Random Acts of the Month: August

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Okay, I admit it. I'm a wannabe photographer (or, let's say aspiring photographer...I like the sounds of that much better). As I've been learning, I've been told that you need to take a lot of photos to get a few goods ones. That means I whip out my camera everywhere. I'm pretty certain that this annoys the heck out of Josh. In fact, I have photos of him sticking out his tongue or frowning. But I caught him the other day looking through all my Instagrams and enjoying the memories. 

The point in telling you all this is: I have a lot of photos. And I sometimes one photo doesn't justify an entire post. That's why I'm doing these random acts of the month...because I want to share all my random photos. 

Here's my randomness for August! 

We tried a new Mexican restaurant for lunch called TNT Taqueria. And we discovered the most delicious churros. Horchata and churros on a hot August day was heavenly. 

One weekend we found ourselves in Pioneer Square around lunch time. As we figured out where to eat, I saw this "Just be your Selfie" sign. Now that definitely called for a selfie.

On that same outing, we found our lunch place, The London Plane. I fell in love with the atmosphere of this restaurant. I was wondering around as we waited for a table, and turned and smiled at myself. (Note: This restaurant was recently a nominee in Bon Appetit for American's best restaurant in 2014).

Outside of The London Plane (yes, I was picture crazy that day) was a cute, little dahlia cart. Adorbs.

Okay, last one from that afternoon (gosh, maybe this did have enough for it's own post...oh well). This was a shot as we walked in the alley. Pioneer Square has the coolest architecture!

My office participated in the Wayzgoose event again this year. We got runner up with this awesome print. But I already told you all about this awesomeness. 

We went to the Seattle Street Food Festival with our friends Aaron & Liddy. Food trucks are the hip thing now. We're so cutting edge!

We randomly stopped at Kerry Park, and it just so happened to be the day before the super moon. I didn't have my camera, but my iPhone did a pretty good job. Check out some of these super moon photos in Seattle...super moon is super cool. 

We stopped for lunch in Fremont and came across this awesome graffiti. I was feeling pretty hipster with my hat and all the graffiti. 

We meandanered over the water to Kirkland to check out Lady Yum since I go gaga over macarons. The flavors were awesome. Besides the below, here's another photo (via Instagram) with me be artsy-fartsy.

My office went out to a Sounders Game. We're such cool Katz. Read more about it.

We went out again to Vashon to see the sheepdog trials. Remember it from last year? I'll share more about this outing later. Smart dogs rule!

This was a wonderful Friday treat at the office...Yellow Leaf Cupcakes. And look at that fab view from my desk.

Look at this catch? Isn't he so handsome? I enjoyed some tapas and wine with this fine fellow at Bottle House.

Roar! Or maybe it's a meow? But meow doesn't sound so fierce. We caught a glimpse of this leopard at Point Defiance Zoo. But I'll tell you more about this day later.

And I'll end with another gorgeous Seattle sunset.

Goodbye August!

Local Spotlight: Best Pizza Places

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Happy Labor Day weekend! I hope you're out doing something totally awesome. Josh and I are having a lovely, lazy Saturday morning (with a drizzle outside). It feels awesome (even though the weather doesn't feel totally Labor Day-ish).

When I think of Labor Day food, I usually picture hamburgers & hotdogs. Bad news for you: I didn't go eat at hamburger joints and take pictures (please note: I did eat at hamburger joints, though). BUT, I did eat at pizza joints and took pictures. Pizza is in the same food family as hamburgers, right? That's a rhetorical question. Don't answer it.

That was my entirely-too-long lead in to tell you how this is list of my favorite pizza places in Seattle. Since my opinion is everything, that means this is the list of best pizza places in Seattle. You're welcome. Here we go (not in any particular order):

The Masonry

Josh and I stumbled upon the Masonry quite unexpectedly. We had just been to an event (honestly, I can't remember what event. I think maybe the winter Urban Craft Uprising). We were hungry and didn't know where we wanted to eat in Lower Queen Anne. We decided to just walk around and see what we could see...and we saw the Masonry. It was it's fourth day being open, so it was brand spanking new. We sat at the window and enjoyed a squash pizza with a spiced ricotta with a scrumptiously chewy crust. I fell in love.......with the pizza (people, duh, I'm already in love with Josh). I was thrilled to see it was featured in Sunset magazine last month. Just remember, Josh and I found it first. 

Delancey (and Essex)

This is a well-known pizzeria here, and has a rep for being one of the best already (even New York Times noticed it). So this isn't anything new. However, I'm here to tell you all the hype about it is valid. I like this pizza so much that it's where I had my birthday meal this year (it was a mid-week birthday, wahhh). They usually have seasonal toppings on the chalkboard, which you can add-on. The crust is thin, but not crunchy; a lovely chew that doesn't destroy your jaw. I love the white pie (minus garlic) with kale (when it's on the chalkboard). Yum. Better yet, Essex is next door (same owners). When you wait for your table at Delancey, just have a cocktail. Good things come in twos, eh? 

Pagliacci

This is our pizza delivery go-to, and it's delicious. It's no Round Table, or Papa Johns delivery. It belongs up in the big pizza leagues with the others on this list. It has great flavors options, and great crust, too. It's not really the wood-fired, thin crust neapolitan pizzas, but more traditional pizza with a thicker crust (but not crazy thick). I enjoy the Chicken & Spinach pie and add ricotta. The have stores all around the great Seattle area, hence why the delivery is so great. 

Veraci

You'll usually find Veraci at most of the farmer's markets here in Seattle. They bring a wood-fired oven with them and cook up pizza for all the farmer's market goers. You can purchase a whole pie, or just a slice (or two). It's very thin and sometimes has a bit of a crispiness around the edges. I love their florentine pizza Again, with ricotta (but it comes with it). I love ricotta on my pizza. If you haven't tried it, please do. Anyway, I like this for a on-the-go / quick bite since they are at the markets or have their small store-front in Ballard. (Sorry, just have this one photo).

