Reviews

    Apothékary

    Nate PLevel 3 11 Reviews

    3 years ago

    Apothekary — by any measure - is a Brand that has a real purpose with thoughtfully concocted products My wife purchased Stop Wine-Ing so I had a healthy(er) unwinding alternative after long days The good: I mixed the powder with warm water as instructed, but went a little rogue by then pouring over ice and topping with a splash of Topo Chico. I was pleased with the flavor, though it’s not a flavor I’d go out of my way for (somewhat like a sweet tea) The bad: The serving size is 1tsp of powder. Unfortunately, the opening of the spice-like glass bottle was too narrow for any reasonable 1tsp measuring spoon and the powder was a bit clumpy, making it really difficult to measure out. Minor inconvenience. I didn’t really feel noticeably more relaxed or any other impact, other than the psychological victory of swapping this for a glass of wine.

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    More functional bottle. Powder that doesn’t require warm water to mix well. Better and more robust recommended “recipes” for mixing

    Parachute Home

    Nate PLevel 3 11 Reviews

    3 years ago

    Any truly great shower routine ends with a premium towel experience There's nothing quite like the pampered feel of a fresh clean towel, and in search of this nirvana experience, I came upon Parachute Home While their out-of-the-box experience left much to be desired, my initial reaction to the quality and feel of their premium towels was strong. I had the immediate sense that my new towels and I would be sympatico The true test in any human<>towel relationship is how the towel stands up to wash cycles, and it pains me to share that Parachute falls short of the expectations that the brand and pricepoint set My white towels exhibited 'fly away' threads after just a few washes. The once silky hand feel was diminished to an ordinary brushy texture. Unfortunately, the Parachute towel tryst will appear to be brief I will add that their customer service is exceptional Note: This purchase was from 2019

    Warby Parker

    Nate PLevel 3 11 Reviews

    3 years ago

    What's not to love about Warby Parker? As a grandparent of the DTC movement, Warby's growth and trajectory over the years has been nothing short of a spectacle They are a true category disrupter, bravely steering their ship directly into the high seas of competition with the likes of Luxocity - a global powerhouse Warby's value proposition is anchored in stylish frames, easy prescription, and middle-market pricepoints They've executed on this opportunity with near 20/20 precision I've had the pleasure of owning several pairs of Warby sun frames, and my wife sharpens her vision with their prescription frames and lenses. We are both very satisfied with our purchases and one of the better parts of Warby is that with their pricepoint it's not unreasonable to own several different frames...because...fashion

    Ugly Drinks

    Nate PLevel 3 11 Reviews

    3 years ago

    The Ugly Truth: Ugly Drinks is the best sparkling water on the market You might be wondering why? Is it the eye-catching branding that the aluminum can so stylishly sports? It could be, but that's not it Is it the taste? Perhaps. Their peach flavor in particular is like biting into a ripe summer's harvest. For me though, it's the bubbles. As a bubble connoisseur, I have tested and closely examined dozens of sparkling water brands for the size, mouthfeel, and pop of their carbonation. Ugly is the bubble king -- and if that's your thing, it's time to get Ugly PS their Energy line is also solid

    Buck Mason

    Nate PLevel 3 11 Reviews

    3 years ago

    Buck Mason is a celebration of classic American sportswear. Their business began anchored to t-shirts: a wardrobe staple, but has grown over time to a full line of thoughtfully designed and expertly crafted products For most of history, fashion apparel was slow...a sort of meandering process of inspiration, fabrication, and distribution. Somewhere along the line the sportswear train went off the tracks as 'fast fashion' cut corners and favored speed over quality and craftsmanship. Buck Mason has bucked this trend I purchased a Chambray button-down shirt from their Austin location. The hand feel is buttery soft, and the construction of the garment is superior -- clearly built to sustain the rigors of daily wear and wash. Their products are not cheap -- but nothing truly great can or should be cheap. Timeless takes time.

