Keeping Up With the Allens

Ten Years

On this day ten years ago I started dating the man who would become my biggest cheerleader, my counterpart, the one who would make me laugh countless times each day, and my partner. It didn’t take long to realize just how smitten and lucky I was. Now, ten years later, I am so thankful that Alex and I met each other so early on in our lives.

alex_ali — {A lot has changed since the day I called this dorm room “home”}

It is amazing to think back to life in the dorms and that frat party where it all started {classy, right? but really, it wasn’t what you’re thinking – promise!} and consider all that has happened between now and then – we have changed so much since we were college freshmen.

As Alex and I got to know each other initially {pre-frat party :)} I remember so vividly that he would come and sit in my dorm room and we would just talk like old friends. We got to know each other really easily and very quickly. One of the things I fondly recall is how highly Alex spoke of his family. He would tell me stories of his mother’s cooking, how awesome his dad “Stan the Man” was, hilarious recounts of having an older sister, and generally of his gigantic Italian family and how much fun they were. I had no idea how wonderful his family was then and I am very thankful to have married into such a fun and loving family.

It’s pretty incredible that not only did we survive all four years of college without breaking up once, but we survived the transition to adulthood and moving across the country together. What’s even more incredible, I think, is that life just somehow keeps getting better and better.

One of my favorite parts of our relationship is skiing. Yes, skiing is a part of our relationship. What I love about skiing together is that we share a love of a common hobby with each other. We get to spend a day in the mountains just having fun together. I really can’t think of many things better than that. Every day we ski together is a great day, even if that means we ski one run and retreat to the patio because conditions sucked. We’re not there to fulfill a quota, we’re there to have a good time together.

Let me tell you, you can learn a lot about someone who learns to ski as an adult! Having been taught how to ski around age two I had a clear advantage here. Alex basically just followed me around the mountain our first two years out here, trying not to fall, while I just hopped around strutting my stuff {again, how classy!}.

Alex could hardly ski down a black diamond with moguls on it without falling every turn. Being the gem I am I refused to help him up saying that if he’s going to keep falling he’s got to learn how to get up, and maybe by getting up on his own it’ll teach him not to fall. It’s a miracle he didn’t dump me there on Parachute run!

He was such a good sport and was so determined – he loved skiing so much that he continued to push himself further and harder. He really powered through it and seeing him ski today you would never believe he is entering his seventh ski season. Now Alex has gotten so fast that I can’t keep up with him!

Both Alex and I regularly count our blessings that we met each other so early on and that we have been able to share such a special relationship. We are well aware that not everyone has been blessed with a marriage filled with laughter, compromise, appreciation, respect and integrity. While we continue to feel exceptionally fortunate for what we have, we also work quite hard at biting our tongue when we need to, remembering to encourage each other instead of criticize the other for his faults, making date nights a priority, having so much fun together, and filling each day with a whole lot of love.

{One of the best things we've ever done together was spend a month in Europe. It was perfect. I will always treasure the amount of quality time and experiences we had together.} — {One of the best things we’ve ever done together was spend a month in Europe. It was perfect. I will always treasure the amount of quality time and experiences we had together.}

As we acknowledge a full decade together today we will be looking forward to our “real” celebration, which will take place later on in October with a mini-vacation to Woodinville, Washington, where we will splurge on a hotel, fabulous dinner and big wine tasting excursion. We’re also so thankful to have some pretty amazing friends, so we’ve invited them to celebrate with us when we do wine tasting. We are really looking forward to a relaxing, low-key weekend to recount our ten years together.

{Here we are... 10 years later!} — {Here we are… 10 years later!}

Here’s to the future of us!

Summer Days

As the days are getting shorter and the weather getting crisper I am longing for all things fall. I can’t wait to make my first batch of chili and my first loaf of pumpkin bread… I am so excited to pull out my boots and tights and start wearing sweaters and scarves again. That said, I am a bit sad to give up one of the best summers I will probably ever have. Let’s re-live it together!

{Summer arrived early in Seattle and we are enjoying it well into mid-September.} — {Summer arrived early in Seattle and we are enjoying it well into September.}

{Alex had an unfortunate bike accident which landed him in the hospital with a broken wrist and ribs. Errr wait, we're supposed to be remembering the good things...} — {Alex had an unfortunate bike accident which landed him in the hospital with a broken wrist and ribs. Errr wait, we’re supposed to be remembering the good things…}

{The wonderful weather brought us many trips down the hill to Lake Washington to take Jackson swimming}

{On the few weekends in May when we didn't have travel plans we managed to get some work done on our house that included staining the back steps, installing a stone walkway through our backyard, doing some major work with the lawn, and a huge deep clean inside.} — {On the few weekends in May when we didn’t have travel plans we managed to get some work done on our house that included staining the back steps, installing a stone walkway through our backyard, doing some major work with the lawn, and a huge deep clean inside.}

