Category Archives: shopping

Looking For Some of Your Favorite Things

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I’m all a’twitter here. My husband has finally gotten around to creating our brand new sweepstakes page for my site.  Originally, I had planned to give away one item a day for the entire month of November, in preparation for the holiday season.  I actually had such a good response to my Haro pitch and the few other companies that I’ve reached out to on my own, that I’d like to make this even bigger still.

So this got me thinking how every so often I like to share some of my favorite things here on my blog (as seen here, here, and here).  I enjoy this so much, I also have it run on my site’s blog from time to time.  I think it’s a cool way to share cool gadgets and fun things.

In light of that, I’d like to ask you to share some of your favorite things (either the comments below, or write up your own post and leave me a link).  Basically, I’m looking for cool, fun things that can be given as gifts.  In particular:

  • anything green or eco-friendly (for the home or the body)
  • anything gadgety or techy for the guys (or those tech-inclined gals amongst us)
  • foodstuffs
  • kitchen gadgets
  • must-read authors
  • kid-friendly products
  • make-up, skin or body care products

So what are some of your favorite things?

Silly Winter-Related Question…

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Does your man wear any winter weather paraphernalia, you know, hats, scarves, gloves, etc.?  Now that winter stuff is finally in the stores, I’m trying to finish up our Ireland shopping.  For the hubs though, I’m kind of stuck on his accessories, so to speak.

Here in Southern California, it doesn’t get all that crazy cold.  And when it is cold, well, you’re not in it all that long.  But in Ireland, I’m assuming we’ll be outside quite a bit more and that it will be quite a bit colder, and more wet, than here.  So the hubs needs some supplies.

Right now he has a cheap ass pair of Old Navy gloves that I bought for myself (and are way to big) to wear when we go walking at night.  But that’s it.  No scarf, no hat, nothing.  So what do fashionable, yet normal, men wear in the cold?  Anything I can get here at Kohl’s or any other basic store?

Mind you, this is SO not a problem for me.  One, I love scarves and have plenty to choose from.  Two, I already bought two hats and still have two other hats here already (I get cold easily, what can I say).  I have earmuffs too, but that’s just for when we walk during the winter.

Man, I miss winter weather…

I’m So Ready for Fall

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Real fall or at least the sort of fall that we get here in LA. I’ve my crave-able pumpkin spice lattes twice now and well, 1) they’re just not as enjoyable when it’s 80 degrees out and 2) they just don’t seem to taste quite as good as I remember.

But the real reason I’m waiting for fall is that we still have clothes to buy for Ireland (the hubs has NOTHING short of a couple long-sleeve tees to wear). So of course, now that I need those sweaters and warmer attire, nothing is hitting the stores. Which is odd. I remember wearing a sweater to school that first day back because it was new (only to die from the heat of Indian Summer in Jersey), yet short of ordering online, I can’t seem to find sweaters anywhere. What’s up with that?

And when are all the cool scarves, hats and gloves going to hit the stores? Even online there’s just not much available. So we rush the holidays (yes, Halloween stuff is already up), but we stopped rushing the winter clothes? Well that’s just not acceptable. Give me my thermals and cashmere scarves now please! Or at least over the next couple of weeks so I can consider ourselves ready for Ireland already.

On that note, I will be shooting out last minute confirmations to our B&Bs and Ireland will be officially and finally booked! Hell yeah!

What’s It Worth To Ya?

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My bloggie-twitter friend Karen over at Verbatim wrote this great post forever-ago on what she feels it’s worth spending money and what isn’t in her life. I thought it makes a great topic.  As I’m planning a pretty big expense with our upcoming trip, I’m starting to give serious thought to each and every purchase right now.

For example, I plan on forgoing my hair appointment, opting to dye it myself (my hair stylist won’t be too pleased) because the dog also needs to get groomed.  I just can’t see spending the money on both of us at the same time – especially since I just bought that damn collar for him.

Another example, even though it’s spa week this week, I just can’t bring myself to splurge on a facial for $50.  My skin has still not completely cleared up and I see the derm in a week or so (I think, well it’s soon anyway), so it’s almost a waste of money when I’ll just have to pay to visit him and possibly buy more meds.

