Shop Local – …on the B.L.

Three Years and A Sweet Cup

October 4, 2019September 30, 2019 RaeAnna

Three years ago last Tuesday, I moved to Houston. I knew zero people. I knew almost nothing about the city except: NASA and it’s an hour away from the beach. Dylan and I were very, very poor. We didn’t even have a couch at that point in time. We were saving money in every way we could, which means we didn’t get out and do much at first.

There are tons of perks to being in a big city, especially one as international as Houston. Food is my favorite part of a diverse cities because of the access to obscure and unknown foods. The problem is food costs money. When I moved here, there was very little money and a lot of food to try. It was easier not to tempt myself. I did go on the hunt for gelato. I love ice cream a lot. I love gelato A LOT more.

I found Sweet Cup shortly after moving to Houston. I fell in love with them for their gelato. I liked them even more when I found out they are a female owned business. The owner is even sweeter than her gelato! Sweet Cup was the first Houston business to follow my blog on Instagram. Actually, they were the first business to follow my blog on Instagram. I had no following and no real direction. Although currently, it could be argued my direction is no direction. I bop in literally whenever I’m in that part of town. I’ve even been known to drive across town for a cup. It’s delicious.

Houston has been home for three years, and I love it. I wasn’t sure if I would that first year because life was hard; I was poor. I couldn’t enjoy the city to its fullest or tastiest at first. Over the last two years, I have fallen more in love with the city, met friends, explored, and tried new foods. But for me, Sweet Cup tastes like Houston. In the beginning, it was all I could afford. Now, it’s a reminder of how far I’ve come and the dreams I’m still chasing. Three years have come and gone in a flash. So much has changed, but some things are just as sweet.

bisous und обьятий,
RaeAnna

Houston, On the Town

Small Business Saturday

November 24, 2018June 23, 2019 RaeAnna

Shop jewelry from BurdLife | Jeans | Shoes | Shirt | Sweater

Happy Small Business Saturday!

If you don’t know what Small Business Saturday is, it is a day in America to celebrate the small and local businesses we love and falls on the last Saturday in November. I like to think of it as the real kick off to the busiest shopping season of the year.

This year, I decided to visit my beautiful and talented friend Natasha at Burd and Burdie, her pop-up store. She is the owner and creator of BurdLife, a jewelry collection. Her work is amazing. Everything is handmade by her. She has big and sparkly, petite and girly, long and dangly, and so much in between. I fell in love with her jewelry last month when a mutual friend introduced us. Natasha is also one of the kindest and most genuine people I have ever met. Her smile and laugh are beyond contagious. You’ll want to go into her store and just hang out with her all day.

Burd and Burdie is open now through the end of December in River Oaks here in Houston. If you’re local, you should stop in before it’s too late. You can see and try on Natasha’s absolutely stunning pieces. She also has amazing clothes, purses, shoes, rugs, candles, and a few other things. Everything is hand-picked by Natasha and locally sourced. Everytime I walk in, I want to take everything home with me. I’m not exaggerating. If I come into a boatload of money, I will hire her to decorate my house and my body. She has an eye for the alluring. Her Instagram handles are @burdlifeofficial and @burdandburdie.

Burd and Burdie is not the only local business I love. So here are six of my favorite local Houston places I frequent!

A 2nd Cup – I love this coffee shop because their profits go toward ending human trafficking!
Tout Suite – This is one of those hip Houston hot spots.
Kaboom Books – Read about this hidden gem of a used bookstore here.
Brazos Bookstore – They have a great selection of new books and host a bunch of events.
Tea Sip – I love this Heights tea store!!!
Crave Cupcakes – Yumminess.

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Bookstores

Off the Beaten Path

August 4, 2018September 8, 2019 RaeAnna

I love independent bookstores. I try to shop at and support them as much as I possibly can. When I travel to new places, I’m trying to visit as many local bookstores as I can. I think they’re a unique look into the towns they inhabit. Off the Beaten Path is Steamboat Springs’ local bookshop, which has been open since 1990. I have been stopping in every time I’m in town my whole life.

