WOW! I really don’t know what else to say. This gallery is truly spectacular and I am honored that they have been carrying our products for many years now.

At the end of June, I took a road trip through the Southeast. In Knoxville, I was thrilled to stop in at Bennett Galleries. My time there was limited – which was truly a shame. I could have spent hours there. This gallery is really worth a detour if you are within driving distance. I was truly in awe of the incredible mix of artisan-made goods and furniture that can be found there.

Bennett Galleries

Rick, the owner, and Molly, a sales associate

Our Measuring Spoons and Cups are displayed right near the front entrance. It was great to finally meet Rick, the owner, and Molly, one of the lovely sales associates. She was really knowledgeable, outgoing, and very interested to learn all about the Crosby & Taylor history.

In this world of mass-produced everything, it is such a breath of fresh air to come across a place like Bennett Galleries. I must close with another – WOW!

You really never know where our products will end up!

A  number of years ago, we were contacted by Sheila at Conecuh Sausage in Evergreen, Alabama. She loved our products and wanted to know if we could make something custom for them – using their very original logo.

We said – of course!

And we soon came up with a number of products – like a spoon rest, a utensil crock, and a Christmas ornament. My guys always got a kick out of making these custom products because the logo is just so – um – different!

A couple of weeks ago I was driving from Mobile to Atlanta (how crazy is that?! I do live in Oregon, you know!) when I realized I would be passing right by Evergreen! I just knew that I would have to pull off the highway and pop into the headquarters of Conecuh Sausage.

I really was glad I did. It was a kick to see their logo on everything – from their front doormat to their delivery trucks.

AND I got to see their awesome display of our products.

I wasn’t able to buy any sausage – since I was traveling. However, when we first started working with them, they sent us a big sampler – and we all loved it.

If you are a fan of cured meats, you should definitely check this company out.

http://www.conecuhsausage.com/default.aspx

They ship all over the country.

They say you can’t just a book by its cover. How true! Earlier this month Crosby & Taylor was the featured company at a trunk show at a really AWESOME gift shop just up the road in Salem, our state capitol.

But here is the crazy thing – this really special shop is inside an Ace Hardware Store – that’s right! You pull up front and you are sure you have the wrong address. But don’t judge this book by its cover!

Just head inside and here is what you will see…

Madrona Ace Hardware Gift Shop

This sweet place was selected Best Gift Shop last year by the Salem newspaper – and I can really see why!

Best of the Mid-Valley

Judy, buyer extraordinaire, myself, Denise - awesome sales rep

We are thrilled that our products will now be a part of their product mix and I was honored to be invited to participate in a trunk show.

If you are anywhere in Oregon you should definitely pull off I-5 (our only north-south freeway!) and head just slightly west to this Ace Hardware store.

If you enjoy shopping, you will thank me for sending  you there!

Crosby & Taylor beautifully displayed

You can find most anything on the internet these days but I hope you will remember to support YOUR INDEPENDENT RETAILER!

School is now open again and summer is officially over. Most of us here were able to take some vacation time. Nancy headed back east to visit friends and family. While there, she made a stop at Boston Pewter Company. We have been selling to Jeff for years but this is the first time that one of us had met him in person – and gotten a chance to see around his shop!

From her descriptions and photos this really sounds like a fun place – especially if you are a pewter collector. Jeff’s website says that he has the “largest selection of American pewter”. Wow! Next time I am in Boston, I will definitely have to pay him a visit, as well.

It looks like little Evelyn was pretty fascinated by Jeff but a little bored at the Measuring Cup display! I guess she has seen enough Cups around our shop!

Nancy and Evelyn Visit Boston Pewter Company

Meeting with Jeff!

Great Crosby & Taylor Display!

The Spice & Tea Exchange - Savannah

After our heavenly lunch, we continued on down the streets of Savannah. We couldn’t believe our eyes when we stumbled upon The Spice & Tea Exchange – which had just opened 3 weeks earlier! Of course we rushed right in.

