subscription boxes. try the world

Ego check:  This is my walloping THIRD blog post.  Numero tres.  #3.  How could I have possibly thought that the world of subscription boxes, or anyone for that matter, would care what I need to say?  I mean, it is only.the.third.blog.post.  I got this big reality check on Friday.

A little background here:  I haven't written about the February Birchbox that I received about a week ago,  but I really liked it and I am really enjoying Birchbox as a subscription box option and as a company.  (For those of you who live under a subscription box rock, Birchbox is a monthly box that comes filled with beauty goodies, including hair, skin and makeup products.  It's only $10/month and a great introduction to the SB world.)  After I received my February Birchbox, I started getting emails from Birchbox about deals they were having, including a big winter sale on items in their store.  I decided to buy myself a new pair of tech gloves and a BB/SPF facial cream duo. (I've never tried a BB cream before, so it was a good excuse to get over $35 for a free mystery pack.  I had also heard a lot of great things about Dr. Jart's skin care line and wanted to try it out.)  My Birchbox order arrived on Friday along with another box addressed to me.  I wasn't expecting anything else, so imagine my surprise when I had a SECOND subscription box to open!  Huh?

So, here's the ego check:  I thought, oh my gosh, someone read my blog and thought my writing was SO GOOD that I could be getting boxes for free to review!  HAHAHAHA, yeah right!  Silly me - after a little digging, I found out this latest box was a lovely gift from my bestie Tara.  Well, with my dreams of being a big-time blogger on hold, I sent T a thank you text and decided to use this fun gift as an excuse to review the box anyway. 

The box I received is from a company called Try the World.  It was heavy!  The box was a pretty Tiffany blue color and the inside is filled with crinkled royal blue confetti.  There was a pamphlet and a note card describing the box - which was filled items from Paris.  The pamphlet was a description of the box, ideas about how they chose the items, how Parisians would eat the food they chose, as well as movies and music from Paris.  It was a cute concept!  The artwork on the front of the pamphlet was really nice, a pretty watercolor of the Eiffel Tower and the city.  The note card's description of the items also states if the food comes from a family business, if it is an antique recipe, if they support the local community and if they are organic/sustainable. This is a really nice touch! The items in the box included sweet and savory French treats.  There were seven items in all, the 7th being a 'surprise' item that I can only assume varies from box to box. 

Here are pictures of the items I received.  (Not my best photo work, but you can at least see what was included.)  The first item were butter cookies called Palets made by La Mere Poulard (est. $1.85) that were tasty, but they got beat up in the shipping process.  There were two cookies in the box but most of it was crumbs, a little disappointing.  The second item was a jar of Arnaud nicoise olives marinated in Provence thyme leaves (est. value $19.10) which are my favorite olives, so I will really enjoy this item.  I ate a quarter of the jar with dinner!  The third item was a Les Delice du Luberon Aioli spread (est. $6.90) which I will enjoy with chicken or fish as a fancy spread.  Fourth was a jar of Dijon mustard by Domaine des Vignes (est. $2.25) which will never go to waste in our house.  Fifth was a jar of fig jam by Charles Antona (est. $4.59.)  Fig jam is a staple in our house with all the cheese we eat, so I'll look forward to seeing how this product stacks up against the fig jam we usually use.  The last two items were candied fruit bars made by Francois Doucet in a bilberry and raspberry flavor (est. $2.60) which will make for a tasty sweet treat.  Finally, the last item was a full size 72% dark chocolate raspberry bar made by Flagrants Desirs (est. $4.00) which was also broken because of shipping.  Broken or no, I will enjoy this dark chocolate bar!  I don't usually buy dark chocolate with raspberry, so it will be a decadent treat. 

Try the World has three subscription options.  Boxes come once every two months.  Their cheapest option is on a two-month at a time basis at $39/box.  If you purchase their six-month option, the three boxes will be $35/box and their annual subscription drops the box price to $33/box.  All come with free shipping.   Based on the values of the items I found at various internet shops, I valued my box at roughly $41.29, which makes this box a par value.  Certainly, this is a fun concept for the foodie in your life and makes a great gift.  The next box in queue is from Venice.  Past boxes have included Rio and Tokyo.  They also have a cool tumblr blog with pictures of the boxes and great travel advice.  My final take on the Try the World box is that it was a very fun gift to receive, but it wouldn't be a box I would subscribe to on a regular basis.  Do you subscribe to Try the World?  Is this a box you would be interested in?  Let me know.  I'm off to eat some more olives. 

