My Final Four

March Madness is giving way to the final showdown in college basketball and this fine spring weekend I will be engaging in my own final four- the final four boxes on my back porch.

Since we moved a year and a half ago, I’ve been rearranging and stepping around the same four boxes of crap on my back porch. It happens whenever you move, inevitably there are boxes filled with miscellanea; items that defy categorization and don’t merit a padded box of their own that, nonetheless, must accompany you where ever you go. Personally, I was surprised my husband and I only had four such boxes to move. But now, since the weather is warmer and the days are longer, it’s time to tackle the junk and go to the final four.

My game plan is just to keep my head down, dig deep and stay focused. With a little help from above I hope that all my hard work pays off, and the back porch gets clean. I’ve got some good experience emptying boxes and I’ll be looking to my husband for help when I don’t know if I should throw something out or not. I just want to thank my mom for teaching me about spring cleaning. This Final Four is for you Mom!

Check out more ideas for "springing ahead" on ShopLocal!

How I Cleaned Up on Poker Night

Last weekend my husband held his first annual poker tournament and stakes we high. Twelve card savvy friends arrived at 1pm and left at 1am. Naturally, being the hostess with the mostess, I went all out and made dozens of mini roast beef sandwiches, a vat of homemade macaroni and cheese, deviled eggs, chips and salsa and fresh bloody marys to wash it all down. Between the eating and dealing the floors took quite a beating. The little cup holders on the poker table just couldn't hold up against the fist pounding excitement of the tournament. Our hardwood floors were constantly being splashed with everything from coffee to cola, with a little beer thrown in for good measure. The chips we stacked against the floors but my trusty mop came to the rescue every time. I don't want to sound like a silly television ad, but my Clorox Ready Mop is the best. After soaking up the big spills with a towel I got rid of the sticky residue with a few quick passes with the Ready Mop. It's fitted with a refillable container of floor cleaner and uses disposable pads to wipe away the mess. Once the mess is gone I throw the pad away; no wringing, soaking or squeezing necessary. I actually replaced the original cleaning fluid with a nicer smelling cleaner I found at my local apothecary for a fresh scent. I've had the mop for almost four years and it's as good as new. It really makes cleaning up easier. If you're looking for a new mop, check out the Clorox Ready Mop or the Swifer. Here are some options from ShopLocal. If you're interested in poker check this stuff out.

The Three Faces of Eating

Just as we must eat from a variety of food groups to achieve a healthy diet, so must we shop at a wide variety of grocers in order to get the right food at the right price. For those of us with limited free time, it may seem a bit extreme to make three stops while stocking up on weekly supplies, but your pocket book and your tummy will thank you. My three stops are Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods and Dominick’s Finer Foods.

My three pronged approach to shopping begins with Dominick’s. It’s a nice big store with a complete selection of all the basics in food, beverage and household supplies. Coupons and in store specials are plentiful every week and prices are generally very competitive. In recent years, Dominick’s has expanded its produce department to include a salad bar and now offers great homemade prepared meals like pizzas and roast chickens. At Dominick’s I do my foundational shopping, bread, milk, eggs, flower, cleaning supplies, toilet paper etc. This is where the bulk of my groceries come from because $50 really goes a long way.

My next stop is California’s gift to grocery shopping, Trader Joe’s. Specializing in specialty foods at special prices it’s a must for stocking up the freezer or preparing for a party. I love their frozen haricot verts and the frozen seafood aisle is stocked with beautifully prepared salmon filets. Party planning is easy with Trader Joe’s where tasty cheeses and savory crackers are abundant. You’ll find the famous “Two Buck Chuck” or Charles Shaw wine for $1.99 a bottle in the extensive wine area along side other great wines at great prices. If you’re in the mood for fresh flowers, Trader Joe’s has an excellent seasonal variety of fresh cut flowers as well as some nice potted plants.

My final stop, is Whole Foods. This delightful food emporium specializes in organic foods, bulk grains and beautifully prepared foods. I make it my final stop because it’s my chance to indulge in something special for dinner after I’ve gotten all the basics for the week. Truth be told, if I went to Whole Foods first I’d have one gourmet dinner instead of a weeks worth of groceries. Usually when I go I have a special recipe in mind or a new cuisine I’d like to try. No matter what you have in mind, Whole Foods satisfies your wildest culinary dreams. Last week I made a giant seafood paella and found everything I needed from the briny mussels to the fine threads of saffron.

