Born and raised in the Pacific Northwest I feel most alive surrounded by trees and breathing in the fresh mountain air.
When I am not working you will most likely find me spending time outdoors, volunteering with my church and exploring this beautiful planet with my family.
This is my place to share my passion for life and to encourage you to take time to find the extraordinary in your life.
All tagged Restaurants
This past Summer, we enjoyed a spectacular meal at Hama Hama Oysters with Outstanding in the Field. The meal was one of the highlights of our Summer and we were privileged to enjoy Sea Wolf Bakers bread right before their brick and mortar opened. Seven months later, we finally paid a visit to their retail shop and enjoyed a few tasty treats on a slow Saturday.
On a rainy afternoon, I made my way over to Cafe Trophy to participate in the first ever Trophy Workshop presented by Marabou Design. It was a delightful afternoon filled with sweet treats from Cafe Trophy, the opportunity to learn a new skill and a chance to meet a few creative ladies who live in the area. I have always wanted to learn how to do modern calligraphy, so I jumped at the chance when I saw Brandy would be teaching a class in such a fun and intimate setting.
When we go on a city vacations the food is always what gets us the most excited to get out of bed in the morning. The best part of traveling to a world class city like San Francisco is there are always more places we want to eat than meals in a day. Especially now that we have a perpetually hungry toddler, our city vacations go a little something like this: walk, eat, sleep, repeat.
Some times you eat and other times you feast. Our recent anniversary dinner at Wolf in the Fog in Tofino was definitely the latter. Aside from the jaw dropping scenery from the top deck, the friendly and attentive staff and innovative dishes being pumped out of the kitchen Wolf in the Fog is a place whose food lingers in your mind. From the Potato Crusted Oyster to the Bamfield Seaweed Salad to the Moroccan Spiced Octopus to the Shellfish and Chicken Laksa each dish was a delight to all senses.
At the end of an unassuming gravel road on San Juan Island there exists a place unlike anywhere else. A quiet, unpretentious place which delights your sense, satisfies your belly, sparks your creativity and challenges you to rethink how you present food at your own home. Duck Soup Inn is home to Kyle Nicholson, an amazing chef, who is known throughout the island and beyond as a food pioneer. Before taking the reigns at Duck Soup Inn Kyle has been the Executive Chef at the Friday Harbor House. After meeting Kyle I was impressed by his quiet strength and his calm presence. Throughout the island he is thought of as a creative force and I firmly believe he is on his way to making Duck Soup Inn a destination.
While visiting Woodinville the other week we stumbled upon this lovely brunch spot called The Commons. As soon as we stepped foot into this bustling space I was in love. From the light and bright interior to the piles of pastries under large glass domes, this spot is well appointed in every way. Once our food came we were delighted with an explosion of flavors. Although this place is a little out of our normal routine, it is definitely the type of place worth visiting again and again.
While in Whitefish I had the opportunity to spend some time with the owners of Sweet Peaks, Marissa and Sam. I met them at their Whitefish shop early one morning and were greeted by six smiling faces (five of which comprised their family and one employee). After spending just moments with them I was immediately impressed by their friendliness and teamwork. In my opinion you can tell a lot about a couple by how they interact with their children and Marissa and Sam seem to be equally adored by them. Aside from their great personalities and adorable family Marissa and Sam are serving up some killer ice cream; from salty caramel and chocolate love to strawberry sorbet and honey cinnamon their flavors are intense, but not overpowering and the creaminess of their ice cream is unparalleled. My morning spent with Marissa and Sam was a good reminder of the type of people I like my money to support and reinforced my belief in the importance of both eating and shopping locally.
There are so many places in Seattle I repeatedly hear about and the Volunteer Park Cafe is one of those places. Since we have never visited before, we made it a point to stop by last Saturday for brunch. When we arrived, I was surprised to see just how far the line to order stretched out the door. Once inside, the large, bustling communal tables gave the place a real sense of community. Parking was a breeze, the food was delicious and there were so many tantalizing options on the menu I am certain we will be back soon. I ordered the Bacon, Arugula and Fontina quiche, Cameron enjoyed the pulled pork sandwich, Jasper had a Cherry Almond scone and we all fought over the Chocolate Chip Toffee cookie.
