How to Have a Cozy Autumn Morning
This post, How to Have a Cozy Autumn Morning, is sponsored by Pure Leaf but the content & opinions expressed here are my own.
Fall is the perfect time to sip on a mug of hot tea. Sprinkle in some Netflix & a cozy velvet blanket & that's my definition of perfection. I like hot tea throughout the year — yes, even during the San Diego summer — but I enjoy it most when it's chilly outside.
I recently stocked up on some Pure Leaf hot tea from Albertson's to get me through the season, opting for their Green Tea with Mint & Black Tea with Vanilla. Both teas come with 16 pyramid bags in a resealable container. Pure Leaf tea leaves are picked, rolled, & crafted with the finest tea leaves from tea estates around the world.
The Black Tea with Vanilla combines Indian Assam tea with Madagascan vanilla beans to create a rich aroma & smooth taste. I like to include a generous splash of soy milk to my tea, but it tastes delightful without it because the vanilla shines through.
I chose the Pure Leaf hot Green Tea with Mint because I'm trying to incorporate more green tea into my life. The real peppermint leaves refresh your palate & add so much flavor. I love this tea since it leans more toward the minty side.
I chose the Pure Leaf hot Green Tea with Mint because I'm trying to incorporate more green tea into my life. The real peppermint leaves refresh your palate & add so much flavor. I love this tea since it leans more toward the minty side.
For the best taste experience possible, pour 8 fluid oz of hot water over one pyramid tea bag & steep for three minutes. Write down your to do list for the day as your tea steeps to perfection. I prefer using gel pens since they make me feel happy.
I write this in Portland, Oregon, where the temperatures are a drastic drop from sunny San Diego. Tea is most definitely on my mind. You can get $1 off Pure Leaf when you purchase at VONS/Pavilions, Albertson’s, & Safeway.
I write this in Portland, Oregon, where the temperatures are a drastic drop from sunny San Diego. Tea is most definitely on my mind. You can get $1 off Pure Leaf when you purchase at VONS/Pavilions, Albertson’s, & Safeway.
* Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by Pure Leaf. As always, all opinions are 100% mine aka Carmen's. Learn more about my disclosure. :]
International Candies & Snacks: MunchPak Subscription Box Review
If there's anything I love more than munchies, it's having munchies delivered to right to my door. How great is that? As a subscription box lover & international snack snob, I thought MunchPak would be a great box to try out. MunchPak sends you snacks & candies from all over the globe.
Price
Boxes start at $9.95 & increase in size & price. You can customize the frequency from once a week, every two weeks, or once a month. If you want the smallest package delivered only once a month, you can do it. If you want the biggest size delivered each week, you've got it. I like that you can modify the size & frequency to make it work for you. Fred & I opted for the medium size ($19.95) every two weeks.My 4 Box Rule
When it comes to subscription boxes, I believe in the four box rule — a rule I made up myself. Here's how it works: first box is purely trying it out. The second box gives you a better feel for products. The third box means you're becoming pretty well-seasoned with the box & have a general idea of the items included. That fourth box is the final straw to help you decide to cancel or continue the box. Due to the sheer number of subscription boxes out there, I normally unsubscribe after four boxes & try something new.
