Things I Love

These are some of my favorite things, stuff I use on a daily basis (or at least frequently) and think my readers might like. In the interest of full disclosure, I do get paid when you purchase one of these items through the links below. It doesn’t cost you any differently than if you purchase it by going to Amazon yourself, and I’ll never recommend something I don’t truly think is worth your time and money. If you have any questions about this, please feel free to email me.

	This Shun 8″ chef’s knife is my very favorite cooking knife. I use it every time I make a meal, and it’s been going strong for over a year without needing to be sharpened. The handle is a great shape, too. Also, extremely useful for pretending to be a contender on Iron Chef, a samurai, or Julia Child (or Dan Aykroyd pretending to be Julia Child, which is funnier).
	Happy Cupcake Robot! That’s what my apple green Kitchenaid mixer is affectionately called. It’s fantastic for baking, as well as making whipped cream/meringues/other things that are totally obnoxious to make with a hand mixer or whisk. Also, it’s very pretty and spices up the corner of my countertop.
	Do you bake? Please do yourself a favor and buy a Silpat. It’s perfect in every way: saves you money (and cuts down on paper waste) by replacing parchment paper, removes the need for calorie-laden oil to keep things from sticking, and it washes clean very quickly. I absolutely love it and use it almost daily.
	For whatever reason, I prefer cookie sheets without raised edges. I think it makes me feel more professional or something. At any rate, these Calphalon insulated nonstick sheets are my favorite (I have 3) and I think you’ll love them too. Warning: if you use them in conjunction with a Silpat, holy light and loud operatic music may shoot out of your oven whenever you open the door.
	I couldn’t love The Perfect Scoop by David Lebovitz more if I tried. I bought it after receiving an ice cream maker for a wedding gift and then obsessively made half the recipes in the book. The Candied Cherry & Toasted Almond is to die for, and the Chocolate Peanut Butter converted me into liking peanut butter ice cream. Also, the basic froyo recipe will become your new favorite thing, I promise.

	Fitz and the Tantrums are without a doubt one of my favorite youngish bands (formed in 2008 and with their debut album in 2010). I had the good fortune to see and meet them here in Columbia, and they played a super fun and energetic show. If you miss Motown (and wish that musicians would dress better!), these guys are for you. Check out “MoneyGrabber” and “Don’t Gotta Work It Out” for a good intro.
	Everyone should read Harry Potter. That is all.
	Scott Pilgrim is a great series of graphic novels (and a pretty awesome movie). It’s a good start for anybody who isn’t a big graphic novel reader, and a lot of fun in general.
	They aren’t exactly new, but I love Death Cab for Cutie, and Plans is my favorite album of theirs. “Soul Meets Body” is one of my favorite songs, and Jimmy worked “I Will Follow You Into the Dark” into our wedding vows, so it’s special to me.
	The Avett Brothers are a seriously talented bunch, and ultra-nice guys to boot. Their show was one of the better ones I’ve seen, and I and Love and You manages to travel the entire spectrum of emotions without ever becoming sappy or overwrought. Simple, beautiful, friendly Carolina melodies.
	The Low Anthem are like the Avett Brothers’ younger, somewhat grittier sibling (appropriately, they played together when Jimmy and I saw them–and an instrumental interlude in the middle of their show silenced the crowd and took our breath away). “Charlie Darwin” is hauntingly beautiful and painfully poignant, and “To the Ghosts Who Write History Books” manages to be both melancholy and sweet.

	Love it or hate it, Baz Luhrmann’s work definitely has a style all its own. I adore Moulin Rouge! for its melodrama, its gorgeous music, and its gorgeous leads. It’s also one of my favorite time periods, and I can’t get enough of the visuals.
	I adore silly fighting games you can play with friends that don’t take themselves too seriously. SSB:B has that down pat. Even people without much video game experience can pick it up and have fun, and it’s goofy enough (and gore-free) to be good for a laugh no matter the skill level.
	A real underrated gem, Stranger than Fiction is a sweet little tale with a fantastic cast (Will Ferrell, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Dustin Hoffman, Emma Thompson) and a beautiful soundtrack by Spoon. Will Ferrell is surprisingly fantastic in an understated dramatic role
	Neill Blomkamp’s District 9 is a sci-fi film for people who like character studies. It’s heartbreaking and emotional, but not lacking in action and gorgeous special effects. Enjoy.
	If you only watch one zombie movie ever, make it this one. (If you watch two, make it this one and 28 Days Later.) Hilarious, but without sacrificing real feeling, and with some wonderful nods to great British standbys like Queen and the Clash. As long as you don’t mind a bit of gore, you’ll love it.
	The board game of scholars and champions. Scrabble is awesome; it brushes up your vocabulary and gives you the opportunity to look super smart in front of your friends, in-laws, etc. It’s also one of the few games I can beat Jimmy at that he’ll still play with me.