Seattle! Cutie & The Beast Burger @ Lil Woody's for Dog Adoption Month

As an avid lover of dogs and of Lil Woody's, it's my pleasure to share with you the burger joint's latest collaboration!

LOOK AT THESE TWO

This week, Lil Woody's partnering with internet superstars Cutie and the Beast to honor Dog Adoption Month, raising money and awareness of man's best friend through Motley Zoo.

The “Cutie and the Beast Burger” is a both a dog and dog lovers' dream—with peanut butter, apples, Swiss cheese, bacon, and 1/4 lb burger patty. Get one for yourself starting today through October 27th, and don't forget one for your lil furball too! I know Spike, Jacob and I will be paying a visit or two this week.

This quote is awesome so I had to leave it in: “In the spirit of all good dog lovers, we’re excited to be offering up a delicious burger that man or beast will love, all while trying to get some of these little dudes new homes.” says Marcus Lalario, owner of Li’l Woody’s.

There will also be giveaways all week long for the dogs, from Crazy Rebels dog collars, All the Best Pet Care, Petbox and Green Juju (an amazing Seattle-based organic dog food that Spike's a big fan of!)

If you're not following Cutie and the Beast on Instagram already, you should - and prepare yourself for a daily dose of cutest ever.

Motley Zoo Animal Rescue is a 501c3 non-profit corporation, foster- based animal rescue, assisting local, national, and international dogs in need. They have no shelter facility. Instead, they house rescue dogs with foster families where they enjoy one-on-one attention in a home environment, receiving training and support, while they work to find the best possible forever homes.

Li’l Woody’s Burgers has two locations; in Capitol Hill at 1211 Pine Street and Ballard at 2040 NW Market Street. Open 11:00 a.m. - 11:00p.m. Monday through Thursday and 11:00 a.m. - 10:00p.m. Sundays in both locations; Ballard is open 11:00 a.m. - 10:00p.m. on Friday and Saturday while Capitol Hill stays open until 3:00a.m. on weekends.

My Favorite (Free!) Things to Do In Seattle

The weather's warming up, people are out for the school year, others are visiting or have relatives coming to visit. Whatever the case, emails asking for suggestions on things to do always seem to pick up in the summer time. Everyone knows to head to the Space Needle, Pike Place Market, the Waterfront and maybe even the Fremont Troll - but what else do locals like to do? I thought it'd be fun to share some of my favorite free things to do around the city, for those who need fun, quick suggestions.

Live Aloha Hawaiian Festival

Getting ready for some musubi, kahlua pork, lau lau & shave ice at Live Aloha 2013.

Seattle Center Festál Cultural Festivals

The crowds flock to Seattle Center for the Bite of Seattle and Folklife - but did you know there's a year-round calendar of cultural festivals that are also free to attend? I love Festál events for some great food, dance, music and cultural wares in much less chaotic festival experiences than the Bite or Folklife. Peep the full Festál calendar here. I'll see you at the Center for Pagdiriwang, Live Aloha and probably more!

Olympic Sculpture Park

Can't complain when this is our morning workout view.

Olympic Sculpture Park

If I'm honored enough to have you as an Instagram follower, you've seen many 'grams of early morning workouts at the Olympic Sculpture Park. The park is always free to walk through, and full of really inspirational works of art set amidst a perfectly Northwest 'urban trail' with pristine views of Elliott Bay. If you're early enough, you might even get to see some fine ladies powering through some burpees! :)

Gates Foundation Visitor Center

Testing my muscles out at the Gates Visitor Center. Gained a new level of respect for the women in Africa who haul buckets of this size & weight for miles to bring clean water to their families!

Gates Visitor Center

First Thursdays and/or Saturdays will get you in free to almost every museum in Seattle, but for complimentary admission every day, the Gates Foundation Visitor Center awaits. Follow my Gates Visitor Center ongoing series for everything I love about the Gates VC. More than anything, it's a quiet gem hidden right next to the bustling EMP & Seattle Center, perfect for some solid reflection on giving back to the world!

