Heather's Favorite Things!!!

It's the hottest ticket in town! My favorite things!

Well, not really. You aren't getting any of this stuff for free from me. Sorry. But my tastes are much more affordable than Oprah's so you can just go out and buy this stuff on your own! These are some of my most favorite things! I hope if you invest in any of these items that they give you as much joy as they have given me!

1) Power Up MP3-8370 4-Way iPod Charging Kit - $39.99 on Amazon

http://www.amazon.com/Power-MP3-8370-4-Way-iPod-Charging/dp/B000QTTKSS

Sounds sexy, doesn't it? But trust me, this thing is a LIFESAVER! This kit has a plug that goes into a computer, a wall or a car. It can charge your Blackberry, your iPod, or even my GPS. I love this thing so much, I carry it around in my purse all of the time. And it has totally earned its way into my favorite list - when my two friends and I had to drive from Boston to Michigan because of a snow storm, we realized we weren't going to be able to charge our phones or the iPod because we only had wall chargers. THEN I found this baby in my purse! We charged all of our stuff and had a great unexpected road trip!

2) Picnik.com photo editing website - Free for some features, $24.95 for Premium membership
http://www.picnik.com/

If you follow me on Twitter, you've been seeing the products of me using this site. Picnik.com is a really easy-to-use photo editing site that allows you to do fun and goofy things to photos, but also to do more subtle touch-ups to photos that can make a good photo a great photo. You can erase wrinkles, add a tan, clean your teeth, give yourself different color eyes and highlight your hair. You can also add a hat, turn a photo black & white and add a watermark. Picnik.com also works with Flickr.com (a photo storage site) so if you have photos on Flickr, editing your photos is only a click away.


3) Narciso Rodriguez For Her Eau de Toilette - $69.00 for 1.6 oz at Sephora
http://www.sephora.com/browse/product.jhtml?id=P110113&categoryId=B70

One day on Twitter a girl was saying how several people had stopped her and told her she smelled wonderful. She said it was this new perfume she had just bought. I had been looking for a new perfume and had to know what kind would make random people stop and sniff! She told me it was Narciso Rodriguez. I searched and found out my "small" town didn't carry the fragrance. Macy's said they do in their big city stores, but not in Lansing, Michigan. So I went online and without ever smelling this stuff in person, I took a chance and ordered a bottle of it. I loved it! Its a musky and "sensual" scent. After wearing it for only a week, someone actually said they loved it and wanted to buy their own too! Now, although I don't wear perfume often, its the only one I ever wear!


4) Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams - $9.99 for a pint at my local store
http://jenisicecreams.com/

I discovered this gem during my recent visit to Columbus, Ohio for a concert. First of all, if you are ever in Columbus, visit this place! I think the woman behind the counter gave us at LEAST 15 samples. Maybe more. And we didn't even ask for half of them, she just encouraged us to try it all! If you aren't headed to Columbus any time soon, check their website to see if there is a store near you that sells it. I was lucky enough to find out a store in my hometown has it! If no one has it, you can ALWAYS order it to be shipped directly to you!Jeni's makes amazing flavored ice cream using cream and milk "from cows that eat grass". Flavors include Bourbon Buttered Pecan, Riesling Poached Pear Sorbet, Wildberry Lavender, Bangkok Peanut and Black Coffee. I currently have Salty Caramel in my freezer. Imagine an ice cream version of those wonderful caramels in speciality candy shops. It also makes me think of Garrett's Caramel Corn. And a little goes a LONG way. My pint has lasted two weeks! So even though it is more expensive than other ice creams, its worth it in the end!


5) Kindle - Starts at $139
http://www.amazon.com/Kindle-Wireless-Reader-Wifi-Graphite/dp/B002Y27P3M

I LOVE MY KINDLE. No other way to say it. I got my Kindle when they first came out so mine is slightly bigger than the ones that are out now and I STILL love it. You can increase the font. You can carry your library anywhere. You can instantaneously buy a new book if you're not enjoying the book you're currently reading. You never have to lose your place (with kids, this is a great benefit). You can read it outside and not have to worry about a glare. The "page like" technology is simply amazing to me. And I prefer it to an iPad or the like because I can also touch the screen and not have to worry about the page turning. When you travel, you only have to bring one item and you can read TONS of books! And it fits in your purse! You can bring it anywhere! Many people say they like "real books". But having an e-reader does not mean you have to give up regular books! You can still go to the library or buy your own books, but having a significant library of books to choose from at your fingertips is amazing.


