Divine Chocolate gelt - The best chocolate coins you’ll ever have, with a choice of milk or dark. You might look at the prices and think, “Wow! At these prices, they better be Fair Trade and from a company co-owned by Ghanan cocoa farmers!” And good news: they are. According to Vance, who studied and teaches moral philosophy, it’s basically unethical not to buy them.

HABA board games - Creative German tabletop games without text, designed for young children. Rachel has enjoyed these with her kids and working with kids in Mexico.

TimeTimer - Visual timers that help kids manage transitions and tasks. Vance attests that this helps kids of all ages. Rachel has been known to use hers in coffee shops so she doesn’t get hyper-focused and forget to eventually leave.

Little Sleepies - Super-comfortable pajamas for babies, kids, and adults. Rachel endorses the softness of the fabric.

Boxclever Press Weekly Family Planner - The result of Rachel’s years of research into The Best Calendar for the Fridge. This is a clever physical planner that helps you see everyone in the household's week at a glance without copying weekly events each week, through the magic of a transparent plastic layer. You just have to overlook the fact that all the holidays on it are British and cope with your jealousy when it’s a “bank holiday” or whatever.

Tribit Bluetooth speakers - We both own and love these. From the shower to the driveway while your kids wash your car to the boat you rented for the afternoon, they are actually waterproof and klutz-resistant.

Pinna.fm - Ad-free audio stories and music for kids without “video podcasts”. Rachel’s kids refuse to go to sleep without Pinna are superfans. Faves include Hamster Hot Takes (featuring Rosie the Hamster).

Libro.fm - Audiobooks that support local bookstores, including the ones in the next section! A great alternative to Amazon.

Readwise - For people who read a lot and want to remember what they learned or even chat with their highlights from years past. Rachel’s fave new-to-her service.

Feedly - RSS reader for people who want to control their information input. Rachel and Vance are in a fight about who has used it longer, but let’s just say it’s been at least 30 years of combined use.

Ride with GPS - Route planning for cycling. Helps find safe routes and share them with friends. Vance is a longtime fan and user. Rachel recently got a bicycle and doesn’t have this app yet (hint, hint).

Papercuts Bookstore - Vance’s fave local bookstore in Jamaica Plain, Boston.

Scuppernong Books - Rachel’s fave local bookstore in Greensboro, featured in The Guardian this week for their anti-ICE work.

TomboyX - Comfortable underwear in inclusive sizes and styles.

9Tailors - Custom tailoring for all bodies in Boston and beyond.

Bravissimo - Bras and swimwear for people with larger busts. Actually fits. They do fittings over video chat, if you can imagine. Also British.

Universal Standard - High-quality clothing in sizes 00-40. Rachel wore her Universal Standard blazer last night and received (earned?) compliments from four different people.

ThredUp - Secondhand clothing online. You can even filter by item condition and inseam length. Ask Rachel about her saved searches for herself and her kids.

FaithAction International - Direct support for immigrant and refugee families and communities. Executive Director is Friend-of-the-Pod Maria Rosales, and Rachel is a current Board member.

Doctors Without Borders (Médicins sans Frontières) - A global movement providing independent, impartial medical humanitarian assistance and lifesaving care.

Jews for Abortion Access - The Jewish Fund for Abortion Access is the community-driven force to activate Jewish values, build powerful on-the-ground coalitions, and provide real-time support for abortion access.