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January 18th, 2008
We are headed to the O.C. in a few weeks, so we thought we’d get the low-down on the hot spots from a native. Oddly, we’ve found it difficult to find someone willing to say they’re from the (oft-stereotyped as) blindingly white-bread Orange County, but we like it there. Anyway, we managed to “out” a coworker who was always telling people he’s from the Bay area. (He actually calls Irvine home. And if Irvine’s the Bay area, then Seattle’s actually a little-known Canadian province.) So we asked the Orange Countian what to check out while there. L.A. was the answer, but we weren’t buying that there’s not a single place worth checking out in the land of Disney. “Well, Long Beach is kind of up-and-coming. Are you familiar with the area?” he asked. “Oh,” we replied, “The LBC?” We were proud to know the lingo—and he was impressed. But we didn’t have the heart to tell him we learned it from Snoop Dogg (“With so much drama in the LBC, it’s kinda hard bein’ Snoop D-O-double-G …”) and Sublime (“Summertime and the livin’s easy … we’re well-qualified to represent the LBC …”). Kids, remember: you can learn a lot from MTV. |
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Seattle Picks: |
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| 1 | A Hard Habit to Break The after-glow effect of the holidays is in full swing; we feel well-rested, reconnected with our friends and families, and our checking account looks like we are college students again. We really nailed it this year and found perfect gifts for everyone, but for the next few weeks we will have to be in budget mode. Thanks to downtown boutique TBC, said “budget mode” doesn’t mean our closets will suffer for a moment. The little sister of hot Seattle boutique Sway & Cake, TBC is the destination for mark-downs from the original store. Located just around the corner from Sway & Cake, you will find chic décor and lines like Theory, Issa London and Milly. Right now we love IRO’s teal tunic dress (was $225, now $113) and Diane VonFurstenburg’s little black dress (was $428, now $193). TBC’s denim wall is stocked full of our favorites like Stitch, J Brand and Habitual, all at more than half off. We’ve found our new addiction in TBC—it’s fashion that’s easy on the eyes and easy on the wallet. TBC |
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| 2 | Ready for Take-Off Desperate for some sunshine, we’re headed to L.A. this weekend. We’ll also be visiting one new mommy, one new baby, one birthday girl and one friend whose Christmas gift we forgot to send—which means showing up empty-handed isn’t an option. So before we fasten our seatbelts and bust open the peanuts, we’ll be stopping by the Queen Anne Dispatch. Queen Anne Dispatch |
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| 3 | Baby this Momma! It’s true what they say—being a mom is a full-time job. Our little girl just turned one year old, and while motherhood has been glorious and fulfilling, it’s also wreaked havoc on us. Didn’t we promise ourselves we’d never leave the house in sweats? Didn’t we agree with the mister that we’d still be allowed our biweekly mani/pedis? Where did all those good intentions go? When was our last haircut? We need some “mommy time”—badly. Thankfully, there’s Duque Salon & Spa in Ballard. Family-run and girl-powered, the staff at Duque gently enforces a “no kids allowed” policy— just for frazzled mommies like us. “Come see us,” they coo, like Sirens. “Let us de-stress and replenish and honor the foxy momma you are.” We totally splurged on a meltingly relaxing massage and sugar scrub as well as a brilliant lash- and brow-tinting treatment that allowed us to get up and go for the next few weeks feeling as though we’d actually spent a little time in front of the mirror! Confidence back, we were surprised at what a better mom we were after just a few baby-free hours. Duque Salon and Spa |
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| Cocktail of the Week! | |||
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We’re not Scotch drinkers. At least we weren’t before we tasted Amber Liqueur. Created by Macallan Distillery, producers of single-malt Scotch whisky, Amber has a lush maple flavor with a nutty, round finish. We were treated to a particularly tasty Amber cocktail made at the particularly divine Barolo restaurant. The Amber Julep is a sophisticated take on the Southern classic. Score one for Scotch. Amber Julep Lightly crush fresh mint in the bottom of glass. Squeeze in lime. Add crushed ice. Add the Amber and the scotch, then a squirt of soda. Enjoy. |
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| Chick Picks: | |||
| 1 | Winning Wed-site We've wanted a spring wedding since we were a little girl. And a spring wedding we got. Our colors were pink and green with boughs of cherry blossoms everywhere. It was a magical day. Any bride will appreciate Nearlyweds.com. An indispensable resource that features hip and gorgeous wed-site templates, locally designed matching invites, a blog, RSVP and registry management and even guest comments. Keep everyone up-to-date from one place. Maximize the magic and minimize the madness! We love it! |
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| 2 | Crazy-Good Custom Vitamins This year, we’ve resolved to clean up our act. We’re working out, but we need a little help in the supplement and nutrition department. With befitbody.com, we have a "no-nonsense nutrition" partner in all this. Their team of trained medical professionals deciphers what our body needs and creates a personal supplement plan that gives our body the essentials to detoxify, shed pounds, build energy, reduce stress and basically feel wonderful. Custom health just makes sense, and tons of happy campers agree! |
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| 3 | So Wonderfully, Wonderfully, Wonderfully, Wonderfully Pretty Whose fancy hasn’t been tickled by “Alice in Wonderland”? Amazing creatures, otherworldly objects, fantastical teapots and toadstools! And we’re almost certain that Alice inspired the owner of Flutter. Her taste for the ultimate in girly frills with a touch of Gothic—from deliciously scented soaps to birdcages and ethereal jewelry—borders on fiction! And now we can shop Flutter’s magical store online. From fabulous furnishings to plush home accents, we can indulge our Wonderland yearnings any time we please. |
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| Event of the Week! | |||
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We love the winter sales. In Seattle, we wear our coats longer than we wear our shorts, so January brings a boon to our wardrobe! And Bella’s Boutique is throwing a doozy of a sale. Stocked with clothing and accessories for real women, Bella’s is offering 50-75% off select items through Feb. 6. That Bella—she really knows how to treat the ladies! What: Sale at Bella’s Boutique |
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Hip Happenings: |
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| 1 | Mind Your Manners When we were 16 we attended finishing school. While we dreaded it at the time, knowledge of etiquette has served us well. If your manners are a little rusty, learn from the master at a Fine-Dining Etiquette Class at The Georgian. It’s time you knew which fork to use when! What: Fine-Dining Etiquette Class |
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| 2 | Art+S’mores = True Love Dating blows in Seattle. We’re an intelligent, cultural city, but we still can’t seem to connect all that well when it comes to hooking up. Well, La Familia Gallery has a super-fun, unique way to pair folks up based on their interpretations of art and a personal survey. Oh, and did we mention there’ll be s’mores? What: H’art Dating |
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| 3 | Rat Us Out We don’t like vermin. Watching “Ratatouille” was seriously difficult for us—yes, even though the rat in question was both a cartoon and a talented chef. But 2008 is the Year of the Rat, and we’ve got high hopes for this to be a great year. Celebrate the Chinese New Year with traditional cuisine, a Luly Yang fashion show, and live and silent auctions. What: Chinese New Year Gala |
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We’re more than half-way through January; how are those New Year’s resolutions hanging in there? We’re doing pretty well with ours, but judging from our spending this month, we probably should have made one about saving more. Eh, there’s always next year! |
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