Thursday, September 29, 2016

Coffee. Is It Better with a Burr?

Before I talk about what grinder we use, allow me to share what lengths I may go to for a freshly ground cup of coffee...

The sun has yet to rise and though I'd rather still be sleeping, I accept my early fate and start plan B: make the coffee. With eyes half closed,  I shuffle out into the kitchen, remove our burr coffee grinder from its rightful place and creep into the garage. From there I maneuver around bikes and other garage-y items to the work bench. This is our only attainable outlet. It's being utilized, so I stretch, reach and battle with chords and surrounding items until I pull it free. Finally, I'm able to plug in the grinder and press the button. Sleepily, I rest my head on some box while that noisy contraption grinds my coffee. Soon there will be coffee. 

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Why not just grind it inside? Well, that would mean waking children and therefore, no peaceful sipping. It's worth it. I just wonder if I'm alone in my craziness...for the love of coffee in the morning.

So while we're on the topic of coffee, I thought I'd share about our semi-recent purchase of the burr grinder I mentioned above.


We were introduced to the idea of a burr grinder at a gathering with friends. Isn't that where the trouble always starts?? I couldn't help but notice the smooth coffee taste. While we are not strangers to good coffee, I've often wondered why the coffee vendors always seem to brew their coffee better. Before too long, I was investigating at Costco; peppering the coffee representative with questions. What was their secret? His reply was the consistency of the grounds. I looked at his ground coffee and went home to our grinder. After several unsuccessful attempts at mimicking his grounds, I gave up.  

Now it seemed as if our friends had figured out the grinding trick. The coffee tasted great, however I wasn't convinced that I needed another small appliance sitting on my counter. We already had a small grinder.

A few months passed by and I stumble onto an article about how regular coffee grinders burn the coffee beans. In addition, a burr grinder will grind the perfect amount of coffee grinds constituently. This could mean a possible savings, since we grind more than necessary.

I polled my Facebook friends for grinder suggestions without mentioning "burr" grinders. Friends responded with links to burr grinders on Amazon. 

So I started reading reviews and chose the Cuisinart burr grinder. It is not even close to the most expensive--wow! people love coffee,-- but, after sifting through all the "I love its" and "I hate its", we decided to take a chance. This model stores up to a pound of coffee beans and features the ability to choose the amount of coffee you would like grind, as well as a course to fine ground bean selector.



The cons for this particular grinder were one, the amount of coffee dust left in the container post-grinding and two, the noise level. However, when I read reviews for comparable grinders, I found that this was common.



All in all, I'd say that this was a worthwhile investment that I'd purchase again (with my reward points). We are already spoiled by the close to perfectly ground portions and sweet tasting freshness in every pot!

And in case your wondering what type of coffee we use on a regular basis, I'm happy to share this brand that we've used for a couple of years now. 



Both Costco and Sam's carry this brand, but only Sam's has the Guatemalan beans. Costco sells a mixed blend, called Don Pablo's. Personally, I like the smooth taste of the medium-dark Guatemalan bean. It's one of the few things I purchase at Sam's. 

Also, if you're in the market for decaf that is water processed, this company makes a great Colombian decaf. My husband has a disdain for decaf, but admits that he likes the taste of this particular coffee. Great Tasting Decaf

So what do you think? 

Chrissy

Linking up with Not Dressed As Lamb.
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Wednesday, September 28, 2016

Fringe Vest & Instagram/Snapchat Stories



Necklace by Premier Designs

Believe it or not my reader friends, it is still in the upper 80s and low 90's here in Georgia. One wants to pull out her fall clothing, but one does not want to roast! Today was a day of errand running and I knew there was potential to be walking outside from time to time, so I chose my items carefully.

*Newly added skinny jeans by Judy Blue, a black Old Navy tank, the LOFT vest that I'm wearing out lately and some brown accessories made this an easy, put together outfit.*



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Now, please allow me to share just a couple pics from my crazy Snapchat and IG stories that show how I entertained myself on said errands.  Honestly, I have a little too much fun with these apps here lately but if you're easily entertained, as am I, feel free to join me at granolangrace.

My first stop was to drop off our van for an oil change. I anticipated some wait time, but when they told me 2 hours I knew I wasn't going to hang in their shop all morning. (Hence the IG & Snapchat stories!)

What's a girl to do...Just a short walk across the street brought me to our local mall...



Next up is to get rid of the heavy boots I was lugging around for my husband.


Then I sauntered over to the Threading Lounge for a little eyebrow clean up. I'm a regular, who sees the same attendant each time. I love her and her fabulous attention to detail.  Some people feel like threading is more painful, but I think it's worth it. It's not as rough as waxing on the delicate skin around your eyes. In addition, I think they are able to get a cleaner look than a quick rip with the wax. 

With that done, my makeup free and slightly red face was in need of some help. I looked tired. Armed with time and a coupon I headed over to Bare Minerals for a look at their new foundation, known as barePRO Performance Wear.

I had a blast chatting it up with make up artist, Rochelle, and learning a few extra tips for applying eye makeup. However the lighting in their store is no bueno, so I snapped a quick pic with Rochelle because she was just too sweet, and then found a better spot to show you what the makeup looked like...