Cornuto

Have you watched Gordon Ramsey's show Kitchen Nightmares? This restaurant was NOT on it. But when Gordon was running an episode at a nearby Greek restaurant, he apparently ate at Cornuto. According to the waitress, he said this pizza was true, Italian style and delicious. I don't think this waitress was lying; the pizza is great. And the ambiance is dark and romantic. It's a cozy place in the Phinney Ridge neighborhood. Josh and I usually split a pizza and get a salad. We tend to vary it up, but the margherita is to die for. However, the gnocchi is also melt-in-your-mouth good. We haven't gone yet, but I hear the happy hour is great.

Via Tribunali

Via Trib and Cornuto are sister restaurants, so it's no surprise that we like them both. The menus are somewhat similar, but each does have something different to offer. This is also a cozy restaurant and it's just up on top of Queen Anne, but there are a few more locations around town. We love to get the Via Tribunali Specialita della Casa, which is more of a calzone pizza. Perfectly chewy, fresh and delicious toppings. It's one of those pizza where the first few slices are so hot and fresh that you usually need to fold the slice sandwich style to get it into your mouth. (Sorry, it was dark when we ate there so the pictures weren't great).

Serious Pie

If you're a foodie, then you know Tom Douglas is the chef de la chefs of Seattle (along side Ethan Stowell and Matt Dillon). Serious Pie is Douglas' answer to pizza pie and it's pretty dang good. I really enjoy the pie with yukon gold potatoes - simply delicious. There are two locations, and both mostly downtown. I prefer the Westlake restaurant, which is also a biscuit place in the mornings (Serious Biscuit). You really can't go wrong here.

Kylie's Chicago Pizza

If you know me, you know my extended family lives in Chicago (or nearby). My parents were born and raised Chicagoans. They love Lou Malnati's and Ginos East, and I was raised up eating this upside down, deep dish pizza (we'd visit Chicago most summers). If you haven't had Chicago deep dish, then let me tell you something....it's filling and delicious. It's pizza you need to eat with a fork and knife, and a slice or two will do you (oh, sure you can eat more but  you'll feel that food baby later). So, we aren't in Chicago (obviously), but let Kylie's transport you. Note: Patxis just opened in Ballard and is also a good Chicago style pizza (we first tried this in the Bay Area). 

Tutta Bella

This was the first pizza we tried in Seattle. Our good family friends, Vince and Jonita, brought us along with Josh's parents. We haven't been to it in a while because we usually end up at one of the above places, but this is solid, wood-fired pizza. It's good for kids, too. Plus some great salads. It definitely deserves a place on this list of bests. This is my parent's favorite Seattle pizza, too. (Sorry, no pictures).

That's it. There are still many places to explore and test out. In fact, here's a place I'd like try: Mio Posto. And/or eat through this list. Hungry now? Go get pizza.

PIZZA PIZZA. EAT IT. (and enjoy).

Work Break: Sounders

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Last Wednesday, a large group of my co-workers took a break from work. No we didn't play hooky and skip the workday - are you kidding? There is too much work to be done for that (oh sorry, the program manager part of me just spoke up)! But it was great to hang out with my awesome co-workers outside of the work place. 

For our big outing, we went to see the Pride of the Pacific Northwest...the Sounders. We took up a good chuck of a section - maybe 6 rows, or so. As you can see, we are a pretty rambunctious group - like Rick doing the moose ears back there. 

My immediate team, which I've decided to call "Cool Catz" (oh! maybe we should have that with a "K" instead! Now, that's what I'm talking about... "Cool Katz" - I like it!), was all there as well. We're pretty kool!

Side Note: I have no idea, seriously NO IDEA, who that crazy girl is that photo bombed our Cool Katz selfie. Crazy!  

We had a great time - even better that we weren't at work. And even better than all that...the treats! We got them from Diane's Delights booth. (Remember her? She showed me how to make cake pops).

Do you like my photo series? This is how it goes. Josh was scared, Josh took a bite, Josh loved it.  Heather got a macaron, Heather went in for mega bite,  Heather chomped it. 

That's really it. There is only so much to tell you about a work outing. Oh wait...there was soccer game. Riigggghhhttt. Too many selfies and treats distracting us. Well, the Sounders tied. We should have won, but at least we didn't lose. I stilled loved how the crowd gets into the spirit with the coordinating clapping and the cheering ("Seattle...Sounders" Or "Fight and Win"), streams, and fireworks. I went into a lot more detail on my first Sounder game post. 

Good team. Good soccer. Good treats. Well, just a good evening! 

Way to Go...Wayzgoose

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You might remember Wayzgooze from last year? Maybe not. It's not like I expect you to follow my life or anything. Or wait a minute, you do...if you read my blog that is. So you really should remember. And if you don't, then maybe you need to start reading this blog more. I mean come on people, my life rocks. At least, that's what I lead you to believe (insert Heather's evil laugh). 

Seriously now. Last Friday was the annual Wayzgooze event. This is the second year my company has entered, but this year as Oracle. It's a ton of fun, and it's so awesome to see my creative peeps at work. This year we had even more of a turn out (probably since word got out about how fun it is). Not to mention our print rocked.

This year the event was at the South Lake Union Block Party, so there were many more folks around. I wasn't sure how it'd go being at the block party, but the printing was off to the side in the parking lot and it actually turned out great (although a bit hot). 

Time out: Are you sitting there scratching your head about what the heck Wayzgoose is? Okay, I'll pause and explain. Basically, there are teams (from a company or group) and there is a theme (this year it was South Lake Union). Each team designs a poster then transfers that design onto a sheet of linoleum, crave it out, and at the end you have a huge stamp. At the event, you roll paint onto the stamp, place poster paper on top, and then a steamroller runs over it (instead of a printing press).

Let me share some photos! Here's the carving in action in the office.

And here's us painting and carefully placing the poster down and then off.

The steamroller, of course...it's cool. (Sorry for the fuzzy photo, I only took my cell phone with me).

Our beautiful poster. I was amazed at the details our team was able to pull off. We got honorable mention - basically second place. We really should have gotten first place. Not that I'm biased, but it's true! 

Here is the winner (the red one on the far right) and the other honorable mentions. They were good, I guess. Yea, okay, they were good.

The winner poster is a unicorn and was created by TenGun. The horn is the Space Needle. It says SLU (South Lake Union, or Seattle Loves Unicorns). Cute. The Otter was created by DrawSeattle (I believe). Lastly, the Octopus was created by Starbucks Creative. 