{A precursor to our impending Europe trip we tested our "foreign" travel skills with a weekend trip to Vancouver, BC} — {A precursor to our impending Europe trip we tested our “foreign” travel skills with a weekend trip to Vancouver, BC.}

{I spent a weekend in DC and Baltimore celebrating my sister in-law's bachelorette party} — {I spent a weekend in DC and Annapolis celebrating my sister in-law’s bachelorette party.}

{We planned our Europe trip for more than a year and finally it was here!} — {We planned our Europe trip for more than a year and finally it was time to pack!}

{We strolled the cobblestone streets of Cinque Terre together...} — {We strolled the cobblestone streets of Cinque Terre together…}

{Attended Alina and Alberto's fairy tale wedding in the Italian countryside} — {Attended Alina and Alberto’s fairy tale wedding in the Italian countryside…}

{We spent unforgettable quality time with Alex's extended family overlooking Lake Como.} — {We spent unforgettable quality time with Alex’s extended family overlooking Lake Como…}

{Ate fondue, stared at the Matterhorn and rode the Glacier Express through Switzerland} — {Ate fondue, stared at the Matterhorn and rode the Glacier Express through Switzerland…}

{We drank copious amounts of wine, sat on the beach and gorged on amazing tapas in Spain.} — {We drank copious amounts of wine, sat on the beach and gorged on amazing tapas in Spain….}

{We watched the Tour de France roll through, saw Big Ben, rode the London Eye and ate wonderful Indian food in London.} — {Watched the Tour de France roll through, saw Big Ben, rode the London Eye and ate wonderful Indian food in London…}

{And quietly enjoyed the last bits of our trip while admiring the charm of Amsterdam.} — {And we quietly enjoyed the last bits of our trip while admiring the charm of Amsterdam and watching the final game in the 2014 World Cup.}

{On our way back to Seattle we stopped in Minnesota to attend Cammy and Adam's wedding.} — {On our way back to Seattle we stopped in Minnesota to attend Cammy and Adam’s wedding.}

{After resting and recovering for a week we were at it again with an incredible camping trip with some of our closest friends.}

{Somewhere in there we managed to spend some time with our dog...} — {Somewhere in there we managed to spend some time with our dog…}

{And I found my way to the farmer's market many Friday afternoons in the late summer to stock up on tomatoes, berries and gorgeous flower bouquets.} — {And I found my way to the farmer’s market many Friday afternoons in the late summer to stock up on tomatoes, berries and gorgeous flower bouquets.}

{Alex jetted off for a weekend in Chicago to attend his cousin Bryan's bachelor party...} — {Alex jetted off for a weekend in Chicago to attend his cousin Bryan’s bachelor party…}

{Then we attended their wedding in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin the following weekend.}

{I got to catch up with my college roommate Julie and spend some time getting to know her fiance Ryan.}

{The following weekend we set off east to Suncadia for Dave and Trish's wedding.} — {The following weekend we set off east to Suncadia for Dave and Trish’s wedding with this as the backdrop.}

{I took on the tall task of re-decorating our guest room for our imminent visitors.}

{Then Donna and Stan came out for Labor Day weekend and we embarked on an incredible wine tour in Walla Walla, Washington.}

{With Labor Day as the unofficial end to summer I guess that's where this story ends.... the weather is still mostly nice around these parts and I am being pulled between remembering the incredible summer and looking forward to fall cooking, ski season and the fantastic trips we have coming up in the next six months.} — {With Labor Day as the unofficial end to summer I guess that’s where this story ends…. I guess that’s a good thing because man am I tired! We’ve got to rest up and start looking forward to fall cooking, ski season and the fantastic trips we have coming up in the next six months.}

What to Eat & Drink in Seattle

I just posted a list of things to do in Seattle. Because there is so much to do in Seattle that was enough for one post. Similarly, there are so many wonderful restaurants to try in this foodie city. I’ve started a list, which I plan on updating periodically, of some favorite restaurants and bars in Seattle.

Breakfast / Brunch

Salty’s on Alki {take the water taxi from downtown across Elliott Bay to West Seattle to Salty’s for an absolutely incredible brunch – can do dinner here too – incredible seafood, pricey}
Hi Spot Cafe {either drive to Madrona neighborhood or take #2 bus from downtown, very budget friendly, amazing coffee}
Portage Bay Cafe {there are a few around town}

Lunch

{downtown}

Pike Place Chowder {awesome chowder 1/2 a block up from Pike Place Market right next to Seattle’s Best Coffee}
Anthony’s Fish Bar {on the waterfront at Pier 66 – great fish tacos/fish & chips}
Elliott’s Fish Bar {on the waterfront at Pier 56- great fish & chips, famous for their oysters}
Piroshky Piroshky {cute little Russian lunch counter in the market}

