These Are a Few of My Favorite Things.

Well hey!

I totally meant to slip this post into the final moments of last week, last month, last YEAR (hahahah! oh.), but our entire brood was struck with a wicked case of the snots. A cruel round of the aches. An immoral dose of the coughs. In short, we were like, way grody.

So before we dive headfirst into the new year, I wanted to show you a little taste of what completely GOT to me last year. What stood out, what changed my life, what helped shape my fragile compass of existence. My top ten favorite things of 2015! But I’m not going to get all Oprah on you. You don’t get anything. Like, nothing.

(p.s. this is the furthest thing from sponsored. I just love this stuff and wanted to show your eyeballs.)

  1. My FAVORITE SHOE of 2015: The Pons Avarcus. Holy feet, you guys. I got these right before Mother’s Day and I seriously wore them until last week. Not really, but almost. They take a few days to break in, and you may curse a little, but once you get them good and soft, you will weep in your sleep. love.these.shoes.

Top Ten Favorite Things of 2015 / Bev Cooks

2) My favorite song of 2015, hands down: Sick Talk, by Wye Oak. I first heard it back in late May as Kristen and I stood under the aluminum awning of an ultra-hip coffee truck in my new favorite city ever, Portland. It’s airy. Vibey. Groovy. Beautiful lush, layered vocals pristinely mixed in a blend of electronica meet shoegazer. This song- it does my body good.

Top Ten Favorite Things of 2015 / Bev Cooks

3) My favorite blog discovery: Local Milk. Have you been to Beth’s site? It is nothing short of a sophisticated visual playground. I first learned of her long ago through her mesmerizing Instagram feed. Then I started reading her blog and deeeeeum it is captivating. Everything she touches is stunning. Her organic, moody, tasteful photo styling, number one, will make you sob. Her writing, number two, has a tendency to hold my attention and soften my bones. You’ll want to melt right into her stories and photos and soak up every single charming detail. Basically want to punch her.

 

 

Top Ten Favorite Things of 2015 / Bev Cooks

4) My favorite baked good of last year (and all time): THE BREAD. Obviously. No question. I’ve now made Bittman’s beaut over ten times and that’s far too little. For the love, make this already.

Top Ten Favorite Things of 2015 / Bev Cooks

5) My favorite kitchen “appliance”: The Chemex! It’s been almost an entire year that I’ve been drinking coffee this way, and it’s become such a treasured morning ritual. Which is obscenely cheesy but whatevs. The coffee taste is CLEAN and rich, like nothing else. Now I just need a drip kettle! A copper one. Who wants to spend the $200 on it for me? Anyone? . . . No one?

Top Ten Favorite Things of 2015 / Bev Cooks

6) My favorite movie of the year: They Came Together. It’s . . . well, it’s just everything. From the creators of Wet Hot American Summer (one of my top FIVE movies OF ALL TIME, which is enorm), this movie is pure brilliance for me. It’s absolutely ridiculous and corny. But smart. And funny. SO FUNNY. And it has my boyfriend in it. The end.

Top Ten Favorite Things of 2015 / Bev Cooks

7) Favorite baby lotion/cleanser discovery: Mustela! OMG, mamas. Y’alls best get on this. It’s a little pricey, but the SCENT. THE SCENT. I can’t put my finger on the scent. It’s so . . . it’s so CLEAN smelling. It’s not over the top, but it also lingers. Which I dig. I dig a lingering scent. And it smells like BABY. I swear I’m going to be bathing and moisturizing my grems with this when they’re seniors in high school. I ain’t scared.

Top Ten Favorite Things of 2015 / Bev Cooks

8) My veryveryvery favorite natural home accent of 2015 (I almost typed 3015. hello, aliens.): Eucalyptus. It’s simple, inexpensive (from TJ’s!), the perfect shade of muted green, and instantly dresses up a corner or a shelf. I’ll never not love you, euc. Can I call you euc? How ’bout ‘lyptus?

Top Ten Favorite Things of 2015 / Bev Cooks

9) FAVORITE CHOCOLATE OF LAST YEAR. And forever until something beats it: Chocolove’s Almonds and Sea Salt bar. Gaaaah. You know, usually I tend to go for a chocolate with a higher cocoa content, but this 55%-er hits the nail on the head. The almonds and sea salt are a match made in Willy Wonka heaven, and it’s not too sweet, so you can eat like 30 bars in one sitting. Have you tried this chocolate before? Don’t. You’ll cry for the rest of your life. (I’ll also take new chocolate suggestions because now I’m ON A MISSION.)

Top Ten Favorite Things of 2015 / Bev Cooks

10) Last but not least, my FAVORITE candle scent discovery of last year: P.F.Candle Co.’s Cut Grass candle. UGH. It’s soy. It’s in an apothecary jar. It smells like a clean hippie in April. I can’t rightly get enough of it. (plus you can save the jars and reuse them for your own candle making, or winter Malbec sippin’. Booya.) (wait, have they discontinued this scent? I’m not seeing it on their site! waaaaaaaaah.)

Top Ten Favorite Things of 2015 / Bev Cooks

And that’s it! My top ten favey faves of 2015. Oh! One thing I forgot to mention was my favorite book. Shamefully, I didn’t read that, that much last year (something I’m changing this year), but I’d say The Girl on the Train was the best book I read. IT WAS SO GOOD.

Do we share any of these obsessions? Do you have any favorites from last year that you’ll never live without? Do your ears hang low? Do they wobble to and fro? Can you tie them in a knot? Can you tie them in a bow?

We’ll be back to our regular programming on Thursday! Also, THIS MIX.

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19 Responses to These Are a Few of My Favorite Things.