There are about 20 Spice & Tea stores – mostly located in the Southeast. The Spice & Tea Exchange owners operate their stores independently and each store features an 18th Century Trading Post look-and-feel.  Although each store is unique, they are all fitted with salvaged 100 year old barn beams, cypress shelves and one-of-a-kind antiques.

AND, many of the stores have their logo prominently displayed in pewter on the front of their large spice jars. I know that my production guys sometimes wonder where all of our castings end up. They will be excited to see my pictures.

The Spice & Tea Exchange carries our Petite and Regular Salt Pots, along with our Salt Cellars.  The store looks and smells so amazing! It is really hard to decide what to buy because you truly want it all! But we settled on a Mojito Muddler and some really crazy-looking green rice. They had lots of different kinds of rices – which, they explained, keep their color even after being cooked. I can’t wait to try this out!

It was really nice to meet the owner, Ron, and his wife. We wish them the best of luck with their new venture!

Our very own Salt Pots at The Spice & Tea Exchange

The owner of Spice & Tea Exchange, Ron, and myself

After visiting The French Market, we continued on with our French-themed afternoon and headed over to Papilotte, French Cuisine to go. Of course, they really don’t require you to take your lovely food and go – you can stay right there and enjoy it.

By the way, I must give credit to Papilotte for this delightful photo of the outside of their store. It’s much better than any I took in the too-bright and sunny afternoon.

As I was saying, you can sit down right there and enjoy your food. This is exactly what we did – we enjoyed it! In fact, we really enjoyed the whole experience. The owner was energetic and bubbly and fun. Her husband was flitting in the back somewhere – performing his kitchen magic.

This was the sandwich which we selected for lunch. It was absolutely heavenly! It was $8.75, which we thought was pretty much a steal for something that was large enough and rich enough for the two of us to share. Their menu describes it as: Ham, Swiss cheese, brie and paper-thin slices of apple with a touch of honey-mustard on a slice of crunchy ciabatta bread. Can I just say – Magnifique!

La Parisienne at Papilotte

I sure wonder if they own our Measuring Spoons and Cups. Otherwise, how could they be coming out with these delicious creations – ha! I know I know, I’m shameless. But if you don’t toot your own horn, who will?!

Ann Marie, one of the owners of Papilotte

Lovely display!

Enticingly cool and delicious beverages can be had here!

La Parisienne fresh from la cuisine!

Photo Credit: Country Living Magazine

After our visit to The Paula Deen Store, my daughter, Petrel, and I had time to wander the streets of Savannah. Having been addicted to anything French (the language, the food, the literature, the people, the country….) for many of my younger years, I thought I had died and gone to heaven when we came upon The French Market at 36 West Broughton St. Thank you to Country Living for this photo (right).

We dashed in so quickly and started looking around that I pretty much forgot to take pictures. There were two floors of treasures – such treats, such wonders…ma foi! We could hardly process so much fun and goodness. They even had old Belgian school books and notebooks. How did they know that I had been an exchange student in Belgium and that my only problem was that I couldn’t fit the whole collection in my one little suitcase?!

Kelsey, the gal at the counter, couldn’t have been sweeter so I just had to take her picture.

Very sweet sales assistant!

We also LOVED the framed quote that was sitting right on the counter. Once we read that, our visit was absolutely complete.  Well, actually, the only thing that would be MORE complete would be for the owners of this lovely establishment to call me up and tell me that they just HAVE to carry our Fleur de Lys Measuring Spoons and Cups. They could pretend they were made in France, couldn’t they?!

After this much fun we just had to take a break from shopping and find some sustenance. So we asked our lovely sales girl – how could I have forgotten her name?! – where to go. Her advice was perfect and off we went…but that’s a story for my next posting….

LOVED the framed quote sitting right on the counter

Fleur de Lys Measuring Spoons

Fleur de Lys Measuring Cups

Paula Deen in her early days as a Mom

After my daughter and I visited the Paula Deen Store in Savannah last week, we wandered around and did some shopping. Then, after a quick dip in the pool, we headed over to Lady & Sons for dinner. There is always quite a line to eat there but Noelle, the manager of the Paula Deen Store, had graciously put us on the list so we were able to get right in. (Thank you, Noelle!)

