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Looking for the hottest spots to check out in Seattle? Here are some places you won’t want to miss:
Sleep
A trendy haven for design aficionados and the aesthetically attune, Hotel Andra (2000 Fourth Avenue; 877/448-8600; doubles from $229) in Seattle’s Belltown district brims with sleek Scandinavian design. Don’t miss the hotel’s inventive restaurant, Lola, which serves up creative combinations of Greek and North African cuisine.
1. Color Wheel Stick Umbrella: Brighten a rainy day with this color burst umbrella!
MoMA Store, $40.
2. Bubble Necklace: Part gaga, part sophisticated artisan necklace, this piece was designed by Marina and Susanna Sent who come from a long line of glass designers hailing from Venice, Italy.
MoMA Store, $115.
3. Generation by Knoll: For the ultimate in office comfort, plant yourself in the Knoll Generation Chair. Designed for maximum flexibility, this chair is bendy and nimble beyond belief, sustainable, and stylishly cutting edge.
Knoll, $1,195.
4. Horse Head: Love horses? This life-sized bust will jazz up any room and serve as a perfect conversation starter at your next cocktail party.
Z Gallerie, $129.95.
5. Vasa Cubes: Colorful and fun, these dazzling prism cubes were created by the Yugoslavian-born sculptor Vasa.
MoMA Store, Set of 6: $350.
6. Sequoia Console Table: This shimmery table crafted from the root of an Acacia tree is hand painted in silver, with accents of silver leaf.
Z Gallerie, $999.
7. Pantone Mugs: A classic graphic design staple, these Pantone mugs come in tons of custom mixed colors.
Pantone, $54-$90 for a set of 6 (price dependent on color schemes).
8. Tea Time Chandelier: An Alice in Wonderland-esque tea party chandelier with 18 vintage teacups dangling from spoons attached to silver serving trays.
Anthropologie, $1,800.
Our Absolute Favorite Holiday Tune this Season:
“Frosty the Snowman” by Zee Avi. This isn’t your typical Frosty tune, Zee has reinvented this classic with an unbelievably fresh twist.
I love Moroccan cuisine. Pastilla, or meat pies encased in puff pastry and covered with powdered sugar and cinnamon, savory lamb tajines, and hot mint tea don’t even begin to scratch the surface of this complex culinary culture. My food obsession led me all the way to Morocco where I followed my taste buds right into the Moroccan kitchen.
My absolute favorite place to take out of town guests in Los Angeles day or night is Griffith Observatory. Nothing can beat the location, with sweeping vistas of the Hollywood sign and endless panoramas of the entire city, all laid out in front of you. It doesn’t get more iconic than this.
Resa Blatman is a talented artist and designer that I’ve been following for some time now. She is a pro at integrating her artistic style into her design work flawlessly. But what I’m really excited to share with you is her latest painting series. Consisting of spectacular cut-edge art, her new work comes alive on the wall and takes on a wonderful 3D life of its own.
Outside the Tonga Hut in North Hollywood, a giant Polynesian Moai statue greets those seeking a little tropical bliss. Wedged between a brightly-lit bridal shop and a model store on a quiet strip of Victory Boulevard sits the oldest remaining tiki joint in Los Angeles, dating back to 1958.
The Birth of the Tiki Bar
The tiki bar itself was an L.A. concoction, pioneered with Don’s Beachcomber Cafe in the 1930’s, which quickly became popular with Hollywood celebrities. This ushered in an era of south seas chic that saw the spread of tiki establishments across the country, famous for their exotic cuisine, rum-based cocktails, and wonderful island atmosphere. Created to give late night revelers dreamy island vibes to swoon over, tiki bars served as houses of island kitsch filled with the rich iconography of far away destinations like Tahiti, Fiji, Easter Island, Hawaii, and The Cook Islands, to name a few.
I love the ukulele. Since the day I picked up my first uke, I’ve been smitten. A longtime lover of tiki, Hawaii, and all things tropical, naturally ukes became a favorite obsession of mine (specifically pineapple ukes). Why? For starters they’re tiny, they’re cute, and their tropical island sound sends me into a south seas daydream.
Catal Restaurant and Uva Bar is a must try restaurant in the Downtown Disney district serving unique Spanish cuisine, just steps from Disneyland in Anaheim.
Lovely and light Spanish cuisine is the specialty at Catal, a Downtown Disney establishment, just a short walk from the entrance of Disneyland and California Adventure in Anaheim. Spanning four unique dining areas, diners can choose between the upstairs windowed rotunda with warm yellow walls and panoramic views or the upscale fireplace room, decked out in rich earth tones with plenty of intimate lighting. There’s also an outdoor terrace overlooking all the action, as well as the Uva Bar downstairs.
The baking heat of the desert greeted me when I stepped off the plane in Morocco. Welcome to Marrakech, a city of pink buildings drowning in a sea of satellite dishes. Imagine narrow winding streets filled with drivers texting and honking as they fly past on mopeds. Snake charmers. French-style pâtisseries. Open air butcher shops. Tea shops, full to the brim even in the sweltering heat of the day. Donkey traffic. Veil culture ranging from no veils to fully-veiled, showing off slits of almond eyes. The never-ending song of aggressive hawkers echoing from every souk.
In search of delicious baked goods and sandwiches with a Cuban twist? Then you’ve gotta head to Porto’s Bakery and Cafe in Burbank. This busy shop is always hopping, a result of its famous pastries, savory lunch specialities, and reasonable prices (most main dishes are in the $4-7 category).
