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Best coffee drinking perch ever?

I was lucky to be invited to Lopez Island last week in what turned out to be half a work retreat and half a 'chaperone' gig for a brass quartet, The Westerlies (they didn't really need chaperones). This place is magic and it was surreal to be here while the horror of the murders in Seattle unfolded. I try to wrap my mind around light-filled lives snuffed out...the Seattle community response and generosity and music gives hope. The entire set of photos I took is available here.

A brief photo tour of 4 days in New York

New York was a great blur. Allison and I ate SUCH good food but I didn't take pictures of any of it (except one bagel). That's more Allison's department and I'll ask her if I can post some food shots soon. Allison's the kinda girl who not only hauls her amazing SLR around Manhattan but a Holga camera as well. She's committed and her photos are beautiful. Thanks to a last minute Facebook call for help I got perfect restaurant recommendations for Brooklyn, which is where we stayed. Greenpoint, to be exact. Day 1: mexican food at La Superior in Williamsburg (thanks Alan!), Day 2: pizza at Paulie Gee's in Greenpoint (thanks AirBnB host!), Day 3: South African food at Mandiba (thanks Sam!). To back up a little, Allison and I inhaled iced coffee from Blue Bottle in Williamsburg after our red eye and before we even set our suitcases down. That stuff is The Business (looking at you Brian). The Cindy Sherman exhibit at MOMA was beyond. I absolutely flat out loved it and could stare and stare and stare for hours. She's such a cool genius. One last New York-y thing: UNIQLO: Where have you been all my life?

The Blue Trees in downtown Seattle.

A day in Discovery Park.

Sorry I've been so distant lately. Work has been very busy. I'm going to New York in a couple weeks for vacation and can't tell you how excited I am. Last month I bought the Wiksten tank/dress pattern and made a tank out of BRIGHT yellow neon fabric. Then today on the Wiksten blog I saw there's a Flickr group devoted to her pattern creations. I thought I'd share my favorite with you. It's by HazelnutDesigns Cristin Wilson.

This is what I do with my parents when they visit. We go shopping for food in out of the way specialty stores in every corner of Seattle. These are not the highest quality pictures I've ever taken but I wanted to share them, especially the Chestnut spread at the bottom because I love the label.

Some older snaps from Portland, OR. Would like to get there again as soon as possible. I love Seattle but I would love a change of scenery too!

Around the studio. I'm working on new necklaces with leather cord.

We had a gorgeous weekend recently. Of course that weekend passed and not it's back to good old Seattle gloom. I took all these pictures at the farmer's market in nearby Ballard.

We did have some snow around these parts. Although a three day snow storm in Seattle is such a zany interlude. It comes on strong and then leaves just about as soon as it gets here. Lucky for me I can easily work from home for a few days so I didn't much have to brave the elements. I spent part of the first day traipsing across the Aurora Bridge in sideways sleet and made it to Kerry Park for the view (which you can see too in the top picture).