Seattle’s Knack has your back with unique online gifts that tell a story

August 4, 2016 by Beth Shepherd

Looking for the perfect gift? Like a little something to boost your BFF’s spirits after her boyfriend splits and breaks her heart? Maybe a care package to let your first-time camper know mom misses him? Or a goody bag for your best man, the one guy you can always count on to make a killer craft cocktail? If you’re like me and can’t bear the thought of ordering one more generic bouquet, I’ve got a hot tip for you. Create your own unique customized gift with Knack!

Knack is an online gift website, but that’s not how I discovered them. As it turns out, their headquarters are practically around the corner from where I live, a block away from Old School Frozen Custard, my favorite neighborhood ice cream shop. I’d driven by a number of times and noticed their intriguing window displays. One day, on my way to get a pint of ice cream, I decided to check them out. I am so glad I did because I found the online gift store of my dreams featuring high quality artisan products, many from businesses in the Pacific Northwest.

Founded by Laura Jennings, and launched November 2015, Knack started with the question: What would it look like to create an e-commerce experience that celebrated the customer as the creative force? Laura, who previously worked at Microsoft for over a decade, was inspired by a candy shop in Barcelona that allowed people to make witty custom labels for candy jars. She thought it was such a great way to give shoppers a way to be inventive with their purchases.

Laura told me Knack was built around the customer first and gifts came second. “Can you think of a time when you gave someone a gift you were so excited about, you couldn’t wait for them to open it? Their eyes will just light up at the memories. For us, that’s the essence of giving—finding great joy in knowing you’ve nailed it with a gift that’s absolutely perfect for someone.”

Knack—How do I love thee? Let me count the ways. First, in the gift collections on their site, you will find pre-curated gifts that Knack creates. Browse ingenious collections like Bridesmaids & Besties, Outdoor Fun and For the Bartender. You can also edit your gift and customize by adding, removing, or exchanging products. Or, if you’re a DIY sort of person, you can build your gift from scratch by picking any and all of the products you like, in any number or combination. You even get to name your creation. Sound daunting? No worries because Knack’s user-friendly website walks you through each step. If you get stuck, like I did with a packaging question, Knack offers online LiveChat, email and old-school customer service by phone. I found their staff to be super friendly, helpful and knowledgeable.

The second reason I fell hard for Knack? Their artisan products. Laura emphasized, “We look for artisans with fantastic stories, and then get to know them so we can help share those stories. Our merchants are the kind of people who’ve taken over a fourth generation family business, taught themselves a craft, quit their days jobs and moved across the country to pursue their passions.”

With over 130 merchants and more than 1200 products, Knack covers a lot of gifting ground. Just take a look the adorable gift set for kids with a Crayon & Notecard Travel Folio designed just for Knack by Impwear, a Seattle business I’m keen on, who made the cute Impwear rooster hat I scored for my daughter to wear when we visited Kauai. Of course, since I live in Washington State, I’m really impressed with all the merchants who hale from the Pacific Northwest.

Some of Knack’s best sellers are in their bar and cocktail line. I loved the Nightcap Joybar Towel designed exclusively for Knack by John Choe of That Black Dot, and the blue beverage glassware by Usful Glassworks, handcrafted using “upcycled” bottles in Boise, Idaho by participants in the Usful Glassworks job training program.

Craft fairs like Renegade Craft and Urban Craft Uprising are where many of the artisans Knack represents are found. They also discover businesses by word of mouth and through social media. I was really glad to hear that many of the businesses in Knack’s merchant community are owned by women and local–sometimes really local, like around the corner. Knack also leans toward businesses committed to a sustainable or philanthropic mission.

Laura says they make great efforts to form a personal connection with their merchants, whether it’s dropping by to pick up a product in person and meeting a grandson playing underfoot, driving out to see honeybee hives, or getting the first glimpse (or taste) of a new prototype they want to show her. It’s this kind of business philosophy that makes me want to shop at Knack and sing their praises. I completely agree with Laura that combining products from all these merchants in a single gift “tells a unique story.” And, as many of my readers know, I love a unique story!

