How I'm Satisfying My Wanderlust

All of you out there who're dying to get out of the house, but being cool and helping the many by staying home as much as humanly, I understand. I'm an introvert, so keeping to myself in the house isn't too terrible. The not traveling is harder, but I know after all this, I'll be out traveling and exploring again. For now, I'm doing little things to keep the sanity. 

Here are the two things that I find are helping me with travel withdrawals:

I still had some stuff up from my Scandinavian potluck, and it gave me an idea. I created a little London vignette to remind me that I've had the luck to travel well and that I've created amazing memories there. I purchased this Citygami book a while ago, but forgot about it until last week. I pulled it out and folded and tabbed and created this adorable London skyline.

Pull out some stuff you love from your travels, whether it's books or postcards or trinkets. Anything that reminds you of the fun times you had and that you'll have more in the future.

For this one, I added a Mr. Men book I found in a little bookshop in London, one of my favorite teacup sets that makes me think of the Portabello Road Market, and then printed out some fun maps. Get creative! It's not like you are doing much else, right?

The second thing I'm doing to enjoy some travel without leaving the house is rounding up all the awesome places that are doing virtual tours and putting a ton of artwork and performances and stuff online to entertain and distract people during this time. If you don't subscribe to my newsletter or follow me on Facebook, you missed it, but I sent out a pretty good list to my subscribers and have also been continuously adding links to my Facebook list to help others as well.  Visit museums, The Globe Theatre, National Parks, Zoos, and more. I can even visit the National Museum of Scotland again without getting stuck in the elevator. LOL!

How are you keeping sane during your time in Lockdown?

AeroPress Go Gives You Great Coffee Everywhere

In the early days of this blog, I reviewed the original AeroPress, as it was an innovative coffee making product that could be easily taken on your trips to make coffee like home. Since then, a majority of the coffee shops in Portland (and other places, I suspect) have at least one on-hand to make drinks. Now that more people than ever are choosing to travel with just a carry-on, that original AeroPress is a bit too large to take along when space is at a premium. Introducing AeroPress Go!

The AeroPress Go is as great as the original, but everything is compact enough to fit inside it's own coffee cup, which is pretty amazing. As a person who travels quite a lot and tends to stay in places that have terrible coffee makers or none at all, being able to get a good cup of coffee is very important to me. As much as I'd like to go to a coffee shop every day, it's not budget-friendly for me, and sometimes the only options are chains, which I don't prefer over locally-owned shops. 

An at-home latte I made with oat milk with my Go

With the AeroPress Go, I just need to heat up water and bring along my own coffee, which I normally do anyway. Even if I purchase some at my destination, that's still cheaper than going out every day. I can make a plain coffee, an espresso, or even mix it up by making a latte or similar. All in my pajamas if I want. 

The Go is super easy to use, and you can make up to 3 shots of espresso at a time in as long as it takes to heat up water, plus 1 minute or less to "brew". Set up is quick and you can make your coffee in 10 steps or less:

Step One:

Push the plunger entirely out of the chamber, because you need this space for the next steps.

Step Two: 

Put filter in filter cap.

Step Three:

Twist filter cap onto chamber.

Step Four:

Stand chamber on top of mug and pour one scoop of fine ground coffee inside. 

Step 5:

Shake to level your coffee grounds.

Step 6: 

Add hot water up to #1 on the chamber (for one cup of coffee/or espresso). If you're making cold brew (this does that!), you sub room temperature water instead.

Step 7:

Unfold the stirrer and stir for 10 seconds for hot brewing or one minute for cold brew. (You can also use this stirrer to level off your coffee in your scoop and even to mix your additions to your finished coffee.)

Step 8:

Insert the plunger and press down slowly until you feel resistance (why you reach the grounds). 

Step 9: 

Enjoy your coffee! Or add Step 10 to make a drink other than espresso.

• Espresso - drink as is.
• Americano - Add enough water to make an 8oz drink + desired cream and/or sugar.
• Latte - Add milk to make an 8oz drink.
• Cold brew - Add room temperature or ice water to make an 8oz drink.

Cleaning the Go is very easy as well. In fact, it's easier than making the coffee, if that's possible. You just remove the filter cap and tap out the filter (I tossed mine into my compost bin) and then push the plunger the rest of the way down to eject the used coffee grounds. If using at home, you can easily put into your compost or into a garden bed. Rinse the seal and the stirrer and you're done! 

I tried the coffee the Go made at the Travel Goods Show last month and found it delicious. It looked very easy. Believe it or not, I was able to get a great cup of coffee on my first try at home, too. That's almost never the case. If I can do this at home so well, I have high hopes for my travels, because I only have to worry about heating up water to use. In a pinch, you can use the microwave, but you can also use a tea kettle, the crummy coffee maker without coffee in it (I can't tell you how many I've used that do not brew well and/or somehow always end up getting the grounds into the carafe), or even a pot on the stove.

I can't wait to take this with me on my future travel, but it's also going to be a quick espresso maker for me as well. The Go comes with 350 filters, plus a little compact filter holder to take a stash with you when you travel. It keeps them dry and from getting crinkled up. 

Everything that comes with the AeroPress Go fits into the cup, which doubles as a case, and you receive a silicon cap that holds everything inside when you store it or pack it. It's very simple to put together and repack when you're done. I consider that a huge plus, because it sucks when you unpack a product and then it never goes back together after you use it. There's no chance of that here.

