livebellavita

Lemon Bird Handmade Jams

2012-01-26T14:14:00.000-07:00

Today I received my latest shipment of LemonBird Jams. I just LOVE these jams - they are quite honestly the best jams I have EVER eaten. And, I just admire the way that Amy Deaver (jam artisan & owner) combines the most unusual ingredients & flavors to produce the most delightfully deliciously sweet surprises. Amy uses fresh ingredients from local California farms and you actually can see all of those ingredients in the jams she makes like the pistachios & the chunks of apricot that are so visible in the jar of Apricot with Sage Honey & Pistachio flavor. I truly do love all of the flavors she creates, but my very favorites right now are the Blood Orange (super yummy mixed with vanilla yogurt) & the Grilled Nectarine with Balsamic Vinegar, Long Pepper, & Sea Salt (a perfect single bite paired with goat cheese atop a slice of grilled rustic bread!).

The delicious flavors of Lemon Bird Jams that we currently have on our shelves include:

Apricot with Sage Honey & Pistachios

Blood Orange

Grilled Nectarines with Balsamic Vinegar, Long Pepper, & Sea Salt

Kumquat & Tangerine with Vanilla Bean

Lemon & Lavender

Strawberry Cinnamon

Strawberry with Lemon Basil

January White Sale

2012-01-19T11:23:00.000-07:00

We are celebrating the New Year with a

White Sale

All of our organic cotton

bed linens, bath towels, & shower curtains are

40-50% off

Sale goes through the end of the month (or until we run out!) & applies only to in-stock bed & bath linens & shower curtains

Take advantage of this great deal & start the new year out with beautiful linens

for your home!

Bubbles & Rosemary

2011-12-30T10:08:00.000-07:00

I think it is probably inevitable that I always say this, but it really is hard to believe that another year has come and gone so quickly. And, I am pretty sure that each year passes by exorbitantly faster than the one before! For our small family however, other than the acknowledgement and feeling of a new beginning and the occasional party to attend, New Year's Eve has never been a big day of celebration. I don't know why that is, but what is true is that we have always made food and wine a big part of any holiday that is celebrated. I guess growing up in the south, the sharing of food with family and friends is just part of every day living for us. So in the tradition of sharing delicious food & wine over a holiday celebration, I would like to share one of my most favorite food & wine combinations that we have enjoyed over the past few years.

My husband and I discovered Prosecco (an Italian Sparkling Wine) several years ago and we just fell in love with it! It is slightly different than a traditional French Champagne, but packed full of flavor and bubbles and is just a delightful sip no matter what the season, the day, or the occasion. I also came across a recipe a few years ago from Williams Sonoma for home-made Rosemary Parmesan Crackers that are so easy to make and so amazingly delicious. And the marriage of these crackers with Prosecco is complete harmony!! Truly - you just have to try it. This simply delicious little treat is a great way to celebrate the New Year as a midnight snack or to share with others at a party. If you are going to a party, you could always pack your crackers in a pretty box, tie with a ribbon, add a bottle of Prosecco, and voila - instant hostess gift! However you decide to celebrate I hope you enjoy & I wish you a very happy New Year that is full of family, friends, and all the inspiration, joy, & beauty that can be found in every day living!

{photo courtesy of Williams Sonoma Kitchen}

Rosemary-Parmesan Icebox Crackers
makes about 24 crackers
3/4 cup all purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon coarsely ground pepper

1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary

4 tablespoons(1/2 stick) unsalted butter,cut into 1/2-inch pieces

1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

1/4 cup heavy cream

In the bowl of a food processor, combine the flour, salt, pepper and rosemary and pulse twice to mix. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal, about 10 pulses. Add the cheese and pulse twice to combine. With the motor running, pour in the cream and continue processing until the dough forms a single mass. Transfer the dough to a work surface and roll into a log about 2 inches in diameter. Wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or up to 2 days.

Preheat an oven to 325-degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Cut the dough into 1/8-inch-thick slices and place on the prepared baking sheet. If desired, using miniature decorative cutters, cut out the center of each slice, then place the cutouts on the baking sheet. Bake until the crackers are light golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer the baking sheet to a wire rack. When the crackers are cool to the touch, transfer them to the rack. Makes about 24 crackers.

recipe from Williams-Sonoma Kitchen

Holiday Gift Guide: Gifts-to-Go & Stocking Stuffers

2011-12-23T09:35:00.000-07:00

{Easy "Gift-to-Go" Ideas}

{Books are always great gifts & easy to pick up & give too!
This book by legendary pastry chef, Sarabeth Levine, will inspire any home chef}

{Also a great gift to-go for a home cook - a lovely linen apron packaged
in an over-size mason jar that also includes recipe cards & a
"heritage" tag to add the initials of family cooks that inspire}

{This beautifully packaged 9.5oz Roland Pine scented Soy Candle
needs no gift wrap & is the perfect fragrance for the season!}

{These Boxed Shea Butter Hand Creme's are beautifully
packaged too & ready for instant gift giving!}

{Last Minute Stocking Stuffer Ideas}

{Travel Tin Holiday Soy Candles; Mini Shea Butter Lotions in a variety of fragrances; Single Hot Cocoa Mixes; Hand-painted large Peppermint Patties from Moonstruck Chocolate}

Welcome to the 2011 Holiday Season at Bella Vita!

