Sandpoint: Take 2

There is always more to the story. When I went up to Sandpoint in the middle of July for a pre-Labor Day weekend Funky Junk Show visit and to do the Seven Things to Do In Sandpoint (written by Serena of The Farm Chicks; Country Living June 2010), I "scheduled" some of the time to be side trips. When a junker is traveling, there is always somewhere else to stop, explore, discover. And that I did.

Fueled with my chocolate Top Pot Donut and Vanilla Bean Frappachino, I took Hwy. 2 through Newport, mostly to shop, I mean stop, at one of my favorite stores, Shanty. It's on the main road as you wind your way through town. Maggie at Shanty has created an oasis of gifts, clothes, jewelery, coffee and bakery snacks worth the drive. I left one of our posters there, but I also shopped~it's part of my job, really~and left with a really cute ring. And with a little something I'd been wanting to try for awhile, a bag of Feed The Soul chocolate potato chips. And yes, there are as yummy as they sound!! (Thanks to Ginger for creating such a delectable treat!). After leaving Shanty, I headed over the bridge to Priest River, Idaho and to one of my other must stop places on the way: Into The Garden, Up To The Lake. It's open seasonally and Elaine, the friendly owner, has created a cute "lake cabin" of a store, filled with artsy and vintage treasures, inside and out. I love the metal can "flowers", and just enjoy walking through the inside and outside areas she has cultivated. While I was there I was lucky enough to meet Mandy, who makes the awesome furniture out of reclaimed wood and metal that is sold there~so talented! I wish I had had room to take home to the yellow chair set for my yard. Elaine mentioned to me that there was another store I needed to check out back in Newport, and the timing was perfect. So, I drove back over the bridge to find Sweet Salvage. Oh how sweet it is! Just past the corner of Spokane and 3rd Street (501 3rd.) is an adorable store front that draws you into a "ahh" inducing space. Shannon has filled it with finds you want to take home, awesome cement furniture pieces crafted by her talented boyfriend, and all styled in an easy magazine layout way that makes you feel like you too could live that way. I cannot wait to get back there! I did manage to narrow down my choices to a pretty vintage costume pearl bracelet. Thanks for the great shopping experience and conversation, Sweet Salvage Shannon!

I left Newport and Priest River brimming with inspiration, and ready for the next leg of my journey. When I arrived in Sandpoint, Jennifer, my business partner, her husband Nathan, and their new baby Glenn met me with hugs and ideas of extra places we could visit. So we left Sandpoint over the Long Bridge and went to the Sagle Senior Thrift Store off of Hwy. 95, which is where I found one of my favorite junking finds of the weekend. A little junking under our belt, we worked on Serena's list, and some of Jennifer's, too. Downtown Sandpoint boasts many fun, local shops and boutiques worth a peek. Since we'd just been at the beach, we took a break before we shopped and had a cool snack at the Udderly Cultured frozen yogurt shop. Really nice owners and really yummy frozen choices! we took a minute to visit McDuff's where I really need to eat next time, and to check out some of the cool bikes at the bike shop. Next was one of our favorite stores; Zany Zebra, across the street from the Panida. I usually find enough Blue-Q bags to suit my fancy, cute clothes, fun kitschy gifts, and this time a chunky bracelet for only two dollars. What's not to like?! Jennifer and Nathan introduced to me to the cool, classy Coldwater Creek wine bar above the store. Such a modern rustic place to chill out or warm up depending on the season and your mood.

We waved goodbye to downtown and headed northeast of town toward Jennifer and Nathan's home. They were kind enough to indulge my junking needs and took me to the local animal shelter Thrift Shop. It felt really good to do good while I was junking. And of course, I found good junk! Patient baby Glenn had put in a long day as Funky Junk mascot, so we headed to his home for dinner and a walk around their property. Jennifer and Nathan are fortunate enough to live on her family's property and have made it a cozy, peaceful, welcoming place to be. Jennifer and I took time amidst our Funky Junk International meeting to have Christmas In July. A new tradition begun this year because, well, simply, we hadn't opened our Christmas gifts from one another yet. We had fun catching up until late, and I had fun looking at all of the treasures and finds in their home.