I must admit, all the posters were pretty fantastic. 

What a great event?! Our team was happy with our second year winning a trophy. Go Oracle! Yay team! Look at us...such winners.

Are you dying for more photos? Well, my co-worker, Henry, took some great shoots. I don't think he'd mind if you had a look. 

Be on the lookout for Wayzgoose again next year! I'm pretty sure we'll be in first place - third time is a charm, right? 

Summer Vacay: Utah

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At long last I'm writing about our Utah trip. I know, I know, it took me for-ev-er. But really it was only a month ago. Since returning, I had the conference and a LOT of work. Plus, I wanted to get my millions of photos cleaned up and posted. But now I'm here and ready to share.

No, I'm not Mormon. This tends to be the first question people ask (or think to themselves, at least) when I say I went to Utah. Yes, we went to Utah and no not I'm not Mormon. We chose Utah because my in-laws invited us and a good friend of theirs had lent them a great condo (Mont Cervin) in Deer Valley. Lucky us - we basically got a free place to stay, and it was killer to boot. 

I don't want to bore you with every last detail. Oh, and you know I would. Ask Josh how I detail out every thing in my day when he asks the innocent, simple question: "How was you day?" So I'm going to do my best to cover just the highlights. 

Salt Lake City 

We weren't in SLC very long--most of our time was in Deer Valley just near Park City. But we flew in/out of SLC. Our first day, we did a little touring of the city. As you probably guessed, the main attraction is the Mormon Temple. Man, it's a huge and impressive temple. It just towered into the sky. 

Flight into SLC & Mormon Temple

Fourth of July

Our first, full day on the trip was the Fourth of July. We headed down to Park City for a true blue American parade. I hadn't been to a parade since I was a little girl. It was fun to see the USA spirit and celebrate our great country. 

In the evening, we went to the Deer Valley Music Festival and saw the Texas Tenors. We had a nice picnic on the lawn and listened to them sing American, country, and other fun songs. At the end, they advertised their Valentine's Day cruise...umm, no. But it was a fun evening. 

4th of July - Parade & Texas Tenors

Heber Raft 'n Rail

This was one of my favorite days. We went on the Heber Raft 'n Rail adventure. We took a classic steam locomotive, the Heber Creeper, down Provo Canyon. Then we hopped into a raft and went down the Provo River. It was Class I rapids, so let's just call it like it is...floating. Our guide, Jessie, let me guide the raft for a few minutes. Check me out rowing (in slow motion) - look at that determination, look at that strength. 

Herber Raft 'n Rail Adventures

Sy's Ranch & Fishing

Sy Kimball is the good, family friend of the Brown's that lent us the most awesome condo for the week. He also has a ranch nearby. Josh and Don enjoyed a father-son morning fishing on the Ranch. We also visited the ranch and meet the horses. Sy's ranch encompassed all the Utah beauty - sky, mountain, lakes, horses...just beautiful. 

Kimball Ranch

Culinary Adventures

One evening, Josh and I headed to the Riverhorse on Main in downtown Park City to enjoy a fancy date night meal together. The food was delicious. I had Utah Red Trout and Josh had a Trio of Wild Game (buffalo, elk, and venison). It was deeelicious.

We also enjoyed a breakfast at one of Park City's coffee shops, Publik. We enjoyed their coffee, of course, but also some speciality toast. Did you know toast is a thing these days?

And we got several shakes - delicious ice cream shakes that were perfect for the hot Utah days. My favorite was the Banana Cream Pie shake from Hi-Mountain in Kamas. But the Oreo shake from Granny's was pretty dang good, too.

Culinary Adventures

Kamas & Oakley

One afternoon we just drove around the countryside. We ventured out to visit Kamas and Oakley. They are the quintessential small towns with diners and random shops. We just enjoyed the drive around and soaked in the beauty of the area. And just so you're clear, no Oakley isn't the hometown of the Oakley sunglasses. It is the home of the Oakley Rodeo, though.

Kamas & Oakley

Sundance & Provo

You know the Sundance Film Festival, right? Well, Sundance is in Utah. We had a lovely lunch on the patio there and then took the ski lift up to the top. We got some great views of the area and had fun on the lift.

We also explored Provo, home of Brigham Young University. I'm pretty sure it was like 10 degrees hotter in Provo. Luckily, we went to Swig for their quirky sodas and famous sugar cookies (if you're on Pinterest, you know what I'm talking about). 

Sundance, BYU, and Swig Cookie

Utah Olympic Park

You may remember that the 2002 Winter Olympics took place in SLC/Park City. Well, there is now the Utah Olympic Park which is a training center for budding Olympians, but also had fun activities for regular folks like us. Josh and I opted to go on the Alpine Slide. We also enjoyed watching the ski jumpers practice. Yes, ski jumping in the summer - you jump into a pool instead. Watch this awesome video I took of someone jumping - pretty dang amazing. Next time, I'll grab a ride on the bobsled. 

Utah Olympic Park

Relaxing & Beauty

Utah is a very pretty state. The flowers, mountains, and water are so serene. As you can tell, we did a lot and had a lot of fun. However, we did get opportunities to just relax, read, work on puzzles. 

Utah Beauty & Relaxation

See All The Photos

People. Photos take forever to touch up and post. It took me all month to get it done. Appreciate! All the beautiful photos are on my Summer 2014 album - scroll down past NYC photos and you'll find them. 

Yay Summer vacation! I wish I were back in Utah right now.

Random Acts of the Month: July

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July actually didn't seem to fly by like some recent months. I think back to the beginning of the month when I was on vacation, and it seems forever ago. But gosh, I then think about how we're already into August, and then it seems went way too fast. So I can only conclude that the month when by fast-slow. 

July started with vacation (yea yea yea, I still need to post about that). I don't want to show you a ton of vacation photos here because that would then just make this my vacation post. But this leaves me having to chose favorites, which I have a very hard time doing. I'm not a great decision maker - see above paragraph where I couldn't decide fast vs. slow. Or ask Josh...decisions for where to go to dinner last way to long (actually, don't ask Josh and let's just forget about this whole thing - nervous giggle).

