The morning
sun reflects off the remnants of a hard crust of snow with a luminous quality that
makes the towns of Ghent and Chatham, New York, appear suffused by stage
lights. It’s been a long winter—about six months’ worth, by most people’s
accounts, though they use much more colorful language; like the Inuit and their
multiple words for snow,
Shopping is one of those activities that roughly half the
population loves, and does partly for the sheer fun of browsing or bargain hunting.
The other half won’t step foot in a store until they’re down to the last smear
of peanut butter in the jar or are desperate for socks that don’t have built-in
ventilation. Whether you love