    Ritual

    Nate PLevel 3 11 Reviews

    3 years ago

    Vitamins amiright? My problem to solve: I want a daily vitamin regimen but have no idea what I need nor do I have time to figure it out Enter Ritual - a supplement Brand that makes it super simple: Take two of these stylish multivitamins every day out of this adorable bottle. Running low? No worries, you're on a subscription plan so we'll just keep sending you bottles until you tell us to stop It seems like a perfect match to solve my problem, but after about 90 days of Ritual I'm fatigued. I don't really notice a change in how I 'feel' relative to days when I forget to take my daily dose, and although ritual has given the soft shell of the vitamins a minty flavor, I have noticed that they have kind of a 'sushi seaweed' aftertaste which can be unpleasant

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    More customization (ie Care/Of) would be nice. I'm not sure if the formulation has anything to do with how I feel after taking the vitamins, but I would have expected better results given the price ($1/day) That said, I would imagine every person responds differently to vitamins so YMMV

    Made In

    Nate PLevel 3 11 Reviews

    3 years ago

    Austin-based Made In has created a line of cookware that sits at the intersection of Professional Chef and serious Home Cook I was gifted a Carbon Steel 12" Frying Pan over the holidays. I've graduated from my beloved Lodge Cast Iron pan to Carbon Steel given that CS stands up better to the wear and tear of regular use but still solves the same cooking challenges CI (notable: Range to Oven). Made In's Carbon Steel pan is not for the uninitiated. Out of the box, it requires 'seasoning' which is a process by which oil is applied to the pan and then cooked into the surface at high temps to create a non-stick surface Made In does a great job providing content on how to do this, including a booklet and videos. After a few rounds of seasoning, I put my Made In pan to the test with a high-quality steak and I'm happy to report that Made In passes with flying colors I am a huge fan of DTC Brands that create 'lifelong' products, and based on my early use of Made In's fry pan I'm confident it will be in my kitchen for many many years

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    The unboxing experience was great, but it would be great if the pan came with a seasoning kit and other cleaning/care accessories

    Away

    Nate PLevel 3 11 Reviews

    3 years ago

    The best and clearest summation of Away as a Brand and Product is this: “They thrive in the spaces between your front door and your hotel. The most unloved space in travel is this one - the space between beds.” These are not my words (@allthingsmarco / Twitter) but his articulation of Away’s reason for being is adept I have owned 3 Away suitcases: The Medium, The Large, and the Aluminum Carry On I am appreciative of the quality and engineering that has gone into Aways luggage line - they work as expected, have large capacity, and sport a pleasing aesthetic that is recognizable from a distance But what I really love about Away is their “no-questions-asked” customer service. Every interaction I’ve had with an Away employee has been too notch, and it’s clear to me that they are a product lead but customer obsessed company

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    I’d like to see Away amp up the feature set of their products as I think the market and copycats have caught up with them, and at a lower price point

    Caraway

    Nate PLevel 3 11 Reviews

    3 years ago

    "Cooking is a craft, I like to think, and a good cook is a craftsman...Practicing your craft in expert fashion is noble, honorable, and satisfying" Those words were spoken by the late great culinary maestro Anthony Bourdain, and the spirit of his expression is carried through beautifully in Caraway's cookware The unboxing experience is superlative and the details - such as the inclusion of a thoughtful handbook, lid holder, trivets, and storage trays - are rich and brilliant The product stands apart from its peers through visual identity and design aesthetic, but the performance is what resonates with even the most discerning home cook

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    I'd love to have the option to select glass lids versus the standard matching lids, as they are quite heavy and can be cumbersome

    Brooklinen

    Nate PLevel 3 11 Reviews

    3 years ago

    A lazy Sunday morning. Brisk arctic winds carrying the last gasps of winter rap against your window as the late dawn sun traces its path across your bedroom floor. There is nowhere you'd rather be than the warm comfort of your bed, and I can assure you there are no better sheets to be wrapped in than Brooklinen The crisp and dry hand-feel of the sheets evokes memories of your favorite luxury hotel The quality and details are thoughtful in a category long bereft of deep thought, and the 365-day guarantee mirrors the calming affect of the linens