A quick note on transparency before we jump in: The team at Bevel & Bond sent me their end-grain hard maple cutting board to test out and compare against Boos Block. While the product was provided at no cost, this review is 100% honest and uninfluenced by the brand. My unboxing of the Bevel & Bond cutting board. It was a very nice unboxing with a premium feel to start the sensory experience. Last year, I wrote one of my first blog posts about cutting boards, specifically, my Boos Block cutting boards. My move to Boos Block was predicated on my initial move from plastic to wood cutting boards and then selecting a brand (Boos), and then the type of grain (edge or end), and then a price point I could afford. The great thing about Boos is a combination of all of these things at a wide variety of price points that can meet one's needs. We ultimately picked up a few boards over time including one for me and one for Mary Beth, plus a small one we just use for bread. Shortly thereafter, our son Michael made and sold cutting boards for his Sustainable Product Design and Innovation major capstone course at Keane State College. Turns out, it is a very pretty board and lighter weight which Mary Beth really likes and is now her go to board. Summarizing my Boos Block post, one of the areas I sacrificed was choosing edge grain over end grain. The primary difference is End Grain looks nicer (crosscut) and is softer and will preserve the sharpness of your knives. End Grain cutting boards are more expensive as a result. Conversely, Edge Grain cutting boards are less expensive. As I had to make financial choices, I choose an Edge Grain cutting board and choose walnut as I liked the deep richness of the color more than anything else. At the time, I didn't get into understanding the differences in the type of wood (i.e. walnut, maple, cherry), as my primary focus was plastic vs. wood. Turns out walnut is a great type of wood to use for a cutting board, and is the second best next to a hard maple. Hard maple goes by a few different names including Northern Hard Rock Maple (Acer saccharum) and Sugar Maple. As an aside, we had the most beautiful sugar maple tree in our front yard for about 20 years only to have it get severely damaged in a bad storm, we had to take it down. End Grain Maple Cutting Board The combination of End Grain and Sugar Maple brings me to the purpose of my post. I had an opportunity to review and do a comparison against my experience with Boos Block and a newcomer to the cutting board industry, Bevel & Bond. Started recently from two cofounders, James and Jeff, they are ultra focused on just one product, an End Grain Northern Hard Rock Maple cutting board. The Rooted & Refined Living Expert Tip: "A great cutting board makes cooking a complete sensory experience." There are a few things that caught my attention. As I was doing research on their website and product, I found that they were very pragmatic about sharing that there are real reasons a person may choose Boos (and other cutting boards), including selection of size, wood type, etc. In fact if you go on Boos' website, you will probably see 25 cutting board options. It was actually the pragmatic nature of their approach that I initially related to as it reminded me when I was in a sales role and would discuss the customers' needs and determine, in a very honest way, if my solution was right for what the customer needed. For the Bevel & Bond cutting board, it measures 17 x 13 x 1.75 inches and weighs 10 pounds. It has nonslip feet and a juice groove. Unlike the Boos boards, which I believe just came shrink wrapped, Bevel & Bond ship in a premium black gift bock with a welcome card and care instructions. My first use! And here is the best part, you get all of this quality at a price point that is less than half of what you would have paid for a comparable End Grain Maple board with juice grooves at Boos at 18 x 12 x 1.75 inches. The Boos block costs $266.95 while the Bevel & Bond board costs only $129.99. As I shared in that initial post, it was the price point for the Boos End grain that was my deciding factor in going with the Edge grain options. I have only used the Bevel & Bond cutting board a few times now, but my initial experience has been great. If you are in the market for a cutting board for yourself, or perhaps want to give it as a gift for a wedding, birthdays, or holidays, I would recommend Bevel & Bond. The combination of it being End grain, it's packaging, and it's price point, make it an ideal choice. Here is a quick comparison of the two boards. Brand Boos Block Bevel & Bond Model Maple Wood End Grain Chopping Block with Stainless Steel Bun feet, w/Groove 1-3/4" Thick (Bun Feet Series) End-Grain Maple Cutting Board Wood Type North American Hard Maple North American Hard Maple Wood Grain End End Size 18 x 12 x 1.75 inches 17 x 13 x 1.75 Juice Grove Yes Yes Price $269.99 $129.99 Frequently Asked Questions Does Bevel & Bond offer an oil or wax? Yes, they offer a Board Balm Cutting Board Conditioner & Wax (6 oz) made of food grade oil and bees wax. How do I fix my warped cutting board? A warped cutting board means the wood is dry. This is the best time to add wax to your cutting board. Rub it into the board and let it sit overnight. I place mine on top of a small cardboard box to let it air dry on all sides. I then wipe any excess off with a paper towel the next day. Where are Bevel & Bond cutting boards made? The boards are made in Hubbard, Oregon. Start Your Own Bevel & Bond Cutting Board Sensory Experience If you’re curious to start your own Bevel & Bond cutting board sensory experience, give it a try and let me know your thoughts in the comments! For Transparency: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. If you purchase through them, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products I truly love and use myself.

Misty Mountain Farm picture taken as we were leaving the farm. When I was in college interviewing for my first job, I was interviewing with Hershey Foods for a sales representative job in Northern New England. That means my territory would have been New Hampshire, Vermont, and Maine. I would have been responsible for the grocery stores in those three states and stocking the shelves with Hershey's Chocolate Milk and other food products. I was down to the final 6 candidates and I withdrew my interest. Moving up to Northern New England at the time felt like the end of the world, especially coming from a kid who grew up and was currently living in New Jersey. Depending on where I would have had to move to, I am not sure I would have been any closer to Mary Beth who lived in the Metro West section of Massachusetts (that is not western Mass like the people who live in Boston think) but about 35 miles directly west of Boston at the time. Since moving to Massachusetts, now 26 years ago, I have grown to really appreciate the three Northern New England states. Vermont is home to Stowe, where I shared two stories already, one about Smugglers Notch Maple Syrup, and the second about the Stone Hill Inn. New Hampshire has so many great areas, such as Conway and the home to the Mount Washington, which I shared when I was writing about my Cotopaxi jacket and hat. It also has one of the best little bakery's which I haven't written about because I am waiting to take pictures. The Rooted & Refined Living Expert Tip: "Of our five senses, smell is a direct path to the brain's memory and emotional sensors. This is why the aroma of grandma's cooking or the smell of your favorite flower brings back so many great memories." The last of the three states is Maine, home of probably too many things to write about such as Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park, Kennebunkport, the County, which for those of you who don't know, is Aroostook County, where my mother-in-law grew up and met my late father-in-law when he was in the Air Force at the now closed Loring Air Force Base. Oh, I would be remised to mention that Aroostook County is potato country with potato fields as far as the eye can see. The picture here doesn't do the view justice. When we first arrived, you could see mountains just outside the farm store. You may also recall that Michael is a white water rafting guide up in The Forks, Maine. That is where this story ties together with our topic of soap. Mary Beth and I went to visit Michael this past week as he is getting close to wrapping up his second season as a guide. During our 3-day trip, I joined him on a rafting trip which is so much fun. It's also a bit surreal having to take orders from your kid. Following the rafting trip, we went to a waterfall not far from where we were staying and made a trip to a great sunset and another waterfall a bit further up getting closer to Canada in Jackman, Maine. The road is a logging road where every few minutes it seems, there is a logging truck barreling down the highway. Picked up a few donuts and a Wild Maine Blueberry jam while we were there. The next day, we made our longer trip up to the town of Greenville, which is at the southern tip of Moosehead Lake, the largest lake in Maine. On our way up there, we stopped at a great bakery, Abbot Village Bakery, and then made a special trip to Misty Mountain Farm. Mary Beth and Michael came across this farm on their last trip up there earlier in the summer. They had went to the bakery and saw a sign for the farm and made a left hand turn. They didn't buy much while they were there the first time as Mary Beth wanted to try it out first. Both Mary Beth and Michael stated I would get along with the husband, Mike, who helps out on the farm. He was not only super friendly, he had a passion for all things made with the same love and care that I write about in this website. Over the last few weeks, we started using the lavender soap in our shower. We had been buying handmade soaps for a long time, mostly from a vendor at our local farmers market but he stopped selling at the market this year, so we were on a quest to find a new soap vendor. Goats Milk Soap I can say with the utmost confidence, that we found our new soap vendor. Renee, and her daughter Annabelle, have been making goats milk-based soaps for only the last few years and their business is busting out at the seams. Their business will have tripled this year as they have been expanding to a few local stores, selling at a few big farmers markets, and selling online. We had an opportunity to meet Renee and Annabelle briefly as they were packing up to head down to Cape Cod for a big multi-day farmers market. Such a beautiful shop within their farm. Mike shared they bring 2,000 products for each show and just about sell out each time. Then those customers order more online, thus causing their business to be doing really well. The great thing is that currently, it is just the three of them working with Renee and Annabelle doing it full-time and Mike just helping out when he isn't working his job. They work 7 days a week from morning to late at night making soaps, tending to the animals, and shipping orders. Business has been so busy that they haven't even had time to bar code their products so when we purchased our products, Mike was handwriting all of our products on a spiral notebook line by line. For the product themselves, we are currently using the lavender goats milk soap. The things that I feel set this apart of the size of the bar and the aroma made up of ingredients including Goat Milk, Lard, Coconut Oil, Olive Oil, Castor Oil, Kaolin Clay and Alkanet Root. While I am not sure you may ever make it up to Greenville, Maine, or the town next to it, Blanchard, where Misty Mountain Farm is located, ordering product online is the next best thing. Frequently Asked Questions Does Misty Mountain Farm sell more than soap? Yes, they also sell Apothecary, Body Butters, Lotion Bars, and Sugar Scrubs. Are all animals on the farm pets? Yes, every animal on the farm has a name and is treated like a pet. Does the soap have any palm oil? No, there is no palm oil used in any of the Misty Mountain Farm products. Start Your Own Goats Milk Sensory Experience If you have a passion a quality goats milk soap to elevate your sensory experience, try Misty Mountain Farm soap today and let me know your thoughts in the comments!

