Yep, this post is about the Mariners. However, after being in attendance at that abysmal game last night (lowest attendance in history mind you), the theme is going to take a different track than I had previously planned.

You see, I love the Mariners, and most sports for that matter. I wasn’t able to go to Opening Day on Monday, but I was stoked to go to Day Two last night. I anticipated gushing on here about how excited I am for the season and I’m a fan to the end… blah blah you get the picture. But I woke up this morning feeling very UGH about last night, and just can’t bring myself to exude the excitement I want to.

Don’t get me wrong, you should absolutely keep cheering for the Mariners. I know I will. One game doesn’t necessarily preview how the whole season is going to go. I just wish I hadn’t witnessed that one personally.

SO, in order to take our minds off of a 20 hit game… I would like to draw your attention to this blog post by Seattlepi.com blogger, David Nelson. Like him, I was pretty disappointed in the Mariners’ stance about the proposed new Sonics Arena. I don’t want to get into my reasons here, but David does a great job of pointing out why Mariners fans like me, who also want to see the Sonics return, can still in good conscience root for the Mariners. Worth a few minutes of your time if you’ve been torn on the issue! Thanks David.

[If you're just here for the contest and don't want to read my mushy post on being neighborly, feel free to skip to the bottom. You're welcome.]

I’ve been a bit more sentimental this year than in recent years. Maybe it’s the craziness that has been happening in our country over the past couple weeks, and maybe I’m just getting older and more emotionally extroverted. Maybe it’s both. Regardless, this story on Seattlepi.com warmed my heart.

Apparently there was a fire at a local animal hospital in Lake City (one that helped my cat when he was in need), and the neighboring Seattle Mini dealership took in the sick and displaced pets, so that the staff could focus on solving the immediate issues at hand. According to the article, the dealership is pet friendly and already had water and food dishes on the show floor. The four legged shoppers were welcomed in the building for about 2 hours while the hospital staff worked to find new facilities to house and take care of them. While this was a relatively small gesture (who doesn’t love being infiltrated by cute pets?!?), it was an extremely generous thing to do and is completely in the spirit of the season. Well done, Seattle Mini team! I applaud you. And, to the pet hospital staff, I hope everything resolves itself quickly.

Now, on to the second part of my musings… ’tis the season for last minute gifting! Are you a last minute shopper like me? Or, perhaps you are looking for a quick and easy quick that you can drop into a loved one’s stocking? Well, I have an idea for you. Consider giving a gift card for a local experience, like a massage.

Last weekend, I was invited to visit Massage Envy (I chose the Northgate location) as a “holiday ambassador” and to receive a free massage and experience the salon. While I was being treated to some peace and relaxation – Hi, Sarah! Fabulous job with the massage – I couldn’t help but think about how much I enjoy receiving “experiences” gifts rather than just “stuff” gifts. Don’t get me wrong, I do enjoy a nice sweater and a good bottle of wine, but there is just something about creating memories and getting out and enjoying an activity that is nothing short of heavenly.

The salon was very clean and surprisingly peaceful, despite being located in the mall. The staff was quite friendly. The rooms were cozy and the temperature was just right. They offer a range of massage options and provide facials as well. If you decide you want to be a regular, you can even join their “Wellness Plan.” For a monthly fee, you get one massage and “member pricing” on additional massages and services. Not a bad deal in my mind.

If you want more information about Massage Envy or are interested in picking up a gift card, they have quite a few locations around Seattle or you can order online.

OR, CONTEST!, you can comment below about your favorite last-minute gift suggestion. I’ll pick one commenter at random tomorrow morning, and Voila you win a Massage Envy gift card. Don’t forget to check back to see if you’ve won. One entry per person, thanks.

I’m a huge proponent of food trucks, and the latest one to hit the street got me all pumped up. Meet the Cheese Wizards, a new mobile grilled cheese and tomato truck patrolling around Ballard/Wallingford/Fremont (hat tip to myballard.com for the discovery). If you are wanting to find their specific schedule, check out the “Wizard Locator” for more info. They have regular stops at two of my favorite local microbreweries, Hilliards and Reuben’s.

I mean, YOU GUYS! Come on? This sounds amazing. Why hasn’t anyone in Seattle figured this combo out yet. Especially since it’s starting to get a little chilly outside. I’m all about comfort foods right now, and a grilled cheese sounds pretty dang good right now… I digress.

