Impacting Boston for Good with Capital One

By Emily on December 21, 2016

Thank you Capital One for sponsoring this post; all opinions are my own.

During the holiday season, one of the best things you can do, for yourself and others, is to give back. Whether it’s through monetary donations, participation in fundraising events, or adopting a family, giving back is our social responsibility. I’ve been lucky enough to be able to give back to my community throughout my adult years, but as we all know, the contribution of any one individual is only as good as the support of the rest of the community. That’s why, when Capital One invited me to their #CapXTalk entitled, “Investing and Impacting the Community for Good,” I knew I had to attend.

Held at the Capital One Back Bay Café on Giving Tuesday, the event focused on how the bank and other local businesses give back to the Boston community, with a focus on Corporate Social Responsibility. The panel featured speakers from The Red Sox Foundation, Harpoon Brewery, and Capital One to highlight the importance of getting involved and giving back to the Boston community.

A resident since 2006, I’ve seen Boston grow and flourish into a thriving city that is deeply rooted with loyalty and love. I’ve experienced the support that local and national organizations have given to the community and its residents. What I didn’t realize, however, was how wonderful some of these organizations were.

At the #CapXTalk, I learned about how Capital One, The Red Sox Foundation, and Harpoon Brewery give back to Boston, each in their own ways, through Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). These businesses take CSR seriously through their many initiatives to benefit Boston and its surrounding communities.

How Capital One Gives Back to Boston

At each of its five Cafés located in Downtown Boston, Back Bay, Brookline, Ink Block, and Harvard Square (with three more to come in 2017 in the Seaport, Hingham, and Lynnfield), Capital One empowers their associates to designate who they want to serve in the community. A different approach from many large corporations, Capital One leverages the ties that their associates have to the community to inform how the company can make the greatest impact locally. By allowing employees to have a say in giving, Capital One brings authenticity to their Corporate Social Responsibility.

How The Red Sox Foundation and Harpoon Give Back to Boston

It was no surprise to me to learn that the Red Sox Foundation and Harpoon Brewery are strong players in the effort to give back to Boston, but it was interesting to learn the philosophy that drives each business to do so.

The official charity of the Boston Red Sox, The Red Sox Foundation is guided by the mantra to think globally and act locally. Through programs like The Jimmy Fund, MA Little League Initiative, and small grants to select nonprofits in New England, The Red Sox Foundation is making an impact in the lives of thousands of New Englanders every day. I’ve personally donated to and attended The Red Sox Foundation fundraisers, including the Bacon & Beer Fest to benefit local charity Lovin’ Spoonfuls.

Philosophically speaking, Harpoon Brewery is perhaps on the other end of the spectrum, guided by a desire to be a good neighbor and friend. Harpoon is committed to making their breweries in Massachusetts and Vermont more sustainable and eco-friendly. This commitment earned them the Boston Green Business Award in 2012. Harpoon Helps, the philanthropic arm of the Harpoon Brewery, has been supporting charities across New England since its inception in 2003.

Through local events like the Harpoon 5 Miler, Harpoon Friendsgiving, and other events like yoga at the brewery, Harpoon is making an impact on a smaller scale. It’s that smaller scale that makes Harpoon approachable and allows the company to help individuals and charities through donations of time, space, and beer. Harpoon has fulfilled almost 400 donation requests for beer for fundraisers in the past year.

Capital One Cafés in Boston

A big fan of Capital One since I opened a savings account last year, the Capital One Cafés are a special place in Boston—a place where you can see and experience the impact the company has on the community. In addition to serving up delicious Peet’s Coffee, the Cafés are built around digital tools and human connection in a way that is reimagining banking.

Stop by any of the five Cafés on a given day and you’ll find people working, friends having coffee, business owners holding meetings in complimentary meeting rooms, and budget-conscious professionals getting personalized one-on-one financial advice. Aside from the joy of free WiFi and fee-free ATMs, it feels good to know that when you’re drinking a cup of coffee at a Capital One Café, you’re experiencing a corporate initiative that gives back to Boston and empowers its residents to make healthy financial decisions.

Thank you, Capital One, for inviting me to the #CapXTalk on Investing and Impacting the Community for Good and for working together to spread the word about how Capital One gives back to Boston.

