Category: seattle

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food seattle sponsor

My favorite Family Friendly Seattle area Restaurants

I grew up and have lived all over the Seattle area. From the Eastside to downtown Seattle, West Seattle and North Seattle and with my extended family in South Seattle, I am very familiar with restaurants all over the greater Seattle area! My family and I love food and we love finding small restaurants in every neighborhood to enjoy.

With the pandemic, supporting small restaurants and small businesses is more important than ever and I have tried to do my best by ordering take out directly from them or purchasing gift cards to some of our regular restaurants.

Now that WA state has opened back up and restaurants are able to run at full capacity again it’s been fun to go out and eat at the restaurants as well! I’ve really enjoyed all the new outdoor seating that a lot of restaurants have been able to add and appreciate that they have been taking the safety of their employees and customers seriously.

This post is sponsored by WA Dept of Health. All opinions are my own. Thank you for your support!

Even though I am young and healthy, I got vaccinated as soon as I could as I wanted to help do my part in protecting my community. It also helped give me some comfort in knowing that I could go out and enjoy eating at my favorite restaurants as that is one of my favorite things to do as well as having date nights with my husband.

The COVID-19 virus is still spreading, even among younger people. By getting the COVID-19 vaccine, even if you’re healthy, you’re playing an important role in helping stop the transmission of COVID-19 in our communities.

My Favorite Seattle area Restaurants

One of my top questions that I get often is where to eat at while visiting Seattle so I thought I’d share just a few restaurants that we absolutely love.

I’ll also mention that although I love downtown, Capitol Hill, Queen Anne (the regular Seattle hotspot) restaurants, the ones I’m sharing today are on the Eastside and North of Seattle, which I find to be easier on families with small children as parking and kids menus are a lot easier to come by!

Joe’s Burgers

I love taking the kids to The Village at Totem Lake and Joe’s Burgers is great for kids and adults. Everything is freshly made and oh man those french fries are some of the best!

For dessert, stop by Salt & Straw, just a short walk away for some of the best and unique ice cream flavors!

Boiling Point

If you love hot pot, this is the place to go! I love that they do individual hot pots and rather than a traditional hot pot where you choose each item that you want, these are pre-set flavors and ingredients and all of them are amazing! Below I had the Taiwanese Spicy and my husband had the Milk Cream Curry.

They have several locations around the Seattle area. I do find that they are always pretty busy at all locations so be prepared to wait for a table at peak times.

Mochinut

If you’ve never had a mochi donut before, you gotta try one! They are so light and chewy, less sweet than a regular donut but just as yummy! Mochinut has a lot of great flavors that change daily. Below is the hazelnut, strawberry and cheesecake flavors.

The shop in Edmonds is connected with Happy Lemon which is also a great spot for bubble tea!

Fire & The Feast

My husband and I love Italian food, especially hand made pastas and wood fired pizza and these are some of the best in Seattle. We also love the downtown Edmonds area as it’s close to the water with a ton of great restaurants and boutiques.

Other favorites in the Edmonds area by the same chef are The Market, Salt & Iron and Bar Dojo. They are all beyond amazing and the Edmonds waterfront is also a great place to take a walk after dinner.

The Bine

Downtown Bothell has a lot of great restaurants and The Bine makes the top of our list. Everything that we have tried there is so good, especially the burger but I also have to give a shout out to the Pho’rench Dip it is simply amazing and something I’ve never had before!

I highly encourage you all to go out and enjoy your favorite restaurants and small businesses to help support them through these tough times and at the same time, to also encourage everyone to get vaccinated so that these small restaurants can continue operating so that we can all continue to enjoy them!

One other thing that everyone can do to help slow the spread of COVID-19 is to Activate WA Exposure Notifications (WA Notify) on your Apple or Android phone.

WA Exposure Notifications (also known as WA Notify) allows users to find out if they’ve had an exposure to COVID-19 without sharing any personal information and anonymously alert those they have come into contact with if they test positive

The more people who use exposure notification, the greater the benefit and is simply an easy way for all of us to help slow the spread in Washington state.

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christmas holiday momlife seattle

Enchant Christmas Seattle

The holidays are always such a fun time, not just to spend time with friends and family but all the events happening! I always love to take my daughter to see Santa, of course, but this year we got to do something a lot more special and visit Enchant Christmas at Safeco field!

