Good Saturday Morning!

Actually, that greeting was all too chipper- I’m tired. But, there’s quite a bit to do today and I already “slept in” so… I have to add “stop whining” to the to-do list and get crackin’.

Hey, so you are looking at the new Zimt website! In the making! (Don’t go to the homepage- as I am typing this, the slider images are not what they are supposed to be as I went in and changed it all up without any tech savvy skills.) But, look at the online store….! The very first order was placed yesterday- so exciting! I’m still kind of concerned about how to ship Cookie Dough Cups (refrigerated item alert) but I have a plan.

So that is great! Now people all over the world can order raw, organic, coconut sugar sweetened chocolate and treats woo hoo! Starting with Manitoba

In other news.

I was going a little bananas there for a while. Maybe I’m a total wimp, but I was really feeling the need for a little break! It had been three years since I took a legit vacation- the last one I would say that counted as a true vacation was when I was in Germany with my family after I went couch surfing across Europe by myself for four months (the Germany with family part was the vacation- couch surfing was an awesome yet exhausting adventure!). And I have worked pretty much every day since then and was starting to feel it.

So we took a little trip to Portland. Apparently this doesn’t count as a “vacation” but more of a “trip”- the difference being, that vacations are usually longer. But a trip suits me just fine. Having things to look forward to is so, so important- it keeps me going for sure. Like with Zimt- I would most certainly have thrown in the towel by now had I not had something to look forward to- namely, a pretty set life. Ahhhh cooking less. Ahhh travelling more. Ahhhhhhhh spending quality time with loved ones. Ahhhh volunteering. Ahhh taking classes and learning musical instruments and all sorts of fun things I should be incorporating into my day regardless of where I’m at with Zimt. Life. Good.

What did we do. Well, we ate. A lot. A LOT. Vegan food is everywhere in Portland, decently priced, and uh-mazingly delicious. Explored the city. I got some clothes from vintage shops, which I really needed because I was starting to look kind of, um, haggard. Prior to leaving, I had a meeting and catch up with Janice of The Raw Foundation to discuss some really exciting opportunities and this inspired me to look more put together! I really don’t know how she does it. Maybe I should sign up for her classes and learn. Heh.

Also got very inspired again by some small businesses that are doing some fantastic work- Cacao and Petunia’s. Cacao is a really beautiful little chocolate shop featuring artisan chocolate from around the world and from around the corner- and you can also enjoy drink chocolate there, which is basically melted chocolate. Yum. We got some locally made chocolate which was fantastic! Petunia’s is amazing. I met the owner, Lisa, and she told me about her journey to get her business to where it is today. She has done an incredible job and is going about things in a smart way. I could definitely read a page from her book! (And apply it to my own life.) Initially she started with wholesale and now she and her fiancé run this beautiful bakery- and the treats were even overwhelming to look at- so, so tasty. Anyways- inspiring. But complex. Seeing that success makes me happy, as they’re doing a really good thing.

More photos from Portland. Sean’s band was playing a show and so I went to check that out! Very different from what I normally listen to (Oom-pah-pah, anyone?) but, gotta support! The lyrics, as explained to us before the songs began, were very deep. So deep that most of us don’t ever want to think about the topics and would even struggle to venture there mentally at all. Mortality. As deep dish as it gets. The “hardcore” scene is very vegan friendly- most people who follow this style of music are vegan or vegetarian and, contrary to what the style of music may convey on the surface (there’s a lot of screaming.), are very peaceful and passionate people.

As you can tell from my awesome photographic documentation:

Anyways- I have to go. Gah. I promise one day I will write a decent post where I don’t sound like I’m on speed.

Food photos.

Have a lovely Saturday evening!

Emma