Art Ache

Layered up at Art Ache monthly art market

Art Ache

I love a good flea market, but unfortunately we have very slim pickings here in the city. Art Ache is a monthly art, music & style market hosted in some of the most Capitol Hill bars on the Hill. Lately, Art Ache has called Chop Suey home, and has been housed in Vermillion and Comet Tavern in the past. Catch the next Art Ache market on June 8th.

Ballard Farmer's Market

Keeping cool with Spike baby at the Ballard Farmer's Market

Ballard Farmer's Market

We are so fortunate to have multiple farmer's markets year-round in Seattle, and one of my favorites is the Ballard farmer's market. 10:00a.m. - 3:00p.m. every Sunday, they've got such an awesome collective of organic farmers from around the state. Make sure to head to the Alvarez Organic Farms stand for the most delicious cherry tomatoes you've ever tasted.

Alki - Fresh Jess - Photo Credit Sarah Lovrien

They see me rollin... (Photo credit Sarah Lovrien)

Alki

Typical Seattleites might avoid Alki in the summer because of the crazy crowds, but it's one of my favorite places in the city all year round. Alki feels faraway from the city with it actually being just a short jaunt over the West Seattle bridge. You can run or walk along the water; hold a bonfire; people watch for longboarders, paddleboarders, kayakers, dog-walkers and other fun characters; or grab a meal or drink right along the water. I also love Coastal, the little surf boutique that's open March - December.

Who knows? Maybe this'll parlay itself into a series of its own :) For weekly recommendations on stuff to do in the city, peep my top Seattle events picks post every Thursday (except for yesterday, as I was at a wake for our dear friend Bernie.)

Feel free to chime in on some of your favorite free things to do in Seattle in the comments below!

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Disclosure: This post is sponsored by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Visitor Center. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Visitor Center.

Fresh Picks: Super Bowl Weekend in Seattle

Happy Super Bowl weekend! Some of my favorite Seattle businesses have some fun stuff going on for the 12th Man right now, so put your Seahawks gear on and head out to one of them before the big game to get you even more hype for our boys!

Go Beast Mode on that Lil Woody's 12th Man burger:

Lil Woodys 12th Man burger

Image via Lil Woody's Facebook page

Get your nails did with a Gene Juarez fanicure, makeup and hair ties, available at all Gene Juarez locations. 

Gene Juarez fanicure

Seahawk French Fanicure ($40 regular - $53 shellac): Traditional French polish utilizing Seahawk colors with a white accent between green and blue.

Image via Gene Juarez.

Gene Juarez fanicure

Seahawk Ombre Fanicure: Traditional polish fade of colors using Seahawk colors. Available in glitter (shellac) ($60) or basic polish ($40). 

Image via Gene Juarez.

Gene Juarez fanicure

Seahawk Accent Fanicure: Solid nails with either glitter (shellac) or no glitter. Options include: alternate green and blue, all blue with one green accent, or all green with one blue accent. (Prices vary due to shellac or glitter.) 

Image via Gene Juarez.

Gene Juarez Hawk hair ties

Hawk hair ties: Ponytail holders from "Love Me Knot" are fabulous, hair-friendly and chic knotted elastics. $12 

Image via Gene Juarez.

Gene Juarez Seahawks eye makeup

Eye makeup: Mirabella and Gene Juarez have teamed up to select eye shadow inspired by the Seahawks. Get a "All about eyes" service ($30) or purchase your own shade ($10 each) 

Image via Gene Juarez.

Stock up on some Kukuruza Beast Corn, available at all locations & online. ($13/gallon)

Sweeten things up with

Trophy Cupcakes' Super Bowl cupcakes:

Trophy Cupcakes Super Bowl XLVIII Cupcakes

Image via Trophy Cupcakes Instagram

$4.50 each/ $44.50 dozen. Available at all Trophy Cupcakes locations or call 206-632-7020 ext 1 to order. 

Plan the drinking game you'll have with your Hilliard 12th Can Pale Ale:

Hilliard's 12 Pale Ale

'The 12th Can' has less alcohol content than many craft beers allowing consumers to enjoy it before, during and after the game. Brewed with Cascade Hops ,along with Maris Otter and Crystal Malts, the beer has an unmistakably Northwest flavor, and as Hilliard's says, it "pairs well with victory." I HEARD THAT! Hillard's 'The 12th Can' pale ale is sold in 12-packs of 16-ounce tallboy cans for $20 per pack and can be found throughout the Pacific Northwest or at HilliardsBeer.com.