Who needs the AeroPress Go? 

• People who travel a lot and love coffee.
• People who RV or live in a small home and want to save space.
• People who backpack or camp and want an awesome cup of coffee without the cumbersome coffee percolator.
• College students in small dorm rooms.
• People who like to craft their usual coffee from home wherever they go.

That's not an entire list of those that can benefit from this amazing little maker. Mother's Day and Father's Day are coming up. Graduates will be going off into the world soon, too. It's a fantastic gift for everyone who likes coffee and will save them a ton of money and trips to the coffee shop. 

Other details:

Where can I buy it? On AeroPress website | On Amazon

How much is it? $31.95

Other specs: Mug with lid on top measures 5.3" x 3.9" x 3.9", 11.5 oz, 15 oz mug, 20 filter holder capacity.

If you like what AeroPress is doing, follow them on social media:

Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Make Quarantine a little more comforting with a coffee shop coffee at home! It's affordable and you don't have to leave home to get it...even if you want to. 

How do you like to drink your coffee?

Disclaimer: I was provided the AeroPress Go for the purposes of this review. All opinions are 100% my own. *This post contains an affiliate link. If you make a purchase through it, I will receive monetary compensation + you have my thanks and gratitude for helping me keep this blog going.

Travel, Sleep, or Live Better with SpectraSpray

I bet right now during these try times you're not taking the best care of yourself. There seem to be two types of people: Ones that stuff themselves with comfort food and ones that are starting a new diet and exercise program. I can count on one hand the people I know who are the second type. SpectraSpray is going to be your new best friend through Lockdown and after.

These vegan, organic, sugar-free, gluten-free, yeast-free, wheat-free, dye-free sprays come separately and in awesome kits to help you live your best life during travel and beyond.

I hate pills, especially vitamins, because a lot of them are a choking hazard. Like, why do they need to be SO big?! Also, a lot of vitamins don't give you the most benefits because they have to go through your digestive tract and half the nutrients get lost in the process. SpectraSpray makes vitamins that you spray into your mouth, where they get quickly absorbed and into your bloodstream.

If you're having problems sleeping right now (or any time), their Sleep Spray is a natural way to lull yourself into a deep sleep. It contains melatonin and herbs, all proven to support a restorative sleep. 

Need more energy to get stuff done? The B12 Energy Spray can give you that boost whenever you need it. 

Worry about health is big on everyone's mind at the moment. Immune Spray creates a barrier in your mouth to defend against bacteria and viruses. This is perfect for these uncertain times, but also when you're traveling to new places and are facing new germs and experiences where it's easy to get sick. 

Another big issue right now is added stress. A mix of B vitamins and herbs make the Stress Spray a good way to help you just relax and calm down when you feel like everything is too much. 

Now,  you can purchase these by themselves as single sprays or you can get them bundled like these below:

Travel kit gives you energy, restful sleep and immunity: 

Immune Spray | Sleep Spray | B12 Energy Spray

Stress Less kit allows you to sleep well and stay calm and focused:

Sleep Spray | Stress Spray

Jet Lag kit allows you to naturally fall asleep and then wake up with energy:

Sleep Spray | B12 Energy Spray

Stay Well kit gives your body the natural boost it needs to fight off sickness:

B12 Energy Spray | Immune Spray

I have the Jet Lag kit and these sprays work wonderful separately, but they're going to be great when I travel long distances as well. I always have trouble sleeping the first night I'm away from home. Eric has troubles sleeping almost always, so this is working wonders. When you're going more than you usually do it can be easy to lose steam some days. The B12 Spray is going to give me the extra I need to keep going without needing a nap. 

Not only are these sprays all natural, but they have the highest absorption rate, they can be used anywhere at any time, they're safe for everyone, are TSA-compliant, and they taste great! You can't say that about a lot of other vitamins, because they taste like they are good for you (meaning gross). These have a nice minty taste, but it doesn't linger, as it absorbs so quickly. So, if you don't love mint, know it's very slight and has no aftertaste.

They're easy to use, too! You spray them inside your mouth or on the inside of your cheek. Use 4-8 sprays as needed and then let it work its magic. 

More info:

Where can I buy them? Online at SpectraSpray's website

How much do they cost? $19.95+ | Jet Lag kit: $38.95

Other specs: Superior oral absorption; no binders, fillers or artificial ingredients; convenience and taste. No food or drink required. There is no sugar, starch, wheat, soy, eggs, salt or dairy. Made in the USA. SpectraSpray is a woman-owned small business. 

You'll find even more varieties online than what I've outlined above. These are just the best travel kits and individual sprays for your trips. You can also grab a CBD spray if you have a fear of flying, and hand sanitizer spray to keep you even healthier on your trips (or when you're going on essential business in town right now). Items are in stock and ready to ship to you.

These also make great gifts for people in your life. Maybe grab a pack of sanitizer spray for work, kids, or your mailman. Get a Stay Well pack for your mom or dad. Slip a Jet Lag kit in a gift bag for your graduate who's hoping to see the world. Because they're natural, organic, and free of allergens, they work for everyone you know.

Like what SpectraSpray is doing? Follow them on social media!

Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube

How do you keep traveling well on your trips?

Disclaimer: I was provided with the Jet Lag kit for the purposes of sharing with my readers. All opinions are 100% my own.