Tag Archives: juice

‘Tis The…

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Well I doubt anyone is going to raise a fuss that I’m changing the subject matter this week.  Just a little…

The pumpkin season is still going but then it feels like it’s going…. away… This is happening a lot faster than I remember.   Maybe it’s just me?

Something feels different.  But to you maybe it feels like par for the course or business as usual.  For me, I know what has changed.  A lot of has changed this year for me.  So the sentimentality has grown yet it feels different.  I’m not that young yet I still feel like a kid around this time of year.

I write this as my cat lays on my lap.  As she usually does.  She’s a bit older now too, but is just as cute if not cuter than ever.  We’re a week from Thanksgiving so a lot of this is heightened.  The love and sadness is growing all at once.  Maybe this is how it was always meant to be…

While I love tea, and I will always love tea (and many holiday themed posts are coming the rest of the year), something about fresh apple cider warms my heart too.  There’s no pun here.  As much as I love warm cider, and will be having my fair share in the weeks to come, something about it being cold just does it for me as well.

Trader Joe’s does it for me too.  It always has and each time I walk into one, I just feel good.  I feel like a kid, and it feels like the holidays all year round.  I wonder if that’s what they intended, or is it just me?  I think I just said that.  Maybe it’s all encompassing.

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Their Organic Cold Pressed Spiced Fuji Cider containing just three ingredients (organic apple juice, organic cinnamon powder, organic dried clove) is an absolute hit.  I mean that’s it.  I could stop writing now and leave on a high note.

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Yet sitting outside at the time I sipped this, it was warm, it still felt autumn like, dare I say spring like.  This was just a few weeks ago.  Now here we are and it’s the first signs of wintry precipitation.  That makes me sad to say.  But it’s symbolic of so many things.  I live in an area where we get four seasons, and that’s a cool thing that not everyone gets to experience.  The great memories we have as children tend to resurface now.  We reconnect with people we don’t always see, don’t see enough, and wish we could see more.

While I was sitting out on this day, I was thinking about things.  When you’re by yourself that can tend to happen.  I was thinking about people, friends, family, animals, and so many other things I love.  Sometimes thoughts can drive you up the wall, but sometimes they can keep you humbled.  I like the latter.

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What also keeps me humbled and honest are the treats that Trader Joe’s comes up with.  You’re getting things here you’re not getting anywhere else.  The Spiced Pumpkin Madeline Cookies might still be on a shelf at a store near you.  If you can, get them all!  They’re habit forming for sure.

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As an added bonus, I also sampled their Green Cold Pressed Juice.  I know this has been a thing for a while, with juice cleanses, and to assist in physical and spiritual healing.  I’m no expert on that.  It had a great taste to it, and I hope that whatever you’re drinking is bringing you joy, no matter what time of year.

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Maybe that’s for after the holidays when more of us will be wanting to get back into a healthier lifestyle.  I would say that we can enjoy food, drinks, life, friends any time of year without having to worry too much about trying to make up for it in the new year.  This is not meant to be sermon.  I’m just getting sentimental as I tend to do.

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We’re not even at Thanksgiving yet but my mind like this post is all over the place.  I hope it brought you some joy, just like the cider has and will hopefully do for you.

More to come and Happy Early Thanksgiving!

Love,

Ideen

 

From The Heart to the Soul

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Berried&GreenGarden

Literally next door, and I mean literally next door, from where I spoke on last week, is another charming and I’ll say it, adorable spot in West Annapolis, Rutabaga Craft Juicery.

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I had no intentions of writing about this wonderful place, (here is their menu, some eco information, more about them, and their contact info) and that’s not meant in a disparaging way.  I just came for some cold-pressed juice, a smoothie, and some peace.

There’s plenty of places I walk into that I’ll never write about because either it doesn’t fit the context of what I’m saying, I like the break, or I just don’t think about.  I’ve been doing this for a while now, that I don’t always think about what to discuss or not discuss, without a little research, preparation, but my favorite is always the spontaneous.

As would be with Rutabaga…

West Annapolis is its own entity, its own island, and own universe within such a tiny and beautiful universe of Annapolis (my past posts on this wonderful place are here), that the joy just continues to compound.

With such a cozy space, it’s a blessing I had an outside table to myself.  I came around lunch hour, and while people were in and out, it once again felt like I was the only person on Earth.  That’s a good feeling, and while it may feel egocentric or narcissistic, it feels like peace to me.  And there’s more of where that I came from, and more at our disposal then we know.

