Rise & Shine With Melitta

Rise & Shine With Melitta

by | Aug 2, 2018 | Collaboration

It’s 7am, my alarm goes off, I’m immediately confused as to why anyone would deem this an appropriate start time to the day. My cheek is suctioned cupped to my pillowcase, only one of my eyelids is working and I’ve briefly considered that I might have the flu. As I filter through my list of excuses not to rise and shine (lolz to whoever came up with that term) one comforting thought, a beacon of hope, surfaces…
 
Coffee.
 
After decades of research, I have deduced that one of life’s simple pleasures is waking up to a freshly brewed cup of coffee. The way it makes your home smell as it drifts throughout the rooms, the way it warms your hands as you lift it to your lips and the way it retrieves your eyeballs from the back of your skull and whispers encouragingly to them “you can do it.”
 
A few weeks ago, Melitta invited me to trial and learn about their Pour-Over coffee maker and in staying committed to my lifelong research, I was all-hands-on-deck.
 
Interesting Fact:
 
The original Pour-Over came to life when Melitta Bentz, a German housewife, grew tired of the bitter coffee that was full of grounds and prevalent in the early 20th century. Her search for a better coffee experience eventually led her to punch holes in a brass pot, line it with a piece of her son’s notebook paper, and invent the two-part filtration system we use in today’s Pour-Over and drip coffee worldwide.
 
My verdict…
 
It makes one good cup of coffee.
 
My scale of measurement is simple on this front – do I like the taste, or am I enduring it for the caffeine? When I read the above blurb I was most interested to see if, in fact, the coffee would ever be bitter. I was sure this had more to do with the beans than the maker, so I tried multiple brands, including ones I’ve pegged as ‘bitter’ in the past. Don’t get me wrong, I didn’t suddenly love the brands I previously disliked, but I will say I support Melitta’s anti-bitter claim. Their Pour-Over method is effective in making a smooth, flavourful cup and I have enjoyed each one I’ve brewed.
 
Another winning feature for me is how environmentally friendly this coffee maker is. With no pods, the only waste is the filter which made from bamboo is 100% compostable, keeping filters out of the landfill. Reducing landfill waste, as I’ve spoken about before, is a real issue we all need to be thinking about.
 
To wrap things up I must also add that I love this coffee maker for its look. I know this has absolutely nothing to do with good coffee or taste but whatever, I like having cute things on my counter. And this thing is adorable.
 
Check out Melitta’s new online store and shop the Pour-Over maker here using my discount code Laurie15% for 15% off Melitta products.
 
This blog post was sponsored by Melitta, but all thoughts and opinions are my own.
Keeping Your Cool With Hanes

Keeping Your Cool With Hanes

by | Jul 31, 2018 | Collaboration

 

Summer is here. It’s 1000 degrees, my air conditioner has a mind of its own, I’m surviving on iced coffee and I’m loving it. Maybe love is a strong word but I’d rather be laying on my floor in my underwear than sausage-d into a parka any day.

This brings me to my current collaboration with Hanes and their Comfydence Program. If you frequent my blog you know I’m big on comfort and the confidence it gives you in your day-to-day life.

Ever sat in a meeting in skirt that’s too short or a top that itches? Torture. But worse than both the aforementioned is that ‘adorable’ pair of undies you spent $40 on that feel like sandpaper and which are currently suction cupped to your body on this beautiful 85 degree day. Nothing like a few hours spent in those babies to ruin your life.

Underwear you can live in, and also be seen in, has become an integral part in my life. I think of them as the foundation of my outfit  – mess that up and the rest is doomed.

I spend a lot of time running between meetings, shoots, events and social functions. The rest of my time is spent working from home, so being unaware of my underwear because it’s so comfortable is key. Whether you’re a professional, a millennial, a Mum, style-wizard or all of the above, Hanes creates the perfect pieces for all of these lifestyles combined.

The T-Shirt Soft Foam Wirefree Bra and the Cool Comfort ™ Microfiber Hipster Panties are both featured in this post. I also love the Nano-T ® Crew Neck T-shirt, it’s super light cotton and has the perfect amount of sheerness.

Check out Hanes.com for the full collection!

 

Talk French To Me: How To Dress Like A French Woman

Talk French To Me: How To Dress Like A French Woman

by | Nov 20, 2017 | Collaboration, Outfits

Last week I was busy dreaming up a winter escape to Paris when the new Karl Lagerfeld Paris lookbook landed in my inbox for a shoot with Vogue (I say this casually as if it happens all the time, ha!). My daydreaming inspired my outfit selection, which included a beret and some leopard print loafers.

