If Oprah can have a list, I want one too! (she has 60, I have 20…who’s the diva now?)

While shopping at Tevana last week getting a little “thank you happy” for a friend I bought the tea of the month which was so because it was on Oprah’s Favorite Things list!.

I’m always shocked when I see what makes her list and why it makes the list.  I love when the item chosen is a product from a company trying to make their way in the world and over night their business becomes a success. 

I have absolutely no notion that this list will have that kind of effect on any of these items, but it was fun to just sit down and think about what are the items that I’m just loving this year.

For the Home-

• Anthropologie Mug – Homegrown Monogram.  Mine was a gift from my friend Tiffany.  I use it every morning that I work from home.  I love the blue transfer ware design that matches my Blue Willow dishes.  Since I normally drink coffee from a travel mug, I love to have this little mug that warms my heart remembering the friend who shared it with me!
• Carmel Drizzle K-Cups- these are my go-to every day coffee choice.  Not too bold for my taste and perfectly supports my variety of creamer choices.
• Tis the Season holiday candles from Bath and Body works (hello after Christmas sale!)  I love that they are red and match my kitchen.  Plus they always make my house smell “homey”.  Yes, I burn them year round.

In the Kitchen-

• Pampered Chef ceramic Santoku knife – its green, it cuts perfect and it has a protection sleeve to live in while it sits in your drawer!
• Iron Skillet – of course I’m a little spoiled because mine was my grandmommy’s and came seasoned and well used!

Just to Give-

• Lipstick Charger – these compact chargers can extend your phone (or anything with a USB) just by plugging it in.  Genius for late night at Relay!
• Jesus Calling by Sarah Young – this book has been such a gift to me this year.  There is an app version as well.  In some very dark days these words in this book really felt like Jesus speaking directly to me, beckoning and drawing me to Him when my mind wanted to doubt, fear and worry.

Fits my Lifestyle

• Vera Bradley coin purse – this is going to sound crazy, but I keep all my gift cards and hotel cards in this little coin purse.  They are always with me and I’m not having to dump out the bottom of my purse to find them.  I used to be terrible about getting to a store without them. (not my sister just showed me an app where you can load them all on your phone and then you don’t have to keep any plastic in your purse…we’ll see about that).  Also when you travel to different parts of the state and cant consistently keep your business with one hotel line its handy to have all your membership cards in one place!
• Bath and Body Works mentha lip gloss – used to you could only get this in the mint green color tube.  Now, they’ve developed a whole line with different amounts of “mentha” and even a series of tinted shades.  Its the perfect shine and its smells and tastes minty fresh.

 Staying connected-

• Feedly app – came to my rescue when the Google Reader went away.  Love that all my stuff is still kept in one place and I didn’t have to rebuild my feeds.
• Starbucks app – what’s one sign you’ve moved to a city?  Your social status with Starbucks has increased.  I mean I’m a card carrying Gold Club member!  Oh yea.  You can register your gift cards to your account and set up an auto refill to keep your card ready to use.  When you get to the register you just scan your card and earn your point!  Nothing wrong with that!  Plus when its time for your free drink they help you make the most of your money!
• Blogger app – this has been a life saver this year.  As I learn more about the techy side of my blog I’m learning how to use tools to make it easier to keep everything updated.

Gathering Place-

• Arsaga’s – I sure don’t spend enough time at this little joint at The Depot off Dickson in Fayetteville.  Trust me on this – if the chef’s choice is smoked gouda pimento cheese, just say yes!
• Table Mesa Bistro on the Bentonville Square had my heart at Butternut Squash enchiladas.  I’ve had several other things and find any excuse I can to eat here…I’ve not been disappointed.  Even my pops approved of the wild boar tacos!  And their hummus platter comes with crispy plantains and red pepper cream sauce.
• Iron Horse Coffee Company in Rogers is my favorite lunch spot.  Not to far from my office in downtown Rogers its local at its finest and when I catch Roasted Red Pepper and Gouda soup its a good day!

Happy Place-

• Heirloom Food and Gifts – this one could have fallen into several categories.  I love the atmosphere, I love the business philosophy, I love the authenticity, I love the commitment to homemade and local, I love the eccentricity, it just makes my heart happy.  And, I don’t get to take advantage of it, but the mezza platters are the best!
• Feather Your Nest – an early find for me just off the Fayetteville Square, this store takes me straight to the French Quarter in NOLA or what I would dream would be the shops surrounding the Eiffel Tower.  The candles, the platters, the gifts, the wonder.  I love how different everything is, I love how friendly the staff is and I love that they wrap everything like its a gift, even if its just for you!

Watch it every week- (I’ll apologize now to my dad if he is reading this…I’m sure your not proud but I could have worse guilty pleasure)

• Nashville
• Scandal
• Hart of Dixie

What makes your list of things you just couldn’t live without in 2013?  Guess my life is not as boring
as I thought it was.