cravorites™ (crey-ver-its)

This site is dedicated to shoppers and non-shoppers alike!  Although I am not into conspicuous consumption, and know that things generally will not make you happy for long, we all have to admit that there are certain things we prefer not to live without. For those of you who LOVE to shop, this site will give you some great ideas that are tried and true (at least by cravorite standards).  For those of you who are in and out of the store so quickly that your feet barely touch the ground, you may like the site as well for the same reason.  Tried and True.  Of course people have different tastes, but better to have someone’s absolute favorites, don’t you think?  And by all means, if you have something you have discovered that has become your favorite, please let me know.

Discovered a new, old favorite amongst our cd collection.  The group Yaz reached the height of popularity in the 80’s with  a few of their songs going mainstream.  Take a listen to  Upstairs at Eric’s and see what you think.   The first half of the album is the best with my personal favorites being Midnight, In My Room and Only You.  May take a few times to appreciate it but you can’t deny that  Alison Moyet has a voice like no other and can really belt it out.  This one may be a stretch, but try it.  Available at Amazon or itunes.

Yes, it’s October and I’m still barefoot.  Barefoot in Barcelona, that is–my current cravorite of OPI’s nail polish.  This color is not so subtle as nude, yet looks good with everything.  Apply a clear base  coat (I actually use another brand), two coats of OPI and then the clear top coat and you’ll have polish that will remain chip-free for close to a week.  And the second best part is the price.  Only $8 at Ulta which is significantly cheaper than actually going barefoot in Barcelona.

I had my iphone since the beginning of the year, thought it was a great tool, but didn’t add it to my favorites because it seemed well, so obvious.  What’s not to love?  Last week the love affair took a major turn.  My iphone left me.  Not sure how, but one minute I had it in my hands in my own house, and 40 minutes later it had disappeared.

Searched high, searched low, searched my car, the garage, the yard, the streets…. Needless to say, I am crushed.  Remember how when you broke up with your boyfriend every song seemed to be about breaking up?  This is the same way.  It seems like during every commercial break I see an ad talking about all the wonderful iphone apps.

No need for me to expand on the virtues–those of you who have it, know the bliss.  Those of you who don’t will just need to trust me on this one.

I love shoes.  From flip flops to high heels and everything in-between, shoes are one of my favorite purchases.  One of my favorite brands is Paul Green.  Not heard of it?  It’s not in every store, but if you like your shoes a tad bit funky and as comfortable as a pair of socks, you’ll love these.  Honestly, whether I am wearing their flats or heels (nothing too outrageously high) it feels more comfortable than going barefoot–or almost.

Another great thing?  Since they’re from Europe, it seems to me that they are at least a year ahead of the US trends.  So it means the shoes will look avant-garde the first year, in style the next two.  The bad?  They are on the pricey-side–at least in my opinion at roughly $150-250 per pair.  But remember, they’ll look great for several years ahead.  Not convinced?  You must try them on and see for yourself.  Btw, sizes are European, so you should try before you buy to get the right size the first time.  I’ve purchased mine at Nordstrom

We’re having a heat wave!  Not sure why summer waited until the end of August to appear, but if the heat is causing you to melt, I have a solution.  In my effort to stay hydrated I searched for a beverage that was refreshing but not so sweet.   Blame my parents, but I never had soda much growing up and never developed a taste for it.  So it’s Crystal Light to the rescue!  Okay, so some of you may not like artificial sweetners, but being a person who refuses to waste good calories on beverages, this fits the bill. My favorite flavor is the pink lemonade, sweet and tart at the same time.  And how convenient is it that I can put it in my favorite Camelbak bottle and take it to go?  Each container has 4 packages that make 2 quarts each.  Available widely at your grocery store for roughly $3-4.

It is amazing to me that we live in a country with high quality water pouring from the taps and yet we spend millions on buying bottled water–most of which is that same tap water put in a bottle.  And instead of re-using those one-time-use only bottles, here’s the real deal.  This Camelbak bottle is a great way to take water or any cold beverage with you easily and cheaply.  For a one time purchase, you can drink ’til your heart’s content.   And the second best part to not clogging up the landfills and oceans?  It’s BPA free–so no nasty toxins leaching into your body.  Available in many different colors and a few sizes, you’ll feel like patting yourself on the back after taking a sip.  I purchased mine at REI, but available widely for approx. $10.

It’s summer time and if you’re like me, your feet are probably in flip flops or sandals more often than not.  Unfortunately, there are times that socks are necessary, especially while exercising.   I’ve discovered a new personal favorite to share with you.  Remember from years ago, the socks with the pom-poms on the back that only looked good the first time before you washed them?  Since then, if you have tried the ‘no-show’ socks that are ultra low and have had them slip off your heels and drive you crazy, help is here.

Make a quick trip to Target and get their Pro Spirit low socks (I got the ones with coolmax).  Not only do they stay on your heels, they have an arch support that makes you want to wear them long after your exercise is over.  And the best part?  3 pair for $5 and pom-pom free.  So make a run for it and go to your nearest  Target (not available online)

One accessory that I absolutely cannot live without is a pair of sunglasses.  Living where it’s sunny most of the year means that my sunglasses are always close-by. My favorite brand is Oakley–they’ve been my sunglasses choice for years.  Used to be function over form–not this year.  Oakley has more stylish pairs than the usual sporty versions and lots of girl-friendly ones too.

Not only do I love these shades, but it seems that others do too.  Compliments are coming quicker than I can count.  Oakley is known for their great optics and now they’ve got the look too.  And did I mention that you can buy lens replacements as well? Prices start around $70 unless you live near an outlet (my good fortune) where you can find some better deals. Available at some sunglass retailers and  Oakley

Unfortunately, the King of Pop, Michael Jackson, is gone.  So you may expect to read about a favorite album or song of Michael’s listed here.  I do marvel at his dancing and singing and even camped out overnight for concert tickets, but this post is for a legendary singer who is still with us.

One of my all-time favorites  is the album Graceland by Paul Simon.  It’s hard to pick just one favorite song on that album, but for me it would be “Diamonds on the Soles of her Shoes”.  Paul Simon’s songs are rather ubiquitous, but in case you haven’t listened lately I think it’s time for a refresher.  Available at music stores everywhere and itunes.com

A friend recently went to Cravorites to check out what favorite things were listed on the site and to her dismay didn’t see any chocolate–one of her favorite things to crave.   To be honest, I’m not a huge chocolate fan, but I do have a sweet tooth and love my desserts–and one of my favorite desserts is Trader Joes Chocolate Lava cakes.

First time I had a lava cake was at the St Regis hotel in Laguna Beach a few years back.   After a group of us had dinner at an inexpensive Italian restaurant down the street, we decided to treat ourselves to dessert at something a little classier.  We had the chocolate trio, one of which was a lava cake.  And at $18 for the 3 items that were just big enough for one bite each, I knew we wouldn’t be going back there anytime soon.

Located in the freezer section, Trader Joes has lava cakes that are individually wrapped and come 2 to the package.  After 45 seconds in the microwave, pure delight awaits.  And at roughly $4 for the package even a non-chocolate fanatic can get excited about that.