A Night Out with Sullivan's

I don't eat at steakhouses often. I mean, I love to eat, but steakhouses are like Korean BBQ joints. You really have to commit to a night of eating! I was honored to be invited to join a small group of Seattle social media - Chris Nishiwaki, Jeff Shuey, Jen (sommelier at The Barking Frog) and Steven Matsumoto - to meet Sullivan's Steakhouse's new social media director, Benson Kelsey.

In talking with Benson and the Sullivan's Seattle staff - most of which came by to say hello throughout the night - it's clear that the steakhouse is different from others. It really feels like a place you can come to for any occasion, from a fancy date to family dinner to casual business meeting to happy hour after work. They even have Swingin at Sully's $5 happy hour on Thursdays, and a $32 three-course deal on Sundays!

I cannot believe I made it to the end of the night. What started out with cocktails ended up with course after course of delicious items from Sullivan's menu, which Benson explained was much more ambitious than your traditional steakhouse fare.

The Knockout - Sullivan's signature cocktail. Summery pineapple yum

Filet Duxelle - filet mignon with wild mushrooms and madeira mushroom sauce

Sides not pictured:

Creamy spinach

Broccoli with garlic

Lobster mac & cheese

Creamy horseradish mashed potatoes

Salad not pictured: Iceberg lettuce wedge w/crumbled blue cheese & tomato

Creme brulee as big as my head

Key lime pie

Bananas foster bread pudding w/vanilla bean ice cream

I'm stuffed again just thinking about it all!

At the end of the night, Sullivan's Seattle GM Amy Thibert sent us home with these sweet swag bags. Thanks again everyone!

Seattle is Sullivan's 20th location and will serve as the breeding ground for most of its social media endeavors, so be sure to follow them on Twitter and Facebook for info on meetups, special events and more!

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Built For Man Fall/Winter '11-'12 Fashion Show

New York-bred and Seattle-based designer Francisco Hernandez debuted his Built for Man Fall/Winter '11-'12 collection last night at Ferrari & Maserati of Seattle. Crafted from natural materials such as high quality pima cotton and baby alpaca yarn, pieces in this year’s collection include hand knit scarves, knits, unku, T-shirts, accessories, and dress shirts. New to this collection are a 3/4 coat jacket and pant in luxurious, suri alpaca, as well as an unku tunic made, yarn up, entirely by human energy and 100 percent sustainable.

I had a blast at the show. I'd never been to the Ferrari/Maserati dealership before and felt super baller :) Check out the final walk and a couple of pics!

We totes covered the car :/ with Jeff, Stephen, Nicole, Matthew, Alix & Jaymee

Enjoying a michelada after the show!

Forever 21 white brocade one-shoulder dress

Betsey Johnson pearl & bow earrings

Not pictured:

Vintage white ruched sheer gloves

Jeffrey Campbell wingtip suede shoes

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Fresh Style: Sunshine in the City

Sometimes luck is just on your side. This weekend, while I was leaving my neighborhood Trader Joe's I spotted a vintage sidewalk sale at an art collective house across the street. There I met Megan, owner of Bon Voyage Vintage and resident at this art collective. She was out there, as she is most weekends, with a couple of racks and tables full of her wares. Megan and I chopped it up and somehow I left with an Eazy-E cropped baby tee, red anchor sweater and this sweet faux-fur coat - all for $20!

I took the coat out for a spin on Alki Beach, where I spent some time blogging this weekend. Sunny but frigid, my city is beautiful. Check her out!

Vintage faux-fur coat, sunnies & boots

HUE thigh-high polka-dot socks

Target leggings ($6. got to.)

Not pictured:

Modern Assembly black cardigan

Vintage Easy-E baby tee

Coal fingerless gloves

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Fresh Faves: In God We Trust

While AlixRose and I were on one of our many excursions exploring the streets of NYC, we came across the Ludlow outpost of In God We Trust, a jewelry and clothing line born and bred in the Big Apple. I first saw IGWT's witty little heart necklaces on The Covet Shop, with such sweet nothings as "Let's Make Out", "Lucky Bitch", "Really Fuckin' Cute" and "Sweet Tits" engraved upon them. I was really excited to discover not only that they had stores all over the city, but that they carried so much more than just great necklaces.