This year we wanted to help make the holiday season a little easier and full of inspiration so we decided to introduce our Holiday Gift Guide to give you easy gift giving ideas for all of those special people in your life. Each Friday through the 23rd of December, we will post a sampling of gift giving ideas to inspire you and hopefully help you accomplish your gift list with ease. We are always happy to help you find that right gift for that right person, so come by and let us help you make this Holiday Season easy, bright, & joyful!

Holiday Gift Guide: For the Foodies

2011-12-16T10:08:00.000-07:00

{Barefoot Contessa's "How Easy is That?' Cookbook; A Trio of Extracts - Almond,

Pure Vanilla, & Lemon; McEvoy Ranch's Tuscan Table Olives with an Olive Strainer;

Pasolivo's Lime Olive Oil}

Welcome to the 2011 Holiday Season at Bella Vita!

Holiday Gift Guide: For Teachers

2011-12-08T10:42:00.000-07:00

{Frankincense & Myrrh Soy Candle in a beautifully decorative tin; Tub Teas for

a relaxing & soothing bath; Washed Cotton Hand & Body Cream; Linen & Room

Spray available in Lavender, Lemon Verbena, & Fresh Lilac}

Welcome to the 2011 Holiday Season at Bella Vita!

Holiday Gift Guide: For the Hostess

2011-12-02T12:08:00.000-07:00

{A Set of 6 festive Cocktail Napkins; "The Cheese Plate" Book for everything you could ever want to know about cheese; Helliemae's Salted Caramel Sauce + 1/2 lb. box of Salt Caramels; Simpatico's No. 29 Holiday Scented Diffuser}

Welcome to the 2011 Holiday Season at Bella Vita!
This year we wanted to help make the holiday season a little easier and full of inspiration so we decided to introduce our Holiday Gift Guide to give you easy gift giving ideas for all of those special people in your life. Each Friday through the 23rd of December, we will post a sampling of gift giving ideas to inspire you and hopefully help you accomplish your gift list with ease. We are always happy to help you find that right gift for that right person, so come by and let us help you make this Holiday Season easy, bright, & joyful!

My Favorite Pumpkin Recipes

2011-11-21T10:27:00.000-07:00

Tis the season for pumpkins! And, with Thanksgiving coming up this week, the pumpkin-eating season really comes on full force. So I thought I would share 2 of my favorite pumpkin recipes that are great for nibbling on at home, sharing with guests, or taking to a fall gathering. Enjoy!

Pumpkin Nut Bread
makes 1 loaf

2 cups sifted flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup solid pack pumpkin (pumpkin puree not pie filling)
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup milk
2 eggs
1/4 cup softened butter
1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup milk chocolate chips

Sift together the first 6 ingredients. Combine the pumpkin, sugar, milk, & eggs in a mixing bowl. Add the dry ingredients & softened butter; mix until well blended. Stir in nuts & milk chocolate chips. Spread in a well greased 9x5x3" loaf pan (or use 3 mini loaf pans for easy gifting!). Bake in a 350-degree oven for 45-55 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Makes 1 loaf or 3 mini loafs. Bread may be frozen.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
makes about 3 dozen cookies

1/2 cup butter
1-1/2 cups sugar
1 egg
1 cup pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
1 teaspoon vanilla
2-1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk chocolate chips

Mix butter, sugar, egg, pumpkin, & vanilla with a mixer until fluffy. In a separate bowl combine well flour, baking soda, baking powder, nutmeg, cinnamon, & salt. Combine flour mixture with pumpkin mixture. Mix well. Add milk chocolate chips. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets and bake in a 350-degree oven for about 15 minutes.

Holiday Open House

2011-11-03T09:23:00.000-06:00

Join us for our

Annual Holiday Open House

Friday, Nov. 4 from 10am-6pm

Saturday, Nov. 5 from 10am-5pm

We will be featuring all the BEST of the Holiday Season with lots of ornaments, decor, gifts, and stocking stuffers. We will also be sampling our chocolate, salted caramels, and jams too! And, on Saturday from 10-12, we are honored to have Helliemae's Salt Caramels here sampling her delicious Salted Caramel Sauce and her famous Salt Caramels as well. Plan to join us for a festive weekend of holiday cheer & inspiration!

