The 22 Best Things Strategist Staffers Bought in August

My husband and I moved at the end of May, and the door to our bedroom won’t stay closed on its own. I was sick of looking at the weight we used to prop it open and found this charming door mouse to replace it.

I had a tab open for these shoes for a few days until I walked past the Soho Crocs store and decided to try them on. The sales associate hilariously pointed out that they looked just like the old, ratty pair of Steve Maddens I had on. She wasn’t wrong. What can I say? I’m a creature of habit. But best of all, they were far more comfortable than my old pair. I practically wore them out of the store.

One Trick Pony’s buzzy peanut butter has come across my social-media feeds plenty of times over the last several months, but I never got around to trying it until I found it at a vegan grocery store on the Lower East Side. (I’m not vegan, but I’m impressed by the selection of snacks atOrchard Grocer.) My boyfriend and I had a hard time deciding between crunchy and smooth, but we landed on the former, and I’ve loved the texture and taste it has added to my morning toast. Along with being some of the better peanut butter I’ve tasted, it comes in a neat inverted jar that decreases natural oil separation. They have a new s’mores flavor I’m tempted to try next.

I spent a week in Maine earlier this month and stopped into the cutestshoppy shopin Portland calledBlanche + Mimi. I could have spent all my money on the luxe bath products and design-y serveware in the store, but I limited myself to just this cute citrus-scented lip balm. I love the packaging, and it keeps my lips moisturized, too.

I would never have guessed that a combination microwave plus air fryer was missing from my life until I tried it for myself. The FusionCrisp mode starts by microwaving leftovers to reheat them thoroughly before switching to air-frying to crisp them up. This makes foods that are tough to reheat without becoming soggy, like a panini or samosa, taste almost as good as when they were freshly prepared. It also includes a handy cookbook for making all kinds of recipes ranging from simple crispy potatoes (which turned out great) to beef Wellington (which I look forward to trying when I have more time to dedicate to elaborate cooking projects).

Braun’s latest flagship electric razor is the first one that I personally prefer to a rotary design. High-end foil shavers have always provided a closer shave, but I’ve found past generations to be excessively loud and rattly for something that I’m meant to put on my face every day. The slimmed-down Nevo has a stainless-steel body that feels a lot more refined in the hand and produces a quieter hum, comparable to an electric toothbrush. The cleaning dock is also slimmer, so it takes up less space on the countertop. In a month of use, I’ve yet to experience any razor burn or ingrown hairs. At launch, it’s only available with the rather large and clunky travel charging case and is therefore quite expensive. But I’d expect more affordable packages to start arriving in the not too distant future.

I bought this ergonomic jobber to replace my Apple Magic Mouse after a combination of the Apple Mouse and too much on-the-go trackpad use made my wrist/hand ache and set off carpal-tunnel sirens in my brain. It has been adream— easy to connect, comfortable to use, and the single best thing I’ve done to improve my workday in a long time. My only note is that it’s a bit tall — for proper grip posture! — so sometimes I smack my hand into it when I reach over it to grab my coffee cup or something else on my desk. But other than that, chef’s kiss.

After I lost my Ray-Bans on a river float earlier this month, I bought these Goodr sunglasses as a less expensive replacement. I used to have this exact pair a few years ago but lost them, so I already knew I liked them. It’s been nice to be reminded how light and easy to wear Goodr sunglasses are. They feel like almost nothing on my face and don’t slide down my nose, which is handy when I’m out walking or hiking. They are also a decent dupe, appearance-wise, for my belovedRay-Ban Rb2180 glasses. I plan to replace them eventually, but the Goodr version is nice to have in my rotation until then. And if I lose them to a river too, at least they cost only $30.

Both Jen Trolio and newsletter editor Sam Daly recommended these chew rope toys in our story about thetoys our cats actually play with, so I decided to buy some for my cats. They are always chewing on things, so these seemed like exactly the kind of thing they’d like. The box included three rope toys and a bag of catnip to infuse its scent on them. From the moment I gave one of these ropes to my cats, they went nuts chewing on it and kicking at it for 20 to 30 minutes.

I don’t know why it took me so long to get these, but since receiving them, I’ve put them to work weighing down salted cucumbers before smashing them for a salad and keeping vacuum-packed pork chops and salmon submerged while thawing them in running water. I’ve ended up using them at least once a week, and I’m definitely glad I got more than one.

I hit the buy button immediately when I readthe ode to this waxed bread bag. Like the author, I previously had to slice and freeze my good sourdough loaves, but this really has kept them fresh for a week. And I got it just in time for tomato-sandwich season.

I bought this bottle — a wine-based white aperitif that’s like Lillet but better — as part of a host gift for a friend who invited me to stay on Long Island this month. It has a great label and is affordable and delicious. I use it to make a super-light and refreshing spritz with soda water and a squeeze of lemon juice.David Lebovitzloves it, too.

Re-upped on a fresh set of dish towels. Feels good!

I’m a huge fan of mypassport-sizeTraveler’s Notebook, which follows me everywhere so I can jot down ideas and to-do’s and workshop stand-up routines. But I can’t find any passport-size refills at my local shops. So I wanted something that felt like a Traveler’s Notebook but could fit more common pocket-size notebooks like Field Notes (my personal favorite). I went with Paper Republic’s Grand Voyageur in a dark brown, and I can’t wait to see how it patinas. It’s only slightly larger and has a similarly elegant design that makes writing by hand feel a dash more luxurious. Because pocket-size notebooks are easier to find than passport-size, I no longer have to order refills online — my local stationery shop has me covered.

This month, I upgraded my falling-apart cardholder to this Clare V. wallet. It’s a tiny change that has made a big difference in my day-to-day. I was worried it would be too bulky for my small handbags, but it’s the perfect size. All of my cards stay tucked safely inside (with room for cash), the zipper is seamless, and the patent green is fun yet neutral. I find myself opting for my physical card over tap-to-pay as an excuse to pull out my wallet.

I also got these to add to my growing sandal collection. They’re more interesting than my standard flip-flops and nicer than my beloved jelly sandals. I’ve walked around the Getty in these and worn them out a few other times and can report that they’re comfortable right out of the box. I went with the saddle suede solely because of the heel, and I’m considering buying them in black, too.

The amount of sparkling water I went through this month was off the charts. I stocked up on a variety of flavors in anticipation of hosting a dinner and movie night for a few friends, and the Spindrift yuzu-mango flavor was definitely the biggest hit. Spindrift may just be my new favorite sparkling-water brand; the fact that they contain just a touch of actual fruit juice makes the flavors much brighter and punchier compared to brands like La Croix, in my opinion.

I saw these insanely cool Macgirl jeans on Poshmark and got them for $50, even though based on the measurements provided, they’re probably going to be way too big on me. Most of the Macgirl pants I’ve seen on secondhand sites go for $100 to $200, though, so this was a deal that was too good to pass up. Plus, I have plenty of leftover budget to take them to the tailor and give the waist and seat a nip.