/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25795201/247432_cheap_amazon_stuff_AKrales_0382.jpg "The delusion of Amazon Haul")
Illustration by The Globe and Mail; source: istock
A rowing club membership that lets me be at one with the water
Illustration by The Globe and Mail; source: istock
The best thing I bought in 2024 was a membership in a rowing club. For $600, the Hanlan Boat Club on the stunning waterfront of downtown Toronto taught me how to scull (two oars) and to sweep (one oar), offered us 90-minute on-the-water coaching sessions twice a week from chilly pre-spring to crisp late fall, and provided access to an array of smooth, sleek rowing shells I could take out myself or with others. The experience of skimming across the water was sublime and restorative: once you’ve seen it from the lake at 7 o’clock (a.m. or p.m.), Canada’s most traffic-congested megalopolis never again feels quite as unmanageable.
To my further surprise, rowers are not “yo brah” extroverts and gluttons for punishment who like to vomit after exercising: they are good-natured, sympathetic folk (the majority were women) who like to make an effort, especially in unison, and then barbecue. And rowing turns out to be nearly perfect exercise: it works out 80 per cent of your muscles, is non-percussive (ideal if you don’t want to tax your knees), and lets you be at one with the water and each other. – Ian Brown, feature writer
A sequin jacket that made me sparkle on the inside and out
Illustration by The Globe and Mail; source: istock
As the happiness reporter at The Globe and Mail, I read a lot of research about how to improve well-being. Sequins, I’ve realized, are one of my happiness interventions. When my silver sequin jacket arrived last spring, in all its ridiculously over-the-top splendour, I hung it in the middle of my closet, and waited impatiently for a chance to wear it. Maybe you think sequins are just for New Years, but that jacket, with its disco-ball sparkle and dangling sequin fringe, beckoned at me every time I got dressed. I’ve worn it at every chance: a Canada Day party, a Barbie movie viewing, an Abba night and at a neighborhood dance. Sometimes, I would put it on for an afternoon while working alone at home. It’s hard to feel grumpy when your clothing reflects rainbow patterns on the wall, catches the sun like a diamond, and elicits compliments from strangers. When I swing that fringe, the jacket gives back joy. My navy blazers never loved me like that.
A final tip: Sequins aren’t eco-friendly (not yet, anyway) so only buy pieces that make you truly happy and shop second-hand. Then wear them like your favourite T-shirt, anytime and anywhere, as if a party might happen at any moment. – Erin Anderssen, happiness reporter
An espresso machine that truly makes my mornings better
Illustration by The Globe and Mail; source: istock
In a world that offered the option to inject coffee straight into my veins, I wouldn’t be opposed to a catheter. Maybe two. I’m only slightly kidding. So, you can imagine how much I pay for that delicious concoction on an annual basis. Hazel-hued lattes at a gorgeous café. Fruit-flavoured brews a friendly barista offered over ice, caramel drizzle like a cherry on top. An easy cup of joe, just black, no sugar, maybe a splash of milk. It all adds up to some proper moola. Plus, if you’re picky like me, you want customizations, and that certainly isn’t cheap.
After fighting the urge for years, I bit the bullet and bought myself an espresso machine. Having had a Keurig and Nespresso before, I can fully say my new 15-bar DēLonghi is the real deal. I’m not sure the math is necessarily in my favour; every YouTube ad tempts me with another tool – grinder, portafilter, tamper, you name it – that enhances the addiction at home. But the Italian manufacturer really outdid itself. The default frother puts professional cappuccino-makers to shame. The espresso pulls alone make me not want to spend as much on coffee shops anymore. With all the discounts available right now, this stainless-steel thing of beauty is a reasonable splurge that truly makes my mornings better. – Temur Durrani, National reporter
A LED face mask that delivers red-light therapy at home
Illustration by The Globe and Mail; source: istock
This was the year I turned 40 and the algorithm gods knew it. My Instagram feed is now 50 per cent internet-famous dermatologists, beauty influencers and plastic surgeons, discussing the pros and cons of various cosmetic treatments and procedures. Botox. Fillers. Peels. Lasers. Was I ready for this? Then I saw an ad for the Omnilux Contour LED Face mask. The pitch: a 10-minute at-home treatment that uses medical grade red light therapy, which has been clinically shown to reduce fine lines, wrinkles, redness and pigmentation. The company claims its technology is backed by 40 peer-reviewed clinical studies. It also cost around $500. This may seem pricey, until you start thinking about trying Botox treatments. Right before Mother’s Day, Omnilux had a sale and I caved. I’ve been using it weekly since.
