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Debt and deceit: Couple flee country amid unpaid bills
Debt and deceit: Couple flee country amid unpaid bills

Otago Daily Times

time3 days ago

  • Otago Daily Times

Debt and deceit: Couple flee country amid unpaid bills

By Tracy Neal, Open Justice multimedia journalist An acquaintance of a couple who ran French bakery Le Posh said they appeared to have fled the country suddenly, leaving a household of personal items, including a 40-year collection of souvenir 'bells' from around the world. A civil claim against Veronica and Didier Crevecoeur over unpaid rent on commercial premises in Nelson has lifted the lid on a trail of debt and deceit left by the couple. NZME recently revealed how the pair failed to appear in the Nelson District Court in June for a hearing in which they were ordered to pay more than $29,000 in unpaid rent, damages and legal costs to the owners of a building where they ran one of their bakeries. Other people claimed they, too, had been left out of pocket after dealings with the couple who arrived in New Zealand around 2018. Now, two more people have come forward saying they are also owed money. I need your help Software engineer Steve, who lived near the Crevecoeurs in an exclusive area of Nelson's port hills, considered the couple as friends. 'At some point, Veronica came to see me - I think it was in November last year. She called me and said, 'I need your help, can I come to see you'?' Steve alleged that Veronica then told him a 'very strange story' about her father, and someone she knew in Spain, and how they needed about 3000 to 4000 Euros ($NZ5800 to $NZ7804) to send. He said she was very convincing, but he did not have that kind of money to lend. In the days before the Crevecoeurs left, Steve said Veronica sent him another message, asking again for money. He alleged she needed almost $1000 to cover what he believed might have been rent. 'I didn't send the money, but she was very insistent. 'She sent me many messages in a way that was very strange.' Steve said he began to get suspicious, but finally relented and gave Veronica a couple of hundred dollars. 'She was saying, 'I will pay you back tomorrow, I will pay you back tomorrow', and then she sent me more messages asking for more (money).' Steve arranged to pay $300 via a bank transfer, so he had a record, then tried to reach the couple a few days later, but says he got no reply. The Crevecoeurs had left, without paying it back, Steve said. Steve understood the couple flew to Perth where they had family, a few days after his final communication with them on February 20 this year. He said he was curious about why she was not responding to his text messages, so he went to the home they rented. He found them gone, and the landlord sorting through a stack of expensive clothes, a huge collection of shoes, and the large collection of souvenir 'bells' from around the world that they had left behind. Latin band left out of pocket Nelson-based Italian/Kiwi musician, Raffaele Bandoli said the Latin band he played in was left out of pocket when the Crevecoeurs failed to pay in full after hiring them to mark France's Bastille Day at an event in Blenheim in July 2019. Bandoli said the band, Los Galanes, was paid a $1100 deposit for the $2245 gig, but he claims they never saw the rest of it. Bandoli said band leader and founder, Jose Luis Perez, paid individual band members from his own pocket. Los Galanes, which at times has been a 10-piece band, was then a seven-piece. 'He was such a responsible and nice person that he paid all the members of the band, regardless,' Bandoli said. He wanted to speak out, in honour of Perez, who died suddenly in March last year, while travelling in Europe with his partner and band administrator Rebecca Knox. Knox said Perez always paid his musicians a set fee, but the 'biggie' for them was Veronica Crevecoeur. 'At first, she was really lovely to deal with,' she said. The band covered its own costs travelling from Nelson to Blenheim, the event went well and the Crevecoeurs seemed pleased. An invoice was sent, but she claims there was no reply. Another statement was sent, they tried contacting the Crevecoeurs by phone, but still nothing, Knox said. They hired a debt collector to recover the money, but when he went to serve them the notice in Blenheim, the premises were empty. Knox said Perez had pleaded with Veronica to pay the remainder of the fee. 'Jose would leave messages saying, 'Veronica, this is really urgent, for the survival of the band'.' When she noticed the shop, Le Posh pop up in Nelson, it was 'a massive red flag'. Knox was then floored when she saw the second Le Posh open up near Nelson's Tāhunanui Beach. The Crevecoeurs moved to Nelson from Marlborough around 2021. The opening of the second store was the beginning of the end of their New Zealand chapter. Le Posh: Unpaid rent The property investment firm, Tawero Holdings (No 2) Ltd, from whom the Crevecoeurs leased the second premises in November 2022, lodged court action when they abandoned the lease, owing $13,175 in rent and outgoings. A spokesperson for Tawero claimed the couple were masters of deceit. He said that taking legal action was a decision not made lightly but 'a lot of deception' had been at play. 'We are not novices at this, and we were taken in.' Tawero Holdings sought, and was granted, a summary judgment of $22,547 against the Crevecoeurs, plus several thousand more in costs associated with re-letting the premises, plus damages. A final dinner before they were gone Steve decided to share his story, after reading about what else they had done. He and his wife had shared a few dinners with the Crevecoeurs, at each others' homes, or at a nearby Thai restaurant. Their last dinner together was earlier this year, when the Crevecoeurs brought French food to share, and some drink. He believed they had Australian citizenship, and planned to spend six months there and six months in France where they owned a small house, near Dieppe, where Didier was from. 'They want to split their time in France between there and Paris, because Veronica really loves Paris,' Steve said. NZME has been unable to locate the Crevecoeurs for comment.

