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Escape Monthly December: Italy Box Review

laelene Posted in reviews, subscriptions，Tags: beauty, body gel, body milk, boxes, chocolates, cookies, escape monthly, food, olive oil, olives, pictures, products, reviews, skincare, snacks, subscriptions, travel

29 December 2013

To round off the year, Escape Monthly offered their very first international theme of Italy!

Escape Monthly is just under $40 per box (with code for 20% off your subscription – see end of post) and comes with a variety of food, home, skincare items themed around a city. Each box comes with a Moon Handbooks guide for that region. Boxes are sent monthly with no option to skip. They offer a lovely recurring referral commission program.

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I don’t know what I might have expected in this box, since all I can think of when I think of Italy is delicious mushroom pizza. Of course that’s not something you can readily pack into a box, so of course what we got were snacks and some skincare items. They’re all totally appropriate for Italy, though I do wish they could have snuck some pasta in too. I would have loved another beauty tool or some sort of trinket from the region to top it all off.

Here’s what came in the box:

Moon Handbooks guide to Living Abroad in Italy – This is exactly the sort of thing I’d put in a care package for someone planning on studying abroad in Italy. Of course, I don’t know anyone at the moment, but I’m sure it will be a great way to learn more about the country and see what other areas I might want to explore. I’ve been to Rome, Vatican City, Venice, and (briefly) Pisa. I’ve got Florence, Milan, and Naples on my radar… who knows what else I might learn about that I must go see next time!

iSiciliami Passione Pasticcera Riccio al Cacao cookies – I think these are a great selection – a very Italianesque cookie that I’ve actually never heard of. So here I am learning something new about the country and getting to try wonderful treats that were actually made over there. Unfortunately I didn’t get to try them before having to leave, so I’m excited to get back and try them soon. I’ve heard fantastic reviews on them so far and I’m always a fan of a good cookie.

Rigoni di Asiago Nocciolata hazelnut spread – Now I’m not quite sure how/when to use this spread, but it does sound delicious. I love that it’s organic and it’s from a family business based in Italy. Treats like these definitely fit with the theme. I would have loved if they included some cookies/crackers/bread that this could be spread on. I’ll have to try it on some toast or maybe even a bagel, though I hardly ever eat those so I might just eat this straight from the jar. 😛

Skin&Co Roma Truffle Body Milk – What an adorable lotion! I love the look and feel of it – perfect for keeping at your desk to use when you’re feeling a bit dry. Using truffles is so very European of them and makes their line seem quite luxurious. I loved looking into the story of how the line got started generations ago and why having truffles in the products is good (antioxidants helping to reduce free radical damage). I hear it smells great too, which I shall have to confirm when I get my hands on it again.

Skin&Co Roma Truffle Body Gel – With claims of anti-aging effects and a super cool ingredient like truffle extract, this definitely has me intrigued. As mentioned already, the branding on this is pretty cool. And of course I gotta love that they’re a born and bred Italian company!

Perugina Baci chocolates – These were the bonus item this time around and really, who could say no to chocolate truffles? I just wish there were more of these! Since they’re individually wrapped, they are perfect to share with others (if you can resist eating them all yourself).

La Civetta extra virgin olive oil – Such a cute bottle of olive oil, which I can’t wait to break into the next time we cook. I’m curious what the green apple and almond flavor in it is like. Do most olive oils have other flavors infused like that? Have I just not noticed all this time? I can’t say that I really know much about olive oil so maybe it’s normal, but I think it’s really cool that they’ve got some other flavoring going on there.

Olio & Olive Castelvetrano olives – Ah yes, I should have known there would be olives. I’m personally not a fan, so I’ll be looking to give these away, but I do like that they came in a nice neat see-through package. I might look into seeing if I can make my own olive oil from them though… that’d be pretty cool to try!

Provence of Terni Umbria – I think this might have been added in as part of the Skin&Co set since that’s where the whole truffle thing got started for the brand, or maybe it’s just a coincidence and Umbria is a place I should be adding to my future destinations. Whatever the case, I look forward to learning more!

I really like how this box wasn’t just a hodge podge of things that vaguely remind you of Italy. It seems like they really took the time to pick out some fabulous Italian brands to showcase, which I really appreciate. I’ve definitely discovered a ton of new stuff! What do you think of this international Escape Monthly box? If you want to sign up, try one of these codes (not sure which ones are still active): PAMPERME or COLORADO for 20% off the lifetime of your subscription, ITALIANESCAPE for 20% off, GIFTESCAPE for 25% off.