{not in downtown}

Paseo {~~Ballard and~~ Fremont neighborhood – this is a little hole in the wall that is was commonly featured in “top 10 best food in the country” shows on Food Network – it’s a Cuban sandwich shop that has recently changed hands but they make a damn good meal}
Homegrown {Capitol Hill – Melrose Market or South Lake Union} – awesome sandwiches

Dinner

{downtown}

Steelhead Diner {in Pike Place Market}
Matt’s in the Market {in Pike Place Market}
Etta’s Seafood {in Pike Place Market}
The Pink Door {in Pike Place Market – eclectic mix}
Dahlia Lounge {true Seattle cuisine experience}
Serious Pie {pizza}
Wild Ginger {Asian}
The Crab Pot {crab… super casual, really fun – down on the waterfront}
The Edgewater Hotel’s restaurant {really cool experience – neat bar + great chowder}

{not in downtown}

Quinn’s {Capitol Hill – “traditional” Seattle gastropub with really funky combinations – great bar, too}
Poquitos {Capitol Hill – Mexican – great bar, too}
Bar Cotto {Capitol Hill – divine pizza}
The Whale Wins or The Walrus and the Carpenter {both in Fremont neighborhood – oysters/seafood}
Restaurant Zoe {Capitol Hill – one of my favorites – great “Seattle” food that is constantly changing}
The Harvest Vine {Spanish restaurant with unbelievable wine and out-of-this-world Iberico Pork}
Ray’s Boathouse {Ballard neighborhood – great bar and seafood – incredible view}
Daniel’s Broiler {Leschi neighborhood – incredible view and steak – pricey!}
Tilth {Organic, seasonal “Seattle” food – pricey}

Bars

{wine}

Purple {downtown – wine bar w/ good food too}
Bottlehouse {Madrona neighborhood – drive or take #2 bus, or Uber/cab – awesome wine, wonderful food, exceptional service}

{cocktails}

Zig Zag {downtown on the Pike Place Hillclimb – a bit of a hole in the wall}
RN74 {downtown – excellent wine too}
Bathtub Gin {a few blocks from downtown – speakeasy style}
Knee High Stocking Company {Capitol Hill neighborhood – speakeasy style}
Canon {Capitol Hill neighborhood}
Fremont Mischief {a whiskey bar that offers tours in the Fremont neighborhood}

{beer}

Pike Place Brewery {in Pike Place Market – good for lunch on a rainy day, too}
ReinHaus {Capitol Hill neighborhood – German beer hall w/ bocce ball}
Chuck’s Hop Shop {Greenwood, Central District neighborhoods – neat beer shop w/ over 100 beers}

Happy eating!

Things to do in & Near Seattle

I have been asked three times in the last day for suggestions of things to do in Seattle. I figured it would be helpful to put together a list of some of my favorite things to do in Seattle for people coming to visit our beautiful city and its surroundings, plus it’s handy to have when people come visit us to think about what to do!

Seattle is an extremely casual city that is surrounded by lakes, mountains, the Puget Sound and views that you will never forget. With a population of just over 600,000 people, our small but diverse city is home to famous musicians, actors, tech gurus, the 2014 Super Bowl Champions, and a lot of traffic. We have incredible food, world-class wines, and Washington is the world’s largest producer of hops. The people here are sometimes friendly, almost always eclectic, generally extremely smart and very environmentally friendly. We’ve got decent public transportation options, namely the city bus and there is a light rail between downtown and the airport that is undergoing a major expansion. The climate here is pretty mild year-round. Summers are moderate, but typically sunny with no humidity or mosquitoes, whereas October through June, well, it’s usually the rainy season. There are few days when you actually need an umbrella – bring a good waterproof jacket with a hood and you should stay dry and blend in with the locals. You’ll understand why we drink so much coffee if you come during the winter. I hope you enjoy your trip to Seattle!