Small Business Gift Guide

By Emily on December 14, 2016

Small business make the world go round and this holiday season I’ve made it my mission to support small businesses whenever possible, especially when it comes to gift buying. I’ve had the pleasure of being introduced to some awesome small businesses over the past year and could think of nothing better than sharing these businesses as part of a holiday gift guide. Here are my favorites for gifting this season!

Silk Therapeutics Silk Renewing Peel

The Holy Grail of my skincare routine, I’ve been using this product weekly for almost a year and it has transformed my skin. Free of harsh chemicals, the Silk Renewing Peel from Silk Therapeutics uses pure liquid silk, glycolic and lactic acids to gently yet effectively exfoliating the outermost layer to reveal a brighter, more vibrant complexion.

The entire Silk Therapeutics product line is gentle enough that it’s safe for those going through cancer treatment and for every product that’s purchased, one is donated to oncology patients. For more details, check out my review of the Silk Renewing Peel.

Courtesy of Silk Therapeutics

Purlisse Blue Lotus + Seaweed Treatment Mask

Harnessing the powers of Asian botanicals, Purlisse is a skincare line that I recently discovered. My favorite product in the line is the Blue Lotus + Seaweed Treatment Sheet Mask. Nourishing and fun to use, the mask comes in sheets that makes it perfect for awakening your skin during winter holiday travel.

McCrea’s Candies

If you’re a caramel lover like me or know someone who is, then look no further than caramels from McCrea’s Candies. The local Boston company makes to die for caramels in unique flavors like Black Lava Sea Salt and Single Malt Scotch, that are perfect for gifting! The only bad part about gifting McCrea’s caramels is that you won’t want to give them away so I highly recommend picking some up for yourself as well!

Seacoast Sweets

If you’re looking for something chocolatey, scoop up some chocolate pattie treats from Seacoast Sweets. The peppermint, peanut butter, coconut, and s’mores patties will delight any palate. In addition to tasting good, Seacoast Sweets is also committed to doing good—one dollar for every dozen patties goes to an organization that empowers girls girls from low-income situations by providing them with the basic items and fees needed to participate in sports and physical activities.

Courtesy of Seacoast Sweets

JORD Wood Watches

If you’re shopping for a jewelry gift that stands out, JORD Wood Watches are my top pick. Available in a variety of men’s and women’s styles, these watches are made from woods like bamboo, walnut, and zebrawood, making each watch is unique. The watches can be dressed up or down and are different than the usual watches you see out there. I’ve found my JORD watch to be quite a conversation starter—nearly every time I wear mine, I get comments and questions from strangers.

Classic Holiday Line Boat Cruise

To me there’s nothing better than sharing in an experience and I’ve recently started gifting more experiences than tangible objects. My pick for an experience this year is a holiday boat cruise, specifically the holiday boat cruises with Classic Harbor Line. Setting sail around Boston Harbor, Classic Harbor Lines offers three festival holiday cruise tours.

I recently had the chance to take the Holiday Jazz Cruise with my fiancé and we had a wonderful time. We listened to jazz and sipped warm boozy cocktails as the boat sailed around Boston Harbor for an hour and a half. If you’re looking for a good gift, this is the perfect New England experience for any New Englander!

Stocking Stuffers

The Wand by Pure Wine

If you’re gifting or drinking wine this season, pick up The Wand wine filter and enjoy wine without the side effects. This magical wand absorbs histamines and removes sulfates leaving you with wine that you can enjoy without the horrible hangover. Smartest. Invention. Ever.

Courtesy of PureWine

PureLYFT

A small business based in New Jersey, PureLYFT is a great stocking stuffer for go-getters addicted to coffee and energy drinks. The all natural clean caffeine is a tasteless powder that’s easily mixed into any drink, including water or cocktails. Conveniently packaged in a tube, PureLYFT is perfect to have on hand for travel or any necessary caffeine boost without having to battle coffee lines.

If you haven’t finished your holiday shopping this year, check out some of these small businesses for the special people on your list!

Disclosure: I received some of these items for free over the past year, but all opinions are my own.

