Friday, December 12, 2008

Kill Your Television & Russell's Bread Update

Now it's even easier to turn off the idiot box and pick up a peridodical. This just in from Jessica @ Northbank Magazine!

A newsstand comes to West Vancouver! Finally...

I am so pleased to see that a newsstand has opened at the Vancouver Marketplace on Evergreen and Columbia. It's quite small and has lots of prime real estate dedicated to pulpy best sellers and magazines with Brangelina on the cover. HOWEVER, I can now buy a New York Times just minutes from my home and work from an actual person, and some Skittles, if I so desire.

Go. Read. A newspaper.

J.



Also, Marcell's Coffee House, features Russell's Bread for sale by the loaf...as well as great coffee, pastries, sandiches, friendly service, locally crafted clothing & gifts, loads of good books, and a very high level of "hangoutability". Go check 'em out at 3100 Columbia Street.

Saturday, December 6, 2008

2Hand Revolution DIY Craft Show

Did you make it out to the 2Hand Revolution DIY craft show today? No? That's unfortunate because you missed one of the coolest Christmas gift shopping opportunities you'll ever find in Clark County. I found the perfect gifts for the ladies in my life, supported local artists, met some amazing people, and the things I bought would have easily cost two or three times what I paid for them in a boutique in Portland.

Luckily for you the two vendors I purchased my gifts from also sell their handiwork through Etsy. And since they live in our neck of the woods, there's plenty of time for you to place your order and have it in time for the holidays. Check 'em out:

Felted Finery - Lovely, Warm Wearables and Other Fun, Fine Felted Wool Goods

DadzDesign - Coolest Dollz Ever!

While you're at Etsy, be sure to check out the dozens of other talented, local artisans who have set up shop there. I know you'll find just the right thing for everyone on your list and you'll be putting your money back into our community.

There was an additional aspect to the 2Hand Revolution show that I wasn't expecting that's worth mentioning. The Southwest Washington CSA group was there representing local CSA farms, the Urban Farm School was well represented, and the Vancouver Food Coop also had a table there. Very cool stuff and I had the opportunity to rub elbows with some of my favorite heroes of the local agriculture scene. Thank you to all of you for being there.

I also want to give a special kudos to Jessica Swanson, the editor of Northbank Magazine. She was the mastermind behind this awesome event, the founder of 2Hand Revolution, and she did a fabulous job putting on this event. If you've never picked up a copy of Northbank Magazine and you live in our area, you really owe it to yourself to find one. It's a very slick, well-produced quarterly publication focusing on our community and the surrounding area. Thank you Jessica. It was wonderful to meet you in person.

Monday, December 1, 2008

Thank Your Mother

If you're even a little like me, you're already thinking about next year's garden. And it's never too early to start planning and searching for a source for the rare, unusual, and interesting plants you'd like to try. I love spending hours looking through the catalogs that start arriving in my mailbox this time of year. But sometimes I know exactly what I'm looking for and just want to get down to the business of buying. Now, thanks to mother Earth magazine I have a better way to get my seed buying quick fix.

Mother Earth just launched a really cool new search tool on their web site. The Mother Earth Seed and Plant Finder will allow you to search the online catalog inventories of over 500 seed companies.

Hooker's Sweet Corn - Check!
Seattle's Best of All Tomatoes - Check!
Yellow Rocoto Chile Pepper - Check!

Looks like this thing works pretty darn well. Thanks Mother Earth!