The LocalSteal team is currently on vacation. We’ll be back in a couple of weeks. Our return will be marked by new, exciting, and, dare we say, radical changes to the guide. No hints for now, but we’ll make sure to issue exclusive leaks as the relaunch date draws near. Look for them at our Facebook page and Twitter feed. See you all soon. In the mean time, keep on shopping locally!

‘Tis the season for great summer sales, and you know what that means – temptation to buy for fall.  After many a bargain-hunt-turned-serious-splurge, I’ve learned to thwart my spendthrift habits with a classic example of psychological deterrence: I distract myself with season-neutral accessories.
Cheaper than shoes or a dress, accessories are the most cost-effective way to spice up your closet without shelling out serious cash. With countless ways to wear and pair, they offer the quickest route to a fresh new wardrobe where you’d otherwise end up with just one new …

Decisions were much easier when I was younger.
“What do you want to get mom?”
“Flowers.”
Whether for her birthday, Mother’s Day, Easter or a “just-because” occasion, flowers were always the easiest gift option. But that was before floral became a fashion trend.
Now the flower scene has evolved into something a bit more complicated. First, there is the amount. Single? Bouquet? Gift Basket? And then, the tag-a-longs. A balloon? Or a bear? How about some candy? And don’t forget the actual flowers. Real? Dried? Or — artificial? And lastly, the colors. Extreme? Plain? …

As a little girl, I used to pull out the Candy Land game board just so I could salivate over pictures of the Peppermint Forest, Gumdrop Mountains, and the Peanut Brittle House. I’d imagine that chocolate flagstones led up to my cake cone castle, with maraschino cherries perched atop dripping ice cream towers.
While those visions never exactly came true, I did experience moments of sugar-filled bliss when my parents took me to the candy store. With the heavenly aroma and shelves sagging with jellybeans, truffles, lollipops, and chocolate bars, such …

As a serial mover, I know what makes a new place instantly feel like home. It’s not the artwork, books, or my favorite duvet, although they help. It’s the lighting. I need light. Lots of it. All of the time and in different intensities. From all directions. Overhead, floor, desk lamps: these are the tools I use to turn a humble studio apartment into My Place.
Trust me, nothing updates a standard white apartment more than changing the stock, boring overheads.
Unsurprisingly, I’ve amassed a lovely collection of lamps and lights. But …