Photo-Illustration: The Strategist; Pictures: Retailers
We write about hundreds of products every week. Here in our version of the Sunday Flyer, we’ve picked out some of our recent favourites: expert-recommended essentials, life-changing things you didn’t know you needed, recently released gadgets and great bargains. that we have discovered while browsing the vast universe of online shopping – including the chili crisp which best bossof Buddha Lo uses on everything from work-appropriate pants that J. Crew employees swear by, to loose gum for everyday chewing.
When we asked a professional chef and best boss The Buddha Lo What Can’t Be Without winner told us that even though “chili chips are everywhere now, everyone knows the inspiration came from this one right here.” The “OG” Lao Gan Ma can be put (and enhanced) on anything from instant ramen to lobster bisque to some “not-so-good take-out”. Lo likes to pair it with burrata or stracciatella, and points to it as a “key ingredient in some of my sauces”, thinking that “I think it’s the umami that goes with that crispy chili that works so well.” It’s not very hot, but you do get some heat.
Casetify just released a customizable phone case that’s very reminiscent of Crocs and Jibbitz. The slim silicone case is dotted with holes that let you mix and match adorable pins in the shape of rainbows, daisies and happy faces (sold separately in sets). Considering the ’90s revival doesn’t seem likely to slow down anytime soon, we predict cases will fly off the shelves – so if you want to nab one for your pre-teen niece (or yourself, no judgment), don’t. dillydly.
Curbed and Grub Street social media editor Zach Schiffman “genuinely feels more productive chewing gum. There is something about sensory distraction that keeps me focused on the pixels on my screen,” he writes. That’s why he buys gum in bulk from Amazon and keeps it on his desk to chew on all day. His favorite brand is Xylichew Ice Mint; it’s “sweetened with birch xylitol, which the company claims helps slow the rate of acid production in the mouth and prevent enamel erosion,” says Schiffman. He recently ordered a bag of 500 sachets, which costs $0.10 per chiclet of very affordable gum.
As soon as Japan’s borders reopened in October, Brooklyn-based writer and stylist Diana Tsui booked a flight in late January to enjoy Niseko’s “Japowder,” a light snow that feels like snowboarding on the clouds. Tsui and her husband spent a lot of time on the mountain, of course, but also visited a fish market, grilled their own seafood dinner, and attended a snow festival filled with giant ice sculptures. For the trip, Tsui brought his monogrammed Paravel Packing Cubes, which “make it easy to separate my husband’s gear from mine since we put all of our snowboarding gear in one suitcase,” Tsui told us.
Rapper Macklemore told us he couldn’t live without his New Balance 550s, which reminded him to wear white Air Force 1s. “I don’t know about the 550s, but they’re just easy. I can wear them with anything,” he told us. “They’re super comfortable – great arch support It’s a design that reminds me of the 80s, and I love that era. Even though it’s a classic dad shoe, he doesn’t really consider it a dad shoe: “I think of there [Nike] Monarch as the most essential dad shoe. And there are other New Balance models that I think are more dad shoes,” she clarified, adding that maybe “80s dads wore these, but no dads go out. the 550 these days. They get out their velcros and get on that lawn and start that mower.
We polled a panel of current J.Crew employees for insider tips on what to buy (and what to skip), and several associates recommended the Camerons as the best work pants . Their favorite style is four-season stretch, which is made with a blend of spandex that gives them a forgiving fit and relaxed feel without looking sloppy. “They’re so comfortable and a perfect price for a nice set of business pants,” an associate said. They also wash well and retain their shape, even with a high percentage of spandex.
Strategist writer Erin Schwartz only ever wants to wear her Dickies skateboard pants. They bought their first pair last summer “while looking online for medium blue pants that weren’t jeans,” and the loose but crisp pants quickly became a favorite. So they recently bought another pair, this time in black. “The pants cling well to almost any shoe, from Vibram-soled Chelsea boots to chunky dad sneakers,” Schwartz writes. “I also love that Dickies trousers come in a range of sizes from 38 to 26, a rare find in men’s trousers.” Since Schwartz is only five feet tall, they had to cut a few inches off the hem, but the “twill weave means you can leave the hem raw without worrying about the fabric fraying, like denim. “.
In our latest episode of “Assistant Files,” we spoke to “Sophie,” who has been an assistant to a best-selling Brooklyn novelist since 2020. Sophie recounted a time in late 2021 where she and her boss got created mailers to promote his boss’ first book, which was published in early 2022. The mail was sent to 75 of the author’s close friends, influencers and celebrities, including Aubrey Plaza, Maria Hinojosa and Kimberly Drew. They wanted the boxes to match the book cover exactly, so Sophie contacted the publisher and cover designer to get the exact hex codes used in the design. “It was very, very outside of my normal duties,” she says.
Strategist collaborator Elyse Moody has been pumping breast milk for almost a year since the birth of her daughter and has found that “the hardest part of pumping outside the home is figuring out how to store the milk when it’s is not given immediately to my daughter.” She found a solution in the form of Ceres Chill, which is somewhat like a camping thermos. What’s special about the Ceres Chill is that “it can actively cool hot liquids,” writes Moody. “It has an inner chamber, which is non-insulated stainless steel and screws securely into the outer vessel. You can fill one of its chambers with ice and water to chill up to 24 ounces of breast milk for over 20 hours,” essentially eliminating the need for a fridge or cooler.
Actress Kimiko Glenn counts these hot and cold compresses among her favorite things, especially since she’s constantly cold. “I’m one of those people whose hands freeze all the time,” she says. To keep warm, she surrounds herself with several heating compresses: “Instead of these heavy blankets, the heating compresses are my safety space.” She uses this microwave every night to help her fall asleep; Since the heat dissipates within an hour, she doesn’t have to worry about overheating overnight.
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