Since I am both a city mouse and a country mouse, I would like to take a moment to wish you a merry Christmas from New York:
and
Brandywine:
Happy Holidays!
Seattle's Original Pyramid Ale House- An Inside Look
Introducing my awesome cousin-in-law Master Chef Marcos Villagran!
Okay, maybe that's not a real title, the cousin-in-law part that is. Either way, Marcos is the brilliant head Chef at Seattle's original Pyramid Brewery.
Pyramid Breweries Seattle Alehouse is the original Pyramid Brewery site. Doubling as a brewery and restaurant/alehouse, the restaurant is popular amongst locals looking for a specialty brew, savory bar food and a place to watch the game.
There's also a beer garden.
This is where the magic happens. Pyramid produces award-winning beer. They've been winning awards consistently since 1985 for their quality brews. The Pacific Northwest has a distinct brew culture and at Pyramid, there is a lot of brewer's pride. It was clear that Pyramid wasn't your standard chain sports bar establishment that shoveled forth mediocre burgers and Budweiser. Here you can find a complex bar menu, one that relies on their prized brew to enhance the flavor of the food. Pyramid is a place for the beer connoisseur, a place where food is expertly paired with complimentary beers.
Located directly across from Safeco Field, home of the Seattle Mariners, and just a block south of Qwest Field, Pyramid is the place to hang out for a pre or post game meal, or if you're not lucky enough to score tickets, serves as the perfect vantage point from which to join in the frenzied action at the bar.
Ohm wasn't very excited about the beer, he's more of a milk guy. Brielle, on the other hand, was thrilled.
After our tour, we got to sit down and have lunch with the chef! The food was awesome. My turkey burger was tender and the fries were really yummy. No complaints from this gal! As I'm not really a beer drinker, I didn't order one of my own, but Mark and Marcos were very happy with their selections. Back to the food, there are vegan and gluten-free options (love it! just saying).
After lunch, it was back to work for the chef!
Brielle, Mark, and I, waddled off our meal with some downtown Seattle sightseeing.
Pyramid Alehouse, Brewery & Restaurant 1201 First Avenue South Seattle, WA 98134
(206) 682-3377
Explore Seattle's Funky Neighborhoods
No trip to the Seattle region is complete without exploring the beautiful neighborhoods surrounding the city.
Washington state is breathtaking.
Luckily my cousin Brielle and my friend Elisha were amazing tour guides who not only showed me the heart of Seattle, but the beauty of the surrounding areas as well.
Ohm and Brielle before our Vegan brunch
Loved these meditation cards. Each card had a quote about peace or inner-reflection. Excellent talking points. Sometimes it's the little things.
Silence-Heart-Nest, not only served up amazing Vegan and Vegetarian food, they were ready for my toddler. Not only did he get a high-chair and sippy cup, but they came out with toys for him to play with- right on! He was happy and I was able to chitty-chat with Brielle.
Catching up with Elisha in Ballard
The Carl S. English Jr. Botanical Garden - really beautiful
The Hiram M. Chittenden Locks in Ballard- Fish conservation project
The Troll under the bridge in Fremont
Neighborhoods Visited: Fremont (North of downtown) and Ballard (North West of downtown) Washington
I loved Freemont's bohemian, quirky personality. Freemont is a wonderful place to go shopping. It's lined with boutiques that surprisingly (at least compared to NY) were not too expensive. Freemont is also a great place to grab Vegetarian food or to relax and people watch at a cafe.
Ballard was absolutely picturesque. Right on the water, the views, the sunset, were all truly astonishing. Ballard was super family friendly.
The Seattle, Washington region is lovely and worthy of exploring. This is a wonderful city for a family vacation.
When Traveler's Hair Happens to Good People, Fekkai's Essential Shea comes to the Rescue!
Forget about hat hair, I would like to talk about a much greater menace, I want to talk for a moment about traveler's hair. Traveler's hair is the term I've assigned that mysterious condition which occurs after you've been in the air for hours, find yourself in a new city with a new and unpredictable climate and your hair decides to rebel becoming a twisted, dry, static-filled, unrecognizable mess.
