I recently found out that Goodies Co has decided to stop sending their snack boxes. It’s sad because I don’t know of another similar one that I’d be interested in. I mean, their price point of $7 is hard to beat. Granted, the snacks I got probably weren’t worth all that much, but the convenience of having them curated and delivered was still worth it to me. I love discovering new products and brands, so this was an easy way to try them out without doing crazy research/hunting on my part. I definitely found a couple of snacks that I have enjoyed again since receiving them in my Goodies box. It was pretty great while it lasted.
Posts Tagged ‘food’
365great Day 244: Goodies Co boxes
laelene Posted in 365great，Tags: 365great, boxes, food, goodies co, pictures, services, snacks, subscriptions
13
November
2013
0
Homegrown Collective October 2013 review
laelene Posted in reviews, subscriptions，Tags: antioxidants, boxes, candles, canning, diy, eco-friendly, food, green, pictures, plants, preserving, projects, reviews, subscriptions, superfoods, thanksgiving
13
November
2013
I’ve had this Homegrown Collective GREENBOX for a week or so but hadn’t gotten around to taking pictures! Finally, this morning I braved the cold porch and got these shots. I’m looking forward to trying these fun projects, which are very well-themed for the cooler seasons.
The Homegrown Collective GREENBOX is $39 per box + $9 shipping (or as discounted as $429 for an entire year, with options in between) and comes with fun and easy projects to live a more sustainable lifestyle. Boxes are sent monthly with no option to skip. They offer a referral program you can apply to join.
Project #1, antioxidants & superfoods: Ok, so technically this isn’t a project and they just tell you about the benefits of cinnamon, ginger, and cranberries, which were some of the featured items in this month’s box. I think it would have been nice if they had included some simple suggestions for how to incorporate these into your diet for those health benefits mentioned.
Learn about what makes these food items so fabulous!
I wonder if you can make something tasty with all three of these…
Project #2, gourd candle making: How fun! I love candles even if I don’t actually burn them very often. The concept of a gourd as the container is really cool and unique. I can be confident nobody else will have one quite like mine. 🙂
What a fun way to make a unique candle.
Looks like fun – can’t wait to try it!
Project #3, water bath canning: I’ve never tried canning before, so this is perfect. I like pretty much anything that involves a mason jar these days (I know, it’s a silly criteria). I don’t usually eat cranberries but I’m definitely looking forward to contributing them to the Thanksgiving gathering this year!
Gonna try my hand at canning, how cool!
Seems like quite an interesting process. Hope it tastes yummy!
And some information about preserving and canning your own food.
Do you receive The Homegrown Collective too? What do you think about the projects this time?
[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 6 Recap
laelene Posted in lifestyle glimpses, photo blog，Tags: animals, experiences, feeding, food, memories, nature, panda, pictures, products, shopping, skincare, travel, uk, york
12
November
2013
Day 6 of our UK trip was a wonderful day of revisiting memories and sharing them with Panda. We wandered all through York and checked out a bunch of stores, buying some items but mostly browsing. I got a chance to feed some ducks and geese by a river, which I loved. We even had time to enjoy afternoon tea at Betty’s before returning to the hotel to rest and wait for the train to Edinburgh. A few hours later, we were stepping off onto Scottish soil and making our way to the hotel (getting a bit lost along the way). Once we finally found it, we happily settled in and enjoyed the welcome gifts and nice warm quarters.
[Need more recaps? Here are Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, Day 4, and Day 5 recaps.]
Good morning, York!
I had a lot of fun choosing what to get from the Yorkshire Soap Co.
Yippee, now I’ve got awesome bath products from lovely Yorkshire.
Cat scarves?! I was really tempted, but next time…
Did you know Guy Fawkes was born in York?
Panda got a shot of me getting a shot of York Minster.
Our wanderings eventually took us outside the city walls.
Fancy a ghoulish tour? Then meet these guys for the Ghost Walk!
Hehe, check out this windblown street performer.
Evil Eye lounge! All I remember is weird beds upstairs and Asian fusion downstairs (with a bar too, of course).
Panda had to try some fish and chips. Tasty!
Caught me wandering.
The Sainsbury that I once walked all the way back from with my groceries!
