One of my favorite stationery stores is having a party today. Milwaukee’s Broadway Paper, in the Historic Third Ward, is marking five years with events (including tissue flowers and origami) as well as a raffle. Best of all, you’ll get 20% off all purchases made at the event! I know that I’ve said it before, but Broadway Paper carries such a great variety of cards and paper (and ribbons!). If you’re nearby, be sure to check it out! (If I were there, I’d be picking out a few Fiddlesticks Press cards. Right now, I’m loving their animal-themed greetings.) Afterward, I’d head over to Harlequin for some donuts or macarons ….
Keeping it short and sweet today. See you tomorrow.
I am a research nut and read, read, read. Usually not the books that I ought to be reading (see: Atonement), but I always make time for a magazine or a local guide. I love to find stuff that makes me feel like a “local” when I’m travelling, and if not local, at least in the know. Hence my multiple city magazine subscriptions: Boston, Savannah, Charleston. And no, I do not subscribe to Chicago. Go figure. When we were in Charleston, I picked up a free copy of the local guide “Charleston’s Most Unique …” and I’m so glad that I did, because while flipping through it, I discovered a feature about Sugar Bakeshop, on Cannon Street. My husband scouted out the location the next day on his early morning run, and returned with the picture above. I loved it – we were definitely visiting, that day.
We stopped in late morning, on our way out of town, to pick up some snacks for the road. One of the owners, Bill, chatted with us while we chose our cookies (chocolate chip – I can never turn down a chocolate chip cookie, and believe me, sometimes I wish I could!) and a brownie/cupcake (I’m not exactly sure what it’s called, but I can tell you that it was d e l i c i o u s!
Don’t those cookies just beg you to buy them?
Love the coffee bar, too!
I will definitely be going back to Sugar whenever we’re in Charleston. And I’m wishing that they shipped those brownies. I only bought one; the downside of showing restraint, because now I wish I’d had more. Check out Sugar’s full website here, (including a menu). If you’d like to learn more about the Bakeshop, and its owners, and how they ended up in Charleston, there’s a nice interview you can read right here, courtesy of {e} house studio.
Thanks, Bill. It was great to meet you! And I appreciated your cooking a frog reference to Charleston summers. It gives me hope that if we end up relocating south (someday) I will survive.
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I cannot believe it’s Friday already. I suppose that when you start blogging on Tuesday, that helps to move things along ….
On with the Five:
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- 3.
- Bed of Mussels
- Sparrow in the Rain
Even though I usually don’t comment on the Five, here’s what I was thinking as I put this together: #3 had to be “3.” #5 just blew me away with its beauty, and #4 is special because I’d never had mussels before our trip to South Carolina last week. What got me to try them? Oh, that would be my 10-year-old. He tried them and loved them. How could I not taste something he loved? (They weren’t bad.)
See you Monday.
Special Happy Birthday wishes go out to my dear friend R.
The con: I’m fighting a cold. (I’m convinced that the plane ride home gave it to me. I won’t share why. Just picture a lot of germs.) The pro: it was 50 degrees in Chicago on Wednesday, and further, it was sunny. Hooray. I spent a little time walking through the (soggy) yard, checking out the hopeful green sprouts popping up everywhere. Feeling “springy”, I picked up the sandwich above at Southgate Cafe for lunch. It’s roasted turkey with greens, tomato, and pineapple, and it’s fabulous.
The Paris Market coffee/infused water bar
I am so ready for real (aka warm) spring weather so I can sit outside with a magazine, some yummy lunch, and a glass of infused water. It could be my new favorite drink. My Pilates studio always has a pitcher ready to go (favorite flavor: blueberry/ginger), but when I was in Savannah, I found a new flavor to love. We were in the Paris Market & Brocante (which is easily one of my Savannah “musts”) and I ordered a strawberry infused water to drink as we shopped and walked. The coffee/water bar is pictured above, looking much as it did on the day of our visit. Aren’t those dispensers gorgeous? We chatted a bit with the barrista (also pictured). She’s the sweetest! Should you need a snack, there are delicious cookies and cupcakes right there too. Oh yeah, I’ve had both. They’re good.
perhaps orange is more to your liking? they serve that, too
Lest you think the Paris Market is all about food, let me tell you: there is so much to see, and you’ll want it all, even if you didn’t know it existed before you got there. I started by looking at their John Derian selections, studied the Austin Press and Sesame Letterpress paper goods, pondered working some Aesop products into my rotation (there was a heavenly vanilla-scented lotion), and finally perused the stacks of interesting books on a table in the back. And that was before we went downstairs! The basement is filled with furniture, glassware, and funky accoutrements. I ended up buying a fun blue and white globe with a wooden stand.
If you’re in Savannah, you must stop in. If you’re not, stay up-to-date by reading the Paris Market blog. (Aren’t these cool?)
See you tomorrow with the Five.
Thanks to Ryan at the Paris Market for the water bar photos. I didn’t take any pictures while there! How did that happen???
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I got an email last week from Kelly at Minted, introducing me to their brand-new online stationery store, and couldn’t wait to share it with you. Minted.com will offer custom wedding invitations and stationery from a great lineup of independent brands. Among them are some of my favorites, including Paper + Cup, Egg Press, and Mr. Boddington’s Studio.
Minted.com is so new that the online store hasn’t launched yet (should happen this month) but in the meantime, they’re holding a design challenge. Through April 9, you can design a save-the-date card for one of the three real-life couples Minted.com has selected from Wedding Bee. Your creative save-the-date must include a personal photo as well as wedding details.
The three lucky couples are:
Yvonne + Rene November 2008 Wedding
Holly + Dustin June 2008 Wedding
Laurice + Alex June 2008 Wedding
More information about each couple, including their personal design inspirations as well as a short narrative, can be found here.
Feeling inspired? Please click here to read the submission instructions. Good luck to all who enter! I’m looking forward to seeing the winning entry (the top five will be featured and sold!), as well as Minted.com’s full site launch. Beautiful paper goods I can visit online? I am sooooo there.
All photos courtesy of Minted.com
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