5 of the Best Coffee Shops in the Flathead Valley

If you don’t already know, coffee is really really important to me. No, not just because it keeps me awake when I’m forced to get up in the mornings but because I LOVE making coffee.

Ever since I got my first coffee job at Green Beans Coffee Co. in Hawaii, I’ve been obsessed with making coffee. It’s truly something you have to work hard at to learn, and I thoroughly appreciate the process. And seeing as 50% of Americans (equivalent to 150 million peeps) drink espresso, cappuccinos, lattes, or iced/cold coffees, I’d say it’s pretty important to most of you, too.

So let’s talk favorites. I’ll take a sit down shop over the alternative any day. There’s nothing more comforting to me than sitting down in a coffee shop, sipping some fine ass bean juice, and reading or blogging. That is my happy place. But I don’t get to do that nearly as much as I’d like, so I frequently visit some of our lovely drive up shops. The following is a list of MY top 5 favorite shops in the Kalispell area.

5) Copper Mountain  – Kalispell + More (drive up)
Copper Mountain is an awesome little “chain” in Montana. They have NINE locations in Northwest Montana, which is pretty dang awesome if you ask me. These small drive up “huts” are not so small when it comes to what they offer. Breakfast, bagels, copper mountain moonshine, and awesome coffee. Fair warning, if you don’t like super sweet drinks, ask for ANY drink you order to be made “half-sweet”.

4) Sable Coffee – Kalispell (sit down + drive up)
Sable Coffee is a gorgeous new shop in North Kalispell. It has a beautiful and cozy interior, delicious coffee, and the perk of also having a drive through. Other than Starbucks and 1 tiny drive up shop that I don’t even know the name of, Sable is really the only coffee shop in North Kalispell. They have awesome themed drinks and are absolutely worth a stop!

3) Colter Coffee Roasting – Kalispell (sit down)
Forever my favorite. Forever and ever and ever. This place is what lovely coffee shop dreams are made of. Brick walls, rustic wood tables & seating, back-room couches & a downstairs “living room”.. This place is where it’s at. Not to mention, it’s open until 8 p.m. which is UNHEARD OF in the valley for a coffee. Imagine; Sitting in a cozy and dimly lit cafe, the strong smell of coffee and cinnamon fill the air, you’re looking out tall clean windows observing the quiet sleepy main street of downtown Kalispell. Time stands still while you listen to soothing indie folk music and the light chatter of people who like to take their time and escape the worries of real life.. While you take in the subtle beauty happening in front of your very eyes, you take a nibble of your freshly baked scone and a sip of your hot caramel apple cider, and you realize that no place has ever felt more like home. Sounds nice, right? It is.

2) CoPilot – Kalispell (drive up)
Oh CoPilot.. My second favorite drive up shop in the valley. This is a place that you go because it hits your top three needs for drive up coffees; 1) Speed 2) Amazing Beverages and 3) Awesome Baristas. Located in South Kalspell, this gorgeous little shop is slightly off the beaten path, on Airport Road. Here’s the kicker – they’re positioned directly in line with the Kalispell City Airport, so while you’re getting your morning coffee, you’ll most likely see small planes and helicopters landing and taking off, it’s quite a treat. Head to CoPilot for amazing coffee, made quickly and for a great price.


1) Flathead Flavor – Kalispell (drive up)
This wonderful drive up owned by the sweetest human on earth (Vanesha!) makes the best coffee in town. Hands down. Located in an amazingly convenient spot in Evergreen right off highway 35, her shop makes for the perfect pitstop on of your Flathead adventures. She also operates a coffee food truck that you can find at all kinds of events in Kalispell and the surrounding areas. Go see Vanesha for your perfect cup of Montana coffee.

This list was updated on 10/16/2021. I hope more and more places like this open up in the future, you can never have too many incredible coffee shops. There’s nothing more satisfying than seeing local businesses thrive… and hey, maybe one day I’ll own a coffee shop of my own. I guess we’ll have to wait and see. (;
So who did I miss? What’s YOUR favorite coffee shop in the Flathead? Let me know in the comments!

Summer Style Inspo for Tank Top Haters

I have a confession; I hate tank tops. So much. There, I said it…
The freakin’ closet staple of summer makes me cringe.
I hate tank tops for two reasons;

  1. I have terrible skin. Acne, scars, easy bruising, eczema…. I don’t feel like showing that off (yes I know a lot of people have flaws like these, and I should just get over it and feel comfortable in my own sh*t skin, but I’m not there yet, okay?)
  2. Armpits… I don’t like armpits. I don’t want them just, out, you know? Free to the world, free for everyone to judge if I lift my arms and my deodorant decided to ball up or I forgot to shave my spider legs. I don’t neeeeed that in my liiiiife.

So summer is a struggle for me. In the style department, that is. Short sleeves are as close as I get, and I honestly don’t even love those. I rounded up some of my summer outfits that aren’t tank top based, and I think you’ll enjoy them even if you are one of those freaks that bears their shoulders.

L O N G  S L E E V E  &  J E A N  S H O R T S

 

C R E W N E C K   &  H I G H  W A I S T E D  J E A N S

 

T E E  S H I R T  D R E S S  &  A C C E S S O R I E S

 

J U M P S U I T S  &  F L O P P Y  H A T S

 

P A T T E R N E D  J O G G E R S  &  B O Y F R I E N D   T E E S

 

C L O S E T   S T A P L E S

Summer Closet Staples

I really like neutrals and simple staple pieces. Camel, black, white, olive & denim pretty much consume my closet.

