Today I share with you my thoughts on holiday spending. If you don't care what I think, go ahead and move on. But if you want some fun shopping spots, read on:
The media is telling us everyone is cutting back, spending less. In some ways, I think that is a good thing. I keep hearing more people talking about how they will figure out how to celebrate without going into debt. They are going to spend more time together as a family, play games, make cookies, go for walks, create some homemade gifts. What part of that sounds bad?
But being in retail, the holidays are a pretty important time of the year for us. And if everyone stopped spending, we wouldn't be in business for long. And I would have to get a job delivering newspapers at 3 in the morning, or perhaps as a cashier at the grocery store. Maybe even go back to my corporate job at Target.
Gosh, I hope not. I've become really accustomed to working in my office in my pajamas.
Let's face it, we still need to buy SOME gifts. And here are some of the little, mostly locally owned business I love to shop at this time of year:
Gypsy Moon on Randolph Avenue. The owner always has a wonderfully eclectic offering of gifts, furniture, and fun things you won't find elsewhere. It's a combo of new items, estate sale items, and other finds. The best part? Everything is so reasonably priced, you will look at the tag and ask whether or not you need new glasses! And if you DO need new glasses, or know someone who does:
May I recommend our dear friend's optical shop, Specs, in Uptown? They have the most unique collection of eyewear in the Midwest, and an incredible staff to assist you. On top of that, it's just a crazy, fun spot to shop in. http://www.specsoptical.com/
The Wine Thief on St. Clair Avenue. For the wine or beer lover on your list, you can't go wrong here. The owners are so helpful, there are regular tastings to sample new things, and nothing is more than $20 a bottle. They have wonderful finds you won't see at the bigger stores, and a selection of unique beers and saki to delight anyone. And did I mention that they are REALLY nice?http://www.winethief.net/
The Golden Fig on Grand Avenue. This is owned by a woman who started selling her wares at the Farmer's Market. Everything in the store is local, and there is a wonderful selection of goodies, perfect for putting together a gift basket.http://www.goldenfig.com/
Penzey's Spices on Grand Avenue. This was started in Wisconsin, and they now have locations all over the United States. But it still feels like a small business with people who care. Their gift boxes make the perfect present for your favorite foodie. www.penzeys.com
The Bead Monkey on Grand Avenue. If you have anyone on your list who loves to make jewelry, get them a gift card from here. They have a great selection of beads (even more in their Edina location) and the staff is always there to help. Or pick up a kit and make something for a special friend. www.thebeadmonkey.com
If you have a sewer on your list, get them a gift certificate to Treadle Yard Goods. This St. Paul institution has been around forever, they carry the most beautiful fabric in town. It still operates like an old fashioned yard goods store, but carries the most current, up-to-date, amazing product. From Amy Butler fabric, to Japanese import, to antique buttons and trims, you can find it there.
Patina (several Twin Cities locations). A huge selection of unique finds, and amazing jewelry (if you don't want to make your own.) A bit more expensive, but I always make sure to hit them the day after Christmas for unique goodies for next year! http://www.patinastores.com/
Krueger's Sprucegate Tree Farm in Lake Elmo. This is where we will be heading to get our tree. Mike insists on having snow on the ground first. This is a family run business, they have a little warm spot with hot cider, and they are so very nice. A wonderful tradition. http://kruegerschristmastrees.com/
Have fun shopping!
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
are you a shopper?
Will you be heading to the mall at 6 am? Perhaps to one of the crazy stores that open at 4 or 5 am? We have an outlet mall here that is opening at midnight. Last year people waited an hour just to PARK THEIR CAR there.
Am I missing something? I can't imagine a single thing that I would be willing to get up that early to buy. I can see if someone is selling new cars half price, or houses, or something. But tvs, sporting goods, winter coats?
Now, I love a bargain. I am a coupon clipper, and rarely spend full price on a single thing. But all of the deals this time of year just make me tired. It is just too overwhelming.
So Mike will head out and open our store at 6 am (official Mall of America opening time) on Friday. I will snuggle under the warm covers until Claude urges me to get up and feed him. Then I'll make a pot of Winter Roast coffee, and let the scent of cinnamon and spice drift through my cozy little house. I will read the newspaper, and snuggle with Charlie and talk about how we will decorate the house for Christmas. And watch the cars drive by our house to catch a deal and stimulate the economy.
But for now, it's time to bake some pumpkin bars, make my cranberry sauce, and roast some sweet potatoes.
Safe travels to everyone hitting the road today!
