5 Things We Love

5 Things We Love is a shortlist of newly discovered stuff you have got to see, hear, wear, use or eat. What are you loving this week? Send a brief description of your latest favorite thing, where to find it and how much it costs, along with your name and contact info to features@staradvertiser.com.

Beat the heat with Pupu Cooler

My husband and I recently picked up a Sachi Kitchenware Pupu Cooler from Foodland. It’s versatile and great for tailgating or beach potlucks. You can use it for spicy ahi, salsa or fruit dip. Nifty features include utensil and lid holders. The gel pack built into the Pupu Cooler keeps food cold for more than six hours in the hot sun, eliminating the need to lug extra bags of ice. Plus, it’s really easy to clean. At $24.99 the Pupu Cooler is affordable and would make a "cool" gift for family and friends this holiday season. — Laurel Oshiro, Salt Lake

Sturdy bottles are just right for tots

They’re tough, kid-friendly and an alternative to plastic — what more could you ask for? The 10-ounce Thermos Foogo and 12-ounce Thermos Funtainer bottles are ideal for home and on the go. The double-wall vacuum insulation keeps drinks cool for hours. With a push-button lid and pop-up silicone straw, the leak-proof, stainless-steel bottles are easy for toddlers to use independently. Prices range from about $15 to $20 at Toys R Us, Target, Walmart and other retailers. Visit thermos.com. — Nina Wu

Meaty chips offer best of 2 worlds

Whenever I go into a gas station convenience store for a snack, I’m tempted by both the beef jerky and the potato chips. But to get them both would be overkill. So these beef jerky chips are the perfect guilty-pleasure combination. The strips of grain-fed beef have been sliced paper-thin and dehydrated to a delicate crisp. They would make a nice substitute for bacon bits on your salad, but of course they’re best right out of the bag. Offered in traditional, pepper and spicy flavors, they’re $10 for a 4-ounce bag at Kai­muki Grill, 1108 12th Ave. — Steven Mark

Move with ease in Telic footwear

When I moved into a home with a ceramic-tiled kitchen, I heeded the warning of the elder women in my life: "Never go barefoot. It’s too cold. It will drain the energy from your body." So I wore rubber slippers from Longs. But alas, my legs still ached and my energy waned as I spent hour upon hour in the kitchen. Now I have a bounce in my step after discovering Telic footwear. The sandals cup the heel and provide arch support, reacting to body temperature to contour to the foot. The lightweight, elastic polymer material is antibacterial and washable. Bottom line: I’m a happier, more productive homemaker. Telic comes in Z-strap, flip-flop and slide styles in various colors for $45 at Urban Flava in Waiau Center, 98-450 Kame­ha­meha Highway. Call 488-0909 or visit telic­hawaii.com. — Joleen Oshiro

Coloring gets serious street cred

Coloring books are typically thought of as entertainment for children, but "Bun B’s Rap Coloring and Activity Book" (Abrams Image, $12.95; www.abramsbooks.com), the creation of Houston-based writer Shea Serrano and hip-hop hit-maker Bun B, should have the same "Parental Advisory" warning on its cover that is displayed on hip-hop albums.

Hip-hop fans can use their art and word skillz, er, skills, to color in drawings of old- and new-school figures such as Queen Latifah, Drake, Ice T and Macklemore; help Chamillionaire "get to his destination without running into law enforcement"; and cut out and assemble a pair of Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes’ signature condom eyeglasses. There are also word puzzles to solve and several lists of questions that involve serious thinking to answer.

Serrano slips in semisatirical commentary about several hip-hop figures and also provides a glossary with suggestions for further exploration into the artists’ music. — John Berger