Mast Brothers Brooklyn Chocolate Tour

There are few things more fun then spending an evening learning and tasting chocolate with friends after a long day at work.

mast brothers maple

Almost a year ago, I discovered the brand while perusing the chocolate section at our local grocery store and since then have visited their Williamsburg location two times. Previously our small chocolate stash was primarily Swiss chocolate, heavily influenced from our time living there, but over the past few months more and more Mast Brothers chocolate has found its way into our house.  Therefore, when Gilt City invited Heather, Diana, Alanna, Christine and I for private tour at Mast Brothers Chocolate factory and show room in Brooklyn, I was elated!

Mast brothers bloggers

mast brothers behind the scenes

This behind-the-scenes tour which took place at their original, Williamsburg location provided us with a better understanding of not only how they make their chocolate but also how it is different than other chocolate brands.  During the tour we learned a great deal ranging from the details behind the process to the history of the brand.

mast brothers

  • The company was started by two brothers, Rick and Michael, one a chef and the other a business man.
  • They sold their first bars (17 to be exact) on their first day at Brooklyn based Artists & Flea
  • They now have three locations: Williamsburg, LA and London.
  • They pride themselves on including no more than 6 ingredients in any bar.
  • Cacoa nibs are made of half cocoa solids and half cocoa butter.
  • The nib portion boast many health benefits due to the fact that each serving contains flavanoids, antioxidants, 9 grams of fiber, magnesium, and potassium!
  • They have a base line of popular chocolate flavors but also introduce seasonal collections each year.
  • They do their best to source the ingredients for the chocolate from local or small farms and business partners such as Stumptown Coffee for the coffee that goes in their coffee bar.
  • Their recent collection is an herb collection, of which lavender is their most popular!
  • My personal favorite flavors are sea salt, goat milk, and lavendar in the perfectly portioned small 1.0 oz size bars.

If you want to enjoy your own tour of the factory, check out the great deal Gilt City is offering through tomorrow which includes a $20 credit to spend on chocolate! It saves you more than 50% and would make a great date night or weekend activity with friends or out-of-town guests!

Interested to try Gilt City? One lucky reader will win a $50 Gilt gift card! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

Gilt City covered the cost of this tour but we were not compensated and all opinions, as always, are my own. 

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CLASSPASS Month In Review: August 2016

NYC Classpass reviews

It’s time for another recap of my ClassPass workout adventures in New York City.  Since I spent time running outside and traveling during August, I didn’t get to use all 10 of my classes. I am thankful that I decided to drop down to the CORE plan for summer and am going to keep using this same plan in September as I know I’ll be running outside a lot for 10k training. As a reminder, the Core Plan is $125 per month and allows ClassPass (Use this link to save $20 on your first month!) members to take 10 classes per cycle and visit any studio up to 3 times.   

If you’re on CLASSPASS  feel free to follow my fitness schedule here. I love meeting readers so if you see me in a class, please say hello! If you want to check out my previous monthly recaps, click herehere,  herehere, andhere.  Also, my friends are taking me up on this offer already, but if you guys have ANY questions about ClassPass, even if you’re not in NYC, feel free to email me! I’m happy to help and can also reach out to the team if you have specific questions. 

August 2016

  • Number of classes taken: 8
  • Number of studios visited: 6
  • Average cost per workout based on NYC rate of $125 per month for 10 classes: $15.62

Area Yoga Basics

I’m a huge fan of the Area Yoga studio in Carroll Gardens due to the hands on approach to teaching, airy second floor studio and proximity to our house. This class included 60 minutes of  yoga and a total of 10 minutes of meditation and childs pose/savasana at the beginning and end. The basics class ensures that any student, regardless their level, can reap the benefits of yoga and try new things during class. This particular class included everything from some slower flow, focusing on alignment, to an introduction to headstands. I was so relaxed by the end that I fell asleep during an especially relaxing savasana which included props to make it even more restorative and relaxing than normal. Make sure to bring your mat and towels to this no-frills studio as it’s $2 to rent.

IMAX Shift

Unfortunately this new Brooklyn spin studio did not delivery on our expectations. The IMAX screen reminded us more of the Windows screensaver while the huge studio was awkwardly empty with only 5 of 50 bikes filled. While I did get a pretty good workout during the class, I didn’t enjoy it. If you want to read more, check out the full review I wrote last week following the class.

We Flow Hard Y7 (2)

This studio isn’t for everyone, but man do I enjoy it. Luckily, my friends like it too so lately it’s become a “happy hour” workout choice on Friday evenings. Each class is a bit different but in the WeFlowHard classes, students should come prepared to sweat – a lot. The infared heated room is darkened so that students can focus on their flow versus watching others or feeling self conscious. The music is often rap or top 40 music which creates a very different vibe than you have at most yoga studios. Throughout the class there is time for free flow which allows students to complete a sequence at their own rhythm and pace.  The Flatiron location doesn’t have showers but both locations feature a “refresh bar” where students can blow dry hair, freshen up and apply makeup. If you want to read more about Y7 you can read my full studio review here.

