Katherine Chloé Cahoon

Today, I’m continuing my Seattle travel series by focusing on the chocolate scene. Every time I take a trip, dessert plays a major role in the adventure…and I want every bite to be memorable. So in this video, I’m taking you on a Chocolate Walk in the Greater Seattle Area.

This isn’t the first time I’ve talked about the Sorrento Hotel. In my mind, it’s been on the hot list for quite awhile. If you’d like to hear why this place IS the place to be, here’s my “100 Years on the Hot List” post describing it.

When Kylee and I headed out to take pictures here, she was concerned that we would not be allowed to shoot in such an elegant establishment. But I assured her that this wasn’t just any beautiful hotel—it was the Sorrento. So we went in with our equipment, reflector and all. You see, the Sorrento isn’t known just for its stunning décor, but for its friendly vibe. Not only did the staff let us take pictures, but the concierge invited us up to see the Penthouse, which was being prepped for an event later that night, and the manager made a point of welcoming us. Now that’s a hotel for you!

In this video, I’m teaching step-by-step from one of Ariana’s live performances…

To see Ariana’s dancers performing the choreography… https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4mbdHHv6yV8 (3:03-3:21)  Here I’m dancing the choreography with music… https://www.instagram.com/p/BGfE2pSCfDG/

This is what I call, “recycling a look.” It’s been a bit since Olivia Wilde painted her face in these stunning burgundy hues, but the picture keeps resurfacing. Today, I’m showing how you can do something similar. My palette is from years ago, but it’s all Bobbi Brown and she is featuring similar hues today.

This entire look can be created with Bobbi’s Everything Eyes Palette…minus the mascara and lip-gloss…which is fitting since you can, in fact, do everything but that with the Everything Palette.

If you have a favorite brand that isn’t Bobbi, it probably has comparable hues too.

Here are the steps to Olivia’s popular look:

First, brush the cream shadow all over your eyelid.

Second, take a fluffy brush and mix the darker and lighter burgundy colors together.

To get this look with my old palette, I mixed my pink blush and burgundy eyeshadow. Who says a girl can’t put a little blush on her eyelids?!

Use most of the product on your lid, focusing in the crease and blending down to your eyelashes.

Third, dust whatever product remains on your brush underneath your lower lashes for a slightly-smoky look.

Fourth, for an ethereal feel, don’t add eyeliner. Mascara will finish off your face beautifully.

Fifth, slip on some lip-gloss. I went for MAC Versicolour Stain in Always & Forever.

I’ve heard people say, “I’ll be happy when…” They finish the statement with “I graduate,” or “I get that job,” or “I get married.” Well, friends, happiness can’t be penciled in on the calendar. Life is about finding joy every day. I have a close friend with a relative who is a multi-millionaire. This person never has to worry about making ends meet, or saving for a rainy day…but that doesn’t make her happy. She keeps herself so busy sitting at her desk scrutinizing her bank accounts that she never looks out her window to marvel at the wonders of the sun, much less step outside and enjoy it. When I heard this, I decided that I was going to take more time to schedule balance into my life.

Dress by Alice and Olivia.

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Here you can learn the steps from Sofia’s music video…

To see her doing the moves… Visit here…  (:40-1:00)

To practice with me and the music, head on over to Instagram…

I’m the kind of girl who just has to leap across the grass when I see an open field filled with daisies and I’m wearing a new dress! Hope you’re all having a terrific day.

Checkout Dress by Kate Spade.

If you’d like to learn the moves Jennifer does while she’s belting out the lyrics to Ain’t Your Mama, watch my dance tutorial here.

But beware, this song is catchy. I found myself singing it out loud—which is scary considering my lack of singing skills. They should strictly be reserved for the shower!

You can watch Jennifer dancing the choreography…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pgmx7z49OEk (4:12-4:44)

To do her moves to the music along with me on Instagram…

https://www.instagram.com/p/BGFnFfhCfMX/

I don’t know about you, but it doesn’t take much for me to have an excuse to get dressed-up! So when I went to a 1920’s party, I was decked-out in the era from head-to-toe…including my nails.

This art deco-inspired polish is a twist on the traditional French nail. Julie, my favorite manicurist, taught me how to create it. First, paint your nails in one color. I went for a light lavender. Second, choose a contrasting but complimentary hue to draw two diagonal streaks ending in a point in the middle of each nail. Third, add a clear top coat. Apply a few more coats before your next manicure to maintain a high polish and protect the underlying color.

Lavender and Silver Polish from OPI…

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Here’s a step-by-step dance tutorial, plus a makeup tutorial, to Meghan’s latest hit.

