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Cover photo by Declan Sun My mom is still in the same house she bought over 55 years ago. One piece of furniture that is original (or mostly original as I was born a few years after they moved into the house) is my bedroom set and the matching desk and chair that came with it. It also couldn't be more opposite than the Tempur-Pedic Office Chair review I will share below. Most of the furniture has been updated including the 1970's style couches that had the plastic covering on them (I know that was the style and it was used to protect the couch, but I never understood the concept as a kid, or as an adult). This was my childhood desk and chair that I spent hours at growing up. I remember as a kid, I spent hours at my desk doing homework, creating games I would play, and organizing my baseball cards. All of this was done sitting in my wooden desk chair. As a kid, I didn't think of comfort. It was just a chair and had its purpose for me to sit in. Back then (in the 70's and 80's), chairs were built for function, not comfort. Even if you worked in an office, if you wanted a comfortable chair, it was this big, clunky leather chair. It probably wasn't until the 1990's and 2000's where chair design switched from function to comfort. New technologies created new innovations in chair comfort. The Rooted & Refined Living Expert Tip: "At the start of work each day, take a moment to sit in your chair, plant your feet flat on the ground, rest your hands loosely in your lap or on your thighs, and close your eyes. Drop your shoulders away from your ears, take a few deep breaths, and sit quietly for a minute." I can remember 20 years ago, the company I was working for moved locations and the new office got all new furniture. Everyone had a desk chair with the mesh back and bottom, which were very comfortable. I think I recall the facilities person telling me they were about $700 or so per chair and it was worth it. We also had conference room chairs and when I sat in it for the first time, it was hard, but then all of a sudden, I started to sink into the chair. It was like I just melted into it. These turned out to be really comfortable as well and I found out they were about $1,000 a piece. Following that job, I started to work in my home office and had a chair that I used from the original office closing. It was marginally comfortable but with a growing family, the free chair worked just fine. Over time, I started to work in my home office more and more. And thus, the search for a new office chair was upon me. Tempur-Pedic Office Chair Review Turns out, I actually found an office chair at one of the office supply stores that was one of the more expensive ones at the time, probably around $350 but I remember it being on sale for $250. It was a Temper-Pedic. I always heard great things about Temper-Pedic beds, but I didn't know they make chairs. This was one of the best purchases I have ever made, and the chair has been with me for about 10 years. I love my home office chair. This is the worn seat cover after ~10 years of use. The elevated sensory experience of this chair started for me during the set up. I remember vividly that when I had to put it together (and I am the least handy person you will meet), I found the directions to be so simple and clear. The company even had the tool I needed as a part of the set up in the box. I didn't have to go hunt for the right tool, it was already there for me with picture perfect directions. For 10 years now, I just melt when I sit in my Tempur-Pedic chair. The chair molds to my body and provides the ultimate comfort. I often brag about it when I have been on calls as people complain about their office chairs and I share that I absolutely love mine. My Tempur-Pedic chair with the new seat cover. It feels good as new. Recently however, as with any material, the chair started to have some peeling issues on the outer covering (I don't think it's leather, but it gives the leather feel). I reached out to Tempur-Pedic and they put me in touch with the company, Raynor Group that licenses the manufacturing of their chairs (Tempur-Pedic focuses on beds which will be another post at a future date). Working with the Raynor Group was just phenomenal. It's took us awhile for them to help me as I had pulled the tags off and didn't have any documentation. They asked for pictures and then a few days later, I got a message that even though the product was out of warranty, they were going to replace the bottom portion of the chair for me at no charge. Sometimes it's the product that makes the sensory experience. In this case, it was both the product and the company behind it that elevated the sensory experience. They earned a customer for life...and an advocate that wrote about their Tempur-Pedic Office Chair too! Frequently Asked Questions Is the Raynor Group owned by Tempur-Pedic? Yes, Tempur-Pedic does license their technology to the Raynor Group so they can manufacture and sell Tempur-Pedic chairs? Are the Raynor Group Tempur-Pedic chairs the same technology as the beds? Yes, Raynor Group uses the same Tempur-Pedic technology as in the beds and other products made specifically by Tempur-Pedic. Would you buy another Tempur-Pedic chair? Absolutely. We have lots of Tempur-Pedic products including our bed, pillows, and my office chair. Start Your Own Home Office Chair Sensory Experience If you’re curious to start your home office chair sensory experience, I’ve listed my the most similar product from mine (as mine is about 10 years old). Give one 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.

