Things I Like

I do not normally endorse things (besides books and TV, I guess) but I have a couple things/services that I am really happy about at the moment, and I feel like sharing. I am not being paid or receiving any special favors in exchange for this post--in fact, I doubt any of these entities have any idea I am writing this. This is just me telling you stuff I think you should buy because it is awesome. Take it or leave it.

1. Cake Balls: A lovely woman on Etsy who has a store called The Fetching Hound makes a delicious treat she calls Bitty Bites. Everyone in my immediate circle calls them cake balls, and they are THE SHIT. They are basically balls of moist, wonderful cake dipped in either chocolate or some kind of frosting. She makes a bunch of flavors, though my personal favorite is the carrot cake. They are great to send someone for a gift (or great to order and simply stuff your face with -- I am not judging!)

2. Trader Joe's: I have become obsessed with Trader Joe's. I never thought I could fall in love with a grocery store, but here I am! For those of you who are unfamiliar, Trader Joe's is a store that keeps prices down by basically only selling their own brand of products. However, their products are great, so it's not like you're losing out on anything. The things I love specifically are:

• Their produce is considerably nicer than that at the grocery store I used to go to. I no longer lose half of every potato to eyes or dark spots. Hell, I don't even really have to peel their potatoes.
• The frozen foods are great. Specifically, the Mandarin Orange Chicken and Vegetable Fried rice are to die for. We eat them at least once a week, and would eat them more if given the chance. Nothing like reasonable, tasty weeknight meals that can be put together in less than half an hour. They've also got a frozen quinoa mix that is extremely tasty.
• The Tea Tree Tingle Shampoo: My hair is finicky at best, and I have spent several years trying to find a shampoo that really works on a daily basis. There was a time in the recent past when I had EIGHT different shampoos in my shower. Now I have one, and it is glorious.
• Everything Pretzel Slims: They are basically just the crispy outside of pretzels, covered with the stuff you'd find on an everything bagel. Wonderful for snacking or dipping.

3. The Body Shop's Body Butter: As well as picky hair, I have unbelievably difficult skin, particularly in the winter. This is the ONLY stuff that helps, and believe me I have tried it all. I don't know about any of the other scents, but I use the Satsuma, and it is not objectionable.

4. Bath & Body Works Spa Socks: I totally live in these when I'm not at work. They don't seem to make a masculine version (unless you are a gentleman who enjoys brightly colored stripes and/or dots...and I know there are some of you out there.) Most have the little rubber dots on the bottom to keep you from careening across any hardwood floor you may encounter, but a warning: they do generate a certain amount of static electricity.

5. The Knifty Knitter Circle Loom Set: I long to be crafty, but I have neither the patience nor the coordination to actually learn to knit. With this set, I managed to knock out a perfectly serviceable (and not unattractive) hat in just one afternoon. There are many other uses, including making mittens, scarves, and socks...though I don't have the book to learn those quite yet. Still, these are pretty sweet and made me feel like a true crafter.

If any of you have any recommended products, let me know. And if you only look into one thing on this list, check out the cake balls. You will NOT regret it (though your waistline might!)