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Maneki has rave reviews throughout the papers, and through word-of-mouth of my asian (and non-asian) friends. Plus they've literally been around for a hundred years. But both times I've visited...
Maneki has rave reviews throughout the papers, and through word-of-mouth of my asian (and non-asian) friends. Plus they've literally been around for a hundred years. But both times I've visited their service has been inconsistent (try the other night where we waited for 10 minutes for someone to acknowledge us while a woman proceeded to talk on the phone--she turned out to be the owner) and their food is just not that great. I mean, it's good, but it's slow, and I feel sort of heavy afterwards. Not how I like to feel after eating sushi.
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World Relief is a great organization that works with newly arrived refugees. They provide case management and volunteer support for folks that are new to this country, above and beyond what the...
World Relief is a great organization that works with newly arrived refugees. They provide case management and volunteer support for folks that are new to this country, above and beyond what the government offers. They're fantastic--and they accept furniture to help furnish the houses of these new families. Check them out!
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Fossil has some outstanding watches. They specialize in really beautiful timepieces, and although they feature some truly expensive ones, they also have many reasonably priced ones. They are sleek...
Fossil has some outstanding watches. They specialize in really beautiful timepieces, and although they feature some truly expensive ones, they also have many reasonably priced ones. They are sleek and classy, with just enough originality. You can check out their website, certain duty-free shops, or there are Fossil stores Westlake Mall in Seattle and Bellevue Square on the Eastside.
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I'm not a sushi person. I don't like the taste of seaweed, and I'm wary of raw fish. I know, I know, I'm just not that cultured. I've tried.
But last night I went to Ototo Sushi on Queen Anne....
I'm not a sushi person. I don't like the taste of seaweed, and I'm wary of raw fish. I know, I know, I'm just not that cultured. I've tried.
But last night I went to Ototo Sushi on Queen Anne. The ambiance was notable as soon as we walked in. Everything - including the tables people were sitting at, and the decor (which was minimal) was tasteful and clean. The dishes are almost all made by a local ceramics artist who lived in Japan for years, and then there's the intimidating sushi chef that stands behind the bar.
He served us sushi and sake (also something I didn't really like before last night) all night long. We just kept on ordering from the prolific menu, and kept on getting served. As someone who is wary of raw fish, there was a lot for me to choose from. I had rolls of tender boiled eel with avocado; spider rolls full of crunchy tempura crab and fresh vegetables; inari of sweet fried tofu pockets filled with rice; and smoked salmon. And for my friends, who are definite sushi fans, there was plenty of raw fish to go around. We spend a LOT of money (oops) but left full and happy.
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You know you want a latte. Every day as you work downtown you get that feeling mid-afternoon: "I'm not in the mood for the instant coffee anymore today. I want a treat. I want a reason to get out of...
You know you want a latte. Every day as you work downtown you get that feeling mid-afternoon: "I'm not in the mood for the instant coffee anymore today. I want a treat. I want a reason to get out of the office for a few minutes. I want a pick-me-up. But I don't want to spend $4 at Starbucks!"
You leave the office, hoping for some inspiration. What do you find? Starbucks in your lobby. Tullys on the street. Starbucks across the street, and Seattle's Best on the corner. The uber-friendly folks at Starbucks begin to call you: "Haven't seen you for a while, double-shot-americano-with-walking-room!" You are pulled closer and closer...
There is an alternative! If you want to put your money towards a great cause, get some quick, good coffee, and get just a little exercise while you're at it, try the Fare Start Cart at the Seattle Public Library. It's a coffee cart run by formerly homeless youth in a barista training program, and their coffee is great. Plus it's a good cause, and in a convenient location. Next time you want a latte, just tell your boss you're going out for a few minutes to save the world!
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The 2100 Building Fare Start Cafe is a great place to have lunch or a latte...just not every day. The good news: they have a full espresso bar, freshly made soups that often turn out really well, a...
The 2100 Building Fare Start Cafe is a great place to have lunch or a latte...just not every day. The good news: they have a full espresso bar, freshly made soups that often turn out really well, a number of sandwiches that come with pickles and chips, and a large assortment of drinks for the non-coffee drinker. They are also a great cause: they train formerly homeless youth in barista and food service, so their staff are very friendly and fun, and your money is going to a good place.
Now the bad news. Their service is very, very slow (giving you time to catch up with friends!) and their drinks are inconsistent (as expected with baristas-in-training). Their food is often uninspiring, though it's always better than the any number of fast-food places in the area.
All in all, it's a great place that you must try, but it probably won't become a weekly haunt.
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This delightful little store in Pike Place Market is a wonderful alternative to the big mega-stores that sell imported goods cheaply (I won't name names...especially because I sometimes shop there)....
This delightful little store in Pike Place Market is a wonderful alternative to the big mega-stores that sell imported goods cheaply (I won't name names...especially because I sometimes shop there). They are a classy, beautiful store just full of imported goods from all around the world. I'm under the impression that they obtain their products fairly, and the things they sell are of high quality, though not totally overpriced.
Go there to check out some outstanding jewelry, unique childrens' toys, luxurious scarves, or exotic carvings. The only thing to look out for is the fragility of some of the items. The staff is wonderfully friendly.
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I can't tell you where to go to stay in Los Angeles, but if you like tamales at ALL, I urge you to try out El Cholo Mexican Restaurant. It's a funky place opened almost 80 years ago, and their green...
I can't tell you where to go to stay in Los Angeles, but if you like tamales at ALL, I urge you to try out El Cholo Mexican Restaurant. It's a funky place opened almost 80 years ago, and their green corn tamale recipe was developed back then. They've been serving it up since then to stars and tourists alike, and it's been around for almost a century for good reason.
Like many places in LA, you might have to wait a while for a seat, so get there early (or late), and have a margarita.
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I remember the days when REI was a small scrappy outdoors store for the really rough folks who cleaned and cared for their equipment after every hard-core backpacking trip so it lasted for at least...
I remember the days when REI was a small scrappy outdoors store for the really rough folks who cleaned and cared for their equipment after every hard-core backpacking trip so it lasted for at least 15 years, and they really, really didn't care how cute they looked.
Now it's a Super Mega Outdoors Store, which verges on a big boutique, but I'm not complaining. It's nice to have a co-op that sells superior clothing that ensures I'm never left out wet in the cold--and I'm going to look darn cute doing it.
The Flagship store downtown not only offers a huge array of equipment in one place (and not cheap, breakable discount store equipment either), but it's an experience in itself. You can test out jackets in the "rain booth"; try out bikes on the "mountain trail", hike around in boots on the mini-mountain, and climb the huge climbing wall that looks out over Seattle through huge windows. Definitely a favorite for tourist and locals alike.
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At my grandma's 50th party, my mom and her sisters had a huge surprise party where they rented out a room; filled it with quotes from the (hilarious) diary she kept while raising them (they were...
At my grandma's 50th party, my mom and her sisters had a huge surprise party where they rented out a room; filled it with quotes from the (hilarious) diary she kept while raising them (they were very bad); enlarged pictures of her; stuck her in a wheelchair with an IV filled with vodka; and had all sorts of friends from her past and present filling the room to make fun of her and love on her. It was a sweet idea to make her feel special.
My mom loves Hawaii, so for her 50th she did a Hawaii party where she rented out a space, filled it with decorations and food, and invited all her friends.
I guess those ideas are for folks who like a big thoughtful party having to do with who they are or what they like. If you want a small intimate restaurant...hm. Hopefully someone else has ideas.
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