No Trick, Just a Treat

2011-10-28T15:00:00.000-06:00

The best part of Halloween to me is all of the candy that is left over after all the little trick-or-treaters have finished their gig for the night. I always like to buy the Halloween candy that I know I will enjoy afterwards because it is inevitable that you will get way too much and have far more than you would like to have left over after it is all said and done. Living in our little mountain community over the years, I've learned pretty quickly that the trick-or-treaters spend most of their Halloween evening on Main Street in a much safer and funner environment so our home chocolate supply for Halloween ends up being pretty much zilch! And, I don't know why but I always find myself desperately wanting some chocolate throughout the Halloween weekend. Fortunately for me, I get to run this little shop of mine where I am surrounded by chocolate on a daily basis. And, not just any chocolate, but yummy, hand-made artisan chocolates. We are a proud retailer of Moonstruck Chocolate - an artisan Chocolatier based in Portland, Oregon, where they handcraft each piece using only the finest ingredients. They pair their own decadent chocolate with fresh flavors found in the Pacific Northwest and beyond, and then hand-decorate each piece with intricate care. My favorite right now is their new Sea Salt Pecan Clusters that are available in both Milk Chocolate & Dark Chocolate. The balance of salt, sweet, and just a slight richness is just magical!

My other favorite this time of year is their absolutely delicious hot cocoas. The cocoas come in a decadent rich Dark Chocolate, Mayan Chocolate (think almond & cinnamon flavors), and of course their fabulous Classic Cocoa. The cocoas are available in a 9.5oz tin or in individual single packets. And, the absolute best way to enjoy the cocoas is to mix them with at least 2% milk, or if you have whole milk lounging in your fridge, use that. It is a wonderful treat on a chilly fall or winter afternoon.

So, our little "treat" this Halloween weekend is for you to indulge in some fabulously delicious, super-special chocolate. Come visit us on Saturday, October 29 or Monday, October 31 (or you can come on both days) and we will take 20% off any chocolate you purchase (includes cocoas, chocolate bars, and specialty chocolates).

Happy Halloween from us to you - have fun, eat good chocolate, & be safe!

Olive Oil Tasting

2011-10-08T13:34:00.000-06:00

We have started carrying more and more food items at Bella Vita because you have asked us to and because they really do make great gifts for foodies, hosts/hostesses, and even for yourself when you want to splurge a little. Our latest intro at Bella Vita is olive oil. I use olive oil almost on a daily basis because it is such a great, all-around, quite healthy oil to use. Whether you are sauteing garlic or onions, adding it to pesto, rubbing it on a salmon steak, or tossing it in a salad, it truly is a fabulous oil that I have learned comes in so many different flavors. And the unique flavors of the oil as well as the differences between virgin, extra virgin, cold-pressed, etc. all make a grand impact on what you are using it in or on. It's kind of like wine - you experience it more fully when it is properly paired with other ingredients or with the cooking method that you are using. Crazy, but true!

All that to say.....we have some fabulous olive oils here at Bella Vita, and we would like to share their unique flavors with you. So, stop by on Saturday, October 15, from 11a-1p and join us for a little sampling.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Olive Oil Tasting

Saturday, October 15, 11am-1pm

Featuring

Pasolivo Olive Oils & McEvoy Ranch Olive Oil

Pasolivo Oils are grown sustainably and organically in Paso Robles, CA. After they hand-pick olives from their orchard, they are crushed within hours in their own olive press.

Pasolivo Extra Virgin Olive Oil

{Award-winning Pasolivo is robust & grassy with a big, peppery finish - perfect for drizzling on rustic bread with sea salt, dressing a salad with balsamic, or roasting potatoes with rosemary}

Pasolivo Lemon Olive Oil

{Made with Pasolivo's award-winning Tuscan blend, their Lemon Olive Oil is a favorite way to dress up roasted asparagus, finish off a seafood pasta, or rub on a chicken before roasting}

Pasolivo Lime Olive Oil

{Made with Pasolivo's award-winning Tuscan blend, their Lime Olive Oil is a fabulous finish for grilled seafood, drizzling on chicken tacos, or tossing with fresh salsa or guacamole}

McEvoy Ranch Olive Oil is certified organic olive oil that comes from olives that are grown, harvested, milled, blended, and bottled on McEvoy Ranch in Petaluma, CA.

