christmas carols to keep her sense of timing with the manicure. That in itself is worth the price.