These pictures were taken as the fall leaves began turning while the summer weather lingered.
I agree with William Cullen Bryant that autumn is “the year’s last, loveliest smile.”
Somehow my camera has a creative mind of its own, as you can see from this change in colors. I didn’t even alter any of the settings. We could say this was a little fall night magic!
It put a smile on my face that lasted all evening long.
Dress and bag by Kate Spade.
I have no doubt that those of you who saw our video remember my friend, Ryan, and his terrific dating insights. If you missed his tips – from managing the friend zone to dealing with a love draught – here’s your chance to hear them. https://youtu.be/TgfApiCBvrI After our interview, he taught me to rock climb.
To say that I actually climbed is a bit of a stretch. As you can see, there was a lot of resting incorporated into the excursion;)
Ryan has dated a diverse group of women and this has given him insights that others who are not so open-minded and adventurous don’t have. Here’s another one of his philosophies, which I find wonderful: “I’ve been fortunate to date and make friends with women from around the world. Learning about other cultures is a valuable part of life. As we embrace the customs of other countries, we become more well-rounded people.” To Ryan, learning about others is so special that even when he isn’t finding someone he wants to date at the moment, finding new friends is worth the effort.
Today, I’m sharing that recipe with you, as unbelievable as the title may sound. It is the creation of culinary genius, Danielle Premo, of Mirinette. She has a specialized business as a personal chef for people with health issues who want someone to craft dishes for them that are both healthy and delicious. My boyfriend, Tom, arranged for us to take a soups-and-salads cooking class from her.
As you can see, it was great fun! And I’ll let you in on a little secret…this was the first time I learned how to properly use a knife. I know; most of us pick up the skill as kids at camp. Somehow, I bypassed that part of the experience, but thanks to Tom and Danielle, I’m no longer cutlery-challenged.
Danielle held the class at PCC Natural Markets, which is dedicated to organic and natural foods, with much of it coming from local farmers. Here is the recipe for that fabulous salad she concocted:
Shopping List for 4 to 6: 1) 1 pound seedless red grapes, halved, 2) two tablespoons grapeseed oil, divided, 3) 1½ teaspoons salt, divided, 4) one shallot, minced, 4) 2 leeks, cut in ¼-inch rounds, 5) 1 tablespoon coconut aminos, 6) 2 tablespoons soy-free vegenaise, 7) juice of 1 lemon, 8) ¼ cup orange juice, fresh squeezed, 9) 2 teaspoons honey, 10) ½ cup basil leaves, 11) 1-inch ginger, grated, 12) ½ teaspoon pepper, 13) 4 cups arugula, 14) 1 cup cooked gray green lentils, and, 15) ¼ cup hazelnuts, finely chopped.
Preheat the oven to 375º F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil.
In a mixing bowl, toss the grapes with 1 tablespoon oil and ½ teaspoon salt. Roast in the oven for about 25 minutes, or until the skins have wrinkled. Let cool for 5 minutes.
While the grapes roast, place a small skillet over medium-low heat. Add the remaining oil, shallots, leeks, and ½ teaspoon salt. Sauté for 5 to 7 minutes, until the shallots and leeks are tender; add the coconut aminos. Sauté an additional 3 minutes or until any liquid in the pan has evaporated. Remove for the heat and set aside.
Combine the vegenaise, lemon and orange juices, honey, basil, ginger, ½ teaspoon salt, and pepper in a blender and blend until creamy.
In a salad bowl, toss the grapes, arugula, lentils and caramelized leeks and shallots. Use tongs to plate the salad. Drizzle with the dressing and top with the chopped hazelnuts.
Trend Shows are like rock concerts with a catwalk! At least that was how I felt attending one with Rachel Zoe. There was music, cheering, and even spontaneous crowd dancing…
…not to mention mesmerizing style!
The lovely Cara Crowley, from Vogue, hosted the event. Between her, Rachel, and the models, there was just so much beauty on the runway!
