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November 30th, 2007
So a friend was riding shotgun this week when she discovered one of modern technology’s greatest inventions for the colder months—the seat warmer. Actually, she called it a butt warmer, which—automobile marketing be damned—is frankly calling a spade a spade. So there she was, singing the praises of the tush toaster, when we came up with a fabulous idea—or at least it seemed fabulous over a couple of Cosmos: Some fashion-forward, technology-touting designer should step up with a creation to keep our bums warm when we’re not in the comfort of our car! A heater in our pants! (Feel free to insert 12-year-old boy humor here.) Bedazzled pockets on jeans are kind of over, so let’s breathe new life (or hot air, as it were) into the back of those pants. Once we came up with our innovative idea, we sat around trying to brainstorm catchy names for it (see “tush toaster” above). Longing for alliteration, our friend came up with “wa-wa warmer.” After busting out our trusty thesaurus, we were on a roll: bum burner, hindquarters heater, fanny furnace. And just an FYI to designers thinking of kidnapping our brainchild: We’re working on getting these names trademarked; so when you’re ready to talk numbers, give us a call. Together, we could give all new meaning to having a hot ass. |
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Seattle Picks: |
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| 1 | Expecting a Happy Holiday The holiday season has officially arrived and our social calendar is filling quickly. We’ve bought our sister the most fantastic bracelet, perfected our gingerbread recipe just in time and even remembered to schedule a hair appointment before our stylist’s schedule is booked solid. Now for the hard part: what to wear? Bonus question: what to wear when you’re dressing for two? With the endless to-do list this season, impeccable holiday style is always a challenge. But thanks to West Seattle’s new On the Way Maternity, the pregnant women of Seattle will surely shine a bit brighter this year. We appreciate basics from some of the hottest maternity lines like 1 In The Oven and Maternité. Sure, basics are a must, but we’re especially wild about On the Way’s collection of party-ready wear. We adore Ripe’s satin cocktail dress—ruby red with a sash and maternity bra-friendly straps. Look out Heidi Klum; there’s a new goddess of fertility in town, and she just got a fabulous new dress for the office holiday party! On the Way Maternity |
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| 2 | The Brunch Bunch Every city has its go-to prom spot. The key anniversary spot. The place you go to propose … or break up if you don’t want to cause a scene … and you want a view … and some epic seafood. And in Seattle, Palisade is that place. We’d like to say we’ve been there for occasions other than “special,” but we’ll admit that we’re swayed by new restaurants—we’re attracted to shiny things—we can’t help it. But when we do get a chance to have a tropical drink or stuff ourselves silly on some of the best Polynesian-inspired Northwest cuisine this side of Atlantis, Palisade is the place. And in December, they’re launching Saturday brunch for three weekends only! This is their famous Sunday brunch (including the Griddlecake Grill and Luau Bar), but open Dec. 8, 15 and 21 for winter visitors and people who want to get their holiday (or party) on. Hello Seafood Wellington! Hello Banana and Macadamia Nut Sourdough Pancakes! Hopefully a Guava Mimosa will help us forget that we’ll probably need to buy larger pants. Palisade Restaurant |
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| 3 | Double the Pleasure, Double the Fun |
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| 4 | Clothing Conundrums It’s shopping extravaganzas like Black Friday that totally suck us in and fuel our frenzy for new stuff. Then we have to make extra stops to get what we need to better organize the additional loads of clothes we snatched up (they were such a great deal!) We try to make ourselves feel better by weighing what we spent against what we “saved,” and of course factor in the importance of having a few fresh pieces for holiday parties, cocktails with friends and family engagements. Naturally we seek local boutiques, but when purse strings start cinching themselves, it’s spots like Aprie that give us an array of stylish selection at a fraction of the high-end price. You’ll find a variety of tops and dresses from one of our favorites, LA Made, alongside faux fur-trimmed hoodies from BB Dakota. Aprie also carries lines like Tulle, Odyn jeans and Industry, as well as shoes from the likes of NYLA and Report, and accessories galore—everything you’d want to complete your outfit, which as you know, makes it even more of a conundrum. Aprie |
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| 5 | Follow Your Bliss Oysters and champagne are two of our favorite foods. Perhaps it has something to do with the zinc content of the oyster or the bubbles in the champagne; but no matter what might be getting us down, we just feel better with bivalves and bubbly in our belly. It is a happy coincidence that oysters are best in the cold months and that champagne is a festive beverage—we can enjoy them as much as we need to in order to get through the holidays! And enjoy them we will at the newly opened Ama Ama Oyster Bar and Grill in West Seattle. Perched on the south end of the Junction, Ama Ama has filled a much-needed niche in our neighborhood: great food at moderate prices, fresh and local ingredients, stylish, sophisticated yet comfortable atmosphere. We are so there. The oysters are fresh from the sea, the bread and desserts are baked across the street at Bakery Nouveau and the wait-staff is friendly and informative. We love a waitress with a favorite oyster. Not just for oyster lovers, Ama Ama offers other seafood and meats as well. Everything we tried was a hit. We heart Ama Ama. Ama Ama Oyster Bar and Grill |
