It’s a Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood

neighborhood community walk
If this title has you humming the theme song to Mr. Rogers, then you’re in the right mood for this post.
When someone hears the word “neighborhood” it usually conjures a warm fuzzy feeling or a “I wouldn’t go there even if I had an armored car” sentiment. It evokes a strong feeling, either way.
But how many neighborhoods (outside our own) have we truly experienced? How many neighborhoods in our own community do we pass judgment on or completely ignore? I don’t know about you, but when I travel to a city I specifically seek neighborhoods rather than tourist areas. Why? Because if you want to understand a city, that’s where you’ll find its heart & soul. When it comes to my own hometown, however, I’m woefully ignorant.
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Why I Love Nuts.com

NutsDotCom trailmix, nuts berries
There’s a reason people call my home “the nut house,” and it’s not because we run around the house naked howling at the moon. It’s because our pantry is always stocked with nuts & berries as far as the eye can see.
I have very little self-discipline when it comes to snacking, especially at home. If there’s an Oreo sitting next to a bag of nuts, I’m grabbing the Oreo. But, if the Oreos aren’t there at all, then I’ll happily grab the nuts & enjoy my healthy snack, free of conflicting decisions. Knowing this, Eric keeps our pantry full of things that I should be eating and that’s where Nuts.com plays a key role in my domestic satisfaction.
Nuts are everywhere but they’re not cheap. Sams & Costco usually have good prices, but their choices are limited. Ethnic grocery stores are a great place to find exotic nuts & berries & their prices are often the cheapest, but I don’t live in a large city that has one [our favorite is Phoenicia Specialty Foods in Houston, which I’ll talk about in a future post]. No, our go-to supplier is Nuts.com.
From the minute we received our first bag, I knew we liked this quirky company. Their box & bags have nutty witticisms like “cashew later!” & “Isn’t it nut-astic?”
It’s a family-run business in New Jersey that’s been around since 1929. Their marketing is adorable & their website is easy to use. I love that it also includes nutrition tips & great recipes. Shipping is free if you order at least $59, which seems high but we’ve never had trouble meeting that amount since we buy in bulk. And the selection– oh mother of pearls, it’s AMAZING! Besides the standards, they have Pili Nuts, Tiger Nuts, Pinon Nuts, nut butters & flour, & much more. And that’s just the nuts.
Nuts.com is also the online mecca for dried fruit. The list is extensive, including Acai, Bilberries, Baobab, Chokeberries, Elderberries, Goji, Gooseberries, Lucuma, Mangosteen Powder, Red Dragon, Yumberry, Quince, Tamarind, & more. Do I have your attention yet? Good, because there’s more! Take a look at their Chocolate/Sweets & Snacks categories — these make wonderful gifts, & my particular favorite is the Cinnamon Honey Pretzel Graham because it’s the perfect low sugar crunchy snack.
And last but not least, if you’re into juicing & smoothies then you’ll appreciate their selection of smoothie powders. This is just a few of their offerings:
Nuts.com smoothie powders juicing
Nuts.com
So, can you understand why I’m nutty about Nuts.com?

In case you’re wondering…no, I did not receive any monetary incentive for this post. I simply love this company & want to share my happiness with the world. 🙂

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Leave the Diva at Home

girl hair dryer

On an upcoming trip, I’m going to be roughing it.  I will truly be sacrificing some comfort.  I will be…

traveling without a HAIR DRYER!

Don’t judge.  This is seriously a sacrifice for me.  If my house were burning down & I had to choose between my hair dryer or toothbrush, I’d grab the hair dryer.  I have short, bi-polar hair & I just never know what mood it will be in from day to day.  I look terrible in hats, so I can’t cover up a bad hair day.  Hence my dependence on this large unwieldy tool.

I rarely travel with a hair dryer because I purposefully select lodging that has one.  Conversations like this can occur in my household:

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