Last night, I accompanied a girlfriend on her quest to find the perfect couch! (She is finally moving out on her own and signed a 1-year lease on an apartment.) Her budget was $500 for a 3-seater, non-leather, so we went to the usual places like Leon’s, Ikea, Sears Furniture, etc. Technically, she can spend more, but since she’s not to sure of where she’ll be once the lease is up, she didn’t want to invest more money.

Out of all those places listed above, she liked a really simple couch at Ikea the most, but it was $600+taxes. In addition, she still has to assemble it herself. And of course, since it’s Ikea, it’s just mediocre quality.

I suggested that perhaps she scour the free classifieds like Craiglist/Kijiji just to get an idea of what people were selling, for how much, etc. Naturally, her reaction consisted of a bit of apprehension, a used sofa? What if it was infested by bed bugs or just smelt funny?

I’m skeptical too, but I think if I were in her situation, I’d seriously consider the classifieds. I’ve purchased a beautiful, dusty rose ottoman from the ’60s AND a mid-century, teak/rosewood, Danish, night table, both at Value Village before and would do it again in a heartbeat. However, I would draw the line at a used mattress…despite the cost of a new set! Based on my experiences though, I definitely think that there are “deals” to be found online. 🙂

As far as pre-owned furniture is concerned, does the Reduce-Reuse-Recycle idea apply to you? Would you or have you purchased pre-owned furniture? If so, how was your experience?

P.S. Based on friends who live downtown, picking up a mattress, off the curb, on garbage day is definitely a HUGE no-no!!!

With Halloween just days away why not talk about things that haunt our dreams. Infomercials.  From Pajama Jeans to the Slap Chop, inventors keep rolling out ideas on how to make our lives easier.

Here’s some I can think of:

Shamwow, Slapchop, Pajama Jeans, Snuggie, Eggies, Peg Egg, Pedi Paw, Clapper, Cami Secret, Smart Spin, Pasta Express, Magic Bullet, Buxton Purse, In Styler, Hot Dog Express, Pillow Pets, Mighty Putty, Green Bags, Bump Its and Aqua Globes.

Overall, I get duped into buying these once in a while and I am generally dissapointed.  Even more disappointing is usually in 6 months or so they start trickling into the dollar stores.  The only As Seen On Tv products that I’ve ever found to be of acutal use is a knock off Chi hair straightener and Aqua Globes.  Are there any As Seen On Tv products that you love? Ever gotten duped into buying one that disappointed? 

 I think the Pajama Jeans are pretty sweet looking… picks up phone…..

PS. Isn’t that baby vest picture just hilarious?  I haven’t laughed that hard at a pic in awhile.

Tea season has officially begun! Along with tea, the colder weather also ushers in soups. So I thought that I’d share this easy-peasy recipe that can be made, from start to finish, in 35 minutes!

This is like a warm hug, perfect for a cold evening in. 🙂

POTATO AND LEEK SOUP

Ingredients
* the white and light green part of 3 large leeks (if you’re too lazy to google, they look like gigantic stalks of green onion!)
* 1 T of unsalted butter (can also substitute with olive oil, but butter will give it more taste)
* 2 cloves of minced garlic
* 3 cups of chicken broth (can also sub for veg broth/water, but may require more seasoning)
* 1 1/2 lbs of potatoes, peeled & diced
* 2 T of fresh minced parsley
* salt and fresh pepper to taste
* optional: For a ‘kick’ add a couple of shakes of some red pepper flakes!

1. Chop leeks in 1/4″ rounds. Soak, then rinse thoroughly in water. (Leeks tend to have a lot of dirt on/in ’em.) Strain.

2. In saucepan, heat butter. Add garlic and leeks. Over medium heat, cook for 8 – 10 minutes with cover on, until leeks are softened. Stir occasionally.

3. Add broth, diced potatoes, and simmer for 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Mixture can also be transfered to a slow cooker.

4. In a blender or food processor, puree 2 cups of the soup. Stir puree into the remaining soup, add parsley, and s&p to taste.

Serves 4 – 5. Enjoy!

If you are thinking to yourself right now ‘what’s Etsy?’ then I promise you you are missing out!!