I wish we could get on that bridge.
I had to stop and feed the birds. It’s a compulsion.
Can you see how gleeful I was? I love animals.
A ton of them joined in when they noticed food and I had fun walking along the bank sharing the wealth.
Even this pigeon wanted in on the action. Check out the cool black duck too!
At one point, I leaned over the bridge to feed them.
After running out of food, I happily walked off into the wind.
If they can make their marketing suite this big, I wonder what the places they’re selling are like!
Back in the center of town, we discovered some old cars on display.
Random browsing brought me to these adorable contact lense cases!
It was cold out, so Betty’s was especially inviting to us.
I loved warming up to a pot of tea and some snacks. Afternoon tea rocks!
Back by the hotel, I hardly recognized this as the old Toff’s where I went clubbing once. (I much preferred the Gallery.)
Does this look like a proper hotel entrance? Cuz it totally was.
After a few hours on the train, we arrived in Edinburgh and got to see the castle from afar!
All settled in at the hotel, with these nice treats waiting for us.
Yuzen Winter 2013 edition (November-January) review
laelene Posted in reviews, subscriptions，Tags: beauty, boxes, eco-friendly, food, green, health, pictures, products, review, skincare, snacks, subscriptions, yuzen
10
November
2013
Here’s the Yuzen winter box review that I meant to get out on Friday! I brought the box to work in the hopes of snapping some pictures during the day, but I got so swamped and distracted with other stuff that I didn’t find time until after sunset. I completely forgot to get individual product photos (and I didn’t want to take the time since I was trying to get that one project completed). Still, I think you can get a good sense of what it’s like and then you can tune in to the video when it’s up on Yuzen’s YouTube channel! I’ll try to get better pictures if I get a chance.
Yuzen is $33 per quarter (with boxes sent Feb, May, Aug, and Nov) and comes with around 7 or 8 eco-friendly beauty, skincare, food/snacks, and home products. Boxes are sent quarterly with no option to skip, but you can get one-time gift boxes too. Sometimes there’s a waitlist to get the subscription. They do not offer a referral program.
I like how the colors were inverted for this box – very fitting for winter!
Greetings from founders Jen & Ted, plus that beautiful strip of yuzen paper.
And the contents of the winter box! So many wonderful goodies.
Click on the pictures for the full sizes so you can enjoy all the details! You can even zoom in to read all the messaging.
sanitas – Moisture Mist: Like the serum that we got from this brand in fall box, this is from the Moisturize line. I’m a fan of mists and I’ve been using my two NYR ones pretty regularly. I’m going to save this one til my current ones run out but if it’s anything like the serum, I’m sure it’ll be rich and hydrating.
SpaRitual – nail lacquer in Golden Rule: This is a perfect polish for the holidays! You can layer it with all kinds of nail colors and it looks great. Put some on over bright red nails for a really fun party-ready look, or have some fun like I did and go with more crazy colors like orange. I’m loving my growing collection of SR nail lacquers – the bottles are adorable and a great size and of course the brand itself rocks a 5-free + vegan formula.
Pino – Facial Tissue Mask in Milk & Honey: I have a ton of masks, but none of them are milk and honey! This sounds sooo soothing that I just want to take a bath and then mask up. I’m saving this for when my skin needs a really calming influence. It seems like a lot and I wonder if I could even use it twice. From what I could feel through the packaging, it’s very thick so I think a little will go a long way with this one.
Level Naturals – Grapefruit Bergamot Soy Candle: I love this scent! It’s so wonderfully sweet and citrusy. The small tin makes it ideal for travel, though I doubt the hotel would be happy if I tried to light it in my room. Soy candles are amazing, burning ever so clean that I get all the fun of candles without worrying about getting a scratchy throat from the particles in the air. I wish that Level actually sold this size, because it is beyond adorable.
Jurlique – Rose Hand Cream: I’ve been using a lot more hand creams and lotions lately since every time I go to the restroom at work, I come back with slightly dry hands. My backlog is going down slowly and this will have to wait at the end of that line for now. I’m a bit surprised at their price point ($25 for a 40 mL tube) so unless it works miracles, I probably won’t be buying this anytime soon. I do enjoy being able to try it out though!