Does it work? I honestly don’t know. Does it make me feel like I’m doing something, which makes me feel better? Yes. For now, I’m content using this mask in lieu of the other stuff — so maybe it’s even saving me money. I do think my skin is more even and is overall, brighter. I read somewhere that red-light therapy is like making sure your skin gets 8 hours of sleep a night. That is the best way to describe how my skin feels after using the Omnilux — like it’s rested and recharged.
I asked Toronto Dermatologist Renée A. Beach to see what she thought about these at-home masks. She told me that while they’re certainly convenient for people, they aren’t as powerful as the ones used in-clinic. Another drawback, she warned, is that the literature published on “LED modalities” excludes Brown and Black skinned patients from the treatment protocols, so it’s not known if these devices are safe or effective for these folks. (I reached out to Omnilux about this and did not get a response.) Overall, I enjoy my 10-minutes a day of looking like a serial killer. And it never gets old sneaking up on my husband in the dark while wearing it. – Robyn Doolittle, corporate law reporter
eSims let me bid farewell to sketchy hotel wifi
Illustration by The Globe and Mail; source: istock
This was the year I figured out eSims. And now I can’t imagine travelling without one. These cheap digital data packages with local carriers have changed the game and easily keep me connected no matter what country I’m in. In India and Switzerland, I bought 2GB of data to use over 15 days for $11.50, recently in Thailand, I had 50GB of data and 100 phone minutes for $14.50. Compare those prices to what your Canadian carrier charges for roaming privileges.
Most smartphones since 2020 have the ability to load an eSIM. Just choose your company (I’ve been using Airalo but there are many others). Download its app, see what is offered at your next destination – then follow the detailed, idiot-proof directions. Travellers on longer jaunts through the Caribbean, Asia or Europe and most continents can download a regional eSIM with coverage in multiple countries. And when you don’t want anyone to find you – simply put your phone in airplane mode. – Catherine Dawson March, features editor and travel writer
A pizza oven that I can bring on my travels
Illustration by The Globe and Mail; source: istockIllustration by The Globe and Mail; source: istock
For the past few years, Sunday night has been homemade pizza night in our home, whether in the city or at the cottage. So it was with great anticipation, and a little skepticism, that we welcomed our 12″ Ooni portable pizza oven into our lives this past summer. How could something so small deliver a pizzeria-like crust and taste? I’ll tell you how, by cooking on a stone at 900 F, this little oven delivers pizzas that rival any I have tasted from huge stone ovens, and it only takes 15 minutes to reach that temperature! Better yet, with a one-minute cooking time, it’s the perfect way to socialize with friends.
We’ve experimented with many different toppings – from dill pickles, to frisée, even kimchi – and some turn out better than others. But the fun is in the trying. Pizza-making we’ve learned is all about practice, experimentation and creativity. We use our Ooni almost exclusively for pizza but it can also deliver restaurant-level seared steaks, roast chicken, fish and more. It’s easy to clean and when we are done it sits covered on our deck, next to the BBQ grill. We were pizza lovers before, now we are pizza evangelists – and we’re already dreaming about graduating to the new 24″ model. – Gayle MacDonald, lifestyle reporter
A straw that brings class to my glass
Illustration by The Globe and Mail; source: istockIllustration by The Globe and Mail; source: istock
Can a person survive on just one glass of water a day? Yes, absolutely. I’m the terrifying living proof of this: A husk of a human who somehow breastfed two babies and runs semi-regularly but consumes almost no fluid beyond a morning cup of coffee. Drinking water in the volumes I’m supposed to has always felt like a chore. I’ve tried lugging around an uber-trendy, colourful 24-oz. water bottle with me all day, or adding slices of lemon, cucumber or even those embarrassing flavour drops to a glass of water to make it taste better. These “hacks” have worked for a bit but then I quickly drift back to my normal state of being perpetually parched.
One simple recent purchase has, for the last two months at least, consistently raised my water intake level: a pack of glass straws. A friend who uses them gushed about the ASMR benefits and she was right: tapping a glass straw against a drinking glass makes the most satisfying clink. Compared to metal or silicone, a glass straw is less likely to harbour nasty mould without you realizing – see-through = easier to clean. Most importantly, they are undeniably elegant. You could drink a can of Mountain Dew through a glass straw and look chic as hell. – Dakshana Bascaramurty, food culture reporter
A compact yet seriously powered-up flashlight that brings me comfort
Illustration by The Globe and Mail; source: istock
Don’t roll your eyes. The product that infused me with happiness and comfort was a flashlight — that’s right, an effing flashlight. But not just any flashlight. The tiny, aluminum-skinned baby I bought was less than 100 millimetres long and could disappear in the palm of my hand, yet could light up an entire block, two blocks if the most powerful of the five settings is used.