Etsy is a fantastic free online marketplace where you can Buy/Sell items in the following categories:

• Vintage
• Handmade
• Supplies

What does that mean for you the consumer? It means you’ll have hundreds of thousands of kitschy, adorable, funky, artsy items to browse and buy. I mean, I could literally spend days without sleeping on Etsy.

Click here to check out Etsy

Post some of the links to your favorite items in the comments section!

*crayon art found here

Recently, I made the mistake of buying a new pillow for my bf as a birthday gift. He was complaining about his current pillow which I noticed had ripped at the seam. The polyfill was coming out, making the pillow very lumpy and uncomfortable.

(The pillow itself wasn’t expensive, as I purchased it in the States, but I was a bit disappointed about the quality since I got it only 1-1.5years ago. Not long ago.)

Anyway, the replacement pillow that I purchased was a buckwheat pillow that is traditionally Japanese, stuffed with buckwheat hulls. Unlike conventional pillows, the hulls are supposed to be ergonomic and not to heat up like other materials.

Despite my best intentions, the pillow was rejected within a couple of minutes because it was “too hard”. Yes, even though there’s a zipper on the side so that you can remove some of the stuffing.

Lesson Learned: Never buy someone else a pillow as it’s something that’s a personal preference!

So this past weekend, we went to find a replacement for the replacement and I was completely overwhelmed with all the pillow options out there: back/side-sleeper, soft/firm, down/polyester/the newer Tempur?

At some point of the shopping, I just sat on a fake bed, letting my bf make his own decision. There was no way that I was spending any more energy on this search!

So what’s your pillow profile? What kind of filling do you prefer? And how long do you switch your pillows out?

Got lots of peanut butter from recent sales? Why not make a peanut butter bird feeder for the birds this fall/winter. An easy craft to make yourself or with the kids.

All you need is:

• Peanut Butter
• Margarine
• Large Pinecone(s)
• Bird Seed (mixed)
• Yarn

Find as many pinecones as you’d like.  If you don’t have any pinetrees in your yard take a quick walk. Tie about 3-4 feet of yarn around the large part of the pinecon.  Mix 3 tablespoons of peanut butter and margarine together.  Spread all over pinecone.  Roll the pinecone in the bird seed. (working over newspaper makes quick cleanup) To make everything stick better place the pinecones in the freezer for an hour or so. Tie birdfeeder to a tree.  Make sure you tie it high enough so the squirrels don’t run off with it!

Happy bird watching.

you never know what you’re gonna get. At least this is the way I feel when it comes time to pay the bills!

In the last few months, I’ve been to the vet more than I have my own doctor’s office! My two beautiful cats have had recurring issues including a UTI, depression/anxiety – I’m still unconvinced about this diagnosis, and an ear infection. 🙁 And it has really taken a hit on my wallet!

Prior to my most recent visit, I called the vet, explaining that the issue hasn’t really gone away, but I am hesitant in bringing them in due to the costs. My vet kindly offered to remove fees such as the examination/consultation since he’s already seen them a whole bunch of times previous.

Well, when I went in to pick up my beauties, which the vet requested that I leave at his office for a more in-depth observation and testing, my heart almost jumped out of my chest when I stared at the nearly $1000 vet bill!!!

The receptionist stated that the vet wanted to speak to me, in which I responded, “Well, I want to speak to him!”

Upon our chat, I told him right away that I nearly had a heart attack when I saw the bill, didn’t expect it to be that high, and reminded him about our conversation last week. He apologised, but said that there was certain things that he had to do, namely send some tissue off for testing for the cat with the funky ear. It was a bit of a fog, but he did mention the c-word…cancer. 🙁

As per his offer, he did strike some stuff off the bill which resulted in a reduction of nearly $175 when all was said and done, including the darn HST! When I left, the receptionist gave me some meds and since I already had it at home, she also removed that from the bill as well.

Lesson learned, if you’re lucky enough to have a healthy pet, count your blessings! And by “healthy”, I mean that you only have to take them to the vet for their annual check-up. However, if you’ve picked the runt of the litter, you may have to end up shelling out big bucks!

