Oh no! You didn't fall for that scam?

There are lots of times in life when you want to impart some wisdom to your kids. And, there are times when you feel compelled to help them out. Not so thankfully, because of the later, I now have imparted wisdom upon my daughter, Jackie.

Jackie wanted what lots of people want these days. She was tired of her knockoff UGGS and wanted to pay the price for good and trusted quality. So, what did I do. I checked on the Internet to see if I could find any sales. I would never dream of spending $180 on a pair of boots, so I'm sure the cheap part of me (it's a pretty big part of my DNA) decided I could help her save some money. I was so excited when I found the particular UGGS she wanted for only $109.99. The website that came up was macysboots.com and looked real. I never in my wildest thoughts believed it would lead me down that slippery slope called "Internet scams."

Jackie went ahead and ordered a pair in black and chestnut and seemed happy. That was until I checked the website yesterday only to find it no longer came up as a valid site. I then typed in a google search on the company and found a fraud notice that someone had posted. In this day and age, it's so easy to find things online, including warnings about fraud and how to fix computer problems. I'm glad people take the time to post helpful tips on these subjects. It's just too bad I didn't check out the company before I told my daughter about the great deal I found.

Oh well, so as of now, she doesn't have UGG boots, but she has a $230 charge from a grocery store in China! And a international transaction fee to boot (no pun intended!). I told her to cancel her credit card and she's working on reporting the fraud. The sad thing is that her bank asked her if the transaction was valid a couple of days ago and she said yes. After all, the online sales transaction they were inquiring about she thought was for her boots. She had no way of knowing she was authorizing someone to eat well in China!

So now her mom has learned a valuable lesson. Stop being so cheap! Buy the real and trusted product.

The old adage, "if it seems to good to be true...." is true!

Lesson learned.
Sylvia

i-need this holiday season........

Today I went to lunch with my friend, Corinne, but it wasn't just a lunch date. It was a lesson on how to taste sample your way through Valley Fair. And, for good measure, we threw in a free massage.

Let me fill you in on how to spend a nice afternoon at Valley Fair and feel relaxed and content. Warning,  there is chocolate involved!

After getting great French Onion Soup at the Nordstrom Cafe, we went on search of some tasty samples. Corinne is experienced and took me to Williams-Sonoma where I drank mulled spiced Apple Cider and ate some peppermint bark followed by peppermint patties. Next it was on to Harry n David where they gave you samples of Moose Munch and free coffee and tea.

After our free dessert, we browsed through Pottery Barn and Restoration Hardware. If only I had a lot of spendable money!

Those just whetted our appetite for the finer things. What really set it into high gear was our visit to Tiffany & Co.We sampled taffy in Tiffany. So I didn't leave empty-handed.  I did a little market research and found that the cheapest thing is a $30 deck of cards! Corinne tried on a gold bracelet that cost over $600. But, it was the ring we looked at that cost more than $121,000 for a little over 2.25 carats that glossed our eyes over.

O.K. some people really do indulge!  We left and continued on our trek for free stuff.  We ended up in See's  Candies where we got a sample of California Brittle. It's so yummy.

With our stomachs full we didn't end the day before getting a free chair massage at Brookstone. It was so great that I bought the i-need lumbar massager. The packaging reads, " i-need to feel good. In a world of push and shove, stop and go, up and down, you need some real relief. Little soothing hands that knead away stress, make you feel better and help you relax. For life's little aches, you need i-need."

I do indeed!

In addition to my massager, I bought a cute little hat for $9.99. 

I also got to see The Beatles!  Of course, it was in front of the Apple Store.

All in all, I say I had a pretty inexpensive day of eating and shopping. I mean in comparison to a $121,000 ring, I spent a pittance!

I can't wait to go out again with Corinne. I wonder what other little secrets she has up her sleeve?

Happy Holidays and Happy Shopping!
Sylvia

Does food heal?



Turkey and Vegetable Soup



Some say food has healing powers. I don't know about that. All I know is that the first week of December isn't over, and already I have consumed my entire list of Holiday yumminess! It starts with the Thanksgiving dinner, and most importantly, the leftovers. I even made homemade Turkey and Vegetable soup this year so my tidings of goodness will last longer.  Then I usually get a break from overeating, but not this year! This year Hanukkah was less than a week after Thanksgiving. So my stomach enjoyed Brisket and Potato Pancakes even before I had a chance to get off the Thanksgiving pounds.

Now that's a plate!

I also like to indulge in a few Tamales this time of year. I love the Mexican tradition of Tamales at Christmas. I don't have any friends giving me homemade tamales, but I have enjoyed several from El Pollo Loco. They aren't bad.

In the past, we have had lox and bagels on Christmas morning. My daughter and I have already consumed those too!  And for good measure, I've made and ate my Matzo Toffee Brittle!

Hanukkah Dinner

What's a girl to do now? Turkey-check. Brisket-check. Lox and Bagels-check. Tamales-Check. Matzo Toffee Brittle-Check.  There's nothing left on my must-have list. As far as I'm concerned, the Holidays have come and gone. Now, it's back to watching what I eat - I mean eating less, and more exercise!

Oh, I must not forget the libations. Wine-check. Hot chocolate-check. Cosmos-check. Egg Nog- never. I hate the stuff!

So, whatever your traditions are around food, I hope you enjoy. May your plates runeth over. And do save room after the appetizers for the main course!

Basil and Roasted Bell Pepper Spread

Orange and Avocado Salsa

Happy Holidays,

Sylvia