I couldn’t believe how many innovative ideas I found on their site, and I am a picky gift giver who really tries to find just the right thing. Knack suggests gifts you might like by product, artisan, and category. Remember the BFF I mentioned earlier with the recent breakup? You could send her the Write Him Off or The 4 Stages Of A Breakup box. Your little camper? Love & Kisses From Home. Best man extraordinaire? Retreat to the Man Cave or Bloody Mary Mornings. I spent a lot of time perusing ideas on the site simply because of Knack’s hilarious gift set titles (yes, I’m a sucker for that sort of thing), but even more so because they have a such broad audience appeal: men, women, kids, old, young, risque, traditional…it’s all there, right at your fingertips.

Last, but definitely not least, is Knack’s gorgeous packaging. Once again they knock it out of the park with several cool options like the ‘K’ box below. From a simple gift bag to a clear plastic paint can, the gifts are beautifully displayed. You can add a personal message to the recipient of your gift at checkout, and—I thought this was really clever—Knack includes a “Knackbook,” with a table of contents and stories about the artisans represented by the products you picked.

Guess what? Knack even sends you a photo of your “precious cargo.” What a fantastic feature. Here’s what my gift—Serenity—looked like, tiny Tillandsia plant and all.

So go check out KNACKSHOPS.COM’s website and their blog which highlights featured merchants and gift ideas. You can also find Knack on Facebook and Instagram.

Knack’s showroom is located in Seattle, in a building that was once the site of Fran’s Chocolate Factory. How cool is that? If you’re local, after placing your order online, you have the option to pick up your gift in-store. Or, for $8, you can have it delivered by a PostMates courier, in minutes. Of course you don’t have to be a Seattleite to take advantage of Knack’s creative and fun experience, just hop online wherever you are!

What are you waiting for? Go create a really cool gift!

It’s all about the journey,

Beth

These boots are made for walkin’: Danner Mountain Pass gear review

February 18, 2016 by Beth Shepherd

No this is not a ferocious mountain lion–it’s Winslow, my cat, checking out my new superhero hiking boots: Danner Mountain Pass. Because why wouldn’t you feel like a superhero wearing these boots? My hands were shaking a little when I opened the box because I was so excited to have my own real hiking boots!

Danner has been making hand-crafted boots since 1932 when Charles Danner opened his boot-making business in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin. Two years later, he moved his family and the Danner business out to Portland, Oregon which is where Danner boots are still made to this day. Hiking, hunting, law enforcement, military, work and casual–you can find a Danner boot that does what you need.

I had a hard time choosing between the Mountain Light Cascade and the Mountain Pass Rio. On the one hand, I really like the look of the Mountain Light Cascade, its iconic 1970s style with smooth full-grain leather and minimal stitching. And there’s no avoiding the caché these boots acquired following their debut in the movie version of Wild, Cheryl Strayed’s 2012 memoir describing her 1,100-mile hike on the Pacific Crest Trail in 1995.

But in practicality a benefit of the Mountain Pass boot is that it’s 25% lighter than the original Mountain Light. These days (read: motherhood) I am not doing much serious long-distance trekking. Plus the ankle of the Mountain Pass is padded and dips lower in the back which is kinder and gentler on one’s Achilles tendon and delicate ankle skin.

Aside from its classic aesthetic, the Mountain Pass features durable stitch-down construction, a full-grain leather upper and a breathable Dri-Lex® lining. The footbed is removable and the sole is made from Vibram® Kletterlift, designed for comfort and durability with reduced height and weight.

Danner offers four color choices in the Mountain Pass for men and women: Major Brown (suede), Dress Blues, Rio and Cedar (both classic light brown). I chose the Rio. The Mountain Pass retails for $350. You can buy your boots directly from Danner, or a few retailers like REI carry a limited selection of styles. Danner also has four brick and mortar stores. I visited the Danner store location at The Landing in Renton, Washington: a gorgeous store with super friendly and knowledgeable sales staff who were extremely nice to my my very active daughter. If you live in the greater Seattle area, definitely check out their store!