Just Add Cooking + Chef Jeremy Sewall

By Emily on December 8, 2016

No matter the season, sometimes there are days when you just don’t want to cook. Whether it’s rainy or you’ve been too busy with life, we all have those days where you’d rather hide under the blanket all day, than meal plan and grocery shop. If you’ve ever had one of those days or weeks (or months) you should check out Just Add Cooking, a Boston-based meal delivery service.

Just Add Cooking prepares and hand delivers delicious meals to your door—all you add is the cooking! My first experience with Just Add Cooking was back in March and from the get-go I was hooked and excited for my next order. Partnering with local Boston chef Jeremy Sewall of Island Creek Oyster Bar, Lineage, and Row 34, the latest Just Add Cooking box I received showcased recipes from Chef Sewall’s new cookbook.

Roasted Cauliflower Soup

A recipe from Chef Sewall’s new cookbook, The New England Kitchen, the Roasted Cauliflower Soup was the perfect compliment to a rainy or snowy New England week. Not the biggest cauliflower eater, I was apprehensive about this soup when I saw it on the meal plan. That quickly changed as I cooked the complex blend of cauliflower, leeks, potato, and cream. Sautéing the leeks alone filled the house with a fresh aroma!

Although a multi-step recipe, making the soup was fairly easy. It was my first time cooking with leeks, but the recipe directions told me exactly what to do. The result? Healthy, hearty, and full of flavor—Chef Sewall’s Roasted Cauliflower Soup was a win!

The toast came as bruschetta but I got hungry and ate it while the soup cooked!

Sliders and Gorgonzola Dressed Salad

My fiancé and I are both meat eaters but have been trying to eat healthy, which made this this pre-portioned beef recipe appealing to us. The sliders offered the taste and flavors we love in a well-balanced protein and veggie-packed dish. The beef for the sliders was fresh and beautiful, if you’re comfortable saying that about meat.

While the recipe was relatively easy to make, it presented a bit of a challenge because the shredder and/or grater it called for had recently and had yet to be replaced. Thankfully I had a food processor to use which allowed the recipe to be cooked in full and thoroughly enjoyed! My fiancé LOVED this meal and quickly gobbled up seconds!

Cod with Broccoli and Orange

I usually don’t make fish at home, since our city apartment doesn’t have room for fancy kitchen contraptions like a meat thermometer that fish recipes often call for, so this cod dish was new for me. I was half excited to make fish and half nervous that I was going to make myself sick. Thankfully, the recipe directions provided by Just Add Cooking made this dish a success, even without an internal temperature reader. Hearing customer feedback, Just Add Cooking made some recent modifications to their recipes to make them less complicated so new recipes won’t require as many kitchen gadgets.

The cod was delicious and a great complement to the pearl couscous and fresh broccoli. The panko sprinkle added the perfect touch of crunch and color to this healthy meal! Best of all, this dish gave me confidence in my fish-cooking skills!

The convenience that Just Add Cooking offers is a great compliment to busy lives and unpredictable New England weather and the upcoming 2017 collaborations with more Boston chefs make it even easier to get your favorite professional recipes right at home! Looking for an easier way to meal plan? Just Add Cooking is offering a deal for new customers. Sign up here and you can get your first no-commitment Just Add Cooking box for just $39 (that’s $30 off of your first box)!

Note: I received this box free of charge in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Vinyasa with a View with the American Cancer Society

By Emily on November 22, 2016

There’s something about yoga that always makes me feel good. Since I started practicing regularly almost two years ago, I’ve taken advantage of the thriving yoga community in Boston by attending classes and yoga events. So when I was approached by the American Cancer Society to be a guest at their inaugural yoga fundraising event, Vinyasa With a View, I graciously accepted.

Vinyasa…with a view

Held at the distinctive 9OFS, a rooftop event space in Boston’s financial district, Vinyasa With a View was an evening rooftop yoga event with heart-warming cause behind it. The venue promised amazing views of the city of Boston and, despite the cold and rainy weather, did not disappoint. Due the weather however, the planned outdoor class was moved indoors.

Photo by Iam Nash NYC

Izzy VanHall, one of Boston’s most talented and spirited yoga and acroyoga instructors, led the practice. I had taken Izzy’s classes at YogaWorks Back Bay (fka Back Bay Yoga) and love her style of warm, relateable, and humorous style of teaching. Since this was a fundraising event, for many of the participants, it was their first time placing their feet on a yoga mat. Izzy led a practice geared toward beginners with sufficient room for more advanced poses, which I greatly appreciated.