Final example…pedicures.  I love me some pedicures.  Thing is, I love me the all out, deluxe pedicures and well, they cost quite a bit more.  So to make this expense more bearable, I tend to do my own toes every other time.  This way I’m only forking over the big bucks half the time.

What Do I Splurge On

  • good sheets – but I always try to get them on sale
  • good foundation – it really makes a difference in how it looks, feels and lasts
  • good eyeliner – again, it makes a difference
  • good lipstick – see above
  • nice purse – I love expensive pretty purses, but I restrain myself to 1 purchase every 1-3 years
  • computer & electronics – we’re a Mac house and we love it
  • hair products – I know what I like and I know what works for my curly hair and it’s not the drugstore stuff
  • tea – I absolutely love tea and can definitely taste the difference between quality loose tea and bagged stuff from the grocery store
  • shoes – I’ve learned the hard way that sometimes, paying more for something, like shoes, just pays off in the end (and no, I’m not talking talking Manolos here, just definitely not Payless or Target)

What I Won’t Splurge On

  • clothes – I just can’t bring myself to spend more than $30 for a pair of jeans
  • mascara – I rarely wear makeup and well you need to toss the mascara every 2-3 months so it’s just not worth it
  • books – while I love books, I try to always check the library and used bookstores first before buying
  • music – we get a lot of promo and advance copies, so I don’t think I’ve bought a full album in ages
  • movies – we don’t go out to the movies much and when we do we either hit the matinee, the discount theater or use a voucher or coupon.  We also rent through Netflix
  • car – I admit it, I love my Hyundai.  It looks good, it drives well and it does everything I need a car to do for a fraction of the cost.  Mind you, I’ve craved an Audi since I was a teen, but I just can’t really see me ever paying those prices for one.

These lists are by no means conclusive.  Some things, like travel and food fall into both categories – for example, I don’t have a problem with more store-brand foodstuffs and can just as easily stay someplace  budget over some place luxe…it just depends.

So what are some of the things you’re willing to splurge on?

What’s Your Favorite Mascara?

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I need your help.  I learned from a friend of mine that my lashes will hold their curl better with a “gel based” mascara.  Of course, this make up artist friend of mine suggested some high end product.  Now I don’t mind spending the money from time to time, especially if the product works great.  But…I only wear make up once or twice a week.  Which of course means, I never get my money’s worth out of a full tube.

So I’m hoping to find a good drugstore brand.  I know all the magazines rave about the pink miracle, Great Lash, but I just can’t get behind it.  The wand is too wimpy for my tastes.  So I thought I’d ask the mightly blogsophere.

Help a gal out – what’s your favorite mascara and why?

And now we return to trying to ditch this migraine.  You can seem to set a clock by my migraines and when I need a chiropractic adjustment.

Shop, Shop, Shopaholic

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Hello, many name is Kat and um…I’ve been a bit of a shopaholic lately.

I honestly don’t know what’s come over me.  Yesterday after hitting up Costco for some drinks for the hubby, I decided to head over to the new outdoor mall, the Americana.  In less than 2 hours, I managed to spend $100 or so on, um, stuff.  I bought three lightweight tees (all on sale, not bad); a hook, a cookbook and a bowl from Anthropologie; and a small strainer, a pairing knife, two bamboo cooking utensials and a new timer from Sur la Table.

This doesn’t count the dish soap I bought from eBay (finally found my matching scent from William Sonoma).  Or the um, books I recently bought off of Amazon.  Yeah, yeah, I know, I don’t need the books, but one was for business and the other for book club.

And now I keep thinking about this necklace and pair of earrings that I also saw at Anthropologie.  I think I must have them.  Do I need them?  Hell no.  Do I want them?  Oh yeah baby!  So pretty.  So feminine.  So casual yet dressy. So perfect.  So mine.

Guess where I’ll be going sometime in the next few days?  At least I was able to walk away from the $50 flip flops (yes, FLIP FLOPS!!) at JCrew.  Give me some credit please.  Just please don’t tell my husband 😉

I Sometimes Wish I Was Stylish

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Like many women in the blogosphere, I’m starting to worry stress think about what to wear to BlogHer in a couple of weeks.  And like many of other bloggers, I tend to spend most of my day (and night) in total loungewear – yoga pants, sweats, tanks & tees.  I’m not the most stylish, so I can use all the help I can get.

