​Today is World Coffee Day. 

Sweden is one of the top coffee consuming countries in the world, but we do it with a special touch, and not just once year but virtually every day.  "Fika" is a Swedish cultural ritual that we need more of here in the U.S., and I thought that today was the perfect day to inspire you.  

Fika is a treasured tradition that is in that sweet spot between the elaborate English afternoon high-tea and the American coffee-to-go. 

​Growing up in Sweden, no matter where we were or what we were doing, we would stop mid-afternoon, take a short soothing break, and enjoy an earthy cup of hot coffee along with a little sweet and some company. In Sweden, we have quite a sweet tooth, and indulge often, but always in moderation.

Fika is all about celebrating the simple pleasures in life, with others.
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National Simplicity Day is coming up on Monday July 12th. 

This is sort of a special "holiday" for us here at The Whiskey Porch because it's at the core of what we are all about.  After all, our tag line is "cultivating contentment & possibility in a smaller & simpler lifestyle."  

And, now more than ever, it just feels like we are all seeking refuge and inspiration to lift our spirits as we recover from this wild insanity of the last couple years.  So it goes without saying, that finding pleasure and calm in simple ideas is something many of us are striving for now.

​Swedish Lagom will help you embrace a simpler lifestyle.

​Swedes have a few lifestyle concepts that might be part of the reason they are often considered one of the happiest places to live.   This post is just a little introduction to "lagom".

Lagom is all about living in moderation.  Finding a balance ... in life, at work, in your finances, and certainly with the size of your home.   Thinking about the "whole" and not just the "self".

To be fair, this is an idea that's been hyped and also can be, ironically, overdone.  But at it's core I think it has a lot to offer our American overly excessive way of life, if applied in a thoughtful way.

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Greetings,

Today is a big day for us.  We've officially launched our new brand The Whiskey Porch, which appropriately coincides with National Simplicity Day.  No accident, really.  I wanted to set a goal to work towards and force me not to work it to death, in an attempt to achieve perfection, before hitting the 'launch' button.

That's one thing I've come to learn in life --  perfection will never be achieved, and done is better than perfect.  And, so, here we are!  Happy to be with you and striving full speed ahead to create and share all kinds of ideas and inspiration.

To get us started, I wanted to write just a little bit about two things:  What is The Whiskey Porch all about?  And, why launch on National Simplicity Day?  
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perfect balance  -- whether it be in a craftsman bungalow, a tiny historic cottage, or somewhere yet to be discovered.

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