Get Out Of Town

Popping around blogland lately, I've seen a pattern. Uninspired. Overwhelmed. Tired. Need a break. I think in trying to keep up, we're wearing ourselves down. In constantly hearing doom and gloom, and wanting nothing more than for life to return to some form of normalcy, we're all craving an escape.

Unfortunately, we can't all fly off to Italy. Or Fiji. Or wherever you're dreaming about these days. But... we can get out of town.

Last weekend, Erin and I hopped in the car and headed north to Marysville. I'd never been. I had no idea where it was except it didn't seem like the most convenient place to get to. And guess what? It was a piece 'o cake.

When we arrived, we promptly pulled into one of many open spots (perk #1 for leaving the city!!) and opened the door to the fantastically gorgeous shop, Gatherings. The purpose of our visit? To meet Carol, the owner, whose graciousness and sincerity in thanking us for taking the extra little drive (honestly, about 30 minutes) was worth the trip alone. (Perk #2 for leaving the city - no snooty shop owners.)

I wish I had taken more photos, because these aren't doing the space justice at all. My favorite finds were these sweet butterfly tumblers... but honestly, I loved everything in there. Carol's taste is impeccable - better than quite a few Seattle stores - and what made me love her more is that she took the risk of creating a store like this in a small town outside the city. Bringin' a little style to Marysville one customer at a time. And you know what? It was one of the best Sundays I've had in a while.

So, guess what people? Get out of town. Go explore. Discover an amazing shop like Gatherings. Or, better yet, go visit this shop, if you live here. Either way - give yourself a little break and go support some local small businesses while you're at it. Happy exploring!