I've clearly been a shutterbug of late. Which isn't a bad thing.  I'm very fortunate to get photo gigs now and then, shooting what I love -- FOOD. I've been working with Black Bottle, a longtime favorite tavern/gastro pub in Seattle, getting their menu photographed, as well as their great space in Belltown, as well as their Bellevue location. I spent a mostly sunny afternoon crawling all over the place to get just the right angle, craning over food while standing on chairs, all the photo-acrobatics that anyone who's done this before totally gets. And it's kind of a good core workout -- I was a bit stiff the next morning. But doing what you love, oh man, it hurts so good!

A Rare Moment of Sportsing: GO HAWKS 2015!!

Has the Bird gone TOTALLY MAD??  I am the last person on this planet to be crowing about any Sportsing of any sort, but I am a fan of Fandom, more specifically, the inspiring spirit of Seattle and its bear-hug embrace of the Seahawks. I don't know what Sunday will bring, but win or lose, let me say with all my heart: THANK YOU, to the team, its supporters, and most importantly, the whole Pac Northwest for rallying around the 12th Man spirit. I was so inspired by this outpouring of support that I actually put together a little video, compiled of Seahawks footage and photos, set to one of my favorite football movie scores, "Rudy," composed by Jerry Goldsmith. Because at the end of the day, it's always about the spirit and heart of a game.

Jaunty Fine Print: Video footage and photos from the Interwebs -- I don't own any of the material, but I did edit everything together

It's been an amazing summer, Pacific Northwest, I have to hand it to you -- and I don't mind that you haven't been in a hurry to depart. It's nice to enjoy the in-between of Summer and Fall -- which I'd just like to name Summerfall. You're not quite ready to pull out the winter coats, you can still wear summery flats, and you're walking around in a flutter of rapidly-changing leaves.

When the weather is nice, sometimes you just have to escape the day and explore. I took full advantage of a sunny spring day in Seattle to wander the neighborhood of Pioneer Square, which, if you're not familiar with the city, it's a little ways south of the Space Needle, just a few blocks down from Pike Place Market. On a pouring-rain miserable day, you don't want to be out and about, but on a day as nice as this was, it was easy to wander the city, from Market to Square, and find yourself at London Plane. 

Hear that sound? It's the city of Seattle, breathing a sigh of relief that we FINALLY have a Zara store. It's clearly a banner year for the Emerald City -- Grammy Award-winning local musicians, winning a freakin' Super Bowl, and now this: Zara has arrived in Seattle.

I love big holiday traditions as much as the next gal, but it's the little, personal ones I appreciate the most. Over the last several years, a good friend of mine always gets together to admire the holiday decorations -- it used to be around the Kirkland waterfront, where she used to live, and they had the crazy strings of lights in a mad tangle. We loved it. Over the last few years, we've moved our tree-spotting to downtown Seattle, for a yearly trek to the Fairmont Olympic, to gaze upon their holiday trees and window-gaze at the nearby Luly Yang boutique. 

So.... the Birdy's going to get all sentimental and mushy for a moment, but I became the very happy owner of a beautiful piece of jewelry. No, no, don't start the wedding bells chiming, I was just very surprised by a heartfelt gift by Mister Magpie, and best of all, it wasn't for any reason, it was simply Just Because. And we're not into big-gesture gifts, so this was especially heartfelt, and he picked a piece from one of my favorite Seattle jewelry designers, Erin Jane. 
 

Wishing everyone a very Happy Holidays with this Jaunty sparkly post! This Bird is in full Christmas mode, listening to Burl Ives' Holly Jolly Christmas, along with my whole playlist of seasonal music that as a rule, I only bust out as of December 1st. Take that, retailers who are decking the halls in October! 

This year, I made it a point to not go completely off the rails for the holidays, taking on too many projects and not getting a chance to really enjoy the season. I wasn't burning the midnight oil on workstuff, I took time to visit with friends and see people I hadn't seen in forever. You get to the point where the holidays aren't about stuff wrapped in boxes and tied with bows, you want the gift of time, to reconnect and let the people in your life know how much they mean to you, whether it's over coffee, dinner or a cocktail or three. Martinis are full of love, don't you know? 