So how did they feel when I took them out for a walk in the Washington Park Arboretum? Like buttah! Seriously, right out of the gate my Mountain Pass boots were comfy. No ankle chafing, no banged up toes (size is just right). I didn’t want to take them off. And since I wasn’t on a back-country trail, I brought along my much loved Porteen Gear camera bag which, I must say, looks pretty darn good with my boots!

And hey, if you want to go ‘Wild‘ with these boots, you can easily lace up a pair a snazzy bright red laces, just like those Reese Witherspoon wore in the movie. However you deck ’em out, these boots are made for walking! Take them out on the trail, ramble through a park or stroll city streets.

Be sure to check out Danner’s website which is chock-full of amazing boots for every purpose under the sun (or rain as is the case in the Pacific Northwest). Pay attention to their sizing guide, which I found to be quite accurate. And please–I cannot emphasize this enough–make sure your boots are the right size and take the time to properly break them in, lest you lose your toenails on the Pacific Crest Trail like Cheryl Stayed did (Strayed, by the way, wore different boots when she hiked the PCT). You will love your boots. And your feet will thank you.

Stay tuned–come Spring–for more adventures featuring my Danner Mountain Pass boots! As soon as the snow melts, I’ll be hitting the trails.

I received this item for review purposes, but all opinions expressed are my own.

It’s all about the journey,

Beth

Discover what an Octicorn eats plus five more reasons to visit Portland

December 17, 2015 by Beth Shepherd

Last year, around Christmas, I discovered Portland, Oregon’s elusive Santasquatch. And this year? The Octicorn–plus five more reasons to visit Portland.

Drink some beer. Did you know that Portland has more breweries than any other city in the world? Widmer. Hopworks. McMenamins. Laurelwood. Hair of the Dog. Base Camp. If beer isn’t your thing, Portland distilleries are popping up all over town. I recently tried The Bitter Housewife aromatic bitters. I swear–I’m not bitter. And if you’re not the designated driver, there are always plenty of wineries to check out.

Chow down. If ever there was an indie foodie mecca, Portland is it. You’ve got your restaurants, your markets and your food trucks. Over 600 food trucks! Latin, Asian, French, Pacific Northwest fusion, vegan. Coffee–some of the best bean you can sip. Like ice cream? Portland’s got it in spades. If you hit up Salt & Straw, you might even find yourself with a cone full of Pear & Blue cheese ice cream topped with bug brittle on top. For real. Doughnuts? Ditto. You can even get hitched at Voodoo Doughnut. Yep.

DIY (Do It Yourself). Museums, galleries, music, theater, publishing, crafts. Portland is art. Art is Portland. You can visit a hat museum, a puppet museum and a bathtub art museum. Yes, you read that right. You can see art, buy art and make art. Portland is big on DIY. If all else fails, “Put a bird on it.”

Go outdoors. Get yourself a pair of red-laced Danner boots and walk the Pacific Crest Trail just like Cheryl Strayed. Run in the rain? Lace your Nikes up and ‘Just do it.’ Portland is loaded with parks and trails. Biking, hiking or skateboarding. Cycle around a dormant volcano? Take a hike in the largest urban forest in the U.S.? Kayak the Willamette River? It’s all there for the taking.

Get your quirk on. All references to Portlandia aside, Portland is quirky. And proud of it! Facial hair, tattoos, “lumberjack couture.” In Portland you are ‘free to be’ pretty much whatever you want to be.

Which brings me back to the Octicorn. What’s an Ocitcorn you ask? The offspring of a unicorn dad and an octopus mom, of course. And what does an Octicorn eat? Well, from what I gather, Octicorns are partial to plankton, fresh clover and cupcakes. Because everyone likes cupcakes.

What are you waiting for? Portland is Happening. Now.

Take the road less traveled, Beth

And if you want to read more about all things Pampers, follow me on Facebook, Twitter or RSS/email.

