Really Awesome Things
May. 15th, 2011 12:05 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
gemfyreBecause the world needs more awesomeness. I decided to get together a list of things/products/ideas/whatevers that are totally awesome. You've possibly heard me squeeing about some of these previously.
Hidden Valley Handcrafts
I first discovered these guys when I was living/working in Broome in 2005. Their soaps smelled good and I eventually bought a sampler box. I wanted to eat the damn soaps they smelled so good. Before I left Broome I spent a lot of money buying a crapload of soaps and some of their other products and have been buying all my soaps and cosmetics from them via mail order ever since.
Hidden Valley use all natural, plant derived ingredients in their products. The price is comparable (often cheaper) than similar products by other companies. The smell is delicious, but not overpowering or artificial smelling (like I find Lush to be). There is no SLS (a known irritant that is a common ingredient in many cleaning products, because it creates a pleasing froth) or parabens (a preservative which is a possibly oestrogen mimic) in thier products. And there is just an overall fuzzy feeling about the whole business.
If you make a decent sized order they will throw in a few half-blocks for free. When I had the chance to visit the shop when I was in Broome a few months ago, I spent A LOT of money and Christine threw in about $30 worth of freebies. They send out a letter to all thier mail order customers every year with news about the shop and products and how things are in Broome.
I have sensitive, eczema prone skin and all of their products have been fine for me. It's not often you find a place where you're keen to send unsolicited praise to them because their products are so good (I recently wrote to them raving about their Healing Cream and new Sweet Dreams soap - which smells like chai tea OMG Iaminlove). These guys have managed to be SO GOOD that all they need is a market stall in Broome, a website, and the gushing praise of their customers (like me) to keep thier buisness successful. That's something!
Menstrual Cups & Cloth Pads
Both of these products are amazing and I wish I knew about them years before I finally discovered them (when I was 24). They are much more comfortable than disposables. They don't contain nasty chemicals and they carry a negligible risk of infection. They mean I don't have to throw out mounds of landfill throughout my menstruating lifetime. They are a MASSIVE money saver. And despite the intitial reaction many people have to them - they are no more awkward or gross than disposables - I think they are much less so. Try them! You'll love 'em!
Broome
There's a thing they talk about in the tourist material for Broome called "Broome Time". It sounds a bit like a catchphrase or gimmick but believe me - Broome time exists. It's that feeling of being relaxed and unhurried in everything you do. That sort of, "Hrm, that's work over for the day, I think I'll go wander along Cable Beach and watch the sun set, then grab a ginger beer and dinner at Matsos before heading home." You stop using clocks and start telling time by the tides. The wildlife is amazing and the scenery is stunning. Gah, I need to go back. I ALWAYS need to go back.
My car
My first two cars were technically not my own (being owned by my Dad) and I didn't have much choice in the model. My current car - Tessa the Terrific Terios, a 2004 Terios SX - is mine and I chose the model (with advice from Dad, him being a car person and all). I LOVE this car.
I wanted a "toy" 4WD because I wanted something that would be fuel economical and easy to handle for metro/city driving, which I would mostly be doing, but I also wanted something that I could take long distances and over terrain that wasn't bitumen or graded gravel. The Terios gives me it all. It uses as much fuel as my old Daewoo, it can seat up to 5 and the back seats fold down easily so I can fit a lot of stuff in the back if I'm going on a long trip. It's a real 4WD with low gear and can handle rough terrain just as easily as a Landcruiser - it's possibly better over sand because it's lighter. It's shorter than my old car AND has power steering so turning on a dime and parking in tight spaces is a cinch. *squee* I love my car. :)
Google Earth/Google Maps/NearMap etc.
I've always had a thing for maps. I can spend hours poring over maps and planning trips I hope to take someday. I used to dream about something that would automatically calculate times and distances and pretty much do everything you CAN do with Google Earth and the rest. I'm delighted that this technology now exists. Now I can spend even longer looking at maps! Which reminds me, I really should get to putting together a Google Earth file of my road trip.
Entertainment Books
These are books full of vouchers sold as fundraisers. The majority of the vouchers are for dining out, something Matt and I love to do, but lack the money to do often. Entertainment books make it all a bit easier. The books currently cost $65, we ordered one a few weeks ago and got the bonus sheet of vouchers for early orders. We went to Hippo Creek with a voucher and saved almost $50. So now, before we even have the book, we've almost made our money back in savings. If you like to eat out, these books are invaluable, we get our investment back many times over using the vouchers. There are vouchers for very upmarket restaurants all the way to McDonalds, as well as vouchers for hotels, car rental and various entertainment places. I think they're awesome.
Hidden Valley Handcrafts
I first discovered these guys when I was living/working in Broome in 2005. Their soaps smelled good and I eventually bought a sampler box. I wanted to eat the damn soaps they smelled so good. Before I left Broome I spent a lot of money buying a crapload of soaps and some of their other products and have been buying all my soaps and cosmetics from them via mail order ever since.