Am I missing something? I can't imagine a single thing that I would be willing to get up that early to buy. I can see if someone is selling new cars half price, or houses, or something. But tvs, sporting goods, winter coats?
Now, I love a bargain. I am a coupon clipper, and rarely spend full price on a single thing. But all of the deals this time of year just make me tired. It is just too overwhelming.
So Mike will head out and open our store at 6 am (official Mall of America opening time) on Friday. I will snuggle under the warm covers until Claude urges me to get up and feed him. Then I'll make a pot of Winter Roast coffee, and let the scent of cinnamon and spice drift through my cozy little house. I will read the newspaper, and snuggle with Charlie and talk about how we will decorate the house for Christmas. And watch the cars drive by our house to catch a deal and stimulate the economy.
But for now, it's time to bake some pumpkin bars, make my cranberry sauce, and roast some sweet potatoes.
Safe travels to everyone hitting the road today!
Monday, November 24, 2008
busy busy busy
We are all busy. But not too busy that we can't whip up some homemade Cranberry Sauce for Thursday's festivities!
SPICED CRANBERRY SAUCE
1 bag (12 oz.) fresh cranberries
3/4 c. sugar
1/2 c. good red wine (I like to use zinfandel)
1/4 tsp. cardamom
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ginger
Place all ingredients in a small saucepan, bring to a boil, then simmer until the cranberries pop and the sauce thickens. I like to throw in some orange zest, and if I am feeling like I really have a lot of time, I dice up some red pear and throw in as well. If it starts to get too gooey, just splash in some more wine. Delish!
SPICED CRANBERRY SAUCE
1 bag (12 oz.) fresh cranberries
3/4 c. sugar
1/2 c. good red wine (I like to use zinfandel)
1/4 tsp. cardamom
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ginger
Place all ingredients in a small saucepan, bring to a boil, then simmer until the cranberries pop and the sauce thickens. I like to throw in some orange zest, and if I am feeling like I really have a lot of time, I dice up some red pear and throw in as well. If it starts to get too gooey, just splash in some more wine. Delish!
Saturday, November 22, 2008
of regattas and simulators
Our lives are a whirlwind. I daydream about our little family just sitting in the living room, with candles glowing, and soft music playing, and perhaps a round of Monopoly.
But that won't be happening for a while, so for now I shall just live in the moment and absorb all of the goodness that surrounds us.
Charlie is in his last year of Cub Scouts. Thursday night the entire pack held their Raingutter Regatta in the school gym. Each boy crafts a sailing vessel of their own design, names it, and hopes to win a race or two. When Charlie was just starting out, in first grade, it was a several day project. Helping dad with the sanding, the painting, the gluing. This year dad was busy building simulators, and Charlie did it all on his own. Not a bad thing, as he is eleven after all, and derived a great sense of accomplishment.
It's a raucous evening. It was gratifying to see Charlie and his den mates behaving so well, offering encouragement, and support. They have all grown so much from that first year of tears and raw emotion that a competitive event can bring.
Mike is basically living at the school, getting the sims hooked up. This is what it looked like when he started the process on Tuesday:
The painters came in to do their work this week. So he has had to work around tarps and ladders.
I brought him dinner last night. I cleared off a table and we had pasta by candlelight-in this giant room surrounded by simulators. He is quite single minded in getting this finished-he leaves early in the morning and is home at 10 pm. I can't wait to post pictures when it is all done, hopefully by the end of the day on Wednesday. But it will continue to be several very long days before an end is in site. I will be with him all day on Monday, armed with my sewing machine, to finish all of my parts and pieces.
And another November winds down....
But that won't be happening for a while, so for now I shall just live in the moment and absorb all of the goodness that surrounds us.
Charlie is in his last year of Cub Scouts. Thursday night the entire pack held their Raingutter Regatta in the school gym. Each boy crafts a sailing vessel of their own design, names it, and hopes to win a race or two. When Charlie was just starting out, in first grade, it was a several day project. Helping dad with the sanding, the painting, the gluing. This year dad was busy building simulators, and Charlie did it all on his own. Not a bad thing, as he is eleven after all, and derived a great sense of accomplishment.
It's a raucous evening. It was gratifying to see Charlie and his den mates behaving so well, offering encouragement, and support. They have all grown so much from that first year of tears and raw emotion that a competitive event can bring.
Mike is basically living at the school, getting the sims hooked up. This is what it looked like when he started the process on Tuesday:
The painters came in to do their work this week. So he has had to work around tarps and ladders.
