Consuming and the American Dream?

To keep with my food related shopping posts I figure this week I will help all you bakers keep up with the seasons and holidays. The leaves are changing colors and the air is cooling down, these are obviously clear signs of autumn and with autumn comes the spookiest holiday, Halloween! You decorate your home and disguise your self in a costume, well who says your cooking can’t help in keeping the Halloween spirit?  Williams-Sonoma gives you multiple ways to do this, from cookie cutters, sprinkles and frosting. The one that I have chosen is one my family actually owns. It is the Pumpkin Harvest Loaf Pan, that comes with Spiced Pecan Pumpkin quick bread.

This set can be found at  Williams- Sonoma for $35.00. However you may also buy just the pan for $25.00. This pan turns out a detailed loaf in the shape of six perfect pumpkins contained in a crate. It is made of cast-aluminum with a premium nonstick finish to ensure even baking and fine detail. However I do not recommend throwing this in the dishwasher, hand washing is recommended to keep the premium nonstick finish.  If you already own the pan or another pan the Spiced Pecan Pumpkin quick bread can be purchased separately for $10.95 or buy two for just $19.95. They also offer different quick bread recipes, one is Maple Pecan quick bread. This quick bread is extremely easy to make, just add water, eggs and butter. After you have taken it out of the oven and let it cool, for a finishing touch dust it with confectioner’s sugar and place it on your table for all to see.

Now when you throw your next Halloween party or any party in the fall and you need just one more decoration for your table, make that decoration edible!

            Shopping in downtown Fredericksburg, Virginia is a rare experience. Fredericksburg area has a unique present and an entertaining past, in its historical appeal with battlefields, shops, boutiques, galleries, and restaurants. Fredericksburg used to have streets with a town hall, a market square, churches, taverns, and shops. Today these same streets are lined with brick sidewalks, antique shops, specialty shops, and one of a kind restaurants and cafes.

            Weather obviously does not affect shopping in downtown Fredericksburg. This was evident on Friday September 26, 2008 around 2 o’clock pm, when the weather conditions were overcast with a light drizzle there were still many shoppers in the streets. The streets were decorated with a harvest decor for the autumn season. There were many couples who mainly window shopped looking in at the stores displays of merchandise which were also decorated with the autumn theme. The shoppers were dressed in raincoats and had umbrellas. Many shoppers were tourists from out of town wanting to take in the experience of historic downtown Fredericksburg. The shops and merchandise downtown are small, one of a kind, owner operated businesses. The antiques in Fredericksburg are truly unique, offering a tremendous variety of items including period and antique furniture, glassware, china, porcelain, sterling silver, civil war artifacts, rare and used books, toys, dolls, paintings, lamps, quilts, pottery, clocks, coins, records, and much more. I feel very connected with this location because it is where I have shopped my entire life. Fredericksburg businesses offer a hospitable and relaxing shopping experience. You can walk to everything in this snug community of historic architecture. Downtown Fredericksburg also offers Trolley tours and Olde Towne Carriage tours of America’s most historic city. Fredericksburg shopping is a timeless and memorable experience.

         Shopping in downtown Fredericksburg has always been a fun and unforgettable experience for me. The atmosphere is energetic, welcomig, and friendly. I love having a place like Fredericksburg so close to home. You can be sure if you shop downtown for a gift it will be distinctive and special. Downtown Fredericksburg offers the most unique shopping experience out of any other shopping experience that I have had.

As an avid water-drinker, buying water has always, always been a “buy-in-bulk” type of deal. Although my roommate and I have a Brita filter in our room, we would always need to buy huge cases of water bottles so that I could take some with me on the go. I quickly learned that I ran out of water (and money) very fast, and wasn’t always able to buy some more in time (leaving me very thirsty and very frustrated in the middle of class). And of course, buying one single water bottle from the vending machine or the Nest or the bookstore is not at all worth it. In between Target runs I would keep my last empty water bottle and just refill it with Brita water. That was working out just fine when I thought of a brilliant idea- why not just save myself from thirst and frustration and buy an actually water bottle? This way, I could always have some on hand, and I would definitely save some money.

I thought buying a water bottle wouldn’t be a huge to-do until my friend mentioned that he needed a new water bottle too, and that he was going to try and find, “one of those metal ones.” After having heard that, I remembered that metal water bottles had something special about them, so I did some research. Apparently, there was a scare about plastic water bottles contained BPA, a dangerous chemical compound linked to cancer risk and other health problems. But now, the scare has died down. Most plastic water bottles have a sticker on them to prove that they’re “BPA free!” (and some people are even saying that BPA wasn’t a big deal to begin with). There are saftey precautions, however, for reducing BPA risks in terms of using plastic water bottles. Plastic bottles with a #2 on the bottom, usually aren’t too great if you’re going to reuse them, or if you’re going to put them in the dishwasher, because they’re made with a softer plastic. Polypropylene plastic bottles, the ones with a #5 on the bottom are much safer, much more durable, and dishwasher safe.

