{"id":823922,"date":"2026-07-26T00:35:12","date_gmt":"2026-07-26T00:35:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/823922\/"},"modified":"2026-07-26T00:35:12","modified_gmt":"2026-07-26T00:35:12","slug":"staff-favourites-4-things-we-loved-this-week-july-26-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/823922\/","title":{"rendered":"Staff Favourites \u2013 4 Things We Loved This Week (July 26, 2026)"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Rob<\/a><\/p>\n

Readtime: 7 min<\/p>\n

Every product is carefully selected by our editors and experts. If you buy from a link, we may earn a commission. Learn more.<\/a> For more information on how we test products, click here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Man of Many\u2019s Staff Favourites is back to brighten up your weekend as we celebrate the products, services, entertainment, and experiences that have caught our eye over the week.<\/p>\n

We get to try so much of the cool, novel, and curious on a daily basis, but these encounters don\u2019t always result in full write-ups or reviews. So we collect them here in the hope you\u2019ll find something new and exciting to give your week a lift.<\/p>\n

This week features a cult-favourite restaurant, a kids toy, a great pair of running shoes and a blanket, of all things. Here we go!<\/p>\n

1. ASICS Gel Kayano 33 \u2013 My New Go-To Running Shoe <\/p>\n

Ally Burnie \u2013 Staff Writer<\/p>\n

It feels like there\u2019s a new running shoe dropping every other week<\/a>, and\u00a0I used to wonder how different they all actually feel\u00a0underfoot. After all, a long run can be a slog no matter what shoe you\u2019re wearing. But since nursing a stubborn running injury (a metatarsal plate tear, if you\u2019re curious), I\u2019ve come to realise that not all running shoes are built equally. Some allow you a comfortable run, and others help you find out\u00a0exactly\u00a0where your second metatarsal joint is. <\/p>\n

Further Reading <\/p>\n

On my quest to heal from\u00a0this injury,\u00a0I\u2019ve\u00a0tried a few highly cushioned options, including the Nike Vomero Plus and Brooks Ghost Max 3. My Brooks have been my go-to for a few months, but since trying the ASICS Gel Kayano 33,\u00a0the Brooks have been relegated\u00a0to the back of my cupboard.\u00a0<\/p>\n

I shouldn\u2019t be surprised by how much I\u2019ve enjoyed running in the ASICS Kayanos. I ran my first half marathon last year in the ASICS Gel Nimbus 27 without any issues.<\/p>\n

Since my injury, my long runs haven\u2019t been particularly long, but with the Kayanos, I managed 12km pain-free, which is a massive win.\u00a0The standout feature for me is the structural rigidity\u00a0through\u00a0the front of the shoe. It provides a super supportive platform right under the ball of the foot, meaning my toes didn\u2019t over-flex every time my foot hit the pavement.\u00a0Despite that stiffness, it still had a nice bounce that\u00a0stops\u00a0the shoe from feeling dead or clunky.\u00a0<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re interested in the tech,\u00a0what makes this iteration different from its predecessors is\u00a0how it handles stability. Older Kayanos used a rigid support post on the inner side of the shoe to correct a runner\u2019s stride. The 33 model drops that for two layers of foam stacked on top of each other, with soft foam on top for cushioning, sitting on a firmer, wider layer underneath that keeps your foot stable without a hard structural piece. There\u2019s also a slight curve through the forefoot that helps push your weight forward as you run, so it feels less clunky than older versions.<\/p>\n

Favourite Article: The Science-Backed Morning Routine for Men Who Want to Live Longer<\/a> <\/p>\n

\"Staff 2. Firepop Restaurant <\/p>\n

Frank Arthur \u2013 Co-Founder<\/p>\n

Started by husband-and-wife duo Raymond Hou and Alina Van, Firepop built a massive cult following slinging gourmet skewers out of a food truck before opening their permanent Sydney spot in Enmore, and\u00a0taking out\u00a0Good Food Guide\u2019s 2025 New Restaurant of the Year.<\/a> Their style is modern, fire-driven dining built around charcoal-grilled skewers (or \u2018pops\u2019).\u00a0It draws inspiration from Asian street food, alongside local Australian produce and global influences.<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve\u00a0had them on my list to try for a while, so when my wife and I had a rare kid-free date night with zero plans, simply walking past the restaurant was all the sign we needed. You can see them cooking over the open fire right through the front window, and luckily, we managed to snag a walk-in table.<\/p>\n