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podcasts. 99% invisible

I recently jumped on the podcast bandwagon after the popularity of Serial.  (If you didn't listen to Serial, lucky you!  Download it RIGHT NOW, you will NOT be disappointed.  Be sure to start with the first one!  If you are like me, you will binge listen to them all.)  Once I reached the last episode of Serial, I had major withdrawals from Sarah Koenig's voice and became a certified podcast junkie.  I needed my next fix.  For those of you who do not know, a podcast is defined as "a digital audio file made available on the Internet for downloading to a computer or portable media player, typically available as a series, new installments of which can be received by subscribers automatically."  There are thousands of podcasts available for download on a host of different topics.  This genre of entertainment is just getting popular, and weeding out the good from the bad is not unlike trying to find a good TV show.  Many people have their opinion about what is good and what is bad, but it is easy to find a podcast to listen to if you have a specific topic you are interested in (i.e running, fashion) or, like me, you can just browse podcasts by their popularity.  This is how I stumbled on 99% Invisible. 

Have you ever been somewhere that you've been a thousand times before and noticed something new?  Perhaps a staircase in a building, a painting on a wall or a corner room that you didn't realize was there?  Or have you heard a sound over and over, to finally find out what is was?  Life is full of these invisible moments that become 'ah-has!' once we figure them out.  This is a bit what 99% Invisible is like for me.  For instance, who knew that the carpet at Portland International Airport (PDX) had a cult following?  Did you know that trademarking sound is really, really hard?  How about the mind blowing episode where I learned that Penn Station in NYC once looked like Grand Central Station or that there used to be a cow tunnel on the west side of the city?  99% Invisible is a fun, short podcast full of great stories that have filled me with bits of trivia, history and pop culture that make for great dinner conversation.  Roman Mars, the host of the show, has a very calming and charming voice that is a great fill in for Sarah Koenig.  These episodes are a great way to pass time in the car (if you have Bluetooth, you can listen to them right through your speakers) or, for me during these nasty winter months, a way to make the miles on the treadmill (or DREADmill as I've heard it coined recently) a lot less unpleasant.  Lucky for me, 99% Invisible has been around for a couple of years, so I'm busy catching up on past episodes and have more than 100 left before I catch up.  Although I have a few other podcasts in my queue, this one is by far my favorite.  I love all the little bits of information I'm learning about!  Give Roman Mars and his podcast a listen.  I'm certain that it will be fifteen or twenty minutes of fun!  Do you listen to any podcasts?  What are your favorites?

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subscription boxes. my first stitch fix box

I cannot remember where I first read about subscription boxes.  It could have been a magazine or a passing conversation, but I was intrigued.  I loved the idea of a little present each month, filled with items that I wouldn't otherwise buy for myself.  The world of subscriptions boxes is exploding of late, with boxes catering to all types of consumers.  Want a box of specialty products from Oklahoma?  There is a box for that.  Do you like to spoil your dog?  There is a box for that, too.  However, my very first subscription box was NatureBox, which is described on their website as a box that "delivers a world of carefully sourced and nutritionist-approved foods right to your door. Each snack contains wholesome ingredients - with no artificial sweeteners, flavors or colors. Snacking has never been so deliciously fun and naturally easy."  I really enjoyed a few months of these boxes, filled with lemon tea cookies, dried fruit and trail mixes, but I realized that these were snacks that I could pick up myself at the local Trader Joe's or Whole Foods.  Heck, I could even get them at Stop & Shop, so I cancelled my subscription.  That was that.  Until I saw my neighbor's facebook post one night about StitchFix.

Me: 'Stacey, what the heck is StitchFix?'
S:  'It is a clothing box!  You fill in a questionnaire about they types of clothes you like and where you'll be wearing them, and a personal stylist chooses a box of clothes for you.  I'm getting my first box in a few weeks!' (Or something like that.  I'm not good with past conversation details.  Also, Stacey is very chill, she doesn't talk with explanation marks much, that is part of her charm.)

Anyway, a few weeks later, Stacey comes down to the bus stop in the cutest sweater.  It was long with these cool folds and mystery pockets.  I just loved it.  When she said it was in her StitchFix box, well, it made me even more interested in this little world of subscription boxes.  However, I still didn't sign up for one.  I'm lazy.

