For Christmas last year I asked for a Leather Travel Wallet. I wanted something that could hold two passports, currency, travel cards and other items such as a boarding pass.

My research took me to Bellroy, a company that makes a number of great leather products (wallets, iPhone cases, travel wallets).

They make 3 different Travel Wallets.

I bet you aren't thinking, gee I need a new cooler. I wasn't either. That was until I was at our amazing YMCA Camp Orkila on Orcas Island in the fall and saw a dad with what looked like a huge picnic bag, but it was really a cooler. After hauling my heavy, large awkward cooler down to the beach I made a note to check it out.

After a year of living in Seattle, I experienced what most people soon come to know. A blanket of green growth on nearly every outdoor surface come spring. So a few years go, without knowing anything about Power Washers, I purchased a tiny / small portable power washer. After a season of usage, and a lot of elbow grease I started researching a replacement (as well as other techniques). 

The main complaint I had with my old pressure washer was that it was inconvenient to use often (lots of hoses and power cords without proper storage) and it was not strong enough, clocking in at 1500 psi.

My first thought was get a gas power washer. So I borrowed my neighbor's. That didn't work out so well. For one thing, I didn't find it was so much more powerful that it warranted all the headache of dealing with gas. It was also much heavier and louder.

At the same time, most of the power washers I was reading about on Amazon, did not have great reviews. It seemed they all suffered from some kind of problem (cheap construction, breaking, poor hoses and so on).

That is when I discovered a new power washer, the AR Blue Clean AR390SS Electric Pressure Washer. This is a 2000 psi electric power washer. 2000 psi is pretty impressive for an electric washer, and gets you close, but not quite there, for the gas units. 

A few months ago I decided to replace my decade old house slippers. I headed over to the Sweet Home and read their review of the best slippers for Men and Women.

Next stop was Zappos where I ordered two sizes of the AS (indoor slipper), my true size (12) and a size up (13). Thanks to Zappos VIP I had the slippers next day, and found that these slippers ran small and the 13 was the right size. You may have similar results. The great thing about Zappos is you can order as much as you want and return things that don't fit.

A few years back my brother-in-law introduced me to these running shoes made by a Canadian company called On Running. I was intrigued by the look. Also the fact that they were not the mass market Nike Free that everyone seems to wear. I'm not a fan of the Free as we have a lot of gravel pavements in Seattle, and it seems gravel loves to get wedged in them. But I love the weight and lightness of them.

Last year I picked up a pair of the On Running Cloud edition Sneaker. I loved the slip on feel, the lightness and cushion they provide. They are super comfy and I get a lot of compliments on them.