Couple leave behind trail of debt and deceit
Couple leave behind trail of debt and deceit

Otago Daily Times

time3 days ago

  • Otago Daily Times

Couple leave behind trail of debt and deceit

By Tracy Neal, Open Justice multimedia journalist An acquaintance of a couple who ran French bakery Le Posh said they appeared to have fled the country suddenly, leaving a household of personal items, including a 40-year collection of souvenir 'bells' from around the world. A civil claim against Veronica and Didier Crevecoeur over unpaid rent on commercial premises in Nelson has lifted the lid on a trail of debt and deceit left by the couple. NZME recently revealed how the pair failed to appear in the Nelson District Court in June for a hearing in which they were ordered to pay more than $29,000 in unpaid rent, damages and legal costs to the owners of a building where they ran one of their bakeries. Other people claimed they, too, had been left out of pocket after dealings with the couple who arrived in New Zealand around 2018. Now, two more people have come forward saying they are also owed money. I need your help Software engineer Steve, who lived near the Crevecoeurs in an exclusive area of Nelson's port hills, considered the couple as friends. 'At some point, Veronica came to see me - I think it was in November last year. She called me and said, 'I need your help, can I come to see you'?' Steve alleged that Veronica then told him a 'very strange story' about her father, and someone she knew in Spain, and how they needed about 3000 to 4000 Euros ($NZ5800 to $NZ7804) to send. He said she was very convincing, but he did not have that kind of money to lend. In the days before the Crevecoeurs left, Steve said Veronica sent him another message, asking again for money. He alleged she needed almost $1000 to cover what he believed might have been rent. 'I didn't send the money, but she was very insistent. 'She sent me many messages in a way that was very strange.' Steve said he began to get suspicious, but finally relented and gave Veronica a couple of hundred dollars. 'She was saying, 'I will pay you back tomorrow, I will pay you back tomorrow', and then she sent me more messages asking for more (money).' Steve arranged to pay $300 via a bank transfer, so he had a record, then tried to reach the couple a few days later, but says he got no reply. The Crevecoeurs had left, without paying it back, Steve said. Steve understood the couple flew to Perth where they had family, a few days after his final communication with them on February 20 this year. He said he was curious about why she was not responding to his text messages, so he went to the home they rented. He found them gone, and the landlord sorting through a stack of expensive clothes, a huge collection of shoes, and the large collection of souvenir 'bells' from around the world that they had left behind. Latin band left out of pocket Nelson-based Italian/Kiwi musician, Raffaele Bandoli said the Latin band he played in was left out of pocket when the Crevecoeurs failed to pay in full after hiring them to mark France's Bastille Day at an event in Blenheim in July 2019. Bandoli said the band, Los Galanes, was paid a $1100 deposit for the $2245 gig, but he claims they never saw the rest of it. Bandoli said band leader and founder, Jose Luis Perez, paid individual band members from his own pocket. Los Galanes, which at times has been a 10-piece band, was then a seven-piece. 