Review of Super 24 Market

 A small but very nice Hispanic market has opened in Jessup, Maryland. The store's address is 8530 Washington Blvd and is called Super 24 Market. The store is aiming for different Hispanic groups like Peruvians with its Inca Cola. It has a small produce section as well as small butcher section. Yesterday, I bought some cooked shrimp from there for approximately $8.40 a pound. The shrimp were very good. It offers various baked goods, some dairy and some frozen items. It can send money transfers for various customers who wish to send money back to Mexico, Central America and South America. It has 2 checkout lines which is enough considering how busy it gets. Parking is ample though it is shared with other shops in the strip mall (don't know its name). Both cashiers can speak Spanish and 1 may not be able to speak any English.

Overall, I've been very pleased with this small store. I like going here to see what they have. I doubt they're the cheapest around but, they do offer a convenience of not having to go to a full blown supermarket. I think Hispanic customers would like the particular Hispanic products and, that the staff do speak Spanish. I give this quaint store 2 thumbs up. Happy Shopping all!

Review of ALDI Supermarkets

A couple months ago, I decided to check out the new ALDI supermarket in Laurel, Maryland. I'd heard of them from a friend but, I'd never been in one. The supermarket was different from what we're used to in the United States of America (USA). For starters, they're smaller than most supermarkets here. Also, their selection is more limited (you would have 8 or 9 types of snack items vice an entire row of them. One surprising thing about them is their choices of genuine German items example: Moser Roth chocolate bars. I have a friend who is a Germanophile and really likes a lot of their German items. I've enjoyed some and handed off others to my friend when I haven't been thrilled with other trial choices. Also, I've heard the chain is German owned (don't know if this is true though it would explain the number of genuine German food items).

The chain has shown some real smarts in that they keep their shopping carts chained together and, you must insert a quarter coin (25 cents U.S.) to detach the chain so, you can use one of the carts. This is really smart as it gets people to return their cart instead of them ending up all over the parking lot and nearby neighborhood.

On shopping bags, you must pay 9 cents for one of their plastic shopping bags unless you bring one of your own.

The chain appears to be expanding in the USA as they've also opened a store in Columbia, Maryland which is bigger than the Laurel, Maryland store and consequently has a better selection including some baked goods.

Overall, I've been really pleased shopping at the Laurel and Columbia, Maryland ALDI supermarkets. I enjoy trying their various German items as well as their own brand items. They do have good prices on many items at their stores. I give this chain 2 thumbs up and will be a regular shopper at their stores. Happy shopping all!

Review of Ollie's Discount Store Chain

Another store I visited today was the Jessup, Maryland Ollie's. Ollie's is a discount store chain that sells merchandise that they're able to get a discount and sell it cheap to its customers. They do offer some nice deals. Today for example, I was able to get a Chefman 300 watt hand blender for $20. According to Ollie's, this blender would normally sell for double that. Another plus with Ollie's is they have a loyalty program called Ollie's Army. Being a member can get you 10% off entire purchase coupons which can save you even more.

One down side to Ollie's is you never know what they're going to have. And, once what they have is gone, they many times don't get anymore nor are there any more in the back nor may they have a lot of choices in the item such as color or team. I asked the cashier if they had another turquoise Chefman blender in the back as the box was open on the one I found and, he told me they put on the floor all the stock they get. So, what you see is what they have and once it's gone, it's gone just as they say. So, it can be a mixed blessing as you may be able to get a good deal on something though it may not be the color you want or the team (this Ollie's has some staplers with various NFL team logos on them) and you better get it when they have it otherwise, you may not get that deal again.

Ollie's does put out an email flyer you can get which goes out regularly telling customers what particular specials they're having at that time.

Merchandise wise, the stores sell a wide range of goods. They have canned and dried food items, sports equipment, carpets, automotive stuff, cooking utensils, small appliances, books, stationery items, toiletry items like deodorant and shampoo, shoes and boots, DVDs, the gamut. Basically, they sell whatever items they can get at a discount because of close outs or other reasons and pass on the savings to their customers.

