Sunday, November 23, 2014

Pre-Thanksgiving/Winter is Coming Food Splurge & Food Porn Pt. 1









Words alone can not describe each experience, moment, and taste so enjoy the pics because pictures are worth more than 1,000 words! :) 

 I'm beginning to realize that I get busier and busier and too tired to do anything or get things done let alone to type in depth my experiences. I will therefore mostly just post pictures with or no caption. Hopefully the upcoming holidays will allow me to creatively write my post pieces. But, regardless I will try to update and be consistent in my blog and keep on posting pictures. Stay warm and keep in touch!

- Tiff

Thursday, November 13, 2014

Holiday Season: Christmas come Sooner



Bright Christmas Lights & Hot Cocoa

Brace yourselves for winter is.. already here! It's not yet December, but it is already frigid and freezing. Which means Christmas is just around the corner and closer than I could have hoped! In preparations for winter, I have been keeping myself warm with hot tea, hot cocoa, and hot coffee. I love seasonal and holiday flavors, items, and drinks! Yummy hot cocoa topped with whip cream and drizzled chocolate and a maple syrup Gibraltar macchiato. 

The beautiful lights celebrate and anticipate Christmas coming soon. They're welcoming the ease into a wintry and snowy white Christmas. Stay warm and stay tuned, cause I am! 

-Tiff

JP Adventure Night





Dinner Date, Tea Time, & Sushi

Caught up with a good friend. We went and tried a new restaurant with great authentic sushi and homey Japanese food in such a warm and cozy environment. The lady was so kind to seat us due to the limited seating availability. We got seated at the small sushi bar in the back of the house but was a tiny comfortable seating area. The sushi was fresh and delicious and we finished the meal with non other than tempura fried green tea ice cream that was to die for and heavenly.

We got tea at the historic Panama Hotel. Both the sushi restaurant, Maneki, and the Panama Hotel were located in the old Japanese section of the International District in Seattle. I ordered the Hojicha tea latte paired with a plain shortbread cookie shaped as a teapot with poppy seeds. My friend ordered their green tea shortbread cookie that was shaped as a leaf. The tea was fantastic and the setting and atmosphere was very cozy. The brick walls and rustic historic feel was familiar, warm, and comfortable. It was such a great setting and place to catch up with a friend. There was a section of the floor that was glass and you could look through the floor to see some of the historic artifacts that were stored in the floor below. More food and exploration adventures soon! I can't wait!

-Tiff

I could be the Rain in your Desert Sky



A Chance to Dress it Up

I went out shopping and adventuring in downtown Seattle to the downtown H&M. Bought a cute cardigan and another warm comfy two tone infinity scarf! Went for a layered business chic, casual look with boot socks and booties. Grey wool sweater with a light sky blue button up. More pics and outfits soon!

-Tiff 

Still Life




It's the little things 
The small daily moments in life that I appreciate. My satisfaction of little things such as great coffee espresso, croissants, cake, and sunsets. I like to capture and share these small moments that I cherish and hold dear. 

The coffee series continues with me trying new things and new drinks at the usual comfortable cozy and familiar spots. I will be going to more new places soon during my free time on the weekends! These quiet and reflective moments let me ponder and appreciate all that has been going for me and more that lies in store. I am going to attend several concerts, social events, art exhibitions, take more fashion pictures, and go on more exploration adventures! 
See you soon. 

-Tiff



Wednesday, November 5, 2014

White & Gold Color Scheme





Holiday Seasons call for a winter color scheme

Silver, gold, and white! It was my first time trying beignets and they were so so good. Delicious and addicting! I love powder sugar and that on a simple buttery and fluffy fried, donut-like dessert was a great way to start off my Sunday brunch. The beignets was the starter for the meal that I had in my previous post on my Sunday Seattle adventures, and the rest of the pictures in this post are of my minis escapades around some of my favorite places to hang and sip coffee in my home- downtown Bellevue. 

The second picture consists of a fair trade gingerbread latte and a yummy adorable organic spinach and feta cheese quiche at Caffe Ladro. The gingerbread syrup used was homemade and not overpowering or too sweet. The ginger flavor really shines through but doesn't overpower the drink. I really love the flavor of ginger and spices in general such as cumin, cloves, cardamom, cinnamon, nutmeg, and etc. No wonder autumn is fitting for me. I always fall in love with Fall! 

The last two pictures are in the same building and location. I always love going to this particular French Bakery cafe  due to the classy, chic, creative, and modern interior design of the building. Eating a moist and soft raspberry croissant filled with fresh raspberries paired to a bittersweet coffee Viennese in a calm zen spot is very relaxing. The lights are decorations hanging in the front of the building and are decorative pieces for a dental office. I thought the lights were magical, sparkly, and pretty. So why not capture a captivating sight?

All these pictures welcome the warmth of the holidays, season's greetings, December's winter, and the upcoming close to this year and moving on to new one. A sparkly silver, gold, and white theme is the star of today's post and in honor of everything to come. 
Golden brown beignets topped with powder sugar, a golden gingerbread latte with creamy white foam and golden edged quiche topped with feta cheese, golden caramel espresso accompanied by a golden sugared croissant, and then a celebration of festivity with bright white, silver, and gold lights. 

