Tuesday, June 9, 2015

Favourite things

Mel occasionally posts about her favourite things, and asks us to post about ours. As I was commenting on her recent post, one thought led to another & I realized I'd be better off doing my own blog post instead of writing a gargantuan comment. :) So here are a few of my favourite things at the moment:
  • Olive Oil & Sea Salt Mini-Crisps, made by a local bakery, but I'm sure you could find something comparable wherever you live. They have different flavours, and you can serve them with dips and spreads like any fancy cracker, but dh & I prefer this flavour, straight out of the resealable bag. We just discovered these last week, and we are already addicted.  
  • Entertainment Weekly magazine: This is actually a long-time, ongoing favourite of mine. Dh has asked me if I could only subscribe to one magazine, what would it be? And this would be my answer. It's a spinoff of People magazine, but it's less about showbiz personalities and gossip than the entertainment business itself -- what's new and notable, and critics' recommendations on must-see movies, books and television, etc. But I've never actually subscribed -- when I was working, the newsstand downstairs would receive its weekly shipment of new magazines on Thursday mornings, and I would head downstairs at lunchtime to pick up my copy, and then enjoy it on the train ride home that night. I still have my copy of the very first issue from 1990, and I still pick up a new copy every week (usually on Saturday nights now, at our favourite megabookstore -- these things take a little longer to get to Suburbia, lol).
  • Lucky Brand:  I discovered Lucky Brand clothing at Macy's in New York City when I was there in October 2013. I bought two long-sleeved rib-knit Henley T-shirts there that were so cute & comfortable, I wished I'd bought a few more. I did an Internet search & was happy to learn they had some stores in Canada, including one at the Eaton Centre close to where I worked in downtown Toronto. It's pricey stuff (and even pricier in Canada than on the U.S.-based website) -- but I love the fabrics & styles, and while some of the styles are perhaps a little "young" for a 50-something lady like me :p I have found & bought some cute tops that don't look too bad on me ;) as well as some great jewelry. (Their jewelry can also be found at some Hudson's Bay stores.)(Haven't tried their jeans.) I generally watch for sales -- there's usually a sale rack at the back of the store, as well as regular promotions. My latest purchase, originally $49.50 ($39.99 US on the website), was $39.99 on the sale rack, and then marked down a further 50%. So, including taxes, I wound up paying a much more reasonable $22.59. Their website has a much broader selection than their store (at least the store that I've been to) -- and they do ship to Canada -- but the prices are in U.S. dollars, so if you're in Canada, you will wind up paying exchange, as well as shipping & duty, which could add up. Caveat emptor.
  • Columbia sports sandals:  The photo in the link shows a pair similar to ones I bought a few years ago. They were so incredibly comfortable, I bought a couple more pairs in different colours. I can walk in these for a long time. Pricey, but worth it!   
  • Moxies:  I've been to Moxies with my parents in Manitoba several times -- it's been in Winnipeg for years -- but the chain is gradually expanding eastward, and recently opened a location near where I live. And (knocking wood) so far, so good: we've enjoyed every meal we've had there to date:  the food has been good & the service has been excellent.  Perhaps slightly more expensive than some of the other restaurants around here, but then, you get what you pay for. ;)
  • Body Shop Pink Grapefruit Shower Gel:  I've always been a bar soap user, all my life (and dh still is) -- but as part of my decluttering project, I've been trying to use up some of the skin care & beauty product miniatures that have piled up in recent years from freebie samples, gifts with purchase, etc.  I'd received a couple of gift bags from the Body Shop through office Secret Santa exchanges, etc., and one of them included a mini bottle of this shower gel, along with a shower puff.  I tried it & found I liked it -- enough to buy myself a bottle once the mini was used up. My mother made the switch to body washes long ago & swore it left much less soap scum on the tub & tiles, making cleaning that much easier. As usual, Mom was right. ;)  The citrus scent is a nice wakeup and perfect for summertime.
How about you? Any good finds lately?

3 comments:

  1. I like Entertainment Weekly, but they were piling up. The People magazine pile up too, but I don't feel guilty skipping over articles about reality television shows I don't watch.

    New love: the game 1010 (I think you can also play on Facebook? But I play on my phone). And solitaire. Solitaire is one of those games that keeps looping back around for me.

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    1. I've made it a rule not to play games on Facebook -- but I'm addicted to Spider Solitaire on my laptop. I used to play with two suits, but that was starting to seem too easy, so I upped the ante to four suits. Since then, I've played more than 1,100 games. And won exactly one. :p Well, I guess I wanted more of a challenge...!

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  2. Ohhh fun! I'll play! Some of my current favorites are:

    -Old Navy workout leggings-cheap, do the job.
    -St. Ives Timeless Skin Collagen Elastin Facial Moisturizer-One of the few facial moisturizers at any price point that doesn't break my super sensitive skin out.
    -Entwine Merlot-not the best Merlot I've had, but is definitely a ton better than the $7.99 price tag.
    -Camtasia (video editing software)-I use it for work related purposes, but I'm having fun learning.
    -The Subaru BRZ....I think I'm having a midlife crisis. It's not practical, we're not in the market for a new car, but damn, it's pretty, and I want it.
    -Farming Simulator 15 for the Playstation 4-Super stress relieving, I get to drive tractors around and plant and harvest wheat and corn and whatnot. Yes, I'm a nerd.

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