Vacation was in Deer Valley, UT (right next door to Park City) and we joined my parent-in-laws. We spent some good times outdoors and also just relaxed a bunch. One of our outdoor activities was rafting/floating down the Provo River.

We also got these unbelievably good shakes at some random diner called Hi-Mountain in Kamas, UT. My mouth waters just thinking about the Banana Cream Pie shake. Dying. 

Utah is simple beautiful. We went out to Sundance (as in the film festival) and took the ski lift up for some great view. I snapped this shot while on the lift up the mountain. 

We went out to Sy's Ranch (Sy is a friend of the Browns) and meet some Utah animals.  This horse just got a kick out of my jokes. 

This is me before the Heber Train ride. Yippee! As you can tell, I thoroughly enjoyed the trip.

The week after our Utah trip, I went down to San Fran for the Interact conference. The flight in to SF was quite beautiful (psst, here's my post about it)

Not to brag, but John Legend was one of the keynote speakers. You know the guy that sings this song. And yes, he sang All of Me plus some other hits. 

There was also the B-52s rocking out to Rock Lobster and Love Shack for the conference's evening entertainment. 

Generally at conferences / work travel, I rarely see any of the city. But I did get to see the Ferry Building and Bay Bridge since our client dinner was at The Slanted Door. Love how they added the lights to the Bay Bridge. 

I also got to see our good friends before heading back home. Miss these faces... 

Saturday morning we got brunch at Portage Bay Cafe with good family friends of the Browns, Vince and Jonita. I got to me Julie and Marshall. Apparently Julie used to babysit Josh - awww.

The last weekend of July, thanks to slightly lower temperatures and not being away, I finally got into the kitchen. Sometimes a nice blueberry galette is all you need to settle down.

I also got the "You Did It' cone award at work. Apparently, my co-workers think I did it. Let's do a little celebratory dance and sing, "Go Heather, go Heather, go go go Heather!"

Then because it was such a fast-slow month, I got a cocktail (ok, that's most weekends but this one was especially good and got a photo). We tried a new restaurant called Bell + Whete. I loved the seating which was inside, but huge windows so I felt outside - perfect for a Seattle Summer evening. 

Did I say Seattle Summers? Oh yeaaaaa. They are the BEST. We get some awesome sunsets to boot. This photo barely captures the colors and beauty. 

The very last day of July, we hit up the Queen Anne Farmer's Market. I only took one photo, and it was of my dinner which was some good Tandoozy Indian street food. Eaten by me on the grass on a lovely, warm summer evening. 

Work Life: Interact 2014

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Every year my company puts on a marketing conference called Interact. You may remember me going last year. It's a super, awesome event that's totally cool and all about marketing. This year was a bit different, though. This year was the first year not as Responsys, but as Oracle Marketing Cloud. I wasn't sure what to expect, but I was surprised to find that it was still awesomely cool. 

How can a marketing conference be cool, you might ask? Well, for starters, John Legend was a keynote speaker. You know, the guy that sings the hit song, All of Me. 

Or, the B-52s. Yes, they are the ones that sing Love Shack, Rock Lobster, and Roam. 

Besides the good music, we had some good speakers. Our very own strategist gave a presentation (bad photo on my part, but I didn't want to be that person taking a photo during a serious presentation) alongside our client, Verizon.

Another presentation I enjoyed was Jonathan Perelman, VP & GM of Video, BuzzFeed. He showed some funny videos, and some more serious ones like The Time You Have (In Jelly Beans). He also discussed engaging and shareable content. 

We also spent some quality time with clients. We went out a delicious dinner at The Slanted Door -- see that table in the photo below, well it fit roughly 40 people. We also struck some poses together in the the photo booth at the B-52s concert. 

And for just a few minutes, I got to wander out and visit beautiful San Francisco. I enjoyed coffee from Blue Bottle, got a glimpse of the Ferry Building and Bay Bridge at night, and stayed near Union Square. Not too shabby. 

And after a long week, before I headed home, I got to see our good friends for dinner. Miss these guys! 

Then I few home sweet home. A long, productive, successful week at work. 

#interact2014 #responsyslife #longweek

#tbt - Thursday, 7/24

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I've been horrible at writing lately...sorry! I have plenty to tell you and I'll get to it soon, I swear. To tie you over until then, I thought I'd do another Throwback Thursday. Who doesn't like a photo? I'm sure you'll get a kick out of this one. Like...the longer, blond hair. Most of my friends in Seattle would hardly recognize me. 

This gem is from our November 2005 UK trip. We were visiting Cambridge University. Aww good memories. 

Check out my last TBT post. 

While on Vacation #2

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Today is my last day of vacation. I've been moping all day. Vacation is over. Said goodbye to my in-laws. Going back to real life. Sad face. 

We flew home early afternoon, so we have just finished unpacking and getting a few groceries to tie us over until the weekend. Now, I'm downloading my 200+ photos and reminiscing. Once I my photos in order, and I have some free time, I'll share more about this wonderful vacation with you. Until then, I thought I'd continue to share the daily collages. 

Day 6: We drove through Kamas and Oakley - great countryside and small towns. We saw a great wagon to photograph, the Rodeo sign telling us to hurry back, and got the best shakes (mine was Banana Cream Pie...drool). Then we went to the Utah Olympic Park where we saw summer ski jumpers, and we took the Alpine slide down the mountain. 

Day 7: We started the day with coffee and toast at Publik. Then we visited friends Diane and Don who have a neighbor who makes dog collars - we saw her in action. Next we had lunch and took the ski lift at Sundance. We drove out to BYU and toured the campus, with a pitstop at Swig (with their infamous sugar cookie on Pinterest). We topped the day off with dinner and drinks at Burgers & Bourbon and seeing gorgeous clouds in the sunset. 

Day 8: Today, DOM (day of moping). No collages as there was nothing to share really. Just getting back to normal, every-day life. 

More to come later, but I hope you enjoyed this preview. 

While on Vacation

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Guess who's on vacation?!  -->>This girl<<--

Oh yea, I'm currently sitting in a gorgeous condo in Deer Valley, Utah (just a few miles from Park City). Josh and I joined my awesome in-laws for a nice week long vacay. If you've been following me on Facebook, you'll know all about it. I've been posting a collage per day telling you all about what I'm up to. I thought I'd give you all the same preview of my vacation, and share the first five days of my vacation. 