If you are looking for a fun family outing in Seattle, you must go to Enchant Christmas!

Holiday events in Seattle: Enchant Christmas

Enchant Christmas Seattle

They basically took Safeco field and filled it with lights! These pictures don’t do it justice.  You have to see it in person to really feel how amazing it is to see all these beautiful lights in one place!

Holiday events in Seattle: Enchant Christmas

When you first walk in you’ll get to walk along stalls of vendors selling all sorts of fun things.  I saw a ton of products that would be great for gifts and I loved that a lot of them were small and local businesses which made it even more special!

Holiday events in Seattle: Enchant Christmas

When you walk down to the field you are greeted with a ton of lights and the start of the light maze.  It’s such a fun experience as they filled it with so many pretty lighted sculptures.  With each turn you see something different.

Holiday events in Seattle: Enchant Christmas

There’s a ton of photo opps so be prepared with your camera as you’ll be taking a ton of photos!  I love that they even have these lovely folks dressed up for the occasion.  My daughter loved their outfits so we had to get a photo with them.

Holiday events in Seattle: Enchant Christmas

I took my sister and her boys who were in town for Thanksgiving and my mom.  My nephews have tons of energy so it was a great spot to take them as they had a lot of room to run around in.  Her oldest, Grant, was super excited to take photos for us, it was so cute!  My daughter just loved seeing all the pretty lights.  She was also quite excited to wear her bunny ear muffs, haha!

Holiday events in Seattle: Enchant Christmas

Things to know before going to Enchant Christmas Seattle

  • Wear warm clothing: It’s a bit chilly inside, I think due to the ice skating trail so I was glad that we had all bundled up.
  • Wear comfortable shoes: It’s a lot of walking so just make sure you and your kids are wearing shoes that won’t hurt your feet.
  • Be creative with photo opps: Everywhere you turn there is a place to take photos but lighting can be a bit hard as people can appear very dark next to the bright lights.  Take a few test shots at different angles to make sure that you are getting the right lighting.  But even if it doesn’t turn out right, just use a good editing app on your phone to lighten up the photo.
  • Allow at least an hour or two to enjoy everything: There’s no need to rush, take your time to enjoy all the lights, the shopping and visiting Santa.  It’s not a place that you will be in and out of quickly.  Enjoy it!
  • Note your arrival time: I like that they have arrival times so that they can control how many people are coming in at once.  It really helps so that you aren’t bombarded with big crowds in the light maze.  It was busy when I went but I never felt overly crowded. We went at the 5-6pm arrival time which was great for our kids so that they were all ready for dinner after all the walking.

Holiday events in Seattle: Enchant Christmas

This tree is in the middle of the light maze and just so amazing to see in person!

Holiday events in Seattle: Enchant Christmas

At the end of the maze is the ice skating trail.  The line was a bit long and our kids were getting a hungry so we didn’t end up waiting for it but it did look like a lot of fun!  If you’ve been to Safeco field before you know that the food options there are fantastic.  While not all the food stands were open, a lot of them were and we were able to grab a bite to eat there.

Holiday events in Seattle: Enchant Christmas

Holiday events in Seattle: Enchant Christmas

Santa at Enchant Christmas Seattle

Of course we couldn’t leave without seeing Santa!  I loved that they had Santa there and my daughter was so looking forward to seeing him and telling him what she wanted for Christmas.  We got in line and ended up waiting about 30 mins which was longer than I had anticipated but it was well worth the wait!  Layla was so mesmerized by Santa’s lighted chair and just seeing her with Santa made me so happy.

Holiday events in Seattle: Enchant Christmas

This was the photo that they took (I edited it to add my own filter) which I thought turned out really cute!  You can buy the photo package right after you take the photo with Santa.

Enchant Christmas Seattle

We had the best time and I am so glad that we got to go to kick off the holiday season!  I just love the holidays so much, especially now as a mom. If you are in Seattle make sure to get your tickets!

This post is sponsored by Enchant Christmas.  All opinions are mine.

