My Cooking Secret - Wei Shallot Oil

I haven't had it in me lately to cook anything fancy. Mostly we've been eating some sort of baked or steamed veggies, chicken, and rice or bread. BUT my favorite flavor booster for otherwise boring meals lately is this amazing Shallot Oil that I use on everything from chicken to brussels sprouts. Shallot oil is a staple in Vietnamese cuisine but it's so versatile it tastes great on almost everything. They sell it in big sizes or conveniently wrapped gift packages, perfect for a hostess gift.

And bonus, it's made by a cute couple from Seattle! Love it!

Seaweed from Santa...

Yep, you read that right. Have you heard of marimos?

At a Christmas party over the weekend, I got one in a gift exchange. Although, when I first pulled the mason jar full of water out of a gift bag, the room was dark, and I was pretty sure someone had given me a dead fish!

I read the accompanying card (and managed to get to better light) and discovered that I was the proud owner of a marimo, and they are awesome!

Marimo basically means seaweed ball in Japanese. They are a technically a ball of algae that's alive and will grow up to a half of an inch per year.

These little fuzzy green balls are prized in Japan, and since they live so long, they actually will be passed down as heirlooms. They are thought to be symbols of everlasting love and to bring good luck.

I'm thrilled that they seem to be a fairly easy plant to care for (even for me!). Basically, you have to change the water every 1-2 weeks and keep it out of direct sunlight.

All in all, a super unique and interesting gift!


Image via Doodle Birdie check out their beautiful Marimo Terrariums on Etsy! 

Handwriting Bracelets

I just stumbled across these on Etsy, as in 5 minutes ago. I was in the process of writing another post, but this just caught my eye. Basically, you send in a handwriting sample and they make it into a beautiful piece of jewelry. This could be a great way to honor or remember a loved one who isn't with you on your wedding day. OR an adorable gift for a groom to give his bride! Or if you're looking for a gift for your mom, sister, etc...The opportunities are endless.

Both photos are from the shop Silverhandwriting.

Weddings aside, I this is just a sweet personalized gift in general.

Mother's Day Gift Ideas: Locally Made

Still looking for the perfect Mother's Day gift? Here are a few suggestions on local shopping in Seattle. A great way to love your mom and support local artists and small business owners, many of which are moms too!

The Ballard Art Walk is this Saturday. That gives you a lot of great options.
While your in Ballard, check out Velouria, which features beautiful clothing, all made by independent designers including many from the Northwest and other beautifully designed gifts like the journal above. Lucca Great Finds is the perfect place to pick up a beautiful card among other things.

The U-District Farmers Market is also on Saturday. The perfect place to grab some locally made wine and cheese or how about kombucha, smoked salmon, kim-chee, truffles or honey for the foodie mom.

Melrose Market is great for flowers and gifts and meats and cheeses to make your mom a great meal.

Paper Delights in Wallingford is fun to browse through for the perfect card.

There's always the Seattle staple gift, Glassybaby. Pick out one with meaning like "gratitude"(above). Check out their Mother's Day suggestions. Not only is this an ever-growing small business started by a mom, they give 10% to great charities.

Nube Green on Capitol Hill is filled with wonderful finds, all sustainably made by artists all over the U.S.  I think the "Call Your Mother" pillow (above) is hilarious. 

Karama: Jewelry with a Story

Believe it or not, the metal that make up these earrings, bracelets and necklaces were once bullet casings and other forms of scrap metal salvaged a former conflict area. The metal is collected, turned into beads and made into beautiful jewelry by an organization that employs mainly HIV+ women. 

The Entoto Mountain Region, outside of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia has an interesting history. The area was known to have a spring of holy water, rumored to cure those who trekked to it of HIV. However, the "cure" seemed to come in a unique way, as organizations and even the Ethiopian Orthodox Church,  started providing and encouraging these displaced people to begin taking antiretrovirals. As the people became healthier, a local church began enterprises to employ them and the Entoto jewelry program began.   This Wall Street Journal article, does a great job of telling the story if you'd like to hear a little more in detail. 