Day 1: This was mostly our travel day SEA > SLC. We flew over Mt Saint Helens (luckily it didn't erupt) and saw the Great Salt Lake from up high. We spent the late afternoon checking out the Mormon Temple and Genealogy Center.

Day 2: This was our first day in Deer Valley. We stocked up on food for the week (Josh wheeled it in to the condo for us), enjoyed some time sitting in the sun, looking out at the Aspens from our window, viewing the rainbow after a brief storm, and just seeing Deer Valley for the first time.

Day 3: 4th of July! We started the day watching the Park City 4th of July Parade where there was a bi-plane flyover. In the evening, we saw the Texas Tenors at the Deer Valley Music Festival. 

Day 4: We rode the Heber Creeper train and then went rafting on the Provo river. Then we went to Kimball's Ranch, a family friend of the Browns. We petted the horses (who just happened to smile for the camera). We topped the day off with cocktails at the Stein Ericksen Lodge (next door to our condo). I also started to sport a Heather tan (aka a sunburn).

Day 5: We started the day at the Park City Silly Market. Then Nada (my mom-in-law) and I did some shopping in downtown Park City. To round off the day, Josh and I enjoyed a romantic dinner at the Riverhorse on Main. 

And the fun ain't over yet. Still a few more days to go. I'll be sure to fill you in with the rest of the collages. Then I'll up the ante and bring you more details after I've returned. 

Random Acts of the Month: June

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Another one bites the dust. June is past and we're already in July. Oh time, quit playing games with me. 

June was pretty dang good. We certainly jammed a lot into June.

For starters, we finally got to taste The Cheese Wizards. It was everything we had hoped for...cheesy goodness.

With good weather now in Seattle, I decided to buy some new shoes and start running more. Wish me luck!

I did some pampering with my friend, Tricia, to celebrate her birthday. I love the mint green color right now - so springy and summery. 

Don't I have a good hubby...getting out to pump the gas. Thanks Josh!

Ahhh, a drink to end the long work week. 

And here is me enjoying the above drink, and then noticing it decided to rain. This tasty restaurant is The Innkeeper. 

June ended Responsys' time in the Oddfellows building in Capitol Hill. It was a fun, quirky, and unique building. It fit our creative agency vibe, but we won't miss the death trap elevator, the intense heat during the summer, and the slow water dispenser. More to come about this transition in a later post.

Then there was my birthday. My birthday landed on a Wednesday, a work day. So heck no, I'm not cooking. Instead we headed to Essex and Delancey. I got lots of lovely cards and gifts. 

We celebrated again over the weekend with a fine meal at Terra Plata. Read more about how I Turned Older.

Seattle has the best summers. Part of these summers are awesome sunsets. It's hard to get a great shot from our house since there are so many wires, but this still seems to catch the essence of the colors and clouds.

Our office landed in a new location, which is right dab in the heart of Seattle. I scored a window seat, and when I look out I see the Space Needle, and if I turn my head a bit, I also see the waterfront & Elliott Bay. Not to shabby.

We went to the South Park Bridge opening festival, and tried some pupusa. 

At the same festival, we saw the luchadores. Remember them from last year?

We enjoyed a fine brunch at The Fat Hen. My favorite was the cardamon twist. Oh baby.

Aren't we adorable?

One of my favorite places for dessert is the Fainting Goat in Wallingford. This was lemon grisbi and sour cherry. Deeeliishhh.

And to end the month, a sunset on the Duwamish River.

Turning Older

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I woke up on June 18th feeling a year older. Okay, that's really not true. But people like to ask you that on your birthday - sillies. If you ask me this whole getting older thing is weird...I really don't feel all that much older. Am I supposed to feel older? Maybe I do sometimes - like when I have a hard time stay up on New Years. This list actually sums it up pretty well. 

I really don't mind birthdays. In fact, I love them. You get all the attention. Eat where you want. Go where you want. Get presents. It's a celebration of YOU. Soak it up. Enjoy it. Yay for being born. That's my birthday philosophy. 

I had to work on my birthday. Wah wah wah. But luckily I have pretty cool co-workers. They sang to me. They gave me cards, cupcakes, coffee, and cheers (all the C's). So that was pretty awesome. Then for dinner, Josh and I got a drink at Essex and pizza at Delancey. And I opened all my cards.

And here some of the food and drink we enjoyed. A tasty snap pea brusetta and a yummy cocktail. 

So that was pretty nice. But then the weekend after my birthday, we did a even bigger food and drink excursion. We went out to Capitol Hill to Terra Plata for a romantic birthday dinner. Before dinner, we got some lovely cocktails at a speakeasy bar, Knee High Stocking Company. One of those places that you should have a reservation to (oops!) and you have to ring the doorbell. With true, classic bartenders (those that make bartending their career). I had two drinks - I tell you, I'm wild and crazy at this age...

Then, as happy as a clam (remember those two drinks), we headed to dinner at Terra Plata. We sat out on the rooftop patio, which was oh-so-nice. I felt special since they printed "Happy Birthday Heather" on our menus. 

We really enjoyed the patio. 

And we enjoyed the food - some halibut (for the hell of it), and some roasted pig. Oh and our appetizer of roasted grapes with goat cheese. Nom nom nom. And then we finished it all off with one of my favorites, macarons.

And that was one fine birthday. Now I'm ready to face another year. 

Thanks to everyone for the love on my birthday. xo, heather

Baker's Corner: Fruit Fun

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I realized when spring rolls around I get this insatiable craving for fruit and citrus. I finally put away my pumpkin obsession and dust off my zester and pitter. My favorites fruits are strawberries and cherries. Ahhhh, so delicious. And then there is lemon which just screams summer to me. And cherries are just something special. I love going to the farmer's market and stopping at every booth and grabbing a cherry.

But it doesn't stop with just strawberries, lemon and cherries. There is also rhubarb! Rhubarb paired with strawberries - now there is dynamic duo. Gosh, I guess I just really just love fruit desserts. Sorry chocolate die-hards; this is who I am.

