Q and A

• Question:  What is your blog about?

• Answer:    This blog is about how my family and I try to live as locally as possible.  My definition of local is, "as close to home as possible."  We try to think local first in an effort to support our local businesses in Bellingham, WA and to consume less fuel. 
  
  Over the years we have found many ways to be "local".  Sometimes this can be something as simple as riding our bikes for an errand, harvesting from our home garden, cooking a meal with locally derived ingredients, or shopping for the perfect gift.  I personally like to support our community in this manner because it keeps me connected to it.  I want our tax dollars to stay and benefit our community.  I want my children to realize that our community is made up of people not large corporations.  Finally, I want people to know that this is an option in their own community outside of Bellingham, WA.  Every good thing has to have a starting point and this blog documents our journey.

• Question: What does LaVita mean? Isn't that a song I heard once?

• Answer: Ah, you're thinking of the Ricky Martin song, "Living LaVida Loca" which literally means, living the crazy life. Corny song yes, but this blog has nothing to do with it. Sorry Ricky Martin fans.
  
  LaVita means "the life" in Italian. Therefore, Living LaVita Local means living the local life. My husband Matt came up with this blog's title and originally I met his suggestion with a nasty face full of distain. However, I just couldn't get Living LaVita Local out of my head and I realized that this is exactly what you want in a blog title. It also fully encapsulates the true meaning of this blog. Go figure, huh?   

• Question:  What if I can't find something locally or don't like what I find?  Do I still have to purchase it just because it's local?

• Answer:  Being local is ideal but not always possible.  The idea here is to think local first!  Start with local businesses or your own backyard but sometimes it just doesn't work.  Always try to give a local company the benefit of the doubt.  Let them know of your intentions to support them, tell them when you are dissatisfied, and give them a chance to make it work for you.  Often I have found that a local company is happy to order a product I need for me and all I needed to do was ask.  If you have done all that and still are unhappy then it's time to go elsewhere.  There are items that I can only find on Amazon.com or at Target.  However, I never begin my search there.