Flash forward about six months and I saw another facebook post about an ipsy box.  Naturally, I clicked the link and wow, hello, a cute little box that has makeup, skincare samples and every month they come with a cute makeup bag?  This sounded like fun!  As I am ever the skeptic about unknown things, I decided to research the ipsy box and see if it would be worth my money.  With just a quick Google search, I found a super website called My Subscription Addiction which is an amazing resource to all things boxes.  Liz, the writer of this blog, even has a page describing everything you need to know about getting started with monthly subscription boxes.  I read through this intro and on her advice, signed up for Birchbox.  I received my first Birchbox this month and it was really fun!  I felt like a kid on Christmas morning!  A cute little box filled with a lipgloss, an eyeliner, a face wash, a deep hair conditioner and an eye makeup remover.  It was a bit of a rush getting this little box, I am not going to lie.  I wanted more.  So I also signed up for a KloverBox (much to my disappointment, I was too late for the February box, but can't wait to get my first one in March.)  On a roll, I figured why not finally fill out the StitchFix profile?  So I went for it.

When you get started with StitchFix, you fill in a profile about how you like to dress, what style of clothing you like, how much you want to spend and others, and then your stylist picks out five pieces of clothing for you based on this profile.  The more details you pass along (like sizing, etc.) the easier it will be for the stylist to find clothing that is right for you.  After filling out the profile, you agree to pay $20 for the styling fee, of which will go towards any clothing pieces you decide to keep.  If you like all five pieces, they will discount the total amount 25%.  They send a prepaid envelope with the box so you can send any items back, free of charge.  After filling out the forms and making my payment, the turn around for the box was about two weeks.  My first box arrived on Saturday.  I was so excited!

So my box that this super cute wrap dress:


A cosy blue top:


A so-so tank (I'm holding out hope for this one.)


Plus this excellent asymmetrical sweater in a light brown.  What I love most about this sweater is that it looks so great on, but I never would have bought something without straight lines OR a zipper.  This is a really fun piece that I'm excited to add to my wardrobe.



The last piece was a pair of basic black pants that fix perfectly and will work with cute flats once the snow is gone.  The box also comes with a handy insert, showing the pieces with possible outfit ideas (these were the pictures I posted above.)  Although the box isn't cheap ($350-ish total, roughly $260 after the box discount) it is a fun quarterly splurge for a few new items each season.  Ironically, I would have sent that patterned tank back, but it was cheaper for me to keep it than only send that one item back.  I'm sure this is deliberate because StitchFix claims they do not send people items that have been tried on.  What happens to all those cast offs, I wonder?  I have already scheduled a second box for May to arrive on my 41st birthday.  (Happy birthday to me!!!!)  I think this box is a good fit and I'm looking forward to the next five items.  I think with the feedback I provided when I 'checked my box out' and the other notes I've passed to my stylist, each box will be more and more a fit for me.  Exciting!

Are you thinking about signing up for any boxes?  Do you already get one?  What are your favorites?  I'd love to hear from you.

I'm hoping to keep up with this blog and pass along any other nibbles that come my way, be it food, cheese, books, wine, boxes... be sure to come back soon for more!  jj

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books. ten thousand white women by jim fergus

Ah, summer reading.  A quiet house in the evening lends itself to me devouring as many books in eight weeks as possible.  It also helps that I have a library card to the local Cutchogue Library giving me access to loads of new fiction that is NEVER available in Trumbull!  I've read several books already this summer that I've enjoyed, but I am glad I finally picked up Ten Thousand White Women by Jim Fergus, which as been sitting on my summer nightstand for almost two summers.  I actually wrote myself a note to read this book LAST summer and I took my ghost's advice and finally dove in.

TTWW tells the story of May Dodd, a woman in the late 1800s who comes from a wealthy Chicago family.  She's shunned by her family, sent to an insane asylum, and then sets herself free by joining a government run program to give become a Cheyenne Indian bride.  An author's note tells the reader that this was a program actually thought up by the Grant Administration but never carried out, however the book is based on a story that might have occurred if it had actually took place.  I learned a lot about the Cheyenne and the American/Indian conflict of the time, and really enjoyed the voice of May Dodd, a woman I certainly could have been friends with either then or now.

This is a quick read that blends strong women, historical fiction and a bit of humor, written as May's journal though her experience in the American West.  Pick it up!

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lunch. caseus, new haven.

Our old friend Mike Belinkie was in town this week and we hosted him at our house last night.  It was so nice to reminisce about 'the good old days' over dinner and wine.  I had to get him back to New Haven today, giving me, Mike & C a great excuse to head out for lunch.  I wanted to highlight something delicious but non-touristy for Mike and thought immediately of Caseus.

Just north of city center, you'll find Caseus on the corner of Trumbull and Whitney streets.  Part bistro, part cheese shop, this spot will not wow you with it's decor, but it's homey, warm and inviting nonetheless.  The restaurant space is NOT big, so make sure you make a reservation whether you go for lunch or for dinner.  Either meal, you will not be disappointed.  We arrived just before 1pm on a Thursday and the place was packed with diners, mostly hip looking twenty somethings and Yale employees.  We did not have a reservation, but waited patiently for a table to open up about ten minutes later.  There were several other parties waiting for tables behind us.

