There has been a lot of debate recently about the best way to consume olive oil – should it be used for cooking or drinking? While there are benefits to both methods, it is important to understand that they are not the same.

Cooking with olive oil is a healthy way to add flavor to your food. The high smoke point of olive oil means that it can be used for cooking at high temperatures without breaking down. This makes it a good choice for stir-frying, roasting, and baking.

Drinking olive oil is a tradition in many Mediterranean countries. It is believed to have a number of health benefits, including preventing heart disease and improving digestion. It is also thought to boost the immune system and help with weight loss.

So, which is the best way to consume olive oil? The answer is: Depends on the type of oil!  YES, There are two types of Olive Oil – just like it is important to learn which fork to use for what at the dinner table, it is important not to waste high quality oil by cooking with it.

How do you know which olive oil to drink? Well generally by tasting it, but brands do sell and mark high quality olive oil bottles and olive oil bottles meant for cooking.

A while back I was on a tinder date, and she brought me a gift of really stellar high quality olive oil from Spain.  It was obvious from the glass bottle and the cork (and the region) that it would be a heartbreaking waste to cook with this oil.  Now, when I say Drinking Oil – that is because I actually drink it.  I took tablespoon shots of this bottle of oil daily until it was gone.  It had that nice peppery aftertaste that my favorite oils have.  You don’t necessary have to drink your olive oil.  What I refer to as “drinking oil” most may use as finishing oil.  I drink it because it is the best way to get my healthy fat macros.  Plus. I #$#$%ing love it!!   I LOOOOOVE Olive Oil.

But, you don’t necessary have to import oil from Spain to get good olive oil.  They do sell it outright.  One brand I’ve recently been turned on to that marks its bottles well is Capatriti.  They don’t come in glass bottles with corks, but being in a plastic bottle might actually make them more affordable.

Notice the differences in the bottle.  The GREEN Cold Pressed Olive Oil is the one I would categorize as Drinking Oil.    While the YELLOW bottle of Olive Oil is the one I’d cook with.   Cooking oil will have a more neutral flavor, and possibly a higher smoke point.   You need both in your kitchen.  But don’t waste that drinking oil by trying to cook with it!

Assuming you can’t quickly get your hands on a bottle from Spain/Italy/The Middle East – try using Capatriti’s “Drinking Oil” (aka drizzle oil) as finishing oil on these Tofu Recipes:  https://open.spotify.com/track/03qmKfo2VSsGq0JArRUnOP?si=5cd30e21d4a94a65 

 

It will up your game like you wouldn’t believe and will rock your fat macros out of the park.

 

Gift Guide Season is upon us! Well, let’s face it – it is always gift guide season.  There is always some event to buy something for a college bro, whether it be his birthday, or Christmas, just for fun, you name it.  We at R4RR are covering the best gifts to buy for boys and girls in college (note: if you’re shopping for someone fluid or nonbinary, there will be a lot of crossover so the entire series of articles will be useful for you).

So no need to be stumped on what to buy, we’ve got you! Let’s dive right into it.

Here are the R4RR picks for the best gifts to buy for a boy in college:

The world’s first augmented-reality trading card game for pro sports that’s now available online and at Walmart retailers nationwide makes for a stellar gift. Flex NBA is a really interesting product as it’s a turn-based, collectible trading card game (similar to Pokémon) that combines traditional gaming with video gaming using augmented reality along with 3D and 4K technology.

You’ve kind of got to see it in action to believe it.

Now, this one hits close to home for me – for those college kids that sing, whether they’re taking classes in the music department or not this is pretty great.  It is called The Breather -Voice, and it even though it looks like a pipe crossed with some sort of game dice-meets-combination lock, it is a vocal strength training tool that will give them some competitive edge.

Here is another great pick from one of our favorite sites, Trendhim.  The NAVY BLUE WAXED CANVAS ROLL OUT WASH BAG.   It is both practical, and stylish with leather and canvas combined.   Note in the pic that shaving brush, if you haven’t turned your college-aged kid onto wet shaving like a man yet (with a brush and a real razor) then it is time to have “The Talk” so he doesn’t get too used to shaving with a disposable or cartridge razor and canned shaving cream like a milquetoast corporate square.  Just sayin’.

The Tuxedo Black Leather Journal from Leather Press is also awesome.  I know what you’re thinking, “A journal? He’s got an app for that.”   Sure he does, but he really should learn how to start keeping organized with style.   An app may be practical, but being even a little impressive goes a long way.