Sun Cups – Dark Chocolate Mint cups: I’m hesitant to try these because on the one hand I love dark chocolate but on the other hand I’m very sensitive to mint in chocolate and I’m very picky about what kind of peanut butter flavor I enjoy. I’ll take them with me to work this week and use them as a pick-me-up in the afternoon. They make a great little snack and I’m sure plenty of people love dark chocolate, mint, and peanut butter. I’m just a weirdo.
TARA Aromatherapy – Roll-On Lotion in Stress Relief: I’ve had some trouble getting this to roll out just yet, but I do like the cooling and refreshing sensation I get from the rolling of the ball and the scent. I expected it to be more like a liquid, so I wonder if there’s a strategy to getting it out. I figure if I just roll it around enough it’ll eventually start dispensing. I like doing this whenever I need a little extra oomph (or if my idle hands just want to do something).
Jane Iredale – 24-Karat Gold Dust in Gold: I never thought this would be the type of thing I’d use, but as I read all the suggestions, I find myself looking forward to trying them. A dash in my lotion, a sprinkle in my hair… I like the subtle shine I can get without getting too crazy, so I’ll be experimenting with this dust quite a bit. This is such a fun product to play around with and once again, having gold glittery things is so festive for the holidays.
Kerstin Florian – Fuß Balm: Don’t neglect your feet like I often do. Balms like these are just what we need in the cold months to protect our feet. It’s all too easy to get dry heels or achy soles. For this very reason, I’ve gotten a couple of foot products in the past few months and (I feel like I sing this song every time) I’ll test out this one once those are depleted! This brand is completely new to me and I can’t wait to see how it works for me.
And this rounds out 2013! I can hardly believe that the next Yuzen box will be arriving in 2014… it sounds so far away yet it’ll be upon us way too soon. I’ve definitely enjoyed the seasonal changes in products chosen and I look forward to what the spring box will bring. Jen and Ted did a great job once again and I am thrilled to have this growing supply of products that I may never have tried if it weren’t for subscription boxes.
What do you think of this box? Have you tried Yuzen yet? If not, what are you waiting for?!
*Disclosure: As a super fan, I was invited to be the Yuzen Ambassador to help them spread the word about their brand. I now receive the boxes for free. I was not compensated otherwise and all opinions are my own, irregardless of my relation to Yuzen. I just happen to think they’re awesome (as does everyone else I’ve heard from). 
365great Day 240: deviled eggs
laelene Posted in 365great，Tags: 365great, experiences, food, pictures
09
November
2013
Oh nom! Ever since first finding out about deviled eggs in middle school, they’ve been something I look out for everywhere I go. There was a deli across the street from the school, which my friends and I would sometimes frequent for lunch. It was there that one day I noticed the deviled eggs in the counter. I’m a big fan of eggs, so I decided to try it. I absolutely loved it! It’s funny since I’m not usually into egg yolks, but in this instance, there’s something I can’t resist. I guess once you mash it up with other ingredients, you start getting some fun new concoction. I’ve always meant to play around with that myself but so far none of my tries have tasted quite the way I hoped. All I wanted was an egg that tastes just like the one from that deli. Over the years I unsuccessfully tried all sorts of other places but when I got to have that deli again, I learned that there’s just something different about theirs that I enjoy. If I could just figure out how to replicate it, that’d be great!
October Favorites 2013
laelene Posted in general blog，Tags: beauty, cars, cooking, driving, food, geek squad, haircut, pictures, products, shoes, skincare, technology
09
November
2013
1. free food – This month brought some wonderful opportunities for free food from Whole Foods (community event during the furlough) and Carrabbas (First Tastes event). It’s been awhile since Panda and I have gone out to get free food so it was nice to experience again. Back in college we’d get free Sprinkles cupcakes all the time and occasional other deals that various establishments were offering.
2. NYR Organics – It was a pleasant surprise to come across NYR Organics, the US version of Neal’s Yard Remedies. I’ve been enjoying the simple pleasure of misting my face with their products. The sales rep was even kind enough to send me an empty spray bottle so I could use it for the witch hazel water I had without a spray top. She totally understood that it’s much better when you can apply it that way. I love how mild and gentle these products are, which makes them oh so soothing.
