If you’re like us, you’ve probably wondered what everyday stuff famous people add to their carts — like hair spray or an electric toothbrush. We asked the host of SubwayTakes, Kareem Rahma — who’s partnering with Hellmann’s Mayonnaise on Hellmann’s on Art of the Mayoment gallery — about the back stretcher, power drill, and hoodie he can’t live without.
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I was in Japan back in 2017 and saw this little cone that was literally marketed as a thumb massager. I was like, Wow, I’ve never seen that before. Obviously I’m on my phone and constantly texting, and my thumb literally hurts, which is not a great thing. I’m aware. I started using that thumb massager all the time, but then I lost it. I started Googling “Japanese thumb massager” but there’s not really anything available online. This fascia blaster device is the closest thing to that original device that I found. I use this — I call it a thumb massager — probably three nights a week when I’m watching TV. I kind of blast my thumbs with it, but particularly the right thumb, and it feels a lot better. I think anyone who uses their phone should have one. It’s a great little device.
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I have a herniated disc. The pain hasn’t gotten bad, but last year while on vacation, I hurt my back and had to go to the hospital. I realized that the best thing that I could do for my back is to stretch it. I got this little tool, which is pretty affordable, and every morning, I get an ice pack from my freezer and put it on the back stretcher and I lay on my back stretcher for about five to ten minutes, which is not a long time. The pain has not completely gone, but this has helped alleviate it a lot. I haven’t had any bad flares up since. I think anyone that has a herniated disc or suffers from lower back pain, just lay on that thing for five to ten minutes, and throw on an ice pack there if you want to make it even better. It’s not a cure, but it definitely helps.
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I use mine for work. I have two of them — a Sony and a JVC handycam. They’re pretty cheap on eBay, or you could get a brand-new one for $250. I know people gift each other Kodak cameras or Polaroids, but I think this is a really unique thing to have. It’s really fun and nostalgic. I actually just shoot around New York City for fun. I’ll just take my camera out, go for a walk, and rather than having my phone out, I sit around and videotape things. I also like bringing it with me on road trips with friends. The whole dynamic changes recording with a handycam versus a phone. It feels less performative. I think when people have a phone out, all of a sudden you pose or you’re acting cool or whatever because you think you’re going to post it to the internet. When there’s a handycam, you can still post it to the internet, but it just changes. People look and feel more like themselves rather than the performative version of themselves.
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I’m not a handyman, but I do need a drill. I think everyone needs a drill in their house. I’ve bought a lot of power drills in my life because they always break and are designed to break. Finally, I bought this Milwaukee one, and it’s awesome. It’s small and priced nicely. It charges fast and the battery life is great. I think it’s marketed toward people who actually work in that business and not just a guy who needs to put together some furniture here and there, but it has been a lifesaver. It’s just sturdy and strong, and I don’t think I’ll ever need one again, which is why I really like it. I kind of want to get into the habit of buying things one time.
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I have one right here. I realized in my house I have a knife in every room — in my bedroom, kitchen, living room, office, my entryway. I have so many knives because I get so many packages and boxes. Now, I carry one around the house because I feel like I have to. There are so many things that a good knife could make your life easier, so I think a high-quality knife is worth the investment. I encourage everyone to get one. I’m not saying you should carry it in the streets, but if you forget it in your pocket, it’s not a bad thing to have either. And not as a weapon, just for when, you know, you’re in a situation when you need a knife.
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People use gaffer tape on movie sets all the time, and that’s where I first discovered it. It’s amazing because it’s easily tearable and extremely durable. It’s kind of like duct tape meets electrical tape. If I don’t want to frame some art in my office, I just gaffer tape it because it comes off nicely but sticks really well. If you see behind me, I’ve used it around my AC — not to hold it in place, but to cover up the spaces between the window and AC. It also comes in really fun colors. I use the highlighter yellow around my office, or if I need to do a Post-it note, I’ll write directly on the tape.
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I just love this brand. It’s a small independent shop that my friend Kevin runs. He does a really good job of reissuing old merch that you could probably never find anywhere else, and he also sells vintage. I just like the vibe of some of his reissued stuff. I have two of this specific snapback. His collection and the stuff he makes is really unique and interesting, especially for people who don’t necessarily wear logos but do want to make a statement.
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Another friend of mine runs this company called Neighborhood Spot, which started out during COVID. He partnered with local restaurants and stores that didn’t have merch and essentially produced merch for them and would give all of the money, minus the production costs, to the business to help out during COVID. Once again, I have two of these hoodies, one in gray and one in cream. I love it and love Casa Magazines.
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I’m the coffee-maker in my house, and I’m not pretentious about it but I do enjoy a good cup. When my wife was pregnant, I used to do pour-over coffees. But when we had the baby, I realized it was really hard to make a pour over when I’m holding a baby. It’s already hard to make it without holding a baby. I didn’t want to get the standard coffee-maker. I considered a Nespresso, but I’m kind of anti-pods and anti–making things with one button. Then I discovered this after hundreds of hours of research. It uses some sort of interesting technology to essentially make a pour over without you having to do the pouring over. I’d say it might be better than the pour overs because it’s more precise. It’s really good, super-easy to use, and looks beautiful. It doesn’t feel too technologically advanced. It feels old school, like something you’d see in an old Italian café.
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I’ve recently started gardening, and I’m now addicted to it. I’ve never been a gardener. I didn’t grow up with parents who garden, but it’s become one of my favorite little hobbies. I particularly like gardening vegetables because I barbecue a lot. It feels really good when I can just go to my garden bed, grab a tomato and some romaine, and then have a burger in my backyard.
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I was recently introduced to this when it was gifted to me by a friend. I just never had chile crunch oil before. I’ve always used pepper flakes or oil, but I’ve never used this magical combination. So now I give it to people when I’m kind of in need of a gift. Recently, I went to a dinner party and gifted it to ten people. One of them was Hasan Minhaj.
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This is also a new thing for me. I have a sweet tooth. I enjoy sweets very much. When you become an adult, I think candy becomes a childish thing. I saw BonBon and I was like, Oh, this is candy for adults. It’s so high quality and just really, really good. I’ve never actually been to the store and just order it online. I have a little box of them at my house and just suck on one or two when I need a little hit of sugar.
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Hellman’s has always been in my refrigerator or my cabinet. I just think that for mayonnaise, I would not eat any other brand. This is a true fact. I literally will not go to a barbecue or a cookout if they don’t have Hellman’s. I usually bring my own. It’s just one of those iconic, old-school American staples I really enjoy. The flavor is the best compared to any other mayo. Obviously, I use it on burgers, but I also use it on sandwiches and fries. It’s kind of the only mayonnaise I’ll eat. It’s actually perfect.
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