Do yourself a favor, take the time to cut corners where you should and indulge your taste buds where you can.

Good Luck and Good Shopping!

Misty Water-Colored Memories

The last time I used a curling iron it was 1988, and I was wearing an electric blue off the shoulder number adorned with rather bulbous satin flowers and my prom date wore Doc Martens. So damaging was the whole experience, I have not since held a curling iron.

The curling iron is the hallmark for the 80’s in my book. I spent the entire decade searing my skin and scorching my hair in the constant pursuit of beauty; or, at the very least, in the constant pursuit of looking like Valerie Bertinelli. Admittedly, I had a lot to learn. In the aftermath of the 80’s, I put down the iron and tossed my hot rollers, opting for a more natural kind of aesthetic. In essence, I got a little lazy with my locks. But, like leg warmers and lip gloss, some things are worth trying again. So here I am, once again, in the market for a curling iron. If all goes well, I may glam up my hair for this fairly formal 40th birthday party I’m going to on Saturday.

I’ll be checking out some of the irons I found on ShopLocal, so I’ll be sure to give you a full report.

Good Luck and Good Shopping!

Happy Trails Ahead

This past week in Chicago, Mother Nature teased us with a taste of warm weather and instantly I'm reminded of all the joys of summer. I know I may be jumping the gun, since March in the Midwest rarely goes out like a lamb, but I can't help but dream of sunny days and long bike rides. Nothing beats a trip through lazy trails that end in the green splendor of the Chicago Botanic Gardens. When my husband got me a new bike for my birthday, we started taking extended rides through the surrounding forrest preserves and up to the Gardens. Starting on a Saturday morning, we'd stop to enjoy a picnic lunch in the afternoon before continuing on to enjoying more of the tree-lined trail.

With sunny days ahead why not dust off your old ten speed or, better yet, get a shiny new Schwinn and hit the trails cycling. Old fashioned fun is great exercise! Just think, if Paul Newman in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid didn't keep in shape while riding a bike with Katherine Ross, they would have never out run the posse as long as they did.

Try ShopLocal if you're looking for a new bicycle!

Mush!

Last weekend I had the privilege of witnessing the inaugural run of the Chiditarod here in Chicago. Modeled after San Francisco’s Urban Iditarod, contestants form teams of “dogs” and “mushers”. Using a shopping cart for a sled, teams race to complete a five mile course, collecting food along the way to give to charity. The course this year began at Wicker Park’s Pontiac Café and ended (appropriately) at a local bar called the Hideout. Before the 12:30pm start time, crowds gathered in the Pontiac parking lot, some to cheer and some to prepare for battle.

Spring was in the brisk March air as racers and revelers gathered on the bustling and much ballyhooed Wicker Park corner of North and Damen. Carts adorned with colorful drapes and fashioned with cardboard cutouts, stood majestically before their mushers and “dogs”, who were equally resplendent in spandex and spangles. The electricity was palpable as onlookers cradled lattes and team members stayed limber by smoking cigarettes. Suddenly, an eruption of whistles signaled contestants to take their marks. Shouts of joy and anticipation came from the surrounding crowd. In an instant, the thunderous crack and telltale plume of smoke from the starter's pistol rose up, and the carts were off in a blur of steel and fanfare. As the teams rattled and surged up the block and out of sight, fans waved flags and made calls of encouragement. How would the racers fair? Where would they find food to load up their carts? How would they survive the perils of the city streets? It would be an adventure only they would come to know.

I’ve already started recruiting potential mushers and hounds for next year. I can’t think of a more perfect company event for ShopLocal.com than sponsoring a cart in next year’s Chiditarod. Maybe with a little coaxing we could sponsor the whole event! Perhaps I could be dubbed Queen of the Ciditarod and start carrying a scepter to work…

I think I need a cup of coffee.

Good Luck and Good Shopping! Remember, it's always a good time to donate to a worth cause, rain or Chiditarod.

My Oscar Gift Basket: A very hot item

Included in my Academy Award prize for winning the Oscar pool this year was a unique new beverage from the kitchens of Wolfgang Puck. I received two cans of Wolfgang Puck Gourmet Rich Espresso Latte in an exciting "New Self- Heating Can". Being a coffee aficionado (or aficiona-jo)I was thrilled to have the opportunity to sample this specialty coffee with its innovative design feature. I thought it only fitting to take it to work and enjoy a warm and tasty beverage while at my desk.




