I HEART MY HOUSING WORKS T-SHIRT

In my dreamlife, I wear my Housing Works Book Cafe t-shirt for every occasion -- for day wear, for evening wear, for beach wear, in snowstorms and in the summer sun. It is made of this incredibly soft cotton that floats around my body. I am also proud to wear a t-shirt that advertises the place where I've spent hours browsing shelves for discounted second hand books. All the proceeds go to men and women living with HIV and AIDS.

You can buy the t-shirt on its own or you can get it for free if you sign up for a membership with the HW Book Cafe. Another perk of membership, aside from the good feeling of supporting an important cause, is getting a 10% discount on the books plus three 30% off coupons that you can use at any time of the year.

If you've never been to the HW Book Cafe, I suggest you make it a field trip. It's on a nice quiet side street of SoHo, has huge bathrooms, gorgeous architecture, a little cafe, reading tables, a balcony level, and the feel of a cross between a library and the livingroom set where Alistair Cooke used to introduce all the awesome shows for public television's Masterpiece Theatre.

Here's the full scoop on membership, taken straight from their website:

Become a Housing Works Bookstore Member at the $50 level, and get:
10% off in the bookstore and the cafe (all year, just flash your card).
A HW Bookstore t-shirt or tote bag to show your Housing Works pride.
A $40 tax deduction.
NEW! An invitation for two to an exclusive members-only reading and wine & cheese reception.

Or join at the $125 level, and get:
All of the above, plus:
Three 30% off coupons to create your own one-day sale whenever you like.
A pair of tickets to a Live From Home music concert of your choice (reservations required).
A $100 tax deduction