Mondays aren’t so bad when you have a week full of 70 degree days to look forward to! What fun activities or excursions do you have planned this summer? As the month of June comes to a close, we find ourselves cyber-stalking the road status of Mount Rainier National Park. July is primetime to visit your favorite mountain parks as the topography shifts to lush greens and campfire resting spots.

Visiting national parks is one of the many quintessential summer bucket list items in Washington State. What if you could experience Mount Rainier in a unique way, learn more about the species that live there—experiencing nature’s vibrancy and beauty up-close and personal in lush areas of the park—all while volunteering and giving back to Mother Earth? 

This week our Chief Fixer Ryan shares his experience volunteering with the Cascades Butterfly Project. Ryan was first a customer at Sip and Ship for over 10 years before graciously offering his restorative talents— mending, repairing, rebuilding, and helping us with special projects at both shop locations. He is an avid outdoorsmen, Berkeley graduate, and artist—who, over the past few years, has always been there for us. Within a nano-second, he appears to help us navigate torrential downpours, install covid safety protocols, repair equipment failures, restore and create our ecosystem —including crafting our beautiful window displays. There is nothing he can’t or isn’t willing to try or do with us and we couldn’t be more grateful with him in our lives.

For the past two summers, Ryan has enjoyed spending time in Mount Rainier National Park, contributing to a decades-long project dedicated to collecting data on subalpine butterflies and plant phenology. He works with park scientists and volunteers who are passionate about protecting critical ecosystems amidst climate change, who love spending time outdoors, and are excited by the opportunity to do their part to help protect and preserve indigenous species and plants throughout Mount Rainier, North Cascades National Park Service Complex, and two other National Forests in the area. 

Want to get involved in this one-of-a-kind opportunity? Click here to join Ryan, his family, and sweet dog Julia— volunteering most weeks, or find a suitable time slot for yourself and a friend. 

After 20 years in business, we find it truly fascinating how coffee and conversation continues to bring people together. Our premium quality coffee is what first brought Ryan through our doors (shoutout to our brilliant partner Herkimer), coupled with our incredible barista-team and delicious house-made baked goods —making it hard for Ryan to resist his daily afternoon visits with his late-dog Duke. Duke would sit in our adirondack chairs patiently while Ryan wandered in from a day out adventuring. Together, they’d calmly sit together refueling and sharing a nibble or two—getting energized and ready to hit the trail again.

The next time you find yourself out and about, we hope you’ll want to try one of our new menu items (picked-fresh blueberry muffins) and summer beverages: campfire mocha, lavender lemonade, beach day latte or summer lovin’ chai —yay summer!
As you can tell, the thing we get excited about is scaling up compassion and supporting individuals to better reflect love. Which brings us to a must-read book that has just hit our shelves: A Kids Book About Pride by Kendall Clawson. Even though it was written for kids, it’s relevant at any age. Helping us all to better understand the history of the movement and enduring bravery of the LGBTQIA+ people as they continue to fight for dignity and freedom.

“Everyone wants to be accepted just as they are, and Pride is all about honoring and encouraging people to be their most authentic selves!” - Kendall Clawson 

Team Sip and Ship believes we don’t just need each other, we are an extension of each other—without one another, we cannot succeed. Join us in being a proud ally, promoting diversity and inclusivity within our communities.

We appreciate you, your business and our journey together.

Onward.
                                                                                                                           Staff Writer: Megan Pavek

Father’s Day is right around the corner and it’s time to recognize these caretakers, pro-grillers and lawn-mowers who obsessively check the oil in our cars and always have a dad joke ready for any occasion. This week leading up to Father’s Day (Sunday, June 18th), we want to honor the paternal figures that have shaped our lives and helped us grow!  

In this ever-evolving world, our dads may not always be up to speed on the latest lingo or social media trends. Instead, we can find them out in the garage listening to their favorite music, reliving the glory days, and doing something very important with tools. However, we know that they’ll always be there to listen to our problems, offer advice, and relate the situation back to their favorite Billy Joel lyrics. 

Steve Naramore is co-owner and father of Sip and Ship (and three young men). You can find him at our Ballard location almost every morning eager to drink a cup of coffee, interact with customers, lend a helping hand, and coach our staff. He is the mastermind behind our virtual mailbox system, knows how to make one mean matcha latte, and wields the plunger like a magic wand when the toilet is clogged. Above all else, Steve takes everything in stride with a calm and friendly demeanor. His presence up front and behind the scenes contributes immeasurably to the magic of Sip and Ship. 

“I have a joke about the Postal Service! It will be delivered tomorrow.” - Steve Naramore

Stop in this week for a gift or card to show the dads in your life how much they mean to you! Vibrant Alpinecho hats are perfect for the dad-on-the go, paired with a water bottle and Rumpl blanket. We also have National Park trivia, postcards, and other outdoor-themed books. Wondermade marshmallows are a great addition to any gift, coming in a variety of flavors including bourbon, salted caramel, and birthday cake. 

Above all else, be sure to share a dad joke this week to help spread some cheer - the cornier the better! 
                                                                                                                            Staff Writer: Megan Pavek

“There’s nothing better than a friend, unless it’s a friend with chocolate!”  - Lisa Grayson
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In between honoring our parental figures, graduates, and teachers, there is another holiday that should not go unnoticed. This week it’s time to celebrate National Best Friends Day, which falls on Thursday, June 8th. Friendship makes life sweeter, brighter, and a heck of a lot more fun! 

Whether they are the Samantha Jones to your Carrie Bradshaw, the Chewbacca to your Han Solo, or the Patrick Star to your SpongeBob Squarepants; friends are there for us in good times and bad. They help us navigate love and loss, serve as co-pilot during important space missions, and protect our secret Krabby Patty recipe at all costs. 

This week, show your friend how much you appreciate the impactful role they’ve had and will continue to have in your life for years to come! Our in-store collection of Simply Curated travel candles are adorned with loving messages and affirmations. The Kedzie Quilted Crossbody Bag also makes for a great gift. And of course, nothing says “I’m grateful for you” or “I’m thinking of you” better than a chocolate bar! 

Does your friend live in a different state or country? Our skilled teammates will make shipping easy while giving personalized product recommendations and wrapping presents up with the perfect bow. It’s all in the details; thoughtful gift, flawless presentation, and efficient mailing services. 

While you’re in-store, stock up on cards and gifts for Father’s Day to save yourself a trip; celebrating more of our parental figures is right around the corner. Sip and Ship has a pastry that is sure to satisfy Dad’s sweet tooth, or a delicious rosemary cheddar scone for the savory fans. We love giving gift ideas and recommendations to our customers. Look for our Instagram stories this week for more awesome partner spotlights and gift pairings! 
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                                                                                                                            Staff Writer: Megan Pavek