Oh my goodness, you HAVE to try this... or This works the BEST for... or This ____ changed my life. Sound familiar? We all have things in our life that have affected us profoundly, that have given us a sense of confidence and ownership over that particular category or topic. A product, a book, a great idea, a blog, a service. I thought it'd be interesting to cull the minds of Re-Nest readers and see what their go-tos are, the things that keep popping up in their home, habits, and conversations. Tell us: what do you always recommend to friends and family?
For me personally, here are things I always find myself recommending:
- The Omnivore's Dilemma, by Michael Pollan, for anyone who's starting to become interested in food issues
- Ommwriter, for uninterrupted writing inspiration
- Deodorant cream by Soapwalla, for all-natural deodorant
- Wool and Cashmere Shampoo from The Laundress, for hand-washing delicates
- Green smoothies made with kale and fruit.
- A Miele Canister Vacuum, for those looking to make an investment in an amazing vacuum
What about you?
(Image: Leela Cyd Ross for Re-Nest)
Apartment Therapy's Sofa Shopping Guide
Nikki’s Sweet and Cheery Print Studio
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The Big Book of Small, Cool Spaces 
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The Eight-Step Home Cure 
Stanley Console by ...
5 Things Paris Taught Me About Travel
Recipe: Ham, Cheddar & Chive Egg Bakes
Off the top of my head- Ender's Game, as a good book recommendation. I know it's for kids, but I've read it at least a dozen times and still can't put it down.
Catch Phrase (fun game)
Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand
Homemade tortillas
Brining the holiday bird
Coconut Oil for hair. After towel drying I put just a little (1/4 inch) in my palm, rub my hands together and apply to my hair. The oil makes my dry hair look so healthy. Make sure to do this evenly or you will have oily splotches.
Shopping at Salvation Army! It's so good on so many levels: Lowers your carbon footprint, saves you money, supports a great charity, it's fun...I could go on!
Also, yoga and meditation.
Oh yeah, and you'd be amazed at how many people have never heard of Mrs. Meyers products. I recommend the candles in particular.
Books: 'In the Woods', 'The Likeness' and 'Faithful Place' by Tana French. Engrossing reads, each. Not necessary to read in publishing order, but I can recommend doing so.
Beauty products are hard to recommend because an unsolicited recommendation carries unintended implications - does she think I need such-and-such? Nevertheless...
Hair Care: Ojon volumizing shampoo. I have thin hair and it does make it thicker, but also amazingly healthy and springy - love, love, love. No joke.
I am a huge fan of Mark Bittman, who until recently wrote "The Minimalist" column for the NY Times. I love his approach to the kitchen and have recommended his cookbook How To Cook Everything to many friends and family members. Also, everybody needs to listen to the astounding radio program Radiolab produced by WNYC. IT IS AMAZING. Further evidence of this can be found in their 2011 Peabody Award, just announced today!
I particularly like recommending two books, Bill Bryson's "A Short History of Nearly Everything", which does an astounding job of describing the natural world and sciences for the sheer enjoyment of discovery (Carl Sagan would have approved), alongside Alex Rose's "The Musical Illusionist", a novel that defies description beyond its magical realism category. Both books have been passed along plenty amongst friends.
I just made detailed mention of small apps I love and that make my work day and time on the computer easier. I'd also throw in LastPass, which stores and autofills all your online passwords fully encrypted (no more trying to remember my 23 character passwords!).
Music: The Quiet Sounds podcast is an auditory oasis in the cacophony of daily life.
But the thing I recommend the most to our friends is to simply live the cell phone, work and stress at home and find a trail to hike. The time out in nature without the bothersome reminders of tech/work are invaluable and don't cost much besides the gas (carpool!).
I'd recommend :
Arrested Development (the TV show.)
The blog Rowdy Kittens.
Rikki's Asian Caesar Dressing.
A wine saver. Its basically a rubber cork you use with a plunger thing to remove the air from an opened bottle.
A Second Chance (or other used) Building Supply Store-where we found our microwave and kitchen sink. The money goes to "support programs for people in recovery by providing supportive sober housing, recovery support services, work training and Green Job opportunities."
Redbox (for anyone who hasn't tried it yet.)
Making your own hummus-especially with jalapenos and cilantro.
restaurant.com for discounts on favorite places to eat or new places to try.
