i heart seattle

I don't hide my love for my hometown of Seattle. There's no other place I'd rather be (except for maybe somewhere warm and south of the equator for a few weeks during the gray winter months). 

Now, I get to shout what I love most about Emerald City on National Geographic Traveler's Intelligent Blog. Read about my favorite picks to eat, drink, see and stay here. 

volunteer project: food lifeline in seattle, washington

I admit it. Had I known this Saturday afternoon was gonna be so darn summery, I probably would not have signed up to volunteer with BEAN Seattle’s project today working with Food Lifeline. I was okay with missing out on the annual Ballard SeafoodFest, but the first official weekend of summer weather in Seattle? No way - especially when I’m slated to go to Peru next week to volunteer for three weeks in the throes of its coldest winter in history. Right now, this gal needs all the Vitamin D she can get (within reason of malaria meds side effects).

BEAN is a Seattle-based organization that connects young professionals with volunteering, networking and social opportunities around the Puget Sound area. (BEAN also operates in many cities around the globe with over 100,000 members). I’m a few years older than its average member, but that didn’t stop me from fitting in just fine with its volunteer event today at Food Lifeline.

After my recent experience working with food distribution among the needy in Honduras, my inner journo was curious to see how the whole process worked. Sure, I’ve been steering my Seattle altruism efforts in food-centric directions, but this was also a personal R&D mission to gain greater understanding of how food banks work. You can’t blame a gal for wanting to learn.

Twelve volunteers from BEAN Seattle, along with 27 students and parents from The Evergreen School showed up at Food Lifeline in Shoreline today at 1 p.m. to work a three hour shift. After a quick spin through the (ridiculously organized and immaculate) facilities, and learning the rules of the volunteering road, the BEAN group was set loose to sort and repackage food donations from the recent Seattle letter carrier’s Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive.

When it was all said and done, BEAN volunteers boxed more than 5,550 pounds of foodstuffs, which will serve 4,269 people in West Washington meals. The Evergreen School kiddos scooped and bagged 1,488 pounds of Fiber One cereal, which will serve 2,289 breakfasts (I did not spy equal amounts of toilet paper donations). The numbers are impressive, but what is really mind-blowing is that Food Lifeline distributes 25 millions pounds of food to West Washington residents annually. More than 4 million of those pounds are perishable goods, as grocery stores these days steer towards selling scratch and dent canned food to stores like Grocery Outlet. Local markets like Whole Foods, Safeway and Fred Meyer all step up to the charitable plate with huge donations. To give you an idea how much food Food Lifeline serves up to more than 300 organizations around the Western part of our state each year, it’s enough to fill Qwest Field ten times. Now sit down for these stats. Last year, 9,320 Food Lifeline volunteers repacked 3,218,732 pounds of food, which – drum roll, please – served 2,475,948 meals to West Washington residents. Our volunteer coordinator, Ben, assured us that the majority of Food Lifeline’s recipients aren’t homeless or living on their cars, but people like, well…your neighbor. He also emphasized that this constant flow of food is made possible by the 700 to 1200 people who volunteer weekly with Food Lifeline. Wow.
Time flew as we pulled compostable light blue bags filled with donations from oversized cardboard boxes and carefully inspected for bulges, dents, rust and expiration dates. As instructed, we kept an eagle eye on raw, thawed or partially eaten foods (yes, we encountered all of the above), as well as recently recalled peanut butter items and certain Kellogg’s cereals. Time flew by and when we were cut off from sorting and repacking our final cardboard box of food at 3 p.m., my posse of über-efficient food packers were sad to stop so short of the finish line. As we exchanged quick goodbyes, I realized that I so enjoyed spending the afternoon with such a great like-minded groups, and if I had to choose between Vitamin D and volunteering with this crew again, the latter would surely win out.

