Thing 19: Best of the Web

I found a site on the 50 Best Websites of 2010 that was really interesting to me, seriouseats.com. This site is for everyone who enjoys good food. Whether it's dining out, cooking or just talking about great foods (on their blog) that you enjoy, this is the place to go. The site is very colorful and appetizing with lots of photos and a great lay-out. You can search for recipes, read news articles, watch video's or even shop at the Serious Eats Store for the latest cookbook, cutlery or cookware. They have video clips which include advice, tips, recommendations and news. If you click on "eating out" you can type in the city you're in and find the best places to go for a great meal, which would be great to use when you're traveling.
The site that I explored on the 50 Best Websites of 2004 list, was Fresh Direct. In staying with the food theme, this site is an online alternative to grocery shopping. They specialize in perishables, but offer everything from shampoo to fresh cuts of meat to catering and they deliver! Once you've placed your order online, their team begins to put it together, cutting meats to order, portioning your deli items and hand picking your fresh vegetables. Next, your items are packaged, weighed, priced and packed in boxes to be delivered by refrigerated truck right to your door! Amazingly, their prices are reasonable and the delivery fee is only around $6. They are able to keep their prices low by purchasing directly from the source, bypassing the usual layers of distributors and middlemen, which also means that the consumer gets the products four to seven days fresher than they would from the grocery store. Can you imagine how useful this service would be if you were unable to drive, or maybe for caretakers that can't leave someone home alone, or maybe you just didn't feel like getting out to go to the store yourself? The problem is, they only serve the New York Metropolitan area.
Anyway, I believe that both of these sites are useful in many ways, as well as being extremely user friendly. I'm surely going to visit the Serious Eats site again, and may even register to join. And, if I lived in New York, I bet there would be times when I'd order from Fresh Direct too!