What to do in Seattle…

I just have to put this first… there is so much great coffee in Seattle and you can get Starbucks anywhere… do yourself a favor and try something different! One of my downtown favorites is Seattle Coffee Works.
Ride The Great Wheel – a relatively new ferris wheel on the downtown Seattle waterfront
Take a ride up in the Space Needle – I’d suggest going for a meal to help off-set the cost, and definitely only go if it’s actually clear out, better yet, visit the even cooler historic Smith Tower or Columbia Tower observatory.
Walk along the waterfront downtown – be sure to visit the Olympic Sculpture Garden and enjoy views of the Olympic Mountains and Mount Rainier
Take the Water Taxi over to Alki Beach
Of course, you must visit Pike Place Market – eat some fruit, watch them throw the fish, buy cheese at Beecher’s and DeLaurenti, peruse the plethora of shops and stands, eat a lot, explore.
Go to the Flagship Nordstrom {or Nordstrom Rack}
Go to the Flagship REI
Grab necessary supplies for a picnic and visit one of Seattle’s amazing parks – a few favorites include: Seward Park, Discovery Park, Volunteer Park, Golden Gardens Beach, Kerry Park {one of the best views of the city!}
Hop aboard the ferry to Bainbridge Island – either just take the ferry to and from or hop off and walk a few blocks to the downtown, explore the shops, have lunch, come back to the city…
Check out a show at Benaroya Hall where the Seattle Symphony plays
Visit a museum: Seattle Art Museum, Chihuly Glass Museum {my favorite!}, Experience Music Project, Aquarium, Pacific Science Center, or less commonly visited, the Center for Wooden Boats, Museum of History and Industry, Wing Luke Museum – good for rainy days
Stop into the Elliott Bay Book Company – a great rainy day activity
Rent a kayak or canoe and paddle through the arboretum and past the famous Seattle houseboats. While you’re in the area, be sure to stroll through the gorgeous UW campus and the Washington Park Arboretum – don’t miss the Japanese Garden!
Take an Underground Tour – another good rainy day activity
Ride the Ducks
Rent a SUP {Stand Up Paddleboard} in Lake Union, Green Lake or on Puget Sound in Ballard
Visit the Fremont and Ballard neighborhoods and check out the weird Troll, lounge at Golden Gardens Beach, check out the Ballard Locks
Spend some time people watching in the Capitol Hill neighborhood – some of the best restaurants and bars in the city are located here
Cheer on the Sounders, Seahawks or Mariners {both stadiums are walkable from downtown, be sure to get a “Seattle Dog” – a hot dog with cream cheese and sauteed onions – don’t knock it ’til you try it!}
Hop on the new Emerald City Trolley tour
See a {music} show at the Showbox Theater
See a {theatrical} show at STG

Have a car and want to get out of town?…

{Skagit Valley Tulip Festival takes place in April}

Don’t just stick to the city of Seattle! Get out for a day or two and explore the surroundings. There are mountains just 45 minutes outside the city, incredible wineries a quick 25 minute jaunt away, and some pretty amazing scenic viewpoints you can see in just a day.

Drive yourself {better yet, hire a driver} to Woodinville for an afternoon of wine drinking. With more than 100 wineries to choose from there will be something for everyone! Some of my favorites are: Trust, Dusted Valley, Mark Ryan, Gorman, JM Cellars, J Bookwalter, Patterson, Darby… All of these, save for maybe JM Cellars, are within a block of each other. You’re welcome. A fantastic rainy day activity.
While you’re in Woodinville, check out the events happening at Chateau Ste Michelle’s incredible estate. They have an awesome summer concert series.
Need food while in Woodinville? The Herbfarm is Washington’s only 5-star restaurant, which of course comes with a hefty price tag. More reasonably priced is Barking Frog, The Commons, Purple and Red Hook Brewery.
Again, another stop on the Woodinville trip is to do a brewery tour at Red Hook, see an outdoor movie, or just grab a cheap bite to eat/beer. This is great to do on a rainy day!
Take a ferry {with your car} to Bremerton, drive about an hour to Hurricane Ridge. Go for a hike. Enjoy.
Head southeast towards Mount Rainier and go to Crystal Mountain. Incredible ski resort, but if that’s not your thing, you can take the gondola up to the top of the mountain for lunch or dinner and one of the most amazing views you may ever see {if it’s clear, that is!}. This is a great all-season option.
Drive east towards the Cascade Mountains and go for a hike. There are thousands to choose from. Some easy ones include: Denny Creek, Tiger Mountain, Snoqualmie Falls, Snow Lake, or visit the Washington Trails Association for more options. Or, go for a hike on Mount Rainier – there are several to choose from for all ability levels. Be mindful to note if the park/trail requires a recreation pass – these can be obtained at REI – there is one on the way to Snoqualmie Pass off of I-90 in Issaquah.
Take a tour of the Boeing Factory – this is about 45 minutes north of Seattle. This is a great rainy day activity!
Alternately, visit the Museum of Flight – this is different than the factory and is just 10 minutes south of downtown.
Head north to Deception Pass and/or Whidbey Island. Spend the day there and eat a lot of cheese. If you’re visiting in April be sure to check out the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival. If you play your cards right, you might just have time to go whale watching...

Visiting for a while and want to go stay somewhere out of the city?…

Washington state is unbelievably gorgeous and diverse in its landscapes. We’ve got mountains, streams, an ocean, rainforests, lakes, a desert… You name it, we’ve probably got it! If you have a couple extra days and a car/other mode of transportation, I would definitely encourage exploring some of the many things that Washington has to offer.