Categories
baby baby-ish momlife mommy style pregnancy pregnancy style seattle

Gold, pink and glitter baby shower sprinkle

Gold, pink and Glam Baby Shower Ideas

I have such a great group of friends that came together to celebrate Baby Ish!  I had to share the details of the gold, pink and glam baby shower at Cafe Trophy/Trophy Cupcakes in Bellevue!

PINK AND GOLD BABY SHOWER AT TROPHY CUPCAKES

My friend Jen and Brandy of Trophy Cupcakes helped pull all the details together and it was the most perfect baby shower ever!  I basically just told them that I wanted gold, pink and sparkly and they ran with it!  The custom cupcakes and cake were perfection and SO yummy!

Here with Jen, who you’ve probably read a few of her posts on here as she has guest posted quite frequently!  She’s a mom of 3 and runs her own fitness coaching business and is just all around amazing!  We’ve been friends since college and I’m so grateful for her friendship.

THE PERFECT BABY SHOWER DRESS TO CELEBRATE BABY GIRL

I was happy I ended up choosing this dress even though I had some really cute options that I had bought for my third trimester.  I ended up matching the decor pretty well! I saved the other dress that I was deciding on for our maternity photos which I can’t wait to get and share with you guys!

Gold, pink and Glam Baby Shower Ideas  

CUPCAKES, CAKES AND MACARONS AT CAFE TROPHY

They are known for the cupcakes and for good reason, they are so yummy and beautiful! If you are ever in the Seattle area, you must stop by one of their shops just to try one of their cupcakes!  And not only that, don’t miss out on their macarons.  I’m very particular about macarons and have tried a ton.  These ones are some of the best with not only taste but texture.

And not only are their treats so pretty, the cafe itself is gorgeous!  I love how beautiful it is and they thought of every detail.  Definitely a great photo spot for instagram lovers!

   Gold, pink and Glam Baby Shower Ideas

I was so happy to have both my mom and my mother in law there.  Their love and support mean the world to me and I truly appreciate everything they do for me and my family.  I’m so lucky to have both of them close by and am always grateful for their help!

Gold, pink and Glam Baby Shower Ideas

My sister in law is due about 3 weeks after me!  It was such a pleasant surprise when my brother told me the news about their pregnancy and I cried tears of joy when they told me that they were having a girl too!  Layla has 4 boy cousins that we adore, but it will be nice to have more little girls to add to the family!  I’m so excited that they will both be so close in age and to have them grow up together!

I’ve had so many of you reach out to me through email, comments or DM’s on instagram letting me know that you’ve been following me since my wedding, or birth of my first baby and I’m SO grateful for you guys.  It means the world to me that I can connect with so many of you and see your families grow as well!  For those of you that are new to me, I appreciate you guys too and hope that you continue to follow along as I navigate life with 2 little ones!

I’m now full term and just waiting for baby to arrive!  I’m beyond excited to meet her and to see Layla become a big sister!

Categories
fashion lookbook seattle

Seattle Great Wheel – The Ultimate Seattle Instagram Spot

The Most Instagram Worthy Spots in Seattle

Sharing one of the more instagram worthy spots in Seattle!  The Seattle Great Wheel! Also keep reading as I’m sharing some tips on how to get the most instagram worthy photos even in a tourist area full of people.

The Most Instagram Worthy Spots in Seattle

OUTFIT DETAILS #1:
TOP \\ JEANS \\ SHOES \\ HAT \\ BAG

I’ve never actually been on the Great Wheel but I do really want to go! There’s always a bit of a line but I’ve heard it’s well worth it on a clear day.

The Most Instagram Worthy Spots in Seattle

Seattle Downtown Waterfront

I met with the Kacy Yom team to take photos down by the waterfront and even though it was busy, we still had a great shoot! The area we shot in is a short walk from the Great Wheel and was the perfect place for photos.  We were there mid day and there were a lot of people around but with a little bit of creativity we were able to get around that.

Kacy Yom Seattle Designer

Now, with instagram, facebook and all the other photo sharing sites, we all love to take nice photos even if we aren’t all bloggers so I thought I’d share this spot with you if you are coming to visit Seattle.

