Category: Shopping

It’s Spring Fever Time- The Chronicles of Goode Boys and their Cars!

It strikes again!!! I can almost set my calendar by it!!! lol Although it’s happening a little bit earlier this year, and I chalk that up to David being home and the LOOOOONNNNNGGGGG  sNoWy Winter we’ve had this year. What else are the boys gonna do besides go on kijiji and look at vehicles!

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They are all very spontaneous in this area. So it starts this week with Andrew… Sells his truck. Trades his car for something he should have bought in the first place…a civic… before he bought this last car.( Boo Elantra)  Needs a bigger second hand vehicle to transport their babies. Buys our Escape.

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Andrew and Kristina love civics!!

After all, it was the type of car they each owned when they started dating…

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Buys our Escape…
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Puppy approved ride!

NOW… David NEEDS a second vehicle. He is looking even more at kijiji. David likes SUV’s for Winter and transporting things that our little Volvo can’t do. David likes Escapes. David spends hours looking at kijiji.

Today is Friday. So I can see our Saturday spent in the city looking at cars, preferably Escapes if there are any available. Maybe a white one? Hmm? Stay tuned…

Thankfully this year James is content with his VW but our dear daughter has been on the lookout for something that fits her budget… yes, it’s good ‘ole Spring Fever at the Goodes!! 😀

I just smile…because I LOVE my fam and they enjoy this, so I’m used to it. As for me…I get excited in the Spring for a great picture. Like this one…  little birds nibbling on berries out my front windows!

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Happy Friday!!!!

 

Shopping In Seoul

Because it’s December and Christmas is around the corner. Seoul like any other mega city is decked out for Christmas. The lights are amazing! The decor and shopping opportunities are amazing. One of the things we made sure we had time for was a little Christmas shopping in Seoul. And you all know how much I LOVE to shop! I was really good though, just had fun being out in the hussle and bussle of a large city…

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Well it’s our last night.. We spent today in Gangnam before crossing the river.

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We have walked so much in the last few days and tonight we are relaxing and just enjoying our beautiful room at the Imperial Palace. We thought we might enjoy a fancy dinner at one of the hotel’s restaurants but when a dish of fried rice is $25….umm I’d rather not waste my money on food!!! Haha

Ok, I had one major splurge… But It’s cold in China!

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Watch shops

I LOVE to shop! Usually…

although the last week I haven’t felt up to much. I know surprise, eh? Just REALLY struggling to get over this cold I’ve picked up and I’m just REALLY tired!

Today  David was off, first day in a while that he didn’t have to work so we went shopping! We went to Wu ai which is the mega of all shopping BUT honestly, I have to be in the right frame of mind to shop there and the last couple times we’ve gone, I haven’t. Bu hao! So I picked up a couple things but TODAY David shopped for a watch! Which is great because he has been wanting a new watch but is very particular with what he gets. It’s fun to look, so many styles and varieties. We have a watch guy we ALWAYS go to at Taijuan Jie and we’ve bought a fair share of watches from him but it’s nice to see what else is available.

WATCHES!
WATCHES!

His choice :)
His choice 🙂

Wishing you all a good day from China!

Tao Bao

Taobao is where China buys online. It is like Ebay and Amazon and is a great online shopping site.This is what it looks like.

We were looking for a few items…a couple leather tissue holders,and leather box for remote controls.We couldn’t find quite what we were looking for so Wang suggested Tao Bao. And he told us what it was and sent us a couple links with the things we were looking for!

It is all in Chinese, we can translate and see all the information and prices but it’s just easier to send Wang the link of what we want and he orders it. About three days later it is delivered!

And our landlord Renee uses Tao Bao too! She bought us a new vacuum cleaner. She went to a department store to see what she wanted, got the model number and then searched to see if Tao Bao had it. They had the same one for a third of the price. She’s gonna buy us a blender too, the same way.

Tao Bao shopping is great!

Dress Shopping in the Underground

I love to shop! It’s true! And China more so than Brazil is the place to do it. Shoes, handbags, jewelry, sunglasses, dresses…you name it… It is a Shopper’s Paradise for a girlie girl!

David & I went to the Taiyuan Jie underground mall. We LOVE this place. We wanted to visit our watch guy (I need one of my watches fixed) and surprise surprise he remembered us. ( Maybe we bought too many watches?) He was eager to help and the part for my watch will be in next week.

