One sure sign that it’s summer – the Farmers Market. Open every Saturday starting at 8:30 a.m. and going until 1:00 p.m. and located at the Terrace Plaza shopping center – Valley Springs residents and visitors alike will enjoy the fresh produce and other things offered at our little farmers market.

The “cat ladies” from the Calaveras Humane Society have a booth there – and it is indeed “kitten season” – so you can give a sweet little fur ball a home (or support their foster homes) while you’re there too.

On a recent Saturday, we stopped by the market and chatted a bit with Winter Creek Olives owner, Mary Anne. She sells her locally produced olive oil as well as some yummy “balm” made from olive oil combined with variety of scented oils.  They also have filtered and unfiltered balsalmic vinegar from Italy. Winter Creek olives are all Calaveras grown, and hand picked by the Melson family. Their olives are pressed in Modesto by the Sciabica Family processors.

Also on hand with samples was Marido’s Deli. We sampled a light and lovely “star thistle honey.” (I guess if the star thistle blight has to continue on the earth it might as well be good for something!) This is typically what we would find labeled “wild flower” honey – but since there is so much star thistle around they decided to name the wild flower most prevalently used by the honey bees. They have other types of honey too – we just tried that one – and it is wonderful.  Marido’s Deli/Beyond Juice is located right there in the Terrace Plaza where the Farmers Market is held.

The ladies from Blue Sky Blueberries were there with samples and bags of the most luscious blueberries you will find in the foothills. They explained that this year their crop had been so abundant that their regular customer orders had all been filled and they had so much extra they were at the farmer’s market with the rest. They weren’t sure how much longer they’d be manning the booth there at the market, but if you’re interested in some locally grown blueberries you can find out more about getting on their customer list at their web site.

So, you see – it’s always something new!  Stop in some Saturday at the Terrace Plaza – and find out what’s being offered.  And say hi to the Cat Ladies who work so hard at caring for and re-homing all the lost kitties they can handle.

Farmers Market Address

1906 Vista del Lago
Valley Springs, California

Today’s restaurant review is brought to us by Ryan Snethen. Ryan blogs at “Did You Miss It?” and can frequently be found sampling the local cuisine.

Thai House offers Thai cuisine with a smile. The friendly staff adds to the already warm atmosphere. Are you new to Thai food? Don’t hesitate to ask your waiter for a recommendation. Give them an idea of the kind of dishes you usually enjoy and they will pair you with an entree you are sure to savor.

With an average entree price of roughly $8.00, it is an inexpensive dining experience considering the satisfying portions, not to mention the quality of the ingredients.

Recommendations:

[Please note that all dishes are offered in five different levels of spice: Mild, Medium, Hot, Thai Hot and Fire. Use discretion in choosing what level of spice is right for you.]

For a semi-sweet but filling meal, try the traditional Pad Thai: a Noodle dish consisting of Rice Noodles, Tofu, Eggs, Bean Sprouts, Green Onions, and a side of peanuts (for you to add to your personal taste). This is one of those dishes that appears a lot small than it actually is. Only half way through your meal, does it look as though you’ve made a dent in your dish.

If you’re in the mood for something truly hardy with a kick, try Pad Prig Sod. As with just about every dish on the menu, it starts with your choice of meat (Beef, Pork or Chicken, Shrimp can also be added for a little extra). However, Tofu is also a valid choice. This is accompanied with: Jalapenos, Onions, carrots, mushrooms and Cilantro, all served in a delicious, spicy sauce.

It is also worth noting that Brown Rice makes a great addition to any Thai house Entree.

For Dessert, try either the Green Tea Ice Cream (topped with Honey and Peanuts) or the Mango and Sticky Rice (drizzled with Coconut juice). The trick to the Mango and Sticky Rice is to try and get a little bit of the Mango, Rice and Coconut juice in each bite.

Of course, these are only a couple of suggestions. With an abundance of menu items to choose from, you are sure to find something that suits your personal palate.

Yes, Thai House gives Valley Springs some much needed variety and added spice.

Location:

200 East Highway 12
Valley Springs, CA, 95252

Business Hours:

• Mon: 4:00 pm – 9:00 pm
• Tues – Thurs: 11:00 am – 9:00 pm
• Fri – Sat: 11:00 am – 9:30 pm
• Sun: 11:00 am – 9:00 pm

Contact Information:

• Phone: (209) 772-8549

Clearly, a convenience you may not yet have considered, is Karen Lewis’ Mobile Optician service called Mobile Spectacles. Just as her business name implies, Karen will bring her inventory of over 200 fashionable frames to your door, where you may browse and choose the new frames you need from the convenience of your own home.

Karen lives in Valley Springs, and brings with her, to your door – over 25 years experience of working in the optical industry. Karen is a licensed optician. She has worked in the lab making lenses, as well as 20 years in an opthalmologist’s optical department.

So, rather than drive around shopping for your frames, after your visit to your eye care practitioner, you can now call Karen, and she will come to your home for you to shop! With your prescription, Karen will accurately fit you with your new frames, and make the measurements needed for your new lenses – just like they do at any optical department – and then order your glasses for you.