Walking into Off the Beaten Path is a fun experience. There are huge windows letting tons of natural light into the store, which would be very dark otherwise due to the wood. There is nature inspired art everywhere. Large multi-colored leaves hang from the ceiling. A New Release room is at the front of the store with other sections scattered throughout the store. An upstairs area has new and used books with extra seating for reading, working, or people watching. They have cute items too. I almost bought a fox shaped mug. I did buy a small bag with the words goal digger written on the front.

They have a beautiful selection of books ranging from best sellers, to indie, to children’s, and more. I always love seeing what local bookstores choose to include in their inventory, and Off the Beaten Path does not disappoint. I could have bought more than I did, but I have a huge stack waiting for me at home.

I have several books I absolutely adore. I love finding different editions. Off the Beaten Path had some hard to find versions of the classics. I caved and bought a leather bound edition of Edith Wharton’s Age of Innocence because it’s one of my favorites.

In the middle of the store, there is seating around a full cafe supplying baked goods and quirky drink options. They have great Seven Layer Bars. Their coffees are named after famous books and iconic characters. I tried several, and they were all yummy. The baristas were really lovely and competent. They do serve alcoholic beverages, but I’m sober.

I have a hard time working places outside my own home environment. I was so comfortable in Off the Beaten Path I was actually able to sit down and get work done not once but twice.

Off the Beaten Path
68 9th Street
Steamboat Springs, CO 80487
970.879.6830
Instagram – @steamboat_books
Facebook – @offthebeatenpathbookstore

Houston, On the Town

Tea Sip

November 25, 2017June 23, 2019 RaeAnna

Happy Small Business Saturday!

I decided to celebrate by making my way to a local small business. I have been meaning to go to for a long time, but I kept leaving town on trips. I pulled myself away from my very comfortable couch and books for the one thing I love almost as much: TEA!

I found out about the existence of Tea Sip through Instagram, of course. I followed them; they followed me, which automatically makes them cooler and more desirable in my book. It is a locally owned small business, which opened this summer – I think. Anyways… It’s new. It’s cute. It’s a tea store. What more could you want?!?!?

Tea Sip is located at 321 W. 19th Street Suite A, Houston. Or it’s in the Heights right next to Retropolis. If you’re in the area, you should definitely stop by. Not only are they a tea shop with the usual wares, they also have all their teas to go. So if you’re shopping in the Heights, grab a cup of tea (iced or hot) to keep you company.

It’s so cute! The windows are huge. Walking in there are tea cups and tea pots everywhere. Heaven, but I was incredibly self conscious because I’m clumsy and poor. I have been to so many tea shops, but I found a first! Most places have samples to taste and smell; Tea Sip does it different. All the packages of tea are labelled with a number which corresponds to a vial full of tea hanging up. It’s fun and unique! The tea pots are cute, but what really stands out are the cups and mugs. All kinds of different shapes and sizes ranging from classic to outrageous. My personal favorite were the cups and saucers in bright metallic colors. There are stamped spoons… I, of course, left with one one that said “Sweet dreams are made of Teas!” It’s true.

The employees are amazing. They were more than happy to answer questions and chat while we waited for my tea to steep. It is obvious they enjoy working there, or they’re incredibly good actors. Either way, I had fun!

Tea talk. I love tea. I have drank a lot of it in many parts of the world. I have come across weird teas. Tea Sip has some weird teas. I have a hard time buying weird tea without trying it. I’m not a gambler. I bought peppermint because a) it’s my favorite b) it’s hard to mess up. Before I learned of their tea-to-go, I asked what the best weird teas were they had. The two suggestions were Cupcake and a spicy one – I don’t remember the name. I love cupcakes. I love tea. I wasn’t convinced I would love cupcake tea. I love spicy, but since my gallbladder took its exodus from my body, spicy and I don’t get along. I decided to get cupcake tea to go, and my boyfriend got the spicy one. Apparently, the spicy one gets spicier the more you drink it. So I don’t know, but he enjoyed it. I LOVED the cupcake tea. It smells like a cupcake. It tastes like a black tea with a cupcake finish. It’s not something I would normally try or ever like, but it is amazing! Definitely try it. If you’re not in the Houston area, order it.

I left with a small bag of goodies. It took a lot of willpower to not leave with one of everything because the cups are so adorable. Since it’s the Christmas season, I held myself back. I will be back after Christmas… and I will be poor.

Tea Sip

321 W. 19th Street

Suite A

Houston, Texas 77008

346.701.8662