Spend some time on the San Juan Islands {a 1.5-2 hour drive north to Anacortes + a ferry ride over to whichever island you choose}
Visit Olympic National Park and the Washington Coast {this is one of those “it’s the journey and all of the destinations” trips, so plan on stopping and getting out of the car a lot.}
Do a wine weekend in Yakima {2-2.5 hours from Seattle} – be sure to visit Cultura Winery, Dineen Vineyards, Two Mountain Winery and Treveri Cellars
Take the Victoria Clipper to Victoria, BC {about a 3 hour boat ride to Victoria}
Visit the idyllic Bavarian village, Leavenworth, about 2.5 hours northeast of Seattle – go in October for their annual Octoberfest, visit in December for the icicle lights or make the drive in the summer to enjoy wine and hiking. It’s great any time of the year!

{Sunset overlooking the San Juan Islands}

Want to know where to eat/drink? Check out some of my favorites!

This Week with the Allens

Things are finally starting to quiet down a bit. The weather is simply perfect. Fall is here and I couldn’t be more excited for the changing of the season. Here is what’s been happening with us…

We are so looking forward to a weekend at home. This will be Alex’s second weekend at home without any house guests since before we left for Europe. I’ll do the math for you – out of the last 13 weekends, 12 of them have been spoken for with travel or company {I was home one additional weekend while he was at a bachelor party}. No wonder all he has wanted to do lately is play video games!

Last weekend we had Alex’s cousin Bryan come out for a visit after he had a job interview out here. We did our best to try to convince Bryan to move out here, but he decided to take a very exciting new job working for a certain football team in Illinois instead. The boys literally spent the weekend playing video games, so I have nothing to report from them. I did escape the gaming mayhem for a bit on Saturday night and went to the Buffingtons for dinner with them and the Millers, which was a welcome change of pace.

{my gorgeous farmer's market flowers! it's hard to believe that there are only 2 more farmer's markets in our neighborhood before they close up shop for the year.} — {My gorgeous farmer’s market flowers! It’s hard to believe that there are only 2 more farmer’s markets in our neighborhood before they close up shop for the year.}

Given that we’ve hardly been home all summer, our to-do list is gigantic. We’re hoping to tackle a few home projects this weekend, like re-staining part of our fence, cleaning our carpets, going through recipes and getting our house ready for fall.

I just finished my first month of exercise classes at the Pilates studio in our neighborhood. I am taking a barre class once a week, then a class on the Pilates reformer another day each week. So far I am a barre hater and a reformer lover. Both are great classes but I just prefer the lower intensity reformer workout. I’m not sure what I will choose to do after the month of September is up, so we’ll see…

Alex is moving to a new office {same job} in November-ish, so he is trying to figure out the fitness plan that will work best with his new work location. Currently his gym is in the same building as his office which has been pretty handy for him. He is hoping, though, to be able to ride his bike to work more often with the new move. His current commute is only 3 miles, which is a pretty short bike ride, so he is looking forward to a longer trek – his new commute will be closer to 20 miles. I think what he is most looking forward to with the office move; however, is not having to take the un-reliable city bus!

My schedule has gotten significantly busier in the last few weeks. School is back in session, which means that my work schedule has picked wayyyy up as I prepare to start the tutoring program I manage in early October. Also, I am back in the first grade classroom at our neighborhood school where I volunteer on Friday mornings. The family I work for took several lengthy trips over the summer which left me with some extra free time in the mornings. They just returned this week, so now I am back to working “full-time” Monday through Thursday again.

{Feeling like a teacher these days as I get all sorts of educational materials pulled together.}

So, that’s what’s been happening with us! Thank goodness it’s Friday!

Walla Walla Wine Country

It seems to be becoming a tradition that Donna and Stan come to Washington for a wine country trip over Labor Day weekend. This year that tradition held true. Last year we spent the holiday weekend in the Yakima Valley wine country, but mixed it up a bit and headed further east to Walla Walla this past weekend.

{gorgeous wine country - this is the view from one of the wineries} — {Gorgeous wine country – this is the view from one of the wineries we visited in Walla Walla}

Donna and Stan arrived late Thursday evening and the rest is a blurry memory……..

Just kidding! 🙂 Well, sort of… The theme of the weekend was wine. Good wine, to be exact. We had gotten several recommendations of wineries to visit from Henri, one of the owners of Bottlehouse, our neighborhood wine bar, and we tried to hit as many as possible. Here is a recap of our amazing weekend…

{on our way to Walla Walla we stopped in Yakima at Two Mountain Winery, where we are wine club members, to pick up our latest release and do a tasting} — {On our way to Walla Walla we stopped in Yakima at Two Mountain Winery, where we are wine club members, to pick up our latest release and do a tasting. Basically all of the wineries we went to were dog friendly so Jackson got to come along on the trip too!}

{because one stop in Yakima en route to Walla Walla isn't enough we stopped at Cultura and decided we better just join their wine club too... And bring back a half a case of wine while we were at it... Hey, I told you the theme of the weekend was drinking good wine...} — {Because one stop in Yakima en route to Walla Walla isn’t enough we stopped at Cultura and decided we better just join their wine club too… And snag seven bottles of wine while we were at it… Hey, I told you the theme of the weekend was drinking good wine…}

