A love of France runs through every girl’s veins, especially mine.  Hence my unequivocal desire to live in Paris, or at least pretend with boutiques like La Rousse.  Unique, well-made clothing and accessories, including local jewelry, varying price points, a welcoming, easygoing owner in Amanda, great happy hours and Laddie, the shop dog.  ~ Jennifer Karkar Ritchie

Trés Chic
 
We can’t help but get dreamy-eyed about the idea of shopping in Paris.  The boutiques there are like none other in the world—the charming owner; beautiful, well-made designs; rows of perfect pieces that complete any outfit; a sense of community that only comes from seeing the same people shopping with you—oh and of course, a shop dog.  So, you can imagine our thrill when we found La Rousse.
 
La Rousse, French for a “female redhead,” pays tribute to owner Amanda Rosenthal’s love of France, and shop dog, Laddie.  (Did you know that only 4% of people in the world are redheads?)  La Rousse stocks classic, sophisticated and seriously chic pieces from local and worldwide designers like Masha Osoianu, Karen Walker, Mercy, Christopher Deane, organic line Del Forte Denim, Eros, as well as amazing jewelry by Michelle Lenae and Namiko Nakamura.
 
And, voila! Two more reasons to visit La Rousse—Friday Happy Hours with complimentary “wine-of-the-week,” and the “boys corner” where our significant others can play vids while giving us the nod on our new vêtements.
 
La Rousse
430 Virginia St.
Seattle, WA 98101
206.448.1515
www.la-rousse.com

I admit it, I’m a clothes-horse wannabe, but only because spending every waking second shopping doesn’t leave much time for other fun things like eating delicious food and having cocktails with pals.  So finding Canopy Blue was a treat—an adorable boutique with clothing for work, play and parties. Finally, my wish may become reality.  ~ Jennifer Karkar Ritchie

Closet Equilibrium

We see the good in everything, including trendy clothing styles.  The result is a closet full of mismatched pieces that require a few combination tries to find an outfit that works, a challenge we wish we didn’t face every day.  We’ve contemplated a wardrobe consultant but aren’t ready to totally give in, so instead we try reorganizing our closets and other homemade remedies like taking Polaroids of combos that work.  Now the conundrum has escalated to a new solution that would require winning the lottery.    

Visit Canopy Blue and you’ll see what we mean.  The boutique’s racks are filled with items that gorgeously combine modern sleek with flowing feminine for outfits that pair exquisitely.  You’ll find favorites from Theory, Tory Burch and California-based Splendid, as well as splurge-worthy items from Tevrow + Chase, Trina Turk and a Nanette Lepore cape that fits like a cardigan.  We also adore the Tamara Henriques hot-pink tweed galoshes and Goldsign’s trousers.

Of course, we’re ready to abandon all reason for a closet that looks just like this.  Fashion symmetry we strive for.

Canopy Blue
3121 E Madison St., #103
Seattle, WA 98112
206.323.1115
www.canopyblue.com

It’s rare that I walk into a shop and instantly covet everything I see.  But La Ree was like that for me.  It seems that owner Rachel Tov has mind-melded with me and created a boutique that should really just be my closet!  ~ Alison Brownrigg

The Legend of La Ree

Our grandmother had impeccable taste and was chic even into her twilight years.  We spent hours with her playing dress-up and learning how to be a lady.  It’s family legend that she modeled for Vogue in the ’30s.  We later learned the truth: She was actually a sweater model for a company that advertised in Vogue, but still, how many women can say that their picture was in Vogue?

Rachel Tov also had a grandmother who influenced her sense of fashion.  And given the high level of style at her boutique La Ree in Bellevue, she must have had some grannie.  We’re not ones to gush, but we loved this elegant shop nestled on a side street in Old Bellevue.  Look out for accessories like sunglasses from Oliver Peoples, signature Missoni Sport scarves, and gems by local jeweler Jamie Joseph. 

With high-end designer Robert Rodriguez having found a natural home here and the latest Anna Sui runway show being broadcast on the flat screen, La Ree is a paradise for the discerning fashionista.

La Ree Boutique
11 103rd Ave. NE
Bellevue, WA 98004
425.453.7868

If La Ree were my closet, then Great Jones Home would be my apartment.  I’m a total wannabe interior decorator and every new issue of Home and Garden magazine brings a burning desire to redecorate.  Great Jones Home features gorgeous furniture and accessories and always inspires me. ~ Alison Brownrigg

The Greatest Love of All

We’re obsessed with interior decorating magazines.  Sure, we devour Lucky and W, as well, but our current favorites are Elle Décor and Domino.  It’s too bad we can’t change our rooms the way we change outfits because that’s how fast our whims change.  One day we’re Hollywood Regency, the next French flea market antique. Our taste is eclectic, to say the least.

