The Time is Nau

Hold on to your sustainable shopping bags, Seattle gals—there’s a new clothing company in town (and no, they don’t screen-print old t-shirts). Nau has just begun their launch after years of conceptual thinking, detailed designing and sustainable planning. We can’t possibly tell you all of their amazing, earth-changing principals in this short essay, however we can say that their clothes look flippin’ fantastic and we won’t be surprised one bit if we see half of the women in town sporting Nau wear.

They have hit the Seattle fashion nail on the head with their modern sportswear. The cotton is 100-percent organic, and some items are made from biopolymer, a renewable-resource fabric.

Okay, okay, so where can you get your hands on the stuff?  Just an easy hop-skip over to the Bellevue Square Mall.  It is one of the coolest stores you’ll ever step foot in…clean, slick, just one of each style and size, and kiosks where you order and they ship. allowing them to save space and energy.  Plus a portion of all sales go to environmental friendly and local causes. “Nau” you can really feel good about shopping.

Nau
Bellevue Square Mall
575 Bellevue Square, 2nd Floor
Bellevue, WA 98009
425.289.1980
www.nau.com  

Step Stylishly Into Spring

We pride ourselves on looking polished. But pulling out last year’s summer shoe collection revealed the unsightly truth that polished ends at the ankles. And it’s seriously time for a spring cleaning of our shoes, and why not? We can’t help but love this year’s trends—animal prints, black & white contrasts, peek toes, platforms, and flats—a plethora of choices that will take the polish back down to the floor (where it belongs).

First stop: Clementine Shoes in West Seattle. Featuring designs from the likes of Glory Chen, Nanette Lepore, Miz Mooz, Jose Saenz, and eco-designer Melissa, Clementine draws us in to its contemporary and welcoming space through the window (literally) of stylish shoes.  

Clementine strives to have something for every customer—whether we seek a new staple sandal, trendsetting platform, or one of a kind recycled plastic shoe. And the price points suggest we can select a few (as needed in our case). The chic accessories are also a perk, especially when we refer back to our days of matching purses to shoes. It’s time we put some spring into our step.  

Clementine
4447 California Ave SW
Seattle WA 98116
206.935.9400
www.clementines.com

How Art Thou?

It was Mother's Day Tea at preschool, and as a gift, each child made a life-size drawing of their beloved mum. The drawings were hung along the back wall, and we were to guess who we were. Luckily our son was too excited and gave us a hint. Pinned along the back wall among the willowy yellow- and brown-haired beauties was an armless figure with blue hair and a blue face. Others may have had yellow hair and even two eyes and a mouth, but at least we were the skinniest. (We think the one mom with the giant round circle body was jealous.)

Let's just come clean: artistic ability doesn't exist in our gene pool. But now there's very cool help for the art-deficient and talented alike. You just need Venue! Venue carries over 25 Seattle artists and designers represented in the boutique, and is continually adding to the collection.

In addition to consignment, artists and designers can create their crafts in one of Venue's eight work-studio spaces, so you can lurk over their shoulders and see/learn/covet other ‘real’ talent, and maybe some will rub off.  Or you can just buy it and take it home, and leave the artistry to others...

Venue Ballard
5408 22nd Avenue NW
Seattle, WA  98107
206.789.3335
www.venueballard.com

Home Chic Home

We adore beautiful, elegant things. We like to surround ourselves with sumptuous antiques, fabrics, candles, books, housewares, lamps, pillows, and bath products that are exquisite, and individually appreciated. Truly timeless collections that will last forever in our home. That's why we adore Liberty 123. Everything you need for hearth and boudoir to lounge in your housecoat and kitten heels, eating bon bons like the movie starlet you pretend you are.

Recently featured in Cottage Living magazine and Seattle Homes Lifestyles, Liberty123 is a must visit source for elegant and eclectic, upscale home decor, gifts and accessories. The registry there is also popular for Seattle brides. This is a place where luxury Italian ceramic tableware from Arte Italica mixes effortlessly with the John Derian decoupage plates that hang on the walls. Liberty123 also carries delicate handmade jewelry from local designer River Song Jewelry, much sought after Oly furniture, and coveted glass bowls from Simon Pearce.

We oohed and ahhed at every single item. It truly is one of our favorites. See for yourself, hurry now.

Liberty123
123 Park Lane
Kirkland, WA
425.822.1232
www.liberty123.com

Paper Me Badd

Our mother has always been one of those women that took incredible care in the beauty of her packages...almost too pretty to open. (Sadly, we clearly take after our father.)  But thankfully, we’ve gotten very good at pretending because now we go to Swee Swee Paperie and either get all the goods that make it practically impossible to wrap a gift like a 7-year-old (which is usually a sure giveaway with our packages), or we simply have Swee Swee do it for us and take all the credit.

This is clever, couture, wrapping, ribbons...oh my! They carry some fabulous lines, plus Ann has an amazing talent for dressing her window mannequin in the most creative paper outfits! Truly, she brings fashion design experience to her store and package designs!  

She's currently the only Seattle store that carries the Fresh Style Card File by Cecily Ink—a life-saver for busy moms and execs alike: 12 cards for all occasions, all neatly packaged in a gorgeous file box. Truly, they will help you make a serious impression. Just make sure that what’s inside is as fantabulous as the outside!