Since I’ve already invested $$$$ with this particular vet, I’m hesitant to travel outside the city for treatment. (Although I’ve heard that many people do drive the 45mins to a smaller town for more personalised and less expensive care.) A friend of mine, who lives downtown, is lucky enough to have found a retired vet who does housecalls – also less expensive than the traditional office visit.

Another friend purchased pet insurance for her dog for $50/month. However, this doesn’t cover pre-existing conditions.

With many household budgets feeling the financial pinch, how do you afford pet care? Do you have any ways to save when it comes to your vet visits?

P.S. Any vets out that who want to befriend me in the GTA area?

Every Winter for the past few years, I always try to take a vacation. (I’ve become less tolerant of Old Man Winter!) However, due to the unusually warm Fall that we’ve been experiencing in Ontario, I haven’t really felt pressured to buckle down and actually think of WHERE to go!

I’ve gone to Varadero a couple of times and Punta Cana once. And I would like to take a more “discovery” type vacation in preferably warmer weather than here – unless this weather keeps up!

With my cats frequenting the vet more in the recent months, my vacay budget is a bit tighter. 🙁 (Btw, I really need to befriend a vet!)

So to get my brainstorm underway, will you (&/or your family) will be making an escape this Winter? If so, where will you be going?

If you haven’t heard by now, tomorrow is the last day to cast your ballot in the provincial elections. I’m not a super political person, but I do think that it is important to have your say via such a process. So although it’s a pain, I do try to read up on the platforms of all the candidates in my area before I go to the polls.

(One reason why I’m actually looking forward to the end of the day is ’cause my phone has been ringin’ off the hook! I’ve been getting quite a few elections-related calls a day.)

If you haven’t already voted during the Advanced Polls, will you be exercising your democratic right tomorrow? If so, how do you come to your decision?

Thanksgiving is almost here! I love this time of year, the weather, the cozy sweaters and scarves, hot chocolate, the crisp fall air….
Last year’s preparation had me puzzling over pumpkin pie vs. apple pie, which you can read about here. I enjoyed reading the responses, and got some really great ideas as well as recipes from our beloved readers. This year, dessert will be Costco cheesecake so that takes care of that, but the main event is still undecided. Will it be turkey or ham? I’m partial to ham, but love all the sides that come with the turkey like the stuffing, yam, mashed potatoes and gravy, etc. And sadly no, I can’t do both. What are you making this year? Which side dish is your favourite? Mine is mashed potatoes with gravy, smooth, not lumpy.

I find it pretty ironic that after living all my life in the same city, I have NEVER gotten a speeding ticket here. However, on that occasion that I do decide to venture downtown…BAM…speeding ticket central! It’s like one, giant welcome sign: Welcome to Toronto, here’s a ticket!

It’s pretty obvious what city is strapped for cash, but I digress.

Over the weekend, I got my second speeding ticket ever. I was exiting a long ramp, with multiple exits, cutting around a car with a shaky rear bike rack, when a cop motioned me to the shoulder. I had been a victim of a speed trap! 🙁

After the whole licence, registration, insurance spiel, the cop retreated back to his car I was soo livid since come Dec./Jan. my record will be wiped completely clean of my last speeding ticket. So when the officer re-approached my car, I had decided that I was going to put my pride aside and get my acting chops together. I was going to plead with him.

(Did you know?: Once you receive a speeding ticket, the next time your insurance is up for renewal, your rate goes up…for 3 whole years!!! So on top of wasting time going to court, paying your ticket + fees, you are ultimately being penalised for 3 years. Someone please tell me how this is fair! I understand if your rates shoots up as a result of a collision that is your fault, but we’re talking about a speeding ticket here.)

After asking if the officer would give me a break, he said aggressively, “No…I have already written it out!” So I’m not sure if this meant that I had a chance to plead my case with him before he officially logged the offence.

I know that talking your way out of a ticket is not an urban myth as my sister would do it all. the. time. So if you have experience in this field, how did you get out of a speeding ticket?

P.S. I cannot cry on cue!

