Playing Favorites

What are some of your all-time favorites in the history of ever?


For me...

Healthy Foods:
- Nectarines
- Avocados
- Black Raspberries
- Smoothies
- Cabbage

Junk Foods:
- Popcorn
- Five Guys Burgers and Cajun Fries. I follow them on twitter and I don't even know why because every time I see a photo of their food I miss them too much. They're basically my only fast-food temptation.
- Wild Berry Poptarts
- Nerds
- Pizza Rolls (I don't even know if I could eat these anymore, but man, when Angel worked shifts from 7 p.m.-7 a.m., I'd have some blissful nights with no cooked dinner, just a tray of pizza rolls from the oven and a classic mystery novel. Best!)

Beauty Products:
- "Yes to..." brand. It's rare for me to be brand-loyal, but years ago when we decided to avoid petroleum-based skin products as much as possible, "Yes to" met me at the perfect balance of relatively good ingredients paired with ease of purchase and reasonable cost. Yes, I know there are "more natural" product lines out there, but this one works for me--I've used their sunscreens, moisturizers, and chapsticks for years. Can't buy it over here, so I've had to lay in stock from the USA once in a while.
- Kat Von D Tattoo Eyeliner. Angel bought me this eyeliner for Christmas in 2016--at random, since he doesn't know anything about eyeliners, but I love how it works, and asked for a replacement this past Christmas.
- Manic Panic or Ion (the Sally's brand) for semi-permanent haircolors--surprisingly have impressed me with their staying powers. Haircolor is something that seems to vary quite a bit, certain hair textures take to some colors better than others. If your haircolor fades too fast, I always suggest trying a different formula or even a different brand until you find what works for yours.

{Photo from when I lived in the land of ice and snow}

Clothes:
- eShakti. I wouldn't say they have the prettiest dresses ever, there's definitely better sources for actual glamour dresses--but I like wearing "everyday" dresses that suit the culture and climate I live in, so I want knee-length dresses with short-sleeves that are 100% cotton. eShakti is by far the best source for dresses that I can wear on a normal day, here. A lot of my eShakti dresses I've had for years and they've held up very well. I think the cutest one is the one I got last summer:

- For shoes, I don't buy them often, but I have a few go-to brands depending on the need: Clarks (for dressy sandals or pumps--I've found that they fit narrow feet very well), Chacos, Keens, Converse. No boots are needed in my current climate, but a pair of Doc Martens will turn my head every time. I learned from Angel that buying better quality shoes means your shoes will last for years and then you don't have to replace them. That was a big change for this former Walmart-shoe girl!

Authors:
- L.M. Montgomery. The woman knew how to create fascinating side characters better than anyone else I've ever read. Favorites are the Emily series.
- C.S. Lewis. Fiction or Non-fiction...I've read nearly everything he ever wrote, including various letters and essays. Favorites are probably Till We Have Faces, The Great Divorce, The Screwtape Letters, and A Grief Observed. 
- Mark Twain. People think modern-day comedians and youtubers are funny. Maybe they are...but I'm pretty sure Mark Twain is funnier. I like his short stories best, particularly "The Story of the Good Little Boy" and "The Story of the Bad Little Boy."

Favorite Purchase of the Past Year:
I often tend to find that my favorite thing of all is not buying anything...which is why I'm not the best at recommending brands or products, etc. Even my favorite shoe and clothing brands are my favorites because they last so long I don't have to replace them! However, even this minimalist will admit that sometimes, buying something is well worth it. The comfy couch I got this past Christmas? Best. Buy. Ever. If you don't have a comfy couch, do what it takes to get one. Your quality of life will improve dramatically. I don't know why I waited so long. Take it from me, you need a comfy couch.
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What have you found worthy of labeling as "favorite" lately?