Tall Tara

This is Day 5 of a 21-Day Salute ™, an attempt to kick start my blog writing and to express my gratitude for living where I do. I first saw these series of posts on The Communicatrix (my very first blog crush) and when I asked, she encouraged me to copy her. Here are 21 days of my favorite products made in Boulder…who knew this was a review blog?

BlogHer 07 was only a week away. It was going to be my first blogging conference. And you know that blogging conferences, especially female-specific ones, are all about what you’re wearing and carrying. I needed a laptop bag that wasn’t ugly and that could fit my huge laptop. What’s a girl to do?

Well, if you’re a Colorado girl, you go to a gear store (any excuse to go to a gear store!), bring your laptop and find the right bag for the job. This little number by Sherpani is the only one that met both my criteria. Two years later, I’m still using it almost every day. It’s been bomber, to say the least.

The buttons are my flare

My Sherpani laptop bag accompanies me bike commuting and traveling. I even wear it when I’m out on an adventure and not carrying my laptop around. The flowers on the inside of the lid, the excess of pockets, the waterproof interior…function and design working together to make a stellar product.

I’ve been seeing more and more women with Sherpani bags in airports all over the country. I always smile and compliment them on their taste. The only thing that could make this bag any better is to have a celebrity name attached to it.

Oh wait…Guy Kawasaki is all over this bitch.

You should have seen his real face when I showed him his button face on my bag at BlogWorld last year.

I have a sneaking suspicion that this won’t be the last Sherpani bag I own. Even though my friend Berly asked me recently if it was a diaper bag. Please. Not yet, my friend, not yet.

Follow them on Twitter and check out their outlet store for sweet deals.

This is Day 4 of a 21-Day Salute ™, an attempt to kick start my blog writing and to express my gratitude for living where I do. I first saw these series of posts on The Communicatrix (my very first blog crush) and when I asked, she encouraged me to copy her. Here are 21 days of my favorite products made in Boulder…

A kitchen sponge is just a kitchen sponge.

Unless you start thinking about how the sponge got to be that bright yellow color.

Or what happens to that sponge when it gets nasty and you throw it away.

That’s where Twist comes in.

“We’ve made a complete collection of naturally spongey, scrubby cleaning marvels.  They clean dishes, respect the planet, and look good doing it.”

I can appreciate Twist’s mission because I often try to look good while cleaning the dishes. My husband cooks a lot and as a result of that, I do a lot of dishes. As someone who has spent much time with many kitchen sponges, why wouldn’t I want something that was 100% biodegradable and dye-free? A product I can feel good using while doing a chore I don’t always feel good doing?

Yet another selling point in my book is that you can throw the Twist sponges in the dishwasher. This may not mean much, but in the long run, you’re re-using your sponge more which reduces the amount of sponges you have to buy. Not to mention that kitchen sponges get to be super nasty germ villages, so a trip through the dishwasher is a good thing.

The loofah sponge is my personal favorite. I tried the naked sponge once (probably drawn to its name) but wasn’t as happy with it. I missed the scrubbing power of the loofah. And if you’ve never missed the scrubbing power of the loofah, then you’ve never known heartache.

Small changes start with you, me and the kitchen sponge. I’m doing my part…are you?

P.S. Bonus points to Twist for showing how to make bird feeders out of old sponges.

P.S.S. I also adore the design and minimalist packaging of the Twist products.  Nothing fancy…it just works.

This is Day 3 of a 21-Day Salute ™, an attempt to kick start my blog writing and to express my gratitude for living where I do. I first saw these series of posts on The Communicatrix (who I want to be when I grow up) and when I asked, she encouraged me to copy her. Here are 21 days of my favorite products made in Boulder…

Do I really need to say more?

What’s that? You’re still not convinced?

Just to be sure, they print a love poem on the inside of the wrapper.

Oh, Chocolove, you had me at 65% cocoa content.

This is Day 1 of a 21-Day Salute ™, an attempt to kick start my blog writing and to express my gratitude for living where I do.  I first saw these series of posts on The Communicatrix (who I want to be when I grow up) and when I asked, she encouraged me to copy her. Here are 21 days of my favorite products made in Boulder…

Image: Justin's Nut Butter

I first met Justin at the Farmer’s Market three years ago. He was giving away free samples of his peanut (and almond) butter, answering questions and working the crowd. After tasting his nut butter and hearing the story of how he made small batches of it by hand in his kitchen, it was easy to see why so many people were flocking to his stand.*

The passion he shows for his nuts is contagious and the final product? I do declare…Justin’s Nut Butter is to die for.

Justin’s entrepreneurial spirit and enthusiasm have helped to fuel his company’s success. His nut butter is pricey, but in a town like Boulder, people can afford it. The 16-oz. jars are a staple on the shelves of Wild Oats/Whole Foods and even on a tight food budget, I’m okay paying the extra money for Justin’s. It’s become more important to know where my nut butter is coming from and to know who I’m supporting with my money. Unfortunately, I can’t say that about everything I buy.

Earlier this year, I was excited to see that Justin had wowed the crowd at Venture Capital in the Rockies just as he had wowed the Farmer’s Market. My CEO was there and wrote a review of the event, calling out Justin’s Nut Butter as one of his favorite companies. He called them “the next Izzy”, which, considering Izzy got acquired for an estimated 75 million, is not a bad comparison.

Apparently, my CEO and I aren’t the only ones who like the stuff. Even in the midst of a recession and a recent salmonella outbreak, Justin’s is experiencing record sales. They recently received $600,000 in funding and Justin is quoted as saying…

Probably the best thing about Boulder is the consumer acceptance of local, natural, organic products. So without the right mentorship to develop the product and the right consumers in Boulder to want to buy the product, this would have never started.

Image: REI.com

(We don’t want to imagine a world without Justin’s Nut Butter,now do we?)

The turning point for Justin and his nut butter came in 2006 when he created a squeeze pack for easy on-the-go applications. As a backpacker and hiker, I love having a way to take peanut butter on the trail with me but before Justin’s peanut butter squeeze packs, there wasn’t an easy (and non-messy) way of bringing it. Once again, I’m not the only one who enjoys a high-protein snack after vigorous activity in the mountain. Justin calls the squeeze packs a “game-changer” and says that they now generate over 80% of the company’s revenue.

My favorite flavor is the Honey Almond Butter, although I have yet to try the Maple Almond Butter. I recommend squeezing some on your next banana. Natural ingredients “sustainably harvested and found as locally as possible” with a pledge to maintain only mindful business practices. Do I need to go on?

You can follow Justin on Twitter and see if they sell his delicious stuff in a store near you.

(One last thing. You try to write a post about nut butter without constantly cracking a smile. Especially a nut butter with the tag line…knead and squeeze.  If you can do it, you’re much more mature than I.)

A final picture of Justin and his nuts…

Image: Whole Story

*I don’t think it hurts business that he’s cute and crunchy. But that’s just the marketer in me talking.