January we’ll be getting a Colorado box! Panda just went there recently so I’ll be interested to hear what he thinks.

[This post contains affiliate links. Signing up through them helps support my subscription and I’d be ever so grateful. 🙂 All opinions are my own and I received no compensation for this review. I just purchased this box and wanted to share what I got!]

UK Vacation Day 8 Recap

laelene Posted in lifestyle glimpses, photo blog，Tags: edinburgh, england, experiences, food, london, panda, pictures, scotland, trains, travel, trips, uk, vacation

28 December 2013

I can’t believe it’s been nearly four months since this trip and I’m still updating on it. Only two more to go after this one!

Day 8 was a chill day, with a late checkout and leisurely stroll from the hotel to the train station. We swung by the Co-operative, a grocery store, and the House of Fraser, a chain that reminds me of Macy’s. We wandered along the quiet of Rose Street and found ourselves some cookie tins commemorating Prince George at the train station. The train from Edinburgh to London took most of the day and once we were settled back, we got dinner at Nando’s. Since we got drink vouchers at the hotel, we stopped by the bar to get drinks (sodas) before calling it a night.

[Miss some? Read about Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, Day 4, Day 5, Day 6, and Day 7 recaps.]

breakfast spread at hilton edinburgh with hash brown, tomatoes, mushrooms, fried egg, and fruit

I think the only time I eat breakfast is at hotels.

girl guiding scotland headquarters and shop

A random sighting in our way to the train station. Girl Scouts, anyone?

strings of small red flags stretching across rose street walkway

I love the small streets like these.

Onto the train and back down to London we go.

view of landscape in united kingdom from train window

It’s so picturesque!

girl grinning with bag near end of train station platform

Excited to be back in London!

london king's cross sign on train station platform

Which way to platform 9 3/4?

spacious interior of london king's cross train station

Looks rather futuristic in here.

entrance to king's cross underground tube station

Taking a pit stop to use the wifi before heading down to the tube.

Back at our hotel in Victoria!

girl sitting at table at nando's victoria

We found this chicken place called Nando’s.

seasoned nuts covered by plastic dome with metal spoon

Grab some nuts while you wait.

nando's garlic peri-peri sauce and medium peri-peri sauce in glass jars with metal tops

They have all kinds of tasty sauces.

nando's chicken in pita with sides of mashed potatoes and garlic bread

I opted to try their pita, mashed potatoes, and garlic bread. Delicious!

nando's grilled chicken dark meat with sides of rice and garlic bread

Panda got the grilled dark meat, rice, and garlic bread.

rear of modern red double decker bus in london with lots of windows

The newer double deckers look so sleek.

Hello Fresh Week 50 Delivery review

laelene Posted in reviews, subscriptions，Tags: boxes, cooking, dinner, eating, food, meals, pictures, reviews, subscriptions

27 December 2013

Has it only been 2 weeks since this delivery? Gosh, so much has happened that it feels like a distant memory. (Interested in trying Hello Fresh? Use my referral code to get $20 off your first order: 9CAMJS)

Hello Fresh is just under $70 per box and comes with 3 meals of 2 servings each. That’s less than $12 per meal serving. Boxes are sent weekly unless you choose to skip (which is very easy to do). They offer a referral code that gives $20 off to both the person you referred and for your next order.

collage of hello fresh steak and brussel sprouts stir-fry recipe card

First up was the least adventurous dish, which we liked because it seemed most filling.

collage of hello fresh steak and brussel sprouts stir-fry ingredients and meal being made

Stir fry is probably my favorite way of cooking, next to baking.

hello fresh steak and brussel sprouts stir-fry dish finished product

Good, solid dish. I never knew I’d actually enjoy my vegetables but frying them helps.

collage of hello fresh chicken quinoa stew recipe card

For lunch on the weekend, we opted for this soup to warm us up.

collage of hello fresh chicken quinoa stew ingredients and meal being made

This whole time I had it in my head it was couscous and not quinoa, oops!

hello fresh chicken quinoa stew dish finished product

A very tasty stew indeed and it felt healthy with the quinoa.

collage of hello fresh chile dusted shrimp wih corn relish recipe card

Finally, we made a lunch out of this too since the portion seemed small for dinner.

collage of hello fresh chile dusted shrimp with corn relish ingredients and meal being made

There was supposed to be an onion, but it got left out. I emailed support and they gave me a $5 credit. I’d say that’s a good deal!

hello fresh chile dusted shrimp with corn relish dish finished product

The contrast of spicy with sweet was very intriguing. Wonder how it would have been with the onion.

