The Holidays Are Upon Us!
The fall and winter months are our absolute FAVORITE seasons of the year!
Maybe it’s because it’s actually cool enough outside to spend some quality time in nature. Or maybe it’s because all of the decorations, lights, good food, and time with family make this time of your extra special.
As the year draws to a close, we want to share a few of our favorite things that have helped make 2019 an awesome year!
You can listen to us discuss our favorite products here or read on for a quick summary.
Our Favorite Things of 2019
Leuchtturm1917 Journals
I journal almost every day as it helps to clear my head. I am also obsessed with Bullet Journals and variations thereof.
I had been a long-time user of Moleskine notebooks (don’t worry, they’re not made from moles’ skin!), but then I heard about Leuchtturm1917 notebooks on an episode of the Tim Ferriss Show. They came highly recommended…by amazing author Neil Gaiman! He talked about how much he loved the quality of these journals.
I bought my first one in a beautiful emerald color (which really doesn’t look emerald to me, but that’s what they call it).
It’s a beautiful journal that I use every day!
- INKPROOF PAPER: Leuchtturm1917 A6 pocket notebooks have 80 gsm paper, which is equatable to 60lb stock, and has 185 numbered pages
- OPENS FLAT: This thread-bound notebook opens flat so you can write and draw at all angles without compromising the integrity of the spine
- ELASTIC CLOSURE BAND: Secure your content with the elastic enclosure band and inner gusseted pocket. Page marker is included for easy access to a specific page
Corkor Wallet
Since we started podcast in 2013, we’ve seen a LOT of new products in the cruelty-free vegan space. One of the products Larissa loves is her Vegan
Corkor wallets are:
- vegan (vegetable leather)
- 100% animal-free and Peta-Approved
- sustainable
- light material (weight)
- soft and smooth
- water resistant
Here’s how they minimize the impact on the environment:
- Use a sustainable natural material.
- Minimize the use of polyester.
- Use non-toxic water-based inks.
- Use water re-utilization systems.
- Source and manufacture locally.
- Make items by hand and in small batches.
- Design for longevity and durability.
- Keep packaging simple.
- Ship in bulk to logistics warehouses to reduce carbon emissions.
Besides wallets, they also offer bags in various styles including mini bags and crossbody bags, plus belts for both men and women.
If you purchase a
Tatuo 7 Pieces Portable Stainless Steel Flatware Set
This set is great to take to the office or on the road! Help reduce plastics (including straws) by bringing your own silverware wherever you go!
- Stainless steel cutlery set: includes 1 x knife, 1 x fork, 1 x spoon, 1 pair of chopsticks, 1 x bent straw, 1 x straight straw, 1 x straw brush, plus 1 x storage bag
- Material: made of good quality stainless steel metal, durable and healthy for daily use, comes with a brush, which is easy to clean the inside of the straw
Shipt
The Shipt grocery delivery service has been a game-changer for us with respect to saving time. Although we both work from home, going to the store is still very time-consuming.
Shipt has helped save us time, and I’m pretty sure it’s saved us money on impulse buys too!
Here’s how it works:
- You download the app (or use their website) and designate your local grocery store.
- Scroll through the aisles of the store and select your items. You can specify how many of each, and also leave notes for your shopper (e.g., 3 yellow bananas and 2 green ones, etc.)
- Select the time window you would like your groceries delivered to you.
- A shopper will let you know when they’ve started shopping for you and will communicate with you via text with any questions regarding your order.
- Your shopper will deliver your order to you!
You can also favorite shoppers who have done a great job for you. Just don’t forget to tip!
Astra Jigsaw by Lenagames
Astra Jigsaw HD is a challenging digital jigsaw puzzle game including lots of puzzles.
Larissa has been a jigsaw puzzle fanatic pretty much since she was old enough to hold the pieces! While she still loves working physical puzzles (nothing can truly replace the satisfaction of putting those pieces together), it’s not always practical these days (no space!).
Astra Jigsaw is by far the best app she’s found…and yep, she’s tried multiple. It’s free to download and does offer some free puzzles. The remaining puzzles are organized into “collections”, with themes including Holidays, Art, Kids, Autumn Colors, Gardens, My Favorite Things, multiple countries, and more. You can even upload your own photos to work as jigsaw puzzles!
This stays in my shower! Made with scrubby sea salt, softening avocado butter and refreshing lime, skin-softening silken tofu, mango butter, and japan wax (a vegetable wax) in place of lanolin. This product contains ZERO synthetic preservatives.
Note: In reading through the reviews, most were very positive. There were some concerns, however, about it being scratchy for people with sensitive skin. If you are lucky enough to live near a Lush Cosmetics store, you may want to make a visit to try it first or start with the smaller container.
