A few random notes on consuming locally

If you are, as I am, looking for some anti-mall ideas for gifts, here are a few local things which fit the bill, beautifully.

-Stephanie is having her Holiday Sale today through Sunday, with a whole new room full of goodness open, and lots of vintage gifts and decorations.

I love a certain shape and style of old ornaments and have a few left from my grandmother's day, and a few I have bought here and there. I usually nail a sturdy piece of yarn or twine across a doorway and hang them with ribbon to make a (very breakable) garland. I'm mentioning this, not only because it's a really pretty thing to do, but because I read this and it made me laugh, since my house is exactly the last place that should have a string of vintage ornaments hung up.

-Stone Barns has a few holiday events this weekend, including a local vendor boutique and, in the Farm Store, a book signing by my friend Barbara Scott-Goodman for her new cookbook from 12 -3.

-Local textile artist Jackie Frankstone and her husband, Kent, have a new online store selling (for now) her extraordinary scarves. Other lines will be added in the new year.

On a side note: I went into Lollipop today to buy some treats for my in-house Secret Santa gifts (we all pick a name, and then spend the next few weeks pretending we don't know who has whom). The owner is very friendly, and when I mentioned that I was glad his business was doing so well, but that he's also the bane of my existence (nice, huh?), he actually recognized me from seeing our girls in there so much (one of them resembles me, um, a bit.) Is this good news? I think not.

That's all I've got for now. I'm sure I'll be back soon, boring you with pictures of my vintage ornament garland, and perhaps, a posting about our dental bills.

More tomorrow. Thanks for reading.
tt