McEvoy Ranch Extra Virgin Olive Oil

{a complex blend of Tuscan varietals, harvested early & by hand, full-bodied & peppery with hints of artichoke & greens, it's a vibrant finishing oil that inspires moments of pure taste pleasure!}

Join us for a Jam Tasting this Weekend

2011-09-21T12:45:00.000-06:00

This summer we introduced a new line of hand made jams that we thought our customers would absolutely love. We had never tried these jams, but had only read about them and became instantly impressed by what they represented - hand made, fresh organic ingredients, seasonal, and unusual but divine flavor combinations. LemonBird Jams are all hand crafted by Jam Artisan Amy Deaver. Amy has an amazing ability to think outside the typical jar of grape jam and to experiment with flavor combinations that really bring the seasonal fruits to life. These jams are not only absolutely delicious on your morning toast, scones, or waffles, but they also pair nicely with cheeses & nuts , make a wonderful glaze for meats or poultry, and are of course, a fabulous host or hostess gift. We just received our fall jams so we thought it would be a perfect time to host a "Jam Tasting"!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Join us for a "Jam Tasting" this weekend

Friday, Sept. 23 from 1-3pm

Saturday, Sept. 24 from 1-3pm

Drop by and sample all the wonderful

new fall jams from LemonBird Jams

{Receive 10% off all LemonBird Jams during the tasting event}

Flavors included in the sampling:

Fig with Honey & Cinnamon

Tomato with Vanilla Beans

Grilled Nectarines, Balsamic Vinegar, Long Pepper & Sea Salt

Grilled Peach with Coriander & Lemon Thyme

Apricot with Sage Honey & Pistachio

Golden Raspberry

The Barr-Co Collection

2011-09-15T16:10:00.000-06:00

I can not tell you how incredibly excited I am about the new Barr-Co Collection that we recently brought in to the shop! Made in small batches right here in the U.S., this new bath & body line from K. Hall is just simply beautiful. And, the focus of the Barr-Co Collection is just that - simple ingredients in beautiful vintage apothecary bottles, parfait glassware, muslin bags, and tinware. The entire collection contains natural ingredients including the main ingredient, colloidal oatmeal (which is specifically amazing for super-dry, itchy skin) and the scent is a soft, easy fragrance of milk (think K.Hall Milk scented soap), oatmeal, vanilla, and vetiver.

The Barr-Co Collection includes:

Bath Salts & Soak

{a quart milk bottle of soothing mineral salts combined with colloidal oatmeal to relieve dry, itchy skin, & milk powder to help retain moisture and keep the skin silky smooth}

Bubble Elixir

{a pint milk bottle of natural plant extracts, soothing botanicals, and beneficial oatmeal extract that results in wonderful bubbles and a heavenly scent}

Fine Shea Butter & Oatmeal Lotion

{a 16oz. glass apothecary bottle of moisturizing ingredients including shea butter, aloe, cucumber, colloidal oatmeal that offers welcome relief to dry skin}

Pure Vegetable Hand Soap

{a 16oz. glass apothecary bottle of natural liquid soap made from natural plant extracts, soothing botanicals, and oatmeal extract that can be used in the bath or kitchen}

Oatmeal Saddle Soap

{Laden with colloidal oatmeal which is finely ground to act as a light, gentle exfoliator while also relieving dry skin, this soap is an over-sized bar that comes in it's own muslin bag}

Hand Salve

{a 2oz tin of jojoba oil, beeswax, and oat extract that is the perfect treatment for dry, cracked hands - great for gardeners}

Natural Wax Candle

{a 10oz parfait glass filled with a hand poured mixture of natural soy & vegetable wax}

Herbal Inspiration

2011-08-16T14:02:00.000-06:00

So, this summer I did not have much luck unfortunately with my Chocolate Cherry Tomato Plant that I was so excited to try this year. As an amateur gardener, I have to remind myself that part of "succeeding" as a gardener is to try different things knowing that some work and some don't. I was pretty bummed about this one though since I was so excited to try something I hadn't even heard of before. But something much greater than all of my effort took over this unique tomato plant and took a hold of it in a way that was not recoverable. Oh well - I will just give it another try next year!

On the up side of my gardening ventures this summer, my herbs have done very well! Which is a wonderful thing because I absolutely LOVE herbs. I love the way they smell, I love the way they taste, and, I love, LOVE, being able to walk onto my back deck & snip a few herbs for whatever meal I am preparing.

This year I went a little light on my herb garden and just focused on some basics - Basil, Thyme, Sage, & Rosemary. These are such amazing ingredients for summer cooking & eating, but they are also great for heading into the fall and winter seasons too. I grow my herbs in containers so that I can move them in & out if needed, which makes them super easy to move inside when the temps start to dip. If you are not someone who keeps containers all year round, then drying the herbs that you have from your summer harvest is a perfect way to take those delicious little plants into the upcoming season. Just make sure you give them a good bath and then dry them on either a drying rack (I have even used window screens before!) or bundle several stems together and hang in bunches. Once dry, then you can either keep them in bunches for their fragrant beauty or run all of the dry leaves off their branches with your hand into airtight containers (I use little spice jars for mine). They are wonderful (& handy!) all year round.

