Dining in an old shipping container... sorta
Phoenix's The Churchill is a community gathering place made up of local entrepreneurs, foodies and old shipping containers. And when those team up, magic happens!
Are you capturing memories or just cluttering the clouds?
I don't know about you, but I've noticed a peculiar phenomenon engulfing our lives: we've become utterly, irrevocably, photo crazy. It's not just about capturing special moments anymore; it feels like we're documenting every single mundane breath we take. And frankly, I'm starting to wonder if this endless stream of digital documentation is actually enriching our lives, or just creating a massive, overwhelming digital black hole.
Free samples have their limit: buy something or get out!
Here at Buff Loft, we all have our quirks. Somehow Collin loses shoes (or a shoe -- how do they separate?). Gabe seems to always have more used coffee cups on his desk than anyone else. As for outside the office, Drew has made a name for himself for all the wrong reasons.
Would banning social media be such a bad thing for society?
We live in a hyper-connected world, a world seemingly glued to our screens, endlessly scrolling through the curated realities presented by social media. It’s become so ingrained in our daily lives that the mere suggestion of its absence might be met with outrage and cries of censorship. But I ask you, have we truly considered the potential benefits of a society unshackled from the grip of these platforms? Would outlawing social media, as radical as it sounds, really be a bad thing?
Buff-fused breakfast cereal
As a kid, did you ever pour chocolate syrup into your cereal to make it chocolate milk with your Lucky Charms? Anyone? Anyone?? OK, just me. Whatever.
My partner volunteers us to dog-sit even though I'm allergic
I have an allergy to dogs but my partner always volunteers us to dog-sit. He's always wanted a dog but we don't have time to take care of one full time and my allergies make it unbearable. I end up having to stay in the basement the entire time we have a dog over. Should I say something to him?
You actually lose the argument when you do this
I’ve been a silent observer (and occasionally, a bewildered participant) in a particular brand of human interaction that honestly, just tickles my funny bone. I’m talking about the high-drama, low-effort tactics people employ when they want to end an argument, or rather, declare an argument over, usually with themselves as the undisputed victor.
A whiff for a woof
It's widely known that there are two dogs at Buff Loft. While the golden retriever and husky live mostly with their parents across the building and far away from us, they spend a lot of time with our group throughout the day -- especially when the dog parents are out of town. (And they travel a lot!)
What a fine piece of... ice!
Yukon. Just the name evokes images of rugged wilderness, towering peaks and a land steeped in history. I’d dreamt of visiting this remote corner of Canada for years, drawn by its raw beauty and the promise of untamed adventure. And let me tell you, my recent flight-seeing experience through Kluane National Park didn't just meet my expectations, it completely shattered them.
'He can't,' 'he can't,' 'he can't,' but... he does. So...
Lately, I've had this nagging thought, this ever-present question bubbling beneath the surface of every news report and political commentary I consume. It’s a thought that, frankly, leaves me more confused than ever about how our government actually works, and I suspect I’m not alone.
Rich, creamy Buff'ed soup
Two things you don't normally combine: coffee and soup... until now! Really. Don't give me that look.
My partner wants to boom-boom in public... and get caught!
My partner wants to have sex in public in the hopes of getting caught. It's too risky for me but should I do it anyway?
It totally wasn't the surprise he was going for
Ah, Collin. Where do we even begin? Let's just say that if life in Buff Loft were a sitcom, he'd be the lovable, well-intentioned goofball that keeps the audience in stitches.
Do phones make good parents?
I'm struck by a disturbing trend. It seems like everywhere I look, parents are relying more and more on phones and technology to teach, entertain and even soothe their kids.
Almost touching the sky -- almost!
Dawson City, Yukon: it's like being on an old Western movie set. Bars feel like an old-timey cowboy hangout, local guides dressed in period garb. It's like time travel. Really, though, it is.
I spy on my flirty partner at the gym
My boyfriend has two workout buddies that are incredibly hot. I'm a little bit jealous and find myself staring at them from across the gym and watching them to make sure it doesn't go anywhere between them. Should I keep watching from the corner of my eye or say something?
'Love languages': neediness with a side of trendy terminology
We’ve all heard of them: the five love languages. (At least, single people have. Our married bosses hadn't.)
Buff'ed coffee smoothie
It's no secret that we're kinda health nuts here on Team Buff. Sure, we enjoy some boozy-boozy drinky-drinks but we also spend more hours in the gym than we do slamming the hard stuff. (Leave your filthy mind out of this.)
So many companies waste their money doing this
I’ve had an epiphany recently, a moment of clarity that connects two seemingly disparate observations: the astronomical rise in digital ad revenue for giants like YouTube, Facebook and Instagram, and the bafflingly irrelevant ads that pollute my own feeds. And honestly, it boils down to something both simple and infuriating: a significant chunk of these platforms’ burgeoning wealth comes from advertisers who are, quite frankly, throwing away their money.
These animals sing... but do they like country music?
Nashville is formally known as Music City but there's something about the zoo that makes me think it's also Animal City. Amazing experience!
Get weighed down... and feel good about it
A new fitness product gets Team Buff excited because, well, we're a little obsessed. If it's not something for our hair or skin, it's for our muscles. (Nothing wrong with remaining pretty!)
I'll admit it: I've become a word nerd
For most of my adult life, my relationship with spelling and grammar could best be described as... estranged. Or perhaps, more accurately, non-existent. I was the kind of person who saw a misplaced apostrophe and thought, "Eh, you get the gist." A comma splice? "It adds character!" And don't even get me started on 'their,' 'there,' and 'they're' – a linguistic Bermuda Triangle that I happily navigated with blissful ignorance.
My partner cries when 'his team' loses
My partner is too emotional... but not in the way most people would think. We've been together through one sports season. Let me explain why that matters. We started dating at the beginning of the hockey season last year. I don't care much for sports but he's into it so I went along because I had nothing better to do. He's that fan who's decked out in team gear and standing up throughout the game and screaming at the players and high-fiving people when there's a goal. That's not the embarrassing part. (Maybe it kind of is but everyone else is doing it so it's acceptable.) I saw a new side of him when his favorite team was in the playoffs. When they lost a game, he was genuinely pissed on the way home. Like, pissed to the point of grumbling and barely talking to me. I almost felt like saying, "Are you mad at me? What did I do?" and make him get out of the car and walk to his house since I was driving. When his team got into the finals he was thrilled. He was maybe too happy. And when…
Roast with the most: coffee and gravy!
When you're looking for a hearty meal, this is the real deal. A pot roast with gravy takes you back to childhood. It does for me, anyway. Playing outside those cold winter afternoons and coming in to the smell of mom making a roast. I'm getting hungry already.