Cover Image by Jatin Jangid My wife made me return the 24’x18” 2.25” thick Boos Block when I made my first purchase as it took up most of our counterspace☹️ It looked so good and was going to be the centerpiece of my part of the counter and was going to be the start of my John Boos Block Review. Unfortunately, my part of the counter is also where the dishes get staged to go into the dishwasher among other things. So… I reluctantly returned it and got a smaller, more manageable cutting board (below) that I can store in the cabinet just underneath where I work. While it is not the original one, I love my Boos cutting board. Instead of a bigger cutting board, maybe I should be asking for a bigger kitchen😄 Cutting up some fresh vegetables for dinner. We were making pork tacos. Along with loving the cutting board, I am sure you can tell that Mary Beth and I love to cook. There is nothing better than cutting up fresh vegetables. At the time of writing this, for dinner tonight we will be making pork tacos, accented with farm fresh peaches, along with sweet potatoes and corn on the cob (both also farm fresh). I know for many, cooking is a chore and there are definitely some days when it feels like it. However, most days, when we cook, there is a sense of enjoyment, especially when the aroma of what you are cutting and cooking fills the house. Why I Switched from Plastic to Wood I initially made the change from plastic cutting boards to wood based on a lot of research I was reading. The research was stating that tiny pieces of plastic were getting transferred from my cutting board to my food. As a result, I started doing some research on the type of cutting board (as there are many including plastic, bamboo, glass, wood, and composite) I should be using. The Rooted & Refined Living Expert Tip: "Prep time becomes a meditative experience when you remove the noise, leaving only the rhythm of chopping and dicing. There is a quiet luxury to solid wood that changes the entire atmosphere of the kitchen." I landed on wood as it not only looked the nicest, I found it to be very food friendly, as well as great for the longevity of the knives. John Boos Block Review For my John Boos Block review and after selecting wood, there was the choice between End Grain and Edge Grain. The primary difference is End Grain looks nicer (crosscut) and is softer and more forgiving for the very expensive knives you just purchased. However, that also comes with a much more expensive price tag. I settled for the Edge Grain (straight cut) with a walnut finish. I think I still spent about $250 or so on the product but it was at least ½ the price of the End Grain. In the end (no pun intended), I just couldn’t justify the larger price tag but really wanted to buy it. Cutting some fresh sourdough bread with Italian olive oil on a Boos Block. From there, I then needed to select the vendor. After researching a variety of cutting board review sites, Boos Boards kept coming up in the top categories. I then made the decision to move forward with the Boos Block but even then, the decision was overwhelming as I second guessed the End vs Edge grain and then had to decide if I wanted a juice groove catcher or not. We ultimately bought three. I use the Walnut version, my wife uses the Maple version, and we bought a smaller, less expensive one just for bread. We also purchased the Boos Block Food Grade Mineral Oil (called Mystery Oil from what I can tell based on some very old marketing techniques from many years ago) as well as an applicator. Caring for the Board (and Lessons Learned) It is recommended to apply the oil about once a month. I oiled the boards up as soon as I got them. About 2 months later, my wife started to share that her board was getting warped. After consulting with my son and the internet, it turned out that it was just dry and after another application of oil, it bounced back to its original form. All is good and I probably need to do another application soon. Lastly, a great complement to a really nice wood cutting board is a really nice chef’s knife. Unfortunately, I am not in love with the one I have and thus, you won’t be seeing me writing a story about it. I did fall in love with my bread knife and that will be a future post as it cuts bread like its soft butter. I can share that I love taking my Boos Block out of the cabinet and start the cooking process. It becomes an artful experience. I hope you get the same feelings when you make your first cut. Frequently Asked Questions How do you get your cutting board from moving? Wet a paper towel and place it underneath the cutting board. Make sure when you are done, that you dry the wood on the side you did not use to help prevent warping. How do I fix my warped cutting board? A warped cutting board means the wood is dry. This is the best time to add mineral oil to your cutting board. Rub the mineral oil into the board, and let it sit overnight. I place mine on top of a small cardboard box to let it air dry on all sides. I then wipe any excess off with a paper towel. What is the difference between Edge Grain or End Grain wood cutting boards? The primary difference is End Grain looks nicer (crosscut) and is softer and will preserve the sharpness of your knives. End Grain cutting boards are more expensive as a result. Edge Grain cutting boards are less expensive and many chefs use them for some of the messier dishes like working with BBQ or using a serrated knife that may easily damage an Edge Grain softer wood. Start Your Own Boos Block Cutting Board Sensory Experience If you’re curious to start your own Boos Block cutting board sensory experience, I’ve listed my favorite boards below. Give it a try and let me know your thoughts in the comments! For Transparency: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. If you purchase through them, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products I truly love and use myself.

Photo by Sid Saxena "Disclaimer: This article shares personal experiences and is for informational purposes only. It is not medical advice and should not replace professional medical consultation." I am not an avid reader. I wish I was but never truly enjoyed reading (until I found a few purpose and longevity books that I will share below). I do recall going to visit bookstores and the library on many occasions where I would walk in and wish I could absorb all of the great information by osmosis. When I was growing up, my schools didn't require a lot of reading either. I remember reading The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger and Catch-22 by Joseph Heller but that was about it. In fact, most of my time was spent reading the daily comic strips in the newspaper with my favorite being Calvin and Hobbes by Bill Watterson. If you don't know about Calvin and Hobbes, Calvin is a 6-year-old boy and Hobbes is his stuffed tiger but comes to life in his imagination and they do great things together as well as get in a bit of trouble. I miss that strip and now pick up a daily dose on Facebook. You can also pick up the books as individual or the complete collection on Amazon. Balancing my love for Calvin and Hobbes, I have fallen in love with two books that I would recommend to anyone. More importantly, these two book recommendations are rooted in everything we do within this lifestyle website. The first book focuses on your purpose and the second focuses on your longevity, and honestly both go hand in hand. Purpose and Longevity Books The first of the intentional living books is Start with Why by Simon Sinek. Simon gained popularity around the world from his TED Talk on the same topic. The book helps you understand why your why is so important. Basically, it's your purpose in life. Simon created a company around it called the Optimism Company. The company's why is "We are here to inspire people to do the things that inspire them so that, together, each of us can change our world for the better." This video catapulted Simon Sinek to a household name. Even if you watched it before, it's a great reminder to help center yourself and your purpose in life. To give you a personal example, I like to help others. Very early in my career, I started mentoring colleagues and still do so today. I also spent a few years as an Adjunct Professor which I loved and hope to be able to do it again in the future. As well, I was a TEDx speaker on a topic of personal productivity, wrote a blog series on it, and even created a Udemy course about it. I post an article each year around college graduation on advice from others in the business world, both experienced and recent graduates. These last few items are pinned to my LinkedIn profile if you would like to know more. So regardless of what action I am taking, if I can relate it back to helping people, such as this starting this website, it aligns to my why. The Rooted & Refined Living Expert Tip: "Think back to your favorite book as a child. Take a trip to your local library and find a quiet place to read it. Settle into the emotions of how it makes you feel. Enjoy the elevated sensory experience." The second book is The Blue Zones by Dan Buettner. The book chronicles 9 regions around the world that have a significantly higher than average life expectancy. Dan, originally highlighted the regions with a blue marker on a map, hence the name, visited each region and interviewed many of the individuals who were well into their 90's, 100's and beyond. Dan Buettner's approach is no special diets, no fad exercise routines...just simple movement, eat beans, and socialize. There were a few key themes that emerged from his book including movement (walking, gardening, exercise) and eating a plant-based diet, with a strong focus on beans based on their combination of supplying protein, fiber, and other key nutrients at a very low cost. Two of the other key factors was having purpose (such as volunteering, helping others, i.e.- finding your why) and connection, such as having good friends. Driven from much of what I read in the Blue Zones, I have a mindset to live to at least 100. Hiking in Stowe, Vermont I turned 50 last year, and people look at me funny when I tell them I’m at least five years away from my midpoint. Yup, my plan is to live to at least 110. Living to 100 makes you a Centenarian. Living to 110 makes you a Supercentenarian. That’s my plan. It’s really a mindset more than anything else. I eat right and try to do all of the things that will keep me healthy, but I don't go overboard. I do eat cookies and drink wine occasionally, but for the most part, I live a healthy lifestyle. By subscribing to the concepts in the Blue Zones, I started putting beans into my daily smoothies, walk frequently and try to get a much movement as possible, connect with friends and family, focus on meditation and other stress related activities like walking without my phone, and offering help to people, such as publishing this website to have people get closer to sensory experiences they had when they were kids. As well, if you read many of my other stories in each of the sections, you can follow along to the activities and mindset I follow. It didn't happen overnight, but it does make a difference in how I approach life. Regardless of your age, enjoy life! As you have read through this entire post, you can only see there are just 2 book recommendations (outside of Calvin and Hobbes). 6 Month Update There is one more book I would like to add to this list, Conversation: How to Connect with Anyone and Make Every Interaction Count. I was selected by Vanessa Van Edward's team as the only non-podcaster to share her new book. The book is built around one belief: the most meaningful moments in our lives don't happen by accident. They happen in what she calls purposeful conversations. And her mission is to spark more of them, all over the world. The idea was to spark conversation with others and that is what I have done in my latest blog, Conversation Challenge Connecting Through Purposeful Dialogue Practice, but this time, it's published on Rooted in Curiosity. Take a read and let me know what you think of our conversation topics and answers. What books have helped you level up your lifestyle? For Transparency: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. If you purchase through them, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products I truly love and use myself.