Dormez-vous? Sleeping Lady Resort in Leavenworth

November 19, 2015 by Beth Shepherd

Sleep may be last on your list at Sleeping Lady Resort. Not that the beds aren’t uber comfy. They are. And once my head hit the pillow, I was easily lulled to sleep. But–fair warning–you might find it hard to pull yourself away from the myriad adventures that await if you book a visit to this bucolic mountain resort in Leavenworth, Washington.

First–location, location, location. Leavenworth, a Bavarian village, is tucked into the Cascade Mountains. For the active vacationer, opportunities for white-water rafting, biking, climbing, hiking and downhill and Nordic skiing abound. Looking for a gentler getaway? Seek out the local wineries and breweries or check out the schedule at Icicle Creek Center for the Arts where you can watch a movie, listen to opera, jazz and chamber music, or enjoy local theater. I was lucky enough to catch a mind-blowing performance by Flamenco Vivo, a world-class flamenco group from New York City, at the Snowy Owl Theater.

Then again, if you never want to leave the resort during your stay, you don’t have to because Sleeping Lady offers everything you need to have a stellar vacation. Right there.

The resort is situated on Icicle Road just a few miles outside Leavenworth, not far from the Wenatchee River. Its name comes from the mountain profile that rises above the narrow valley. Sleeping Lady has a long history, beginning in the 1930s to 1940s when the site was known as Camp Icicle and home to the 983rd company of the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) with barracks and buildings housing 200 men.

In the 1940s to 1950s, the cabins and land were sold and became a private ranch called Icicle River Ranch where “summer ranchers” stayed, until it went up for sale again in 1957. The new owner was the Yakima Diocese of the Roman Catholic Church. Renamed Camp Field and run by the much beloved Father O’Grady Camp Field, a camp for young people ages eight and up, thrived for nearly thirty years. When Father O’Grady died in 1983 and the property was sold once again, Harriet Bullit, who had been a longtime neighbor, became the new owner. She created the environmentally friendly resort Sleeping Lady is today. More recent restoration and renovation of the property and buildings took place in the mid-late 1990s.

What you’ll find when you visit is a montage of elegantly rustic guestrooms nestled throughout the grounds, interspersed with buildings and outdoor facilities that include: a sauna, woodland rock pool, library, fitness room, play barn (with a fantastic puppet theater and woodland animal puppets!), chapel, gift shop, mercantile, coffee shop, bar, organic garden and the Aspen Leaf Day Spa.

Sleeping Lady also offers all manner of packages from yoga to birding, fly-fishing to sleigh-riding. That’s right–Over the river and through the woods, a sleigh ride package. For the young, or young at heart, there’s onsite volleyball and horseshoes, pool, foosball, table tennis…and don’t forget the puppet theater I mentioned for the wee ones.

Several options for lodging are available. We stayed in a loft room, but could have chosen an alcove room (great for families), the Rookery with double-decker bunk beds, or romantic and private stand alone Eyrie cabin. There are even six Canine Companion rooms (just don’t tell my cats).

Then there’s the food. Ah, the food. If all the activities mentioned above pique your hunger, you have several choices for places to quell the rumbling in your belly and quench your thirst. We ate our dinner and breakfast at Kingfisher, a lodge-style restaurant and wine bar with exposed wood beams, river rock, and spectacular views of Icicle Canyon. The Grotto was hopping until late in the evening and guests were ordering up wine, beer and spirits, and O’Grady’s is where you’ll want to grab your morning espresso or hang out and dine al fresco when the weather warms up.

How does Snake River Farms Wagyu top sirloin sound? Or maybe grilled swordfish with braising greens, rainbow carrot, coconut milk and lime? Locally farm-sourced organic fruit? Mixed greens? Couscous? Curried winter squash and root vegetable soup? And don’t even get me started on dessert. Lemon posset, key lime tarts, vegan vanilla cake. Each of the locations offer an delectable selection along with gluten-free and vegetarian options too.