  1. Panna January 5, 2016 at 7:55 am #
    11) your favourite tv show of last year: breaking bad.... oh wait... ;)
    • Bev Weidner January 5, 2016 at 12:49 pm #
      Hahaha! Hopefully it will be this year. :)
  2. Susan January 5, 2016 at 10:53 am #
    An immoral dose of coughs. Yes. I has this.
  3. Nicola January 5, 2016 at 11:33 am #
    Finally going to make this bread! Love this list so much. Thanks for sharing.
  4. Tanah January 5, 2016 at 11:39 am #
    I just finished reading The Girl on the Train! it was intense i couldn't put it down!
  5. Denita January 5, 2016 at 12:32 pm #
    Chocolove orange peel was my favorite find of chocolate in 2015...my love for it is stupid. I go in to Whole Foods just to buy a chocolate bar....nothing healthy and wholesome, nope, chocolate...which makes me happy.
  6. Susan S January 5, 2016 at 12:51 pm #
    Look what your blog has done to me. Your recipes are almost always things that I really like (or, if I haven't made it yet, think I will like based on the ingredients and prep), made the bread and will probably make it way too much in the future (my thighs and my husband's belly thank you for that), looked for a place where I can try on the Avarcas because I'm so curious about them(not one store in my area carries them!). Might have to order them online. And I get songs from your mixed tapes get stuck in my head. For days. Thanks for introducing me to new recipes, new products and for the laughs that your kid photos and your captions provide. Fun stuff!
  7. MC January 5, 2016 at 2:03 pm #
    This chocolate has been my fave (also dark chocolate-sea salt-almonds but this Salazon one I keep buying) http://www.salazonchoc.com/products/72-organic-dark-chocolate-sea-salt-almonds
  8. Lisa January 5, 2016 at 7:11 pm #
    For those who love chocolate and orange,the BEST is: Chauo Dark chocolate and orange peel!
  9. Ashley January 5, 2016 at 8:31 pm #
    I have a serious question!!! I'm currently in a hot debate (with myself) over whether to buy an 8c Chemex or an Aeropress and get rid of our 8yr old drip machine that I've only cleaned once, ever. Have you tried an AP before? We don't guzzle coffee and I heard from a few people that they like AP better and that to make 2 cups of coffee it's quicker than the Chemex but still has some technique to it. HALP!
    • Bev Weidner January 6, 2016 at 6:40 am #
      Hi!! Okay, so I've never actually had coffee with the Aeropress, but just looking at that machine, I'm like, no. This is just a cosmetic opinion, but to me the Chemex is SO SIMPLE, easy to clean, one piece, and pretty to look at. The Aeropress looks like it has a lot of pieces to clean. I'm sure the coffee is great! Have you read reviews on it? Do people want to claw their faces off when they have to clean it? My vote is the Chemex. :)
      • Ashley January 6, 2016 at 8:51 am #
        Thanks for the help! STILL TORN. The AP would definitely live in a drawer, which I'm kind of a fan on. I do agree the Chemex is a beaut, though, and very simple. Despite admitting that I've never cleaned my drip machine (I really meant the inside where you poor the water in...of course I clean the carafe thing...promise) I know I can handle washing the AP. I swear I clean my other kitchen appliances. I need to test these bad boys out in real life. Meet me here with your Chemex tomorrow morning.
  10. Lisa January 5, 2016 at 8:55 pm #
    Theo salted almond dark chocolate is the current favorite at our house. We still use the mustela on our 6 year old's body. It's so moisturizing. And it does smell so clean. For his hair we use ( and have since he was born) Earth Mama Angel Baby body wash and shampoo. Calendula! It's so good.
  11. Liz P January 5, 2016 at 9:48 pm #
    Hm, some favorites from 2015.. TV Show: so many but I keep watching Grace and Frankie and finding new reasons to love it. App: Goodreads - I get obsessed with tracking my progress and reading goal. I am too competitive for my own good. Beauty find - Palmer's anti-dark spot fade cream. Fade the discoloration on my face without doing something weird to my skin? I was skeptical but it worked! And my face didn't fall off. Book - Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett (Fiction) Modern Romance by Aziz Ansari (Nonfiction)
  12. Laurie January 6, 2016 at 3:35 am #
    So sorry you guys are sick! Many people have had something similar here (Maryland), but we have not been poisoned yet! Love The Bread. Plan on making it again, soon. Added more salt. Favorite Books - Don't Let's Go to the Dogs Tonight and Cocktail Hour Under the Tree of Forgetfulness by Alexandra Fuller. You will love these books - fascinating and true! I also really loved The Shipping News by E. Annie Proulx Favorite Series - totally loved Breaking Bad (unbelievably fab), Narcos, How to Get away with Murder, Orange is the New Black, New Girl, Wentworth, Grace and Frankie, Blacklist. And of course, House of Cards. Still love Dr. Bronner's Peppermint liquid soap and my Nespresso Pixie. My favorite movie is still up for debate! Hope you are all on the mend!
  13. Kylie January 6, 2016 at 12:32 pm #
    A Hippie in April. Why does that make perfect sense (scents!) to me?
  14. Heather Buzby January 7, 2016 at 1:46 pm #
    I took a listen to Sick Talk and it reminded me a lot of Frou Frou. Also, it's a scientific fact that Portland is the best city, I'm thankful to at least live a 5 hour drive away. (Btw, real estate and rent costs are astronomical there!) Re: chocolate, I second the mention of Theo! And Moonstruck is amazing too!
  15. kayla January 8, 2016 at 12:42 pm #
    what the heck. do you make bittman's bread exactly how it's written?! I tried and had a complete disaster fail...
    • Bev Weidner January 8, 2016 at 1:01 pm #
      Oh no! What happened? I bake the bread EXACTLY the way the recipe reads. But I add fresh rosemary. What happened?!

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