Candyland

Today my family and I had a lovely Minnesota autumn day. We busted out the fall sweaters and made the trek down south to an apple orchard. We enjoyed a hearty country breakfast, sampled all of the apple varieties, made our way through the fall/Halloween décor at the General Store and even saw a camel. That’s right, Minnesota apple orchards have camel rides. Totally normal. It was a lovely morning and we left armed with more apples than any one family needs. Ever. (Expect to see some apple recipes coming up!)

On the way home we spotted this:

{image borrowed from here}

If you know us at all, then you know that OF COURSE we stopped! It’s Minnesota’s Largest Candy Store. I don’t even know what it’s really called other than that as that’s what the huge sign off the highway said…maybe that’s its name? I just did a quick Google search for it and nothing really came up. It’s off of hwy 169 about halfway between Jordan and Belle Plaine, MN. Or maybe it exists only in my dreams?

As you enter, you are greeted by a giant indicator light letting you know whether or not fresh pies are baking (they were). Inside is a haven of pies, strudels, nut rolls, jams, cookies, cookie cutters, apples (who even needs to go to the orchard), salsas, hundreds of kinds of root beer and other pop in real glass bottle etc, etc, etc, etc. Oh yes, and CANDY. Serious candy. Hard candy, gummy candy, gross candy, vintage candy, new candy, candy that you probably couldn’t even dream up. Chocolate that guarantees no weight gain? Yep, they have that. Candy cigarettes? Yep, multiple varieties actually. Bacon flavored bubble gum? Gross, but yep. Bubble gum flavored Mike and Ikes? Yep. Also gross sounding but indeed a real thing.

I now have a kitchen full of apples and candy and a serious test of willpower ahead! If you are up for a little Minnesota adventure, check it out!

{pies are baking}

{papa Tewks scoping out the root beer}

{candy cigarettes}

{candy}

Long Distance Design

Long distance relationships?...done it (it’s hard). Long distance phone calls?...yup, we do it every day. Long distance interior design services? …from your computer? Ummm what?

My dear friend, Rebecca and I met in design school in Chicago years ago. She was telling me recently about her firm’s newest venture of interactive online design called Pushpin Revolution and I knew that I had to spread the word.

Rebecca, Steve Johnson and Sarah Soler are wicked talented designers with over 20 years of design experience (check out some images of their work below). After years of working together at a hospitality design firm, they started up their own gig, Johnson/Soler, last spring. Their simple philosophy that design should be less complicated, more personal and more affordable is just what we need in this crazy long distance relationship having, phone call making world. Pushpin Revolution is their latest endeavor to bring good design to the masses in the most convenient way. I asked Rebecca to share a few words about how it works:

We think that great interiors should be available to everyone. At Pushpin Revolution, this is as simple as a click to get you on your way to the space you love.

Whether you need help picking paint colors, arranging furniture or getting the details pulled together. We offer straightforward solutions and advice to help you shape your space.

At Pushpin Revolution, we use the internet to complete this process. First, you give us some basic information about your space, your budget and your likes and dislikes. Then we use our years of professional design experience to get to work creating a design solution especially for you. Quickly and affordably. Like it should be.

We have a range of design options tailored to meet your needs. Our ‘Style Guide’ helps narrow down the choices and provide some specific direction for your individual style, and colors and materials that work for you.

Our ‘Room Remix’ provides a more comprehensive design package. Complete with a detailed room layout, custom color palette, furniture, lighting and accessory selections and a complete shopping list to help you get the job done quickly and efficiently, this package does it all.

Pushpin Revolution also offers additional services if the above packages don’t seem to fit your needs. Send us a note and we will get back to you with ideas and options that work for you.

Design really doesn’t need to be complicated. Check it out for yourself at www.pushpinrevolution.com Start YOUR revolution today!

{all images from www.johnsonsoler.com}