{we made it to Walla Walla and this was our home base. "The Barn" is the home we rented for the long weekend and this vacation rental was the best we have ever stayed in!} — {We eventually made it to Walla Walla and this was our home base. “The Barn” is the home we rented for the long weekend and this vacation rental was the best we have ever stayed in!}

{we were so happy staying here that we didn't even go out for dinner once! we are so grateful to the Holbrook family for their attention to detail and willingness to rent out The Barn} — {We were so happy staying here that we didn’t even go out for dinner once! We are so grateful to the Holbrook family for their attention to detail and willingness to rent out The Barn.}

{after a filling breakfast on Saturday we headed out to downtown Walla Walla to start our day of drinking. The first stop was Gramercy Cellars. The winemaker was just named the best in the state by Seattle Magazine! They had very big, old-style wines that were fantastic} — {After a filling breakfast on Saturday we headed out to downtown Walla Walla to start our day of drinking. The first stop was Gramercy Cellars. The winemaker was just named the best in the state by Seattle Magazine! They had very big, old-style wines that were fantastic.}

{halfway through our day and just before lunch at Olive Marketplace we stopped at Trust Cellars, which ended up being one of our favorites of the weekend. We were so excited to learn that Trust has a tasting room in Woodinville, just 25 minutes from Seattle, so we can go drink wine here more often!} — {Halfway through our day and just before lunch at Olive Marketplace we stopped at Trust Cellars, which ended up being one of our favorites of the weekend. We were so excited to learn that Trust has a tasting room in Woodinville, just 25 minutes from Seattle, so we can go drink wine here more often!}

{the last stop of the day was El Corazon, the party winery... the winemaker clearly knows how to have a good time!} — {The last stop of the day was El Corazon, the party winery… and just like my mother in-law, the winemaker clearly knows how to have a good time! The music selection here was very up-beat, the drinks were flowing, and the volume was cranked up. It’s clear that this is the place to let loose.}

{Here is us at El Corazon having a good time} — {Here is us at El Corazon having a good time… Please note that to save my MIL’s reputation, I omitted a few photos here…}

{our evenings were spent hanging out at The Barn, grilling, playing cards, relaxing and, you guessed it, drinking more wine... we are so thankful that Alex's parents come visit as often as they do and that they are able to kick back, relax and decompress} — {Our evenings were spent hanging out at The Barn, grilling, playing cards, relaxing and, you guessed it, drinking more wine… We are so thankful that Alex’s parents come visit as often as they do and that they are able to kick back, relax and decompress.}

{day two in Walla Walla started at Va Piano, another favorite of the weekend} — {Did you think we were done?? We’re just getting started… Day two in Walla Walla started at Va Piano, another favorite of the weekend… We enjoyed our second day more in some respects, due to the fact that we were visiting the vineyards instead of the tasting rooms in town, and we hired a driver to take us around, which allowed Alex to not have to worry about his consumption.}

{Va Piano wins for facade, view and vineyard} — {Va Piano wins for facade, view and vineyard.}

{Jackson came with us on Sunday and loved running through the vines at Va Piano} — {Jackson came with us on Sunday and loved running through the vines at Va Piano.}

{Yet another favorite was Sleight of Hands. Alex and I had tried some of their wines previously and remembered why we loved them so much. An added bonus was that the tasting room was awesome! They sure know how to have fun AND make incredible wines} — {Yet another favorite was Sleight of Hands. Alex and I had tried some of their wines previously and remembered why we loved them so much. An added bonus was that the tasting room was awesome! The space was decorated in old rock albums, as well as posters of magicians that inspired the names of their wines and wine labels. They sure know how to have fun AND make incredible wines.}

{we really liked the ambiance at Balboa!} — {We really liked the ambiance at Balboa!}

{everyone got ID'd!} — {Everyone got ID’d!}

{As it turned out, we saved the best for last! Many of our favorite wineries of the whole weekend was the winery that we visited at the very end that was walking distance from The Barn... Dusted Valley. The wines were out of this world! And with that, came a hefty price tag... We had lunch here by way of Andrea's food truck and that just sealed the deal... Plus, Dusted Valley, too, has a tasting room in Woodinville!} — {As it turned out, we saved the best for last! Many of us agreed that our favorite winery of the whole weekend was the winery that we visited at the very end that was walking distance from The Barn… Dusted Valley Winery. The wines were out of this world! And with that, came a hefty price tag… We had lunch here by way of Andrae’s food truck and that just sealed the deal… Plus, Dusted Valley, too, has a tasting room in Woodinville!}

