One of life’s great thrills is wandering around and discovering random pleasures, some guilty and some not so much.

Grocery store items I wish I hadn’t noticed.

So one day I was in Safeway with time enough to peruse shelves I normally rushed by. And these little goodies caught my eye. Europeans have long known the decadence of Nutella, which is now being promoted in the US as a healthy breakfast for kids. (Ha! get them hooked young, that’s the strategy.) It was only a matter of time until big peanut butter makers jumped on the bandwagon. It’s such a natural brand extension. But seriously, is it all that healthy?

I love the hazelnut-mocha-cappucino idea, not so much for its taste but for the company’s recognition that hazelnut is a big seller in coffee and creamer flavors. Some brilliant product mind at Jif decided to capitalize on it. I think it’s good business, but don’t know how well the product’s doing. (I’m very out of touch on current advertising, since we watch almost all TV on the DVR or On Demand and fast forward through all the commercials we can.)  I’ve never heard of Peanut Butter & Company. I love how they note there’s no transfat or cholesterol, but don’t mention the sugar content.

Anyone tasted this stuff?

A seriously great product.

Cleaning the slow cooker can be a real pain, so when I found these liners it made the chief dishwasher at our house very, very happy. They work perfectly. Highly recommend.

Wouldn’t it be great if your job was setting up cool displays like this?

I want my bed to look like this, and one reason it doesn’t is how difficult it would be for Riley to get up there and lounge. We have a fabulous comforter that usually is folded up on the guest bed because when it’s on the bed it becomes a doggie Mt. Everest. Still, I love the look of a comfy comforter and this one is stunning. Oh yeah, that tray would never survive two minutes on my bed. Same reason.

I don’t know where Anthropologie sources its stuff, but it stays true to its style on everything.

If you are an Anthropologie girl, then you probably have these lampshades or have seen them. I’ve never seen a store that’s more targeted in their eclectic style than Anthropologie. Clothes, knick-knacks, linens, housewares–they’re all part and parcel of the same look and feel. Brilliant, really, even if it isn’t always my thing. Overpriced, too.

I’ve never wanted a lampshade like this, though.

This unique shade would make an interesting accent piece. But I can also see it in a fun and funky house or apartment filled with fun and funky designs.

Love this grated sink.

If you’ve got a sink like this, I’d like to hear about it. We’re doing a few changes to the kitchen this winter, and a new sink is on the horizon. I love the utility of this sink, but always fear that what looks like it could be a big help is actually a big pain. I love that dishes could drain and so could clean vegetables. What do you think?

Not bigger than a bread box

The reason this isn’t bigger than a bread box is that it IS a breadbox, something that was common in our grandparents’ day but not so much any more. I’d be afraid bread would more easily mold in a box like this. I found it in a shop in Half Moon Bay, CA.

Garlic and ginger grater

This little cutie is a garlic and ginger grater. I’ve never seen one before. It’s ceramic, so I’m not sure how well it works.

I’ve saved the very best for last:

You’re probably wondering what this is. Give up?

It’s the new, F-type Jaguar sitting in our neighbor’s driveway, and it’s a beauty.  Always beautiful Jags in the driveway; so many that when we first moved in we hypothesized that our neighbors were drug dealers.

Turns out, he’s the Jag dealer. Of course! And some gorgeous machines on display.  I was hoping M would really, really want one. But no, we got a Subaru.
So that’s it, a few random pleasures I’ve encountered over the past few months. If you’ve discovered something fabulous, tell us about it.