Rahel Bailie
Best of My WorldBest shoes
Posted on December 10, 2011
For a person with a bit of a shoe fetish, it would seem that the world should be a veritable buffet for shopping. However, if you’re at all concerned with quality, options shrink. And then if you have any other particular needs, like bad arches or orthotics, then you’re down to a few choices in a few stores.
So how do you marry sturdy, sexy, and not made in a sweat shop? In a word, Fluevogs. Pictured here is my latest pair. They’re distinctive, definitely, and comfortable.
I like that it’s a Canadian company. The shoes aren’t made here, but in places like Spain and Peru. Here’s a video that is a testament to the quality:
Best noodles
Posted on October 26, 2011
Noodles – pasta, egg noodles, rice noodles – are among my favourite foods, but they’re so bad for middle-aged women. High-carb, high on the glycemic scale, and for those of us who have a problem with gluten, full of allergens.
Except for one type of noodle: shirataki noodles. They’re made of a particular type of yam. It’s low-carb, gluten-free, and doesn’t need to be cooked – though its flavour improves if you rinse them and dry-roast them in a non-stick frying pan. They come in plain (loose and tied into cute little bows) and tofu (spaghetti, linguini, and angel hair widths) varieties. A noodle for all seasons, so to speak.
I use these noodles as a substitute to pasta with bolognese sauce, as soup noodles for a low-carb, home-made pho, and carbonara. They’re filling and best of all, practically no calories. They have become a staple of our household.
Best water bottle
Posted on September 05, 2011
The way some women look for the perfect handbag or the perfect haircut, I look for the perfect water bottle. It has to be compact enough to fit my hand, be leak-proof, hold the temperature of the beverage, whether hot or cold, and have an opening that was the large size for quenching thirst with a big drink, not so big that I ended up with water down my face should I be jostled.
By sheer luck, I found the perfect container. The Thermos 2465 is that container. It keeps my tea hot forever, it seems, and my water cold. The flip-top lid can be operated with one hand, and the locking mechanism means that I can travel with this in my hand luggage with confidence. (Just be sure to empty it before you go through security.) The mouthpiece is about 1″ in diameter, which provides a good beverage stream while preventing spillage. One thing I learned is to be sure that the blue gasket ring, inside the lid, is seated properly, or you will get a leak when you tip the bottle.
I work on the premise that if I really like something, the manufacturer discontinues it shortly after I discover it. So we have about a half-dozen of these at home, which I figure should last us for my lifetime.