Our World

Publish date:
Our World February_1

1. May It Last: A Portrait of the Avett Brothers: I'm slightly embarrassed to admit that my dad is the one who introduced me to some of my favorite contemporary musicians. He was playing the Nirvana Unplugged album months before my friends and I had ever heard of them and it's happened countless times since then. That's how I first heard about the Avett Brothers several years back when he burned me a copy of one of their albums (dating myself much?) and I instantly fell for their gorgeous harmonies and achingly beautiful lyrics. Filmmakers Judd Apatow and Michael Bonfiglio are also big fans and made a documentary about them and it's a pure joy to watch. - Emily 

Our World February_2

2. Thrive Market: Without fail, every time I go to my friend Betsy's apartment, I leave with a list of ten things I want to look into. Earlier this month, her boyfriend pulled out a cold brew making kit which Betsy explained they found on the "online Costco of healthy foods," Thrive Market. It's like Costco in that there's a $60-per-year membership fee and everything's sold at wholesale prices. What I love most about it—besides the obvious of how much I'm saving, and the ease—is how many cool, new products it's introduced me to. Most purchases I've received have come with a "gift" which could be anything from 10 cold brew pods to the fanciest Macadamia Nut milk I've ever seen. (There's even a deal now for 25% off your first order!) - Leslie

Our World February_3

3. The Woman in the Window by A.J. Finn: Most of the thriller/mystery books I read come from recommendations I've received from readers and friends. But a few weeks back, when I'd been sick in bed with nothing to do, I went onto the NY Times bestsellers and stumbled across 'The Woman in the Window.' Though I borrow most of the books I read on my iPad via Overdrive (more on that here), I was desperate for a new read and bought it on the spot. It's centered on the life of Anna Fox, a child psychologist who's trapped in her home due to a debilitating case of agoraphobia. It's well written, unsettling, and has lots of good twists and turns to keep you gripped from the very first few pages. - Emily

Our World February_4

4. Award Wallet: This is a "new to me" service, which has changed my travel-planning life. Over the years, I've joined almost every airline and hotel program, in the quest for maximizing my rewards and get upgrades whenever possible. The main issue is having to track the various credit cards and programs, which is solved by this service. The simple dashboard not only gives you a quick view of your points but also lets you know when some are set to expire. It also tracks retail, dining, and rental rewards, so if you're a point junky, this will provide your fix. - Geoffrey

Our World February_5

5. Credo beauty stores: I'm far from savvy about natural beauty—I only recently traded in my MAC foundation for something all-natural touting rejuvenating apple stem cells (?)—but I understand its importance, and am beginning to slowly turn over the products in my own makeup bag. I recently went to the Credo store in Los Angeles and felt like a kid in a candy shop—it's like a Sephora, but 1,000x less overwhelming and full of beauty products I couldn't wait to get home to try, including the foundation from Juice beauty I've recently fallen in love with for it's barely there coverage that somehow still camouflages break outs. - Leslie

Our World February_6

6. Cocofloss: Dental floss is about as dull as it gets, but I recently came across a brand that changed that for me. I received a Cocofloss floss in a PR box and the packaging was so chic that I decided to leave it out with the rest of the items I use on a daily basis. While the goal is to floss on every day, since it used to be shoved into a drawer, it didn't always happen that way. Now that it's more visible, I find myself actually excited to reach for it each morning. They have several different flavors (I'm curious about 'Fresh Coconuts'), but I'm partial to the 'Delicious Mint.' - Emily

Our World February_7

7. Charlotte Stone Shoes: I have a pair of Aquazurra Powder Puff Flats saved in my Bookmark Bar—not so I can purchase them ($750 for a pair of shoes is a lil out of my budget), but so that I can look at them. They're beautifully made, playful, and gorgeous—but they're pipe-dream shoes. I recently stumbled across the L.A. brand, Charlotte Stone, whose shoes have the same playful quality, but at a fraction of the price. I love this pair with its lavender feathers and pointed toe. As the description says, "Don’t overthink it, jeans and camisole, that’s all they need."- Leslie

Our World February_8

8. Holographic Face Masks: Every few weeks, it feels like another Instagrammable face mask is released, from 'bubble masks' to 'gold masks,' to masks that make you look 100-years-old. I recently came across this holographic mask by Memebox after reading about it here. Since I was looking for Valentine's Day presents for our team at the time, I immediately purchased several based on their appearance alone, but was pleasantly surprised to learn they actually work well. My skin looked noticeably brighter after just one use! - Emily

Our World February_9

9. Volupspa Candle in 'Mokara': Even if you don't recognize the name, chances are you've already seen this candle—it's in pretty much every Anthropologie and boutique beauty store—but it wasn't until recently, when I was looking for a neutral, pretty scent for my bedroom, that I rediscovered it. The Mokara scent is subtly bright and floral, with undertones of white lily and orchid that makes it relaxing enough for nighttime, but also refreshing enough for a weekend morning. It lasts for hours, but I've been burning mine so often that I recently purchased three more on sale so that I don't have to be worried about it running out any time soon. - Leslie

Our World February_10

10. Sumo Citrus: Despite the funny top knot, this is the most delicious citrus. Available for a short window (February - March), this sweet fruit is a hybrid of the Japanese Satsuma and domestic oranges and took over 30 years to cultivate and perfect. They sell for upwards of $8/fruit in Japanese gift shops, but I've seen them at local groceries for $1.50/lb. Get them while they're available. - Geoffrey

Our World February_11

11. Tara Brach Anger Meditation: My parents are both big into meditation and recommended this talk on how to better deal with anger. For all of my faults (and there are plenty), anger is not one of the things that I struggle with, but I still found this 53-minute session to be enormously insightful. I learned such invaluable lessons that I actually plan on re-listening to it so I can take notes. - Emily 

Our World February_12

12. PicNik Butter Coffee To-Go: I've been on a major bulletproof coffee kick for the past several months, making a batch before I head to the gym for a warm, buttery (apparently healthy?) post-workout treat. On mornings I just can't, I keep bottles of PicNik butter coffee in the fridge. It has zero added sugar, is made with MCT oil and grass-fed butter, and is a great on-the-go option for rushed mornings! - Leslie