2025 Sensory Product of the Year I started exploring Italian Olive Oils from a struggle to find a good balsamic vinegar. The short version is I spoke with Louie from Extra Virgin Olio by Madge & Louie, a United States based importer of Italian Olive Oils and Vinegars. "I am beyond excited to share this TESORO Olive Oil review and announce that it was named Rooted & Refined Living's 2025 Sensory Experience 2025 Product of the Year". Olive tree from the FEUDO DISISA estate. Through that conversation, he turned me on to a world of Italian Olive Oils that made everything taste better. The full story can be read at Italian Olive Oil Review: The Peppery Difference. During the last few years, I tried many fantastic Italian Olive Oils from Madge and Louie's. The one that stood above the rest was TESORO. The Sicilian based FEDUO DISISA, which also has a line of award-winning wines, has something really special with TESORO and offers an unparalleled sensory experience. The first thing that you come in contact with is the sleek and elegant look of the black bottle with the gold lettering, giving it a premium feel. The taste is a smooth, complex flavor, with hints of artichoke, and a peppery finish. TESORO also has a great pairing versatility with pastas, caprese, meats and fish. The Rooted & Refined Living Standard: "Unlike traditional review sites, my selection process for Product of the Year involves personal use of multiple Italian olive oils for 5 years of daily use. My family and I personally use TESORO on pastas, meats, caprese and my favorite, bread dipping. This award is a view into what we use at the Fiore dinner table." TESORO embodies what we strive for at Rooted & Refined Living. In a world increasingly shaped by technology and AI, people are craving more sensory based experiences. Also, for those in the US, I highly recommend reaching out to Louie to change the way you experience olive oils and if you are ever in Sicily, visit FEUDO DISISA for some olive oil and wine tasting. In fact, Louie, and his wife Tina may also offer Olive Oil tours in Italy and you may just get to stop by FEUDO DISISA! As a point of reflection, I have been writing about products that elevate your sensory experience for the last 6 months. To date, I have published 10 stories, based on all products I personally use and love. All of these products are amazing in their own right. As I was deciding on the Product of the Year, TESORO stood out based on how it helped elevate our cooking experience across so many dishes including pastas, caprese, steaks and fish, just to name a few. Buon appetito! Congrats again to FEUDO DISISA! ---------------------------- Selection Process Transparency: FEUDO DISISA and Extra Virgin Olio by Madge & Louie did not have any input in this decision, nor was I compensated for this award selection. As shared on previous posts, some of the links 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.

This story isn't for everyone, especially if you live in a warm weather climate like my friend Bob. Actually, I may be wrong. If you live in a warm weather location but travel periodically to a cold weather destination like New England or anywhere in a northern climate, this Cotopaxi Fuego Review may actually be for you as well. Me with my Cotopaxi Fuego winter jacket For clarification, I am going to use the word coat and jacket interchangeably. I did research and there is a general difference (jackets are shorter and typically lighter weight), but it's not relevant to this story. When I was a kid, I probably had one or two jackets/coats at most. One was a lightweight jacket for the fall and then a heavy coat for the winter. Then everything changed when I got married. Mary Beth's family, specifically her mother, loved coats. That also meant Mary Beth loved coats too and my closet of two was just not going to cut it. Over the years, I think I have had every type of jacket and coat you can imagine. For purposes of this story, the focus will be on the winter coats. I had a trench coat and raincoat for work as that is what you did when you went into New York City for work in the winter. I also had a ski jacket which was big, puffy, and bulky. The Rooted & Refined Living Expert Tip: "When the snow begins to fall, step outside and close your eyes. Listen to the silence, as each individual snowflake insulating the world around you. Breathe deep, letting the cold air and stillness ground you." As time went on, more and more jackets and coats filled our closets. I now have lightweight jackets for fall, rain, wind, and coats for cold, really cold, and really, really cold weather. A few years ago, I did donate my trench coat and raincoat as I just wasn't wearing them anymore (they also felt a bit old as felt like I was living in the 1960's on the show Mad Men). Last year, I wanted to update my outerwear a bit and find a jacket that was warm and lightweight. The technology has improved over the years where I don't need to have a big heavy ski jacket but a nice looking lightweight down jacket. Basically, I wanted to feel like I was a part of this century. Cotopaxi Fuego Review I went shopping to try a bunch of brands on. I think I tried them all and found that the Cotopaxi Fuego Down Hooded Jacket was the right one for me. Outside of the jacket itself, I found that Cotopaxi's core values of sustainability were impressive. As well, they make sure their clothing factories adhere to the UN Global Compact and Principles of Responsible Business. As a disclaimer, Cotopaxi is not a small business but is on the smaller side of some of the more popular outerwear brands. Me again with my Cotopaxi Fuego jacket The jacket I picked is very comfortable, lightweight, and stylish. What more can you ask for. The thing I love most is its comfort and lightweight design and it is very warm for those cold Boston winter days. Lastly, if you didn't know, Cotopaxi (koh-toh-PAHK-see) is one of the world's highest active volcanoes, located in Ecuador. If you are interested in discovering what Cotopaxi has to offer, check out the links below. 2 Month Update During a recent trip to North Conway, New Hampshire, the temperature was negative 2 degrees with a windchill of negative 15 degrees. Mary Beth, Michael, and I took a trip up the Cog Railway, which is the only railroad in the world that goes straight up the mountain. During the winter, it only goes up part way Mount Washington (during the summer it goes to the summit). It was so cold that Michael’s hot chocolate froze. Mount Washington, NH, which is known as having the worst weather in the world. For example, around 100 days per year, the summit gets hurricane force winds and has a record wind chill of -108 degrees Fahrenheit. The amazing thing about this photo is the entire area got 2 feet of snow the week prior but the only real snow you can see is on Mount Washington. I learned two things during this trip, both being in town and on Mount Washington. First my Cotopaxi Fuego jacket was perfect. It kept me very warm and was very lightweight as I shared in my original writing above. Second, I realized the hat I was wearing was just not sufficient. Following the trip, we went to visit a few outdoor stores, and I went searching for a beanie. I looked at all of them across multiple stores. I felt them for thickness, material feel, and the band strength (basically is it going to stretch out). I was excited to find that the Cotopaxi Alto Beanie met all my criteria. I was really excited after trying it on that it actually kept my ears warm with a combination of the material and the band strength, giving a nice snug feeling. I wore it for the rest of the weekend, and it will now be my first choice for these cold New England days. The only thing that would have made this experience better is to have cooked some French Toast with some Vermont Maple Syrup! Frequently Asked Questions What is the Cotopaxi Fuego jacket filled with? It is made with Insulation: 800-fill down from responsible sources according to Cotopaxi's website. How lightweight is the jacket? Honestly, it doesn't even feel like I am wearing a jacket at all as it feels like it weighs only a few ounces. How did the Cotopaxi Fuego jacket hold up in the harsh cold winters? I wore the jacket up Mount Washington, in New Hampshire in -15 degree wind chill and I was toasty warm. It blocked out both the wind and the cold. Start Your Own Down Jacket (and Beanie) Sensory Experience If you’re curious to start your own Cotopaxi Fuego Down Hooded Jacket and Beanie Sensory Experience, I’ve shared my current purchases 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.