As I look out the window just now, I am watching the tree branches whisk together in the constant wind from today's weather. It reminded me of trying to fly a kite when I was a kid. Each of the kids creating their own Newport kite flying experience at Brenton Point State Park Flying a kite when you are little is one of the great fun, sensory experiences we didn't realize we were having. Most of us were probably trying to fly kites that cost only a few dollars from the local store and tried with all of our might to run as fast as we could to get it up in the air and fly. We would run, and it would fall, and we would try again and again, sometimes in our yards when there was no wind at all. Wind or no wind, the problem most of us experienced was that the kites we were trying to fly were not really designed well. However, if we did get the kite to fly, even for a few seconds, it was the greatest accomplishment of the day, bringing smiles through dinner and stories to our friends that it was flying miles up in the air. Here is the open field outside of our kitchen window. The lack of obstruction causes the wind to whip onto the side of our house. There are a few places I think about when I think of the best places to fly a kite. The first as it turns out is the big open field next to my house, with nothing to slow down the wind, it often whips across the field to the side of our house. We notice it more lately from the windchimes we set up to prevent (unsuccessfully) the woodpeckers from making our house look like Swiss cheese with all of the holes they are creating. The second really windy spot we visit is in Aruba. In the area of Palm Beach, there are trade winds that flow 24 hours a day, which really help the heat feel manageable. Because of these trade winds, there are so many kite and wind surfers which are so much fun to watch. I tried kite surfing once and found it extremely challenging as I kept smashing into the water more than I was standing on the board. The Rooted & Refined Living Expert Tip: "Reconnect with kite flying to experience the joy of curiosity and wonder that comes with your childhood self." The third place, which is going to be the focus of my story is the winds at Brenton Point State Park in Newport, Rhode Island. Before I get back to the kites, I would like to spend a few minutes to share my love of Newport. I didn't start going to Newport until I met Mary Beth. She grew up in Rhode Island and her mom, dad, and her would go to Newport on a regular basis for as long as she can remember. On a Saturday morning multiple times a year, they would pack it up the car with a picnic and spend the entire day there. Their favorite spot was at Brenton Point, which boasts a rocky coastline, a view of the island of Jamestown, and a beautiful state park, which is usually full of people just enjoying the weather, view, and a Del's Lemonade. Del's is a Rhode Island staple consisting of a semi frozen (slushy style) lemonade, mixed with the juice and the rind of the lemon, and sugar, served typically by a local high school or college student. There is a Del's Lemonade food truck every time we go to Brenton Point. Of course, Mary Beth and her parents were always in line getting at least a few Del's during their visits. I met Mary Beth at Bryant College (now University) in Smithfield, RI, about 40 minutes from Newport. It wasn't long before I started to visit Newport on a regular basis, sometimes just the two of us, and others with her parents on those same Saturday picnics in the summer, and then with the kids. Newport has so many great activities. Outside of Brenton Point State Park, there is the scenic drive on Ocean Ave (sometimes referred to as Ocean Drive), as it winds around the coastline. On Ocean Ave is the iconic Castle Hill Inn, as well as some beautiful old homes including one owned by Jay Leno. As you drive up from Brenton Point, past Jay Leno's house is what Newport is probably best known for, which is the historic mansions on Bellevue Avenue, with the largest one, The Breakers, at over 65,000 square feet. These mansions are available for tours and weddings (if you can afford it. I heard the average wedding in these mansions cost about $250,000). The Newport Mansions are now a part of the historical society but were once owned by New York's elite like the Vanderbilt and Astor families, until inheritance tax caused many of the children not to be able to afford them. On the opposite side of the mansions is the Cliff Walk, which is a 3-mile paved (mostly) trail on the ocean with one side of a view of the ocean (and view of Middletown) and the other side a view of the mansions. Bowen's Wharf in downtown Newport during the winter off season, which is why it is so quiet on the streets. Newport is also home to a great downtown on the waterfront, with so many boutique shops, restaurants, and bars off of the famous Thames Street. The most famous area is Bowen's Wharf, which is home to one of our favorite restaurants, The Mooring (actually on Sayer's Wharf according to their website, but just a few steps away), and a great tour company around the harbor and island, Sightsailing of Newport. One of their boat captains is also my friend and one of my college roommates, Jeff Sevich. Jeff is the Captain of the Starlight boat, which can host 2-6 guests. With so many great topics on Newport to talk about, maybe I will do a separate post on the Starlight tour, bringing in some of my college memories. Jeff and his wife Nancy (who we also met and became friends with at college), both "retired" 10 years ago and moved full time to Newport and now fix up and rent homes. If you have an interest in staying in the Newport area, I would highly recommend renting one of their two rental properties, Open Concept Beach House and Beach House, both located in Middletown, RI, just one town over from Newport. Emma and me at one of our picnics. For me, I think it's now been 30 years since I have been going to Newport and have so many other places and activities to share in future posts. For this story, I will stick to Brenton Point. I started joining Mary Beth and her parents for the picnic's each year and as we started having kids, the one car ultimately turned into two having to fit 7 people and all of the picnic items. Picnics with her parents were events, not just packing a few peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Her dad, and now passed on to Mary Beth, would make Italian subs with all of the fixings and chips. We upgraded from a card table to an 8' table, tent, chairs, and a few TV trays to eat off of. This is why we needed two cars. I keep trying to convince Mary Beth that we should bring down the Ooni to make pizza's but in the back of my mind, I know that is a project when we are at home and it would be a bigger challenge for us in a secondary location. We would spend all day there, typically getting there around 11:00 in the morning (following our 90-minute drive from home), usually getting the same spot at the end of one of the parking lots so we could have the extra space on the side to play games or fly kites. Newport Kite Flying Experience Kite flying at Brenton point has a combination of little kids getting their first kites to experienced adults using two hands to do tricks. We did invest in some good quality kites from Newport Kites when the kids were little so they could actually fly the kites. I can remember having to hold the string with one hand while the kids would hold onto the handle because if they let go the kite would certainly fly away, especially being hundreds of feet in the air. Emma running with her kite at Brenton Point State Park As an adult, it was so fun to watch the excitement in our kid's eyes and the smile on their faces when the kite was up in the air. As well, it is also fun to watch the experienced adult kite flyers perform their tricks and realize how much skill is needed to make such beautiful art in the sky. I think the last time we went; I let the string go as far as it could unwind which was really fun to see how high it could go and then spend what felt like hours trying to bring it back to Earth. Newport Kite Festival Every year in July, Newport hosts its annual Kite Festival. This year will be its 40th anniversary, held at Brenton Point State Park. If you want to see a visually spectacular event, spend time with family and friends, take some amazing photos, or just sit in the wonder and awe of kite flying at its best, this festival is for you. And the best part, it's free. This year's festival will be held on July 11-12 at Brenton Point State Park, rain or shine. To plan your event, visit Newport Kite Festival. "I'm changing lives one kite at a time. When families feel the wind's power through a simple string, something profound happens." - Ron Kitt, Festival Director Frequently Asked Questions Is Brenton Point State Park free to visit? Yes, Brenton Point State Park is free. Many families come for large picnics, and every spot has a view of the ocean. Are there trash facilities at Brenton Point State Park? No, it is a carry in, carry out policy. This means that if you have a picnic, your are responsible to bring your own trash bags. Can I buy a kite while I am at Brenton Point State Park? Yes, Newport Kites has a mobile truck right on the field at Brenton Point State Park. What activities are at the Newport Kite Festival? In addition to watching the kites and being near the ocean (what more could you want), there will be a candy drop for the kids to enjoy. Plus, you will be there with your friends and family, so it is bound to be a great time. Start Your Own Kite Flying Sensory Experience If you are looking to reconnect with the wonder of your childhood self, a Newport Kite flying experience will allow you to reach for the sky! Try it today and let me know your thoughts in the comments! For Transparency: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. If you purchase through them, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products I truly love and use myself.