We went with the set menu (they do an $80 and a $140 option), and honestly, it\u2019s a ridiculous amount of food. Every course was an absolute banger. A surprising highlight was the sugar snap peas with spring herbs and rhubarb that practically melted in your mouth. But the star of the night was definitely the Fullblood MBS 9+ Wagyu beef \u2018cube\u2019 steak with sea salt blossoms, leek crisps, and herb salsa.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Favourite Article:\u00a0New Range Rover GT Revealed With Coup\u00e9 Proportions and Cutting-Edge EV Platform<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Bitzee 3. Bitzee \u2013 The Digital Pet Replacing The Tamagotchi <\/p>\n

Scott Purcell \u2013 Co-Founder<\/p>\n

My niece pulled a little purple pod out of her bag at a family lunch a few weekends ago and I genuinely did not see her look up again for two hours. I asked what it was, she showed me, and then I made the mistake of having a go myself. Twenty minutes later, I was feeding the thing, losing its mini-games, and getting weirdly filthy when it decided to go to sleep on me. I\u2019m 38.<\/p>\n

Bitzee is Spin Master\u2019s answer to the Tamagotchi, except the pet floats on the screen in a way that looks a lot closer to 3D than it has any right to at this price. You tilt it, shake it, poke it, and the little animal reacts. The\u00a0bit\u00a0that got me is that one pod holds fifteen different characters, so\u00a0you\u2019re not up for\u00a0a new toy every time the kid gets bored, and each one evolves from baby to adult depending on how much attention it gets. It won Toy of the Year at the London Toy Fair back in 2024, which explains why every kid at that lunch knew exactly what it was, and I was the only one who didn\u2019t.<\/p>\n

Fair warning on where to buy it. The original pod is sold out on Amazon right now and the ones still listed there are resellers charging well over the odds. Big W has it for $29 at time of writing, which is the price I\u2019d actually pay.<\/p>\n

Favourite Article: Tesla Balance Bike Has No Motor, No Battery, and Runs on Toddler Power<\/a><\/p>\n

Favourite Video: A $210 steak sandwich. Yes, we ate the whole thing.<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Comfrt 4. Comfrt \u2013 The Blanket I Can\u2019t Stop Talking About <\/p>\n

Hannah Maher \u2013 Sales & Partnerships coordinator<\/p>\n

Like everyone else, I probably spend a little too much time scrolling on my phone, but at least now I can say it\u2019s for work and research purposes.<\/p>\n

A few weeks ago, while doomscrolling, I came across an influencer talking about the Comfrt blanket, and let\u2019s just say\u2026 I was intrigued. Even through the video, I could tell this was going to be one seriously soft blanket. And boy was I right.<\/p>\n

So, naturally, after spending a solid hour tossing up what colour to get (Teddy Bear Brown), and I was absolutely right about the it being soft and comfortable. It arrived a few days ago, and it hasn\u2019t left my side since. I even thought about bringing it into the office.<\/p>\n

This blanket absolutely lives up to the hype, and I\u2019m not alone in this. A quick search of TikTok reveals that this the Comfrt blanket is definitely having a moment.<\/p>\n

I didn\u2019t know I could be this passionate about a blanket, but here we are. If it couldn\u2019t get any better, it\u2019s also slightly weighted, which is something I never knew I needed. It honestly feels like one big, warm hug. As a single queen, this thing is an absolute game changer. Treat yourself and thank me later.<\/p>\n

Favourite Article:\u00a0Marshall\u2019s Acton IV and Stanmore IV Put Modern Tech Inside a Classic Amp Look<\/a> <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Readtime: 7 min Every product is carefully selected by our editors and experts. If you buy from a…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":823923,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[64,63,6766,105],"class_list":["post-823922","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-technology","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-staff-favourites","tag-technology"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/823922","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=823922"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/823922\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/823923"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=823922"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=823922"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=823922"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}