You can do so much with fruit like make crisps, crumbles, bars, cakes -- I sound like Bubba in Forrest Gump when he talked about shrimp. 

And let's not forget bananas. Bananas are great and I feel like they are a good year around fruit - so versatile, so delicious. 

So with all the build up on fruit, I bring you another Baker's Corner which happens to be all fruit goodies (minus one, which is veggie)! 

I discovered some lovely fruit desserts so far this year. I really can't pick a favorite. For instance, when I ate the cinnamon swirl banana crumb cake, I wanted to shove it all in my mouth like Cookie Monster does here. But the same could be said of all these goodies. Here's the line-up:

  • Strawberry Rhubarb Crumb Bar (Top Middle) - The dynamic duo - you just can't beat this combination. These make the best dessert, snack, and heck even breakfast. 
  • Buttermilk Banana Bread (Top Right) - I wanted to try a different banana bread than my usual. Buttermilk tends to make goodies nice and tender. This was awesome. 
  • Cinnamon Swirl Banana Crumb Cake (Middle Left) - I love these types of crumb cakes with the center swirl and crumbly goodness on top. I gobbled these down like nobody's business. And yes, I ate it for breakfast.
  • Cherry Pie Bars (Middle Right) - This was more like a cherry lemon bar. That there says it all.
  • Carrot Cake Whoopie Pies (Bottom Left) - These were our Easter treat. I added these in because...well, why not?! They were a hit at Easter.
  • Classic Lemon Bars (Bottom Middle) - This was my first successful lemon bar. I was so proud. The last time was many, many years ago. I think I used a Cooking Light recipe. Use butter my friends, it's worth it.
  • Banana Bars wiith Brown Butter Icing (Not Pictured) - I think I ate these all before I realized I didn't get a photo. Oops! But brown butter...trust me, delicious.

I've been aching to make more fruit/citrus goodness. You can follow me on Sweet Tooth board on Pinterest to see what I've got in mind.



Josh's New Specs

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Last month Josh broke his glasses. Unfortunately, at a concert they fell off and basically got trampled on. The poor glasses. On the bright side, he was still able to wear them until we were able to get replacements. 

He decided to use Warby Parker to find his next pair of glasses. The service is pretty neat. You pick out five pairs of glasses on their website, and they ship the sample glasses to you for free. If you have a hard time deciding which glasses to pick, you can upload a photo and try them on digitally before selecting your favs.

Josh picked his favorites, and then the samples were on their way to our house. We are suckers for good packaging, so we were happy to see the way Warby presented itself at our doorstep.  

You open the box, and there are the five samples for you to try on in at home. Again, nicely done presentation. We're liking what we see (get it, "what we see" - I'm so witty, wink wink).

Josh modeled all the glasses on. The photo shows the top three. The fourth shows the broken glasses for comparison. Oh, the decisions! What pair do you think he chose? There was a pair that he really liked that I didn't. Can you guess which pair? 

The pair he liked that I didn't was the third from the left. That leaves two. Can you guess?

I'll give you a hint. He seems to be smiling more in the photo.

One more second to make a decision.

Got it?

Okay - here is the winner:

 

Did you get it right? Well done! (or not)...

Once you decide, you send all the samples back to Warby. Then you hop online, tell them your pick, share your prescription, and then they ship you your new glasses. Easy breezy.

I am still getting used to the new look, but it's a fun change. 

And Warby...well done. 

Random Acts of the Month: May

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Need I say it? I say it every month. Okay, I'll just say it. How is it June already?! 

June is a good month though, so I'm not disappointed. But May was full of fun, so let's not just throw it aside so quickly. Let me tell you about some of it.

We went to my co-workers boat house (aka floating home) to watch Seattle's Opening Boat Day. Yes, it's a thing - boats go on parade, there is a race, and all sorts of boat things. It was also my first time in a boat house (you know, like in Sleepless in Seattle). 

Oh Hello Robin...we found a delicious cookie and ice cream sandwich shop called Hello Robin. Cookie flavors like lemon poppy seed, orange jalapeño chocolate chip, and mackelmore.

We explored Luther Burbank Park one fine, sunny day. 

I went on a business trip out to New York for a few days. I didn't get much sight seeing in, but I caught a few sights in the evening. I wrote all about it. 

We had a lovely dinner and cocktail at Roux, which is just as good as any NYC restaurant. So there. This little delight was A Necessary Means. In my mind: totally necessary. 

For Memorial Day, we went out for a drive on Chuckanut Drive. Can't beat our wonderful State. See more of my photos and thoughts on my post. 

On the Chuckanut Drive, we also came across some paragliders landing. Pretty cool.

I've been using this app/site called Sosh, and found some fun activities such as Schimitz Preserve Park. It turned out to be a nice walk, and very green. 

And a sunny afternoon in West Seattle is quite nice. 

Of course, I did some baking. I need to do another Baker's Corner! This recipe used cherries. And my other favorite spring/summer ingredient: lemon. Yum!

I also went down to Pleasanton for another client visit. My co-worker insisted on stopping at Freebirds Burritos after just having lunch with the client. Oye!

We found the marina area near us in Magnolia, and enjoyed a lunch at Maggie Bluffs with a view out to the marina, cruise ship, and water.

And to end May, some dangling shoes. 

And that does it for May. I don't know about you, but I like these little recaps. Sometimes I feel like a boring person (after seeing cool things others do on Facebook and Instragram), but this helps me remember that I do some pretty neat things. 

Chuckanut Drive

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We just watch The Secret Life of Walter Mitty last night. It didn't get rave reviews (although, not bad ones either), so I wasn't expecting much of it. However, I really enjoyed it. It has a relatively simple plot, but it's really well done. And I loved seeing the scenes during Walter's adventures. He just takes off on this adventure. Like Cheryl says, "Life is about courage and going into the unknown." 

Josh and I like to just take off and go on our own mini adventures, too. Not quite like Walter, but it's fun to drive and see where we end up. We headed out last Saturday to Chuckanut Drive. We would just stop and explore when something caught our eye. We lived on the wild side. Well, for me it is a bit wild since it's totally a different way of travel then how I grew up (with everything being planned out...not that this a bad way to travel, I think the combo we have is perfection - partly planned, partly adventurous). 