- Sleep Headphones by LC Dolida
Note: These headphones are different than the ones we speak about on the podcast however, Vickie owns this particular pair. The headphones we talk about on the show were recommended by one of our community members.
This mask/ headphone combo is great for afternoon naps or when I want to chill out and just listen to a book. The speakers take a bit of maneuvering to make sure they sit comfortably on your ear but once you adjust them, the are very comfortable and the sound quality is GREAT!
The music Bluetooth sleep headphones eye mask can block light and noise to make your sleep better, allows you to listen to music without wearing additional headphones, which make you fall asleep faster you will spend every night in comfort, and wake up every morning refreshed, relaxed and rejuvenated.
Our puppers love their Trixie treat puzzles! We call them “rainy day toys” because they help to keep Cosmo and Ruthie entertained and from becoming too restless when we can’t get out to go for a walk.
We also just bought a fold-and-store cat hammock/cave/scratching post combo for the cats.
Trixie makes good quality, reasonably priced products, and have a large selection on Amazon (click the link to check them out!).
Plum Deluxe Tea
Back in episode 209 of the podcast, we interviewed Andy Hayes of
Plum Deluxe is organic, fair trade, and handmade.
There are one-tea or two-tea per month options, priced at only $10 or $16, respectively. In addition to the tea, you’ll get brewing instructions, tea pairings, and recipes. You’ll also have access to a private, supportive tea lover’s community.
Free shipping is included on ALL of your purchases. You’ll also receive some members-only specials and discounts, and you can cancel anytime.
This sounds like it would make an incredible gift!
Plum Deluxe teas are fresh, organic, and fair trade with no harsh chemicals and bizarre fake flavorings to provide an amazing tea experience.
Interviewing Dr. Brooke Goldener about how she reversed her
We bought our Vitamix in 2013 when we became vegetarians. It’s really an amazing appliance! We’ve had it for nearly seven years and it still works perfectly. Yes, Vitamix blenders are pricier than standard kitchen blenders but they are strong and they last.
Besides smoothies, you can make hot soup, frozen treats, nut butters, baby food, quick bread batter, and more. You can also grind nuts and seeds, and grind grains to make flour.
- Five program settings ensure walk-away convenience and consistent results.
- Five program settings (for Smoothies, Hot Soups, Dips & Spreads, Frozen Desserts, and Self-Cleaning) automatically adjust to the container size you’ve selected, process your recipes, and stop the blender when complete.
Your Local Animal Shelter
It’s soooo easy to support local animal shelters! A simple Google search will provide you with information about all of the shelters in your area. Learn about their policies, hours, locations, and, most importantly, what they need. If you’re not in a position to take in a new family member, please consider donating either cash or items like blankets, food, leashes, or toys.
Even easier… adoptapet.com is a powerful search engine for locating pets for adoption, but also for finding all of the shelters and independent rescues in your area (or nationwide!).
To find shelters and rescues, simply go to Adoptapetn.com and click on the “Shelters & Rescues” link at the top of the search box, and enter your zip code or city/state and your desired search radius. Clicking on the links in the search results will give you information including phone numbers, websites, and contact info…plus photos and info about adorable pets in need of homes.
Well, there you have it! These are a few of our favorite things. We’d love to hear some of yours so let’s continue the conversation. You can head out to our Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest page and leave your comment under the post for this episode.
Please note that some of the links on this page may be affiliate links and, at no additional cost to you, we will earn a commission if you decide to make a purchase after clicking through to the product using the link we have provided. We never recommend or provide affiliate links to products or services we do not use ourselves, and our ultimate goal is to provide helpful products and advice to you, our readers and listeners.
A Special Thanks To Our Sponsors:
The Golden Apple Roundtable | Our Supporters on Patreon - Patreon is a simple way for listeners to contribute to Vegetarian Zen every month.
- Pledge levels start as low as $1 a month. Pledge $5 or more and you’ll receive some sweet Veg Zen swag…t-shirts, stickers, magnets, grocery bags, and more!
- By becoming a sponsor on Patreon, you are automatically inducted into our prestigious Golden Apple Roundtable!
- Patreon is a simple way for listeners to contribute to Vegetarian Zen every month.
- Pledge levels start as low as $1 a month. Pledge $5 or more and you’ll receive some sweet Veg Zen swag…t-shirts, stickers, magnets, grocery bags, and more!
- By becoming a sponsor on Patreon, you are automatically inducted into our prestigious Golden Apple Roundtable!
Other products mentioned in this episode:
Thanks for listening!
Peace and Veggies,
Vickie and Larissa