I had fun with these dishes and would definitely consider trying them again, though I’d want to incorporate some carbs into the shrimp one.

[This post contains affiliate codes. Signing up through them helps support my subscription and I’d be ever so grateful. 🙂 All opinions are my own and I received no compensation for this review. I just purchased this box and wanted to share what I got!]

Treatsie December 2013 review

laelene Posted in reviews, subscriptions，Tags: boxes, candies, caramels, chocolates, food, nuts, pictures, products, reviews, snacks, subscriptions, treatsie

26 December 2013

Treatsie has decided to increase their offering from 3 confectioners to 4 per box, which in turn means raising their prices slightly. As a preview of what this new box will be like, they sent it out to everyone this month. Per my understanding, I can keep the current 3 brands per box $15 subscription through the end of 2014, or I can choose to upgrade to the new 4 brands per box $19.95 subscription. I’m still undecided on this and might keep the current subscription, checking out what the difference between this and the new one is like before deciding sometime next year.

Treatsie is now $15 per box + $4.95 shipping and comes with artisan candy from 4 brands (was $15 for 3 brands). That means about 6 or 7 different flavors of treats. Boxes are sent monthly with no option to skip. They offer a referral link program.

treatsie december new box with purple lettering

The new standard Treatsie box.

Nutwhats Pecan Scribble: These were the bonus items that got included because of the new subscription style. I wonder if they would have made it into the next box if Treatsie kept the 3 brands per box model. They’re a fun snack, kind of like a brittle bar but kind of like a nutty crunch bar. They’re topped with a drizzle of chocolate and have a very sweet flavor. I like them, but I’ve never been huge on nuts so I don’t think I’d ever crave them. I like how the nuts are ground into tiny pieces so I don’t get a huge chunk at a time. The super crunchy texture is nice and kind of makes me feel like I’m eating a biscuit at times.

Ashby Confections Milk Chocolate Tortoises: Oh yum!! The combination of chocolate and caramel makes me quite enjoy the pecans as part of this treat. I think I also like it because the pecans are soft so I don’t feel like I’m eating nuts at all. The salt on top is a nice detail that makes this candy feel classy. I gobbled this right up and I do believe they’re the best turtles/tortoises I’ve ever had! Right up my alley and my taste buds are happy. 🙂

Tahana Confections caramels in Pumpkin Pie Spice, Salted, Ganache with Sea Salt, & Vanilla: These are addicting. Each piece is quite large so I thought they’d last me a few mouthfuls, but I found that once I bit in I couldn’t stop and just had to eat the whole thing at once. I like how they’re just the right consistency – not too soft and not too firm. The way your teeth sink in ever so gently, yet with little resistance makes it oh so easy to eat it right up. I loved all the flavors and this was the first time I’d tried a caramel with little bits of chocolate hidden inside (the ganache one), which was a fun surprise! I also loved the fragrant sweetness of the vanilla. I would totally buy more of these.

Sucré Milk Chocolate & Almond and Dark Chocolate baby bars: Finally, there were these adorable little bars. As expected, I wasn’t really into the almond ones, but the dark chocolate was yummy. At just 53% cacao, it was on the sweeter side for a dark chocolate, great for those of you who are more of milk chocolate fans. I don’t think I could have more than one piece at a time since the sweetness was quite potent. It’s like they still packed all the flavor of a regular size bar into these minis! That’s good for those who are trying to portion control, since one piece goes a long way.

Overall I enjoyed this box, but was not completely convinced that I should upgrade to the new box. I mean, $15 a month for candy was already a stretch and now $20? I’m going to have to sit on this one a little while. I’m glad that they’re still keeping the original box for another year to let us figure it out. Would you upgrade to the new box?

365great Day 283: Whole Foods

laelene Posted in 365great，Tags: 365great, food, pictures, shopping, stores, work

22 December 2013

I love the smell of Whole Foods. It’s comforting to me, that mix of herbs and fresh food mingling. Their use of warmer colors in their stores is also a welcoming sight – none of that harsh whiteness of other stores. For a grocery story, I want a more homey feel and the combination of how their stores look and smell totally give me that impression. I’ve spent my fair share of time there, demoing a variety of products back when I was a product demonstrator. I’ve been to almost every single Whole Foods in the Greater Los Angeles region. There’s always so much to discover and I could spend ages in there finding new products to try. I also find grocery shopping can be such a cute thing, romantic even (yeah, I’m weird), so I love watching people shop. I also have great memories of delicious lunches at the El Segundo location. I miss that.