Made by Fenix of Colorado, I picked it up earlier this year in Kyiv, when I was covering the war in Ukraine, where Russian bombings could turn off the lights for hours, even days. It also came in useful in the Israel-Hezbollah war in Lebanon, where electricity was also a sporadic luxury. My rechargeable Fenix could illuminate objects up to 200 metres away and was especially useful in navigating blacked-out streets or stairwells so dark you couldn’t see your hand in front of your eyes. But not cheap at about $115. In Rome, where I am based, it lives in my motorcycle until I return to war. – Eric Reguly, European bureau chief
A comfy recliner that finally lets me relax
Illustration by The Globe and Mail; source: istock
I tend to spend an unwise proportion of my disposable income on books and records at the expense of, well, everything else. For instance: until my mid-30s, my living room was furnished with the same IKEA couches and chairs that I bought in grad school. Which is to say I just got rid of them. Coincidentally, my motivation for this great de-IKEA-fication was to finally have comfortable furniture to read and listen in.
I’ve long desperately wanted a recliner, but never bothered to stash away the cash for one – particularly one that would circumvent my wife’s open disgust for the chunky, generic La-Z-Boy silhouette. After years of searching (and using our willpower in record stores) we discovered the EQ3 Lawrence recliner. It is profoundly comfortable, with clean lines that don’t feel out of place with our other new mid-century-style furniture. This weekend you can catch me nestled in the chair reading Brian Eno’s A Year With Swollen Appendices with Charli XCX’s Brat on the turntable. – Josh O’Kane, business-of-arts reporter
A wetsuit for year-round outdoor swimming
Illustration by The Globe and Mail; source: istockIllustration by The Globe and Mail; source: istock
I don’t mind the cold, as a long-time backcountry skier, and I’ve always liked swimming, since boyhood. Two years ago, in my mid-40s, I started swimming in pools with focus and rigour, at my local Y and at the Vancouver apartment building where I live. From the beginning my mind’s eye (distantly) looked outside: cold water swimming. I enviously, and somewhat daunted, watched a small cadre, including a few neighbours, swim most days all year round in English Bay, near where we live. Come fall and through winter they swam distances in wetsuits.
This August, I started properly swimming outside. The water was well warm enough for a swimsuit. By early October the water was… brisk. I bought a wetsuit. My first forays were enlivening and in fact pleasant in relatively (with a wetsuit) agreeable water, 12 degrees. In late November, the water at 9 C was, technically speaking, warmer than the rainy days I swam. By any normal person’s measurement, the water was freezing – but the wetsuit works well, as does a neoprene cap. Yet the face is exposed and the cold water delivers an initial wallop of brain freeze. Unpleasant but fleeting. It feels a little otherworldly to be out there swimming this time of year. I swim for about 15 minutes a go so far, and soon aiming for half an hour or maybe more. I can’t wait to swim in January. – David Ebner, justice reporter
A Himalayan salt lamp that gives a cozy glow
Illustration by The Globe and Mail; source: istock
If you know a hippie, you’ve probably seen one — an illuminated chunk of rosy crystalline rock, known as the Himalayan salt lamp. It’s giving massage therapy room. It’s giving wellness. It’s giving woo-woo. But when I stayed in an Airbnb that had one in the bedroom, I found myself thinking, with some surprise: I really like this lamp.
Proponents claim salt lamps have health benefits, though the science, let’s generously say, is unclear. And, for a lamp, they do come with a lot of baggage. As one person wrote on a Reddit home decorating thread, “I kind of want one, but are they too cliché or too hippie or too something?” Well yes, they definitely are. But they also glow like a 1970s greeting card sunrise, like the warmest sunset over the beach on vacation. They are so soft and warm and cozy that when, after my trip, I came across one in a thrift store for $4.99, I found myself happily carrying it to the checkout.