During the workweek, my current daily routine for selecting footwear is pretty basic, unlike the Allen Edmonds Leather Quality dress shoes, belts, wallets, and shoe care accessories I will review below. I walk downstairs to my home office in the basement and slip on my very fuzzy slippers to keep my feet warm. Roughly 8-10 hours a day, they are on my feet during the workweek acting as a barrier between my feet and the cold basement floor. The basement is finished but the thin fake wood floor sits on top of a concrete slab that never seems to warm up, even in the height of the summer. Me working a few years in 2020 with Franklin (left) and Lincoln. There was a time in my career where I wore dress shoes on a daily basis. In fact, I wore them so much, I had to find a cobbler to fix the soles as I had put holes in them. I actually miss the times having to get dressed up and go out every day to meet customers (I have been in sales for most of my career). I have a closet full of dress shirts, dress pants, and dress shoes sitting in the closet collecting dust. Speaking of dust, my son Michael is graduating from college in a month and needed some dress shoes for the occasion. We went into my closet for him to try on some of my shoes, as we have the same shoe size. When I went to pull out the shoes, I ran my finger across the front only to find a layer of dust. It had been a while since I wore the pair that he ultimately borrowed for his big day. I am a bit embarrassed about it as I could write my initials in the dust. I used to have covers for my shoes but since I was wearing them every day, I ultimately discarded them. The Rooted & Refined Living Expert Tip: "Take the time to take care of your shoes with polish, shoe trees, and a shoehorn. Your feet will love you for it." Given Michael's planned career choice of being a high school wood shop teacher in combination with being a white water rafting guide in the summers, I don't think dress shoes will be high on his list of things he needs for himself. Matthew currently has a corporate job and there may be a time where he will get more dressed up and we did buy him a pair of nice shoes last year following graduation (more on that in a bit). Emma and me at Bring your Child to Work day in 2015 (with me wearing my Allen Edmonds shoes). We were in the Link at Travelers Insurance, who was my customer. A few years earlier on the 50th anniversary of the Travelers Red Umbrella, they decorated the link (passage way connecting two buildings in Hartford, CT). It was so well received, they decided to keep them there, even until this day. Growing up, I remember my stepdad, Bill, talking about shoe care. He worked in a warehouse so he didn't need them every day but on special occasions, he would put them on, such as for a wedding. The dress shoe was a popular brand, which is still around today as a premium footwear company. He also would talk to me about using shoe trees to help keep the shape of the shoe and using a shoehorn (which I thought was the coolest thing when I was little). For most of my childhood and into my college years, the brand he referenced I always viewed as a high-end shoe brand. When I got to college, my dad and stepmom took me out the store to buy a nice pair of shoes for me to go on interviews. I was probably 20 or 21 at the time. I remember it vividly as we went into Nordstrom and the salesperson picked out a pair of black Allen Edmonds. There were a few things I specifically remember about that pair of shoes. The cost was one that stood out, I believe at the time was about $200. This was a lot of money for a pair of dress shoes, especially as I worked at Kinney Shoes during high school and the most expensive pair was about $35. The second thing I remember is they were super comfortable. 212 Steps to make Allen Edmonds Dress Shoes! Fast forward a few years. I had just started a new job and was working in an office, visiting customers. This meant I needed to add to my collection of dress clothes. I don't recall exactly what happened with the Allen Edmonds shoes I had but one thing I remember is that specific shoe was really narrow and really didn't fit me as well as I had hoped. As a result, I think I donated them and went and purchased two more pairs of shoes. My friend and I went to one of the popular mall retail stores and I got a pair in black and one in burgundy. They were timeless styles as I had planned to wear these shoes for a long time, especially for the amount of money I spent on them, which was $140 each. I remember that because I didn't want to spend the $400 for two pairs of Allen Edmonds and I thought $140 was a great deal, especially since it was a reputable higher end shoe company. These are my black classic Allen Edmonds. They have to be close to 25 years old or more. I also purchased the shoe trees and shoe polish to keep them clean, even though that process never came close to going to a shoeshine guy in NYC or the airport. By the way, you may have a better chance of winning the lottery than finding a shoeshine person nowadays, but 30 years ago, it was still very popular. My very popular brand of shoes (remember I bought two of them), were pretty stiff and weren't easy to walk in. But I thought that this was a really good brand and it just takes time. After months of wearing these shoes every day, typically rotating between the two colors, they still felt as stiff as they day I bought them. As you can imagine, this was a big disappointment. I was out $360 of my own money plus the $200 my dad and stepmom spent on the original pair. My favorite pair. I think I have had to get them resoled a few times over the years. I had a few choices in front of me. I could either suffer or hope that someday the current shoes I had would break in. I could buy a pair of shoes from the brand my stepdad had, but honestly, I associated those with the older generation and not something someone in their early 20's would wear. Or I could look back at Allen Edmonds and make sure I purchased a pair of shoes that actually fit. Allen Edmonds Leather Quality I ultimately decided on a classic black dress shoe from Allen Edmonds. They were about $200 but I made the decision that these were going to be a shoe that lasted a lifetime. And it's true as I still have them today. They were very comfortable from the start without having me to break them in. Recrafting shoes is an art. This is a fun video to watch if you love to learn how things are made. After a while of wearing them, commuting on the train from NJ to New York City, and then walking the streets of Manhattan a few days a week, the shoes got their workout, many times walking about 2 miles a day for each trip. After each trip in NYC heading back to Grand Central Terminal, I would often stop in the spice shop, although never purchasing anything. Here is a look at my first experience to spices at the end of my New York City workdays. My three Allen Edmonds dress belts to match my shoe collection Because of my daily wear, two things happened next. First, I wore out the soles, probably after about 5-10 years and had to get them resoled. I used Allen Edmonds service first and the quality was great. I remember the full package was about $100 at the time (or at least to my recollection) and did that once or twice over the years. I did ultimately find a local cobbler to repair the shoes at about half the cost, but finding one is like winning the lottery as well. The second event that happened was I was so happy with my purchase, I bought two more pairs, one in brown and one in burgundy, both in the same classic style as the black. Since then, I have purchased 2 more pairs of dress shoes from Allen Edmonds, both loafers. I found that I wear my black loafers more than any other due to the easy slip on an off. My boat shoes. I also purchased three dress belts to match the three original colors as I was always told that your tie and socks should match/complement each other and your belt and shoes should match. Not sure if that is true but that is the adage I have lived by all these years. My belts really need a polishing which I only think I did once for all the years I have owned them. I used to polish my shoes every few months but now, it's more like every few years given the infrequency of wearing them. I have two other Allen Edmonds products. I have a pair of boat shoes that I wear when we go to Aruba, as well as my wallet, which I think I have had for 20 years now. I couldn't be happier with my decision 30 years ago to buy Allen Edmonds, and I became a repeat customer over the years, with my most recent purchase for my son, Matthew. If you are in the market for a pair of dress shoes, and honestly, a nice pair of stylish and comfortable shoes, I highly recommend Allen Edmonds. Don't make the same mistakes I did early on. Frequently Asked Questions How long do Allen Edmonds products last? A few of my shoes are close to 30 years old, with just the soles refinished a few times. They look good as new. Does Allen Edmonds offer shoe repair? Yes, Allen Edmonds offers recrafting services. You can access them on their website. Do you recommend a leather or rubber soles for your dress shoes? Personally, I like the leather soles, but we purchased the rubber soles for my son who I knew would appreciate the longevity and grip. Start Your Own Allen Edmonds Sensory Experience If you have a passion for looking good and being comfortable at the same time, step into a pair of Allen Edmonds shoes. They will elevate your sensory experience. Try it today and let me know your thoughts in the comments! For Transparency: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. If you purchase through them, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products I truly love and use myself. As well, since most of my collection is from the past, I have selected products that are similar in style in the links below.