When I was in elementary school, because we were in French Immersion (FI), our class was definitely a target for bullies. Other students would taunt us with names like, “French Fries”, “Frogs”, “Grenouilles”, “Poodles”, etc. My male FI classmates would have it worse by being dumped in school yard garbage cans and having their heads used as toilet brushes – if they were caught by other non-FI male bullies.

All laughter aside, we got through it by supporting each other, and not in so many words, telling our bullies to “talk to the hand”. It was a rough time, but I think it helped me to stand up for myself!

Admittedly, the taunts that kids face today are worse than those that I went through. And now they have the added dimension of having cell phones and being “connected” on social networks.

I certainly don’t want to make light of things, but why can’t these victims turn-off their phones, “x” those pages of taunts, stand up to their bullies &/or talk to a trusted adult?

As an off-topic, I realise that this one might be a bit of a stretch, but think of it this way: Ryan Gosling is Canadian AND he seems smart, hence Smart Canuck! 😉 So there shouldn’t be any complaints, right?

Over the weekend, I saw Drive and all I have to say is WOW. The man can act. Yes, even though he has a page of dialogue throughout the entire film, as the lead, there is no doubt of his acting chops. According to this article, Gosling told the producers that he didn’t want to do the lines, but that he would convey everything through his face! Who does that nowadays??

(If you do plan to watch Drive, I highly recommend that you go in knowing as little as possible.  Don’t watch the trailers or read reviews!)

I think 2011 is certainly Gosling’s year as not only has he starred in Crazy, Stupid, Love. and Drive, but The Ides of March (with George Clooney as director) is set to be released soon.  I don’t get the whole Clooney thing, but there are some other pretty heavy hitters in Ides like Philip Seymour Hoffman and Paul Giamatti.  And although the plot doesn’t interest me, i.e. politicians, politics, and scandal, I’m still going to watch because Gosling’s in it!

Anyway, through a job that I’ve had, I have had the err…um…pleasure of meeting many celebrities.  And I hate to say it, but I pretty much regret every encounter that I was looking forward to!  For the most part, they’re not like you or me, these actor-types are WEIRD.  All the stereotypes about them exist for a reason:  They’re really insecure, yet they have to pretend that they’re confident, they sound like robots on the red carpet/interviews, some can probably be the subject on A&E’s Intervention, while others are complete douchebags all because of their imdb profile!

SO I’m reaching out to all you SCers, if you know Ryan Gosling, please tell me he’s a nice kid…still.  Please tell me that Hollyweird hasn’t chewed him up, spitting out some rude automaton who has lost all sense of where he came from…

The next time you take in a movie at Cineplex and are adding a treat from Maynards (170-185g), show your black Scene card to get 100 points!

Maynards candies includes Sour Patch Kids, Fuzzy Peaches, Sour Cherry Blasters, & Swedish Berries. No idea why Wine Gums weren’t mentioned…yummers.

Promo runs until October 14th!

If you’re not already a Scene Member, click here to sign up and start collecting those points!

Sort of a follow-up to this post about there being waaay too many group buy sites, I have had a change of heart: I no longer think that there are too many of them. In fact, the more, the merrier…BRING ON THE DEALS!!! 🙂

Over the past few months, I have been really getting into snatching these deals! Highlights include the spend $10 and receive $20 at Whole Foods (Living Social) and spend $5 and receive $10 at Artisano Bakery (WagJag) – which I have to buy soon before it goes away.

One downfall to these deals is that you can easily get caught up, forgetting about the deals as quickly as you snatched them up!

Aside from missing expiry dates, I’ve seen some pretty strange deals and I’ve even picked up 1 of them. I bought 1lb of tzatziki for $5, usually $10.

The tzatziki was from a Greek restaurant that I like. And since my bro-in-law loves it too, I bought 2 deals, i.e. 2lbs of tzatziki. Although I like tzatziki, I honestly don’t know what 1lb of the product looks like.

Another weird deal that I saw, and almost bought, was $49-59 for a wine making session that includes 50 bottles of wine! This deal can go either way, either really GOOD/BAD ’cause if the wine doesn’t turn out, you’ll have 50 bottles of it to deal with.

What’s the strangest deal that you have seen? And have you purchased any of them yourself?