Box Group at Work Train Fight (2)

Recently boxing has become Bo’s favorite workout so finding a studio that we both like was a priority during August. Work Train Fight, which I first learned about from Meaghan’s review, is the perfect studio for us. The classes have no more than 15 students, ensuring corrections and adjustments from the instructor. Each of the classes we have taken there so far have been challenging but not so hard that we want to quit. The instructors take time at the beginning of each section to review the moves so everyone, even new students, can quickly follow along.  The gym also offers treadmills and weights which students can use if they arrive early or stay after class. If you want to shower before work, the studio has locker rooms and showers but make sure to bring your own toiletries.

Church Street Boxing

The second boxing studio we tried in August, this is definitely more of a gritty experience which I would recommend to people who have previously taken boxing classes. While the staff was very friendly and welcoming, I felt like a beginner in this class, barely able to keep up with the other students as the class quickly transitioned movements. Even though I’ve taken multiple boxing and HIIT classes, the ten minute warm-up left me sweating and against the wall catching my breath as well as confused since I’d never heard of some of the moves and the teacher didn’t demonstrate them. After the warm up we headed outside for walking lunges around the block, which when done correctly, takes longer than you’d think. The actual boxing work portion of the class was great but the 25 minutes of warm-up and cardio before that really turned me off to the studio. In addition, the showers and lockeroom are quite small and grimy so make sure to bring your own towel, shower shoes and toiletries.

Mixed Level Bar Method Brooklyn

This is hands down my favorite barre studio. It’s super convenient, spotless, welcoming and offers more than eight classes per day. The 60-minute, non-impact total body workout includes a warm-up, arm section using free-weights and body weight followed by intense leg work at the bar and finally an ab section. The teachers are welcoming and do a wonderful job providing adjustments and helping you ensure you get the most out of the workout. This studio has two showers so you can easily get ready for work after class. Make sure to bring socks with you for class and wear leggings or crops. My favorite teachers are Lauren, Alyssa and Katie!

Your turn: If you’re a NYC local, what are your favorite studios? Where should I sweat next? 

This post is not compensated nor requested of me via CLASSPASS. While it does contain affiliate links, as a CLASSPASS affiliate, I only receive a small compensation if you choose to purchase a CLASSPASS membership.

 

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Friday Favorites – August 26th, 2016

fall-fashion-chunky-knit-vest

Happy Friday friends!

This week was crazier than expected and I didn’t have time to save as many articles, blog posts, or recipes this week. In fact, I have about 20 different things screen shot on my phone so I can go back and read them this weekend. Luckily, there is plenty of time to relax and catch up this weekend head of my Monday morning flight to Las Vegas. I am not a fan of Las Vegas and therefore have denied the fact that I’ll be there for four nights. I need to figure out dinner plans for Monday so please let me know if you have recommendations on the Strip that are worth the money while not breaking the bank.

Anyway, back to today’s post. Instead of skipping today’s Friday Favorites post I figured that I’d dedicate this week’s Friday Favorites to talking about something I started during last week’s flight – Fall window shopping. As I rarely head to Park Avenue to browse Saks, Bloomingdales or any of the other windows, I love that I can easily window shop online by opening my favorite retailer tabs and clicking their Fall or New sections.  While some people aren’t quite ready to hear the F-word (Fall), I am already dreaming of mums, crunchy leaves, and wearing layers! Even though I’m still not doing much shopping, a little “window” shopping never hurt anyone, right? Here are the items on my wish list, aka Pinterest board for Fall.

  • This blazer in camel & black because who wants to pay full price for a blazer anyway?
  • These over-the-knee boots in taupe or grey are perfect for Fall without breaking the bank.
  • I burn this candle in my home office October through February without fail.
  • This Joie blouse is beautiful, but more than I’d want to spend, so now I’m on the hunt for a cheaper version.
  • I loved J.Crew’s silk ruffle blouses back in 2010 and this updated version would pair perfectly with the blazer, dark jeans, skinny belt, and the over the knee boots for a casual Friday office outfit.
  • I’m so in love with this cross-body purse that I may use a J.Crew gift card I’ve been saving to buy it!
  • This wool sweater coat screams “curl up by the fire with a hot toddy and a good book.”
  • These pants showed up in a Nordstrom email as a top-rated item and I can see why.  Everyone who has reviewed them, from 25-55, raves about their flattering fit.

Hopefully this weekend I’ll have time to update you guys on a few of the other things on my radar as well as the next round of ClassPass reviews!  Have a great weekend!

Disclaimer: This post is not sponsored and instead is a list of the things of my favorite things this week. As normal, it includes lots of beauty and fashion items which means there are a few affiliate links via ShopStyle. It takes time and money to maintain a blog so I thank you for the support and few cents that come from clicking through the links!

Photo source is http://wachabuy.com/fall-outfits-to-copy/.

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