We headed up the 5 freeway, and took exit 231 towards Chuckanut Drive (aka Route 11). We knew we were in for some scenery when we came to the first bridge. I was so ready to be spontaneous that I pulled into a gravel road that maybe in retrospect I shouldn't have - we survived (and so did the car). But it got us some good view.

Turn slightly to the left, and you get this:

Or cross the road, and look at this:

We hopped back into the car and continued down the road to see what else we could see.

And we came upon a side road to Taylor's Shellfish Farms. Oh, so this is where Taylor's oysters come from! (They're in many Seattle restaurants). By the way, oysters...yuck! I hate how the slither down your throat. No thank you. But apparently Josh likes that. 

You can buy oysters and some other shellfish in the little store. There are oyster shells all over the ground, and you can look out and see them out in the water/mud. 

We also got a good view of the bay. Thanks iPhone for your panoramas! 

Driving back to the main road, I had to pull over and snap a shot of the train tunnel. It made me feel like James Bond.

I think we got more of a kick out of the train, though. How do you hump a train? Did you mean bump? Or did you really mean hump? 

Of course, we had to take a few selfies and photos of each other.

The journey continued and we pulled over to pretty much every view point. I loved the little island on this view. Do you wonder, what's on that island? What animals? Any homes? Can you just boat over to it? So many mysteries. 

We ended up in Bellingham for lunch at Boundary Bay Brewery. Then we roamed around the Farmer's Market that was happening next door. We also strolled around Fairhaven, a historic part of town. 

Fairhaven, Bellingham

But then we were back on the road. And we decided to take Chuckanut Drive south, too. On the way back, though, we made some more side trips. The first was in a tiny town called Edison. There are really only about 8-10 businesses there - a gallery, bakery, a couple funky stores, and a couple places to eat. We grabbed a cookie at Bread Farm, and then a drink and rest at Sough Food. 

Edison

From Edison, we went out to Samish Island, which isn't really an island but a long strip of land that juts out into the water. We stopped for a whiskey tasting at Golden Distillery. There were some nice houses here with some great views. I could take this for a view; not too shabby.

Next we made a random stop at Japanese Zen Gardens (and fed some Koi). Then we noticed paragliders coming down from the hillside, and landing right by us. Now there is an adventure! Not sure if I could get myself to do paragliding; me and heights have a tough time together. 

Paragliders

We drove along and passed through Bay View, for a final view of the bay before heading back to the 5 and back home.  

What a fantastic drive! This sort of day always reminds me of what a beautiful area we live in, and it helps to reminder when we're going through some of the gray & rain...because after the rain you get green. You can't beat this!

So I'll end with the Life motto from Walter Mitty: 

To see the world, things dangerous to come to, to see behind walls, draw closer, to find each other, and to feel. That is the purpose of life.

Work in the Big Apple

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People who don't travel for work think that work travel is so glamorous. I don't travel all that much for work, but I have done my fair share of work travel, and let me tell you...it's not as glamorous as all those non-travelers think. Now, don't get me wrong, there are some perks no doubt. But, it's not a free trip to just galavant around some awesome city like a it's a leisurely trip. It's usually short, intense, on a different time zone, working late at the hotel, and being "on" for the client. Okay, alright, I'll stop being a Debbie Downer and tell you about my trip to New York this past week - the good stuff.

Monday

My flight out was bright and early on Monday morning (meaning wake up at 4:30am for a 7am departure time). Basically, Monday was a travel day since you lose three hours going to the East Coast. We landed at JFK, and ended up taking a bus to downtown NYC because the taxi line was crazy long (estimated by the lady to be 1 hour at least. Apparently it can be about 3 hours in the summer. Excuse me?). The bus dropped us off at Grand Central Station. Between the bus and the taxi, I managed a few quick glimpses at the building. Sadly, no time to take a peek inside.

Grand Central Station

It was evening by the time we arrived to our hotel, the Hampton Inn, in Soho. The team - comprising of a Strategist, Creative Director, Associate Art Direction, and myself (Account Manager) - decided to grab a bit to eat. One of the team members (not naming names here), desperately wanted to try Parm. Unfortunately, it turned out not to be the Italian New York meal we wanted. On the bright side, I think my dish was the best of the bunch.

Tuesday

Tuesday was the first day of meetings. It was more low key since it was just agencies meeting up (no client) so we ended up getting the afternoon to go tour the city a bit. We decided to check out the High Line. The High Line is a park that was built on the elevated rails above the streets on Manhattan’s West Side. 

High Line Park

The park is pretty neat with flowers and plants all sprouting up between the rails. Then you look out and see all the cool, brick buildings. Not too shabby for a Tuesday afternoon walk at the park in some great sunshine weather.

The rest of the afternoon we did a lot of walking. And a lot of indecision about restaurants. Walking and indecision. In between, I got glimpses of New York City like the iconic Flatiron Building. 

Flatiron Building

We also ran into the NYC graduation party. I didn't get a photo, but just imagine a ton of purple, and a ton of people. Most of all, I loved seeing all the architecture. I find the fire escapes on the sides of the buildings interesting - although, I'd have to have to go on one...yikes! 

NYC Buildings

We finally got dinner at La Lanterna di Vittorio - recommended to us by some NYU students. It was really tasty pizza. I got the Pizza con Cipolla e Caprino (pizza with goat cheese, caramelized onions, and walnuts). But it was not quite the New York meal I had in mind. 

Wednesday

This was the big meeting day with the client. I won't bore you with the details of the meetings, so let's skip straight to the evening. We grabbed some cocktails at the top of the St James (dang, nice hotel! Why didn't I get to stay here?). It's a rooftop bar with great views of the city. You could see the Brooklyn Bridge, One Trade Center, and beyond. 

Here's a photo with some folks from the meetings, and an awesome selfie.

Happy Hour @ Rooftop of St James Hotel

There was also some good views of the One Trade Center building nearby. 

One Trade Center

We had the most delicious meal with the client at Beauty and Essex that night. To get to the restaurant, you have to walk through a pawn shop - hilarious. Then you walked into a chic restaurant with lush seats and a skylight. Not what you'd expect on the other side of a pawn shop. The meal was family style - most memorable was the chicken and steak, which just melted in your mouth. I also enjoyed delicious cocktails. Now, this was the New York meal I had in mind. Nom nom nom.