Threaded Brows and Fresh Makeup

This makeup is priced at $30.00,  had a great assortment of shades, a smooth texture and it definitely lasted all day. However, for now I will stick with their Complexion Resuce foundation and wait until they get a smaller trial size or gift set before I switch up. Unfortunately, I need more than one day when testing out a new foundation.

Well, the two hours was quickly coming to an end, but still no word from the shop. What to do next...


I took full advantage of this gift card by splurging on a Pumpkin Spice Frappuccino and a protein boxed lunch. Btw, I asked for 1 pump only on the coffee treat. I don't like it too sweet. And this lunch was enjoyed outside, listening to the fountain run. All in all, it was a fabulous morning. I almost didn't want to leave to pick up the van, but real life awaited me across the street and home.



That's all for day folks!  Do you get your brows threaded? And what line of makeup do you use?

If you haven't tried threading, I hope you're inspired to do so! Or maybe it's time to refresh your makeup!

Chrissy


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Tuesday, September 27, 2016

Layering Pieces, Fav Booties & Rehearsal Dinner Insights


I had fun layering with this outfit, though the picture doesn't do it much justice.   The sandstone booties were picked to tie in the lace vest. Honestly, I have to make a concentrated effort not to reach for these booties from Clarks all the time.


They are incredibly comfortable and match with nearly everything! 

I wore this ensemble to a rehearsal dinner with my husband and ended up feeling slightly underdressed upon arrival! You never know these days, but I could have swapped out the booties for a pair of heels for a dressier effect! Like I said, I can't seem to stop wearing them! 

Here's a few tips I received tip from a friend on how to dress for rehearsal dinners and other bigger events...

  • Pay attention to the invitation over what is being served.  (I saw Mexican cuisine and thought casual. Wrong.)
  • You could also look the venue up on the internet to gain extra insight. 
  • All else fails you could go straight to the bride. 

Well, my concerns quickly dissipated once food, that I had no part in preparing, was served. Not to mention the fact that the hubby and I were given an evening free of kiddos.


Extra bonus,  I woke up a few mornings later to find this photo in my IG newsfeed from the Pureple app I use!



They featured my outfit! Now that makes a girl feel better. Thank you Pureple!

How do you determine your outfits for bigger events? 

Outfit Breakdown:

Dress: LulaRoe
Lace Vest: Altar'd State
Booties: Clarks (still in stores)

Chrissy
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Saturday, September 24, 2016

Outfits Picked by My Virtual Sylist...

Today's post is a followup to the previous review on the Pureple styling app...

Last week I put my latest styling app to the test by allowing the Pureple virtual stylist give me two outfit suggestions for the day.  I'd pick my favorite and run with it. Each day I had a blast documenting the outfits on Snapchat and IG stories. Here's the 5 Day results! 


Day 1 Pick:



I think the challenge is off to a good start with a combination I've yet to wear from my closet. This was super comfortable, but I still felt put together. Well done Pureple. 

Day 2 Options & Pic:



I liked both of these options, but option 1 is not something I would usually put together so I picked it. I received quite a few compliments, so I was glad I did. Maybe I should step it up a notch more often!


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Monday, September 12, 2016

An App? Is it Worth All That?!

Hey, hey! I'm still on the topic of closet organization this week and what better timing with a change of the seasons coming in.  (Why am I thinking of Mary Poppins and that weather vane?) As I shared in the previous post, I cleaned through my closet several times last year. The object was to only have items that flatter, fit, and are well loved.  From there I began thinking about which direction my closet needed to go. 
  1. Did I need more professional clothing? 
  2. How am I doing on comfy, casuals? 
  3. What shape are my shoes in? 
  4. Am I heavy on one particular color?
  5. Are my clothes current or currently workable? 
  6. How is my jewelry collection faring? 
Once I began this line of questioning I noticed that I had shoes that left pieces of themselves as I walked around. Gross. I didn't own a pair of comfortable neutral colored shoes, sunglasses or even a casual watch. 

Time to make a list. In addition to a list, I looked at my fellow bloggers and pinterest for trends that may suit my style.






And right as these items began to fill the gaps in my closet I stumbled upon this fun organizational app for your clothes!  There are quite a few closet organizer apps out there but from what I've seen "Pureple" and "Stylebook" are the top rated for Apple devices. (Check out this link to find Style Apps for androidFor now, I'm going with Pureple. They both have the same concepts. Add your wardrobe via web images or snap pictures of each individual item in your closet. Don't groan. It's so worth it. ;)

Once your app of choice is downloaded, just begin adding those fab pieces. Personally, it was easier for me to grab my clothes and snap pics than search for them on the web. It took me 3 sittings to add just about everything, but I was so glad I did.

To do this, I used either our large square coffee table or I hung the larger items on the door.  White works best for a background. I added a category to each item as I went along. If there wasn't a category that I wanted, it was easy to create my own.

Now I know what some of you may be thinking.

I don't have time to take pictures of all my clothes, shoes, and accessories!

Alright, let me ask you a couple of questions.


  • Is it time to pair down what's in your closet? 
  • Are you truly wearing most of what you own?
  • How much time do you spend on figuring out what to wear? Remember, it took me 3 sittings to finish so you don't have to tackle it all in one day. Now I add articles as they come in. Bonus: more items went to the goodwill pile. 
Just in case you're interested, I'll share my experience thus far.


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