3. Geek Squad – An all too-familiar scene. I think I visited Geek Squad a dozen times in the period of 3 weeks as I tried to get exactly what I wanted. I did exchanges and returns and hardware swaps and software changes with them. All throughout, they remained helpful and patient until I was finally able to get the laptop I’d been seeking, complete with SSD, touchscreen, backlit keyboard, and so much more. While I’m glad they were able to help me through it all, I sure do hope I don’t need to go see them again.
4. haircut – My hair had started to get mousy and I was growing bored of plain black so I decided to go searching for a hairdresser. I had a girl out in Manhattan Beach who I liked to go to, but that’s not very practical anymore. Luckily, the one I decided to try had a sweet lady who was sociable but not too chatty and did a great job. I plan on sticking with her so long as it doesn’t become an inconvenience once we move a bit further from that salon’s location. I’m not super picky with my hair, but it’s nice knowing what to expect. Now my hair is lighter and feels much smoother than before!
5. Nike sneakers – I’ve been wearing these to work almost every day and I love it! All I wanted was super comfy shoes with amazing support and that’s exactly what I found. It’s a nice bonus that I happen to have them in my alma mater’s colors, making them all the more beautiful. I went with Nike because a good friend from college works for them and I love supporting my friends, even if it’s something small. I seriously can’t get enough of those memory foam cushions soothing my feet like never before.
6. condo walkthrough – I really enjoy watching things in progress, so I’ve been keeping an eye on our condo. We were there when it was just a plot of land and now we’re already at the walkthrough stage! I appreciate the pre-drywall walkthrough that we got so we could see the interior of our future home before it fully takes shape. I feel a lot more involved in the process being able to see it at this point and I can’t wait to go through it again when the interior is all pretty (one more month!).
7. heated car seats – I don’t know what I’d be doing without my heated car seat and steering wheel. Every day I’m so glad I was able to get a car with those features because they have made my commute more than comfortable. The heated seat came in especially useful when I hurt my back and needed that sort of warmth to help ease the tension. I’m totally addicted to that feature now and I don’t think I could ever get another car without at least heated seats. Life is so much better when you aren’t freezing.
8. cooking – Between Blue Apron and Hello Fresh, Panda and I are getting a fair share of cooking experience! I love having a box to cook through once a month or so. It’s an activity for us to look forward to doing together and there’s a tasty reward at the end. Plus, we’re building useful skills for the future! Of course, I’m also getting spoiled by it and now I don’t want to have to go grocery shopping or to figure out what to cook. 😛
9. paper facial masks – I’ve always enjoyed masks, but I usually don’t get around to using them because of the whole routine. I inevitably get some in my hair and it takes quite some time to apply and wash them off. When I discovered paper masks where it was a serum formulation that you just let absorb into your skin, I found my holy grail. It’s much easier to get them on and then I can just peel them off whenever and not worry about washing my face. They’re also just more fun to me and I need to stock up on these!
So what are your favorites from October? Anything you found you were using/doing a lot?
Blue Apron October 10th Delivery review
laelene Posted in reviews, subscriptions，Tags: boxes, cooking, food, panda, pictures, reviews, subscriptions
04
November
2013
Not long after trying Hello Fresh, I decided I wanted to check out some of the other fresh food boxes out there, so I got Blue Apron. Overall I think their style is more suited to our taste, though we’re going to have to try more boxes to really decide.
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).
Everything was packaged very well and I loved the cute label for the little items: Knick Knacks.
We started off with the turkey chili recipe, great for a cold night.
Prepping all the veggies!
Bit by bit, we added ingredients to the pot and let it simmer.
Fantastic finished product! So yum that I recreated it soon after.
Next up was the Asian style ginger beef stir fry.
I let the meat sit in the freezer for a few min as recommended and it was easier to cut into thinner slices (but my fingers were numb after).
Yummy final product!
Last up was the salmon and fennel two ways.
Chop, chop, chop!
Cooking the salmon and cauliflower.
Loooved the cauliflower steak and salmon, but the fennel salad was too strong for me.