It starts slowly. It may begin with an itchy scalp but before you know it, your hair feels like a bird's nest and looks like a family of sewer rats have been feasting at the ends.
Now here you are, in your new city, perhaps hundreds, maybe thousands of miles away from home. You want to explore, mingle with and blend in with the locals, you want to make a great impression, be a positive ambassador for your state or your country. Instead you look ragged, you feel travel weary and run-down. You wrestle your defiant hair into a ponytail, or bun, perhaps you even sport a baseball cap or a bandanna, hope that nobody notices your hair misfortune and attempt to forge forth.
There are several factors that can lead to traveler's hair
- Dehydration and drying due to long stretches on an airplane
- The introduction of a new dry climate, either cold or hot
- Changing altitude
Frederic Fekkai to the rescue!
One great product line that tames, even the worst cases of travel hair is Frederic Fekkai's Essential Shea Collection.
First, it contains shea butter and shea butter is pure magic. I've developed a whole new respect for shea since my travels to Ghana. It is hands down, the most nutritive and effective moisturizer out there. I use it in my handmade lotions and I look for it as a main ingredient in other products, which is one of the reasons this line is so great.
The Essential Shea Collection works because it restores balance and moisture to dry travel weary and stressed out tresses. The Shea butter penetrates your hair from root to tip, sealing moisture within your hair shaft. Ta da! Revitalized thirst quenched locks that are ready to explore the world.
I have naturally thick curly kinky hair which is super sensitive to dry arid climates, long plane rides and high altitude. Essential Shea is my secret weapon.
The Essential Shea collection features a shampoo, a conditioner, a hair mask and a pot de creme styling product. If I'm short on luggage space, I stick to the conditioner and the pot de creme which allows me to condition and style.
Did I mention they smell great too?
Put your best foot forward when you travel, squeeze in a tube of lipstick, a memorable piece of jewelry, always bring a signature outfit, a cute pair of shoes, and don't forget the Essential Shea!
If you're interested in giving Essential Shea a try, you're one lucky traveler, because it's on sale!
Here’s the deal:
10% off your total order and a complimentary exclusive holiday headband with $50 purchase (while supplies last) Promo Code: HEADBAND
Here’s the link:
http://www.fekkai.com?cm_mmc=
Yes, this was a review post, but all opinions stated are my honest to goodness true thoughts.
What to see and do at Pike Place Market
I must have visited the Pike Place Market every day that I was in Seattle.
Besides being a lover of all things by the water, and all things locally owned and of farmer's markets and flea markets, I fell in love with Pike Place's quirky and eclectic finds.
Here's what my Pike Place adventures looked like.
The Pike Place Market is a great place to go to grab a good meal, do some window shopping, or simply hang out and gaze at the water. The Market is super kid friendly and is an inexpensive (contingent upon what you buy) way to spend a great afternoon in Seattle.
Have you been? What were your impressions?
Impromptu Wine Tasting in Seattle
I really don't do a whole lot of planning when I take a trip. Barring securing a hotel, I did no planning whatsoever for Seattle.
How did I set out to see the city?
Well, I grabbed all of the brochures in the hotel lobby, I questioned the hotel front desk workers with the intensity of a defense attorney, and I allowed my cousin Brielle and my friend Elisha (both enthusiastic residents) to show me their beloved city.
Usually the best things are not planned. Such was the case when Brielle, Mark, Ohm and I found ourselves engaging in an exquisite and intimate impromptu wine, cheese, and fruit tasting.
The Scene:
Down the street from the Seattle Space Needle
If you look really closely, you'll spot Brielle, Ohm and I posing in a random parking lot.
The Place:
THE CHEESE CELLAR
100 4th Avenue North, Suite 150 Seattle, WA 98109 Phone (206) 404 2743
Unobtrusively tucked inside a small plaza, we just happened to glance at the window and like children in a candy store spotted floor to ceiling walls of wine.
The Cheese Cellar was calling our name. The staff was super friendly. We got a quick briefing on the local wines. We were educated about the merits of sheep's milk and cheeses.
The shop was empty and very baby friendly. Brielle entertained Ohm, as Mark and I drooled over the wine.