A few of my very favorite uses of my herbs include of course basil pesto (when I have enough leaves), rosemary parmesan crackers, toppings on homemade pizzas, and of course soups! I am thinking about trying to actually infuse some of my herbs this year in a little olive oil to make my own "flavored" oil. I'll let you know if I try it & how it turns out! So enjoy those herbs for the remainder of this summer - clip, eat, dry, experiment, create, and infuse them however you find inspiration to do so!

If Walls Could Talk

2011-07-14T15:37:00.000-06:00

If walls could talk, I am confident that our walls at Bella Vita would say "Ahhhhhh". Why, you ask? Well, a couple of them just went through a "mini spa treatment" of sorts. We partnered with Natural Interiors & Articulate Finish to "treat" a few of our walls and display an environmentally friendly, sustainable, yet beautiful wall treatment using American Clay (kind of like a mud facial treatment!). It is quite the technique with a beautiful, warm, rustic finish that surpasses (in my opinion) any other decorative finish a wall could have. This clay that is applied to the wall is actually natural clay found right here in the good ole USA and is then tinted with natural pigments to create a dynamic, yet very clean, decorative technique for the walls of your home, office, or business. The process is amazing as it is applied with trowels and artistic strokes of the hand to create the texture. There are multiple colors you can choose from so it is easy to find colors that fit into any interior color scheme. It is 100% natural, VOC-free, easy to use, durable, & absolutely beautiful. We will be hosting a class this fall so that you can learn more about this gorgeous application & how to apply it in your home. If you are interested in participating in the class, let us know and we will sign you up!

We are delighted and so grateful to Natural Interiors (a wonderful shop in Wheat Ridge full of natural products, like American Clay, that are for the interior of your home) & to John Wood from Articulate Finish (he is the artist & mastermind behind this amazing application & so many others too!) for this partnership. Please come by and see our newly "spa-treated"/transformed walls. I am confident you will love the look of this natural clay and perhaps you will even hear our walls say "Ahhhh"!

{John Wood from Articulate Finish "in process" of the application}

{The walls post treatment...}

Inspiration by Farmer's Market

2011-06-21T16:30:00.000-06:00

We are in the depths of Farmer's Market season here in Colorado and it is always amazing to me to see the markets packed with shoppers week after week! And, I do have to say that it is very encouraging to see our communities supporting the local farmers, crafters, and artisans at these markets. For me personally, one of the main reasons that I enjoy a local farmer's market is because I just love to pick up all the fabulous fresh produce that is available and occasionally find a sauce, jam, or bread that is irresistible too! And for whatever reason, the produce that I get at these markets just tastes better than what you can grab at the grocery store. Maybe that's because the markets are bringing the produce to us at the peak of their season when they are intended to be enjoyed the most.

But one of the other reasons I enjoy the local farmer's markets is that I get SO inspired! I don't know what it is exactly that bubbles up this inspiration, but I always walk away with energy to do something - whether it is to cook yummy meals with all the fresh goodies I find, to decorate or refresh my surroundings with fresh flowers or herbs, to work on my garden (which right now consists only of a tomato plant, a couple of herbs, and a few geraniums), to throw an outside dinner party, or just simply be outside enjoying my surroundings - I just LOVE it! However, with the typical hours of our local farmers markets falling during our own shop hours I am greatly limited in my attendance of the markets. So instead I have decided to bring the farmer's market "feeling" and inspiration to Bella Vita this summer...

{These Farmer Market Bags are perfect for carrying all those goodies you find}

{And these porcelain Berry Baskets are fabulous for holding your fresh berries, soaps, or whatever!}

{I LOVE these handmade seasonal jams that we have - absolutely DEELISH!!}

{Handmade Marshmallows - perfect for S'mores whether camping or just needing a dessert for dinner}

We actually have several Farmer's Markets going on through the summer right here in Evergreen - the Bergen Village Farmer's Market (every Tuesday from 10-2 at Bergen Village), the Downtown Farmer's Market (every Thursday from 2-6 right on Main Street), and the Evergreen Farmer's Market (every Wednesday from 11-5 in the Mountain Home parking lot).

And, this year, I have discovered the BEST kept secret in town...the produce stand at Aspen Specialty Catering's Store Front in Conifer. This local catering business opens it's doors every Thursday from 11-2 and sells delicious produce (with amazing prices too!). The selection is different each week, and you have to get there early because they run out fast. Oh, and while you are there, you can grab lunch too. They usually have a couple of sandwich selections, salads, and soups - all handmade with fresh ingredients by Mary & Craig. It's the best little inspirational treat in town!