The Cheese Wizard menu includes cleverly named cheesy creationg such as the “Voldemortadella,” “The Greenseer” and “Holy Hand Grenade.” They also serve tomato basil soup and a variety of delicious dipping sauces. Check out their website for more funny wizard-themed references, including the “Wizards Creed,” a explanation of the grilled cheese magics involved in their recipes.

Well, I know what I’ll be doing this weekend. Hunting down the cheese wizards!

Last week, fellow Belle Kara and I took a terrarium class at The Palm Room in Ballard, and it was really fun. I’ve seen tons of terrariums around my office and people’s homes, but I never knew how much really went into it. I especially have an appreciation for terrariums that are housed in bottles with really skinny necks.

The Palm Room offers terrarium classes on the third Wednesday and Saturday of each month. It costs $50, which includes a short talk on the history of terrariums, the bottle, instructor assistance and all the plants, rocks, soils, etc. that you need to make yourself a little mini-jungle. Reservations are recommended.

Our instructor, Lisa, was absolutely awesome. She was a great teacher, and very patiently helped us with our creations. She was also great about not impeding the creative process. If you wanted to do something that may not work out the best, she would explain that but let you make the final decision. I loved that – even though I’m a good little rule follower, and wanted to make sure my terrarium was perfect! Check out the photos below to see Kara and I hard at work.

I’d highly recommend the Palm Room’s classes. They were worth the money to try something new!

The Palm Room also offers a Kokedama class, which I’m dying to try, as well as occasional workshops on various plantings. Have you been? We’d love to see your creations, so please do share!

Yes, I live in Ballard (well, Fre-lard anyway) and yes, I talk about it a lot. I can’t help it – it’s just a nice place to live right now.

MyBallard.com (hat tip!) posted about a fun new event in Ballard designed to help all of the new neighbors mingle and meet, called Ballard Social! The inaugural event was held last month at Portalis, and this month it’s being held at Bastille’s Back Bar.

According to the website, “Ballard Social is a monthly event created to bring those who live and work in Ballard together. In the last few years, so many new apartments, condos, townhouses and homes have gone up bringing an influx of new residents to Ballard. Ballard Social is a cocktail party where these residents can meet and get to know each other as neighbors.”

I love this idea. Being from Montana originally, I grew up knowing all of my neighbors. It’s one of the main things I miss about Seattle. To combat this, I’ve organized my block’s Night Out Seattle as well as progressive dinners for my closest neighbors. I feel its super important to know and be able to rely on the people who live near you.

That said, if you’re in Ballard tonight, come check out the event at Bastille’s Back Bar at 7pm. Who knows, you may just run into two of your favorite Belles – myself and Kara. See you there!

According to an email I received yesterday from All Star Pop Culture – which is hosted in Jillian’s Billiards on Westlake – Jillian’s will be undergoing a new makeover. Along with a remodel of the entire club and a new food menu, it will also get a new name: World Sports Grille. Phase one of the remodel includes creating more dining space in the downstairs billiards area, as well as converting the bar into a double-sided “horseshoe” bar.

For those of you who recognize that name, it’s part of a popular chain associated with GameWorks. I didn’t see anything about this change on either company’s website, and no word if the arcade portion of Jillian’s will become a GameWorks as well. This area has seen a lot of change over the past couple years. As anyone who has driven by knows, the traffic has been completely revised on both side of Jillian’s. Additionally, the Outback Steakhouse left and become Trago (where I have not been yet, is it any good?).

If you want to learn more, you can come check it out on Thursday nights during All Star Pop Culture! It’s a league format, pop culture trivia night that is tons of fun. Myself and several of the Belles have been going for more than 5 years now, and it’s a regular part of our weekly routing. Come check it out and see if you can beat us!

I’m a huge fan of celebrating randomly – I really don’t need a reason. My best friend and I have “friend day” and I will give a gift for no reason other than I saw something that make me think of someone. These things make me happy, and also are enjoyable for others. So, you’ll imagine my joy when I turned on Facebook this morning, and learned that apparently today is “Talk Like a Pirate Day.” Who knew?

