InsideCart: What Our Editors Are Obsessed With This Month

My coffee skills are getting better every day — thanks, Rancilio Silvia — but I know my limits. My flavor combinations only get as complex as a little maple or chocolate syrup. So what’s a caffeine addict with a sweet tooth who can’t be bothered to whip up his own cold foam every day supposed to do when it gets hot? Enter: the canned S’mores Latte from La Colombe. With as much caffeine as a cup of coffee and enough marshmallowy, chocolatey, graham-crackery goodness to satisfy those poor office workers who don’t have summer Fridays [raises hand], this, to me, is summer in a can. Is there a crap ton of sugar in it? Of course! It’s a canned S’mores Latte! Get over it. If we’re on the same page, know that it’s already sold out on La Colombe (as it’s a limited release) but thankfully still available on Amazon. — Alex Lauer, Features Editor

To say I am pumped for the summer is an understatement. Knowing that I had concerts lined up and trips booked, I spent the good part of Q1 hunting down a pair of sneakers that’ll help me survive it all. I think Onitsuka makes the most flattering slim sneaker. I purchased this one for the thicker gum sole and I am extremely pleased by it. I’ve been using it for a few weeks now and I can attest that there’s no painful break-in period. — Zoe De Leon, Social Media Editor

I’m proud to report that, for the first time in my 46 years, I need a new pair of sunglasses not because I got drunk and lost them, but because, after four or five years of regular use, they’ve gotten kinda dinged up. So I think it stands to reason that I’m ready to invest in something a little pricier than my go-to Wayfarers. I like this shape from Oliver Peoples, and I’m a sucker for the subtle two-dot signature detail. — Mike Conklin, Editor-in-Chief

As a self-proclaimed hater of backpacks based solely on how dorky they are, I am always on the lookout for new bags that a) telegraph my coolness relative to the masses of two-strap plebs out there and b) do not hurt my delicate shoulders. My latest enamorment (if that is a word) is with this messenger sling situation from Los Angeles-based ping pong collective Little Tokyo Table Tennis; I am in no way an avid ping-ponger, but the creamsicle orange heavy garment-dyed canvas can take a beating and is arguably the perfect color for summer, the custom logo zippers are undeniably cool and it comfortably fits a laptop and then some. Plus, I can think of a multitude of ways to use the very cool paddle and ball pockets. Paperbacks, hardboiled eggs, TI 8 calculators. Stuff like that. — Paolo Sandoval, Style Editor

I’m turning a new leaf and that leaf is wearing practical footwear on the commute, in the office, out to the bars and at all other times. Don’t get me wrong I love a little tough leather loafer moment, but I am on a new train of being able to break into a spring whenever I so please. Part of building out my practical footwear repertoire includes scouting stylish hikers and I’ve had my eye on these Keens for a minute. They’re pink, powerful and practical, what more do you need. — Hanna Agro, Assistant Editor

I spent a few months in PT last year — not fun, but it reintroduced me to resistance bands, which turned out to be a game changer for my recovery. I’ve been missing them lately, and somehow, my fancy shmancy gym doesn’t have any extras in the freestyle room tucked in the back. So it’s time I get a full set of the best. Monster walks here I come. — Tanner Garrity, Senior Editor

I fell in love with Portuguese ceramics when I was in the Azores last spring. After seeing the Cerâmica Vieira Lagoa olive bowls at a local restaurant, I went there the next day to buy one of my own. I just returned from another trip to Portugal, this time the Douro Valley, and chef Dárcio Henriques served cherries in a whimsical Bordallo Pinheiro walnut box during a private dinner at Octant Douro. Of course, I had to snag some whimsical Portuguese ceramics of my own, so I bought a tomato bowl, fish plate and teeny tiny cabbage bowl from the brand. The best part is they cost about 75% less at the Douro airport than they do on the U.S. website. — Amanda Gabriele, Senior Editor

Now that it’s June and it’s getting hot out, I’m starting to feel pretty nostalgic about sitting on the porch after dark with a citronella candle nearby to ward off mosquitos. There are certain summery scents that instantly take me back to being a kid running around outside all day until it got dark or my mom would call me in for dinner: the slightly metallic smell of hose water, the distinct fragrance of sunblock, the scent of hot asphalt. Citronella is another one, but sadly, I don’t have any outdoor space to hang out in at my apartment, and most citronella candles are designed for outdoor use only. Not this guy! Hearth & Hand’s handsome four-wick ceramic bowl candle is just citronella-scented and designed to be lit indoors, so I can feel like a kid sitting on the porch from the comfort of my own apartment. And if it happens to ward off any of those pesky little mosquitoes that manage to squeeze through the tiny crack between my AC unit and my window, even better. — Bonnie Stiernberg, Managing Editor

It’s almost June and I feel like this spring has been an occasional day of good weather (meaning above 65 and below 75 degrees and more sun than clouds) mixed in with late winter gusts and a lot of rain — including thunderstorms. After years of getting by with cheap street vendor umbrellas and a few slightly nicer stick umbrellas (mostly promotional gear), I decided to get something that could survive wind gusts, cover my not-so-tiny frame and still fit into a backpack. Right now, that means Shed Rain’s V2 Compact, which can withstand winds up to 75 MPH and won’t invert or flip, thanks to a series of struts and cables. Shed Rain offers a wide range of umbrellas, from compact styles starting at $40 to classic stick ($50) and golf styles ($60-$80), all built from 100% recycled polyester fabric from plastic bottles. Good for the Earth, good for staying dry. — Kirk Miller, Senior Editor

I’ve received about a million pitches so far this year for butter yellow. Decor items, bedding, apparel — you name it, the shade of the season is dripping all over every consumable item. I thought the trend would just pass me by (I think I own one piece of yellow clothing), until last month, when Free People’s activewear brand, FP Movement, teamed up with Lacoste for a super-stylish sneaker drop just in time for summer. The collection of tennis shoes features both casual and court-ready styles. I went with the warm, butter yellow Lacoste For FP Mvmt AG-LT23 Ultra Sneakers, and plan to lace them up for my next tennis lesson. — Logan Mahan, Commerce Editor

During a recent stay at Banyan Tree Higashiyama Kyoto, I had the pleasure of enjoying a multi-course dinner at the hotel’s restaurant, Ryozen. One of the highlights was a red wine served in one of these Riedel Cabernet Sauvignon glasses. I’ve never had such an immediate and visceral reaction to a wine glass. I launched into an entire monologue about its massive size, weight and shape, only to realize the server was still quietly standing behind me, waiting to introduce the next dish. Naturally, I had to track the glasses down. Before I’d even finished dessert, I had ordered a set to be shipped to my apartment. To this day, they bring me an immense amount of joy every time I see them on my bar cart. — Lindsay Rogers, Travel Editor