Gear Review: Fun items
Courtesy photo
During the off-seasons, I have more time to appreciate fun little gadgets, like these:
Solo Stove Neapolitan Artisan Pizza Box
Solo Stove presents the first curated, artisan-quality pizza ingredient box, shipped to your doorstep. It includes 12 Patty’s Neapolitan 9-ounce dough balls; three 8-ounce pouches of Bianco DiNapoli organic pizza sauce; three 16-ounce Galbani 100% whole-milk, low-moisture shreddable mozzarella; and 16 ounces of Zoe’s Meats sliced pepperoni, which are nitrate- and nitrite-free. Traditionally, these brands only sell their ingredients to nonchain pizzerias, but Solo Stove allows the general public to enjoy them. All of the preservative-free ingredients combine to make an incredibly tasty pizza — and it’s super easy to prepare; the convenient package encouraged us to use our Solo Stove pizza oven much more than we would have this past winter.
$144.99 (or $123.24 for subscriptions), solostove.com
Stunt Puppy Stunt Runner
This hands-free leash allows me to walk around crowded festivals with my dog by my side, carrying items I might buy. It also conveniently lets me take plenty of photos. While it’s only recommended for dogs that don’t pull, I find that my dog remains even more in sync with me — it’s as if she knows that if she lunges toward a squirrel, down I’ll go. The bungee stretches and absorbs changes in speed, so both she and I can feel when she’s too far ahead of me; it taught her to walk by my side. The adjustable waist belt is light and comfortable — I hardly feel it — and the belt’s D-ring can be positioned to keep a dog in the “sweet spot” without feeling a strong tug on the belt. Leash length adjustments allow you to give your dog more or less length. When it’s safe to keep her off-leash, I simply wear the Stunt Runner around my waist, so I don’t have to fiddle with pulling a leash in and out of a backpack. The Stash Pocket ($12) attaches to the Stunt Runner and carries poop bags for even more convenience.
$49, stuntpuppy.com
Chaco Dog Leash
My rescue dog makes a statement with her big ears, so I like her leashes to have personalities, too. Chaco offers seven different patterns and color palettes that reflect mountain and desert environments — from the sunset shades of Highland Maroon to the blues, white, and black Aerial Reflective. Made from Chaco webbing with reflective thread and Chaco buckles, the leashes are ultra-durable. The 6-foot leashes come in small (0.75-inch) or large (1-inch) widths, which is also a bonus because sometimes I have difficulty finding a lightweight, thinner-width leash that’s both fashionable and durable. Plus, you can choose a leash that matches your Chaco sandals.
$20, chacos.com
Original Buddha Board and Mini Buddha Board
Buddhist monks teach impermanence, and the Buddha Board offers plenty of practice in letting go. Just dip the high-quality bamboo brush into water and begin to draw or write on the 12″ x 9″ Buddha Board. As the water slowly evaporates, so does your art. Thicker, wetter strokes take longer to disappear, leaving enough time to appreciate your work. That’s the beauty of impermanence: I tend to take a few breaths to enjoy it before it’s gone (It’s also interesting to watch certain strokes linger). The original board comes with a sturdy black stand, which holds water and the brush. The 5-inch mini board folds into its small easel stand, which also accommodates water, but you have to tuck the brush behind, as there’s no slot for it. I keep the mini in my powder room for people to play with.
$37.95 for original, $17.95 for mini, buddhaboard.com
Pocket Tripod Universal Kit
I can’t tell you how many holidays I’ve forgotten my small tripod and have had to take a very long time propping up my phone with pillows or décor, setting up for a family portrait away from home. This pocket tripod completely solves my problem. The 2.29 mm thin carbon fiber holder — the size of a credit card — easily fits beside all my other cards in my purse. I just pull it out, twist, snap twice, and it holds my phone in just about any position, vertically or horizontally. Nine different adapters ensure the tripod fits almost any phone and case; I have an Otterbox, which fits perfectly. The curved adapters adjust, so you can tilt your phone up and down to capture the perfect photo or simply watch a video hands-free. This is an absolute must-have on vacations, holidays, and random moments you want to capture a full-body group shot.
$35, pocket-tripod.com
Little Shop of Pins enamel pins
Even Jennifer Aniston needed lots of flair. While satirized in the 1999 movie, “Office Space,” pins, patches, and stickers have come back into vogue and are a great form of self-expression. Little Shop of Pins offers artistically designed fun sayings. I display the “This Too Shall Pass,” “Love Yourself,” and “Let That Shit Go” pins around my keyboard. The latter sits front and center and comes in handy when I receive an annoying email. I just look down at the metallic writing and smile. If you choose to wear them, the well-designed pins come with two backings, so they don’t twirl around.
$14, littleshopofpins.com