AND, you can get a random “just because” gift from Krispy Kreme. According the company’s Facebook page, they will give a free glazed doughnut to any customer who talks like a pirate. And if you dress like a pirate — come on, who doesn’t? — then you get a dozen glazed for free. Not all stores are participating, so check before you stop in.

So, go ahead and celebrate something random today. Anyone else have fun random “holidays” they love? Share in the comments.

Image courtesy of Hot Cakes’ website

Recently, I needed a hot spot to meet up with a couple of ladies to plan the bachelorette party of our fellow Belle, Ceci! The girls and I decided that dessert was a MUST, so we decided to hit up the new Hot Cakes Molten Chocolate Cakery in Ballard. And, boy, did this place deliver! I mean, how could it not be delicious with the word “molten” in its name.

Started by ex-Theo Head Chocolatier Autumn Martin as a side project and farmers market vendor, the brand has taken off and opened its storefront earlier this year. According to its website, “Hot Cakes Molten Chocolate Cakery crafts organic, classic American comfort desserts and other original and innovative confections.”

I love that the molten desserts come in the cutest little, single serve mason jars. I tried their signature Dark Decandence molten cake, and was blown away. I did want for a glass of ice cold milk to wash it down, but settled for just enjoying the ooey, gooey-ness that it left in my mouth. And, even though they recommend eating it right away, I even took one home to my husband, who had ZERO complaints about eating a lukewarm version of the dessert. It was just THAT good.

One of the other girls tried one of their custom boozy milkshakes, and the other grabbed a couple pocket pies to take home. The shop also makes creme brulee, shortcakes, and a variety of ice cream (including sundaes). You can even get cocktails and savory items, if you “over-sweet” yourself. I’m definitely prone to that.

Anyway, get in and try this place out. AND, please let me know what your favorite dessert is. I have a tendency to order the same thing every time I go places, so I need folks to convince me to branch out.

Hot Cakes Molten Chocolate Cakery is located at 5427 Ballard Ave. NW. You can also order a number of their delicious desserts in the online store.

So, this post really has nothing to do with Seattle. BUT, it is awesome. I’m very into organizing my space. I don’t function well in clutter. Therefore, this Labor Day weekend, I don’t have any camping plans or parties, so I’m going to catch up on my organizing.

I was stoked when I came across this post that a friend posted on Facebook. YOU GUYS, did I mention it was awesome? It showcases 52 creative ways to organize your spaces. It covers the kitchen, bathroom, pantry, garage and more. I would never have thought about putting a rail under my sink for hanging cleaning supplies, or using a magazine rack to put up pot lids. Or what about stuffing your sheets in their matching pillowcase when you put away? Genius!

Anyway, check out this link, and let me know what your favorites are. Just try not to get inspired!

Happy Wednesday!

I’m a little tired of hearing that “summer is almost gone” (ahem front page of the Seattle Times…), and then seeing 90 degree weather later this week!! However, I’m not a meteorologist, so I have no choice but to accept that this must be true.

Boo.

In response, I’m vowing to keep extra busy these last few weeks (however many we have) and to do lots of outdoor things around the city. That’s why I was thrilled to see a slideshow list of all the outdoor movies coming up in Seattle on Seattlepi.com’s Big Blog. They’ve also included a list of FAQs regarding outdoor movies in the city.

I’ve listed a few of my faves, but you should check out the entire list here.

• TONIGHT, August 15 at 7pm - ”Willa Wonka and the Chocolate Factory” at Marymoor Park. Cost = $5. There will be pre-movie entertainment, food trucks and a costume contest.
• August 16 – “Back to the Future” at Magnuson Park. Cost = $5. This will also feature pre-movie entertainment, food trucks and a costume contest. The event happens rain or shine.
• August 23 – “Bridesmaids” at Red Hook Brewery. Cost = $5. Gates and taps open at 6 p.m. Redhook beers, wine, soda, BBQ food and concessions will be available for people 21 and older in the beer garden until the movie starts. Moviegoers may bring low-back lawn chairs, blankets and picnics, but not pets, BBQs or outside alcohol.
• August 25 – “Sleepless in Seattle” at MOHAI in South Lake Union. Cost = free! Movie are expected to start about 8:30 p.m. in Lake Union Park.

What do you plan to do with the rest of your summer? We’d love to share your tips on this blog.