If you’ve lived in Nevada County for any period of time you’re probably familiar with Carolines Coffee Roasters.  This month the local company celebrates their 31st birthday.  I had a chance to talk to Holly Fike, Carolines Coffee Roaster’s Manager, about the history of the shop and the strong family connection.  Carolines Coffee Roasters “originally started selling coffee because the family saw a niche market for small batch, fresh coffee, and bought a coffee roaster.  The family at that time would have been Caroline, her husband Chuck who had recently retired from the Forest Service, and their son Trace (photographed above in the mid 1980′s).  Perhaps the biggest change over time is that as we expanded and this area has grown, we’ve become more and more local and community focused.  We used to sell coffee from Redding to Yosemite, … Read More »

TGIF, there’s so much happening in our community every week that I thought it’d be fun to start a new trend, every Friday update the Outside Inn’s Pinterest board with 10 (or more) fun shout outs to local happenings.   Below is a screen shot of this week’s board, with links to LeeAnn Brook’s new blog, ASiF Artist Studio new art exhibit “Art of Love”, the upcoming Chinese New Year’s celebration, Wyonna Judd’s concert in Grass Valley, the recent Mardi Gras parade in Nevada City, a blog post on romantic dates in Nevada City, the recent screening of Chocolat as part of the Magic Lantern Film Society Food & Film Series, One Billion Rising and the Miners Foundry Open House celebration.  I’ve also got a special giveaway for the upcoming TedX Nevada City event (Friday February 22nd … Read More »

Looking for a place to meet a friend for a coffee?  Perhaps you need a new second hand book?  Stop by Sierra Mountain Coffee Roasters on Maltman Drive in Grass Valley.  Open Monday through Friday 7am-5pm and 8am-3pm on Saturday, the bustling coffee shop offers great coffee roasted on site.  Tomes, the second hand book store connected to the coffee shop, hosts a large selection of used books, ranging in topics from local authors, crafts, literature and history.  Be sure to check their calendar for upcoming events and poetry readings.  Sandy, the owner of Sierra Mountain Coffee Roasters, has offered up 3 lucky InnSide Nevada City blog readers a latte and a scone, please post a comment on your favorite type of coffee drink and I’ll announce the winners on Friday, February 15th.

© 2013 InnSide Nevada City, Photos by Erin Thiem … Read More »

Harmony Ridge Market recently opened their new Nevada City location at 115 South Pine Street.  Open seven days a week, they’re still working on the best hours, but are starting off 8am-7pm and closing at 6pm on Sundays.  They’ve got made to order sandwiches, espresso drinks and lots of grab and go goodies to eat (including Way Yum Sushi).  Stop by and grab a freshed brew cup of Carolines Coffee, a lemon bar and the milk you forgot to get at the store.  Harmony Ridge is excited to be in town (their location on Highway 20 across the street from the Old Five Mile House is still open too) and have offered up one InnSide Nevada City reader a $15 gift certificate to come in and try a sandwich and snack on them.  Please post a … Read More »

Are you a last minute shopper?  Here are a few suggestions on some gift ideas for someone in Nevada City, or someone who’d like to visit the area.  If you can’t make it to the last Victorian Christmas today, here are a few suggestions, or stop by any number of the downtown merchants.

First up, why not buy a weekend away package?  Buy an Outside Inn gift certificate (we’re more then happy to email you the gift certificate, if you can’t stop by in person).  For the lucky recipient, why not throw in a gift certificate to a dinner out and a wine tasting in downtown Nevada City?  (We’ll throw in the directions to the river, for free).

Do you have a coffee addict in your house?  Stop by the Outside Inn … Read More »

The ultimate Nevada City giveaway… I’ve decided that I’ve had so much fun on the blog this year, that why not end the year by going big.  We live in the an amazing community and I have thoroughly enjoyed sharing a slice of our world, so I wanted to give one big huge thanks to all the folks who I’ve promoted, plugged, photographed and gotten to know over the last year.  My basket started with a few left over goodies from previous giveaways and took on a life of its own…  It’s now turned into the ultimate Nevada City weekend.  I’ve got photos of all the goodies in the baskets below, but here’s a breakdown of what’s included.

One night stay at the Outside Inn
$30 gift certificate to Ike’s Quarter Cafe
$40 gift certificate to South Pine Cafe
$20 … Read More »

Booktown Books in downtown Grass Valley offers a huge selection of used books.  The cooperative bookshop is home to fourteen different independent booksellers, with sections ranging from current fiction, local history, non fiction, children’s books and more.  Mike Witter, Frisco Books,  guesses that the 4000 square foot shop is home to approximately ” 76, 014 books.”  Since the shop recently expanded to include the cafe section Mike thinks they’re not far off 80,000 books, but isn’t positive on the number.  In addition to books you can also find CDs, tapes, DVDs, toys, books on tapes and “the largest selection of books on ants in Northern California.”  Booktown Books is open seven days a week, click here for current hours.  Ron Quintana, Music Town booth, says he doesn’t miss the cafe in the shop, “since we’ve got Carolines Coffee Roasters across … Read More »

Happy National Coffee Day!  How are you going to get your coffee fix today?  I’ve got a few goodies to give away, post your favorite coffee goodie and I’ve got a $5 gift certificate to The Curly Wolf Espresso House, a 10% off coupon to Treats (their coffee ice cream is fabulous) and a special homemade coffee card.  Cheers.  For ideas on other great coffee options in our area:

Fable Traveling Cafe
Carolines Coffee Roasters
Java John’s
Broad Street Bistro
Treats
Cafe Mekka
The Curly Wolf Espresso House

I’ll draw the winner for today’s coffee goodies on Saturday, October 6th.  For our other giveaways this week click here for the Full Circle Press letterpress card and click here for the 1 lbs of garlic from Peaceful Valley Garden and Farm Supply.

Have you tried Fable Traveling Cafe’s coffee?  Amanda & Jacob Daley’s mobile cart is parked at the top of the street at the Nevada City Farmer’s Market every Saturday morning, 8:30-12:30.  Try their cold brew, made with the “pour over” extraction with Insight Coffee Roasters freshly ground coffee.  This fall Fable plans to add more non-coffee drinking options to their menu like hot cocoa, Fable chai and apple cider, but while it’s still warm I recommend trying their refreshing fresh squeezed lemonade.  Fable has offered a special discount to InnSide Nevada City blog readers, the first 20 people who mention this blog post will get $1 off their coffee drink, so head on down to the Nevada City Farmer’s Market and tell them the Outside Inn said to say hi.

© 2012 InnSide Nevada City

Catching up with a friend over lunch in Nevada City, stop by Broad Street Bistro and sit outside on their patio.  Open seven days a week 7am to 6pm, bring your lap top, your dog or just chill with a coffee and people watch on Broad Street.  Broad Street Bistro has offered up a free latte to one InnSide Nevada City blog reader, please post a comment on this post on who you’d go to lunch with and I’ll draw the winner on Wednesday, September 5th.  The winner of last week’s SOAP shower scrub giveaway is Amanda T, and Sheila, Amanda, Marci, Holly and Rae have all won a 15% off coupon to go in and make their own bodycare product.

© 2012 InnSide Nevada City