'He was such a responsible and nice person that he paid all the members of the band, regardless,' Bandoli said. He wanted to speak out, in honour of Perez, who died suddenly in March last year, while travelling in Europe with his partner and band administrator Rebecca Knox. Knox said Perez always paid his musicians a set fee, but the 'biggie' for them was Veronica Crevecoeur. 'At first, she was really lovely to deal with,' she said. The band covered its own costs travelling from Nelson to Blenheim, the event went well and the Crevecoeurs seemed pleased. An invoice was sent, but she claims there was no reply. Another statement was sent, they tried contacting the Crevecoeurs by phone, but still nothing, Knox said. They hired a debt collector to recover the money, but when he went to serve them the notice in Blenheim, the premises were empty. Knox said Perez had pleaded with Veronica to pay the remainder of the fee. 'Jose would leave messages saying, 'Veronica, this is really urgent, for the survival of the band'.' When she noticed the shop, Le Posh pop up in Nelson, it was 'a massive red flag'. Knox was then floored when she saw the second Le Posh open up near Nelson's Tāhunanui Beach. The Crevecoeurs moved to Nelson from Marlborough around 2021. The opening of the second store was the beginning of the end of their New Zealand chapter. Le Posh: Unpaid rent The property investment firm, Tawero Holdings (No 2) Ltd, from whom the Crevecoeurs leased the second premises in November 2022, lodged court action when they abandoned the lease, owing $13,175 in rent and outgoings. A spokesperson for Tawero claimed the couple were masters of deceit. He said that taking legal action was a decision not made lightly but 'a lot of deception' had been at play. 'We are not novices at this, and we were taken in.' Tawero Holdings sought, and was granted, a summary judgment of $22,547 against the Crevecoeurs, plus several thousand more in costs associated with re-letting the premises, plus damages. A final dinner before they were gone Steve decided to share his story, after reading about what else they had done. He and his wife had shared a few dinners with the Crevecoeurs, at each others' homes, or at a nearby Thai restaurant. Their last dinner together was earlier this year, when the Crevecoeurs brought French food to share, and some drink. He believed they had Australian citizenship, and planned to spend six months there and six months in France where they owned a small house, near Dieppe, where Didier was from. 'They want to split their time in France between there and Paris, because Veronica really loves Paris,' Steve said. NZME has been unable to locate the Crevecoeurs for comment.

Nelson's Le Posh bakery duo escape to Australia amid debt claims
Nelson's Le Posh bakery duo escape to Australia amid debt claims