Here is a collection of some of my Superior Nut company 4lb bags of nuts (Almonds, Walnuts, Salted Mixed Nuts, and Brazil Nuts). About 25 years ago, I was leading a small sales team outside of Boston. During the holidays, the team and I would package up and share some gifts of appreciation. Spoiler, these gifts weren't the elevated snacking experience from Superior Nut Company, but I will get to that in a minute. We didn't have a lot of discretionary budget to use, so for the local clients we purchased some homemade cinnamon swirl bread from a bakery not far from our office in Lexington, MA. There was nothing like buying 10 loaves of freshly baked cinnamon bread and having the car smell warm and cozy. Salted Brazil Nuts are a daily staple for Mary Beth and me. For the clients that were a bit further away, we sent them a 2lb block of chocolate from a well-known brand you would find in your local supermarket. The blocks of chocolate needed to be special ordered as you can imagine but the reaction we would get from the customers was always the same, which was the following "it was memorable and way too much to eat alone". By this time, I was in my late 20's and well indoctrinated into Mary Beth's family, having been married for a few years and dating since we were 19. Her dad used to do something different for gifting during the holidays. Every year, he would go to the local nut store and buy a massive amount of salted cashews or mixed nuts and drive all over New England giving them to his clients. Mary Beth and I even got a tin of nuts every year for the holidays. The Rooted & Refined Living Expert Tip: "Don't let the stubborn pistachios shells ruin your experience. Instead of using your fingers, open it with another shell, using it as a wedge between the nut and the shell. Your fingers and your patience will appreciate it." As well, whenever Mary Beth and I would go to her parents' house, which was just 1 town away, there would always be nuts on the counter for us to snack on. I never really gave it much thought over the years, and while I ate nuts, it wasn't a staple in my daily diet. As a result, when we did buy nuts over the years, the purchases were from random locations with no real intention. At least once or twice a week, I eat walnuts in the morning, as well as on pancakes and waffles. We first started buying our nuts at the local supermarket, probably some of the brand names that they sell at the eye level of the shelves, and didn't think much of it, especially since we didn't eat many of them. Over time, initially when Wegman's Food Stores opened up in the area, and then again with Whole Foods, they had the bins of nuts and seeds for individuals to self-service, with the periodic overflow of the container when I wasn't paying as much attention as I should have been (I know I am not the only one who did this). Mary Beth and I used the self-service bins for a few years, especially as our eating habits were changing for the better. This lasted up until Covid when the food stores eliminated the self-service capabilities at the time (they have since reinstated them). However, with the lack of self-service capabilities and our taste buds changing for a better tasting nut, we couldn't go back to the store-bought nuts. They just didn't taste as fresh, nor did they have the same flavor profile. As a result, we had to find somewhere new to source our nuts. The Superior Nut Company Comeback I had to ask Mary Beth what the name of the company was that her dad used to buy his nuts from. She mentioned it was the Superior Nut Company based out of Cambridge, MA. Since my father-in-law used to work it Boston, it was a simple, quick trip over the Charles River to Cambridge to pick up his nuts every holiday season. For me, while Cambridge is only an hour a way, I have opted to use their website to order. As a side note, I did find out that Mary Beth's cousins not only still purchase from Superior Nut Company in person (and have for so many years), but they also buy in massive bulk and store it in their second freezers to last the year. Raisins are great standalone, mixed in with oats and bananas, and combined with cashews. An Elevated Snacking Experience Today, I find myself ordering every few months as Mary Beth, Matthew, and I all eat nuts on a regular basis. Mary Beth and Matthew like the salted mixed nuts and the salted Brazil Nuts. Michael eats nuts once in a while as does Emma, which are usually Pistachios and peanuts. While I will eat those as well, I usually rotate a daily morning snack of cashews, almonds, and walnuts (all unsalted). We also have a rotation of California Pistachios and on occasion, I will purchase the Turkish Antep Pistachios, which are out of this world delicious and an elevated snacking experience. I have also been buying their raisins which are fantastic as well. I also found a recipe for candied walnuts. It took me a few different recipes to find one that actually works the way I was expecting it to (you know, the one you buy at the local corner store or farmers market that tastes so good). All prior attempts didn't have the egg white which is the key to getting everything to stick to the walnut but not have the walnuts stick to each other. The recipe is from Sugar Spun Run. What made the candied walnuts standout was the combination of everything I have been sharing so far with ingredients from my prior stories. 1 egg white (local or pasture raised are the best in my opinion) Water Vanilla extract (I will have a future post on this but to give you a preview, I order from the Vanilla Company Walnuts Sugar from Burlap & Barrel Cinnamon also from Burlap & Barrel Salt from Slack Tide Maine Frequently Asked Questions Does Superior Nut Company have a sister website with a different name? Yes, you can also order through NutsinBulk. It is the same exact offering from what I can tell. Can you pick up your nut order in person in their Cambridge, MA store? Yes, when ordering, you have the option to have it shipped or be available for pickup. How are Turkish Antep Pistachios different from California Pistachios Turkish Antep Pistachios are more flavorful and have a more intense buttery taste. Are Turkish Antep Pistachios more expensive than California Pistachios? Yes, probably by a factor of 2 - 2.5x the cost but the flavor profile makes up for the cost increase. Start Your Own Nut Sensory Experience If you are looking to upgrade your snacking experience, Superior Nut Company will satisfy your cravings and elevate your sensory experience. Try it today and let me know your thoughts in the comments! For Transparency: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. If you purchase through them, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products I truly love and use myself.

Over the course of our lives, we get to listen to countless songs. Some hang with us forever because they are associated with important events in our lives and some songs hang with us because they are so unique. In my case Hotel California by The Eagles that one special song that rises above all others. In the 1950s with the emergence of television singers such as Perry Como and Rosemary Clooney, who had popular television shows dominated the Billboard charts. Eagles band members Don Henley, Bernie Leadon, Randy Meisner, and Glenn Frey Then in the 1960s the Beatles brought the British sound to America with bands such as the Rolling Stones and Led Zeplin. The 1970s brought the California sound... mellow ballads from groups like the Byrds, Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young and the Mamas and the Papas. Eagles Hotel California History In the early 70s a young singer named Linda Ronstadt recorded some hit records and became very popular. She was ready to parlay her radio song successes with a tour of the United States. She needed a backup band and was impressed by four young men who were the house band for an LA hotspot known as the Troubardoour. The four young men were Randy Meisner, Bernie Leadon, Glenn Frey and Don Henley. Linda Ronstadt asked the four young men to be her backup band for her US tour and they accepted. Ronstadt's tour was very successful and the backup band played a huge roll in that success. The backup band drew the attention of a young entrepreneur named David Geffen who had just started his own record label named Asylum Records. He approached Linda Ronstadt with the idea that he wanted her backup band to become part of his label. Instead of rebelling Geffen, Ronstadt was very supportive and the four member backup band became known as the Eagles. If you missed Tony's other recent posts, you can find them here at Papa's Corner. This band became so popular, so fast that they were a phenomenon, an American version of the Beatles. In the 70s the Eagles produced two albums that have sold and been played multi-millions of time. In fact of the countless record albums produced and sold over the last hundred years "The Eagles Greatest Hits" and "Hotel California" rank in the top 5 alone with the Beatles, Led Zeplin and Michael Jackson. They were riding high in the period 1971-1975. Then because of creative differences Bernie Leadon left the band and was replaced by Joe Walsh in 1974. A short time later in 1975, they added a fifth member named Don Felder. A few years later Timothy B. Schmit was chosen to replace Randy Meisner who was tired of the endless tours. When Don Felder joined the band as a guitarist in 1975, he brought with him music he had written. Felder had been friends with Bernie Leadon when they both lived in Florida. And when Bernie left the band he recommended they bring in Don Felder. Instead, they hired Joe Walsh but decided to add Felder because they wanted more guitars in their songs. So the band is highly successful and Felder says to Frey and Henley, "I've got this music I wrote but I'm not a lyricist so could you help me with the words." So the three get together and composed Hotel California. By the time they were done composing they had a 7 minute song. "No way... we cannot have a 7 minute song... the most we can have is a 3 and a half minute song." The record execs told them to cut the guitar prelude and the guitar ending. That would put the song at about the 3 and a half minute mark. Henley, Frey and Felder argued vehemently against it and it was produced and distributed as a 7 minute song. The song went on to become number 1 on the Billboard charts for weeks and anchored the number 3 album of all time making making millions of dollars over a 50 year period for the artists, composers and record lable. Then in 1993 a popular country singer named Travis Tritt asked Henley and Frey if he could make an album of their songs. Henley and Frey consented and Tritt called the album... Common Threads - Songs of the Eagles. Tritt's album of Eagles songs became a big hit and Tritt asked the five Eagles if they would be part of a music video on MTV to promote the album. The 5 Eagles consented and the video became the most viewed on MTV in 1993. This was a wake up call to the 5 Eagles..... a best selling album and a super popular music video. It looks like the Eagles should get back together and tour. In effect "Hell Had Frozen Over" and Henley laughed that the famous line he stated 14 years ago was no longer valid. The Eagles tour in 1994 was an enormous success filling arenas and stadiums in countless venues all over the world. My wife Carole and I went to see them at Padres Stadium in San Diego on their second comeback concert in 1994. The stadium was packed and it was SRO. For the last 32 years the Eagles have continued to play before sold out crowds in whatever venue they played. The song epitomizes what it means to live in California... the endless Pacific Ocean beaches, the mountains, deserts and Spanish architecture. It tells of happiness, decadence and the magnetic attraction that makes people never want to leave. The famous line from the song tells it all... "You can check out anytime you like, but you can never leave". The dueling guitars of two of the greatest guitar players in history is fantastic to listen to and an unbelievable experience at their concerts. Felder and Walsh always put on a crowd-pleasing show that is the highlight of their concerts. The Eagles like another super successful group - the Beatles broke up after 10 years so in 1980 they disbanded and each of the 5 members went onto a solo career. Henley and Frey had very successful solo careers. Henley issued the famous saying when a reporter asked if they would ever reunite... "We will reunite when hell freezes over". A couple of years ago they stopped touring and established a residency at the Sphere in Las Vegas. The Sphere has 167,000 speakers and is the most futuristic music venue in the world. Over the last 32 years, Glenn Frey passed away and Don Felder left the band. Henley, Walsh and Schmit were joined by Deacon Frey (Glenn's son) and famous country singer Vince Gill. Ther is talk this is the last year of the Eagles performing. They may stop performing live but their music - especially Hotel California - will live on forever.