When it comes to style, no one does it like the French with their effortlessly chic, ‘I just threw it on and look this cool’ ability to style.

So what are the ‘rules’?

1. Don’t follow the trends. Keep it simple with solid staple pieces – a leather biker jacket, a casual white tee, skinny jeans, a red lip.

2. Investment pieces. Build your closet with timeless investment pieces that you can pair back with the above – a printed silk scarf, a leather quilted crossbody, statement shoes…

3. Bed head. Roll with it.

4. Keep it neutral. All black, creams, earth tones, basics…and buy a striped t-shirt.

5. Slouchy is good.

Check out the full collection here.

This post is in partnership with Karl Lagerfeld Paris

Hiding Out In My Hanes

Hiding Out In My Hanes

by | Nov 8, 2017 | Collaboration

I guess since we’ve decided to skip fall in New York the reality that it is in fact November has been rather comforting. But we all know what that means – tis the season to stay inside, inhale leftover Halloween candy and binge on Stranger Things.

Not to bore you with empty phrases, but when it comes to me lounging at home comfort truly is key. Most days I am barely adult enough to put on pants, which luckily is accpeted in my workplace aka my apartment.

Most of my favorite comfy items are from my friends at Hanes, and now that it’s getting chilly outside their sweaters, like my favorite Hanes Eco-Smart Zip Hoodie Sweatshirt, have become my main at-home companion (with my favorite Hanes Cool Comfort Underwear underneath). The best part? On the rare occasions I forgo Seamless and venture outside, I can easily layer them under my coat, put on some pants and give that whole adult thing another go.

**Thanks to Hanes for partnering with me on this post. All my opinions are my own.

Dinning Table : Wayfair

Dinning Chairs & Covers: CB2

Changes

Changes

by | Oct 17, 2017 | Collaboration

Recently someone asked me what my hair style said about me. It was a Tuesday. I hadn’t washed my hair since Saturday, so here I was sporting a dry shampooed top knot, trying to draw a parallel between said ‘nest’ and my current self.

Sleep deprived? Time poor? IS THIS REALLY WHAT MY HAIR SAYS ABOUT ME?

I went with, “low maintenance”. Seemed cool.

It was an interesting question though. At first I only considered it within that moment, the literal sense of what I was projecting. But as I started to look back over the years I realized a trend in my tendency to change my hair style whenever I was going through a new beginning and embracing change.

Two moments in time stick out here…

Just over three years ago I married the person I thought I would do life with. We’d fallen madly in love and for many years, he was my world. We tied the knot and in the first days of my newly acquired role as ‘wife’ I chopped my waist length hair into a chin length bob. A new start, a new me?

A year and a half later I learned the very real lesson that even the best people can make irrevocable mistakes. That often life isn’t black and white. You can fall between the cracks, and sometimes when you’re down there, you lose each other.

I moved to New York on my own. My hair was still short but after settling in my new city I put extensions in and regained my waist length hair. Another new start, another me?

I’ve never really considered what this means before. I’m sure there’s some deep psychological meaning we could extract from it all, but maybe it really is as simple as ‘a new start, a new me?’

We redefine ourselves many times throughout life, and maybe these little outward changes help us find strength within. Maybe it’s our way of telling the world we’re on a new warpath. Or maybe, it’s how we tell ourselves…

I’ve partnered with Herbal Essences to embrace life’s changes, big or small. Check out this video to hear stories from other amazing women.

https://youtu.be/h-oYB8_o9bs

These Little Birdies

These Little Birdies

by | Sep 8, 2017 | Collaboration, Outfits

You know that expression ‘walking on a cloud?’ Well whoever said that was wearing a pair of Allbirds. They’re indisputably the most comfortable shoes I have ever put on my feet, and I’ve taken many-a-shoe for a spin.

Interestingly enough, despite their athleisure appearance, they’re not ‘performance’ shoes. I say ‘interestingly’ as I feel more compelled to walk around the city in them, than any one runner has ever obliged me to. And if something has inspired exercise in my life, that is worth writing about.

So why so comfy? Well they’re made from super soft merino wool, they weigh next to nothing and they’re designed for you to go sock-less. What an invention.

Shop my favourite pair here.

Sponsored by Allbirds, but all opinions are my own.

© Laurie Ferraro 2018