Also, peep Visit Seattle, Fresh Picked Seattle and Yay Today for their Seahawks / Super Bowl picks around the city. Sarah Lovrien and I have something fun coming for you this weekend. The blue & green party don't stop!

GO HAWKS!!!

Aces Interview: Frank Guanco

While all of my Aces are people I admire in one way or another, sometimes they also feel like family. Today's Ace is just that. Meet Frank Guanco!

Frank Guanco

Frank and I worked together at Niketown Seattle, during what could arguably be considered its golden era (when the store opened until whenever it was that I left LOL.) There were so many stylish, hilarious and smart people working together in one retail space, it truly felt like a second home. I know for sure NTS is where I met most of my friends during college. I spent more time at the Swoosh than on extracurricular activities on campus for sure.

Anyway, Frank and I were on the visual merchandising team, and naturally our mad skillz in impeccable t-shirt folds, steaming, wall sets and mannequin outfits have served us well post-Swoosh. I considered Frank and the other guys on my team big brothers. I learned a lot about fashion from a guy's perspective, and from Frank in particular, how raw denim is superior to every other bottom that exists on planet Earth. More on that later.

Frank Guanco

LULZ. At one of the infamous FB soirees, back when FB only meant "Frank's Birthday"

Post-Nike, Frank and I don't see each other quite as often but have kept in touch more than with other NTS friends. We've both "come up" in the blogosphere and the Seattle social media community, sharing advice and tips whenever we can meet at Il Corvo for the best pasta lunch ever in life. I adore Sarah, Frank's longtime girlfriend, and knowing they are out there dodging the "When ya gonna get married?" question while preserving a solid, low-profile relationship, I stay inspired in my own, equally-long relationship with Jacob. Also I remember when Frank was still trying to convince Sarah to date him and that's one of my favorite memories to tell mutual friends.

Frank Guanco

Probably what I admire most about and share with Frank is a voracious appetite for culture. When we want to learn something, we LEARN IT. Learn more about Frank now:

What's on your playlist right now?

I'm a bit eclectic in what I listen to. Right now, I'm listening to a lot of podcasts (Nerdist, Marc Maron, Bill Simmons, Wine without Worry by Jameson Fink) and anticipating Christmas music. Because Christmas music is rad. Holla to Warm 106.9 this holiday season. Here are the last few albums I've recently bought:

• John Legend's Love in the Future

• John Mayer's Paradise Valley

• Keith Urban's Fuze

• Arcade Fire's Reflektor

• Pearl Jam's Lightning Bolt

• Kelly Clarkson's Wrapped in Red

• Miguel's Kaleidoscope Dream.

Feel free to throw shade, snobs.

Describe your style.

In a word, evolving. I tend to go casual (jeans, tees, and a hoody), but as I get older and care more about what I'm wearing, I've become more cognizant of construction, detail, quality, and what I think is representative of my brand. A typical look would be a wool sport coat, graphic tee, raw selvedge denim, and Lunar Flyknit Chukkas. I love raw denim and the process of wear that jeans go through. And I'm in that weird sub-group of denim nerds that rarely wash their jeans. Again, feel free to throw shade. But I enjoy little details and embellishments; funky Nikes, pops of color, a nice pocket square or tie, a pattern that is vibrant; anything that is a bit skewed to what I think is cool.

Frank Guanco

Who inspires you?

To begin with, my mom. She's amazing. A hurricane of relentless and caring. I'm continually amazed by her. I'm also inspired by those that I'm close to and what drives them. How their uniqueness as to what they strive for is very inspiring. I love that I've been fortunate to be around people that are driven to get theirs. It's awesome.

Frank Guanco

What are you reading? 

Have two books that I'm going through at the moment: David and Goliath by Malcolm Gladwell (interesting how haters are starting to surface about him when he created an entire movement of writers that have taken his style); The Loved Dog Method by Tamar Geller (because I'm always looking at more ways to connect and train my dog; she's a bit of a handful). Here's what is on deck; The Juice by Jay McInerney (he wrote Bright Lights, Big City and is probably the best wine writer in the world); The Interestings by Meg Wolitzer (can't wait to tackle this one).