Mark Bittman and Michael Pollen for sure for everything food. I would also say 101 Cookbooks on food and cooking and Smitten Kitchen to go in a slightly less healthy direction. Those blogs totally changed my food life, which actually involved recovering from and adolescence of eating disorders so that's saying something.
Also on books: Howard Zinn - the People's History is a good place to start but there's also a documentary now.
Finally Democracy Now. Everyone should be well informed I think. For me, Democracy Now was the closest I could find the US to the kind of news I got used to in Europe. Going to Europe made me really re-think how I define "news."
Experience: going to another country and getting out of your comfort zone. I think this is more about comfort zone because coming from a very working class kind of childhood, going to an elite private university qualified as going to another country for me too. But definitely backpacking and travel shaped who I am and just really helped me grow in ways I can't imagine doing otherwise.
Oh I always find myself recommending Urban Decay 24/7 eyeliners and eyeshadows: super pigmented - and unless specified as matte uber sparkly.
And anything by Too Faced. They are a great brand - and both UD and TF are cruelty free. (Urban Decay used to even let you know what products were vegan on their website - and they now own Hard Candy.)
But I feel like this is because I get asked about what makeup I use most - because all my friends know I'm "the make-up girl."
Dyson - I loan it to my neighbors and they return it hating their old vacuum
Method shower cleaner - works better than Tilex and doesn't smell like chemicals
A copy of You Can Heal Your Life, Louise Hay. Greatest umbrella for everything we face in life.
Restoration Hardware towels, Devita sunscreen, joining a CSA, and use of menstrual cups (e.g. DivaCup, Lunette, MoonCup) instead of tampons.
I also agree with above posters on Radio Lab and Democracy Now (and Pacifica programming in general). DN is the only news program I know of that will use terminology like "the Israeli occupation." You won't hear THAT on NPR!
There, I told you all my secrets.
"The Wonderful World of Jazz" by the magnificent John Lewis. This is a splendid introduction to jazz, and will make your heart happy, happy.
I'm constantly recommending Shaklee cleaning products. I love their Scour Off Paste...it removes anything! A few other things:
Microplane graters
The power of kale
Ball jars as drinking glasses...they are super strong and don't break often!
Aveda haircuts...maybe a little over priced but their stylists are very well trained.
Our town: Maplewood, NJ. It's delightful!
Also, my husband tells young professionals to shop at Brooks Brothers. He thinks their clothes are timeless and can be worn for years.
-Veganism (and Eating Animals by Johnathan Safran Foer)
-Joyce Carol Oates
-Coconut Oil
-Little Miss Sunshine
-Choosing to DIY it
-Mango Salsa
-Garlic graters
Looove the suggestions from everyone! :)
1. Kale in smoothies
2. Apt. Therapy
3. Yoga
The show The Wire.
this is going to be all over the place
Kahlil Gibran's "The Prophet" (seriously....read it)
Big Agnes sleeping bag + pad system
Mossberg shotguns (and rifles - their .22 Plinkster is a fabulous, inexpensive little rifle that's better balanced and more accurate out of the box than its competitors)
this Brussels sprouts recipe for sprouts haters - it's converted a few people.
Steep & Cheap for awesome deals on outdoor equipment
Woot and Teefury for inexpensive shirts
Uncommon Goods for interesting jewelry
Kershaw Ken Onion series for GOOD, affordable pocketknives. i own three Leeks and carry one on my person at all times.
this guy for gun holsters, gun belts, and purses. my bag is the one he's got posted on the main site...it's the nicest purse i own *and* he made it to my specifications. it was expensive but well worth it. i also own one of his belts and my SO recently placed an order for a custom holster.
Netflix
basic skills with regards to minor vehicle repair. i teach people i know so they don't call me with small issues...and most of them tend to read more, so they can be more self-sufficient. even if it's something as minor as learning to change a tire, it's knowledge everyone who owns a vehicle needs to know.
practical self-defense...namely, taking a class that isn't a one-day "self-defense" class. this is a skill ANYONE should learn...because remember, folks, when seconds count the police are minutes away (or hours, depending on where you live. in my area of Baltimore you'd be lucky to see an officer within an hour of placing an emergency call).
i'm seconding the aforementioned recommendations for wine savers. those things are fabulous.
oh, also, Listening to Katrina for disaster preparedness. read the whole thing...it could be a life saver (literally).