The Most Instagram Worthy Spots in Seattle

OUTFIT DETAILS #2:
DRESS \\ SHOES \\ BAG

We walked a few streets down to shoot some other great Seattle spots like the pier where there’s lots of fun shops and great restaurants.  We didn’t shoot there, but the Seattle Aquarium is very close by too! Down the street, closer to the core of downtown is one of my favorite apartment buildings in Seattle, Harbor Steps, where you’ll also see the Hammering Man.

The Most Instagram Worthy Spots in Seattle

It’s definitely fun playing tourist in your own city and especially getting some fun photos.  I will be honest, when you are shooting in crowds of people, you will have to not feel self conscious about people staring.  it does happen (mostly because people are curious).  I don’t get self conscious as I’ve been a blogger for so many years and I’m used to it but I can understand it can feel weird when people start to stare!

The Most Instagram Worthy Spots in Seattle

Kacy Yom Seattle handbag designer

You may have seen my bag on my instagram, but in case you missed it, I got to style this gorgeous bag by Kacy Yom who is a Seattle designer and has the most gorgeous line of bags.  The leather is so soft and luxe and her designs are all so classic and can be worn for all occasions.

The Most Instagram Worthy Spots in Seattle

Look #1: Casual Cold Shoulder

I wanted to share how I styled it with my casual jeans look.  I typically wear something like this when I head out shopping or for dinner. As I mentioned in my Amazon Spring Fashion Haul, I love pairing cute tops with my white jeans as it always makes for an easy and cute outfit.

Kacy Yom Seattle Designer

Look #2: Ruffle Wrap Dress

This wrap dress sold out super fast but it’s back in stock!  I love wrap dresses as they aren’t overly fancy but they always look great regardless if you are heading out to a nice dinner or just meeting your friends for drinks and want to look a bit nicer than just your casual jeans look.The Most Instagram Worthy Spots in Seattle

How to get the most instagram worthy photo in a tourist area:

  1. Find angles that don’t involve people in the background.  A bit easier said than done but always keep an eye out for areas where there’s less crowds.  If you are wanting to shoot something large like the Wheel, change your perspective so you are not straight on but maybe it’s off the side.  There’s usually a spot but you really have to look for it. You may also just have to be patient and wait for people to leave as we had a few people that stopped to take photos and we just waited a few moments and then had the spot to ourselves.
  2. Keep your eye out for unusual spots that might not be the first place to take photos.  Most people will just stand on the fence closer to the wheel to make sure they get it in the background.  I like to keep my eye out for anything that may add to the photo while keeping the main attraction in the back.  The pop of the blue tables ended up making for a great photo especially with the wheel directly behind me.

The Most Instagram Worthy Spots in Seattle

3. Find interesting backdrops: You don’t always have to find pretty backdrops like the water, a landmark or flowers.  Although those do help.  Just keep an eye out for interesting colors or buildings that really stand out.  The buildings below aren’t the prettiest but they are pretty iconic in the Seattle waterfront so I loved being able to capture them in the photo as they are something that every Seattle-ite will recognize.

4. Change your shoes: This sounds silly and totally vain but when I’m on vacation and doing touristy things I usually wear my most comfortable shoes that are not the most photo worthy.  There’s no way I’m walking miles in 4 inch heels, but, I’m the kind of person that will be annoyed by my ugly shoes in a photo! I will carry an extra pair of shoes in my bag to change into for photos.  Again, I know it’s the silliest thing but it’s really not hard to carry an extra pair and it truly makes me like the photo better when I like my whole outfit, including my shoes!

The Most Instagram Worthy Spots in Seattle

Have you visited Seattle before?  Did you go on the Great Wheel? I would love to know what your favorite spot was to visit!

OUTFIT DETAILS #1:
TOP \\ JEANS \\ SHOES \\ HAT \\ BAG

OUTFIT DETAILS #2:
DRESS \\ SHOES \\ BAG

All photos by the Kacy Yom team

Categories
health seattle Uncategorized

Life Time Athletic Grand Opening in Bellevue!

Life Time Athletic is the brand new luxury health club + gym located in the heart of downtown Bellevue, WA right inside The Shops at the Bravern.  Consistent with the vision of The Shops at the Bravern and fitting in with the posh downtown Bellevue scene, Life Time Athletic lives up to the standard of having the best customer service paired with ultimate luxury for fitness enthusiasts featuring endless inspiration and options!