A Himalayan salt lamp isn’t the coolest or most stylish lamp. It probably isn’t going to cure anything, and if you buy it at a thrift store (where they are ubiquitous), you may have to lick it to make sure it’s real. But it brought a rosy and relaxing mood to my life, and that’s a good buy. – Jana Pruden, feature writer
A mahjong set that helped me click with friends
Illustration by The Globe and Mail; source: istock
This year, my partner and I bought a fairly cheap American mahjong set from Amazon, after pals of ours asked to join them in mahjong lessons. The pleasingly tactile game of moving, shuffling and clicking tiles has turned out to be a great investment in learning – both the skill and the history behind it. The 86-years-strong National Mah Jong League releases an official new playing card every year, which adds perennial challenges to a game where players all have the same predetermined sets of hands. The game has also deepened a friendship that we now really cherish. When you learn mahjong together, you stick together! – Stephanie Chambers, news researcher
A road bike (and the necessary lycra to wear with it)
Illustration by The Globe and Mail; source: istock
I resisted the lycra for years. One-by-one, my best friends started shelling out thousands of dollars for Tour de France-style road bikes, but I held firm to my belief that they were nuts. It all seemed like a ludicrously expensive hobby. Then one of them found me a Canondale SuperSix EVO on sale last winter, and in a moment of weakness, I caved. Now I’m one of them — and I’m addicted. Being on the bike is a feeling you can’t quite explain — something I’d describe as a flow state. And half of riding is looking good, so I’m all-in on the fashion. I know it sounds ridiculous. I’d mock me too. But I’m officially a MAMIL, a Middle-Aged Man in Lycra, and I’m proud of it. – Tim Kiladze, financial reporter and columnist
A $13 sleep mask from Amazon that helps me drift off
Illustration by The Globe and Mail; source: istock
I’ve tried magnesium tablets. Meditation apps. Even went to a sleep study clinic, where they attached dozens of little wires to my scalp, arms and legs with a sticky gel, to figure out if it was sleep apnea or some other kind of disorder (it wasn’t). Still, I’d lay awake in bed night after night, counting down the hours until morning. Instagram suggested a $3,000 “smart mattress”. A friend suggested a $400 wearable device that would track my sleep cycles and give me a “sleep score” every morning (like I needed a reminder that I was failing). Yet another “friend” suggested taping my mouth shut (Google it – or maybe don’t).
The best answer for me so far has been a sleep mask that costs just $13. It’s the only one I’ve tried that’s comfortable enough that I can forget it’s on. It’s made of a smooth silk, with no seams or rough edges to scratch your face. The outer edges are raised so that the fabric doesn’t smush your eyelashes. It’s blackout dark. And it actually works. I’ll never be a super sleeper. But this mask, combined with a pair of very good ear plugs, brings me about as close to eight hours as I’ll likely ever get. – Ann Hui, generations reporter
Sneakers that pushed me to become a runner
Illustration by The Globe and Mail; source: istock
I’ve always been baffled by runners: by their commitment to pounding the pavement in this one wild and precious life – even on vacation, no less. Yet I’ve also lived in quiet awe of them, because running represents a kind of aspirational virtue, like waking up at dawn or flossing or calling your parents regularly.
But this spring, I decided, after a stretch of malaise, that I needed to prove to myself that I could do hard things: I started training for my first 5-kilometre race. Unfortunately, my body began to betray me in earnest; my flat, bunioned feet throbbed as pain arrowed through my Achilles’ tendon. That’s when I tried the HOKA Bondi 8. Their ultra-thick cushioning relieved my heel pain, and their chiropodist-approved rocker midsoles and rare, bunion-accommodating extra-extra wide 4E toe box provided me with a smooth ride – things I suddenly appreciated, after years of finding this language laughably impenetrable. As a bonus, the culture has once again kowtowed to me, an 18-to-35-year-old man, by making it acceptable to wear neutral-coloured chunky (ie. ugly) shoes to the bar.
Most importantly, they freed me up to just focus on the running. I managed to find a rhythm of two morning runs a week – and made myself proud with a 5K time that would’ve been unfathomable when I started.
Of course, I’ve since fallen out of rhythm. And the Bondis are certainly not perfect; they can feel heavy, and their thick toe boxes were a culprit in a bloody trip-and-fall I sustained during a summertime run – on vacation, no less. But I’ll always love what the shoes represented: the key to understanding a whole other world, and a reminder that I can do hard things when I extend myself the grace of soft things. – Opinion editor, Adrian Lee
A sunscreen that feels like a luxury item
Illustration by The Globe and Mail; source: istock
When I met my dermatologist for the first time 25 years ago, he took one look at my pale, pasty skin and told me to wear SPF every day of my life. Easier said than done. Thankfully, sunscreen has come a long way since the chalky days of yore. Ultra Violette’s Queen Screen Luminising Skinscreen SPF 50+ is a broad-spectrum face serum with a subtle, floral scent that sinks into my skin, leaving a slightly dewy finish. I use it every day – Dr. C would be so happy! – under makeup or alone to give my skin a hydrating boost whether I’m in the sun or not. Bonus: the slick blue glass bottle and dropper applicator makes it feel like part of a luxe beauty routine. – Lara Pingue, life and arts programming editor
A toy that entertains my cat while I work
Illustration by The Globe and Mail; source: istock
All cat parents know the pain of a lovable furball begging for attention during working hours. For a while during the pandemic, I was able to place Archie, my highly energetic tabby boy, into what I called “daycare” (translation: I would nestle him under the blankets on my bed). But like any 10-year-old, he quickly grew tired of just napping or playing with the sheets while I was busy in my home office. He needed something active to keep him occupied.
