Two Websites That I Can't Live Without

Just Kidding...

No seriously, in my class (CSIT 155) we were asked to add the url of two websites we use or visit frequently. Then Discuss:

1. Why are they effective? 
2. What specific principles of good design do they include and why?
3. What makes you come back again?
4. What could be improved?

The Six O'Clock Scramble: http://www.thescramble.com/
( I know I have brought them up before but I go to this website several times a week.  My Hubby and I are on a diet and I love getting meal plans and shopping lists for the week fro this place.  Everything is delicious and follows our diet. PLUS if you have allergies to some types of food you can tell them not to include those recipes.)  

1.  It's easy to navigate, friendly feeling, and bright happy colors!
2. Has contrast which makes the website pop and appealing. Repetition is good, navigation is always in the same area which makes it easy to navigate. Proximity is alright, everything isnt exactly spaced out in the same manner which makes it more appealing.  Good use of hierarchy, I think its easy to pick out what they are stressing to the viewer.  Easy to read typography. 
3. I often go back to look at other recipes, check my shopping list, and give reviews to recipes.  It's an awesome website that I like to participate in and help other people with reviews and telling people about the website.
4. The alignment can be improved just a smidge and it would make it look so much cleaner.

Pandora.com: http://www.thescramble.com/
(Everyone I bet has herd of Pandora by now.  I have been using them to listen to music since 2007!  Awesome website easy and love the look.  Hate it now that they have adds everywhere but who doesn't???)

1.  Fast free music. (Web version.)
2.  The color scheme has never changed but I think it's very easy going and clean looking with the different blue and metallic colors.  It's a flash program so everything is the same so nice use of repetition. Everything is well aligned giving it an open clean feel which I love!  Good use of proximity and hierarchy.  They exaggerate the album cover then use subtitles and headers to tell you about the artist, album, and song title. So easy to use everything is on one page so you are not directed all over the place.  They have a huge library of music for a wide variety of music.
3.  Its easy to access and if you create an account with them they will save your information on what you like and help show you music that is similar.
4.  Typography is clean and somewhat easy to read depending on the resolution of the viewer's computer.  My computer has very high resolution and so everything is supper small.  That's about it...