And art! Awesome art. Like the Chihuly Icicles straight out of Frozen, an Evil Eye Tree, Soul salmon who “swim” along the periphery of the resort, the Tsutakawa fountains and so much more. My travel companion and I brought one of the ‘Self-guided Art Walk’ brochures along with us and took a leisurely post-breakfast stroll to discover art tucked into woodland corners and log buildings all around the resort.

Are you sleepy now? When the time comes a hand-hewn log bed, with sumptuous sheets and a cozy down comforter, will call your name. Which–after a long and lovely day–is exactly what happened to me!

Sleeping Lady Resort perfect for special weekends, honeymoons, anniversaries, girlfriend getaways, family gatherings, weddings and corporate retreats. Book online here or call (509) 548-6344.

Take the road less traveled, Beth

And if you want to read more about all things Pampers, follow me on Facebook, Twitter or RSS/email.

My stay was provided by Sleeping Lady Resort, but all opinions expressed are my own.

Royal Robbins Ponte Dress review: The LBD that goes everywhere

November 2, 2015 by Beth Shepherd

Royal Robbins Ponte Dress is the LBD (Little Black Dress) that goes everywhere. This is the dress for you if you like to travel and want to bring a dress that won’t wrinkle, can be worn with sandals or boots, dressed up to go out to dinner or down to take a stroll in the city. And look chic doing all of the above.

Which is exactly what I did when I packed up my Royal Robbins Ponte Dress and headed 3,000 miles across the country. There’s the dress rolled up in my suitcase on the right.

And here’s me in my LBD ready for dinner out in upstate New York. I like the way it skims my body. Simple and sleek, just as a LBD should be!

My Royal Robbins dress is made of ponte double-knit with just the right amount of stretch to feel comfortable bending and moving, but still able to maintain its shape when you take it on the road. 3/4 length sleeves and a moderate fabric weight means you can wear this dress spring, summer, fall and winter. It even has UPF protection (ultraviolet A and UVB light) and SPF 50+ too. Versatile! And any LBD worth its salt needs to be versatile.

Classic by itself but easy to change up the look–the cowl neck is the perfect silhouette for adding a scarf or jewelry.

And it has a pocket! I love pockets, especially in a dress. This little zip pocket on the right side of the dress sits smoothly against your body and is hardly noticeable, but just the ticket to hold…well your tickets to the show for one, maybe a house or room key, or a credit card.

Temperatures dipped into the 20s during our trip and the dress looked great with my down vest. I can just as easily imagine wearing it with funky tights for an art walk evening, or barelegged and casual with a pair of silver strappy sandals. Check out the way the hem drops in the back–makes the dress a bit edgier, don’t you think?

Royal Robbin Ponte Dress, a stylish LBD to take with you wherever you go. Perfect for traveling. Perfect for hugging.

Perfect for mowing the leaves.

NOTE ON FIT: The lovely spokesmodel in this post–me–typically wears a size 8. I ordered the Ponte Dress in size medium because the sizing guide on the Royal Robbins website says medium will fit women size 8-10. While the dress fit me to a ‘t,’ I thought it ran a bit small, so be sure to check your measurements and the sizing chart before placing your order. If you are on the upper end of the size, I’d recommend ordering up a size.

I received this item for review purposes, but all opinions expressed are my own.

Take the road less traveled, Beth

And if you want to read more about all things Pampers, follow me on Facebook, Twitter or RSS/email.

Porteen Gear camera bag review: BYOB (Build Your Own Bag)

October 27, 2015 by Beth Shepherd

There are camera bags and then there is this camera bag, my Porteen Gear camera bag. You know how it is when you’re a kid and you get a new superhero costume? You want to wear it all the time. Everywhere. That’s how I feel about this bag.

It’s as if this camera bag was built–Just. For. Me. And, it was. The beauty of Porteen Gear camera bags, aside from impeccable craftsmanship, is that you design a bag that meets your specs and your style. You build your own bag.

Options are plentiful. You choose the bag size first (small, compact, medium, Darby medium, or large) and then move on to selecting the leather, accent fabric, wax, interior, and strap.