Overall, I've been pretty pleased with this chain though it can be frustrating in that you never know what they're going to have barring that what they will have will be cheaper than what you would normally find it for elsewhere. Also, selections can be few. Another example of that was some Progresso soups they had at this store. They have 4 different Progresso soups for just 99 cents a can - great price but very limited selection. If you're interested in shopping at this chain, I'd definitely recommend you check out their website and sign up for their email flyer as this will tip you off what's in their stores at that time. It'll enable you to snatch up some nice deals (I got another good deal on a Himalayan salt lamp) before they disappear. Happy shopping all!

South Lyon Dollar Tree Store Review

This is the store that started me liking the Dollar Tree chain. My Filipino step-mother Geroncia (also known as Jane) loves this place. To help my Dad who doesn't like to drive for various reasons, I always offer to take Geroncia where ever she wants to go when I visit. This past Labor Day weekend was one such occasion. One of the places she always wants to go was the South Lyon, Michigan Dollar Tree store.

The store is located in the Glenwood Plaza at 21835 Pontiac Trail in South Lyon. It's open from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Sundays and 9 a.m to 10 p.m. Monday through Saturday. There is plenty of parking at this shopping center. As Pontiac Trail is the main drag/street in South Lyon, it's easy enough to get to.

The store is of good size, has a refrigerated section (a plus in my book), is well stocked and well kept up. The store's staff do an excellent job maintaining and running this store.

Overall, I've visited and shopped at a number of Dollar Tree stores since I first visited this store 3 or 4 years ago so, I tell if a store is a good one or a bad one. This one is a very good one for the reasons I've mentioned. If you like Dollar Tree in general, you'll like this store if you live in this area. I give it a 2 thumbs up. Happy shopping all!

Woodbine Maryland Dollar Tree Store Review

Today, I visited the Dollar Tree store at 712 Lisbon Center Drive in Woodbine, Maryland. I thought I'd write a store review on it. Here goes:

The store has ample parking and is of good size. The size is important as some Dollar Tree stores can be pretty small like the one in Columbia, Maryland. Having plenty of good priced merchandise can make them worth the trip. This one does though it does have one drawback in my opinion - it doesn't have a refrigerated section like other Dollar Tree stores do. This is important me as Dollar Tree offers some nice deals that way like Sunny Acres Swiss Slices or Bar S Bun Length Franks which Dollar Tree sells for a $1 at the stores that have a refrigerated section.

Note: If you do a search for this store on your smart phone and find it's mobile page, you may see it has the symbol for a refrigerated section. This is wrong. The main web page shows correctly that it doesn't have one though I wish it did.

Hours for the store are: Monday to Saturday 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
                                      Sunday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

I think the store hours are convenient. Also, the store is easy to get to. I exited Interstate 70 heading west (exit 32 I think) , took a right turn toward Woodbine, took the 2nd exit on the roundabout and first right after that. You'll see it on your right and a supermarket on your left.

The store can be reached at phone number 410-489-2653.

Overall, I thought it a nice Dollar Tree store. The staff were helpful and courteous, parking was ample, they have convenient hours but, they don't have a refrigerated section. Because of that, if you could, I recommend you find one that does have a refrigerated section. I think I saw they have a store in Eldersburg that does. I'll have to check that one out some time and get back to my readers and let them know what I think of it. Happy shopping all!

Facebook Twinings USA Tea Coupon

Facebook has a coupon (actually code) that will get you 25% off on an order with Twinings Tea USA (website: twiningsusa.com). The code is FB25. You enter that code on-line where it asks for any coupons during the order process. Normally, a box of 20 tea bags will cost you $2.99 but, this coupon knock the price down 75 cents roughly a box. However, you will have to pay shipping and tax. I ordered 24 boxes of Twinings teas from them last December and, the shipping came to $9.95 and tax was $3.23. This upped the cost of each box to $2.79 overall. That's still cheaper than what you would find it at most supermarkets. The Columbia, Maryland Wegmans store sells a 20 count box of Twinings tea for $3.29 so, you can probably save 50 cents a box with this code. If you're going to order a number of their products, it can be worth using. Another plus with the website is you can shop the full range of Twinings products. You're lucky if most stores have 7 or 8 Twinings products. Twinings teas are very good. I usually have at least 1 mug of their tea a day. They've been in the tea business a LONG time. The founder of the company Thomas Twining started it in 1706 in London, England. Happy tea drinking all!

