These Are A Few of My Favorite Things

Who’s up for a random list post? Well, not completely random, so don’t worry. But a list nonetheless.

Here are just a few of the countless things/publications/people that make my life better/make me laugh/make me think:

• I work in advertising, so it seems fitting to kick this list off with a commercial. Have you seen this new Honda ad? I think it’s awesome:

A few other ads I’m loving at the moment: The Mayhem series from Allstate Insurance, the “You’re not you when you’re hungry” Snickers spots, the current VW Passat commercials (“Rocket Man,” kid in the grocery store), and the DirecTV one with the miniature giraffe.

• Mental Floss magazine. You can always count on them for clever articles and interestingly themed lists, and they have a killer store as well. (I can particularly relate to this T-shirt):

• Paper Source. Full of beautiful cards, invitations, address labels, gift wrap, calendars, and gnome mugs, of course. If you haven’t been to this lovely site yet, give it a gander.

• The New York Times Modern Love stories. My wonderful friend Vicky Yue introduced me to this section of the Times (thanks again, Vicky!), and I’m hooked. New Modern Love pieces are posted each Friday, and they have a robust archive for newcomers to check out as well. (Here’s a great one to start with.)

• NPR’s This American Life series. No matter your interests or leanings, there’s a This American Life episode that’s right up your alley. It’s organized curiosity at its finest, so of course I’m a fan.

• NBC’s Parks and Rec. I’m not wavering from my self-proclaimed favorite show on air right now, Modern Family, but Parks and Rec has gotten better and better and better each season (each episode, really). I’ve been very impressed, and have become a huge fan of the Midwestern antics of Ron Swanson, Leslie Knope, and April and Andy. (I was already sold on Aziz Ansari after seeing his live stand-up at Bonnaroo a couple of years ago when he told the story of watching 50-Cent learn what a grapefruit was):

• Jónsi. This Icelander is pure magic, and everything he touches is brilliant and quirky and mesmerizing. If you’re a Sigur Rós fan, you’ll love their front man’s solo work, and if you haven’t heard of Sigur Rós, well then, you should definitely check them out, too. Here’s a single from Jónsi’s 2010 record, Go:

• Cooking Light magazine. Despite a crazy, drawn-out fight with this publication about a subscription that was purchased but never received (seriously, it was a year-long thing), I’m still a devoted Cooking Light reader, so I think that’s saying something. Kevin and I kind-of-sort-of met thanks to a Cooking Light coconut cake recipe, so I owe a lot to this magazine. Nearly every recipe I’ve tried has been a success, including the Ginger Pumpkin Pie with Toasted Coconut pie I made for Thanksgiving this year:

Like I said, this is just a sampling of the things in life that bring me joy. I’d love to hear some of the items from your “Favorite Things” list as well!