{after a long day of being a winery dog, Jackson came back and passed out for the evening} — {After a long day of being a winery dog, Jackson came back and passed out for the evening. Too much work I guess!}

{We had SUCH a great weekend - thank you Donna and Stan for being such good company and for providing an opportunity for us to take this trip... I hope we'll be able to go back to Walla Walla soon!} — {We had SUCH a great weekend – thank you Donna and Stan for being such good company and for providing an opportunity for us to take this trip… I hope we’ll be able to go back to Walla Walla soon!}

Guest Bedroom Update

Our guest bedroom has been one of the most neglected spaces in our house in the four years we have lived here. It has always bothered me because we have so many friends and family members who come to visit that I cringe every time we walk downstairs and welcome them to their rectangle box of a guest room… So, when we decided to embark on a whole-house redecorating kick, the guest room was my top priority.

Here is a “before” photo of the boring space…

{the room had nothing in it other than the bed}

The room is almost how we envision it looking in its complete state – I just couldn’t resist sharing the progress we have made.

One of the most important things to us was providing a place for our guests to sit and make themselves at home. We found this adorable red chair that matches the quilt quite lovely and offers an accent to the teal drapes and lampshade.

Additionally, it’s always nice to have a place to set your things, so we wanted to be able to offer our guests a dresser where they could unpack or just place things on.

The walls are still a work in progress. We plan on painting the walls and adding a fun accent to the wall behind the bed. Reusing some brown frames we already had, we hung photos from our recent Europe trip above the dresser to give the room a little bit of a travel feel. In time we’ll add some more art to the room to help alleviate some of the blank wall space.

{we will load up this tray with water and snacks for our guests. It’s my hope to get a mini Keurig for our guests to be able to enjoy making coffee in their own little suite :)}

While we were at it with the bedroom, I decided to update the towels and shower curtain in the guest bathroom. We had never purchased either a shower curtain or towels specifically for this bathroom – it kind of just got whatever towels we had on hand, which I have always disliked. I was thrilled to find a gray, mustard yellow and white shower curtain {colors usually out of my realm!} that brightens up the dark bathroom and works with the wall color. Thank you Target! I would like to add some more exciting art than a photo of the Mexican ocean, so stay tuned for the finishing touches… someday!

Hope you like the new space! We can’t wait to have visitors for three of the next four weekends.

Stitch Fix # 3!

It has been a very exciting week in the package delivery department. First, I got my 100 Days of Real Food book on Tuesday, then yesterday I received my 3rd Stitch Fix box! I was really looking forward to this Stitch Fix because I have never bought anything in my previous two boxes – they were both filled with good stuff, but the first round was too big and the second round was bad timing for me to spend the extra money on clothes. So, needless to say, I checked the front porch at least 7 times yesterday, waiting to see when the pretty box would arrive…

This was worth the wait! I asked for some clothes that would help me make the transition to fall, and nothing terribly trendy. I have not been excited about all of the new trends lately. They were clearly not designed with me in mind!

Here is what Stitch Fix sent me:

{Blue top - they suggested pairing it with a black/white striped skirt, which conveniently I own} — {Blue top – they suggested pairing it with a black/white striped skirt, which conveniently I own}

{Here's the blue top with black "skinny jeans" that are really leggings... sneaky!} — {Here’s the blue top with black “skinny jeans” that are really leggings… sneaky!}

{teal top with fun detail on the chest - pair well with the black "skinnies"} — {teal top with fun detail on the chest – pair well with the black “skinnies”}

{military green top w/ my own jeans - I really don't like this color in the slightest bit, but Alex does and it's something different I guess??} — {military green top w/ my own jeans – I really don’t like this color in the slightest bit, but Alex does and it’s something different I guess??}

{super versatile navy dress that can easily be worn year-round in Seattle with some wedges in the summer or tights, boots and a sweater in the fall or winter}

So, there you have it! And it’s all staying with me this time!

Dave + Trish’s Suncadia Wedding

We had a blast celebrating the marriage of our friends Dave and Trish this past weekend in Suncadia, a mountain resort just past Snoqualmie Pass. The setting was incredible! Suncadia is a mountain-modern style resort and its backdrop is tree-lined mountains, so, really, you don’t need much more than that and a great couple to have an awesome wedding.

Trish and Dave are really good friends of Carrie and Patrick, which is who set them up and how we know them. We are so looking forward to spending more time with the happy couple now that things will {hopefully} settle down since they’re not planning their wedding anymore. They are a couple that loves to travel and have a good time! We have a lot in common 🙂

Back to the wedding! We drove to Suncadia with Ryan and Mary and arrived just in time for lunch. We stopped in the town of Roslyn for lunch at The Brick, which may or may not be the oldest bar in Washington {depends on who you ask, I hear}. We loved both the town and the bar – the people were so friendly and the atmosphere was awesome.

