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Showing posts from November, 2011

Small Business Saturday, The Christmas Tree

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Pretty much everyone has heard of Black Friday. And many people have heard of Cyber Monday. But "Small Business Saturday" is a new retail campaign that's just getting started. I'm a big fan of Small Business Saturday because I believe in buying local and supporting the Michigan economy. So yesterday, the Saturday after Thanksgiving, I went shopping. Locally. I'd been meaning to get out to see The Christmas Tree shop in Benton Harbor for some time now but I just never made time to do it. Until yesterday. Yesterday I made a point of driving out to The Christmas Tree shop to see what the store had to offer. I already have my Christmas tree up and decorated. The theme is "St Joseph". I have lots of nautical and carousel ornaments, a few Chicago, St Joseph, and Saugatuck ornaments, a handful of beachy ornaments, and a nice collection of glass balls to add to the mix. I'm always on the lookout for more ornaments in keeping with my theme and that's wh

RyeBelles of St Joseph

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Last evening D and I had the pleasure of dining at St Joseph's newest restaurant, RyeBelles. It opened last week and this is the first opportunity we had to check it out. RyeBelles is located at 518 Broad Street, on the 2nd level just above Bloomies and Cabanas. You enter here and can take the stairs or the elevator to the second floor. RyeBelles is on the right and the Cassava Restaurant is on the left. As soon we entered the restaurant we were greeted by the hostess and seated immediately. The first thing we noticed about RyeBelles was that it's a "bring your date" restaurant not a "bring your kids" spot. The place is tastefully decorated in a subtle, dark, intimate way. With its black ceiling, dark wood walls, and dim lighting (we arrived just at 5pm as they were dimming the lights), it sets the mood for a relaxed dining experience. And in the middle of the room, making a statement by taking up most of the room, is the bar. We were seate

We Have a Candlestick Maker in St Joe

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St Joseph has a butcher , a baker , and as of April 2011 they have a Candlestick Maker too. We have none other than owner and operator, Judi Benninghoff to thank for that. The Candlestick Maker shop is located at 408 State Street in downtown St Joseph, across the street from St Joseph Today . There is street parking available in front of the store or you can park in a free parking lot just a few doors south of the store. The first thing you'll notice when you enter the shop is a wonderful scent. That comes from the wide array of fragrances available for sale. There are many scented oils and scented candles... and holders and diffusers to display them. In addition to the scented items, The Candlestick Maker features a great selection of nautical decor items at very reasonable prices. What better place to grab a souvenir while you're visiting a Lake Michigan harbor town? It goes without saying that the shop also has "a little bit of this and a little bit of tha