1 Carhartt socks--best socks ever.
2 Artisan Breads in 5 Minutes a Day
3 Brussels sprouts with brown butter and almonds
4 the city bus/being car-free
5 Matt's Coffee (Bird Dog espresso is my favorite) http://www.mattscoffee.com/
Oaxaca -- beautiful colonial city in southern Mexico, great art, handicrafts, food, culture, people....
Tanizaki's "In Praise of Shadows" - amazing essay on Japanese aesthetics, and life.
Fine Paints of Europe
Smartwool socks
Patti Smith's "Just Kids"
--Vitamix
--Smoothies: 2 C frozen fruit, 2 C water, 1/4 C golden flax seed meal, 1 scoop no-carb protein powder
--Portlandia on IFC (unfortunately I only got to see the 4 free teaser shows On-Demand)
--Being Human on Syfy channel (a vampire + werewolf + ghost living together = Awesome!)
--Pocky
--Elta MD UV Shield daily sunscreen SPF 45 and waterproof Sport SPF 50
--Roasted fennel
--Pineau des Charentes
--Tastespotting.com
These are really fun to read!
-making falafel
-GAP underwear
-LCD Soundsystem
-Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafron
-about a billion TV shows since I've been stuck at home watching TV a lot due to illness this winter: Community, Modern Family, Party Down, Parks and Recreation, Psych, Weeds, Ugly Betty...
Montreal instead of Europe
IKEA foam mattresses
The book Cholesterol Down regardless of your cholesterol levels (and the worl's best weight loss)
Free guided meditation podcasts on Itunes, instead of sleep medicine (Meditation Oasis/Deep Relaxation)
Theory dress shirts for fit men and Bonobos.com for straight men (please dudes, no pleated pants)
OxyClean Spray--this saved a white silk shawl I was knitting when RED WINE got spilled on it.
Orvus liquid soap
Bobbi Brown Long Wear Cream Eye Shadow
For water purification while travelling, the SteriPen, a UV light stick you swirl around in your water bottle. We spent a year in Asia using it and never bought a bottle of water!
Our latex foam mattress, the most comfortable thing I have ever slept on, totally green and healthy, and will last for 20 years.
sshutterbug, i'm glad to hear the steripen worked for someone. i've been debating picking one up for our backpacking trips. did you filter the water as well?
Slat beds and Latex mattresses
Apartment Therapy
Doctor Who
Going carless (5 years and counting!)
Dirt Devil Vacuum cleaners (forget Dyson, these are just as good and a fifth the price)
Gomez album 'How We Operate'
Salvation Army
Lady Gaga (don't make knock it until you've listened to the whole album)
The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy
Tinned Tomatoes
As you can see, I go on about a lot.
A little late to this party, but I can't resist sharing. I've already checked out a bunch of things you all posted. Hopefully this post lives on...it's a good one.
My frequent recommendations:
Book-wise: Tom Robbins, Vonnegut, Edward Gorey
Poetry-wise: Frank O'Hara!!!
Music-wise: The Pogues, The Books, Black Lips, Talking Heads, Caribou, Nick Cave, cLOUDDEAD, Hank Williams, Kate Bush
I could go on forever; I'll spare you...
Design-wise: Apartment Therapy, duh. Design Sponge, Oh Joy, etc.
Television-wise: LOST, Peep Show, Six Feet Under, Undeclared/Freaks & Geeks, Party Down, Arrested Development, Skins UK
Movie-wise: Trainspotting, Fur: An Imaginary Portrait of Diane Arbus, The Chumscrubber
Documentary-wise: Garbage Warrior, anything on http://www.vbs.tv/ (in particular the Garbage Island one, the one about Chernobyl and the one about the cats with the smooshed faces)
And sewing! Buy a machine, learn how to use it. Life changing.
* Smoothies for breakfast
* Mineral Makeup (real minerals, not the mineral-based stuff that are sold in most stores)
* Baby wearing
* SLS-free shampoo
* Hairsense combs
* Microfibre cloths for cleansing and exfoliating
* Oil as makeup remover
* Co-sleeping
Goodwill, Sally Hansen Manicure Pen, Bell's Two Hearted beer, Tide Total Care.
- Meditating regularly
- Being patient with others
- Being kind and honest
- Living with less material goods
- Being moderate in everything
;)
I always recommend the music of Sissel, the Norewgian singing phenom. If you saw the movie Titanic, you've heard her voice already without realizing it. Hers were the wordless vocals evoking the soul of Titanic. www.Sissel.org
Therapy!