'tis the season?

can you believe it? people are requesting Christmas decorations ... Halloween has not yet passed!

Holmegaard Christmas Ornament

available in store
... already!

Saveur

thanks to the fine folks of Saveur magazine who recently included a feature on rarified and our maple syrup of choice, Möpure.

and thanks to the fine folks who decided they want some of what we got! the phone has not stopped ringing and our website is taking a pounding.

yippee!

heaven scent

i recently expanded my love of orchids to include some exquisite beauties from the local experts at Paramount Orchids outside of Calgary. my lovely golden phalaenopsis not only provides visual satisfaction, it is one of the few fragrant orchids - the blossoms are truly heaven scent!

my orchids are showcased in the re-purposed bread-bag from Stelton - the vibrant pistachio colour offers a brilliant accent to the variegated multi-hued green leaves and highlights the elevated blossoms with absolute panache.

norm03 provides a great backdrop to my Stelton orchid basket.

establishing the norm

simple yet elegant, the norm03 from Normann Copenhagen is a stunning lampshade and a conversation piece at any time of day.

where it really shines is in the evening, when ambient light is low and the norm03 can do it's magic, casting organic sculptural shapes on the walls and ceiling.

got a flat?

great for cruising around, Flat Bags garner alot of attention. pictured below is a happy customer with her new 'save the animals' print satchel. look out Olds, Alberta!

Flat Bags are designed and built in Nelson BC using reused bicycle tire tubes and rediscovered vinyl and fabrics.

shout out....

it is exciting and gratifying when people find our shop and make their first steps through the door. the typical reaction is one of surprise. "Where do you find these beautiful, unique products?" Stelton? Holmegard? Bicycles? Atlantico furniture? Finisterre outerwear? Fabulous artisan foods? "Your shop is amazing!"

in addition to great support from the Okotoks area, a number of our regular Clientele are from Calgary. they tell me they love the shop and are more than happy to head to the peace of small town shopping than fight the ever-growing traffic battle that has consumed the city over the last several years of rapid growth.

most recently I have had the pleasure of meeting wonderful people from Vancouver, Olds, Victoria, Edmonton, the UK, Denmark and several US origins as they made their way into the shop. we are also fortunate to enjoy a strong web-based presence with queries from North America, South America, Europe and Australia. we find ourselves shipping to interesting destinations on a weekly basis.

so in addition to surrounding myself with the luxuries of the products we offer for sale, i get to interact with some amazing human beings. the people really do make the difference.

a big shout out to everyone for your interest and support!

live.
work.
eat.
play.

from the 'hood

my neighbours Rich and Jan stopped by for a little shopping. Jan's parents were in town visiting from Victoria BC. everyone was rewarded with a little DCDuby Wild Sweets chocolate treat for their day's efforts.

life really is good!

morning ritual

i enjoy my mornings as a time of quiet reflection with a cup of tea. rarified sources high quality tea from Silk Road in Victoria, BC: we offer a range of black, green, semi-green, herbal and flowering varieties.

the Eva Solo Tea Maker is a brilliant design and provides a perfect cup of tea. a beautiful glass carafe showcases a stainless steel dripless insert with plunger - the mechanism stops the brewing process to allow for premium use of the tea leaves. the neoprene sleeve provides dual functionality as it protects the hand from the heat and keeps the tea warm - it also adds an edginess that tea does not normally get to express! Eva Solo also offers a Milk and Sugar Set with the same detailing.

enjoy your brew from a Timo thermal glass from Design House Stockholm to extend the experience.

Brompton World Championships

filmed in 2007, this brilliant video captures the cult-classic Brompton folding bike in full-on competitive action. elevates the whole deal from commuting to lifestyle.



the 3rd annual event will take place 28 September in the UK. it's not too late to get your Brompton and skin across the pond for some jolly good fun!

give us a shout at rarified for more info on getting set-up with a Brompton.

sinfully delicious

the movie Chocolat follows the delicious cocoa treat as it teaches of love, compassion and following one's heart. if you have not yet seen it, you should. be sure to have a DCDuby Wild Sweets treat on hand to add immeasurably to the experience!

DCDuby Wild Sweets elevates chocolate to a magical multi-sensory level. rarified regularly carries the the sumptuous artisan bars, exotic confit and delicious hot ganache drink mixes.

in addition to my regular order, Dominique and Cindy Duby sent me fresh confections this week. i am more than impressed - from the gorgeous packaging and presentation to the pure ingredients and extraordinary flavours - a truly luscious chocolate experience to delight the senses. these decadent fresh chocolates are available through our shop by special order.

Arome and Texture bars

roasted | spiced chocolate series ... exotic flavours

beautiful chocolates ....

decadent and delicious !

and yes, mom, i did share....

Jared McCollum, Doctor of Traditional Chinese Medicine,
Healing Elements

chocolate is good for you!

Rocky Mountain high

nestled along the Sheep River, Okotoks is situated in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains of Alberta, Canada - rarified is located in historic Olde Towne Okotoks. our local merchants association, in collaboration with the town, is working in partnership with the Province of Alberta to promote tourism in the region.

as a special promotion, the 'Fun in the Foothills' contest has been launched and we are a participating sponsor. you can register online to win great prizes - the link is through the Olde Towne Okotoks webpage.

good luck!