I absolutely loved the first two dishes, even though they included ingredients I normally wouldn’t have thought I’d enjoy! The flavor pairings were perfect for my taste preferences. For the salmon dish, I really enjoyed the salmon and cauliflower steak. I’ve since made more cauliflower steak and I love how simple it is, yet how much pleasure I get from consuming it. The fennel salad was suuuper fragrant and I just couldn’t get it down. Otherwise, all these dishes were fantastic. I look forward to my next delivery, which actually happens to arrive tomorrow! You’ll probably hear about it in a month, haha. 😛
365great Day 234: brunch
03
November
2013
I’ve always enjoyed brunch meals, both American and Chinese. I’m a huge fan of breakfast for lunch, small portions (a la dim sum), and sleeping in, so I guess it makes sense. I also really enjoy having a mix of flavors, so it makes me happy when I can get an omelet and waffles in one sitting. My associations with brunch have always been positive, since it generally means I got to sleep in and enjoy a lovely afternoon. I’ve spent many with good friends and few things are more enjoyable than good company coupled with good food! Similarly, for dim sum I remember wonderful gatherings of family or friends and a community approach to eating. We could mix and match all types of dishes ranging from pork chops to egg tarts as we collectively decided what to add to the table. The atmosphere is great around brunch time and so is the food.
Helping strangers
laelene Posted in general blog，Tags: behavior, experiences, food, help, panda, pictures, strangers
03
November
2013
All he wanted were these leftovers.
Panda and I went out to Adams Morgan this afternoon for a late brunch and as we were walking back to the car, we were approached by a homeless man who asked us for our leftovers. My initial reaction was “why not?” but before I could say anything, Panda was shaking his head no and we were rushing off. I was pretty upset by that encounter, both because Panda is so ready to say no and because I was too slow to assert my own opinion. By the time I did, the man was getting further away and I felt strange chasing after him. I probably should have anyway. :-/ This is not the first time we’ve come across this situation; back in Scotland, two ladies approached us asking for directions in Mandarin and I felt whisked away before I could stop to help. Both these times, my reaction time was delayed enough that the opportunity was missed. I could have helped them, but instead we kept going our way.
Panda was brought up a very careful and cautious type of person. I don’t think he even registered what was being asked of him when he immediately refused. My mom tried to instill a similar apprehension in me when I was young and because she found me to be too trusting and helpful, she kept me in public school to try to give me a chance to learn some street smarts. Apparently she’d considered private school here and there, but figured I’d be even more sheltered than I already was. It’s always been in my nature to want to help (and often go out of my way to do so). So naturally, I wanted to help in these situations too, especially since it would be so easy to lend a hand! It bothers me that I didn’t and I’ve warned Panda to not let this happen again. Why must we approach the world with such a negative perspective?
When opportunities to help land into our laps like this, I really think we should embrace them and do what we can. I’m going to have to practice standing up for my opinions faster and more assertively. Next time, I’m not just going to let it slide. I just don’t believe it’s right. This kind of reminds me of a recent story I saw on the news, where a bus driver pulled over to talk a lady down from jumping off a bridge. At least two other people had passed by her, either not noticing she was on the wrong side of the railing or not caring enough to intervene. I would hope there are more people out there who would stop to show some compassion. What made the bus driver even more awesome was that he got the woman to safety and then sat down to talk to her and calm her down. How amazing is that? Kudos to him. We could use more of him in this world and I hope I’d be one of those rather than the one who ducks their head and keeps going.
What type of person are you? Would you have helped in these situations or would you have rushed on by?
365great Day 233: Ethiopian
02
November
2013
I looove Ethiopian food. From the slightly sour injera to the amazing selection of meats and veggies, I just can’t get enough. I’m a huge fan of the way they cook their veggies with so much flavor and I enjoy the beef tibs mixed with onion, tomato, and other tastes. It’s also a ton of fun to grab at your food with your hands and the whole family style serving makes it a fantastic way to bond with friends. I’ve introduced many a friend to Ethiopian and they all loved it. So far, Panda’s the only one I’ve come across who didn’t enjoy it. I still need to take him to my favorite place though and I might still convert him yet. Luckily, everyone else I know enjoys eating Ethiopian, so I can definitely find company when I get a craving. It’s such a great meal to have and share!