Heating the beverage involves a few, relatively easy to follow, steps. First, you turn the container upside down. On the bottom of the can is another pull tab which you use to remove a metal cover to reveal some plastic innards. The latte is in a can within a can. If you look closely, you can see a greenish blue liquid inside.





Next, you are instructed to depress the plastic surface "until the liquid disappears". In doing so, you combine the enclosed water and calcium oxide. The ensuing chemical reaction produces heat. After ten seconds you turn the can right-side-up. Now, the waiting begins. As the FDA approved quicklime substance inside the outer can begins to heat up, the beverage starts to warm as well. In 5-8 minutes the pink dot on the side of the can turns white indicating your latte is ready.

Finally you shake the can, twist the top lock open, flip the other tab and Voila! It's java time! The creamy warm beverage was tasty, but left a Splenda aftertaste in my mouth. (I like plain old sugar.) Nevertheless, it stayed nice and hot for at least 30 minutes.

It wasn't necessarily less time consuming or more satisfying than a trip to Starbucks, but it was an intriguing little project that was a welcome diversion to my otherwise humdrum Monday.


Good Luck and Good Shopping!

London Calling

“Ladies and Gentlemen, Rule/Cool Britannia is now officially a TREND!” proclaims Vogue.com columnist Camilla Morton.

This season’s wave of fashion weeks around the globe has apparently stirred up a new theme inspired by our friends across the pond. So how do you get the look without breaking the bank? Sure you can buy a counterfeit bag from the guy on the corner or perhaps forego paying the rent and have that gorgeous Burberry Prorsum fitted plaid jacket. But these aren’t your only two options. With a little imagination and creativity you can have most any look you like just by choosing the right pieces. Today let’s go Britannia!

The first key piece is the trench coat. Picture yourself dashing through the spring rain to a black cab or strolling through Kensington Gardens with a newspaper tucked under your arm. Fashionable and practical, the trench coat is a must. Find the color and shape you like best and you’ll have it for the rest of your life.

Next on your list is a shiny pair of black shoes or boots. Wear them with some black tights for a simple and sharp look that would make Her Royal Highness proud.


Finally, round out your look with something a little irreverent like
a Luella from Target top or some edgy silver jewelry. Adding a bit of London punk will make your outfit feel modern and chic.

Above all, remember that fashion is fun. Embrace new trends on a budget and you’ll feel free to be creative and practical at the same time.

Good Luck and Good Shopping!

Ah, Wilderness!

It takes a certain kind of store to overwhelm me, Eva the Shopping Diva, and Costco is one such place.

My parents, inexplicably, go weekly to this uber-store as if they were constantly restocking a fallout shelter. Not to be out done by their shopping prowess, I decided to face the gaping jaws of this mega-retailer after work the other day. I should have eaten my Wheaties.

Everything is extra large in Costco. Shopping carts move like barges through the aisles, and stacks of pallets and boxes rise like icebergs up two stories to the corrugated ceiling. Beacons of fluorescent light reflect off cellophane wrapped cases, obscuring content. Hoards of flat screened TVs blink with cloned, muted images next to displays of coffins and coffee pots. I've only taken three steps and I'm out of breath. To the south, I can see racks of bread rising in the glow of the meat department cases. To the west, a field of outdoor furniture stretches out toward towers of paper products. I am a retailing pioneer left to my own devices, braving the vast territory of bulk products.

I reach for box of tissues and realize with horror that it's not one box but 12. It takes two hands for me keep the whole display from tumbling down on top of me. My thirst drives me to an aisle full of juices. To my dismay, the two-gallon set of apple juice form concentrate encased in cardboard and plastic is too heavy for me to lift off the floor. Sweat beads on my brow as I push the unwieldy shopping cart forward. I must press on. Ahead of me, beyond mounds of fleece pullovers and tube socks, I spy giant tins of cookies and pillowcase-sized bags of candy. My salvation! I ditch the cart and grab a tub of roasted nuts. Thankfully, it's right in front of the check out counter. The rest is a blur until I find myself back in my car, in the parking lot, elbow deep in roasted nuts. My breathing slows and I realize that I'm not quite the shopper I thought I was, yet.

Good Luck and Good Shopping!