Between now and July 23, 2010 Food Lifeline is hosting an event called Food Frenzy, which aims to end hunger for children in Western Washington. Join over 100 local law firms, accounting firms, design & construction firms, credit unions, and public sector legal organizations in this creative competition to raise funds and food for Food Lifeline. For more information on Food Frenzy or to find out how to volunteer, click here.

it's on. pre-registration tix for tbex 2011 went on sale today.

Holy crap. Within minutes of receiving an email from Wanderlust and Lipstick Founder and Editrix, Beth Whitman that Travel Blog Exchange tickets had gone sale, more than half of the blogger pre-registration tickets had already sold. In less than seven hours. Wow. Since TBEX is being held in roadtrip friendly nearby Vancouver, B.C. and I'll be hot off the heels of The Global Citizen Project, I plunked down the $50 pre-registration ticket fee (it jumps to $80 during regular registration, which I believe starts September 5th, 2010). Sure, my travel dance card is locked and loaded with the next 11 volunteer projects for TGCP and I'm typically not one to plan anything so far ahead, but I'm giddy about the prospect of having so many of my peers in the PacNW and hope that folks take me up on my offer to show 'em around Seattle. Mi es su casa and there's not much I love more in life than a good roadtrip. I don't want to get all Julie the Cruise Director, but there's anything I can do to make my fellow travel writer/blogger's stay in the PacNW more enjoyable, holler. When it comes to my hometown, Seattle, baby I was born to hostess.

the breakfast club

Whether you want a Sunday drive or a hangover helper, a quick one hour trip from Seattle will land you at Farm Kitchen, an 18-acre organic farm and lovely old fashioned farm style building for the Puget Sound’s very best brekky. On the first Saturday of every month, 300-400 morning meal lovin’ folks gather for farm-made Brioche French Toast stuffed with Citrus Cream Cheese, Rosemary Apple Sausage (made on site) and co-owner Hollis Fay’s Original 8-Grain Pullapart – a carb-o-riffic delight that was created on Bainbridge Island in the 1980’s. Customers have even gone so far to write poems singing this particular baked good’s praises. Apples are sourced onsite or from other local organic farms, ditto for the herbs and greens. In 2009, potatoes will be supplied by Leap Frog Farm and Laughing Crow Farm, and organic flowers courtesy of Butler Green Farms and Leap Frog Farm. During the summer months, Farm Kitchen also offers outdoor seating on the Lavender Lawn looking out at the Butler Green Farm’s beautiful dahlias and other flowers. They also offer cooking classes and lodging for those who want to make a mini-getaway of their Poulsbo adventure.


Wanna Try?
Farm Kitchen, 24309 PT Gamble Road NE, Poulsbo; (360-297-6615)
First Saturday of each month (year-round), 8 a.m. – noon, no reservations needed. Featured breakfast costs $9.75, side dishes cost $3-5.

Small Changes Add Up
If 10,000 Seattleites rode their bike to Poulsbo via the ferry versus driving, it would keep the weight of 1072 pigs primed for bacon making out of the landfill.

for whom the bella tolls - mother's day is may 9

Nothing quite says you’re the world’s best mama quite like a bouquet of fresh cut flowers. At Terra Bella Flowers in Phinney Ridge, the majority of stems are organic, and many sourced locally including tulips from Alm Hill Garden in Bellingham, peonies, berries, dahlias, and chocolate cosmos from Jello Mold Farm in Mount Vernon. Owner Melissa Feveyear also buys from local farmers’ markets and from The Children’s Garden in Carnation. Roses come from Portland, California, and Ecuador, although Melissa suggests buying local tulips and hyacinths for Mother's Day if you want to be as green as possible. Wrap ‘em in willow with a couple sprays of hot pink roses and cymbidium orchids from Portland's Peterkort Roses and you have a beautiful European garden mix of sustainably grown blooms to drool over. By buying flowers grown here in the Northwest instead of sourcing buds grown around the globe, we support out own economy and reduce the need for mass transportation. TerraBella Flowers also rents and reuses its props and containers and is more than happy to set up a carbon offset program for your wedding or other event.