I also love food and go through cookbooks like Marshawn Lynch goes through suckas. I love reading cookbooks for inspiration and to understand what goes into a chef, restaurant, style, region, whatever; here are my recent cookbooks; Scarpetta by Scott Conant, Le Pigeon by Gabriel Rucker, The Food of Vietnam by Luke Nguyen, Toro Bravo by John Gorham, and the Pitt Cue Co. Cookbook.

Frank Guanco

What are you most excited about in the coming months? 

Everything. I'm excited for Christmas. I'm excited to get back on my game with wine. I'm excited for some upcoming trips; Napa Valley to cover Flavor Napa Valley. Napa and Sonoma for Thanksgiving. San Francisco to revisit State Bird Provisions. I'm excited to get back to writing and pick up some ideas that have been bouncing around in my head for sometime; the Unicorn of South Lake Union, Run for Croissants, Pho Week 2.0, my recent juice cleanse, and to maybe, finally, start writing my lifestyle blog.

I'm also excited to watch my puppy grow up. To see her evolve and become the dog she can be.

Finally, I'm excited to see what's in store. For all of us. Let's get it.

Thank you!

Find Frank online: Going For Seconds |  Twitter 

Read all of my Aces interviews here.

What I Learned on My Sugar Detox

Last month, I did a two-week detox to remove sugar and candida from my body. After a hectic summer full of "busy" and on-the-go eating (read: bad choices) and some laziness in my diet discipline, I felt like I could use a good reset. You might remember I did a detox earlier this year for the Resolution Challenge. I thought I'd be a pro after that and that this time would be a breeze. Turns out I couldn't have been further from the truth!

Quite possibly the hardest thing I've ever done.

This detox was so much stricter than the first; because we were weaning off of sugar, I couldn't even have apples or berries, which are among the fruits with the lowest amounts of fructose! I had a lot of tomatoes, avocados, bell peppers, and greens of every kind.

The first few days were really difficult. They say the body craves what it's just had, so coming off of a summer of indulgences meant my body was only thinking of all the things I couldn't have. After the initial hump, I thought I'd be fine. Meal-wise, I was. It wasn't that I didn't like what I was eating. In fact, I discovered Alvarez Organic Farms' booth at the Ballard Farmers Market because of it. Thanks to the Alvarez family I will never look at cherry tomatoes the same again. Seriously, their tomatoes taste like candy. They were my 'candy' / treat during my detox!

Tomatoes like CANDY

The true battle for the rest of the detox was the one I fought with myself, in my mind at every moment. It was so revealing to realize how much food played (plays) a part in so much of my typical days, and in my interactions with people. Family parties. Coffee coworking dates. Client meetings. Catching up with friends. I've never had major allergies or diet restrictions that kept me from ordering whatever my heart or eyes desired. Until the detox, I'd never had to think so carefully about what I consumed. What a wake-up call for me. Thoughts about food utterly consumed me during the rest of the detox, even if I didn't want it! I knew I didn't need most of it, but the act - the experience around consuming food - was what was getting to me.

I reached the end of those two weeks like crawling on all fours to the finish line - I felt like I didn't even know my real life anymore, but I was there and I did it. I lost about 6 pounds but looked like I'd lost even more than that. Weight loss wasn't what it was about for me, so even though I felt better and lighter, I knew I needed to put a little bit of that back on to feel 100% again. I like my curves! More than that, I learned loads about myself, about discipline and commitment. What are some of my favorite lessons learned, you ask? Well...

Skinny mini

Make sure you have supervision!

I know detoxes (especially this one) might sound like your idea of personal hell. I don't blame you, it kinda is! As nutty as it might sound, I absolutely recommend doing a detox once or twice a year to help get you back on that healthy eating track. I know there's a whole industry around juice, powder and pill cleanses out there, but I steer clear of any of that. All of it seems like a 'quick fix' before you're right back to eating like caca again. This has always been a conscious lifestyle choice for me, and because of that, superfood cleanses and detoxes are the only ones I'll take part in. I wouldn't recommend doing something like this alone, off of a program you found off the internet. We're talking specifically about nutrients that go into your body. I felt feverish the first time around, and was noticeably weaker during both detoxes. You gotta pay attention to your body, and have someone you trust you can talk to and know that what you're experiencing is normal.