And a new tradition of breaking tradition continued into this year -- last year I was so busy, I didn't have time to put up a tree. It broke my heart a little, as I always felt like it wasn't Christmas without a tree, but I was exhausted. The holidays were still plenty special and it was yet another reminder that the holidays are a state of mind.  I didn't decorate a tree again this year. I knew if I didn't have that thing up by the first week of December, it wasn't going to happen. But I was going to be okay with that because I didn't need one tree, I had all the trees of Seattle and her surrounding cities. I made it a point to visit and admire as many decorated trees around the area as possible. The multiple trees of Chateau Ste. Michelle in Woodinville, downtown Bellevue's many trees in all their main squares, Kirkland's brightly-lit (and carol-singing) tree along the waterfront, Seattle's many trees in Westlake Center and Pike Place Market, even a beautifully chic Tiffany and Co tree decorated in just what Eartha Kitt purred about in Santa Baby. 

And along the way of admiring trees, I didn't skimp on the extras -- the madness of the nightly marching band of Snowflake Lane, gingerbread villages in Seattle and Bellevue, holiday shopping through Pike Market's specialty shops, even a peppermint mocha with whipped cream and sprinkles. I'm redefining what Christmas means to me as an adult, which is less things, more experiences and immersing oneself in the sights, smells and yummy flavors of this festive time of year. We'll regret all those Chia Pets, Snuggies and Pajama Jeans six months from now, but enjoying a decorated town square on a chilly winter night will never lose its luster, at least not in my eyes. 

And so this is my Christmas post -- it's what the holiday means to me, along with taking time when I have it. So in honor of that promise to myself, I'll leave this up from now until the new year. Because even a blogger needs a winter holiday, right? But fear not, the Magpie is all ready to return bright-eyed for 2013. Until then, please take the time to spend with your loved ones. The holidays are the one time of year where it feels a little easier to tell someone they're important to you, that you love them, and how thankful you are to have them in your life. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all!

Jaunty Fine Print: Photos by Denise Sakaki

This Bird was lucky to get a peek at some of the freshly-minted pieces from Rene Ropas, a new line of clothing with an emphasis on using reclaimed fabric in bold, expressive styles and silhouettes. Rene Ropas is the brainchild and labor of love by creator/designer Morgan Carson, who was on-hand to present some of their summer pieces as well as a peek at the new fall lineup, at a preview party at their appointment-only boutique at 2604 Western Avenue, in downtown Seattle. Morgan explained how Rene Ropas came to be, that it is the culmination of a lifelong friendship between herself and Ashley Renae Moffit; they were quite the daring fashion-minded duo from childhood, recreating new outfits from fabric scraps and found materials, encouraging each other's creative dreams, eventually taking them to art school together. Morgan shared the heartbreaking story of when Ashley was stricken with the cancer that would ultimately claim her young life, but not before Morgan promised to see their shared dream of creating a fashion line that represented their unstoppable creative energy. Rene Ropas is named after Ashley, her love of Spanish culture, and derived from the Spanish word for clothing. In the act of taking old scraps of fabric or unused clothing, the pieces from Rene Ropas are making a statement of renewal; out of an ending, there are always new beginnings.

Clothing with personality and past lives, like dresses made from reclaimed brocade curtains, or a swim coverup sewn from a shower curtain, Rene Ropas is readying itself for a big statement to Seattle and the fashion community at large on Thursday, Sept 22, at iMUSIC, at 332 5th Ave North, in Seattle, from 7pm-11pm. Hailed as the next premiere runway event, the Rene Ropas Dollhouse Prom, will be thrown to showcase Infiniti, their new fall ready to wear collection and their couture line Femme Au Foyer, set to a cutting edge runway presentation that promises LED light shows, choreography and installations by local artists. With sponsors like Google Places and Yelp, and the large iMusic venue, it's a big splash bound to get noticed. They've got style support from Helmet Head Salon, Shocking Goat watches and makeup by Smashing Divas, along with Neuro Water and Novo Fogo to keep guests raising a glass. Much like the theatrical nature of the designs, their Dollhouse Prom event seeks to create a fully-immersed experience for the guests, but at the same time showing design with purpose. A portion of the proceeds will benefit the local non-profit organization, The Mona Foundation, which supports worldwide education and support for women and children.