Now, the jewelry has expanded outside of the Entoto region. When Jason and I were in Ethiopia last spring, we got to visit their workshop in Addis Ababa where many HIV+ women happily sit side by side chatting and expertly stringing beads together into beautiful creations. 

Here are a few of my favorite! All available at karamagifts.com. 

Lucia Earrings

Baubles & Beads Necklace

Wrapped With Delight Bracelet

Loving My Chewbeads!

A friend recently gifted me with a fabulous baby present called Chewbeads. They are fashionable, chunky necklaces that come in different bright colors AND double as a non-toxic teething toy for baby! They are made with 100% silicone which is similar to a pacifier and you can even throw them in the dishwasher. I had one of those "I should have though of this (!)" moments when I first saw them.

They are definitely on my short list to get friends who are having baby showers this spring and summer. It's fun to see something baby related that is chic and playful at the same time.

(image)

For Smart Babies...

I'm pretty sure that EVERYONE I know is having a baby right now. OK, not everyone, but a lot of ladies for sure. A few months back I came across BabyLit books and they are now my go to gift for little ones. They take classics and turn them into picture books focusing on counting, colors and the like. 

I bought Jane Eyre and a few others for Teresa right after she me she was pregnant. I love the Sense and Sensibility one, as it's one of my favorite books. Some of the others include Dracula, Moby Dick and even Alice in Wonderland! 

Quick Hostess Gifts

I've been seeing a lot of hostess gift guides in the world of blogs these last few weeks and while there are some awesome ideas out there, I am not one to a) spend 5.5 months knitting my neighbor an afghan or b) spend $250 on dirt. When I'm looking for a hostess gift to bring to a party, I want something fairly quick, but something that looks like I've put at least a little though into it. Here are three options my friend Danielle, an amazing party planner and gift giver, suggested:





Rosemary Tree
I picked this guy up for under $20 at Whole Foods and added a twine bow. These smell amazing, are wonderful to cook with and will last long enough to add a bit of greenery and cheer to your house into the bleak months of winter once your Christmas tree and decorations are gone.

Microplane & Nice Cheese
Have you ever used a Microplane? It's he best grater ever and the type of kitchen gadget that anyone can use, not just a serious chef. This guy was $18 at Whole Foods, super easy to pick one up along with a nice cheese on the way to the party.

Tea Towel Wrapped Wine
This is a quick and easy way to make it look like you put in a little more thought than just showing up with a bottle of wine. Anthropologie has some super cute towel options and Noonday Collection has some great fair trade choices too. You could just keep a couple on hand and to whip out when you need a quick gift.

Also, if your friends aren't drinkers, put a bottle of something else fun in there!




Happy holiday party hopping!

Reusable Grocery Totes

Starting on July 1st, the city of Seattle banned plastic shopping bags and is instituting a five cent fee on paper bags as a measure to encourage the use of reusable shopping bags and lessen unnecessary waste. I say way to go Seattle!

Maybe I'm super weird with this but, I always feel bad having Trader Joe's bag my groceries in a tote that says Whole Foods on it and vice versa. I think it feels a bit like bringing your own food to a restaurant. Anyone agree or am I the only one? Here are some great bag options I'd be happy to take to any store!

This one from Amazon folds into a cute panda!

These market tote bags can be thrown in the washing machine. 

"Recycle" tote from Ten Thousand Villages (fair trade!)

Vintage Camera Tote from Invisible Wings Design on Etsy

Take reusable bags one step further with reusable produce bags.  

Father's Day Gift Guide

Father's Day is just around the corner (Sunday, June 17th) so here are a few ideas from around the web for both new fathers and the great men that raised us. Here's to all you great dads out there!

Lawn/Garden Games to play all summer

Nike Free running shoes have a reputation in my family as the most comfortable shoes in the world

Ok so this one is more dreaming, but my Dad and P would love this Nat Sherman Humidor. Or this cigar cutter is a more economical choice.  

 Foldable Ray-Ban Sunglasses

A night out for pints at a local Irish Pub & to see a new movie or concert. (I"m hitting Prometheus with my dad but an Alabama Shakes concert would be fabulous as well.)