NZ Herald

time4 days ago

  • NZ Herald

Nelson's Le Posh bakery duo escape to Australia amid debt claims

Now, two more people have come forward saying they are also owed money. Veronica and Didier Crevecoeur appear to have left Nelson quickly, abandoning a vast accumulation of clothes and shoes, and a 40-year collection of souvenirs from around the world. I need your help Software engineer Steve, who lived near the Crevecoeurs in an exclusive area of Nelson's port hills, considered the couple as friends. 'At some point, Veronica came to see me - I think it was in November last year. She called me and said, 'I need your help, can I come to see you'?' Steve alleged that Veronica then told him a 'very strange story' about her father, and someone she knew in Spain, and how they needed about 3000 to 4000 Euros ($NZ5800 to $NZ7804) to send. He said she was very convincing, but he did not have that kind of money to lend. In the days before the Crevecoeurs left, Steve said Veronica sent him another message, asking again for money. He alleged she needed almost $1000 to cover what he believed might have been rent. 'I didn't send the money, but she was very insistent. 'She sent me many messages in a way that was very strange.' Steve said he began to get suspicious, but finally relented and gave Veronica a couple of hundred dollars. 'She was saying, 'I will pay you back tomorrow, I will pay you back tomorrow', and then she sent me more messages asking for more (money).' Steve arranged to pay $300 via a bank transfer, so he had a record, then tried to reach the couple a few days later, but says he got no reply. The Crevecoeurs had left, without paying it back, Steve said. Steve understood the couple flew to Perth where they had family, a few days after his final communication with them on February 20 this year. He said he was curious about why she was not responding to his text messages, so he went to the home they rented. He found them gone, and the landlord sorting through a stack of expensive clothes, a huge collection of shoes, and the large collection of souvenir 'bells' from around the world that they had left behind. Latin band left out of pocket Members of Nelson-based Latin band Los Galanes: Raffaele Bandoli (left), the late Jose Luis Perez and guest member Marco Sangiorgi. The band were left short by more than $1000 for a Bastille Day gig the Crevecoeurs hired them to play at. Photo / Los Galanes Nelson-based Italian/Kiwi musician, Raffaele Bandoli said the Latin band he played in was left out of pocket when the Crevecoeurs failed to pay in full after hiring them to mark France's Bastille Day at an event in Blenheim in July 2019. Bandoli said the band, Los Galanes, was paid a $1100 deposit for the $2245 gig, but he claims they never saw the rest of it. Bandoli said band leader and founder, Jose Luis Perez, paid individual band members from his own pocket. Los Galanes, which at times has been a 10-piece band, was then a seven-piece. 'He was such a responsible and nice person that he paid all the members of the band, regardless,' Bandoli said. He wanted to speak out, in honour of Perez, who died suddenly in March last year, while travelling in Europe with his partner and band administrator Rebecca Knox. Knox said Perez always paid his musicians a set fee, but the 'biggie' for them was Veronica Crevecoeur. 'At first, she was really lovely to deal with,' she said. The band covered its own costs travelling from Nelson to Blenheim, the event went well and the Crevecoeurs seemed pleased. An invoice was sent, but she claims there was no reply. Another statement was sent, they tried contacting the Crevecoeurs by phone, but still nothing, Knox said. They hired a debt collector to recover the money, but when he went to serve them the notice in Blenheim, the premises were empty. Knox said Perez had pleaded with Veronica to pay the remainder of the fee. 'Jose would leave messages saying, 'Veronica, this is really urgent, for the survival of the band'.' When she noticed the shop, Le Posh pop up in Nelson, it was 'a massive red flag'. Knox was then floored when she saw the second Le Posh open up near Nelson's Tāhunanui Beach. The Crevecoeurs moved to Nelson from Marlborough around 2021. The opening of the second store was the beginning of the end of their New Zealand chapter. Le Posh: Unpaid rent The property investment firm, Tawero Holdings (No 2) Ltd, from whom the Crevecoeurs leased the second premises in November 2022, lodged court action when they abandoned the lease, owing $13,175 in rent and outgoings. A spokesperson for Tawero claimed the couple were masters of deceit. He said that taking legal action was a decision not made lightly but 'a lot of deception' had been at play. 'We are not novices at this, and we were taken in.' Tawero Holdings sought, and was granted, a summary judgment of $22,547 against the Crevecoeurs, plus several thousand more in costs associated with re-letting the premises, plus damages. The Crevecoeurs ran two French themed patisseries in Nelson, named Le Posh. NZME composite image A final dinner before they were gone Steve decided to share his story, after reading about what else they had done. He and his wife had shared a few dinners with the Crevecoeurs, at each others' homes, or at a nearby Thai restaurant. Their last dinner together was earlier this year, when the Crevecoeurs brought French food to share, and some drink. He believed they had Australian citizenship, and planned to spend six months there and six months in France where they owned a small house, near Dieppe, where Didier was from. 'They want to split their time in France between there and Paris, because Veronica really loves Paris,' Steve said. NZME has been unable to locate the Crevecoeurs for comment. Tracy Neal is a Nelson-based Open Justice reporter at NZME. She was previously RNZ's regional reporter in Nelson-Marlborough and has covered general news, including court and local government for the Nelson Mail.