Tickets for the Dollhouse Prom show are available on Brown Paper Tickets, but for those wanting a chance to win tickets, there's a Dollhouse Prom Seattle Scavenger Hunt going on right now, on Twitter. From Sept 6-20th, follow @reneropas and check their daily tweets with photo clues at 9am/12pm/3pm -- they'll be sharing a new piece from the show, and the first correctly-tweeted guesses, photos tweeted of you at the location, or general tweets/retweets spreading the word about Rene Ropas are eligible to win tickets. The full details about the scavenger hunt and the Dollhouse Prom are here, on their site.

Rene Ropas is dreamily Northwest with an imaginative, rebel edge, driving forth a statement about sustainability and pursuing one's creative dreams. Their ambitious Dollhouse Prom event promises to be as much of a cotillion ball for Rene Ropas designs as it is a way to showcase the city's artistic community -- see you there! 


Jaunty Fine Print:  photographs by Denise Sakaki at the Rene Ropas boutique in downtown Seattle

Despite all this Bird's crowing about how sick she is of the shopping mall craziness, I still managed to visit Seattle's central retail area, Westlake, before the retail overload eventually set in. Say what you will about how commercial the holidays are -- and yes, this Bird would agree with that -- but there's still a bit of wonder to be found in store windows, amid designer labels and price tags.

It's surely a result of our consumer culture, but there's a nostalgia in looking at store window displays for the holidays. It's like a little diorama of tinsel, light and magic, even if all they're trying to do is get you and your wallet into the store. There's an art to that method of marketing. It made me think of that old 1980s gem of a good/bad movie, Mannequin. Aside from this Bird's eternal guilty pleasure WASP-y love of Andrew McCarthy (St. Elmo's Fire, Pretty in Pink, Less Than Zero... etc.), that fantastically cheesy romantic comedy stuck in my head as I was walking by all the store displays. Kim Cattrall didn't suddenly come to life, but I saw imagination and fun behind the panes of glass. Cut-paper worlds of Cinderella and the North Pole, brightly colored tinsel trees filled with ornaments, and of course the big bright star on the corner of what used to be the Bonmarche. I know, I know -- the Bon is no longer, but I still call it the Bon Star. It was one of the first things I saw lit up on my first visit to Seattle years ago, when I was considering the Pacific Northwest to be my home. The city was lit up in its holiday finery and it felt like a brightly-lit welcome sign to encourage my move to this Northwest wonderland.

Over ten years later, and I haven't regretted this choice. The holidays remind me to count my blessings, be thankful for the friends I've made and the life created here, because it is truly a good one. Not to sound like a crazy old Bird, but perhaps by the guiding light of this giant electric star, I found my way to this place, and that is a blessing worth counting.

This Bird is now a Lady of Leisure and has been taking advantage of her spare time to really enjoy the holidays and keep a festive spirit. Sure, sure, I could be spending the days curled up on the couch watching The View, eating all the holiday treats that friends have been so kind to give (mmm... homemade chocolate-frosted biscotti!), but no, that is not the Jaunty Way! The icy-cold weather has been frightful, but the lack of rain has been delightful, so off the Magpie flew one evening, to get a glimpse of Seattle's Pike Place Market, bedecked in its holiday finery.

By the dying light of the sunset's glow, the neon flickers on and all the extra little holiday decorations light up the Market. On weeknights, it's mostly neighborhood foot traffic, so there's no tourist-catcalling with thrown fish, just people wanting to do their after-work shopping. The seafood is still fresh, the produce even more crisp in the dry freezing air, and the smell of a warm supper from nearby restaurants is a tempting thing.

People bought fresh Christmas trees right at the main entrance of the Market. They're set up on the cobblestones and I saw people walking them back to nearby apartments, like a scene from a movie. Walking further north, away from the Market, I get to the Belltown neighborhood. I caught sight of a shop that had a window display to charm any sweet tooth -- clothing made of candy! Pure, sugary heaven! It was a wonderful dessert for the eyes, finishing off a holiday feast for the senses. If you live in the area, I recommend a brisk winter walk up and down First, to feel Seattle's holiday spirit. Even if you live in another city, find a favorite main street downtown and find some seasonal cheer.

What a grand night to be a blogger on Friday, November 20th! If you live in or around the Seattle area, perhaps you had heard about Blog Meet Blog, a party organized by two fabulous local bloggers, Kam of Needle + Thread, and Rebecca of The Clothes Horse. This event created a festive and friendly atmosphere to bring a blogger's online presence into the physical realm, and mingle with fellow creatives for a night!

