An all-over-the-place assortment of stood-behind products culled from this very website that appears in the most recent January issue of New York Magazine.
Best in Class
Every Architect’s Favorite Desk Lamp
Recently, strategist writer Lauren Ro asked more than 25 architects and interior designers about their preferred desk lamp. Somewhat unsurprisingly, most of them suggested Anglepoise’s Type 75 Desk Lamp, which has been in production for nearly a century; it beat out both Artemide’s Tolomeo and the Noguchi Akari. Rarely is a lamp so utilitarian (it has an articulated arm and adjustable shade) and equally handsome. “It has an elegant and classic silhouette” that’ll endure through trend cycles, says Brian Wilson, co-founder of Pair, an office-furniture company. Ming Thompson, co-founder of architecture and design firm Atelier Cho Thompson, agrees, saying it effectively strikes “a balance between simple, modern forms and exposed mechanical elements.” It comes in an array of pleasing colors, including a striking Saxon blue, a pretty ocher, and a sleek brushed aluminum.
Celebrity Shopping
“I’ve had a T-fal fryer since 2007. It’s the exact right size and very easy to clean. I like it better than frying in a big pot because the temperature regulation is much more straightforward. I love to fry chicken, but we’ve also made homemade French fries, egg rolls — a range of things.”
“When you have kids, gravity takes over and everything falls to the ground. I had perfect C’s, and they are a mess right now. But this adhesive bra pulls you up and gives you almost like a breast lift. It’s seamless, it’s backless, and no one can tell if you’re wearing one.”
“It’s hard to find cute shoes when you have big-girl feet. Charlotte Stone is super-size-inclusive. I’m a tall woman who doesn’t mind wearing a heel, and it’s got a big chunky heel. I have about 12, because when I find something in my size and in a nice color, I do like my mom and buy multiples.”
This Thing’s Incredible
My husband owns a lot of T-shirts. He has a few from Uniqlo and American Apparel plus some vintage shirts he got in Tokyo. Among those, there’s one that’s perfectly threadbare. It’s downright gauzy, the kind of thing real vintage-heads would pay a lot of money for. It’s fitted, its sleeves a hair shorter than most modern tees, with a thick collar that actually cuts close to the neck. He was so enamored of this shirt he went on the hunt for more. Helpfully, the tag is quite descriptive: “Hanes Fifty-Fifty M 38–40.” The shirt is still in production. It now goes by Hanes EcoSmart. He ordered one in small, his regular size. The new Hanes is not identical to the old Hanes, but it’s the closest he’s found. —Lauren Ro
I wear one pair of pants on every single flight: the Faye pant from Ann Mashburn. They’re a thick knit with a wide elastic waistband. They have just enough of a tapered flare and show some ankle, so they don’t look like yoga pants. A couple of years after I bought them, I started seeing High Sport on some of my friends’ feeds. They’re the same idea as the Faye, but I liked that they had a front seam, so I splurged. (They’re $860, but I used the price-per-wear justification, even though I couldn’t believe any pair of Lycra pants could cost this much.) Part of me thought they had to be invincibly good if they were going to be that expensive — and they were, until I had to wash them. While the label said “dry-clean only,” I figured I could wash them and not dry them, so I did, and that was the end of the High Sport for me. The black wasn’t black anymore; the fabric got saggy in the knees and almost flappy at the bottom. The Mashburn pants, meanwhile, don’t lose their color and don’t get saggy after I wash them, even though I wear them at least 50 times a year.
Ask the Strategist
Can You Help Me Find a New Work Shoe?
Recently, a reader, who happens to be a nurse, was in search of new work sneakers. They specifically requested something wide to support their joints as well as anti-microbial and fluid resistant because “sometimes I spill someone’s pee on my shoes!” Here, what writer Jeremy Rellosa found for them.
“The Merrell Jungle Moc: It’s not a sneaker, but it has a comfy cushioned sole and an anti-microbial lining, comes in wide sizing, and is easy to wipe since there isn’t a tongue for laces where liquid can pass through to your feet. If you want, you could even apply a waterproofing spray made specifically for suede and nubuck.”
Packing List
In August, my partner, Jack, and I went hut-to-hut hiking in the Alps, and it was my most challenging trip yet. Here, what I packed to make it a little easier. —Kayla Levy
Guests are required to bring a “hut sleeping bag,” which is basically anything to put under the bedding. This liner keeps you warm and weighs less than one pound.
Jack, who is a very minimalist packer, doesn’t travel without this e-reader. We had a lot of downtime to read (and no Wi-Fi or cell service), so it came in handy.
My first water bottle of the day had one of these tablets in it for extra energy. My other toiletry-bag must-haves were Aleve, deodorant, and sunscreen.
The huts don’t provide hand or body towels. I got this one in college, and it has held up on beach days and backpacking trips alike.
For days when you’re walking around a city and need something to put a water bottle, camera, and extra layer in. This bag (which I’ve coveted for a while) came highly recommended by other travelers.
I Keep Seeing This
Everyone Has an Oil Painting in the Kitchen
Top-drawer interior designers around the world are putting oil paintings in kitchens. “For me, it’s quite a European way of designing,” Helen Parker, deVOL’s creative director in London, said. A kitchen painting for her has “either got to be quirky and colorful or beautifully painted.” “The frame is key” as well, said interior stylist Colin King. He’s a fan of “really thick, gilded wood.” Interior designer Athena Calderone has sourced kitchen paintings “everywhere from yard sales to my parents’ basement,” she said. And designer Leanne Ford noted that Etsy, Chairish, and even Craigslist have nice offerings. She recommends keywords like vintage still life and old oil painting to cast a wide search. —Chantel Tattoli
Recommended by Experts
I spoke to game designers and toy-store owners about what’s out there.
Here, newer ones that caught my eye. —Dominique Pariso
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Best Active Game
Anya Kamenetz, mother of two and author of The Art of Screen Time, recommends the fast-paced Exploding Kittens game Throw Throw Burrito, “which is a fun combination of goofiness and actual strategy.”
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Best Word-Association Game
The main objective of Just One is for players to help their teammates guess a word by suggesting “just one” word as a hint. It’s simple but also “utterly addictive,” says Kelsey Demers of the blog the Tabletop Family.
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Best Pick-and-Pass Game
For a lightning- quick, pick-and-pass card game, Lauren Bilanko, co-owner of Twenty Sided Store, suggests Sushi Go!, which she says is very easy to learn but still fun enough to play over and over again.
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Best Math-Focused Game
For something more educational, try this math game. To win a card, players have to get to the center number by adding, subtracting, multiplying, or dividing the five other numbers on the card.
The Strategist is designed to surface the most useful, expert recommendations for things to buy across the vast e-commerce landscape. Some of our latest conquests include the best acne treatments, rolling luggage, pillows for side sleepers, natural anxiety remedies, and bath towels. We update links when possible, but note that deals can expire and all prices are subject to change.