Thursday

Thursday was the end of the trip. I flew back that morning, after a 2-1/2 hour delay. I'd like to say I took the subway to the airport because I like this photo I took, but I really just took a taxi. But here's the photo anyway.

And now here's a picture of the taxi...or should I say taxis (plural)?

Oh, and in case you're interested, I found two awesome coffee shops while I was there - Everyman Espresso and Ground Support. I'm pretty sure I could eat and drink my way through New York.

Okay, so work travel has it's perks, but it's tiring. I'm glad I got to go, but I'm glad to be home. Next time I hope to visit New York for fun!

See all my photos on the 2014 Summer gallery.

 

Under the Sea

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"Life under the sea is better than anything they've got up there..." 

You sing it Sebastian!  

Okay, now I've got you in the spirit for my post about the Seattle Aquarium. Unfortunately, there is not a hot crustacean band to play for you, sorry.

Josh and I went a few weekends ago to check out our local aquarium. We were lucky enough to score a Groupon, so we got in at a discount...booya! 

I went into the aquarium with a certain mindset. The truth is that I grew up pretty much only going to the Monterey Bay Aquarium. That or to Sea World (hello, I'm from San Diego). I felt that anything less would just be boring. Plus, lots of friends say Seattle's aquarium its more for kids than adults. So I decided it would just be an "eh" aquarium. All this is probably why it took us 3-1/2 years to finally make our way to the Seattle Aquarium. 

But...I was wrong. The Seattle Aquarium is great! Sure, I went in with my snooty Monterey and San Diego mindset, and sure there were kids, but it was a fun afternoon activity.

Inside there is a pool where you can reach in and touch the sea urchin, anemones, and star fish. Of course, I rolled up my sleeves next to the kiddos and reached in. The water was freezing, but it was neat to touch the different creatives. I learned if you wiggle your finger between the spikes of the urchin, it'll give your finger a little "hug." 

When you first walk in, there is huge exhibit with all sorts of fish. We caught the feeding time, so we saw the scuba driver swimming around. Then there are all sorts of other other exhibits full of different sea creatures. The jelly fish were psychedelic, the octopus was crazy with all it's arms and serious face, and the fish colorful. 

Some of the colors astound me. All these great colors under the water. Who would have thought?

Then we reached the outdoors part of the aquarium. There was some crazy bird that was flapping all around. I caught just a bit of it on video.

Next we reached my favorite is the otters, sea lions, and seals. How can they not be your favorite? They are just too cute. I seriously think otters have the most fun. They're always playing together and joking (okay, maybe not joking, or are they?). 

And the sea lion was getting some grub. And the seals just swim, swim, swim. I am pretty sure the one stopped to say "hello" to us. 

So don't be like me and judge a place before going. You might just find it's a great time. (But seriously, you should still check out Monterey Bay Aquarium...it's freakin' awesome). 

P.S. More photos on my Spring 2014 page.

Strolling through Gardens

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A few weekends ago, Josh and I checked out Seattle's Japanese Gardens. Luckily, it was one of Seattle's more sunny spring days. We'd worked hard during the work week, and we needed to seek out some tranquility. And we found it. 

We'd been to Portland's Japanese Gardens years ago and we were impressed. These were not quite as large, but still very beautiful. It was so peaceful walking around enjoying the gardens. One of my favorite moments was resting on bench and just soaking in the sun for a few minutes. So pleasant.

When you walk into the gardens, a few feet in and you come up to a large pond. The path takes you all the way around the pond. 

When you cross over the bridge, you can see all the koi fish - these were big guys. They'd bop up to the surface and look at you. I feel like they are frowning at you. Like they are saying, "stop looking at me, and get off my pond you silly human." 

Frowing Koi Fish

Whereas the turtle was more stoic and looking out upon his pond. He was definitely staking his claim as king of the pond. I wonder how the koi feel about that. 

Mr Turtle, King of the Pond

As usual, I enjoyed the flowers. These little red ones caught my eye. It's neat how the moss is on the branches. I feel like it was the spring flowers breaking through the mossy winter. 

Or this bright white flower. This one reminded me of Hawaii. I think I have a very similar photo of this flower there...must mean something about me. 

And what's a Japanese garden without some stone lanterns. Guess what, there are pennies in the lantern. Is that like throwing a penny into a fountain?

I took a few photos of the lantern and bridge. I could decide which photo and angle I liked better. The one that shows more of the bridge, or the one that shows more of the lantern. What do you think? 

All in all, it's a great afternoon stroll. If you find the sun shining, go for a walk. Trust me, you'll enjoy it.

Random Acts of the Month: April

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How did it happen? How did May come up so quickly? Let's say a quick goodbye to April. Here's some randomness from my April.

I tried out my green thumb and put together my first terrarium. It's May now, and it's still alive. Success!

I meet this beautiful cat while at Sound Spirits picking up a gift for a friend.

I found graham cracker frozen yogurt at last at Zoe Yogurt! This was one of my favorite flavors back at Yumi Yogurt in the bay area. 

I'm going around to pizza places and trying to decide my favorite. I'll write to you about it once I've made a a few more stops. Can you guess where this one is from?

We enjoyed some great, sunny days. We grabbed Molly Moon's and then walked down to Kerry Park for a view of our beautiful city.

The cherry blossoms started to bloom. I love these flowers!

We went to the Japanese Gardens for peace and tranquility. I'll tell you about this afternoon soon, I promise. 

After buying Marge's delicious granola at the farmer's market, I decided I could totally make my own granola. And I did! Totally good, too. Go on, try it! I'm now on a bit of a granola "kick."

My sweet hubby brought home Trophy cupcakes one weekday...just because. Awww.

We celebrated Easter! And decorated eggs.

I tried out Stitch Fix and loved it!

I found some love while walking in Capitol Hill.

Saw some fish, otters, and all sorts of sea creatures at the Seattle Aquarium. A post about this adventures soon. 

A pretty fun-filled month if I don't say so myself. ;) April...it was good.