People gathered at the very stylish BoConcept store in downtown Seattle. This is a great place to let inspiration run wild; they have a beautiful showroom of modern ecclectic pieces that totally speak to the Pacific Northwest sensibilities. It was like going to a party at the friend who lives in the impossibly cool loft downtown, filled with cozy sitting areas and tasty treats. Some of the sponsors for the event included Qdoba, Mike's Hard Lemonade, Dry Soda and local darling Trophy Cupcakes. Sitting on a beautiful sofa with a cider in one hand and a s'mores cupcake in the other isn't a bad way to finish off a long week, this Bird has to admit.

Glitter, glam, and yummy treats aside, the real treat was the opportunity to meet so many bloggers. This Bird has been to different social events where one has the opportunity to chat with entrepreneurial minds and talk business, but Blog Meet Blog felt like a true act of kindness. And that's something that is not thrown about lightly -- it's easy enough to be pleasant or nice, but this event had the rare sense of kindness, which is to say, everyone could just share their creative experiences, no sales pitch required, and breathe easy in the knowledge that you were surrounded by like-minded individuals. And people could chat like old friends because we finally got to put faces to blogger/twitter names. The easygoing banter amongst the crowd made me feel like I was back in college, in the art department, where even if you didn't know someone, you felt like you still had a shared connection for imagination and an appreciation for unique beauty. Smiles were exchanged freely, introductions felt natural and enthusiastic. My only regret for the night was being so bird-brained late, and not being able to talk to every amazing person in the room. I know I missed out on seeing people I've talked with over Twitter or via blog comments, and for that I send my regrets, and hope we cross paths again soon! That goes double for the Emerald Dandy and Shock the Bourgeois -- I'm so sorry I missed a proper introduction!

Both Kam and Rebecca are truly kind, creative souls -- if you haven't had a chance to visit their blogs and get to know their imaginative minds, please do so. I can't thank them enough for putting together this meet-up opportunity, having it at such a stylish and smart location like BoConcept, and getting all the great sponsors involved. It was also totally Supercalifragalisticexpicalidocious to once again see the fashionably familiar likes of Seattle Fashion TV, Darrah's Dresser, VueSociety, and Photograph by Youa Kong. This Bird was also just as tickled pink to meet the fabulous likes of Superbetch, Last Days of Light, It's My Darlin', Alix Rose, Urban Fashion Network, and Beauty Revolution Magazine.

Oh, regret number two -- I didn't take nearly enough photos as I should have! But fear not, please peruse those blogs for their Blog Meet Blog posts, where you can find more photos and thoughts on the event. Urban Fashion Network's event post has a link to a ton of great photos by Mike Adams. Sweet thanks to The Clothes Horse's Rebecca for snapping a pic of my crazy ode to Seattle's affinity for sandals and socks, and Anna of Last Days of Light for a picture of Superbetch's Eddie and myself standing against those awesome textile swatches! I look forward to seeing local bloggers again soon, whether it's an event or just being out and about the area!

So, as you can tell, it's no big surprise where this Bird will be this Friday eve. (Hint, if you're not planning on going to BlogMeetBlog, CHANGE YOUR PLANS) I've had the lovely opportunity to meet event coordinator, Kam of Needle + Thread fame, during a recent Bellevue Fashion Week event, as well as many other AMAZING local bloggers and creative supergeniuses (peek-a-boo at the Magpie's links page). I'm also a fan of fellow event coordinatrix, The Clothes Horse's Rebecca, who is a fantastic source of wardrobe and cultural inspiration, and so it's no minor sentiment to say how totally jazzed this Bird is to have an opportunity meet and mingle amongst the fabulous bloggers of the Pacific Northwest!

I think BlogMeetBlog will be a really unique event. I often feel like the little outsider peering in at the fabulousness of the surrounding bloggeristas, as I'm always amazed at the influence behind singular, imaginative voices. The power of so many independent sources is both astounding and fascinating, so I strive to feel as much of a participant as I am an observer of this phenomenon. I look forward to meeting as many local bloggers/writers/artists as possible. The only challenge I'm faced with at the moment is WHAT TO WEAR. Knowing the stylish diversity and fierce fabulosity showing up at BoConcept this Friday, this Bird has her work cut out for her! Wish me luck and I can't wait to meet all you fab bloggers!