As you go to his little shop in the underground you pass by many dress and shoe shops and I’m sure my eyes just get wider and wider with all the choices and styles available. I stopped in a familiar traditional Chinese dress shop just to see what was there and right away the owner came out with a beautiful white dress with butterflies and a bit of turquoise. Oh it was beautiful…I just had to see if it would fit. I wasn’t expecting it to because Chinese women are built so differently and I am not a petite person. Well it fit PERFECTLY!!! I REALLY wasn’t planning on dress shopping today but… And when I started to bargain with her back and forth, back and forth and she came down half of what she started at…I knew we had a deal!!! Of course, she WOULD NOT let me wear my original dress out of the shop, I HAD to wear hers. And so, if that was the case I was gonna get her picture with me. What fun!

We walked a little further into the underground and another dress just popped out at me! haha 🙂  And once again, try it on, make a deal and a sale AND of course wear the new dress out of the shop!! Haha…this could really go on all day! No…I promised David I really have to be good.

Back at the apartment I tried my new dresses on. They are very different but so beautiful!

A Typical Sampa Saturday

A typical Sampa Saturday is a MUST visit to Vinte Cinco de Marco and Mercado Municipal.

Rua Vinte Cinco de Marco ( 25 March Street) is a popular commerce area in the center of Sao Paulo. There are 3 main shopping areas where you can find all kinds of interesting markets and shops. You can find pretty much anything and it’s almost like the “Wuai” of Brazil, only different. Most of the shops in this area are owned by Lebanese and Chinese immigrants. Items are generally low priced and are often “fake” items. It was very interesting!

After you get your fill of shopping, a stop at Mercado Municipal is in order. It is one of “the most” traditional gourmet places in Sao Paulo. There is a wide variety of the best fruits and vegetables, meats and seafood and the best part is the Gourmet lounge where you can try tasty dishes. The Mercado was opened in January 1933 and has many beautiful stained glass windows.

Saturday mornings are ALWAYS busy here. The building and stain glass windows were so beautiful, but the crowds were crazy. While we were at the Mercado we had to try the famous Bacalhau (codfish) Pastels.

Pastels are delicious
Pastels are delicious

Bacalhau
Bacalhau

We had such a great morning!

It Can Be Yours for only 6 PAYMENTS of…

This is really quite funny AND it is very common here for everything from shoes, clothing, furniture to cars and homes…everything on CREDIT and PAYMENT PLANS.

I understand that Brazil is a poor country and many people do not make alot of money. This option and method of paying helps them afford the things they need (or want) in a way and means they can afford. It is just funny to see the signs…

Don’t pay until September…

and so many payments of…

I guess no matter what country and culture, people love to shop! Have a great day!

Brazilian Boots

There is nothing like Brazilian footwear! Brazilian leather boots in particular. Brazil is one of the largest producers of leather goods and I knew that I couldn’t live in Brazil for a whole year without investing in a pair of quality made boots. So being the end of winter season here and not sure if they would carry boots in Spring and Summer, I went boot shopping…

Brazilian leather boots
and more boots…
trying on boots
A Very Happy Girl!!

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Love my boots!!!

ahhhhhhhhhhh…..it’s Friday!! This week has gone by so quickly. 2 more days… 🙂 🙂

Gotta Show Them The Hippie Market!!!

One of our favorite things to do when we go to Rio for the weekend is go to the Sunday Hippie Market in Ipanema. A hippie hangout in the 1960’s has  become a huge arts and crafts market, showcasing the works of some of Rio’s best artists. We just HAD to show them the Hippie Market!!

Ipanema Hippie Market

Love the variety of paintings at the market. So hard to choose which style I like the most!
Our favorite artist at the market. Martin & Rebecca really like him too, because this is their painting in the process…Martin had to go back at the end of the day when it was finished! Very similar to the one we bought a couple months ago.
We thought it was cute that he was encouraging some budding young artists

Such a variety of art. I love the color…

Martin & Rebecca loved this chair! Do you suppose they ship to Canada?
A quick lunch before the next adventure!

Havaianas~ Comfort You Live In!

There are a few things that you think of when someone talks about Brazil and Havaiana flip-flops are definitely on that list! I love flip flops, always have. They are very comfortable and I can wear them all the time. I guess I am not the only one that feels that way because everywhere you look people are wearing their Havaianas.

You can get just the normal $R20 ones, or you can get fancy ones with jewels and crystals and spend up to $R360

We see displays for Havaianas in every little shop

Love all the colors!

In the mall here in Resende there is an official store that you can actually go in and design your own flip flop…color, style, jewels…all with the spin of the wheel and some help from the store clerks.

With a spin of the wheel you can design your own flip flops
Lots of jewel options!
Decisions, decisions?
Putting my jewel on

A very happy shopper!
My choice…this time 🙂

I know this will be the place to go when I need a little retail therapy!