365great Day 282: wedge salads

laelene Posted in 365great，Tags: 365great, food, pictures, salads

21 December 2013

For some reason, eating my salad like this gives me infinitely more pleasure than a normal salad. Somehow wedge salads feel more fun, more sophisticated, more unique. It’s amazing how the difference between cutting something up into pieces or leaving it mostly intact can vary so greatly. This particular wedge salad is my absolute favorite, probably because it doesn’t involve blue cheese. Caesar salads are a classic and putting the wedge salad twist makes it pique my interest. I liked that satisfying crunch from cutting off a bit to chew on and it felt far neater than a normal salad. Who knew cutting my food could be so entertaining? And hey, it’s like the lazy solution to a salad. Don’t want to cut up the leaves into bits? Just tear them off whole and drizzle cheese, dressing, and croutons! Easy. It’s a great way to enjoy your food in a refreshing manner.

365great Day 276: fresh figs

laelene Posted in 365great，Tags: 365great, figs, food, fresh, fruits, pictures

15 December 2013

Most of us probably first had figs in a snack or as a dried snack itself. I’m pretty sure my first encounter was with fig Newton’s. I loved the sweetness and the bits of crunch that the seeds provided. It was gooey yet crispy all at once. It wasn’t until I was much older that I ever saw a fresh fig, with its bulbous shape and skin that didn’t look edible. Every now and then I crave that funky fruit and I find it extremely hard to find it offered in dishes at a restaurant. There was a fabulous salad from Bottega Louie that reignited my desire for figs, but it’s seasonal, so I struggled to find another option. When I was traveling to San Francisco once, I was thrilled to find a tea house that offered it along with other fruit, so I got that plate. Then I started to see them at Whole Foods, so I totally need to make my own salads with them. It’s gonna be great. 🙂

Blue Apron November 5th Delivery review

laelene Posted in reviews, subscriptions，Tags: boxes, cooking, food, panda, pictures, reviews, subscriptions

12 December 2013

As I suspected, it took me a month to get around to posting up the meals from our second Blue Apron delivery! I’ll try to be more prompt with future food boxes. We’ve found our now-favorite dish (sweet & sour BBQ drumsticks) and got to try a really tasty salad and fun tacos. Another pleasing box that keeps Blue Apron as the front-runner in my mind. Still, I like what Hello Fresh offers at times and will still split my time between the two. Might even try Plated or another subscription!

Blue Apron is just under $60 per box and comes with 3 meals of 2 servings each. That’s $10 per meal serving! Boxes are sent weekly unless you choose to skip (which is very easy to do). After ordering a few times, they will offer free meals you can send to friends (but no referral program).

collage of blue apron sweet & sour bbq drumsticks recipe card

We started off with a fun meal!

collage of blue apron sweet & sour bbq drumsticks ingredients and meal being cooked

Cooking this one was pretty easy and it smelled great.

blue apron sweet & sour bbq drumsticks with snow pea, carrot, & celery salad finished product

YUM! We both LOVED this dish and would definitely make it again. It’s Panda’s fav so far.

collage of blue apron center-cut pork chops recipe card

Next up was a more adventurous taste for us. What’s kohlrabi anyway?

collage of blue apron center-cut pork chops ingredients and meal being cooked

I wasn’t sure what sort of flavor the salad would yield since there were a ton of strange ingredients.

blue apron center-cut pork chops with pan sauce & apple-kohlrabi slaw finished product

Turns out I happen to find apple-kohlrabi slaw deeelicious beyond expectation. The pork chops were meh.

collage of blue apron chili-dusted fish tacos recipe card

Finally, finishing up with a messier dish!

collage of blue apron chili-dusted fish tacos ingredients and meal being cooked

So colorful! Prettiest array so far.

blue apron chili-dusted fish tacos with pickled red cabbage, mango & avocado finished product

The corn tortillas were a bit dry and thick for us and the fish got lost in all the toppings (we went crazy with them, admittedly).

blue apron chili-dusted fish tacos with pickled red cabbage, mango & avocado finished product with toppings piled high

Lol! Couldn’t resist putting ALL the toppings on and smothering the tacos. I actually tried the mango for once. Decent!