Made in Brooklyn, New York, designer Shana Tabor uses raw metals to create a antique feel to her line of jewelry. She's also got rings, bracelets, flasks, lighters, biz card holders and more, not to mention a few clothing pieces for men and women. Check out her online shop at Refinery 29 here.

This little gem came home with me:

And I wouldn't mind getting this for my birthday :)

Cheers Mother Fucker flask

$50

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Thandie Newton - Elle Style Awards & BAFTAS

Killin.

Louis Vuitton Spring 2011 dress

Monique Lhullier gown

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Vivienne Tam F/W '11 Collection at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week

I know I am super late with this coverage but I'm posting it anyway. My first Fashion Week show was for Vivienne Tam's F/W 2011 collection. It was such an honor and pleasure to catch the show!

Featuring what I'm calling "Roaring Twenties' Flapper Warrior" style, Tam's latest collection included tons of fringe detail, flowing bell sleeves, drop-waist dresses, dark navy & grey against vibrant red and teal colors and outerwear with very sculptured shoulder and collars.

Thanks to my dear friend Jordana (Clutch 22) who works with the designer often, my seat was up close and personal. I got some video of the final walk and though it's from the side, it's a pretty good capture of the collection. You can view pics of the full collection at Fashionista.com.

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IFB Evolving Influence Part III: The Afterparty

I'm not gonna lie, I thought I had more pictures of the IFB Evolving Influence conference afterparty at The Chelsea Room, but I don't :) Guess I was too busy gaping open-mouthed at the reality TV show that was being filmed simultaneously there. It was like watching a train wreck, only with Jersey cougars. Weird. Anywho, thanks so much to Jennine and team (especially to DJ Lani Love, Windows Phone and TheFind.com.) for such a great conference and a rockin afterparty!

Check out IFB's recap of the Evolving Influence conference and afterparty here.

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IFB Evolving Influence Part II: What I Learned

If there's anything I learned at the IFB conference, it's that not all bloggers are created equal. I am of the camp that still blogs for leisure. It's fun for me and I like sharing about some cool things I'm in to. At the conference, I was in the company of bloggers who do it for a living, whether falling into it for the love of fashion or a natural evolution from a lifetime of writing. I think Evolving Influence did a great job appealing to bloggers like myself as well as to those who are looking to make (or are currently making) a career out of it.

One session in particular stuck out to me. Moderated by Kristina Medhus (Pretty Shiny Sparkly) and featuring: Sasha Wilkins (Liberty London Girl), Rebecca Stice (Clothes Horse), Kristin Knox (The Clothes Whisperer), Lindsey Calla (Saucy Glossie) and Rachna Shah (KCD), "Working with Brands Gracefully" gave some really great insight into how brands and fashion bloggers can work together successfully. The panel addressed the sensitive subjects of gifting and brand ambassadorship while maintaining credibility and keeping your personal brand true and intact. Here are some of my favorite points shared during the talk:

• Be honest with your readers. Be clear about paid posts ("This is an advertorial" or include mention of working with the brand organically in your post)
• Maintain creative and editorial control. The brand will have some input on what they want you to say, but remember to stay in line with your personal brand and your blog's purpose. Would you write about a free facial when your blog is focused on outfits and styling?
• Be smart about how you deal with gifting. Accepting offers and product from brands shouldn't be about "getting free stuff." It's a chance for you as a blogger - an influencer - to share knowledge with your readers that stretches across various boundaries (geographical, financial, etc.) It's rarely about displaying a brand in a positive light just because they give you something. They want honest feedback, and as a blogger, you should feel like you can share your truthful opinion about a product or service. Successful partnerships between brands and bloggers build over useful reviews and feedback.
• Be ready! Brands will sometimes offer bloggers brand ambassadorship, essentially creating a long-term relationship with that blogger to help promote the brand. For bloggers, that means your readers have access to events and insight into things they wouldn't otherwise have. If you want your favorite brands to reach out to your blog, get your press kit ready so you can show them the value of working with you.
• Earn your brand ambassador status! Prove to brands that you're passionate about what they're doing. They'll respond when you bring ideas to the table.
• Protect yourself. If you do work with brands, you'll be sharing ideas and thoughts all your own. Make sure to get a non-disclosure agreement drafted and signed by both parties.
• So...what metrics are important to brands? Ahh, the age-old question asked by bloggers, brands and social media agencies alike :) There's no true answer for that, but the two things to remember are: analyze what you can, and remember that numbers aren't the only thing that matters. Be able to speak intelligently about your audience and traffic.