I had the opportunity to check out the club before it officially opened to the public and had so much fun!  I wanted to share it with all of you before you go and check it out for yourself!

First, the space is BEAUTIFUL.  From the front entry lined with cushy chairs to the fresh flower decor throughout club, the space is meticulous and clean.  It really is a for everyone as they have a variety of studios including yoga, pilates, fitness, indoor cycling and barre studios.  The cardio and weights floor is expansive along with the gym and you’ll have chance to wind down and relax in the steam room or sauna.  Once you’re done with your workout or if fitness is not your thing, they also have the Life Spa where you can indulge in skin and massage services as well as the Life Cafe where you can enjoy chef-crafted meals, takeout options, smoothies (the Almond Butter smoothie is DELISH!) and protein-packed snacks.  As they say, if it’s there, it’s healthy!  Always a good thing!  😉

Next, my husband and I got to try out one of the fitness classes.  Always interested in Spartan races but never having had a chance to participate, we decided to go with the Spartan Strong workout.  This was a SERIOUS workout!  If you haven’t done Spartan races before, this is a great way to get a sneak peek of what they entail.  The thing I loved about it is that there was a lot of partner and/or teamwork.  These little weighted “pancakes” were the star of the show and worked us in so many ways!  The whole group gets going and everyone is working together.  It was awesome sweatin’ it out with everyone as there was a feeling of camaraderie when we were all done!

Finally, after our sweat sesh, we walked around the club, sipped on beer + wine and had some lite bites from the Life Cafe.  Everything was delicious and was nice to know that all the options are healthy, especially when you’re trying to stick with a nutrition plan.  If you don’t have time to sit down after a workout, they have a case of healthy grab-n-go options as well as a variety of snack bars.

All in all, Life Time Athletics is an EXCELLENT place that has thought of all the details for someone who is looking looking for the ultimate luxury health club experience.   For more information on membership, check out their website here!
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pacifica seattle sponsor Uncategorized

What to buy for out of town guests: Seattle Gift Ideas

Best Seattle Gift Ideas

This post is sponsored by Bartell Drugs.  All opinions are my own.

One of my favorite things to do for out of town guests is to give them a gift basket of local food and products.  Personally when I travel, I love looking for things that are specific to the city as I know I won’t be able to find it anywhere else, so I hope to show my guests all the great things that are made in the Pacific Northwest.  And not only that I’m obsessed with all these brands so it’s not that hard to pull together a great basket made up of all my favorite things as well.  And my favorite place to shop for all these is Bartell Drugs.  I am there at least once a week picking up daily essentials but then when I’m there I love to shop and browse all the great products that they have.

Best Seattle Gift Ideas

Pacifica is one of my favorite beauty brands.  Did you know that they are 100% vegan and cruelty free? I love their makeup but especially love their lotions.  All their scents smell amazing, I haven’t found one that I didn’t like.  They all make you think of a warm tropical destination.  The hand creams were on sale so I may have grabbed a few extra for myself 🙂 But I always have hand cream in my bags so I wanted to make sure that my guests could add it to their bag too.  The weather here can be so windy and cold so hands get dry so fast.  Moon Valley Organics has really unique products including the lotion bar.  it looks like soap but it’s lotion!  So it’s an easy and mess free way to use lotion.  It’s amazing for cuticles!  And I love that all the packaging is recyclable.

Pacifica Lotions Gift Basket Ideas

The chocolate! You can’t have a Seattle gift basket without some chocolate!  Theo and Seattle Chocolates are my favorite chocolates.  They not only taste great but have such fun and different flavors. I mean Birthday Cake Batter?  Yes, please!

Seattle and Theo Chocolates - Gift Basket Idea

I may be biased but Tim’s is the best chips around.  And I’ve tried a lot of chips but nothing compares to the texture and flavor.  My favorite flavor of all time is their Jalepeno chips.  No other chips even compare.  If you love spicy and love jalepeno, you have to give it a try.  You will crave them long after you’ve finished the bag!  My daughter loves Erin’s popcorn and I love that it’s always easy to get a bag for her at the store and she can munch on it in the car.  My husband eyed the Oberto jerky when I brought them home and I had to be clear that those weren’t for him!  But yes, even I love the Oberto beef jerky and I should have bought more!

