One Word Sunday: shopping

for One Word Sunday

Monday walk…The Americana at Brand

Glendale’s outdoor mall, The Americana at Brand, is beautiful paean to consumption. High-end shops, restaurants, a theater…there’s everything a person could want.  You can even just hang out or play.  This is NOT my normal walk in the park.

Six-Word Saturday…The way I like to shop.

It’s not about the photo today, but about the savings and about the way I always like to shop.  I have, at times, actually saved more than I spent, and always on things I would buy anyway.  Happy Saturday!  I’m off to work shortly.

You can see more Six-Word Saturday entries on Debbie’s blog.

Cee’s Oddball Photo Challenge: Week 33…Toto, we’re not at home anymore!

Shopping in a foreign country is interesting.  Some things are just the same as in the US, although the instructions may be in another language.  Some are very different and sometimes you see words you recognize but that mean something completely unlike the words in English.  Here are two oddball photos directly from France, one that fits in each of these categories.

Meat in the small grocery in Melisey is very fresh and of high quality.  Here’s a chicken presented in way unlike what you’ll see in most markets in the US.

Sometimes the eye sees what appears familiar, yet isn’t, as the brand name on this label.

All shopped out

To market, to market

To market, to market to buy a fat pig
Home again, home again, jiggety jig

It’s finally here! I open my eyes, half wishing I could lie in bed longer but it’s the day the farmer’s market moves outdoors, the day the opening time moves from 9 am to 8 am, and the thrill of what might be there rolls me out and gets me moving.  There really isn’t any reason to rush; most vendors will still have plenty produce or product if I arrive at 8:45 instead of 7:45.  But there’s something
wonderful about being there early (besides being able to find a parking place), so I bundle up against the still-winter-in-the-morning
air and arrive to the harbingers of spring.  Walk with me!  Enjoy!
You can’t buy a fat pig, unless you buy it in pieces, but you’ll have a good time.  And if you get cold, we’ll stop for coffee and tea.

Dead men’s shirts

Thrift store shopping is the bomb and, in solidarity with Slim Pickens, I ride that bomb every chance I get.

Farmer’s market at Shaker Square

Although it seemed odd not to be selling chèvre this morning, I did enjoy having time to stroll leisurely around the market, look at everything, buy some things and schmooze a lot!

Farmer’s market joys

Saturday mornings at the farmer’s market are wonderful when the sun is shining and it’s warm enough to take the time to saunter and peruse, rather than bolt through and rush back to the van; better for the vendors, too.

Don’t be hatin’ Walmart…for this.

Seems like people either love or hate Walmart. Whichever your side, this post isn’t trying to change your mind except on one point. I’m going to talk about something that’s annoyed me for a long time, the claim that nothing in Walmart is made in America; it’s all from China.

 

It’s true. Much of what is at Walmart comes from China. That’s not what annoys me.

Let me ask you this. Have you checked the tags or “Made in ______” labels other stores? If so, you know they do not say “Made in America” and almost all of them do say “Made in China”, whether appliances, utensils, clothing, knick knacks, or anything else.

When my husband moved to Naperville and needed kitchen items, I went to Target and decided to buy things made in America. I looked at virtually every single kitchen utensil and item in the store that he needed (as well as some he didn’t need) and about two were sporting “Made in America” labels. That’s two individual items, not two brands. Kitchen Aid; surely that’s made in America. No. Oxo? No. All the other brands. No.

Look at clothing labels. Very few of them say “Made in America”. If they don’t say “Made in China”, they’re likely made in another Asian country or sometimes in a central American one. Once in awhile, I find something at the thrift store that’s made in America. I like that. The Suave lotion in my kitchen says “Made in the USA” on the back. Take a look at things around your house or apartment? What do you see that’s made here or at least not in China? I’d love to know.

If you’re interested in what appliances are made in America, here’s a place you can look:

http://www.stillmadeinusa.com/appliances.html

Clothing made in America:

http://americansworking.com/clothing.html

A report on the costs of domestically made furniture and appliances:

http://abcnews.go.com/Business/made-america-domestically-made-furniture-appliances-cost-imported/story?id=13049571#.T02WAvVqSSo

“These websites are devoted to American companies or to sourcing where the everyday products you use are from. Use the links below and our interactive map to find companies near you”:

http://abcnews.go.com/Business/MadeInAmerica/made-america-resource-guide-find-american-companies/story?id=13057404#.T02WTfVqSSo

I read a fascinating book about trying NOT to buy things made in China, “A Year Without ‘Made in China’”, by Sara Bongiorni. Shoes and toys were difficult as were flip flops. Even buying gifts for children’s birthday parties was difficult. Read the book; you’ll enjoy it as well as sharing in her frustration. In the end, finding a thoughtful, middle ground was, as in so many other areas of life, the solution for the Bongiornis.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2007/06/28/us-books-madeinchina-idUSN2425061320070628

Whatever your beef with Walmart, one I don’t believe is legitimate is that they only sell things “Made in China.” If that’s something you want to avoid, you’ll be much better richer, because you won’t be doing much shopping, at Walmart or anywhere else.