Today we celebrate International Coffee Day, but isn’t every day a celebration of coffee? Having been a tea-only gal for years, coffee has grown on me, thanks to our three years of living in Colorado.
These days our favorite at-home method is Cafe Bustelo cold brew. How do you drink your coffee? Does it vary throughout the day?
Big swig of caffeine at The Southern C Summit in Charleston.
Actually, the orange Illy espresso machine was our first love, and still is for a satisfying espresso or special cappuccino with steamed milk. It still holds a place of honor in our kitchen as you can see in this photo. Next time you visit our design office or Steve’s art studio, let’s sit down and enjoy an espresso together.
Pops of orange in the McKenzie kitchen. Photo credit: Anthony Masterson
International Coffee Day takes into account all methods from drip brew, espresso, instant, iced and cold brew, our favorite method. If there are several coffee lovers at home, you may want to try making a batch of this smooth-tasting liquid black gold. Here’s the link to our inspiration from the Pioneer Woman blog. Be prepared as it does take some time (overnight) to brew and some time to strain it into your pitchers. But it’s so worth it! Mix with your milk of choice, add ice and maybe a swig of vanilla syrup for a special treat.
Deliciously rich aroma fills the kitchen as the cold brew steeps.
I don’t know about you, but gift giving stresses me. I agonize over what to give a loved one. Will they like it? Will it be in the way and not loved? I’ve found 5 winning solutions – subscription boxes that take the headache out of gift giving and make you a hero all year long!
Enjoy the occasion with these subscription box gift ideas – no stress!
It’s simple really, think about what your friend enjoys – coffee, beauty products, fishing – and I bet there’s a subscription box for just about every category. These gift boxes usually contain a curated selection of exclusive and/or unusual items. Here’s a quick list of five proven winners
Suthinstyle Box– a quarterly subscription for women filled with fashion, food and finer things made in and inspired by the South. Curated by the stylish Ashley Stamoulis, who calls her boxes “her love letters to the South”. Membership plans range from seasonal to annual and your mom, sister, mil (mother-in-law), sil (sister-in-law) will be thrilled!
Founder Ashley Stamoulis and her fabulous pink SuthinGirl box
A sampling of all the goodies in the spring box
Darlings Fine Things– Known for their wide range of beauty products, fashion and shoes, Darlings Fine Things has hand-picked a selection of goodies for $35 per month. Personally I can’t wait to try my Michael Marcus Eye Gel! Again, perfectly geared to the women in your life…
Darlings Fine Things Box Full of Wonderful
MistoBox Coffee Subscription – After polling my Facebook group of savvy Atlanta-Decatur women, this coffee company rose to the top of the crema. For our NYC daughter and sil (son-in-law), space is at a premium. So I’m very aware of not adding to their home. The solution? A six-month subscription of craft coffees! They savored all the different coffees, from six different makers! Once they received their MistoBox coffee subscription, they were matched with a coffee curator – a coffee expert who learned the kinds of coffee they liked and sent them coffee based on their preferences.
A sampling of craft coffees
Next, one of my favorite gifts to give and receive, BOOKS! My dear friend, talented businesswoman and writer, Jill Niehaus Miner, owns a thriving, independent bookstore, Saturn Booksellers. Did I mention that she was awarded the Michigan Small Retailer of the Year award? Not a small feat these days. I could go on and on bragging about Jill and her team but let’s talk about their Monthly Book subscriptions for adults, teens, young readers and the grandbaby board books. It’s very simple. Choose your recipient’s age and Saturn Booksellers takes care of the shipping. Your loved one gets a book from you, every month. It’s a win-win! Also, do yourself a favor and sign up for their emails on book recommendations. You’ll be in the know with new releases and more.
It’s never too early for a family read aloud session as our son in law, Jim and daughter Molly, read to our sweet granddaughter, Amelia May.
Let me know what you think of these gift options, and I hope these suggestions will make your gift giving occasions less stressful and more enjoyable! That’s what it’s all about, enjoying time together with friends and family.