Town Centre at Laurel (Maryland) Photos

I decided to try out my latest newest toy, a Sony DSC-RX100M2 point and shoot camera. The main advantage of the camera is that you can carry it in your pocket. This made it great for taking these photos as I was riding around on my TMAX motorbike.

My photos show the new Town Centre at Laurel shopping place. It has different parts scattered around, some of which aren't finished or haven't been let out yet. It is a huge improvement over the demolished Laurel Mall that used to occupy the site. The 2nd photo shows the new 12 screen Regal theater. I haven't seen a movie there but, that isn't any big surprise since I'm not a big movie goer. Most of the shops seem to be occupied by restaurants with others such at Sports Authority having moved from other locations in Laurel. The centre features other stores like Harris Teeter and Burlington Coat Factory (an original occupant). It's a nice development and may help bring more people into Laurel. Happy Holidays everyone!

Laurel Maryland Pennsylvania Dutch Market Thanksgiving Hours

I thought I'd post the Thanksgiving week hours for the Pennsylvania Dutch Market in Laurel, Maryland. I've shopped at the market for a number of years and, I highly recommend it. A number of the shops have very high quality goods. Beiler's Meats have excellent luncheon meats as well as steaks, sausages and some poultry products. Stoltzfus Salads has some really good salads including their butter beans which are large lima beans in a very good bar-b-que sauce. JR's Candies and Bulk Foods have some outstanding Jake & Amos pickled products like pickled asparagus and pickled spice dilly beans which are pickled green beans (I've had these and they are really good). Dutch Country Corner has some great ice cream which you can buy in half gallons or in a waffle cone if you wish. There are only 2 things I can complain about with this market: 1) they're not open enough during the week (their normal days of operation are Thursday, Friday and Saturday) and 2) they need more parking (the market is sooooo popular it can be hard to find a parking spot at times). Anyway, enough raving about this market. Here are the Thanksgiving week hours:

Tuesday, November 25th, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Wednesday, November 26th, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Closed Thanksgiving Day November 27th
Friday, November 28th, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Saturday, November 29th, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Their website is: www.burtonsvilledutchmarket.com. This market is worth checking out if you're in the Laurel, Maryland area. Happy shopping all!

Cariloha Product Review

During my May cruise on Royal Caribbean's Independence of the Seas, I saw some information on Cariloha's bamboo products. I thought it sounded interesting having clothing made out of bamboo so, I decided to buy something and see how well it worked. I bought 2 Men's t-shirts and 4 pairs of white socks at their Crown Bay, St. Thomas store. The t-shirts felt very soft. Cariloha claims their bamboo merchandise is softer than cotton and, from my experience, their claim is valid. It really is. Also, they claim it will keep you cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter. I say maybe on that. Lastly, they claim the product is very "Green." Bamboo grows very quickly (one variety can grow as much as 3 feet in 1 day according to them), requires little or no pesticides and can grow in a number of places. I know from personal experience it can grow in Maryland.

One down side to their products is you will pay a little premium for them. The Men's t-shirts cost $34 a piece and their white socks were $12 a pair though they have a deal where if you buy 3 pairs, you get a 4th pair free.

The chain is proving popular and, franchises are opening in a number of places in the U.S. I saw a thing where they recently opened a store in Washington D.C. which I plan on visiting some time soon. Also, I plan on visiting their store in Key West, Florida when I visit there again next year during a cruise with Royal Caribbean. I think they have a number of stores in the Caribbean too.

