Ten entries. Nine things I actually use. No sponsors, no wish list, no nonsense. And before you ask: no, I didn't put my own product at #1. I moved it to #5. 

I get a year older this month, and somewhere along the way "what does the CEO use" turned into a real question people ask me. Roger that. Here's the honest list. 

Section #1 Drinks and Drink Equipment - I fast most days til mid afternoon, that means I mostly am only drinking no to low calorie options to start and get through the day. 

1. Black & White Coffee Roasters - Sebastian Ramirez : Watermelon 

Out of North Carolina, started by people who came up through barista competitions. Their whole thing is "if it tastes good, it is good" I go for the natural-process single origins, the fruit-forward stuff: cherry, raspberry, dark berry, and my favorite : watermelon. This is the bag I open when I want the coffee to *be* the morning, not just fuel it. Perfect for a calm before the warm Colorado summer morning. 

2. Building Three Coffee - ELLA : Women Producers of Guatemala 

My local pick, and the one I can actually drive to. They roast in Colorado Springs inside an old converted elementary school, every classroom is now a different little business. A roaster operating out of a reclaimed schoolhouse is about the most on-brand thing I can imagine for myself. Small, precise, organic options. I'll take a roaster I can drive to over a logo any day. Ella is not only a delicious brown sugar and cacao focused winter (for me) coffee, it is part of an initiative to diversify sourcing, provide market access, and highlight the stories of powerful women. Sourcing this delicious coffee from the various Women Producers of Guatemala. 

3. SPORTea - Natural Energy & Hydration : Cold Brewed 

SPORTea is a tea-based drink built for people who'd rather not pour sugar and synthetic dye into themselves to feel awake. It's a blend of green and black teas with Siberian eleuthero root, ginger, yerba maté, and vitamin C. Basically electrolytes and adaptogens instead of the usual energy-drink chemistry set. Citrusy, a little sweet, zero sugar, zero calories, and caffeine that lands somewhere around a decaf coffee, so it won't wire you and drop you an hour later. I drink the iced version. You toss a bag into a quart of cold water, leave it in the fridge overnight, and it keeps for days. Bonus : based in ColoRADo. 

4. AeroPress Coffee Maker - Premium : Borosilicate Excellence 

I've used an AeroPress for years, and the Premium is the version I finally stopped hiding in a cabinet. It's the same 3-in-1 brewer, part French press, part pour-over, part espresso. Reimagined out of double-wall borosilicate glass, stainless steel, and anodized aluminum instead of plastic. Same 10 oz capacity, same standard filters, same two-minute brew with low bitterness and no grit. What changes is that it actually earns a spot on the counter instead of in a drawer. Manual. Reliable. Honest material elegance. My style. (wink wink, oh here it comes) 

5. The BOROUX 3 Gallon water filter - with Teak Wood Floor Stand 

The confession, right on schedule. The whole list, to this point, secretly runs on water. The coffee, the tea, me. So yes, I run a water company, and yes, this thing lives in my house (thanks floor stand for getting it off my counter). Stainless steel, no cord, no app. It makes water taste like nothing, which is exactly what water should taste like. Reduces up to 99.9% of harmful contaminants like lead, PFAS, and chlorine, while the natural filtration keeps the good minerals in. A natural chemistry, gravity orchestra. Get this right and everything downstream of it gets better. That's not a pitch. It's just the order of operations! 

Section #2 - Wow, this is getting personal. 

6. Bro Glo - Self Tanner for The Boyz 

For 3 seasons of the year I’m out trying to get max vitamin D with skin exposed. In the Winter when I Ski (obvi extra fully clothed) Bro Glo is the answer. A self-tanner made for guys who don't have time to lie around in the sun and would rather not look like they spend all winter indoors which, in Colorado, I sort of do. It's a water-based foam you rub on, it's body-hair friendly (a real consideration), and it dries fast enough that you're not standing around your bathroom like a scarecrow. Also works equally well on XX chromosomes. Comment section rejoice. 

7. DNA Vibe Jazz Band Live Pro - Red Light and Magnetic Therapy 

Speaking of skiing, a couple of years ago I picked up an injury in my left elbow. I had limited function, could not supinate, and had a hard time lifting almost anything. After several failed orthopedic visits, lots of unnecessary cortisone, and legit 2 years of being the guy with a hurt elbow, my local PT friends Rachel and Hugh from Fit Instincts brought natural healing movements and red light therapy to the forefront. This is the recovery gadget I actually keep using, which is the bar for anything in this list. It's a flexible silicone band you strap onto almost anything complaining, knee, lower back, elbow, etc. It runs four things at once: red light, near-infrared, a low magnetic signal, and micro vibration. The whole pitch is "precision over power." Wear it for a 20-minute session without babysitting it. Work it into your physical therapy and you won't regret it. Thank you Rachel, Hugh, and DNA Vibe! 

8. Le Creuset Traditional Cast Iron Skillet and Dutch Oven 

Keep your cooking analogue. Ditch the air fryer fad. If I had to keep one set of cookware, it'd be this. It's enameled cast iron, the workhorse version, with a black satin interior that means no seasoning ritual, no babying, no oiling it down after every wash. You cook, you clean it, you move on. The cast iron does what cast iron does: holds heat like a brick in a fire, so a steak hits the pan and actually sears instead of steaming. 

The part I appreciate is what it isn't. No PTFE, no PFAS, none of the synthetic nonstick that flakes into your food and your bloodstream over a few years. The food-contact surface is the muted black enamel, which is the version of Le Creuset's coating I'd trust most. Over time it builds a natural patina and starts releasing food like it's nonstick anyway. 

9. Beautiful Briny Sea - Sea Salt Blends : Cha Cha Delish 

You won’t find a better seasoning for cranking down 4 fried eggs. This is the jar that earned permanent counter rights. Beautiful Briny Sea is a small Atlanta outfit doing hand-mixed, small-batch salt blends, and Cha Cha Delish is my favorite one. It lands somewhere between savory, tangy, and a little heat. Real ingredients you can read off the label, no anti-caking sludge or “natural flavor" mystery. All of their blends are excellent. Shoutout to my sister for slipping it in my stocking one year! 

10. Have you thought of using a VPN? 

JUST KIDDING - not going to do you like the rest of the internet. These 9 products are products I actually use everyday, adore, and actually feel zero guilt recommending. 

Here's to another year of getting the fundamentals right. Stay classy San Diego. 

- Parker