Favorite Things: Effortless Anthropologie

Roxy from Effortless Anthropologie has great style and is always posting honest and straightforward reviews on Anthropologie items. If there's ever any Anthro items I'm debating over, I make sure and check her blog for sizing information and her thoughts on the quality of the item. Definitely visit her blog when you get a chance, but first let's find out what her favorite things are (I am also a fan of her #5 item!)...

1. Gift cards


No lie, I love these things. Personalized gifts are great but only when you know exactly what to get someone. I would much rather give my sis a $100 gift card to a store I know she loves and let her pick out something than make her hassle returning something that is good bbbbuuuutttt not quite what she wanted. There are qualifiers to this of course -- the cards that depreciate over time are lame and so are any of the ones with hidden fees. But the J.Crews, the Anthropologies, and the rest of the fashion stores I frequent seem to have it down. Pretty design, easy increments, fun little message. Done.

2. Netflix


Speaking of slaves to convenience, I love this service. I like to save my movie theater experiences for big budget action flicks or chick flicks with my gal pals. So for everything else it's in my queue. I love that the movies come to my door and these days I stream both over my laptop and on my Xbox 360. I am terrible about watching movies in a timely fashion but Netflix deserves credit for having a vast TV library too. In fact I totally blame my "Lost" addiction on Netflix. Catching up was only too easy. This is another great gift -- you can give someone 6 months free and get them addicted too.

3. Chocolate covered pretzels


I'm not a chocolate fiend. Until the holidays. Every year my Mom made molded chocolates for my teachers but her homemade delight was chocolate covered pretzels. And ever since I correlate the two. Come December 1 my brain is rewired for chocolate covered pretzels and only chocolate covered pretzels. You can't go wrong with these as a gift (unless of course your recipient is allergic) and they are hits at parties. They're super easy to make but I'm a lazy city dweller who normally buys mine at the nearest Godiva. Slave to convenience? Yup, that would be me.


4. The Alchemist


I have read hundreds of books and few stand up to this one. I was lucky enough to read this in my early 20s upon the advice of a friend. At a time when life is both filled with opportunities and yet equally brought down by frustration, this book gave me an inspiration and a heading. The writing style is so simple that I was turned off at first. But below the simple sentences lies a story that is universally relatable and yet seemingly incredible. I cried both for the boy and for myself and once I was done with the book I realized that I needed to echo the goals in my own life. Everyone I know that's read this book has been touched by it. It makes a great gift and a great book club read.

5. Supernatural


I don't watch that much TV but every Thursday night I'm plopped in front of the tube to take in "Supernatural." For the uninitiated this show follows two brothers destined to be demon hunters. But if you take it as face value you're missing what makes the show so great. It's so ridiculously meta and awesome that it appeals to every quirk in my personality. Not only are the Winchester brothers fantastic eye candy, they've got sharp writing and intriguing storylines to make the hour worth my while. I assumed this was a show for the dudes but the more I watch the more I realize that this show is for anyone who loves their action served with a little destiny vs. free will question time. You can make it as deep or superficial as you want but on any level this is such an underrated show.

6. Anthropologie's Chie Mihara shoes


Expensive? Yes. Worth it? Totally. Chie Mihara only makes drool-worthy shoes and until recently they've been pretty hard to find in the United States. So I'm thrilled that my favorite store Anthropologie started carrying a great selection these past few years. One pair of shoes costs more than my monthly rent did in Colorado but now that I'm a NYC gal I can justify the occasional splurge. Chie Mihara's shoes are a mix of vintage details (thick heels, rounded toes, appliques) modernized through form and material. The quality is there in the heels and each year I'm drooling over a different variety. This year the Stacked Smoke Heels are calling my name.

7. Neutrogena Energizing Body Scrub


Sugar scrubs are all about refreshing the skin and come the winter I need as much as I can get. I love this scrub! Many scrubs are too harsh on my sensitive skin but this one exfoliates gently and leaves you smelling fresh and yummy. It's thick enough to spread without diluting in the shower yet it washes off easily. My skin is so soft afterwards and looks good as new. I stock up on this stuff when it goes on sale at my local Target.

8. Barielle's Nail Rebuilding Protein


My nails were pretty dry and brittle at the web agency I used to work for. Barielle was one of my clients and they offered to send me some free stuff (love them!). Ever since I've been hooked on their Nail Rebuilding Protein. I apply it once a week and my nails are unbreakable. One bottle lasts forever too; I think I buy it twice a year. It dries quickly too which is a must for my life on the go. I can put it on under colored polish or use it right after stripping my nails. I can't say enough good things about this stuff. Even though I've moved on from that agency I remain a Barielle devotee.

9. Sabon Ginger Orange Butter Cream


Living in the city my skin takes a beating. My hands are constantly dry, my face is windblown and my feet can crack. But since a friend introduced me to Sabon's butter creams my skin is...well..like butter. It's the only cream I've ever used that I can apply once per day without my skin drying out. I use it everywhere except my face and it keeps me smelling great and feeling smooth all day. I love a few of the scents but this Ginger Orange variety has been my cold-weather favorite. It's got a refreshing smell that wakes me up when I apply. Sabon is an earth-friendly company that does not test on animals. If you ever come across one of their stores, go in and wash your hands (it's free). You'll be convinced.

10. HP Mini 1000



I work in the Internet industry and as a result I'm attached the web at the hip. While my iPhone is great for emails and web surfing as soon as I want to do something requires a lot of typing it's a failure. That's where my HP Mini 1000 comes in. It fits in a medium-sized purse, it's really light and it's got enough power to let me do almost anything I need/want to on the go. Clients are constantly impressed by this little computer I whip out of my purse. It starts up and is ready to go in about 30 seconds. And it runs Windows XP so it's just like any other PC-based laptop. They don't make this model anymore but it's replacement, the Mini 110, is a good successor.