Madonna: Veronica Electronica review – Ray of Light rarities range from perfect to perfunctory
Madonna: Veronica Electronica review – Ray of Light rarities range from perfect to perfunctory

The Guardian

time6 days ago

  • Entertainment
  • The Guardian

Madonna: Veronica Electronica review – Ray of Light rarities range from perfect to perfunctory

It's hard to overstate the impact of Ray of Light, Madonna's seventh album. Released in 1998, it totally reshaped Madonna's career, embracing trip-hop, electronica and Britpop and essentially proving to an unfriendly public that she was one of pop's great auteurs. It spawned one of her biggest singles – the haunting power ballad Frozen – and its title track is still a staple of radio and DJ playlists. In the past few years, many of contemporary and underground pop's most significant names – including Caroline Polachek, Addison Rae, a.s.o., Shygirl and FKA twigs – have referenced Ray of Light, whether directly or indirectly. It's a fool's errand to try to make a case for the best or most significant Madonna album – she has at least five strong contenders – but if there's a consensus pick, it's Ray of Light. Which is why the announcement of Veronica Electronica, a full-length Ray of Light remix album, was met with such hysteria from fans earlier this year. Madonna has spoken at length over the years about both Veronica the character – in true Madonna fashion, Veronica stems from a vaguely contradictory concept in which she is both a girl dancing at a club and, somehow, 'medieval' – and the album, which she intended to release after Ray of Light but ended up shelving. For diehards, the promised record is something of a holy grail – never mind that this long-awaited release only contains two truly new songs, one of which, an old demo titled Gone Gone Gone, has been floating around on the internet for years. Even so, it's hard to deny the simple pleasures that can be derived from hearing some all-time great Madonna remixes cut down to radio length and sequenced like the original Ray of Light. Drowned World/Substitute for Love sounds great taken out of its original glacial trip-hop context and turned into a DayGlo acid rager by BT and Sasha; the emotional ambiguities of the original song are replaced with warm positivity, and you can easily imagine the song soundtracking the final minutes of a raging house party as the sun begins to rise. Other tracks, such as Peter and Victor's remix of Skin – the other new song here – take an opposite tack; they heighten Skin's innate moodiness with a steely, exploratory techno beat punctuated by big, sharp breaks, turning the original track into something tweaky and unsettled. As is often the case with remix records, there are moments on Veronica Electronica that feel perfunctory – namely, the Club 69 remix of Nothing Really Matters. Perhaps any remix of the original song will always be held to a higher standard, given its status as one of the only out-and-out club tracks on Ray of Light, but unlike many of the remixes on the album, it feels as if there's no relationship between the source material and the rework here, aside from Madonna's vocal, which is looped to the point of irritation. It's frustrating when people claim to 'hate remixes', as if you can put a blanket statement on an entire artform, but this kind of remix may make you sympathise with the sentiment. Fabien's Good God mix of The Power of Good-Bye, on the other hand, represents all the potential of a curio project like this: a bizarrely minimal drum'n'bass rework of one of Madonna's best ballads, it finds enormous power in the conflict between Fabien's increasingly frenetic drums and Madonna's serene, sorrowful vocal. It's a surprisingly appropriate lead-in to Gone Gone Gone, a song so brilliantly weird that you really can understand why it was left off the original album. It is, essentially, a wistful breakup ballad set to a squelchy electro beat – a surreal tonal clash that hardly gels with Ray of Light's placid waters, but which gives a surprising amount of insight into Madonna's creative state at the time: here is one of the biggest stars in the world, in her creative prime, throwing anything at the wall to see what sticks. For that peek behind the curtain alone, Veronica Electronica is worth the price of admission.