One of the takeaways that I loved was the emphasis on recycled fashion. Most of us can’t pop for a new wardrobe every season. We’re lucky to splurge on a key item, and that perfectly ties into what these two stunners talked about. To gracefully transition into fall, trot out pieces you already own and pair them with something new. Here’s how…
https://instagram.com/p/8WWMgWifMa/
The audience hated to have the show end, and I just couldn’t leave without seeing it from the perspective of a presenter…if only for a minute:)
The high school homecoming season is upon us, and there are nervous girls out there wondering if they’re going to get an invite. I’ve learned through experience that just because a guy hasn’t asked you yet, doesn’t mean you have to cut yourself out of the fun. This video tells how. In it, I’m thinking back to my high school days and letting you know what I’d do differently if I could turn back the clock.
My dad recently had his 71st birthday. He looked at me and said, “I never thought I’d reach my 70s. That’s ancient.” My response? “Dad, you know the 70s are the new 50s.” And I meant it!
I honestly don’t think it matters what age we are. What matters is that we are enjoying that stage of life. I remember when I was in elementary school and some of my friends couldn’t wait to get to high school. And then once they reached high school, they couldn’t wait to get to college. And so on… Well, I say we don’t need to wait for anything. The age we are at right now is a wonderful time to live life to the fullest. Tonight is the start of a new weekend, and that is exactly what I plan to do.
And I can definitely tell you that my dad enjoyed his birthday dessert!
This is technically a fashion post, but I’ve never been one to let something like a “technicality” get in my way. I love the emails and messages that you all send me. I feel like I know you from them, even though I haven’t had the opportunity to meet most of you. I always try to answer dating questions privately, but I thought I’d start sharing some of them here on my blog, because if one girl has a question there are probably others who want the answer too.
Since today is technically (there’s that word again) about fashion, before I get down to the dating question, I want to hail to the fashion queen, Isabel. I’m talking about Isabel Marant Étoile, the more “affordable” end of Isabel Marant couture. With this French piece I’m wearing, you don’t have to transport yourself to the days of Great Gatsby. Just put it on and you’re already there in your flapper-esque frock perfect for twirling.
I took a break from my hillside romp to snap a picture of the lake. As you can see, it’s beautiful. Whenever I look at a beautiful scene, it reminds me of love because something beautiful is even more so when enjoying it with a loved one.
And that leads me to this charming question that one of you asked me: “I’ve just started dating. How do I know if I have fallen in love? This would be the initial stage. I know what it feels like to have butterflies in my stomach. Is love like having 500 butterflies?”
I would actually say yes. Of course, everyone feels love in her own special way, but here are some signs for me…
When I look at that special person, I don’t just feel like there are 500 butterflies in my stomach, I feel like the 500 butterflies are doing a dance.
I am so happy that the rest of the world melts away.
There is never enough time together. Whether we spend one hour or eleven, I want more.
When I hug him, I can’t tell whether I’m hearing his heart beating or mine, and it just doesn’t matter because that is how much I feel one with him.
When even the little joys in life remind me of him.
When I never want to leave him.
And I miss him when we’re apart.
If you aren’t bright-eyed in Bellevue, you will be – bright and early – if you attend Nordstrom’s Trend Show this Saturday, September 19th. Here are details for you beauty-loving babes.
There will be celebrity makeup artists, red carpet regulars, cosmetics tips, music, giveaways, and makeovers. For a preview of who you can get excited to see, this is Darais. He is Lancôme’s National Artist and regularly does up celebrities.
In preparation for Saturday’s cosmetics craze, I’m sharing one of Darais’ secrets to perfect-looking brows. In reality, no one is perfect, but that doesn’t mean a girl can’t use a little makeup magic to polish her look. I have one brow section that is lighter than the rest. Last time I saw Darais, he taught me to even it out by filling it in with an eyeliner pencil that is darker than my natural color before using my eyebrow pencil. Darais is scheduled to be in the Seattle area again this Saturday dispensing personal tips, as usual, to every lucky girl who stops by!
