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fri10AM - 8PM
sat10AM - 8PM
sun11AM - 6PM
mon10AM - 6PM
tue10AM - 6PM
wed10AM - 6PM
thu10AM - 6PM
fri10AM - 7PM
sat10AM - 7PM
sun11AM - 6PM
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What a difference a few decades make! The images of New York City were taken in 1970 (Bernard Gotfryd, Library of Congress) and in 2018 by Afif Ramdhasuma (from pexels.com). Earth Day has been celebrated on April 22 since it was established through grassroots efforts in 1970. It was a response to increasing concerns caused by smog (intense air pollution caused mainly by exhaust fumes), Great Lakes at risk of dying from pesticide runoff and waste dumping, and rivers that caught on fire (the Cuyahoga River in Ohio famously caught fire in June of 1969). It was also the year when monumental legislation was enacted to address all kinds of environmental concerns. ...read more
At Home | Inspiration
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If it’s true, as they say, that seeing is believing, then we at Mast Store would like to propose another entry to your quip collection: Doing is moving. “Doing” not only requires movement - “doing” moves you both physically and emotionally. ...read more
Local Flavor | Mast Family Favorites | Travel
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What is a library? It’s a big building with lots of books in it. But wait, it’s so much more. The library is a gateway to your wildest dreams, a place to learn, a place to imagine, a place to make friends. Today’s libraries are repositories of books, but they also are places to get help to learn to read or improve your reading, to improve your math skills, to listen to a performance by a string quartet, to watch a movie, to refine your crafting skills, and to gather with fellow writers. Yes, libraries are SO much more. ...read more
Adventure | Inspiration | Mast Family Favorites
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... Our favorite foods! Food is universal because everybody’s got ta eat! And the last two months of the year are filled with more than their fair share of family meals, work gatherings, special outings to favorite restaurants, tins filled with homemade cookies and fudge, and the anticipation of food traditions handed down from generation to generation ...read more
At Home | Recipes
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Even before we bought the Mast General Store, we were taken by the beauty of Valle Crucis. We’ve heard people describe the drive out Broadstone Road as traveling through a time portal. In the 1970s, fields in the river bottoms would be filled with tobacco, cabbage, or high with hay to feed cattle that were grazing in the summer pasture. ...read more
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The lucky few who have seen the Earth from a different perspective – astronauts - all echo the same viewpoint upon their return. Yuri Gagarin, a Russian cosmonaut and the first human to go to space, commented, “Orbiting Earth in the spaceship, I saw how beautiful our planet is. People, let us preserve and increase this beauty, not destroy it.”
Behind the Scenes | Inspiration
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If you’re planning to attend a holiday party this Christmas season, you have the (sometimes daunting) task of selecting a gift your host is sure to enjoy. Here are a few suggestions that will help you choose a thoughtful gift. We also offer a variety of ideas we hope will bring a smile to your host’s face.
First, it’s helpful to remember that your host gift doesn’t have to be expensive. If you have a general idea of what they like or the kinds of activities they enjoy, choose accordingly. And you don’t need to break the bank – your budget should be around $15 to $25.
A very important rule to remember is that you shouldn’t bring a gift that creates more work for your host. For example, if you choose to bring flowers, make sure they’re already arranged in a vase so the hostess doesn't have to stop what they’re doing to put them in water and arrange them.
Also, don’t bring food to add to the menu unless your hostess has specifically asked you do so. If you’d like to bring a special beverage or food as your gift, make sure your host understands that the gift is for their enjoyment and they’re not obligated to share.
Try to avoid overly personal gifts like bath products, perfume, or clothing. When you arrive, don’t thrust your gift on the host right away. Present your offering when the host has a moment to connect with you personally and isn’t busy greeting other guests.
Here are a few ideas for you to consider that we think your host will really enjoy:
- Grab some fine chocolates from a local sweets shop or check out this delicious selection from our candy department: Try Seattle Chocolates' Salted Almond Truffle Bar or Hammond’s Bourbon Pecan Pie Milk Chocolate Bar. Yum!
- Instead of using a traditional handle, the Clay in Motion Hand Warmer Mug keeps fingers toasty with the built-in pocket. You can choose from 5 vibrant glazes. Bonus! These mugs are dishwasher and microwave safe.
- Fresh produce is always appreciated – especially in the wintertime. Simply fill a stocking or basket with navel oranges, clementines, or grapefruit. If you’re feeling ambitious, maybe try your hand at chocolate-dipped strawberries. Make sure to present them on a dish or tray that the host won’t need to return.
- This year, we’ve put together more than a dozen gift boxes featuring some of our most popular items to make gift giving both thoughtful and easy. There’s one for most every budget and occasion. Take a peek HERE.
- Paperwhite Narcissus bulbs make a beautiful and maintenance-free gift. Pick up inexpensive bulbs and a vase at your local gardening store. Simply place the bulb in a small hourglass-shaped vase. The base of the bulb should sit over the vase’s “waist” so there’s plenty of room underneath for the roots to grow. Make sure the vase is 75% filled with water and place it in a sunny area. Soon, the bulb will produce clusters of fragrant blooms that will remind the host of your thoughtfulness long after the party has ended.
- Depending on the age of your host, our retro Anodized Aluminum Tumblers will be a welcome blast from the past. Folks who grew up in the 1950s remember these festive cups well. The 16-ounce tumblers keep beverages perfectly chilled and come in a rainbow of colors. Get a variety of colors so guests can tell theirs apart at your host’s next gathering. Best yet, your creative selection will delight your host so much that they’ll be sure to invite you back!
- If your host enjoys cooking, they’ll appreciate a variety of gourmet spices. Upscale food markets like Fresh Market and Earth Fare carry specialized cinnamon, salt, and peppercorns. Consider a small selection of spices for hosts who enjoy ethnic food like coriander, saffron, and turmeric.
- Everyone uses sugar, but not everyone can claim to have vanilla or lavender sugar in their home. One of our favorite gifts to prepare each year is DIY scented sugar. Aromatic edibles like lavender, lemon or orange peel, or vanilla beans add subtle flavor to coffee, tea, and baked goods.
Here are quick and easy directions for your handmade aromatic sugar gift:
Ingredients
2 tbsp. of your aromatic edible: culinary vanilla, lavender, orange, or lemon peel (dry peels for one day). & 1 cup sugar
Directions
1. Grind your aromatic edible finely (a coffee bean grinder works well) and mix with the sugar.
2. Place the sugar in a jar and tie a ribbon or bit of twine around the mouth of the lid.
3. Make a label and tie it to the ribbon or tape it to the front of the jar. (Your handwriting will remind your host fondly of you!)
If you’d like some more ideas for the perfect host gift, take a gander around MastGeneralStore.com or visit us in the store. Special extended holiday hours are listed on our website under “Visit.” We hope we’ve helped you delight your very special host at your next holiday gathering. Merry! Merry!