Enough Said...

My new print.

Hours that are Happy...

Going out for dinner frequently just doesn’t happen anymore. One way to still go out and feel like you can go to that nice restaurant for date night or out with friends is…Happy Hour Date Night!

Here are some of my favorite Seattle Happy Hour’s that will make a great night out:

Barrolo – In my opinion BEST Happy Hour in town! 50% off the bar menu from 3-6:30p then again 10p-close Daily. Wine is $3 bucks and a bottle $14! It’s a hip trendy Italian place that will make you feel like you are NOT in Seattle. Forgetaboutit, every single thing on this menu is to die.

Flying Fish- Classically Seattle 4-6p Daily. Small plates $6, gorgeous calamari, salads, fish specials, crab cakes, clams. Wine $5, Beer $3. During Oct-April they have 50cent oysters!!

Il Bistro- Cozy, cozy place in the Pike Market 5-6:30p then again at 10p-12m Daily. Wine for $3 or $5, tasty plates for $3, $4, and $5 like their goat cheese crostini, mushroom ravioli, and sauteed prawns. Or a great pizza for $8.

Umi Sake House & Wasabi Bistro – this is a Samurai showdown for the best Japanese/Sushi Happy Hour, 4-6p Daily. Both have a very extensive Happy Hour menu, both offering amazing sushi and Japanese dishes, hot or cold sake and those gigantic Japanese beers. Sensei says you’ll just have to try both!

Brasa – Spanish inspired restaurant so you know what that means…Paella! 5-7p Daily. Other fabulous plates like curried muscles, Spanish pork sandwiches and the Moroccan Steak sandwich. Ole!

El Camino – Muy Caliente Mexican in Fremont. Weekdays 5-6p, Weekends 2p-6p. $5 Margaritas, $3 Beers. Delicious plates like Quesadillas de Camarones and Tamales del Dia.

Four Seasons Hotel Lounge – You can’t help but feel a little swank here. “ 5 after 5p” Sun – Thur 5-7p. All drinks, even special blinis and martinis, and all menu items are $5. Makes math easy after a few drinks. The little sliders and special rolls like the lobster roll is where it’s at.

Café Campagne – Fantastic French Cuisine in the Pike Market 4-6p M-F. Half off all wines and savory French treats like a pate sandwich for $1, or a small lamb burger for $2! Even the French in France can’t compete with these prices! Vivre le DOLLAR!

Lashtastic

I guess I have to let the secret out…their fake! Or let’s make it a little more chic…faux, which really only means, slightly enhanced. Yes, slightly enhanced sounds good.

When I decided to try lash extensions I approached with some trepidation. I don’t color my hair, I don’t get fancy facial treatments (which is ironic since I give them to people), I’ve never worn much makeup. The one item of makeup I did wear was mascara. Key word…DID. When I saw someone with these luscious lashes I could not help but comment, “your lashes are incredibly beautiful” and she looked at me with that smile of having a tiny secret. Then I said, “give me the number.”
I love having these lash extensions! From the start I told them I didn’t want to look like a drag queen. I want to look like I normally would look if I was wearing my own makeup. This just takes the work out of doing it every day! You get the added bonus of looking fabulous around the clock! Even in the pool, in the shower, hell if someone wanted to watch me sleep I’d still be lashtastic.

It’s fun and even though it’s very natural, it does add a little flirt to the eyes. My husband commented the other day that I looked extra pretty and I turned to him, flipped the hair and batted the lashes a la Marilyn Monroe, we had a good laugh.

Of course it’s important where you go, and I have the best gal named Brandi at Dina S. Good Salon in Seattle. If you live in another city you will be able to find your own lash guru. Key factors to look for are the glue, should be medical grade and when they do the lashes they should intersperse different lengths to make them as natural as possible.

It really is the best beauty treatment I’ve ever done!
Go ahead, LASH out!

Brazilian summer

It’s summer, and what better way to express it than with that famous export from Brazil.