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.

First week of the kitchen flood after they took out the bottom cabinets, and the floor. Notice they also took out a big piece of plywood due to mold we had. You could see directly into our basement. Cover photo by Fred Kleber It was about 5:00 am one morning about 10 years ago, which was roughly 7 years before we ultimately purchased our Boll & Branch Towels. Our son Michael at the time liked to get up really early for school. He started to head downstairs and heard something. He came in and thought he heard a gas leak. It was loud and constant. Mary Beth and I walked downstairs fortunately to find out it wasn't a gas leak, but it was a dishwasher pipe that burst and flooded our kitchen. The water was gushing from the pipe. I immediately went downstairs to the basement and shut off the main water supply. We quickly assessed the damage and started to try to move things in the main floor and our basement that were going to be or had been affected. My office was directly below the kitchen but honestly, we didn't have too many physical possessions that were going to be damaged. The Rooted & Refined Living Expert Tip: "Wrap the towel around you and close your eyes. Feel the ultra-soft cotton lock in warmth, providing instant peace. Take a deep breath, letting the sensation transport your mind and body to a luxury spa elevating your sensory experience." We then called the insurance company who called a water remediation company. They sent over 11 people the first day and had 24 dehumidifiers going. Then next day they sent 10 people, tearing up our house piece by piece. Each day for the next 7 days, we had people at our house pulling things up like rugs, floors, kitchen cabinets, and walls. They were also removing some items like my office desk and chair that got ruined in the flood. Emma testing out our new kitchen cabinets During the process, we started to clean out our front hall closet as we were going to get our floor replaced. During that time, we noticed water in the outside wall. This had nothing to do with the original water issue, but it was current and we filed a second claim with the insurance company. This second claim was from water damage originating from Matthew's bedroom. As they started to pull out the walls, they tore up the rugs too. Because our rugs were the same across the upstairs, we were able to get all new rugs across the entire upstairs. But that meant one thing, every room in our house, with the exception of the 2 upstairs bathrooms and a 3-season porch we had was torn apart. We had boxes of stuff everywhere we could find an available spot. It was organized chaos everywhere. The biggest challenge we had was we didn't have a kitchen for 4 months as we had to file and settle on the insurance claim, find a contractor, wait for the contractor to start, wait for the new kitchen cabinets to come in, etc. This definitely tested the patience we had as a family, but we made it through. At the end of the 5 months when everything was done, we had a new kitchen, new floors, and new rugs in every room in our house, except for the 3 rooms mentioned earlier. The few months of paid basically gave us a brand-new house. Photo of our shower with a hanging towel However, with this brand-new house, we had the two bathrooms that were old and we never liked to begin with. So, a few years later, and after a few larger commission checks, we saved up some money and decided to redo both bathrooms. This is actually the point of the story. After redoing our bathrooms, where we focused on going a bit upscale, we needed bath towels to match. Basically, we were looking for the feeling of a bath towel you would get at a high-end hotel. After much research, we upgraded. As with many of you, we didn't start out with upgraded towels. We are on our 4th iteration of towels in 26 years, and these are by far the best. Boll & Branch Towels We now use towels from Boll & Branch. We ordered bath towels, a hand towels, and washcloths. It has been about 4 years since we have been using our towels, and they still feel as soft as they did when we first bought them. Also, for complete honesty, we only ordered the towels for Mary Beth and me. The kids got their towels from Target. Photo of our Boll & Branch towels To give you an idea on how these towels have held up, I always fill the washcloth with water and wash my face with it each morning. By cupping my hands, the towel can hold the water for about 10 seconds. Compare that to the ultra-thin washcloths you sometimes get at a hotel that don't hold any water at all, it is a night and day difference. If you are ready to wrap yourself in a soft, ultra comfortable towel that will last for years, and use it to dry your face with a spa like sensory experience, I highly recommend Boll & Branch. They also have bedding, pillows, and other items that we have yet to explore but I am positive it will give you the same luxury experience. After you wrap yourself in luxury, head to the kitchen and make yourself a smoothie and don't turn on the news to help create a more meditative experience. Are you ready to upgrade to a spa like experience in your own home? Frequently Asked Questions How often do you wash your towels? We have 4 bath towels (Boll & Branch calls them Bath Sheets), 4 hand towels, and 16 washcloths between the two of us. We typically wash our towels once every 3-4 days and after 4 years, they are still good as new. Does Boll & Branch sell other items, and have you tried them? Yes, Boll & Branch sells sheets, bedding, pillows, and even pajamas. We have not yet tried any of their other products, but when we are in the market, I will be sure to give them a try. Does Boll & Branch towels really give a spa like feeling? Yes, every time I use one of the towels, which is every day, I feel like I am transported to a spa. Start Your Own Luxury Towel Sensory Experience If you’re curious to start your own Boll & Branch Luxury Towel Sensory Experience, I’ve listed my specific towel set 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.

