10 Things That Delighted Us Last Week: From Bento Boxes to Blu Tack

There’s still time to be the golden child. If procrastination got the best of you, we’ve gathered a list of 95 e–gift cards he’ll actually like, including this one from Goldbelly. Strategist writer Lauren Ro uses the online marketplace to ship brunch from New York–based Russ & Daughters to her parents every year, and with hundreds of restaurants and small food-related businesses on the platform, Goldbelly ensures your dad can have his favorite hometown hot dog or that one diner’s French toast delivered right to him.

After developing a pinched nerve in her foot, Strategist contributor Isabel Slone embraced the world of orthopedic fashion and stepped into what she calls “the most geriatric-looking shoe in recorded human history”: a pair of Siesta Lace-Up Loafers by SAS Shoes. Available in black, white, and two tones of beige, Slone says the Siestas’ comfort comes from their shock-absorbent soles and very cushioned footbed. “I know I can comfortably wear them on days when the pedometer hits 20,000 steps,” Slone says. “Anything an Adidas Samba can do, a Siesta can do better.” The shoe comes in five widths — slim, narrow, medium, wide, and double wide — to accommodate all feet.

When making her bento, Marie Kondo says she tries to be mindful of nutritional balance (some rice, veggies, and protein) and overall presentation. This two-tiered box is brightly colored with an airtight seal, and Kondo says she uses this while working or packing her kids’ school lunch. “Things that look really pretty spark joy for me, so I definitely want to get all the colors right and placed nicely inside the bento box,” she says.

Strategist contributor and baseball fan Kelsey McKinney says she’s not the kind of person who can sit still, but this HalfLiner scorebook allows her to put her phone down for a few hours and enjoy a game. McKinney says it has thick pages that prevent pen ink from bleeding through, and scores are recorded horizontally instead of vertically, so the ringed binding doesn’t interfere with writing. The scorebook is small enough to bring to the stadium, and McKinney says it occupies your attention and keeps your hands busy: “There’s no way to look at your phone when one of them is on the book and the other is holding a pen!”

When we asked Baz Luhrmann what he can’t live without, he named his good-luck pearl necklace, a YSL pack, Suicoke Moto sandals … and wall adhesive. When his earplug recently got stuck after a flight, the surgeon who removed it recommended Blu Tack, saying that rock-and-roll drummers use it too. “You place it in, it forms in your ear, it comes out really clean, and you throw it away,” the Elvis director says. “It’s a much safer and cleaner option for blocking sound out of your ear.”

Strategist contributor Nicole A. Taylor has been hosting Juneteenth for over a decade, bringing loved ones together at home to eat barbecue (and a famous potato salad) and relax in celebration of the holiday. On the morning of the cookout, Taylor sets the table, saying “I always figure out how to make the holiday special for myself or whoever I’m hosting.” She likes these ceramic bowls for fruit salad; they are coincidentally made by W&P, the brand whose ice-cube trays are beloved by five (and counting) of our staff members.

When we asked Strategist staff members, contributors, and avid players about the best board games for adults, our friends at Vulture said, “I can’t think of the last time a new board game received the kind of widespread acclaim and mainstream attention as Wingspan.” Players compete to build the best aviary from over 150 species of birds, and with beautiful artwork and ornithology facts, it’s no surprise it’s celebrated among actual birders.

If she has been staring at screens for too long, musician Yaeji uses these floral-scented drops to wake up her dry eyes. “Something about the mintiness is so fresh and it feels very hydrating,” she says. The Japanese brand offers more than ten levels of eye drops, and when Yaeji first tried the lowest, the menthol feeling was too strong for her. But over time she got used to it, and she’s now up to level three. “If I’m working at the computer all day, I’ll use it every couple hours,” she says.

And for clearing your lawn, John says this is the best leaf-blower–vacuum combo for its versatility. Although he couldn’t bring it with him on a cross-country move, John says he used the Toro for half a decade and loved the dual functionality — not only can it clear away pine needles and leaves with ease, but it can also suck up lawn debris through its vacuum tube and shred the litter into a removable collection bag.