I live in a very touristy-y area. To be specific, I live in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Well, not in Lancaster, per say, but close enough to claim it as home. And certainly close enough to be aggravated by tourists. We live fairly close to a few popular shopping destinations for tourists — Rockvale Outlets and Tanger Outlets — but neither hold appeal to me. In my opinion, with the exception of the DEB Shop located at one corner of Rockvale Outlets, and the Five Below shop that is tucked further in Rockvale, there is nothing in either shopping center that holds appeal for me. And in my opinion, most of the outlet deals really aren’t “deals”. The few times I’ve gone into some of the stores I really didn’t see any “deals” – just last season’s merchandise (in the case of the apparel stores I was in) bearing full-priced price tags. What the?!

Yet tourists flock to the shopping centers like wildfire. Whatevs. I understand that from a purely economical standpoint I should be grateful for the shopping centers, since their presence helps to promote business and thus supports our county. But from my standpoint, I’ll pass – give me the mall or Target any day!

A few weeks ago I went to Petco and splurged on a King Betta fish, whom I named Gillsbert (like Gilbert, but Gills since he’s a fish and has gills, heh). I say “splurged” because most regular Bettas are $3.99 – $4.99, and fancy Bettas are $7.99 – $12.99. King Bettas start at $19.99! But I wanted him. He was huge, and he was beautiful. I purchased him on a Tuesday night, brought him home (driving carefully so as to not jostle him unnecessarily), and slowly acclimated him to his tank. Sadly, the following Saturday morning, I woke up to find him dead. I have no idea what happened.

See? Gorgeous. And huge!

Fortunately for me and my wallet, I saved my receipt. A $19.99 is nothing to sneeze at! So I took Gillsbert, one cup worth of his tank water, and the receipt, headed back to Petco, and explained to the cashier what happened – how I had his tank set up (pH, temp, etc.), what I fed him, how much, and how often, and when I last checked on him (around 11:45pm Friday night) and when I found him dead (around 8:30am Saturday morning). She refunded my money with no questions asked. And “bonus” – she didn’t even notice the coupon I had used when I purchased him, so I got the full $20 back, instead of just $17. Whee!

Hi, crazy cat lady here. No, I’m kidding. Well, only somewhat. I do have four cats, and would probably have more if we had a bigger house. In any case, if you’re going to be bringing a cat into your household (I highly recommending adopting a cat from your local ASPCA), you’ll definitely want to have some basic supplies on hand, in order to make sure you’re prepared for a cat. While cats are quite independent, and usually have no trouble settling into their new homes, it’s always a good idea to make them as comfortable as possible by ensuring a smooth transition.

• Litter box
• Cat litter
• Cat litter deodorizer (Arm & Hammer makes a great one!)
• Litter scoop
• Cat bed
• Food and water bowls
• Food and treats
• Grooming tools: shampoo, eye and ear wipes, nail clippers
• Toys

Good luck with you new kitty!

I have a female Pug named Leah. She’ll be four years old on May 15th, 2012, and I’ve had her since September 16th, 2008. The very day I picked her up I went with nothing more than a leash and a collar, and it was only after I left the breeder’s with a small bag of food that I realized I’d have to hit up the pet store for a few essentials. Based on my shopping experience then, my 3.5 years of dog ownership, and growing up with pets (I’ve owned cats ever since I moved out at the age of 18, and I’m 27 now), here’s a list of basic puppy supplies you’ll want to have on hand when bringing a new dog home:

• Crate. All dogs, regardless of breed, size, or temperament, should be crate-trained. Ideally, a dog will rest or sleep in his or her crate even when the door is open and the owner is home!
• Bed. It can be a full-fledged bed, a pad, or even a thick towel, but you should have something plushy for your dog to lay on.
• Food and water bowls.
• Food.
• Treats.
• Collar and leash.
• A few toys.
• Grooming tools – brush, comb, eye and ear wipes, shampoo.

I don’t think I am particularly high maintenance, but I do shower daily. During my shower I wash my face, I shampoo and condition my hair, I wash my body, and I shave everything from the underarms down. At night I wash my face, and I apply moisturizer – I also do this in the morning, prior to applying makeup. I also use hand, foot, and body lotions as needed, tweeze my eyebrows as needed, and brush and floss my teeth twice daily. Whew. Actually, now that I’ve typed all that out, that all sounds rather high maintenance, doesn’t it? Oops. In any case, between samples, products reviews, and things that I buy, I do change up the products I use in my beauty routine from time to time. Here is what I am currently using:

Amore Pacific Facial Cleansing Foam. This stuff smells amazing. But more importantly than smell is how nicely it works! It’s soft, soothing, cleansing, and moisturizing. It’s pricey though, which is why I’m using the sample sparingly.

Morning Burst Fruit Infusions Strawberries. I saw this in a 3-pack at Target, marked down to just $3.98 (I swear I have a sharp eye for those little red clearance stickers). This really does smell like strawberries! It cleans nicely, too.

Suave Professionals Keratin Infusion Conditioner. A little of this goes a very long way for my natural, damage-free hair. ♥

Degree Motion Sense. Such a seemingly simple deodorant, yet it works so well as an anti-perspirant (even better than the clinical stuff I’ve been using for the past year)!