It's her bag, baby!

It’s her bag, baby If I wake up pre dawn and decide it’s time to organize tote bags, it’s nobody’s business but my own. Is it excessive to be refolding to categorize all the H-E-B city tribute bags, seasonal skeleton and flamingo bags and Trader Joe’s lunch bags by theme, size, texture and preference? Some personalities can relate. They are my tribe. Then there are the NPR canvas bags, commemorative conference bags and some made from promotional T-shirts. These carriers prevent waste and also spark conversations. I know other women who love their bags and collect bags of bags. It’s okay if I’m a nerd to curate the collection from time to time. There’s pride there. Am I extreme? Take this example. I once mentioned to a woman that I’d recently reorganized my sock drawer. She glanced over with a tad of shock in her voice. “How did your sock drawer become disorganized?” she queried. From that day on, there has not since been a sock out of place. I’d like to see how her socks look. Bonus to this friend/fan should she recognize herself and contact me about this memory.

Sauce like a boss You know the kind of bottle ketchup comes in, right? Reimagine a natural ketchup in a tall glass (reusable) jar, that has some tasty friends. Good Food For Good is into healthy foods and good causes. Butter Chicken, Mild Taco Sauce and BBQ Sauce are the “friends” flavors to which I referred. Invite some real, human ones over for a taste. Secret blown: The sweetness comes from dates. I enjoyed all the tastes, and here’s why makers are proud to present: “All products are certified organic, USDA certified, Keto, Paleo, Whole30 approved, vegan-friendly, non-GMO, gluten-free, soy-free and nut-free. No preservatives, artificial flavors or additives – just mouthwatering sauces that are healthier for you without compromising flavor.” Good Food For Good's Buy One, Feed One program has donated more than half a million meals to food banks. www.goodfoodforgood.ca. Doughp Life is raw. Cookie dough helps, says the Doughp gang, offering “legit cookie dough” that goes both ways. Eat it raw, heat it into a cookie or my fave: half bake it into a sweet goo for your ice cream, etc. I’m half-baked all the way with Beast Mode Brownie and Main Squeeze elderflower lemonade dough as the flavors I’ve tried, loved and suggest. More sweet stuff: makers support mental health and addiction recovery. That’s legit. By the way, it’s pronounced “dope.” www.doughp.com Crumbs of caramel Clarkson Avenue Crumb Cake Company has their famous crumb cake in a salted caramel version that elevates coffee breaks. Designed to share but crumbs are messy, right? So maybe it’s better if you just get one of these babies shipped and save it for yourself. No need to bother anyone else to coral those little tasty crumbs. It’s a treat yourself kind of deal, with natural ingredients and no preservatives. They’ve got a lot of choices, but this could be my always choice www.clarksonavecrumb.com Different twist There’s no fruit juice in Xtract Energy, but the all-natural CBD isolate catches your attention. This stuff is showing up in something new every week, it seems. This one has a good flavor, especially for an “energy drink.” It’s Aspartame free with B vitamins and is also gluten free. www.xtractenergy.com Darragh Castillo is a Port Arthur area foodie who has a bag for that. Sharing ideas is her bag. Tell her about your favorite bags at darraghcastillo@icloud.com