Vik approved

as noted in an earlier post, my friend Vik is very much into bicycles - he lives, rides, breathes bikes - he builds, services, repairs, customizes bikes - he researches, demos, trials bikes - he..... well, you get it. Vik posts his insights on his Lazy Randonneur blog and offered a low-down on his recent experience with the Batavus Personal Bike.

Photo courtesy of Vik.

the road to success ..... is an avenue!

The Calgary publication of Avenue magazine is a great resource for living in the area; monthly issues feature all things local and inspiring.

The August issue has a hit list of the 199 top shops and boutiques. The fine folks at Avenue have included rarified in the list - read about us featured on page 118!

Thanks Avenue!

Drop by the shop for your complimentary copy of Avenue.

kids like it too!

li'l Melanie means business and puts her rarified view on life through the paces.

Melanie has had her Klippan Bruno Blanket since she was a baby. Her Bruno Puppet is a little shy in this shot.

charming Melanie has convinced her Bruno to warm up to the camera - he really loves to hang out with the 1-D bears.

Melanie going to town with her Klippan felted wool bag and coin purse.
a connoisseur of good taste!

photos courtesy of Melanie's mom & dad

let there be wine!

there are some simple pleasures in life - being with friends or family certainly top the list.

for me, a peaceful evening entails beauty, ambiance ... and wine! and when it is a scrumptious wine, you may want to 'ixnay' the friends and family and opt for solo!

my wine is sourced by the friendly and fabulous folks of Calgary's Wine Cellar South - a shout out to Frank, Ingo and crew for another great bottle!
gracious and elegant, Holmegaard stemware gloriously elevates the luscious red.
Stelton plays host with the ever-efficient Classic Serving Tray and illuminates my evening with the glass-lit Classic Candle Lamp.
and i love my copper-plate prints brought home from an artist in Venezia.

under construction

Patrick is part of the curb appeal - our frontage has been getting a facelift with some extra space allocated to showcase some of the great products we carry.

Whit McLeod reclaimed wine barrel chairs and table.
Design House Stockholm Carrie Baskets & Umbrella with stand.
Atlantico stool in oak.
Plan Toys wooden tractor and firetruck.
Klippan Yllefabrik blanket.
:: visit rarified online for product info or to place an order ::

wheels, frames & saddles

my friend Vik is a bike hound - knowledgeable and discerning in his requirements. he drops by the shop to check out and evaluate the bikes we offer - today we are on the Brompton and the (gorgeous) Pashley's. although we may not always agree on style .. or food ... we do share an appreciation for functionality and comfort.

...away we go!!

Vik on the regal Pashley Sovereign decked out with Basil panniers.
check out the 28" wheels!

me on the Pashley Princess ... so nice!
all i need now is a baguette and cheese ...
ok, and a bottle of wine.

the
lovable
foldable
ridable
stowable
Brompton.

when you have an opportunity to see the Pashley's 'live' be sure to ring the ding-dong bell.
both Brompton and Pashley offer quality, hand-made rigs from England.

a little kiss ....

Finisterre gets a little KISS.
Steve Stanley, me and my Matanuska.

KISS tribute band extraordinaire,
Destroyer
performed at the 2008 Calgary Stampede.
Steve, Mo, Chris & Tony rock the cowboys and cowgirls all night long - i was lucky to sing along backstage for a few gigs!

interlude #1

rarified is a bit of an anomaly in that we offer a wide variety of goods ranging from fine design objects to gourmet food, unique housewares to outdoor gear.

as a general mercantile goes ... we got it!

the website is growing (check it out!) and we continue to source more amazing companies that fit our model of improved lifestyle through quality goods, pride of workmanship, social responsibility & environmental sustainability. not only should we enjoy life, but we should be proud of the choices we make.

be conscious.

live, work, eat, play.

Finisterre to new heights!

Garrett contacted us from San Francisco. we shipped his Finisterre Etobicoke in time for his trek in Ladakh, India.
thanks for the great shot Garrett!

designed by Stelton - refined by Laura

Stelton's #486 Classic Napkin Holder.

Laura's #1 Avante-Garde Memo Holder.

Laura adapted the phenomenal Stelton napkin holder from it's standard function to a highly refined memo holder for her biz Fashionista Social Club.
there is good reason why a girl should never shop alone - particularly with Laura's inspired thinking! check her out girlfriends!

rocky mountain surfing?

i am absolutely pleased we offer Finisterre outerwear at rarified. brilliant philosophy, well executed, great product. here are some shots of Finisterre in action: from the snowy Canadian Rockies to apres ski at the Calgary Farmer's Market.

Patrick bustin' up the trails in his fit-for-the-task Humboldt!
Kananaskis Country, January 2008

chicken ?
Sean in his Matanuska & d sporting the Etobicoke
Calgary Farmer's Market - Blush Lane

... mmm coffee ...
finishing the day the Phil & Sebastian way

Calgary Farmer's Market
*pssst * note my Anne Black hand-made porcelain earrings!

test drivin' the goods

the rarified concept was borne of a desire to surround daily life with intelligently-designed, well-crafted goods. the integration of those goods into everyday use has spawned this blog - a reflection of the people who share the ideal of better living ... from the makers to the users.

trial - no error

rarified kicked open the doors in november 2007 and little repose has since transpired.
on the odd occassion la familia takes a time out, we do it very well indeed!

thanks Sean & Patrick for helping to forge the reality!