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| Chick Picks: | |||
| 1 | Click It or Ticket |
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| 2 | Baby’s First Fashion Statement |
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| 3 | This New-Old Thing?! We like a little vintage in our wardrobe, in part because no one else at the party will have on the same thing. And artist Erika does us right with her jewelry line: Not only is it vintage-inspired—she uses repurposed semi-precious gemstones and metals to create “new” antiques—but it’s environmentally friendly too! Check out this fresh take on new-vintage that’s hip and one-of-a-kind; perfect for savvy gals and the guys who love them. |
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| 4 | Oh Yeah ... It's a Cell Phone Flask If the nog at your office party doesn't do the trick, have a nip and a nap and dream of sunnier daze. And to be nonchalant about it, so you're not a lush, pick up this tricky cell phone flask. It looks like the real thing, so nobody—except your office BFF—has to know. This is just right for your favorite hooch or go-go juice, and it comes with a case and belt clip for dependable access. Finally! A cell phone plan with great coverage. |
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| 5 | Get Your Goth On When it comes to jewelry we’re the kind of gals who prefer the ugly and unique to the cutesy and common. (This probably stems back to how we looked in grades four through eight...) Therefore it’s no wonder we have been longtime fans of Bittersweets NY. Their unique jewelry appeals to your macabre side—tiny replicas of gold-plated teeth, monkey paw cufflinks, dagger and earthworm charms—but done in classic sterling silver or 14K gold. A perfect marriage of quality, kitsch and ick! |
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| Event of the Week! | |||
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ACT Theatre’s “The Women,” running now through Dec. 16, just oozes style. These gals of the 1930s in Clare Boothe Luce’s comedy may have been bound by societal rules that we’ve (mostly) overcome today, but they knew how to dress for success (we’re talking more than 100 costumes). These catty ladies-who-lunch gossip, backstab and (occasionally) comfort each other about marriage, divorce and friendship. Round up your gal-pals and get your tickets! ACT Theatre |
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Hip Happenings: |
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| 1 | Crafty Coup There’s an indie Martha Stewart in us just dying to get out, but until she’s up for parole (i.e. we learn how to use a sewing machine, knit, walk, use scissors without incident), we’ve got the most amazing place to shop others’ crafty creations: the third annual Urban Craft Uprising. What: Urban Craft Uprising |
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Rosanna’s Winter Warehouse Sale With the Euro kicking the dollar’s bum right now, a trip to merry old England isn’t exactly in the holiday cards. But Seattle-based tableware designer Rosanna Bowles, whose designs are sold at both Buckingham Palace and Harrods, is opening up her SoDo warehouse for our holiday shopping without all the hassle of going through customs! What: Rosanna’s Winter Warehouse Sale |
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| 3 | Ribbon and Paper and Boxes, Oh My! We’ve got the gifts, but what about all the ribbons, bows, paper and boxes? We’re in luck this weekend because Midori Ribbon is having its first ribbon sale in 18 months this Saturday, in conjunction with the Arboretum Foundation’s Greens Galore event. Everything will be super-discounted, and a portion of the sales will go to the foundation. What: Midori Ribbon Sale |
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| 4 | ’Tis the Season Talk about one-stop shopping! From a vintage jewelry store to a modern art gallery, five of the shops at the top of Queen Anne—Aegean Design, Beverly Hunnicut Studio, Natural Fiber Clothing, Rhinestone Rosie and Lucia Jewelry—are hosting a Holiday Open House this weekend … and you’re invited! What: Holiday Open House |
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| 6 | Ladies Who Launch + Crave Party = Genius! In the 80s, powerful women wore gigantic shoulder pads and ties to assert their, um, assertiveness by looking more like the boys. We’re so glad that’s over. Come rub elbows with some of the Northwest’s most fabulous entrepreneurial women and fit in some holiday shopping at the Ladies Who Launch/Crave Party Holiday Showcase. What: Ladies who Launch/Crave Party Holiday Showcase |
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| 7 | How Sweet You’re such a giver. Now it’s time to do a little something for yourself: Sweet Skin Spa is having its annual holiday party where you can get your skin analyzed, receive a mini skin treatment and then get a lip-print reading from a lipologist. Wonder what our lips would have to say … What: The Sweet Soiree at Sweet Skin Spa |
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Ho-ho-ho and a bottle of rum! We’re always getting holiday sayings and pirate sayings mixed up. One thing we are able to keep straight is our commitment to SHOP INDEPENDENT for the holiday season. Spread the message to all your friends by forwarding them Seattle Picks! |
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