I can remember my conversation on the airplane with a 10-year-old girl like it was yesterday. She shared this was her 10th time to Aruba and she went on to tell me all about the island. She talked about the how friendly people were, Arikok National Park, the California Lighthouse, and the certificate she was getting this year for her 10th consecutive year being in Aruba from the Aruba Tourism Authority. A view on our Aruba Jeep Safari from ABC Tours, Arikok National Park This 10-year-old girl spoke with such conviction for the island, it made me feel like the choice Mary Beth and I made to visit the island was the right decision. Taking a step back, I shared previously that we went to Hawaii on our honeymoon when we were both 24 years old. Here we are a few years later making a decision on our next vacation. We both loved Hawaii but one of the things I had expected at the time was to walk in the calm crystal-clear turquoise waters where you walk out what feels like miles and you are still only up to your ankles. At least, that was the vision I had in my head. Serene waves of Palm Beach, Aruba The reality for our trip to Hawaii is that as beautiful as it is, the islands are in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, and the waters are mostly rough. We were still looking for that Caribbean experience and had narrowed our decision to the Cayman Islands and Aruba. I remember my college roommate visiting Aruba and speaking very highly of it and based on a few other individuals we spoke with, Aruba kept coming up as a great place to visit. I always loose track on how many times we have actually been to Aruba now. I usually have to count on my fingers and believe it is 21 times with this upcoming summer being 22. The kids, with Matthew being 23 years old, Michael 21, and Emma, 19 have been to Aruba 20, 19, and 16 times (if my math is right on the piece of paper I just calculated it on). Similar to the 10-year-old girl at the beginning, we were all privileged to go to Aruba 10 years in a row, and we all received the same Certificate of Appreciation when each of us hit our respective 10-year anniversaries. Does soon to be 22 visits make us an expert on the island? Probably not, and especially because we do the same things over and over again. But it is that Groundhog Day feel that makes the experience so enjoyable year after year. The Rooted & Refined Living Expert Tip: "Tour companies are a great way to see a new location or to experience the same location in a new way." There are so many amazing things about the island, such as the weather, the activities, and the food, but we need to start with the best one, the people. Aruba is called "One Happy Island" for a reason. The entire population of almost 110,000 people are super friendly and do an amazing job with tourism being their number one industry. I will probably share more posts about specific vendors and products about Aruba in future posts. There are so many I would like to talk about such as the Jolly Pirates sunset boat ride with their rope swing, the world class food from so many amazing vendors including Eduardo's Beach Shack and getting gelato from Gelato & Co. in the lobby of the Marriott hotel. Emma jumping into the cave. It is not as scary as it looks. Mary Beth took the picture which she was very comfortable at the top not venturing down to the jumping area. As well, I will share more in future posts about the experiences we shared while being in Aruba. We own two timeshares, one at the Marriott Ocean Club and one at the Marriott Surf Club. They are right next to each other, and we now go for 2 full weeks, transferring between hotels mid trip. Because the timeshares sleep 8 people, we have had the opportunity to bring our moms and Mary Beth's aunt for many of those years, my dad, multiple sets of our friends, and now, the kids friends, with each one getting to bring someone. Eating dinner off our balcony at the Marriott Surf Club. Because we have brought so many people to Aruba over the years, we love to share some of the great things about the island, so they get to experience it the same way we do. As we are planning for this trip, we usually pick a few activities to enjoy. One of those is to rent a car for a day or two and explore the island visiting the donkey farm and some other beaches. This year we will try the winery for the first time. One staple of the trip for many years, and especially when we have someone new visit, is to visit Arikok National Park which encompasses 20% of the entire island. Early on in this post, I referenced the whole reason why we wanted to visit Aruba was because of the Caribbean turquoise waters walking out for miles only up to your ankles. Aruba absolutely offers that experience, especially where we stay in the Palm Beach area. However, the other side of the island, the area of Arikok National Park, is completely different. In Palm Beach, there are small 6-inch waves crashing where the ocean meets the sand. In Arikok National Park, there are 100-foot cliffs and waves sometimes that reach that high. The park is volcanic and rocky. Oh, by the way, I forgot to mention one big thing. Aruba is a desert island getting about 15 inches of rain per year. That means two things. 1) the terrain is very dry with many tones of clay red and dirt brown, and 2) you will have an amazing vacation because it is always sunny. Arikok National Park. It is such a different part of the island than the calm waters of Palm Beach. The first time we went to the park, we rented a car to tour the island. When renting a car, the terms and conditions are crystal clear, similar to the turquoise water. Rental cars, and even 4x4's are not covered for damage if you enter the park. That is how rough the terrain is. The first time we rented just a small sedan and quickly realized how serious the rental associate was. It was painful driving the car, just even to get to the visitor's gate with the drops in terrain on the paved part of the road to allow for the water to flow through every 50 feet or so. This is one of my favorite photos. Michael took it in Aruba about 5 years ago. It is a 3-inch space within the volcanic rock of the Arikok National Park. The white in this photo is sun dried sea salt that was left after the water that splashed up on the surface evaporated. I initially posted this in my salt story. Driving a SUV is a bit better but still challenging and you can only go to certain parts of the park, not truly experiencing the breath and beauty of what it has to offer. Enter ABC Tours: Aruba Jeep Safari ABC Tours offers two main tours, one is on an ATV Safari where you are the driver and a second on an Aruba Jeep Safari, driven by one of their staff members. For a variety of reasons, mostly due to the kids ages at the time or going with our parents, we have opted for the Jeep Safari tours. I think over the years, we have been on the tour about 10 times. The tour itself is so much fun. You get picked up by ABC Tours at your hotel, but not with a big tour bus. They pick you up in the actual Jeep Safari vehicle you are going to be on the tour with. You get your first taste of how much fun it is going to be as you whip around the roundabout a few times (Aruba has many of them all over the island and they are actually proven to be safer and more traffic efficient than the red/yellow/green light system we use here in the US in most places). We then arrive at ABC's facilities for some initial check-in and then off we go. The tours usually go in pairs as we enter into Arikok National Park. The great thing about this massive open-air Jeeps is that they are able to go into places within the park that are only accessible with their vehicles, ATV's or by horse. One of those special places is the Natural Pool, which is fun to swim, snorkel, and even jump off the rocks (although that is not something I have tried). Additional spots are two cave visits and if you go on the full day tour, you will also visit Baby Beach and San Nicholas on the southern part of the island. For each of the tours, they offer an authentic Aruban lunch which is very good (as well as alcohol at an additional charge). Me, Matthew, Emma, Michael, and Mary Beth on one of our ABC Jeep Safari tours While you have no control over which Jeep is in the front, my hope each time is to be the one in the front. Remember earlier in the story, I mentioned Aruba was a dessert island with less than 15 inches of rain a year. That means that the first Jeep with their very large tires is kicking up lots of dust, dirt, and clay. My advice is to bring clothes you don't care about as they will get so dirty on your 1/2 day or full day excursion. Recently, probably a few years ago, there were a few locals who were exploring the national park and found a hidden area to jump into, just off one of those 100-foot cliff areas I described earlier. The jumping part is just a few feet (maybe 5) into a pool of water tucked away into one of those cliffs. The tour usually stops in this spot as well for people to participate in the fun. I do recommend having some type of footwear to use, because otherwise, you will be walking barefoot on the volcanic rock which is not fun. In addition to the amazing views of the cliffs, watching the waves crash into those cliffs, and the awe of the beauty of the dessert national park, the staff at ABC Tours is one of the best. They are really friendly and of course, the tour guides are a lot of fun. Frequently Asked Questions What is your favorite area to visit in Aruba? I love the Arikok National Park because of the breathtaking views from the cliffs and the contrast from the serene nature of hotel/tourist side of the island. My kids are picky eaters. Will they eat the lunch that is provided? My kids are picky eaters too (actually 2 of the 3). Yes, ABC Tours does a great job in offering a kid's menu when you book your tour. How rough is the Jeep Safari Tour? It is definitely bumpy. According to their website, "guests with back, neck, heart issues, recent surgery, or pregnancy should avoid rugged tours". If you have a medical condition, please reach out to ABC Tours to consult with them to make an informed decision. Start Your Own Aruba Sensory Experience with ABC Tours If you are looking for an exciting adventure for your Aruba vacation, ABC Tours will deliver. It will elevate your sensory experience and provide memories that will last a lifetime. Book today and let me know your thoughts in the comments! For Transparency: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. If you purchase through them, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products I truly love and use myself.

