I hate trying to decide what to have for dinner. If I don’t plan it out the week before, I either end up ordering take-out every night of the week or I eat every snack in the house instead of cooking a real meal. The issue here is that most of the stuff in my kitchen takes way too long to make, probably because it’s either out of a box or sitting in the freezer. There are actually only about three things I know how to cook that require little to no effort on my part. My favorite go-to meal is spaghetti because, come on, it really can’t get much easier than that.
I think the most annoying part about making spaghetti when you have to drain it. You’ve got this pot full of boiling hot water and you’ve got to dump it into a colander, without burning your hands. That doesn’t seem like a big deal because you can just put the colander in the sink, right? Well, you could, except when was the last time you actually cleaned your sink? Do you really want all those nasty food remnants from your sink to seep into your freshly cooked spaghetti? I didn’t think so. The Silicone Pop Colander (Amazon, $29.99) not only stores flat in your cabinet to save space, but it also features collapsible legs that keep its contents above the sink floor. And because it’s non-porous, non-absorbent, and dishwasher safe, you can be sure that your cooking won’t be tainted by those of previous meals. The only drawback is that you need a sink a bit on the larger side in order to fit the collapsible legs. I’m afraid those out there with double sinks won’t be able to partake.
Not only is spaghetti incredibly tasty, but it’s dirt cheap and it lasts forever. I could probably eat nothing but a box of spaghetti for a whole month. Ok, well maybe it won’t last that long, but you get the idea.
4 out of 5 stars.
Specs:
-Collapsible design keeps contents above sink floor
-Space saving
-Withstands heat up to 250 degrees
-Non porous and non absorbent
-Available in red or gray
-Made of silicone
-Dishwasher safe
Ladies, do you feel like your man isn’t as attentive as he used to be? He used to take you out for romantic candlelit dinners at expensive restaurants for no reason at all, and now you can’t even get him to take you to Taco Bell for your anniversary! And that’s really saying something because there isn’t a man out there who can resist Taco Bell. Guys, it isn’t about the amount of money spent or the extravagance of the gifts, but about doing something nice for the special lady in your life. And if you really want to score some brownie points, make it something that she wouldn’t normally expect. Instead of taking her out to dinner (because any schmo can do that), why not make her dinner at home? Or maybe you could let her pick the movie instead of forcing her to watch NASCAR. And next time you’re tempted to buy her something shiny from the jewelry store, try thinking outside the box for once.
If you did, surely the first thing you’d come up with would be the Toilet Seat Night Light (Taylor Gifts, $19.98). I mean, what woman wouldn’t like a light up toilet? Isn’t the number one complaint from women that their partner always leaves the toilet seat up, causing them to almost fall in the bowl? Personally, I don’t understand why women can’t seem to see that the lid is up before they sit, but that’s just me. This is a gift that’s personal, one that shows that you really care about her and her tailbone. Using a sensor, the light is activated when someone approaches and automatically turns itself off when they leave. As if that wasn’t awesome enough, the light glows green when the toilet seat is down (signaling it’s safe to sit) and red when it’s up (proceed with caution).
I’m telling you, your girl is gonna love it. I’d bet good money that none of her friends have anything like it.
5 out of 5 stars.
Specs:
-Dimensions: 3″ x 1″ x 3.5″
-Uses sensors to turn light on upon approach
-Light glows green when seat is down
-Light glows red if seat is up
-Mounted to toilet
-Made of plastic
So now that we’ve talked and talked about what cutesy things you can get your sugarlips for Valentine’s Day, I thought it would be only fair to suggest an item for those not looking forward to the card company holiday. Now, I’m not saying that these unattached people are bitter and full of hate…but, deep down, that’s probably the case. They don’t want hearts and flowers adorning every surface of their home and workplace. Whether these people simply want the holiday to pass by unnoticed or are truly out for blood due to a relationship betrayal, I think we can all agree that a box of chocolates is not an appropriate Valentine’s Day gift for your single friends.
If your possible gift recipient is on the warpath this Valentine’s Day, then the Ex Skewer Set (Perpetual Kid, $59.99) is the perfect gift for him/her. Not only is the set perfect for entertaining at parties, but it has a nice voodoo doll quality to it as well. The set includes a small dipping bowl inset in a larger bowl. The top of the small bowl is a figure pierced with 12 stainless steel skewers, allowing the dip to be covered when not in use. Come on, what better way to vent your frustrations than with a harmless figure with skewers sticking out of its body? Perfect for those “Valentine’s Day Sucks” parties, your guests can spear the figure over and over for hours of enjoyment. Oh, and I guess they could occasionally use the skewers to stab cheese cubes, olives, or any other small dippable appetizer.
