Smackin' Cakes : Coffee & Crumbs

It goes without saying that I love my coffee and I love the lakes, so when my mom and I drove down Lake Avenue in Battle Lake and saw a new store that combined those things, we made a mother-daughter morning out of it. 

While I sipped my coffee and she enjoyed her bagel, we both sounded like a broken record because we kept looking around saying, "this is just so cute in here!", which it was! From the color scheme to the furniture to the presentation of all the yummy baked goods, it looked like something straight out of Martha Stewart Living. 

Last week I had the opportunity to interview Sara, the owner of Smackin' Cakes! 

How long has Smackin' Cakes been in business? 

Our grand opening was May of this year. 

How did Smackin' Cakes get started? 

We use to have a gift shop in this same building for 5 years but got a little bored with it and I always wanted to have a coffee shop (and cupcakes as an added bonus!). As owners of Stella's next door, we use to have both the restaurant with a coffee shop inside, too, but because we became so busy with both, we decided to close the coffee shop and focus on the restaurant. I've always wanted a cute little shop on main street and looking around Smackin' Cakes, I think I got it!

What does Smackin’ Cakes specialize in/sell?

Coffee, latte's, blended drinks, and smoothies along with our baked goods such as cupcakes, bars, different kinds of sweet little treats, and our famous scones.

What makes your scones famous?

We've had them around for 8 years and not a day goes by that customers don't ask about them!

What is your most popular selling item?

Our Blueberry Almond Scones as well as our Salted Caramel Chocolate Cupcake. 

Is everything baked in-store or do you bring them in from somewhere?

Everything is made right here except for the bagels. 

Does Smackin’ Cakes just sell baked goods and coffee? 

No. We have a gift shop located in the back of the store that has Battle Lake/Minnesota clothing, home/cabin decor, candles, etc.

What do you suggest someone order if they have never been to Smackin’ Cakes?

Definitely a scone and blended latte. Also, our cupcakes are out of this world! You can custom order cupcakes (24-48 hrs in advance) for any kind of occasion!

Anything else that you would like to share about Smackin’ Cakes?

You know when you walk into a place and it just doesn't feel right? That's not the case when you walk through our door. We spent over a year shopping around for vintage pieces and decor, and I just really love how it turned out. It's comfortable and the atmosphere is warm and welcoming.

Smackin' Cakes is located at 114 Lake Avenue South in Battle Lake, MN. 

They are open Monday-Sunday 7am-8pm. 

(218) 862-4900

smackincakesbl@yahoo.com

Want seconds? Check them out on Facebook!

The Best Answer

As the days wind down, the boxes are being taken out of storage, dusted off, and prepped to be packed full of picture frames and kitchen utensils and books. Closets are being gone through and clothes are being put in piles to bring to Goodwill. Trash bags are becoming full, rooms are slowly becoming empty, and my heart is becoming…numb.

3 years. How can moving to a new city, a new state, change someone so much in that amount of time? How can telling your mom and dad, “Hey, I’ve never been to Denver but, umm, I’m moving there, ok?” completely turn your world inside out and upside down? How can leaving home as a dependent, broken, somewhat faith-filled girl be moving back as an independent, strong, overflowing with faith woman? 3 years.

I still can’t wrap my brain around it. If I tried to, however, this post would turn into my first published book. There is so much I could and want to write about. From how I think every person should move away from “the nest” to how you can live on your own despite the fact that you still may not know how to change a flat tire. But cook a meal for one? Yeah, you’re a pro at that.

“What will you miss most about Denver?”

Ahh yes, the question that seems to play over and over again as talks about moving are becoming more frequent and more real. There is no way to pick one thing when this one place has taught me more than I even thought could be learned. I can’t sum up 3 years of growth, maturity, and self-reliance because it goes beyond one moment, one person, one thing. 

I’ve experienced life that would have not been lived if it weren’t for stepping out of my comfort zone and answering the call that God was telling me. At times I doubted Him but that’s faith for you. Well, for me anyways. There were countless instances where I wanted to pack up and move home. And by countless I mean a large, large number. But I didn’t. I weathered the frequent storms that brought me to blue skies and sunshine. I faced friendship tests and horrible bosses. I had to deal with car troubles on my own without the help of my parents. I paid the bills knowing full well that the money I was paying them with was tight. I encountered diversity that made me see just how big of a bubble I had been living under growing up. I went places by myself. I met people by myself. I learned who I was…by myself. 

You see, while others shape us into who we are, it is only ourselves that can fully grasp how and why we were knitted together the way God intended us to be. It is only ourselves that can take that first step, open that one door, make that bold move. Sure, there are friends just a text away and family on the other end of the phone, but it's us that decides the calls we are going to take. For me, obeying the call to move to Denver was my most favorite answer yet.