Life is a...Chocolate Cherry Tomato Plant

2011-06-04T09:12:00.000-06:00

Summer is finally on our doorstep here in Colorado and since it is such a short season in Evergreen for gardeners, I get particularly anxious when we have agreeable weather so early in the season. At the first nod of sun and warmth, I get overwhelmed with a desire to plant red geraniums, herbs, and even a few veggies. This year I found myself in one of those gardening dilemmas - I was ready to plant but knew it was much too early.

It was the end of April and we were having an unusually warm and dry spring week. Mother's Day was coming and we desperately needed some flowers (and some color!) in the front of our shop. Knowing that our selection of flowers was going to be limited because of the earliness of the foothill season, I set out to look for something that could handle cold evenings and perhaps deter the hungry wildlife while still producing a nice 'pop' of color. And, of course there is really no place to land with all of that criteria other than Pansies. {Always fascinating to me that such a hardy flower has a name that doesn't even come close to describing it's true character!} As I was perusing the lovely selection of pansies at our local garden center, I came across a small little tray of plants that looked like cherry tomatoes. I have no idea why this tray of plants caught my eye since cherry tomato plants are a dime a dozen, but today they captured my attention in an unexpected way. I went over to look at them, pulled the tag, and was surprised when I read the description....Chocolate Cherry Tomato. Now, all of you gardeners out there may think this was not a unique find. But to me this was hugely fascinating! I had never seen or even heard of one of these plants and was therefore instantly intrigued. I began to ask the very helpful garden center ladies if they knew much about them. They told me that they were cherry tomatoes but with a "chocolate" colored skin. I was still considering whether or not to buy this little plant, when one of the ladies told me that what she had in that tray was all that she was going to be able to get this year. I snapped one up as quickly as I would consume a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup if it had been in my hand!

I took my little Chocolate Cherry Tomato plant home and have been nursing it in my kitchen since then. It actually did very well over the last few weeks and has grown quite a bit with little 'blooms' beginning to sprout. This week was the first week though that I finally felt confident enough to leave it outside, but it was still in the little plastic pot that I had purchased it in which had become much too small for it's size and it's sprawling roots. My schedule wasn't allowing me the time to transplant it into a bigger pot, and I was becoming frantic with worry by the second (just ask my husband!) that I was slowly killing it. So, finally this morning I had the opportunity and the time to finally put this intriguing little plant into a proper home. As I was planting it, I was so quickly reminded of the joy that gardening brings to me. I walked away from my one planting this morning and was overwhelmed with not just the feeling of joy but also with the most strong feeling of LIFE. There is truly so much life to live and planting a Chocolate Cherry Tomato plant is just one little tiny aspect of that for me. I think Summer is an interesting season of living in so many ways. People are outdoors more, there are baby elk & deer springing up everywhere, and we see what we planted in the Spring come fully to life, to grow, and then to produce ingredients for a delicious meal or just to grace us with it's sheer beauty. Ahhh....perhaps life after all is not just a bowl of cherries, but a Chocolate Cherry Tomato Plant too! Happy Gardening & Happy Living this Summer!

P.S. I will definitely keep you posted on the progress of my plant, but in the meantime, according to the Park Seed Co., this is what the Chocolate Cherry Tomatoes will look like....

A Seasonal Re-Arrange

2011-05-27T14:18:00.000-06:00

Summer is coming and what a great time to refresh your home and ready it for the season ahead! Bella Vita just went through a refresh of sorts as my husband & I spent last week re-arranging the shop. It was quite a task this go 'round for some reason, but when it was all said and done it does feel good to have a fresh new look. You might be wondering why the re-arrange now when it seems like we just arrived at our new digs. Well, in all honesty when we moved our shop into our new space we worked really hard to get our doors open as soon as possible. So for our regular customers out there, the new space probably felt very similar to our old space in Kittredge. But after "living" here for a few months, it really felt like it was time for a new look, a new perspective, and so the plans for the re-arrange began! Ironically, the original plan which was to re-arrange everything over a weekend and have it all in place by Monday morning came to a screeching halt when we walked in to the shop last Monday morning. We had spent the weekend re-arranging, and there were parts of the re-arrange that seemed okay, but the overall flow just didn't feel right. So much to my husband (and my) chagrin, early Monday morning we started moving shelves, tables, the bed, everything again, and yet again! Our poor customers who decided to pop in that day were welcomed by big shelves in the middle of the room and product literally everywhere - what a mess! But by the end of the day we had achieved a place of rest. We were exhausted and completely tired of moving shelves from wall to wall, so we landed where we did and we feel like it is a good landing - at least for now and for this season!