Mmm, nothing like spending an afternoon sticking skewers into a makeshift voodoo doll. That pretty much describes my weekend.
4 out of 5 stars.
Specs:
-Dimensions: 12″ x 9″
-Includes 12 stainless steel skewers
-Ex figure is detachable to reveal dip bowl
-Available in white only
-Made of ABS plastic
-Hand wash
‘Tis the season for festive parties, raucous celebrations, and other sorts of joyous occasions! And what happens at gatherings such as these? Sure, everyone is just a little bit different, but there is a basic formula: eat, drink, and be merry. When you’re at a party, or better yet hosting one, you don’t want to get bogged down in the annoying, but necessary party maintenance. For me, the one thing I hate to have to clean up is dishes. It’s nice to have some people over, relax, and have a good time, but it sucks to have a sink full of dirty plates at the end of the night. Now, you could go all plasticware instead, but I always feel so guilty about it. I mean, how wasteful is that to use plastic utensils and plates? And you know everyone will use way more than they need to because if it’s disposable, it gets disposed. If it’s a real plate, they use one for the entire night. If it’s plastic, well then you’d better believe they’ll use at least five apiece. Just because they can.
By using the Sugarcane Disposables (Drinkstuff), you can take the pressure off of having to choose between some leisure time for yourself and saving the environment. Not only are these disposable plates and bowls made of 100% sugar cane fibre, but they’re also completely biodegradable and compostable. That’s right, you can use them up and throw them away because they won’t be sitting in a landfill for all eternity. And they’re actually superior to traditional disposables because you can microwave and freeze them without having to worry about destroying them, or poisoning yourself. Another fun little fact about these things? They won’t absorb oil or leak. So even if they’re made to break down. they’re not going to start in the middle of your party. They’re real classy that way.
Now, I’m not advocating using this faux china exclusively because that’s not exactly the most environmentally friendly choice. But you have to admit, it would be nice to pull these out every once in awhile. Just think, not only will your party be rocking, but everyone will be talking about how you managed to go green even around the holidays. Now, that’s a real gift.
5 out of 5 stars.
Specs:
-Prices:
Small plate (7″): £7.59
Large plate (10″): £18.69
Divided plate (10″): £6.99
Bowl (16oz): £11.29
-Quantity:
Small plate: pack of 125
Large plate: pack of 125
Divided plate: pack of 50
Bowl: pack of 125
-Biodegradable and compostable
-Will not absorb oil or leak
-Microwavable and freezable
-Made from 100% sugar cane fibre
-Materials obtained from sustainable sources
-Not available for delivery in the United States or Canada
Do you have any pets? I have a couple of cats, and I have to say, they’re pretty low maintenance. I mean, I have nothing against dogs, but it’s not like you can leave town at a moment’s notice when you have a dog. Nope, you have to find someone to watch your dog or take them to a kennel. And do you know how much it costs to board a dog? Probably more than your vacation. Cats are easy. All you have to do is set them up with some food and water, and they’re pretty much good for a week. But you know what pet trumps cats? Fish. Fish are ridiculously to maintain. Just give them a little bit of fish food every now and again, and they’re set. Do you have to walk a fish? Nope. Play fetch? Not likely. Clean up their crap? Absolutely not.
And since your new fish friends are don’t ask for much, maybe you want to hook them up with a killer sweet pad like the Fish Bowl Bookends (Wrapables, $34.95). I mean, it’s gotta suck that your fish don’t have any privacy, what with living in a see-through house, so you might as well get them some living quarters they can brag about. Alright, so I know most fish don’t get out much (and when they do, it’s usually not good), but this way they can make fishy faces at their friends at the other end of the shelf. And hey, maybe you’re not a fish person – that’s ok. You don’t have to use these fish bowls as…fish bowls. You can just get all interior decorator and figure something else out. Maybe you want to make a diorama of sorts or just fill the bowls with candy. Whatevs.
Ok, so my only thing about these fish bowls? They’re glass. I mean, maybe there are people out there who aren’t as klutzy as me (I am pretty butterfingers), but isn’t anyone else just a little nervous about this? What if you fill the bowls with aquatic inhabitants and the shelf doesn’t hold? What if you take a book off the shelf and the bowl gets knocked over? What if? What if? What if? That’s just a whole lot of stress on my lazy laid-back existence.
3 out of 5 stars.
Specs:
-Dimensions: 8″ x 3.15″
-Capacity: 0.5 gallon (on each side of the bookend)
-Comes as a set of two bookends
-Can be used as fish tanks or decor pieces
-Made of glass