To see her performing the choreography… https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qDRORgoZxZU (2:10-2:44) And to dance along with me to her music… https://www.instagram.com/p/BF-b4oPifHL/

If you’d like to recreate Meghan’s makeup from her music video, the products are featured on https://www.hotdot.tv

If you’re not on Snapchat, you may not be familiar with my photo-taking shenanigans (katherinechloe). I’m definitely not one of those bloggers supported by a professional, four-person team. It’s often just me, my camera, and a tripod. You snapchatters have witnessed my whole juggling act of setting up my equipment, dashing in front of my camera just as the automatic timer goes off, and then snap-chatting while racing back to my car, hoping to make it before the time expires on my parking meter!

So that’s one of the reasons why I especially love the times when my friend, Kylee, takes the pictures, like today. The other reason is that we always have a ton of fun…chatting about our love lives, the week’s highpoints and mishaps, and laughing. I don’t know why it is, but whenever we embark on a shooting spree, someone seems to be hosting an event at our venue, and that makes the whole process even more enjoyable.

Dress by Milly.

Lately, I’ve been doing a blog series on Travel Talk for the Seattle area. If you’d like to see the other posts, here they are. Today, I’m featuring what many have considered the #1 Seattle restaurant for decades…and it still lives up to that reputation.

My mom has lived in Seattle for 28 years and wanted to have a Canlis experience the entire time. We were seated with a gorgeous view of Lake Union, our friendly server provided detailed, mouth-watering descriptions of each dish, and the pianist rolled out one jazzy tune after another, from classics to current hits.

When dinner was served, I was in cuisine heaven. As the last course arrived, Mr. Canlis personally greeted us. We had noticed some men had tied swing ropes to a tree outside our window, and were sitting in them, shooting pictures of the festivities going on inside. I was so intrigued that I took a picture of them. Later, I learned that they were members of the Canlis clan. One of them had climbed the tree and taken pictures as a child. He was recreating the experience.

There’s sunshine in the heart of me, My blood sings in the breeze; The mountains are a part of me, I’m fellow to the trees. ~Robert W. Service (1874–1958), “A Rolling Stone,” 1912

Halter top by Guess from Macy’s.

There is magic in creating something wonderful from nothing. A book comes from a blank piece of paper. A sculpture comes from a lump of clay. And a garden comes from a patch of dirt. When, as a child, I had to let go of my trampoline due to a crippling back condition, I decided to turn the space where it had sat into a secret garden.

I immersed myself in horticulture books, landscaping seminars, and volunteer projects at the Seattle Arboretum Foundation. Then, I patterned this little plot of ground after a poem I’d written as an escape from my childhood nightmare of scoliosis and all the painful treatments I endured to overcome it. The garden took years to create.

I called the poem Rainbow Ranch, and even included a section with flowers in arching rows signifying the seven colors of the rainbow.

In the center of the garden, I placed a child-sized bed made from second-hand pieces of rusted iron, and planted with flowers representing the dust ruffle, quilt, and pillow. In my imagination, this was the place where my dream of a better life occurred.

There was a gazebo for al fresco dining, and a walkway between it and a potting shed that was created by mixing childhood mementos and crushed up blue dishes to represent a stream.

When it was finished, my little garden won the Golden Scoop award at the Northwest Flower and Garden Show.

Sometimes in life, I have to remind myself of the nine-year-old girl who headed out to the library to get her first horticulture book after looking up the definition of the word, “horticulture” in the dictionary. I love taking on challenges, and I hope you all do too.

I was delighted to win an award for my garden, but as I look back on this experience, I realize that winning is not what is important. It’s that we pick ourselves up from setbacks, push ourselves out of our comfort zones, try, have fun, and learn.

 

Last week, I shared my experiences on a weekend getaway to the tiny town of La Conner—a no-miss for anyone interested in visiting the Emerald State. Today, I’m continuing my Washington travel theme. That way, you’ll be covered when planning your trip. This post focuses on Kirkland, a waterfront town only 20 minutes from Seattle.Kirkland has everything a traveler could want. You can stroll down docks filled with sail boats, motor boats, and friendly Mariners. You can get world class ice cream cones or macaroons, and sit on the beach enjoying them while watching the parade of boats cruising by.
You can add to the foot traffic on the art walk through the several fine galleries, find unique pieces in the home furnishing shops, and stroll the delightful Corridor Trail, with a view of the water and a feel of the country.

When it comes to dining, you can choose from an array of restaurants, but I’d suggest Watercress. The food is delicious, the cost is reasonable, and since it is yet to be discovered, you’ll have no problem finding a table. But I don’t expect that to last for long!
So you can see why Kirkland is a place to love.