Creative (indecisive?) gal that I am, I spent a few enjoyable hours trying to make up my mind because there were so many breathtakingly beautiful combinations. My chef-d’oeuvre: medium-size bag, distressed mahogany leather, gray brocade accent fabric, black waxed canvas, black strap and cognac interior. The perfect compliment for my style: a-little-bit-classic, a-little-bit-boho.

If you have any questions, and I did, Robyn Porteen–the brains, beauty and brawn behind Porteen Gear–is ready and willing to offer assistance. She is also super responsive. I asked about the different bag sizes and told her what gear I carry when traveling or on photo shoots. Then I completed my design and pulled the plug (read: sent in my order).

A couple weeks later, my bag arrived in a nondescript box. But look what lay inside! I felt all warm and fuzzy when I discovered the innovative packaging. And this was just the beginning.

Eye-pleasing and informative details about the care and feeding of my Porteen camera bag were tucked into a clear envelope, along with a post card photo of Marian Porteen (circa 1905), one of Robyn’s forbears.

And check this out–unzip the nifty pocket on the front of the bag and you’ll find a small zippered pouch, lined with groovy fabric. Robyn always includes a pouch with the purchase of any bag. Note to self: Great place to store credit cards, cash, keys and sundry items I might take on my photographic journeys, even my passport should I get lucky enough to head overseas. The zippered pocket is also the perfect spot for stashing my camera lens, which I’m always trying to stuff in my back pocket…but I don’t always have a back pocket.

Next up, exploring the interior of the bag. Wally, my trusty assistant and muse, was up for the task.

He thought the bag was just about right for two kittens or one medium-sized cat. Upon further inspection you’ll find:

Exterior front: aforementioned zip pocket and three open, smaller pockets–two that could be used to hold your phone or keys and one that is decidedly for a pen, which is really awesome because I can’t tell you how often I sift through the minutia in my purse looking for something to write with.

Exterior back: one open pocket for a notebook (the old-fashioned kind), e-reader, magazine.

Interior: generously padded on all sides with two circular (and non-detachable) pockets, a center area, and a rear velcro pocket.

The rear inside velcro pocket is about 10-1/2 inches wide, which fit my Kindle handily. Most tablets would settle in quite nicely. I’d wondered whether the medium-sized bag would be big enough to meet most of my needs and it is. Here’s what my bag looks like with three lenses (and the Kindle). I could pack it like this if I wanted to carry my camera around my neck and not in the bag. I can envision several useful combinations: camera, extra lens and flash; camera, small stainless steel water bottle, loupe and gorilla tripod…you get the idea.

This past weekend I used my bag for a photo shoot and it was a joy to carry. Light and comfortable, nothing like one or two of the [insert famous camera bag maker name here] leather bags I’ve bought but never take with me on the road because they are just way too heavy and bulky.

Aside from being–well, look at me rockin’ my Porteen Gear bag–one thing that sets these bags apart is they don’t scream camera bag, which comes in very handy if you happen to be traveling in a locale where a camera bag that screams nice camera is an invitation to theft or worse. And yes, there are other camera bags that look like purses but they tend to appear more Upper East Side and some of us–like me–are more East Village/Brooklyn, if you know what I mean.

Want to BYOB? Check out the amazing options on the Porteen Gear website, and you can find Porteen Gear’s Etsy store here, with ready-made bags are available for purchase. And not just bags. You can select from wide array of camera straps, wrist straps, small leather travel bags, camera bags for DSLR, point-and-shoot, mirrorless cameras. And–hey boys–Porteen didn’t forget about you! There are men’s and unisex style bags too.

I received this camera bag for review purposes but all the opinions expressed herein are my own.

Take the road less traveled, Beth

And if you want to read more about all things Pampers, follow me on Facebook, Twitter or RSS/email.

Once upon a time there was a farm stand: Country Mercantile

August 7, 2015 by Beth Shepherd

Once upon a time, there was a little roadside produce stand in the Tri-Cities. The little stand grew and grew and grew, until one day it morphed into Country Mercantile. When you see everything (and I mean everything) the store has to offer, it’s hard to imagine owners Jay and Janece Wood’s humble beginning, selling seasonal fruits and vegetables, much of it grown their farm near Basin City some 30 miles north of Richland, Washington.