"Instead of thinking of sleep as the ending of your day, start thinking about it as the beginning of your tomorrow". - Dr. Angela Holliday-Bell I am writing this story in an airplane coming home from a trip to see my dad dreaming of coming home to my Tempur-Pedic Adjustable Bed. This is the only picture Mary Beth and I took from our two visits to Laguna Beach in our most recent trip. We walked from Heisler Park down the steps to the beach nestled between the rocks watching the waves and surfers (not captured in the photo). Mary Beth and I took a few day trip cross country to California and had a great time. We spent the time at our favorite restaurant, Las Brisas, in Laguna Beach. Not only is the food amazing, the restaurant sits on top of the hill overlooking the ocean in front of you, the beach to the left down the hill, and the start of a short, beautiful winding walking path to the right. Mary Beth and I spend the next afternoon back at Laguna Beach walking the path and then heading down to a small beach just below nestled within the rocky cliffs. We watched some of the surfers on a wintery 86 degree day in January. The last day of our trip was spent driving 90 minutes to Temecula, where we went for wine tasting at Ponte, with lunch following at their restaurant. The tasting started with six, one oz pours of their wines, where we choose a selection of whites and reds, each one better than the last. The bartender (I guess that is what you call the person who is pouring the wine), also shared a small sample of a $110 reserve bottle they had. Let me tell you that there is a difference between a $110 bottle of wine and the $65 bottle we also sampled (which was excellent) and a $30 bottle, which was also very good. The $110 bottle was impressive. We had a few bottles shipped to us including the $110 bottle (thanks dad). I can’t wait to try it with our Josephinenhutte wine glasses. I feel like I am digressing but there is a point to this start of this story. The visit to see my dad reminded me of a time Mary Beth and I went to visit about 20 years ago. Mary Beth had back surgery a few years prior and had been having problems sleeping. When we were there, her back didn’t hurt and the two of us woke up much more rested. We had a better night’s sleep on my dad’s guest mattress than what we had at home. This prompted us to go home and search for mattresses the following weekend. We went to our local Mattress Firm and tried all the mattresses as one does when they go to a mattress store. Following a bit of pondering, we really liked the Tempur-Pedic mattresses but were hesitant about the cost (at least I was). We did wind up buying the adjustable frame but opted for another mattress brand at the time. This is the side profile of our bed in its fully extended position. We never use it to this extreme, but I wanted to share what the adjustable bed is capable of rising to. After getting it delivered and trying it for a week or so, we realized this was just not the right mattress for us. Taking advantage of the Mattress Firm 120 Night Sleep Trial, we took another trip to the store and made an exchange, this time spending a few extra dollars (ok, a bit more than a few), and exchanged it for a Tempur-Pedic adjustable mattress. Mary Beth saw an immediate improvement in how her back felt and while I personally never had many issues sleeping, my sleep improved as I started waking up more rested than before. It used to be that when Mary Beth and I went to a nice hotel, that is where you got to sleep in a nice bed. For us, it’s the opposite. It’s been about 15-20 years since we made the exchange. Every time we come back from a hotel or a visit to someone else’s home (including from my dad’s guest bedroom), there is nothing that compares to our Tempur-Pedic bed at home. The Rooted & Refined Living Expert Tip: "Sleep is so important to everything we do, I felt this quote should be restated... Instead of thinking of sleep as the ending of your day, start thinking about it as the beginning of your tomorrow" My perspective on buying a great mattress is the following. The experts tell us that you should get 8 hours of sleep a night but with only 24 hours in a day, that means on average, we are sleeping 1/3 of the day or in reality, 1/3 of our entire lives. So many of us take the time to research and invest in other things like the stock market, but what about investing in a quality mattress, a good pillow, and comfortable sheets. Should we invest 1/3 of our salary on a mattress, pillow, and sheets? Probably not, but making an investment in a great mattress is game changing for your sleep and how you will feel the following day. Do yourself a favor, this weekend, go to your local mattress store and try out a few mattresses. You may soon realize what you are missing. I am not naive to the fact that buying a Tempur-Pedic Adjustable Bed is a big financial investment and not everyone had that kind of disposable income. The mattress is only 1 piece of the puzzle and if you don’t have thousands of dollars stuffed under your mattress (get the irony😊), think about purchasing a really comfortable pillow. It's hard to tell but there is a slight indent in the middle to cradle your head. Pillows are just as important as the mattress but buying a pillow is cheap in comparison, with good pillows ranging from $50-$250. When researching your pillow, the first thing you need to determine is if you are a side, back, or stomach sleeper. There are pillows that are specifically designed for all three and some that offer combinations of the scenarios. For example, I sleep on a combination on my side and on my back. Flip side of the Tempur-Pedic pillow. This side is a bit more oval shaped. Tempur-Pedic Adjustable Bed After doing a ton of research, we purchased the Tempur-Pedic pillow which supports the combination of my sleep patterns. After realizing how our sleep continued to improve with the new pillow, we purchased one for each of the kids too. I know some people will think that kids are kids and they will sleep on anything we give them, which is true, but Mary Beth and I had the belief that if we felt better in the morning after a good night’s sleep with our pillows, our kids would as well. Stay with me here and I have a few more things to cover. This is the DreamFit sheets we use. We have two sets and alternate when we do laundry. We also purchased a nice set of sheets (two of them to be exact) to go with our adjustable mattress. The sheets we have had are very comfortable and have straps to have the sheet stay in place when we move the bed up and down. You can do some research on your own but the ones we currently use are from DreamFit. I would also consider Boll and Branch the next time I am in the market based our positive experience with their towels. I did have one challenge recently. The mattress pad we were using for many years needed to be replaced. I researched and researched but couldn’t find a mattress pad that fit the 11 inches, which was what our mattress measured in depth. All of the ones I was finding online stated they fit 10-18 inch depth but none specific to 11 inches. I had to purchase the all-in-one pad as there were no other options, including me reaching out to Tempur-Pedic. ZumberLock solved my problem of the mattress pad bunching up. Not seen but there is a strip that locks the pad or sheet into place. This was now causing a new problem with the mattress pad bunching up underneath the sheets. But problem solved; somewhere in my travels online, I came across the ZlumberLock sheet holder, which we now have on all 4 corners of the bed. It took all the lumpiness out of the mattress pad, and we are now back to a good night’s sleep. Newly purchased travel pillow for Mary Beth, which she really liked in our last two trips. The last topic I want to cover is a travel pillow. Mary Beth and I travel periodically and as I mentioned earlier, I don’t have any problems going to sleep but Mary Beth does, especially the first few nights we are away. The pillows are never comfortable, and it never feels like the peaceful sanctuary we created at home. This year for Christmas, I got her a Tempur-Pedic Travel Pillow which she used this week on our trip to California. It’s just a smaller version of what we have at home, and it offers her the ability to get a good night’s sleep while we are away. Frequently Asked Questions Would you buy a Tempur-Pedic bed again? Absolutely. Our current bed is still working great for us so we are not in the market, but when we are, we won't look at another brand. Our biggest decision will be which Tempur-Pedic mattress to buy! Have you ever flipped your Tempur-Pedic Mattress? We only did it once, about 10 years after we purchased it. We were amazed as to how well it held it's shape from the original purchase. Does the ZlumberLock really work? Yes, we saw an improvement in the smoothness of our mattress pad immediately. It went from being very bunched up to smooth as silk in seconds. While we use it for our mattress pad, it can also be used for sheets. Start Your Own Tempur-Pedic Good Night Sleeping Sensory Experience If you are longing for a good night's sleep, the Tempur-Pedic Bed is the way to go. It will elevate your sensory experience allowing you to become more alert when you wake up and throughout the rest of the day. Try it today and let me know your thoughts in the comments! For Transparency: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. If you purchase through them, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products I truly love and use myself.

Cover photo by Nik Owens Game changing! That is the only way to describe the pizza when it’s made with the Ooni pizza oven. Michael and I checking out the new pizza oven on our first day cooking. As you can see, we were both curious. You can also see the table Michael built in High School Wood Shop class. I will get back to the Ooni Pizza Oven Review in a bit as I first need to help set some context. A Pizza Snob from New Jersey When my wife first met me, she called me a pizza snob, and I have to agree. You see, I grew up in New Jersey and became accustomed to the New York style pizza. For the people who live in the New York/New Jersey area, you may have your favorite place to get your pizza from but in general, you will defend the New York style until the day you die. People from the New York area will scoff at the idea that someone likes pizza from Chicago, Detroit, or even New Haven, CT. To New York and New Jersey residents, there is no comparison, period. Emma practicing her pizza throwing I lived in New Jersey for almost 25 years and still visit on a regular basis as my mom and family are still there. Growing up, I used to have pizza a few times a week, especially as I got into middle school and high school where I could ride my bike down to the local pizza shop, Tony's Pizza. My friends and I would get a few slices each and every Friday was pizza night at our house. I still go to Tony's when I am home visiting my mom. However, I moved to New England and my struggle to find good pizza was bewildering (especially because I really wasn't that far away- it's not like I moved across country). My first experience of non-New York style pizza was when I was in college in Rhode Island. Mary Beth, who was my girlfriend at the time (now wife) and I went out for pizza and I asked for a slice. The guy looked at me and stated, “no slides, we only sell a whole pizza”. It was at this time when I started to realize things were different and finding good pizza was going to be a lifelong challenge if I lived outside of the New York/New Jersey area. As they say, the struggle is real. The Rooted & Refined Living Expert Tip: "Transform the prep into a social workshop. Provide individual doughs for guests to curate their own culinary masterpieces, making the creative process just as memorable as the pizza itself." The Struggle to Find Great Pizza For years, I went on a search for good pizza trying to find something that was at least comparable to what I grew up with. I was like a wondering nomad continuing to be disappointed in my efforts to find a place I would stack up, especially living 40 miles west of Boston. Over time, I started to find some restaurants that started offering Neapolitan style pizza, with my first experience in New York City and then a restaurant opened up near me in Worcester, MA called Volturno. Volturno was the