Sherlock on DVD - love this show! 

Hilarious Knuckle Pounder Meat Tenderizer - my brother-in-law (who is a new dad!) would love this, he's the cook in the family and loves to BBQ. 

Whiskey Stones chill scotch/whiskey without diluting them, this would be a huge hit in my family!

Jenny's dad has always wanted to go to Egypt so Jenny and her sister are taking him to the King Tut exhibit at the Pacific Science Center.

(Top image from Getty, Father Know's Best)

Baby Shower Gift Guide

Welcome to day two of our Mom/Baby/Aunt week!


So if you’re like T and I, without kids and sometimes are a little stumped as to what the ideal baby shower gift would be, we polled a few ladies who’ve become mommies recently and here are some great suggestions...

Etiquitte baby socks are apparently amazing because they stay on! Also, they are super cute. 

Two different friends recommend the book Baby Wise, a guide to nighttime sleep for newborns. I know sleep is a HUGE gift for new parents!

Especially for first time parents, the big ticket items, cribs, strollers, etc. are super important. If those sorts of things are on your friend’s registry, coordinate a group of people to go in on it with you. The baby's gotta sleep somewhere so why not in this cute crib from Land of Nod!

Another mommy friend says, "It's always fun to get quality baby cloths that last through multiple babies without getting all pilly." She suggests Baby GAP, Janie and Jack, Osh Kosh, Gymboree and Hannah Andersson.  I love this little Janie and Jack baby swimsuit!

My Breast Friend. Oh my gosh, the name is killing me! But I was told they are great for breastfeeding...

Burt's Bees Getting Started Kit. Nurses recommended the Burt's Bees diaper ointment to a friend for her new daughter. The whole kit is perfect for a shower gift, maybe along with some other bath time supplies. Another new mom (with twins!) told me she was very thankful for all the bath supplies she got, making it so she was stocked up for months and didn't have to keep running to the store for baby shampoo and such.  

My sister-in-law, Stephanie, who became a mom to Gracie in March, gave us some of my favorite advice. She said,  “Mommy gifts are definitely awesome because it’s super sweet to know that people are thinking of you as a person as well.” Some of her favorite gifts were wine and Starbucks gift cards! These things are pretty exciting when you haven't had them for nine months! I love this idea. How perfect would a bottle of Sofia Pink Champagne be as a gift for someone expecting a girl.

Lastly, if you've been given registry info for the mommy-to-be, another friend gave us a very compelling reason to stick to it. Amber says, "Mommies to be spend hours doing research, reading books, surfing the web, and talking to other mommies as they put together their registry and figuring out the kinds of things they envision using for their child and there is nothing worse than getting a stack of disposable diapers as a gift when you are super particular about wanting to use cloth diapers only." 

Be sure to check back later this week when our good friend, mother of two, and bestower of the above advice about sticking to the registry, Amber from Love at Home, will be sharing some tips for how to show your love to new mommies once the baby has arrived!

Mother's Day Gift Ideas

When I was a kid my mom always asked us to work in her garden as her gift for Mother's Day. Every year all of us would wake up on Sunday, head to church, then home to spend the day as a family weeding, mowing, and planting flowers and vegetables. 

These days I usually go for a more traditional gift but since I'm now living back in Seattle maybe I'll have to resurrect the old tradition this year! Here are some Mother's Day gift ideas from around the web and in Seattle:

Laura Mercier Almond Coconut Milk Honey Bath and Souffle Body Creme  - this is my mom's favorite.

Schoolhouse Electric candle set - classy but modern 

A hand chosen collection of beautifully bound hardcover classic books.

Bella Balls - beautiful handblown glass balls in different colors and meaningful decals made in our own Tacoma, WA. 

Modern Trellis Planters with herbs or succulents for her garden/patio. 

If you feel like going all out, can't go wrong with a gorgeous Kate Spade Bangle Watch.

Teavana tea of the month club

Massages/facials are always a favorite as well! Caruh Aveda Salon here in Seattle offers a great monthly deal on their massages and facials, $60 a month for one or the other.


(first image via)