Missoula - revisited...

I have felt badly that I couldn't post the pictures I took on my mini-roadtrip to Missoula last month. And apparently, un-illustrated blogs are seldom read, and these two shops deserved a photo, link and recommendation:


Cool shop #1 was called "Butterfly Herbs". (Those who know me, know that I am an herb fanatic. I grow pots and pots of them. Dry them, drink them, cook with them, smell them, make tinctures and ointments, eat their flowers...) This long and skinny shop was floor to ceiling glass jars full of herbs along one wall. Cool merchandise on the other side and in the center of the store, and a tea shop in the back. I came back with a sampling of their custom herbal tea blends - which I must say, are sensational!


But my 'find of the trip' was a tiny little shop tucked between some larger, flashier stores - so much so that we almost couldn't find it - with a small placard on the street that said "Chocolat". Inside was a tiny, little chocolaterie with a beautiful, buxom, brunette foreign woman behind the counter. (I had been listening to Joanne Harris's novel of the same name at the time, so like my last post, thought it was amazingly synchronistic). They serve fanciful little chocolate pastry creations, hot chocolate, and iced hot chocolate in the summer, and the most amazing chocolate truffles you have ever tasted. The shop (now called "Posh Chocolat") is run by a husband-wife-chef team, and he prides himself with these astonishing chocolate-flavor combinations using unusual herbs, spices and liquours... I've never had better chocolate (and you know that is saying alot!) :-) The lovely proprietor told us that they were looking to expand - I suggested Seattle! - and you can order their wares online if you'd like to experience them for yourself!

In my current life, I am waiting for approvals on various sketches, so today I cleaned my studio - which was nearly buried under the many projects I have worked on in the last couple of months (a friend of mine was over yesterday and was appalled when she saw it. :-). My desk is still piled, but they are orderly piles - and everything else is put away or moved out.

I had a few minutes to spend visiting my plants outside and watering where needed. In doing so, I had a nice breakfast of fresh blueberries, jostaberries and sour cherries right off the plants as I went along. The dog got a nice walk. I got my library books returned. My email box cleaned out. All in all, a productive, if not illustrative day.