6 months ago
Salted malted cookie dough is genuinely one of the best, if not THE best, ice cream I've ever had. Ever. And everyone who I've ever forced to try it has agreed. The brownie one is also top-tier. I'm not a super adventurous eater so I don't try their more unusual flavors - can't speak to those. But going with the classics will never disappoint.
6 months ago
I think the Oura ring is a cool purchase, and I generally think it's a valuable product. I will say that I think it's best for people who are on the high end of the fitness/wellness/self-care spectrum - I'm not quite so high on that spectrum, so I don't pay quite as much attention to the metrics on a regular basis and don't actively try to analyze them. But friends who do care more about all of that absolutely love Oura and are obsessed with checking their metrics multiple times a day. Because I'm not quite as obsessed, I don't love paying the monthly subscription fee - but I still do anyway. Style-wise, the ring fits well alongside other jewelry (gold, for me). It has gotten a bit scratched from everyday wear, but nothing outside of what you'd expect for jewelry; I'll probably replace with a new one in a year or two.
6 months ago
I love Hatch. I've now owned both generations of the sunrise alarm - the first generation (bought in late 2020), and now the second generation (bought recently in late 2023). Across both generations, the clock is great for both going to sleep and waking up - I like setting the nighttime routines of a nightlight (for reading, etc.) and then fading into white noise to go to sleep. The system helps you actually set and stick to a nighttime routine, which doesn't really happen for me unless I have the light/sound cues. (If I'm away from home and don't use the Hatch, I don't stick to a routine.) And then for waking up, the sunrise system is definitely much gentler than a harsh alarm sound out of nowhere - it's pretty lifechanging, honestly, particularly for an extremely-dark-in-the-winter place like Seattle when you wake up early. I will say that the first generation alarm was quite buggy - the app wouldn't properly pair with the clock, the clock would disconnect from wifi without explanation, the light/sound would act up at bedtime (the morning alarm always worked, thankfully, for some reason it was just the nighttime routine) - so that was a bit frustrating. I would have given the product 4 stars at that point. I was slightly nervous to buy the second generation device because I knew I'd be really frustrated if it had similar issues, but so far I've had zero issues in the few months I've had it - so now I'm up to 5 stars.
6 months ago
Liquid IV packets are super effective - I can tell a noticeable difference in how I feel after a night out if I take one of these before going to bed, and even if I wait to take one of them until the morning after. The Lemon-Lime flavor is tasty - it's surprisingly salty at first, which makes sense, but once you get used to it you have no problem sipping on the drink. I make sure I have Liquid IV with me 100% of the time when I travel now, and they make great gifts (stocking stuffers, etc.).
6 months ago
I'm not a jewelry expert, and I know that more knowledgeable jewelry people say that Mejuri is maybe not the best value for the price / not super high quality. But for my relatively normal-person level of insight and use, Mejuri is great. They have a good-sized selection of pretty, fashionable pieces; they're expensive but not prohibitively expensive; and everything I've bought has held up great for me, even with daily wear. I really love shopping their in-person showrooms.
6 months ago
I love these bags - they're simple, durable, cute, functional, everything you would want. They make GREAT gifts - basically everyone in my life has gotten one or more Baggu in recent years. Tons of cute sizes and patterns.
6 months ago
I'm a pretty serious mac and cheese aficionado, and must say that this mac ranks among the top, even against the less-healthy brands. The main Cheddy Mac flavor, competitive with classic Kraft, has a good, strong taste - even more flavorful than Kraft. The noodles stay quite al dente (often a weakness with Kraft). I will say that the sauce texture is a little strange, it can get a bit coagulated as it cools, but it's not a meaningful issue. The sauce is also BRIGHT orange, even more synthetic-looking than Kraft these days (Kraft has toned down the color in recent years, I think) - but again, doesn't bother me. I often buy this instead of Kraft now, not because it's healthier, but just because I genuinely like it more.
a year ago
On the whole, I love using Nuuly. The price tag is slightly expensive, but worth it IMO when you realize how many "new" clothes you're getting to wear versus having to actually buy new ones. Nuuly's range of styles, and how trendy/young their styles are, is distinctive among the subscription rental companies (I've tried them all - Nuuly is the only one that really works consistently for a twenty-something, all the others are for an older demographic and have far less fun weekend wear, more frumpy stuff).
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I really, really, really wish that Nuuly let you do unlimited returns within the month. Only getting one box per month means that the sizing NEEDS to be right, otherwise you're wasting a valuable portion of your subscription fee on clothes that you'll never wear because they don't fit - and obviously, how can you possibly know the right size every time, so this always happens. I'd say at least 1-2 items per box are unwearable for me, which is really frustrating. Other rental companies offer an unlimited exchange plan (i.e. Armoire) which means you can just instantly swap out clothes that don't fit - and you can ultimately wear more clothes, because you can switch out a box every week or two as opposed to waiting the entire month.
a year ago
I feel like everyone knows this by now, but Allbirds are definitely the real deal. I've had a basic pair of lightweight runners for over 5 years now, and they basically look identical to the day I got them - even though I've worn them easily thousands of times, walked a very long way in them, and generally used and abused them a ton. They're incredibly comfortable, basically like not wearing shoes. When my current pair does eventually start to wear out (though who knows when that'll be!), I'll immediately get a new pair.
a year ago
On the whole, Sheertex are definitely far superior to any other brand of tights that I've ever tried. Ripped tights are one of my biggest pet peeves in life - there's nothing worse than looking down and realizing you have this huge unsightly run in your nylons. That feeling is significantly less likely when wearing Sheertex, so you get a ton more peace of mind. That being said, Sheertex definitely aren't as indestructible as they say they are. While it's much less frequent than with other tights, I still do have tears/runs on occasion - I've caught my engagement ring on my thigh and caused a little tear, got some small imperfections from sitting on concrete, etc. Sheertex are also definitely pretty expensive - you do get way more use out of them than regular tights, but given that it is still possible for them to rip and tear, it'd be nice if they were a bit cheaper.