All of the sudden my little baby has turned into a walking, talking, dog loving, board book aficionado and I could not be prouder. Just when I think he has reached the best age, a month goes by and he becomes even more delightful. Last week, as I was admiring how his new haircut made him look older I reflected on the past fifteen months. Often, it is hard to imagine what life was like prior to his arrival. He fills my days with laughs, giggles, smiles and the occasional display of independence. It is an honor to have a front row seat to see the person he is going to become, to be his safe haven and the recipient of his endless affection. He is the friendliest, most outgoing guy I know and for as little as he is he has a heart the size of an elephant.
For months I have seen enticing photos of General Porpoise all over Instagram. One Saturday morning, Jasper and I finally visited to see what all the hype was about. What we found when we arrived was a light and bright interior, friendly staff, tantalizing favors, delicious donuts and about one million other reasons we will be returning again soon. The moment we sat down at the counter and I gave Jasper his Vanilla Custard doughnut he was all business about devouring it. It was like he couldn't believe his good fortune in getting such a special treat all to himself. Little did he know I was silently savoring my Chocolate Marshmallow all to myself too. I love how social media has helped create a buzz of support for these little places dotted around the city. We can't wait to return and try all the other flavors very soon.
Living in Seattle, we are spoiled to be surrounded not only by water, but fresh seafood galore. I realize this might be a novelty for many, but for us it is a common occurrence to enjoy a meal water side. One of our favorite places to go for happy hour on a Friday evening is Anthony's Homeport in Shilshoe Bay. Our chosen place to eat is out on their back deck which provides beautiful views and delicious food. A few of our favorite happy hour eats are their mussels and frites and their hamburger. They also offer a Sunset Supper where for $21.95 you can enjoy a four course dinner before 6pm.
While staying in Friday Harbor we enjoyed a leisurely dinner at Coho Restaurant. The restaurant was intimate, the service attentive, and the food was delicious. The owners Anna Maria and Dave could be seen bustling about as they took orders, served food and chatted with guests. This is the type of place if you visit more than once they would remember your name, greet you with a sincere smile and treat you like their best friend. While chatting with Anna Maria in between courses I was reminded why I am such a big proponent of small businesses. I admire people like Anna Maria, who have carved out a life for herself where she can do what she loves on her own terms.
I realize I am probably the last person in Seattle to dine at Matt's in the Market, but in the event there are others of you out there might I convince you it is worth the hype. On my birthday after work we went to Matt's in the Market for an early dinner. I really enjoy getting to a restaurant once they open or being able to get an early seating time because there is nothing I despise more than going somewhere nice and not being able to hear my handsome date talk to me.
We started the meal with beet salads and then enjoyed seafood stew and halibut. The seafood stew had a ginger based broth and I simply raved about the unique flavor combination throughout the rest of the meal. We ended dinner with dessert which is something we rarely ever do and enjoyed an inventive candy bar square. There is something so satisfying about delicious food and wonderful company, it is the perfect combination for any occasion.
On my birthday I hoped for two things: I wanted there to be sunshine at some point in the day and I wanted to have brunch somewhere I had never been. I am happy to report, both of these things came to pass and were the perfect start to my special day. I decided to meet my friend, Kristi, at Oddfellows for brunch because I continuously hear good things about it. The weather that morning was so bright and sunny we were able to sit outside and enjoy our brunch al fresco. Sunshine and seventy degree weather in the middle of October is pretty much the best birthday present I could possibly ask for.
Last year, Seattle Met voted Mamnoon the best restaurant in Seattle. Ever since we read the reviews we have been meaning to head over and check it out. Mamnoon summarizes its food as a modern union of middle eastern cuisines. A year later we finally made it and all I can say is WOW! The flavor combinations were dynamite and the food left you feeling satisfied, but not overly stuffed.
One of my absolute favorite things to do is try new restaurants where the food created is stuff I would never think to make on my own. Pair the adventure of a new place with an evening out with friends and you have yourself the perfect night out in my book.
Every year in celebration of our anniversary we have dinner at Ray's boathouse. Ray's is a special place to us because this is where we had our wedding reception. Adjacent to the restaurant is a private building which can be rented out for events. It is nice to have such a scenic and special place to return to year after year. After a cloudy day the skies momentarily parted and we were able to enjoy dinner outside on the deck.