One thing about their Men's t-shirts. Some of them have the name of the town the shop is located in and some of them don't. According to the folks I spoke with at their Annapolis, Maryland store, some folks don't like the town name on the shirts so, Cariloha puts out some shirts sans town name to keep them happy. Personally, I like having the town name on them. That makes them something of a collectible to me and gives me a way to show folks some of the places I've traveled to.

Overall, I've been pretty pleased with Cariloha's stuff. I think it's pretty cool that it's made out of bamboo. I don't like that it is a little pricey. They do have sales which can help with that. Plus, I really do like the stuff. I'd definitely recommend it. If there is store near where you live, check it out. They do make very good stuff.

Update June 28, 2014: I did visit their Washington D.C. store which is located at the National Harbor in Oxon Hill, Maryland. I really liked this store. I got to chat with the owner who is super nice. Plus, they had some nice deals. I wasn't wiped out with the National Harbor.

Salvation Army Family Store and Donation Center Jessup Maryland Review

I've visited the Salvation Army Family Store and Donation Center in Jessup, Maryland a number of times to donate items but, I've never gone inside the family store. Today, I decided to check it out so, I could report to you my readers on what it has and what it's like.

The store and center is located at 10350 Guilford Road in Jessup, Maryland. It's open Monday through Saturday though I don't know its exact hours (I'll have to get those on another visit). Donations are accepted in the back of the building while there is parking in front of it for shoppers. For bargain hunters, the best day to visit the family store is on Wednesdays when all clothing is half off. I was able to get 2 pairs of Men's Dockers pants for $3.25 a pair! Mind you, you will have to hunt a good bit to find something that fits clothing wise and, in some cases, you'll have to try it on (they have rooms for that) as some clothing doesn't have tags telling what the size is. Also, there are NO refunds or returns. Once you buy it, that's IT!

Another plus for this store is for those looking for a good deal on furniture. I was surprised by the selection of sofas, dresser drawers and dining tables. You might find a nice bargain here.

Lastly, all books, CDs, DVDs (this selection didn't impress) and records were $1 each. I did see a few decent CDs for sale there though I didn't browse the books.

I found the staff at the store helpful and patient which was a plus (especially for someone who hadn't been in there before).

Overall, I thought it a pretty nice store. I do wish they would mark the sizes of the various clothes so, you wouldn't have to hunt all over them to find them if they have it on them. It has a great location in that it's just off the Maryland 32 and Route 1 intersection heading toward Jessup so, it's easy to get to.
Here's a link to the Salvation Army Family Stores which provides driving directions to the Jessup, Maryland store as well as directions to other stores in Maryland. Lastly, buying things from this store does help a good cause. The Salvation Army does a lot of good work and, they help a lot of people. Happy shopping all!

Owings Mills Mall Review

Yesterday, I visited the Owings Mills Mall for the first time. From the outside, it looks like a nice mall. However, when I walked in, I got a serious shock. Owings Mills Mall is a mall that is dying. I walked around and saw a number of empty shops in the mall. It reminded of Laurel Mall which slowly died before they finally tore it down. I don't know why this mall is doing so poorly. It looks like it's in good shape. It has plenty of parking. Yet, it clearly isn't drawing the business it needs. Unless it has a store you need something from and it's close to where you live, I'd pass on this one.

Jelly Belly Jellybeans at Arundel Mills Mall

One particular shop I like at Arundel Mills Mall in Hanover, Maryland is Sweets from Heaven. The reason I like them so much is because they offer over 40 different flavors of Jelly Belly gourmet jellybeans. Jelly Belly jellybeans are some of the best on the market and claim to be the #1 gourmet jellybean in the world. Price wise, the shop is equal to what you would pay on the Jelly Belly website http://www.jellybelly.com/Default.aspx. All the different flavors are priced at $2.25 per quarter pound (4 ounces). One particular flavor I'd recommend if you like peppermint is candy cane which is very pepperminty.