K Bear

This girl. This young, creative, intelligent, always smiling and laughing little girl. When you spend 4 days a week with a person for over 2 years, you develop a relationship that goes beyond the hours of your scheduled "work day". I took pride in being her mentor and a positive (and hopefully influential) female figure in her life. While I coached her through friendship drama and family arguments, she was beside me during my own struggles and bumps in the road. She taught me patience, "mom-like" instincts, how to make a sushi roll out of banana, peanut butter, and Rice Krispies, and a handful of other things that are forever stored in my heart. I will miss K in ways that I have never missed a person and look forward to seeing her grow into a beautiful young woman! Olive Juice Koda Bear!

Adventure

I remember telling my brother that I was moving to Denver and the first thing he said back was, "What! You're going to miss the lake Carrie!". I will admit, missing the lake was tough, especially when my entire family would send me pictures from the boat or around the bonfire, but living amongst the mountains helped mend the ache a little. This state is gorgeous. We are talking the bluest skies, scenery that looks like high-end artwork, and natural landmarks that serve as a giant playground. I have always been an outdoorsy person but there are no words to perfectly sum up how my adventures have went. From reaching the top of Horsetooth Mountain to tackling the Manitou Incline to hiking the most popular trail in the state to reach Hanging Lake to Yoga on the Rocks at Red Rocks, these memories I'm taking back with me to Minnesota are rich in adventure and beauty, and have most certainly left me with a thirst for more!

Friendships

I moved out here knowing no one. Not a friend from elementary school that moved away in 5th grade or an old neighbor. No one. There were many times I pushed myself out of my comfort zone but reaching out to strangers had to be one of the biggest pushes. I struck up spontaneous conversations while waiting in line at the coffee shop, asked a girl from my apartment if she wanted to run together (which lead to her telling me she was a Concordia graduate…small world), and started a small group through my church. Again, things that were so "not me".

While there are friends in these pictures that I'm no longer in contact with, every person made my Denver experience what it was. Each had their own part, their own role in one way or another, and for that I am so, so thankful for our paths crossing. I learned a TON from certain situations and I also took away things that I quite honestly never want to experience in my life again. I shed tears and erupted with laughter. I had pillow talks while having sleepovers and nights downtown dancing up a storm. I will not take for granted one single friendship that I have made because these are the people that were with me through it all.

To those friends that I haven't talked to in a while, just know that I think about you every single day. I wish you nothing but the absolute best and hope that this finds you well! Xo

Church

I'd say my journey towards a stronger faith started right before I moved to Denver and only solidified when I began attending Denver Community Church. I still remember how I felt walking out of those double doors after the first service I attended. I was changed. I was moved and shook and bothered in the best way possible. I never knew that church could make me feel like that because I had never experienced those emotions before. I had never felt so engaged, enthralled, and connected to the Word. The teaching wasn't just mumble-jumble talk about "those guys" and things that happened "way back when". It was relatable and real-life and exactly what I needed to have here in Denver.

I began forming friendships through my small group as well as volunteering both at church and outside of it. I invited people to sit next to me on Sunday mornings and after one service they were hooked. I even had one visitor (that I would have never thought in a million years say this) from Minnesota ask if we could go to church while they were here. If that doesn't say something about what happens in those 4 walls than I must be missing something.

Colorado has never felt like home and that's not necessarily a bad thing. It was a place for me to find myself. To find my footing and grasp that the person I was before was not the person I was meant to be the rest of my life. These mountains shaped me. Formed me. Molded me and pushed me and forever changed me.

My blog is for others to read but also serves as a time capsule. I frequently go back to certain posts to remind myself that bad days will in fact bring better ones. Here is a post from August 28, 2012. Only days after moving out here:

"Time has a funny way of showing us things. Big or small, with time, the puzzle pieces start to merge together. 

I may be miles away from everything that is comfort to me, but deep down this is where I'm meant to be. Maybe not forever, but for today. This is where I will find a new comfort. I will build relationships that further my excitement about life, love, & the unfamiliar events that lie ahead. 

I can't explain the feelings that I have. After dropping my mom off at the airport on Sunday afternoon, I drove back towards the mountains. I'm fairly positive I breathed the biggest breath of my life as I clenched on to the steering wheel. Buckle up girlfriend, it all starts now. 

I continually feel a wave of reassurance that makes my nerves wash away. Whether it be exploring the city or getting e-mails from friends that I have never truly met with words that mean so much, I am reminded of why I am here. I'm here to prove to myself that I can start from scratch. I can pick myself up from a dark place & transform it in to the most beautiful place.

Work, relationships, friendships, family, a sense of purpose, settling in. All these take time, trust, & a belief that everything will work out."

Girlfriend, it worked out in the most unimaginable and life-changing way possible.  Now let's get you back home.

RBX Active Digital Camo Leggings Review + DISCOUNT CODE!