Glico Pretz Pizza Flavor Pretzels - Definitely an odd flavor, but certainly worth a shot at least once. Crunchy, salty, slightly tomatoey. Country of origin: Thailand
Glico Baked Wheat Biscuit - These petite vanilla cookies are tasty & a perfect match for a cup of tea. Country of origin: Japan
Torku Favorimo Hazelnut Cream Biscuit Kremlin - This sandwich cookie is filled with hazelnut, a delicious option. Country of origin: Turkey
Bebeto Wacky Sticks Strawberry Flavor - These partially sour, partially sweet strawberry sticks were strange. The middle section had the texture of gum. Country of origin: Turkey
Torku Enjoy Kek Orange - Yum! This beautiful blend of chocolate & orange sponge cake was absolutely divine. Unfortunately, it was smashed upon arrival. Country of origin: Turkey
Torku Enjoy Kek Orange - Yum! This beautiful blend of chocolate & orange sponge cake was absolutely divine. Unfortunately, it was smashed upon arrival. Country of origin: Turkey
Jolly Pong Corn & Wheat Snack - These slightly sweetened crispy wheat snacks reminded me of Honey Smacks, the cereal with the frog on it. Country of origin: South Korea
Bebeto Peach Rings - You can't go wrong with peach rings. Ever. However, this was the second MunchPak I received with the peach rings; I'd prefer variety to something I've tried already. Country of origin: Turkey
Morinaga Hi-Chew Suppai Chew - Yellow lemon flavored chews with a slight tang. Country of origin: Japan
Covered Bridge Kettle Style Potato Chips Sweet And Spicy Jalapeno Flavor - Delicious, moderately spicy chips. I love chips & crisps of all flavors & this is no exception. However, I received this in a prior box. Country of origin: Canada
Covered Bridge Kettle Style Potato Chips Sweet And Spicy Jalapeno Flavor - Delicious, moderately spicy chips. I love chips & crisps of all flavors & this is no exception. However, I received this in a prior box. Country of origin: Canada
Paskesz Ooh Chews Impulse - Although these are tasty, I received this in a prior box as well. Country of origin: Brazil
So yes, I did find some snacks that I truly enjoyed & would like to repurchase, but the other half of the snacks were underwhelming, repeats, or something I wouldn't normally buy myself. Even so, MunchPak is absolutely worth a shot. You just might find something you adore, or it might inspire you to travel.
What's your favorite subscription box (food or not)? What do you think of MunchPak? :]
Follow me for more fashion, travel, & the California way of life:
Other Subscription Box Posts:
What's your favorite subscription box (food or not)? What do you think of MunchPak? :]
Follow me for more fashion, travel, & the California way of life:
Veggie Meal Alert! Thrill Grill in Haarlem, Netherlands
If you find yourself in the quaint town of Haarlem, Netherlands & if you're looking for a tasty vegetarian meal, go for Thrill Grill. I have to admit there weren't any vegetarian options save for this exact meal, but it was worth it. Thrill Grill is a must-visit place if you want a unique veggie-friendly dish in Haarlem.
Related reading: How to Save $$$ on Flights Using Google Flights
I still dream about the Veggie Falafel Thriller, made with homemade falafel, tomato, pickled cucumber, red onion, & bell pepper hummus served on a toasted organic bun. It was so hearty, filling, & huge. It's not your average falafel either; it's incomparable to any type of falafel I've ever had. Pure delight for vegetarians & non-veggies alike.
Related reading: Cheesing it Up in Gouda, Netherlands
Ask for Thrill Grill's herb fries, made with homemade, fresh-cut fries & mixed with tarragon & chervil, a relative to parsley. Pure greasy perfection that's best washed down with a glass of Heineken, the famous pale lager beer brewed in the nearby city of Amsterdam. I tell you what, Heineken tastes best when you drink it locally.
Sit outside. You won't regret the marvelous views & the immense amount of people-watching potential. Haarlem has a lot of character with its cobblestone streets, gabled houses, & narrow alleys. Thrill Grill is centrally located in the market square with a perfect glimpse of the Grote of St. Bavokerk, an important landmark & church within Haarlem.
My Thrill Grill falafel burger remains one of the top meals during my month-long trip to Europe last year. Perhaps it was the superb taste or even the inspiring views, but the verdict is the same: amazing. Homemade, home cut fries paired with a non-conventional burger & a cold glass of Heineken mesh together to create a pleasant & harmonious meal. Ah, the memories.
How does Thrill Grill sound to you? :]
You may find Thrill Grill:
Oude Groenmarkt 26, 2011 HL
Haarlem, Netherlands
Oude Groenmarkt 26, 2011 HL
Haarlem, Netherlands
+31 23 202 4047
Follow me for more food & travel:
How to Get a Brand Collaboration + Instagram Collaboration
As a social media manager as well as a local San Diego blogger, I've done my fair share of blog writing, publicity, press, events, & pretty much everything under the social media sun. I've been on both the giving & receiving end of social media marketing. Sometimes that means a brand collaboration, sometimes that's an Instagram collaboration - I have first-hand perspective on what brands look for before working with a blogger. How can you secure a brand collaboration? How do you find local influencer marketing?