The shop sells other candies such as almond bark and candy corn though I can't tell you if those are any good. I go there just to buy Jelly Belly's. The shop is self service and, Jelly Belly's as well as a number of other candies are sold in bulk. The customer gets a bag and uses one of the scoops provided to scoop as much of each candy as they want. The shop has scales provided so, the customer can see how much they have and guesstimate how much their purchase will cost. When they're done getting what they want, they can take them up to the cashier and pay for them.

The shop's hours are:

Monday to Thursday - 10 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.
Friday & Saturday - 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Sunday - 11 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.

(Source: http://www.yelp.com/biz/sweets-from-heaven-hanover-3)

Happy snacking all!

Columbia Wegmans Update

Today, I visited the new Columbia Wegmans store to claim some freebies and see what else they had. Freebie wise, if you sign up for the store's shoppers club card, you'll get a reusable Wegmans shopping bag and an 8 ounce bottle of their brand basting oil free. All you have to is print the coupon and present it at check out. Another freebie I got was a dozen large grade AA eggs. I got these using a week 1 coupon I'd received from Wegmans. There are 2 conditions on getting the free eggs. You had to have a shoppers club card and, you had to spend $10 or more. In regards to the shoppers club card, you get the card on-line or at the store. I ordered mine on-line and, it took less than a week for it to arrive in the mail.

Concerning what other things I saw at the store, I got to check out more of the fresh food bars now that it wasn't wall to wall people like it was opening day. A couple interesting bars I noticed were the soup bar and vegetarian bar. The soup bar offered an impressive 6 fresh soups to choose from. I can't list them as I didn't write them down. The vegetarian bar should please vegetarians and looked well stocked. Also, they have an Asian bar that offers fresh hot Asian food like egg rolls and dim sum.

One kudo I want to give the store while I remember was its concern for customers and the heat. Today, it was at least 95F outside. In that kind of heat, it's easy to get dehydrated. The store in response offered free cups and free cold water so customers could re-hydrate. This was a very nice gesture on their part.

Another neat section of the store is their bulk candies section. They offer a good choice of various candies customers can bag and weight themselves. Some of the candies offered included Jelly Belly jellybeans, Ice Cube chocolate squares, Bit-o-honeys, spearmint leaves and orange slices. Some of the items brought back childhood memories of some of the candies I enjoyed as a kid.

Another section of note was the cheese section which looks like it offers an impressive selection of cheeses from all over the world. I can't tell you how well they stack up price wise as I'm not a big cheese eater.

Overall, I had another nice visit at the Columbia Wegmans. I found they offered good prices on items, gave good service, run a well stocked and clean store and have plenty of parking. This is a store worth giving a look. Happy shopping all!

Costco Rogaine Coupon

Recently, Costco Wholesale came out with its latest batch of coupons. 1 particular coupon caught my eye. Costco has a coupon that'll get you $10 off a 4 month supply of Rogaine foam. Rogaine is one of the treatments you can take to stop hair loss and possibly get new hair growth. I started using it when I bought a Bosley Professional Strength for Men package which included Rogaine. I don't care to mess with the Rogaine liquid. I prefer the foam as it's easier to work into the scalp. Costco's $10 coupon will knock the price of the Rogaine foam down 1/5th to $39.83 (today's price at Arundel Mills Costco was $49.83 per package). There is a limit of two 4 month packages. The coupon is good from 14 June to 8 July. If you didn't receive the coupon through the mail with the others, you can request a book of coupons at your Costco. Considering the regular price of Rogaine foam, this is one Costco offer worth using if you use Rogaine or are interested in using it. It will save you a bit of cash. Happy shopping all!

Please note this offer has expired. However, Costco has since come out with its own 5% Minoxidil foam which presumably is just like the Rogaine foam. Rogaine's patent has expired enabling Costco to do that. I'll post a blog in the future on what Costco's Minoxidil foam costs in comparison to Rogaine.

