There are some obvious themes running through this month’s recommended buys: delicious food and drinks, and some old-fashioned practicality in the form of lip balm, rollers and canvas totes. It was a wholesome February!

As always in our regular 'nice things we bought' column, this is a strictly #gifted free zone – we bought everything here with our own hard-earned cash and genuinely think you might like them too.

L.L. Bean Boat and Tote bag with monogram, about $150

I thought I was being totally original by ordering this old-school monogrammed canvas tote, but after I hit order I noticed so many people – including Alexa Chung and Rio Viera-Newton – carrying them around New York Fashion Week, and I realised that I was actually just manipulated by a clever marketing campaign and product seeding that’s been happening for years (this story is from 2019… late news and weather). But it doesn’t matter because it’s a practical preppy classic that I’ll carry for years, despite it clearly being trendy right now. I got it in red, and will be using it as my day-to-day bag to lug around my laptop. - Zoe Walker Ahwa

Gemmayze St hummus, $16

I try really hard to take my lunch to work each day but it has to also be delicious or I get sad. My workaround with this is to have something really yummy I can keep in the fridge and add to it easily. I change this up as the mood takes me, but recently the mood keeps leading me to this delicious hummus. It brings happiness to whatever I am eating - salad greens, corn on the cob, meat, bread. Yum.  - Rebecca Wadey

That’s It SPF30+ Mānuka Oil Lip Balm, $18

I learnt the hard way this summer that lip plumping products + long hours in the sun = burnt, raw, very tender lips. Big ouch. I visited Russell with a friend recently and we popped into Monty's – a curated vintage store that also stocks homewares, fashion and jewellery from some cool local makers. I bought this lip balm tin which has really helped to soothe my lips and keep them protected – since it's all natural, it also makes an excellent tattoo balm in a pinch! - Lara Daly

The Beauty Chef Hydration Inner Beauty Boost, $55

I’ve gone through two bottles of this coconut flavoured tonic this summer. The first, I stumbled across a discount code on Instagram and the second I paid full price for. I’ve been enjoying it with pineapple, mint and a truck load of ice, like a virgin Pina Colada, and last week when my plum tree decided to dump 100 plums on me, I was doing the same drink with plums and basil. The key to all of this goodness really is my high speed blender (a Vitamix) which turns ice into delicious slushies and is a ‘Nice Thing’ I bought 12 years ago – one of the best purchasers I ever made and which I use at least twice a day. - RW

Nothing Naughty Electrolyte Hydration powder, $15

I knew I was potentially too old for music festivals when stressing about how to sneak in my electrolyte powder to Laneway. To my surprise, despite previous vocal denouncements, I became a real summer girl this year. To counteract all the sweating that comes with the territory I’ve been adding this electrolyte powder to my water bottle. It’s marketed towards people who do hard labour, ‘high-intensity or endurance activities’. My version of that is sweating by the pool. I got the watermelon flavour, my favourite of the fake fruit flavours that taste nothing like the natural fruit. - Tyson Beckett

Wild Delicious pink grapefruit and ginger shrub, $25

I’m trying to cut down the amount of alcohol I drink, which isn’t much but I do love a single icey G&T on a balmy evening. A dash of this delicious fermented shrub on ice and topped with sparkling water hits the spot in the same way. Plus you can mix it olive oil, lemon juice and salt and pepper for a really delicious salad dressing. - RW

Sofia Coppola Archive, $175

I missed out the first time Lamplight Books got this in, but managed to get a copy on their second order (it’s probably sold out again by now; sorry). It’s heavy and scrapbook-y in a chic way, but very much an art book with lots of beautiful images and few words (though there is an interview with Lynn Hirschberg, and captions from Sofia alongside photos, scripts, collages and more ‘ephemera’).

The design is beautiful, and reminds me of original Lula magazine and The Gentlewoman — different, unmatching shades of pink (the fluro pink inside cover is, according to the designers, a reference to the tape the director uses on set), and a Futura font that they say reflects Sofia’s lack of ostentation. Design nerd detail that I love! - ZWA

Tuna Melt from Fred’s, $15

I’ve been following Fred’s on Instagram and drooling over their sandwiches since they opened, but the scheduling on two trips to Wellington last year didn’t line up with their opening hours. I made up for it on my last visit though, eating two of their sandwiches in a 48 hour period. Now I can turn my stomach towards its next conquest, the focaccia sandwiches from Customs. - TB

Jumbo velcro rollers, $7 for three, from Farmers

I bought these purely as an accessory to use on Crystal in our recycling photoshoot, but I am now a velcro hair roller convert. They are so good if you want volume – and if you haven't heard, this is the year of big hair! I spent an afternoon watching this very educational tutorial and taught myself how to use them for a music video shoot with Gussie Larkin, where the brief was “70s fluffy Farrah Fawcett waves”. They worked unbelievably well, holding height in Gussie’s hair throughout a 12-hour shooting day. Get yourself some! - LD

Caliwoods reusable baking trays, $35 for two

A handy new kitchen addition, an attempt to reduce waste. These floppy BPA-free silicone mats are meant to replace traditional baking paper; I’ll be using them mostly for roasting veggies rather than actual baking. - ZWA

Pt Erin pools casual admission, $7.20

Yes the actual pool is nicer at Parnell Baths, but I enjoy the chiller Pt Erin pools. It’s grassier and shadier, with hireable bbq’s and a basketball court. And they have the same retro sun loungers. -TB