COFFEE SHOPS
Impromptu Oregon Coast Adventure (Part 1)
August 13, 2014I’d like to think our recent trip to the Oregon Coast was totally impromptu but as with most trips I have dreamed up in my head, this one was in the making for a while. The only problem was we didn’t book far enough ahead, so the hotels I thought we’d stay at were all […]
Dreamiest Cafe in the World (Royal Smushi Cafe, Copenhagen)
June 3, 2014When we travel we seek out coffee shops, even if the kids are in tow and probably mostly BECAUSE the kids are in tow. But it doesn’t mean we have to settle for Starbucks (even though I do love our Seattle chain, it’s crazy how we see it EVERYWHERE and it’s nice to try things […]
C is for Cookies EVERYWHERE in Seattle
March 7, 2014I’m a little biased when it comes to cookies. My sis is an amazing baker/decorator and she and her husband started a successful Canadian cookie business called the Steveston Cookie Company and I can always count on her to create ANY kind of cookie I can imagine. I also grew up sampling cookies in my […]
When your sandwich comes with surprise pie at George’s Bakery (North Bend, Washington)
January 27, 2014Perhaps this was the most delicious meal of the weekend: We stopped in North Bend for lunch on the way to Snoqualmie Pass; once again we were on a quest for snow. I remembered that George’s bakery does the cookies for our favorite Seattle Christmas tree farm, Christmas Creek and I saw that the restaurant […]
If you go to Vancouver alone with kids
August 14, 2013I’ve been on so many trips to Vancouver without the hubby and we have a lot of family there so it’s never really too difficult when we go. But I have a friend heading up there pretty soon and she has some time by herself with three little ones while her hubby does a big […]
La Boulange in its Natural Habitat
August 8, 2013Forget those microwaved pastries that have been turning up at my local Seattle Starbucks. When we went to San Francisco, I was so curious about a bakery that would make our Emerald City’s coffee giant a green-eyed monster. La Boulange in San Francisco is absolutely adorable. It’s the type of cafe I really wish we […]
My Favorite Day in San Francisco (San Francisco with Kids part 2)
August 6, 2013We’ve traveled to so many places with our guys, but the one thing we’ve never been able to predict is how the day is going to go. No matter how meticulously we plan our itineraries, or calculate naps and snacks, or seek the hotel with the best elevator/goldfish/wine hour it always blows our minds on […]
Basque cake and tea (Fresh Flours, Seattle)
July 17, 2013At Fresh Flours I’m usually predictable. I tend to get their pear pastry or anything with azuki beans. (This bakery has a very Parisian/Japanese flair) And I tend to have two wild and crazy kids hanging off my legs begging for macarons and a hubby who wants a blueberry muffin. (He thinks they’re the best […]
How to make the perfect picnic with kids at Warren G Magnusen Park
July 9, 2013I always lament the fact that I fly by the seat of my pants and don’t take time to prep picnics. I just find it’s hard to decide when you wake up in the morning what you want for lunch, let alone go somewhere where you’re going to actually enjoy it outdoors. Luckily for us, […]
National Doughnut (Donut!)Day!
June 7, 2013Oh, I love it when we have a great holiday and today’s definitely one we need to celebrate! It’s National Doughnut day and what could be better than making some donuts? In the winter the guys and I tried to make doughnuts. They were pretty enough and tasted fine, but if I’m going to eat […]
Stroke the Living Wall (JJ Bean, Port Moody, British Columbia)
June 5, 2013A long time ago in Vancouver, I used to spend a lot of time on weekends going to Japanese school, shopping and eating around the city. Some mornings we’d stop in at Fujiya, a shop that’s still there selling Japanese pantry products and really yummy and inexpensive bentos and sushi. While my mom and sister […]
A coffee shop in Atlanta with Washington roots
May 27, 2013A few weeks ago we were sitting in a lovely restaurant in Atlanta after a long red eye flight and the hubby thought his coffee tasted really good. He made a note of it just in case it was roasted in Atlanta and we had time to stop by. Imagine our surprise when we found […]
A friendly cup of coffee in Seattle (Slate Coffee, Ballard)
May 3, 2013Sometime last week I heard a rumor that a truck called Slate Coffee was selling my favorite Fuji Bakery pastries, so I had to go check it out. Nevermind that I am not a big fan of food trucks (gasp!). I just didn’t realize that they have sinks and real cooking facilities inside. Until we […]
Tea and cookies and making croissants with my bestie in Seattle
April 24, 2013If you’ve ever heard me talk about my besties, realize I know I’m so lucky that I have some sweet friends who have tolerated me for such a long time. S in particular has known me since I was pretty young and when she comes to visit, there’s always confetti. Okay, she brings cookies and […]
Sweetest Mini Donut Shop (The Outpost, Steveston BC)
December 14, 2012The world can always use more happy, lovely places and The Outpost Mini Donut Company is one of the sweetest I’ve ever been. I never imagined that a donut store could be so adorable, but this is a MINI DONUT store and there are so many thoughtful touches in this store that make the already-yummy […]
Herkimer Coffee (Seattle, WA)
August 6, 2012Here’s another post that should be titled “thank you zoo camp.” Because how many times do we get to have a cup of coffee uninterrupted just the hubby and me? The boys are in zoo camp this week and they’re loving it so the hubby and I have a little kid-free time. Herkimer coffee is not […]
A little bit of Hawaii in Seattle
July 25, 2012Maybe if your kids are in Zoo Camp you have a few minutes for yourself. I took a moment to pretend I was alone in Hawaii in Seattle at nearby Fresh Flours. You can actually find me at Fresh Flours often, it’s such a delicious bakery. Hello Pineapple Coconut Danish delight (washed down with an […]
100 hours in Paris
July 5, 2012So maybe it wasn’t quite 100 hours in Paris, but I did spend nearly 100 hours kid-free on the whole journey from the time I left the airport to the time my sweet boys all picked me up. So what does a stay at home mom set free into the big big world with her […]
What peace in a crowded restaurant looks like
July 3, 2012A friend and I met for lunch with our kids at a local Panera Bread. It was noon so there weren’t a lot of free tables and it looked like any chance at a big table would take a long time. We took full advantage of this opportunity and plunked our kids down at one […]
Cakepops, Carnivores, Cousins and Chaos
March 20, 2012What tasty nom nom comes boxed in a lovely pink bag? Seriously anything out of this pink bag would probably be lovely, but in this one we have Cakepops of course! Today we went to Cupcake Royale for cupcakes to bring to the zoo but the boys were dazzled by the delights on sticks. (Sugar […]