New Wegmans Opens

Today, a new Wegmans opened in Columbia, Maryland. I decided to check it out as I've never shopped at a Wegmans. The first thing I noticed and appreciated was the bi-level parking. The store needed it with the crowds that showed up for its opening day. Thankfully too, they had plenty of employees directing traffic to the different parts of the 2 lots. The second thing I noticed the was the large size of the store. The store has 2 levels with a food court on the second level and, the main shopping aisles on the first level. Third were the extensive hot food sections such as hot fresh veggies or soup. Also, they have good size sushi, fresh fish and cheese sections. Fourth, for those who care, they had an extensive organic food selection and gluten free production selection. Fifth, they offer a wide range of Wegmans brand products which presumably will be cheaper than the name brands. I'm looking forward to see how their root beer stacks up taste wise though the price was very nice at 79 cents for a 2 liter bottle. I would recommend you get their shopper's card as this can save you some money there. I got a nice deal on Rosemary and Olive Oil Triscuits thanks to this (two 9 ounces boxes for $4). You can order it on-line at wegmans.com/columbia or get one at the store. If you want to take advantage of some of the card savings immediately, the cashier has a generic savings card they can swipe for you. I ordered my card last week. We'll see how long it takes to reach me.

Overall, I was impressed with the store. I did find they sold some high end food items like fresh Dover sole for $23 or $24 (too pricey for me thanks) but, they had more affordable stuff which will make it worth my whiled to shop there. If you're any where in the Columbia, Maryland area, you should give this store a visit. I think it'll impress you and your wallet/purse. Happy shopping!

Ft. Meade Commissary

Yesterday, I visited the Ft. Meade Commissary for the first time in months. I don't tend to shop there because, it is out of the way and, you have to deal with base security to get on base. I was surprised to find out they'd changed the layout and entrance to the commissary. For example, the row with chips and snacks used to be further from the entrance than it is now. In regards to the entrance, it was shifted to where you enter the baked goods and deli section immediately. Another change was the deli counter as it was swapped around with the salads and roasted chicken section. (I wasn't impressed with their roasted chickens as they were as expensive at the ones you can buy at Sam's Club. Costco has cheaper ones.)

I checked out the prices on some items I was interested in. Supposedly, the commissary will save you at least 23% on your food bill. Personally, I have seen some savings on certain items. This trip I found out I was able to buy a 2 liter bottle of Barq's root beer, Seagram's ginger ale or any flavor of Fanta for 99 cents. That's a good price. I know Wal-Mart charges more than that though I can't tell specifically how much more. Another nice deal is their turkey bologna and turkey cotto salami. The commissary sells 1 pound packages of those for $1.25 which is a good price. I think you'd pay at least $2 else where.

One thing that confounded me a bit was the price difference between Coca Cola products. Coca Cola produces the entire Coke line as well as Sprite, Fanta, Barq's, Mello Yellow (their Mountain Dew equivalent) and Minute Maid lemonade. To my bewilderment, the 2 liter bottles of any Coke product i.e. regular Coke, Diet Coke or Zero Coke was $1.50 as was Sprite. I don't understand why those products would cost $1.50 while other Coca Cola products such as Fanta and Barq's cost 99 cents. Because of this, I skipped Sprite which I like and drink a fair amount of.

One last item I like about the commissary is the self check out. I find it tends to be quicker and, I can bag my own groceries. While the baggers at the commissary are nice and do a good job, I don't care to tip them for something I'm perfectly willing to do myself. It isn't that hard to bag 30 or 40 items.

Overall, my visit to the commissary went well. I didn't find everything I wanted. I wanted to be get some Pepperidge Farm bread sticks but, I couldn't find them. I wonder if Pepperidge Farm makes them anymore. I'll have to search the web and find out. However, I know I saved some money shopping there and was pleased with the service. I'll definitely go back again some time in the future.

Laurel Dutch Market

I visited the Laurel Pennsylvania Dutch Farmers Market on Maryland 198 this morning. I was interested in getting some meat ends from Beilers Meats. On Saturdays, the market opens at 8 a.m. and closes at 3 p.m. I arrived at 8:30 and to my disbelief, there was scarcely a parking spot to be had. The market was absolutely jumping. I think they really need to find a location in Laurel that offers more parking. The parking they have at their current location simply isn't enough. Too many times, I've had to scramble to find a parking spot.

