Wednesday, November 26, 2008

YOUR FAVORITE THING....

I posted all the responses from the question "What is your favorite thing about the holidays?" Unfortunately I can not get them on this blog easily, so if you click on this link here from our website, you can read them all!  It's really great..


Thanks again!

Monday, November 24, 2008

Rain Rain Go Away

Just Kidding!!

I am diggin on this weather today! Some rain will be so appreciated, maybe I'll go stand in it like I'm not so afraid of it.

It's as if I want it to come so bad and then I avoid it all costs, running to and from my car without an umbrella, in true so cal style, shreaking and covering my hair.

Enjoy the clouds while they are here... : )

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Fa La La La La, Fall

I need some Holiday Cheer. Today my mom, Marie felt overwhelmed. One of the things on her plate, is Thanksgiving dinner (no pun intended). The other was the pressure to start decorating for the holidays, when she has never in the past, done so before Thanksgiving.

My senses are confused. Part of me wants winter, scarves, chai lattes, and happy toasts to the new year ahead. And part of me yearns for the Summer days when I can lay on the beach, drink iced coffees, and stay out in the water until almost 9 at night. I realize what I don't like about fall in southern ca, is the limbo and the tug of war that the weather plays with the seasons.

But maybe it's deeper than that, after all I already blogged about this...

We're in an interesting economic time. I say interesting because I'm trying to remain optimistic. What if we fail? What if we just aren't good enough to get through? The argument that only the innovative get past recessions does hold some water. But what if all the forward thinking in the world can't do what we simply want to do, which is survive?

The point of this blog, was to collect some cheer. I love everyone I meet who walks through our doors- their personalities & stories, families, fashion sense, advice (for those unfortunate enough to catch me on a slow afternoon of chit chat), and their honesty. I love the same familiar faces of great people like Jerry, the best mailman in the world, who actually even won an award for his gracious personality. I love stepping outside for some fresh air and seeing someone I know across the street whom I can wave to and smile at, often little Bella from Wee Little Sprouts frolicking around the window display of their shop. I love getting my afternoon coffee at Cafe Primo and saying hi to the ladies at Diva's on my way back, which usually results in a much longer visit than I anticipated and a purchase in hand.

So what's going on inside me? Could it be the irking suspicion that the situation our downtown faces is one that may lead me to never see another holiday season from this doorway? Attitude is everything, and as I struggle to find where mine should be, I ask for some of you to slap my hand and remind why this time of year is exciting.
Tell me - what is your FAVORITE thing about the holidays? I'd like to put it on our website, or maybe another blog entry. I think everyone gets to a point where they get frustrated in a time that is supposed to be full of cheer. It's almost predictable, just as much as fall is hotter than summer.

Please email me and tell me why you love this time of year? Reasons come to my mind of course, but I want to hear them from you, and I almost hate to say, I need to hear them from you! How lovely to collect your points of view for all to read if they get frustrated or sad or lonely or angry or impatient in the upcoming months. Or in my case, a little scared. I believe in the power of positivity and strength in numbers, and why not?

Thank you for reading my blog, as I've created this place where the traditional blockades of customer relationships can be broken down, and real feelings can prevail without judgement.

Oh and Ps, if you ARE feeling a little down n out for some reason, I'm about to open a new bar of chocolate we just got in. It's called Habana from Vosges. It's made up of organic milk chocolate and Ecuadorian plantain chips. I was obsessed with trying it, so we added it to our order and I welcome you to come in and share some with me : ) Nothing better, eh?

By: Tracy Kinnaman

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Holiday Decorating

You will find this event on our home page... I hope to see some familiar faces and some new ones too!  Marie is often sought after for her Christmas tree decorating skills, and so we've decided to have a free demonstration!  Read all about it....

Monday, November 10, 2008

I'm not ready to "Fall Back"

So we've had the time change... the old saying "Spring Forward & Fall Back" is all in the past until the next 2 seasons roll around again.

I went camping this last weekend in Yosemite. The intermittent fall colored leaves among the sturdy oaks and pines gave off a sparkling excitement in me as I rode my bike around the great valley. The wind picked up and sent the autumn leaves billowing in our path, and there was nothing I could do to keep from feeling giddy like a child, putting my hands out trying to catch them as I raced around on a red rent-a-bicycle.

Unfortunately we dropped the camera into lower Yosemite falls on our day of arrival (don't ask me, I didn't do it) and so any photos I took were at the mercy of my lowly cell phone. This one was a big pretty leaf- I couldn't help but hold it up to the waterfall and take a picture of it : )

But the point being... I'm definitely ready for fall weather, even though I was not wanting the inevitable time change. But I'm not quite ready for the holidays. I want to enjoy the transition, and I just heard next week is supposed to be 87 degrees in Fallbrook!

Why am I surprised? It's like this every year. Thanksgiving is always pretty warm, and I've laid out for a suntan during my Christmas break, it's just Southern California living. So what's the rush this year for Christmas? I know big retailers are already putting out their stuff, in fact a long time ago I noted it...the little store in Yosemite was all decorated for Christmas, and I thought to myself, "Didn't I just dress up for Halloween?"

Ah well, soon the term Christmas in July will no longer be a special event, but rather the norm.
I've made a pact with myself to try and slow down and enjoy the seasons, and I reveled in the falling leaves of Yosemite.

Today we opened a box of new Organic Drinking Chocolate. It was red and green and I can't lie, it made me feel cheery : )

Christmas, here we come....
By Tracy Kinnaman