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Refrigerator Purchase Review at Lowe's

November 16, 2025

Two Lowe's Refrigerator Purchase Experiences: One Easy, One Not As Easy

Lowe's has not let me down yet! We have purchased two different refrigerators in person at Lowe's and then they delivered it to our house some days later.
refrigerator review

For our first home on the East Coast, we had purchased a Samsung side-by-side refrigerator from Lowe's for a home we had just purchased on the East Coast when we were living there. Because my husband, who's a veteran, receives a 10% discount for all of his purchases for his past military service, we have been regular customers. It was an easy process and a great experience from purchasing to receiving. They delivered with a two-person team, took our door apart to fit the fridge through, hooked the fridge up, put the door back on the front door and took all the trash away!

Sadly, 8 years later, our refrigerator stopped staying cold enough! Even after trying to fix it ourselves, it was time to throw in the towel and we had to purchase a new one. Our milk and other food would go bad so quickly. We had moved from the East Coast to the West Coast and this fridge came along with us so there's this bit of sentimental attachment but, it was creating problems! Remembering all of our great Lowe's experiences, we decided to go to the Lowe's in our area in California and bought another refrigerator to replace the old one. This time, we ordered a side-by-side Frigidaire. They had over 3 dozens to pick from in person and we picked one that was about middle range in price. I like being able to open and close each refrigerator to compare. The personnel found a manager who gave my husband a 10% discount for the fridge. Thankfully, the veteran discounts work on both coasts at Lowe's!

Now, the lay-out of my smaller California home has my kitchen located on the second floor! It's weird for a single home so, the refrigerator sits on the second floor. The Lowe's personnel had mentioned that in the notes for us and also mentioned that they needed to take the old fridge away ($50 extra cost added for Lowe's to take the old fridge out, which I thought was a fair deal since that is labor included). However, when the delivery people came, they came with a 2 person team. I didn't think too much about it but they asked to see the existing fridge and quickly told me, this is a 3 or 4 person job so their team couldn't hook it up! Because it is upstairs, they need more people to ensure they don't ding the walls. I totally respect that decision and policy because my movers actually dinged our walls moving our fridge up the stairs and the fridge itself got dings and a zig-zag dent from the move. You can see the picture of my original Samsung fridge with zig-zag dent below from the movers moving it up the stairs of my house!

So then, we had to call Lowe's and explained the situation that the delivery people told us that Lowe's needed to send a 3 or 4-person team. Now, given the situation, Lowe's did a pretty good job of resolving it. They opened a case and told us that they'd call us back. Later that day, they gave us a call and said they found a team for 4 people and will deliver the refrigerator in two days. 

Old Samsung Refrigerator
This was my old Samsung old fridge. See that big ding or zig-zag dent below our fridge doors? That happened when two movers were trying to move my big fridge up the stairs when we moved into our California house. They didn't take the doors apart before moving it and that could be the reason why that movers caused esthetic damage carrying it upstairs.
  

Anyway, two days later after they had brought the refrigerator to my house the first time but couldn't install it, my actual refrigerator  arrived at my house with two separate big trucks! Each truck had a team of two. I think one team contacted the other team as contractors so they could get this job from Lowe's. Well, it was obvious that Lowe's finds contractors for deliveries. I don't know why but I kept wondering how much Lowe's pays these guys for delivering and hooking my refrigerator up? With this team of four, I hope they pay them well enough. Anyway, one gentleman seems to be the leader. He rung the Ring doorbell on my front porch while the three other guys were busy getting the new fridge out of the box and asked me where the refrigerator was. So, I guided him upstairs where he immediately went to work and took the the old fridge doors' apart to make sure nothing gets dinged on the way down when the guys carry the main bulk down. I was pretty impressed with his mechanical skills. Then, one of the four guys was tasked with carrying the old fridge parts down while the leader continues to take more pieces apart. Before the entire old fridge went down, two guys brought the new fridge up the steps and set it down next to the old fridge. Then, one guy, who was lifting the new fridge up switched off with another guy so that he can take on the lift-down for the old fridge. I'm sure all of this lifting is terrible for their backs so if one guy needs to switch off on the lifting, that third guy offers relief. I was really intrigued by their team dynamics so I just observed without uttering a word to avoid disrupting their process.

