Seattle + Portland + Vancouver Recommendations Wanted!

Next month I am heading to Seattle, Portland, and Vancouver with my sister. We will be spending 2-3 days in each spot. So far I have Voodoo Doughnut on my Portland list and hopefully a visit with Christina in Seattle. I think I have my priorities straight: doughnuts and blog friends ;)

I am sure we will be doing the typical touristy things (Space Needle, Pike Place Market, etc) but I would love to hear your recommendations!

Here are some restaurants we are looking at. YAY or NAY if you have been!
Seattle- Zoe, Delancey, Skillet Dinner, Brave Horse Tavern, Lola, Crumble and Flake, Ballard Pizza Company, Hunger
Portland- Ned Ludd, Imperial, The Country Cat, Little Bird, Olympic Provisions
Vancouver- Hawksworth, Tableau, Nicli, The Red Wagon, Pourhouse, La Taqueria Pinche Taco Shop

Let me know your favorite restaurants, things to do, neighborhoods to explore!

The Vampire Diaries/The Originals PaleyFest + Divergent

Last Saturday night Leeann and I went to our THIRD Vampire Diaries PaleyFest together! It is actually how we first met. I had an extra ticket way back in 2010. Another blog friend, Angela, told me that Leeann was also a fan of the show so I emailed Leeann and the rest is history! Leeann and I celebrated our 4 year blog friendship anniversary with The Vampire Diaries PaleyFest, seeing Divergent, and then a blogger brunch Sunday morning (recap here). I decided just to bring my iphone and skip the fancy camera but I think next year I'll go back to the real camera.

If you are a TV fan you should definitely come out to LA for PaleyFest put on yearly by The Paley Center for Media. Each year over two weeks in spring a bunch of different shows, old and new, have panels with the actors and creative teams. There is a Q&A and if you are lucky you may get to see an episode of the show too! In the past I have been to: Castle (2012), Vampire Diaries (2010, 2012, and 2014), Revenge (2012), Glee (2010), NCIS (2010), and Lost (2010 and 2014)

We also met Brianna and her friend for dinner before the panel. It turns out their seats were in the row behind us!

LOVE these two! They were holding hands in the beginning and goofing around the whole time

Joseph Morgan/Klaus is my favorite. From the moment I saw him on TVD I was hooked. I miss him in Mystic Falls but I am happy he has his own show now!

It was small group for TVD (the three below plus creator Julie Plec and writer/producer Caroline Dries)

After the panel we went to the 10 PM showing of Divergent. Leeann let me borrow her books and I am obsessed! I highly recommend the books and the movie. I am already counting down the days until the next movie! Theo James/Four: SWOON. Did anyone else read the books or see the movie?

Nautical bedding from Pottery Barn Kids

H and I always browse the catalogs that arrive in the mail. I think Pottery Barn Kids is our favorite. He loves finding elephants and I look for anything nautical. I saw the seahorse sheets below and made a note to check the website for other patterns when I got home. Mermaids, turtles, and sharks oh my!

All of the following sheet sets are available in twin, full, and queen

Preppy seahorse sheet set

Preppy mermaid sheet set

Mermaid sheet set

Preppy turtle sheet set

Preppy shark sheet set

Stingray sheet set

Shark bite sheet set

Surf's up sheet set

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SoCal Blogger Society Brunch

Last Sunday SoCal Blogger Society had its first blogger brunch! Over 30 bloggers attended the brunch at Areal in Santa Monica. The food was SO GOOD! I had way too many mini cinnamon rolls, the Belgian Waffle, and then a piece of chocolate cake. PLUS bottomless mimosas (a Sunday brunch essential I think). Areal has a great outdoor patio that is perfect for dining al fresco and then you can walk down to the beach after!