Related reading: How I Earned $15,000 from Blogging in 2017
Before we get started, subscribe to my newsletter for more blogging & social media tips!
* indicates required
Email Format
1. Quality Content & Photography
Before a brand even gets around to reaching out to you, we scour your blog to look at your content, your writing, & your photography. We browse your content & photos to judge if a possible brand collaboration would work. We want good spelling & grammar. We want clear & interesting photos. We want to see your personality shine through your words & content. We view your past posts as a reflection of what a collaboration would look like.2. Social Media Following
We actively look at all of your social media channels to determine if your blog is a good fit for us. After all, we are providing a service, product, or financial compensation to you & your service is exposure, website clicks, & potential sales for us. You don't have to have an enormous social media following. Count up your followers on all your social media platforms: Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, Tumblr, etc. My tip: sometimes it's more powerful to say, "I have 3,000+ followers across my social media channels," rather than "I have 907 Facebook followers, 750 Twitter followers, 824 Instagram followers, 500 Tumblr followers, etc." If you're looking for an Instagram collaboration, brands will consider your overall reach & comments - they might ask to see your analytics.3. Activity on Social Media Channels
What good is a social media following if you never Tweet, update, or post? We're looking to see if you're active on social media channels by updating relevant & regular information to what we're selling. For example, a vegetarian jerky brand reached out to me because I Tweeted several times about being vegetarian. If you're a San Diego blogger, make sure you're following local San Diego accounts.4. Engaged Readers
Engagement is extremely important! You can have a huge social media following but no engagement. You're more valuable to us if you have 100 daily views & 2 clicks to our website versus 10,000 daily views & 2 clicks. If you're lacking in followers, your engagement level may save you. If you have both a decent social media following & engagement that makes a wonderful mixture.5. Demographics
All the above are great & everything, but are your readers who we are targeting? Your blog readers, their age, their location, & their habits, affect whether or not our brand is a good match for your blog. If we're selling candy bars but your blog focuses on healthy recipes, we're probably not a good pair. If you're a single woman in your early 20s, you may not be a good fit for our family-oriented timeshare rentals.6. Reliability
Did you know that when brands send free stuff or pay for a sponsored post, that costs money? It usually comes from a yearly or quarterly budget set aside specifically for marketing, social media, or influencer outreach. Blogger outreach is costly & brands only have a certain amount of budget & inventory to give out, so we want to ensure that you will be a reliable blogger should we decide to work with you. How long does it take you to respond to emails? How often do you update your blog? What's your turnaround time for collaborative or sponsored posts? Do you have past examples?7. Media Kit, About Me, or Sponsor Page
After we determine that everything about your blog is a good match for us, we look at your media kit, about me page, &/or sponsor page to find out more about you. We're trying to find your contact information, other brands you've worked with, your page statistics, & any readily available information. This is the final touch before we gather all the content we've accrued & either take it to a superior for approval or begin reaching out to you.You heard it from me everybody! This is a step-by-step guide in what brands look for before working with a blogger or pursuing blogger outreach. It's a tedious & time intensive process to find the perfect match for the brand, but if we are a good team it's well worth it.
BUT WAIT! There are MORE tips! Sign up for a behind-the scenes look at blogging & entrepreneurship. Get access to exclusive insider info & pro tips!
* indicates required
Email Format
Catch up on previous posts from my social media series:
How To Create Authentic Social Brand Mentions + Why They're Important
How To Create Authentic Social Brand Mentions + Why They're Important
Were these tips useful? Let me know if you have any other questions! :]
Follow me for more fashion, travel, & the California way of life:
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
POPULAR TOPICS
Beauty
beer
California
California Things to Do
Carlsbad
Coachella
Copenhagen
Del Mar
easy vegetarian recipe
Europe
fashion
food
France
Germany
Halloween
healthy vegetarian recipe
London
Mexico
music
music festival style
Netherlands
Oceanside
Paris
Portland
press trip
San Diego
self-employment
social media marketing
travel
USA Travel
vegetarian