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I went with the Berried (a blend of apple ,strawberry, blueberry raspberry, and banana maple chia) and it went down smooth, went down easy, and went down a little too fast.  The weather warranted it.  Which also means I could’ve used a glass of water or two.  I did get around to that eventually.

But as I was leaving, I noticed they had kombucha on tap and available for sampling.  Since I already bought a drink, I feel like I had some immunity and didn’t feel as greedy or as cheap by trying all three samples.

One stood out above the rest.

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The Green Garden from Federal Brewing Company based out of Federalsburg, MD, was one of the more refreshing kombucha’s I’ve had.  It was the perfect contrast to my fruit drink, that I loved trading a sip of each back and forth, while cleansing my palate of course.   Even without a sip of water in between, I got all the beautiful tastes and flavors from each.

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I honestly forgot what was in the Green Garden, but maybe I wasn’t supposed to know or remember.  I just knew it was great, and I would love to have some more.

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For the warmer climates, you can’t go wrong with either of these.  You can’t go wrong with supporting local business, and any chance to sit outside, be with nature, enjoy my surroundings, and enjoy not one, but two amazing beverages is something to be truly grateful for.

If you’re local to the area, and have not visited Rutabaga’s, I highly recommend it.  The staff is so friendly and accommodating. Many tourists will visit this summer, and because of its location it may be overlooked, but I wouldn’t.  It’s a gem among gems, among more gems.  While open for less than three years, it looks like it’s going to be a mainstay for years to come.  It’s another great reason to visit and love our state capital.

Have a good one, enjoy your day, and peace be with you.

Ideen

 

 

Bakers Is Beautiful

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Over the course of the year-and-a-half I’ve been doing these posts, I’ve been professing my love for Annapolis.  We learn a lot about ourselves when we’re writing or sharing our thoughts, in whatever medium we see fit.   The subject matter is tea but it’s also about finding the good in every situation, no matter how difficult it may be.  This won’t be a challenge.

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My visit to Bakers & Co. was one of the most enjoyable.   I didn’t want to leave.

A couple weeks prior I was driving through the Eastport neighborhood of Naptown, and saw this hidden gem nestled within a gorgeous set of houses. This was out of production set, and I hadn’t even walked in.  I just drove by second-guessing myself after a while. Why didn’t I just walk in?  Would I be back and in an organic fashion?  Two weeks later…

There are signs all around us.  There’s good people and good spirits in this universe to guide you in your journey.   And someone was looking out for me as I naturally arrived here and made it a point to park my car nearby and stroll right in.  And stroll I did.  This area is even more spectacular than I envisioned.

I was hoping in the back of my mind, there would be an obscure tea to write about. Otherwise, a coffee would suffice.  After poking around for a few seconds, I noticed a sign in the back for a special in-house tea.  I asked the friendly staff member what that was. She mentioned it was their homemade black tea with pineapple, orange juice, and spices.   On a 90+ degree day I actually asked if I should have it chilled or warmed.   Moving right along…

The pastry set-up was stunning.  Even on a smoldering day, I had to get something to pair with this exciting new tea I was about to have.   After passing on the almond croissant (which is extremely popular), I went with the blueberry oat bar.

I’ll get right to it after all this dramatic build-up. The tea refreshed me to my core. And my blueberry sweet treat complemented my cup perfectly.

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I took my sweet (see what I did?) time with everything.   I took a lot of pictures and wish I could post them all.  Literally across both side of the street were homes.  I imagine the values of these properties are high and not close to my means.   Maybe in the next life.  But I felt so comfortable and so at home with these surroundings.

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Some memories and stories are too good be shared.  They’re meant to be kept internal.  I debated on whether or not to write about this but I think I’d regret it if I hadn’t.

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My main reason is my love for local businesses has been heightened with this blog.  I’ve always preferred family run shoppes versus the big box stores.  I imagine many people share my sentiment.    For as long as I can recall it’s always been my modus operandi.

Along those lines, my attachments and affinity for small towns, beautiful streets, and a sense of community is what I yearn for.  Bakers and Co. encompasses all of the above, and then some.

The people working the counter were amazing.   The quaintness of this all is worthy of romanticizing.

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If you’re in the vicinity, I cannot recommend this place enough.  There’s comforting outdoor seating as my photos have hopefully captured.  And my intent was to show the beautiful surroundings.    I can only hope I did it justice.  And I can only hope that future visits will be just as inspiring.

Take good care,

Ideen