Wanna Try?
TerraBella Flowers & Mercantile, 8417 Greenwood Ave. N., Seattle; (206-783-0205)

Small Changes Add Up
If 10,000 Seattleites bought roses sourced from Portland, OR instead of Ecuador, it would keep the weight of 385 Liberty Bells out of the landfill.

new backer reward - one night stay at hotel max (seattle)

A quintessentially comfortable, utterly hip experience awaits you at the Hotel Max.

In the heart of downtown Seattle, Washington, the Hotel Max offers an artistic setting for both business and pleasure. The Hotel Max provides the platform for both emerging and established Seattle artists and photographers. There are more than 350 original paintings and photographs found throughout our Seattle hotel in the lobby, guest rooms and corridors.




The fine print: This Gift Certificate entitles you to enjoy a One Night Stay inclusive of Valet Parking. Reservations will be made based on availability. Incidental charges are not included. Other restrictions may apply.
The value is $299, but can be yours with a $150 pledge to The Global Citizen Project.

Photo courtesy of MACSURAK

new backer reward: free burrito at chipotle with $10 pledge

Live in Washington or Oregon? Pledge $10 to The Global Citizen Project and get ONE FREE Chipotle burrito, burrito bowl, salad or order of tacos. First 50 people, only. Thank you, Chipotle, for your donation, support of TGCP and for just being delicious.







Photo courtesy of Thomas Hawk.

new backer reward - one night stay at tulalip resort casino + $25 food credit

From Seattle Times article, "Washington hotels that are a world away:"

"The 370-room luxury hotel, next to the very popular Tulalip casino, includes a deluxe spa, restaurants, meeting rooms, a ballroom and a special area for weddings around a landscaped pool. For high-rollers, there are supersized luxury suites, including the 2,000-square-foot Player's Suite with a pool table, arcade games and more. The hotel's main attraction is the adjoining Tulalip Casino, a gambling mecca with 227,000 square feet of slot machines, table games, poker room and more."



"This casino was by far the nicest, cleanest and upscale one in the state of Washington. But what makes it so good is that its close by the good outlet mall and inside it has the best buffet in the state of Washington." - KING J on Yelp

Good for: One night deluxe accommodation and a $25 food credit. ($200 value)
Valid until: 2/28/2011
Disclaimer: No redeemable cash value; gratuities and alcohol not included; based on availability, certain blackout dates may apply and is not valid during New Year’s Eve or Valentine’s Day.

Tulalip Resort Casino is located in Marysville, WA - about 30 miles north of Seattle.

new backer reward: two-night stay at the woodmark hotel, yacht club & spa

The Woodmark Hotel, Yacht Club & Spa is the only hotel on the picturesque shores of Lake Washington. Personal and comfortable, the Woodmark features 100 rooms, including 21 suites, most with views of the lake, and all with luxury amenities. The Woodmark is the ideal in-town retreat only minutes from downtown Bellevue and other Eastside destinations. It offers a full-service spa, two exceptional restaurants, distinctive event spaces and an intimate, residential, waterside ambiance. Most importantly, Woodmark people are warm and genuine, anticipating guests’ every need. Popular for corporate events, weddings and important family occasions, the Woodmark is ultimately a place where everyone feels at home, and home is a relaxing and rejuvenating place set apart by the water. Learn more about this fantastic property here. (This two-night stay is a $550 value.)

new backer reward

Two passes good for admission to all the exhibitions in the Experience Music Project/Science Fiction Museum. The mission of EMP/SFM is to explore and amplify ideas that fuel contemporary, creative culture. Its exhibitions and public programs engage the senses; deepen our understanding of art and culture; and examine their relevance to our lives.

This reward is valued at: $30.

EMP/SFM is located at 330 6th Avenue North, Seattle, WA (206) 770-2700

(photo courtesy of papalars)