So, from the doorbell ring button push, fridge swap, installation and finally, cleaning up all the plastic bags and trash from the new fridge, it took their team about 40 minutes. They were efficient and I'm sure they have other jobs lined up for the rest of the day. I had asked my husband if I was supposed to tip them and he said no. So, I know Lowe's pays them to do contract work and to do these services but the current tipping culture has gotten me very confused.

Anyway, even though there was a hiccup, I am happy with both of my refrigerator purchases from Lowe's on both coasts of the U.S.A. I know I'm really tooting Lowe's horn in this post but I'm honestly happy to share about my home improvement experiences as every big purchase can be frustrating and costly as homeowners.

Read about my experience when I ordered customized blinds from Lowe's.

Satisfied Home Improvement or Modernization Suggestions:

 

Sushi Table Review

November 14, 2025

For a long while, I struggled to find a fast-service high quality sushi spot in San Luis Obispo County. Now I've found it at Sushi Table, located at SLO Ranch. The most unique thing about their sushi is they have a sushi taco option. It's like a small handroll except the nori paper is a rectangular piece, which makes it interesting to look at.

Sushi Review at Sushi TableSushi Table SLO Ranch

It was a learning curve figuring out how to take the plastic out of the nori paper before eating it. You can see this experience on my instagram in video. However, after the second one, I got the process down.

Dim Sum at Sushi Table San Luis Obispo

They open every day except for Tuesday. The bonus for me is they have a dim sum menu on Sundays and if I come on a Monday, there is a high chance that they have some dim sum in their front fridge! I've taken advantage of that twice on a Monday and they would offer to steam it up for me so it's nice and hot. The taste and quality of their dim sum selection are amazing! I've dined at over 10 dim sum restaurants and the ones here rank up high on the list!

Best Dim Sum in San Luis Obispo

The first two times that I've been to Sushi Table coincidentally happened on a Monday each time. It may be my fun tradition to come there every month or so on a Monday. I'm really looking forward to this routine.

Ramen in San Luis Obispo

On the second Monday, I ordered a bowl of tonkotsu ramen with pork belly and I was so impressed! There are other restaurants in SLO that specialize in ramen and the ramen at Sushi Table definitely beats them in quality. I did not have a tummy ache at all. I felt great!

After dining at the dining area near Sushi Table, I would walk around SLO Ranch a little and spot their nice photo opportunity set-ups. The ranch does this very well and makes it very inviting.

SLO Ranch Pictures SLO Ranch Market Review

You can view a reel from my visit at Sushi Table at SLO Ranch on my instagram.

Address of Sushi Table: 811 Froom Ranch Way #120, San Luis Obispo, CA 93405
 

Sea + Green in Cambria | Perfect Shop for Handmade Gifts

November 8, 2025

In the beautiful beach town of Cambria is a brick and mortar store selling collective vintage and handmade goods, inspired by the sea. It's the perfect shop for finding gifts for your loved ones and friends for the holidays.

Sea Green Store Review in Cambria

Selling jewelry, bath & body supplies, crystals, textiles, baby & kid items, and even offering classes/workshops, this cute shop has many unique and one-of-a-kind options.

They even have an online store where you can buy the items ahead of time and then pick up 24 hours later! Visit Sea + Green Online Store to see items they have available.
Sea and Green Vintage Gift Shop in Cambria

Reading a little about the family that runs this shop made me realize that they are very similar to my family as we also moved from the East Coast to the Central Coast. I'm originally from San Diego, born and raised, but later moved to South Carolina and lived there for 6 years to transition from a military wife status to becoming a civilian family. Then, in 2019, we returned to California when my husband was recruited to work on the Central Coast. A year after living here, the pandemic hit. So, their story about coming here and then the pandemic hit not too long after, resonated with me.

Somehow, when I hear stories like this, it reminds me that hope is such a beautiful feeling...this hope of a better future...a better life...sometimes require migration.

You can view their latest posts and videos on Sea + Green's instagram where see a tour or glimpse of their offerings and beautiful shop.

Sea + Green Address: 2380 Main Street, Cambria, CA 93428
For fall, they are open from Sunday through Thursday from 11AM - 5PM, and Friday from 11AM - 5:30PM.

