On her first day at the Mall of America, Rosemary tries lying and begging for shopping bags, to no avail. After a sushi lunch to regroup, she gets out her credit card and starts shopping. Goat milk soap, really expensive DKNY pajamas, and a Skwish toy for Lindsay’s baby get her warmed up for soul-searching visits to Coach and Osterman Jewelers. A giant cheerios pillow for the kids tops it off. Total spent: $425.53. Total returned: $383.14.
The dollar amounts of Rosemary’s purchases increase exponentially. After wringing her hands over whether to spend $18 on a facial mask at the Body Shop, she gets in touch with her inner shopping bitch by making the sales guy at Ben Bridge Jewelers gift wrap the watch she has just bought for Keith. A first brush with her chocolate demons at Godiva. Total spent: $1,117.56. Total returned: $979.40.
Anxiety sets in as Rosemary starts to really shop for herself, with no intention of returning anything. Gym socks, purple satin Puma sneakers, and a whole boatload of cool stuff from Nordstrom Rack warm her up for the challenge of Sox Appeal, Icing, and Bow Wow Meow. Total spent: $398.95. Total returned: $153.52.
Each podcast is an audio journal of the events of one shopping trip. A new episode is available every two weeks. Rosemary's sculpture, "The Wall of Mall," can be viewed here.