365great Day 271: pho

laelene Posted in 365great，Tags: 365great, college, experiences, food, high school, noodles, pho, pictures, soups, vietnamese

10 December 2013

Pho is comfort food to me. When I’m not feeling well, whether I’m sick or sad, it’s the perfect thing to soothe me. I personally like it more than chicken noodle soup. I love the fragrance of the herbs, the thin noodles, the rich broth, and the experience of putting in the veggies when the soup comes out steaming hot. I like to get the plain noodle soup if I can, since I love it for the veggies, soup, and noodles. No need for meat for me! I always feel better after downing a large bowl and usually my sinuses and head will get cleared up by the end of it. It’s perfect for those down days and I can’t even remember what I used to do before I was introduced to pho. I guess I did get afternoon fevers pretty frequently in high school. I’m so glad that college brought me experiences like discovering pho because it’s now an important part of my diet, particularly in the colder months. It’s so great for a pick-me-up!

UK Vacation Day 7 Recap

laelene Posted in lifestyle glimpses, photo blog，Tags: animals, cafe, castle, desserts, edinburgh, experiences, food, games, harry potter, history, museums, ocean, pictures, pizza express, scotland, snacks, travel, uk, views, walking

08 December 2013

On day 7 of our grand UK adventure, Panda and I explored the streets of Edinburgh and found a bunch of museums. The morning started off with a silly moment, when Panda got my ring stuck on his finger… and we thought he might have to wear it around all day for me. 😛 I got a delicious treat at a cute bakehouse, we swung by the cafe where Harry Potter was written, and of course went to check out the castle (getting a few items in the gift shop but not actually going in). Along the way, we came across two Chinese ladies asking for directions and I regretted not helping. We wanted to also check out this place called The Mound, but I think they were closed so we skipped it. For dinner, we got Pizza Express and I discovered my new favorite pizza. Later at night we got hungry again so we went out to a Chinese place where they were very interested in chatting us up. I guess Chinese-Americans don’t come around that often.

[Don’t forget about Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, Day 4, Day 5, and Day 6 recaps.]

english breakfast at hilton edinburgh with fried eggs, baked beans, tomatoes, hash browns, tea, omelette, and fruit

We started the day off right with a hearty breakfast British style.

salt and pepper shaker in one unit with salt on top and pepper on bottom

I’ve never seen a salt and pepper shaker as one unit! I want.

princes street in edinburgh bustling with pedestrians

Off to the bustling Princes Street. There’s just a bit of blue sky out there.

rainbow colored columns of building in edinburgh

So bright and cheery against the other dull colors.

old building with clock tower in edinburgh

Classic building in these parts.

girl standing with hair blown in face on streets of edinburgh

Caught me chillin’ on these cute roads.

world's end painted on wall in edinburgh

We found the world’s end!

flodden campaign of 1513 sign in museum of edinburgh

We arrive at the Museum of Edinburgh to find we were there on exactly the 500th anniversary of the Flodden Campaign.

stone spiral staircase in museum of edinburgh

What a cool staircase.

painting in museum of edinburgh with midget man standing next to towering giant

Hehe, I was amused by the midget next to the giant.

pairs of old shoes on display at museum of edinburgh

Those shoes do NOT look comfy.

scottish ambulance driving down road in edinburgh

Ambulances here use blue and neon yellow.

large selection of dessert items on display at mimi's bakehouse in edinburgh

Stumbled upon Mimi’s Bakehouse, where I could hardly choose just one thing to try!

cute bird cage-themed light frame hanging in mimi's bakehouse in edinburgh

Such a fun light frame.

malteser bar with white chocolate and malteser balls

I decided to opt for the Malteser bar. Yummy yummy.

old stroller from long ago in museum of childhood in edinburgh

We made a quick stop at the Museum of Childhood. Strollers used to be so much simpler.

shoot the moon vintage game in museum of childhood in edinburgh

I’ve never heard to this shoot the moon game and I haven’t a clue how it works.

view of giant three story room in museum of scotland

Next up was the grandest museum of all: the Museum of Scotland! Gorgeous room.

girl standing on scale showing weights of various animals weighing in close to giant aneater

Weighing in against animals, I am right around the same as a giant anteater. Fun fact: Panda and I are almost exactly the same weight – sometimes 2 lbs off but often identical.

large cat display in museum showing only cat that can climb down trees

This is the only breed of cat in the world that can climb down trees, thanks to claws that go the other direction! If only household cats could get those claws…