10 Products That Delighted Us Last Week: From Track Suits to Tarot Decks – New York Magazine

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We write about hundreds of products a week. Here, in our version of the Sunday circular, weve plucked out some of our favorites expert-recommendedessentials,life-changing stuffyou didnt know you needed, newly-launched gizmos, and thevery good dealswe uncovered while trolling through the vast online-shopping universe this past week.

As we wrote last week, one upside to our newfound downtime in this period of social distancing is that we all have more time to read. To help you (and ourselves) find new books to distract us from the 24-hour news cycle, we turned to the staff at one of our favorite local stores, McNally Jackson (which set up a fund to support its employees living costs after temporarily shuttering its locations due to the viral pandemic). This pick comes from shop owner Sarah McNally herself: This novella takes place over a week in Northumberland and is narrated by a 17-year-old girl. Her family joins a professor and three students to live off the land in a rough approximation of the Britons of the Iron Age. The tension builds, undercurrents of abuse rise ever closer to the surface. Its a little funny and very sad, and it transports the reader to the British bogs and beaches and to the life of hunting and gathering.

Another of our favorite distractions for these (and any other) days is a good puzzle, so we recently polled some cool people about the ones theyre putting together right now. This Areaware one came recommended by Books Are Magic bookseller and puzzle obsessive Margaret Myers, who does note that its calming-to-look-at ombr design makes it more challenging (but with time to kill, that may not be a bad thing). Theyre very hard and fun, she says, as well as framable (when complete), we think.

For many of us, the reality of working from home means working from the home you also live in with roommates, a situation that Strategist intern Kayla Levy is quite familiar with (she has four). From her guide to working from home with roommates (for which Levy spoke to other folks who have set-ups similar to hers) comes this month-at-a-glance schedule notebook from Muji, which crises-services worker Lena Beckett and her two other roommates use to coordinate chores because they need to happen much more frequently now.

Last week, columnist Chris Black and his friends behind Instagrams timely new account @WFHFits directed readers to several work-appropriate outfits for when your office might also be your couch. One such outfit, according to the @WFHFits braintrust, is a matching tracksuit by Adidas comfort and chic for you are the highest priorities. For more comfy-chic options, check out our staffers odes to their favorite work-from-home Shiv Roy pants, leggings, and tank tops (that double as yoga tops).

The reality is, most of us dont normally wash our hands this frequently and even if you dont suffer from eczema or psoriasis like I do, this level of cleanliness can be pretty irritating on the skin, our columnist says about one often-painful reality of proper personal hygiene. Following a deep dive into one of Reddits eczema forums, I decided on bottle of Gold Bonds $4 Eczema Relief Cream, she writes. After two days of consistent use (I put it on two to three times a day), dry patches were completely gone. I attribute this to the creams formula: It is comprised of oatmeal (which calms the skin and prevents itchiness), aloe vera (for soothing and hydrating), and vitamin E (which helps build the skins protective barrier and lock in moisture).

In a recent Micro Sale, we noted that this durable skillet from one of our favorite heritage cookware brands will come in handy for all the home cooking ahead. And, like the other Le Creuset pots and pans we (and our parents) own, if properly cared for, it will remain a workhorse in your kitchen for decades of happier times to come.

If being cooped up is taking a toll on your body, stretching can be a simple way to alleviate that. In talking to experts about the best tools you can use to become more flexible, many recommend prepping your muscles with a foam roller. One thing that massage-type tools can do relatively easily is improve the circulation of blood to the muscles, says Alain Saint-Dic, the head of training and development at Stretch Relief. This helps to get them warm, often leading to an overall better stretch. While the pros told us about less expensive foam rollers, we think this one recommended by Stretch*d co-founder and COO Vanessa Chu is particularly suited for stretching at home, because it collapses down for easy storage.

Youre probably thinking about stocking up on board games right now (among other things), begins contributor Rachel Daviess ode to these nifty, space-saving games. At first glance, they appear to be smart hardback classics you might see in an old library. But when you open the cover, youll find a nostalgic board game hidden neatly in there. She adds that, the clever design makes for easy storage, and that unlike the Candy Lands and Monopolys I grew up with, these versions are thoughtfully designed and beautifully illustrated, making the experience feel less like Im babysitting a preschooler and more like Im playing a parlor game with my very elegant friends.

While many of us might not want to peer at what the future may hold, those who do should consider this beautiful, not-so-useful object that you will treasure, according to writer Amanda Fortini, who recommended this tarot deck based on Salvador Dals tarot cards commissioned for the James Bond film Live and Let Die for our list of the best 40th birthday gifts. She calls them equal parts trippy and spooky, adding that they come in a purple felt box youll want to leave out on display. (Currently available for pre-order, the cards will ship in April 2020, according to Taschen.)

There is something about reading prop stylist Stephanie Yehs ode to her trusty tool (and toiletry) pouch that reminded us of the normal lives we may have temporarily lost, but, we hope, will return soon enough. Prop stylists are required to completely transform the ordinary into the spectacular to create a mermaid tail out of everyday objects, say, or build gravity-defying stacks of cosmetics. Which is where the Klein bags come in handy. They have a wide, 12.5-inch opening that can fit most anything we need, she told us, noting that, in addition to tools, sometimes, those things are extra pairs of socks, lip balms, or hand sanitizer.

Actually good deals, smart shopping advice, and exclusive discounts.

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.

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10 Products That Delighted Us Last Week: From Track Suits to Tarot Decks - New York Magazine