Barring the parking mess, the market remains one of my favorite places to shop for meats, baked goods, juices, canned vegetables, candies and ice cream. They sell outstanding quality foods and, I'd highly recommend them to anyone. Just be prepared for the parking mess.

White Flint Mall

This past Sunday, I was looking for some place to ride to. The weather was nice and, I had an itch to explore some where new. I haven't been impressed with the prizes at the Hanover, Maryland Dave & Buster's (D&Bs) . I found out the only other D&Bs was at the White Flint Mall just off the Rockville Pike. I decided to check out the D&Bs there as well as the mall.

The mall was pretty with a number of very nice looking shops. Size wise, it wasn't super big though it made up for that some by having 3 floors. The mall had some anchor stores including Lord & Taylor and Bloomingdales. Parking was decent.

In regards to the Dave & Busters, initially, I had a hard time finding the arcade. I did manage to find it and checked it out. Size wise, it was probably smaller than the Arundel Mills D&Bs. However, the prize booth was definitely bigger and better stocked. They had a 30 gigabyte Zune player, an iPod and one of the Apple phones. I forget what they're called.

While walking around, I noticed a girl playing the Deal or No Deal game. I decided to play it to see how I would do. I've found it pretty interesting watching the tv show. I found out my luck in this game royally stunk! To my disbelief, I managed to pick the case that had the lowest number of ticket (2) TWICE in a ROW. I definitely got the idea I better stick with Spin & Win.

The ride back home was uneventful barring getting honked at once and having cars passed around me. I was being cautious riding wise. I wouldn't move over to another lane unless I was absolutely certain it was safe to do so. I continue to be pleased with my TMAX. It can really take off and, it's a pleasure to ride. I can't wait to ride it down to Richmond to show it to my friend Harvey. Cheers all!

The Mall In Columbia

I finally got to visit The Mall In Columbia today. I've been wanting to go there for a while but, after a hard day's work at the Post Office, the last thing I'd feel like doing was drive down there. I decided today would be the day. I'd drive there after church which is what I did. The Mall In Columbia is a nice mall. It isn't as enormous as Arundel Mills Mall but, it has a nice feel to it. It's anchored by Sears, Macy's, Penney's and Nordstrom's. My favorite shop there is Today's Pet. Every time I go there, I check out the puppies they have. I always look to see if they have a Pug puppy. I still dream of getting one some day. I didn't see any Pug puppies. They did have a nice dachshund and some cute kittens.

I saw a few new stores though none grabbed my fancy. I'm still holding off spending the money barring ordering my new laptop. I still plan to pick up my new scooter sometime the end of this month. I did treat myself to a smoothie at American Cookie. The smoothie wasn't as good as it usually is there. I held off buying anything to eat as I planned to stop by Casey's Crab Co which I did afterwards. I'll blog about another time.

Overall, I enjoyed checking the mall out though I didn't buy anything. It was nice to see it again after not having been there in months. If you live some where close to Columbia, Maryland, you might want to check it out. Note: if you have kids, there have a carousel kids can ride on though they do charge for it.

Paypal/Ebay

I don't know what it is about Paypal or Ebay but it seems I get an incredible number of scam emails for these two. This blog entry is to warn people about them. The two services are very useful. I've been able to securely pay for items without having to give credit card information via Paypal. I've been able to purchase items I've wanted at considerable savings on Ebay. I also got ripped once on Ebay for $94. Make sure you know Ebay's rules on how they'll help you concerning you failing to get merchandise you were promised. You'll also want to look at the customer satisfaction rating and how many items the seller has sold on Ebay. Someone who has sold a lot of stuff on Ebay isn't likely to run off with your money. Concerning scam emails, Paypal does have a free tool called SafetyBar that you can download that will enable you to forward to them any scam emails you get. They also try to make some money off you by selling an additional spam filter. Fortunately, you don't have to order the spam filter in order to use the scam email tool. The tool is worth having if you use Paypal or Ebay.