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January 2nd, 2009
Ugh. It’s that time of year again. The time to set your goals for the year ahead and make those oh-so-popular New Year’s resolutions. We don’t usually make resolutions, and the few times that we have, let’s be honest—we haven’t really stuck to them. This year however, we are resolving to stick. Ha! We resolve to lose 8 pounds and work out at least four times a week (wow, we already don’t see this going well). We resolve to be brave, fearless and have courage in all aspects of our lives. We resolve to shop smarter and to locally (that one we know we can do without any trouble). We resolve to learn to be a better cook and to spend more quality time with our girlfriends. And finally, we resolve to make each and every issue of Seattle Picks bigger and better than the last! Bet you are excited about that one! From Seattle Picks to you, best wishes for only fabulous things in the New Year! |
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Seattle Picks: |
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| 1 | Heirloom Chocolate Some crave shoes, salty snacks or handbags (or all three). But when we get a craving it’s all chocolate, baby! We’re not talking your run-of-the-mill Halloween treat that masquerades with cocoa solids—we’re talking deep, dark, delicious chocolate. Imagine our delight when we stumbled upon the miniscule storefront that is the portal to the bliss of Claudio Corallo Chocolate. This is the only retail outlet in North America and This is not your grandmother’s chocolate (unless your grandma grew up on Claudio’s cacao plantation on Principe—one of two tiny islands that makes up Africa’s smallest nation). These chocolates are Corallo’s babies—he oversees the whole operation from bean to bar back in Sao Tome and Principe. We treat each bite with the love and respect it deserves—and then go back for more. Claudio Corallo Chocolate |
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| 2 | Hot Tamale The thing we love the most about the New Year is all the new things that pop up, giving us the opportunity to find new addictions (of the healthy variety, of course)! With all the cold, clouds, snow and rain, we’ve really been feeling like we need a new way to keep warm. And we’re not talking “mittens warm,” we’re talking “from the inside out,” “make us want to fall asleep on the couch” warm. And wouldn’t you know it, Barrio fits all of the above! Between the romantic wall of candles separating the two dining rooms and the ridiculously tasty and fulfilling bites, Barrio’s got us covered. We had the absolute best margarita of our lives (made with Damiana liquor to boost your—ahem—libido), and Beef Tar Tar Toastaditas which we would order again in a heartbeat. Our dessert put us over the top with homemade—and might we add, life-changing—churros and Mexican Chocolate dipping sauce, and a Dulce de Leche Crème Brulee that was basically like eating heaven. We were cold and damp coming in, but warm and love-struck coming out! Barrio |
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| 3 | Look Your Best in 2009 Inspire Style |
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| Cocktail of the Week! | |||
All-Vegan, All-Natural Blood Mary Most of us aim to eat healthier, work out more and lose weight come the New Year. But we love our weekend brunches with the gals, and the two don’t always mix. Not so this year! We are kicking off 2009 with a healthy and tasty brunch at Café Flora, which is now serving an all-vegan, all-natural Bloody Mary with organic, farm-friendly ingredients like heirloom tomato juice, infused spirits and apple cider vinegar. Yum! Garden Mary Blend tomato juice with organic carrot juice and a touch of healthful apple cider vinegar. Pour over ice into a tall glass, garnish with celery or olives. Gather your gal-pals and enjoy! |
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| Chick Picks: | |||
| 1 | So Fresh and So Clean We have trouble making up our minds—we agonize over every decision. Skinny jeans or straight leg? Peep-toe pumps or the platforms? And don’t even get us started on choosing a signature scent—too many choices! So when we found the natural oil scents from Klean Bath and Body, we loaded up. In purse-friendly, roll-on sizes, with scents like Vanilla Sandalwood, Pikaki and Waterlily, we only have to choose which one we wear on which day. Should be easy enough, right? |
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| 2 | Mama Needs a New Bag One of our resolutions for the New Year is to get more organized. If you saw our handbag, you would see why—it’s a bottomless pit of receipts, gum wrappers, endless numbers of lip glosses, and protein bars. We’re positive that if we get the new vegan leather handbag by Matt and Nat, we will reach our goal. It’s fashion-forward, modern and most important, totally loaded with pockets. This is one resolution we won’t have trouble keeping! |
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| 3 | Domestic Goddess The winter season makes us all nesty and we start to fantasize about baking cookies and simmering homemade soups. Boojiboo to the rescue! This cute Etsy crafter perfectly captures a retro-chic vibe we love while at the same time maintaining modern appeal. |
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Hip Happenings: |
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| 1 | A Girl Can Never Have Enough Jeans We have more jeans than we know what to do with. Wide-leg, skinny, high-waisted, cropped—there is a pair for every occasion. So, it is with joy that we announce that Asher Anson is having a Denim Sale with 25% off Joe’s Jeans and Genetic Denim—we plan on adding to our already extensive collection! What: Asher Anson Denim Sale |
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| 2 | A Sweet Sale Clementine, our go-to resource for cute, fun footwear that can’t be found anywhere else, is having a Post-Holiday Sale and the entire store is 50–75% off. We’re hoping for Repetto ballet flats to wear once all the snow finally melts! Not to mention something unique and pretty from Corso Como or Chie Minara. What: Post-Holiday Sale at Clementine |
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| 3 | Goin’ To The Chapel… We know there are a bunch of you out there that got engaged over the holidays—and it’s never too early to start planning for your perfect day! Peruse all the latest offerings from more than 400 local bakeries, bridal boutiques, caterers, florists, photographers and more at the Seattle Wedding Show this weekend. Oh, and congrats! What: Seattle Wedding Show |
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| 4 | It's a Tea Party! Starbucks is launching a new line of tea beverages this weekend and hosting a tea party to go along with it. To |
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Want to make a New Year’s resolution that’s easy to keep? We have the perfect suggestion! Resolve to share Seattle Picks with your friends every Friday—all you have to do to keep this resolution is sign them up at www.SeattlePicks.com (for free!). We do the rest. It is literally that easy. And honestly, aren’t the easiest New Year’s resolutions the best ones? |
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