first restaurant in Massachusetts to get certified in associazione verace pizza napoletana (apn) to guarantee the style of preparation and cooking that originated from Napoli, Italia. My family and I frequent Volturno often, not only for the great pizza and pasta, but the open-air atmosphere that it offers. However, when we are not going out for pizza, we now cook on our Ooni, which does a great job in replicating my experience going to Volturno with a Neapolitan style pizza. My pizza going into the Ooni Pizza Oven. The metal launch peel is a requirement to slide the pizza in. A turning peel is also required to move it around, so it doesn't burn in one spot. Ooni Pizza Oven Review Now, here is where I can say with 100% certainty that the pizza cooking in Ooni is Game Changing. For over 25 years, we have been using the same bread maker to make pizza dough (I know, I still haven’t ventured into making my dough by hand). The bread maker for us has been a great way to make multiple doughs with little effort. The bread maker and same recipe is our constant in this comparison. As a gift when we were first married, someone gave us a really nice pizza stone which we used to cook our pizzas for many years. At some point about 10-15 years ago, we started cooking our pizzas on the grill. Same recipe from the same bread maker and the grilled pizza was 10 times better than the pizza stone. Cooking on the grill became our go to for pizza making for quite some time. Finished product, about 90 seconds later. Even the slightly crispy/burnt parts of the crust taste really good. To dive into my Ooni Pizza Oven review, A few years ago, Mary Beth gave me an Ooni pizza oven for my birthday and I was entering into a world I never knew existed. She solved the pizza problem I was trying to solve for 30 years. I started to read and watch YouTube videos about the Ooni experience with the oven that gets up to 900 degrees Fahrenheit (482 degrees Celsius). I was impressed and couldn’t wait to get started. The problem was I didn’t have the proper tools and putting in dough into an oven that cooks in 60-90 seconds is unforgiving if you can’t get it out in time or can’t turn it quickly enough. My first day cooking on the Ooni wasn’t a success and most of it burned to a crisp, with all of the pizza going into the garbage. It wasn’t until I got the Ooni Pizza Peel and Ooni Pizza Turning Peel that I was able to control the cooking process. While I don’t consider myself an expert by any means, 9 out of every 10 pizzas I cook are impressive. I wasn't kidding when I said it gets hot. This is pointed to the middle part of the stone inside the oven. As a result, I now have the ability to compare the same bread maker dough recipe cooked on the pizza stone, grill, and now the Ooni. I can say with 100% certainty that the Ooni is hands down, the best option for cooking a restaurant quality Neapolitan pizza in the comfort of your own home. I have the Ooni Pro 16 which has since been discontinued. It is a multi-fuel oven that has an optional gas attachment. I have opted not to get the attachment and use a combination of wood and lump charcoal to cook my pizzas. They have so many great ovens now including electric ones if you live in an apartment. I was fortunate to have my son make me a pizza table that we use but Ooni also offers tables. To my surprise, I learned that Ooni pizza ovens can sit on top of a wood surface (in addition to metal and stone). Since we have been using our Ooni pizza oven, we cook 9-12 pizzas at a time as we typically only bring it out when we have a crowd. To support 9-12 pizzas, we now have 3 individual wood pizza peels and just recently, a stacked pizza rack with 4 additional peels from Slyced. I also recommend getting an infrared thermometer to check the temperature of the stone. Slyced Wooded Pizza Peel Rack holds 4 doughs ready for toppings to be added. Lastly, for my birthday, I just received a cast iron Dual-Sided Grizzler Plate which similar to my experience cooking my first pizza. I am still getting used this new toy. In my first try, I cooked potatoes that cooked so fast, when I took them out, they were still cooking on the Grizzler. They were a bit crispier than I had hoped! As you can tell I am passionate about my pizza. I hope you can elevate your sensory experience just the same. Also, don't forget to cut all of your toppings on your John Boos wood cutting boards! Have you tried cooking your own pizza? What was your experience? P.S. I had a few people ask me about Gluten Free flour so I asked the Ooni Facebook group. By a wide margin, they recommended the Gluten Free Antico Molino Napoli Antimo Caputo Pizza Flour. Frequently Asked Questions Have you tried the new Ooni Koda2 pizza oven? Not yet but hope to in the future. The newest one with the revolving stone is impressive How long was the learning curve to make the perfect pizza? I am not sure I will ever get to the point in making the perfect pizza, but it took 3 or 4 tries before I was able to consistently make good pizzas that I was happy with. I was comfortable inviting friends over after 5 or 6 tries. Is the metal pizza peel required to launch into the oven? Can't I just use a wooden peel? I highly recommend using the metal pizza peel. Due to the length of the handle and the ease of the dough launching off of the peel, it makes for a great combination. Start Your Own Home-Made Pizza Sensory Experience If you’re curious to start your own home-made pizza sensory experience, I’ve listed my favorite products below. Please note the Ooni pizza oven I use is discontinued so I shared a link to their store for the new products. Give it a try and let me know your thoughts in the comments! For Transparency: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. If you purchase through them, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products I truly love and use myself.

Golden Girl Original Granola I think I have tried every granola brand on the market based on the selection in every major grocery store in a 20-mile direction. It wasn't until 2 years ago when I found the one that my wife and I love, Golden Girl Granola. Of course, this is not to be confused with the great sitcom, Golden Girls, or the lighthearted fast talking drama with a slightly different name, Gilmore Girls. But more on Golden Girl Granola in a bit. Let me share with you how we got here. If you know me by now, I am a big fan of products that are made in small batches that can only be produced by individuals or small businesses. These products are made with love and care and you can taste it in every bite. Similar stories include Dick Taylor Craft Chocolate Review: The Intersection of Art and Flavor and Smugglers Notch Maple Works Review: Elevating Breakfast With Wood Fired Flavor to name a few. When I first met Mary Beth, she lived in the area of MetroWest Massachusetts, which is about 40 miles west of Boston. If you talk to someone in Boston, you would think we live in Ohio based on how far they believe it is outside of the city, but the reality is its only an hour drive to get to into town. Yup, people from Boston refer to their city as town, like Beantown. Very opposite from where I grew up in New Jersey where we referred to New York City as "the city". Not far from where Mary Beth lived was a discount retail store called Spag's. This store was a destination for so many people in the area to get a wide range of products from hardware to deodorant, all at great prices. I think I made the visit to the store once or twice over the years before it was sold and then ultimately out of business. The store was empty for a few years to the best of my recollection. Back to Spag's and the location further down in the story. News story from the local ABC affiliate in Boston on Golden Girl Granola Mary Beth and I got married in 1998 and then in 2000 moved up to Grafton, MA. We initially put a $1,000 deposit on an attached condo in Shrewsbury MA, actually not far at all from the original Spag's location. It turned out that the condo design we wanted was not available in the location we picked as they were building the condos. As a result, we backed out and started looking again. One of my thoughts was to look for a house not far from a grocery store, Stop & Shop, a store with a good reputation. I figured if they selected an area to put their stores, it was already a good location for Mary Beth and I to plant our roots. As we started looking, there was an open house in Grafton, MA and we wound up buying our first house. If you are curious, it was about 1 mile from Stop & Shop, so my approach worked. The Rooted & Refined Living Expert Tip: "Life will take you down many windy paths. As you meander along, you will find unexpected treasures. Keep your eyes open for what is possible." Stop & Shop was our go to place to shop for many years and then the area where we lived really started to grow. The headquarters of Staples and EMC (which was sold to Dell) brought in an influx of people to the area. With the population growth also came new grocery stores. Initially, it was Wegmans, which had a cult following in the east coast and had 25,000 people shop in the first weekend. We made it the second weekend. Then after that was Market32, a division of Price Chopper. Both Matthew and Michael worked at Market32 during high school and college. The last big store to arrive was Whole Foods, which found a home in the old location of Spag's. I know many of you, at least here in the United States, knows about Whole Foods and the good quality they offer. The other thing that Whole Foods does a really nice job with is to honor the location that it is moving into. If it was previously a historic bank, it would try to keep some of that theme. In the case of Spag's, there is a homage to Spag's across one of the walls, which is a really nice touch to make a very big chain feel a bit more local and personal. Small Batch Granola Based on the 4 different grocery store chains I referenced above, along with a few independent stores and a few farmers markets, we tried just about every granola around. It wasn't until my 3rd or 4th try at Whole Foods when I landed on the small batch granola from Golden Girl Granola. Whole Foods has a few of their 7 varieties including the Original, Forest Maple, Chocolate Decadence, and Home Sweet Honey. We have tried them all and love every one of them. Golden Girl Forest Maple Granola Mary Beth often puts the granola in her yogurt and I typically eat it plain as a snack in the afternoon or as a topping in my Acai bowl. It wasn't until I went on their website where I found they have 7 different varieties including one I would still like to try, Blueberry. I was also very excited to see that they also sell their granola at a few local farms. Mary Beth and I made a trip a few weeks ago to Lilac Hedge Farm in Rutland, MA for ice cream. We picked the location because it also had a little shop to buy things like eggs and their own meats. Golden Girl Granola was on their shelves as well and we picked up a few while we were there. As an aside, I was just thinking about the pictures I will be taking to share as a part of this post. To give you a sense of what is actually inside the bag, I will be putting it in a small dish and taking pictures. The problem is we usually only open one bag at a time and now I will be opening up 4 at once. I guess I will be eating a lot of granola in the next few weeks! Frequently Asked Questions How many varieties does Golden Girl Granola offer? Currently, Golden Girl Granola offers 7 varieties including Original, Chocolate Decadence, Home Sweet Honey, Forest Maple, Blueberry, Creative Cranberry, and Truly Tropical Where did the idea of their logo come from? The logo image of the little girl with pigtails was created by their oldest daughter, Jacquie and a childhood love of Pippi Longstocking. Is the granola handmade? Yes, each batch of granola is hand measured and baked with love from the mother/daughter duo of Deborah & Jacquie Start Your Own Granola Sensory Experience If you are looking to upgrade your snacking experience, Golden Girl Granola will satisfy your cravings and elevate your sensory experience. Try it today and let me know your thoughts in the comments! For Transparency: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. If you purchase through them, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products I truly love and use myself.