Intending to only get a glass each, we found ourselves seated at the large communal table in the center of the shop, a platter of locally crafted goodies before us.
What was on our plate?
Pure goodness!
We were given a selection of artisanal cheeses, local cured meats, and savory olives.
Brielle drank a Chardonnay, Mark drank a Cabernet, Ohm had almond milk and I had Merlot. Wine in hand, we slurped, cackled and laughed while delighting in the gifts on our platter. There was plenty to go around.
To my surprise, I learned my one year old is a fan of olives and goat cheese.
It was all so very good.
The Cheese Cellar was a wonderful find.
How to Make Spicy Chai
I don't usually post recipes, but I am in love with this one that I picked up on the road. Well, I picked part of it up on the road, the rest I improvised based on Ayurveda. Either way, it's a keeper. I see the birth of a new segment "Recipes from the Road." I learned to make the basic chai blend at Seattle's Market Spice www.marketspice.com (more on that later- best shop EVER!)
Note: You can use any tea in this recipe. I use Rooibos because it's an incredibly nutritious tea (anti-oxidants galore) and is caffeine free. Traditionally a black tea is used.
Spicy Chai to Enliven a Dreary Seattle Afternoon:
What You'll Need:
You'll need a mortar and pestle and a french press or the equivalent (coffee grinder, loose tea bags, etc.)
Ingredients:
2 Cups boiled water
2 heaping teaspoons of rooibos tea
2 teaspoons of green cardamom pods
1 teaspoon of cinnamon flakes
1 teaspoon of whole cloves
1/2 teaspoon of whole peppercorns
1/8 teaspoon ground turmeric
Steps:
Bring your water to a boil
Place the loose rooibos tea, the cinnamon flakes and the turmeric in the bottom of your french press or loose tea bag
In the mortar, grind your pepper just until it begins to crack open revealing the white interior
Add the pepper to your french press or tea bag
In the mortar, grind your clove
Add the clove to your french press or tea bag
Peel open your cardamom pods to release the seeds
Pile your cardamom seeds into the mortar and mash to release the aroma and flavor
Add the cardamom to the french press or tea bag. Pour the boiling water into the french press or steep your tea bag for five minutes.
Pour and enjoy!
And since there is no caffeine, guess who loves it too...
* This recipe produced a 120z batch of chai, two teacups worth!
What is your favorite recipe from the road?
Walking Seattle
Seattle, it turns out, is a very pedestrian friendly city. Seattle, it also turns out, with its many hills and steep inclines, is a city that resembles a level ten treadmill course. With Ohm, strapped to me in his Ergo carrier like a twenty pound weight, my time walking the streets of Seattle felt a lot like boot camp.
Unlike boot camp, I had the pleasure of sipping lattes and taking my time as I strolled the piers, jaunted up and down the fancy downtown, and rambled around the outer districts.
Seattle is a cool city. Holding the best of both worlds, it is distinctly gritty and urban, and stunningly beautiful. A place for hip singles and young families, Seattle has a culture of its own, and despite being super friendly, it possesses a definite edge.
Seattle I've decided is a lot like a cup of Starbucks Breakfast Blend coffee, deeply satisfying, ultra stimulating, with surprising notes of bitterness undercut by aromatic tones.
Visiting the Anchorage Coastal Wildlife Refuge
At last I spotted my moose. Of course I had to visit the Anchorage Coastal Wildlife Refuge to see one. Here the moose have acres to roam. It's a step up from a zoo.
I felt guilty looking at the reindeer. I had just eaten one for breakfast. I am now working on my karma.
Brawl at the watering hole
Come on, break it up you two!
After all of the "Warning Bears" signs that I came across, I did not see one bear until I visited the Coastal Wildlife Refuge.
This guy stood on cue
Okay, have you seen anything cuter than this? These little guys were orphaned and are being rehabilitated.
This guy spotted me from about forty feet away and began to charge. I think he thought I was competition. First he stared me down, then he let out a loud guttural groan, and then he charged at me.
And the wildest creature of them all, my little Ohm. He had a great time looking at all of the animals.