As we waited for the elevator to take us up to the 3rd floor, we enjoyed looking at the old photos and newspaper clippings about how Paula got her start. This picture of Paula and her son, Jamie (I assume!) was my favorite (to the left).

As soon as we were seated upstairs we were each given a biscuit and a pancake! There was maple syrup on the table but still, we were a bit confused!

After the heat and humidity of Savannah, I was more than ready for a cold drink. Since I was in the South, I decided I should definitely have a Mint Julep. They were featuring a Peach Mint Julep. That sounded pretty nice to me. But the waiter seemed very surprised – “Are you sure, ma’am? It’s got bourbon in it. That’s some strong stuff.” I’m not sure why he took me for a light-weight. I could handle a little bourbon! It was divine and just what I needed!

Next, we knew we needed to jump right into some Southern cooking so we ordered the Fried Green Tomatoes. This is definitely NOTHING you would ever find on a menu in Oregon so we were pretty excited to order these up!

I’m not a light-weight when it comes to Southern drinking but I am definitely a light-weight when it comes to Southern cooking! The Fried Green Tomatoes were definitely DIVINE but, after those, we just did not feel like we could head over to the buffet. So we ordered entree-sized salads. They did not disappoint.

People kept stopping by our table – on the way to and from the buffet – and they sure looked envious. With all those friend onions and bacon on top, I do not think these were exactly low-calorie salads. But we were at Lady & Sons, after all. I guess sometimes you just have to throw caution to the wind! We walked slowly back to the hotel. It had been a lovely evening.

Hot Biscuit and Pancake!

A very refreshing Peach Mint Julep!

Fried Tomatoes on the menu!

Fried Green Tomatoes

Dinner Salad - Paula Deen style

Last week I found myself in Savannah, GA – smack dab in the middle of Paula Deen land! This was pretty nice since I was able to pay a visit to the Paula Deen Store. My daughter and I sat down for a few minutes in a park to check our bearings and see if we were headed in the right direction.

As we were catching our breath, I couldn’t help but notice a pair of young women sitting next to us. The book that one of them was reading appeared to be in Chinese. I wondered if she was a tourist from half way around the world – stopping in Savannah to go to the Paula Deen store – check out her shopping bag!

A tourist with her Paula Deen shopping bag

It was great to finally meet the wonderful managers there – Jeff and Noelle – and to also chat with Juanita, a very dedicated sales assistant. Somehow I missed getting a photo with Noelle but here I am with Jeff and Juanita.

Jeff and Juanita and myself - in front of our display

The Paula Deen Store has an awesome display of 7 “Best Dishes” products that we make expressly for Paula – the Measuring Spoons and Cups (that can be seen on her show) along with a pair of Double-ended Measuring Spoons, a Recipe Card Holder (which also shows common equivalencies – like 3 teaspoons = 1 tablespoon…very handy!), a Teabag Holder, a Cake Tester and a Spoon Rest. They were actually sold out of the Super Post Sets (Measuring Spoons and Cups on one giant stand).

Exclusive "Best Dishes" line

Apparently everyone at the store thinks that our Recipe Card Holder is a Spoon Holder. I decided that was pretty clever but I still think it is pretty practical for a recipe or even a note holder.

Recipe Card Holder

The store was absolutely jam-packed with people. It’s really a fun store to shop since every single thing in it has some connection to Paula Deen. If you are a Paula fan, this should be your first stop in Savannah.

Although we hope you will pick up some of OUR products, I have to admit that there are lots and lots of other really awesome things to buy!

As soon as I get home, later this week, I am going to finish off two more products for the store – a Coffee Scoop and a Wine Cork Stopper. It is always very inspiring to visit a store in person and to see our products beautifully displayed.

Busy Paula Deen Store!