Handwoven Cotton Throws
Several years ago, I restored my husband’s great grandmother’s farmhouse in Iowa: a 2-story 900 square foot 2-bedroom, 2-bathroom little brown house that sits on a hill overlooking rolling hills of corn and soybeans. The project took nearly two years to complete but when finished, the “Little Brown House” looked like the little farm house my husband remembered visiting as a child.
With softly pleated green and white pinstriped curtains covering every window, multicolored braided rugs on the old wooden floors, and an upholstered sofa and rocking chair swathed in shades of “sage” and “celery” colored fabric, the Little Brown House was nearly perfect when the final touch was added: a handwoven apple green cotton throw by Nantucket Looms. Read more 
Battenkill Brittle
Battenkill Brittle is a high energy snack with five major attributes: great taste, wholesome ingredients, high in protein, low in sugar, and low in sodium. Made with three types of organic seeds (sunflower, sesame, and pumpkin), organic brown rice syrup, Vermont maple syrup, and pecan meal, Battenkill Brittle is the perfect snack food – wholesome, crunchy, and full of flavor. Slightly sweet with the subtle taste of maple, the brittle stands out for making seeds and pecans the star of the show. Read more
Fruit Vinegars by Mangé
For years, people have expounded on the health benefits of vinegar and although I was never able to bring myself to drink vinegar straight up, I often used vinegar to dress foods and make salad dressings. Balsamic vinegar has been front and center on my counter top but there’s a new vinegar that now warrants counter top space: Fruit Vinegars by Mangé. Different from balsamic, rice, apple cider, and white vinegar, Mangé fruit vinegars are smooth (really), slightly sweet vinegars that have been flavored with natural fresh fruits. Each vinegar is special in its own way and conducive to making sauces, marinades and dressings more flavorful. Read more
Weck Jars
Weck glass jars have become an obsession in our home where we use them for drinks (juices, smoothies, iced teas) and foods (parfait, pudding, granola, salad, gazpacho) because they display content so beautifully. What can be more eye-catching than the lovely hue of fresh squeezed juice with floating slices of lemon….. or layers of colorful berries between yogurt or ice cream and crunchy bits of granola….or a wide mouth glass jar filled with sliced sweet red and yellow grape tomatoes, chopped avocados, diced cucumber, sweet champagne mangos and cilantro? Read more
Coming January, 2015: The Invisible Helmet
Bicycle helmets are one of those products we have a love-hate relationship with. Designed to protect the head from the trauma of an accident, the helmet can also be hot, uncomfortable, and restricting. Designed for a single one-time use, most of us wear bicycle helmets because more than 50,000 riders are injured and 600 people are killed annually in the United States alone, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Association. Read more
Beanfields Bean and Rice Chips with Sea Salt
I love chips – all types. When I was a child, Fritos, Lay’s Potato Chips, Pringles, Doritos, and Tostitos were a regular part of my diet. It wasn’t until I grew up and learned to read labels that I realized chips don’t have to contain artificial colors, flavors and additives to taste good; the best chips – like the best foods – are those with the most natural and fresh ingredients. Read more
The Yumiko Yasu
My friend, Matisse, a professional ballet dancer introduced me to Yumiko, a line of high-quality, great fitting and beautifully designed dance and fitness wear. For women, the very reasonably priced clothing is divided into three categories: Read more
Steep and Cheap (SAC)
Steep and Cheap is a unique website that sells premium outdoor gear and clothing but what sets this website apart from other discount websites are two things: first, the prices are unbelievably low; and second, only one deal is offered at a time for a very short period of time (usually 10-40 minutes) or until the item sells out (which is sometimes very, very quickly as in minutes). Then, it’s on to the next deal. The sales are constant so those on the prowl for gear or great athletic wear need to act fast. But, as soon as one deal is over, another kicks in….all day long. Read more
Abe’s Market
Where do you go on-line to find a wide selection of healthy foods at reasonable prices and free shipping? Abe’s Market – the newest on-line resource for consumers looking for all types of healthy foods: organic, gluten-free, vegan, tree-nut free, nut-free, kosher, sugar-free, raw, and natural. Nearly 3,000 food products are currently offered with the selection growing daily. The prices are competitive and the shipping is free (and fast) on all orders of $49 or more. Read more
Top Ten List for Runners
Runners can be an opinionated lot as every road running enthusiast has a system that works for them regarding training, diet, clothing and yet, there is a lot of crossover. Consider shoes – most runners agree the foot needs some type of cover especially for distance but the recommendations vary depending on the type of arch support, stability and cushioning needed. No one shoe works for everyone just as no one set of recommendations work for every runner. That said, I have learned a lot over the past few years and although I’m not an expert, I wish I knew then what I know now: Read more
Paddock Post 