Last Monday was all about girls’ night confessions. Afterwards, I loved reading your messages about the need to get together with close friends every once in a while and cut loose. And I learned that girls’ nights can span generations. That happened to me last weekend. Here, my mom and I were out having fun snapping pictures of my new Milly find.
In my family, we love taking pictures. My mom always wants to be clicking the camera rather than standing in front of it. But she shouldn’t. Trust me, she’s a total babe!
We have fun experimenting with different poses and camera settings…especially when something like a Milly creation is involved.
Mom was in an extra-creative mood that night. She had recently seen a jewelry picture in a magazine where the model artistically fanned out her fingers across her face. When she suggested we create our own version of the look, I pointed out that I wasn’t really a model. Her answer? “Who lets a little thing like that stop her?” I love my mom!
My favorite part of the experience though, was when she looked at me and said, “We’re in serious need of a girls’ night. Let’s go to dinner.” We had so much fun telling jokes and laughing. And when the server asked Mom if she would like dessert, her answer was, “Hit me with it!” She ordered double fudge cake with whipped cream.
As you can see, I have a serious case of Seahawks pride! I think every Seattleite does. It’s not unusual to find aerobics classes here where instructors bar the doors to everyone who’s not donning blue-and-green on a game weekend.
But getting the right fit for your favorite team garb can be a bit challenging. Most sports stores don’t have fitting rooms, and the sizing for this type of apparel is varied. I’ve found that I’m different sizes in different styles, even within the same brand—and I’ve heard people say that when they buy something in their usual size and try it on at home, it doesn’t fit. That can really put a damper on your tailgating plans.
Here’s my solution: When you hit up the local sports store to buy your favorite team’s garb, wear yoga shorts and a tight-fitting top. Then slip on your selections over them right there in the store, regardless of how many people could be watching. There’s usually a mirror around, and you’ll know exactly how they fit. Problem solved! Now it’s time to proceed with team pride for Sunday’s official season kickoff!
Guys seem to find girls’ nights intriguing. As my friend Annie says, “The big problem with these time-honored rituals is that men do ask about them and women don’t tell.” Well, she decided it was time to change that, so she wrote this guest blog. She had just returned from an intense medical project in Africa and was about to leave for more medical work in another state. What she wanted most for her brief break was a girls’ night, but the men in her life didn’t understand so she is making these confessions to them…
Confession 1: We take selfies. Beyond that, we ditch the electronics. Don’t worry when we don’t text back or answer your calls. We silence our phones in order to enjoy our girl-time to the fullest.
Confession 2: We are carefree! We let our inhibitions go. We may pull out the moves on the dance floor that we usually only do when alone in our bedrooms with a hairbrush as a microphone. We shimmy, we get down, and we have a good time.
Confession 3: We are perfectly imperfect. We have our moments where we are insecure and let it all out. Girls’ night is about being encouraging and reminding each other that each of us is beautiful, flaws and all.
Confession 4: We appreciate you. We love our girlfriends, but we also love being home snuggling with our men. Our night of craziness would not be as fun if we didn’t know that you care.
Teen girls, college girls, independent single women, married women, newly divorced women adjusting to a new life… We all love our girl time! Did we answer some of your worries? Some of your curiosities? Girls’ nights make us better people, but it’s hard to describe how.
Love, Annie
As you can see, Annie has girls’ night down to a science. Well, that makes a lot of sense—she’s a girl and a scientist.
When I heard that Seattle’s Sorrento Hotel (circ. 1909) had undergone a renovation, I just had to see it—and find out if people claim that the fashionable grande dame is still in residence that they think has haunted it for decades. Since all who say they have seen her state that she wears vintage gowns, I donned this frock. It’s something I picked up the last time I was in Hawaii.
I paired it with some Nordstrom bracelets by Judith Jack and Nadri. Here is a picture of them laying on a piece of Moroccan tile in the hotel dining room.
So if you get a chance to visit the beautiful Sorrento Hotel, now you’re up to date on both the renovation and the rumors!