Perhaps you are feeling an urge to refresh or re-arrange your home as this summer approaches. Although it may not sound like I would be such an advocate from my experiences last week, I say go for it! A seasonal refresh is always a good thing and helps you celebrate the beauty of the new season. It doesn't have to be a complete overhaul either. Maybe it's just adding throw pillows in a seasonal color, new bedding or just new pillow shams, switching out dining chairs, or adding a new runner to the table. Maybe it is even as simple as a candle or linen spray that brings to mind favorite vacations or memories of the season. Find what inspires you about the season ahead and then however big or small, surround yourself with the celebration and beauty of summer!

Mom's Garden of Goodies

2011-05-05T20:16:00.000-06:00

If you get a chance to stop by this Saturday (May 7) for our Annual Mother's Day Open House, then you have to be sure to check out our "Mom's Garden of Goodies". What in the world am I talking about?? Well, I have set up a table in our shop filled with goodies that would be a beautiful treat for mom (because it's Mother's Day or just because!) or that would be a beautiful treat for you or maybe a friend too. This "garden" table is set up with flower pots of soaps, garden wagons of yummy bath powder, and trails of sugar scrubs, body butters, and candles too!

These goodies have been marked down and the rest of the goodies on the table that aren't already marked down are 50% off. These are really great deals on really great products that will be just too hard to pass up! So, stop by if you can, peruse the "garden" table, and stock up on some yummy treats! Think verbena, lavender, jasmine, gardenia....I am suddenly feeling inspired to start gardening!

Save the Date!

2011-04-25T09:58:00.000-06:00

Shiny Happy Appliances

2011-04-20T09:39:00.000-06:00

Okay, so one of the "rules" of operation at Bella Vita is that we really do try to try most everything we carry in our little shop so that we can actually speak about our products from our own personal experience. Most things that I bring home, I am anxious to unwrap and try immediately. However, I have to admit that when I brought home a bottle of Caldrea Stainless Steel Spray I did not for whatever reason exactly jump on the testing of it. Instead, I placed it lovingly on a counter shelf where I could admire the bright green label and be reminded almost daily that I really should pick it up and actually try it. But, I was always quick to tell myself that I had no time or that other things were more pressing.

{Caldrea Stainless Steel Spray in Ginger Pomelo}

I'm not sure why I was so lax in trying this particular product because I am a HUGE fan of Caldrea's Countertop Cleanser! You would think then that I would jump on the immediacy of trying another yummy smelling earth-friendly cleaner that actually works. And the worst part of my procrastination was that my stainless steel appliances were screaming out to me with a massive need for some kind of cleaning, if even a little testing. While my bright bottle of Stainless Steel Spray sat in its place on the counter shelf, I kept (as sad as it is to say) neglecting the pleads from my dishwasher & refrigerator (the ones in MOST need of a little shine). However, push finally came to shove when I was assigned as a hostess to an upcoming planning meeting which was happening in exactly 2 days. People were going to be in my home and since most planning meetings require food and my kitchen is the obvious stage for any food display indulgences, I was FORCED to finally pick up my bottle and give it a whirl (or spray). I decided to start with the fridge. So I sprayed, wiped with a clean cloth, and repeated this action a few times. I stepped away from my fridge to see if I could see any difference, and I was completely amazed! It was like a heavenly light was shining down upon the "test" area, the angels had begun to sing, and I was in complete awe. Suddenly, I wanted all my surroundings to be stainless steel just so I could keep using this cleaner and witnessing this amazing transformation. I know, it sounds like I am being way too animated about a cleaning product, but I had truly never had such an easy experience with such outstanding results. I grabbed my camera & tried to capture this phenomenal transformation, but being the amateur photographer that I am, it's possible that you might not quite get it, but hopefully you can see a little bit of what I was trying to capture...

{My fridge 'before' - can you see the smudges?}

{My fridge 'after' - all shiny & happy}

{My dishwasher 'before' - really grimy - can you see it?}

{My dishwasher 'after' - all shiny & happy - what a difference!}

I have tried stainless steel cleaners in the past that were okay at best, which may be why I was so reluctant to try this one, but this absolutely blew my mind and turned me into a huge fan of cleaning my appliances. Is it wrong (or just plain sick) to purposely smudge the appliances just to have a reason to clean them again? Regardless, I am now a huge advocate for this cleaner especially if you have stainless steel appliances that you actually use and that end up with water drips, grubby hand marks, or whatever else gets slung around your kitchen. It is really so very easy to use, the results are immediate, and it leaves my kitchen smelling absolutely divine! Oh, and the most important benefit - I have shiny, happy, appliances!

Adventures in Caramel Tasting

2011-04-05T11:04:00.001-06:00

I received an email about a week ago from Ellen Daehnick (founder of Helliemae's Salt Caramels) inviting me to attend a Spring Caramel Tasting and before I could finish reading about the wonderful new creations that would be available for tasting, I blurted out an e-YES to attend this event. If you have not yet discovered Helliemae's Salt Caramels then surely you have not fully lived. These buttery squares of caramel are hand made locally in Denver and have just the slightest hint of bitter balanced delicately and perfectly with a splash of sea salt on top.