I don't know about you but I'm pretty picky when it comes to workout clothes. If you sort through my closet and drawers, it's pretty clear that I tend to gravitate towards items with that ever popular swoosh sign. From shoes to socks to shorts to shirts, I'm still wondering why Nike hasn't reached out to me to become a brand ambassador but it's fine, I'll just keep dreaming. My heart may be with said brand but I'm always on the lookout for more "budget-friendly" workout apparel because let's be honest...

Carrie don't have time (or money) for that.  

I was recently given the opportunity to try out a new brand of activewear, RBX Active, and was sent a pair of their Active Digital Camo Leggings! RBX is aware of todays busy lifestyles that women are living and so all of their products are mix-n-match, trendy, and what I think is most important, comfortable! Whether you are at the gym, walking around the neighborhood, or spending too much money at Target on things that aren't on your list, these clothes are for you!

I wore mine both to the gym and while on a hike this weekend, and noticed that I didn't have to continually pull them up like I usually do when wearing these types of capris. The thick waistband stayed firmly in one place and the bottoms of the capris did as well. Another selling point for me was the waistband pocket. This is a must, especially when running, as I can store my key, mid-run fuel, or even extra kleenex in the sneaky and "hidden" pocket! 

Additional benefits include:

• X-DRI Technology offers quick sweat-wicking materials constructed to offer great support and coverage
• Four-way stretch allows for great shape retention
• High-rise fit
• Stow your gym card, cash or keys safely in our waistband pocket
• Fade-resistant to keep colors bright after washing
• Flat Lock Steams glides smoothly against skin to avoid uncomfortable chafing
• Designed to be worn in and out of the gym, brunch included

From capris (around $29) to racerback tanks (around $25) to running shoes (around $30), all of their products are reasonably priced and very affordable. RBX Active is sold at department and sporting good stores as well as select specialty retailers, and of course online at www.rbxactive.com where you can enjoy a special discount! 

Readers of P.S. Wish You Were Here get 25% off when using the discount code Active25 and get free shipping with orders over $50! Offer ends 7/31/15. 

I have my eye on a couple of their items and with summer right around the corner, I think I need some new clothes to be active outside around the town and at the lakes! Oh *Summer* Santa….

P.S. What RBX Active item(s) do you have your eye on? Comment below!

Disclaimer: I was sent this product from RBX Active to review for consideration but all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Whole30: Days 22-28

Day 22

What I ate:

Breakfast - bowl of sliced banana, strawberries, and blackberries with coconut flakes on top

Lunch - mixed greens with chicken, avocado, tomatoes, carrots, hardboiled egg, red/green peppers, and Tessemae Balsamic dressing

Dinner - Grilled Chicken Kale salad (romaine, kale, brussels sprouts, pistachios, raisins, sweet baby tomatoes, and grilled chicken) from Yard House Restaurant

How I felt:

• With a before work workout, my stomach was more than ready to try out a new breakfast meal after. The verdict: full steam ahead with this new fruit/coconut flakes combination all week!
• Researched my dinner for the night as I knew the restaurant we were going to and wanted to eat as Whole30 as possible. 

Day 23

What I ate:
Breakfast - bowl of sliced banana, strawberries, and blackberries with coconut flakes on top
Lunch - mixed greens with chicken, tomatoes, carrots, hardboiled egg, red/green peppers, steamed butternut squash and Tessemae Balsamic dressing, Cherry Pie LaraBar
Dinner - salad with romaine lettuce, carnitas, pico, and guacamole from Chipotle

How I felt:

• I eat my breakfast at school and today I had a girl ask why I have egg shells (they were coconut flakes) on my fruit
• Lunch left me more stuffed than normal
• Craved trail mix with peanut m&m's STRONG in the afternoon. Day 23 though so why cheat now?! 
• I stayed overnight with K so knew I would eat dinner with her. After reading about what food to get at Chipotle that is Whole30 compliant, I decided to "forget" my packed dinner from home and order a salad. Umm..why have I not tried that salad concoction before?! It was nice to change up the routine and eat out, only to know that I was still sticking to Whole30!

Day 24

What I ate:
Breakfast - bowl of sliced banana, strawberries, blackberries, and cashews with coconut flakes on top
Lunch - mixed greens with chicken, tomatoes, carrots, hardboiled egg, red/green peppers, steamed butternut squash and Tessemae Balsamic dressing
Dinner - 2 fried eggs on mixed greens, avocado, carrots, tomatoes, 2 turkey sausage patties, and Tessemae Balsamic dressing
Something Sweet - handful of frozen grapes and cashews, LaraBars

How I felt:

• Woke up with a noisy (hungry) stomach 
• Energy, along with my mood, plummeted around 3pm 
• Could not satisfy my hunger all day. Had a couple too many LaraBars to try and calm the sugar cravings after dinner. Whole30 does not encourage you to snack or even associate LaraBars, fruit, or pretty much anything with sweetness as a "treat", so it's safe to say I felt pretty…ok really…guilty for not slowing down and listening to my body. I'm trying not to be too hard on myself as everything was compliant and healthy, but still, I should have taken a step back and thought more about what I was doing!

