Retail Dreamtime

By Jenna Caplette

In my dream, I suddenly realize it’s almost the holiday season. Do I have enough jewelry ordered for the store? I remember placing a couple orders — did that product ever arrive? How is the store doing? When was I last there? Who is running it? How are we paying for everything?

 

It’s a dream that has occurred in one form or another for almost twenty years. 

 

At one point I tried to intervene, to tell myself to let it go. Now, mostly, it’s sweet that somewhere in some parallel reality Accents West, the store I birthed and raised in Bozeman’s Downtown, is still in business. Sort of.

 

When I dream, she’s always in the same location, the same landlord I had when I closed the doors, though I don’t dream of him out of fondness. But it’s not the literal Downtown Bozeman, not the same literal location. There’s always a huge back room filled with antiques, and file cabinets of paperwork I haven’t delved in to for . . . decades. Generally, I don’t go in the backroom but there was a series of dreams where that was my primary destination.  Even so, I may have opened a file drawer to check what orders had been placed, wondering if the merchandise had ever arrived, but never checked the paper involving the rest of the intricacies of running a retail business. 

 

There is no computer.       

 

The front of the store is both familiar and completely different than when Accents still thrived. Mostly, some of the display cases are the same. I loved those antique cases. 

 

Funny what stays with you in the long run.

 

There are still racks of clothing.In some dream of the recent past, I quick zip over to Billings apparel show to try to beef up the collection, but never “re-dreamed” to see if those orders arrived. And I don’t actually even know if there is still a Billings apparel show. 

 

In so many ways Accents West was a daughter, a bit older than my human one, a daughter who died of a terminal illness I could not mitigate or heal. 

 

I generally think of that illness as a cancer. It doesn’t matter. What does matter is that she lives on for me in the dreamtime. I always thank the mysterious former staff-members who work there, keeping her alive. I am not there enough for it to be my effort sustaining her. 

 

She lives on for me in the physical too. I don’t shop very much. Downtown Bozeman is nothing like what it used to be. Those who don’t know what that was, don’t miss it. But sometimes I am reminded how vibrant and fun it was, before landlords ratcheted rent and the character of the community profoundly changed.

 

My daughter and I were just in Helena and stayed a couple nights at a motel right on Last Chance Gulch. The experience kicked in my retail mind. I notice the fine details in business. I can’t help it. When we checked in, the motel gave us a laundry basket with two dog dishes; a leash with attached doggie-poo pick up bags; dog biscuits and a laminated, Here’s the guidelines for staying here with your critter. I was startled and impressed. Yes, we were to return it all when we left but for the duration, we felt welcome in a way so out of the norm with dog-friendly motels where we’ve stayed in the past. 

 

There’s a large difference between tolerating customers with dogs and welcoming them.

 

On the Gulch itself, so much remains familiar. I used to sell my Plenty Quill porcupine quill jewelry at General Mercantile. Even then — thirty years back? — General Merc had espresso, one of the few places in Montana that did and that cared how it tasted. My ex- Frank — and I loved coffee so that formed a bond with the place outside of the fact that they also purchased my craftswork. 

 

The store essentially looks the same inside. Funky as heck and crammed with personality. Long lines of locals waited for their coffee drinks. There’s not a better testimonial for where to buy. Two nearby coffee houses were nearly empty. I tried coffee at one and immediately understood why.

 

A few doors down from General Merc is the No Sweat Cafe. I couldn’t believe it’s still in business. Thirty years and counting. Familiar menu. Familiar decor. Yum food. A son and daughter have taken over running the place. I took pictures of it for my ex. 

 

I had good memories of these places and now have additional ones.

 

There are plenty of bootstrap businesses alive on Last Chance Gulch. Businesses where someone was able to bring their creative vision alive without a huge investment. I am not going to get into the economics of what has happened to Downtown Bozeman. Will just say, that with a couple exceptions, that type of business is excluded, priced out. I am sure there are creative businesses in Bozeman but there’s such an advantage to having them grouped where it’s simple to find several within a few blocks of each other. 

