Affordable Luxuries

Food and Cooking: Daelia’s Biscuits for Cheese

Lylah — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 05:43:53 +0000

Daelia’s Biscuits for Cheese are thin, peppery slivers of savory biscotti that are made to go with all types of cheeses. The almond version — their debut – is smoky, crunchy, and a little bit spicy, studded with bits of chewy, toasted raisins. The bisuits are made without additional fat or salt, and they’re lovely on their own, but they really do pair well with nearly any type of cheese, and they stand up exceptionally well to strong and salty ones like aged parmesan, Boursin, or even a super-sharp cheddar.

Available at many Whole Foods stores.

Organized Living: MagnaPods Bathroom Organizers

Nataly — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 09:18:57 +0000

If you have a steel-framed medicine cabinet in your bathroom, you’ve got to check these out. MagnaPods are clear containers that magnetically stick to the inside of the medicine cabinet door, giving you more space for your endless makeup explorations necessary bathroom items.

From $9.99 at MagnaPods.com

Great Deal: Now’s the time to hit Nordstrom

Mir — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 10:51:50 +0000

Far be it from me to suggest Nordstrom is a regular shopping destination for those of us on a budget… but twice a year, they put on a sale, and they do it up right. Starting today it’s the big women-and-kids Half-Yearly Sale, and that means it’s the right time to check ‘em out and pay Target prices on Nordstrom items.

Twice a year I shop at Nordstrom, and twice a year I come away feeling quite smug. Try it. See if you don’t feel a little smug, too.

It’s not too early to start thinking about the holidays, either….

Work Happy: Work Shticks

Nataly — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 09:11:38 +0000

OK, I’ll say upfront that these are NOT for every office — you have to work in one where there is some sense of humor. A colleague recently brought these in and lots of fun and funny moments have been had. Work + funny moments = more bearable work.

$16 at UrbanOutfitters.com

Food and Cooking: The Barmaid

Lylah — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 05:33:12 +0000

I love salt-rimmed drinks, but I loathe dipping the glasses into a plateful of chunky salt. For one thing, I always end up wasting salt. For another, half of the salt from the plate ends up on the counter instead of the rim of the glass. But now, I let The Barmaid do it for me. Or, rather, The Barmaid lets me put just the right amount of salt — or whatever spice I want — on each rim with the touch of a button. Perfect for a summer-in-the-wintertime Margarita, or a salty-and-spice rimmed Bloody Mary at brunch.

$39.95 or $44.95 (including salt) at Limetreecove.com.

Organized Living: Dash Key Holder

Lylah — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 05:32:12 +0000

This sleek unit keeps your keys handy by literally holding on to them. No hooks to handle, and no more hunting around in a junk drawer for that lone luggage or bike-lock key or the spare to your neighbor’s house — just slide a single key into the holding slot and let the rest of the bunch hang.

$28 at Chiasso.

Mom’s Must Haves: Pefectly Sized Travel Jewelry Case

Nataly — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 10:09:00 +0000

I’ve just come back from a business trip where I wished I’d brought a few more pieces of jewelry with me. I like wearing earrings and funky rings but I didn’t have a great way to carry them with me, so just brought two in a plastic bag. This jewelry case has multiple compartments so your necklaces won’t get tangled up with the earrings and it’s still small enough for travel.

$36.50 at Delight.com

Great Deal: Real maple syrup (yum!)

Mir — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 09:47:41 +0000

Whether you’re looking for the goodness of real maple syrup to use at home on your pancakes, or you’re already thinking ahead to teacher gifts, get on over to Amazon for an incredible special on Coombs and Brown Family Farms maple syrup products. Everything’s already on sale, and coupon code BASCOM35 takes it down another 35%, while purchasing via Subscribe & Save (that can be canceled after delivery) will save you another 15% and give you free shipping.

The gift pack pictured here will be just $7 shipped; a 6-pack of all-natural buttermilk pancake mix will run you around $8; and there’s a plethora of ways to pick up 32 ounces of pure maple goodness for around $13.

Whatever you choose, it’s way cheaper than the grocery store, and delivered to your house for free. Not to mention delicious. This is totally my kind of deal!

Food and Cooking: Piece of Cake (Cake Cutter)

Nataly — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 09:41:23 +0000

This is one of those things that when I saw it my first reaction was that I couldn’t believe no one has made it before. This cake cutter cuts both sides of the slice and then all you have to do is squeeze the handle and pull the entire slice right now. No mess, no randomly sized slices.

$25 at CharlesandMarie.com

Kid Stuff: Wipe-Clean activity books

Lylah — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 05:25:18 +0000

Anything kids can use over and over again without getting bored is like gold when you’re traveling and space is at a premium. “Wipe Clean” activity books by Roger Piddy (published by MacMillan) have been a favorite among my kids from back when the tween was a tot. Intended for children age 3 and older, the 26 easy-to-clean pages are printed with colorful photographs, easy activities, and spaces and lines for early learners to practice their letters and numbers. A few swipes of a tissue and they’re ready for another round of connect-the-dots, tracing, drawing, or writing (a baby wipe removes older scribbles easily); they come with their own dry-erase marker conveniently clipped into the handle, but the ones you swiped from the board room work just as well. Chose from books about animals, “things that go,” letters, numbers, and trivia; the board books are sturdy enough to withstand multiple kids and even get handed down to others when your kids have outgrown them.

$8.95 at Amazon.