Hope these gems of advice can help you! For more from the Evolving Influence conference, check out the live blogs on IFB.

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IFB Evolving Influence Part I: The Pictures

When I first got into blogging and Twitter a couple of years ago, I found myself gravitating towards a specific group of Seattle girls who were also into blogging and social media: Jordana (Clutch 22), Sara (SPUN), Alix (AlixRose), Birdie (BonneVie) and Nadine (Girl's Guide to Seattle). It was through these amazing ladies that I learned about and joined the Independent Fashion Bloggers community. Though I don't consider myself a purely fashion blogger, IFB has been a great resource for blog trends, news and of course, networking with other bloggers. I've grown fond of IFB's founder, Jennine and her blog The Coveted and commend her for creating this community for us!

The Evolving Influence conference is IFB's bi-annual all-day workshop that coincides with Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in NY. Evolving Influence is chock full of valuable information for bloggers to really take their craft to the next level. This was my second time at the conference and I'm so impressed how much it's grown in the past year.

I've split up my coverage of Evolving Influence into three parts: The Pictures, What I Learned, and The Afterparty. Enjoy Part I!

En route to the conference. Cozy in my vintage fur hat!

The stylish crowding the sidewalks outside Milk Studios

Darling, understated Tavi (Style Rookie)

We're here!

The crowd looks on as Jennine introduces a panel

Me, Mary (Shop Glamarous), Nubia (Nubia's Nonsense) and Alix (AlixRose)

Playing with laptops at the Microsoft station

The Microsoft laptop station. Really wanted to take that art home & find it a new place in my living room.

Pamela (Market Publique), Taylor (Sterling Style), Alix, me and Amy (PunkyStyle)

Beachy keen in the Aldo booth. Those sweet wedges won't be on sale until March! I want

Me, Nichelle (StyleMom), Alix & Amy (Midtown Girl)

Super fun times with AlixRose in the Levi's "Shape What's to Come" booth

Proenza Schouler keynote

Ethan (Elle.com / Titans & Co.) and I

What I wore:

Green & black checkered vintage duster coat

Vintage bib necklace

Urban Outfitters cream scarf

Vintage shoulder bag

JetSet latex high-waisted leggings

L.A. Made white double-V tee

Dolce Vita shearling boot

(not pictured)

Tete Couture feather headband

Moksha black double-rope belt

Vintage fur hat

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NYFW: Rebecca Minkoff Afterparty Hosted by Smirnoff

After a whirlwind week in NYC for Fashion Week and Social Media Week, I'm back in Seattle and ready to unleash some awesome blogs for you!

One of our stops on the Fashion Week party circuit was Griffin, for the Rebecca Minkoff afterparty hosted by Smirnoff.

"The World's #1 Vodka" even invited bloggers to try The Smirnoff Challenge, where three vodkas were up for a taste test. Now I am never one to turn down a taste test - and I ended up choosing Smirnoff!

Yum!

I had a blast meeting the Smirnoff & Rebecca Minkoff teams, as well as hanging with some of my favorite digital/lifestyle/fashion blogger friends.

L to R: Alix of AlixRose, me, Jordana of Clutch 22 & Amy of Midtown Girl

My Seattle in NY partner-in-crime, AlixRose

Thanks Smirnoff & Rebecca Minkoff for such a fun night!

Ever the social media maven...

Find Smirnoff on Twitter, Facebook and online

Find Rebecca Minkoff on Twitter, Facebook and online

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Alexander Wang Spring '11 f/Diplo & Ashley Smith

International super DJ, producer and tweeter Diplo with model Ashley Smith are the latest faces for Alexander Wang. Check the site for the collection & video.

Diplo cookin. Will you please just marry me already?

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Gucci Fries

TWO OF MY FAVORITE THINGS!!!

McFancy. via The Access Agency

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