Swee Swee Paperie
4218 SW Alaska 
Seattle, WA 98115
206.937.7933
www.sweesweepaperie.com

Here’s Looking at Shoe

Is it wrong to harbor a shoe fetish this strong? Is it wrong to love leather, pleather, raffia and lace as much as we do?

Lamb’s Ear Shoes has all the necessary elements to make a shoe-shopping experience quite satisfying. First of all, they feature a myriad of designers who are exclusively sold at Lamb’s Ear Shoes—exclusive to Seattle, that is—so you won’t see your fancy footwear coming and going. Look for fab finds from Corso Como, Loeffler Randall, Devotte, and Anna Corinna, to name a few.

Second, let’s face it, they have great taste. It’s subtle, but it hits you as you spend more time there. You find yourself picking up shoe after shoe that you passed over on first glance. And right now you’ll find gorgeous spring footwear as well as summer shoes on sale, in juicy colors. Not to mention accessories (like their supersized Linda Farrow vintage sunglasses....we are so channeling Mary Kate and Ashley!) Pop in to satisfy your primal shoe-fetish needs, and tell them Seattle Picks sent you!

Lamb’s Ear Shoes
3516 Fremont Place N
Seattle, WA 98103
206.632.2626
www.lambsearshoes.com

Burning Up for Your Love

We are suckers for candles, but we don’t want super-stinky ones that suck up all the air in a room—we just want a flavorful background scent. Petal Candles—gorgeous soy and beeswax candles with 100% organic cotton wicks—totally fit that bill. Plus they’re made right here in Seattle!
 
Exclusive to Seattle Picks Readers: When you spend $20 online, enter the code SPT07 in the section for gift wrap/message/discount. You’ll receive a free 2 oz travel tin (burns 12+ hours!) with your order!

www.petalcandles.com

Suit Up

Summer is almost here, so we’re kicking it into overdrive at the gym (now that we’re actually going to the gym.) And we’ve already chosen our ideal bikini from Seattle designer French Fifty.  
 
We will hang it on our closet door and gaze at it adoringly, like a carrot dangling in front of us, the perfect incentive. We’ll put our new-found visualization skills from The Secret to work. We will wear it.  We will wear it.

www.frenchfifty.com

Fabby Gabby

If only we could get away with wearing tutus, at our age. But would people be scared if suddenly we traipsed around in tulle and pink leotards? Probably. (We did just put in a ballet bar, but that was more of a stretching thing.)

Happily, though, we can live vicariously and buy tutus for all the baby girlies in our lives. Oh, and we will. Especially now that we've discovered Fabby Gabby. These are so cute, so adorable…they’re enough to make you pirouette.

www.fabbygabby.com

Your Newest Full-Time Job

Now that you're a parent it's like getting a whole new job! But this one is most important, so make sure you are properly identified with your calling card. This is serious business, you know.

And this is a great gift idea with Mum's Day just around the bend. And then Daddy's Day! Do you know any new parents? You have to give them their new business cards. They deserve it. These are adorable, and made right here in the Northwest.

www.eventbliss.com

Fair Trade and High Style

We think of ourselves as “giving” people, but we’ll be the first to admit we often think of ourselves first. Which is why we love shopping Bambootique—their fair-trade goods (handbags, jewelry, scarves, candles, notecards) are cool enough to give as gifts, and they do good.

Each bead on their Veyven necklace is handmade and hand-painted by Lencan women of Honduras, who use traditional ceramic methods to create each piece of jewelry. This income helps support their families and way of life. Feels good, doesn’t it?
 
www.shopbambootique.com

Spa Day Just for You!

Come enjoy a day of eco pampering for free! Enjoy chair massages by Trish of Damsel Fly Studios, pampering with natural face masks using French Clay, a presentation on nutrition with samplings, and readings by Kim Miller, medium and animal intuitive. Call to RSVP!

What: Spa Day at One Earth One Design
When: Saturday, May 5, 12-3 pm
Where: 14300 Greenwood Ave. N, Seattle
Call: 206.418.8120
Visit: www.1earth1design.com

 "vo loo 'me"

Vetri International Glass presents a solo exhibition featuring new work by Seattle glass artist Paul Cunningham. Vol oo 'me presents a variety of Cunningham's elegant, blown-glass vessels, created in celebration of the ancient Venetian glass-blowing techniques which the artist has cherished, and gradually perfected, throughout the course of his career.

What: Paul Cunningham exhibition at Vetri International Glass
When: now through May 27
Where: 1404 First Ave., Seattle
Call: 206.667.9608
Visit: www.vetriglass.com

Chat Party: Shopping & Networking

Are you tired of sitting home on a weeknight with nothing to do? Chat With Women, a radio program offering a forum for women, is hosting a Chat Party! You will be served champagne and appetizers, and finish off with a fabulous dessert buffet. Network, enjoy a fashion show, shop, and get a goody bag!

What: Chat With Women Chat Party
When: Thursday, May 31, 6:30-9 pm
Where: the Harbor Club in Bellevue
Visit: www.chatwithwomen.com