Hidden Valley use all natural, plant derived ingredients in their products. The price is comparable (often cheaper) than similar products by other companies. The smell is delicious, but not overpowering or artificial smelling (like I find Lush to be). There is no SLS (a known irritant that is a common ingredient in many cleaning products, because it creates a pleasing froth) or parabens (a preservative which is a possibly oestrogen mimic) in thier products. And there is just an overall fuzzy feeling about the whole business.
If you make a decent sized order they will throw in a few half-blocks for free. When I had the chance to visit the shop when I was in Broome a few months ago, I spent A LOT of money and Christine threw in about $30 worth of freebies. They send out a letter to all thier mail order customers every year with news about the shop and products and how things are in Broome.
I have sensitive, eczema prone skin and all of their products have been fine for me. It's not often you find a place where you're keen to send unsolicited praise to them because their products are so good (I recently wrote to them raving about their Healing Cream and new Sweet Dreams soap - which smells like chai tea OMG Iaminlove). These guys have managed to be SO GOOD that all they need is a market stall in Broome, a website, and the gushing praise of their customers (like me) to keep thier buisness successful. That's something!
Menstrual Cups & Cloth Pads
Both of these products are amazing and I wish I knew about them years before I finally discovered them (when I was 24). They are much more comfortable than disposables. They don't contain nasty chemicals and they carry a negligible risk of infection. They mean I don't have to throw out mounds of landfill throughout my menstruating lifetime. They are a MASSIVE money saver. And despite the intitial reaction many people have to them - they are no more awkward or gross than disposables - I think they are much less so. Try them! You'll love 'em!
Broome
There's a thing they talk about in the tourist material for Broome called "Broome Time". It sounds a bit like a catchphrase or gimmick but believe me - Broome time exists. It's that feeling of being relaxed and unhurried in everything you do. That sort of, "Hrm, that's work over for the day, I think I'll go wander along Cable Beach and watch the sun set, then grab a ginger beer and dinner at Matsos before heading home." You stop using clocks and start telling time by the tides. The wildlife is amazing and the scenery is stunning. Gah, I need to go back. I ALWAYS need to go back.
My car
My first two cars were technically not my own (being owned by my Dad) and I didn't have much choice in the model. My current car - Tessa the Terrific Terios, a 2004 Terios SX - is mine and I chose the model (with advice from Dad, him being a car person and all). I LOVE this car.
I wanted a "toy" 4WD because I wanted something that would be fuel economical and easy to handle for metro/city driving, which I would mostly be doing, but I also wanted something that I could take long distances and over terrain that wasn't bitumen or graded gravel. The Terios gives me it all. It uses as much fuel as my old Daewoo, it can seat up to 5 and the back seats fold down easily so I can fit a lot of stuff in the back if I'm going on a long trip. It's a real 4WD with low gear and can handle rough terrain just as easily as a Landcruiser - it's possibly better over sand because it's lighter. It's shorter than my old car AND has power steering so turning on a dime and parking in tight spaces is a cinch. *squee* I love my car. :)
Google Earth/Google Maps/NearMap etc.
I've always had a thing for maps. I can spend hours poring over maps and planning trips I hope to take someday. I used to dream about something that would automatically calculate times and distances and pretty much do everything you CAN do with Google Earth and the rest. I'm delighted that this technology now exists. Now I can spend even longer looking at maps! Which reminds me, I really should get to putting together a Google Earth file of my road trip.
Entertainment Books
These are books full of vouchers sold as fundraisers. The majority of the vouchers are for dining out, something Matt and I love to do, but lack the money to do often. Entertainment books make it all a bit easier. The books currently cost $65, we ordered one a few weeks ago and got the bonus sheet of vouchers for early orders. We went to Hippo Creek with a voucher and saved almost $50. So now, before we even have the book, we've almost made our money back in savings. If you like to eat out, these books are invaluable, we get our investment back many times over using the vouchers. There are vouchers for very upmarket restaurants all the way to McDonalds, as well as vouchers for hotels, car rental and various entertainment places. I think they're awesome.
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no subject
Date: 2011-05-15 06:01 am (UTC)(sorry for the plug!).
no subject
Date: 2011-05-15 06:07 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-05-15 06:13 am (UTC)When I was up there they were busily putting signs all around the store assuring people that no Orang-utans were put at risk due to the palm oil in thier products. :) If you e-mail them I'm sure they'd be glad to give you more info.
no subject
Date: 2011-05-15 07:33 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-05-15 07:35 pm (UTC)I admit I used to think you were crazy when you talked about the menstrual cups but I recently started using one and I can't see going back. I got addicted to the feeling of reducing waste when I started using cloth diapers on my daughter do it was just a natural step from there.