12 Things of Christmas

1 BRAG-WORTHY OHIO PRODUCT

Tavern Vinegar

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2 SPLURGE-WORTHY FINDS

Gold-rimmed Agate Coasters

Wool Water Bottle Cover

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3 READ-WORTHY BLOGS

The Homesteady

Art of Doing Stuff

Be Up and Doing

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4 CHEERS-WORTHY COCKTAILS

French 75

White Sangria

Champagne Punch

Grapefruit Sage Mimosa

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5 SHOP-WORTHY SMALL BUSINESSES

Brim Papery

Carver Junk Company

Crave Studio

Knack

Poppy Soap Co.

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6 YUM-WORTHY CBUS EATS + DRINKS

Bakersfield

Curio

Dirty Franks

Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams

Kittie's Cakes

Pasquales

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7 USE-WORTHY FREE FONTS

Get them here

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8 GIFT-WORTHY DIYS

Board Butter

DIY Lip Balm

Peppermint Foot Scrub

Tiny Pots

Lemon Sugar Scrub

Christmas Potpourri

DIY Bitters

Tea Towel Heating Pads

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9 SWOON-WORTHY WRAP JOBS

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 10 PONDER-WORTHY TIDBITS

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11 VISIT-WORTHY DESTINATIONS

Perini's Ranch | Buffalo Gap, TX

Midnight Cowboy | Austin, TX

Nestled amongst the curiosities and crazy of 6th Street in downtown ATX, you'll find this unsuspecting door. Don't be fooled by the shady exterior. Behind that door you'll discover an oasis in the chaos, and what I would consider one of the best speakeasy bars in the country. Be forewarned, house rules are strictly enforced and reservations are a must. There is a two drink per person minimum and a two-hour maximum. All of which, combined with the building's seedy past and stellar cocktails, makes The Midnight Cowboy an absolute must-visit.

Broken Spoke | Austin, TX

If you're looking for live honkey tonk, real Texas musicians and a more local crowd than you'll find on 6th Street, head over The Broken Spoke on Lamar The drinks are cheap, the enchiladas are amazing and the people are fun, friendly and anything but shy. Come prepared to practice your two-step. This place can make a country music lover out of just about anyone.

Shirley's Tippy Canoe | Troutdale, OR

Once in awhile you stumble across a place that feels so perfectly perfect you'd swear you stepped into a movie set. Shirley's Tippy Canoe is one of those places. We stumbled across this gem along the Columbia River Gorge scenic route, and I couldn't have dreamed up a more picturesque mountain town roadside stop. If quaint charm isn't your thing, then let's talk about the food. Because...this club sandwich. Ask for a seat on the patio (it's amazing!) and enjoy.

Indian Beach | Ecola State Park, OR

Robledo Family Winery | Sonoma, CA

A few years ago, we took a trip to northern California. By chance, we stumbled across the Robledo Winery -- and decided to check out their October harvest festival. I could write for pages about what a rare and wonderfully special experience it was, but instead I will simply say this: go there. Eat, drink and be merry in the company of people you love. Raise a glass with people you are meeting for the first time. Let the wine and the moment reconnect you to history and the land and the story of all of us. Skip the big name wineries. Head down the rural road to Robledo. You'll be glad you did.

Timberline Lodge | Mt. Hood, OR

Main Street | Greenville, SC

Chicago Fine Arts Building

Louisiana Bayou

Piazza del Campo | Siena, Italy

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12  STOCKING-WORTHY STUFFERS  (under $20)

Lily Oval Skinny Bangle ($12)

Poe-ka Dot Pouch ($12)

Forged Iron Sheers (Small $10, Large $14)

Screenprinted Tea Towel

14k Gold Hex Studs 

Custom state stamp 

Hammered Copper Earrings

Books Print

Pine Root Hair Stick

Fireside Candle (This closely replicates the scent of my much more expensive Henri Bendel Firewood candle)

Little Women

Safari Ring Dish

I Don't Hate Hiking: A Lesson Learned On the Oregon Trails

“I hate hiking!” is a story I’ve been telling myself for roughly 33 years. It was a stubborn, silly thing to claim, especially since — until this weekend — I’d never actually hiked.

What I really meant is that hiking makes me uncomfortable. It is a new experience. It’s something I’m not skilled at. It challenges me. It pushes me beyond my comfort zone. It falls outside my wheelhouse.

Last week, I spent several days trudging my way (literally) over the river and through the woods of Oregon. At first, an obstinate little voice inside my head was urging me to dig my heels in, refuse to go on and hitch a ride back to civilization. (Or at least craft a series of snarky Tweets to send once I returned to a reliable wifi signal.) Somewhere around the five-mile marker it occurred to me that by hunkering down in my head and focusing my energy on all the comforts I was missing, I was actually missing out on the amazing things right in front of me. As soon as I hit my internal mute button, I began to discover that I kind of love hiking.

Sure, I had to stop and wheeze-it-out at various points. My body was sore in places I didn’t know it was possible to hurt. I had to use an outhouse. But that was all okay, because there, in the middle of nowhere, with no cell phone signal and just about every modern convenience stripped away, I found myself living fully present in the moment. And that is a really, really good feeling. 

I realize I may never relish having my feet restricted to “real shoes.” I may never enjoy physical exertion in sweltering 90-degree heat. I’m definitely never going to love an outhouse. But I really liked the version of myself I met at the top of the hill, the base of the falls and the end of the path.

There’s no doubt it’s easier to write something off completely than it is to try and struggle, flail and fail. But a comfortable life is a life with blinders on. Sure, you can get ahead, but you’ll miss out on the things that matter most. When we settle for comfortable, we settle…period. We end up depriving ourselves of not only experiences, but of becoming the best version of who we are.

A wise person once told me if it doesn't scare you, it doesn't grow you. Get cranky. Get angry. Get frustrated. Work up a sweat. Work up worries and doubt. Then let go of that balloon of uselessness. You don’t have to take the world at someone else’s pace. You just have to put one foot in front of the other until you find your stride… then get on with the getting on.

Say yes more than you say no. You never know. It may take you someplace more beautiful than you ever imagined.