The next morning while the Wood family recovered from being terrific hosts and tour guides, I took my breakfast at a local spot, The Hoot Owl. For a taste of Sandpoint flavor, you can't beat this diner, located on Hwy. 200~conviently on the way to Oden Hall Grange, our Labor Day show home! Tummy full of my huge breakfast, I couldn't resist junking on the way to my destination. I took a minute to stop by Oden Hall Grange, off of Hwy. 200, on Sunnyside Rd. I caught a beautiful view of Oden Bay, Sandpoint is a place full of great views.

After a morning full of adventure, it was time to head home. I took Hwy. 95 out of Sandpoint toward Spokane, but found a way to stop at a hideaway antique store in Sagle, just down the road from where we held our second show. It was filled was hard to come by finds, many from the Midwest. I'll be stopping by there again for sure to visit. I had to get on the road, but again was sidetracked by a fun antique shop off of Hwy. 95, The Rickety Rocker near Cocolalla. I quite enjoyed the proprieter and her collection of finds, another place to work into my traveling schedule!

I know there are many other places to visit to shop, eat, play and rest next time and then the next time again when I head to Sandpoint; I hope you find your adventure to the land of the fall Funky Junk show just as amazing as I did!

~Hollie
Funky Junk Antique Show & Crafts Market
Labor Day Weekend; Saturday & Sunday
September 4th & 5th, 2010
10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
134 Sunnyside Rd. (just off of Hwy. 200; 7 miles NE of Sandpoint)
$2 admission; good both days~12 and under free
http://www.funkyjunkantiqueshow.com

Sandpoint Fun Times 7

I had a crazy idea, inspired by a friend of mine. I thought, this could be fun. So, Country Living magazine in hand, I contacted the people who could make my idea a reality and within a day or two, I was on my way north by northeast to Sandpoint, ID. Our twice yearly show, Funky Junk Antique Show & Crafts Market, is held in Spokane, WA in the spring and in Sandpoint, ID on Labor Day weekend.

Ever since I read the June issue of Country Living, I have wished I could take a trip up and experience the "Seven Reasons to Visit Sandpoint, ID." Serena Thompson, of The Farm Chicks, wrote the article. I think that that made me think it was a doable and fun excursion. She lives in the Spokane area, I live in Spokane. She runs an antique show, (although on a much grander scale than do Jennifer & I), and I co-run an antique show. So, jewelery on my wrist and bravery in hand, I set out on my adventure, ready to be a tourist with fresh eyes in the city that the Funky Junk Show calls home once a year.

I drove up through Newport, WA from Spokane. This is the scenic route, and I'll be blogging about my stops along the way later this week. It was a great way to go. By the time I pulled into Sandpoint, my anticipation was building. My business partner Jennifer, lives in Sandpoint, grew up there in fact, and she, her husband Nathan, and their 6 week old baby Glenn spent the day hosting me and showing me the sites, both Serena's seven and some of their personal faves.

We met at Marketplace Antiques, #2 on the list. Carol Steinway, one of the vendors who will be at the Funky Junk show Labor Day weekend, has her amazing finds there. I enjoyed browsing and seeing the antiquing flavor of the area displayed like jewels. I picked up some sign letters to bring home with me, reunited with Jennifer, Nathan and new baby Glenn (so cute!) and even ran into some Funky Junk shoppers whom we love! All this before lunch.

We set out to accomplish #3 on the list, eating pie at the Pie Hut. We ate lunch there also. I had a super good grown up grilled cheese sandwich and yummy curry chicken soup. Just right for this hungry junker! When it came time to choose a piece of pie, Nathan generously let me choose two, one for me, and one for him that I could sample. So I went with cherry a la' mode, my absolute favorite in the world and he got the gourmet piece with bacon, maple and candied pecans. Both heavenly, and Serena's right on about the crusts and fillings!!

