Its hard to believe its already March. Today is Fat Tuesday and we released our March Small Batch - Bon Temps. This is a really incredible candle and I'm really excited about it. Its a departure from our normal floral/earthy/clean fragrances. Bon Temps is sweet, its indulgent, its a real treat. Everything one thinks of when they think of King Cake and Mardi Gras. Head to the site to get yours today!
What I'm reading - The First World War by John Keegan. Of all the wars in America's history, WW1 is the one I know the least about (Vietnam being a close second). I probably knew relatively little about WW1 because it really was a distinctly European affair. America just batted cleanup. I'm about half way through with this book and its been a tremendous read thus far. WW1 was nothing if not super dramatic. The amount of posturing by various countries and individuals, coupled with the juxtaposition of various types of warfare is enough to make one's head spin. I almost feel like I need a primer on solely Balkan history in the late 19th century/early 20th century to well and truly connect the dots. Maybe I'll seek that out. Looking forward to the second half.
What I'm watching - Jeopardy! National College Championship. My wife and I have been on a major game show binge lately and Jeopardy is the undisputed G.O.A.T. of game shows. Since Alex Trebek passed away, the show has trialed a few hosts but finally landed on Ken Jennings and Mayim Bialik. I much prefer Bialik. She did an excellent job with the College Championships.
What I'm burning - Amortentia. The February Small Batch is sultry and seductive. Subtle floral and earthy notes team up to pack an enticing punch in this Valentine's Day tribute. We still have plenty left so head to the site to get yours while supplies last!
What I'm listening to - The Trap Draw podcast from No Laying Up. I've talked about my affinity for the NLU video content on YouTube in a previous blog post. That said, the NLU podcasts are second to none. The main No Laying Up podcast is great but I actually prefer the Trap Draw pod the most. Tron and Big Randy cover "golf-adjacent" topics as well as current events and whatnot. Its usually really insightful and fun. 10/10 would recommend.
What I'm thinking about - My spring garden. I'm implementing a square-foot gardening approach this year to maximize the yield from the space I have. That said, I'm still pretty eccentric when it comes to the variety of vegetables I grow as I like variety and plants that excite me each time I tend the garden. I'll be growing many different types of tomatoes and peppers. I'll also be growing okra, herbs, and some Asian greens. In a separate section, I'm contemplating doing a "Three Sisters" garden. A Three Sisters garden is a traditional Native American plot of corn, beans, and squash. The corn stalks provide natural poles/trellises for the beans to race up. The squash leaves provide shade to keep the soil cool and deter pests. Pretty cool.
I'm also thinking about our next 3 releases. We're gearing up for 2 new scents and 1 more Small Batch (April) within the next 6 weeks or so and I'm super pumped. We'll have our first Spring Seasonal release on March 20th, the first official day of Spring. We'll then release the April Small Batch on April 1st. Credit to my brother, Kevin, for helping come up with the name. I think its the best Small Batch yet. And lastly, we'll release a new permanent scent in mid-April that will be available year-round moving forward. This scent is the one that really started City Candle Company. It's unique. It's sentimental. And I think it's really damn good. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.
We have one confirmed spring market that we'll be taking part in - Lakeview Market at Back Forty on Saturday, April 16th. Be there or be square. We are working on gaining access to a few others as well and we'll be sure to keep everyone posted on those as they are confirmed. As always, if you have any questions, feel free to reach out to us at burncitycandles@gmail.com, or via any of our social media channels. Also, for any local Birmingham folks, we offer local pickup in Crestwood so we can meet all of your candle needs right up to and through the holidays. Hit us up!
-Seth, City Candle Co.