Strip Teas

I was visiting my favorite coffee shop, Muse Coffee Co. this weekend on Queen Anne and discovered Brent is carrying a new, hip, spectacular, fun, yummy tea called Strip Teas.


The design of these little puppies is just ingenious. In a tall aluminum foil perforated pocket, the entire tea "strip" is environmentally sound and 100% recyclable. The unique shape allows for the tea leaves within to unfurl releasing the fantastic flavors into the water and is the perfect shape to act double duty as a stir stick!



Packaging is just charming and the teas come in six spectacular flavors including Masala Chai (a black tea with ginger, pepper, basil and a touch of cinnamon), Pushkar Rose (just as it sounds, flavored with rose) and Maristar (with marigold petals and sweet anise).

Strip Teas is the brain child of Emily Koteff who lives here in Seattle, so support a local business woman and pick up a cup of Strip Teas at Muse Coffee Co. today!

Yummy Or Creepy?

I came across these Vanishing Creatures commemorative chocolates by Walteria Living...


The series of chocolates including busts of a pygmy hippo, mountain gorilla and koala bear commemorate endangered species. A portion of the proceeds of the sale of the chocolates go to aid WSPA.

The cause is wonderful and really the relation is a bit uncanny (the hippo is kinda cute). What do you think...are these yummy or creepy? I can't decide! Find your own at Unica Home.

Portfolio: Muse Coffee Co.

I've had the pleasure of working with my dear friend Brent to provide signage for his fantastic coffee shop Muse Coffee Co. Located on the West side of lovely Queen Anne, Muse definitely has its own style. Brent already had a rockin' logo:


And a modern, funky interior...



Wanting to stick with the existing design forward, trendy look of the space, I created a white vinyl cling menu that Brent adhered to his charcoal grey walls.



The greatest part? If Brent changes his menu, all he has to do is pull off the vinyl cling and remount a new one!

Next we tackled the pastry case...we wanted a similar look so we went with a "mini-menu" look for price tags...



Again, needing flexibility, we created blank cards that Brent can write on in white wax pencil if he offers new products.


I have to say...it all turned out swimmingly. Muse is such a fantastic place and has become one of my favorite hang outs. The environment is warm, the people are friendly, the internet is free, the music is superior, the coffee is spectacular (Herkimer!), the treats are decadent and they host all kinds of fun events like a rotating art gallery and Monday night Purl Jam, a fun knitting group. Best of all, Brent is a gem. I encourage you to check them out!

Spinasse

I was treated to quite the culinary experience last night at a superb new Italian restaurant on Capitol Hill called Spinasse.

photo via Spinasse

To begin with, the decor is spectacular...rustic and charming it is like dining in a friend's home. A friend with a gorgeous eye for design! Worn wood beams punctuate the walls and four family style tables surrounded by mismatched wood farm chairs fill the room. Drippy candles and Italian art hang on the walls which encompass a fantastic bar topped with honed Carrera marble and deep dark wood shelves. The windows are covered with delicate lace adding to the traditional yet modern homey feel. Romantic and fun...I loved it!

photo via here

I wish I could have smuggled in my camera to take pictures of the fantastic food we ate. Here is a list of the decadence that we consumed...

A salad of marinated beets, fennel and local farro: one of my favorites

Anchovies in Piemontese green sauce with crumbled egg yolk: I didn't think I would like these but I really did!

Gorgeous portabello mushrooms doused in a creamy buttery cheese sauce: I think my description says it all YUMMMM!

Fine hand cut egg pasta with ragu: Rich while staying light...did I mention they hand make all their pasta in house?

Piemontese agnolotti in broth with Italian black summer truffle shavings: Mild and comforting

Huckleberries marinated in Grappa with a dollop of freshly whipped cream: Fantastic...sweet and tart with perfectly smooth cream....ahhh

I know, I know...are you kidding me? It was so flipping good. Not to mention the cocktails and wine. We were in heaven!

photo via here

This place must be checked out by all...I guarantee you will enjoy it!

Don't Let Summer Slip Away!

Where are all the yummy warm days of Summer? I've said it once and I'll say it again...it is NOT Fall yet! With that in mind, on this long weekend, live it up like one only can in the Summer months. What is the best way? With a tropical drink of course.


I was thumbing through Sunset Magazine last night at a friend's house and found this luscious treat. Enjoy and have a fun & safe long weekend!!

TROPICAL MAI TAI

Ingredients
2 tablespoons light rum
2 tablespoons orange curaçao
1/4 cup orange juice
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 dash orgeat
1 dash simple syrup
1 tablespoon dark rum
Mint, a pineapple slice, and a paper umbrella for garnish

Preparation
1. Fill an 8-oz. glass with ice. Pour in light rum, orange curaçao, orange juice, lime juice, orgeat, and simple syrup.
2. Drizzle dark rum on top. Garnish with mint, pineapple slice, and paper umbrella.

Yield
Makes 1 drink

Sunset Magazine, September 2008

Lekker!

While toughing it out through what felt like the storm of the century when touring Leiden, Stein and I decided we needed to escape the rain and get a warm afternoon treat. We hopped into a Bagels & Beans to take shelter. I didn't think I would get anything, but then thought...aw, it is vacation. I should indulge! I decided to get a hot chocolate and holy cow...what a fantastic treat! This is what arrived at our table.


Mmmm...whipped cream! And what was the little treat to the left? I figured it was just a bonus candy. Stein was always getting little cookies and candies along with his coffee and espresso. I thought this must be one of those free little treats. I unwrapped it and saw that it was a cube of chocolate on a stick. Hmmm...?