In conclusion, the metal ones might not be worth your money- they’re usually priced at around $24.99, while #5 plastic water bottles, determined just as safe, are around $8.00. Depending on whether you want the “sleek metal look” for your water, or if you just want something safe to hold it in, the money might not make a difference. For me, however, I’ll take the #5.

My trip started at Target, well actually Target.com. I was in search for a printer for my Dell computer because my old printer was a little old. I first looked online to compare prices. I found just what I wanted online a printer/scanner for only $49.99. I checked to see if it was available and of course it wasn’t, so I got flustered and went to Target to see what they had in store. When I first walked into Target, I was greeted not only greeted by the sweet scent of brewing Starbucks but also by this week’s ads posted on the bulletin board. I stopped quickly to check out what was this week’s specials were, crossing fingers that some sort of printer would be on there. To my surprise they had an Epson printer/scanner/copier on sale for ONLY $39.99. As I traveled towards the back of the store, in search of the electronic section, the only thought running through my mind was, “My goodness they better have one left”. Luckily they did. The copier was amazing; it had a glossy black look to it that I loved. In addition, nothing is better than getting a new toy to play with!

To many people the idea of owning a fish is not a very exciting thought but for me it is magical.

When you had a hard day at work and you come home, seeing your dog or cat brings a smile to your face but being a college student we do not have this comfort.  We are not allowed to have any animals that can walk or slither away so we are only allowed to have fish. So fish become a students best friend!

Sophomore year my roommate mentioned that she had never had a pet and that made me sad to think that she has gone her whole life without having the love of a pet.  I went shopping with a friend and ending up returning with a new addition to our room. His name is Jose and he is a Siamese fighting fish (or betta).

I believe that if you do not have a pet that you should own a Betta fish.  Fish are not messy, you don’t have to walk them, you feed them once a day, they are inexpensive, and can bring a smile to your face! Jose may not be the most exciting pet and you cannot cuddle with him but he always cheers me up.  He gets so excited whenever you go towards the bowl, well because he expects food, and he also gives you kisses if you get close to the bowl.  Also, all of our friends greet him when they come in and ask to feed him.  He is over a year old now and has been bringing me, my roommate, and out friends joy the whole time.

You can get a Betta fish at wal-mart for $3.94 and they came in various colors. Red, blue, yellow, green, and even mixed multiple colors. You will also need to get the necessary items for him/her, like a bowl, decorations, and food.  You can also find a wide arrange of aquariums and fish food at wal-mart. Aquariums/bowls range from $10-50 and Betta food goes for $3.94.

Brighten up your life with a magical, colorful Betta fish!  

I spent last weekend at Virginia Beach getting horribly sunburned. When I returned to campus, my poor pink back felt like it was on fire, and I desperately needed something to cool it down. I rushed to CVS and purchased a 16 oz. bottle of Banana Boat Aloe Vera Gel. Aloe Vera, also known as Medicinal Aloe, is a plant that is marketed as having rejuvenating, hydrating, and soothing purposes. Aloe Vera is also antibacterial and heals burns because of aloectin B, which stimulates the immune system. Banana Boat, a company popular for their extensive line of sun-care products, claims this product “cools and replenishes dry skin and helps prevent peeling.” It also promises that  “your skin will radiate health”. Banana Boat stresses the importance of skin care when enjoying the sun. Their website promotes countless sun care products, after sun products, sun safety tips, new product promotions, and even a media center! Olympic gold medalists Kerri Walsh and Misty May-Treanor are even fans of Banana Boat- they are featured in their new advertising campaign! All of these features give Banana Boat goodwill among customers - it is a recognizable national brand that cares about health and that people feel like they can trust. It’s why I went straight for that green and yellow bottle at CVS! Banana Boat products can be bought at almost any health-product store or pharmacy, such as CVS, Walgreens, and even Wal-Mart and Target.  A 16 oz. bottle of Aloe Vera gel like the one I bought costs $8.30, but can be bought for as low as $5.30 on websites that sell discount beauty products. I would have probably paid $20 in order to obtain that soothing green goo on Sunday afternoon. The next time your sunblock fails you, Aloe Vera gel is the way to go.

              The Victoria’s Secret retail chain helped boost the Sexual Revolution in the early 1980’s. It re-defined America’s conception of lingerie. Victoria’s Secret built its image with a fairly conservative, middle class shopper in mind and avoided any association of sleaziness which lingerie might carry. Victoria’s Secret helped women of all shapes and sizes, if not tax brackets, and a feel that sensuality need not be limited to models and celebrities.  