I had already reserved my place for the night, #1 on the list, a lakeside cabin at Sleeps Cabins. We decided to head over the Long Bridge to check in before we hit the town for our other two spots for the day. I fell in love at first sight! My cabin was the Cowboy Cabin and truthfully, I could have spent a whole day and night in there by myself and come out completely refreshed. The decor in each of the cabins is themed and decorated by Tawnie, half of the owner husband/wife team that goes back several generations. My cabin had such fun vintage touches, not to mention thoughtful inclusions like a mini coffee pot, tourist info, fans in the cute painted windows...it was definitely a place I will be coming back to! Later that night, I walked down to the dock past the campfire pit and laid on a bench, listening to the water lap against the rocks and let my eyes search the heavens for limitless stars. What a show!

Ah, but back to the list. After relaxing at the cabin and peaceful grounds for a bit, we all decided to hit the beach. Jennifer & Nathan warned that I may just want to stick my feet in the water this trip and save swimming for next time. So we parked at the City Beach on Lake Pend Orielle, #4. The alpine lake proved to be cold, but that wasn't keeping anyone out of the water. The beach was dotted with umbrellas, babies and tanning sun seekers. We cooled off, enjoying what we had time for this trip, walking along the waterfront, feet meeting sand and clear waterfront. We decided reluctantly to leave the fun scene on the lake and head for Downtown Sandpoint.

Which was only a few blocks away. The cool thing about Sandpoint is how close every destination is. We easily found street parking (at least on a Thursday) and headed to check out #5, the Panida (pronounced like Canada) Theater. Jennifer said that she and Nathan have enjoyed many movies in those walls and Jennifer has even been involved in a production there. Yes, Funky Junk girls are dramatic. The theater doors were open, so we peeked inside and I was treated with a taste of the art deco surroundings. What a cool spot, historically and temperature wise. We spent a bit more time just hanging out downtown at some great places I'll blog about in part two of my adventure. My hosts took me to their home for dinner and dessert and I thoroughly enjoyed the hospitality that Sandpoint is known for.

After an amazing night's sleep in my cozy cabin, I took a drive just a bit out of downtown Sandpoint to do #6 on the list. Yes, city girl was going to go ride a horse at the Western Pleasures Ranch. I stopped for some drive by junking along the way, so I pulled in five minutes before the trail ride was to leave. I had planned ahead and emailed and called, but was still worried (on city time) about missing the fun. Thanks to the lovely ladies at the ranch, including Janice, the wife half of the spouse owned ranch which goes back four generations, I was immediately put at ease, welcomed, checked in for the ride and reassured that I was just fine. A wonderful teacher/trail guide, Barb, took our group (a family from So. Cal. was riding too) on a beautiful two hour ride. It was worth every penny, and I was transformed into a beginner rider pretty quickly. Peaches was probably the most gentle, calm, well trained horse on the ranch, and thank goodness, the perfect match for me. Her saddle even had pink stirrups...a match made in fashion heaven! The trail ride left me content, refreshed, like I could do anything. That's what a little time out in the beautiful wilds of North Idaho will do for you.

I had to leave too soon for my liking, but this will be another place I come back to play and stay someday. And it's only just down the rode from our grange! I changed my pink cowgirl hat and pink cowgirl boots and converted back into city garb, ready for a big lunch. I was going to try to eat breakfast at Dish, #7 on the list, but it was open later during the week, so I settled for lunch. And I was not disappointed. The portions are hearty and perfect and yummy. Now I've eaten there for dinner(during Funky Junk of course!) and lunch and will just have to pick up breakfast there on the show weekend this time. My tummy happy, I sadly left Sandpoint. I took the other route, down Hwy. 95 to home, sweet, home Spokane. I was happy to see my husband and boys and felt like a really, really lucky girl to have been able to live out, if only for two days, a bit of a fun dream come to life. So, thank you, Serena and Country Living for the list, to my hosts and friends, Jennifer, Nathan and a very cute and patient baby Glenn, and to Sandpoint, ID for sharing the love, fun and junk that I'd been hoping to find!
~Hollie