11 Life-Changing Health Products Recommended by Our Team
11 Life-Changing Health Products Recommended by Our Team

Health Line

time6 days ago

  • Health
  • Health Line

11 Life-Changing Health Products Recommended by Our Team

'Life changing' is a lofty goal for a health product, but our editors say these 11 are truly indispensable. From TikTok trends to influencer picks, it can seem like product recommendations are everywhere. While many aren't worth your time — or, let's be honest, money — every once in a while, there are true gems that make our lives easier, better, or just more fun. We asked Healthline editors — many of whom regularly try new products for our product reviews and roundups — what products have been truly life changing. From kitchen tools to products for better sleep, here's what they said. The products that truly changed our lives for the better Christy's pick: An IPL hair removal device Christy Snyder called this intense pulsed light (IPL) hair removal device a huge time saver. It uses light to remove hair and prevent it from growing back. 'Sick of shaving and other hair removal methods (waxing, using an epilator), using an at-home laser to remove unwanted hair has been a game-changer in my self-care routine,' she said. 'I get less ingrown hair and itchy skin.' According to the brand, it takes three to four treatments a week for the first month to start seeing results. After that, you can switch to just one or two treatments per month for maintenance. Still, keep in mind that it may not work well on dark skin or light hair. Although Christy has sensitive skin, she's found that this device doesn't bother her skin. 'It does take a bit of patience,' she warned, 'but it's been worth it for me.' Veronica's picks: A food scale and pans with interchangeable handles Veronica Zambon said having access to a food scale helps her with portion control and is much more accurate than measuring food by volume. 'I grew up with an Italian nonna, so mealtimes were literally enough to feed an army — my brother, who is in the navy and needs all that energy he can, struggles to finish her meals! With that as my baseline, I always battled with knowing what a 'proper' portion is, an issue compounded by the trend of larger plates.' She shared that she relies on Google to figure out calories per gram of different foods as she seeks to lose weight to help her manage polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). She credits her scale to helping her lose over 6 pounds. Having tried several different scales, she likes her current one by Salter, a UK brand. Other brands, like Taylor or Amazon Basics, offer good entry-level options for customers in the United States. Veronica's second pick is also kitchen-related. After moving into a small house without much kitchen space, she decided to ditch her wok and oversized tall pot and buy a set of stackable pans. The set comes with a detachable handle that you can use for the whole set. 'I ended up buying these on a whim and they're fantastic,' she said, adding that they only take up about as much cupboard space as a set of plates. 'Plus, these are oven safe! I can cook stuff on the [stovetop] and then place the pan in the oven and remove the handle. Minimal washing up, minimal equipment, and I can make delicious food in suitable pots and pans.' Morgan's pick: Noise-cancelling headphones Morgan Mandriota received these headphones as a gift a couple of years ago. She called them 'magic' because they helped her manage sensory issues. 'I'm easily distracted, overstimulated, and frustrated by the everyday sounds that my brain can't filter out that other people wouldn't even notice,' she explained. 'I actually cried the first time I wore them because the noise-cancelling functionality was so powerful that I was overcome with a sense of peace and quiet for the first time in a while.' While Morgan noted that they're great for helping her focus while working from home, she added, 'Sometimes I just sit on my couch and close my eyes while listening to music through them because the sound is so good, too.' Naomi's pick: Shampoo bars Naomi Wilde made the switch from liquid shampoo to shampoo bars more than 2 years ago and doesn't think she'll ever go back. Compared to traditional shampoo, a bar lathers great, cleans her hair well, and doesn't leave any residue. 