Don’t you just hate it when you wake up in the middle of the night and your mouth is like the Sahara desert? I could only imagine how much worse it would be if I was a mouth breather – that would be like drinking the sand. Because I’m a self-confessed lazy person, I make sure that I have plenty of water on my bedside table on the off chance I wake up thirsty. I don’t like to just leave a full glass of water out though as you never know what might fall in there in the middle of the night. Also, there’s a 99.9 percent chance I would knock that whole glass onto myself sometime before dawn.
With the Bedside Babushka Water Carafe (Plasticland, $22.00), you can have your water and drink it too. What looks just like a beverage container is actually a cute glass and carafe set that comes apart in the same manner as a traditional babushka. The lower half holds your water while the top part becomes a perfectly sized drinking glass. My only caveat is that it’s glass – one wrong move and it’s a very dangerous situation.
Sorry, this babushka does not contain several other babushkas nested inside of it.
4 out of 5 stars.
Specs:
-Dimensions: 4″ x 7″
-Glass and carafe set
-Made of hand blown glass
I love tea – have I mentioned that? I think so, but it bears repeating. Tea is super good for you, pretty much regardless of its type it has a plethora of healing properties. I was reading an article on arthritis remedies the other day (yes, I am apparently geriatric now) and green tea was listed as a health aid. I mean, it’s not like I’m shocked or anything because green tea is basically the king of teas but it did give me a reason to drink more of it on a regular basis.
If you’re serious about your tea like I am, then you need a serious brewer. Skip the tea bags (they’re amateur hour) and stock up on as many varieties of loose leaf tea as you can stand. Then scale it back a bit so you can afford the Breville One Touch Tea Maker (Amazon, $249.00) – it’s a bit expensive but one hell of a machine. What makes it so great? You can brew any type of tea in here and it will come out prefect every time. The secret here is that you specify which type of tea (green, white, black, etc.) and the machine automatically knows what temperature to brew at and how long to let the tea steep. The brewing basket instinctively knows when to lower the tea basket into the hot water and when to raise it at the end of each brewing cycle. Heck, the brewer even agitates the tea leaves to give you a more precise brew! If you like to customize your brew, there’s also a setting for that as well as the ability to brew just hot water. The brewer will keep you tea warm for 60 minutes after brewing and even keep track of how long it has been since you last brewed so you don’t end up drinking a stale cup of tea.
Tea time has never been so chic.
5 out of 5 stars.
Specs:
-Dimensions: 9″ x 7″ x 11.8″
-Fully programmable for all tea types, water temperatures, and steep times
-Tea basket cycle auto lowers and lifts
-Agitates tea leaves for precise infusion
-60 minute Keep Warm feature
-Variable temperature control
-Time Since Brew monitors freshness
-Auto start
-Kettle made of Schott glass
I recently became an avid wine drinker. Sure, I used to imbibe at holidays and special occasions, but it wasn’t something I’d buy for myself on a regular basis. I suppose I should give credit where credit is due: Cougar Town. Just trying watching that show without a giant glass of wine in your hand – I dare you.
One thing I had to learn the hard way about wine consumption is that it’s not just the quality of the wine that matters, but also the temperature. No one wants to drink a glass of warm wine, yet anyone who’s tried to drink an ice cold goblet of vino knows that’s no picnic either. The Corkcicle (Perpetual Kid, $21.99) strikes a perfect balance between the two without sacrificing flavor. Instead of hauling out a messy ice bucket (which can makes wines way too cold) or *gasp* throwing an ice cube in your glass (which will only water down your bev), this wine chiller fits perfectly inside the vino bottle itself. Attached to a cork stopper is a long plastic icicle filled with non-toxic freeze gel – simply freeze and stick inside your favorite fermentation for the perfect cool down.
Nothing says romance this Valentine’s Day quite like exquisitely chilled wine.
5 out of 5 stars.
Specs:
-Dimensions: 12″ (with cork)
-Easily chill wine
-Doesn’t water down
-Reusable
-Non toxic freeze gel
I drink a lot of tea and I have to agree with the notion that loose tea is better. There’s no need to start arguing about it; I’ve done the necessary research and it’s simply the truth. The problem with loose tea versus tea bags is that tea bags are just so darn convenient. I mean, you can reach for a tea bag and you’re in business whereas loose tea involves measurements and contraptions. It can be a bit daunting at first.
My least favorite thing about loose tea is cleaning out my infuser afterwards. No matter what, tiny specs of tea leaves always get stuck inside it and it seems like I spend an eternity trying to get them out. Meanwhile, my tea has gone cold. The Paper Tea Filters (Not On The High Street, £4.50) allow you the luxury of loose tea living without the hassle of fine mesh infuser cleaning. Because these paper filters are disposable, all you need to do is fill one with your tea of choice (I’m currently into oolong), slide the wood stick through the notches, and place the whole thing in your cup. The wood stick keeps the filter upright and provides a burn-free extraction. Each set of 40 even comes packaged in its own reusable cotton bag!
Tea: the other breakfast beverage.
5 out of 5 stars.
Specs:
-Set of 40 filters and wood sticks
-Loose leaf tea infusers
-Disposable
-Made of non chlorine bleached pulp fibers
Now that the holidays are over, it’s time to get back to work. This is never an easy thing to do after a long weekend, much less an extended holiday break. Whether the break is long or short, I think the key to productivity is caffeine. I can safely assume that I’m not alone on this one.
The appeal of caffeine is that it perks you up when you’re feeling less than perky, so it should go without saying that anything that can give your morning a jump start is a good thing. The Morning Mug (Generate Design, $29.00) manages to brighten your day without being overly cutesy or in-your-face about it. At first glance, this ordinary black mug has a white sleeping face printed on it, but that all changes once you pour your hot beverage of choice into it. Coffee or tea (it doesn’t matter as long as it’s hot) will change this black mug to a white one with a new facial expression printed on it. Much like yourself after getting a caffeine jolt, the mug will display a look that can only be described as serene alertness.
Isn’t it nice to have someone to wake up? Especially when that someone know not to disturb you until you’ve had your coffee.
5 out of 5 stars.
Specs:
-Dimensions: 3.75″ x 3.25″
-Mug changes color when hot
-Cold mug is black
-Hot mug is white