{Helliemae's Salt Caramels at Bella Vita}

And, having already enjoyed these little squares of goodness - how really could I resist an invite to taste more! So this past Saturday, I journeyed down to Arvada on a beautiful spring Saturday morning in Colorado excited, curious, and ready for some serious sugary tastings. I was immediately greeted by Ellen - the founder of Helliemae's - and was instantly and warmly welcomed. Ellen and her husband Chris were just as delightful in person as their confections suggest and you instantly feel like you have known them forever. Of course, being new to blogging I completely forgot to get a pic of them while at the tasting! But just click on their names and you'll see the friendly faces that I had a chance to meet.

Ellen had all of her goodies out on the tables where she creates these yummy little treats so the tasting was a "come, taste what you want, socialize, taste more if you want, and leave" kind of event. Everyone was standing around chatting and visiting but not tasting - at least not yet. During the course of the visiting session however I did get a chance to meet two lovely people who were absolutely passionate about sugar. One of the gals, Jenny (the one on the right in the pic below), is actually a writer for all things sugary (who wouldn't love that job?!) called Sugar Loco. Jenny actually ran a little online contest to select one lucky person to attend this tasting with her and the gal standing next to her (whose name I don't remember because of the sugar como I ended up in after the event) was the lucky winner.

{Jenny Ford from Sugar Loco and the winner of her online contest enjoying the Tasting Event!}

While all this socializing was going on, lovely Ellen had to remind us that there were little treats surrounding us and waiting for us to taste. Not being one to be shy about tasting something, I jumped right in! I decided to start my tasting journey with a sampling of the current caramel offerings available from Helliemae's - Classic Sea Salt and Coffee (so yum!).

Next to these flavors was the new caramel flavor that Ellen is launching for Spring - Jasmine Tea. If you are a Jasmine Tea person (or even if you never knew there was such a tea) you will absolutely love it! It had the same buttery goodness as the Classic Sea Salt caramel, but with an essence of floral. It was quite good and unusually refreshing!

Next stop on my tasting journey, was a little delicious surprise that Ellen calls her "The One Cake to Rule Them All". At first I didn't quite understand the name - it's a little long - but then I tasted this little heavenly creation and I got it! It was a wonderfully light and fluffy coconut cake topped with a savory salted buttercream (brilliant!) and dusted on top with toasted shaved coconut. Now I have eaten a lot of cake in my time thanks to my mom's scrumptious baking through my childhood, but this cake was perhaps one of the best cakes I have ever eaten. Mom never tried the SALTED buttercream on a cake, but if she had, we would have all literally been in BIG trouble. This dance of lightly sweet with lightly salty is just the perfect combo in this cake and one I will not soon forget. The picture obviously doesn't do the cake justice, but be assured I am trying to figure out how to "share" this cake with all of you - stay tuned!

To round out my little tasting journey I topped it off with Helliemae's new Caramel Sauce. It is creamy, yummy, a little salty (just like those caramels) and perfect atop a heaping scoop of vanilla ice cream. The Caramel Sauce was a hit and we are working hard to figure out a way to bring this sauce in to Bella Vita so that you can enjoy it this summer. It currently has to be refrigerated (even before opening) so that poses a small challenge for our little boutique but we will figure something out and, in the meantime, we are keeping our fingers crossed that Ellen can figure out a way to make a non-refrigerated-before-opening the jar version.

Alas, my tasting journey was way too short but absolutely yummy sweet! Thank you to Ellen and Chris for extending this delicious invitation and for sharing all of your new confection creations with all of us. I look forward to sharing them with you when they are available. For now though, you can definitely find Helliemae's Salt Caramels at Bella Vita. Come by, pick up one (or two or four) and give it a try - you will only be pleasantly surprised and addicted!

Open - Please Come In!

2011-03-23T15:55:00.001-06:00

We have now been in our new home over in the Lakepoint Center at Evergreen Lake for two months. I can't really believe that it has been 2 months already! Some days it feels like we just opened our doors and other days it feels like we have been here forever. It has been a beautiful transition though as we have been welcomed so graciously by our new neighbors (Caffe di Lucca, Evergreen Pilates, Lakeshore Cafe, & Willow Creek Restaurant - just to name a few), our new friends & customers, and especially our dear friends & customers from our Kittredge home! We have settled in well to our new space and absolutely can't wait to share it with you. Here's a little sneak peek if you haven't been in yet...

And, this is the view from inside the shop - it really is beautiful and ever-changing too!

So we very much look forward to seeing you soon in our new little home by the lake. And, when you do stop by (or the next time you stop by), be sure to take a moment, take a breath, and take in the beauty of Evergreen Lake. We are open so please do come in!