After many years of suspicion, it's finally official: I'm turning into my mother.

Everyone has those moments where they sense their parents' sensibilities seeping in their own behavior.

But this time, at age 27, it's the real deal.

Don't get me wrong -- I love my mom and appreciate everything she taught me, so it's not at all bad that I'm noticing her traits in my own actions. I suppose it means I'm actually a real adult.

I've always known, thought, that I was the sensible one among my friends. You know -- the one who has to be the buzzkill and bring adult logic to an otherwise enjoyable and carefree situation.

But now I've reached a whole new level. Allow me to present the evidence:

I use coupons when I shop. Now, I don't sit down with the Sunday newspaper and clip every coupon -- who has time for that? -- but I do save them when I stumble across one I might realistically have a use for.

So far, it's working out well.

Just a few days ago, I used a two of those convenient receipt coupons at Target and saved $2 on bread and chips.

Sure, it's just $2, but that's, like, a half-gallon of gas.

Of course, there are a few details that remain to be ironed out in this whole money-saving situation. A couple of weeks ago, I found a Target coupon in my wallet for $1 off Archer Farms chips. Sweet! I thought. So I went to Target, bought some Archer Farms chips, got them home and realized the coupon was still in my wallet. And on the same visit, I failed to redeem a "Save $1 now!" coupon from atop a bottle of shampoo.

Presenting the coupon at the time of sale is always a good idea.

It may be a while before I'm completely efficient at saving money in this manner.

Speaking of saving money, I've also started stocking up on groceries at the hell on earth that is Aldi. Mom used to drag me in there when I was a kid, and I hate it as much now as I did back then.

What's so bad about Aldi? It smells like a truck stop, you have to deposit a quarter to use a shopping cart, grocery bags aren't free, and I almost certainly will witness a mother scream at or smack her child.

What's so great about Aldi? All those horrible factors make for the world's fastest shopping trip. The experience is so miserable that I am motivated to get in and get out before I lose my mind.

Also, the groceries are dirt cheap.

With the recent discovery of cheap groceries, I've also been much more inclined to cook. Yes -- me! I have progressed far beyond sandwiches, salads and soups.

I now am capable of preparing dishes with several ingredients. Why, just this week I made a delicious chicken alfredo dish with chicken that I marinated in a delicious chipotle sauce.

And a few months ago, inspired by my Facebook friend Mignon Fogarty (a.k.a. Grammar Girl) and the fact that I have a weakness for French's French Fried Onions, I made a green-bean casserole. It was oniony and delicious.

My motherliness has also carried over to my workplace. In fact, I just returned from the newsroom lounge, where a disgusting mound of dirty dishes occupied the sink and counter. Your mother doesn't work here, I thought. I began tidying up the sink but stopped myself.

Seriously, though. Why on earth, in a department with more than 200 employees, would anyone think it's acceptable to behave that way? I feel a responsibility to wash my own dishes and put them away, so why shouldn't you?

Dirty, wet paper towels do not belong in the sink, children.

Now get off the Internet and go wash up for dinner before your father gets home and you really get it.

Restaurant review | Beso Mexican Grill & Cantina
1130 Washington Ave., St. Louis
314.588.7864, beso-stl.com

I never got a chance to check out Red, the trendy nightspot that occupied the Washington Avenue space before Beso. I heard it had suffered from something of an identity crisis: Its owners couldn't agree on what Red should be.

I did get a chance to check out Beso a few weeks ago, however.

My first impression was a good one. While pieces of the decor clearly were leftovers from the previous venture -- TVs in the booths, for example -- I liked that it didn't look like a traditional Mexican restaurant inside.

Sort of sports-bar-meets-Mexico.

I did find it a bit annoying, though, that the overhead music skipped the whole time I was there. I think it was one song that stopped abruptly and replayed, over and over and over. Employees made a few panicked attempts to fix it, but it was no good.

My party began with house margaritas -- the true test for success. Our consensus: If you like the taste of sweet-and-sour mix, they're great.

I went out on a limb and tried a Blue Lagoon margarita from the vast drink menu. It was delicious and appropriately mixed.

The dining menu has the Mexican staples, but it also offers a few surprises -- like shark. My portabella quesadilla was tasty and arrived in a timely manner.

The owner (one of the co-owners of Red) seated our party, and our server was attentive and pleasant. Overall, my experience was good.

Beso has been getting some negative attention lately in the blogosphere, though. A fellow downtown dweller brought the scandal to my attention last week.

Apparently, someone posted a negative review of Beso on Yelp, a restaurant rating site. Beso's owner then contacted the reviewer and threatened some pretty hateful things if she didn't remove her review.

They say any publicity is good publicity, but this story has spread like wildfire, especially among the downtown community. Word of mouth can make you or break you.

My advice: Give Beso a chance, and check it out for yourself. Downtown needs restaurants that will succeed.

Just review it at your own risk.