best of slo!

Do you guys vote for your favorite local businesses in the Best of Slo poll every year?  

This is the 26th year that the New Times has put on the event.  I have mixed feelings about it, but I do vote.    I feel like anything that increases awareness and traffic for local businesses is a huge plus.  The poll itself is a little daunting- I think they could really edit down the bazillion categories, and perhaps add some new, updated ones.  

Best cloth napkin store?

Best Comic Book Store?

Best blog? Hmmm...

Thankfully, you only need to fill out 30% of the poll in order for your vote to count.  That's 45 quick, easy, fill-in-the-blanks.  Even I have time for that!  I have to leave some categories blank, because... well, I can't pick a favorite mechanic because I don't drive.  And I still can't tell Oceano, Pismo, and Shell Beach apart.  I know.  I'm not proud of it- but that's the truth.  So I can't really pick a favorite restaurant in any of those towns.  Actually... I don't really get out of my downtown bubble very often, so a lot of those surrounding town categories are lost on me.  

But I kick all kinds of ass at the Best of (downtown) SLO!  Anyway, here's a shortlist of the businesses getting my vote:  

Best Vegetarian Fare

LINNAEA'S!  Their lunchtime soup is a staple in my life.

Best Thai Restaurant

THAI CLASSIC!  I know the others are fancier, but this is our go-to for a yummy Thai fix.

Best Breakfast

KREUZBERG!  Best breakfast burrito in town.  

Best SLO Restaurant

NOVO!  I experiment with others, but always go back to them.  My favorite.

Best Theatre

PALM!  Nothing makes me happier than an Indie movie & a huge apple juice.  :)

Best Local Artist-Visual

JEFF CLAASSEN!  Mostly because he's super sexy.

Best Local Bookstore (used)

PHOENIX!  I love finding old children's books for the kiddos, that I had when I was little.

Best Women's Clothing Store

AMBIANCE!

Best Antique Shop

RUBY ROSE!  It's a huge weakness- and I don't even feel a little bit guilty about it.  Pure love.

Best Flower Shop

FLUID BLOOM!

Best Jewelry Store

BAXTER MOERMAN!  The Matts!

Best Local Bank/Credit Union

FOUNDERS COMMUNITY BANK!  They've been good to me for 6 years!

Best Home Remodel Company

IMC BUILDING!

Best Place To Take The Kids

MITCHELL PARK!  

I hope this list helps you, and gets you in the mood to VOTE!  

Polls close at 5pm on March 19th.

cinnamon roll heaven..

Have you guys been to Stewart & Clark yet? Jeff and I became regular vistors when I was pregnant with Elliott, but I just tried their cinnamon roll for the first time this week. I've always liked cinnamon rolls, but I've never actually fallen head over heels madly lunatic in love with one.

Meet my cinnamon-y soulmate...

The first time I tried to get one, they had already sold out by 10AM!

So this time I got serious and called ahead to have 2 set aside just for us.

Tracy and Glenn are two of the sweetest people I've met in SLO. She's an expert chef and caterer with years of experience and accolades. I recommend you try her amaaaazing handmade marshmallows (the raspberry rose are my favorite) and triple chocolate cherry cookies (oh my gosh)! Jeff loves the hot cocoa they serve up- super thick and ridiculously rich. I like to pick up mini containers of their potato salad for the kids as a special, indulgent treat. They're really using the term "salad" loosely here- as it's full of cheese, and bacon and... I don't even know what else, but it's just incredible yummy. I'm both sad and grateful that they're not downtown. I'd never ever lose the baby weight.

On a scale of 1-10 I'd give Stewart & Clark ohhh... a 20! You should definitely try them out for yourselves. Menu varies daily, so join their email list. Stewart & Clark Fiero Cafe offers:

breakfast, lunch, desserts, and "to-go" din dins. YUM! :)

Girl about (down) town...

Of course we all know that now more than ever, it's so important to support our mom & pop local shops. But the constant bombardment of DEALS, SPECIAL OFFERS, and CAN'T-MISS CLEARANCE PRICES in my email inbox makes it really hard sometimes. It's tough to resist the convenience of shopping in my jammies after the kids are in bed, and merchandise delivered right to my door. No crowds, no craziness, no fuss.

But guess what... eventually this convenience costs us something.

No more mom & pop.

It makes me sad to imagine that our sweet, quaint town is under threat of corporate siege- but it's very true. Unless we make an effort to *ahem* get out of our jammies, off our couches, and out the door, those adorable shops, boutiques, and specialty stores that make SLO so darn cool will be edged out by the giants. I'm doing my part by focusing on locally-owned businesses for my Holiday shopping, and for the outfits that inspire me to get dressed! 'Cos you know what... Papyrus won't be inviting you in for a Holiday Party, Victoria's Secret won't be throwing a free pair of panties in your bag- just because they love you, the people at the GAP won't give you a hug and ask about your mom, and don't expect the Starbucks Barristas to make super awesome foam art in your latte- just 'cos.

Hey, I'll tell you something else... as someone who lives and works downtown, you should know that there really aren't any crowds to contend with, and there are some truly amazing pre-Christmas deals going on right now. Even the parking spaces have been pretty plentiful lately!

Excuses, excuses... Yeah, what else ya got? ;)

My go-to Holiday gear...

Up-cycled fur vest: FINDER'S KEEPERS (Garden St.)

Raglan, Fair-Isle Leggings, J.Brand Floral Boots: AMBIANCE (737 Higuera St.)

French Market Tote: HABITAT (777 Marsh St.)

D.I.Y. Holiday Cards, Wax Seals & Stamp: PAPER SKY (Higuera St.)

Cloth Napkins: PICKING DAISIES (Creamery)

Jeff Claassen Greeting Card: CLAASSEN GALLERY (774 Marsh St.)

Teensy Antique Lamp, Vintage Charm Bracelet: RUBY ROSE (1335 Walker St.)

Fresh, locally-grown mistletoe: FARMERS MARKET (Higuera St.)

Happy Holidays!!!

Ok, I've really been trying to wait to post this, but I can't contain myself any longer. Do you see where I'm going with this? 90% of my Christmas shopping is done and Jeffrey had to hide all of it from me (including the gifts I bought for him), because I SO BADLY WANT TO GIVE EVERYONE THEIR PRESENTS RIGHT NOWWWWW!!! Also, I AM SO EXCITED about Elliott's first Christmas. I've been listening to Christmas music for about a month, subsisting on candy canes and gingerbread, and I'm pretty much sweating hot cocoa. Can you tell?

Were any of you downtown for Black Friday? Thankfully I was able to float in and out of it, taking respites at home in-between the madness. But I snagged some pretty awesome deals at the MAC store -which James and Evy lovingly refer to as "the APP Store", AMBIANCE -we did 40% off of ever-y-thing from 9-12, which was insanity, and ATMODSPHERE (damn, I hate being a forgone conclusion...) - where I found Thyme's Eucalyptus soap (so I can smell like my mommy), a crazy-awesome stocking stuffer for my special someone, and an adorable fold-up stool for $14.50!!! Shopping local is where it's at, yo.