Best Buys

Margarita mixer matchup

Taste-rating away the margarita mixes

‘If life gives you limes, make margaritas,” I sang, channeling my best Jimmy Buffett. “If life gives you hordes of guests, buy margarita mixes,” responded my man Patrick. We were in the midst of planning ...

Rescues in the surf zone

There are many ways to go about becoming a San Diego lifeguard.

Coffee Roaster Tour

A tour of San Diego coffee shops that roast their own beans.

Save a fortune on eyeliner

The worst enemies of permanent cosmetics exposed.

Hamster is a better idea than hamsters

The pet debate raged on in the Kelly home. On one side are the kids who ask for a dog every time they see one in a commercial. On the other side is my husband ...

The ups and downs of garage doors

"Darn it, Patrick, this is suburbia!” I complained. “I am not about to put barn doors on the shed in our front yard!” Patrick has been trying to cut costs — he’s already embarrassed to ...

Bringing out the butterflies

Turn your tomatoes and squash into butterflies and hummingbirds.

Car wash gone mobile

San Diego's best mobile auto-detailing companies

‘Shaggy and Scooby must be jealous,” Patrick said when Bernice pulled her bright yellow Dodge Sprinter down our driveway. The Sprinter has 12 seats, just like our Chevy Express, but it rides about two feet ...

St. Patrick's party prep

Póg mo thóin if you don’t like the music!

St. Patrick’s Day is fast approaching, and my Kelly hubby is heavy into party planning. “I bought green-striped thigh-high stockings [$4.99 at partycity.com] for you,” he announced, “and a little green top-hat hairband thingy [$9.99 ...

Cash for cars

Where ’94 Chevy Suburbans go when they die.