The hour-long practice ended with a short mindful meditation and prizes for the top fundraisers. More than 85 participants raised over $8800 to benefit the American Cancer Society. Following the practice, we were treated to delicious pizza from Otto Portland, Freshii salads, Beacon Blend organic juice, Upstate Distilling vodka, and snacks from various vendors.

Participants all left with an Athleta reusable goodie bag filled with drinks, snacks, local discounts, and beautiful Hollis Hayes bracelets.

Vinyasa with a View was a wonderful event and I encourage any philanthropic yogi to sign up next year. Congratulations to the American Cancer Society for a fun and successful fundraiser and thank you for letting me be a part of this amazing cause.

Note: I attended this event for free in exchange for media coverage but all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Fall Day Trip from Boston: King Richard’s Faire

By Emily on October 10, 2016

Fall is the time of many great things in New England—from apple picking and haunted hayrides to leaf peeping and drinking at beer fests, there’s always something fun to do. This weekend my fiancé and I took part in another New England fall tradition—King Richard’s Faire.

For those unfamiliar, King Richard’s Faire is an annual Renaissance Faire held in Carver, Massachusetts. This year marked the 35th anniversary of the event that draws crowds from Boston and the surrounding areas. My fiancé and I attended the Faire last year and had a great time, so when the good ol’ King Richard himself offered us two tickets to attend this year, we jumped at the chance!

A big misconception about Renaissance Faires is that you have to dress up. While dressing up is fun and plenty of people do so, it’s certainly not required. That being said, last year I purchased a bodice from one of the vendors and was excited to have an excuse to wear it again. So, on Saturday morning my fiancé helped me tie myself into the surprisingly comfortable chest-emphasizing device and we headed out to the Faire.

The ride from Boston to Carver is around an hour, depending on traffic, and an easy ride. Despite the busy day and nice weather, there was ample parking and we found a spot near the entrance. With experience from last year under our belts, we arrived with cash on hand. While there are ATMs and many vendors take cards, food and drink tickets are cash only and service in the area is limited for credit card processing—do yourself a favor and hit up the ATM before you arrive.

Food and drink tickets in hand, we ate our way through the Faire—turkey legs, baked potatoes, bacon mac and cheese, friend dough, and all of the beer and mead you could ask for! After stuffing ourselves silly, we made our way to the stocks outside of the medieval torture house, which this big baby opted not to explore!

We walked past jousting shows, fire-breathing women, feats of strength, pony rides, a magical unicorn, and a kilt contest full of shirtless men. Everywhere you turn, there’s something to see.

Family friendly, there are activities, rides, and games for kids young and old. Last year Ronnie won an axe throwing contest so this year we tested our luck at archery. Despite the mini lesson we got from the attraction guide, neither one of us was a winner.

My favorite part of King Richard’s Faire was the Faerie Circle. Horticulture tells us that faerie circles are naturally occurring circles of mushrooms, but certain folklore explains that within these faerie circles are buried treasure that fairies are set to guard. Those who enter the ring are at the mercy of the fairies if they seek to uncover the bounty, but if you let the treasure be and tell no one of the location of the circle, a wish will be granted to you. At the risk of my wish not being granted, suffice it to say that there may be a faerie circle at King Richard’s Faire and in it you may find a centaur playing a flute and fairies granting wishes…

In addition to the attractions and shows, there are dozens of vendors at King Richard’s Faire. Nearly anything you can imagine, and some things you never knew existed, are sold at the Faire. From fairy wings and leather kilts to swords and family crests, you can get your fix of Renaissance Faire wares. We picked up an outfit for my niece and a flower crown for myself but could have easily bought more things that I never knew I always needed!

After much frolicking around the beautiful scenery, we headed back home to Boston where I wore my flower crown the rest of the night.

If you’re looking for something fun to do over the next couple of weekends, head to King Richard’s Faire!

Note: I received two tickets to King Richard’s Faire free of charge, but all opinions and love of fairies are my own.

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Boston Lifestyle & Travel Blog