I'm excited and anticipating for days of giving thanks, snow, a merry and white Christmas, glimmering colorful lights, joy, warmth, being with the loved ones, and of a brand new shining year. I'm ready to start fresh- to clean this year's slate and begin anew. But I'll also reflect over this year's events, ups and downs, achievements, accomplishments, lessons, and tribulations and celebrate conquering another year. 

Stay tuned to more merry happenings, exciting adventures, and expect many big explorations to happen very soon, even more cause of the holiday season.

-Tiff 



Sunday, November 2, 2014

Today's Seattle Adventures




Laid Back Hipster Precinct- Fremont

Today I got brunch with the boyfriend in Fremont Seattle. We went to a southern creole-inspired cuisine restaurant. It was the first time that I tried beignets, and I'm so glad I did. They were scrumptious and coated in powder sugar. The fried prawns and eggs Benedict was delicious and savory with their homemade cornbread. The eggs were cooked perfectly and the potatoes soft. The breakfast burrito was massive and a generous portion filled with eggs, potatoes, and bacon. 

I tried a mocha at the Lighthouse Coffee Roasters nearby. It was rich and creamy. The sweetness level was just right with a good taste of the espresso coming through. 

The last picture is an ootd photo! I wore many Aritzia pieces today for a sporty tomboy chic look and a black and white theme. I liked the vibrant orange color of the leaves and how it was scattered on the ground as well. The green vines growing on the brick wall also give a nice touch top to the backdrop. 

Overall, today was a good relaxing day for a typical rainy day in Seattle. 

Stay tuned!

-Tiff


Saturday's Seattle mini adventures & catching up with an old friend





COZY CAFES PT. 2

Yesterday I went to a new coffee shop that an old friend of mine had opened! I couldn't be anymore proud and ecstatic for her! The first three pictures are of my friend's cafe. I wish I could've taken pictures of the interior to share with you guys. The spot is a local, cute little shop along Alki  Beach near West Seattle. It's called Moondrop Coffee &Tea. The name is cute and catchy. The place itself is quite a catch with its cozy atmosphere and rustic homey interior. The dark pine wood and brick walls make it warm and inviting. The wood tables, wooden bench, and wooden bar area are all handcrafted by the co-owner and only add to the comfortable ambiance. They have a variety of options with good selective sections that offer diversity in beverages and food/snack choices that can be easily paired with any of the drinks. 

I tried their specialty drink the Mochaccinno. A mocha and cappuccino mix, by taking the foaminess you would get from ordering a cappuccino added on top of the mocha. I paired my drink with their homemade banana and zucchini bread. Delicious and nutritious! 

The last picture is of me and my family's meals for brunch on Saturday. We went to a hidden local cafe called the Cheeky Cafe. Their usage of unique bread for their sandwiches and french toast are really moist, soft, and fluffy. Their sweet potato fries are addicting. My sister ordered their "cheeky cakes" which are a thicker and fluffier version of standard pancakes, similar to giant round scones. They were really fluffy and moist with yummy chocolate chips in them. They have a unique fusion menu with a nice range of options.

Overall it was a good day of cafe chilling and I'm definitely craving more. 

See you guys soon!

-Tiff 


Tuesday, October 28, 2014

Some Fall Outfits of the Day




LAYERS ARE UPON US!

I have been a little swamped lately to be able to take pictures of some of my fall outfits. I will make it a goal to take more and be consistent especially with Halloween around the corner and the start of November. I have already uploaded one look onto LOOKBOOK.nu and will upload more onto there, Instagram, and here. Since it's my first and beginner picture, I only thought it would be fitting to post a candid/amateurish picture as my very first and it is the first picture shown above. The third picture is a candid photo of my #ootd when adventuring to the Seattle Waterfront. Check out my previous post to find out more! More to come, more to come..


-Tiff 


Cafe Chilling, Loving, & Relaxing





FALL & AUTUMN

One reason why I love Fall is because it's that perfect crisp weather of in between. You get to see green leaves change into beautiful vibrant and warm colors. Autumn means pumpkin, comfort, spices, warmth, and being with each other. I get to wear wonderful layers, scarves, beanies, sweaters, heavy knits, fashionable turtlenecks, and more without having to worry about getting frostbite or too much snow. I love tea and coffee because of the enjoyable complex tastes that are both warm and inviting. Fall only makes me enjoy the comfort of a warm drink even more. What better way to warm yourself up than a good cup of joe?

The first two pictures are of a cafe that I went to today in downtown Bellevue that has a kind of small, local, busy cafe atmosphere. The hazelnut chocolate cappuccino was perfect and the savory dill and cheddar scone accompanied greatly with the espresso. 

The last two pictures are of different angles and shots of a Kaffe Mocha that I ordered from one of my favorite coffee places. This place is a hidden jewel further up north from Seattle and features delicious Austrian and European espresso with a variety of unique and delightful drinks. I have tried various and different drinks from there and not one has disappointed me. I always make an effort to stop by whenever I'm visiting up north because it is worth the trip!

More cozy pictures coming your way!

-Tiff