Hello friends! I have been busy with work + travel + a big project, and haven’t updated the site for a bit. SO I thought it would be fun to talk about what I’ve been up to lately.
Recent highlights: Earlier this month, I traveled to San Diego and NYC and saw Taylor Swift play at Century Link.
San Diego: We stayed at the Inn at Rancho Santa Fe. Highly recommend that hotel if you want to explore a different part of the area. It’s in the hills and feels like a cottage, but it’s an SPG Marriott property, which is great because that means you can expect quality. Dinner one night was at Flower Child. Great place to go for yummy, fast-casual vegetarian food. On the way out, we ate delicious Mexican food in Old Town again at the Coyote Cafe. Always an easy place to stop before heading back to the airport.
NYC: This trip was NON-STOP. Literally there was not a dull moment. We were there for 4 days and unfortunately it rained almost the entire time, but we made the most of it (though I would have really loved to walk more!)
Managed to stop into a few of my favorites, like Joe’s Pizza for a classic NY slice and Jack’s Wife Freda for the fresh Cantaloupe Juice. Please get that when you go to NYC. It’s so refreshing. Also ate at The Butcher’s Daughter. The service was FAST. Like the fastest I’ve seen at any sit-down restaurant. The vibe felt rushed too, much more so in comparison to the Venice location, but what do you expect for NYC? 🙂
Taylor Swift: We saw her play last Tuesday and it was such a great show. Our seats ended up being close to the stage too, which was an added bonus. I have been a fan of Taylor since “Teardrops On My Guitar” and “Love Story” and I used to listen to her all the time during college! In some ways her attitude reminds me of me so I have always resonated with her for that reason. With all of that said, going to this tour was not something I was planning to do. The latest singles from the “Reputation” album and the whole snake thing have not resonated with me. I felt it was over the top and was a departure from the artfully written lyrics of former albums. But a few weeks ago, I was listening to “Delicate” and that changed my mind. I went with a few friends and we had so much fun, singing and dancing the whole time. She sang some of her old songs too, which was a huge treat! I’d been to her last concert, 1989, too, and she did that then, too. When she was performing, she said there were 56,000 people in attendance and she did such a nice job of walking through the stages to maximize her audience reach. At one point, she even went via a flying swing!
TODAY: We went to brunch with my parents at Goldfinch Tavern. It’s an Ethan Stowell restaurant and has awesome food + views of the water. Going there always makes me feel like we’re tourists in our own city, in the best way possible. It’s located at the Four Seasons Seattle and looks directly out to the water.
We also discovered that there’s a brand new Starbucks Reserve right around the corner. It’s much smaller than the other two Seattle locations (the two are the original on Capitol Hill and a new one at their headquarters). Definitely check it out if you’re looking for a unique cup of joe. After that we walked into Moorea Seal and then drove up to Capitol Hill and went to Totokaelo, which is right by Elliot Bay Bookstore. I eyed these epic shoes and swooned over this jacket. (Then I tried it on and the leather was way too stiff!!) Everything they sell is art. Check out some other Totokaelo shoes I love. We then walked up a few blocks to Throwbacks NW where Tommy found an awesome vintage UW sweater.
Currently Loving:
Trader Joe’s Matcha packets. If you’re into matcha (it’s powdered green tea and rich in antioxidants) you will love these. I keep them at my desk and drink one every morning. I also pack them when I travel. I love taking teas with me. Simple comforts that are easy to pack are the best.
Peonies! Peonies are in season — wahooo! Got a few bunches at Costco (pink + light white/pink) and have the loveliest bouquet in our kitchen right now.
This new Essie polish from the Seaglass Shimmers Collection. SO pretty. Been wearing it since last Tuesday and it’s still going strong.
Australian brands. Lately I’ve discovered SO many cute brands. I stumble upon them on Instagram and can’t get enough. A few favorites are this one and this one, and of course Zimmermann.
VINTAGE finds. Typically, I am ehh on vintage — I like knowing what I’m buying and like things to be really clean. But lately I have been on a vintage kick! More and more, designers are recreating older 70s-style pieces and 90s-style everything, and checking for vintage pieces that hit that mark provide inspo + allow you to get ahead of the curve, if you know what to look for. I prefer to shop online, but today, I randomly found the cutest new shop in Seattle. It opened 3 weeks ago and I am really impressed with the curated pieces in there. I shared the dress I bought there on my Instagram. It’s yellow and white and I love it so much! Check out more of my favorites here: https://www.pinterest.com/amandaspins22/vintage-inspo/
Unique Jewelry. I’m pretty minimalistic with jewelry, but have been putting more effort into layering necklaces and wearing fun earrings. I have nickel allergies so that’s why I don’t wear a lot of jewelry. I have been looking for a pair of tortoise shell hoops and maybe the face earrings as well. An easy go-to for necklaces has been my cross + a coin necklace. I found a cute zodiac necklace at Vandevoort and have been wearing them together. Anyone reading this a Capricorn?! Here are a few I’ve been loving.
Currently Reading: Last week I started reading “Skid Road” which is about Seattle’s history. I was born and raised in Seattle, went to UW, and never moved… So while I know quite a bit, as I read this book, I’m really getting to understand HOW the city came about and the main characters that shaped it. Before this book, I just read this AMAZING book by Bob Goff — it was so uplifting and I highly recommend it. I wanted to start a pass-it-on with the copy I have, but it’s so good that I don’t want to part with it. So instead you should order a copy and read it. You’ll love it.