 

We had fun. Actually shopped. Bought a few things. 

 

I rarely think shopping is fun.

 

On the downside, I browsed a gallery with two salespeople. I looked around for five to ten minutes and neither one ever acknowledged me. One was busy trying to make a sale to the only other customer. The other hovered behind the front counter and never even looked my way. Or, if she did. I didn’t notice. 

 

Retail never could afford to ignore customers. With so much online competition, that is truer now than ever. 

 

If there is a point to this piece, aside from personal meanderings in the world of retail, both physical and dreamtime, it is this: your local Montana retailers need you this holiday season. What makes a downtown remarkable is the character of its tenants, the diversity of them. And, for that to survive, you have to care, to show up. Yes, some merchants will drop the ball and ignore you. But still, it’s a kinesthetic and human experience you can’t get online. 

 

Shop local. 

 

Or stop by my store in the dreamtime, and thank the person behind the counter whoever they may be for keeping Accents West alive. Maybe I’ll see you there!

 

Jenna CapletteJenna Caplette migrated from California to Montana in the early 1970s, first living on the Crow Indian reservation. A Healing Arts Practitioner, she owns Bozeman BodyTalk & Integrative Healthcare. For relaxation, she reads novels and walks the trails around Bozeman with her four legged companion. Oh, and sometimes she manages to sit down and write.

Montana to NYC

By Lacey Middlestead

A few weeks ago I traded in the towering ponderosa pines of Montana for the metallic skyscrapers of New York City. What a whirlwind experience it was!
 

Earlier this fall my dad shared that him and my mom wanted to take another family vacation with my husband and I and told me to pick the destination. I didn’t troll the internet for very long before suggesting NYC. Since none of us had ever been to the east coast before let alone a metropolitan city of such caliber, I thought it would be the perfect place. From Times Square and endless museums to Central Park and every kind of food under the sun, there was bound to be something we all would love.
 

After a 4 a.m. wake up call, the four of us dragged our heavy eyelids and suitcases to the Helena Regional Airport. A few short hours later we were drifting down over the towering buildings of the city. From the time our plane touched down until our final minute in the city, we were zooming 100 mph around cramming in as many sights and activities as possible.
 

While it’s nearly impossible to write in detail about such an extensive trip in a single blog post, I’ll instead highlight my Top 10 MT girl in NYC moments for you to revel in.
 

#1: Visiting the Museum of Natural History. Getting to take in many of the sights featured in the movie Night at the Museum was certainly a fun experience. I also had a memorable flashback to my Fijian honeymoon when I stumbled upon some kava bowl artifacts on display in their Pacific Ocean culture section. Kava is a mildly narcotic drink consumed throughout the Pacific Ocean cultures of Polynesia. It is made from grinding up the roots of a plant called piper methysticum and has been used socially and ceremonially for hundreds of years within those cultures. My favorite part of the museum by far though was the 94 foot long fiberglass model of a female blue whale. Suspended from the ceiling, it was utterly mesmerizing to see and try to imagine swimming next to something that large in the ocean.
 

#2: Riding a bicycle through Central Park. We arrived in NYC at the tail end of Fall so there were still some lingering colors on the leaves. With the immense size of the park my husband and I felt like bicycles were the way to go to take in as much of the park as possible. It was a delightfully mild and sunny day when we took the bikes for a spin. While I’ve spent my share of seat time on bicycles in Montana, it felt like a beautifully new experience to ride through the park. With my hair billowing behind me, I was ear to ear smiling the whole time.
 

#3: Visiting the statue of Balto in Central Park. As a lifelong lover of dogs, Balto was one of my favorite animated movies growing up. For those who don’t know, Balto was a Siberian Husky and sled dog who led his team on the final leg of the 1925 serum run to Nome to combat a deadly diphtheria epidemic that threatened the lives of many children. At the end of the movie, one of the children Balto saved visits the iconic statue in Central Park with her granddaughter. Since the movie’s release in 1995, I have longed to pay homage to the statue for the immense love and steadfastness of Balto and all dogs. Visiting the statue was the very last thing I did before returning to Montana but I refused to come home without seeing it.
 