Sea + Green Website
Sea + Green Instagram

This shop is located in Cambria, a beach town in San Luis Obispo County. Read more about Cambria.
 

Extreme Wild Wings Review

October 28, 2025

Where French Fries used to be, Extreme Wild Wings took over. The arcades are gone but what replaced that place is more seating, a lot of TVs, and sports banners. This is truly a sports fan dream.

Wings Review at Extreme Wild Wings

The atmosphere is open, but what will make me come back here are the flavors and quality of the wings. We ordered 40 wings and got 4 different flavors! They were all good and the size is great!

Extreme Wild Wings Review

I wish the wings came with carrots and celery, but that's just a minor thing. We could order them as sides. There is also a couple selections for kids as well.

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As a Chargers fan, I appreciated the banner on the wall and also a poster with all of the NFL game schedule. They also did that for 49ers fans and Rams fans. The Chargers won the night that we dined there so that was extra special! See my instagram post about my visit here at Extreme Wild Wings.

 

Santee Lakes Party Reservation Review

October 20, 2025

For my dad's 70th birthday celebration, we decided to have a party at Picnic Spot N at Santee Lakes in San Diego County. This spot is located at Lake #4. With a reservation here, I was able to have this spot from 6AM - 6PM for the day that I reserved for.

Santee Lakes Party Reviews and Pictures

I was really impressed with this particular picnic spot (Spot N) because it's on a little island. We crossed a bridge to get to the area. I think with my decorations, it immediately wowed the guests coming to the party at this particular spot. It had a peaceful view of the lake and the birds were chirping happily as our natural soundtrack.

View of Picnic Spot N From the Sidewalk

Before I arrived, this is how it looked from a distance below. Contrast to the top picture of this blog post, I added and brought my canopy and attached some balloons with a 70th birthday banner in the center; and really made it look like a popping event! You're allowed to set up your own canopy and attach balloons. I recommend calling the Santee Lakes Customer Service number to double check what's allowed because every spot has different restriction. However, the rule is you must take all your decorations and not release any of them by 6PM (for this particular spot we had to leave by 6PM). You will need to be responsible to cleaning up all the mess as well. I brought my own pop-up canopy and decided on a gold/white theme for the balloons as this was a 70th birthday celebration and my invitation had a gold theme. Loading stuff from the car across the bridge to this spot is manageable. I recommend bringing a rolling wagon cart to transport your supplies from your car to the picnic spot so it could save you many trips from going back and forth.

Picnic Spot N Pictures at Santee Lakes

The capacity for this Picnic Spot N is 25 people. We only had 16 guests at our party so this spot was perfect. We had a party in the middle of October so it was a very hot day! The canopy is an absolute must for comfort, especially for grilling and people hanging out. We ended up adding a smaller second canopy (not pictured) behind the front big canopy. It was a life saver for shade. I also want to recommend getting weights for the legs of the canopy. They're quite heavy but worth loading to bring to the party for the canopy. I bought these exact weights for my canopy and they have been so great for windy days to keep the canopy stable and not fly away!

There are many other spots available at Santee Lakes that has a bigger capacity for very big parties! On their website, they even have spots that allow 200 or even 1,000 people! I can see this being a great option for an outdoor wedding. You can view their Picnic & Parties Spots available on the Santee Lakes' website.

Recommended Outdoor Party Decorations:

 

Are you planning on relocating to San Luis Obispo County from a different place?

Suggestions for Your Big Move

About Me


San Luis Obispo Mom Originally from San Diego, California, I'm a San Diego State University alumna, veteran's wife and mom of two kids who were born two years apart. After living on the East Coast for 6 years, we now reside in San Luis Obispo County and here, the exploration continues. In between work and momming it, I like to exercise.
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All photos (except for ads) on SanLuisObispoMom.com including: homepage, 'Family-Friendly Things to do' page, 'SLO Restaurants' page,'Mom Groups & Childcare' page, and 'blog' page were taken by me so they are my original content and belong to this blog/website.

To find family-friendly activities in the SLO area, go to the 'Family-Friendly Things To Do' page.

Some of the links are just useful local information that I'm sharing for free and some are commission-based products that may help me earn a small commission for each sale to upkeep with the fees of running this local blog.