Well, I figured, great...a piece of chocolate! I set it aside and went for what usually is my favorite part of the hot chocolate experience. Whipped cream of course. Well I went to dig in with my spoon and felt that there was a dish beneath the cream. Removable whipped cream...strange. I lifted off the saucer and suddenly the mystery was revealed. The cup was filled with hot steamed milk. Hmmm....I must mix in the chocolate on the stick! Brilliant. I proceeded with excitement and wondered what the finished product would be like.


After mixing in the chocolate, I added the side of whipped cream and went in for the kill. This had to be good! It looked perfect.


Oh man, was it ever perfect. I swear to you, it was the best hot chocolate I ever had in my life. Rich and creamy, with the perfect blend of bittersweet chocolate. Nothing like the powdered stuff or the concoction made with chocolate syrup. This was pure heaven.


I slurped it down in a hurry and felt like a giddy little girl. I was in love. I had to cry out my favorite Dutch word..."lekker" (aka "yummy")! All that warm chocolate goodness prepared me to venture back out into the rain. A fantastic discovery...now if I could only get the holy grail of hot chocolate in Seattle!

Beautiful Amsterdam

As we arrived in Amsterdam, I knew we were going to have a great time! I was able to cash in some Starwood points and got a great deal at the Hotel Pulitzer on the Prinsengracht Canal. They must have known this was a special trip because they upgraded us to a King room with a lovely view of the canal in front of us.


Our hotel was perfectly situated in the center of everything and we quickly made our way out to explore the city. Again, it was a blazing hot day, so we decided to take a canal tour. I can't say it was the best idea with the heat, but the tour itself was wonderful giving a unique view of the city. I hope in future trips to take another tour...maybe at night!

The first "site" we visited was the Rembrandt House. It was a wonderful place to explore...Rembrandt's actual house! Because he was bankrupt at the end of his life, he had to auction off all of his belongings. He provided a detailed list of his pieces from each room which the museum has used to restock his home exactly as it was left! Beautiful.



I really enjoyed just looking at all of the classic canal houses. They have such a unique look...I could have taken hundreds of photos!






I love the look of these red shutters...


This one was our favorite. Hey, what is that guy doing on our balcony? Stein and I couldn't help but see the gorgeous interior of this place one night through the backlit window. Fantastic beams, modern furniture...perfect!


I really don't have words to describe the area. Ancient foot bridges, homes and buildings slightly crooked and full of character and beautiful accents. I love it!




We didn't just see houses. We of course visited many museums and landmarks.


The Rijks Museum was fantastic, but my favorite had to be the van Gogh Museum. He is my favorite artist of all time. Walking through this fabulous place was almost life changing. The paintings are superb and evoke such emotion. I wish I could have taken pictures of my favorite pieces, but I came home with a lot of postcards and the gallery book.


We rounded out our historical visit with a trip to the Anne Frank House. Now that truly was emotional. Honestly, I barely made it through the house before I broke down. It has a huge impact and although it is obviously upsetting, I definitely recommend seeing it if you are ever in town. What a hero Anne is.





On a much, much, much lighter note Stein and I had a wonderful snack one afternoon...poffertjes! We had them at the Pancake Bakery and I highly recommend them! YUM! Mini, puffy pancakes with lots of butter and sugar. Can you tell I am hungry now?


We finished off our evening with a trip to the Red Light District. Kind of crazy...quite an experience. Not for the faint hearted. Cover your children's eyes!


To round out the fun, the last day we were in Amsterdam was a massive gay pride festival and canal parade. You wouldn't believe how many people were out partying! Of course the parade was right in front of our hotel so we had a fantastic view. The canal was completely packed with boats filled with people dancing, huge speakers producing very loud music and lots of pink! What a fun time. Stein and I even got a little dancing in to super hip Dutch pop music. I see now why David Hasselhoff is so popular internationally for his music. Not quite my taste, but really quite fun!



Overall our trip was absolutely spectacular. It was an absolute pleasure to meet all of Stein's family members. They were truly warm and hospitable and really spoiled us. Holland is like a dream and Spain is enchanting. Our time in Amsterdam was a blast and I can't wait to go back for more!

Our flight home was uneventful, except for the fact that our entertainment system was broken. That's right...NO movies. Ugh. But we did get a spectacular fly over view of Greenland. Pretty cool!

More Spain Please...

Ah, where did I leave off? Oh yes...the next day, we headed over to another Gaudi beauty...Park Guell.


Unfortunately, my camera ran out of battery juice that day, so Stein has most of the pictures, but here are a few of my favorites that I was able to capture...





The mosaics were just amazing. Such bright, beautiful colors set off against the white stucco behind it. This gorgeous colonnade had the most spectacular ceiling...full of small domes covered in multi colored mosaics sprinkled with bits of broken china, glass and bottles. It was a nice sanctuary from the blazing heat!



Amazing! On the "roof" of the colonnade is a big walled viewpoint lookout surrounded by palms. This is where we had lunch.


We spent the rest of the day back at Stein's cousin's swimming with the girls. It felt so good to cool off!

Enough of the touristy stuff. For the weekend, we decided to explore the area a bit. On Saturday, we headed off to Pals, a lovely fortress town north of Barcelona. It reminded me so much of Tuscany when driving through the countryside. Small ancient fortress towns with big churches were scattered around the landscape with gorgeous fields of sunflowers connecting them. Magnificent! Pals is such a beautiful, quaint place!






Can you see the sea in the distance? We were headed there next!







We finished off our day by heading to the beach for lunch...mmmm Paella!




We headed home, full and happy and ready to start the next day!


I'm off to Oregon for the weekend...but come back Monday for a peek at the lovely Spanish beach-side town of Sitges! Have a great weekend! xo