#4: Seeing Phantom of the Opera on Broadway. While not a huge theatre fan per say, attending a Broadway play was an absolute must for all of us. We chose Phantom of the Opera and it was spectacular. From the elaborate costumes and dramatic music to some pretty fantastical special effects, it was unlike any theatre show I’ve ever seen.

 

#5 Sampling edible cookie dough from the DŌ popup shop at Bryant Park’s Winter Village. Long before we’d ever planned our trip to NYC, I had read about a company there that made gourmet, edible cookie dough—DŌ, Cookie Dough Confections. And they serve it up just like ice cream. So when I knew I was heading to the Big Apple finally, this was one of the eating destinations on my must-see list. It did not disappoint! I sampled both their sugar cookie and chocolate chip varieties and it was a childhood dream come true to eat gobs of cookie dough without shame or fear. If you can’t make it to NYC anytime soon, just know that you can order the delicious concoctions online and have them delivered right to your front door. So check it out at https://www.cookiedonyc.com/
 

#6 Riding the NYC subway. To fully embrace your inner tourist and get to all of your NYC bucket-list destinations in a timely fashion, the subway is a must. While the subway system is certainly overwhelming and a bit tricky to master during your first trip, it’s a true engineering marvel in the world of transportation. Thanks to a downloaded city app on my phone and my tech and travel savvy, husband, the four of us were navigating about the city like pros by the end. Traveling upwards of 55mph underground is certainly a far cry from bumping down the dusty dirt backroads of Montana.
 

#7 Attending Sunday Mass at St. Patrick’s Cathedral. As a relatively newbie Catholic as of three years ago, visiting St. Patrick’s Cathedral was an absolute must for me. Before leaving Montana, a friend described the church to us as the Helena Cathedral on crack. And it truly was. We had the opportunity to both walk about the church one evening and attend Sunday mass. Inspiring is one of the only words I can use to describe the experience of going inside.
 

#8 Visiting the 9/11 Ground Zero site and museum. To me this is almost a required pilgrimage for all Americans. We spent upwards of four hours touring the museum and Ground Zero site but I could have spent days. On more than one occasion I found tears streaming down my face. Some tears were for the tremendous sadness I felt for the victims and families that day as well as for our world currently. But some were those of appreciation for the inconceivable amounts courage and compassion exhibited by so many on that day. Of the thousands of artifacts on display in the museum, the one I most appreciated was that of a open bible fused into metal found by a New York firefighter during the recovery phase at Ground Zero. The scripture in the middle of the page is from Matthew 5:32-42 that contains the famous passage about “an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.” In the passage, God commands us to extend forgiveness and at all costs resist retaliation. If only all of us read that passage before leaving the house each day, perhaps our world would be a different place.


#9 Staying at the Plaza Hotel. For anyone who has ever seen the second Home Alone movie, you know you’ve secretly dreamed of eating that mountainous ice cream sundae while peacefully poised in a suite at the Plaza Hotel. Well my friends, I finally made it there. While I did not indulge in a sundae, I did have the privilege of staying in one of the most esteemed hotels in the country. From the plush pillows, oversized bathtub and walk in shower, I felt like royalty staying there.


#10 Walking across the Brooklyn Bridge. With my husband being a civil engineer, taking in this engineering masterpiece was one of the top items on his list. We signed up for a three-hour walking tour across the bridge and enjoyed one of the best history lessons of our trip. The bridge itself took 14 years to build, involved upwards of 600 workers, and cost $15 million (more than $320 million today) for construction. At least two people died in the process, including the original designer. From bridges like this to the towering skyscrapers that comprise NYC, it is an inspiration to witness the masterpieces that man created when he puts his blood, sweat, and tears into his work.


For anyone born and raised in Montana, a trip to NYC is certainly a bit of a culture shock. But it was an experience I will always cherish and never forget. As Lin Yutang said, “No one realizes how beautiful it is to travel until he comes home and rests his head on his old, familiar pillow.” I eternally grateful to the lifelong efforts of my both my parents that made such a trip possible and highly recommend everyone visit NYC at least once in their lifetime.