Pretty much anything from Project Genius is great for guys of any age.   From puzzle boxes to brain teasing games, all with a nice sensory hand feel to them.  Seriously, from Chromacube to Mefferts and beyond. You’ll have a blast just combing through their catalog of cool stuff.

Anyone who has had to clean a college dude’s room or accidentally smell his laundry knows that something innovative in the sweat management department would be a bit game changing.  This is where Sweat Tees come in.  These are essentially sweat-wicking tee shirts featuring a specially designed built-in mini-towel panel to quickly eliminate unwanted sweat – designed to remove sweat from your face and hands, but let’s face it, dudes will use this towel panel to quickly clean up anything off their bodies.

Now, usually gifts like socks and ties go into the “You put no thought into this” category for dudes, but Hurdle Apparel makes these socks that are a feat of engineering.  These socks have blister protection and an ultra thin knitting process (knitting “tech?”) that are a bit highlighted in the sleek design that makes these socks have both a high-end feel and practical performance feel at the same time.

Now, here is one of our absolute favorites from one of our absolute favorite retailers, Groovy Guy Gifts! Monogrammed/Embroidered bags.  They have ultra manly duffel bags and we absolutely love the Tough Personalizes Combat Backpack.    It is super versatile and will make anyone look like they’re Sean Penn dropped in the middle of an adventure all prepared to throw down with a 3rd world dictator for the benefit of the world (or at the very least be prepared to move in and out of a dorm room like a champ)!

Here is a nice meaningful gift for him to wear, it is a mustard seed necklace from Bayou Glass Arts.  This thing is very impressive to look at and hold in your hand.   If you order it directly, it will arrive all cutely wrapped with a sticker that says “Made Just for You.”

Dandymen! It is no secret that we love the Dandymen brand on this site.  I’ve got a Dandymen magnet on my fridge right now! You’ve probably seen me demonstrate the Sea Salt Spray, but you’ve got to experience their clarifying shampoo.  Let’s be honest, college dudes can get super filthy and sometimes don’t have the experience yet on how to keep hair and scalp healthy and clean.  The Clarifying Shampoo with Tea Tree Oil really stimulates, heals a scalp, and degreases in a safe and healthy way.  Again, impressive.  They’ll smell cool too.

College kids LOVE ramen, we did when we were in college.  However, most ramen is unhealthy – but what if we could find high quality healthy ramen that boasts lots of plant protein for post-workouts?  That’s where Chef Woo comes in.  This is super tasty ramen that is not only good for your college kid  BUT has 20g of plant based protein per cup!! I might have to create some Rock Star Recipes using this ramen!

And of course, you CANNOT resist buying any dude hilariously cool underwear.  My favorite is the Tuxedo.  You really NEED to scroll through the entire Shinesty Boxer Briefs catalog and see what I’m talking about.  This underwear is spectacular for any occasion.  Oh yeah, did I mention there is a Ball Hammock in this underwear????  C’mon. This might the best underwear ever made.  My balls are wearing this Tuxedo for a New Year’s Gig, btw.

 

 

It’s that time of year!  It’s funny, I don’t know about you, but when shopping for kids I find it easier to shop for boys.  But as they grow older, women are easier to shop for than men often times.  Maybe that’s just me.  College kids aren’t exactly “kids” – they’re nearly adults and sometimes they are not easy to shop for.  In this next series of articles, we dug deep to find the best gift ideas for College Boys and Girls (note: if you’re shopping for someone fluid or nonbinary, there will be a lot of crossover so the entire series of articles will be useful for you).

Let’s dive in! Because there are a lot of option depending on the personality type of who you’re shopping for.

The R4RR Recommendations:

Magical Mornings Monthly has a cure subscription box that really targets this transitional age well.  She still digs Disney, but prob might not want a mickey mouse stuffed animal.   These are curated boxes that serve as sort of subscription box versions of Disney trips FOR ADULTS.  With Coffee, tea, treats, scented wax, and an itinerary,

Wollemi Leggings are always a great gift for any age.  I call ’em high end yoga pants.  It would be a very rare woman that doesn’t wear these/want these in her wardrobe.

 

Depending on where she goes to school, A Desden Brand University Clear Purse is pretty awesome.   Clear purses are important because they’ll allow her to be able to attend events without security rummaging through her bag one item at a time.