French Toast with sourdough bread from Bread Guys Breads using local eggs and Royal Cinnamon from Burlap & Barrel Mary Beth and I registered for our wedding 29 years ago. Surprisingly, we were getting instructed by my New York/New Jersey Italian family that we weren't putting enough expensive things on the registry (and we were nowhere near thinking about doing an All-Clad Copper Core Review at that time). The reality was, we were being practical and honestly, didn't know the value between most of the expensive items vs. the less expensive items. Mary Beth and I registered for our wedding 29 years ago. Surprisingly, we were getting instructed by my New York/New Jersey Italian family that we weren't putting enough expensive things on the registry. "All things being equal, my French Toast tasted better when I cooked it on my All-Clad pan. But more on that in a bit". The reality was, we were being practical and honestly, didn't know the value between most of the expensive items vs. the less expensive items (and nowhere near thinking about doing an All-Clad Copper Core Review). To us at the then age of 22, our $100 set of 10 pots and pans selection was more than sufficient. This cookware cooked the food the same way an expensive pot would (or we naively thought). Plus, how cool was it that we had 10 different sized pots and pans!. To us at the then age of 22, our $100 set of 10 pots and pans selection was more than sufficient. This cookware cooked the food the same way an expensive pot would (or we naively thought). Plus, how cool was it that we had 10 different sized pots and pans! For years, these pans worked just fine for what we were doing. We cooked and the food tasted good. As we got older and we would window shop at the retail stores. We always thought it would be cool to get the really nice sets but didn't think much of it. We had other priorities like paying for diapers when the kids were little. Extras and nice to haves were put on the back burner (no pun intended). The Rooted & Refined Living Expert Tip: "To prevent your food from sticking, let the water dance. Heat the pan up slowly on a low setting. After a few minutes, the pan will experience the Leidenfrost Effect. Drop a few beads of water and watch them glide across the pan like an elegant dancer. Once this happens, it's time to add your first ingredient." There was a point in time when we did upgrade but it was based on a sales contest my company was running, and I got to choose from a selection of products. We did upgrade and most of our original pots and pans got relegated to a box in the basement for when the kids got older (which Michael is now using now in college). Even with the nicer set, I always wanted the best pots and pans, and that was All-Clad. They were the featured products in all of the nice stores we went to visit and as we got older, some of our friends had them as well. As I learned over time, if you enjoy cooking, having a great set of pots and pans is just as important as a few other key items like your kitchen knife and your butcher block. All-Clad Copper Core Review So, after lots of research, I opted to purchase from All-Clad but even then, there were so many options. For my review, I chose for the All-Clad Copper Core set, but there was a learning curve. Unless you are cooking with a liquid, like boiling water, they recommendation is to heat up the pans on a low temperature and only increase it to medium on occasion. Most of your cooking is between the 3 and 4 range (out of 10) on the stove. I believe this is for most pans, but these were specific rules for cooking with the Copper Core set. Over time, we did augment our original set with two non-stick Copper Core pans for cooking eggs and other items that are a bit easier with the non-stick. I know you can cook eggs on a traditional pan, but we haven't perfected it, and I have ruined too many eggs trying. 5 of the 10 All-Clad pans that came in our set. We have had our pans for about 3 years now and I can share with you that this was well worth the investment. As a point of reference, as you may see, All-Clad is not manufactured by a small company or individual like the rest of my product recommendations. However, to elevate your sensory experience, I highly recommend them. Separately, if you are the type of person who wants the best of the best, check out this site from Duparquet Cookware. These are all handmade silver pots with one of them going for as much as $16,000. I saw him featured on a local tv program and was fascinated. I unfortunately don't have that much cash lying around to buy one! Frequently Asked Questions Should you wash your All-Clad Copper Core cookware while it is still hot? No, adding water, especially cold water will warp the pans. Unfortunately, our largest 12in pan is slightly warped. That means when we go to fry something, the oil all moves to the edges with nothing in the middle. This is the reason why you want to let your pans cool before cleaning. What is the best way to clean your pans, especially if there is food that is stuck? The easiest way is to wait for the pan or pot to cool, soak it in water for 10 minutes and then clean. The food will most likely just fall off the pan making for cooking easy. When is the best time to flip meat when you are cooking on the All-Clad Copper Core cookware? There will be a point when you are cooking meat where the meat automatically separates from the pan. You can test this by just poking it with a utensil and if it easily moves, you can flip. If it's still sticking to the pan, it is not ready to flip. Start Your Own All-Clad Cookware Sensory Experience If you’re curious to start your own All-Clad Cookware sensory experience, I’ve listed my current set. 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.