 

Lacey MiddlesteadLacey Middlestead is a Montana native and freelance writer currently living in Helena, Mont. She loves meeting new people and helping share their stories. When she’s not busy writing articles for newspapers like the Independent Record and Helena Vigilante, she can usually be found indulging in her second greatest passion–playing in the Montana wilderness. She loves skiing and snowmobiling in the winter and four wheeling, hiking, boating, and riding dirt bikes in the summer.
 

8 Holiday Must Do’s in Bozeman Montana

By Other / Misc.

It’s the most wonderful time of the year in our beloved mountain town. The Bridgers are beautifully frosted and Christmas cheer is in the air. Since we already know Bozeman is a picturesque place to spend the holidays, we tallied up eight of the must do’s in Bozeman during the holiday season.
 

Watch the Lighting Ceremony at the 35th Annual Christmas Stroll. 
When: Saturday, December 2nd from 4:30 to 7:30 PM: 
Where: Main Street in Bozeman 

 

There is so much to enjoy during the Christmas stroll, it’s hard to know where to begin! Horse-drawn carriages, Christmas carols, endless food from more than 40 nonprofit vendors and SANTA! Downtown businesses will have cookies, live music, and hot chocolate. There will be children’s Christmas activities during the day at the Emerson Arts and Cultural Center. Check out the lighting ceremony while you’re browsing for those perfect Holiday gifts.The stroll is for young heart and old, and is FREE to the community. 
 

Insider Secret:  Those who purchase an official “2017 Christmas Stroll Button” for $4 are entered into a 18-prize giveaway! Prizes include Bridger Bowl passes, 3-Day passes to Sweet Pea Festival, in $250 dollars in Downtown Dollars 
 

2. Crafts for Kids at Winter Wonderland at the Children’s Museum 
When: December 22-30
Where: The Children Museum

Looking for something fun for your kids during their winter break? From December 22-30 (closed the 24-26) there will be science experiments, crafts and games! Winter Wonderland is a great way for kids to have fun and learn during their break from school! 
 

3. Attend the ‘Twas the Night before Christmas Dance Production
When: December. 1, at 6:30 p.m. 
Where: Emerson Crawford Theater 

Bozeman Dance Academy dancers perform all types of dance to Holiday music at the Emerson Crawford Theater. Your toes might just start tapping, too! 


4. Find a gift at Holiday Market Jubilee 
When: Dec. 2, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Where: Bozeman Fairground 1,2,3

Live music, local Christmas gifts and amazing food - count us in!
http://www.bozemanevents.net/12/01/2017/annie/ 
 

5. Listen to “Annie” sing ‘Tomorrow’ 
When: Opening Friday, Dec. 1
Where: The Ellen Theater 

It’s a hard knock life for elves- Just kidding- Enjoy this theatrical classic at the Ellen Theater this Holiday season. 


6.Run in the Santa Run Education
When: Saturday, December 10
Where: Bozeman Downtown

In between Christmas treat stuffing, join a great 5K race that benefits all Bozeman Public Schools! 
 

7. Browse through the Winter Art Walk
When: Friday, December 8
Where: Downtown Bozeman

Art galleries and local businesses will keep their doors open for community members to browse and continue their Holiday shopping. There are typically snacks and refreshments, which is always important! 
 

8. Watch the Torchlight Parade
When: Friday, December 30
Where:  Jim Bridger Lodge

Lastly, just after the Christmas season at Bridger Bowl there is a Torchlight parade to welcome the new year. There will be a spaghetti dinner with live music at Bridger Bowl! Watch the instructors ski down the hill while lighting a torch in honor of the new year. Fireworks will end the night to help celebrate 2018’s welcome too. 

Original Article Found Here: 8 Holiday Must Do’s in Bozeman MT

Gobsmacked!

Feb 28 Wednesday
Alberta Bair Theater
Billings Region