In the Eco-Boutique:
Apparently we are on the “10 Fridays Until December 25” countdown. Although, since I became aware of this last week, we might now be down to just 9 or 8, maybe.
Oh, the retail world. Stuff. So much stuff. Keeping that in mind and as the owner of a business that sells plenty of stuff, I have put some energy into what is on the shelves. The goal being individuals and villages that in turn support the planet and the people on it. Small business rather than enormous planet- polluting corporations that resort to slave labor conditions to make things en masse.
At Wheatgrass Saloon we have local and regional hand-crafted jewelry by Patricia Buckley and by Sarah Homan and, of course, Beth Gregory‘s awesome pieces!
There is an array of jewelry, clothing, soaps, totes, scarves etc. from co-ops in India and Bolivia whose products sustain jobs for people who have been handcrafting artisan goods for generations. These co-ops partner with women’s groups, minorities, people with special needs, urban slums and isolated rural communities to empower artisans through dignified, sustainable employment. They value safe work conditions, education, the well-being of their partners and the safety of children.
From Montana we have recycled items, like the CAN-dles made in Polson and the earrings, belts, rings and necklaces made in Whitefish using recycled skateboards as well as body care items made in Whitefish, 406 t-shirts printed in Missoula, key fobs hand-crafted in Bonner, locally roasted coffee, and more.
In addition to all of the other downtown Livingston shops available to you, keep Wheatgrass Saloon in mind if you are out and about shopping for friends and family in the next 9 Fridays before December 25th. There is also an excellent used bookstore, Elk River Books, here at 120 North Main. One-stop shopping, lunch included.
4th Thursdays
This month’s 4th Thursday is October 22nd and Meals on Wheels, Paradise Valley will be the recipient of 10% of non-consignment sales. Please feel free to come and make a direct donation to them. We will have a tin on the counter at the Juice Bar for direct donations.
Because Thanksgiving falls on November’s 4th Thursday, we will be donating 10% on Small Business Saturday instead. Montana Roots will be the recipient for 10% of sales on Saturday, November 28th.
Montana Roots is a non-profit based in Livingston, and has designed and contructed a 6000 gallon recirculating aquaponic system where they grow food year-round for the community. Wheatgrass Saloon is happy to be able to get our weekly supply of nutrient dense and very beautiful microgreens from Montana Roots. If you have had a Dragon Bowl, you have experienced Montana Roots. Additionally, Montana Roots partners with Montana Awareness Education and Equine Rehab Association (MAERA) to offer a year-round, free program to middle school and high school students that focuses on sustainable agricultural and nature awareness. Students learn how to plant, care, harvest and cook their own food in soil and aquaponically as well as sell their produce at the farmers market.
In the Juice Bar:
As fall turns to winter, we are adding miso soup to the menu. It is made fresh daily and filling enough to be called a meal. Miso Soup is a traditional Japanese soup consisting of a stock called “dashi” that is made with the sea vegetable kombu, pictured below. Into the stock, fermented soy bean paste, called miso, is whisked to create a richer soup base. Many ingredients are added depending on regional and seasonal recipes, and personal preference. At Wheatgrass Saloon, we have a variety of add-ins such as brown rice, adzuki beans, wakame, daikon, bok choy, carrot, shitake mushrooms and beech mushrooms, many of which are sourced locally. It is delicious, easy to digest and warming. The health benefits of miso soup are many and wide-ranging.
On Saturday, November 14th, Wheatgrass Saloon will be serving juice samples at the Fall Health Festival from 7-11 am. Get your blood drawn for the health screen and then come enjoy a flight of our juices: Greentini, Ginger ‘n’ Juice, We Got the Beet and Al Green.
In the Gallery:
Wheatgrass Saloon Gallery Upstairs will host a reception for Ledger Artist, Alaina Buffalo Spirit on Friday, November 6th at 6pm. Alaina is a Cheyenne woman who draws & paints on antique ledger paper just as her ancestors did in the 1860s. Through her art, she becomes a story teller, sharing the images of women and horses.
“Alaina Buffalo Spirit is a self-taught artist from the So’taa’ee band of the Northern Cheyenne Nation, whose work honors the women that made a difference in her life. Alaina Buffalo Spirit’s artwork is based on the traditional ledger art, originated by Indian warriors who were incarcerated in the 1800s. Using the materials that were available to them, these warrior artists recorded their powerful stories through images made on the ledger paper issued by the government for tallying and record-keeping. Inspired by these early images which depicted life on the Plains, both before and during times of conflict, Ms. Buffalo Spirit uses ledger paper made during this period in much of her work.
Ms. Buffalo Spirit began her artistic career in 2004 and has participated in the Northern Plains Indian Art Show in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, the Summer Art Market at the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center in Great Falls, Montana and at Kentucky Crafted, in Louisville, Kentucky. Her work has been featured at the Ancient Traders Gallery in Minneapolis, Minnesota as well as throughout Montana. In 2008, her work was on display at the Museum of the Plains Indian in Browning, Montana and in June of that year was chosen as the cover art for the University of Washington Medical School’s Pediatrics Archives Journal. Most recently, Alaina’s work has been showcased in Kalispell, Montana at the Montana Arts Council Art Showcase.”
-Heart Mountain Wyoming Foundation, 2013
The show runs from October 28th through November 20th. For questions, call Lisa 224-3895.