My Shun bread knife with Italian Olive Oil and local bread from Bread Guy Breads on the Boos Block cutting board Cover photo by Rodolfo Marques Now, before you say that I am crazy for recommending a bread knife that retails for more than you would expect to pay, let me tell you that it is amazing. I love bread and I hope you will love your Shun Bread Knife just as much as I do. That should be the end of the story but there is more. I have always loved bread, and I assume most people are like me. You grew up on bread and now that you are an adult, you are always in search of a great loaf of bread. Whether it is for bread dipping, your favorite sandwich, or an accompaniment to your favorite pasta dish, a good loaf of bread makes everything better. Here was my problem. Up until recently, I had a few bread knives in my butcher block, purchased from somewhere, sometime ago. Honestly, I never gave it much thought and just accepted the fact that when I cut into my bread, it would smush and make a big mess. My family would make comments that they had big hand divots in their bread, and it sometimes would lose its desirability. The Rooted & Refined Living Expert Tip: "Less is more when using a high-end bread knife. Focus on a slow gliding motion. Feeling the steel cut the bread like warm butter will elevate your sensory experience, just like the baker intended." I also recently purchased a chef’s knife after years of not liking the one I had but the new one I bought is just ok and not one that I would recommend (full disclosure, it was not a Shun Cutlery knife). Mary Beth and the kids encouraged me to start researching for a new bread knife, so I dug a little deeper into my search trying to find the best one out there. After cross referencing a few bread knife product recommendation sites, Shun kept coming up and specifically, this high-end version. I was initially impressed by their website and craftsmanship but as with any knife, it’s a very personal experience. I took a big chance on buying a bread knife knowing that it may fall flat just like my chef’s knife. After the unboxing, I had to jump in the car and drive to my local baker, Bread Guy Breads to purchase a loaf of bread so we could try it out. Bread Guy Breads is a success story all by itself as the founder and owner, Chuck Brown, is a retired school principal. During the pandemic, he started making bread out of his house and delivering it to a few people. It started to quickly take off, and he opened up a retail store in town and is the biggest hit each week during the local farmer’s market. Shun Bread Knife Review: Is the expense really worth it? Drum roll…..It cut the bread like I was cutting through melted butter. The effortlessness of each stroke gave me goose bumps. I then started to play around with the knife to see how thin I could cut the bread, similar to those in those fancy chef videos you see on YouTube. I was so impressed. Shun Premier 9" Bread Knife with Italian Bread on a Boos Block Cutting Board The other thing that I found fascinating is the knife itself doesn't look sharp. You can run your finger lightly across the blade and not get cut. Well, not get cut if you don't continually do it for a few minutes. I finally said ouch and got what was the equivalent to a small paper cut. I learned my lesson just like my parents taught me as a kid... don't play with knives! At some point, I will be passing my chef’s knife onto my kids as they move out and will be looking to buy another Shun product to add to my collection. Happy cutting and don't forget to pair your favorite bread with the olive oil and vinegar from Madge and Louie's with your new cutting board from Boos Block. Frequently Asked Questions Should you wash your Shun Bread knife in the dishwasher? It is not recommended to was your knifes in the dishwasher. We hand wash and dry our Shun Bread knife and store it in a knife block. Can you hand sharpen your Shun Bread knife? No. I remember reading when I unboxed my Shun Bread knife that they mentioned if it did need sharpening, to send the knife back to them. So far, we have owned the knife for about a year, and it is still as good as when it started, cutting through bread like it is warm butter. How often do you buy bread at Bread Guy Breads in Grafton, MA? We go about once per week, usually buying a sourdough loaf, and not having them slice it so we can use our Shun Premier Bread Knife. We also love their chocolate honey bread, and cinnamon swirl bread, and pretty much everything else as well. It's also hard going into the bakery planning to buy an $8 loaf of sourdough and then spending $50 because everything smells and tastes so good. During the summers, we often visit Bread Guy Breads at the Grafton Farmers Market. Start Your Own Bread Knife Sensory Experience If you’re curious to start your own bread knife Sensory Experience, I’ve listed my favorite Bread Knife 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.

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 elegant 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.

Cover photo by Joanna Kosinska *There is a special discount code at the end of this story* The Search for Better Olive Oil My visit with Louie and Tina at their house. I learned about how they got started on this olive oil journey. Turns out as I was writing this and pulling the links to from the website, I just placed an order for the Tesoro Italian Olive Oil. I had to wait 9 months as the farm had issues with shipping internationally. Now that it is back in stock, it will be in my pantry within the week! My journey to get to these high quality, Italian olive oils didn’t come overnight. This was a long process where I didn’t realize what I was missing until we found Madge & Louie’s. The Tesoro olive oil was the best I ever had. The bottle to the right is an organic version from the same producer. Like many of you, I started out with the olive oil and vinegars that were in the local supermarket and then would buy in bulk when we went to the local wholesale club. From there, we started purchasing olive oil and vinegars from those specialty stores that pop up in the highly popular tourist areas, which for me was in Boston and Newport, RI. Over time, while we were seemingly happy with the olive oils, the vinegars just didn’t taste like what we would get in a nice restaurant. The Love of Italian Olive Oil One day a few years back, we participated in a virtual pasta making class from a great local Italian restaurant in the Worcester, MA area called