Susan Wagner to the rescue.  I read her fashion posts on a regular basis.  She’s got some great advice for the “regular” gal.  Nothing fancy and better still, nothing crazy expensive.  And today, she’s got a great post aimed right at us BlogHer gals.

Now I just have to convince myself to trust her advice.  I will not go crazy shopping (like I tend to do before a trip of any sort). I will wear what’s comfortable.  And yikes! I will leave my flip flops at home.  Yeah, it could happen.

Ready to Go Green Inside the House

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I’ve always been a recycler.  I was pretty much raised that way – we’d save our newspaper until the car nearly bottomed out taking them to the recycling center when I was a kid.  I’ve gone through and changed out all of our bulbs as they’ve died.  That even includes the bathroom vanity ones and well, that took a bit of getting used to.  I do my best to conserve around the house whenever and wherever I can.  And now, now I’m ready to switch up all of my household cleaning supplies.

So I ask, which line of eco-friendly cleaning products do you use?  Which particular products do you use – all purpose cleaner, toilet cleaner, dish soap, laundry soap, window cleaner, etc.?  Where do you purchase them?  Have you considered making your own cleaning products – gotta love vinegar and baking soda?

Did you change everything, or just wait and change up as things ran out?  I’m thinking of just taking what I have left down to the S.A.F.E. Center’s hazardous waste drop off here in town and starting completey fresh and safe.  I have to admit though, a part of me just cringes at the thought of just wasting my cleaning supplies like that.  Then the other part of me cringes even more when I think about how much of my bath & body stuff I’ll be tossing (and giving away to charity).

So spill.  Tell me all about what you use, why you use it and what you love about it.  Come to think about it, tell me what products that you’ve tried that maybe you didn’t like quite so much.

Trying to Decide If I Want This

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Or it would just look horrible on me.  I’m thinking I might want a casual, sundress sort of thing (or two) for BlogHer. It’s only $25 and made in the US (from b&lu).

Yeah, I know, I shop before I travel.  I just can’t help it.  It’s a compulsion.

ETA:  decided against it – went with something else instead.

I Guess I Should Post Something Already

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I figured that this weekend I was just going to embrace the whole three-day-weekend mentality.  Needless to say, I’ve not done a whole lot of anything since returning home (I’ll write a Sonoma update tomorrow, though truth be told, not all too much happened).

Both yesterday and today I did a little bit of shopping.  While there are some great sales out there this weekend, nothing really grabbed me but a couple of basic tees from Eddie Bauer. At least today I got to hang with a girlfriend while she shopped.  Either way, crazy crowds reminding me why I usually do my shopping during the week.

On to the random thoughts:

* the pup has been doing nothing more than just lying about.  I guess a couple of days at doggie sleepaway camp is some exhausting stuff.

* the cat hasn’t been doing much more than the pup, except in his case, he’s all about the snuggling.

* weather has been crazy.  We went from cold and rainy in Northern Cali, to cold and gloomy here in LA.  We had to use the heat yesterday it was so cold!  This, after 95+ days just last week!  What the hell?!?!

* I’m looking for some book suggestions.  I’ve been pretty focused on reading business books lately, but right about now, I want something good and devourable.  You know, something to get lost in for a day or two.  Extra credit if I can get it at the library (though I do have some B&N money from a b’day gift I can cash in).  I’m also looking for another book to get me through the cross-country flight and back next weekend.  Any suggestions?

* I seem to be PMSy and coming down with something.  I noticed last night that my throat seems to be hurting.  I’m afraid it’s a post-nasal thing, in which case, with my past experiences, might turn into a sinus infection (if not yet, but the time we fly back from NJ next weekend).  PMS and chocolate cravings don’t miss so well with the sore throat.  Of course, that’s not stopping me 😉

Okay, off to snuggle with my boys.  I’ll share some photos (barely took any) and some trip recaps tomorrow.

PS – Julianne Hough’s CD isn’t all that bad – in fact, it’s better than I had expected.  How funny that I can just see some of her DWTS moves to the music.