Best Seattle Gift Ideas

I’ve got a great giveaway on my instagram,  head on over to enter a $100 Bartell Drugs Giftcard! Super easy to enter! I’ll choose a winner next week.

Best Seattle Gift Ideas

If you shop at Bartell Drugs you will notice that they have labels on their shelves that indicate which one are local products which I think is really neat!  For those of you in the Seattle area, make sure to check out all the local products they carry.  If you are planning on visiting, it’s a great place to stock up on Pacific Northwest products that aren’t your usual touristy gift items!  Just head to the store locator to find the one nearest you!

Categories
lookbook seattle tandjdesigns Uncategorized z-10

Tees for you and your girl squad (+ spilling some our our business secrets!)

A few weeks ago when my sister was in town, we decided to have a photo shoot for our clothing line, T&J Designs and feature some of our favorite Seattle bloggers!  It was a bit last minute and I’m so grateful for Molly from Style Miss Molly and Sarah from The Blonde Giraffe for taking some time out of their day to come shoot with us!

We headed to Alki Beach on one of the most beautiful days in Seattle!  We had so much fun shooting in the sun and beach.

We just released our new summer tees and they are all so much fun!  I thought it would be fun to share some of the process of our clothing line and some of our behind the scene “secrets”.  We get so many questions about how we started our line, how we produce our line, where we manufacture, etc… so I wanted to share some of our most frequently asked questions when it comes to our business!

A lot of people have asked what brand of tees we use to do our screen prints as most people do tend to go with a brand like American Apparel or Bella tees.  These tees are our own that are produced in LA and then screen printed here in Seattle. So when you buy one of our tees, they truly are our own and you won’t find the style anywhere else.

CABANAS AND COCKTAILS || HOLA BEACHES 
MARGARITAS FOR THE SENORITAS || POOL GIRL

We also get asked how we come up with all these sayings and if we do them ourselves.  The answer is, yes, it’s all us!  My sister, our graphic designer and I pretty much keep a running list of ideas that we send to each other and before every season.  We tend to release a new collection of tees once every other month but we always try to do new tees that are appropriate for each season.  We usually have a mega list of ideas and then narrow down from there and then our graphic designer pulls together a few designs for each phrase and then Jen and I finalize from there.

We try to make our tees a bit different and very much us, which is girly, fun and glam.  We have tees with glitter ink (which is not something you find a lot) and we’ve also started to add gold and pink foil like on these tees.

TEE || JEANS || SUNGLASSES || SHOES

Our tees are usually funny, but not negative or include “bad” words but we are not opposed to a play on those bad words 🙂 Our best selling tees are ones that include wine, champagne or tacos on them!

TACO BELLE || MARGARITAS FOR THE SENORITAS
TACOS AND TEQUILA || PIZZA & PROSECCO

We’ve had a lot of customers buy our tees for girls trips, bachelorette parties and wine tastings.  We absolutely love it when we get photos of customers and their friends all wearing the tees, it’s just so cute! I love girl’s trips and think it’s so fun when you do a “theme” and these tees are fun to be matchy without totally having to buy the exact same thing.

TEE || JEANS || SHOES || SUNGLASSES

GET ALL OUR SUNGLASSES HERE

It’s funny because my sister and I love taking photos but we don’t actually have a lot together!  It was nice to get together and take some of just the 2 of us.  A lot of people also ask us how it is working together and working with our family but honestly we both wouldn’t have it any other way.  We do butt heads sometimes, but in the end our goals are always the same in that we both want what’s best for the company and really that’s what’s most important.


TEE || JEANS || SUNGLASSES || SHOES


GET OUR HATS HERE!

This shoot was one of my favorites that we did!  We usually do our shoots in Chicago, where my sister lives so this was our first in Seattle and we definitely hope to do more!

I’m also thrilled to announce that Jen and I will be speaking at the Women Who Slay conference in Las Vegas in a few weeks!  If you are local or will be in town, would love for you to attend and meet you!  Jen and I will be speaking about our business and how we use our online influence to help grow our business and more!  See below for the details and you can purchase tickets HERE.