                Roy Raymond, a graduate from Stanford University started Victoria’s Secret through personal experience of buying lingerie for his wife. He found that lingerie department stores either being excessively frilly or blandly conservative. He believed that many men and women shared the same desire to have a store somewhere in between these two grounds. Raymond decided to create his own boutiques. In 1977, after borrowing eighty thousand dollars he opened the first Victoria’s Secret in San Francisco. His boutique was decorated to resemble a Victorian style bedroom with oriental rugs and vanities with drawers displaying bras and panties by designers Vanity Fair and Warner’s. Raymond’s store had a balance of seductive and classy charm, which made Victoria’s Secret the store it is today.   In the 1980s, Victoria’s Secret flourished from just a few stores to more than for hundred and came out with their exclusive image by adding its own label to all of its offerings as a brand name. The company also extended its range of products with the help of a popular mail catalog. It had everything from corsets, silk pajamas, shoes, evening wear, and perfumes. Victoria’s Secret helped refine middle-class sexuality.

                Bras are something every woman has to wear. I have found that Victoria’s Secret offers the broadest variety of styles, fits, colors, patterns, lifts, coverage and quality than any other bra. Lets face it all women want a comfortable bra. With all the different selections Victoria’s Secret has to offer it’s almost impossible not to find the perfect bra for you. Their bras range from anywhere between $25 and $65 and are available at any Victoria’s Secret department store or catalog. Victoria’s Secret also guarantees their bras. If for some reason a bra you have purchased from them recently, has a defect, such as, a wire popping out or wrinkles in the fabric Victoria’s Secret will credit you when you exchange the defected bra as long as the bra was taken care of properly and only hand washed. I think the quality and style of the bras Victoria’s Secret has to offer is worth the money. Their bras last forever and you get your money’s worth. If you are not quite sure of your size or comfort fit the salespeople at Victoria’s Secret offer free fittings. Everyone woman should own at least one Victoria’s Secret bra in their lifetime.

Nowadays spending over $100 for a pair of sneakers is a pretty common occurrence. Stop into any shoe store in the mall and you can find plenty of examples of these shoes. I wanted to do a blog on something I could relate to because I’m in to shoes but I was curious to find the most expensive sneakers on the market. I thought over a hundred bucks was a lot but there is a pair of Nike shoes on the market for $5000! When I saw this article I could not believe someone would spend that kind of money. I also found shoes for $4000 and the cheapies of these uber-shoes for around $1000-$1500. Now if this isn’t a sign of the Apocalypse, I don’t know what is. Thousands of dollars for a pair of tennis shoes? It’s crazy. I know there are high profile designer shoes for women that probably cost around this much, but these are sneakers, basketball shoes, and skater shoes. I guess for these “sneakerheads” it’s worth the dough to have the rarest shoes on the planet. The $5000 pair of PS3 Nike shoes were put on a shoe only auction site, Blue Sole (I would hyperlink but the site is down right now), the PS3 shoes were created to celebrate the launch date of the game console. I found the $4000 of Nike Dunk Low Pro SP Unkles on another blog site the.[ED]ition and only FIVE pairs of them in the world. Now what makes these shoes better than the cheapo $100 pairs of shoes at the local mall? It’s the artist who is hired by Nike to design these special edition shoes. Artists like Mark Ong a.k.a SBTG or Sabotage, gained recognition by hand painting Nikes and auctioning them off. I hope that this new art form will someday be mass produced, not all by hand obviously but now it is exclusive to people with the means to spend a couple thousand dollars on shoes. Oh and those fanatic sneakerheads who wait in line for hours to get their hands on the freshest new kicks.

So I have to say that I am officially addicted to Guitar Hero! It is one of the best purchases that I have ever made and I certainly have played my money’s worth. I bought it from amazon for $89.99 which is an average price to pay. The kit included the game, a white Les Paul Gibson style wireless guitar controller, stickers to decorate the guitar, and a guitar strap.

I do fear that it is infringing upon my study time but I just can’t give it up. I could state the benefits such as hand eye coordination, quick thinking, agility, stress relief…but I have to admit that I play this game purely for entertainment. Whether I am playing “Slow Ride” or battling Slash I feel like a rockstar in my own home!

I would recommend this game to anyone with a gaming system who can devote a least a little time to this addiction. It is a fun game to play with a bunch of friends, especially if you have more than one guitar controller or to pass the time by yourself. All in all I would have to say I am huge fan of Guitar Hero.

Check out this Video!!!

My favorite candy bar in the whole world is Caramello.  It is a milk chocolate candy bar that has caramel in each and every bite.  You are able to buy this candy bar at any convenience store or grocery story.  I bought one today for $1.09.  You might think this is high, but Caramello candy bars have credentials.  They are made by the famous Cadbury company.  I believe that anyone who likes chocolate and caramel should really try this out!