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March 20th, 2009
Don’t be fooled by our love of posh new restaurants, swanky cocktail bars, stilettos and cute new dresses. Sometimes, we just love to… for lack of a better word… slum it. This past weekend, after a particularly harsh week, instead of slipping into our tallest heels and hitting Seattle’s latest and greatest hot spots, we slipped into a pair of bowling shoes and comfy jeans and t-shirt for a night at the local bowling alley—total dive, and, incidentally, the most fun we have had in a long time. And when we say it was ghetto—we mean it. We spotted more than a few mullets—and even a few skullets (you know, bald on top with long hair down the back, totally awesome) among the cut off t-shirts, mustaches and acid-wash jeans. But we weren’t above it—we loved every minute and dove right in with a pitcher of beer and a plate of onion rings. Our bowling skills were less than pretty, but we walked away smiling and having thoroughly enjoyed our night out slummin’ it. Sometimes, it really is the best medicine. |
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Seattle Picks: |
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| 1 | Home Shopping Season Ugh, it’s that time of year where things seem to get a little blah. The excitement of the holiday season is long gone, but spring still hasn’t quite arrived. No slinky, sequined dress to pick out for New Year’s, and it just seems like a tease to shop for sandals and sunglasses when it snowed this week. What’s a girl to do? Turn to shopping for the house and home instead! LiT, the custom lampshade-design company previously located in Pioneer Square, and Hermitage, a bespoke wallpaper boutique from Portland, are joining their aesthetic forces to offer moderately priced custom design accessories in one common storefront in Capitol Hill. Retailing exclusive designer prints and patterns and transforming vintage treasures (even your own heirlooms) into one of a kind, personal pieces of art, here is where you spoil your walls and pamper your light fixtures. With the record snowfall this winter, we are well aware of the symptoms of cabin fever… so next time when we’re stuck inside for days on end, we’re gonna have something fabulous to look at! LiT/Hermitage |
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| 2 | French Tips We love nothing more than hanging with our closest gals and swapping notes on the latest celeb gossip while being treated to a maxed out mani-pedi. But lately, it just ain’t possible, thanks to good ole’ Captain Economy. We’ve found ourselves actually talking, out loud, to the TV while we paint our toes with cotton balls between them. We realized we had a problem—and the only cure was to round up the girls and head straight to Frenchy’s for a splurge without the purge (wallet purge that is). Frenchy’s spa services are soooo reasonably priced, and are coupled with their fab customer service, attention to all the deets on your feets, and the sweet smells that greet you as you walk in. And the best part about the chandelier-laden joint is that you can do some home and body pampering too! They’ve got a full list of massages to lust after, and their walls are literally covered with hot lines like Molton Brown and Antica Farmacista reed diffusers. Hey, the way we see it, we’re just doing our part to turn the economy around! |
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| 3 | La Pizza è Bella Some of the best things in life come from Italy. Gucci, Prada and Armani, to name a few. Valentino, Dolce & Gabbana and Fendi, to name a few more. But our favorite thing to come out of the Great Boot (sorry, fashionistas) is pizza. Yep, cheesy, crunchy, delicious pizza. And the best place to get a slice of the good stuff in Seattle is Via Tribunale. Certified by the Verace Pizza Napoletana Assoiciation, this is pizza at its best. We visited recently on a rainy Seattle night and were instantaneously transported back to Italy. We sipped Peroni Beer and snacked on Castelvetrano olives at the bar while practicing our Italian skills on the guys sitting next to us. The Primavera Pizza was divine with fresh tomatoes and arugula, and we topped the whole thing off with Torta della Nonna—a ricotta and pine nut studded pie that was to-die-for. So while we may not be able to afford a trip to Italy at the moment, we can be content with visits to Via Tribunale. We hear the crime rate is pretty bad in Naples anyway… Via Tribunale |
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| Chick Picks: | |||
| 1 | Saving the World, One Dress at a Time We do whatever we can to live a more “green” lifestyle, but we draw the line when it comes to our closets. No polar fleece and recycled pop bottle sandals for us, thank you very much. But that all changed when we found Elroy. This company takes eco-dressing to a whole new level with elegant, sexy and stylish pieces we are drooling over. We already picked out the Delphine dress for a wedding this summer. No granola here, folks! Enter the code 'Spring09' for 15% off the new spring collection until March 31! |
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| 2 | Au Natural Never one to turn down an adventure, we actually agreed to a summer camping trip with friends last summer—even though our idea of roughing it is going a week without our stilettos. We actually enjoyed ourselves despite being mercilessly teased for bringing makeup. With another trip coming up, we plan on bringing our latest find: Everyday Lip Gloss. The all-natural gloss comes in a tube like regular old chap stick, so maybe this time we won’t get teased… as much… we are still bringing mascara. |
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| 3 | Butter Me Up We live for those few products that are complete and total fix-alls like the Butter Bars from local Seattle-based company My Birch. This super-moisturizing lotion bar can be used instead of messy lotion; you can cut off a sliver and let it melt in your bath, massage your cuticles with it to soften them; even use it as a drawer sachet. We are pretty sure there are more uses—and we intend to find them! Hard work… we know. |
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Hip Happenings: |
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| 1 | A Dreamy Duet Two Eastside power-boutiques are planning a duet spring warehouse sale next week, so clear your schedules, ladies! Posh on Main and La Ree will have past-season shoes and clothing at up to 85% off. It almost sounds too good to be true, but trust us, this is for real, so don’t miss it! What: Duet Spring Warehouse Sale—Posh on Main and La Ree |
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| 2 | Talking Shop There is no better time to support independent designers, boutique owners, and each other. Attend the Crave Business SHOP Symposium/09 and learn practical skills for small business owners, be encouraged and bond with other independent ladies. Whether you sell shoes or facials, go and support each other and learn! What: SHOP Symposium/09 by Crave Business |
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| 3 | Gotta Get Away We are overdue for a relaxing weekend girlfriend-getaway—minus kids, significant others and work stress. The Yoga and Wine retreat at Cave B Inn and Winery at SageCliffe is just what the doc ordered with daily yoga classes, barrel tasting, cooking and wine blending classes—not to mention they have an on-site spa. We say, Cave B or Bust, baby! What: Yoga and Wine Retreat at Cave B Inn and |
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Help us support our local retailers and keep Seattle’s economy rolling like thunder! Just sign up a friend at www.SeattlePicks.com. There… don’t you feel better already? |
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