Staunton Keeps Getting Cooler

As much as I like living in the country, part of me thinks (part of the part that thinks, that is) that living in nearby Staunton would be pretty great, too. Especially lately, it seems a number of new establishments have popped up, and they make what we already have seem even better. I went into town today for two reasons. First, I wanted to visit a new annual event, the Community Bazaar, which is basically an extension of the Farmers' Market, the season for which ended last week. There were some decent crafts at the event, and I imagine it will grow in the future. The second reason for stopping downtown was that The Sacred Circle bookstore was having a sale and I wanted to take advantage. It's a very nice little store that stocks all kinds of spritual books, widely defined, as well as fair trade crafts. I bought Thomas Friedman's Hot, Flat, and Crowded (which I mentioned in the previous post as a book I'm interested in reading) and The Ethics of What We Eat, by Peter Singer and Jim Mason.

With that accomplished, I strolled down Beverley Street and poked my head in a few shops. My destination, though, was the far end of Downtown, where I knew that there were two new business that I had not yet visited. And I only looked into the window of one because my time was running short. The Dirty Bean is a combination espresso bar and . . . laundromat. Why not? I hear the coffee is great. And next door the owners have just opened George Bowers Grocery, which is an awesome, eclectic little shop that sells local produce and prepared foods in a setting that is inspired. Very cool.