Don't listen to the haters.

This is pretty much advice for life, but it especially rings true during a detox. Even the most understanding, supportive and sympathetic of friends will try to get you to "not be so hard on yourself" or tell you that you "deserve" that happy hour cocktail. Nah girl. I deserve the healthiest body and mind I can possibly make for myself. It's going to be so hard, but no matter what, you can't listen to anyone or anything that tries to deter you from your detox. Your mind is already full of excuses trying to tempt you to quit - you don't need their excuses weighing in on you too.

You have to want it more than anything else.

Commitment is the true name of the game with detoxing. Temptation will be awaiting you around every single corner, and you'll have to flex your mind muscles harder than ever to remind yourself that you don't need that. That you came this far and have just a little longer to go. That one donut isn't worth ruining days worth of hard work. Just because it's there, doesn't mean you have to consume it. You are stronger than that. You can do it!

Fresh Eats: The Barrymore Las Vegas

My last night in Vegas for WWDMAGIC was capped with the most amazing dinner at a place I definitely wouldn't have found on my own. One of the best parts of traveling is finding places to eat and things to do that are off the beaten path. I don't normally take the tourist route (landmarks, famous restaurants, etc.) when I'm traveling, especially while I'm traveling for business. One of my new blogger friends, Emily, ended up meeting one of the owners of The Barrymore at WWDMAGIC - who then invited us to come and enjoy dinner there on our last night in town.

The Barrymore Las Vegas

Image via Chanelle of  The Penelope Times

The Barrymore Las Vegas

Image via Chanelle of  The Penelope Times

The Barrymore Las Vegas

The Barrymore Las Vegas

The Barrymore is the latest joint from award-winning chef, Anthony Meidenbauer, and Billy Richardson, owner of Block 16 and brainchild behind some of Las Vegas's most popular nightclubs and lounges. Adding a contemporary twist to retro Vegas, Barrymore servers up American Classic cuisine that's both approachable and unpretentious. We had an incredible meal that mixed things that are familiar to most (steak, mac & cheese) with fun, unexpected pairings (gnocchi, squid ink risotto.)

The Barrymore Las Vegas

Some bread & veggies to start off. Softest, yummiest French bread I've had in awhile! Special shoutout to the pretzel bread which was also muy delicioso.

The Barrymore Las Vegas

A few appetizers to whet the palette. Clockwise from top left: Roasted artichoke w/greens, salsa verde & parmesan; Octopus ála Greque (roasted w/cous cous, olives, capers & lemon-oregano vinaigrette); Semolina gnocchi (w/summer squash blossoms, fava beans, goat cheese ricotta & shaved summer truffles) & Lobster mac & cheese

The Barrymore Las Vegas

The main courses: Pan Roasted ‘Jidori’ Free Range Chicken w/sweet corn grits, roasted chanterelles and natural jus; side of creamed corn & lobster; Diver Scallops (pan-seared w/squid ink risotto, tomato sugo & crispy fried artichokes) & filet mignon.

The Barrymore Las Vegas

OMG dessert. Vanilla Bean Crème Brûlée w/peach compote, apricot honey sorbet & candied pistachios; Warm Chocolate Cake w/praline fudge sauce, hazelnut brittle & milk chocolate sorbet; Amaretto Cheesecake Mousse w/biscotti crust, poached cherries & lemon olive oil sorbet and Strawberry Shortcake Coupe w/sweet biscuit, fresh strawberries, orange curd & chantilly

The Barrymore Las Vegas

Image via Chanelle of  The Penelope Times

The Barrymore Las Vegas

Image via Chanelle of  The Penelope Times

The Barrymore Las Vegas

The cozy 1,400-square-foot restaurant only seats 50, and boasts a wine list featuring 50 selections under $50. Hella 50! It's not too far from the Las Vegas Convention Center, either: located at 99 Convention Center Drive, 89109 between Las Vegas Boulevard and the LVCC.

Check it out for yourself next time you're in Vegas! BarrymoreLV.com.

Read all my posts from WWDMAGIC here.