Designs currently available in the following teams:
– University of Texas – Longhorns (UT)
– Texas A&M – Aggies (TAM)
– Texas Tech – Red Raiders (TTU)
– Baylor University – Bears (BU)
– University of Oklahoma – Sooners (OU)
– Louisiana State University – Tigers (LSU)
– University of Arkansas – Razorbacks
– University of Alabama – Crimson Tide
– University of Georgia – Bulldogs (UGA)
– Texas Christian University – Horned Frogs (TCU)

I am a big fan of Trendhim products, and their eyewear/jewelry case is really nice.  Velvet on the inside, faux leather on the outside.  It is super glam.

Now, for jewelry to put in such a case? Bayou Glass Arts is pretty amazing.  They have an impressive collection but check out their pressed flower necklaces!!!

Another favorite jewerly pick is from Joyamo – you can get personalized name necklaces in real silver/gold.   These are high quality, stylish, and really sweet.

Does she like fun hats? Hats By Maddy has a whole array of really fun as well as meaningful hats/caps.  If anything else, you’ll have fun scrolling through the options.   They all have a fun, college-aged, vibe.

Of course, if caps aren’t her thing – French Knot by by Lindsay Mason hit the fix for that ultra high end classy vibe.

GAMES!! What college kid couldn’t use some games! Back in our day, we didn’t have phones with the world at our fingertips – so we got in trouble instead.  Most of what we did to get in trouble is legal now, but still probably not something you want to think about your college-aged family member/friend indulging in (and certainly not in 1990s quantities).  GAMES!  This is where fun games come in, and Taco vs. Burrito is one of the most popular games on Amazon. While this game is great for all ages, and created by a 7 year old, trust me – a room full of college kids will have a blast with this.

Now, what about sometime ultra creative – like a Lizzo puzzle! The Legendary Lizzo: 500-Piece Jigsaw Puzzle illustrated by Stephanie Spartels is a love letter to Lizzo, the queen of self-affirmation, soulful pop bangers, and, of course, the red carpet.  Which is what we are all about at R4RR.

Along the same lines, this Lizzo 1000 piece puzzle is another winner! Blame It On The Juice: Lizzo is a super fun 1000 piece jigsaw puzzle for adults celebrating the iconic musician Lizzo.  It is an official Lizzo product that has been illustrated by Georgia Perry, an Australian illustrator and accessories designer.

Want to encourage her to celebrate LGBTQ+ icons? BINGAY! celebrates the icons with the greatest game known to humanity: Bingo! FeaturesTrailblazers of the LGBTQ+ world, from Marsha P. Johnson to Margaret Cho, Oscar Wilde to Billy Porter, and Laverne Cox to Boy George have gathered together – in a handy game box!

AR Games! The AR Dangerous Artifacts“ AR board game has a strong dominant female character who is adventurous. This 4-person augmented reality boardgame is adding a new level to board gaming. Not only would she see the ARchallenges, but she will have to interact with them as well.  You’ve kind of got to watch the video to believe it:  https://youtu.be/GeGA_EoyUAo

Now, games being said, you might actually be a supporter of cannabis use.  In which case, The Brockton Mk2 Brass Pipe might be right gift for you.  It’s an ultra-high end brass pipe for responsible use that lights from the bottom.  You can at least rest assured she’s not using a cheap vape pen or something worse.

Now, the life of a college-aged person isn’t just fun and games.  There is a lot of stress that they’re learning to deal with.  An excellent gift that helps them develop such life skills and helps provide them some equanimity right away is A Half Hour of Peace.  These are guided meditations that help with stress and sleep.  They’re available in a really nice package if you choose the CD version.  Also, being that CD players are rather hard to find, it is also available on Amazon as a digital download. So in this case, an Amazon gift card would be the route – of course the challenge there would be getting them to actually use it on what you wanted to gift them.   So I highly recommend the CD version PLUS an oldschool CD walkman that they can use specifically for the meditations.

 

A Moon Phase Planner!  (some of you are like “WHAT?” and the rest are like “oh hell yeah! Why didn’t I think of that?”).  I am in the latter camp.  Claire E. Jones makes a Moon Phase Planner which includes detailed descriptions of each week’s season, zodiac, moon phase, retrogrades, and eclipses.  For the spiritually minded, this really helps maximize an upcoming year.

And while we’re on this subject, we’ve GOT to mention the quintessential awesome gift for anyone.  Name a star after her!!  The International Star Registry has named millions of stars for celebrities, royalty, dignitaries and individuals worldwide. Every star is permanently recorded in the only published catalog of named stars in the world. 10 Volumes of the book *Your Place in the Cosmos* have been recorded in the US Copyright Office.  You’ll get a fancy certificate that you can frame with details on the star – quite the gift.

