diff --git a/src/Plots.jl b/src/Plots.jl
index 05f3f6d0..8f419e40 100644
--- a/src/Plots.jl
+++ b/src/Plots.jl
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ module Plots
 using Reexport
 using FixedSizeArrays
 @reexport using RecipesBase
+import RecipesBase: plot, animate
 using Base.Meta
 @reexport using PlotUtils
 @reexport using PlotThemes
@@ -30,9 +31,6 @@ export
     with,
     twinx,
 
-    @userplot,
-    @shorthands,
-
     pie,
     pie!,
     plot3d,
@@ -156,16 +154,6 @@ include("backends.jl")
 
 # ---------------------------------------------------------
 
-# define and export shorthand plotting method definitions
-macro shorthands(funcname::Symbol)
-    funcname2 = Symbol(funcname, "!")
-    esc(quote
-        export $funcname, $funcname2
-        $funcname(args...; kw...) = plot(args...; kw..., seriestype = $(quot(funcname)))
-        $funcname2(args...; kw...) = plot!(args...; kw..., seriestype = $(quot(funcname)))
-    end)
-end
-
 @shorthands scatter
 @shorthands bar
 @shorthands barh
diff --git a/src/recipes.jl b/src/recipes.jl
index 2da6ca60..2a44b6df 100644
--- a/src/recipes.jl
+++ b/src/recipes.jl
@@ -1,53 +1,4 @@
 
-
-
-"""
-You can easily define your own plotting recipes with convenience methods:
-
-```
-@userplot type GroupHist
-    args
-end
-
-@recipe function f(gh::GroupHist)
-    # set some attributes, add some series, using gh.args as input
-end
-
-# now you can plot like:
-grouphist(rand(1000,4))
-```
-"""
-macro userplot(expr)
-    _userplot(expr)
-end
-
-function _userplot(expr::Expr)
-    if expr.head != :type
-        errror("Must call userplot on a type/immutable expression.  Got: $expr")
-    end
-
-    typename = expr.args[2]
-    funcname = Symbol(lowercase(string(typename)))
-    funcname2 = Symbol(funcname, "!")
-
-    # return a code block with the type definition and convenience plotting methods
-    esc(quote
-        $expr
-        export $funcname, $funcname2
-        $funcname(args...; kw...) = plot($typename(args); kw...)
-        $funcname2(args...; kw...) = plot!($typename(args); kw...)
-    end)
-end
-
-function _userplot(sym::Symbol)
-    _userplot(:(type $sym
-            args
-    end))
-end
-
-
-# ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-
 const _series_recipe_deps = Dict()
 
 function series_recipe_dependencies(st::Symbol, deps::Symbol...)
@@ -96,7 +47,7 @@ end
 num_series(x::AMat) = size(x,2)
 num_series(x) = 1
 
-RecipesBase.apply_recipe{T}(d::KW, ::Type{T}, plt::Plot) = throw(MethodError("Unmatched plot recipe: $T"))
+RecipesBase.apply_recipe{T}(d::KW, ::Type{T}, plt::AbstractPlot) = throw(MethodError("Unmatched plot recipe: $T"))
 
 # ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
diff --git a/src/types.jl b/src/types.jl
index 06ddb065..3e07587b 100644
--- a/src/types.jl
+++ b/src/types.jl
@@ -8,10 +8,6 @@ const KW = Dict{Symbol,Any}
 
 immutable PlotsDisplay <: Display end
 
-abstract type AbstractBackend end
-abstract type AbstractPlot{T<:AbstractBackend} end
-abstract type AbstractLayout end
-
 # -----------------------------------------------------------
 
 immutable InputWrapper{T}