2017 DEC PASO Magazine

LOCAL GOODS REPORT
THE​
​HOLIDAYS​ ​ARE​ ​HERE!​
It​ ​feels​ ​like​ ​we’ve​ ​had​ ​elves​ ​working​ ​in​ ​secret​
​for​ ​months,​ ​and​ ​now​ ​we get​ ​to​ ​load​ ​up​ ​
the​ ​tables​ ​at​ ​General​ ​Store​ ​with​ ​wonderful​ ​
goods​ ​made​ ​by​ ​our​ ​local​ ​producers​ ​and a​ ​few​ ​
new​ ​friends.
One​ ​of​ ​those​ ​new​ ​friends​ ​would​ ​be​ ​Bevin​ ​
Bells.​ ​Bevin​ ​Bells​ ​was​ ​started​ ​in​ ​1832​ ​by​ ​four
brothers.​ ​No,​ ​it’s​ ​not​ ​a​ ​Paso​ ​company,​ ​but​ ​it’s​ ​
an​ ​American​ ​company​ ​from​ ​a​ ​small​ ​town,​ ​and​ ​
at General​ ​Store,​ ​we​ ​search​ ​for​ ​treasures​ ​like​ ​
Bevin​ ​Bells​ ​wherever​ ​we​ ​go.​ ​
Established​ ​in​ ​East Hampton,​ ​Connecticut​ ​
(known​ ​as​ ​Bell​ ​Town),​ ​it​ ​was​ ​one​ ​of​ ​over​ ​30​ ​
companies​ ​there​ ​to​ ​produce bells,​ ​and​ ​is​ ​the​ ​
only​ ​one​ ​still​ ​in​ ​operation.​ ​They​ ​patented​ ​the​ ​
first​ ​foot-operated​ ​bell​ ​in​ ​a​ ​car (called​ ​a​ ​foot​ ​
gong,​ ​later​ ​replaced​ ​by​ ​a​ ​car​ ​horn),​ ​the​ ​bells​ ​
rung​ ​by​ ​the​ ​Salvation​ ​Army​ ​and​ ​the New​ ​
York​ ​Stock​ ​Exchange,​ ​and​ ​home,​ ​sheep,​ ​ship​ ​
and,​ ​yes,​ ​cowbells.​
The​ ​company headquarters​ ​was​ ​struck​ by​ ​
lightning​ ​in​ ​2012​ ​and​ ​burned​ ​to​ ​the​ ​ground,​ ​
but​ ​they’ve​ ​risen​ ​from the​ ​ashes​ ​and​ ​are​ ​on​ ​
track​ ​to​ ​hit​ ​their​ ​200th​ ​anniversary​ ​in​ ​2032.
We​ ​met​ ​Cici​ ​Bevin​ ​this​ ​summer,​ ​and​ ​were​ ​
charmed​ ​by​ ​how​ ​classic​ ​and​ ​simple​ ​the​ ​bells​ ​
were​ ​— their​ ​ring​ ​really​ ​does​ ​sound​ ​clear!​ ​We​ ​
asked​ ​Cici,​ ​who​ ​is​ ​a​ ​sixth​ ​generation​ ​Bevin​ ​
and​ ​handles marketing​ ​and​ ​custom​ ​projects,​ ​
if​ ​she​ ​could​ ​create​ ​something​ ​just​ ​for​ ​us.​
“Every​ ​time​ ​a​ ​bell​ ​rings,​ ​
an​ ​angel​ ​gets​ ​his​ ​wings.”​ ​
It’s​ ​A​ ​Wonderful​ ​Life
We​ ​love​ ​what​ ​we developed​ ​together:​ ​a​ ​holiday​
​bell​ ​ornament​ ​that​ ​says​ ​“Paso​ ​Robles”​ ​on​ ​
one​ ​side​ ​and​ ​“JOY”​ ​on the​ ​other.​ ​And​ ​to​ ​give​ ​
it​ ​a​ ​little​ ​more​ ​history,​ ​it’s​ ​the​ ​exact​ ​same​ ​bell​ ​
that​ ​rings​ ​in​ ​It’s​ ​A Wonderful​ ​Life​ ​whenever​ ​
an​ ​angel​ ​gets​ ​their​ ​wings.