Great Jones Home is our interior-decorating hero.  Owner Carrie Hayden and her inspired team of employees have created an amazingly well-curated store that showcases their exquisite taste and talent as Interior Decorators (a service they offer as well).  They excel at combining design styles to create an urbane and chic statement.  A Lucite end table here, an antique mirror with a lifetime of patina there, with unique and striking accessories scattered artfully about, all combine to make this store one of the most amazing we have ever walked into.  

On our recent visit, we lusted after brightly colored Missoni china and coveted a starburst mirror from Oly Studios.  We spied a Chanel coffee-table book that we will have to snag – it may be the only Chanel we ever own!  

Great Jones Home
1921 2nd Ave.
Seattle, WA 98101
206.448.9405
www.greatjoneshome.com

I love to shop, and I’m a sucker for a good cause, so it’s not a surprise that Ten Thousand Villages is one of my faves: unique accessories and home decor from around the world, with sales supporting traditional artists. ~ Dominique Barni

Around the World in $80 (or A Lot Less)

We love to travel—new places, new people, and new stuff (and the great stories that go with it).  Though our globetrotting days are now fewer and farther between, we were happy to discover a treasure trove of unique and worldly accessories right in our own backyard.

A fair-trade organization staffed almost entirely by volunteers, Ten Thousand Villages is home to some of the best home décor and accessories in Seattle (at least in our book).  Purses and jewelry from around the world, Ecuadoran scarves, Indian tablecloths, Vietnamese vases and so much more—all created by artisans from around the globe.  And each item feels unique, which is great because we hate it when we find our favorite new serving dish in someone else's kitchen.  

Next time you’re looking for that perfect piece to spice up your living room (or favorite outfit) check out Ten Thousand Villages. You'll love what you find as much as you love the warm fuzzy feeling of doing something good for the world.

Ten Thousand Villages
6417 Roosevelt Way NE, Ste. 101
Seattle, WA 98115
206.524.9223
www.tenthousandvillages.com

We all want more of the good things in life, so I was pleased-as-punch when I discovered my favorite Seattle spa (Napolitano Day Spa + Salon) was opening a second location.  The posh new spot in Eastlake is a stylishly hip companion to the classy neighborhood original in Queen Anne .~ Dominique Barni

Double the Pleasure, Double the Fun

A child of the ’burbs (land of chain stores and strip malls), we have a special appreciation for neighborhood businesses.  After all, who doesn't love a place where everybody knows your name?  Among our local favorites is Napolitano Day Spa Salon—and lucky for all of us, there are about to be two of them!

Mary and Jerry Napolitano, the husband and wife duo behind the magic, are opening a second location in Eastlake in December.  Good news for us weary holiday shoppers looking for a little R&R, which the Napoitanos serve up in spades.  Their extensive menu of services includes facials, massages, manis, pedis and waxing (we're quite fond of their bikini waxes)—all at some of the best prices we've seen in Seattle.

Get a sneak peek at their new digs on Wednesday, Dec. 6, from 4-8 pm at their Holiday Open House and Grand Opening Celebration.  Make an appointment to pamper yourself, pick up a gift certificate for someone special, or check out the gift possibilities: candles, bags and beauty products.  Don't forget to say hi to the friendly and knowledgeable staffers—they may just be your new best friends.

Napolitano Day Spa—Eastlake
3212 Harvard Ave East
Seattle, WA 98102
206.838.4700
www.napolitanospa.com

I moved to Seattle from Colorado, so I can totally appreciate a little Western flair, which I was happy to find at one of my absolute favorite boutiques in Seattle, Horseshoe.  And, as luck would have it (luck, horseshoe … get it?), the adorable Fremont shop also carries my soft and stylish staples by Prairie Underground. ~ Jen Harper

Lucky You

We love birthdays and not just our own—but especially our own.  We're developing a plan for our upcoming celebration to involve fondue and a screening of "Sixteen Candles," starring our favorite and yours, Miss Molly Ringwald.  So wouldn't it be our luck that we would happen into Horseshoe in Fremont on its birthday!

