6 Cozy Winter Finds
Our recent cold weather travels, and the epic rainfall in Southern California, have left me craving all things cozy.
Feeding our family passion for exploring our nation’s beautiful landscapes and the National Parks, we set out on an adventure through Arizona, to visit the Grand Canyon, Sedona and the Saguaro National Park. What I also loved about our trip, aside from the quality family time, was the chance to get another taste of the Native American culture that I’ve come to adore about our American Southwest, as well as exploring these vast natural open spaces. While these spaces aren’t as raw and wild as they once were, with their many visitor signs and fences to provide a safe and orderly visit, they still retain an air of mystery and untamed beauty that I find utterly captivating. I crave it like the antidote to restore me from long days holed up in my city home, albeit one that’s a mile from the sea.
The day after Christmas, we packed up all our gear, left our home in Los Angeles’ South Bay and headed East, arriving at the Grand Canyon by nightfall. The next morning, dressed in all our winter gear, we set out for exploring this national treasure despite the day’s high temperature in the chilly mid-30’s. We were awed by the beautiful vistas of the Canyon that we took in during our scenic hike. The layers of colored rock and vastness of the canyon are nothing short of miraculous. We vowed to go again another time during warmer weather so that we can to explore it in more depth.
After a day of taking in the sights, we packed up and headed south to Sedona. If you haven’t been, we highly recommend a trip to see it. The beauty of the red rocks is unmatched and there are hiking trails galore. Plus, there are many spas and restaurants to explore. One of our favorites sights from this segment of the trip was the Chapel of the Holy Cross. It was an awe-inspiring sight to see this chapel seemingly rise right out of the rocks. We also loved Cathedral Rock and were grateful for the chance to see it, despite the rain and wet rocks we encountered on our quest to get closer.
From Sedona, we moved on to Tucson, meeting up with our family there, and taking in sights like the ancient petroglyphs carved into rocks at the Saguaro National Park West. My boy were particularly impressed with the giant saguaros, which are the largest cacti in the U.S. and can grow to an astonishing 40-60 feet tall.
REI Co-op Rainier Rain Jacket / Cliff Dweller Ancestral Puebloan Design mug / Allbirds Women’s Tree Runners / Norweigan Crispbread (GF) / Los Poblanos Lavender Honey / Ronnefeldt’s LeafCup teas
Go-to items for keeping the winter chill at bay
Back at home, I found myself craving cozy ways to warm up from our Arizona adventures in the wet and cold. Plus, we were greeted back home in California by epic rainy weather. Thankfully, our home was not impacted by the flooding found in other areas of California, but it’s still been unusually wet and cold.
Here are 6 things I’m reaching for right now to keep me warm and cozy and to ward off the winter chill:
REI Co-op Rainier Rain Jacket: For Christmas, my family and I each got one of these REI Rainier Rain Jackets that we took with us on our road trip through Arizona. At just under $100, they perform just as good as – or maybe better than – competitor big brands. We love that the jacket is waterproof, windproof, packs down to next to nothing, is breathable, and comes in a variety of great colors. Plus, it’s got Velcro at the cuffs and draw cords at the waist for a customized fit. They sure came in handy for the rain we experienced during our visit to Sedona. It was a great find and we highly recommend!
Cliff Dweller Ancestral Puebloan Design mug in Rain: Every time I visit New Mexico and Arizona, I find myself completely enchanted with Native American pottery, textiles, housewares and music. I am slowly but surely building a collection, and this is my newest piece that I found at the Grand Canyon store. Its striking black and white graphic design is based on pottery found near the Aztec Ruins National Monument. It makes my morning cup of coffee that much more of a magical experience.
Allbirds Women’s Tree Runners: These are perhaps the most cozy and comfortable shoes I own. I love Allbirds’ commitment to making shoes that combine sustainable materials with serious comfort and classic style. These are my favorite everyday shoes and my go-to when I’m working from home (and my feet can’t be seen on video calls). I’ve been enjoying my Marine Blue pair, but I may need to add some other colors to my collection!
Trader Joes Norweigan Crispbread (Gluten Free): I am relatively new to discovering these little goodies at TJ’s and I’ve since become a big fan! Packed with sunflower, sesame, and flax seeds, it is a hearty cracker with a satisfying crunch. Plus, they have 4g of protein and 3g of fiber per cracker, which his hard to beat. Top it with cheese, nut butter or simply eat alone. I’ve been enjoying mine either alone alongside some soup or accompanied by a bit of cheese.
Los Poblanos Lavender Honey: One of my all-time favorite scents is natural lavender - its sweet, floral, and clean woodsy scent is one I find endlessly appealing. Plus, it has many useful applications. It soothes stress, smells nice as a perfume (if using natural EOs, be sure to dilute in oil), works as a room freshener, smells amazing in soaps and, yes, is even delicious in foodstuffs. I also find the pure essential oil useful in the kitchen to treat the minor burns I occasionally get while cooking. When it comes to foodstuffs, a little goes a looong way. Too much lavender will make you feel like you’ve got a mouthful of body products - yuck. Therefore, less is more. One brand that got the balance right is Los Poblanos. When I visit Albuquerque, I like to treat myself to a purchase or two from the Los Poblanos’ lavender collection, such as their lavender sugar or this delicious lavender honey!
Ronnefeldt’s LeafCup teas: I discovered these delicious teas while visiting Poland a couple of years back. During breakfast one morning, I had the opportunity to try a cup of their Rooibos Cream Orange and quickly fell in love. I took a sachet of the tea home with me to California and vowed to track it down. It took some time to source this German tea back in the States, but I was thrilled when my first box arrived at my home. Since then, it’s become available on Amazon, which makes keeping it stocked in my tea chest even easier! They have a number of other flavors that I’d highly recommend, including Sweet Berries, Winter Harmony and Fruity Chamomile.