Life is all about enjoying the little things in life. The perfect nail polish, amazing household products, the cutest, the best, the can’t-live-withouts. More importantly, it’s about adventuring with the best gear and the best resources!
And when I find awesome products, incredible humans and rad gear that I am obsessed with, I share them to the world! So here are some of my absolute favorite things, hidden treasures and the gear we can’t live without.
Women owned and operated.
Coalition started out with a mission to build women’s skis and snowboards that' didn’t suck. Long gone are the days of watered-down versions of men’s skis. Jen saw an opportunity to radically redefine the ski industry and thus…Coalition was born. This company not only makes the best mountain rippers, they actually give a shit about humanity, women’s rights, equal rights, our enivornment and upholding the stories of our native lands.
I have three pair of Coalition skis now in my barn…The Rebels (my “barrel racers” who rip groomers), The SOS All Mountain Skis (my “ropin’ horses” who will do anything from groomers to powder and cuts through that PNW chop like a god damn champ) and the La Nieve Backcountry Skis (my “trail ponies” that are light and perfect in every way).
Ladies, do yourself a favor…and shred the patriarchy.
OBSESSED.
Brett and I have a wild story to tell and a relationship that is like no other. When we were searching for a photographer, we wanted someone to attempt to capture our love, our unique weirdness and who we are as individuals and together. Then, I met Jaci. She gets it, she really gets it! The way she captures people in their truest form, in their element, rare and personal, with all the feels. Her photographs are real! They are pure magic, emotional and absolutely stunning. And our experience with her was nothing short of that. She reads the room, celebrates all the emotions, she listens and truly sees who you are...capturing us just as we are - over the top, deeply in love, our connection, passion, sexy, stunning, real (and maybe very ridiculous).
We are absolutely obsessed with each and every photo. Seriously...obsessed. They are stunning in every way imaginable. She saw us and captured us exactly how I envisioned. It’s truly difficult to articulate just how much that entire experience was, how much Jaci means to us now and just how much we love and obsess over our photos! Words will never be enough, but the photos speak volumes. She’s just that damn good and such an amazing human. I will always recommend her to literally anyone and everyone.
Measure nothing, just play!
These base layers are everything! (and seriously, I’ve tried a lot of them out there!)
Kari Traa, Norwegian Olympic free-style skier, saw an area of huge opportunity in a sport that is dominated by men. She combined her love for skiing and knitting and created an incredible line of clothing for women who want to get out and play! Not only are they FREAKING CUTE but they are so damn warm, comfortable and because they are wool, they never get smelly! I’ve tried quite a few different brands and Kari Traa is by far my favorite!
Food is fuel.
This woman loves mountains, tacos, beer and crazy cow dogs (sound familiar?) But more importantly, she is a great friend and an incredible Sports Nutritionist! She listens, educates you about how food is fuel, understands that we all love food and will help guide you through your own specific food journey. Turns out, I wasn’t eating enough, I was depriving my body from proper nutrients and because of that - I was gaining weight. Alex helped me with it all, teaching me about which foods are best, how much to eat and great recipes to try. Plus, she told me that potatoes have Vitamin C, so basically she gave me a green light on always eating french fries! If you’re looking to up your food game, dial in your weight loss or simply want to know better ways to fuel your body, email Alex now. I highly recommend connecting with her…like, right now.
Climb like a girl.
Climbing is one of the hardest things I’ve ever embarked upon. For me, there are so many mental blocks that come with being on the wall. Tunnel vision kicks in, Elvis leg engages, you freeze on the wall, you forget the moves, fear takes over. It’s the worst. And yet, the absolute best. There is nothing more powerful than making a perfect move or sending a difficult route or topping out on high alpine mountains. And above all, the support around you, your partners who are with you and the women who teach you.
Women are significantly underrepresented in the guiding industry. She Moves Mountains wants to change all that. By teaching women-specific rock climbing clinics, creating mentorship opportunities and connecting with personal guides they aim to increase the number of confident female climbers.
Lizzy VanPatten co-founded She Moves Mountains to create an educational space for women to realize their strength through rock climbing. And damn, if this organization and this group of incredibly women and guides don’t achieve that! Taking clinics and joining this community was one of the best things I have ever done. So ladies, do not hesitate. If you want to learn to climb, improve your skills and feel powerful and supported - SIGN UP NOW.
We dream, we jump, we grow!
SheJumps’ vision is to unearth the potential of ALL women and girls through outdoor play and connection to nature. They exist to unearth potential through outdoor play with reverence to nature because they believe growth is in our nature. The way they help nurture this is by inspiring people to jump beyond their limitations. They help women and girls take risks in the outdoors to enable them to breakthrough fears and internal/external barriers in life so they can grow to their full potential by partnering with nature and creating a safe, educational outdoor experiences for people that nurture growth, & transformation.
This organization, these women, the support they bring to the table - it’s unmeasurable.
Single track rockstars.
I am a part-time trail runner. I say part-time because there are days I loathe running, and days where I’m so in love with it, that trail running is all I want. While I’m not on the trail every day, I have come to learn that shoes are your best friend on muddy, technical single tracks. I’ve tried a number of shoes - some great, (Salomon S/Labs are really great!) and some can’t take a beating, and some just don’t fit my foot. But these Cloud Bois…they are magical. Swiss engineering, great traction on every surface, light weight and just pure Alpine Magic. I love these shoes. Seriously. Ja!
Meet Lance & Levi.
I came across Jen and Knox Mountain Bags by way of Mo Beck and good lord, these handmade chalk bags are so rad! They are made for climbers -made with high-quality fabrics, webbing, and hardware to make a durable, light-weight bag that closes securely and opens easily. And a spot for a bouldering brush, if you so desire. Lady owned and made in her solar-powered mountain home in Vermont, these chalk bags are my favorite! She custom made my two cowboys for me and she has LOADS of other designs that are perfect. I would buy them all, but I feel like that is over kill…
Best candles ever.
My girl Kylie has changed the game with candle making. These candles are perfect. She puts love, time, miles on the Forest Park trails and random dance parties into each and every candle. They are made locally, designed after the incredible trail system in our backyard, they’re absolutly stunning and honestly, is there anything better than a wood wick crackling? Answer, nope.
Oh lord, this polish!
Okay. I’m not super girly by any means. But I do have one strong rule…always have my toes painted. I was introduced to Palette Polish during Covid-19, through another Portland local business owner and good heavens this nail polish is swooooon worthy! And honestly? This shit has been my saving grace throughout all quarantine!
Palate Polish is a small batch, 10-free and Vegan nail polish line with food inspired names that is created here in Portland by a wonderfully rad woman! By buying her products, you’re supporting local lady business owners and the environment! WOOT!