We Took to the Woods

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Human beings are fascinating creatures, created with a craving for change and movement, while at the same time longing for tradition and stability that stands firm in the midst of the dynamic life we live. And somehow, the stability makes the change all the sweeter, and the change makes the stability all the stronger.

And then there are seasons, the cycles that bring change, but return us to heat and cold, blossoms and withering, beautiful leaves year after year. The earth brings us the old and the new simultaneously; it satisfies our desires, and that’s because we were made for this place, and it for us.

WeTooktotheWoodsStorefrontSometimes it takes a walk in the woods to become reacquainted with the beauty of age and the beauty of youth, to be re-enamoured with this place we live in, and to celebrate the fact that so much of what we desire can be satisfied as long as we have the heart to receive the gifts we’ve been given.

And that, in a nutshell, is why our store exists–so that you can take a walk in the woods.

-written by Jonathan Allston

Los Poblanos

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Where does the scent of lavender take you? To a Southwest sunset? To a field where you sit and feast on the beauty around you? To the comfort of a home that smelled richly of it? To the fragrance of a person you love?

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A Winter Wedding

We believe that weddings should be about communities, and those who love the bride creating something beautiful in her honor.  The chef brings his food, the vinedresser his wine, the seamstress her dresses and the tailor his suits.  We all bring something of our own place and story to bless a marriage: thus, for a winter wedding at a Victorian farmhouse, we offer the blessings of wool and firelight in the cold, heirlooms and rustic pieces for just the right touch of nostalgia, the warmth of a family gathering, and simple, beautiful reflections of the farm itself.  

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We were thrilled to have this shoot featured on 100 Layer Cake.

Many thanks to Aaron Greene for the beautiful images & Bryan and Meghan Fowler, some of the best hairstylists we know.

Stumptown Coffee Roasters

I’ve had the opportunity to drive by coffee farms in Kenya and watch the plants grow out of good earth and roll over green hills. I was thankful for that. This morning I ground some fresh coffee beans from Guatemala and brewed them to my liking while sunlight filtered through the green leaves that surround my house. I was thankful for that too. We recently got to visit Stumptown Coffee Roasters in Brooklyn, NY, and see firsthand how the link between production and consumption can bless the earth as much as her fruits bless us. Somehow, a knowledge of that link makes the coffee taste better. And that’s something to be thankful for too. Take a look at some pictures of our visit, and please consider this your invitation to try a little Stumptown and find one more thing to be thankful for.

- Jonathan Allston, We Took to the Woods

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Mast Brothers

It’s been said that people must be loved before they can be lovely. And, come to think of it, the same is true of chocolate. So, let me tell you a story. Two brothers bought a sail boat and started having adventures. They sailed to Madagascar, Venezuela, the Dominican Republic, and Ecuador. They bought exotic cacao from family farms and journeyed back to New York Harbor. They made chocolate with their friends in Brooklyn. They loved and nurtured every bean, turned the beans into chocolate bars, and hand-wrapped the bars in golden foil and ornamental paper. Then they sent their chocolate to We Took to the Woods, and you came in and ate some of it, and you knew once and for all and for good and forever that loved things become lovely—even chocolate. Mast Bros. Chocolate is available now at We Took to the Woods. This is a good story to be a part of.

A few photos of our recent visit to Mast Brothers:

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