NO, not the “Brazilian” that leaves you in agony, but the Brazilian Havaianas! I just got my pair from the best kept secret in West Seattle, Clementine shoe boutique. It’s amazing how much style they can pack into this tiny little shop that carries only European shoes. Mostly all small independent designers that you won’t just find anywhere.
If you check out their blog you will see what I’m talking about, I mean check out the Chie Mihara “Levante” shoes…”Oy Mio Dio”, she said biting her knuckle, I covet these shoes. Chie Mihara’s are made in Spain by a woman who was born and raised in Brazil to Japanese parents, she studied design in Japan, worked in NYC, moved to Spain, had 3 kids and started her own shoe line. Whew! To top it off her concept is gorgeous heels that are comfortable…what was that? Repetición por favor?!

Hey, since your headed to W. Seattle check out a couple of my other favorite spots there:
Bakery Nouveau – almost a sin to know about this place
Georgia Blu – you’d wish these kids clothes came in your size
Spring Hill - food is sublime, and if it’s Monday night you’re in luck, it’s Spaghetti night!

Staycation

I was having coffee with a girlfriend recently, sweltering in the summer heat, and we are plotting our next weekend get away. We start to run through our options, L.A., S.F., Palm Springs, Vancouver…and then it dawns on me. On a beautiful summer day, our city of Seattle is hard to beat. Plus, being budget conscious, we’d have no travel costs! Next, where to stay? Poolside was a key factor in an out of town location, why can’t it be a criterion for our staycation?
Enter…The Four Seasons Seattle.

I want to be humble here, but this is a brilliant idea. We stayed there one night this weekend, and all I can say is this is life in the FAB lane! Poolside at this gorgeous infinity pool, overlooking the sound, the ferries crossing, the Olympic Mountains, non-stop service for food and drinks, and here’s when you know you’re at The Four Seasons… they come around with silver platters of ice cold hand towels every half hour to make sure you’re not too hot! I mean, c’mON! This is too good.

When the sun sets, there is an outdoor fire pit next to the hot tub that you can snuggle up to. Or just head up to your room with that sweeping view! What more do you want?

In the morning, we opted for blueberry pancakes and cappuccinos in bed, but Pike Place Market is a mere block away and you have your choice of all the amazing places to have brunch. Le Pichet, Cafe Campagne or Matt’s in the Market of course.

Bottom line, this is a fantastic way to staycay, Ohkay?!

a Hip, a Hop, a Hibbity...

Do NOT laugh. I went to a Hip Hop class. After going to the BEYONCE concert a couple months ago and being inspired by her music and her moves, I had to do this! So I came home and looked for a hip hop class online and I found Velocity dance studio.

I had to get over the initial shock of walking into a dance studio and seeing what appeared to be two of the Harajuku Girls in the corner stretching out and warming up like we were getting ready for an audition in Flash Dance. Thankfully, other “normal” people started showing up and we gave eachother smiles of solidarity.

Don’t worry about what you look like doing something like this. In fact, the whole point is to do something with no inhibitions! The music just gets into you anyway and you can’t help but feeling like you are suddenly a back up dancer on tour.

For those of you with no rhythm, GO GET SOME! It doesn’t have to be Hip Hop. Try Modern dance, Salsa, Swing, pick your poison. What a fun, new way to move your body, and get out of your comfort zone. Let your confindence shine.

I firmly believe that trying new things is the only way to REALLY feel excited about life.

Have your people, call my people

I love to cook, but who has time to whip out that gorgeous recipe in that new cookbook you have, or that enticing rack of lamb on the cover of Sunset magazine on any given night?!

My suggestion: Create a dinner club!

We belong to a dinner club with seven couples. At the start of the year we lay out the calendar and we pre-pick a Saturday night every 6-8 weeks. Then we choose who will host each date. As the date nears, the host will send out their theme for the dinner and what the main dish is. The rest of us fill in with appys, sides and dessert that will make a nice accompaniment. This past weekend I made a killer Cous Cous to go with the hosts Mediterranean theme.

It's a good opportunity for me to try out new recipes, I know you're not supposed to make something you've never made before for a group...but just go for it, and if it turns out terrible, it will make for a great story! It's fun and a great reason to entertain. We were also part of another dinner club where host did everything from start to finish. That was great too because you have to really go nuts for one big dinner a year, but the rest of the year you just bring a bottle of wine!

Whatever way you do it. Get your social life going. They say the more social you are the longer you live! And we all know that friends and laughter (and vino) are just plain good for the soul.

Cheers!