I’m by no means a real “coffee guy.” I drink it, but sometimes I miss a day (or two or three). I brew it, but I’m not above reheating a cup in the microwave (a cardinal sin according to a former coworker who measured his grounds on a tiny scale at work every morning). I buy mid-range beans, usually ones that can do double duty for my espresso-loving partner and her fancy espresso machine. I like it black, but I don’t care if someone adds milk. Deli sludge is fine by me (but no thin brown water, please). However, on the day that Trump threatened to enact tariffs against Colombia for the whole plane deportation debacle, I happened to be sitting at my computer and thought, “I should stock up.” So, I googled “best coffee beans” and immediately found myself stumbling through the Reddit coffee communities, almost all of which recommended a company called Black & White Coffee Roasters. I have no doubt that many of our refined and in-the-know newsletter readers are already familiar with this coffee company out of Raleigh, North Carolina, but not me. I just followed what the internet told me and ordered two of their more sane-sounding varieties (and not some of the more funky and out there ones). A few days later, and after the Colombian tariffs were called off, I received a package containing two of the greatest-smelling bags of coffee I ever did sniff. With just a tinge of hyperbole, I can honestly say that this is probably the best coffee I’ve ever had, and I made it at home in my normal-ish coffeemaker. It didn’t cost me $12 at some moody café, nor did I exactingly measure my water and beans or use a gooseneck water kettle and glass carafe with some wooden beads on it (or whatever). I just made coffee. And it was excellent.
-DW
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Maybe it’s because I’m a woman, maybe it’s because I’ve very happily chosen to be child-free, maybe it’s because there’s been an increasingly steady drumbeat of conversation around the so-called population crisis, but I was thrilled to see The New Yorker’s Gideon Lewis-Kraus tackle the topic in last week’s issue. Unsurprisingly, it’s a long one, but worth reading if you’re interested in the cultural, environmental, economic, and geopolitical influences and ramifications of the great population debate—and to understand what role, if any, an individual actually plays.
-VvP
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One of my New Year’s Resolutions was to be better about taking vitamins and supplements. Last year, my annual bloodwork revealed I was severely vitamin D deficient. I researched the best supplement brands, promptly got on a monthly subscription and basically never took a single capsule. This year, I decided that in order to avoid a repeat, I needed to make this boring-ass task more fun by leveraging my love of candy. I have no doubt that vitamins and supplements in capsule or liposomal form are “better” for you, but I also know that’s only true if you actually take them. My current routine involves a daily dose of four and a half Hello Happy gummy worms from Olly after breakfast, Paya Health’s Superior Skin gummies after lunch, and their Dream Derm gummies after dinner. While the latter two are less for vitamin intake and more for just general improvement in my skin, nail strength, and sleep, they genuinely work and, most importantly, make me feel better when I take them consistently. Besides the thrice-daily boost of giving myself a little “good-for-me” treat, I’ve also found I’m craving and consuming fewer other sweets overall. A win-win!
-VvP
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Speaking of gummies, we naturally get a lot of questions about which edibles are best for sleep and the answer is almost always: it depends. Is your problem falling asleep or staying asleep? Is it anxiety keeping you awake or pain and inflammation? Are you trying to curb your alcohol intake? You get it. It also depends on your tolerance, frequency of need, and individual endocannabinoid system. While we’ve been slowly adding more carefully selected THC-infused products to our sleep category, there’s no such thing as a one-size fits all solution. This is why we recently launched the Bedtime Box, a trio of doses including Wyld’s Dark Cherry 2mg gummies, Rose Los Angeles’ 5mg Deep Sleeps, and Mesobis’ 10mg Dream Passionfruit Gomitas. This way you can save $10 while trying them all and see what works best for you—or even have a mix of solutions in your arsenal for all your sleep needs moving forward.
-VvP
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If you’re reading this before 12:30 PM EST, you still have time to run over to the Brooklyn Museum for The Meteor’s Meet the Moment summit. The day-long festival of ideas and action features programming specifically tied to International Women’s Day and related topics. Look for performances, discussions, and exhibitions from a host of prominent female artists, athletes, activists, and (a)journalists, taking on many of the hottest of hot button issues of our time. A full agenda can be found here, and cocktails can be found in the Beaux-Arts Court from 4:30 to 6 PM.
-DW
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Please don’t laugh me out of your inbox, but I’ve been listening to this playlist during work days and find it surprisingly helpful for focusing. It’s probably also great for baths, meditations, or quiet stretching, should you be into any of those, especially while high. (Apologies to whoever introduced me to it. I’d credit you if I could remember!)
-VvP
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