Day 25

What I ate:
Breakfast - bowl of sliced banana, strawberries, and blackberries with coconut flakes on top
Lunch - mixed greens with chicken, tomatoes, carrots, hardboiled egg, red/green peppers, steamed butternut squash and Tessemae Balsamic dressing
Snack - That's It Apple + Blueberry Fruit Bar
Dinner - 2 fried eggs on mixed greens, avocado, carrots, tomatoes, turkey burger, and Tessemae Balsamic dressing
Something Sweet - frozen grapes

How I felt:

• Lunch this week has been on point and very easy to make the night before. Always nice to wake up and not have to take time and assemble my lunch for the day when I'm still half asleep!
• Took K to get her nails done for her 5th grade continuation - treated myself in a different way with a decaf coffee from Starbucks (also got a fruit bar as I was "shaky" hungry and needed something) next door to the salon. The weather here has been chilly, rainy, and cloudy, so a warm cup of roast hit the spot!

Day 26

What I ate:
Breakfast - bowl of sliced banana, strawberries with coconut flakes on top, hardboiled egg
Lunch - salad with romaine lettuce, carnitas, pico, and guacamole from Chipotle
Dinner - sweet potato, fried egg with salsa and avocado, frozen grapes, and Pecan Pie LaraBar

How I felt:

• Is this thing over yet?

Day 27

What I ate:
Breakfast - bowl of sliced banana, handful of cashews, handful of coconut flakes, almond butter
Lunch - mixed greens with turkey burger, tomatoes, carrots, red/green peppers, and 2 fried eggs
Dinner - turkey burger with salsa, brussels sprouts, steamed butternut squash, carrots

How I felt:

• Hiked for 3 hours, 7 miles, and felt energized and well-fueld thanks to my breakfast
• Craving a toasted bagel with cream cheese

Day 28

What I ate:
Breakfast - bowl of sliced banana, handful of cashews, handful of coconut flakes, almond butter
Lunch - Cobb salad from Racines
Dinner - zucchini noodles with ground turkey, avocado, and grape tomatoes, sweet potato

How I felt:

• Again…is this thing done yet?! 

Last Thoughts: While I feel the best I've felt thanks to the foods I'm eating and the foods I'm not, I look forward to not having to record, plan, be the one to pick where to eat because I'm the "picky" one, and have to keep my camera sitting on the kitchen table for picture purposes. 

In Cased You Missed It:

Days 1-7 Recap
Days 8-14 Recap
Days 15-21 Recap

Nailed It

There are 3 things that must never be ignored - my nails, my skin, and my coffee game. When these are left unattended, you may want to think twice about hanging out with me. Slightly joking, slightly not. Thanks to the dry climate here in Colorado, my skin likes to do the same. No matter how much or what kind of lotion I put on, nothing helps restore my skin to it's original, silky-smooth, "babies bottom" like state.

But wait for it….I've found something that isn't lotion!

With the sun out and the temperatures up, wearing flip-flops is a no brainer when it comes to getting dressed each morning. What else is a no brainer? Using the Emjoi Micro-Pedi to make sure my feet are ready to be seen in those flip-flops!

The Micro-Pedi is small, light-weight, and the step-by-step instructions that come with it are easy to follow. When in use, it was 100% painless and did an A+ job of removing my tough, dry, and cracked skin - especially on my heels! 

While the appearance of my feet didn't necessarily look any different (which was a slight bummer), it's been over a week since I used the Micro-Pedi and my skin still feels soft. I'm now officially ready to free my feet from the winter shoe blues and head to the lake - barefoot and all!  

Disclaimer: While this post is sponsored by Emjoi, I am not receiving any compensation for orders placed with Emjoi. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I couldn't leave my feet looking pretty and pay no attention to my nails, so I bought the Sally Hansen Miracle Gel at Target. I've read about this polish on various blogs as well as seen Instagram accounts that rave over this stuff.

All you need is the polish color (variety of shades to choose from) and the Top Coat. Two coats of each and you will have people fooled that you didn't spend $40 or 40 minutes at the salon getting them done. My favorite little bonus about this stuff? You can remove it with regular nail polish remover! I always hate getting my nails done and having to either pay to get them taken off or attempt to take them off myself, which ends up leaving my nails weak, rough, and just plain awful looking. 

If you are looking for a gel manicure that you can do at home and still have it last around 2 weeks, Sally is your go-to girl! She done nailed it, folks!

P.S. Do you have a nail and skin routine that you follow? Comment below!