I brought him dinner last night. I cleared off a table and we had pasta by candlelight-in this giant room surrounded by simulators. He is quite single minded in getting this finished-he leaves early in the morning and is home at 10 pm. I can't wait to post pictures when it is all done, hopefully by the end of the day on Wednesday. But it will continue to be several very long days before an end is in site. I will be with him all day on Monday, armed with my sewing machine, to finish all of my parts and pieces.
And another November winds down....
Thursday, November 20, 2008
in just a week...
...I will be in the kitchen making stuffing. How about you?
How in the heck did it get to be Thanksgiving so soon? It is even later in the month this year, and I am still not quite ready to wrap my brain around the idea of it.
So I read in Wolfgang Puck's article this morning (I love the Food section in our Thursday paper) that it is only called stuffing if you cook it in the bird, if you cook it alongside the bird you must call it dressing. Okay, I am making dressing.
Since there will just be the three of us, I am doing a turkey breast. None of us like dark meat, so why do the whole bird? Last year I brined it, and it was lovely and moist and flavorful. So I plan to do that again this year, with a recipe I found of Sheila Lukin's. I have many of her cookbooks (she of Silver Palate fame) so I trust that it will be delicious, along with her gravy recipe. Here is the rest of the menu:
Cream Cheese Mashed Potatoes (Susan Branch) yes, they are completely fattening.
Mashed Sweet Potatoes (with fresh orange juice and maple syrup...)
Green Beans with Mushrooms and Shallots (Ellie Krieger)
Cranberry/Pear Sauce (made with red wine)
Sausage & Apple Dressing
Did I tell you there will just be three of us? Lots of leftovers!
The dessert dilema was solved when my guys requested Pumpkin Bars rather than pie, so that is easy, and also yields several extra servings. I can bring them in to ACES the next day and make our employees happy.
We will spend the morning in our jammies, I am going to do an apple oven pancake to hold us until dinner. The boys have to help with some of the prep, as it gets lonely in my tiny kitchen. We will have dinner mid-afternoon, then will snuggle in to watch movies together. This year I have The Spiderwick Chronicles and Time Bandits. We will probably need a brisk walk in between showings, then it will be time for a bite of leftovers.
Thanksgiving used to be joining the throngs on the highway and heading up north, to share the long weekend with both of our families in Bemidji. But since opening our store at the MOA it isn't possible (what with having to open at 6 am the day after!) so now we spend the day with our own little family, and reconnect before our crazy busy season starts. Although this year, with building the sims and everything else going on, we are already feeling quite disconnected, so it will be grand to have one day to get back to just us.
What are YOU doing for the holidays?
How in the heck did it get to be Thanksgiving so soon? It is even later in the month this year, and I am still not quite ready to wrap my brain around the idea of it.
So I read in Wolfgang Puck's article this morning (I love the Food section in our Thursday paper) that it is only called stuffing if you cook it in the bird, if you cook it alongside the bird you must call it dressing. Okay, I am making dressing.
Since there will just be the three of us, I am doing a turkey breast. None of us like dark meat, so why do the whole bird? Last year I brined it, and it was lovely and moist and flavorful. So I plan to do that again this year, with a recipe I found of Sheila Lukin's. I have many of her cookbooks (she of Silver Palate fame) so I trust that it will be delicious, along with her gravy recipe. Here is the rest of the menu:
Cream Cheese Mashed Potatoes (Susan Branch) yes, they are completely fattening.
Mashed Sweet Potatoes (with fresh orange juice and maple syrup...)
Green Beans with Mushrooms and Shallots (Ellie Krieger)
Cranberry/Pear Sauce (made with red wine)
Sausage & Apple Dressing
Did I tell you there will just be three of us? Lots of leftovers!
The dessert dilema was solved when my guys requested Pumpkin Bars rather than pie, so that is easy, and also yields several extra servings. I can bring them in to ACES the next day and make our employees happy.
We will spend the morning in our jammies, I am going to do an apple oven pancake to hold us until dinner. The boys have to help with some of the prep, as it gets lonely in my tiny kitchen. We will have dinner mid-afternoon, then will snuggle in to watch movies together. This year I have The Spiderwick Chronicles and Time Bandits. We will probably need a brisk walk in between showings, then it will be time for a bite of leftovers.
Thanksgiving used to be joining the throngs on the highway and heading up north, to share the long weekend with both of our families in Bemidji. But since opening our store at the MOA it isn't possible (what with having to open at 6 am the day after!) so now we spend the day with our own little family, and reconnect before our crazy busy season starts. Although this year, with building the sims and everything else going on, we are already feeling quite disconnected, so it will be grand to have one day to get back to just us.
What are YOU doing for the holidays?
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