I am trying to shop my closet more so I wore this Mink Pink bow top that I hadn't worn in years

I love my bow back cardigan a little too much

My table had a mix of old friends and new (clockwise): Shirley, Lauren, Kristin, Chelsea, Megan, Leeann, and me

the menu

with Leeann and Lauren

These disappeared VERY quickly

Trying on sunglasses with Leeann

The event photographer, Ryan Brennan, was kind enough to take outfit photos for all of us

If you are in Southern California then I highly recommend joining SoCal Blogger Society. There will definitely be more events in the future!

MW Coastal Goods

New coasters and buckets!

Back in 2012 I shared some adorable nautical bottle openers from MW Coastal Goods. MW Coastal Goods was started by husband and wife team Mike and Wendy out of their home studio in Mystic, Connecticut. You must follow them on Instagram-their lab, Huck, is just the sweetest!

Wendy and Mike have added several new products to their website.

Beverage buckets

the 17 qt buckets holds approximately 15 bottles

the 5 qt bucket holds approximately 6 bottles

Coasters (set of 12)

All hands on deck coaster set

Anchors aweigh coaster set

Crab me a cold one coaster set

Race rock lobster coaster set

Birthday gift for one of Wendy's friends: Anchors Aweigh buoy opener, coasters, and bucket

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Speed Tasting at FIGat7th

Last week I was invited to a Speed Tasting event at FIGat7th downtown. It was the perfect way to celebrate the first day of SPRING!

FIGat7th is a new shopping and dining destination in the heart of downtown Los Angeles. Much of FIGat7th is open-air so you can take advantage of the beautiful Southern California weather and dine alfresco. FIGat7th has a City Target, Zara, H&M and more (with plans to open more stores throughout 2014). Taste is the "food court," if you could even call it that, inside FIGat7th. Taste is a collection of chef-driven, accessible, quick-service casual eateries including City Tavern, Mendocino Farms, The Melt, Juicy Lucy, Loteria Grill, Oleego by Park’s Barbecue, Indus by Saffron, George's Greek Grill, The Flying Pig Café, Sprinkles Cupcakes, The Pizza Studio, Pazzo Gelato, Twist & Grill, New Moon Café, and Gentaro Soba.

FIGat7th also offers seasonal events including a kids' club with arts and crafts, chef demonstrations, and a farmers market every Thursday. You can see the full calendar of events here

 Leeann and I were thrilled when we saw the menu for the event. Just look at all of these things we got to try!

Click to enlarge

I attempted to take photos of some of the food but let me just say I am NOT a food blogger! Everything was delicious despite my less than stellar photography skills!

Honey butter bacon burger and lemonade from Juicy Lucy

Peanut butter banana smoothie (with strawberry on top) from Juicy Lucy

My FAVORITE of the night: The MacDaddy (a grilled cheese with macaroni and cheese inside!) and tomato basil soup from The Melt

Jalapeño margarita from Loteria Grill

Irish chocolate and red velvet mini cupcakes

Here are pictures of three of the food options at Taste:

Juicy Lucy

The Pizza Studio

Twist and Grill

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Lost PaleyFest 2014

Last weekend I went to the Lost 10 year reunion PaleyFest. If you are a TV fan you should definitely come out to LA for PaleyFest put on yearly by The Paley Center for Media. Each year a bunch of different shows, old and new, have panels with the actors and creative teams. There is a Q&A and if you are lucky you may get to see an episode of the show too. In the past I have been to: Castle (2012), Vampire Diaries (2010, 2012, and I'm going again this weekend!), Revenge (2012), Glee (2010), NCIS (2010), and Lost (2010 and 2014)

Lost holds a very special place in my TV loving heart. I don't think I will ever love a show as much as I love Lost. I over thought everything. I would be awake for hours after an episode analyzing every little thing. It was so fun to share theories with friends. And nothing frustrated me more than Lost! That is what makes Lost so special. The fans were (ARE!) emotionally invested. If you are a fan of the show, I thought this piece from Zap2It was a good recap from the event.

I went with Brooke

Walt is all grown up!