6) Aveda Comforting Tea - $15 for 20 bags. Free while getting services at Aveda salons.
http://www.aveda.com/product/CATEGORY10701/PROD7943/Body/Tea/index.tmpl?ngextredir=1&cm_vc=XCATEGORY10701&SKU_ID=SKU19079&cm_sp=Cross_Sell-_-body-_-Aveda_Comforting_Tea_Bags

I don't normally drink tea. I'm a big time coffee lover. But, I NEVER turn down a cup of Aveda Comforting Tea when I visit my favorite salon. Even if I'm only in there for 15 minutes to get my eyebrows waxed, I still make sure to get a cup of this tea. The peppermint flavor and scent is extremely soothing. One sip and I'm calmer and more content. If I'm not feeling well, the tea helps to ease my stomach and inhaling the minty smell is wonderful for my sinuses. The tea is organic and is sugar-free but has a wonderful, natural sweet taste to it. Consider this tea for the next time you need to unwind after a long day. And if your salon/spa offers it, accept it and enjoy it!


7) Teva Mush Flip-Flops - $24 at Teva.com

http://www.teva.com/productdetails.aspx?g=w&productID=4198&model=Mush

While traveling on a cruise 4 years ago, my cheap Old Navy flip flops started giving me a blister and started breaking. I needed to buy something fast. I found some Teva Mush Flip Flops. From the minute I put them on, I felt like I was walking on a cloud! The mush foot bed is SO comfortable and forms to your foot perfectly! Everytime I put them on, I audibly breathe a sigh of relief from the soothing feel of them. The fabric strapping is also extremely comfortable and gentle in between your toes. And they last a long time! I still have that original pair! My preschooler couldn't stand her classic flip flops because they hurt her inbetween her toes, so I bought her a pair of these and she happily wears them every day! Sure, you can get a pair of plastic flip flops for $5, but for just a little bit more you can get a pair of incredibly comfy and sturdy pair of Tevas.

8) Bell's Oberon Ale
www.bellsbeer.com/brands/8-Oberon%20Ale

This treat may be a bit harder for everyone to find (I looked it up and see only 14 states have it), BUT if you ever travel to Michigan in the summer, look out for this stuff. Bell's Brewery is located in Kalamazoo, Michigan. They make a variety of beers but the Michigan favorite is their summer wheat ale, Oberon. Oberon is only available from March until October, and let me tell you, this beer is so loved there are PARTIES to celebrate the day that the first keg is tapped. I've heard someone say "Oberon is the color and scent of a summer afternoon" and its true! The beer is traditionally served with an orange slice to enhance the fruity/citrusy flavor. But be warned, it may only have 5.8% alcohol content, but when this beer hits, it can hit hard. ;) Drink responsibly.


9) Travelzoo.com Top 20 Travel & Entertainment Deals emails - Free to sign up
http://www.travelzoo.com/top20/

Each week, Travelzoo sends out the Top 20 travel & entertainment deals they have found on the internet. The deals include hotels, cruises, international trips, and musicals. I once had a wedding I needed to attend in Chicago. I received my weekly email with a GREAT deal on a gorgeous hotel right downtown for less than $125 per night. Once we got there, we found the room was HUGE! It was such a awesome deal. These emails also remind you to TAKE a vacation. Working day after day, you sometimes forget to take time off for yourself. These emails put that idea in your mind and also prove vacations don't have to cost an arm and a leg. Signing up is free, so really...what do you have to lose?

10) Photo Books - $24.99 at Snapfish.com
http://www.snapfish.com/snapfish/photo-books

Scrapbooking is wonderful, but who has the time??? That's where these awesome photo books come in. I think most people have discovered these wonderful keepsakes, but I'm not sure people use them enough yet. In this day of electronic photos and files, many people don't print off their photos, which I think is a shame! BUT with the amount of pictures we take now with our digital cameras, I also understand. Printing, labeling and organzing those photos could take FOREVER. This is where photo books can come in. Make a photo book instead! The books look amazing and highlight your best pictures in a beautiful way. Plus, if your family is anything like mine, people tend to pull out pictures from regular photo albums and never return them, resulting in lost pictures. These photo books keep that from ever happening! A variety of websites make photo books and one of them (if not several of them) are always offering deals on the books. I take advantage of the sales and now have a photo book for every year of my child's life, plus a book for every big event. A couple of them even have my daughter's face as the cover and she LOVES that! And everyone else who sees the books loves them too! So, go ahead and scrapbook as a fun hobby, but if you just need your photos displayed in a beautiful way, BUY PHOTO BOOKS!


Bonus Favorite Thing: Dipping fries in a Wendy's Frosty

TRY THIS COMBO if you haven't already. I'm telling ya - its great! What I often will do is order a regular Value Meal that comes with fries, and then will also order a junior size chocolate Frosty. Then I have a mini-Frosty as my "dipping sauce". There is just something about the salty & sweet and hot & cold combinations that makes this DELICIOUS! I could probably eat this every day and be happy (although I'd also be very large). So next time you are at Wendy's, take a chance and try this yummy treat!