Enter the Valonii 2-in-1 rechargeable motion-activated interactive toy for indoor cats. With the press of a button, a motorized feathery prey at the end of a wand starts spinning erratically, Archie proceeds to lose his mind chasing it and I can get my work done for a few hours without his claws digging under my office door. Every few days, I recharge it next to my phone. There are three motor settings, including one that randomly switches it on, marking the start of playtime. Thank you, Amazon (I say that extremely reluctantly). – Maryam Shah, news programming editor
Earbuds that make my commute a breeze
Illustration by The Globe and Mail; source: istockIllustration by The Globe and Mail; source: istock
I bought Airpods Pro warily. They cost more than $300 and they’re tiny enough that you can imagine losing them in almost any scenario: dropped down a sewer grate, crushed underfoot, carried off in the beak of a tiny bird. Having to tend to the electricity needs of yet another rechargeable device was also not appealing. But after a day of using them I was no longer a skeptic. After a week, my wife was getting tired of reminding me to remove them from my ears.
Big tech companies have spent the past few years promising us devices that will seamlessly blend the real world and the virtual realm. This fancy set of earbuds is the first device I have used that has come close to delivering on that promise. The pods toggle easily between listening modes that either accept or refuse external stimuli. They’re sort of like eyelids for your ears, if eyelids were Bluetooth-enabled. Does this sound wonderful? Creepy? Doesn’t matter. I can’t get through a commute without them now. – Steve Kupferman, editor
A wall-patching kit that saved my rental deposit
Illustration by The Globe and Mail; source: istock
Every tenant knows moving out is a pain. Before I could move on to greener pastures, I had to repair the holes I had drilled. A Google search and a Home Depot visit later, and I had in my hands some DRYdex spackling. You smear the bubblegum-coloured paste on a dent or hole, scrape off the excess, and then wait for the area to turn white. The starter kit version comes with sandpaper to blend the patch seamlessly into the wall; it was as if I had never installed that air conditioner at all. Am I at that age where home improvement gives me joy? Yes. Did I get my damage deposit back? Also yes. – Ming Wong, art director
A commuter bike that redefined my relationship with the city
Illustration by The Globe and Mail; source: istock
This was one of the most difficult purchases I made. After many years of not riding my zippy road bike in Toronto – mostly because it hurt my low back to ride – I decided I needed to transition to a more comfortable model. I was worried that meant giving up my sleek, sexy yellow speedster for a purely practical (read: ugly) bicycle instead. But the Linus Mixte 3i proved me wrong.
This French-style, upright ride is equal parts sturdy and stylish. And the three gears in this model gives me the flexibility to pick up the pace if I’m in a hurry, or drop down a gear to climb a hill. Unlike a road bike, I’m seated upright and the elegant shape of the handlebar keeps my arms closer to my body, meaning I’m not straining my back. After buying it this spring at Linus’s Canadian dealer, Bikes on Wheels, it has become my main mode of transportation in the city. I am no longer constantly a little annoyed by transit delays or unending gridlock. Instead, I find myself looking for reasons to bike and remembering the feeling of joy when I first learned to ride as a kid. – Madeleine White, The Decibel producer
A new car that made me love driving again
Illustration by The Globe and Mail; source: istock
A brand new car had never been on my horizon. I have always purchased used. But this year, I was dreading the purchase of another used car, with its expected expenses, yet still-high prices. With used vehicles, I had always driven with one ear to sounds the car might make. What was that? Was this bit of road as bumpy as it felt last week? Am I churning through gas faster than a couple months ago? So, since some inheritance came my way, I felt it was time: I walked into a dealership, bought a brand new Subaru Crosstrek, and discovered my love for driving again.
Having owned Subarus twice before, their AWD aspect had always appealed to me and has been useful several times in winter. In a new Crosstrek, I now have a huge screen of data, reports, music, maps and more. For me, it has been like driving a spaceship. I feel I have pushed off down the road any large vehicle repair bills; I even bought the extended warranty, undercoating and paint protection packages. I’m not kidding my future self; I know there will come a time when I will have to shell out for repairs. But for now I can relax. A bit. – Timothy Hellum, IT specialist