This one-year-old boutique, nestled next to sassy lingerie shop Bellefleur, carries some fun and funky lines, including Porridge (L.A. designer who recreates vintage fabrics) and local line and customer-fave Prairie Underground (soft tops with just enough of a girly ruffle, great jackets and sweet dresses).  The best thing about Horseshoe, besides its super-cute clothes, unique accessories (check out the new horseshoe-and-clover necklaces!) and charming Western-inspired decor is its adorable owner, Jill Andersen.  We want to be her new best friend.  We're thinking we could woo her with our sangria recipe.

The jewelry-designer-turned-boutique-owner (she carries her own jewelry in the store) has always collected horseshoes, which are said to bring luck.  And as far as we can tell, it's totally working for Jill.

Horseshoe
720 N. 35th St.
Seattle, WA 98103
206.547.9639
www.horseshoeseattle.blogspot.com

I love shoes, but I’m not a “super-fancy shoe” girl. I like comfortable ones, and I feel like such a lucky duck to have found the Sneakery in Ballard, because the folks there understand my comfy-yet-cute shoe plight!  And they’re just so damn nice and helpful, I can’t help but buy a pair before I walk out—in said shoes. ~ Jen Harper

Making Amends

We have a love-hate relationship with our feet.  We love them, and they hate us when we shove them into pointy-toed, super-high, uncomfortable shoes.  We try to do nice things for them—pedicures, foot baths, barefooted walks in the grass—but we can't seem to make up for all the times we cause them such duress.  Until we found Ballard's The Sneakery, that is.

An ode to the sneaker, this totally unpretentious boutique boasts reasonable prices and cute, comfortable shoes for women and men from brands like Gola, Vegetarian Shoes, PF Flyers, Draven and DC Shoes.  These sneaks aren't just for walking around Green Lake; they come in adorable styles that you can dress up or dress down—these may even have us moving our torturous shoes back to the deep recesses of our closet.

We realize we have a lot of making up to do with our feet, but we're hoping a pair of comfy, slip-on leather kicks with multicolored polka dots is a good way to start…

The Sneakery
612 NW 65th St.
Seattle, WA 98117
206.297.1786
www.thesneakery.com

Pear Apple Sidecar
Courtesy of Canlis
 
Merry, bright, warm and fuzzy—sound like the holidays?  We’re talking about Canlis’ Pear Apple Sidecar.  A blend of brandy, more brandy, citrus juices, and fresh pear, this drink is sure to put you in the holiday spirit.  Put on something snazzy, and get yourself down to the lounge at Canlis to enjoy your very own ($12 for a cocktail and view is well worth it)—and don’t miss the truffle fries!
 
Pear Apple Sidecar
Pint shaker with ice
1 oz. Calvados (apple brandy)
1 oz. Clear Creek Pear Brandy
3⁄4 oz. lemon juice
1⁄2 oz. orange juice
1⁄2 oz. brown sugar syrup
1⁄4 fresh pear
 
Hand-shake all ingredients for 6 seconds, then strain into a sugar-rimmed martini glass.  Garnish with a fresh pear slice, and you’ll be good to go.
 
Canlis Restaurant
576 Aurora Avenue N
Seattle, WA 98109
206.283.3313
www.canlis.com

Incognito 

New Year’s can be so over-hyped … not to mention freakin’ expensive.  Avoid the nonsense by heading to Neumos, where for just $15 you can check out Floater, Voyager One and Burning Hearts Burlesque.  The mask is included; you supply the black tie.   

What: The Black Tie New Year’s Eve Masquerade Ball
When: Monday, Dec. 31, doors at 8 pm
Where: Neumos, 925 East Pike St.
Visit: www.neumos.com

Flash Dance

In the ’80s, we weren’t quite old enough or wise enough to check out the dance club scene, but now we have our chance to relive those as-yet-unlived glory days this New Year’s Eve with Flash Back with Jack, an ’80s-themed party with ragin’ tunes, a break dance contest and video games from the era gone by.

What: Flash Back with Jack
When: Monday, Dec. 31, dinner at 6:30 pm, party at 8 pm
Where: Bell Harbor International Conference Center, 2211 Alaskan Way
Visit: www.flashbackwithjack.com

Indulge Yourself

Yeah, we know there are so many things to choose from on NYE: laugh your way into 2008 with a comedian, dance your way into the New Year with a DJ or band, drink your way past 12:01 am with, well, pick your poison.  But the Indulgence New Year’s Bash is giving guests all those options with live, music, DJs comedy acts and, of course, the booze.

What: Indulgence New Year’s Eve Bash
When: Monday, Dec. 31, 8 pm
Where: Experience Music Project, 325 Fifth Ave. N
Visit: www.seattlebash.com