The 22,000-square-foot store I visited in Richland is on Ava Way off off I-82 and Dallas Road. This new location the Wood’s second brick and mortar. Their first store, situated in Pasco, opened in 1997.

Both stores feature Northwest gourmet foods along with mouth-watering chocolates, bread, ice cream, tamales, salsa and chips all made by hand. During my tour of the store with “Mercantile Max” ( store manager Max Uriostegui, who has been with Country Mercantile for well over a decade), I found out about the many ways the Mercantile really puts family into this mom and pop business.

Max told me how his mom makes all the tamales and all the salsas, with the help of nieces and nephews. He could trace each and every recipe to someone he knew. He also recounted his own story of how he was hired by the Wood family and, over time, helped grow the business into what it is today.

Max studied chocolate and ice cream making, perfecting his skills with chocolate covered nuts, handmade truffles, fudge and a myriad of chocolate confections, along with umpteen flavors of ice cream and gelato (now mostly made by staff he trained). All I can say is: I want to eat at his house!

Another thing I was really impressed with is that Max listens–truly listens–to his staff and customers. When one of the staff suggested piling truffles high and deep (rather than the traditional sparely staged look), he let her give it a try. Sure enough, instead of buying one truffle here and another truffle there, customers loaded their bags to full truffle capacity.

Max also finds creative ways to incorporate the talents and expertise of his staff, like the employee he pointed to while we were chatting whose photography is featured throughout the store. I feel certain the success of Country Mercantile is equal measure rock solid employee relations, great products, and exceptional customer service that keeps customers coming back again and again.

If you find yourself in the Tri-Cities, go fill up your shopping basket at Country Mercantile. And say hi to Max!

Country Mercantile Richland

5015 Ava Way, Richland, WA 99352

Store hours: 7:00am – 9:00pm PST/Open 7 days a week

Country Mercantile Pasco
232 Crestloch Rd., Pasco, WA 99301

Store hours: 7:00am – 8:00pm PST/Open 7 days a week

My visit was hosted by Tri-Cities Visitor and Convention Bureau, but all opinions expressed are my own.

And if you want to read more about all things Pampers, follow me on Facebook, Twitter or RSS/email.

Take the road less traveled, Beth

The Hungry Shark: Baby Bird book review

August 15, 2012 by Beth Shepherd

Rawr. RAWWWRRR.

[I am really hungry.]

Shhhhh. Rarrr. Shew. Shhhhkk.

[I’m hungry. Like a shoe. Whoops, I mean shark. Shoe is my favorite new word.]

Ssssseee. Nananahuh. SsseeeWewewee.

[Yes, I know sharks are carnivores, but this shark is different. She likes seaweed.]

Tee-tee. Preee-tee.

[Pretty pictures too.]

Pffft. MamaananaHaitimamma.

[p.s. The author, Tamia Sheldon, is also an adoptive mama of a daughter from Haiti.]

Yummy Seaweed Pasta Recipe

Ingredients:

1/8 cup arema seaweed
1/2 cup chopped carrots
1/2 cup hot water
3 tablespoons natural peanut butter (or another nut butter, almond, soy, if peanut allergy)
3 tablespoons miso
3 tablespoons soy sauce
soba noodles (6-9 ounces)

How to:

Soak the arame in cold water for 30 minutes to soften. Kids will be amazed how much water seaweed absorbs. Chop carrots into bite sized pieces, place carrots and soba noodles into a pan with water, bring to a boil and cook until both soba and carrots are tender, about 10 minutes. Add miso, soy sauce, peanut or nut butter, and hot water to a bowl and stir well. Then pour sauce into pan along with the seaweed (drain seaweed first) and bring to a low simmer. Pour mixture over soba noodles and carrots, and then toss until noodles and seaweed are well coated with sauce.

Want to sink your teeth into more deliciousness? Check out Wanderfood Wednesday!