An app to help improve her dancing skills! There is more to dancing than trying to get TikTok likes, you can help solidify that message by gifting some real dance lessons via the Everdance App which promotes a health lifestyle through dance.  Has classes, feedback, info on results.  While this is geared for women, let’s face it – everyone can benefit from such an app.

 

Now how about some fashion! This is R4RR afterall.  We really like the Margo Paige clear crossbody bag made from recycled PVC.   Sustainable and fashionable at the same time.  And useful, as we’ve mentioned before, when attending events.  Clear=you’re in the clear with security.

The Gus and Violet Dolly Fringe Handbag is another really nice high-end gift idea.  It is suede, and has a fantastic 1970’s cowgirl meets Rodeo Drive frequent-er vibe to it.  They have it in grey as well if she isn’t into the nude suede look.

What about her feet?  The Nootkas ‘Astoria’ Women’s Felted Merino Wool Slipper is a super luxuriously soft and warm slipper.  Just be mindful of sizing, if you’re buying from Amazon, they’ll translate into American sizes (or your local country’s sizes) for you.   If you’re in the U.S. or Canada, these seem to be marked in European sizes.  So a 39 is an 8, if that makes sense.  Again, not something you need to worry about if getting it on Amazon.

 

Keep her warm with a Moroccan Blanket! Verve Culture is one of the coolest shops we’ve seen in a long time.  It has an array of multicultural gifts.  In the Moroccan section there is a Moroccan Blanket that is so warm and lush it makes for an excellent gift for anyone.  At first touch you’d think – this can’t be soft enough, is this a decor blanket? But once you throw it on you’ll quickly figure out that these blankets are amazing.  The camel color option is nice because it goes with everything.

WAMA Underwear! I know what you’re thinking “Should I really be buying someone else underwear?” They do have giftcards if that makes you more comfortable, but what separates this underwear from the pack 😉 is that Wama Underwear is the leading sustainable hemp underwear brand.  Hemp underwear, especially if they’ve never tried it before, provides superior comfort, breathability, and even has antibacterial
properties.

Want her to indulge in health”ier” snacks? You can’t really tell someone in College, “Hey, don’t live off pizza and beer.  You need to care for yourself.”

But you can gift some relatively healthy snacks like BeeFree’s Salted Caramel Warrior Mix.  It isn’t low calorie by any means, but it is at least healthy.  A case of these would make for a fun gift.

This Cookie of the Month Club from “Cooke . . Take a Bite!” also works! What better way for college girls to make friends and be reminded of home
than with fresh baked cookies! Instead of just one present, you can
send your special college kid the gift that keeps on giving with a Cookie
of the Month subscription.

An Amba Heated Towel Rack is a gift that will go over EXTREMELY WELL!  It will keep her towel/robes/etc. warm and is hing in bathrooms to dry and warm towels, keeping them smelling fresher and cleaner longer and reducing laundry frequency. Takes about 10 minutes to heat up.

And while her towels are heating, she can also be steeping a cup of coffee.  Yeah, STEEPING! No fancy coffee machine needed.  Steeped is coffee that steeps like tea, and they make for nice gifts.

You can help her be social and collect memories with MyArtKit.   Events@My ArtKit is a way for her to remember the shared
memories with her friends, and have them participate too.
It’s like a college year book where the invited friends share their
memories to a central account. Private and secure.

 

Does she wear glasses? Peepers are super stylish! Lots of varieties, even if she doesn’t you can get 0 pt lenses (just glass) and she can wear them as a fashion statement.

NOW! While this should have been listed up with the other bags, I’ve saved this for last because this is my favorite gift on this whole list.  RICE LOVE BAGS.  They’re not only awesome looking, they serve an awesome purpose.  The entire concept is just ingenious and for very obvious reasons I am all about the charitable endeavor that these bags support.

For every rice love bag that is bought, Rice Love provides 1 kilogram (2.2 pounds) of rice, which provides the rice needed for 12 individual meals to a family. You even get to check out info on the family you supported!! So far, these seem to be Indian families.  Which makes sense, because these are stellar examples of Indian artistry and fashion that are made out of Rice Bags!!!!  They only partner with factories that respect the environment, have safe working conditions, no child labor, and at a minimum pay the local living wages. India alone has a population of 1.2 billion people. About 450 million, or 37%, are below the world poverty line, living on $1.25 USD per day. This is not something that makes sense if you haven’t seen it in person.  I’ve seen India come a long way, but I assure you this is an amazingly beneficial cause.  And even the cause aside, they are STELLAR BAGS! If these were on the shelf in a boutique you’d still want them.