I’m honestly really simple (and pretty dang lazy) when it comes to style, if I’m being honest. Throw on a wide brimmed hat or a trendy head scarf when you’re on day 5 of dry shampoo. Rock oversized sunnies all day when you don’t feel like putting mascara or brows on. Hide beneath a frumpy tshirt dress and a cross body bag when you’re too lazy to plan out a multiple piece outfit. Buy staple items that you know you’ll love to wear all the time – it makes life a lot easier.

There are tons of ways to avoid wearing tank tops, trust me. So if you’re anything like me, I hope these suggestions helped you a little bit. And just keep in mind, there’s only a month and a half until Fall. (;

montanalaurasig

How to Keep Things Hygge in the Spring

The hygge way of life was invented to combat the notorious depression that comes with winter. Denmark has long, drawn-out winters with scarce amounts of daylight. Therefore, they needed a way (or a feeling, if you will) to not only get through this time, but to embrace it. So hygge was born.
Hygge, when defined simply by the Oxford Dictionary, is : a quality of coziness and comfortable conviviality that engenders a feeling of contentment or well-being.

Note that the dictionary definition doesn’t really state anything specifically about winter. So who’s to say you can’t “hygge” during every season? If anything, hygge is imperative during Spring.
You’ve just hunkered down for 6-8 months and can’t really remember what green grass and daylight look like.. So now’s the time to truly embrace the coziness that comes with sunshine and a completely fresh and new landscape.

Here are a few ways to carry the hygge lifestyle with you throughout Spring:

1

There’s nothing like fresh flowers and precious little succulents to chase off those winter blues. Bring bright colors and fresh pops of green into your home to brighten it up and make it extra cozy. Plus, nothing says “I have my shit together” quite like a vase of flowers or a well-kept succulent garden! That’s right, look at me, keeping plants alive!

If you’re in the Flathead Valley, your best and most delightful place to get either of these pretty little home treats is going to be Mum’s Flowers in Whitefish! Plus, they have a build-your-own succulent garden station and some of the cutest gifts you’ll ever see.

T I P S  F O R  H Y G G E  S U C C E S S :
1. Start small; buy one small succulent garden or one pretty bouquet of flowers, and watch them transform your room
2. If you’re not going to go local on your flower buying, the next best place is Costco (the best bang for your buck!)

2

Natural light is one of the coziest things nature has to offer. Let those bright yellow sun rays dance across your room, or the cool blue hues cast from a rainy day… No matter what type of natural light you’re letting in, it’s going to instantly create a cozier vibe.

T I P S  F O R  H Y G G E  S U C C E S S :
1. Open up those blinds first thing in the morning to take advantage of morning light.
2. Clean windows and windowsills make for a better experience
3. If you have large windowsills, keep some plants in them (pretty for you, good for the plants)

outdoors

Even if this means just hanging out in your back yard, just get out there. Get a little bit of sunshine, get your feet dirty, smell the rain, read a book on the patio.. Just be outside, and disconnect for a little while. Brownie points if you actually make it out on a hike or picnic. But no matter where you go, if you’re outside and your relaxed, you’ve got it all figured out.

T I P S  F O R  H Y G G E  S U C C E S S :
1. Create a back (or front) yard sanctuary. This can always be done on a budget! You just need a chair or two, a small table, a blanket and some candles!
2. Go the extra mile to have a real picnic. I mean those picture perfect picnics you see in the movies. It will make the experience that much more hygge to have everything set up so well! (it’s like ‘plating’ a meal – making it look almost too good to eat!)

candles

Ah, candles. All the candles! You cannot hygge, without the candles. And if we’re being honest with ourselves, candles just make everything better. Having a nice dinner, add candles. Relaxing at home while reading a book? Light some candles! Bubble bath!? Not without the candles! Candles bring instant warmth, glow and coziness into any situation they’re brought into. I mean, even Satan worshipers use candles! (Hah). But seriously, the Danes constantly have candles going, and for good reason; they just make everything better.

T I P S  F O R  H Y G G E  S U C C E S S :
1. Buy UNSCENTED or naturally scented candles made from beeswax or soy! Scented candles and petroleum based candles release toxic chemicals into your home and that is NOT hygge. Plus, if you have a ton of candles going at once, you’re definitely not going to want them all to be scented!
2. Even when doing mundane, day-to-day activities, light a candle or two! You’ll be pleasantly surprised at the atmosphere something as simple as lighting a candle can create!

All of these tips are just little things you can do each day to create a cozy life. It’s about simplicity, togetherness, and comfort. There are many ways to incorporate this amazing way of living into your daily schedule. The Little Book of Hygge is where I discovered it all. I immediately fell in love, began applying these rules to my life, and then wrote my first two posts about it :
Hygge Part 1 : What is Hygge and Why Do You Need It In Your Life?
and
Hygge Part 2 : How to Embrace Hygge In Your Everyday Life

My life has been more cozy, organized, and full since discovering hygge. And I can only hope that it does the same for each and every one of you.

I do not own any of the photos above, all can be found in their original form on my Hygge Pinterest Board.