rainbows and roses and whiskers on kittens...

Every now and then, and always unexpectedly, someone will tell me that they bought something I had recommended and how much they, too, love it.

Inspired by this bit, here's a short list of a few favorite things.

Dyson V7 Motorhead Vacuum

I live in a relatively small NYC apartment and hate to vacuum. I love to organize, not to clean. And vacuuming is such a chore. Even my small Miele is heavy.  And then there is the plugging and unplugging.  But this little Dyson is great. Maybe not for a big house, but perfect for a small apartment.  It's light, easy to use, holds a charge, does a very good job, and makes vacuuming regularly something I now do.

The Cheese Knife OKP2

Not much to say about this knife, except it does what it's supposed to do, and does it flawlessly.

Twelve South Forte for iPhone | Modern Desktop Stand for MagSafe Charger and iPhone

This is something you might not think you want or need, but once you have it, you'll love it. It both holds and charges your iPhone. I love the aesthetic and its ease of use. And, it has a very small footprint. Another plus.

Baratza Encore Burr Coffee Grinder

Never used to care that much about coffee. But that changed when I was at a friend's house and they had one of these coffee grinders. It does make a difference. This coffee grinder is fast, consistent, and makes your first cup of the day something worth getting up for. The one minor issue is the spray of little coffee grinds that always end up on my counter.

Breville Die-Cast 2-Slice Smart Toaster

Easy, fluid adjustments from light to dark. Not too much to say. Just think this small toaster is great, if you need one.

Sowaca Ceramic Cooking Pan

If you live alone, or frequently cook for one, this pan is great. I use it all the time to heat things up. Easy to clean. Just the right size for most things. Comes in a few colors. And oh so adorable.

Then there's this app called...

Too good to go

I'm not sure how useful it is if you don't live in or near a big city, but if you do, it's a great little app to know about.

Contigo Ashland Chill 2.0 Water Bottle with Autospout Lid

Have tried many many water bottles and this, I think, is the best. It really keeps water cold  (and ice cubes frozen, for over 24 hours). I also like the silicone sipping spout. You just need to drink from the bottle while it's held vertically.

And finally, if you don't have an ice maker in your refrigerator and you buy ice...

Manual Ice Crusher

I don't drink often but I like an occasional Cosmopolitan with a friend. I buy a bag of ice and really have no way to crush the ice. So I purchase this little set on Amazon. It's now been ages since I've made a Cosmo, but I do need ice cubes. The big bag of ice I bought a while ago has basically morphed into one big block of ice.  (As a side note, I recently learned that bought ice should always have the IPIA label). Last night I try the small mallet above and use it on the bag of ice. One small smash and I have tons of ice cubes. Perfect to add to my Contigo above.

Yup.  Even small things in life can make me happy.