Volturno. As a part of the pasta we picked up, they shared a small sample of some olive oil. We loved their food (they were the first pizzeria in Massachusetts certified by the Associazione Vera Pizza Napoletana and I figured they had to use some quality ingredients to make the food that good. I decided to give them a call, and they put me in touch with Louie. The Rooted & Refined Living Expert Tip: "Embrace the peppery finish. Take a moment to drink a small amount of the olive oil by itself. That distinct sensation at the back of your throat is sensory proof that you are tasting authentic, high-quality olive oil." Here is where it got interesting. I sent Louie an email asking for a vinegar recommendation and he asked for my phone number to give me a call. From there, we spoke for about 30 minutes with him asking me all sorts of questions around what I was using it for (ie. cooking, salads, bread dipping). We also talked a lot about olive oils during the conversation with Louie asking me questions which led to me buying a few. In addition, Louie also sent me a bunch of small samples to try. This olive oil changed my life in so many ways from feeling better to being the basis for my TEDx Talk. During the conversation, we also spoke about the benefits of olive oil, specifically some of the olive oils that have a very high polyphenol count like Azienda Agricola Le Tre Colonne 1000+ Olisir. While I am not a medical doctor and would encourage you to do your own research, polyphenols help reduce inflammation in the body. This led me to ultimately give it a try. Taking a tablespoon a day, I felt about 10 years younger in about 2 weeks as my body felt so much looser. I even did a TEDx Talk on it called How Drinking Olive Oil and Curiosity Changed My Life. Meeting Louie and Tina Yesterday (at least at the time of writing this), I had a unique opportunity to meet Louie and his wife, Tina. Tina and Louie run the importing, and Johnny Madge finds the farms/producers. Louie and Tina live about an hour away and I made a special visit to meet them. They were nice enough to have me visit them at their house, which is where they run the business. It was so much fun. I was like a kid in a candy store. Getting to meet Louie and Tina and learn a bit more about their business, how they got started, and even sampling some of their vinegars was a treat to say the least. What a perfect way to end the story with some Italian olive oil for dipping! We first had a tour of the operation. The olive oil is stored in a special temperature-controlled room in the basement with dehumidifiers running constantly. Louie also shared details like purchasing high quality shipping boxes to ensure the product is delivered without damage. Picture of our vinegar tasting in Louie and Tina's house. My favorite was Caterina Balsamic Vinegar. We then walked upstairs to his kitchen where we talked about how they got started. They were on their honeymoon in Italy and the local Innkeeper shared that they should go down to the local olive oil and wine bar run by Johnny Madge. It was at this point in time when the business idea struck and two years later, they were in business. Johnny himself recently got married and moved to Spain where he opened an olive oil and wine bar in Valencia, Spain. He now operates "day" tours in Spain and continues to do week-long tours with Tina and Louie when "Madge and Louie’s" hit the road "off the beaten path" to various locations throughout Italy. Johnny Madge Farm2Table Tours Italy (TripAdvisor). Louie and Tina then offered to do a vinegar tasting with some samples they received from one of their vendors, plus a few of the vinegars I was familiar with and purchased before. After tasting 7 different vinegars, I am happy to say I really liked the one I currently use, Caterina Balsamic Vinegar. The great thing about tasting good quality vinegar is that it doesn’t make your head spin around from the bite. These vinegars are smooth and were very enjoyable. Me holding a bottle of my favorite olive oil, Tesoro, along with wine, Vuaria, from the same producer, FEUDO DISISA Circling back to the Tesoro olive oil. Louie shared with me that the same producer makes wine as well. Once I try it and if it’s as good as I hope, I will share a story on that as well. Elevating Everyday Cooking Fast forward to today, I have a pantry full of these olive oils and vinegars, and it elevated our cooking, salads, and bread dipping. My wife shared with me that this was her favorite of all my purchases. It’s also probably the one that I have spent the most money on since we started a few years ago. And do yourself a favor, ask Louie for some product recommendations. Hope you enjoy it as much as we do! 6 Month Update Since initially writing this post, as well as Josephinenhütte Hand Blown Wine Glasses: Review and Sensory Experience, I found that my favorite Olive Oil, Tesoro, which is from FUEDO DISISA in Sicily, Italy, also has a corresponding set of wines, of which I found one of them in my local wine shop (and just got a bottle from my mom for my birthday)! Frequently Asked Questions Are Italian Olive Oils worth it? Absolutely! Especially ones that have been hand selected. As with any farm based product, selecting one from a small producer will create some much more complexity to the flavor of the olive oil, and in turn, the recipe you are making. Do you have a favorite Olive Oil for bread dipping? Yes, TESORO by FEUDO DISISA is by far the best. It has a complexity of flavor that doesn't require any spices to be added like most olive oils. Just dip, taste, and close your eyes to elevate your sensory experience. Where can I purchase the best Italian Olive Oils and Vinegars? I highly recommend Extra Virgin Olio by Madge and Louie's. Madge is an expert in the selection of the Olive Oils and Vinegars and Louie is the local US distributor. Louie can recommend the right product based on your needs. Does a good Olive Oil have a peppery finish Yes, A good olive oil, particularly an extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), has a peppery finish due to the presence of oleocanthal, a natural phenolic compound found in the olive fruit juice. This finish is an easy way to determine the quality of the olive oil. Start Your Own Olive Oil and Vinegar Sensory Experience If you’re curious to start your own Olive Oil and Vinegar sensory experience, I’ve listed my favorites below. Give a few 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.

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.

