In case you are curious why you'd want to print out the City Stimulus Pass.

Here's a list of reasons why" (by the way, this is updated often)

So long as you plan to shop, eat or drink in this city between Dec 4th and Dec 7th. I'd say it's worth it to print out a card.

Afterall, I am fairly sure most of you <3 discounts.

I think I consumed more calories from Wine than anything else yesterday. There is nothing better than gathering 15 adults, 2 kids, 2 babies, and one dog around a table meant for 8 and laughing until you cry then cozying up on the couch with the man of your dreams and watching season 3 of Lost.

Errr...Maybe, except for this:




City Stimulus is a grass-roots marketing campaign taking place December 4 – 7 rewarding buyers who shop local and shop small. The goal of City Stimulus is to maintain this community for generations to come, to build awareness, and to reward loyalty.

Those jeans everyone is wearing now? You bought them at your favorite downtown boutique 2 years ago. The cocktail lounge that you'd really like to keep as your secret? You're flirting with the idea of telling your co-workers about it.

Now is the time to get the word out, and City Stimulus is here to help. Help level the playing field, spread hope from politics to retail and make it a great holiday shopping season for you and your favorite small businesses. To help each other.

Go to http://www.citystimulus.com to sign up and participate!

I'll see you lovelies somewhere between 1st and 5th. I'll be the lady with my Stimulus Card in one hand and spiked apple cider in the other.

It's not often I get out of Madison Park before noon. However, this morning I had to drop my car off at Fat City (508 Denny Way) (with Lance, the most trustworthy, thorough and well dressed mechanic in the City). And, now, I am on my way to the King County Court house to mend my irresponsible ways of driving and owning a vehicle. In midst of all this muck, I have discovered a lovely little cafe smooched between Taco Del Mar and Sublime on Cedar called Tilikum Place Cafe. I don't know a darn thing about this lovely little space except they make excellent orange and candied ginger scones (melting in my mouth now) and a literally perfect americano. Whatever Soy milk they use is the kind I am sure they sever in Heaven.

Tilikum Place Cafe serves early coffee and (baked fresh every morning) pastries from 7am-10am. Breakfast/Lunch from 10am-3pm, Happy Hour 4-6, and Dinner from 4-10pm.

Tilikum Place cafe makes Seattle seem like a real "big city". It's the kind of place you happen upon in New York while making your way to or from somewhere. I just suggest you come here.

I'm certain I saw most of you HERE" this past Saturday. We were the girls walking with the hairless dog, looking elated and confused, carrying a hot pink sign that read "focus on your own family" (a jest a the horrible anti-gay group "focus on the family"). And if I didn't see you, I am sure you all could sense the love in the air. It was my very first protest and a magical one at that.

I found a photo of our sign (the sign that we are mutually surprised came to fruition). This brings my first protest full circle. Good Work Colleen!!!



(photo cred to J Random on Flicker, you can find more photos HERE

Delightful little tid-bits find their way into my inbox - mainly due to my Birthday BFF Becky - who's always on the up and up for almost everything.

Becky sent along reason number 238 why everyone should love/want to be/marry Keith Olbermann". Here's what he has to say on questioning love.

"You are asked now to stand on a question of love. All you need to do is stand and let the tiny ember of love meet its own fate. You don't have to help it. You don't have to applaud it. You don't have to fight for it. Just don't put it out. Just don't extinguish it. Because while at first it may look like that love is between two people you don't know and you don't understand and maybe you don't even want to know, that love is, in fact, the ember of your love for your fellow person. Just because this is the only world we have and the other guy counts too."

I firmly believe in the power of love. It truly is what makes our world go round.

I plan on skipping by Tulip Saturday Morning to snag a pair of these.




Kismet Scrunch Pant in Black, $138.00 @ Tulip (1201 1st Ave. 206.223.1790)

Maybe you and I can meet at Macrena for a mid morning Red Velvet Cupcake and swap stories from Friday night? I promise to have something interesting to offer.

It's fair to say that I'm a bit of a fibber. I promised a blog about a week ago. And, well, there wasn't anything of any sort of interest to read here. The worst thing about all of this "lack of blogging" is that out here in the blog-o-sphere is that people are writing all sorts of fantastically lovely things like "That One Tuesday"", food, fashion and all the sorts of things people are interested in reading on the internet.


And me? I've been driving to and from clients homes and my house and his house and probably your house too. And, on all my "to's" and "from's" I've been composing witty prose and poetic detailed descriptions of my everyday happenings to blog about "when I have a chance". And it turns out, when "I have a chance", my chance ends up leading me to dark corners with vodka in hand or nestled quietly between my sheets with Septembers Vogue in hand (I am severely behind!)

What I've been up to has not much to do with food or fashion. But I have been aiding and encouraging friends to pursue lost love, discovering New Places on Capitol Hill where people are encouraged to be anonymous, and crossing my fingers that sooner rather than later, life fulfills all of it's promises.


If you need me, I'll be hunkered down somewhere dark with both fingers crossed behind my back.

I've been searching the city for inspiration - and I'm coming up dry.

Yeah, Yeah, I know our Country is making waves and the prospect of change is really real. And, events like these (can you see me in the crowd? I was the girl a ciggy in her lips pirouetting with between 10th and 11th with her birthday twin shouting "yes. we. can." in Spanish) should do it for me. But, moments like those get to me in a different way.

A time ago the the leaves and the smell of cherry blossoms was all it took.

And, even though it's been almost a year since my world was turned upside down, I'm still left with a little less that what I had before. I've got a list of things I want to do (Make hair pieces with feathers and crystals, find the perfect riding boots, take more pictures, investigate bourbon) and I haven't quite found the time or reasons to do them.

In the month + I've been hunting for whatever it may be I am hunting for - I've discovered that in order to create something notable in our city - you've got to be prepared for either the long haul (say 10 years or more, think any Tom Douglass Restaurant (yick) or Les Amis (YAY!)) or expect to be cool and trendy and loved very quickly and then get out.

I guess what I am getting at is - I'm mourning the loss of two of my favorite boutiques. But with loss comes gain (errr, I think that is how it goes). And, I have discovered a quaint little place in Post Alley (POST, Post Alley, Next to Kell's. There is no web page as of yet) to make up for it all. The food is American - in the truest sense of the fair. The bartender/Waiter/Owner is Rory. He's boy-next-door-adorable and if I wasn't dating the man of my dreams, I'd be there every night learning more about him. I've made a point to eat there once a week since we first dined. You should go - and sometime soon - before everyone else moves in and snags the best bar stool.

I've got my eye on a new clothier on Capitol Hill (who are you mystery boutique?) and some goodies on-line (yikes, I know).

I promise, really truly promise to catch you up on all things related to food and fashion that popped up over the past month. If you can wait just a few more hours, I promise it'll be worth it. For now - Please take the hand of the person nearest you, squeeze tight, and say with me, "yes we can".

America, I am so proud of you.


Oh, and, look at these babies