Eliminate trips to the big city – Karen has a “Satisfaction Guaranteed or Your Money Back” policy.

Call her for an appointment. She will bring her store to your door at your convenience.

Karen can be reached at:

• Cell: 209-556-3103
• Home: 209-772-3010

Common Grounds Coffee Shop in Valley Springs represents one of the new breed of “old style” coffee houses, a coffee house style that pre-dates the national chains.  Common Grounds has all the things one looks for when looking for a place to relax and visit with friends or have a business meeting.

A few things Common Grounds does not have:

• It does not have music playing so loud a person cannot think or have a conversation.
• It isn’t cramped for space.
• It doesn’t have furniture designed to make you want to hurry up and leave.

What it does have:

• Comfortable and spacious furniture.
• An atmosphere that is relaxed and inviting.
• Colors that are all pleasing to the eye.
• A big screen TV.
• Free Wi-Fi.

But, let’s not forget about the Coffee!

Common Grounds serves Milone Brothers coffee, a roaster from Modesto, California, well-known for their quality beans and their consistent roast, so all coffee served at Common Grounds is freshly roasted.   They will also sell coffee beans to take home and brew for yourself.  If you love coffee, you will not be disappointed. This coffee exceeds anything you have purchased at any chain store coffee house.

Common Grounds also serves freshly baked scones, a nice selection of muffins, brownies and cookies.  For those wanting something a little more filling, they also serve soup and Panini (grilled sandwiches), all at very reasonable prices.

Cold drinks served include a wide variety of coffee-based drinks, as well as wonderful Italian Sodas. (If you have not had an Italian Soda, you don’t know what you are missing.)

For those of us who are local, Common Grounds deserves our business. And if you are visiting the Mother Lode, don’t forget to stop at Common Grounds, where you will find great coffee, and quite often good company…maybe even a live “concert” from a local performer or two in the area.

Common Grounds is located at the Corner of Vista Del Lago and Hwy 26 at 1900 Vista Del Lago Drive. Their hours are Monday – Friday 6 AM to 9 PM, Saturday 7 AM to 9 PM, and Sunday 7 AM to 7 PM.

Give them a try – let us know what you think!

Not to be missed (and possibly easy to do if you’re not careful!) is one of Valley Springs’ newest little jewels – the Passion Flower Boutique, florist and gift shop.

Located at 42 S. Hiway 26 in Valley Springs, this little shop rivals any of the boutiques in Murphy’s.

Audra Dunn (owner) has a flare for the unique and beautiful as you will see immediately upon entering the door of this lovely little shop.  Her skill as a floral stylist is equally top notch.

You won’t want to miss this little bit of beauty nestled just past the center of town.

A quote from one of the rave reviews to be found regarding Passion Flower Boutique in Valley Springs pretty much sums it up:

Shop has easy access, centrally located in town, beautiful & creative floral arrangements. They are friendly & able to assist me with any floral need. The shop is also full of wonderful gifts for any occasion and best value for money! Will be back again & again!!

Business Hours for Passion Flower Boutique:

  Tuesday thru Saturday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Eddie’s Grill is a recent addition to Valley Springs.

Located just off Hiway 26 at 10 Nove Way in Valley Springs in what was once a Quizno’s restaurant, I found the renovated interior to be nice and has kind of a “diner” flavor now.

I ordered the Ultimate BBQ Hamburger. It comes with your choice of three different types of french fries or onion strings (a kind of skinny onion ring). The hamburger starts with 1/3 lb of beef, and to this Eddie’s adds nice thick bacon, onion strings and an outstanding slightly sweet BBQ sauce. The hamburger was excellent.

I choose the onion strings as the side dish. Eddie’s serves a generous portion and they are quite good. (But I must admit that after seeing someone else order french fries, I resolved to order those next time).

Prices, including a soft drink and tip will run around $12.00 per person for lunch.

Dinners run between $15.00 to a little over $20.00.

Their hours are posted as “Open 11-8ish”, Closed Tuesday.  Dinners are served Thursday through Saturday starting at 4:00 p.m. and range from homemade Meatloaf to Ribeye and a daily fish offering which you are invited to ask about.

Overall, my experience at Eddie’s grill was positive, and I think this establishment is worth a try.

Remember they’re new in town, so be patient and give them a chance.  My service was excellent, but others I’ve talked to said they had a bit of a wait – but the food was excellent.

• Eddie’s Grill Menu.

If you give them a try, let us know what you thought.

We’ve been moving things around a little and getting going again – hopefully with more and more reviews and updates for the Valley Springs Business & Services Directory blog.  In the process of porting things over to a new server – poof! – stuff disappeared.  We’re going to get it back.  It wasn’t much – but it was our beginning and we were kind of attached to it.  Now that the dust has settled, we’ll get out our tools and start putting things back where they were. 

Meanwhile, please tell your friends about our little venture here.  We want to feature local businesses in the Valley Springs/Burson area, and any services that work around these parts. The more input we get – the better we can make our service.  Lets support our local businesses.  Times are tough, and we need to remember that this is how a community survives – people pulling together and supporting one another.

Click on the “About” tab up there for instructions how to contribute, or have your service or business featured here.

Some remodeling underway right now.  Check back again soon.