Me enjoying a glass of Cabernet with the Josephinenhütte No 3 Glass Cover photo by David Kohler Childhood Memories: Glass Blowing and a Jug of Wine When I was a kid growing up, my best friend, Paul, lived a few houses up from me. Each Christmas, he had a real tree with all hand-blown ornaments in different colors. His Uncle Lennie was a glass blower and made them enough balls to fill the tree and it looked amazing, like a picture from a lifestyle magazine. Fast forward to just 18 months ago, I was in search of finding something special for our 26th wedding anniversary and found a gift rooted in that same craftmanship. That deep appreciation for the art, coupled with the elevated sensory experience is what led to this Josephinenhütte hand blown wine glasses review, but I will get back to the glass blowing in a bit. Just about the same time as my memory serves me about the glass blown Christmas balls, I also have a recollection of going to my grandparents’ house. During those visits, we would sit around the kitchen table, and my grandfather would take out the $2 gallon jug of wine and would pour a glass for every adult. I never remember trying it, but I do remember it smelled awful, not just because I was a kid, but because I think it smelled like vinegar. Our Journey into Wine Fast forward a bunch of years. My wife and I were married in our mid 20’s and we started drinking red wine. We started drinking wine pretty much by default at functions because neither of us really liked hard liquor or beer. For the next 25 years, we slowly started to improve our taste in wine. Unlike a future post where I mention I am a pizza snob; I am nowhere near self-proclaiming myself as a wine snob. The Rooted & Refined Living Expert Tip: "The Josephinenhütte glass is a work of art. Feel the glass and give it a light ping and notice the pure instrumental note. Notice the kink in the glass. Don't just smell the wine, follow the aromas releasing the hidden notes. Slowly savor the taste, taking a moment of serenity, elevating your sensory experience the way the winemaker intended." Paul read my post and mailed me one of his Uncle Lennie's glass blown Christmas balls. In time, we started to become more interested in wine, being able to tell at least a good wine from a bad wine, and over time, being able to pick up some of the tasting notes for each wine. We went to a few local wineries and started to learn about the growing of the grapes and how even slightly different elevations can make a difference in the taste of the grapes. In two weeks, we are going to the local winery to pick the grapes off of the vines and then taste the same wine. There is so much to learn about wine, and we are by no means experts. About 10 years ago, we bought ourselves a nicer set of wine glasses but nothing out of the ordinary by any means. It probably came from Target or Bed Bath and Beyond. My wife and I both like Cabernet and the wine glasses we purchases were specific to a Cabernet where you could swirl the wine to open it up. I then learned about an aerator and a decanter, both making significant differences in the taste of the wine for the better. This is my wine glass for my side of the couch About a year ago, I had a recollection of a memory from a former colleague who mentioned he traveled with his own very expensive wine glass. I thought he was crazy at the time (but now can appreciate his passion). That got me thinking about doing some research for an upgraded wine glass. As with all of my product research process, I search through multiple product recommendation sites to find some commonality. You have to dig through the ones that just pull from someone else’s site but through lots of time, you can pull out the ones that keep coming up. Hand Blown Wine Glasses This is where the hand-blown (yes, you read that correctly) wine glasses from Josephinenhütte kept coming to the top of the list. After seeing the reviews and then reading more on the website, I was sold. I purchased two Josephine N° 3 glasses for our 26th wedding anniversary and the experience is no less than amazing. So much of the experience in drinking wine is the smell and these wine glasses deliver. There are two aspects between the shape of the glass itself where the smell is captured by the curved shape but there is also the break towards the bottom of the glass that does a phenomenon job in opening up the wine. Our Josephinehutte No 3 Hand Blown wine glasses on our kitchen table overlooking the trees in the background. As I was reading before our purchase, one comment that stuck with me is that these glasses will even make a not-so-great wine taste good…and its true. We even did a taste test with the original glasses and the Josephinenhütte glasses and there is no comparison. Small Details, Big Experience This next part is important. Because the glasses are hand blown, they are thin, and therefore delicate. This means extra special care when in use. It also means my wife won’t let me wash the glasses (partly because of how thin and breakable they are but also because I never did a great job washing the wine glasses). My job is to dry them with the Linen Cloth & Brush Care Set they offer (I have not used the paint brush to dry the very minor spots it comes with). Future purchases (someday) are the Josephine N° 7 Decanter and while I never think I will purchase it, the Josephine N° 5 Water glass. It is really hard to justify a $50 water glass, but I have a really strong feeling that the water will taste 100 times better. I haven’t done any research on it as of yet but if I ever buy it, I will be sure to write about it. Also, there may be a future post about Tequila from a friend of mine, and I am sure the Josephine N° 10 Eau de Vie glasses will make it taste amazing. Me holding a bottle of my favorite olive oil, Tesoro, along with wine, Vuaria, from the same producer, FEUDO DISISA If you want to elevate your wine experience, I highly recommend the Josephinenhütte wine glasses. It will give you the sensory experience of dining at a MICHELIN star restaurant in the comfort of your own home. I would love to learn about your wine glass experience or if you have a favorite small farm or family-owned wine that you are in love with. Cheers! 6 Month Update Since initially writing this post, as well as Italian Olive Oil Review: The Peppery Difference, I found that my favorite Olive Oil, Tesoro, which is from FUEDO DISISA in Sicily, Italy, also has a corresponding set of wines, of which I found one of them, Vuaria, in my local wine shop. Frequently Asked Questions Are Josephinenhütte hand-blown wine glasses worth it? Absolutely! Drinking wine is all about the experience. When you start with a hand-blown wine glass, there is an immediate connection to the glass as it has been made with the love and care of the glass blower, not mass produced. Pair that with your favorite wine from a local producer, and you have elevated your sensory experience. How do you care for your Josephinenhütte wine glasses? We hand wash the glasses with soap and a dish towel, and then hand dry them with the Josephinenhütte Linen Cloth and Brush set. What is your favorite wine to pair with Josephinenhütte hand blown wine glasses? We love drinking wine from small wine producers for the same reason as selecting Josephinenhütte, it is made with the love and care of an individual. We often buy wines based on the recommendations of Simone Linsin, who owns Pecorino Cheese Shop and Fine Wines in Grafton, MA. Her selection is based on all small wineries, mainly from Italy and France. Start Your Own Wine Glass Sensory Experience If you’re curious to start your own wine glass sensory experience, I’ve listed my favorite glasses (as well as a few aspirational ones) below. Give one 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. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: This post reflects my personal productivity routine and is for informational purposes only. It is not intended as medical advice. Always consult with a professional before making significant changes to your diet or health routine. This story is a bit like creating a LEGO set as every topic was a building block for the next to ultimately build high-performance productivity. It started with many of the topics I shared previously such as Blue Zone Inspired Smoothie with Black Beans and Garbanzo. From those building blocks, I shared my TEDx Talk, wrote some LinkedIn posts, and then created a Udemy course. This is the story of how I decided to create my Udemy course. A few years ago, I had two overlapping jobs at the company I was working for. I had just started a role in January and in June, I took on a different role, but I couldn't fully exit the first role until they hired my replacement. This lasted until the end of the year. 5:10 am sunrise on Cadillac Mountain on Acadia National Park, Maine (which is just outside of Bar Harbor). The air was crisp in the July morning. Following the sunrise, Mary Beth and I headed into town and had a delicious pancake breakfast with Maine maple syrup. It was the busiest I had ever been in my career. As I had time to reflect following the turn of the next year, I realized I was highly productive, keeping the same pace and productivity all day long, regardless of if it was 8:00 am, 1:00 pm, or 6:00 pm. This pace and productivity didn't just last one day or one week, but for months. I wasn't tired nor was I burned out, two things I unfortunately had experienced in the past. The Rooted & Refined Living Expert Tip: "Reclaim your childhood sense of freedom when you leave your phone behind to jump into the water." At the same time of this reflection, my alma mater, Bryant University had just sent out applications for its TEDxBryantU program, with the theme being Reboot x Refresh. I always thought it would be great to share some of the building blocks that allowed me to reach this sustained productivity and participating as a TEDx speaker would be very cool to be a part of. After being accepted to speak, I spent months curating the right message and then working on my speech. The topics I cover include sleep, taking vacations, managing distractions, and confidence. You can watch the TEDx Talk below. Hopefully from watching the talk, you can see that I have a passion for helping people and educating where I can, with the balance of not being too preachy, which I get sometimes with my immediate family. Following the TEDx Talk, I created a series of blog posts on LinkedIn on the same topics, and as it turns out, I found a love of writing which ultimately turned into this lifestyle blog website. As well, a few years ago I was an adjunct professor at Bryant University. I taught for 3 years and loved it, only having to give it up due to my travel schedule at the time. Sometime in the future, I hope to go back to it but in the meantime, I just spent the last semester as a student advisory to an International Business capstone course. That was a great experience as I got to help students without having to grade papers! Putting all of these topics together, with my personal experience in maintaining a high level of productivity, my TEDx Talk, the LinkedIn blog posts, and then the teaching experience, I thought it was time to create a course on Udemy, which is now merging with Coursera. Building this course offered another set of new challenges for me, everything from putting myself on camera, to building a course that would actually be helpful to others for them to buy. As I learned with this site, along with a few other prior not so successful ventures, marketing the offering is just as important as the content itself. For this course, I honestly didn't do a great job promoting it but do have 5 stars across a small number of people who have taken the course. The basis of the course is the following: Are you tired of feeling overwhelmed, exhausted, and stuck in a fog by 2 PM? Welcome to "Invest in Yourself," the practical guide to reclaiming your energy and elevating your performance. The goal is to Master Sleep, Hydration, and Focus to Eliminate Burnout and Achieve Peak Performance in Personal & Professional Life, to achieve high performance productivity. Here are some of my thoughts on each of the topics to achieve High Performance Productivity: How Quality Sleep Boosts Productivity and Performance We have all heard statements from experts as well as our parents, "you need 8 hours of sleep a night". I know some of you may require less but most of us need to be close to that 8-hour mark. However, as much as we hear the 8-hour target, do you invest in your sleep? You invest in other things like the stock market but what about investing in your sleep? Do you have a quality mattress, comfortable pillow and good sheets? Drink Water to Boost Energy, Focus, and Productivity For me, here is my approach (and I am better in the work week than the weekend). I drink a glass of water when I get up, 1 after my walk, 1 after a 15-minute calisthenic type exercise, 1 while making my tea, maybe a 1/2 during the 4 hours of work in the morning, 1 at lunch, maybe the other 1/2 during the afternoon, 2 at dinner and 1 while watching TV. I have also started putting some lemon in my water at times during the day which I enjoy. Finding Clarity Through Walking For as long as I can remember in my professional career, I would walk at least a few days a week before work. I do remember in my 30's though, there were some days when I just didn't feel like it and would wake up to a much longer hot shower than normal and bypass the walk. I thought it did the same thing, but I was wrong. When I walked, it was a brisk 15-minute pace around my neighborhood which consisted of a pretty big hill for half of the 3/4 mile (1.2 kilometer) trip providing me mental clarity and focus for the day. How Lighting Boosts Productivity and Focus I would encourage you to do your research (and there is a lot of it out there) on what the best lighting is for you. To help you get started, I will share what I did. When I started working in my home office, I always tried to sit facing the window. Unfortunately, the way my basement is set up, my window is underneath my porch and doesn't provide a lot of natural light. Couple that with all the trees in my backyard, it is not as bright as I would like it to be. As a result, I have to augment my office with my own lighting. I outfitted my 4 lights (2 overhead and 2 behind me on the wall) with the brightest "daylight" light I could find at the store. The Ten-Minute Phone Free Walk Practice How can we disconnect? First, you have to make the mental shift that the world is not going to come to an end if you are not connected to your phone. I know this is really, really, really hard but I am sure you already disconnect and don't even know it, maybe when you jumped in the pool or ocean this summer, or even the shower each day. We are all so protective of our phones, not just because of the need to be connected, but because they are so expensive and we don't want to get them ruined with water and thus, we willingly break the connection with the phone to go into the water. In the course, I teach you how to replicate that sense of freedom without needing a swimming pool! Start Your Own Personal Productivity Experience If you are ready to reclaim your focus, energy, and productivity, I would love for you to join me. Below are the details to get started. 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.