Once seated, we tackled the lunch menu.  With so many choices to choose from, Mike and I decided to share both the house special Mac & Cheese (Mike added kobe beef hot dogs to his) and their special Corned Beef Hash, with a side of pommes frites.   We rounded out our lunch with the house bread plate (which costs extra, bread is not part of the deal at Caseus.)  Breads are locally made and the butter flavor is always different - today is was peanut butter and jelly butter, interesting!  Service was friendly but not quick, so if you go, plan a leisurely lunch.  Everything came out at once and we dove right in.

The Mac & Cheese, which was recently highlighted on the Cooking Channel's Unique Eats show, was cheesy, decadent and very rich.  How could it NOT be with all those cheeses! Made with at least six different cheeses, it's a wonderful marriage of flavors.  I especially loved how it was topped with bread crumbs and the added flavor of the sausage to give it all an extra punch.  My corned beef hash, with (I think) duck eggs was a refined version of your usual diner fare, with almost crunchy corned beef and savory onions and potatoes.  It was good, but a little on the greasy side.  The eggs, too, were a bit over cooked for my liking.  I would have liked to see them a little runnier to mix into the hash.  Both dishes were served with a small side salad.  We ordered C a side of pommes frites - a perfect blend of peanut-oil fried potatoes, served bistro style in paper to soak up any extra grease.  We helped C out and dipped them in both the ketchup and mayo served along side.  Four breads, most whole grain rolls, were served with their unique peanut butter and jelly butter.  I'm not sure how they captured the taste of the orginial sandwich in butter, but they did!  The warm rolls helped melt the butter to make for a bite that any kid would long for at lunchtime.  We nearly finished everything on the table and walked away satisfied.

Caseus is not a diet-food destination, but a great place for a lively and hearty meal.  This is comfort food at it's best.  Just don't forget to make a reservation, unless you want to hang out with the Yale professors also waiting for tables or go shopping in their cheese shop, also in the same location.

Caseus Fromagerie & Bistro
93 Whitney Avenue
New Haven, CT 06510-1236
(203) 624-3373

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dinner. the ginger man, norwalk.

If you haven't been down to Norwalk, namely SONO in awhile, well, hurry up!  Beautiful Washington Street is lined with fun restaurants, specialty shops and nightlife to make for a great afternoon or night out.  We were there to see a friend in concert, but decided to have a quick bite to eat before the show.  I wanted to try something new, but needed it to be kid-friendly with K&C in tow, so after a little research we ended up at The Ginger Man. 

Walking in, you quickly feel at home with the wood floors, wood paneling and beautiful copper accented bar.  The beer lover in you will froth (pun intended) at the mouth as you gaze over the 50+ (yes, that's right) beers on tap.  Bar on the left, restaurant on the right, this space looks like a great destination for happy hour and a comfortable space (probably on the loud side on a Thursday-Saturday night) for a bite to eat.  We were seated on the bar side because they were expecting a large group for a beer party.  (Sounded like fun!)

Service was casual, not rushed.  The kids menu kept my little ones happy with standard chicken, burger and pasta choices.  All or most come with fries and vegetables are available but optional.  The dinner menu had plenty to offer and a good variety for casual pub-type fare, most options in the $12-$15 range.  In addition to the regular menu, they also had several specials that seemed to be holiday themed for St. Patrick's Day, including a stout burger and mussels & cockels in a stout broth.  I always have a hard time saying no to mussels, so I went for that dish.  Although on the appetizer menu, I was assured that it would be large enough as a main dish. 

To get into the spirit of my upcoming trip to Germany, I ordered a Hofbrau Hefe Weisse, which came out in a tall, thin half-liter glass.  It was light, slightly sweet and a wonderful start to my meal.  The kids ate the chicken fingers and the pasta with noodles.  Both were very large for kid-size meals and were not finished.  My mussels & cockels were large enough, but I craved more.  The broth was delicious, made with stout, tomatoes, garlic, bacon and shallots.  The dish was served with two large pieces of peasant bread, which was great for soaking up the extra broth.  I ended up using some of C's fries to lap up broth as well.  I really enjoyed the dish, and my hunger was satisfied.  My only complaint was that the dish could have been a little bigger.

There is a dessert menu, but we didn't have time to try any.   Coconut bread pudding sounds pretty good, though!  I'd give this a place a try and would certainly come back!  A good destination for grown-ups, beer lovers and kids.

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