We​ ​couldn’t​ ​stop​ ​there.​ ​We​ ​also​ ​brought​ ​in​ ​
from
GENERAL STORE
PASO ROBLES
classic​ ​sleigh​ ​bells,​ ​jingle​ ​bells​ ​and​ ​a​ ​custom​ ​PR
black​ ​cowbell​ ​for​ ​chiming​ ​in​ ​at​ ​Pioneer​ ​Day,​ ​or​ ​
just​ ​getting​ ​people​ ​to​ ​come​ ​in​ ​for​ ​dinner.​ ​There
is​ ​also​ ​an​ ​assortment​ ​of​ ​cowbells​ ​in​ ​smaller​ ​sizes​
​and​ ​cheerful​ ​colors,​ ​and​ ​yes​ ​—​ ​a​ ​version​ ​of​ ​
the same​ ​cowbell​ ​was​ ​rung​ ​by​ ​Will​ ​Ferrell​ ​on​ ​
Saturday​ ​Night​ ​Live.
“Needs​ ​more​ ​cowbell.”​ ​
Saturday​ ​Night​ ​Live
Another​ ​custom​ ​project​ ​we’re​ ​excited​ ​about​ ​
for​ ​the​ ​holidays:​ ​our​ ​enamelware​ ​camping​ ​
mug​ ​with custom​ ​Paso​ ​logo.​ ​With​ ​an​ ​assortment​
​of​ ​rim​ ​colors,​ ​it’s​ ​a​ ​one-of-a-kind​ ​gift​ ​
for​ ​camping,​ ​for kids​ ​to​ ​use​ ​outside,​ ​or​ ​for​ ​
cozy​ ​nights​ ​sipping​ ​cocoa.​ ​And​ ​the​ ​cocoa​ ​you​ ​
should​ ​be​ ​drinking? Why,​ ​the​ ​locally​ ​made​ ​
and​ ​organic​ ​hot​ ​cocoa​ ​from​ ​Yes!​ ​Mixers​ ​of​ ​
course!​ ​Lauren​ ​and​ ​Brandon made​ ​mulling​ ​
spices,​ ​cider,​ ​cocoa​ ​and​ ​Mexican​ ​cocoa​ ​(just​ ​a​ ​
touch​ ​of​ ​cinnamon​ ​—​ ​yum!)​ ​just​ ​for General​ ​
Store.​ ​They’re​ ​great​ ​for​ ​teacher​ ​gifts,​ ​to​ ​share​ ​
with​ ​neighbors,​ ​or​ ​for​ ​Christmas​ ​morning.
Come​ ​see​ ​us!​ ​It​ ​may​ ​not​ ​be​ ​as​ ​easy​ ​as​ ​ordering​
​in​ ​your​ ​pajamas,​ ​but​ ​we​ ​promise​ ​it​ ​will​ ​be​ ​
a​ ​lot more​ ​fun.​ ​Open​ ​10​ ​a.m.​ ​to​ ​7​ ​p.m.​ ​daily,​ ​
and​ ​on​ ​Saturdays,​ ​donut​ ​holes​ ​and​ ​Spearhead​ ​
coffee​ ​:​ ​)
SPOTLIGHT from page 44
whether it’s the snow or the ocean.
PASOMag: Do you have any specials
PASOMag: What do most enjoy
or discounts to share with our readers?
about doing business in No. Co.?
STEPHANIE: Since starting my
STEPHANIE: While I have offices
in Paso Robles, I teach coun-
away one free 6-week program. En-
Restoring Wellness Program, I give
ty-wide and have international online
clientele in my coaching programs. I love
Stephanie Austin
ter to win by Dec. 31 at wellnessbymothernature.com
for the chance to win the
Dharma Yoga Loft and Serenity Wellness Inn in
next 6-week program, starting on Jan. 6. The
Paso Robles where I offer services locally. I like
program includes a holistic nutrition and healing
curriculum, a guided cleanse, weekly phone
having access to a wide variety of food with all of
the restaurants in Paso Robles, I love the moderate
climate, and being so close to everything
calls, daily emails, and more; find more info on
the program at my website. In addition, I have an
Allergy Elimination Special for assessment and
treatment.
PASOMag: Would you like to share some
thoughts with our readers for the New Year?
STEPHANIE: Start thinking now about what
changes you would like to bring in for the New
Year. Instead of calling them resolutions, call
them contributions to your new lifestyle. People
often fail at resolutions, but if they keep adding
things in they will succeed.
For more info contact Stephanie at 805-996-
0279, or WellnessByMotherNature.com. Like and
follow Wellness by Mother Nature on Facebook.
48 PASO Magazine, December 2017