Once we pulled into Suncadia we knew we were in for a treat. Our first stop was the bar followed by the pool. Hey, we were on vacation… The weather was gorgeous. It was a really nice temperature with partly cloudy skies, so it didn’t get too hot for our outdoor adventures. We hung by the pool for an hour or two before heading into the lodge to get ready for the wedding.

The ceremony took place overlooking the golf course and the mountains. Dave and Trish had their sister in-law officiate the wedding. It was short, sweet and to the point. There wasn’t much chatter involved except for their amazing personalized vows {Alex and Ryan even teared up!!}, the ring exchange and the presentation of Mr. and Mrs. Hilliard.

{picture-perfect backdrop for a mountain wedding}

{these were their programs - they doubled as fans in case it was too hot} — {these were their programs – they doubled as fans in case it was too hot}

{the programs were really creative infographics that told the story of the couple and their family. I have never seen anything like it before}

{one of my favorite touches of the whole event was that the chair in the front on the groom's side was reserved for Dave's mother who passed away. It was a tear-jerker just looking at the empty chair with a beautiful bouquet of flowers on it} — {one of my favorite touches of the whole event was that the chair in the front on the groom’s side was reserved for Dave’s mother who had passed away. It was a tear-jerker just looking at the empty chair with a beautiful bouquet of flowers on it}

The whole evening was so lovely. Trish did an incredible job making the wedding personal to them, but she also added creative touches that you don’t see all over the internet and at every other wedding. She really outdid herself.

{for their guest book they had polaroid cameras + hilarious props and had their guests take photos of themselves and write a note to the bride and groom}

{gold and persimmon were two of the colors of the event}

{the flowers in the centerpieces were stunning!}

We had an awesome time dancing the whole night and were happy to sleep in a bit on Sunday. The best part was that the celebration continued with a brunch the next morning. After we finished eating to soak up the remnants of the night before we set out on a little hike down to the river. It was such a gorgeous property!

Congratulations to the Hilliards!!

Bryan + Sarah’s Lake Geneva Wedding

Last weekend Alex and I jetted off to Wisconsin to attend Bryan and Sarah’s wonderful Lake Geneva wedding. Bryan is Alex’s cousin and we both went to Iowa State University with Bryan, Alex even roomed with him during our senior year.

I have to start this post with a few throwbacks to our college days… I was searching for some good ones and you better believe I found some gems…

{Cousins @ VEISHEA} — {Cousins @ VEISHEA – I am certain there was water in those Solo cups…}

{Bryan and Alex cheering on the always losing Cyclones}

{Me with Bryan and Alex at my 22nd birthday... man those boys had long hair!} — {Me with Bryan and Alex at my 22nd birthday… man those boys had long hair!}

Given their history and friendship, it was no surprise to hear that Bryan asked Alex to be his best man. I know Alex was honored to serve out that role. They all had an awesome time celebrating Bryan becoming a husband at his bachelor party in Chicago the weekend before. Alex had a great time planning the big hurrah and found a perfect bachelor pad next to Wrigley Field that came complete with a bar, urinals and a pool table.

On to the wedding! The vows took place at the Grand Geneva Resort right next to the pool {their event drew a crowd of lookie lous!} but overlooking the lake and golf course. It was a beautiful setting.

The bridesmaids were absolutely adorable. Every last one of them was so darn cute! I loved the light peach colored dresses and they looked great next to the guys’ gray tuxedos.

{it was a beautiful day for an outdoor wedding}

Wanting a really personalized wedding ceremony, Bryan and Sarah asked one of their friends to officiate. It was Matt’s first wedding to preside over, and he nailed it! He kept it sweet, to the point and was well-rehearsed. You could clearly tell he was a genuine person and friend to the happy couple.

After the ceremony we took the adorable trolleys to the “Mountain Top” which is a Wisconsin ski hill {emphasis on hill – if I could say “bump” I would…} on the property of the Grand Geneva Resort.

The reception took place inside the ski chalet. Bryan and Sarah decorated the space with some rustic touches, like twigs and candles in mason jars, as well as romantic gestures through lighted draping over the dance floor.

Pinterest was definitely involved in this wedding! Sarah executed on a number of adorable little details that made the day extra special, like the “Love is Sweet” candy bar, and the welcome bags that were in each room at the resort.

Both the maid of honor and best man’s speeches were really heartfelt and mustered up a few laughs from the guests.

We had a really nice time visiting with Alex’s family members during the cocktail hour and dinner.

We so seldom see them that it’s always nice to get to catch up with his extended family, and I enjoyed connecting with his cousin Stacy, whom I had only met once before.

The evening went off without a hitch and it’s safe to say everyone had a great time!

Finally, I really want to share their same-day wedding video. Seriously, watch this. Their videographer was AWESOME. They had a drone filming and the videographer edited this video and showed it at the wedding. Truly impressive!

Congratulations Bryan and Sarah!!