'It takes up less space on my shower shelf, and as far as waste? I've probably avoided using a dozen plastic shampoo bottles so far,' she said. 'All I have to do is recycle a little piece of paper from each bar.' Naomi uses these bars from J.R. Liggett, which are locally made in her state. However, you can also find brands like Ethique and HiBAR at natural grocers and even large chains like Target. Catherine's pick: Lacrosse balls Catherine Conelly called the humble lacrosse ball 'cheap and indispensable' for tight muscles. She noted that it's easy to travel with or use at home. 'It's denser than a tennis ball, so it's great for rolling on sore muscles (for me, it's my neck and shoulders that chronically act up). It's like a mini deep tissue massage,' she explained. Rita Mauceri agreed, calling this set of lacrosse balls 'the best $7.99 I spent in recent memory.' She uses them to roll out her feet, relieving tension and cramps. 'I roll for less than 5 minutes a day, and it's made such a difference,' Rita added. Rita's picks: A satin pillowcase and a sous vide One of Rita's other top products is a silk or satin pillowcase. 'After reading endlessly about the beauty benefits of silk pillowcases for both hair and skin, I finally decided to try the trend… and was not disappointed,' she said. While real silk pillowcases can run $100 or more, satin is a cruelty-free, less expensive alternative. These ones from Bedsure are less than $10 for a set and come highly recommended by Rita. 'They protect my hair from tugging and stress while I sleep, and pamper my skin as well (I'm a side sleeper who tosses and turns with a minimum of three pillows),' she added. 'I've also found they're cooler at night, which is a bonus for anyone who is a hot sleeper.' Rita also recommends a sous vide — something she was initially hesitant about. 'I gave my husband a lot of grief when he announced 2 years ago that he had bought a sous vide. I think my exact words were, 'Do we really need another kitchen gadget?'' she said. 'I ended up eating my words, literally.' Rita said she now relies on the tool daily, especially when cooking meat. 'It cooks things to perfection, every single time. Meat is unbelievably tender and juicy — and we've cooked everything from chicken breasts to T-bone steaks to BBQ pork to tri-tip. Not only that, but this is a set-it-and-forget-it device, so you can set it up to start and keep the food warm until you're ready to eat.' While Rita initially had a lower cost model, she recently upgraded to this one from Breville. Alice's picks: An insulated stainless steel water bottle and a white noise machine Though a reusable water bottle might seem like a basic product at this point, Alice Porter-McLaughlin recommends upgrading to an insulated stainless steel one. 'Mine's lasted forever despite being through some ordeals. I take it with me everywhere and keep it beside my bed at night,' she said. This one from Hydro Flask holds its temperature for hours, and the wide mouth can support a variety of cap styles. Alice also recommends a dedicated white noise machine as a worthwhile upgrade to using a white noise app. 'It means one less reason to use my phone at night,' she explained. Plus, she said it's helped both her and her husband sleep much better at night. 'With time, we almost trained ourselves to fall asleep quicker/more deeply when it's on.' Lois's pick: An automatic pill dispenser and organizer Lois Zoppi acknowledges that automatic pill dispensers aren't cheap, but she still finds it worthwhile for reducing mental load and staying on top of medications and supplements. 'I have a blood condition that means I am chronically anemic, and it's super important I regularly take high dose iron. I'm also vegetarian, so I take a few supplements to make up for gaps in my diet,' she explained. 'But, I really struggle to keep a routine and make habits, and setting alarms on my phone wasn't working to keep me regularly taking what I needed to and when.' Lois likes the dispenser's ability to set multiple alarms, noting that it goes off only when the pills are actually removed from the tray. 'It forces me to actually follow through instead of turning off my phone alarm and inevitably forgetting to take the pills. For the first time, I've actually been on top of a supplement schedule, and I'm definitely feeling the benefits in my day-to-day health,' she said.

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